Chapter 15 – The Choices of Uchiha Sasuke
In the passing hours, it hadn't been long at all before all viewers, through screens—whether phones, the internet, or television—witnessed the disappearance of the S-rank Gate and the emergence of the famed Korean hunters.
(Cha Hae-in), (Choi Jong-ah), (Baek Yun-ho), and the President of the Hunter's Guild, (Goh Jun-hee). All of them stood behind the hunter who had single-handedly assumed control and eradicated the catastrophe surrounding Jeju Island.
Also known as the hunter with the strange eyes.
The eyes of everyone behind the television screens noticed the hunter, who was merely a young man wearing clothes that looked oddly antiquated yet distinctly Japanese in style.
Rustle-whisper. The fabric of his cloak shifted in the coastal wind, a stark anachronism against the modern tactical gear surrounding him.
"Was an S-rank Gate raided this quickly? This was far too fast! How is this even possible?"
The average time required for any hunter to clear a normal Gate would be at least several days, and that was for a B-rank. But the Gate this hunter undertook was an S-rank Gate, known to be a natural disaster-level event.
It was supposed to last for months.
Yet, it was concluded with such immense speed that the hunters who had arrived to enter the Gate were left stunned when it began to vanish, while the five individuals walked out of it.
Of course, most hunters went directly to the Guild Master to confer with him.
Simultaneously, the team of Japanese hunters watched with astonishment.
Their leader, (Goto Ryuji), also known as Japan's strongest hunter, could only open his eyes wide with precision. He stared at the group of hunters and muttered in disbelief, the words barely a breath.
"Is he… strong to this degree? Can he defeat those S-rank entities so easily?"
(Goto Ryuji) was forced to swallow his words at that moment. He prepared himself, ordered his personal hunters to step back, and then advanced with extreme calm, yet in a state of clear respect.
Click-clack. His boots were deliberate on the tarmac.
He also noticed that the hunter with the strange eyes was staring at the empty space where the Gate had disappeared. News helicopters circled overhead, their cameras snapping pictures of him from every angle, but he seemed utterly uninterested in any of it.
In the moment (Goto Ryuji) reached (Uchiha Sasuke), the last Uchiha noted the approach but paid it no mind.
His thoughts were focused, honed to a razor's edge on his desire for vengeance against those creatures known as the Monarchs, who had dared to insult him. Furthermore, he felt these Monarchs were the reason he was trapped in this world.
(Goto Ryuji) arrived in front of the hunter with the strange eyes, under the gaze of the entire world.
Gasp! The collective intake of breath from the nearby Korean personnel was audible.
"Impossible! Isn't that Japan's strongest hunter, (Goto Ryuji)? What is he doing here? I didn't think Korea agreed to his entry into the S-rank Gate!"
Of course, most of the people wondering were Koreans, along with the majority of news media, which began debating rapidly upon observing the approach of Japan's strongest hunter toward the hunter with the strange eyes.
And he was speaking in Japanese! This suggested he had some Japanese origins, or perhaps he was a hidden hunter from Japan who had come to Korea.
"I don't think the strange-eyed hunter is from Japan. If he were, he wouldn't need to hide himself. Besides, it's well-known Japan desires to acquire a hunter of national-level rank. They wouldn't be foolish enough to hide such a powerful hunter, especially one who can defeat S-rank monsters—monsters of the same rank are stronger than the hunters themselves!"
These analyses were flying across social media in real-time.
In the same moment, (Goto Ryuji) reached (Uchiha Sasuke)'s side. With a respectful bow—a crisp, formal dip of his torso—he spoke in Japanese, his voice carrying the weight of his station yet tempered with caution.
Swish. The sound of his tailored coat settling.
"Greetings, young man. It is an honor to meet you, mighty hunter."
The words were chosen by (Goto Ryuji) after long consideration. He had noted the young man before him was arrogant. Moreover, he possessed the right to that arrogance. With the power to defeat S-rank creatures and being a hunter of international—perhaps even 'national'—level, he surpassed most S-rank hunters in the entire world.
He was in a different class of strength altogether. This fact forced even a proud hunter like (Goto Ryuji) to bow in respect.
(Uchiha Sasuke) heard this respect. But he didn't focus on the words of the strange person with purple-tinted hair and a demeanor suggesting he was in his forties or thirties.
He focused on the language.
This man, relative to (Uchiha Sasuke), was also speaking his native tongue. This made him slightly puzzled. It seemed he had found two people who spoke his specific language.
Therefore, he decided this time to obtain information in a different way.
When he was in front of the dungeon, he hadn't thought much. He wanted to discover that space-time tunnel that could show him a way back to the Shinobi world.
But with the information he had obtained—which was minimal—especially since the ruler he sought to capture had been destroyed by those "Monarchs" before he could use his Rinnegan eye and employ the Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique to absorb the memories of that ruler...
To get information about this strange space and these bizarre monsters he had never seen before... it had all failed with the destruction of the dungeon ruler (Darius)'s body in that moment.
But that didn't mean (Uchiha Sasuke) had lost hope.
