8

AN UNEXPECTED PROPOSAL

It was a black key.

The black key from the cursed mystery box was shining as if beckoning to him. Jinwoo stared incredulously for a moment before carefully setting down his weapons, reaching a hand out, and grasping for it.

……

When he opened his hand, there it was.

He’d never seen an item description like this before.

The Cartenon Temple?

Jinwoo cocked his head. How strange… He’d never heard of it before, but it sounded familiar.

No, I definitely know that name.

Jinwoo racked his brain until his eyes shot open.

The double dungeon!

The old temple located at the end of the double dungeon… The temple and the stone statues… The stone slate held by one of them… Everything was coming back to him.

That’s it…

It was as if he could faintly hear Mr. Song’s voice reading aloud the first sentence on the stone slate.

“The commandments of the Cartenon Temple.”

The slate had named the place with those awful statues as the Cartenon Temple. The name of the temple matching the one indicated in the black key’s item description couldn’t be a mere coincidence.

This could mean only one thing.

Will this key let me go back?

Jinwoo was shaken. He felt goose bumps everywhere as the hazy memories came more and more into focus until they finally took shape in his mind.

It can’t be…

No, it had to be. The system was calling to Jinwoo once again, leading him back to the place where it all began. The item had started sparkling, as if the system was concerned Jinwoo wouldn’t spare a glance at it. Plus, it would indicate quite plainly where the item was to be used.

No matter how he interpreted it, the system was reaching out to him. The question was, why now?

Maybe it’s related to the Demon’s Castle quests?

He had received the black key after choosing the cursed mystery box as a reward from the Collect Demon Souls (1) quest, so he looked into the mystery reward he’d received for the completion of the Collect Demon Souls (2) quest.

Title.

His newly acquired title and its information popped up with a ping!

Jinwoo had been hoping the description was updated, but nothing had changed since the first time he’d taken a look.

I guess this isn’t it.

Next, he checked the third Demon Monarch’s accessory that completed the set.

He carefully reviewed everything just in case there was a hidden third set buff, but that wasn’t it, either.

Then…

There was only one other possibility. Jinwoo’s eyes moved toward the information above his title.

His eyes stopped at the line indicating his level. He had just barely made it to level 100 by slaying all the ants and crushing the eggs and pupae on Jeju Island.

That’s probably the required condition that the key mentioned.

That appeared to be the most plausible explanation.

Jinwoo could easily summon an item from the inventory with his mind after manually storing it the first time. Therefore, he rarely called up and laid eyes on the inventory unless he received a new item. That was why he’d only discovered the change in the key just now, even though it had already been a few days since leveling up. If he hadn’t decided to organize the inventory today, since he’d already taken out some weapons anyway, it was likely that he wouldn’t have discovered the key for some time.

But better late than never.

Let’s see, 417 hours is about seventeen days… That leaves a little over two weeks.

Thus far, the system had always delivered on its promises, so the gate’s exact location would definitely be revealed then.

I should be getting ready now…

The passing thought startled Jinwoo.

Wait a minute… Am I seriously considering going back to that place?

Ha-ha!

Jinwoo laughed in spite of himself. While it was true that the party had consisted of low-rank hunters, it was also true that the majority of them had died during the raid. Jinwoo himself had experienced several near-death incidents as well.

Heck, I actually lost a leg.

The memory haunted him to this day. It gave him chills thinking about the sight of blood where his lower leg should’ve been.

And yet, anticipation flared in his eyes.

I’m not the same person I was then.

He felt more confident now. Or rather, he felt an odd excitement at the possibility of commanding the shadows of the stone statues or the colossus.

Besides, he didn’t know what kind of penalty he’d receive for not answering the system’s call. Based on his experiences with the first penalty quest and the urgent quests, he knew full well that the system could be both his enemy and his ally based on whichever decision he made.

The hand holding the key grew sweaty.

Gulp.

Jinwoo swallowed nervously, then shook his head.

…Don’t get too worked up.

He had to keep calm. He waited for his heart to slow and took deep breaths before slowly opening his eyes.

“Okay.”

If the system had some business with him, this could be another opportunity. The cursed mystery box…wasn’t it supposed to give Jinwoo something he needed?

I should still ready myself to some extent.

He’d do the minimum amount of preparation.

As Jinwoo thought about his to-do list, he remembered something he’d been putting off: establishing his guild. Raiding gates to raise the levels of his soldiers would be easier with a guild, and since Jinho was so passionate about starting one, Jinwoo had left everything to him up until now.

I wonder how things are going there.

Jinwoo moved to call Jinho but set his phone down after checking the time. It was two o’clock in the morning.

It’s too late now…

He had somewhere to be later today anyway, so he might as well visit Jinho in person.

I’ll stop by the office tomorrow.

Jinho’s glare deepened. He scanned the computer screen with a sharp gaze like that of a hawk trained on its prey. The fire in his eyes burned bright.

You’re not getting away with trying to harm the boss’s reputation!

Jinho swiftly took screenshots of the problematic posts and comments and then filled in forms to report the contents. He moved quickly and efficiently, as if he’d done this many times before.

Taka-taka-tak.

“Whew!” He lifted his hands from the keyboard and wiped the sweat off his brow.

Yet another case settled. He’d rooted out one more seed of malice who was bad-mouthing his boss.

Jinwoo was the face and light of the guild. Maligning or spreading misinformation about him was absolutely unforgivable. Plus, Jinho couldn’t let them get away with this for the guild’s sake as well.

What was the guild to Jinho? It was the guild of which he was going to be the vice president. Therefore, what he was doing wasn’t out of personal offense but rather as part of his job that would soon be established.

When he thought about it, however, Jinho realized that this guild still had no name. This had to be remedied immediately, and since Jinwoo hadn’t said anything about it, Jinho decided to think up something suitable.

