Chapter : 22
In the End, Beating Is the Best Cure
After Seoyul’s constitution changed due to the Manhondo Peach Blossom Body, his growth did not stop there.
[Due to capability increase, the skill “Labyrinth King” has been upgraded.]
[Trap, “Death Flower Rafflesia” has been created.]
[Trap, “Corrosion Lake” has been created.]
[Through Sphere, 50% of labyrinth monsters can be released.]
This is probably level 3 now.
Unlike last time, when multiple traps were created, this time even more valuable functions had been added.
The release of labyrinth monsters.
It was a function Seoyul had unconsciously desired.
In disaster or sudden emergency situations, there were clear limits to what he could do alone.
[Remaining Red Goblin units: 1]
[Remaining Ghoul units: 1]
Since the rest had been used as bait during the Queen Wasp extermination, only these two monsters remained.
Of course, Seoyul had no attachment to them.
They were merely expendable pieces he had been forced to include when he became a hidden class.
And from now on, it was time to integrate the monsters he actually wanted.
The true reward beyond this quest’s rewards.
The wasps.
Seoyul approached the remaining hive in the labyrinth.
Inside the hexagonal cells were countless unhatched eggs.
Seoyul narrowed his eyes.
Too valuable to let them hatch naturally.
If they simply hatched as-is, they would likely only become Stinghawks, Honey Slashers, or Swarmfits like those seen in Yellow Belt.
Seoyul wanted something stronger than that.
Just in time, a new trap created through his upgraded capability solved his concern.
[Trap: Corrosion Water]
Description — If a dead monster or awakened human corpse is placed into this lake and a labyrinth monster consumes the corroded water, it will inherit the characteristics of that target. Only one monster can absorb each trait-infused water.
So a hive counts as a single entity?
The Labyrinth King skill answered Seoyul’s question.
[A hive containing eggs is treated as a single entity rather than a swarm. However, in this case, until the eggs hatch, large amounts of nourishment must be supplied by periodically submerging monster or awakened human corpses into the lake. Traits of monsters used as nourishment will not be inherited.]
[Installing Corrosion Lake will cost 80 gold or 400 mana. Do you wish to proceed?]
If Seoyul had not changed due to the Manhondo Peach Blossom Body, he would have spent a large amount of gold again.
But now, he was free from that limitation.
Without hesitation, he activated the trap.
[Trap: Corrosion Lake has been installed.]
Shortly after, a moss-covered lake formed as the dungeon floor transformed.
Seoyul placed his hand on the hive.
[Do you want to integrate the eggs into labyrinth monsters?]
[Please designate a boss monster.]
Because his capability had increased, the system no longer decided automatically.
Instead, Seoyul was given the authority to choose the boss.
He naturally excluded the remaining Red Goblin and Ghoul.
So it comes down to one of these.
Seoyul pointed at the largest egg inside the hive.
[The unhatched wasp swarm egg has been designated as boss. Please assign a name.]
Hmm… Ligreon, Belgrid, Killerbee?
Various names came to mind, but lacking naming sense, Seoyul returned to the simplest choice.
“Vespa.”
[Labyrinth Boss has been named “Vespa.”]
Perhaps pleased at receiving a name, the egg emitted a faint glow.
Seoyul smirked, then looked around and found Winglash’s corpse—pierced with arrows and dead—and placed it into the lake.
[Do you want to assign Winglash’s characteristics to Corrosion Lake?]
Looking at the decaying corpse, Seoyul shook his head.
[Winglash’s corpse is converted into nutrients.]
It was a pity to lose Winglash’s traits, but since it originated from the same source, its roots were essentially identical.
I submitted the Steel Blood Orc as evidence last time… what a waste.
Seoyul clicked his tongue as he thought belatedly of the Steel Blood Orc chief, Karzak.
“Next time, I’ll throw in something better.”
“….”
To anyone unaware of the situation, it would have sounded extremely unsettling.
Return from Yellow Belt
After finishing dungeon repairs and cleanup, Seoyul immediately returned to Yellow Belt.
Bwooooom!
Sensing his return, numerous Stinghawks, Honey Slashers, and Swarmfits appeared instantly.
However, instead of attacking violently, they showed anxiety and hesitation.
Seoyul quickly understood why.
“Hm. They must be sensing pheromones similar to their queen from my body.”
This was likely a side effect of the Manhondo Peach Blossom Body.
For these creatures, now without a queen or hive, Seoyul was their only option.
There are easily over a hundred.
Smiling in satisfaction, Seoyul activated Sphere and absorbed the swarm into the labyrinth.
[Do you want to integrate them into the labyrinth?]
[Remaining wasp units: 102]
With this, all wasps roaming Yellow Belt were secured.
Seoyul smiled, then glanced over the area.
Now that the wasps had been eliminated, no one knew what unknown monsters might appear in the newly altered ecosystem.
When I come back, I’ll wipe this place off the map entirely.
