Chapter 25: Strengths in Shadows, Weaknesses in Light

Across the globe, eleven forces control the balance of politics, economics, and military might.

The Five Stars (5) represent the five most powerful hunter nations,

each capable of managing world-class threats with their own hunter resources.

The Six Demons (6) are the six most dangerous villain organizations, a nightmare even for nations.

Among them, the most lethal and elusive entity is the global villain group [Blood Tube].

At the helm of this dark empire is their enigmatic leader, Blood Demon.

No one knows his real name.

All attempts to apprehend him have failed.

Hidden behind layers of secrecy, the Blood Demon operates [Blood Tube],

an underground video platform spreading the darkest evils and desires worldwide.

Unlike traditional criminal organizations, [Blood Tube] thrives on IT infrastructure,

bringing together hackers, video creators, and the most wanted criminals.

They produce and distribute highly illegal content that caters to forbidden desires because there’s always a demand.

For many, [Blood Tube] is irresistible.

The videos are shockingly provocative, luring viewers into a perverse escape from reality.

“Hello, viewers! This is ‘Justice Education TV’ with your host, Mr. Justice.”

Justice Education TV a channel built on vigilante justice targets criminals,

punishing them with the same suffering they’ve inflicted on their victims.

Witnessing senseless murders on the news often leaves the public in fear and rage.

Yet that rage often dissipates within the slow grind of legal justice.

Criminals serve their sentences and then walk free.

Justice Education TV stepped into this void.

The channel delivered cold, unrelenting retribution returning terror and pain to the perpetrators in a meticulously executed revenge narrative.

Despite its blatant illegality, the audience couldn’t help but cheer.

They found catharsis in this cycle of violence, a dark satisfaction that justice had been served.

“Today, we’ve kidnapped none other than Japan’s number one underground idol, Mikami-chan!”

The video opened with a heavily made-up villain flashing a twisted grin.

Mikami, a stunning idol, sat bound and terrified under glaring lights.

Her anguish was met with laughter and cheers, recorded in chilling detail.

Such content abducting famous beauties and subjecting them to unspeakable acts pushed all moral boundaries,

but ethics held no sway in the presence of villains.

“Ta-da! Introducing the famous villain hunter,

America’s S-rank hunter, Red Hawk! You’re wondering why he’s here? Well, I’m a hunter hunter! Ha-ha!”

Red Hawk, a former special forces operative turned living legend,

was known for single-handedly annihilating villain groups and surviving missions others deemed impossible.

Yet even he fell to [Blood Tube].

A secret video showing Red Hawk’s humiliating defeat spread like wildfire, crushing his hard-earned reputation.

The platform’s algorithm ensured his disgrace was replayed endlessly.

Now, they were all in Korea.

High-performing channels were summoned to maximize their contributions to the platform.

Those who brought in the highest views were invaluable assets.

“What are you doing here?”

“The Blood Demon told me to come to Korea.”

“Same here. Is this some collaboration gig?”

In a dimly lit room, several figures sat around a long table, their faces masked by shadows.

All eyes eventually landed on the PD at the head of the table.

The PD tapped his fingers on the desk and projected a video.

“This is your next target.”

“Oh, I know this person. She’s an S-rank hunter from Korea.”

“Cheonma?”

“She’s pretty, isn’t she?”

The video was from a fan account dedicated to Cheonma, a rising star in Korea’s hunter community.

[Blood Tube] was filled with countless videos, some racking up tens of millions of views.

The most popular shorts surpassed hundreds of millions.

One standout video showed Cheonma leaping from a helicopter to save children,

performing her awe-inspiring Cheonma Sovereign Steps.

Cheonma Divine Arts 
Exclusive Cloud God Footwork 
Cheonma Sovereign Steps

Her black coat billowed as she defied gravity, surrendering herself to the air.

Then, it began.

Darkness swirled around her, like a shadow condensing into a physical form.

Black distortions shimmered in the air, rippling under the weight of her power.

When her feet lightly touched the ground—

BOOM!

