Chapter 374: Chapter 374

Wait... You again?!

Illingars immediately recognized Choi Yeonseung’s voice. The memory of being tossed around by that human with his strange techniques was still fresh in the monster’s mind.

How dare you intervene?! Surely you must’ve sneaked in like a coward?

“I just came here quietly. It’s not my fault that you didn’t notice.”

The staff members were horrified to see Illingars crushing the hard marble floor with his jaws like it was tofu.

‘You madman, don’t provoke it!’

“That’s right! The chairman has excellent martial arts. Why are you angry when it’s your fault for not noticing us?”

The Mount Hua Sect hunters also came in to add fuel to the fire. Illingars was stunned that he hadn’t noticed all these humans infiltrating the city.

“Illingars, why don’t you just let the hostages go?”

Don’t waste your breath! It won’t work.

‘I figured as much...’

Choi Yeonseung stopped talking to Illingars. As expected, there was no way he could reason with a furious monster.

-Hunter Choi Yeonseung! Hunter Choi Yeonseung!

“Tsk. Why do you keep bothering me?”

Choi Yeonseung was irritated that Jeong Wonuk was contacting him again. Why was he being so pesky...?

However, it turned out that the voice on the other end was someone else’s.

-Hey, Hunter Choi Yeonseung.

“?”

It was Bonnefant, Peleza’s CEO.

-Leave the scene at once!

“...??”

Choi Yeonseung thought he misheard it.

-Didn’t you hear me? I told you to leave the scene right now! I’ve heard that you intervened without the consent of the other hunters. Is that true?

“I’m sorry. What you’re saying is so ridiculous that I thought I heard it wrong.”

-...I can’t let unqualified people get involved. I won’t hold you accountable if you leave right now. However, if you ignore me and insist on staying, I will proceed with a lawsuit.

***

“Connect the line to Hunter Choi Yeonseung right now!”

“Right away!”

Bonnefant was following the news in real time. Of course, he didn’t go to the scene because it was too dangerous, but he was furious that Choi Yeonseung and his hunters were sticking their noses in this.

‘That hunter doesn’t know anything!’

The monsters were causing trouble in the Abyss, so Bonnefant had taken preemptive measures. However, despite that, a highly intelligent monster had emerged in the city center and had even taken hostages.

Bonnefant was at a loss. What was the best course of action?

Unfortunate as it was, he made the decision to give up on those who had been caught.

‘It can't be helped. I won’t be able to run the company if I comply with every single request of that piece of shit monster!’

[The ‘Greedy Owner of the Treasure House’ praises you for doing well.]

This monster was furious that Peleza had entered the Abyss without permission and polluted it in order to develop mines. What was the point of negotiating with such a monster?

Everybody was following the development of this situation, so negotiating with this monster would only tarnish Peleza’s reputation.

In addition, Peleza was acquiring additional resources unbeknownst to Raiden and Klein, and the reason Bonnefant was doing this in secrecy was simple. Once he acquired enough resources, he was going to split away from the two companies and run Peleza independently!

Many companies had committed such acts of betrayal, so it wouldn’t affect Peleza’s reputation that much, but there was nothing good about making messy negotiations with a monster.

He had to abandon those who had been captured!

‘I’ll organize a large memorial service for the hostages. That’ll be enough to turn public opinion around.’

Peleza was the most responsible for this crisis, but it would be fairly easy to avoid the blame if only a few of their executives and employees died.

In addition, the company was about to launch its newly developed product on the market, so Bonnefant had to mitigate the amount of blame that would fall on the company and overall try to preserve their image.

Therefore, Choi Yeonseung couldn’t get close to the scene. The whole plan would be ruined if someone working for Peleza asked Choi Yeonseung for help or if the monster made a reasonable demand to the hunter.

“Leave the scene immediately!”

Moreover, what if Choi Yeonseung actually managed to rescue everyone? It would be even worse. Choi Yeonseung was already doing great in the business scene, and if he also managed to rescue the hostages, his reputation would skyrocket, making him unstoppable.

That would be detrimental to Peleza’s plans.

“...If you ignore me and insist on staying, I will proceed with a lawsuit,” Bonnefant warned firmly. He thought this would be enough to get Choi Yeonseung to back down. After all, who would want to be involved in a class-action lawsuit over some random hostages?

