The Celestial Returned From Hell - Chapter 435
“Is that so? What kind of ability?”
“Uh…”
Illaphael seemed unable to answer, so the constellation answered for her.
[The ‘Six-Winged Angel Who Hunts Dragons’ says she wanted to use an ability to hunt the enemies.]
“…Yes, Master.”
‘Thank you, Master.’
Illaphael thanked the angel constellation and moved on.
Behind him, Illeya tilted her head like she was curious and asked, “So… What kind of power was it?”
“I’m also curious. It’s a shame we don’t get to see it.”
Choi Yeonseung was disappointed. He couldn’t help wondering what kind of power Illaphael had wanted to use.
***
-A large army of monsters has been detected on the top of Mount Gwanryeong.Citizens are urged to follow the instructions and refrain from going outside.
–Hunters are requested to gather at the designated location.I will say it again.Hunters are requested to gather at the designated location.
Phones rang loudly with all sorts of emergency alerts, and people also heard voices inside their heads, transmitted by artifacts to issue more warnings.
Whenever monsters escaped from a dungeon, alarms would immediately be heard in the surrounding areas. However, such a serious situation rarely led to a large-scale evacuation.
If people were caught off guard by an unexpected crisis, they would naturally scream and run in all directions… Or rather, it would be great if they did that…
“This way! Let’s get inside the shelter!”
“Are the hunters holding them back now?”
“They are. You think the monsters will be able to get into Seoul?”
There was a huge difference between a sudden invasion that nobody had expected and an invasion that had been debated on the news for weeks, with people speculating whether it would actually happen.
Just like they would take a cold shower before entering the pool, the citizens had unknowingly prepared themselves for this invasion to some extent. In addition, it was great that the hunters gathered around Seoul were streaming everything live as they pushed back the monsters.
Even the most determined people would be terrified if monsters entered the city and went on a rampage before the hunters could gather, but so far they only had to deal with noise as everyone outside Seoul was keeping the monsters in check.
But even so, some people were genuinely frightened. Heo Hyeonho, a member of the National Assembly, was one of them.
“The offensive has begun??”
“Yes, sir! We’ve received reports that monsters are emerging in other countries as well, not just in South Korea!”
“It’s a coincidence… It has to be! The dungeons exploded at the same time…”
“No! The constellations have confirmed that it’s an invasion! The hunters serving good god constellations have told us that it’s true. The government has also made an official declaration!”
“…”
Heo Hyeonho felt his mind go blank as he listened to the aide’s urgent explanation. He felt overwhelmed because in recent weeks, he had been one of Choi Yeonseung’s biggest critics.
‘Damn it…!’
He didn’t know how much damage the monsters would cause in South Korea, but one thing was for certain. If Heo Hyeonho didn’t do something about this situation, his career would go down the drain.
–Everyone, how many hunters have caused chaos so far?All the experts are saying this won’t happen. Why should we believe that hunter just because he’s A-grade?Even the governments of other countries don’t believe it!
-Hunter Choi Yeonseung is a hunter who has been active mainly in the United States since returning from his disappearance. Can the people of South Korea really trust him?
–There’s only one reason Hunter Choi Yeonseung is doing this!He wants to make a scene and take advantage of it.Don’t be fooled!
–He’s like those cult leaders that attract believers by preaching that the end is near!
Heo Hyeonho had a grudge against Choi Yeonseung from the very beginning. As a leading figure of the opposition party and a senior politician, he would’ve been able to run for president if it hadn’t been for Hwang Gyeongryong.
Hwang Gyeongryong’s great reveal had ruined everything!
After becoming S-grade, Hwang Gyeongryong had returned to South Korea from the United States and declared, “None of you bastards have helped me while I was here! That’s why Korean hunters died and I went overseas! How can you even sleep at night?”
Some politicians had lost almost all support after that incident, and they eventually retired and faded into obscurity.
Heo Hyeonho had also suffered a huge blow at that time, which was why he hated Choi Yeonseung, who was like Hwang Gyeongryong’s younger brother.
