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chapter 167
“W-waaah!”
“W-what is that…!!”
The thunder whale carrying 이현 cut across the very center of the Afra harbor area and made straight for the Hagatnya Black Zone.
The remnants of the City Cartel, Black Maria, and several other organizations tried in every way to stop the thunder whale’s approach, but—
Kukukukukung!!
Kwak kwak kwak kwak—
Flash! Flash!
Kwarrrung—
Each time the thunder whale moved its fins, thermo-storms and lightning strikes erupted, blocking all approaches.
It was an enormous spectacle, as if someone were controlling the weather at will.
Perched on the thunder beast (雷獸) and looking down on the world with prideful arrogance.
It felt like actually seeing the Zeus of myth.
And then…
―We will not intervene in the conflict between the City Cartel and 귀뢰.
―We hereby announce that Black Maria’s participation in this dispute is not related to us.
―We express regret that, during the war, other forces suffered human and property damage.
―We wish for a quick and peaceful resolution to the conflict between 귀뢰 and the two groups.
The major companies commonly called “the 21 rulers of Hagatnya” all released statements at once.
Each expressed themselves obliquely and politely, but their meaning was clear.
―This is not our business; you fight among yourselves.
―However, you must compensate us for any damages we suffer.
The City Cartel’s decision to bomb the warehouse district in a bid to capture 이현 ended up being their worst move.
If they had caught 이현, that would have been one thing — but they failed, and now everyone was content to watch from across the river.
On top of that, 라몬 acting quickly together with the sponsor alliance had an effect.
―What 귀뢰 is aiming at are the City Cartel and Black Maria, who aided them. Other forces are not meant to be touched or even contemplated.
In the end, the thunder whale carrying 이현 was able to enter the Hagatnya Black Zone very easily.
[The Golden Key begins to react. The distance to a new Sacred Relic is decreasing.]
The Golden Key’s reaction came to 이현’s eyes around that time.
「Almost there, huh?」
“Yeah. Once we finish clearing the surroundings, we can enter right away.”
「Wow, you’ve come a long way to get back.」
“I had no choice. Unless I could handle all of Hagatnya by myself — but this place is a different kind of demon territory.”
이현 looked down from beneath the thunder whale at the metropolis below and smiled wryly.
Skyscrapers jutting up like spikes to the sky.
Vast mansions with white walls and red roofs.
Streets filled with neon and opalescent decorations.
They had only passed through the wall separating Hagatnya from the outside, yet it was a different world from the outside — not the ruined shantytowns but the nobles’ realm.
「It does look like that. On the surface it’s lavish and luxurious… but it’s also a seething image of greed and desire.」
Sun Wukong stroked his chin and laughed with interest.
이현 quietly nodded.
이군산 had warned one thing about Hagatnya.
—Never make Hagatnya your enemy.
The 21 companies of the Blue Ribbon that controlled the Hagatnya Black Zone were all at the pinnacle of the underworld. That was why it was called a demon territory.
No matter how exceptional 이현’s abilities were, he couldn’t fight the entire industrial sector alone.
‘If I made the front too wide, I’d attract attention and be stopped before I could even look for the 근두운. Better to avoid unnecessary interference.’
In reality, this place was dangerous even for 이현.
Unlike the people in the outer zones who bristled whenever the thunder whale appeared, Hagatnya’s people only reacted like, “Oh, something strange arrived?”
Click. Click.
Most only stared curiously and took pictures.
There was no sign of fear anywhere.
Every action exuded the strong confidence of “What can Hagatnya do to us?”
이현 thought that confidence was Hagatnya’s most terrifying trait.
‘But the really important part starts now.’
Show of force and political negotiation.
He had to walk the razor’s edge between those extremes.
「By the way.」
“……?”
「Places like this usually develop great cuisine, don’t they…?」
Why the pause? Sun Wukong was staring straight at him.
A sharp smile escaped 이현 without him noticing.
“Got it. When this is done I’ll hit the famous dessert shops. Ramon already gave me some candidates anyway.”
「About time you said something I like. Hah-hah!」
이현 forced a laugh.
Is he really that pleased?
