Chapter 22: The Saintess Unmasked: Chaos Unleashed

Hunters running personal broadcasts was not uncommon.

Associations, guilds, and agencies often encouraged their affiliated hunters to engage in streaming activities.

It was rare to see someone like Cheonma, ranked fifth among Korea’s S-rank hunters,

who had absolutely no interest in social media.

Hunters appeared on public broadcasts, video platforms, and shorts,

showcasing extraordinary performances that inspired children to dream.

“I want to awaken and become a hunter too!”
“Mom, I’ll grow up to be like Min Hayul!”
“Dad, buy me a spaceship too!”
“Cheonma’s Invincible Blade!”

There was no need to watch action movies.

The public consumed hunters’ feats clearing gates or rescuing people from disasters as entertainment content.

Battle footage, survival strategies in crises, or veteran tutorials on defeating monsters quickly garnered millions of views.

Increased popularity meant more sponsorships and support,

enabling hunters to secure income while building their fandom and brand.

The phenomenon became so significant that a global competition was held every four years.

For this reason, Hunter Seo Junwoo decided to stream.

“I need to create a video about meeting the Saintess.”

The healing capabilities of Korean hunters were abysmal.

There wasn’t a single healer worthy of being called S-rank,

and to receive treatment from an A-rank healer, one had to wait indefinitely or pay a fortune.

For his father’s treatment, Seo Junwoo had considered traveling abroad to find an expensive healer,

but his busy hunter schedule made that impossible.

Then came the news Saintess Xiaolin was coming to Korea on a healing pilgrimage.

‘I can’t miss this opportunity.’

Upon confirming the itinerary and realizing the traffic situation,

Junwoo prepared to carry his father on his back and run.

“Junwoo, what are you doing?”
“Dad, hold on tight.”
“Wait, what—Whoa!”

An A-rank hunter, ranked tenth, Seo Junwoo.

His hunter nickname: [Swift Nimble].

Vroom!

With legs practically equipped with motors and aided by his recently acquired skill,

Lightfoot Technique, Junwoo arrived in Seoul in no time.

“Is she really a Saintess?”

The line was incredibly long.

Like Junwoo’s father, who had lost both legs, there were many in desperate need of the Saintess’s aid.

In the face of desperation, people were willing to do anything even wait.

“It’s our turn next, Dad. Let’s go in.”
“Son, is this Saintess thing for real?”

” You know I’ve had my fair share of bad experiences with shady dealers before the Cataclysm. ”

“I don’t touch anything Chinese-made.”
“Don’t worry, Dad. The Saintess will make you healthy again.”
“Hmph. The treatment room doesn’t seem to have much equipment. Something feels off…”
“Who uses medical equipment for healing these days? ”

“The Saintess is a state-level healer. One skill, and it’ll all be solved. Trust me and go in.”

State-Level Healer.

A hunter so powerful that they could rival a nation’s military or economy single-handedly.

Such individuals were called state-level hunters.

Worldwide, the only healer who held such a title was Saintess Xiaolin.

“Guardians must wait outside. Only patients may enter.”
“But my father can’t move around on his own. I need to assist him”
“The treatment room is for patients only. Please entrust him to the medical staff.”
“Understood…”

“We’ll conduct a brief inspection of your belongings. Recorders or cameras are prohibited during treatment.”
“Why?”
“The Saintess values her privacy.”

A security check for treatment?

It raised some questions, but Junwoo completed all the procedures without issue.

His father was then escorted into the treatment room.

True to her reputation as a miracle worker in China, the treatment was swift.

When his father emerged, he was walking on his own two legs. He warmly embraced Junwoo.

“Dad!”
“Ha-ha-ha, Junwoo! I’ve been given a new life. It’s all thanks to the Saintess.”

A-rank Hunter Seo Junwoo resolved to capture this miraculous experience in his video.

‘The Saintess’s miracles are real.’

‘I’ve already posted anonymously on the HunterNet community, but I want more people to benefit from her presence in Korea.’

It was purely altruistic.

Hunters broadcasting their lives is a common phenomenon.

Associations, guilds, and agencies actively encourage hunters to engage in such activities.

Hunters appear on public broadcasting, video platforms, and short-form content, showcasing their incredible abilities.

For many children, these hunters became their heroes, inspiring dreams like:

“I want to awaken and become a hunter too!”
“Mom, I want to be like Min Hayul when I grow up!”
“Dad, can you buy me a battleship too?”
“Cheonma’s unrivaled power!”

There was no need to look for action movies elsewhere.
The public consumed videos of hunters clearing gates or rescuing people in disaster situations as entertainment content.

Videos showing combat footage, survival techniques during crises,

and advanced monster-slaying strategies garnered millions of views almost instantly.

This popularity translated into sponsorships and donations,

allowing hunters to establish both their income streams and personal brands.