The condensed darkness exploded outward in a massive shockwave.

Wyverns circling the children collapsed instantly, their bodies crushed and spilling their innards.

Their monstrous forms shattered into unrecognizable fragments.

At the center of it all stood Cheonma, her presence dominating the space, as if she ruled over existence itself.

“Not bad. I didn’t know Korea had content like this.”

“This is gold. We’ll rake in views with this.”

“Wow, this’ll hit hundreds of millions for sure.”

The villains of [Blood Tube] ogled the footage, their greed and excitement evident.

They were already planning to exploit Cheonma for their content.

In an upscale Japanese sushi restaurant,

the Hunter Association’s Disaster Management Division Director, Yoo, nervously prepared to meet the Association President.

He smoothed his hair, checked his reflection, and applied lip balm to keep his lips from drying out.

“Ah, I’m so nervous.”

Meeting the president was always an intimidating affair.

During the early days of the Great Cataclysm,

the man who was then Korea’s president awakened as an S-rank hunter: Lee Yooshin, the current president of the Korean Hunter Association.

At a time when the world was collapsing under the weight of monsters and gates,

some countries, like North Korea, fell helplessly. But Lee Yooshin was different.

He wasn’t just a leader he was a visionary.

“The one who established Korea’s current hunter system and the only one able to control Nameless.”

Under his leadership, Korea avoided devolving into guild-centric hunter factions that prioritized money and fame.

Instead, the system remained centralized, cooperating with the government to ensure control and stability.

This reduced villain activity and prevented hunters from abusing their powers,

which was why Korea maintained one of the highest security rates globally.

“Those who suddenly gain immense power often lose their sense of judgment and act recklessly.”

Examples were everywhere:

• People uploading shocking crime videos on [Blood Tube] to earn Blood Crystals from the Blood Demon.
• Others falling into the cult-like teachings of the White Lotus Sect, becoming blind believers.

The likelihood of becoming a villain was high without proper oversight.

For Director Yoo, the president wasn’t just a leader he was a hero.

Though retired from active duty, Lee Yooshin continued to prioritize national security and ensure balance between hunters and the government.

“Ah, you’re here already?”

“President.”

“Take a seat. No need to stand on ceremony. At our age, even our knees need a break.”

The figure speaking didn’t seem imposing at all.

Standing before Director Yoo was a small girl, her black hair neatly tied with a shiny ribbon, dressed in a short, ribbon-adorned dress.

Her long lashes blinked softly, completing the image of a doll-like child.

To any outsider, she looked like the embodiment of a magical girl.

Lee Yooshin waved off Director Yoo, who was about to stand in respect.

“Why do you look at me like that, Yoo?”

“I thought you disliked appearing in this form.”

“Haha. A place like this an upscale sushi restaurant is always full of valuable information. You know that, don’t you?”

“You mean your ability to read people’s hearts when they’re uncomfortable?”

“Exactly. That’s why I like you. You’re composed, not easily flustered, and dependable. A man worth trusting.”

“You flatter me…”

“Besides, my original body struggles with digestion at this age. Eating is much easier like this.”

“…Next time, I’ll bring you to a Korean restaurant.”

Despite having retired from active duty,

receiving praise from a hunter who once stood as a national-level powerhouse alongside Nameless was a rare honor.

Director Yoo couldn’t help but feel slightly elated.

Of course, the president knew perfectly well that this same division director was often regarded as the worst boss by his subordinates.

But today, he was feeling generous.

“Too bad, though. The information here isn’t very useful.”

Comments floated through the air:
“My lord is so cute, I want to bite you!”
“My lord is so adorable, I might ascend to heaven!”
“My lord is so precious, it’s unbearable!”

“Honestly, what even is this?”

“…I think I have a guess.”

Although the restaurant had private rooms,

Yoo had caught sight of something while heading to the restroom earlier:

A blonde woman with twin tails feeding sushi to her silver-haired twin-tailed sister.

The striking combination of their appearance had been impossible to ignore.

“Nom, nom, nom.”

