Chapter 152

Chapter 152

Chapter 152 – Seoul Restoration (3)

Cha Hyun-seung gazed forward, utterly stunned.

I’m completely paralyzed.

While an external, physical power was indeed pinning him down, that wasn’t the true source of his immobility.

It was the crushing aura emanating from the individual standing across from him.

The quiet, burning rage reflecting in those eyes.

The commanding authority pouring from every fiber of his being.

The sheer weight of it choked the air from Cha Hyun-seung’s lungs, locking his limbs in place.

Although the intruder before him was a trespasser violating his sacred ground, terror eclipsed his indignation.

Still, fleeing was out of the question.

This land belonged to him, and he was the alpha of this pack.

Yet—

“W-Who goes there?!”

The stuttered question that escaped his lips sounded like the hollow, cliché dialogue of a cheap antagonist in a television show.

The trembling dread laced through his words made the utterance seem incredibly pitiful.

In stark comparison—

“I am Kim Jae-hyun. Am I correct in assuming you are Cha Hyun-seung? Perhaps we can talk?”

The man answered with absolute, serene composure.

This nonchalant demeanor—which treated Cha Hyun-seung as though he posed no danger whatsoever—caused his temper to flare.

That thief has forced his way into our home.

This visitor was nothing like the desperate humans who arrived pleading for scraps or seeking shelter within the pack.

The person claiming to be Kim Jae-hyun had arrived to claim this domain for himself. He was an apex predator.

Retreating with his tail between his legs might offer a chance at survival, but escaping an opponent of such staggering might would extract a devastating toll from his pack.

That was unacceptable.

If conflict was inevitable—

“Grrrr.”

A feral, deep-chested growl reverberated from Cha Hyun-seung’s throat.

He braced himself for combat.

His sole focus was to shatter the unseen shackles holding him and leap forward to rip out the stranger’s throat.

Snap!

Cha Hyun-seung’s anatomy started to shift rapidly.

His musculature expanded, his nails elongated into lethal claws, and a thick coat of pale, snowy fur spread across his skin.

Reborn as a monstrous predator, he threw himself directly at Kim Jae-hyun—

“!?”

Crash!

The unseen, glassy pressure that kept him immobile abruptly surged outward, flattening him against the earth.

BOOM!

“Argh!”

He thrashed with all his might, but his efforts were completely futile.

Only at that moment did the grim realization hit him: his maximum strength could not even begin to rival the sheer magnitude of Kim Jae-hyun’s power.

But even then…!

Sensing their leader’s resolve, the beasts lurking behind him tensed, readying themselves for war.

They were fierce protectors, prepared to sacrifice themselves for Cha Hyun-seung in a heartbeat.

If they launched a coordinated assault, they might stand a chance at repelling this intruder—the desperate, hopeful thought flashed through his mind.

The enemy was just a solitary man.

As the commander of this pack, Cha Hyun-seung understood the advantage of overwhelming numbers better than anyone.

This was not his first encounter with an adversary who outclassed him in strength. He had endured and grown more formidable through every past trial.

We can overcome this threat as well.

That conviction filled him.

He felt entirely confident in their odds.

Because his primal instincts had never steered him wrong, he readied himself to command the pack to strike.

Just as he was about to do so—

Hummm—Crackl—

Right in front of his eyes—

“!!!!!”

Bzzz—

A contingent of over twelve individuals materialized out of thin air.

One look at them was all it took for him to comprehend the reality of his predicament.

Every single newcomer radiated a terrifying level of strength.

Most shockingly, over half of these individuals possessed power far exceeding his own.

A clash right now would not be a contest; it would be a total, merciless slaughter.

Had the intruder been unaccompanied, a sliver of hope might have remained. But against an entire faction, ruin was absolute.

“…All of you, hold your positions.”

Ultimately, he had no choice but to yield and back down.

Though deeply humbling, he was prepared to swallow his pride to ensure their survival.

Choking back the terror that welled up inside him, he maintained a composed exterior.

“So, what exactly is your business after encroaching upon my territory? Do you intend to drive us out?”

In response,

“Please accept my humblest apologies for intruding upon your territory.”

The man known as Kim Jae-hyun bent forward in a respectful, deep bow.

“…Excuse me?”

To Cha Hyun-seung, refusing to bend the knee was the sole method of safeguarding one’s liberty.

Consequently, the gesture caught him entirely off guard.

A commander vastly superior to him and his entire army had lowered his head first.

Cha Hyun-seung had never bowed to another soul—regardless of whether they were weaker or more powerful than himself.

This made Kim Jae-hyun’s humility an unprecedented shock.

It was only at that moment he registered the invisible pressure holding him down had vanished.

Yet, instead of capitalizing on the opening to strike,

“Ah… I must apologize for striking first.”

He returned the gesture, lowering his own head.

Kim Jae-hyun advanced a step and declared,

“My goal is to rescue Seoul.”

Initially, Cha Hyun-seung assumed the stranger was speaking utter gibberish.

However, raising his gaze, he recognized the profound earnestness in the man’s expression.

He genuinely means this.

He then observed the followers gathered around the man.

Much like his own wild companions, their gazes brimmed with deep-seated loyalty and reverence.

Their absolute conviction was palpable.

If this individual claimed he would restore Seoul, he was fully dedicated to fulfilling that promise.

“I possess the ability to construct a protective shield capable of repelling the monster hordes. Utilizing this strength, I intend to liberate Seoul and rebuild the city.”

Cha Hyun-seung could not fathom the true extent of this capability, or whether it could actually preserve the entirety of Seoul.

Frankly, the outcome mattered little to him.

The “Seoul” this man wished to rescue belonged to humanity.