Some even became national symbols, with international competitions being held every four years.

It was in this atmosphere that Seo Junwoo, a hunter, decided to stream his own experience.

“I need to create a video documenting my meeting with the Saintess.”

The level of healers in Korea was abysmal.

There were no S-rank healers, and receiving treatment from an A-rank healer required endless waiting or exorbitant fees.

For his father’s treatment, Junwoo would have to travel abroad and pay an outrageous price to find a healer.

However, his busy schedule as a hunter made international travel nearly impossible.

But now, the Saintess, Xiaolin, had come to Korea for a healing pilgrimage.

‘I can’t miss this chance.’

Junwoo quickly checked her schedule.

The moment he confirmed the heavy traffic, he prepared himself to carry his father on his back and run.

“Junwoo, what are you doing?”
“Father, hold on tight.”
“What? Wait—ugh!”

An A-rank hunter, ranked 10th, nicknamed Agile Grace.

With his motor-like legs and a recently acquired skill, Light Movement Technique, Junwoo reached Seoul in no time.

“Is this what they call the Saintess?”

A long line stretched out before him.

Like his father, who had lost both legs, the people waiting were those who desperately needed the Saintess’ help.

Desperation could drive anyone to endure anything, even waiting for hours.

“Next patient, please.”

“Father, it’s our turn. Let’s go.”

“Son, is this Saintess thing real? ”

“You know how I feel about anything from China.”

” After that supplier tricked me before the Cataclysm, I don’t touch anything Chinese.”

“Don’t worry, Father. The Saintess will make you healthy again.”

“Hmph. There’s no equipment in that so-called treatment room. Feels suspicious to me…”

“Who uses medical equipment for healing these days? ”

“The Saintess is a state-level healer. She can resolve everything with one skill. Trust me, and just go in.”

A state-level healer.

This title was given to individuals who achieved MVP status,

in World Boss raids or whose power equaled a country’s military or economic might.

Globally, the Saintess Xiaolin was the only healer with this title.

“Guardians must wait outside. Only patients may enter the treatment room.”

“But my father can’t move without assistance…”

“Only patients are allowed inside the treatment room. Please trust the medical staff to assist him.”

“…Alright.”

“Please allow us to inspect your belongings. No recording devices or cameras are permitted inside.”

“Why not?”

“The Saintess values her privacy immensely.”

A security check for treatment?

Junwoo found it odd but complied with the procedures without incident.

His father was soon escorted into the treatment room.

As expected from someone who had performed countless miracles in China, the treatment was swift.

When his father walked out of the room on his own two legs, he pulled Junwoo into a warm hug.

“Father!”
“Haha, Junwoo. I’ve been given a new life, thanks to the Saintess!”

Seo Junwoo, an A-rank hunter, resolved to capture this miraculous experience in a video.

‘The Saintess’ miracles are real.’

‘ I already posted anonymously about this on the HunterNet community,

but more people need to know about the Saintess and receive her blessings while she’s in Korea.’

His intentions were pure.

Junwoo began streaming live to share his story, hoping to help as many people as possible.

ON AIR.

On screen, Junwoo enthusiastically spoke to his audience.

“Everyone, you won’t believe this. ”

“Thanks to the Saintess, my father has regained his legs! This is a true miracle. Look—he’s walking right now!”

The camera panned to his father, who walked confidently on his two legs.

The live chat erupted with astonishment and congratulations.

But then, something went terribly wrong.

Junwoo’s father suddenly flinched, clutching his head in pain.

His face twisted, and a horrifying groan escaped his lips.

“Gaaaaah!”

The chat filled with alarm as messages flooded in:

[What’s happening?!]
[Is he okay?]
[This doesn’t look right…]

“Father?”

“Be quiet. You need to die.”

Junwoo looked at his father in disbelief, his expression frozen with shock.

Before he could react, his father’s hand struck out toward Junwoo’s abdomen.

It was swift and unexpected, leaving him no chance to defend himself.

The searing pain in his stomach made his knees buckle.

His body gave out.

The man before him was no longer his father.

His once-warm eyes were now devoid of any humanity, replaced by a cold, chilling gaze.

“Am I… going to die like this?”

As Junwoo’s consciousness faded, he felt the icy grip of death creeping over him.

And then, light emerged.

A radiant, warm light, brighter and more beautiful than anything he had ever seen.

It stopped his spirit from slipping away, holding him firmly in place.

Within this space of light, his soul could neither escape nor move.

Xiaolin frowned as she turned her gaze toward the angel within the light.

The angel was a curious sight—tiny, round, with fluffy fur, clutching a teddy bear. It looked more like a child’s toy than a celestial being.

‘How can this creature seal the Soul Separation Technique? Unless… it’s using a transcendent skill.’

[So, you can use transcendental skills too, huh?]