Hmm…

What about the SungYoo Guild, taking the Sung from Jinwoo Sung and the Yoo from Jinho Yoo?

Jinho shook his head.

Not a bad idea, but it sounds a bit…

YooSung was more pleasing to the ear, but he couldn’t very well put his name before Jinwoo’s.

I need to discuss this with him.

It had been two days since they’d moved into this office. While the world was obsessing over Jinwoo following the Jeju Island raid, Jinho was clocking in a lot of time alone in the office.

It’d be better to use the second parts of our first names and make it the WooHo Guild…

“Why so serious?”

“Eep!” Startled, Jinho jumped out of his seat. He spun around to find Jinwoo standing beside him. “B-boss!”

Jinwoo raised an eyebrow, not understanding why Jinho was so skittish.

Jinho patted his chest to calm down.

When he conceals his presence, I can’t sense him even when he’s standing right next to me…

Jinho hadn’t necessarily been lost in thought, but he still hadn’t heard a thing. Jinwoo’s stealth was improving by the day.

Feeling a little embarrassed at his overreaction, Jinho scratched the back of his head. “When did you get here, boss?”

“Just now.”

Jinwoo answered casually and turned to look at the computer screen, but Jinho quickly stood in front of the monitor to block his view.

“You don’t need to worry about those jerks. I’ll take care of them, boss.”

Jinwoo looked at Jinho’s earnest face in disbelief. “…That was you?”

Jinwoo had heard there was someone threatening to sue people if they posted hate comments about him online. Who knew that someone would be so close to him?

Jinho blushed at having accidentally busted himself. “Geez, boss…I’m just doing what’s necessary, y’know?”

Jinwoo couldn’t help but chuckle at the twinkle in Jinho’s eyes that were eagerly awaiting Jinwoo’s praise.

“All right, good job.”

Jinho interpreted Jinwoo’s smile to be one of satisfaction, so he resolved to work even harder for him. As he did…

“Hmm? Did you have somewhere to be today, boss?” Jinho noticed that the other hunter wasn’t dressed in his usual clothes.

Jinwoo answered nonchalantly. “I have an errand to run.”

“I see…”

Jinho internally marveled at the sight. Jinwoo usually preferred casual attire he could easily move around in, so the sight of him decked out in a black suit and tie was both foreign and surprising.

Jinwoo glanced at his watch, not bothering to elaborate further.

It’s already this late…

He looked up and asked, “I don’t need to bring anything with me for the guild master’s license, right?”

“That’s right, boss! You’ll get the license after a simple test at the association.”

“Cool.”

Ah, so Jinwoo was going to the association?

That outfit’s a bit much just for a visit to the association, though.

Jinho, who was trying to guess Jinwoo’s destination, soon arrived at a logical conclusion.

Since he’s a celebrity now, he has to pay attention to what he’s wearing.

Fame could be both great and tiring. Jinho knew quite a few public figures personally, so he could sympathize with the unseen burden that many of them carried.

Regardless of what Jinho was thinking, Jinwoo pointed at the desk that lay out of his reach.

“I’ll be taking the van.”

He indicated the key.

“Please feel free, boss.”

Jinho made to grab the key for him but then watched in awe as it flew into the other man’s hand on its own.

“Boss, what was—?”

Jinwoo cut him off. “A skill.”

“……”

Jinho was at a loss for words. At this point, Jinwoo could start flying around the room, and Jinho wouldn’t find it odd.

Is there anything he can’t do?

As each layer of the onion that was Jinwoo was peeled back, there was more and more to be impressed about.

Hang on, there’s no time for this.

He came back down to reality. There were a few things he’d wanted to ask Jinwoo, and since he was in the office, this was a good chance. Jinwoo could see that Jinho had something to say, so he paused.

“Yes?”

“I received a mountain of applications for the job posting I uploaded yesterday, so I’ve made a lis—”

“Oh. Let’s talk about that when I get back.”

Jinwoo was already cutting it close. Because Jinwoo was obviously in a rush, Jinho hurriedly continued.

“Oh, boss, then have you decided on a name for our guild?”

This was definitely a priority. They needed a name for the job posting and any other official orders of business.

I wonder if he already has a name in mind.

Jinho fidgeted as he waited for Jinwoo’s answer. He had a few suggestions ready in case Jinwoo had trouble coming up with something.

SungYoo, JinJin, WooHo… I hope he likes at least one of those.

While Jinho looked on expectantly, a grin spread across Jinwoo’s face as an idea popped into his mind.

“How about SoloPlay Guild?”

“What?”

Jinho stared at the older man. Was he supposed to laugh here? It didn’t look like Jinwoo was joking, though.

With that, Jinwoo started to head out. Perhaps he hadn’t been expecting much of a reaction from Jinho anyway.

“Okay, see you.”

Jinho watched him exit the office.

…I guess there actually are things he can’t do.

The boss was only human, after all. While he was a bit worried that their guild name might actually be SoloPlay, Jinho was also somewhat comforted by this proof that Jinwoo wasn’t perfect.

Jinwoo arrived at the funeral of Hunter Byunggu Min.

It was originally going to be held in private for family members only, but it was made open to the public because tons of people had expressed the wish to pay their respects. A huge number of the public visited the funeral parlor to honor Hunter Min’s sacrifice, including Jinwoo.

Whoa, is that…?

Oh! Isn’t that man Hunter Sung?

It’s really him.

Murmur, murmur.

People who recognized Jinwoo started whispering among themselves.

Jinwoo normally didn’t care about being stared at, and he didn’t mind being recognized as long as no one bothered him. What others were saying about him was none of his concern.

However…

They need to remember where they are and why they’re here.

Jinwoo frowned.

