Chapter 593 — Before the sun comes up (5)
14 min read ·
Translator: miraclerifle
Editor: Borderline Masochist
The gazes focused on Cale as he headed down from the platform were extremely heated.
But Cale didn't look at those people.
“I leave it to you, ma’am.”
Heo Sook Ja, who was walking up the stairs to the platform as Cale walked down, gave a short response.
Heo Sook Ja walked past Cale with Ma Seung Jin and one of her subordinates behind her.
“It's nothing. I should be thanking you. I'll take care of the rest.”
She then added on.
“...Our dearest Commander-nim.”
Cale stopped walking and looked toward Heo Sook Ja.
Heo Sook Ja smiled when they made eye contact and continued to walk.
Ma Seung Jin, who was following behind her, gently elbowed Cale's arm with his elbow as he started to speak.
“You looked cool.”
He then walked past Cale as well.
Heo Sook Ja started to speak once she made it up the platform.
“My name is Heo Sook Ja and I am responsible for the defense here at the Seomyeon, Busan shelter. Everyone who wishes to participate in this battle against the unranked monster, please come this way!”
The gazes that had been on Cale moved to Heo Sook Ja.
Cale watched this for a moment before starting to walk once again and headed out of the auditorium. Choi Han followed behind him.
There was someone standing at the entrance of the auditorium to greet him.
“Rok Soo, that was a great speech.”
It was Lee Soo Hyuk.
Cale stared at Lee Soo Hyuk, who was leaning against a pillar and looking at him with his arms crossed, and started to speak.
“Where’s Park Jin Tae?”
Lee Soo Hyuk still had black gloves on.
Smile.
The corners of Lee Soo Hyuk's lips started to go up.
“Jin Tae is with Senior Kang.”
That meant that Park Jin Tae was beaten to a pulp and had to be carried over to Doctor Kang's for treatment.
Lee Soo Hyuk nonchalantly added on.
“I'll see him again when he wakes up.”
Cale started to think after hearing that.
‘He really is getting beaten up properly.’
Lee Soo Hyuk added on with a stoic expression at that moment.
“Jin Tae also said, ‘see you later,’ before he fainted.”
Cale had a thought about this as well.
‘Park Jin Tae really is a crazy bastard as well.’
Lee Soo Hyuk laughed once more as he continued to speak.
"Wouldn’t it be great if both Jin Tae’s mind and body developed right now?”
Cale, who could sense the vicious meaning behind those words, calmly responded.
“That sounds great.”
Lee Soo Hyuk watched Cale respond as if he was hearing about strangers before he started to speak again.
“...You've been through a lot.”
He was not talking about giving the speech; he was talking about all the things Cale had to face up until now.
Both Cale and Lee Soo Hyuk knew about the many different meanings but did not reveal their fangs to each other.
‘Anyway, Rok Soo.”
“Yes, sir.”
“That monster that is going to show up in Gwangalli...”
The unranked monster that would appear in Busan’s Gwangalli shores would then move toward the Seomyeon central shelter.
Lee Soo Hyuk slowly took off his black gloves as he asked.
“What is the name of that thing?”
Lee Soo Hyuk was asking about the monster’s name.
Cale pulled its name out from his memories.
“Electric Eel.”
“...Ho.”
Lee Soo Hyuk let out a short gasp.
“A scary monster that is unranked has such a stupid name?”
“Yes, sir. That’s its name.”
“Did you give it that name?”
‘No. Team leader, you came up with the name later after you survived the attack.’
Cale held back those words. Lee Soo Hyuk interpreted that short duration of silence as he pleased.
“You must have come up with that name since your foresight probably only let you see or hear the monster. Your naming sense is terrible.”
“No-”
“I understand.”
Cale felt wronged.
But Lee Soo Hyuk ignored Cale’s expression and continued to speak.
“Ah, there was one thing I didn’t like about your speech.”
‘Something he didn’t like?’
Cale looked toward Lee Soo Hyuk in confusion.
"Which part?”