But besides that, politicians generally enjoyed being up to date on important issues. No matter how he looked at it, Heo Hyeonho thought Choi Yeonseung had made an irrational move.
Even the experts had said that no invasion would take place, and the hunters who had signed contracts with other constellations thought the same.
In addition, no other country had made such a prediction. Choi Yeonseung had just come out on his own and shouted, “We’re getting invaded!” and then proceeded with his work…
Heo Hyeonho had wondered why Choi Yeonseung was doing all of that, but it didn’t matter in the end. The important thing was to figure out a way to benefit from the situation!
After coming to a conclusion, Heo Hyeonho joined forces with several politicians and fervently criticized Choi Yeonseung. He had been so unrelenting that he even received death threats.
–Sir, there are hunters who want to kill you…
–I have escorts.Why should I worry about that?
–I think they were personally sent by Hunter Han Seha…
–What nonsense are you saying?Do you think a hunter of that level would risk causing a scandal?
–I think Hunter Han Seha can afford to do that…
If Choi Yeonseung hadn’t dissuaded her, Han Seha might’ve sent Heo Hyeonho to the afterlife a long time ago.
It had been great that Heo Hyeonho had managed to raise his approval rating, but now he paid the price and his reputation plummeted. The words “Retirement from politics” started ringing in his ears…
“Turn the car around! Drive to Mount Gwanryeong!”
Mount Gwanryeong was south of Seoul, and it was the fiercest battlefield in this invasion. The fighting was so brutal that every citizen in Seoul was watching it live.
Heo Hyeonho was going to head there and try to turn things around somehow.
“Huh?! Won’t it be dangerous?”
“You dumbass, is life even important right now?!”
‘Life is important, you madman!’ the aide thought to himself, but power was more important than life to a politician like Heo Hyeonho.
“Step on it!”
“Y-yes!”
The road was deserted because no one was heading toward the battlefield. However, the aide eventually saw a car passing by and thought to himself, ‘Isn’t that Kim’s car, the other member of the Assembly who worked with us?’
It seemed right…?
***
The scenery of the battlefield seemed taken straight out of the Abyss. 4th and 5th circle magic was constantly being fired in all directions. The monsters that were running wildly around the area were knocked back by wind blades and flame balls and rolled around.
“Turn on the artifacts! Activate the artifacts!”
“U-understood!”
[Dragon Industry’s Shield is being activated!]
There were some artifacts that were normally only used in the bases in the Abyss. However, Choi Yeonseung had placed the artifacts around the battlefield and procured expensive monster cores to power them up.
The moment the hunters were exhausted or injured while firing their magic, they could just retreat behind the shields.
–The cutting-edge magic of Dragon Industry is now…
‘Dude, this thing has ads?!’
There were some minor issues, but the hunters on the battlefield were genuinely grateful. Without the help of these facilities, they would’ve had to put their bodies on the line to fight monster after monster.
Everything from the equipment used by the hunters while fighting to the facilities that allowed them to recover had been brought by Choi Yeonseung.
‘It truly is staggering!’
‘I heard that A-grade hunters have a lot of money, but I’ve never imagined something like this.’
The team of twelve hunters from the Golden Blood Fish clan took refuge behind the shield. The enchanted spears slammed into the shield in front of them with sharp clangs.
“How are things going?”
“I think the shield is holding up well! If the shield on the other side had been pierced, someone would’ve shouted about it!”
“Hunter Choi Yeonseung killed what looked like a boss monster?”
“Really? Already?”
“He’s truly amazing. Anyone else would’ve retired at his age…!” the oldest hunter said in disbelief.
Preparing all of this by himself was already a superhuman feat, but it was even more shocking that Choi Yeonseung was running around all these monsters to aim for the strongest one.
Even though the public referred to A-grade hunters as superhumans, they were human at the end of the day. It was hard to believe that Choi Yeonseung casually jumped in like this when one mistake could cost his life.
“Guys!”
“What’s going on?”
A Dragon Industry’s employee who had been waiting near an artificial artifact came running at the hunters.
