He’s the Legendary Guard, Isn’t He?

Chapter 199

“Ugh…. ”

Renchik fidgeted like a person who didn’t know what to do.

The sudden appearance of the mysterious human woman had thrown off his last move as well.

No, he wasn’t even sure if she was really human.

He had never heard of a human with such peculiar wings.

And she was strong enough to make one question her humanity.

Renchik’s valiant soldiers were, quite literally, being slaughtered.

They had been the terrifying figures responsible for killing countless humans.

Yet now they were becoming nothing more than chunks of meat, unable to resist even a little, crushed under a giant’s foot like ants.

Meanwhile, that dude from the Security Department was mercilessly battering Jin again.

Jin was screaming in agony, begging him to stop, his face nearly unrecognizable from pain.

Watching that scene, Renchik’s face turned pale as he desperately wracked his brain.

But he couldn’t think of anything else to do.

‘If it’s come to this…’

Renchik stared at the ring on his left pinky, deep in contemplation.

If he rubbed that ring, he could make an emergency escape to his palace in the Demon Realm.

However, the thought of showing such cowardice — running away a second time from a human — was simply intolerable for a demon.

‘Oh, no!’

Renchik shook his head, terror etched on his face.

This wasn’t the time to think about the future.

He was overwhelmed with fear.

It wasn’t the fear of death that terrified him.

It was the horrific beating that filled him with dread beyond anything else.

Having made up his mind, Renchik frantically started to rub the ring on his left pinky.

And then it happened.

“You’ve seen enough.”

Lee Si-hyun stood right in front of Renchik, having approached without him noticing.

His hand gripped Renchik’s hand tightly.

He couldn’t move an inch.

“Eek…!”

Renchik let out a horrifying scream.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t free himself.

As this happened, Si-hyun slowly raised the guard baton held in his other hand.

At that sight, Renchik’s body trembled.

“…N-no!”

“Yeah, you will!”

Thwack!

The guard baton smashed down onto Renchik’s head, sounding as if a watermelon had been crushed.

This wasn’t just a strike meant to incapacitate — it was a sincere attempt to send him to the afterlife.

His entire body seized as convulsions ran through him, and his eyes rolled back, showing the whites.

As Si-hyun released his grip, Renchik was left sprawled on the ground like a frog, limbs flopped out and lifeless.

He had met a humiliating end at the hands of the humans he had so despised.

“I told you I wouldn’t let you go.”

Si-hyun muttered.

That guy had taken countless lives on Ganghwa Island, many of which he had known personally.

A human delivered death to the one who slaughtered humans.

While the dead may never return, this was the best form of punishment he could give.

With a cold gaze fixed on Renchik’s corpse, Si-hyun turned his attention to Jin, who lay groaning in pain on the ground.

“What should I do with that one….”

At first, he thought about killing him.

But as the dire situation began to stabilize, a nagging thought arose — he needed information about the Demon Realm and its demons.

They had invaded this place twice already, and nobody knew how many more times they would come.

Yet, there was still so little known about them.

Of course, it seemed the US had gathered a fair bit of information through the Great Sage of both sides, but they didn’t seem too keen on sharing.

So, it felt necessary to interrogate Jin to gather information for future encounters.

“It’s been a while since I took this out.”

Resolved, Si-hyun approached Jin with Po-ahim’s Restraint Rope in hand.

◈ ◈ ◈

“What in the world….”

The hunters who were urgently dispatched for rescue at the request of the association gaped at the piles of monster corpses lying in front of the Special Detention Center.

The sheer number was beyond description.

Among them were seasoned hunters with considerable experience, yet even they had never come across such a number of monsters.

It seemed even more than the horde of undead they had encountered last time.

It could take a long time just to dispose of the monster corpses.

“Who on earth…?”

The obvious question slipped from their lips.

“Looks like it was done by two people…?”

One hunter who quickly scanned the remnants spoke in disbelief while observing the corpses.

The remains were marked by two clear types of wounds.

Either shattered skulls or jagged stab wounds.

“Two people? Is that even possible? Are you sure?”

It was only natural for such disbelief to arise.

If two people had killed all these monsters, anyone would feel that way.

“It’s unbelievable, but… looking at the wounds, that seems to be the case.”

Another hunter agreed with the first, who mentioned the two people.

No matter how thoroughly they examined the wounds, they only saw those two distinct types.

“No, still, could it be…?”

Even after hearing that, they all wore expressions of disbelief.

And those who brought about these incredulous expressions were currently heading towards the Hunter Association.

◈ ◈ ◈

“…Yes, yes, I just arrived. No, it’s not dangerous at all, so no need to send anyone over. Yes, I’ll go right up. See you then.”

Si-hyun hung up the phone.

Then he opened the door to the side seat.

“Get out.”

Si-hyun dragged someone out forcefully.

It was Jin.

His body was a mess from being thrashed by the Guard Baton Technique, and he was completely bound by restraints.

Not a shred of his dignity and pride as a Demon King remained.

He couldn’t even meet Si-hyun’s gaze, his eyes downcast in terror.

His body trembled uncontrollably.

Si-hyun closed the side door and locked it.

Then he spoke to Jin in a tone that was half threatening.

“Don’t mess around and walk ahead.”

“Yes, y-yes!”

