SSS-Ranked Demon Hunter: The Prodigy
Chapter 50: Solstice, Part 3

Chapter 50: Solstice, Part 3

The Next Day

From the early morning, Jisun sat silently in the chamber where Haebin was being kept. No one was allowed near the child, as he had been classified as a potential Category 4 threat. His power might rival that of the Dukes—or perhaps even surpass them.

The boy remained asleep, unaware of Jisun’s piercing gaze resting on him.

"What am I supposed to do with you..." Jisun murmured.

The man was torn. If the words of the Death Icon were to be believed, Haebin’s death would give birth to the Demon of Hatred.

But no one could confirm this theory. Not yet.

"What if you get angry...? Will nothing be left of you either? Will you turn into the heir of the apocalypse? It’s a bitter truth... knowing that even as a child, you’re one of the deadliest threats we’ve ever faced."

The burden on Jisun’s shoulders was enormous—even the head of the Association had granted him full authority to deal with the child as he saw fit.

"And if I kill you right now... would you repay me in kind? What should I do...? I can’t wrap my head around it."

Killing Haebin wasn’t an option. Just as killing me wasn’t. We were too valuable—and too unknown—for humankind to comprehend.

As the sun rose over the city, some pedestrians began to notice strange figures walking among them. They wore cloaks, their movements awkward and unsteady, like drunkards. It unsettled the passersby.

Then, someone noticed their veins glowing beneath their skin. Panic spread in a heartbeat.

When the cloaked figures removed their hoods, what lay beneath was no longer human. Their bodies glowed from within—and in the next instant, they exploded.

Blood painted the streets, and from the shredded flesh emerged their true forms.

Former humans, now mutated into demons of various shapes and horrors.

They were victims of a demonic virus—one humanity had only recently confirmed existed.

The entire Orange Zone cried out for help.

Dozens of demons swarmed the crowded streets, plunging what should have been a normal day into chaos and bloodshed.

From the Association, multiple squads of hunters were dispatched. Soldiers from Daywatch joined them.

Even the neighborhoods of the Green Zone stood on high alert, ready to defend against any incursion. Sirens wailed above the skies, urging civilians to seek shelter in stores and office buildings.

Among the Daywatch units stood a sniper who took position without hesitation—even off-duty. Her squad guarded the main border checkpoint.

Her name was Harin, a famed hunter celebrated for her achievements during the last Blood Moon.

"What’s the situation? Over," she spoke through the radio.

"All quiet in the Green Zone for now... too quiet. Stay alert! If a demon reaches the border, eliminate it immediately!"

The Green Zone was calm...

Until shadowed figures emerged from dark alleyways, heading straight for the Association headquarters. Cloaked in long robes, their faces hidden, it was hard to identify whether one of them was a wanted criminal.

Moving quickly, the group encountered Daywatch soldiers patrolling rooftops.

"Stop right there!" shouted one soldier, and several of the cloaked strangers halted. "Take off your cloaks, now!"

The soldier’s hands trembled slightly, hoping for the best.

One of the strangers hesitated, then lowered his hood.

What the soldier saw was a teenager, gritting his teeth with wild, glaring eyes.

The boy—despite his fear—leapt forward and transformed mid-air into a humanoid demon. With monstrous fangs, he tore out the soldier’s throat and lunged ahead at full speed.

The other soldiers, witnessing their comrade’s death, opened fire instantly. Within seconds, all suspects were downed.

All over the city, red warning lights flared atop lampposts, signaling a terrorist-level threat. People scattered in panic, diving into buildings in search of shelter.

But no one expected that among the crowd could be demons.

One member of Umbra revealed his true form, wreaking havoc in a shopping mall. The once peaceful space became a massacre, rivers of blood flowing over its tiled floors.

A day that began normally had turned into a nightmare for the Green Zone—once considered the safest of all remaining areas.

Meanwhile, inside the Association’s headquarters, panic spread. Security personnel burst into the director’s office.

"Sir Suwon! What are your orders?!"

Without hesitation, the head of the Association gave a firm command:

"Seal all entrances to the headquarters immediately! All hunters are to defend the zone without delay! Every Association employee is to remain at their station—no exceptions."

Following his order, guards quickly shut off all access points. A booming announcement echoed through the facility: no one was to leave except designated hunters.

Alone in his office, Suwon clasped his hands in unease.

"I knew this day would come... The demons were far better prepared than we were. We must hope for the best now."

Deep within the Association, in one of the underground levels, I sat locked in a cage. The sounds of screams and sirens reached even this far down.

