The Wise Cleaning Life Of A Returning Genius Hunter [EN]: Chapter 184

183

Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.

Western Temporary Operations Headquarters.

“I heard we were preparing for an attack, but…”

Noah spoke cautiously in front of dozens of armed personnel.

His gaze was directed at a woman at the very front.

“I never imagined you would come.”

“Hello. Long time no see?”

The woman responded, waving her hand lightly.

Her name is Dan Xiaohua.

The leader of Team 1 of the Chinese branch of the International Hunter Association.

Ranked 1st in China.

A world-ranked 5th hunter, Noah had met her a few times at the World Ranker Conference hosted by the International Association in the past.

“You used to be somewhat decent… What happened? You’ve become the International Association’s dog while I wasn’t looking.”

Noah openly mocked her, but Xiaohua nonchalantly retorted.

“You’re one to talk, aren’t you? You were the first one to crawl into the International Association on your own.”

“Don’t put me on your level. I was scouted.”

Noah shrugged, and Xiaohua smiled.

A comfortable conversation that seemed like a long-time friendship ensued, but it was only for a moment.

“But, you know…”

Suddenly, Noah’s eyes flashed.

“You didn’t seriously come here thinking you could beat me, did you?”

“That useless confidence is still there.”

Xiaohua let out a burst of laughter.

“The headquarters told me to destroy only the operations headquarters and retreat… But it’s a bit of a shame to leave like this. It’s a chance to become the number one, isn’t it?”

At her words, the personnel behind her simultaneously assumed an offensive stance.

The Noah Guild didn’t stand still either.

They also took out their weapons and prepared for an all-out war, but…

“Go put out the fire, you’re in the way.”

Noah pushed them away and stepped forward.

[Unique Skill: Apocalypse]

“Come at me.”

A strong current flowed through his entire body.

At the same time, Xiaohua also activated her skill.

[Unique Skill: Xiaohua Hongji (Small Flower Red Thorns)]

Soon, hundreds of small blades floated around her.

The only swordsman class who doesn’t use a sword.

A unique class, Sword Dance.

A psychic who manipulates hundreds, thousands of blades fluttering in the air.

Swoosh―!

Soon, the red blades swirled and blew towards Noah.

[Survival – Rule No. 5]

[Forced Breakthrough]

Noah didn’t wait and threw himself into the hundreds of blades.

Pow pow pow―!!

The blades aimed only at Noah’s vitals and dug in.

But.

“…It tickles.”

For him, a Guardian class, such small attacks were meaningless.

Soon, Noah passed through the blade storm as it was, and the moment Xiaohua realized it.

Thwack―!

“…Ugh!”

Noah, who had closed the distance in the blink of an eye, grabbed Xiaohua’s neck.

“It’s been exactly one minute.”

“…Geez, you’re disgustingly tough.”

Xiaohua, with her neck grabbed, smiled weakly.

“If one more minute passes, you’ll never be able to beat me.”

“…I know. If only five more minutes pass, there won’t be anyone in the world who can beat you. But…”

[Unique Skill: Xiaohua Hongji (Small Flower Red Thorns)]

[Bloom]

Swish―!

Hundreds of blades embedded in Noah’s body tore through his flesh and instantly grew larger.

“You’re only at B-rank level right now, aren’t you?”

“……”

Noah’s pupils trembled for a moment at the unexpected attack.

The hand holding Xiaohua’s neck lost its strength. At the same time, his knees fell to the ground with a thud.

“The world’s number one is all talk.”

Xiaohua, staring at Noah lying on the floor covered in blood, muttered in a cold voice.

Soon, she took out a communicator from her pocket.

“Northern Operations Headquarters, mission complete.”

“……”

“…Understood.”

After a short communication, Xiaohua opened her mouth to the personnel behind her.

“Clean up the scene and kill all the remaining personnel.”

“Yes.”

“Understood.”

With those words, Xiaohua turned her back.

The sudden attack by the International Association.

It wasn’t just the Noah Guild that was attacked in this way.

Throughout the United States, those who received the same instructions were moving simultaneously.

***

“They started moving faster than I thought.”

American Branch, Central Control Room.

I was confronting the hunters belonging to the International Association who had stormed in.

“By the way, aren’t you being too blatant in someone else’s country? You won’t be able to avoid the criticism of the international community.”

When I asked, the man who seemed to be the leader stepped forward.

