Chapter 265: Angel Of The Battlefield (5)
Absolute Radiance was once showcased as one of Elizabeth’s abilities in the original work.
It detonates portable divine power, instantly eradicating surrounding Dark Era monsters.
Absolute Radiance is essentially a “divine power bomb.” And they were giving him one.
Kang-hoo examined the detailed tooltip for the third perk.
【When you slay a Dark Era monster designated by the Hall of Radiance, a new Dark Era monster will be marked.
Here is the current information on the Dark Era monster designated by the Hall of Radiance.】
The display revealed that it was a level 575 monster inhabiting a dungeon in Japan.
Just like how Cursed Set items are highlighted, he could immediately confirm which dungeon the monster was in.
The problem? A level 575 monster was no joke—definitely a tough opponent to take down now.
Meanwhile, Kang-hoo’s main constellations greeted the newly joined Angel of the Battlefield.【It seems I've found an excellent debate partner. I look forward to discussing divine power and the Dark Era.】
The first to speak was the Seeker of Pure Darkness.
【Oh, give me a break. You're just sweet-talking her because she's a woman. Do you really have to disguise it like that?】
【Mind your words.】
【Look who's talking.】
Dimension Plunderer shot back instantly at the Seeker of Pure Darkness—classic her.
As it turned out, the Angel of the Battlefield was a female constellation. Not that it was strange—both men and women could fit the role.
【Pleased to meet you.】
Cataclysm – Darkness kept it brief.
He was the reserved type, so even that much felt like a warm welcome.
【I really like her! She seems super kind! Like she'd say yes to anything you ask!】
The Strategist of the Wasteland sounded more excited than usual.
Always clashing with Dimension Plunderer, he seemed drawn to this positive-spirited constellation.
【I'm so happy to meet you all. It brings me great joy to gain new friends while being with such an amazing contractor.】
【Are you really that happy?】
【Yes! Truly!】
Dimension Plunderer’s cutting remark was met with an innocent, cheerful response from the Angel of the Battlefield.
Then.
The Seeker of Pure Darkness added to the conversation.
【Our Dark Sanctuary and the Hall of Radiance are fundamentally incompatible.
Even during the Great Crusade, the waiting areas for potential contractors were strictly divided, with no contact between us.】
Kang-hoo nodded.
It wasn’t about right or wrong—the Dark Sanctuary and the Hall of Radiance housed constellations with completely opposing natures.
From core beliefs to every little principle, their ideologies clashed, making any union impossible.
【However, thanks to your body acting as the medium, coexistence like this is possible.
This kind of situation is rare. You can credit yourself for being exceptional.】
“Did I just get praised?”
Kang-hoo shrugged at the unexpected compliment. If a constellation said so, who was he to argue?
Then the Angel of the Battlefield chimed in.
【It's thanks to the Seeker of Pure Darkness’ third perk—the mediation ability—that this coexistence works.
Without it, there would’ve been chaos long ago. Or worse, the contract would’ve fallen apart.】
“Ah, I see.”
Once again, Kang-hoo realized just how valuable the Seeker of Pure Darkness was.
This balance wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.
Had he not stolen the Seeker of Pure Darkness from Jang Si-hwan with that twisted contract, none of this would’ve worked.
Curious, Kang-hoo asked the Angel of the Battlefield,
“Can you tell me the conditions to unlock the fourth and fifth perks? The trials, I mean.”
【The Hall of Radiance has designated targets for elimination. If you take down the contractors listed below, you’ll unlock the perks.】
The status window appeared, displaying the faces of two familiar people.
To unlock the fourth perk, he needed to kill Ishihara Yuji. For the fifth, Vincent Meyer.
She elaborated.
【Both of them murdered contractors cherished by many constellations in the Hall of Radiance.
Their actions earned the wrath of countless constellations. While there are other targets, we selected these two since they’re the closest to you.】
“Ah, so there are plenty of scumbags, but these two happen to be the ones nearest to me?”
【Exactly.】
The Angel of the Battlefield continued to speak politely, which felt a bit awkward.
Especially since Dimension Plunderer was always so casual, the contrast was noticeable.
Regardless, he now knew his targets.
Ishihara Yuji was understandable, but Vincent Meyer? How did he end up on the list?
Kang-hoo had never chased Meyer, nor even crossed paths with him.
That could only mean Meyer had been tailing him, unnoticed.
The fact they hadn’t fought yet meant they had barely missed each other all this time.
“Understood. I’ll make sure to judge those two and earn more perks.”
【I look forward to it. Please continue to free the countless hybrids lost and wandering.】
“I’ll be doing that a lot.”
Kang-hoo nodded.
In North Korea, running into hybrids was like breathing—this was just the beginning.
Having finalized the contract with the Angel of the Battlefield, Kang-hoo teleported back to Paju.
His save point was set there, so he returned instantly.
He quickly moved to Seoul, booked a hotel, and took a break.