***

‘Is this asshole serious?’

Of course, Bonnefant’s threats only managed to make Choi Yeonseung truly angry for the first time in ages. He had come here to help, and this imbecile was threatening him with a lawsuit?

If Bonnefant was so adamant about Choi Yeonseung not intervening, he should at least order the other hunters to act immediately, but he was standing idle...?

“This is ridiculous. Do you want the people inside to die?”

-I’m afraid it can’t be helped. You probably don’t think their chances of survival are high either.

Bonnefant accidentally slipped. Since this conversation wasn’t recorded, he inadvertently revealed his true feelings.

He had never thought Choi Yeonseung would be standing in front of Illingars.

......

“...”

There was a terribly awkward silence, and Choi Yeonseung was dumbfounded. He had actually thought that Bonnefant would send his other hunters to save the hostages.

‘This maniac! He’s disgustingly honest.’

“So you’re not going to save them?”

-Cutting our losses may very well be better than doing something pointless and causing more damage. In any case, I’ve explained myself enough. Get out right now. If you further aggravate the monster and make it cause more damage than it already has...

“Hey, you damn bastard!” someone shouted angrily.

It wasn’t Choi Yeonseung, but Omori, one of Raiden’s executives.

“How can you say something like that in this situation?! Get your ass here right now! I’ll kill you! Show your face!”

-......

Bonnefant suddenly fell silent. He was clearly shocked as he realized what just happened.

“Sorry, Bonnefant. I’m in front of Illingars...”

-......

Beep—

Bonnefant was so embarrassed that he just hung up, and Omori was so enraged that he was jumping up and down, cursing Bonnefant into oblivion.

It was so absurd that Illingars didn’t even try to stop him.

...I think I know who is the most evil.

“Will you release the hostages?”

Don’t be ridiculous! Illingars snorted as though he found it absurd. Many constellations are currently drooling over me, but they have no chance of recruiting me. If I fall, then I will fall. Do you think I will just let that man get away with trampling on my land?

“...”

Choi Yeonseung wondered if there was any way to reason with Illingars, and he suddenly got an idea.

‘Wait.’

Couldn’t he just hand Bonnefant over to Illingars?

-...Are you serious?

-I am. Isn’t it a win if I save dozens of people by just handing Bonnefant over?

-Well, that’s true but... Be careful. Try to speak to the monster so the others don’t hear about it.

[The ‘Undefeated Incarnation of Training’ asks if you will release the hostages if he gives you Bonnefant.]

...?!

Illingars was lost for words at the unexpected proposal.

***

Choi Yeonseung returned with the hunters.

The other hunters at the scene nodded with rueful expressions. They understood that Choi Yeonseung had failed.

“You can’t win if you go in like that, no matter how strong you are.”

“That’s right. Hunter Choi Yeonseung, I know you care about the hostages, but don’t beat yourself up. We live in a world in which good people always lose money.”

It was evident that the situation was a mess. All the hunters who served constellations looked at Choi Yeonseung with pity.

It would be easier to give up. It was deeply infuriating to have to deal with these uncooperative clans in order to save the hostages.

Choi Yeonseung said, “Tell Bonnefant to come here. I can’t sort this out by myself.”

“Bonnefant?”

“Do we really need to call him?”

The hunters were puzzled by Choi Yeonseung’s request. They honestly thought that Bonnefant wouldn’t be of much help. Of course, he had more authority to give orders, but was there any point in that, given the current situation?

“Um, I agree with Hunter Choi Yeonseung,” said Garcia, Cuba’s A-grade hunter. “You can see that everything is a mess right now. I’d rather have a leader.”

Of course, that wasn’t why Garcia said that. He gave Choi Yeonseung a subtle look.

‘I’ve paid off my debt with this.’

In China, Garcia had almost been humiliated in the Monkey King raid. He had failed in the first raid and skipped the second one. Even an A-grade hunter would have their reputation stained by something like that...

However, despite that, Choi Yeonseung, who had been the hero of the raid, hadn’t said anything to the media about Garcia’s lackluster performance. Thanks to that, Garcia’s flimsy excuses had worked in his favor.

Therefore, taking Choi Yeonseung's side now was Garcia’s way of thanking him for that favor.

