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"Brother Hao, are you really going?"
"Joo-na, you too?"
"What would I do here alone?"
"Can I come with you?"
"No, Jiwon, you have your parents' house and family business to manage, don't abandon it just because you are feeling lonely; your parents will be sad to see this."
"Big Brother Jiwon, if you feel lonely, you can come to our place anytime."
"Yeah, that's right. You're not alone anymore, we're your family."
"Also, don't forget your Tasks, do not ever try to give up, if you face some problem, come to me, we'll do something about it."
"Thanks, Brother Hao."
Hao-Yun and Joo-na finally said their farewell to Jiwon. In less than a month, they formed a strong family bond. But often, being always under a family's protective shadow weakens people and their ability to grow stronger.
In their new mansion, the first thing Hao-Yun did was to put all those Mytherium Stones inside his private pool. He still had free time before his new Task.
Killing time, the only thing he did just a month ago, had become a rare leisure to him.
As Hao-Yun lay on a chair in front of his swimming pool, a sudden message erupted.
It created panic all around the world.
[ KZZAK... KRZZK... KZZZZK █ █ █]
▇▆▅▄▃▂▂▃▄▅▆▇ SYSTEM ▇▆▅▄▃▂▂▃▄▅▆▇
█▓▒░ WORLD ANNOUNCEMENT ░▒▓█
[Brazil has failed to complete its Epic-Level Task.]
[Penalty: Neutralizing Brazil, Unlocking Red Portals.]
[Red Portals: Will emerge at random coordinates around Earth and release tides of Monsters. Unless all Monsters are defeated, a portal will not disappear.]
"What? It can't be..."
"Joo-na! Don't come out of the house unless I say so."
"Sure, Big Brother."
"I can't let Monsters ruin this world. Just because of a single failure, the world is facing such a penalty?"
Hao-Yun leaped towards the city. But the System had already begun what it said. Around 5 red portals could be seen in his vision. Each of them was large, completely black from inside, and emanating a killing aura.
Many of the strong individuals still didn't return from the Exploration of other worlds. The authorities didn't do any advance preparation to deal with a situation like this. It seemed like System stabbed at the world's most vital and defenceless part.
Hao-Yun didn't waste any time; he leaped to the nearest red portal. Monsters were gushing out of it. Their gorilla-like bodies and long fangs scared even the strong and experienced ones. Their tail was fat and spiky. Long and sharp claws were like they could pierce through anything. Their crimson-red body were exuding a black aura full of killing intent.
The People trying to fight them were shaking, they were about to burst into tears, but still they didn't have any other choice. One of the Monsters grabbed a man with its left hand. It brought him near and opened its large mouth that was ready to devour the man at any time.
But the Monster's plan was foiled. Hao-Yun charged at it and smashed that Monster with his punch. The people in the surroundings couldn't grasp what was happening. All they could do was see Hao-Yun, who was like an Eagle that had found its prey. In a blink of an Eye, Hao-Yun defeated the Monsters, since all of them were weaker in comparison to the Hungry Monster he encountered in Vama.
Meanwhile, somewhere else, a group of people were bravely fighting the Tree-Bark-like Monsters. The group consisted of experienced individuals who had already killed many Monsters on their expedition.
Suddenly, all Monsters stopped. They stood close to the red portal. A lightning bolt erupted from the portal, and it increased in size, way larger than before. The red mist clogged the atmosphere, thick with the scent of blood.
The ground began to tremble. Cars on the side shuddered. Windows of buildings shattered. As a massive crimson stalkcomes out of the portal like a tower of spiral muscle and vines.
Then came a sound. A soft chime layered with mystery, moist and gurgling. A sound that didn't belong on Earth.
From the ruptured portal, a figure rose. Her body unfolded like a blooming bud; the petals of her eight wings were radiating. Their shadows stretched across Seoul's skyline. Her bark-like flesh illuminated with pale gold veins, and her translucent face gradually opened to show a skull of throbbing crimson light within.
Her presence felt… holy, but it was just a farce.
People who hadn't escaped and who were fighting her began to freeze, not out of fear, but awe. They dropped to their knees, smiled, and sobbed. They reached toward her as red spores filled their lungs.
As she stood rooted in the center of the city, her tendrils outstretched through the cracks in the road, fouling the soil, the buildings, and even the air around the area. And above it all, This Monster sang. A hollow, beautiful hum. A sound that made Adults cry.
One lone girl, no older than six, hid herself beneath a shattered bus stop. Blood was streaming down her cheek, not hers, but her parents.
In the corner street, something immense landed with a moist impact. A seemingly plant-like Monster, around 10 meters tall, it dragged its thorned arms across the ground.
Its bark snapped open like a hatching origin, unveiling a tooth-lined mouth and an entanglement of squirming roots writhing inside.
It saw the girl... and smiled.
It raised its scythe-like limb, with spores raining from its core like snowfall.
The girl could only stare at it, realizing that her death had come.
BOOM...
A single shockwave suddenly smashed the air, like the sound of a thunderclap.
The Monster froze.
Its head twitched.
It tried to turn.
But it was too late.
A middle aged man in white, tall and tranquil, stepped through the red mist as if it were just some fog.
His short silver hair glinted in the smoke, and his sharp eyes didn't blink as he passed the girl.
He didn't say a word to her... Just raised his hand and tapped his wrist twice with his fingers.
The world slowed. The red mist stilled at its place. Falling debris stopped midair. Even the girl's blinking slowed.
In that stillness, The Man vanished. And reappeared on the monster's shoulder. He pressed one of his palms against the Monster's core.
Then came a sound, like thousands of glasses shattering across the sky.
The monster exploded from inside. Collapsing in on itself in seconds, its limbs rotted, twisted, and reduced to ash.
All of this happened just under a second.
The little girl panted as time resumed.
Where the monster once stood, only floating petals and dust remained.
The Man stood tall and scanned the area with his eyes. Then he crouched, wiped blood from the girl's face with a handkerchief, and said nothing as he offered his back.
"You'll be safe now."
He carried her through the mist to somewhere safe.
The girl asked him.
"What's your name?"
He replied in a single, cold sentence.
"Choi Sang-Min."
It was Choi Sang-Min, one of the strongest people in the world.
Meanwhile, somewhere in Seoul, in an area surrounded by trees, a monstrous 4 eyed boss lay on the ground.
It was twice the size of the one Choi Sang-Min had fought in the center of Seoul. Its form resembled a mix of a dragon, spider, and parasite. Its heart was still fidgeting, its mouth was wide open, and its tongue was lying on the ground.
On top of its head, a person sat casually, his arms resting on his knees, and his hoodie fluttering in the toxic wind.
It was none other than Hao Yun.
His expression was unreadable; he chewed on a gum, looking more bored than tired. There was not a single scratch on his body, not a burn, not even dirt on his boots.
This wasn't what he thought. These Monsters aren't strong at all. It was like The System intentionally released weak Monsters first to lower their guard. Like it wanted to play... but with their emotions... and life.
He stood slowly and touched the Monster, saying a sentence.
Store it.
The System absorbed the entire corpse in a flash of light, collapsing the monstrous corpse into itself like an object being sucked into a black hole.
He turned his back to the ruined forest, his hands in his pockets. Not a shred of fear could be seen.
Ring-Ring... Ring-Ring...
Suddenly, he receives a call.
"Mr. Hao-Yun! Please save our Lady, she is throwing her life away! She can't win against this giant one-eyed Monster."
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