150 CHAPTER 138. Identity

UNLIKE MOST SPIDER-MEN, SPIDER-MAN NOIR WAS NEVER TOLD THE MOTTO "WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY", BUT IN ITS PLACE "IF THERE IS TOO MUCH POWER, THEN IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PEOPLE TO TAKE IT AWAY."

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Today's meme is here. [ ]

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As he stopped and called his three soldiers out.  "Swift, Buster, Gold" Jin called out his three shadow soldiers and they instantly pushed past the other soldiers and knelt down in front of him. 

Jin looked at his three loyal soldiers who were kneeling in front of him as he turned to look at Swift and Buster.  

"Swift, Buster go search for the Entry Permit, and return back the moment you got your hands on the Entry Permit." Jin said as both soldiers nodded with pride as they got some special orders from their lord.  

Jin turns to look at gold and says "Gold you will provide them with them back up and also search for the Entry Permit." he told Gold to which gold had the same reaction as Buster and Swift.  

he looked at the castle and said again.  "Now move out" 

As soon as these words came out of his both all three of them were nowhere to be seen. As both Buster and Swift had used their quite overpower skill 'Stealth' which was quite good after levelling up and getting a promotion. And with their speed as Assassins.

And as for Gold, well let's say he was moving so fast that normal eyes of even S-rank won't even be able to see a single glimpse of it.  

"P-please, wait!!"

Esil stood there in stunned silence for a moment, before she belatedly stared in the direction of Jin's travel.

*****

"Heok!!"

In that short amount of time, the castle belonging to the Garuche Clan was burning in flames.

Rumble…..

A monster as tall as a giant spat out a pillar of flames, and the castle's gate and walls melted down without offering any resistance whatsoever. Garuche knights rushing out in confusion were cut down by the black soldiers one by one.

"Oh, my dear lord….'

Esil was so shocked that she spat out something that could either be a gasp or a moan.

For her it was like shit just went from 0 to 100 real fucking quick. 

"Kuwaahhhk!!"

"Uwaaah!!"

The castle of Garuche that looked several times more impregnable than Radiru Clan's own castle, was powerlessly crumbling down. Esil could only swallow down her nervous saliva.

'If father didn't hand over the permit willingly, then…..'

The Radiru castle might have been burning down to cinders just like the Garuche castle right about now.

Just imagining it made her dizzy. At the same time, she thought that her clan got a really lucky break after their negotiation went down so well.

Swiss as huge big missile fired from the shoulder of the Guardian. 

Kaboom!!!

Another tower beyond the castle walls crumbled back down to earth with a loud explosion as it's rock turn into molten lava just from the heat of the explosion. 

'How can anyone fight against a monster like them….?'

Esil wiped the sweat drops trickling down to her chin, and breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that her clan had managed to skirt past a calamity.

***

Knock, knock.

"Here are the requested files, sir."

"Come in."

Woo Jin-Cheol entered the Association President's office.

As if he had been waiting a while, Goh Gun-Hui welcomed him as his expression brightened considerably. As soon as opening one of the files Woo Jin-Cheol handed over, a familiar youth's face could be seen.

It was none other than Sung Jin-Woo and Esdeath.

The Jin-Woo in the identity photo looked immature and the atmosphere exuded seemed quite different compared to now, but it wasn't enough to make it impossible to recognise him.

"H-mm…"

Reading the youth's prior records, Goh Gun-Hui gradually became serious.

'Four years of Hunter activity as an E rank? Not only that, the lowest grade there is?'

This was no different than him trying to kill himself.

Even if the Gates under the Association's jurisdiction were of lower grades compared to what large Guilds or freelancers were in charge of, they should still be breathlessly difficult for an rank E!

And as expected….

Jin-Woo had spent as much time in the hospital as he was active as a Hunter.

"Even with all these frequent injuries, he still managed to tough it out."

"Apparently, he couldn't quit the Association because of his mother's hospital fees."

"….A rare type of youth in this age, indeed."

An unreadable light flickered in Goh Gun-Hui's eyes.

'In place of his missing father, he has been looking after his sick mother and a younger sister who is still a student, all by himself….'

After learning that Sung Jin-Woo was a Re-Awakened and yet to show up, Goh Gun-Hui decided to take a peek at the youth's files half out of interest, but he sure didn't expect this.

Goh Gun-Hui found the youth even more likeable after reading more about the kid.

'It'll be just too much of a waste to hand him over to large Guilds.'

The longer he took a look at the information, the greater Goh Gun-Hui's regret grew for failing to recruit the youth to the Association's folds.

"Tsk."

He smacked his lips a little and flipped the page, and eventually, arrived at the last one. Feeling satisfied now, Goh Gun-Hui closed the file folder.

He opened the next file and the first thing he saw was the lack of surnames that are very common in all Asian countries.  

Next he saw tha her profile showed she was an orphan who was born in Japan in Akihabara, a district in central Tokyo. Her parents were unknown as they left in front of the orphanage.  