“Indeed, it’s better if Bonnefant comes here. Given the state of things, it doesn’t make sense for the CEO not to be here, does it?” added Joseph Grant, another A-grade hunter.

Grant was a household member of the Iron-Blooded General Who Shakes the Battlefield. His master had ordered him to kill Illingars before it fell into the hands of the evil god constellations. In order to fulfill his mission, Grant had to cooperate with a strong hunter like Choi Yeonseung.

There was also Jeong Wonuk.

If all the A-grade hunters at the scene reached an agreement, Bonnefant would be forced to take action. And sure enough, he arrived as fast as he could.

***

'Annoying hunters.’

Of course, Bonnefant had only come to the scene begrudgingly. He had no intention of being here, but all the A-grade hunters put pressure on him as a group, so he had no choice. But what was the point of his being here?

“We can’t drag this out any longer! Who knows how much more damage the monster will cause if we keep stalling? Start the raid now!”

The moment he arrived, Bonnefant fiercely gave out orders, which surprised the hunters.

‘He’s not planning to rescue the hostages?’

‘Well, it’s not one hundred percent certain that a rescue attempt would work, but still...’

‘Now I understand why people think he’s an asshole.’

“I understand. I’ll do so.”

Each clan leader shrugged. Many people did what they were told as long as they were paid well. After all, the decision was up to Bonnefant.

“It’s moving!”

“!”

However, Illingars took action before the hunters mobilized themselves. They could see the monster in the distance running in their direction.

“Go to your respective positions. A-grade hunters, please...”

“Alright.”

The clan leaders, who had been feeling sour, immediately stood up and bowed their heads to the A-grade hunters the moment the monster started moving.

A monster of Illingars’ caliber would cause tremendous damage unless the A-grade hunters restricted its movements.

“Grant,” Choi Yeonseung called out.

“Hm?” Joseph Grant was puzzled

“I’ll warn you about this because I’ve dealt with the monster before. Don't intercept his attacks head on. You have to dodge them.”

“Oh? Thanks for letting me know.”

Joseph Grant nodded, thinking to himself ‘He’s such a soft-hearted guy.’ He acknowledged Choi Yeonseung’s abilities, but he thought that he was being too soft. Grant would never have given another hunter such advice.

“Target is five kilometers away! Get ready!”

“Everyone take your assigned positions!”

The hunters preemptively cast magic before the battle started. Some of the hunters exchanged looks with Choi Yeonseung as they prepared their martial arts techniques.

Grrung!

The massive tiger emerged in front of the hunters. This made Choi Yeonseung slightly uncomfortable, even though he had already faced the monster once, but he didn’t say anything.

“Hunter Choi Yeonseung, draw its attention! I’ll stop its movements!”

At Garcia’s words, Choi Yeonseung nodded and rushed forward. The other martial artists watched him with looks of anticipation.

What kind of attack would Choi Yeonseung display?

Bam!

Choi Yeonseung suddenly disappeared and reappeared next to Illingars, striking him with a flawless Origin of the Celestial Kick.

The hunters cheered, but something was off about Illingars... The monster seemed strangely weak as he rolled around.

“...?”

‘What?’

As the hunters were staring in confusion at the monster, they suddenly heard something from behind.

The real Illingars attacked from behind, decimating everyone!

Grant, who was the closest Bonnefant, remembered Choi Yeonseung’s advice and quickly distanced himself from the monster. Then, in an instant, Illingars swallowed Bonnefant.

[The ‘Iron-Blooded General Who Shakes the Battlefield’ is surprised!]

[The ‘Six-Winged Angel Who Hunts Dragons’ is surprised!]

[The ‘Greedy Owner of the Treasure House’ screams...]

[...]

Illingars’ surprise attack shocked everyone. Not even the constellations had seen through the monster’s strategy!

Illingars roared in elation as he achieved his goal.

“What’s with this monster?”

“Take some distance and surround it again!”

Despite their bewilderment, the hunters calmly changed their formation. Regardless of what happened to Bonnefant, this was a monster raid, and nobody really liked Bonnefant anyway...

However, Illingars did something that once again baffled everyone.

The monster bowed.

[Illingars, the wise tiger, is paying respect to the Undefeated Incarnation of Training.]

[He says that the ‘Undefeated Incarnation of Training’ deserves respect for consistently negotiating fairly and without arrogance.]