This Hunter Punishes with Telekinesis – Chapter 230

Chapter 230: For the ending

It’s not over yet.

The moment Bang-ul-i heard Sa-hyeok’s words, he was flustered.

[Not over…… What do you mean?]

“Exactly what I said. Our story isn’t over yet.”

[Uh……]

“……Did you forget what I said?”

Ah.

[Ah……!]

Finally, Bang-ul-i remembered.

What Sa-hyeok had said right before the operation to subjugate Virshis began.

Listen to me. I’ll tell you the ending of this story.

And Sa-hyeok had told Bang-ul-i.

How Sa-hyeok would move at the end of this operation, and how Bang-ul-i should move.

And what kind of ending he would ultimately bring to this world.

[……I forgot for a moment.]

Intoxicated by the momentary victory, Bang-ul-i had forgotten what Sa-hyeok had said.

[When will we carry out that operation?]

“I saw that quite a few fragments of Virshis were stuck to the surface of the 2nd ship.”

Strange spores, fragments of Virshis, that rapidly germinate into giant vines when they come into contact with water or living tissue.

“The stage is set, and the ending is just around the corner. No need to drag it out.”

Sa-hyeok said, cracking his knuckles.

“Let’s begin.”

[Yes.]

For the ending.

The two began to move.

══════════════════

The 2nd ship.

The ship the Gravediggers were on.

All eleven Gravediggers were aboard this ship.

There were no pilots or crew.

These eleven were handling everything, from piloting to chores to combat.

Not having pilots or crew was at the request of the Gravediggers.

They said they didn’t need them, so don’t let them board.

It was only natural when you thought about it.

The experience of a dozen people leading several planets to ruin for hundreds of years hadn’t gone anywhere.

But now their role as guides to destruction was over.

Because Sa-hyeok had killed Virshis.

Their duties as Gravediggers were completely finished.

“What do we do now?”

“We should go home.”

The Gravediggers gathered in the ship’s bridge.

“We’ve all become unemployed overnight.”

“We fulfilled our mission, it’s not unemployment.”

“That’s just a figure of speech.”

Then, Kidou said.

“But what will happen to Karamde and Earth in the future? The Earthlings now know of our existence.”

“There will probably be quite a bit of exchange.”

“Well, that would be good for both sides. Let’s bury the past and focus on today and the future.”

“That’s right, what’s the past matter? The important thing is now.”

“But…… about Min Sa-hyeok.”

Min Sa-hyeok.

As his name was mentioned, a brief silence fell.

“Min Sa-hyeok?”

“Honestly, isn’t it amazing? He was once our enemy, and now he’s a shared hero.”

“It’s…… something like that.”

“Now, in fact, even if we consider him an ally and act accordingly……”

“No.”

The leader, Chaimers, cut him off sharply.

“He has become too strong. Excessively strong, beyond necessity.”

“That’s true, but……”

“Excessively strong power is dangerous in itself. We need to be prepared.”

“Prepared, you mean……?”

“We need to be able to eliminate Min Sa-hyeok, depending on the situation or necessity.”

“……!”

“It’s just a hand we’ve joined out of necessity. We can sever that wrist whenever we need to.”

“……Understood.”

“Therefore, by the authority of the leader, I’m changing our mission from this point forward.”

Ting.

Chaimers said, bringing up a status window displaying Sa-hyeok’s picture.

“Find a way to kill Min Sa-hyeok. That’s an order.”

At that moment.

Screeeech……

The warship carrying the Gravediggers suddenly stopped.

══════════════════

Crack! Crash!

Thousands of vines entangled the warship carrying the Gravediggers.

Black vines that sprouted from the fragments of Virshis.

The vines wrapped around the warship, instantly destroying all sorts of equipment on its surface.

The fuel injectors, in particular, took a direct hit.

Three of the six fuel injectors exploded, and the warship came to a halt.

The Gravediggers were bewildered.

“What?!”

“Fragments of Virshis are germinating on the surface of the warship!”

“Suddenly……?!”

The Hunters aboard the 1st ship were equally bewildered.

“Why are those vines suddenly……?!”

“The 2nd ship has stopped!!”

“Communication?”

“Lost!”

“What’s going on……?”

The Hunters were also in disarray.