Wasn’t this about remembering Hunter Min’s sacrifice? It was supposed to be a solemn occasion, and he didn’t want it disrupted because of him.

Jinwoo released a small amount, a tiny fraction of his magic power for a short period of time.

……!

That was more than enough. The air grew heavy, and the room fell silent. The mourners were made to be mindful of every breath they took.

“……”

“……”

Everyone’s mouths simultaneously snapped shut, and the flurry of conversation gave way to silence.

Good.

Satisfied with the atmosphere he’d created with his display of power, Jinwoo continued on his way, only to be blocked by a middle-aged woman who wasn’t quite of age to be called a grandmother.

It was Hunter Byunggu Min’s mother.

The murmurs started up again seeing the two of them standing face-to-face.

Uh-oh…

Is she going to yell at him and kick him out?

The mourners’ concerns were unfounded for one simple reason.

“You came, Hunter Sung.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Byunggu’s mother herself had been the one to earnestly request Jinwoo’s attendance.

“I contacted you because there was something I wanted to tell you in person. I hope it wasn’t too much trouble.”

“No, not at all.”

“I heard that you were the one who got rid of all the magic beasts on the island so my son’s body could be retrieved.”

She paused and looked at Jinwoo as if waiting for confirmation of the fact.

……

Jinwoo had eliminated the ants from Jeju Island for a number of reasons, but it was certainly true that he hadn’t felt right letting Hunter Min’s body rot in the deepest recesses of that cave, so he nodded.

“Yes.”

“Thanks to you, my son isn’t sleeping in some cold, dark place…”

Hunter Min’s mother was unable to hold back her tears any longer.

“Because of you, I was at least able to see my son one more time. Thank you so, so much, Hunter Sung.”

Were there any words that could comfort a parent who had lost their child?

Relatives started to gently guide Hunter Min’s sobbing mother farther inside as Jinwoo stood in mournful silence. Byunggu’s mother bowed to him several times to relay her gratitude as she was led away, propped up by the others.

……

Her face reminded Jinwoo of his own mother’s expression when they’d received the call ten years ago that his father had gone missing in a gate. His chest tightened.

At least…

Just as his father’s sacrifice had saved many of his colleagues, Byunggu Min’s death had not been in vain. If not for his devoted healing, the other hunters wouldn’t have been able to survive the ant cave. And even after death, Hunter Min’s power had saved another’s life.

His shadow had appeared relieved when the color returned to Hunter Haein Cha’s face. Jinwoo could tell that he’d genuinely cared for his colleagues.

Coincidentally, on his way to place a flower in front of Hunter Min’s funeral portrait, Jinwoo spotted Haein in the distance. She blanched when they made eye contact.

Looks like everyone came together.

Haein was surrounded by the other hunters from the Korean raid team, who all nodded at Jinwoo, but Haein looked like she wasn’t sure how to act in front of him.

So she can make those kinds of faces, too?

Jinwoo had never seen Haein look anything but expressionless, but this served as a reminder that one should never judge a book by its cover.

He turned to regard Hunter Min’s portrait. Byunggu was smiling brightly like he didn’t have a care in the world. Jinwoo placed his flower and closed his eyes for a brief moment.

May you rest in peace.

After saying a prayer for Hunter Min, Jinwoo turned to see a familiar person approaching him.

“Hunter Sung.”

The deep voice belonged to President Go.

“Sir.”

“It’s good to see you here. I’ve been meaning to contact you.”

“Really?”

It was obvious why the association would call on a hunter. Jinwoo got his hopes up, thinking he might have an opportunity to level up, but President Go unfortunately shook his head and laughed gently.

“It’s not that.”

“Oh, I see.”

What a letdown. Jinwoo pursed his lips in disappointment.

“I’d like a moment of your time. Is that okay?”

Jinwoo agreed, since that fit with his plans anyway. “I have business to take care of at the association, so why don’t we talk there?”

“You have business at the association…? What kind of business?”

“I need a guild master’s license.”

“Excuse me?” The confusion on President Go’s face was obvious. “Why would you need a guild master’s license when you have an S-rank hunter’s license?”

“Can S-rank hunters start a guild without a guild master’s license?”

“That’s right.” President Go gave a kind smile. “If you’d like to form a guild, please give the association a call. We’ll take care of the rest.”

“……”

Jinwoo had underestimated the advantages of being an S-rank hunter. He had yet to look into the matter, since he’d never dreamed it would have anything to do with him. This was news to him, so he was slightly taken aback at first.

I should really investigate the perks.

Considering his direct line to President Go, it looked like Jinwoo would be able to form a guild quickly as long as he fulfilled the requirements. Connections really were important to success in life. Most people would be hard-pressed to meet President Go even once, and here Jinwoo was, able to count on him as a reliable supporter.

President Go continued. “What I’d like to find out won’t take too long, so we can do it here.”

Jinwoo nodded in understanding.

President Go immediately asked, “Did you cast some kind of a barrier spell on Jeju Island?”

“What do you mean?”

What barrier spell? Had something happened after he finished off the ants and left?

President Go calmly explained the situation. “During the process of retrieving Hunter Min’s body, there was an incident that caused all the soldiers and hunters to pass out. Well, it’d be more accurate to say they fell asleep.”

Multiple people had fallen asleep in the same place at the same time?

Jinwoo raised an eyebrow.

It sounds like an extraordinary wide-area magic spell.

It was similar to how his shadow soldiers had been simultaneously stunned by Balan the Demon Monarch’s lightning. The problem was, these weren’t ordinary hunters.

“Didn’t the elite members of the Knights Guild go to Jeju Island?”

President Go answered with a nod. “It was a mixed team of powerful A-rank hunters and B-rank hunters who are close to A rank.”

Someone had been able to put more than ten powerful hunters to sleep. Even an S-rank mage hunter wouldn’t dare consider such a thing, let alone attempt it.