Lee Yooshin popped a piece of sushi into his mouth, breaking the silence.

“So, why did you want to meet me?”

“The state of the country has been alarming recently. ”

“World Bosses are appearing unexpectedly, S-rank gates are opening more frequently, and neither the first nor second-ranked hunters have shown up in ages.”

” On top of that, there’s this mysterious new talent.”

” While they haven’t done anything dangerous yet, they remain a potential threat. ”

“Worse, other countries might try to poach them.”

“Hm. So, you’re asking this old man to track down Zz? Is that what you’re getting at?”

“Yes, sir. I realize it’s a tall order… but with your ability to read minds, you’re our best bet.”

“You’re as earnest as ever, Yoo.”

” I admire your zeal, but you can’t rely solely on Zz or Nameless.”

” Focus on nurturing the current generation of hunters. ”

“Take Min Hayul and Han Jinseong, for instance. Their potential is enormous, isn’t it?”

Director Yoo recalled the third and fourth-ranked S-rank hunters.

Min Hayul was a psychic.
Han Jinseong, the owner of a space battleship.

But were they truly dependable? He wasn’t so sure.

‘Min Hayul is powerful but far too reserved. Han Jinseong, on the other hand, is overly obsessed with efficiency.’

Min Hayul’s psychic abilities were staggering in their scope, making her an exceptionally well-rounded talent.

But she rarely spoke, even in the heat of battle, and never expressed her thoughts or emotions.

She executed missions with cold precision, which occasionally hindered team dynamics.

As for Han Jinseong, his technological prowess and firepower were unparalleled.

However, he too had his share of issues.

Han Jinseong was a man who always prioritized efficiency.

To him, emotions and sentiment were irrelevant.

Every decision he made revolved around profitability and productivity.

Saving people took a backseat to completing the mission at hand.

For Jinseong, hunters weren’t individuals they were parts of a machine owned by the nation.

Like a cog in the wheel, he performed his duties with mechanical precision.

“They have enough potential to grow into national-level hunters, but there’s something missing,” Director Yoo said regretfully.

“Hm. What about Cheonma? A righteous individual, constantly striving to be a hero out of admiration for Nameless,” Lee Yooshin suggested.

Cheonma.

To the Director, Cheonma was an ideal talent flawless in many ways.

Except for one fatal flaw.

“They’re weak.”

“You’re probably the only person in the world who would call an S-rank weak.”

“Even if we want to support them, the fact that they use demonic energy is a major obstacle.”

” Thanks to Zz, our diplomatic relations with China have improved recently. ”

“We could send Cheonma to a prestigious guild like Taesanbukdu to learn advanced martial arts techniques. ”

“But no one can guarantee what kind of synergy that would create with Cheonma’s Heavenly Demon Arts.”

“You’re referring to the lack of foundational martial arts training,” Lee Yooshin remarked.

“Yes. Take S-rank 19, the Thunder Dragon Sect Leader. ”

“They succeeded in developing their own martial arts manual and are training their disciples in swordsmanship. ”

“But even that manual couldn’t be applied to Cheonma.”

“A hunter with a martial arts-based build would indeed suffer greatly if they lack sufficient inner energy.”

It was no wonder. Cheonma had been forced to draw out demonic energy by corroding their own body.

This critical weakness compelled Cheonma to make a painful choice during battle: they had to destroy themselves in order to save others.

Suddenly, a loud noise interrupted their conversation.

“L-Lord! Where are you going in the middle of your meal?”

The sliding door to their kaiseki room burst open, and a young girl entered unceremoniously.

Both Lee Yooshin and Director Yoo were taken aback by the sudden intrusion.

The girl with twin tails confidently walked in and said, “Good children deserve pats.”

Yoo Baekseol, who had been sitting quietly, noticed something unusual.

Above the girl’s head floated a number: [Good Deeds: 5,959P].

This F-rank hunter, without hesitation, began patting the president of the Hunter Association on the head.

“Pat, pat.”

For some reason, it didn’t feel bad at all.