And she just recently travelled to South Korea after getting some problems with money.  And just two months ago she had awakened as a hunter.  

And because Jin was the one she met when she first came here she seem to in debt of him but the old man could tell it was far more than debt just by how looks at him he it was not just pure love but an obsession his experience in dealing with crazy hunters told him she had a great obsession with the one known as Sung Jin-Woo. 

Deep love and great affection but he also knew both had the same feeling. It was hard to tell by the expressions of Jin-Woo both had a genuine love for each other.  

The air is heavy with tension. The old man carefully flipped through the stack of documents spread out on the table before him. His eyes narrowed as he examined the suspicious-looking papers, as a frown appeared on his face. each one casting doubt on the authenticity of the woman known as Esdeath.

The old man flipped the pages and saw the shady-looking documents like her digital certificate citizens with the jūminhyō.  

Jin-Cheol, the man responsible for investigating the matter, watched Goh Gun-Hui's reaction closely. He knew that the Guild Master's judgment would be critical in deciding the course of action to take.

"Mmmm," 

"Aren't these fakes?" Goh Gun-Hui finally asked, his voice tinged with skepticism. His gaze shifted from the documents to Jin-Cheol's face, seeking confirmation.

Jin-Cheol nodded solemnly. "Yes, sir. They are indeed fake. We've thoroughly checked and rechecked her records. It seems that most of her background story is fabricated. Even our attempts to verify her existence in Japan have come up empty. There's no physical record of her, only digital trails that are equally dubious."

The chairman's brow furrowed as he absorbed the information. The more he heard, the clearer it became that Esdeath's identity was shrouded in secrecy and deception.

"By her appearance alone, we can deduce that she's at least part Japanese," Jin-Cheol continued. 

"However, our investigations suggest that she might be an illegal immigrant. 

As in fact most of her story is fake as we did not only contact the orphanage, she mentioned every orphanage in Tokyo and after checking last two year's flight records we didn't find any records of the one known as Esdeath. Her claimed educational and study history is also proven to be false, as we've contacted the institutions she mentioned and found no records of her."

Goh Gun-Hui let out a contemplative hum, his fingers tapping lightly on the table's surface. "Is there any evidence at all that supports her claims? Anything that proves she's genuine?"

Jin-Cheol's expression darkened as he shook his head. "No, sir. So far, we've found nothing concrete that validates her story."

Goh Gun-Hui sighed, his expression one of deep concern. "This situation is more complex than I anticipated. If her entire background is fabricated, then we can't afford to let her fall into the hands of another country not in Japan, especially not in the hands of the US. We must protect our national interests."

He leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on Jin-Cheol. "Prepare the necessary documents to grant Ms. Esdeath South Korean nationality as soon as possible. We can't risk her being taken away by another country.

As I believe it's in our best interest to grant her South Korean nationality. She's currently the 11th S-Ranker, and there's a possibility she's even a national-level hunter. Allowing her to slip through our grasp would be a significant loss, especially considering the surge in gate appearances."

Jin-Cheol nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "Understood, sir. I'll make sure everything is done discreetly and efficiently."

"Ensure utmost discretion. We can't afford to reveal our doubts about her past."

Goh Gun-Hui can't let this out so he instantly told him to keep all this secret anda strictly forbids any information about her and this conversation shouldn't be leaked out of this room.

Jin-Cheol has the south Korien nationality to prepare for Ms. Esdeath as soon as possible; they can't let possibly a national level hunter in the hands of another country.

As the two men concluded their discussion, it was clear that the secret surrounding Esdeath's true identity was a matter of utmost importance. 

The Guild Master's decision had been made, and Jin-Cheol was tasked with ensuring that the necessary steps were taken to safeguard the powerful hunter's affiliation with Korea.

As the two men delved into the complexities of their conversation, they were acutely aware that the fate of the Hunter Association, and possibly even the nation, hung in the balance.

"Thank you. This was informative."

"Thank you, sir."

Woo Jin-Cheol took the files being handed back to him as he was going to shared one of the files.

******

"Anyway, they have yet to show up and my guess is they won't be showing up either. " Said the Chairman.  

"Yes sir it feel like it "

In a surprising turn of events, both Jin-Woo and Esdeath were conspicuously absent from their scheduled rank evaluation appointments. The situation perplexed not only the Hunter Association but also Jin-Cheol, who was responsible for maintaining contact with high-ranking hunters.

Seated in a dimly lit conference room, Goh Gun-Hui, the venerable president of the Hunter Association, exchanged concerned glances with Jin-Cheol. The weight of their shared unease filled the room as they contemplated the unsettling scenario.

"Jin-Cheol, this is highly unusual," Goh Gun-Hui began, his brows furrowing as he looked at the empty chairs where Jin-Woo and Esdeath should have been seated. "Do you have any idea where they might be?"