“You’re the ones running rampant, not us. Don’t you know that the American branch has been officially disbanded? We’re just trying to withdraw the unofficial organization that is illegally conducting subjugation activities in the United States.”

“Isn’t there still a three-week grace period left?”

“Well, that’s just a formality… There’s always an exception.”

Seriously.

They’re just making things up as they go.

Who doesn’t know that they’re just trying to wipe us out because they can’t let us find Eden anymore?

What unofficial organization withdrawal… It’s so absurd.

“Anyway, as of this moment, you can no longer use this place. The International Association will manage it, so please leave peacefully.”

“What if we refuse?”

“We will proceed with force.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at those serious words.

It seemed to have offended the man, and he continued in a threatening voice.

“By now, troops should have arrived at each operations headquarters. They’ve probably all been demolished. Of course, if you follow the withdrawal order peacefully, we don’t intend to threaten you…”

“We can just rebuild those buildings. What’s important isn’t the operations headquarters, but the personnel.”

I cut him off and opened my mouth.

“As long as the personnel remain, we will continue the operation. If you really intend to stop our operation, you’ll have to kill us all.”

“…Are you serious?”

“Do I look like I’m bluffing?”

“Then… I have no choice.”

The man said with a serious expression and then took out a communicator from his pocket.

“I’m relaying additional instructions to each part leader. As of this moment, all personnel remaining at each operations headquarters… are to be killed.”

After saying that, the man looked back at me.

“Don’t regret it. We tried to avoid a violent conflict as much as possible.”

“There’s no way.”

I shrugged.

They wanted to avoid a violent conflict?

What a load of crap [nonsense].

They’re interfering with our operation as they please, and they thought we’d just stand still?

No area will stand for that.

Even if a battle breaks out, I’d rather see the end of it.

But what if.

“I have a question before we start…”

“Please speak.”

“What if we kill you all…”

I got close to the man and continued in a low voice.

“What happens then?”

“……”

The man’s expression stiffened at that moment.

“That won’t happen…”

“We’ll know who’s longer and shorter when we compare [we’ll see who comes out on top].”

I grinned.

“Go tell the Secretary-General. Right now, you guys have the knife [upper hand], so everyone is watching, but if you try to control everything like this just because you’re in a superior position, you’ll definitely get it back someday.”

As an experienced person, I can guarantee it.

“Oh, now that I think about it…”

I clapped my hands, remembering something I had forgotten.

“If you all die here, there won’t be anyone to deliver the message.”

[Unique Skill: Demon King]

***

Northern United States, Minnesota.

In front of the collapsed temporary operations headquarters.

[Unique Skill: Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara – Awakening]

[One of the Six Avalokitesvaras]

[1st Strike – Holy Avalokitesvara]

Swish, swish―!

Kim Min-joo’s sword strikes repeatedly cut through the air.

But none of those attacks reached the Evans siblings.

They skillfully dodged the attacks with light and quick footwork.

Their evasion ability was comparable to Kim Jun-woo.

“Tch…!”

Kim Min-joo had to increase her speed even more.

[Three of the Six Avalokitesvaras]

[3rd Strike – Hayagriva]

Swish, swish swish―!

“……!”

The Evans siblings were momentarily startled by the incredibly fast sword strikes that seemed to wield three swords.

[Six of the Six Avalokitesvaras]

[6th Strike – Cittamani-Cakra Avalokitesvara]

Swoosh―.

Kim Min-joo didn’t miss the gap and took out the calmest and sharpest strike.

But.

[Unique Skill: Beast – Cerberus]

Bang―!!

That critical strike was futilely blocked by a monster that suddenly appeared.

The skill of David Evans, a Beast class who transforms into the form of a beast.

Kim Min-joo froze for a moment when she actually faced Cerberus, the guardian of hell [a multi-headed dog from Greek mythology].

At the same time, the moment the three heads opened their mouths towards her.

“Don’t lose your mind!”

[Unique Skill: High Panic Berserker]

Thwack―!

Han Yu-bin’s fist struck the monster’s jaw.

Following that, Cha Seok-hyun and Yoo Ji-woo also joined the attack, taking advantage of the gap.

[Unique Skill: Steampunk]

[Transform: Punk Dog]

[Unique Skill: Artemis]

[Bullet – Full Moon]

[Loading Complete]

Kaboom―!!

