Chapter 355: Eve of the Storm

The White House underground bunker.

The Secretary of Defense and the leadership were drooling, lost in a daze while watching the overwhelming massacre show on the screen.

“R-ridiculous…… Is, is that truly a military power a human can display?”

The Secretary of Defense pointed at the screen and let out a scream full of astonishment.

“He has become much…… stronger on a different dimension than during the Shanghai Magenta incident!”

“What in the world is that massive dragon floating in the sky? The class it exudes is entirely different from the likes of the bone dragons he used to drag around!”

“Just what…… what happened to that monster in Korea over the past few months? Does this make sense logically!”

Beyond imagination.

That was the only word that came to the minds of the leadership.

Thanks to the Earth 2.0 update, the USA had fully mobilized the infrastructure of the superpower country and barely managed to mass-produce SS-rank Hunters. So inwardly, they were conceited that the USA could now stand on its own without Kim Minwoo.

However, that was a bitter illusion.

While the USA climbed a few stairs, Kim Minwoo and the Money Talks Guild had taken an elevator straight up to the stratosphere.

That overwhelming gap, deleting the monsters that the Dragon Guild had been sliced away by in just 5 minutes.

“Oh, my god…….”

President Robert swept down his face with trembling hands.

That level of power.

What in the world should they compensate him with.

His mind became endlessly complicated.

The Secretary of Defense carefully opened his mouth.

“Your Excellency, I will speak honestly. The military power we deployed this time was 70 percent of the maximum the United States could mobilize. But…….”

He dropped his head.

“The result is as you saw. We couldn't even put a scratch on that structure.”

A heavy silence settled in the conference room.

No one could easily bring up the next words. It was because the reality they didn't want to admit was stuck in their throats.

President Robert slowly raised his head. In his eyes was not the calculation unique to politicians, but pure terror.

“……It's not that I'm afraid of owing a debt to Kim Minwoo.”

He muttered low.

“Is there anything left on this earth that can repay a debt to that man. That is what I'm afraid of…….”

No one could answer.

Back during the Slime Battery and Data Module incident, the USA believed that they could somehow negotiate with him. They were conceited that even if they handed over astronomical wealth and concessions, they could at least maintain their status as a superpower.

However, the one-sided massacre in the New York sky today ruthlessly shattered that shallow illusion.

In the suffocating silence, President Robert's unfocused gaze lingered on the massive divine dragon and the man in the black coat floating in the empty air beyond the screen. The leader of the USA now keenly intuited that their leash was perfectly grasped.

＊ ＊ ＊

“Shall we clear up our old grudges a bit, Mr. High Priest?”

Simultaneous with the end of his words, pitch-black darkness exploded from beneath Kim Minwoo's feet.

[Deploying skill, Descent (EX)!]

[The divinity governing death temporarily dwells in the lower realm!]

The absolute pressure of death, forcing all existences with life to instinctively lie flat, swept over the top of the ark.

Kim Minwoo's body, wrapped in the power of Descent, shot forward without even leaving an afterimage.

The Mythical-grade demonic sword, Hell Rhapsody, harboring darkness, plunged like a thunderbolt toward Persen's neck.

At that moment.

From within the old wooden staff Persen was leaning on, a chillingly clear blade soared up.

Chaeeng―!!!

A roar sounding as if space itself was tearing erupted.

The floor at the top of the ark could not withstand the collision of the two powers and cracked like a spiderweb.

“……Hoh.”

Persen, having blocked Kim Minwoo's sword head-on, curved his eyes like half-moons as if finding it interesting.

“Amazing. Truly amazing. You have become quite a lot stronger in a short time. The class itself has completely changed from when I saw you in the Philippines.”

His voice was endlessly relaxed, like an old man out for a stroll, even amidst the immense pressure.

“Conversely, your hands have gotten a lot lighter. Why don't you try using a bit more strength before your bones rot?”

“Tsk tsk. Your mouth is as spicy as ever.”

A war of nerves where brutal murderous intent and composure intersected.

With the sword and staff-sword touching, sparking, and maintaining a taut battle of strength.

Kugugugugung―!

The massive mana gauge pointing at the central core of the ark, which had been voraciously devouring the life force of the New York citizens, finally broke through the critical point.

A red light that seemed ready to burst spewed out from the entire ark, dyeing the New York night sky a bloody red.

“My.”

Persen let out a turbid laugh and deflected Kim Minwoo's sword.

“Heuheuh. Child, do not be in such a hurry.”

“You're going to run away?”

“I am merely going to prepare for a wonderful finale.”

It was right before the entire ark was sucked into the dimensional rift.

At that time, the massive shadow circling in the sky roared.

―Kuooooo!!!

The divine dragon Gleipnir, forged from the bones of an ancient dragon of antiquity and the bloodline of the abyss lord.

