A deafening explosion, echoing over the concert venue, managed to drown out the noise of the ongoing battle on Jindo Island. The sound froze the mocking, contemptuous smile on Hunter Phantom's face as he floated in the sky. Just as he had done to countless other hunters, he tried to crush his invisible foe with his telekinesis. But this time, Phantom's wave of purple and black energy hit nothing but air, unable to even stir the atmosphere. Startled by the failure, a fist suddenly shot out from the shadows. The punch, accompanied by a shockwave that tore through the air, landed squarely on Phantom's face. He could hear the sound of his own bones cracking as the impact sent him flying dozens of meters away, like a hurled block of concrete.
This shocking moment distracted everyone fighting in the center of the arena. Raven, a hunter known for his rage, challenged this unseen power by brandishing his sword. In seconds, he spread his fiery wings and charged at the Unseen Hunter. The mana gathering at the tip of his blade was so intense it heated the air around it. Yet, his belief in victory shattered the moment his sword was caught in the hunter's hand. The hunter snapped the blade as easily as one would snap a twig. Raven, wide-eyed with horror, was trying to comprehend what had just happened when he took a second blow, which sent him sprawling next to Phantom, bleeding on the ground.
Below, the SSS-level hunter Yejin, also bleeding, watched the impossible struggle in the sky with wide, shocked eyes. Even the life-or-death battle between Whisper and Hikari had come to a standstill. Everyone's eyes were fixed on one spot: the Unseen Hunter.This mysterious figure raised a hand to the sky, and suddenly, a gigantic, vibrant yellow magic circle began to encompass the concert venue. The edges of the circle descended upon the area like a golden cage. Inside, the ant soldiers began to fall one by one, unable to withstand the pure mana radiating from the magical barrier. Their bodies trembled, their armor cracked, and they eventually fell to the ground like lifeless shells. Seeing this sight, Phantom turned to his leader, Chrysalith, and desperately mumbled, "I apologize, my lord, I will finish him immediately!" With that, he created a sword of burning white flame in his hand and charged toward the yellow light of the circle. The Unseen Hunter, in turn, drew two small daggers that shone with light, taking a combat stance. The battle was about to begin again
The sound of clashing in the sky had become a symphony for the bleeding Korean hunters lying exhausted below. After hours of relentless battle against the ant army, each one was depleted of their last drop of mana. Their weapons had fallen from their hands, their armor was cracked, and their breaths came in ragged gasps. Yet, their fatigue couldn't suppress the pure admiration on their faces. They struggled to lift their heads to watch the mysterious, light-shining hunter in the sky and Phantom, who was attacking him with his flaming sword. Their clash was both a beacon of hope and proof of a superhuman power.
Whispers began to rise among the fallen hunters. S-level hunter Song-Kang, his eyes fixed on the sky, asked, "Who could that hunter be? He couldn't have just appeared randomly. Could he… could he be Omer Jin Hoo?" His voice carried both a question and a sense of impossible hope.
Won Bin, who was lying next to him, shrugged. "Don't be ridiculous. It can't be him. There are only two known hunters with that level of power in the world: Omer Jin Hoo and Xu Liangchen. Who could this man be?" The doubt in his voice mirrored the questions on everyone's mind. "Yejin, wasn't a report about this hunter sent to you?" he asked.
Trembling and covered in blood, Yejin barely managed to nod. "The report I got said he was a D-level hunter... I don't understand..." Before she could finish her sentence, they were all startled by a deafening explosion that tore through the sky.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the arena, the battle between Whisper and Hikari was also coming to an end. Pushing his body to its absolute limits, Hikari delivered a final blow. His glowing fist hit Whisper's head like a storm, severing it from his body. One of Chrysalith's three generals had been permanently eliminated. However, the victory came at a heavy price. Hikari began to cough up blood from the damage he'd sustained, and his body started to tremble uncontrollably. The moment he collapsed, the other hunters rushed to his side to help. Their last remaining hope was now the mysterious, faceless hunter fighting in the sky.