“That’s why I’m asking you, Hunter Sung. Just in case you forgot that you cast a barrier spell.”

It was clear that President Go and the Hunter’s Association rated Jinwoo’s power highly. But not only were barriers not in Jinwoo’s wheelhouse, he’d never forget casting that kind of frightening magic.

Jinwoo shook his head. “No, I’ve never done that.”

“I see… That’s what I thought.”

President Go looked deeply concerned. His best hope of getting to the bottom of this mystery had been dashed.

“What did the hunters say about it?”

“The thing is…” President Go struggled to find the right words. “Neither the soldiers nor the hunters can remember the events leading up to when they lost consciousness.” Feeling helpless, he added, “Actually, we haven’t been able to determine whether they truly were victims of magic.”

“……”

There would’ve been a possibility of a human-made weapon like sleeping gas if it were just the soldiers, but there had to be more to it if A-rank hunters were also affected.

Could it have been some kind of trap the ants set?

Jinwoo wanted to summon Beru immediately to ask him.

……

If he did, though, the funeral could very well become the scene of a bloody battle, since there were easily ten high-rank hunters present in his field of view alone. Jinwoo wasn’t worried about Beru; he was more concerned about the hunters who would try to fight him.

Just then, a young man, presumably an employee of the association, walked up to President Go and whispered something to him. President Go regretfully turned to Jinwoo.

“My guest has arrived earlier than expected, so I must leave now. Thank you for your time.”

“Of course.”

After a brief good-bye, the president and the employee hurriedly left.

Since he no longer needed to go to the association, Jinwoo headed to the van to drive home, but…

Hmm?

He sensed a strange presence following him. He cocked his head.

Don’t people usually try not to get caught when they tail someone?

Besides, the average person wouldn’t even think of pursuing an S-rank hunter.

Tok, tok.

He couldn’t hear any kind of camera equipment, so it couldn’t be paparazzi, which made sense, since whoever it was didn’t seem to be trying to hide their presence anyway.

Jinwoo wondered how long this person would follow him, so he wordlessly meandered over to the van. Of course, his tail continued trailing after him.

Oh man…

Jinwoo thought the whole situation was absurd. He couldn’t take someone this careless that seriously. But just as he reached for the car door…

“Are you Mr. Jinwoo Sung?”

A voice came from behind him. Jinwoo turned, amused that the stranger was finally showing their true intentions.

“Yes, that’s right.”

He paused in surprise as he laid eyes on the other person.

A foreigner?

He hadn’t expected this, as the speaker’s Korean pronunciation was impeccable. Standing before him was a young man of Western descent, wearing a sharp, fashionable suit. His sunny smile shone as brightly as his blond hair.

“This is me.”

He took a business card out of his inside jacket pocket and handed it to Jinwoo. His name, phone number, and place of employment were written in a large font.

Hunter Command Center?

What did an elite agent from the most powerful organization in the United States want with Jinwoo? Though there could be only one reason for them to approach Jinwoo, wasn’t there?

When Jinwoo looked up from the card, Adam introduced himself in a clear voice.

“Please just call me Adam, Hunter Sung.”

Adam White… Jinwoo raked his gaze over the young American who’d revealed himself to be an employee of the Hunter Command Center.

……

He could tell they were interested in him by the look in Adam’s eyes. The United States was widely known for luring hunters from around the world with their enormous financial power. So Jinwoo fully thought Adam was going to invite him to his country.

However, what Adam said next was completely unexpected.

“I have some information I would like to divulge to you.”

“Information…?”

“It’s the kind of intel only we, the Hunter Command Center, can provide.”

Jinwoo had to wonder why this man would want to reveal top secret data to a foreigner he’d never met before.

“Why give me such important information?”

Adam smiled at Jinwoo’s question. “When it comes to certain special people, there are benefits we can reap even in simple acts like providing information.”

Special people… So Jinwoo was one of these “special people” now.

Jinwoo’s curiosity was piqued. “I’m listening.”

“That’s all I’m allowed to say. Our assistant director will tell you the rest.”

The assistant director of the Hunter Command Center, a man who held more influence than the ministers of most governments, was here in Korea?

I guess this is something huge.

Adam surmised that he had successfully hooked Jinwoo. He proceeded to tell Jinwoo his main reason for being here.

“His car is nearby. Would you like to meet the assistant director?”

It was entirely up to Jinwoo.

Information…

It would probably be one of two types: news that would benefit Jinwoo or a warning that someone was after him. But Jinwoo didn’t feel like he needed to urgently know either way.

If it was advantageous news, he would rather focus on the black key, and if it was a warning, he was confident he could destroy whoever was aiming for him.

On top of that…

I don’t even know if I’ll be able to trust the information that they give me in the first place…

It was also possible that the whole thing about tipping him off was a ruse in and of itself. What was the point of getting dragged around if he wasn’t sure they had anything at all, much less something he needed?

He swiftly made a decision. “I’ll think about it and get back to you.”

“……!”

Adam was shocked, looking like someone had just slapped him.

No way. The assistant director of the Hunter Command Center himself has come all the way to Korea to give him confidential information, but he just ignores it and walks away?

He realized Jinwoo might not be bluffing when the Korean man opened the van door. Adam broke out in a cold sweat. He didn’t know when he’d get another opportunity to connect with Jinwoo or whether he’d get one at all.

Adam couldn’t be sure if this was a ploy to get him to reveal their hand, but the fact remained that the Americans had more to lose if they let him go.

“Okay, see you.”

As Jinwoo was about to get in the van, Adam called out desperately.

“P-please wait!”

Jinwoo spared him a glance, so he kept talking to hold Jinwoo’s attention for as long as he could.

“Upgrader…”

“Upgrader?”