Lee Soo Hyuk looked back at Cale for a moment before taking a short look at Choi Han and then turning back toward Cale.
“I will be in the foremost position.”
‘Ah.’
Cale recalled what he said in his speech earlier.
‘Furthermore, the people here will fight while looking at my back the most at least for this battle.’
The part about how they will see Cale's back the most...
Lee Soo Hyuk did not seem to like that comment.
That was why Lee Soo Hyuk was saying that he would be standing in the foremost position.
The corners of Cale’s lips twisted up.
He looked toward Lee Soo Hyuk who was walking away and started to speak.
“The person who will be in the foremost position will be decided based on the person's abilities.”
He was saying that Lee Soo Hyuk could not stand in the front just because he wanted to do so.
Lee Soo Hyuk stopped walking for a moment to say something.
“That’s great.”
He then started to walk away without any regrets once more.
Choi Han looked toward Lee Soo Hyuk and started to speak.
“How long do you think the current Lee Soo Hyuk would need to become the Lee Soo Hyuk at his strongest?”
Choi Han had seen the final images of Lee Soo Hyuk’s battle through Choi Jung Soo's memories.
Lee Soo Hyuk was already stronger than all of the ability users here, but he was much weaker than his future self.
Lee Soo Hyuk's battle abilities would only be completed in a few years.
Choi Han was curious about how long that would take.
It was at that moment.
Cale and nonchalantly responded.
“Probably soon.”
“Excuse me?”
‘What does he mean by soon? Shouldn’t it at least take a year or two to get there?’
Choi Han looked toward Cale in shock.
Cale didn't pay any attention as he shared his expectations.
“He’ll probably be close to that level by the end of this battle.”
“...Is something like that even possible?”
“Pfft.”
Cale scoffed and then responded.
“That person is a genius.”
Choi Han, who was at a loss for words, started to think about something else.
‘It’s not an issue with his battle strength.’
It was similar to how Choi Han was teaching a sword art to Choi Jung Soo.
Cale wasn’t personally teaching Lee Soo Hyuk as Choi Han was doing with Jung Soo, but there were things he wanted to show Lee Soo Hyuk.
These were things that did not come from strength but from experiences.
Those things would all be visible and remembered in Lee Soo Hyuk's memories after this battle.
Cale slowly thought about the battle that would happen in less than three days.
The image was being completed more and more as people started to slowly leave the auditorium.
The Electric Eel.
Unlike its stupid name, this unranked monster was extremely difficult to handle.
‘It is extremely smart.’
It was not the type of monster that would just attack and destroy things without thinking by relying on its wild instincts.
There were some unranked monsters like that, but the Electric Eel was extremely intelligent.
“Rok Soo hyung. Are we heading over to Gwangalli right away?”
Cale nodded his head at Choi Han’s question.
“Yes, we need to head there now. We need to confirm things in advance and get things prepared.”
There were less than three days left.
He needed to use every minute wisely without wasting it.
Cale would head to Gwangalli and prepare for the monster’s arrival.
‘I need to prepare for everything.’
Cale firmed his resolve over and over to be victorious.
It was at that moment.
“Gasp!”
He heard someone gasp in shock.
‘...Kang Il-Rae?’
It was the man who had raised his voice toward Cale when he went up to the platform.
‘Hmm?’
That man had tried to approach Cale before quickly retreating in shock.
“Gasp!”
“W, what the hell is that?!”
It was the same for the others as well.
Cale felt someone tapping his shoulder at that moment.
“Rok Soo hyung.”
Cale turned his head after hearing Choi Han quietly calling his name.
He then looked toward where Choi Han was looking.
“Hmm?”
In the distance...
He could see why everyone had been shocked.
He could tell why the ability users who had not seen Cale's group on their way to Busan were extremely shocked.
Kang Il-Rae started to point as he shouted.
“A, T, Tiger monster!”
The large Dark Tiger was quickly jumping across buildings and headed over.
“Why are there no alarms going off?”
“What the-?! Is this okay-”
Kim Kang Hoon, the Changwon Seongsan-gu shelter’s leader, couldn't finish speaking after realizing something about his surroundings.