Jin immediately responded in a trembling voice.

There was no natural enemy for powerful demons like him.

In fact, they were the nemeses of all other races.

Yet, Jin, the demon, had met his true nemesis for the first time.

He was now like a frozen frog in the presence of a snake, barely able to breathe.

“Walk.”

Si-hyun prodded Jin’s back with his fingers.

As if on autopilot, Jin flinched and staggered forward like a Pavlov’s dog.

◈ ◈ ◈

On the 21st floor of the building, Si-hyun stepped out.

This was where the Hunter Association President’s Office was located.

President Ryu Geon-woo and Deputy Director Seo were waiting in front of the elevator.

Ryu Geon-woo, who had been down in Daegu on business, had rushed back to Seoul when this incident occurred.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Ryu Geon-woo said as he looked at Si-hyun.

He and Deputy Director Seo had already gotten a rough idea of the situation.

Deputy Director Seo was examining Jin, who was bound tightly, with an intense gaze.

“It would be best to discuss things inside.”

Si-hyun suggested, and they headed into the Hunter Association President’s Office.

Ryu Geon-woo instructed his secretary not to let anyone in, then closed the door.

They sat on the sofa facing one another.

However, neither Ryu Geon-woo nor Deputy Director Seo could bring themselves to question what had happened.

Their anxious expressions were on Jin who stood awkwardly beside Si-hyun, bound as he was.

Si-hyun naturally noticed the concerned looks on their faces.

“I’ll put him to sleep.”

“Huh?”

Thwack!

In an instant, Jin was knocked out cold with a solid blow to the back of his head, collapsing in front of them.

“….”

“Now, let’s get down to business.”

Their conversation was about to kick off in earnest.

◈ ◈ ◈

“A demon realm… such a….”

Ryu Geon-woo and Deputy Director Seo’s faces were filled with shock as they listened to Si-hyun’s explanation.

Everyone knew the existence of alternate realms, but the fact that other beings existed in another world was still a shocking revelation.

“…So they were the culprits behind the devastation of the Reiter continent.”

Deputy Director Seo murmured with a serious expression.

It was common knowledge among the intelligence agencies of various nations that the humans discovered in the S-Class Gate during Winter Fortress claimed to have been enslaved by monsters.

However, before further details could be unveiled, a calamity befell the humans, leaving them dead in droves, so the information remained vague.

Now the ambiguities had turned crystal clear.

In the eyes of humans, even demons were nothing more than overwhelmingly threatening monsters.

The humans at the Gate had conveyed that those monsters, resembling humans, had enslaved them.

Or it might have been a lament of their miserable state, enslaved by monsters that were merely subordinates of the demons.

“What I’ve shared is entirely based on what I was told by acquaintances in the U.S. So, I don’t have more knowledge than what I just relayed, nor am I sure how reliable the information is. Therefore…”

Si-hyun paused, tossing a glance towards the unconscious Jin.

Then he continued.

“We have captured a Demon King alive. I believe it’s imperative we interrogate him to gather information for future dealings.”

“Well done.”

Ryu Geon-woo said.

He, too, recognized that the demon was a significant threat to humanity.

Moreover, he might have been connected to the secrets behind the Gate.

Thus, he was an essential prisoner.

“I also think the correctional officer’s action in capturing the Demon King was very wise. It’s not just about information; had you killed him, other demons might have come for revenge. Holding him as a hostage gives us a lot more options for response.”

Deputy Director Seo chimed in.

Si-hyun nodded at that remark.

“I agree. Whether we killed him or captured him, I didn’t believe the demons would remain quiet. As you pointed out, had he been killed, revenge would certainly follow; and holding him captive raises the likelihood they would come to rescue him. Even if we decided to return him willingly, he would likely come back seeking vengeance. So, if it comes to that anyway, it’s better to at least gain some information from him.”

Thereafter, the discussion about demons continued at considerable length.

Only after that did the topic shift.

“By the way, correctional officer, it seems you’ve regained quite a bit of your strength.”

Ryu Geon-woo couldn’t hide his bright expression as he asked.

He was an S-Class Awakened Being, but also a genuine patriot.

Thus, he was energetically active in the position of Hunter Association President, despite his advanced age.

For him, the news that Korea’s strongest S-Class Awakened Being had regained strength was undoubtedly good news.

Si-hyun had claimed that, along with another unidentified S-Class Awakened Being, he had dealt with all those monsters.

Moreover, he also said he personally killed a Demon King.

It was undeniable that he had recovered a significant amount of strength.

“That’s how it turned out.”

Si-hyun did not deny it.

He sensed that the time had come.

It was the moment to rise from the shadows into the light.

After all, the former staff at the detention center already knew he had singlehandedly stopped the monsters.

Therefore, since the truth would come out regardless, it was time for a glorious debut.

“That’s truly worth celebrating.”

Ryu Geon-woo smiled at Si-hyun’s affirmation.

Deputy Director Seo wore a similar expression.

“President.”

Si-hyun, with a determined expression, spoke up.

“Yes, what is it?”

“I think it’s time to establish my position.”

“Your position?”

Ryu Geon-woo looked at him with a puzzled gaze.

“I think it’s time to reveal that I am the sixth S-Class Awakened Being in Korea.”