They thought they should go and rescue them, but they couldn’t figure out how.

First, they were too far away from the 2nd ship, so jumping over was impossible.

Turning around and approaching the ship posed too great a risk of collision.

While no one could come up with a solution.

“I’ll go.”

Sa-hyeok stepped forward.

“Hunter Min Sa-hyeok……?”

“I’ll rescue them and come back.”

“But……!”

“I’m the only one who can do it.”

No one could refute him.

“And if I don’t come out after 10 minutes, close the dimensional gate.”

“What?!”

“It’s better than everyone dying. Promise me.”

“That’s……”

“Promise me.”

Eventually, the Hunters and the crew nodded.

Bruno said to Sa-hyeok.

“We’ll definitely see you outside, Mr. Sa-hyeok.”

Instead of answering, Sa-hyeok only gave a faint smile.

And-

Swoosh!

He used teleportation to exit the ship.

══════════════════

A moment later.

The bridge of the 2nd ship.

Swoosh!

Sa-hyeok appeared between the Gravediggers using teleportation.

The Gravediggers’ eyes widened.

“Hunter Min Sa-hyeok……!”

“I came to rescue you.”

“……!”

The Gravediggers’ faces brightened.

But at that moment, Sa-hyeok changed his expression and said.

“……That’s what you’ll all think.”

“What?”

“Due to a sudden accident, the 2nd ship was stranded, and Hunter Min Sa-hyeok rushed in to rescue the Gravediggers on board, but ultimately failed, and all died. That’s how it’ll be recorded in the history books.”

“What are you talking about……!”

“What am I talking about?”

Thud.

Sa-hyeok threw a dagger into Chaimers’ chest.

The knife pierced Chaimers’ core precisely.

“Gah……!”

“I’m saying I’m going to kill you all here.”

“You bastard……!”

Crack!!

Sa-hyeok twisted the dagger, shattering the core.

And then he cut off his head.

Chaimers died instantly without a scream.

The leader and strongest of the Gravediggers was killed with a single stab.

At that moment, the other Gravediggers turned pale.

And they knew.

That there was no lie in Sa-hyeok’s words.

“I’ve cut off communication, destroyed the engines, and sealed the warship.”

Step.

“Try to run.”

“You crazy bastard……!”

The Gravediggers all rushed at Sa-hyeok at once.

However, Sa-hyeok didn’t step forward himself. Instead, he took out a black bead from his pocket.

Virshis, now named Ddal랑-i.

Sa-hyeok gave the order.

“Eat them.”

Whoosh!

At Sa-hyeok’s command, Virshis unfurled its coiled body.

The area was engulfed in darkness, and Virshis began to rampage.

The Gravediggers were quickly devoured by Virshis one by one.

“How does it feel to be the prey of the creatures you used to feed?”

“Aaaagh!”

“Help me!!”

Two Gravediggers, barely clinging to life, fled into the warship.

It was no use.

All the escape routes of the warship were tightly sealed by telekinesis.

All they could do was struggle at the end of the dead end.

“Why are you doing this!!”

“……”

“We’re allies! We even helped you!”

“That’s only natural. Don’t act like you’re doing me a favor by cleaning up the mess you made.”

“……Let’s not do this, we’ve finished everything well, so why……”

“Finished?”

Sa-hyeok’s face hardened.

“For it to be ‘finished,’ my dead mother, friends, teachers…… and everyone who wouldn’t have died if it weren’t for you, would have to come back to life.”

“……!”

“Above all, you have to take responsibility for what you’ve done, don’t you think?”

Crunch.

One of the two was instantly devoured.

The remaining one said.

“……The dead won’t come back even if you do this.”

“I know, that’s why I’m doing this.”

Crack.

The last Gravedigger was swallowed by Virshis.

Revenge was over.

Sa-hyeok smiled brightly, as if relieved.

At that moment.

Boom!

The falling warship crashed into the ground and shattered.

══════════════════

This was the ‘ending’ Sa-hyeok had spoken of.

First, using Bang-ul-i’s power as the god of the river, he germinates black vines on the surface of the warship, bringing it to a halt.

Then, he cuts off communication, completely isolating the 2nd ship.

Finally, Sa-hyeok seals the warship with telekinesis and kills all the Gravediggers, completing his revenge.