Adam resignedly explained. “Have you heard of the awakened being who can upgrade other awakened beings’ abilities?”

He should’ve opened with this. Jinwoo realized that what Adam and the assistant director of the Hunter Command Center wanted to share with him was far more valuable than simple information.

An awakened being who can upgrade other awakened beings…

Jinwoo finally felt like hearing them out. He stepped away from the van and slammed the door shut.

Adam let out a long sigh of relief. “Whew…”

He then looked up to see Jinwoo already standing right in front of him.

“Oh geez!” Adam jumped back, startled.

Jinwoo asked him, “Where to?”

Skreeeech.

The black sedan stopped in front of a famous luxury hotel.

“Here we are.”

Jinwoo noted that this was the same hotel that had been written on the note he’d gotten previously.

Jinho told me that an English-speaking foreigner was looking for me. Was it this guy?

Jinwoo followed the agent up to the room where the assistant director was waiting for him.

Michael Connor couldn’t hide his glee as soon as he recognized the Asian man behind his subordinate.

Yes!

The most difficult part of any negotiation was getting the other side to come to the table. If they showed up, that was half the battle won.

Michael offered Jinwoo a handshake with a bright smile on his face.

“I’m Michael Connor, assistant director of the Hunter Command Center.”

Adam translated Michael’s greeting into perfect Korean at the speed of light.

Jinwoo took the offered hand. “I’m Hunter Jinwoo Sung.”

After brief introductions, Jinwoo and Michael sat down on opposite sides of the table. Adam remained standing next to his boss.

“By any chance, have you met with any hunter-related personnel from other countries?” Michael tried asking.

“No, I have not.”

Michael gave a satisfied smile at the answer he’d been looking for.

Naturally, no one is quicker on the draw than America.

A striker has to be faster than the other players to score a goal. Michael had no intention of wasting this head start they had over everyone else, especially since his boss had ordered him to do whatever it took to bring this hunter to the United States.

He didn’t bother to beat around the bush. “I’ll get straight to the point, Hunter Sung.”

With a determined look on his face, Michael slid the mound of files in front of him toward Jinwoo.

Shf…

He then continued. “The United States wants you, Hunter Sung.”

“And these are…?”

“Immigration documents. Normally, it would take a year or two to process them. However, your case is special.”

Michael held up an index finger.

“One second,” he declared in a confident voice. “Say yes, and in one second, you will be an American citizen. Of course, you wouldn’t be treated as an ordinary citizen but as one of the highest-level hunters in the country.”

“……”

Everything Michael had said up to this point had been par for the course. But what Jinwoo really wanted was more information on the reawakened being known as the Upgrader.

Adam flinched and looked away when Jinwoo’s gaze fell on him. Jinwoo turned back to Michael.

“I came here because Agent White told me that I could get some information.”

Michael burst out laughing. “That’s not unrelated to what I’ve told you so far.”

“How so?”

“If you become an American citizen, our Upgrader can raise your abilities to a higher level.”

Upgrader… That seemed to be the literal power of this awakened being. Although he’d heard it from two people now, Jinwoo still couldn’t fully believe what they were saying.

Is there really an awakened being who can do such a thing?

He had to make sure. “Increasing someone’s abilities. Is that even possible?”

Jinwoo’s interest thrilled Michael. “Actually, that person is here with us.”

Jinwoo was already aware that there was another awakened being in the vicinity. A small amount of magic power was seeping into the room through the cracks of the closed door. Jinwoo had been wondering why someone with such weak levels of mana had been chosen as the bodyguard for the assistant director.

So Michael’s next order wasn’t entirely surprising.

“Please escort in Mrs. Sellner.”

Click.

As soon as he relayed his instructions, the door opened, and two agents ushered a middle-aged African American woman into the room. Jinwoo squinted at the peculiar energy coming from her.

……

Her aura was certainly different from the typical reawakened being.

As the woman reached the table, one of the agents pulled out a chair for her. She slowly sat down on its edge, recognizing Jinwoo right away.

“You’re the man from the footage…”

Mrs. Sellner had already been briefed about Jinwoo, so Michael only needed to introduce them.

“This is Mrs. Norma Sellner. She’s the one and only awakened being in the entire world who can help reawakened beings surpass the set limits of their power.”

Mrs. Sellner nodded at Jinwoo, and he returned the greeting.

“Mrs. Sellner, please give Hunter Sung a brief explanation of your abilities.”

A playful smile appeared on her face as she noted the suspicion in Jinwoo’s eyes.

“I get that look a lot…” She leaned forward to stage-whisper to him. “But once I give them a taste, they all end up clinging to me soon enough.”

“Mrs. Sellner…”

She waved off Michael’s frown with a laugh.

“I know he’s an important person, Mr. Connor.” Norma smiled as she steadily continued her explanation. “As you know, Hunter Sung, all awakened beings have set limits to their power that they cannot surpass.”

That was why the ranks of awakened beings never changed unless they had a reawakening. Every hunter knew this basic fact.

“Mrs. Sellner, does that mean you can—?”

Even before Jinwoo finished his sentence, Norma answered him with the delight of a child picking up the strawberry she had been saving for last from on top of a cake.

“That’s right.”

Jinwoo’s eyes widened.

“I can make them increase their limits in three stages. I don’t know whether to call it a forced reawakening or simply increasing their latent power, though.”

What an incredible ability! What Norma had just revealed was a game changer that would blow the minds of every elite hunter the world over.

Jinwoo glanced at Michael, and the assistant director nodded.

“She speaks the truth. The catch is, only three to four people can receive this benefit each year because Mrs. Sellner requires an extensive break between uses of her ability.”

“…How effective is it?”

“It’s different for everyone. But those who have completed all three stages have reported increases ranging from twenty to thirty percent.”