I was overwhelmed—confused by the chaos unfolding beyond these walls.

"I need to get out of here... now!"

The demon sitting calmly on his cot, his long horns casting shadows across the floor, scoffed.

"And how exactly do you plan to do that? If you escape now, they’ll assume you’re with the attackers. No one trusts you, boy. Accept it."

"Damn it," I collapsed to my knees, gripping the cold steel bars. "What the hell is going on out there...? If I sit here doing nothing, innocent people could die."

"Don’t pretend you care about them," the demon said with a chuckle. "I know what you truly feel. You don’t care who dies—as long as it’s not the people you love."

I fell silent, my gaze heavy with guilt. He was right. Who was I trying to fool?

"You cling to your friends because they’re all you have left. Lose them, and your life loses all meaning. So tell me, boy... how far are you willing to go to protect them?"

Diving deep into my thoughts, I sought an answer. Flashes from my past resurfaced—my mother’s lifeless body. The loss of comrades. And finally...

The image of my father, bathed in sunlight, walking away into the unknown... never to return.

That moment, I realized—I couldn’t afford to lose anyone else.

"I’ll do anything," I said, firm and unshaken.

"Are you sure, boy?"

"Yes. Grant me your power once more!"

"So be i—"

Before the demon could finish, he vanished from my sight.

The door to my cell creaked open.

Standing before me was a girl with short, light-blonde hair, dressed in the uniform of the Association. A diamond glistened on her chest.

Her icy blue eyes locked onto mine, unwavering.

"Kihyun."

"Yeonghee?!" I gripped the bars. "What’s happening out there?! A demon attack?!"

"Yes. And as awful as it sounds... they’re killing everything and everyone."

"Then what do we do?"

"We follow my plan. Just as I told you before. Umbra is advancing. We don’t know how strong they are this time. Son of Lee Yeon-ho... Kihyun, are you ready to fight for the survival of humanity?"

"Yes," I answered resolutely.

Nodding, Yeonghee rushed to the security panel and slammed a button. The cage opened. I stepped out, and we ran together toward the exit.

"Just don’t say I authorized this," muttered the guard as we passed.

Chasing after her, I couldn’t help but admire her resolve. This girl would go to any length to protect the innocent.

To me, she was the only light left in a world full of people more concerned about saving their own skins. Yeonghee was the opposite of selfishness.

During her last visit, she had confided her plan. According to her, the Association had long prepared for Umbra’s assault.

Amid the chaos, she’d intended to free me—to let me fight, prove my loyalty to the Association and to the people of Korea.

We dashed through panicked crowds. No one noticed me. No one cared.

The other S-Rank hunters had already gathered to defend the zone. Even Hwan Sora, who had been paralyzed by PTSD, had found the strength to fight against the humanoid monsters.

All were under the command of Jisun, ready to battle to the bitter end—either wiping out Umbra... or witnessing the fall of humanity.

At the same time, a lift descended deep into the facility. Inside was Yuhwa, his unnaturally golden hair falling over his eyes.

Reaching the lowest floor, he entered the cell block holding the most dangerous demons in the nation’s history.

Running past the cages, he reached the security room, where he silently snapped the necks of the guards and pressed the release button.

Ten demons, each one once locked away forever, stepped into freedom. Some appeared human, but their size and eyes betrayed their inhuman nature.

From one of the darkest cells stepped out a woman. Her brown eyes gazed toward the exit. Hizumi—somehow freed from her life sentence.

Yuhwa watched them through the monitors, awed by their presence. Then, he took the elevator back up to the top floor.

The prison guards heard the alarms—but it was already too late.

The monsters were loose.

Demons swarmed the facility, crawling across walls, leaping between floors.

"Finally... freedom," said a towering, two-meter-tall demon. Though he looked human, his muscles exceeded anything mortal.

Hizumi’s disheveled eyes caught sight of the ascending elevator. She sprinted toward it with all her might.

One elevator reached the surface. Yuhwa stood before a window, gazing at the nightmare below—the streets overrun, demons emerging from every corner.

To him, it was a vision of beauty.

Breathing in deeply, he whispered:

"They’ll soon witness the true color of this city... hidden for so long. A lake of blood will be all that remains. Your corpses will stain this land—and become the disaster that forces the world to kneel."

Grabbing hold of his golden hair, he tore it off—revealing a sleek head of black strands beneath the wig. Removing his colored contact lenses, he revealed his true eyes:

Glowing green—heralds of terror for all humankind.