Convict Unit: Black Parade-Chapter 145 : Mission 10: The Hunters of Old (18)

Thirty years ago.
Whuff.
A wooden plank was driven into a sand dune.
As Iron Knight Shin-woo let go and stepped back, the figures gathered around him bowed their heads one by one.
The plank was a gravestone.
A gravestone for everyone who had fallen to get them this far.
It was the eve of the final battle against the Demon Lord Deyana Ludens.
Every person surrounding the makeshift memorial was wounded; not a single one was without bloodstained bandages. But their expressions were firm, their eyes resolute.
As they observed a moment of silence, one man stepped forward to stand before the grave marker.
It was San Kim, Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces.
With the same refined, scholarly face as always, San Kim silently uncorked a bottle. It was, at a glance, very expensive whiskey.
He poured the liquor generously over the wooden plank. The sweet aroma of whiskey drifted across the wasteland.
After emptying the bottle, Kim produced another and began passing cups around.
So-yu Yang, the Divine Archer, who had lost an eye a week prior, took the first cup and drank. Eun-seok Choi, the Strongman, whose forehead had been carved with three long scars three days ago, took the next.
Hunters, soldiers, and heroes accepted the cups in turn.
War creates heroes. San Kim passed a cup to each of the countless heroes born of this war.
At the end of the line, San Kim poured a drink for Shin-woo, commander of these last defenders.
“I thought you were saving this until after we won,” Shin-woo said playfully. “Drinking it today?”
A faint smile touched San Kim’s lips.
“Shin-woo. If I die, I need you to take my place as Commander-in-Chief.”
“…”
That was all he said.
The next day’s plan was simple. All units led by San Kim would strike the Demon Lord’s main force, draw their attention, and then withdraw.
Composed of the five strongest, the unit would then infiltrate from the rear and take the Demon Lord’s head.
Both sides were putting their lives on the line, but San Kim knew how to read the odds with cold detachment.
His own units, serving as the diversion, were far more likely to be annihilated.
And it was San himself who had drafted and approved this plan. He was a man who would sacrifice anything to achieve his ultimate goal: the salvation of humanity.
Even his own life.
Shin-woo wasted no words. His role was to create a miracle that defied the odds. He would prove it with deeds, not words.
Just then, the sound of a soft song drifted toward them.
Everyone turned to see the Savior, Seong-ah Yu, singing. Her voice was beautiful; she had been a vocal major at a music conservatory in the world before the fall.
And beside her, head resting on her shoulder, fast asleep… was the Greatest Sword of Joseon, the Champion—the woman who would one day be known as Ghost.
“Still,” Shin-woo muttered, “it’s a relief humanity was given the power of Awakening.”
“I know. We’d have been truly hopeless without it.”
Shifting his gaze from the two women who were the core of that power, Shin-woo faced San Kim again and grinned.
“Those two will save the world, so let’s just make sure we’re a good diversion.”
“…”
“If we survive, we’ll have another toast.” Shin-woo gestured with his chin toward the wooden plank. “And we’ll replace that with a proper gravestone.”
A look of surprise flickered across San Kim’s face before he, too, offered a faint smile.
“Yes. A magnificent one.”
Listening to the Savior’s song, the heroes exchanged cups, trying to etch into their minds the faces of the comrades they might never see again.
This was the scene on the eve of the final battle.
A memory that would be seared into the hearts of the veterans for a long, long time.
***
Thirty years later, the present.
The youths of the wasteland had all vanished.
In their place were old men who had survived—and become cowardly—in their own ways, now staring at one another on screens, separated by a distance too great for their breath to reach.
“San Kim…!” Shin-woo roared, unable to contain himself. “Why did you enact such a law? Why did you put a leash on Hunters—on all Awakened?!”
He gritted his teeth, pressing a hand to his forehead.
“No, we’ll talk about this later. For now, the Demon Lord that just appeared—”
«No,» San Kim said calmly. «We will have this conversation first. Only then, Shin-woo, will you understand what has happened.»
“…?”
«It seems everyone present fought in the war thirty years ago. In that case, I will speak freely.»
After confirming the identities of those in the conversation, President San Kim spoke in his characteristically soft—and razor-sharp—voice.
«I’m sure you are all aware of Realm Erosion.»
The unexpected term left everyone stunned.
«Your Excellency!» Director Yang cried out urgently. «That matter is classified!»
But San Kim paid him no mind.
«This man has a right to know.»
«However, Your Excellency!»
Bewildered, Shin-woo asked, “The phenomenon where the other world encroaches on ours… isn’t it? If the erosion gets worse, our world becomes unstable. What about it?”
«That is correct. Publicly, it is known as a typical phenomenon caused by invading monsters.»
San Kim slowly steepled his fingers.