A whole 20 to 30 percent?! Jinwoo’s average stats were close to 250 now. If his ability points increased by that much, his average stats would easily go over 300. That was an insanely high number.

Assuming all of this was true, of course.

Does she cast a buff to increase abilities? Or does she increase the fixed level somehow?

Whichever it was, her ability was invaluable to hunters, which would mean a high demand for her services.

“If other people find out about her ability…”

Michael nodded. “That’s why Mrs. Sellner is with us.”

Norma had been troubled by Jinwoo’s exact concern, and that was why she’d joined the Hunter Command Center after much deliberation. She wanted to be able to use her power safely.

“We make sure that Mrs. Sellner is safe and well compensated, and in turn, she increases the abilities of hunters of our choosing. We’ve had this symbiotic relationship for some time now.”

With that, Michael wrapped up his explanation. It was time to get down to business.

“Mrs. Sellner’s ability is a gift we can give you, Hunter Sung.”

“A gift, you say?”

What could be a better gift for a hunter?

“If you become a hunter for the United States of America, you would be at the front of Mrs. Sellner’s queue. Plus, we’d act as a go-between for the guild of your choosing to ensure you get the best deal possible.”

This was a bargain too good for any hunter to pass up. Jinwoo now understood why Dongsoo Hwang had made the bold choice of moving to the United States despite all the criticism he’d received from his fellow Koreans. The huge amount of money America had offered him had been a red herring to distract from his real reason for defecting. The average hunter would lose their mind over this, so imagine the strongest hunters being told they could enhance their abilities?

Who could say no to that?

However…

“Can you prove that Mrs. Sellner really has this kind of power?”

There was no evidence for their claims.

Norma jumped into the conversation. “There’s no rush. I’m here to let you have the first bite.”

Jinwoo finally realized the true meaning behind her earlier words.

Once she gives them a taste, they all end up clinging to her soon enough, huh?

Every hunter who was able to confirm the effect of her power expatriated to the United States without exception, just like she said. Her confidence wasn’t unfounded.

“It’s as she says. So would you like to expand your limits?” Michael offered.

“Without anything from me?”

“Consider this a preview, Mr. Hunter.”

Norma lightly took Jinwoo’s wrist. When Jinwoo looked at her, she gestured with a benign smile for him to come closer.

“Please look deeply into my eyes. That’s the first step.”

Were her claims real? Jinwoo decided to follow Norma’s lead in order to confirm their purports.

The assistant director crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair as he watched them.

We did it. He’s in!

Game, set, and match.

Michael noted that Jinwoo’s cool demeanor had yet to change, but he figured that it wouldn’t last. He was confident Jinwoo would be in touch with them once the first stage was complete. Heck, Jinwoo might sign the immigration papers on the spot if he happened to be impatient.

Michael’s attention was now elsewhere.

I wonder what his limit is?

Michael uncrossed his arms and rubbed his chin. He gazed upon Jinwoo with curious eyes.

But that was when…

“Oh!” Norma inhaled sharply, her eyelids fluttering rapidly.

Norma Sellner. Usually referred to as Mrs. Sellner, she was a forty-six-year-old African American woman and the only person in the country with more security than the president of the United States of America. In other words, if the lives of both Mrs. Sellner and the president were in danger at the same time, the Hunter Command Center would rush to save her before they even considered saving the president.

How was this the case?

When the former director of the Hunter Command Center stepped down, he’d described Mrs. Sellner to the present director during their transfer of power as such.

“The United States will be the strongest nation of hunters in the world regardless of who the president is. However, without her, we’ll have to be concerned about gates opening in the most vulnerable parts of the country.”

And he was right. Because Norma attracted S-rank hunters from around the world, American citizens could sleep soundly at night knowing that wherever they lived in this large nation, they would be protected from high-rank dungeons.

Twenty-six of the top hunters in the world had already changed their citizenship because of her. Not only was that more hunters than any other country but each was also the cream of the crop as selected by the Hunter Command Center.

Norma Sellner was the hidden guardian angel of America. No hunter would ever be more important or receive better treatment than she would. Her existence was of the highest confidentiality, so even the president of the United States couldn’t meet with her easily.

And S-rank hunters who had the privilege of meeting her were ones who fit the Hunter Command Center’s extremely strict standards. Those hunters were the special people Agent White had mentioned earlier.

“When it comes to certain special people, there are benefits we can reap even in simple acts like providing information.”

Initially, most S-rank hunters, including Jinwoo, had no idea how incredible it was to be one of those special people, but they understood perfectly once Norma worked her magic. They would grasp who they’d been chosen by and what that truly meant for them!

One hunter had knelt before Norma, tears of joy streaming down his face, as he was overcome by the power flowing through his body. He was from Congo but became a United States citizen the very next day.

That’s how it always goes.

So Michael Connor, the current assistant director of the Hunter Command Center, didn’t suspect anything would be different with Jinwoo. He expected Jinwoo to scream out in ecstasy as the power welled up inside him and then cling to her for more. Honestly, there was no better way to describe it.

Michael had nothing but confidence.

However, the screaming this time came from an unexpected source.

“Ahhhhh!”

Norma, who had been peering into Jinwoo’s eyes, fell off her chair, screaming like she’d seen something she shouldn’t have.

The two agents guarding her immediately drew their guns and pointed them at Jinwoo.

“Stop! Are you crazy?!”

Michael yelped at the foolhardiness of the agents. He leaped to his feet and pushed their guns down, snapping at them.

“Do you know who this is? Lower your weapons!”

“But Mrs. Sellner is—”

“Idiots! If you’re worried about her, take care of her first!”

“S-sorry, sir.”

The agents quickly put their guns away and rushed to assist the woman trembling on the floor. Her face had grown worryingly pale.

