I was Mistaken for a Noble Hunter Chapter 100

Promotion (8)

 

Words like “Did we get it?” are considered taboo among hunters.

In reality, most of the time, if someone says that, it really has been defeated… but sometimes, it isn’t.

And in those moments, it strangely feels like the enemy came back to life just because those words were spoken.

That was exactly what happened now.

Boom!

A massive arm slammed into Kang Ian.

He hurriedly pulled out a shield and blocked it, but was still flung far back.

After rolling several times on the ground, he got up with a grimace.

“Ah, damn it. I shouldn’t have even thought that…”

But he couldn’t help it.

The creature that had stuck its head out from the gate had been completely defenseless.

His sword aura had clearly pierced its head.

He felt the impact.

And yet… it was still alive?

GRAAAAAAH!

CRACK!

The creature grabbed the Black Gate with both hands and tore it open as if ripping it apart, forcing its body out.

THUD!

With its legs finally out, it stood fully on the ground.

A demon-like monster over 10 meters tall, with two horns and wings.

“B+ rank? No… isn’t that at least A-rank?”

Muttered Hong Dayeon, who had rushed over.

As a wind-type hunter, she had arrived faster than anyone else who had been resting.

“A new monster coming out of a Black Gate that already ended… This has never been reported before…”

This was outside the manual.

If things had gone wrong, it could have been disastrous.

The monster was clearly powerful.

If it suddenly used something like a breath attack toward the city, what then?

The hunters hadn’t been prepared… one wrong move, and the city could’ve turned into a sea of fire.

THUD!

“…? But… something seems off.”

Despite its massive size and overwhelming presence, the demon couldn’t even stand properly.

It staggered, unable to keep its balance.

‘What is this?’

Kang Ian examined it closely.

Then he noticed black smoke billowing from the creature’s head.

To others, it might have looked like some kind of demonic aura.

But to Kang Ian, it looked different.

It was exactly where he had stabbed it earlier when it was coming out of the gate.

‘That… is that a wound?’

Just like humans bleed when injured, the creature was releasing black smoke from its injury.

It only looked like an aura because there was so much of it.

‘Then… isn’t that a fatal wound?’

The fact that it couldn’t even stand properly proved it.

He hadn’t killed it in one hit, but he had dealt significant damage!

Slash!

Kang Ian tested it by slashing the demon’s shin.

Without using sword aura, he felt heavy resistance.

Only a shallow cut.

Yet the demon still couldn’t even respond, too busy staggering.

‘This is the moment to kill it!’

Having grasped the situation, Kang Ian’s eyes gleamed.

He rushed in and began swinging his sword relentlessly.

He applied every buff he could to himself, and his thrown shield spun through the air, slicing across the demon’s body.

“Kang Ian! Let’s do this together!”

Hong Dayeon, sensing something unusual, leapt in as well.

BOOM! BOOM!

Her punches were on another level.

Each strike caved in the demon’s body… far beyond what Kang Ian’s attacks did.

Kang Ian grew impatient.

“We’ll help too!”

“A monster like this coming from a Black Gate…!”

To make matters worse, other hunters who had arrived late joined the fight.

Kang Ian honestly wanted to tell them all to just stand back and watch.

BOOM! BOOM!

BANG!

All kinds of skills rained down.

If the demon had been able to fight properly, many hunters would’ve been wiped out.

Its appearance and aura alone were terrifying.

But once they fought it, it felt different.

“This guy’s all looks… he’s actually weak!”

“He’s basically a punching bag! Just treat it like skill practice and go all out!”

The hunters, who had prepared to risk their lives, began to relax.

They attacked more confidently.

Hong Dayeon, numerous hunters, and Kang Ian, who was desperately trying to deal the most damage.

Even a massive demon couldn’t withstand this level of concentrated assault.

THUD!

“It dropped to one knee!”

“Only one! Make it kneel completely!”

As the demon knelt, its height lowered.

The hunters grew more excited and attacked to finish it off.

BOOOOM!

BANG!

Eventually, the demon’s body tilted forward.

The hunters brightened… thinking it was over.

That’s when it happened.

WHOOSH!

Black smoke erupted around the demon.

It spread instantly, engulfing nearby hunters.

They hurriedly covered their mouths, but it was useless.

“Ugh…”

“Ggh…”

Hunters collapsed… eyes rolling back, foam at their mouths.

C-rank hunters fell immediately.

B-ranks at least managed to stay conscious briefly before fainting.