Especially after learning there were beings who seemed to possess some kind of ability he hadn't seen before—an ability to control others and kill them from a distance. It resembled a cursed seal technique that could kill a person instantly if they failed their mission.
Therefore, at this moment, he decided to take information from another source. At the very least, until he gained a solid understanding of this world before he left and returned to his previous one.
His voice cut through the hum of helicopters and distant chatter, cold and direct.
"Who are you? Tell me your name."
For a person who had become strong at the level of the Six Paths, (Uchiha Sasuke) no longer cared for formalities or age when speaking to anyone else.
(Goto Ryuji) sensed the curiosity in (Sasuke)'s words and therefore did not delay.
"My name is (Goto Ryuji), sir. I am an S-rank hunter. I came here to meet you. Your power is something I could not have imagined before. It is an honor to be able to speak with you."
Flattery was the first method (Goto) chose to approach the young man before him, especially since he knew young people generally liked praise a great deal. Furthermore, the young man's arrogance only increased (Goto Ryuji)'s confidence and confirmed once again his own ability to control this youth if he used the right method.
Unfortunately, (Uchiha Sasuke) was thinking of something completely different.
Interesting. This 'hunter'... is it a term referring to something like a shinobi in my world? It seems this person could be useful. Especially since he speaks the same language, I won't need to use the Outer Path to absorb someone's knowledge.
From the beginning, (Uchiha Sasuke) could have absorbed someone's soul to learn the language using the Outer Path ability of his Rinnegan.
The technique was similar to (Nagato)'s soul-absorption technique, which allowed him to interrogate a soul fully to obtain its knowledge. (Uchiha Sasuke) was capable of using this skill as well.
But because he hadn't found a soul worthy of using this technique on—particularly since he wasn't demonic enough to destroy innocent souls in this strange world—he had no problem using this ability on monsters. That's why he had wanted to use it on the dungeon ruler.
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On the other side, the President of the Hunter's Guild had witnessed this meeting between (Uchiha Sasuke) and (Goto Ryuji).
It forced him to act quickly.
He dismissed most of the hunters, ordering them to step back, and went directly over there himself. The click of his dress shoes on the pavement was sharp, urgent.
This is dangerous. I cannot allow this young man to go to Japan. Especially not after he has drawn Korea into a war with the Monarchs. Since the Monarchs are seeking this young man's life, they will target Korea because it's the place he appeared from. Keeping this young man in Korea is something that will help Korea defend itself against this catastrophe that is only growing.
The question hung in the air, unspoken but pressing.
(Goh Jun-hee) arrived and positioned himself before (Goto Ryuji), who greeted him swiftly. But it was clear (Ryuji)'s eyes were sharp; he knew what the Korean Guild President wanted.
Yet, at the same time, he couldn't simply dismiss him. The power of the Korean Guild President wasn't just political; it was backed by real, tangible strength. He was known to be an S-rank hunter on the same level as Japan's strongest, (Goto Ryuji).
The air between the three men grew thick, charged with unspoken agendas and national interests.
Then, (Uchiha Sasuke) spoke again, his impatience a tangible force. He hadn't moved an inch, his Rinnegan and Sharingan eyes sweeping over them with chilling disinterest in their silent power struggle.
"I want information from you now. What are these monsters and Gates? I want all the information you have about these things. Quickly."
(Uchiha Sasuke) didn't care about the silent battle of wills between the two men before him. He commanded directly, his tone brooking no argument.
Both President (Jun-hee) and (Goto Ryuji) were taken aback by this blunt demand. The less surprised of the two was the Korean Guild President, who already knew from brief glimpses that the young man—who appeared to be about 16, with strange eyes and jet-black hair—was certainly not from their world and possessed no experience regarding Gates or hunter terminology.
He even seemed as if he was from a different time. His clothes looked old-fashioned, and his manner of speaking Japanese was very traditional, different from the modern style used by youth his age.
All this information had allowed the Korean Guild President to grasp these facts in a single glance.
But for (Goto Ryuji), the matter was different. He had never spoken with (Uchiha Sasuke) before. Therefore, he didn't know any details or specifics. What had come to him were from images, his keen observation, and extreme intelligence, which allowed him to deduce that it was possible the strange-eyed hunter was Japanese.
But perhaps he hadn't lived in Japan, or was hidden, or simply had the ability to conceal his tracks. He hadn't been able to deduce half the information that (Goh Jun-hee), who had spoken directly with the last survivor of the Uchiha clan, had gathered.
The standoff was silent but deafening. The whirr of helicopter blades filled the space where words failed.
(Uchiha Sasuke)'s eyes, one a swirling violet and the other a spinning crimson, remained fixed on them, waiting. The choice of who would answer, and how, would set the course of everything to come.
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End of Chapter 15
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Author's Note:
Well,isn't this a delightful little international incident waiting to happen? Two powerful men trying to out-politic each other while our favorite emo-ninja just wants the FAQ page for this messed-up world. Thank you for reading, you glorious creatures! Hearts and scheming smiles to you all! ♥‿♥
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