That’s why he told Bang-ul-i, ‘I absolutely need you.’

And that’s why Sa-hyeok had gathered the Gravediggers onto the 2nd ship for this ending.

And so the ending arrived.

In the exploding and burning warship, Sa-hyeok died along with the Gravediggers.

……Or so it was publicly known.

══════════════════

One year later.

Karamde Homeworld, Pelox Central Plaza.

The largest and most important plaza in all of Karamde.

Countless people flocked there.

Even Earthlings.

These Earthlings were the Hunters, crew members, and other related personnel who participated in the Virshis subjugation operation a year ago.

They came here for one reason.

There was a statue unveiling ceremony in the middle of this plaza.

The statues of Sa-hyeok and the Gravediggers.

The speaker on the podium said.

“……These individuals fulfilled their mission until the very end for Karamde and Earth. Today, as we remember them……”

Everything went according to Sa-hyeok’s plan.

The Gravediggers were announced to have died in an unexpected accident caused by the black vines, not Sa-hyeok’s plot, and Sa-hyeok was announced to have died trying to save them alone.

Therefore, Sa-hyeok’s revenge remained unknown, and everyone came to accept him as a righteous man.

Ha Jeong-kwon, sitting in the front row, stared at Sa-hyeok’s statue and muttered.

“Why are you there? You should be sitting next to me.”

Do-sik and Jae-han, sitting next to him, also had similarly gloomy expressions.

“……And so, commemorating the unity and friendship between Karamde and Earth built upon their sacrifice, I would like to conclude today’s commemorative address……”

As the speaker’s address neared its end.

Sa-hyeok was watching it all.

Sa-hyeok didn’t die.

He escaped the exploding warship using teleportation, then tore through space and secretly left Virshis’ dimension to hide himself.

[Don’t you need to go see Master, brother?]

“I want to see him…… but if I make a mistake and information leaks, everything will fall apart.”

Virshis is a being shaped by the ‘imagination’ of intelligent life forms.

Therefore, if everyone who knows about Virshis believes that ‘Virshis is dead,’ Virshis will remain in a state infinitely close to death.

That’s why Sa-hyeok spared the Karamde people and kept them alive.

If the Karamde people, in addition to the Earthlings, shared the thought that ‘Virshis is dead,’ it would be possible to suppress Virshis’ resurrection much more effectively.

Because the imagination of more people would hold greater power.

Of course, currently, Sa-hyeok had completely suppressed Virshis’ power.

But he had put in this double safety measure just in case he died or lost his power.

[So that’s why you faked your death, brother.]

“That’s right.”

If only the Gravediggers had died, the Karamde people would have strongly suspected the Earth side.

But with Sa-hyeok dying while trying to save them, the Karamde people came to believe the Earth side’s story.

Plus, there was the added benefit of establishing a peaceful exchange relationship between Earth and Karamde.

Just like that, everything went in the best direction.

[Oh, and brother, you know Intrikee, right? The guy who oversaw the Gravedigger project.]

“Yeah, why?”

[There was a news report that he died 30 minutes ago.]

“Ah, I just saw it. I wish he had lived longer in sickness, it’s a shame.”

For the past year, Sa-hyeok had secretly planted various poisons and bacteria in the bodies of high-ranking officials related to the Gravediggers.

So that they would suffer and die slowly.

At the same time, he carefully made it look like natural or disease-related deaths, not assassinations.

Sa-hyeok truly had no intention of leaving anyone alive who had tried to spread monsters and bring about destruction.

Lost in thought, the ceremony ended.

Looking at Jeong-kwon leaving his seat, Sa-hyeok muttered.

“I’ll visit you someday soon, Master.”

Sa-hyeok rose from his seat.

This was Karamde’s moon.

Sa-hyeok had been sitting outside Karamde’s atmosphere, looking down at the ceremony.

Against the backdrop of the vast universe, Sa-hyeok stretched.

Countless stars twinkled behind him.

[Oh, but brother, can I ask you one thing?]

“Hmm? What is it?”

[I’ve been curious about this for a while, but why doesn’t telekinesis work on living beings?]

Chapter 230: Epilogue (Complete)

Why can’t you use telekinesis on living beings?

Sa-hyeok’s eyes widened at Bang-ul-i’s question.