Michael bowed deeply to Jinwoo. “My apologies, Hunter Sung. What our agents just did was extremely rude.”

Gone was his relaxed posture. The shakiness in his voice betrayed just how shocked he felt.

Even if they were trained to protect Mrs. Sellner, I can’t believe they pointed their guns at an S-rank hunter.

If this were a more hotheaded hunter, their necks would’ve been snapped, as would Michael’s by association. There was no excuse he could give for pointing a gun at the highest-ranked hunter of a country where firearms were illegal.

Once when Norma fell from her chair and once when the two agents drew their guns… Michael’s chest pounded violently at feeling his heart sink twice in quick succession.

Jinwoo was taken aback as well.

What just happened?

Norma had suddenly screamed and fallen down, then agents of the Hunter Command Center had trained their weapons on him, and lastly, the assistant director had apologized to him after yelling at his men.

Jinwoo had felt surprised at first, then bemused, and then…

“…It’s fine. No one got hurt, so…”

He couldn’t bring himself to be mad at them. The second most powerful head of the most influential organization had apologized to him after immediately acknowledging his subordinates’ mistakes, so Jinwoo figured making a fuss would be distasteful.

Besides, Jinwoo himself hadn’t felt threatened. It was like they were waving children’s toys at him. Jinwoo was way out of their league.

“Thank you, Hunter Sung.”

Michael straightened up only after Jinwoo’s words. He eyed the other man cautiously, but he could see that Jinwoo wasn’t being sarcastic. They’d dodged a bullet there.

If this happened to Thomas Andre or Zhigang Liu…

The gunmen would be dead even before Michael could issue an apology. Fortunately, Jinwoo seemed to be a gentleman.

Whew…

He breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat off the bridge of his nose. He had managed to put out the more urgent fire.

He could now switch his focus to his immediate surroundings. Michael bowed to Jinwoo once again before hurriedly checking on Norma’s condition.

“Mrs. Sellner, what happened?”

“M-Michael…”

“You’re sweating profusely… Do you feel ill?”

The situation might have made Michael break into a cold sweat, but Norma was absolutely drenched.

What’s going on?

Concerned, Jinwoo rose and approached her, but she could barely look at him. Her body shuddered violently.

Michael chewed his lower lip.

We can’t continue with her in this state…

They’d gotten Jinwoo to the table but couldn’t play their winning card. Norma was in no condition to use her power.

Michael turned to Jinwoo with a solemn expression. “Mrs. Sellner seems to be in rough shape. May we get in touch with you later?”

Meanwhile, an important guest was visiting the Hunter’s Association of Korea. It was none other than President Shigeo Matsumoto of the Hunter’s Association of Japan.

The two presidents sat at a table across from each other. The only other people with them were their two translators.

President Go spoke first. “I heard about Mr. Goto.”

“It’s very devastating.” President Matsumoto’s expression looked sorrowful, but it quickly changed. “However, I am here to discuss the future, not the past.”

President Go nodded.

There were several matters that needed to be resolved between them, or rather, between Korea and Japan. The first was splitting the essence stones. The original plan had been to divide them after all the ants died out the following year. However, Jinwoo had taken care of the ants.

Japan already knew this, as they had witnessed Jinwoo’s astonishing deeds via their satellite camera.

“Wh-what is he trying to do?”

“The ants…the ants around Jinwoo Sung are disappearing!”

“The minions under his control have started their hunt!”

“They’re spreading out all over the island.”

“No way…”

And yet, it had really happened. Every single trace of magic power on Jeju Island disappeared in an instant with the exception of a gigantic mana signature that was presumed to be Jinwoo’s.

Great power, unpredictable movements, and the ruthlessness he showed in killing magic beasts that could be left alone.

Would they be able to find a hunter more perfect for Japan than Jinwoo Sung? A smirk appeared on President Matsumoto’s face as he recalled the atmosphere of the control center.

He presented several documents he had brought with him.

“What is this?” President Go took the documents.

“A memorandum stating that Japan surrenders its rights to the essence stones on Jeju Island.”

“……?”

President Go didn’t entirely trust what President Matsumoto was saying, but his eyes widened as he scanned the contents of the documents. President Matsumoto was telling the truth.

“Why?”

Why was the Hunter’s Association of Japan leaving this much money on the table despite the huge losses they’d suffered?

President Go got his answer immediately.

“Instead, please hand over Hunter Jinwoo Sung to us.”

“Oh-ho.” President Go leaned back in his chair as he laughed. “Unfortunately, he isn’t a member of the Hunter’s Association.”

Of course, even if he had been, President Go had no intention whatsoever of letting such a brilliant hunter leave.

“I’m aware.” President Matsumoto had expected this response. “However, he has a very close relationship with the Hunter’s Association of Korea. Plus, the only way anyone can reach him at this time is through the association.”

Unfortunately, the Hunter’s Association of Japan didn’t have the level of intel that the Hunter Command Center of the United States possessed. In other words, President Matsumoto had to convince the Hunter’s Association of Korea to reach out to Jinwoo in his stead.

“I’m not making any demands. I simply want a chance to negotiate with him.”

“Are you telling me you’re going to give up an astronomical amount of money for this single chance?”

President Matsumoto was quick to confirm.

Japan had lost ten of its highest-rank hunters on Jeju Island. They urgently needed to recruit replacements, and they still had the hazard pay that was supposed to go to the hunters who’d lost their lives, so they had money to burn. If it meant he could convince Jinwoo to come to Japan, the essence stones would be a small price to pay.

However…

“I refuse.”

He hadn’t expected this response from President Go.

“Excuse me? Did you say you refuse?”

President Matsumoto was shocked. While he was confident that he could convince the hunter to defect, at this point in time, he was merely asking President Go for an audience with Jinwoo. It hadn’t crossed his mind that President Go would be the one to reject his proposal.