As Phantom continued his assault with his white-flamed sword, the Hunter made a sudden move and tossed one of his daggers into the air. The dagger shot up like a star, rising into the depths of the stratosphere. The Hunter followed it, climbing at an incredible speed. No one could figure out the reason behind this strange action. Spreading his wings, Phantom furiously pursued him. The two of them were ascending, moving away from the eyes of the world and into a higher, colder realm
As the Unseen Hunter and Phantom ascended like stars into the sky, the state-of-the-art screens at the American Hunter's Association Control Department in Washington suddenly blared with alarms. Young analyst Daniel, taking a sip of coffee, froze at the data that appeared on his monitor. A massive energy signature had emerged directly over Jindo Island, South Korea. This wasn't the energy of a normal gate; it was something strong enough to tear a hole in space-time, taking on the shape of a black hole.Daniel watched as the devices attempting to measure this energy went wild, displaying frantic data. Even the incredible, cutting-edge measurement devices that sent live data from space couldn't define this energy storm. The screens simply showed meaningless, flashing code before crashing one by one. With trembling hands, Daniel quickly reported the situation to headquarters. The situation was so extraordinary that his report went directly to the highest-ranking officials of the American Hunter's Association. The headquarters immediately requested an emergency meeting of the World Hunters Committee. The entire world was wondering what was happening on Jindo, but no one knew the source of that energy.
Meanwhile, in the icy silence of the stratosphere, the Unseen Hunter suddenly stopped. He turned to face the approaching Phantom. Phantom's face held the ruthless expression of a predator ready to deliver its final blow. "ENHANCE!" he roared. This ability multiplied his mana, intensifying the purple flames that surrounded his body. As he flew at the hunter, he suddenly transformed into a colossal, dark angel. His wings were like a darkness stolen from the universe itself, and the energy he radiated was so immense that the stratosphere could not withstand the pressure. Clouds rapidly dissipated, the ozone layer thinned, and the sky itself seemed to be tearing apart.
Phantom yelled, "The Black Angel's Painful Strike!" as he attacked the hunter. The force of the resulting explosion was felt not only in Jindo but like an earthquake across Russia, China, South Korea, North Korea, Japan, and all the surrounding countries. For a moment, the world held its breath, waiting for the outcome of this colossal power
The explosion from the Black Angel's Strike had enveloped the sky like storm clouds. As high-altitude winds swiftly dispersed the massive smoke plume, Phantom looked down with eyes full of a victor's high. He'd poured every last drop of his power into that final blow. After such a strike, no one could possibly have survived. But as the smoke cleared, the cruel smile on Phantom's face gave way to terror. The sight before him was enough to shake every truth he had ever believed.In the very center of the blast, the Unseen Hunter stood, completely unharmed. His face was now visible, and his appearance was like something out of a nightmare etched into Phantom's mind. He had transformed into a monumental being. Four magnificent wings, carved from what looked like pure gold, extended from his back. His body was covered in luminous armor, intricately detailed like that of an ancient god. The small daggers he once held were now a colossal sword forged from pure light, each one holding the brilliance of the sun. The aura radiating from him illuminated the surrounding darkness, a beacon of pure mana.As Phantom recoiled, his tongue tied with fear, the hunter spoke. His voice was a melody that echoed through the sky. "It's been a long time, Phantom."
Phantom's eyes, wide with disbelief under his helmet, couldn't process it. That voice, that energy... this being... It was impossible. He stammered in a panic, "Y-you... you're one of the Seven Light Monarchs... Valorian!"
Valorian offered a slight smile. "I'm glad you remember me." He raised his sword and, with a single, swift motion, cleaved Phantom's body, armor, and soul in two. Phantom's form dissolved into mana dust and was scattered into eternity.At the same time, a little above the concert arena, Chrysalith felt Phantom's mana vanish without a trace. The mocking expression on his face instantly turned serious. "So you've finally shown yourself, Valorian," he murmured. Chrysalith's crimson eyes fixed on the light in the skies above Jindo. "I can feel your mana. Wait for me, Monarch of Light. I will tear you to pieces." His words were a harbinger of a greater war to come