NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 9
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* Setting Error Correction –
The protagonist’s starting rank is changed from ‘C’ to ‘E’.
E-Rank – Lowest Tier Hunter
D-Rank – Low Tier Hunter
C-Rank – Mid Tier Hunter
B-Rank – Start of Upper Tier Hunters
A-Rank – Upper Tier Hunter
S-Rank – Unmeasurable
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We apologize for any confusion caused.
*
Yi Sun-sin took a step toward Baek Seorin.
– Yi Sun-sin….
From the darkness of the cave, a voice like metal scraping echoed, and hundreds of hands shaped like human ones poured out.
I shivered at the sight of those creepy hands.
‘A-Rank, probably.’
The rank system for monsters mirrors that of hunters.
However, just because someone is an A-Rank hunter doesn’t mean they can hunt A-Rank monsters.
Surviving an encounter with an A-Rank monster defines what makes an A-Rank hunter.
Hunting them is an entirely different matter.
Even B-Rank monsters could give A-Rank hunters trouble if they were strong enough.
For reference, the Udanghwa I exorcised at Hangang Park was C-Rank.
But the threat level of Baek Seorin’s corrupted form was two whole ranks higher—A-Rank.
An A-Rank monster capable of wiping out an entire major city.
Overseas, they call these disasters “City Destroyers.”
Hundreds of black hands surged toward Yi Sun-sin like a wave.
The sky turned pitch black as the valley went from day to night.
Yi Sun-sin looked like he was about to be swallowed by the darkness. It was too late to dodge.
But in that very moment, Yi Sun-sin drew his sword.
Swish—
A blade twice the size of a regular sword emerged: the massive Hwandudaedo, known as the Twin Dragon Sword, the beloved weapon of Admiral Yi Sun-sin mentioned in Park Jong-gyeong’s *Dongan Jib Wonryung Geomgi*.
Uuung.
The Twin Dragon Sword let out a roar in Yi Sun-sin’s grip.
Yi Sun-sin swung it powerfully from left to right, unleashing an enormous energy wave that vaporized all the oncoming black hands.
Kuuuaaang!
As the darkness cleared, revealing the blue sky, an ear-splitting boom echoed through the valley.
Grrrr…
Rocks rained down from the half-destroyed cave.
With a single swing, Yi Sun-sin had erased the A-Rank monster’s threat.
It was an overwhelming power that defied logic.
“Let’s go inside.”
Yi Sun-sin calmly stepped into the cave where Baek Seorin hid, as if nothing extraordinary had happened.
‘Incredible…’
I gawked at the devastated valley, which now resembled a war-torn wasteland.
The anecdotes about Yi Sun-sin in history books weren’t exaggerations or fabrications—they were spot-on truths.
The painstaking efforts of contemporary scholars to document such feats became clear.
King Seonjo wasn’t wrong to reinstate the demoted Yi Sun-sin to active duty; there was simply no substitute for this man.
Inside the cave Baek Seorin hid, it was pitch black—so dark you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face.
This wasn’t just natural cave darkness—it was unnatural darkness conjured by “Gusonde.”
Even though we couldn’t see anything around us, Yi Sun-sin and Anwi remained clearly visible.
Ambushing enemies while hiding within self-created darkness was Gusonde’s specialty.
Yet none of Gusonde’s attacks landed on Yi Sun-sin.
This incredible human used pure instinct to evade and block every strike.
And each time he swung his sword, he unleashed absurd amounts of power.
Yi Sun-sin was a rule-breaking human whose sword swings felt like artillery fire.
‘Compared to Baek Seorin…’
I compared Yi Sun-sin to the strongest hunter I knew:
Baek Seorin, the head of Sandouchon and the sole S-Rank sorceress protecting Incheon, South Korea.
The results were surprising.
‘Can’t tell…’
I couldn’t determine who was stronger.
Even after observing Baek Seorin for ten years and experiencing firsthand how terrifyingly awakened she was, I couldn’t confidently say she surpassed Yi Sun-sin.
Neither could other top-tier hunters in Korea who were considered her peers.
No modern hunter could measure up to Yi Sun-sin.
But monsters aren’t simple beings you can eliminate with brute force alone.
Otherwise, they’d be called monsters, not anomalies.
‘Impressive, but still…he’s from the past.’