Jin-Cheol's expression mirrored the confusion in his superior's voice. "I've tried contacting Mr. Jin-Woo several times, sir. His phone is either switched off or out of range. I even tried his local landline, but that's off as well."

Goh Gun-Hui's expression darkened further. "This is highly unusual. Have you checked his residence?"

Jin-Cheol nodded, his fingers tapping nervously on the table. "Yes, sir. We went there, but it seems he's moved to a new location."

A heavy sigh escaped Goh Gun-Hui as he leaned back in his chair, deep in thought. "And what about his sister? Has she heard from him?"

Jin-Cheol's eyes flickered with uncertainty. "I met with Jinha outside her high school, but even she doesn't know where he is. It's as if he's disappeared."

The tension in the room grew palpable as the gravity of the situation weighed on them. Goh Gun-Hui's gaze turned to the city map displayed on the wall, highlighting Jin-Woo's last known location.

Goh Gun-Hui tapped his fingers thoughtfully on his desk. "Have we managed to track Jin-Woo's last known location?"

Jin-Cheol nodded again. "Yes, sir. The last location registered was within the city, CCTV showed he was around Daesung Tower. 

"His last known location was in the Daesung Tower.," Goh Gun-Hui mused aloud. "Has he made any financial transactions or booked any flights?"

Jin-Cheol consulted the information on his tablet. "No, sir. There's been no activity from his end. It's like he vanished without a trace."

Goh Gun-Hui's fingers drummed rhythmically on the table, his expression a mixture of concern and determination. "And what about Ms. Esdeath? Have you reached out to her?"

Jin-Cheol nodded, his fingers gliding across the tablet's surface. "Yes, I contacted her as well. Oncs I got their new landline number, first she ignored us but after some talk. She seemed unaware of his whereabouts and mentioned that she would only participate in the rank evaluation once Jin-Woo returns. She wants to take another appointment once he's back. They seem to have a close relationship." 

Goh Gun-Hui leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table as he steepled his fingers. "This is concerning, Jin-Cheol. Neither of them showing up, and where Ms. Esdeath living in the same house as Jinwoo and his sister but Jin-Woo seemingly disappeared without a trace."

Jin-Cheol nodded in agreement. "It's as if he is vanished. And, but we have no leads."

Goh Gun-Hui's gaze was thoughtful as he pondered the possibilities. "Jin-Woo is a man of action, and Esdeath seems equally determined. It's unlikely they would miss their evaluation appointments without reason."

Jin-Cheol's expression hardened. "Should we consider the possibility of an external threat?"

Goh Gun-Hui's eyes narrowed. "It's too early to jump to conclusions, but we can't rule anything out. Our best course of action is to track his last known locations and keep monitoring any unusual activity."

The atmosphere in the room was tense, as the two men grappled with the enigma of the missing hunter. The uncertainty of their whereabouts and the reasons behind his disappearance weighed heavily on their minds.

As they exchanged thoughts, ideas, and hypotheses, they understood that unraveling the mystery would require persistence, thorough investigation, and a readiness to face whatever truth might emerge.

The enigma of Jin-Woo sudden disappearance gripped them both, setting in motion a series of investigations and actions that would eventually lead to far from unraveling the mystery shrouding his absence.

***

[You killed a Demon Knight.]

[You have earned 3,675 experience points.]

[You killed a Demon Knight.]

[You have earned 3,675 experience points.]

[You killed a Demon Noble.]

[You have earned 4,935 experience points.]

Each time the Shadow Soldiers killed a demon found inside the castle, Jin was inundated with the experience points messages without rest.

Preparing for the final showdown on the top floor, Jin continued to raise his levels diligently.

When there were good rewards on offer, the accompanying risk would also be high, as well.

'The Divine Water of Life, bonus Stat points, top-ranked Rune Stones, a cool ride, etc….'

But did he care of course not now at level against a mere copy of the demon king it would stupid. 

When he thought about the rewards he would get after defeating the king of demons, there was just no way he'd slack off on levelling up himself.

[Level up!]

As it so happened, almost all the demons in the vicinity had been taken care of, so Jin summoned his Status Window to confirm his current level.

[Level: 117]

Before he entered the Demon's Castle for the second time, his level was 114, but it had already reached 117. Seeing the increased Stats, a smile automatically formed on his face.

'Nice.'

Jin tightly clenched his fist.

[You killed a Demon Noble.]

[You killed a Demon Noble.]

In the meantime, his Shadow Soldiers killed off the remaining demons. It was a complete victory.

With the battle nearly over, the soldiers gathered before Jin as usual. Among them, Iron, and Lobbock were the fastest to arrive at his side. As if he was expecting to be praised, Iron, and Lobbock puffed out their chest and stood at attention.

Jin chuckled slightly while looking at the mountainous physique blocking his view.

"You finish with everything?"

Iron, and Lobbock nodded their heads.

"Are you sure?"