«But that is not the truth. Monsters from the other world do terraform this land to their liking, but they do not cause the erosion.»
“…?”
«The ones causing the erosion are…»
Shin-woo’s eyes shot wide at the words that followed.
«…us. Humanity. To be precise, Awakened humanity.»
Director Yang buried his face in his hands as the President divulged top-secret information.
The other veteran soldiers and generals were aghast.
Shin-woo stammered, “What?”
«It is widely known that Realm Erosion occurs and the Erosion Rate increases every time an S-Rank Awakened uses their Special Ability, Domain Break.»
San Kim let out a low sigh.
«The truth is, it’s not just S-Rank Awakened. Every time any Awakened uses their ability, no matter how small, Realm Erosion occurs, and the Erosion Rate rises.»
“…?!”
Shin-woo swallowed hard. “Then, the Realm Erosion in our world now is all…”
«The result of our indiscriminate use of Awakened abilities.»
San Kim surveyed the faces on the screen.
«And when the Erosion Rate reaches its limit, the Abyssal Gate will open, and…»
Everyone’s eyes shot wide at his next words.
«…humanity will be annihilated.»
“…!”
«In short, any use of an ability by any Awakened, in any form, is an act that hastens the end of humanity.»
San Kim stared intently at Shin-woo.
«The Five Heroes reached that Gate thirty years ago. As their leader, Shin-woo, you of all people should know what happens when the Abyssal Gate opens.»
Shin-woo, faltering, asked urgently, “What’s the Erosion Rate? If we can still turn this around…”
«We’ve already crossed the line,» San Kim cut in coldly. «We passed the containment limit five years ago. It’s irreversible.»
“…”
«Humanity’s reckless use of Awakened abilities over the past thirty years has driven us toward our own death. At this rate, the Erosion Rate is predicted to reach its limit within the next three years.»
Three years until the end of humanity.
As the shocking declaration left the assembly frozen, the President continued.
«Before I entered politics, no one would listen. I suppose it was inevitable. When monsters are at your doorstep, when you have to survive the day, who would listen to someone telling them not to use their powers?»
“…”
«Humanity used its Awakened abilities for immediate survival. But the use of those very abilities was, ultimately, the path to our own extinction.»
San Kim heaved a long sigh.
«However, if we can drastically curb the use of Awakened abilities from now on… we can push back the annihilation set for three years from now by at least ten.»
That was why San Kim had rushed to pass the Awakened Protection Act.
No, he had become President precisely to force this law through.
To control the use of Awakened abilities.
Shin-woo, dumbfounded, asked, “Ten years? We’re just delaying it by ten years?”
«It could be extended further, but yes. In the end, humanity will perish.»
“That’s just euthanasia…!”
«Euthanasia. An excellent choice of words.»
San Kim nodded.
«Humanity will be annihilated. Since that is the case, my mission, as the last President of this country, is to ensure we meet the most peaceful end possible.»
“We could gather all of humanity’s strength, defeat the Demon Lords in each region, and wipe the monsters out for good…!”
«Six months ago, the final deathsworn fighters of Europe and Africa were defeated by the Demon Lord Napoleon.»
San Kim revealed the state of world affairs, hidden from the public until now.
Director Yang covered his face again, but the President continued, unconcerned.
«The Americas are ruled by the Pale Lord, Central Asia by the Yellow River Serpent, and West Asia by Mahakala. The world is dominated by these Four Demon Lords.»
“You mean we weren’t holding our own? Since when?”
«That’s been the case for over ten years.»
This was on a different level entirely from Deyana Ludens, whom they had defeated shortly after its invasion.
These Four Demon Lords had spent thirty years building their strength across the globe, establishing territories and raising armies.
The monsters, having already founded their own kingdoms, had mercilessly crushed the human resistance forces in their respective regions.
«The world’s population has fallen to less than half of what it was in 2020. The only places that retain any semblance of nationhood are parts of East Asia, including our country.»
“…”
«We have already signed treaties with our neighboring countries. Now, if we can just curb the use of Awakened abilities, we can delay our extinction.»
San Kim continued dispassionately.
«All Hunter Guilds will be shut down, and all Awakened will have their ability usage restricted.»
“Then what about future Gates? The monsters?”
«The New Five Heroes will be reorganized as the Gate Defense Bureau’s sole armed force, and the anti-monster weapons we have researched for the past thirty years will be issued to the 666th Special Operations Unit.»
Only a small elite force would be left to defend against Gates for the next ten years. Every other Awakened would be fitted with Null Cuffs.
«We will defend only the Gates we can. Any Gate where the cost to the Erosion Rate outweighs the benefit of closing it will be abandoned.»
“…”
«Now, we will die a slow death. But we will live at least one day longer.»
Having laid bare his unvarnished truth, San Kim gave a slow nod.
«That is my plan.»