「Don’t be childish. We’re not here to play. You haven’t forgotten about your second brother, right?」
「Khem-khem! Of course not. I’m worried too. I stayed up nights researching what might have happened — he seemed to be in a place like the 근두운, after all.」
When 붕마왕 narrowed his eyes, Sun Wukong quickly coughed.
But—
「Ha ha! Don’t be fooled, sister-in-law. Up until an hour ago he was secretly picking a list of dessert spots — I caught him.」
“Hey! You promised not to tell that!”
“Ha ha ha. You believe that? Our 사형 looks more innocent than he is!”
“What, you little—!?”
“I’m on your side, sister-in-law, not 사형’s. Ha ha ha!”
“You traitor—”
“You see, Sa 화상 was right, wasn’t he?”
“W-wait, I have my reasons—!”
“What reasons! Are you sane or not? While Sa 화상 and I are busy with treatment, you play like a child instead of helping…!!”
붕마왕 launched a barrage of scolding and Sun Wukong’s face slowly went blank.
사오정 watched and laughed, and 이현 smiled weakly at the scene — then suddenly sensed something and became alert again.
Already, as they passed through Hagatnya’s streets, every visible City Cartel and Black Maria business had been destroyed.
They were heading for the factory district on the eastern outskirts.
But four airships were approaching from the opposite direction.
Hulls of iron and steel.
Barrels and magical devices gleamed.
Their pitch-black paint was pierced by a single gold logo in the center.
Black Maria.
“Look over there!”
“The Black Maria fleet and 귀뢰 have met…!”
“Damn, is a fight breaking out there?”
“Why here of all places? On top of my business—!”
Black Maria was mainly known for their mercenary industry, but beneath it lay a developed military supply sector.
Their airships, armed with various modern heat weapons and numerous legacies, were classified as strategic weapons.
The people who had been watching the thunder whale now hardened their expressions.
『Ah, can you hear me? I am Luciano Della Cruz, vice president of Black Maria and manager of the Guam branch. 귀뢰, I’d like to have a quick word. Got a moment?』
A robust voice came over a megaphone from the airship fleet.
For a moment, something flickered through 이현’s eyes.
「Is he famous?」
“Yes. He’s someone almost everyone in the underworld knows.”
「What did he do?」
“He’s a butcher.”
이현’s eyes lowered.
“He has a record of razing an intermediary port town in the Philippine islands called Iloilo to the ground. When the townsfolk resisted, he turned half the city into a sea of fire and bound the survivors into mercenary contracts as slaves.”
「…!」
“He’s on Interpol’s top-capture list.”
「That son of a—」
“Yes. A son of a bitch. Known as one of the hardest-line elements within Black Maria… I didn’t expect someone like him to propose negotiations rather than war.”
What the yokai-sense perceived matched the truth.
At least there was no immediate hostility.
이현 cleared his throat, filled his voice with magic, and muttered coldly.
『If you intend to propose negotiations, wouldn’t it be proper to show your face?』
이현’s voice rang large enough to be heard across the city — like thunder clearly spoken by a god.
All eyes on the ground turned to him.
Thud!
Suddenly the airship fleet halted in unison, and someone appeared on top of a hull.
A man in his mid-forties. A hearty-faced man with tattoos covering half his face.
“I never thought I’d meet a celebrity right above Hagatnya like this.”
Even from a distance Luciano spoke as if of course 이현 could hear him.
“Want to come over? I have something urgent to discuss.”
Wham!
Luciano flinched and stopped mid-sentence.
이현 had already crossed the space and stood right in front of him.
‘This… is something.’
Luciano admired the presence 이현 displayed despite not yet having guaranteed safety.
Of course, that meant confidence in his own strength.
Still, such boldness was rare inside organizations — it intrigued Luciano.
“Make it quick. We’re not on friendly enough terms to chat and laugh.”
Luciano, who had prepared an expensive tea set inside his airship, licked his lips.
He realized a recruitment pitch wouldn’t work.
“I apologize for the business involving Katrina. I won’t try to excuse it, but while I was away, she single-handedly did this in an attempt to earn herself credit.”
“So?”
“Let’s leave it at this. We suffered a lot of damage, too.”
A laugh escaped under the mask.
A blatant sneer.
“Of course, if the one who struck first said, ‘Shall we call it a draw?’ I’d find that laughable… but of course we’ll prepare compensation separately. So—”
“The Blue Ribbon.”