“Are you that worried you’ll lose Hunter Sung to Japan?”

“No.” President Go shook his head. “I’m saying you have no right to a single essence stone on Jeju Island to begin with.”

The Japanese interpreter uneasily looked at President Go at the bombshell declaration.

“Sir, is it really okay to translate that word for word?”

“Of course. Please tell him exactly what I said without omitting a single word.”

President Matsumoto’s face turned red after hearing the interpretation.

His voice rose. “President Go! What kind of nonsense is this?”

It was then that the Japanese language slowly came out of President Go’s mouth.

“I would like to talk to you without the interpreters.”

President Matsumoto was surprised. “You…can speak Japanese?”

“When I was young, my father owned a small business in Japan. It has been a while, though, so I’m unable to have any elaborate conversations.”

The two interpreters were dismissed upon President Matsumoto’s agreement.

He spoke first. “Ten of our S-rank hunters were sacrificed for your country.”

Not to mention, the best Japanese hunter, Ryuji Goto, was among the dead.

“If you do not accept my proposal, you’ll leave me no choice. We’ll demand that the Korean government hand over half of the essence stones as we were promised plus compensation for the fallen hunters.”

President Go sneered at this. “President Matsumoto… You seem to mistakenly assume that you have the upper hand.”

“President Go!” President Matsumoto stood abruptly, anger flaring in his eyes. “We fought for your country!”

Unlike the heated Japanese man, President Go coolly answered, “I’m curious about one thing.”

President Matsumoto slowly sat back down as President Go’s composure helped him collect himself.

President Go waited and then said, “Despite Japan’s inclination to be in the international spotlight, you let us take on the raid’s most integral task: bringing down the queen.”

“That was clearly because Korea didn’t have the power to provide a suitable distraction for the army of ants…”

“Yes, but wouldn’t it have been wiser to assign the Koreans as one of the four squads to buy time and send in your most elite team to destroy the queen?”

Indeed…

President Matsumoto’s gaze shifted. “…What are you trying to say, President Gunhee Go?”

For some reason, he addressed President Go by his full name.

“The retreat of your hunters…it had nothing to do with that monstrous ant, did it? You were planning to withdraw from the start.”

“You…you’re crazy.”

“You’re the crazy ones. What were you planning to do after abandoning our hunters to the slaughter?”

President Go’s eyes narrowed.

President Matsumoto burst into laughter. “Ha-ha-ha-ha!”

After a while, he removed a recording device from his pocket, shaking his head.

“Everything you said just now has been recorded. You accused the Japanese hunters without any evidence and refused to pay what you promised.”

There was an insidious smile on his face.

“I’ll let the international community judge you.”

The recording would be good enough to cover up the fact that the Japanese hunters had retreated during the mission. It would definitely sway public opinion. President Go had made a critical mistake with this haphazard accusation.

President Matsumoto wondered if President Go would be furious enough to get physical. That would be even more damning. Besides, the voice file had already finished uploading to a server in the control center back in Japan.

However…

“Evidence? Oh, I have evidence.”

President Go took out a black cube about the size of a stamp from his inside jacket pocket.

“……?”

“Hunter Sung discovered this at the scene and gave it to me.”

President Matsumoto deflated a bit as he sensed that something was off.

“What…is that?”

President Go grinned at President Matsumoto’s perplexed expression.

“This is the black box from a communication device. I was told it was used by Hunter Goto’s team.”

President Matsumoto’s face instantly flushed red. Without missing a beat, President Go pulled out a portable audio player and started the extracted voice file.

Click.

“How long has it been since the Koreans went in?”

“Hold on, please… It’s been a little less than ten minutes.”

“Ten minutes… It’s about time to start retreating.”

The voice of Ryuji Goto, one of the most famous Japanese men in the whole world, could be clearly heard.

President Go paused the audio. “Do you know why I haven’t made this public, President Shigeo Matsumoto of the Hunter’s Association of Japan?”

President Matsumoto slowly shook his head. His face had gone from red to deathly white.

“It was because I wanted the Korean people to enjoy our victory and not tarnish the experience with this shit. I held off for my people, not yours.”

The recorder fell from President Matsumoto’s hand.

President Go continued. “I’m sure you know what I’m going to say next, President Matsumoto.”

President Go crushed the audio player in his hand into smithereens.

“Get out of my office this instant.”

After Jinwoo left, the assistant director remained alone in the room with Norma.

“Mrs. Sellner, what happened?”

Michael had met tons of hunters, and this certainly wasn’t his first outing with Norma. But this was the first time he’d ever seen something like this.

Norma pressed down on her heaving chest and could barely force out words.

“He’s a king. And a very powerful king, too.”

Michael’s eyes widened. Only three people in the world knew exactly how Norma’s power worked—the director, the assistant director, and Norma herself. And now she was claiming that Jinwoo Sung was a king.

Ba-dump, ba-dump!

Michael felt his heart racing once more.

“Then…are you saying he’s at the caliber of a national-level hunter?”

Norma shook her head. “I don’t know that for sure, as this feels different. He’s a king, but he’s not quite the same.”

“What? If you could explain in a way that’s easier to understand…”

“While I was looking into his eyes, it felt like he was looking into me, too.”

“But that’s the same as other hunters—”

“No! Not Hunter Sung! The endless darkness inside him was staring back at me!” Norma frantically screamed at Michael.

She was shaking, her face ashen. It was a reaction born from the instinctive terror that all living things feel when facing death.

But that wasn’t important right now. As her body shook uncontrollably in fear, she managed to force out the most important thing she’d learned about Jinwoo.

“Also, he is…”

Norma had Michael’s full attention. She parted her lips with difficulty.

“…limitless.”