Their attacks hit the monster accurately.

The monster writhed in pain, making bizarre cries.

“Let’s go one more time!”

“Yes!”

At Han Yu-bin’s cry, Kim Min-joo took a breath once again.

[Six of the Six Avalokitesvaras]

[6th Strike – Cittamani-Cakra Avalokitesvara]

The strike that was taken out again.

But this time, the attack was not successful either.

[Unique Skill: Beast – Sphinx]

Kaaaaa―!!

This time, David’s younger sister, Salt, blocked her.

A huge lion monster opened its mouth wide.

Ziiiiing―.

Intense light began to gather in its large mouth.

“Dodge, dodge!”

“Back! Get back no matter what!!”

“Min-joo!!”

Han Yu-bin, Cha Seok-hyun, and Yoo Ji-woo shouted, but for some reason, Kim Min-joo didn’t move.

“Hoo……”

Instead of dodging, she closed her eyes in the middle of the incoming attack and focused all her nerves on the sword.

Soon, the breath that blew away the operations headquarters in an instant was fired straight at her.

[Unique Skill: Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara – Awakening]

[Five of the Six Avalokitesvaras]

[5th Strike – Amoghapasa]

Click―.

With a light friction sound, Kim Min-joo’s sword twisted the trajectory of the breath.

“…Crazy.”

“Is that even possible?!”

“How does that person become a monster every time I see them!”

Han Yu-bin, Cha Seok-hyun, and Yoo Ji-woo, who had retreated, were speechless at the sight.

But Kim Min-joo, as if nothing had happened, opened her mouth calmly.

“…I didn’t know there were guys like that among the Beast classes.”

“They usually transform into real animals, but very rarely, they transform into legendary beings. Moreover, if it’s Cerberus and Sphinx… they’re probably those guys ranked 12th and 13th.”

Han Yu-bin fixed his gaze on the twins.

They had already returned to their human forms.

“…I don’t really want to fight.”

“Can’t you just let us go? We’re done with our work anyway.”

As they opened their mouths in a sleepy voice, Kim Min-joo’s hand holding the sword tightened.

She doesn’t know what the situation is at the other headquarters.

They may not have been attacked yet, or they may already be fighting.

If she lets them go, other places may be attacked.

So she can never let them go.

The moment she thought so, a communicator rang from somewhere.

It was none other than the communicator held by David Evans.

“Yeah.”

David, who took out the communicator, replied in a still sleepy voice.

“We destroyed the building. But these guys won’t let us go.”

“……Okay.”

Soon, he put down the radio and made a bothered expression.

Salt asked slyly.

“What did they say?”

“Kill them all.”

“Annoying.”

“I know.”

The twins sighed deeply without anyone saying anything.

[Unique Skill: Cerberus]

[Unique Skill: Sphinx]

Kaaaaaak―!!!

A huge life form that couldn’t even fit in the field of vision reappeared.

Kim Min-joo’s pupils shook greatly.

Kill them?

So they didn’t intend to kill them until now?

‘Damn it……’

Is this what it’s like to be a world ranker?

I thought I had grown a lot… but I’m still not even close to the world rankers.

Such thoughts were fleeting.

“Don’t be scared.”

Han Yu-bin put his hand on her shoulder.

“What about the representative who trusted us and left it to us if we get scared?”

“……I guess so.”

Kim Min-joo then let out a burst of laughter and regained her composure.

If she gives up and retreats here, further operation will be impossible. Of course, she will also lose the last means to check the International Association.

If that happens, the International Association will effectively hold control of the entire world.

All independent associations, guilds, and companies will disappear, and subjugation will only be possible by the International Association.

Kim Jun-woo’s past efforts to overthrow the International Association and create a new association, risking his life, will disappear in an instant.

Yeah.

How many times has Kim Jun-woo risked his life for them?

So she can’t back out now because she’s scared.

“Guild Leader Cha Seok-hyun, Guild Leader Yoo Ji-woo.”

“Tell us.”

“We’ll take care of the guy. You two take care of the younger sister.”

The two guild leaders nodded instead of answering.

“Then……”

A blue aura began to swirl around Kim Min-joo’s entire body.

“Let’s do it.”

[Unique Skill: Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara – Awakening]

[Outside the Six Avalokitesvaras]

[Possession – Avalokitesvara]

[Shobho Manju Bodhisattva]