“Ah, you were curious about that……?”

[Anyone who knows Hyeong-nim’s ability would be curious, right?]

“Why didn’t you ask sooner? The reason is simple. It’s because my power deals with essence.”

A question mark appeared on Bang-ul-i’s face.

[……I don’t quite understand.]

“Let’s take it slow. First, what is ‘essence’?”

[Well…… inherent qualities? Something like that?]

“Then let’s give an example. What is the essence of a chair? It would be ‘to sit on’. Then what is the essence of a glass bottle?”

[Uh…… to contain?]

“That’s right. But then who do you think defined that essence?”

[Of course, humans would have defined it…… right?]

“That’s exactly it.”

[Ah.]

It is humans, or more precisely, living beings, who define the essence of all things.

Living beings with will judge the value of all things in the world and give them essence.

Therefore, paradoxically, living beings cannot have essence.

Living beings are those who bestow essence, not those whose essence is defined.

That is why Sa-hyeok’s power, which ‘deals with essence’, could not interfere with living beings.

Living beings have will, not essence.

There is only one reason why Sa-hyeok has this power.

It’s because Sa-hyeok was the god of ‘humans’.

Humans are the ones who bestow essence to the most things.

The origin of Sa-hyeok’s power stemmed from this very reason.

Anyway, Bang-ul-i got the answer to what he was most curious about.

Now all that’s left is-

[What are you going to do now, Hyeong-nim?]

“Now that revenge is over, I’m thinking of traveling.”

[Traveling, where to?]

“There’s a planet 40 light years away from here that’s presumed to have intelligent life. I’m thinking of going there.”

[Oh, crazy.]

No, but.

[How did you know that?]

“This guy told me.”

Sa-hyeok took out a black bead from his pocket.

It looked like a bead for now, but if you looked closely, it was wriggling strangely.

[Ah, that’s Virshis, right?]

“No, it’s a rattle now.”

[Ah, right.]

Bang-ul-i poked the rattle and said.

[Seeing that majestic guy turn into a mere bead…… it’s quite…… cute.]

“Shut your mouth……!”

When Virshis growled at Bang-ul-i, Sa-hyeok grabbed Virshis tightly.

“Kyaak!”

“Be quiet, you bastard.”

“I apologize……!”

Bang-ul-i giggled, looking at the helpless Virshis, or rather, the rattle.

[No, but how does this guy know the location of a planet with intelligent life?]

“This guy was born from emotions like fear and passion. So it can identify the locations of planets where such emotions are emitted.”

[It’s like an intelligent life radar?]

“Exactly. It’s a function I didn’t know about either. Anyway, what are you going to do?”

[What the heck, I’ll accompany you.]

“What, you punk?”

Keeing!

Sa-hyeok distorted space and opened a dimensional gate.

Saaaak-

Space warped and unfolded, and the two disappeared.

══════════════════

Five years have passed, and many things have happened.

First, most Hunters on Earth became unemployed after the Virshis subjugation.

Gates stopped appearing, and consequently, dungeons and monsters disappeared.

The reason for the existence of Hunters had vanished.

The problem was that the Hunters’ powers remained intact.

It was a situation where the war had ended, but the guns remained.

At least guns could be sealed in a warehouse, but Hunters couldn’t because they were humans.

Those with mighty power. But those who were no longer needed in the world.

It seemed like only a matter of time before the treatment of Hunters became a ticking time bomb.

However, the problem was resolved surprisingly quickly.

After the gates disappeared, magic stone mines began to appear all over Earth.

In fact, it was natural for magic stone mines to appear.

Just because the gates disappeared didn’t mean the mana flowing into Earth disappeared.

The problem was that magic stone mines, unlike ordinary mines, were crazy spaces where all sorts of physical laws were distorted.

In the end, Hunters had to step up again to explore those places.

Thus, Hunters were given a new mission and were able to return to the forefront of the industry.

Earthlings didn’t stop there.

They even began space exploration using the space technology obtained through technological exchanges with Karamde.

The most active field in space exploration was space mining.

The industry of developing magic stone mines on uninhabited planets.

Naturally, many Hunters participated in this as well.

In fact, more Hunters were needed here than on Earth.

Space was an unknown and dangerous territory where anything could happen.