“Huh? Transcendental what now?”

[Don’t play dumb! ]

[This entire space filled with light must be a transcendent barrier, something taught to you by the god you serve.]

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. This is just my sanctuary.”

[Stop pretending!]

“Yaaawn. I’m getting sleepy. Let’s wrap this up quickly.”

” You need to repent in the Room of Truth.”

Xiaolin was baffled by the angel’s response.

‘Repent? Me? The Pure Lotus Sect has no need for repentance.’

All of her actions aligned with the grand purpose of the Baekryeon Cult.

She wasn’t a mere villain.

She was someone destined to change the world.

The one who would hasten the “future salvation” that would eventually come.

Why, then, should someone like her repent?

‘As part of infiltrating Taesan Bukdu, the top guild in China,’

‘ I disguised myself as a saint to take control of that group known for using martial arts without awakening and ultimately offer sacrifices across all of China.’

But ever since meeting her, everything went awry.

Using the A-grade skill [Vampire Marquis], she had nurtured her body for years, only to lose it.

Her expensive hunter equipment? Obliterated by the bombardment of light.

A necromancer’s true power lies in commanding vast armies of the undead,

but with [The Soul Severance Technique] unusable, summoning her millions of undead from mainland China was impossible.

There were also too few recent deaths to make [Resurrection of the Dead] viable.

All she had left was her own soul.

‘But my soul alone is enough.’

No longer a “saint,” she would now stand as a “Baekryeon cultist,” putting all her strength into confronting the hunter before her.

If escape was impossible, she would kill.

[As a devotee of Maitreya, my soul will never be annihilated!]

Shaolin’s soul writhed uncontrollably.

Though her form was now intangible, her power was still befitting someone classified as “state authority-level.”

Even without a physical body, by borrowing the power of “Maitreya,” she could invoke transcendent skills in her spectral state.

The tier of her soul rose higher as she channeled fragments of Maitreya: the Lifeless Old Mother  into her essence.

[Ah, yes. This is it. I’ve transcended humanity!]

Evil surged.

Shaolin’s soul swelled gigantically, her domain twisting, and a dark aura spiraled upward.

It signaled the activation of transcendent skills, a hallmark of hunters deemed “state authority-level.”

「All conditions for transcending The Soul Severance Technique have been met.」
「Activating S-rank skill: The Soul Severance Technique – Transcendence.」

[I am stronger in my spectral form!]

Only when in communion with “Maitreya” could the transcendent form of The Soul Severance Technique be invoked.

When transcended, the skill drew out the soul’s latent power to its absolute peak.

Other souls would also assimilate into “Maitreya,” but there was no time to care about that.

The grand plan had already failed.

Now, she had to focus on the enemy before her!

Rumble!

The sanctuary quaked as if the world was being turned upside down.

The darkness enveloping Shaolin grew fiercer, and her strength seemed ready to rend the heavens.

It threatened to engulf the sanctuary.

A crimson glow spread like a massive wave of darkness,

transforming her soul into a grotesque manifestation of pure evil, far removed from its former human visage.

“Why is everything turning black?”

Fwoosh!

Amidst this overwhelming display, the angel casually swung the teddy bear in her arms.

The motion was so simple and ordinary that it almost seemed like she was stifling a yawn.

Whack!

[Argh! Gah!]

Yet, despite the casual gesture, the result was anything but ordinary.

As the teddy bear struck, an explosion of radiant light erupted.

The overwhelming brilliance suffused the air,

radiating out from the bear as a golden aura of immense intensity.

It was as if the bear itself was a divine sword.

In an instant, all of Shaolin’s darkness was consumed and erased by the light.

The crushing force radiating from the teddy bear obliterated Shaolin’s soul entirely.

[Impossible! Beaten by a teddy bear? How…?]

Shaolin screamed in her death throes before dissipating entirely.

As though struck by an overwhelming force, her soul could no longer endure.

Her essence was drawn into the angel’s halo, leaving no trace.

In the past, a message might have appeared to announce victory or calculate the value of the harvested soul.

But now, the “alarm hell” had already been conquered.

Soft, fluffy.

Without any alarms appearing, the angel hugged her teddy bear contentedly.

“Yawn. That was a one-hit wonder as usual.”

The angel then quietly ascended, though visibly sleepy.

There was still work to be done.

HunterNet was in an uproar.

[What is this, s*b?]
(Live feed)
(Video of millions of undead swarming a major city in China)

“I’m a Korean who got scouted to work for one of China’s top four guilds.
But suddenly, undead just showed up out of nowhere.
So many of them.
S***.
How do I even stop this?”

“Dude, stop hanging out on forums.”
“You’re on HunterNet now of all times?”
“If you’re not Chinese, why are you even trying to defend them? Just run.”
“Forget about stopping it. Just come back to Korea.”
“What the hell is happening over there, anyway?”
OP’s reply: “No clue. The undead suddenly spawned in some area where a bunch of the Saintess’s followers were gathered.”