Hong Dayeon, an A-rank, endured… but even she struggled to stand.

“Is… is it a mental attack? Why something like this at the end…”

Kang Ian was also affected.

At first, his head spun, but he quickly regained clarity.

Valhalla’s blessing enveloped him.

A powerful protection that the demon’s mental attack could never break.

Kang Ian strode toward the fallen demon.

His sword shimmered with blue light.

It was the sword aura he had been saving.

A trump card meant for the finishing blow.

And now, he finally had the chance to use it.

STAB!

He aimed for the temple.

Driving the sword precisely into the previous wound.

Only Hong Dayeon, barely conscious, witnessed it.

In the black fog, a man holding a glowing sword finishes the demon alone.

‘Ah…’

It was a scene so radiant it felt almost holy.

Ding!

 

[You have defeated a great evil]

[Souls of Evil +3999]

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

[Quest completed]

 

Seeing the messages, Kang Ian smiled brightly.

Hong Dayeon stared at him in a daze.

Smiling so brightly after destroying evil…

It felt like watching a hero from a fairy tale.

 

***

 

“Khahaha. The summoning is finally a success.”

“Congratulations, Master!”

“The world is now yours!”

As the robed man laughed, his subordinates laughed with him.

Normally, that would be unthinkable.

How dare they laugh alongside their master?

But today, he allowed it.

It was that joyous a day.

“This is only the first summoning. We still have a long way to go.”

Though he said that, he knew the truth.

The source of their power…

A demon summoned directly from deep, dark evil through a ritual.

If it rampaged properly, even A-rank hunters wouldn’t be able to stop it easily.

Of course, it was only their first summoning.

They couldn’t bring forth a truly catastrophic demon yet.

‘But at the very least, it should be enough to turn Seoul into a sea of fire.’

Even that would be a sufficient reward for their efforts.

“Any breaking news about the demon appearing yet?”

“No, it’s quiet. Perhaps the reporters have all been wiped out?”

“Khaha. That’s possible. Or they’re too terrified to do anything.”

“Just wait a little longer… you’ll surely hear something.”

“Good. I’ve waited this long. A little more is nothing.”

But even after a long time, no news came.

By now, there should have been reports of Korea falling into despair.

“……”

“……?”

An uneasy silence filled the darkness.

The smiles had long since disappeared from their faces.

 

***

 

The moment Kang Ian killed the demon, its body turned into smoke and vanished.

The massive form disappeared without a trace.

As a result, when the black fog dissipated and the hunters regained consciousness, it all felt like a dream.

“W-what? Where’s that punching bag from earlier?”

“I don’t remember anything after the black fog…”

Most hunters had fainted and didn’t witness the demon’s death.

All that remained were traces of a fierce battle.

No corpse. No fragments. Nothing.

“…Did we all get hit by some mental attack and dream the same thing?”

Someone joked, but no one refuted it.

It genuinely felt plausible.

Hong Dayeon tried to speak, but Kang Ian stopped her.

“?”

He shook his head, signaling her to stay quiet.

“Everyone needs rest. You were suddenly thrown into battle and even lost consciousness. There might be aftereffects. For now, it’s best to quietly wrap things up.”

Though he spoke as if for the others, it was actually for himself.

He had completed the quest and wanted to meet Tezeros quickly to claim the reward.

Besides, unlike others, he hadn’t even rested.

He had been lingering near the Black Gate the entire time.

He was exhausted.

‘…Even in this situation, he doesn’t seek credit and thinks of others…’

Hong Dayeon wondered if he was even human.

He seemed like a saint.

In the end, she stayed silent and subtly smoothed things over.

The situation faded without much fuss.

Reporters who heard the commotion rushed over, cameras in hand… but got nothing.

Compared to superhuman hunters, they were too slow.

They arrived just as the black fog was spreading.

So they captured nothing.

Only unconscious hunters remained.

They took photos, but didn’t know how to turn them into an article.

A supernatural Black Gate phenomenon… perhaps?

Afterward, Kang Ian returned to his assigned tent.

Looking at the ceiling, he murmured:

“Lord Tezeros. I have completed the mission you entrusted to me.”

<Well done, young knight.>

His vision spun…

And suddenly, he stood in Valhalla’s sanctuary.

Tezeros, radiating wings of light, looked down at him.

<That evil was a terrifying being capable of destroying several cities, yet you handled it well.>

“…Really?”

Destroy several cities?

It just looked like a tough punching bag…?