“……?”
“Hand over the Blue Ribbon. And your shares in the mines you currently hold.”
“…….”
“If you accept those conditions, I’ll take the negotiation.”
The eyes behind the mask narrowed coldly.
Luciano’s eyebrows twitched. He forced an awkward smile.
“Aren’t you asking for too much?”
At that moment,
Goooooooo!!
A powerful current of air began to whirl around him.
At the same time, an immense pressure.
[Myth, ‘The Sea Beast That Swallowed the Moon’ shows its cruel fangs!]
It was a sensation like a colossal sea monster opening its maw — and it swept over 이현.
Bakunawa.
Luciano’s legacy.
[바쿠난와 (Bakunawa)]
A serpent-dragon said to live in the ocean’s deepest parts.
Legend tells that with a mouth the size of a lake it swallowed six of seven moons whole, causing eclipses.
—Origin: the legend “Bakunawa and the Seven Moons”
An overwhelming aura like an oncoming storm was palpable, but—
Bang!
Pazzzzt!!
이현 slammed his Rune Staff hard to the ground.
A white current spread in rings and scattered the enemy’s gathered intensity completely.
“As I thought. Negotiations are off.”
Turning his back with a demeanor that showed no regret, 이현 made to leave, and Luciano licked his lips.
“Not working? You’re pretty good.”
Then Luciano tossed something.
이현 caught it lightly and raised his eyes in surprise.
A blue ribbon shaped like a butterfly carved from lapis lazuli.
The Blue Ribbon.
“That settles it? I’ll send people about the mine shares. We’ll have the transfer contract drawn up right away.”
“You’ll accept the terms?”
“Well, what choice do we have? If we collided with you now, we’d only suffer greater losses. The others might be happy to stab us in the back, but we can’t just abandon Guam forever, can we?”
Luciano was treating the individual called 귀뢰 as an equal partner of Black Maria.
이현 narrowed his eyes, wondering if Luciano had another scheme.
But,
[True]
Luciano’s words held no lie.
He was willing to step back to protect something greater.
이현 saw him in a new light.
‘He has more generosity than I expected. On a different level than Katrina…’
이현 revised his prejudice about Luciano.
He would now be someone to watch carefully while operating in Guam.
“Is that enough?”
“I accept the negotiation. From now on, I, 귀뢰, will not be hostile to Black Maria.”
“You really go by 귀뢰 yourself?”
“……Cartel remnants are still around. Let’s move first.”
이현’s face flushed for a moment, but he pretended not to hear and returned toward the thunder whale.
No—he paused as something occurred to him.
“This is separate from negotiations, I’m just curious.”
“What is it?”
While idly touching the Blue Ribbon, 이현 asked.
“If you give me the ribbon like this, won’t Black Maria be unable to enter Hagatnya anymore? You’d be giving up a significant revenue stream from Guam.”
“What are you talking about? Do you think we’d give up such a golden vein?”
“Hmm?”
이현 tilted his head, puzzled.
Luciano laughed heartily, baring cruel teeth.
“A ribbon like that can always be taken from someone else.”
“……!!”
“And the mine shares too — we can seize them from whoever holds them. There are some people lately getting too cocky; this is the chance to clean them up. Why, interested?”
“….”
It sounded as if he were taking something out of his own pocket.
이현 let out a small laugh inwardly.
He’d momentarily forgotten that such thinking was obvious to them.
“Not yet.”
He answered briefly and returned to the thunder whale.
Kuuooooong….
Finally, the thunder whale thrashed its fins and changed direction. It headed for the Cartel’s factory district.
“Not yet, huh… So they plan to plant deep roots in Guam for the long haul. We’ll need to get on better terms.”
Luciano watched 이현’s back for a moment, smiled, and turned.
“Black Maria, return to base.”
After razing the City Cartel’s Hagatnya facilities to the ground, 이현 finally arrived at his target — the shoreline of the deep-sea transport route leading to the deep-sea dungeon.
‘This is the “mine” where one can process seawater poured out from the deep-sea dungeon and extract magic stones.’
And beyond it, in the waters—
[Traces of the 근두운 detected.]
A very familiar scent hung in the air.