In truth, Cha Hyun-seung favored the world’s current chaotic state.

The fate of humanity is of no interest to me.

Having held a lifelong affection for beasts, Cha Hyun-seung harbored a deep loathing for his fellow human beings.

He hated how they locked creatures inside zoo enclosures, stripping away their natural liberty.

He despised how they acquired pets on a whim, only to discard them on the roadsides without a second thought.

He loathed how livestock were bred merely for the slaughterhouse.

He was disgusted by the clearing of ancient woodlands for mortal greed.

Every facet of human society repulsed him.

Therefore, when the apocalypse commenced and humanity began to die off, Cha Hyun-seung felt a profound sense of satisfaction.

Mankind, once the unchallenged rulers of the earth, had been reduced to prey, their authority shattered by the rise of endless monstrosities. It felt like a long-overdue retribution for their historical atrocities.

In the beginning, witnessing their downfall was thrilling.

While human populations collapsed, he dedicated his efforts to liberating zoo animals and carving out a safe haven where his wild companions could thrive in harmony.

The mounting casualties of the human race left him entirely indifferent.

Yet…

Despite his attempts to remain detached, the landscape was drowned in ceaseless agony and loss.

He was eventually forced to acknowledge the sheer scale of the misery.

Through that observation, a new understanding dawned on him.

Even the terrible, selfish behaviors of humanity that he detested were ultimately extensions of the natural order.

Moreover, he himself was still a human being.

Consequently, he began permitting survivors to congregate near the borders of his domain, utilizing its passive protection to stay alive.

While he refrained from providing active assistance, he did not turn away those who sought shelter simply to survive.

Using only my own strength, I can barely offer refuge to some tens of thousands of souls.

Yet the individual standing in front of him aimed to salvage the whole of Seoul—perhaps even the entire nation.

Was the liberation of Seoul actually within reach?

Even if they succeeded, how would they sustain such a massive population?

Ultimately, those logistics were of secondary importance.

“I hope you will stand alongside us, Cha Hyun-seung. Will you offer me your cooperation?”

What truly counted was that, for the very first time, Cha Hyun-seung felt a genuine desire to trust the man addressing him.

“…How can I assist you?”

Once I finalized the process of granting citizenship to Cha Hyun-seung, I opened his personal profile interface.

【Name: Cha Hyun-seung (Lv. 53)】

Trust: 21

Awakened Ability: Beast Lord

Experience Distribution Rate: 0% (+200%)

Settlement Distribution Rate: 0% (+200%)

★Assign Quest

↳ Expel

Despite our direct conversation, his level of trust remained fairly minimal. Nonetheless, this was acceptable.

Because Cha Hyun-seung did not stand alone.

He commanded a veritable legion.

【White Tiger (Lv. 46)】 【Raven (Lv. 37)】 【Moon Bear (Lv. 41)】 【Eagle Owl (Lv. 39)】 【Gray Wolf (Lv. 35)】 【Fallow Deer (Lv. 29)】 【Fennec Fox (Lv. 33)】…

Numerous formidable beasts crowded around him.

A single glance confirmed that every one of them was vastly larger than normal specimens of their species.

Their total count numbered in the hundreds.

The creatures exceeding Level 30 seemed to act as commanders for their respective packs, while the rest averaged around Level 20, which was highly impressive in its own right.

I had effectively gained control over a massive beast army.

Observing them gather and interact with him, I quietly exhaled in relief.

That was a narrow escape.

Had he resolved to fight to the bitter end, the situation could have deteriorated catastrophically.

Our protective translucent barrier was not invincible. A coordinated siege by Cha Hyun-seung and his beastly horde would have battered the barrier, transferring the entire strain of that damage directly onto Oh Eon-ju.

And should she succumb to the pressure…

The outpost we had painstakingly developed over three full days would be obliterated, our borders would disintegrate, and I would be left completely exposed outside the safety of my territory.

If such a scenario unfolded…

What would happen to me?

Due to my fundamental constraints, leaving my territory is impossible.

Even on rare occasions where I manifest in external areas, a temporary zone must be centered around a follower possessing 100 Trust before I can navigate it.

It would likely turn out okay… hopefully.

It remained a hypothesis, but I expected the outcome to mirror the dismissal of my descent.

I would probably just materialize back at my sanctum.

However, by that point, any hope of a relationship with Cha Hyun-seung would be permanently ruined.

To protect our translucent defense, we would have been forced to retaliate, resulting in massive casualties among his animal companions.

I looked toward Cha Hyun-seung and inquired,

“Where were you before our arrival?”

“An invasive beast breached my borders, slaughtered one of my pack mates, and retreated. We pursued it to exact vengeance.”

Considering his deep connection to these creatures, it was obvious that he would never have halted his pursuit until the culprit was slain.

Had a conflict erupted between us instead, the consequences would have been devastating.

I would have forfeited nearly a third of the resources invested in establishing this outpost, thrown away three days of work, and lost a powerful ally in Cha Hyun-seung.

This was precisely why I chose to approach him with absolute transparency and honesty.

Happily, my earnestness hit its mark.

We couldn’t have hoped for a better result.

Ultimately, I secured his cooperation without a single drop of blood being spilled.

His loyalty can be cultivated as we move forward.

Suddenly, Cha Hyun-seung looked at me and asked,

“What is our immediate course of action?”

“Our primary objective is to secure and save the remaining survivors throughout this sector.”

Once our presence here was fully solidified, traveling to Busan would be unnecessary. We could begin the process of restoring Seoul right here.

“Following that…”

Once a sufficient number of people were secured—

“I intend to exterminate every single monster residing in Seoul.”