Leveling Up Alone

Chapter 222: A Surprising Miracle (3)

"Hmm? What's that?" Han-Yeol muttered, looking down at his walkie-talkie as Purva's voice emanated from it.

The walkie-talkie Han-Yeol used was an old model, characterized by impressive design and excellent functionality. Although newer models were available, designed as earpieces, Han-Yeol stubbornly rejected them.

In Han-Yeol's mansion, only three individuals utilized these outdated models: Albert, his father, and himself. The remaining workers and guards relied on the new earpiece models.

Han-Yeol harbored several reasons for his steadfast refusal to adopt the new model, with the primary concern being his discomfort with constantly having something in his ear. He shared this aversion to items like rings, earrings, necklaces, and even watches—anything making contact with his skin proved rather bothersome.

Consequently, he favored the old model walkie-talkies over the newer counterparts.

Psshht!

“What’s wrong? What’s the big problem?” Han-Yeol asked.

[T-That is… I think you will need to see it for yourself…]

‘Huh? What's going on? Is there something that might pose a problem for me at this moment?’?Han-Yeol wondered, struggling to identify any significant issues that could arise.

Nevertheless, he opted to investigate, driven by Purva's evident alarm over this purported predicament.

“Hmm… Mavros?”

“Kiek?”

“What do you think is going to happen to your armor if you go back to your cute mode?”

“Kiek!”?Mavros cried out before shrinking back to his baby-sized form.

“What?!” Han-Yeol exclaimed.

He was taken aback to discover that the dragon armor had diminished in size along with Mavros. What astonished him even further, however, was the dragon armor's complete absence once the black dragon had shrunk.

“M-Mavros…? Did you just shrink together with your armor…?”

“Kyu!”?Mavros cried out and nodded in response.

“Will you be equipped with your armor if you grow big again?”

“Kyu!”?Mavros responded once again.

“Wow… That’s really amazing…”

It seemed that the armor was not limited to shrinking and could hide itself when not needed.

‘He might be a mini dragon, but a dragon is still a dragon, at the end of the day,’?Han-Yeol thought.

The dragons were undeniably an enigmatic and mystical species, and labeling the mini dragon as a mere monster seemed akin to insulting the entire dragon lineage.

Nevertheless, the matter concerning Mavros' dragon armor concluded there. Han-Yeol retrieved the monster egg and the nutritional fruit from the demon world, proceeding to his residence on the mansion grounds, as requested by Purva.

Creak…!

Han-Yeol headed straight to the living room after entering through the back door.

“H-Han-Yeol-nim!” Purva shouted while seemingly fuming.

He was watching the TV with Albert.

“What? What’s going on?”

“P-Please take a look at this!” he exclaimed while pointing at the TV, which was showing a live news broadcast.

.

Dududududu!

A reporter's voice reverberated from a helicopter, its propeller noise distinct, while he peered down at something on the ground. The scene before him was all too familiar to Han-Yeol, causing his eyes to widen dramatically as the camera zoomed in.

"T-This! What?!" he exclaimed, shock evident in his voice, upon witnessing the Cheolwon hunting ground he had recently visited being broadcasted on the news.

"How?" he questioned, his mind racing to comprehend the situation.

Yet, this was not the core predicament. The real issue lay in the impossibility of broadcasting helicopters entering a hunting ground due to the surrounding barrier that effectively prevented their entry.

Moreover, relaying images from within the hunting ground required specialized antennas, which posed a logistical challenge. Lastly, the peril posed by the menacing monsters within the hunting ground made it a highly dangerous environment for any group of reporters to venture into.

Despite these complications, there was no denying that the broadcast was, indeed, live at that very moment.

[We are currently above the Cheolwon hunting ground. As you can see, there is nothing in this place that was once teeming with monsters.]

“T-There are no monsters?!”

It was a series of surprises for Han-Yeol.

The news reporter was essentially conveying that the monsters within the Cheolwon hunting ground had vanished, or more accurately, the hunting ground itself had become devoid of these creatures.

‘What? Is that even possible…?’?Han-Yeol was in utter disbelief and denial.

However, it was impossible to deny the live broadcast showing on the news right now.