Watching Yi Sun-sin attack blindly into the void reminded me that this was 15th-century Joseon.
A 21st-century hunter wouldn’t use the same methods.
Of course, that doesn’t mean Yi Sun-sin’s approach was wrong.
‘Just less efficient.’
Modern humans have developed techniques based on vast databases to combat anomalies more effectively.
We’ve even created technology to pinpoint anomalies like Gusonde in the dark.
I closed my eyes and released thin threads of mana into the ground.
Sssss…
The spiderweb-like mana spread, feeding spatial data directly into my brain.
The uneven floor, cave walls, stalactites hanging from the ceiling…and Gusonde lurking in the corner.
Through repeated practice, I pinpointed Gusonde despite the darkness.
“Upper-right side.”
I opened my eyes and pointed toward Gusonde’s location.
–!!
Startled, Gusonde dodged, only for Yi Sun-sin’s energy blast to consume the empty darkness.
But I’d already mapped the space in my mind and tracked Gusonde’s movement.
“Crawling along the ceiling, moving to the lower-left.”
–Damn it…!
Whoosh!
“Left wall.”
I acted as Yi Sun-sin’s eyes, continuously relaying Gusonde’s position.
–Kraaaaagh!
Baek Seorin’s scream echoed through the darkness.
–Yi Sun-sin! Yi Sun-sin! Yi Sun-sin! Yi Sun-sin Yi Sun-sin Yi Sun-sin Yi Sun-sin Yi Sun-sin Yi Sun-sin Yi Sun-sin Yi Sun-sin Yi Sun-sin Yi Sun-sin Yi Sun-sin Yi Sun-sin Yi Sun-sin Yi Sun-sin Yi Sun-siiiiiin!
In a final desperate attempt, the darkness grew oppressive, threatening to crush us.
But I trusted Yi Sun-sin.
Though his methods might be outdated and lack refinement, he was undeniably the strongest warrior.
Uuung.
A deep blue energy blade formed on Yi Sun-sin’s raised Twin Dragon Sword, pushing back the darkness.
A line came to my mind.
A three-foot sword sworn to heaven shakes the mountains and rivers.
Three feet vowing to heaven moves the earth and sky.
One swing sweeping away clears blood-stained mountains and rivers.
With one slash, the darkness shattered.
*
As the darkness lifted, the cave’s interior revealed itself.
And a scroll fell to the ground.
Yi Sun-sin approached, picked up the scroll, and unfurled it.
“…This appears to be His Majesty’s decree.”
“What does it say?”
“It states that His Majesty wishes to reinstate me as the Commander of the Three Provinces’ Naval Forces.”
“Congratulations, General.”
For some reason, Baek Seorin had been carrying Yi Sun-sin’s reinstatement decree.
‘Jealousy, probably.’
Her cries suggested intense jealousy.
After Yi Sun-sin and Anwi left, I stayed behind in the cave.
Their business here was done, but mine was just beginning.
Thud-thud.
I ventured deeper into the cave.
In the cool shade where sunlight never reached, a small mass of darkness wriggled.
“Baek Seorin.”
–How…!?
“How? You were easy to spot.”
When I spread my mana earlier, I noticed Baek Seorin’s true form separate from the main entity.
She must’ve assessed Yi Sun-sin’s strength and prepared to flee.
Good for me.
Even though Baek Seorin was an A-Rank anomaly, she was currently weakened to the point where she couldn’t resist an E-Rank hunter like me.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Crack!
I smashed her with the butt of my Napoleon rifle as she tried to crawl away.
And before she completely disappeared, I placed a Blizzard Stone against her.
[The Blizzard Stone is absorbing mana.]
Sssss…
Baek Seorin’s essence was sucked into the Blizzard Stone.
Not only does the stone replenish mana, but it grows stronger by absorbing it.
Ding!
[Blizzard Stone’s mana increased by 1500.]
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「Blizzard Stone」
Mana Capacity: 4000 / 4000
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“Phew, still profitable.”
Even a corrupted official yielded a decent amount of mana.
–Master Choi! Aren’t you coming?
“I’m coming!”
At Anwi’s call from outside, I grabbed the Blizzard Stone and exited the cave.
With Baek Seorin dealt with, it was time to head to Jangheung for the 12 warships and prepare for the real Battle of Myeongnyang.