“Still on forums, huh? Just give up on China and book a flight back to Korea, s*b.”
OP’s reply: “Lol, noted.”

[China server shutdown incoming]
Suddenly, a flood of undead is wreaking havoc across China.
(CCTV footage shows a person turning “dark” and violently attacking those nearby without warning)

People across China are suddenly becoming undead,

and there seems to be no effective response.

The devastation is expected to be catastrophic.

“This feels like a disaster movie. But why are they all turning so dark?”
“They’ve gone full ‘dark mode’ or something.”
“If you get bitten, do you turn into one too?”
“From the looks of it, yeah, getting bitten probably screws you over.”
“What’s the cause, though?”
“No idea. But a lot of witnesses claim it started with the Saintess’s followers.”

“Isn’t the Saintess in Korea right now?”
“There’s been chaos at the Korean Hunter Association as well.”
“Wait, what? Let me look that up.”
“China has the Big Four guilds, though. Can’t they just stop this?”
“The numbers are overwhelming, and the undead are mixed in with civilians. It’s a logistical nightmare.”
“China’s hunter quality is better than Korea’s, but even they can’t handle this?”
“Dude, imagine the recent monster wave that hit Gangwon Province, then multiply it by hundreds. That’s what it’s like.”
“Holy s***. This is an actual apocalypse.”

[What’s happening at the Korean Hunter Association?]
“I live nearby and got an emergency summons.
When I arrived, the treatment center was completely destroyed, the Saintess was gone,
and the people she had treated had turned into undead.

Thankfully, since it was at the Association, there were promising hunters like [CheonmaLove],
and it was the first day of the pilgrimage, so there weren’t too many treated victims. The chaos was contained quickly.
But there’s definitely something suspicious going on.

There are testimonies about seeing a Cerberus-like skull beast at the scene,
and most people have lost about 30 minutes of memory, claiming their minds went blank.
The Saintess clearly did something.

(Photo attached: Remains of a building wrecked along its trajectory)”

– “Wait, isn’t that the Association building? Didn’t the Saintess rent it for treatment purposes?”
– “Holy s***, if those numbers are right, even on the low end, we’re talking about millions.”
– “That’s why China’s in chaos.”
– “So is the Saintess actually a villain now?”
– “Looks like it. Chances are super high.”
– “Legendary-level disaster, right here.”
– “Did Shaolin just turn the people she treated into undead?”
– “Then went around bragging on social media about being a Saintess?”
– “Seems like it.”
– “Bruh, this feels like a nightmare, but it’s real life.”

[(Breaking) Taesan Bukdu expels Saintess Shaolin; Cheon Ocheon enraged]
Cheon Ocheon is furious.
They’ve deployed Taesan Bukdu’s elite to annihilate the undead en masse.
As expected of the “World’s Second Best,” their strength is absurd.

Seems like Shaolin is the root of the problem.

Taesan Bukdu officially announced that they’ve expelled the Saintess and distanced themselves from her completely.

The Chinese Hunter Association has also declared Shaolin a national enemy.

The situation is escalating rapidly.

“So it’s confirmed the Saintess is a villain?”
“Honestly, this is shocking.”
“The aftermath is going to be massive.”
“Wow, the Chinese really got blindsided hard by this.”
“They were bragging about being the only country with a national-level healer, calling her a global treasure.”
“Looks like Korea’s taking some damage too. This is so screwed up.”
“If Cheon Ocheon is personally stepping in, at least things might get under control, right?”
“Other national-level hunters in China are mobilizing alongside Cheon Ocheon.”
“The Big Four guilds usually hate each other, but even they’re cooperating now.”
“The country is on the brink of collapse.”
“Honestly, China might not be able to function as a nation for a while.”
“The Big Four guilds are all pitching in, though?”
“Dude, it’s like the entire country turned into a demonic wasteland overnight.”

[Guys, that’s not the real issue. Zz just showed up.]

(Link to personal livestream)

“A-rank hunter, ranked 10th,”

“Seo Junwoo, was livestreaming a review about getting treated by the Saintess or rather, that b****—when he was suddenly attacked mid-stream.

Here’s the kicker: not only is the Saintess there, but Zz is too.

It’s a clash of national-level hunters. The fight of the century is happening right now.”

“Shut up, no way this is real.”
“Sorry, how is this actually happening?”
“L???????????”
“Wait, why is this real?”
“The light has descended! It’s really Zz!”
“S***, it’s actually Zz.”
“This is nuts. We almost never see national-level hunters fighting each other, not even in international tournaments.”
“Yeah, international tournaments are like playful sparring compared to this. This is full-on UFC.”
“My heart is racing.”