[As the Hunters' Association and various researchers grapple with formulating theories to explain this occurrence, we, at KBC broadcasting, have obtained information indicating that the most recent individuals to engage in hunting within the grounds were none other than the esteemed hunters Lee Han-Yeol and Mujahid.]

“What?!”

[There were no other Hunters that came here after that.]

“Whaaat?!”

This was the very reason Purva had urgently contacted Han-Yeol, as the news continued to reiterate the same information.

Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!?

Han-Yeol’s smartphone started to ring loudly.

[President Kim]

It was Secretary Kim’s new name on Han-Yeol’s phone.

‘Oh right, I asked him to buy the Cheolwon hunting ground,’?Han-Yeol suddenly remembered.

“Hello?”

[Did you watch the news just now, Han-Yeol-nim?]

“Yeah, I saw it. Did you obtain ownership of the Cheolwon hunting ground?”

[Yes, we were fortunate enough to conclude negotiations with the TK Group a mere five hours ago, securing ownership of the Cheolwon hunting ground for a million dollars.]

Upon conversion to Korean won, this amounted to approximately 1.2 billion, a price Han-Yeol found reasonable given the vast expanse of land. Yet, owning a hunting ground had more to do with boasting rights than tangible value. It didn't grant the owner the authority to restrict access or impose entry fees on Hunters. In essence, most corporations acquired hunting grounds as a branding strategy.

However, for the Cheolwon hunting ground, there had been a limited influx of Hunters initially. Thus, the TK Group deemed it an ineffective means of brand promotion. Consequently, they opted to capitalize on the situation by doubling the price for Han-Yeol—selling the land they had acquired for half a million dollars at the inflated price of one million. The individual overseeing the transaction was lavished with accolades from the TK Group's management for the profitable deal.

Regrettably, the circumstances had now taken a complete U-turn...

"Great work. We managed to secure that vast expanse for a mere 1.2 billion? Quite the steal."

[Haha! Absolutely. If we hadn't finalized the deal when we did, it could have unraveled.]

"I'm immensely relieved that you did."

[Oh, by the way, were you aware of this aspect when you acquired the hunting ground from them?]

“No way.”

Han-Yeol was indeed speaking the truth. He possessed no prescient abilities that could have forewarned him about this turn of events. The notion of foreseeing the future was beyond his capabilities.

His initial motivation for acquiring the hunting ground was rooted in its serene natural beauty, offering a calming respite. Little did he anticipate that his seemingly innocuous decision would send shockwaves reverberating throughout the entire industry.

[Han-Yeol-nim, might I suggest that you pay a personal visit to the location now that it falls under your ownership?]

"Perhaps I should, shouldn't I?"

[Indeed, it's advisable. This marks the first instance of a hunting ground vanishing, and no researcher or scholar can provide an explanation. Given your stature as a Master Rank Hunter, your direct investigation would be highly valuable. Moreover, the timing is opportune to underscore your ownership of the site.]

"Hmm... Yes, you're absolutely correct," Han-Yeol concurred.

‘Ha! I guess I have an excellent eye for people!’

Jason's ability to consistently make astute decisions never ceased to amaze Han-Yeol. Once again, he had accurately assessed the appropriate course of action in this situation.

[Are you planning to depart now, Han-Yeol-nim?]

"Why? Do you intend to join me?"

[Indeed, as there may be some administrative matters to attend to. Having me accompany you would be advantageous.]

"Well, if you believe it's necessary. I'll head directly to the Cheolwon hunting ground then. See you there."

[Yes, Han-Yeol-nim.]

Beep!

Han-Yeol ended the call and looked at Purva.

Purva walked toward him and said, “Yes, Han-Yeol Hunter-nim?”

“Get the car ready.”

“Yes, sir!”

Unfortunately, there were no airfields or helipads in the Cheolwon hunting ground, so he had to take a car all the way there.

Purva rushed out and instructed the staffers to get ready for Han-Yeol’s departure.

‘Hmm… I wonder what’s going to happen…’?Han-Yeol hoped that there were not going to be any huge problems.

At the same time, he was slowly starting to feel excited at how things were developing.

***

Han-Yeol arrived at the Cheolwon hunting ground after forty minutes of driving.

Murmur… Murmur…?

Whistle! Whistle! Whistle!?