Therefore, the support of superhuman Hunters was essential.

And the Hunter who was most actively leading this space exploration was none other than……

“Good! The bedrock here will be fun to break!”

It was Gwak Ja-ryong.

He had the strength to easily crush most heavy equipment with his bare hands, and on top of that, he had the adventurous spirit to roam unknown territories.

He was truly a talent specialized in space mining.

But even he faced an unexpected event.

“……You say there’s life here?”

A super-sized rock snake popped out of a place that was clearly identified as an uninhabited planet.

Fortunately, there were no casualties, but the spaceship was wrecked, and Ja-ryong’s spacesuit was damaged, causing oxygen to leak rapidly.

At that moment of crisis.

Thud! Thud!

Someone pulled out the rock snake’s spine with their bare hands.

Ja-ryong couldn’t believe his eyes.

“Sa-hyeok……?”

“It’s been a while, Tae-sa-bu-nim.”

The one holding the snake’s spine was none other than Sa-hyeok.

He wasn’t even wearing a spacesuit, just a hoodie and jeans.

“But you were supposed to be dead……!”

“That’s what the world knows.”

Saying that, Sa-hyeok looked around.

All the other crew members except Ja-ryong were unconscious.

It was a situation where no one but Ja-ryong could know that Sa-hyeok had come and gone.

“But how……!”

“Wait, let’s deal with the urgent matters first.”

With a slight gesture from Sa-hyeok, Ja-ryong’s damaged spacesuit was instantly repaired.

The other crew members’ damaged spacesuits were also repaired in the same way.

At the same time, the broken spaceship was also restored in an instant.

A truly god-like figure manipulating everything with a single gesture.

Ja-ryong was completely dumbfounded.

Sa-hyeok said.

“We can’t stop exploring because of a snake like this. Don’t you agree, Tae-sa-bu?”

“What…… happened?”

“It’s a long story.”

Sa-hyeok came down from the snake’s body and went next to Ja-ryong.

And with a gesture from Sa-hyeok, the space where Ja-ryong and Sa-hyeok were standing was isolated from the outside.

“Take off your helmet for a moment. You can breathe in here.”

Ja-ryong hesitantly took off his helmet.

Sa-hyeok was right.

The inside of the space created by Sa-hyeok was identical to Earth’s atmospheric pressure and composition.

“I’ll tell you what happened.”

Sa-hyeok unfolded the story of what happened after the Virshis subjugation.

What happened, why he made that choice.

Ja-ryong, who had been listening quietly, asked.

“……Are you really okay? Being remembered as dead like that?”

“It’s okay. This was the best I could do. Even after reaching this god-like state, I recalculated several times…… and this was the best option.”

Sa-hyeok looked at his wristwatch and said.

“Then see you next time. I have somewhere to be urgently today.”

Saaaak-

With those words and a grin, Sa-hyeok disappeared in an instant.

Ja-ryong, dazed for a moment, chuckled and muttered.

Yeah, it’s good that he’s alive.

That’s all that matters, he thought.

══════════════════

Meanwhile, on Earth.

A grand wedding ceremony was being prepared at an outdoor wedding venue in Korea.

The one sitting in the bride’s waiting room was none other than Seon Ha-yeong.

Seon Ha-il’s older sister.

Ha-yeong said to Ha-il.

“Hey, little brother.”

“What.”

“You’re not even crying when your older sister is getting married.”

“Uh…… should I cry for my brother-in-law?”

“Do you want to die?”

For the record, it was Ha-il who paid for this wedding.

The reason Ha-il could afford this was because he was currently the de facto Master of the Orang Guild.

So-dam had stepped back, only holding the title of Master.

Anyway, this wedding was not only Seon Ha-yeong’s wedding but also the wedding of the Orang Guild Master’s family.

Therefore, numerous figures from the Hunter community flocked to the wedding as guests.

Not only Jeon So-dam, but also Ha Jeong-kwon of Kwonmu-mun, Han Do-sik of Geomgye, Jang Jae-han of Changhwan Guild.

The Vice Masters, Jang Han-seo, Sung Jang-hoon, Yoon Sam-gu, Lee Jeong-su.

And even Korea’s top craftsmen, Kim Han-je and Ma Gwan-ho.