‘Everybody is quiet!’
People didn't seem to mind that a Tiger monster was jumping over buildings to get here.
In fact, some of the Seomyeon shelter’s people were looking at the Tiger monster with a positive gaze.
“...What is going on?”
Kim Kang Hoon was not the only one who realized this.
That was why everybody prepared to attack but did not dare to attack.
“Ah. I haven't seen it in a while.”
Kim Kang Hoon looked toward the woman who had been sitting next to him for Cale’s speech.
"Do you know that monster?”
The ability users nearby all focused on her.
The woman shrugged her shoulder and pointed somewhere with her chin.
Cale was standing there.
“It’s that person's hyung.”
“...Excuse me?”
The Dark Tiger landed in front of the auditorium at that moment.
Boom!
The tiger that landed with a loud noise fitting its large body approached Cale with its black mane fluttering majestically.
“Hyung-nim.”
Cale warmly called out to the Dark Tiger.
“It really is his hyung?”
“Why is a monster his hyung?”
“Ho.”
There were many gasps of shock and admiration.
Heo Sook Ja walked up from behind them and said something.
“He is our ally.”
As people's expressions changed once more...
They all heard the Dark Tiger's voice.
“Dongsaeng, can we chat for a bit?”
“Of course, hyung-nim.”
Cale didn't care about the people who were shocked at this sight they had never seen before and headed to a quiet spot with Alberu.
They were outside the Seomyeon shelter walls.
Cale confirmed that only Choi Han and Alberu were with him outside the castle walls as he started to speak.
“You were already able to complete everything I asked for, your majesty?”
Cale had asked Alberu to meet with Sheritt and the Dragon half-blood regarding the issue with the Dragons.
“No. I fell asleep for a moment before heading out to meet Lord Sheritt-nim.”
Fell asleep for a moment.
That meant that Alberu found time for a quick nap as he had something urgent to tell Cale.
Alberu would come to this place once he fell asleep.
“Did something urgent happen?”
Cale’s expression stiffened up.
“...Did the White Star launch an attack?”
Choi Han’s face was even stiffer as he asked that.
Alberu shook his head. His mane fluttered majestically.
“No. It isn’t either of those.”
“Then what-?”
Choi Han asked in confusion as Cale cut in.
“Did something happen in the library basement?”
Alberu nodded his head.
“I think I got some amazing information.”
‘Hmm?’
Cale slightly flinched.
‘Not I got some amazing information but I think I got some?’
It was different from how Alberu usually spoke.
“Let me first tell you what happened.”
Alberu shared everything that had happened when he was in the stone room at the basement of the Roan Palace library with Raon.
The Unbreakable Spear.
He explained everything that had happened as he earned that White Spear and Choi Han's face slowly filled with astonishment.
Cale kept his mouth shut and saved his comments.
“...This really seems to be some amazing information.”
That was what Choi Han had to say once Alberu was finished.
The Dark Tiger silently showed his agreement and looked toward Cale. Cale started to speak at that moment.
“Earth 3?”
“Yeah.”
Choi Han interjected once Alberu answered.
“Wouldn’t that mean that there are also Earth 1 and Earth 2? Maybe it is a parallel dimension or a parallel world-!”
“I had the same thought. I believe that if we use this information as the foundation to figure out some more things, we should be able to find the secrets about this world and this test, as well as get some benefits for what we need to do in the future.”
Choi Han raised his voice.
“That’s right! I'm sure we will find some beneficial information if we gather some more.”
Alberu nodded his head.
“That is why I chatted with the spear before I came here.”
Alberu had chatted with the Unbreakable Spear before falling asleep.
Cale nonchalantly commented.
“Is it an AI?”
“Hmm?”
“Ah, nothing, your majesty.”
Cale shook his head and motioned for Alberu to continue.
‘Another Earth. How many are there in total?’
Was the place Cale and Alberu were from also an Earth?
Or was it a different planet?
Cale was starting to get a headache at the fact that the scale of all of this was slowly getting bigger.