After fighting the Hybrid Swarm Queen, his body felt heavy, likely from the constant battles.
The first thing he did upon arriving was fill the bathtub with warm water for a half-body soak.
The warmth seeped into his muscles, easing his tension and fatigue.
While soaking in the bath, Kang-hoo got a call from Lee Ye-rin.
She informed him that all the procedures and preparations related to the request from Germany had been completed.
Ayane was scheduled to arrive in Korea soon, and both she and Ye-rin had already booked their flights to Germany.
Once Ayane arrived at Incheon Airport, she would meet Kang-hoo, and they’d head to Germany together.
The scheduled rendezvous was set for tomorrow morning—still over 12 hours away.
Kang-hoo kept the water warm as he soaked for about 30 minutes, feeling his fatigue gradually ease.
Just as he was about to step out of the tub, his phone rang again. This time, it was Park Dong-jae.
“Hey, Dong-jae.”
— Hyung, I found them.
“Found who? Hae-yeong Guild members?”
— Yeah. Some got caught snooping around the dungeon owned by Myeongga Guild, and others were disguised as civilians lurking nearby.
“I knew it.”
— The Myeongga Guild almost went in hard on them but decided to hold back. Still, they seem pretty pissed.
“Of course. It’s not like they had any personal vendettas or wanted a confrontation.”
Hearing Park Dong-jae’s report made Kang-hoo feel good—it seemed his advice had worked.
Now that the situation was clear, Myeongga Guild would likely focus its attention on the Hae-yeong Guild.
This would naturally heighten their vigilance, reducing the chances of a tragedy like in the original timeline.
— Because of this, the master scrapped her plan to go solo or in pairs. She’ll stick with the existing team for now and keep an eye on the Hae-yeong Guild.
“That’s great. Glad my advice wasn’t useless.”
— She said she’s really grateful for your help and would love to meet you in person sometime.
Myeongga Guild’s master was Jang Sun-young—she was also the older sister of Qi Master Jang Tae-jin.
Myeongga Guild had solid connections, especially in China, making it a good link for overseas networking.
Though Kang-hoo had his master, Cheonsal Noso, in China, the old man was a divisive figure, limiting potential alliances.
“Sure. It wouldn’t hurt to meet. Building connections never does.”
— I told her it’d depend on your schedule, so you can set the time whenever you’re free.
“I’m a bit busy for now. But I’ll meet her when I get some free time.”
— Got it! Oh, and hyung, be careful with Yuji. Don’t let your guard down.
“I’m not crazy enough to forget about someone who’s after my head. Don’t worry, I’m staying sharp.”
— I’ll call you again soon.
“Take care of yourself.”
The call ended.
With that, Kang-hoo figured there wasn’t much to worry about regarding the Myeongga Guild.
Meeting Jang Sun-young to strengthen ties could open up some opportunities—her network might be broader than he expected.
Given the top-tier hunters in her guild, they were bound to have plenty of connections.
“Maybe I should’ve just stayed in Cheongmyeong Detention Center…”
He muttered to himself, half his face submerged in the bathwater.
It was a meaningless complaint, grumbling about how busy he was with so much to do and so many people seeking him out.
And there really was a lot to do.
Given how miserable Shin Kang-hoo’s life was during this period in the original timeline, there were plenty of gaps to fill.
A short while later.
Kang-hoo finished his bath, dried his wet hair, and checked his smartphone, linked to the TV screen.
The hottest topic on Hunter-related social media, including Hunter Gram, was the battle in Dongducheon.
The “Subjugation Force,” made up of Jeonghwa Guild, the Public Safety Bureau, and Hae-yeong Guild, was clashing with the “Rebels,” The Abyss.
Watching live footage, Kang-hoo could see how fierce the skirmishes were.
But with both sides being careful not to make a fatal misstep, the number of casualties remained low, though the intensity of the battle was palpable.
The frontlines had started to stabilize.
Interestingly, it was the Subjugation Force, not The Abyss, that initiated the entrenchment.
They had a reason—they couldn’t afford to take risks.
The Abyss members had a brutal tactic: if they thought they were about to be captured by the Jeonghwa Guild, they would self-destruct, turning themselves into human bombs.
By combining their stored mana with the magic embedded in their items, they could blow themselves up.
The Subjugation Force had already lost several members this way.
The worst incident involved a single Abyss hunter taking out twenty-nine Subjugation Force members in one explosion.
Both Jang Si-hwan and Chae Gwanhyeong had to stay vigilant—they could easily get caught up in such an attack.
Making things worse, they were the top targets of The Abyss’s elite sniper unit, the Red Tiger Squad.
The Red Tiger Squad, composed of gunners and archers, was Jeonghwa Guild’s most hated enemy.
“…?”
Suddenly, videos marked “NEW” flooded Kang-hoo’s feed—fresh uploads.
Curious, he clicked one.
“They broke through?”
The footage revealed something Kang-hoo hadn’t expected at all.