It became a tremendous event where all the stars of the Hunter community gathered in one place.

Moreover, the congratulatory flower wreaths sent from various sectors were almost enough to create a new hallway.

While Ha-il stepped out of the waiting room for a moment.

Jeon So-dam, the Orang Master, entered.

Ha-yeong greeted her warmly.

“Thank you for coming.”

“Of course I had to come. It’s Ha-il’s older sister’s wedding.”

“Are things going well with my brother?”

“Haha……”

So-dam subtly avoided answering Ha-yeong’s question.

But her upturned lips answered for her.

Anyway, the ceremony began shortly after.

The bride and groom’s entrance, the scattered flower petals, the congratulatory song.

Ha-il sat in the second row from the front and watched the wedding ceremony.

Then, So-dam, who was sitting next to him, said.

“I think I’d like an outdoor wedding like this too.”

“……Hmm.”

“You should say ‘I think so too’ when I say that.”

Just as the main ceremony was about to end.

Clap, clap, clap.

The moment a man who was among the crowd clapped his hands.

Time stopped.

“Uh……?”

“What…… the?”

Except for a few.

Ha Jeong-kwon, Sung Jang-hoon, Yoon Sam-gu, Lee Jeong-su, Han Do-sik, Jang Han-seo, Jang Jae-han, Jeon So-dam, Seon Ha-il, Kim Han-je, Ma Gwan-ho.

Only they could move in the suddenly frozen time.

“What’s going on……!”

“It’s been a while, everyone.”

“……?!”

Their gazes focused on one man.

To the man who shouldn’t be here.

“Mr. Min Sa-hyeok?!”

“You missed me, right?”

They all flocked to Sa-hyeok.

“How, how is this possible?!”

“You were alive?!”

Sa-hyeok said with a smile.

“That’s what I came to tell you. Everyone, sit down. Time is stopped, so there’s no rush.”

Hearing those words, everyone was momentarily stunned.

“You…… stopped time?!”

“It’s not that difficult. Time is originally……”

“No, wait a minute. Then, by any chance……”

“That’s not possible. Turning back time.”

“Ah……”

“It seems my ability can’t reach that far, as it involves meddling with the boundary between life and death…… Anyway.”

Sa-hyeok grinned.

His face, free from all burdens of revenge, was without a single shadow.

Sa-hyeok said.

“I missed you all.”

And he began to tell his story.

What happened right after the Virshis subjugation, what his plan was.

And he briefly added that they shouldn’t reveal this matter.

Well, there wasn’t anyone here who would leak it anyway.

“So, how have you all been?”

They exchanged brief updates and small talk.

Just as this warm and friendly chatter was about to come to an end.

“……Are you really leaving? Like this, forgotten by everyone?”

Jeong-kwon asked in a serious voice.

“Forgotten, what’s forgotten? I died a hero.”

“But……!”

“Alright, that’s enough. I think I’ve interrupted this wedding for too long. And this is-”

Rustle.

A blue flower bloomed in Sa-hyeok’s hand.

A flower with dozens of petals, each one as if carved from blue crystal.

Everyone was speechless at its beauty.

“This is a flower I brought from a star system 130 light years away.”

“……!”

“I’ll consider this my wedding gift.”

With a gesture from Sa-hyeok, the blue flower floated up into the sky.

And-

Bang!

With a sound like fireworks, the flower burst and scattered, and at the same time, the frozen time began to flow again.

The glass-like flower petal fragments shone blue, splitting the sunlight brilliantly.

Faced with this breathtakingly beautiful scene, the guests were all speechless.

While everyone’s attention was drawn to it.

Sa-hyeok quietly slipped out of the venue.

[Is it okay to leave like this?]

“It’s not like we’ll never see each other again.”

[Then where are we going now?]

“Remember that place? The world where real dwarves, elves, and orcs lived.”

[Ah, that fantasy-like place……!]

“I’m thinking of opening a restaurant there.”

[Well, Hyeong-nim’s steak is good enough to be successful anywhere in the universe.]

“That’s exactly it.”

[And let’s set up the restaurant by the riverside.]

“Okay, it’s not that difficult.”

Rustle-

In the blink of an eye, the two disappeared.

In the place where they had vanished, the green lawn swayed gently.

Fin.