‘I will only gather the information I need.’
Rather than being interested in Earth 3 or whatnot, he would listen to the information Alberu had gathered and just try to remember the information that was related to this place and the place he would return to.
"That spear introduced itself as ‘Taerang’.”
Alberu stopped talking as if he was organizing thoughts before starting to speak again.
"Apparently dungeons suddenly appeared in that world and caused the birth of hunters.”
‘Hmm? What?’
Cale subconsciously started to speak.
“Hunters?”
“Yes.”
"And dungeons?”
“Yes. A Monster Wave? There was apparently something like that as well.”
“...Ho.”
Cale could only laugh.
Alberu didn't care as he wanted to quickly share the information he had gathered.
“It seems like the ability users here are called Hunters in that world, but that place looked a bit different than here.”
“How so?”
Choi Han seemed very interested as he asked.
Choi Han's eyes were sparkling at this new information.
"According to Taerang, something called levels exist in that world and you can gain stats by going through the dungeons. You can use the stats you gain from leveling up to get stronger. Ah! But even that cannot overcome natural talents.”
“...It really is different than here. There is no system of leveling up in this place. There is the application and development of abilities, but it is not displayed as a numeric value.”
Choi Han nodded his head with a serious expression.
“Yes. The natural-born talents in that world range from FFF-Grade to SSS-Grade. Beyond that, there is even an EX-Grade. An FFF-Grade Hunter who levels up would still find it difficult to catch up to an SSS-Grade Hunter.”
Cale silently wiped his face after hearing what Alberu had to say.
"According to Taerang...”
Alberu remembered it clearly as it was quite peculiar and seemed very important.
That was why he was able to repeat it word for word.
“It said that, ‘By using me, even an FFF-Grade Hunter would become extremely wealthy and their path in life would be a breeze with no obstacles.’ ”
“...Ha.”
Cale, who had read all sorts of different genres of novels, brushed his face once again with both hands.
But Cale soon lowered both hands and had no choice but to look at Alberu. It was because of what Alberu said next.
“In addition... I asked Taerang about the monster that was used as the ingredient to create that spear.”
Alberu had instantly figured out what he needed to ask the moment he heard about Earth 3.
Cale’s gaze headed up to Alberu’s eyes.
“That monster that was extremely strong to the point it was almost unbelievable is an alien race with two legs, eight wings, Dragon scales, a Lion’s head, and an Eagle’s claws.”
Cale and Alberu made eye contact at that moment.
Cale started to speak.
“It's one of the sculptures that was in the Temple of the Demonic God.”
“...As I expected.”
Alberu's eyes clouded over.
Cale nonchalantly added on.
“The strongest of the monsters.”
Out of the 8 sculptures... He had faced 6 of those monsters.
But there were two monsters that were most likely stronger than those six monsters.
The monster that was the strongest of them all...
Alberu was describing the appearance of that monster.
Cale, who had been getting many headaches at the fact that there were two monsters even stronger than those six yet he had no data about them, finally saw a ray of hope.
Alberu, who had the same thought as Cale, started to speak again.
“Apparently, my spear is the only weapon that can destroy that monster’s bones?”
“Then we just have to destroy it.”
Cale and Alberu... Both the human and the tiger started to smile.
“Commander-in-Chief-nim.”
The first strategy meeting.
The meeting room was filled with the representatives of each region that were selected by the ability users from all around the country.
Kim Kang Hoon, the Gyeongnam representative, looked toward Cale and asked.
"The Electric Eel... How is that monster going to infiltrate the Seomyeon shelter?”
The intelligent first unranked monster.
The monster that appeared in front of the people who never even dreamt about the existence of these unranked monsters...
The monster had quietly appeared from underwater and used a stealthy method to destroy everything.
Cale gave a short response.
“The subway.”
The Seomyeon shelter was connected through the underground.
That was the reason this place had no choice but to become a ferocious battlefield in the past.
1. Taerang might translate to Bright Sun but I am not certain of it. I will just leave it as Taerang as I do not want to make any assumptions.