The jaws of the massive divine dragon connected to Cedric opened wide, and a dark red breath harboring massive energy was fired toward the central core of the ark.

Kwaaaaaaaang―!!!

An eerie breath cutting across the sky over New York in a straight line.

No matter if it was the ark, it wouldn't be safe if hit directly.

However…….

Paaaat―!

The blood-red mana light wrapping around the ark formed a massive hemispherical shield.

The divine dragon's breath crashed against the shield's surface and scattered in all directions, causing a massive heat storm, but the red protective barrier was not pierced in the end and perfectly offset the breath's power.

“……It's sturdy.”

In the heat of the breath, Persen's form slowly began to blur.

From the top of the ark, which was gradually becoming transparent, Persen looked down at Kim Minwoo and showed a bizarre smile.

“You will see it soon. How this world is transformed into a true throne.”

“Wash your neck well and wait even then, you old geezer.”

With Persen's smile as the end…….

Flash―!!!

A massive flash swallowed the sky over New York.

And the next moment, the massive ark and Persen that had been pressing down on the Manhattan sky completely disappeared without a trace, as if it were a lie.

Kim Minwoo looked up at the empty night sky and withdrew Hell Rhapsody.

As the blade melted into the darkness, the divinity of Descent lifted, and the surrounding air became noticeably lighter.

However, only Kim Minwoo's eyes were still staring intently at the coordinates where the ark had disappeared.

Persen's main body was stronger than he thought.

The power loaded in his staff-sword was something close to an Apostle's authority.

Receiving the cheers of the American Awakened, Park Siwoo, Namgung Min, Han Siah, and Seo Yerim approached Kim Minwoo riding Gleipnir.

“The ark ran away?!”

At their question, Kim Minwoo shrugged his shoulders while looking at the empty night sky.

“Yeah. It ran away. We can't stop it as of right now.”

If the cooldown of the Guidance of Destiny skill had returned, he would have forcibly grabbed it and sliced his neck, but unfortunately, it was currently unusable.

Even though he could fight the opponent, it was difficult to stop them from running away with determination.

‘Seeing as even Gleipnir's breath didn't work…….’

There seemed to be no way to stop the dimensional jump right away.

‘They must have already gathered all the energy they could extract from New York……. I don't know where they'll appear next.’

Or they might just not appear anymore and summon the Apostle.

A chilling smile soon spread across Kim Minwoo's lips.

“Well anyway, that's not what's important right now.”

“Yes? Then what is important?”

Kim Minwoo turned his body and looked toward Washington D.C., far beyond the mess that was downtown New York.

“What's important right now is…… what kind of reward we extort.”

The pride of the USA had been perfectly broken.

Now it was time to bill the receipt.

＊ ＊ ＊

A few hours later.

The Oval Office, White House, USA.

Gulp.

In the suffocating silence, the sound of someone swallowing dry saliva rang out exceptionally loud.

President Robert and the highest-ranking aides of the USA were sweating cold sweat while looking at Kim Minwoo, who was sitting relaxed with his legs crossed on the sofa opposite them.

A monster who had become far stronger than during the Shanghai incident.

The man who had butchered the disaster that the USA's state-of-the-art weapons and SS-rank Hunters couldn't even put a scratch on in just 5 minutes.

Behind Kim Minwoo, Park Siwoo and Namgung Min stood leaning against the wall with their arms crossed, and Han Siah and Seo Yerim sat side by side next to the sofa.

Their armor and weapons, not yet washed of the remnants of battle, formed a strange contrast with the antique interior of the Oval Office.

President Robert opened his mouth with a trembling voice.

“Mr. Kim…… once again, representing the United States of America, I offer my deepest gratitude. As promised, the 50-year monopoly on the mining rights of gates appearing within the USA and the 1 trillion dollars rescue cost for retaking New York will be executed immediately so that…….”

“Ah, that.”

Kim Minwoo cut off Robert's words with a tuk.

“The mining rights are a fair price I must naturally receive, and I'll consider the 1 trillion dollars as something like a tip. What I really want is something else.”

“Something…… else?”

Robert's and the aides' shoulders flinched in unison.

The Pentagon's core technology? The entirety of the USA's mana stone reserves?

It was the moment they were intensely tense, not knowing what kind of unreasonable demand would pop out.

However, what came out of Kim Minwoo's mouth was completely unexpected.

“I found the treatment of our Cult in the USA to be quite disappointing.”

Beam.

The corners of Kim Minwoo's mouth went up sluggishly.

As if he had known everything for a long time, those smiling eyes pierced straight through President Robert.

“……!”

Robert's pupils trembled minutely.

The cold sweat flowing down his spine soaked the inside of his shirt.

“What I want isn't much. It's a very constitutional and democratic value.”

Kim Minwoo grinned and held up one finger.

“Just one thing. Only perfect freedom of religion.”