“Hey! You over there! Please do not cross the safety line!”

The Cheolwon hunting ground had plunged into utter chaos. The inaugural manifestation of a dimensional rift had transpired in South Korea, subsequently followed by the emergence of the inaugural boss monsters within the same nation. Now, a peculiar incident involving the vanishing of a dimensional gate had unfolded in South Korea as well. This sequence of enigmatic occurrences directed an immense spotlight onto the country, prompting news outlets from around the globe to converge upon it.

Several astute foreign media organizations, sensing the gravity of the situation, swiftly established offices within South Korea, anticipating further anomalies within its borders. Regrettably for these foreign entities, the path leading to the Cheolwon hunting ground had been meticulously barricaded by soldiers. Consequently, a tense standoff ensued between the soldiers and the journalists, escalating the already turbulent situation.

Vroom!

Han-Yeol's car attempted to advance to the forefront, but its progress was thwarted by a wall of reporters who remained resolute, seemingly engrossed in their quest to bypass the soldiers. The presence of the car behind them appeared to elude their awareness entirely.

"My apologies. I will promptly clear a path," Purva offered.

Notably, two additional cars trailed behind Han-Yeol's, accompanied by a contingent of ten Gurkha Mercenaries. This formidable assembly comprised battle-hardened individuals, each Gurkha considered equivalent in prowess to approximately fifty ordinary individuals.

Gurkha Mercenaries held a distinguished reputation as elite soldiers, with retired Gurkhas capable of single-handedly fending off as many as fifty adversaries.

“No, let’s get down here,” Han-Yeol said.

“Pardon me, sir?”

“I don’t think they’re going to give way, and I want to see what’s going on with my own eyes too.”

“Yes, I understand.” Purva immediately got out of the car and opened the door for Han-Yeol.

Han-Yeol stepped out of the car, greeted by Jason, who had arrived earlier.

"Welcome, Han-Yeol-nim."

"Ah, hello, President Kim. Thank you for your efforts."

"It was my pleasure, merely following the instructions you provided."

Jason's recent frustration and anger toward Han-Yeol appeared to have dissipated entirely, leaving no trace in his current demeanor. The potent influence of promotion on altering one's perspective was evident, showcasing its effectiveness in securing loyalty.

"So, have you managed to gather any information about the situation?"

"Not yet. The association and the government are actively suppressing media coverage. All we know is that the dimensional field has vanished."

"Hmm... I understand."

In the midst of Han-Yeol's contemplation, a formidable surge of mana drew near.

"Hyung-nim!"

It was Mujahid.

"Huh? Mujahid?"

"Hahaha! Yes, it's me!"

Mujahid had been forcibly taken away during their last encounter, but now he returned, sporting pronounced bags under his eyes.

"What happened? You seem incredibly tired."

"Haha... I couldn't help but be curious after seeing the news. This is the first instance of a dimensional gate in a hunting ground disappearing, and the hunting ground in question is the very one you and I hunted in!"

"Well, that's also the reason I'm here. Oh, by the way, I purchased that hunting ground."

"Wow! That's incredible!"

"You think so too? Keke!"

"Yes, hyung-nim!"

The vanishing of an entire hunting ground was remarkable in itself, but the fact that Han-Yeol had procured the extensive 99.27 square kilometers of land was even more astounding to Mujahid. Acquiring such a vast expanse of land was no small feat in South Korea, and obtaining it for a mere one million dollars was akin to a bargain.

"I wonder who the previous owner is, but they must be in utter disbelief right now. Keke!" Mujahid chuckled.

"I'm sure they are," Han-Yeol concurred.

Then, he suddenly remembered, ‘Hmm… It’s strange how I keep getting involved in strange ways with the TK Group…’

Han-Yeol had harbored a distinct aversion toward the TK Group ever since the Sung Jin Factory incident. In fact, they had gone so far as to dispatch assassins after him, a response he had not anticipated after his aid to the factory. However, amidst the whirlwind of his busy lifestyle, these memories had receded into the background, nearly forgotten.

‘They are my next target after the Hunters’ Association and the Hunter Alliance…’

Han-Yeol had already administered the initial repercussions to the TK Group, but this marked merely the inception of his response, as he had further plans in store for them.