“I’ve received instructions,” said the employee. “Get back in there and attack!”
“Ho-hold up… Our magic power hasn’t been restored yet!”
“It’s okay, I know that! I’ve prepared some potions to help with that. Drink up!”
“…”
The hunters of the Golden Blood Fish were baffled. Choi Yeonseung made tons of money, so he could just spend it like this!
***
Choi Yeonseung had defeated the first household member sent down by the Beast of Swords and Spears, but he didn’t let his guard down.
‘I’m worried about the other side.’
Choi Yeonseung managed to shred the monsters apart as though they were paper whenever he used Origin of the Celestial Fist or Origin of the Celestial Palm.
But this wasn’t the only area under attack.
Choi Yeonseung was a constellation, whereas the A-grade hunters in charge of other places were human, so he was naturally worried about them.
–Those are the humans you believe in. Have faith in them!
‘That’s right. I have to annihilate these enemies as soon as possible and get over there.’
-…N-no.That’s not what I meant…
One advantage of martial arts was that even in the midst of a chaotic, large-scale battle, a martial artist could still carry out an assassination.
‘Kill the leaders and then wipe out the rest with sheer firepower.’
Choi Yeonseung had started by killing only the high-level monsters first. Among the beast warriors, those considered the strongest had been caught off guard by surprise attacks and died in vain without even getting the chance to display their strength.
This was what Origin of the Celestial Divine Arts could do when honed to its maximum potential!
[The ‘Beast of Swords and Spears’ shouts to watch out for a surprise attack!]
[The ‘Beast of Swords and Spears’ shouts to look back!]
Even though the beast constellation constantly tried to warn its warriors, it wasn’t like they could react instantly.
Choi Yeonseung knew too many tricks that were great in a battle like this.
He would attack a weaker enemy to draw their attention and then ambush their leader from behind, have them use up their magic power and teleport behind them to attack when they were recovering, pretend to retreat when his attack didn’t work only to ambush them again…
–Kill that human bastard!
–This cowardly human assassin!
The warriors gritted their teeth as Choi Yeonseung kept killing them repeatedly with his guerilla tactics.
[The ‘Goddess of Balance Who Walks Ahead’ says that Han Seha is okay.]
[She says that Kwon Yeongseung is okay too.]
[She confirms that Lee Changsik is also okay.]
The goddess must’ve been worried about Choi Yeonseung and personally checked how the others were doing.
–Thanks…Oh, sorry. Thank you, goddess.
Choi Yeonseung was so focused on the fight that he unwittingly spoke to the goddess as if he were dealing with other constellations.
[The ‘Goddess of Balance Who Walks Ahead’ says it is okay to speak comfortably to her.]
–No, I can’t act rudely.
-???
The goddess of sloth cocked her head. Then what was she…?
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ says that Jeong Wonuk’s side is okay as well.]
-Thank you, cat constellation.
Choi Yeonseung hadn’t been that concerned about Jeong Wonuk, but he was still grateful to know he was also fine.
‘Then I’ll kill some more beast bastards here!’
[…The ‘Goddess of Balance Who Walks Ahead’ says that she thinks the enemies will soon be prepared, so she asks you not to do anything too dangerous.]
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ says that a new army of demons has started to appear on Jeong Wonuk’s side!]
“!”
As though she had just heard the same thing from the angel constellation, Illaphael said urgently, “In any case, you’ve killed all the high-level monsters here! It should be enough for the rest of the hunters to take them down.”
“Yes, you can go ahead! We can kill them on our own!”
The team leaders from the Six-Eyed Turtle and Golden Blood Fish clans reassured Choi Yeonseung after noticing that he had to move somewhere else. They weren’t just bluffing; they were actually confident they could handle the rest of the enemies.
“But if I leave…”
“We’re going to be fine, really!”
“Still, shouldn’t I kill more?”
“…How much longer are you going to take away our monsters?” asked one of the hunters, unable to stand it any longer.
How had this one guy killed hundreds of powerful monsters almost completely by himself…?