With that resolve, Seoyul left Yellow Belt.
The Mansion
The mansion was decorated in a luxurious, refined style.
Passing through a black marble entrance, the living room was softly illuminated, with modern artworks adorning the walls.
It reflected wealth and status, yet the atmosphere inside was gloomy and heavy.
Shattered fragments of a large vase lay scattered across the floor, broken by a golf club.
A large photo album rested on the table.
Inside were family photos of people in suits and dresses.
Among them, the youngest boy was Park Jintae, who had recently gone missing in Yellow Belt.
Park Jinbeom stared at the photo of his son with a haggard expression.
Due to the disappearance and a series of school violence scandals, his nomination for Supreme Court Justice had long been revoked, and politicians who once supported him had abandoned him.
His mind was now heavy and chaotic.
Why was he in a place like that?
He regretted having raised him so indulgently.
I’ll kill him.
But he did not believe his downfall was related to his son.
It was simply misfortune.
To clean up the situation, he had arranged a meeting with a man he should never have contacted.
As he sat on the sofa in thought, a gentle breeze passed through the garden, making the curtains sway.
A man entered from the garden.
His appearance was sharp, and he carried an unmistakably dangerous aura.
“Thank you for inviting me, Judge. I’m Hanbin Jo.”
His voice was low and smooth, yet unsettling.
“Sit.”
Park Jinbeom spoke briefly.
Jo Hanbin sat down casually, arms crossed, looking at him.
“So a judge of the Republic of Korea is hiring a blacklisted hunter. The law really is terrifying. Or perhaps something that can be ignored depending on circumstances.”
“Have you finished mocking me?”
Park Jinbeom glared.
Blacklisted hunters were awakened individuals with bounties on them—people who turned their power not against monsters or dungeons, but against civilians.
Jo Hanbin was one of them—an assassin-type awakened known as “Nightmare,” wanted nationwide.
The authorities had failed to capture him due to his exceptional ability to erase traces of his existence.
“So, what is your request?”
“I need to solve a mystery related to my son.”
“A mystery?”
He lit a cigarette and exhaled smoke.
“It seems he caused trouble bullying some fruit shop girl. Because of that, someone might have killed him. Find whoever touched my son and bring them to me—crippled.”
He threw Seoyul’s photo and report onto the table.
Jo Hanbin tilted his head.
“This man killed your son? He’s just a D-rank awakened.”
“There’s no alibi that confirms otherwise. He contacted that girl’s father, and CCTV shows he took her home that day. Suspicious, isn’t it?”
His voice carried tension.
“As a father, if I don’t resolve this, the justice I uphold may collapse.”
Jo Hanbin studied his face, then smiled.
“Justice… what a fascinating word.”
A completely biased definition—based not on law, but on personal feeling.
Park Jinbeom said firmly:
“I’ll pay whatever price you want.”
After a moment, Jo Hanbin nodded.
“Fine. As long as the payment is good.”
He left the mansion with a faint amused glance.
After Yellow Belt
After leaving Yellow Belt, Seoyul stripped off his dirty, torn suit and stepped into the bathroom.
Shhhhhh…
While showering, he stared at his reflection seriously.
“…Why do I feel like I’ve gotten more handsome?”
His skin was clearer and paler than before, his jawline sharper, and overall he now carried both masculine strength and a strangely seductive aura.
“Pfft! I’ve lost it. What kind of narcissism is that?”
Laughing at himself, he finished his shower.
Afterward, he saw 42 missed calls.
Don’t touch me during cooldown periods.
He called the most recent one—Lee Jeonghye.
“Yeah, you called?”
- Hey! You just now calling me back?!
“I was busy. What is it?”
- You’re being deployed to Ulleungdo, right? Come drink with your big sister before you go. Meet me at our usual place by 7 PM. I called Kang Jeongmin too. If you don’t come, you’re dead!
Click.
The call ended.
It was absurd, but—
“…I can’t deal with her.”
Seoyul sighed and got ready to head out.
Pork Belly Restaurant
At a local grilled pork restaurant in his neighborhood:
“This guy has never once arrived on time.”
Seoyul was grilling pork fat on a heated pan.
It was a familiar scene, but something felt different.
“Wow! Is he a celebrity?”
“If a man is that handsome, it’s unfair.”
Whispers surrounded him.
They’re not talking about me… right?
Then the glass door opened.
Lee Jeonghye entered energetically.
“Hey, Seoyul! Is the meat ready?”
“Your Majesty has arrived. Come cook it yourself.”
“….”
Strangely, she didn’t react.
Normally she would have fired back insults immediately, but today her face was flushed red as she stared blankly at him.
“Hey. What are you doing? Sit down.”
At his words, she tried to respond—
But suddenly blood began streaming from her nose.
“…Huh?”
“WAAAH!”
Panicking, she slammed her head against the wall repeatedly, and shocked staff and Seoyul rushed over to stop her.
