𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟕𝟐: 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞’𝐬 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰
The Blue House, Office of the First Secretary.
Those seated at the long, 10-person wooden table shared stories and exchanged cheerful greetings.
President Choi Dae-soo, Chae Woo-dam, the President of the Hunter Central Association, the seven Guild Leaders of Heptagram, and the high-ranking HSIU agent, Siwoo.
Although it was a regular State Council meeting, it was Siwoo’s first time attending in a while due to his frequent travels.
“I think it’d be best to start with the person with the most to report. Min Siwoo, start with you.”
Choi Dae-soo glanced at Siwoo, his expression full of annoyance.
Siwoo spread out the report that Han Tae-chi and Lo-an had compiled and skimmed through it.
The document began with the last S-Rank Gate.
“I’m sitting here as an HSIU agent, but as you all know, I’m also the president of the [Mad Dog Guild], so I’ll give a joint report. The [Mad Dog] were dispatched to the ‘Jeollabuk-do S-Rank Gate’ last time, where we took care of Ruslana and a devil belonging to Pandemonium.”
“Hahaha! I never thought a single Guild could handle an S-Rank Gate! It seems you’re becoming more of a monster as time goes on!”
Do Kyung-hoo burst into laughter.
“You could handle it too if you just raised your level, Do Kyung-hoo.”
“Hmm? Isn’t that only possible for freaks of nature like you and Choi Dae-soo?”
“I don’t know about Choi Dae-soo, but I’m just an ordinary human. If you want, you can study under me, and I’ll help you level up.”
The eyes of those gathered widened at Siwoo’s statement.
How many Hunters could tell the 2nd-ranked Hunter in South Korea to ‘study under me’?
Of course, Benedict, who was ranked higher than Do Kyung-hoo in the world rankings, was under Siwoo, but that felt different.
It was understandable that a young and unskilled Benedict would do so, but Do Kyung-hoo was a veteran Hunter who had experienced countless battles.
So it felt strange to hear him say ‘study under me’.
“Hahaha! You’re the only person who could say something so presumptuous to me! You want to teach this old Sword Demon?!”
However, Do Kyung-hoo didn’t seem to mind at all and laughed heartily.
And his next words surprised everyone again.
“Alright! If you’re willing to teach me, I’ll gladly learn! Hahaha! To think that I’d be receiving new teachings at this age, it’s incredibly refreshing! I’ll be counting on you in the future!”
“Hunter Do Kyung-hoo. . .??”
“No, surely that can’t be right, Hunter Do Kyung-hoo?!”
Instead, Lee Ye-ji and Choi Sung-il, who were sitting next to him, made gestures as if to dissuade him.
From their perspective, it looked like the hierarchy of Heptagram was being turned upside down.
Of course, Siwoo had been active as one of the Three Venerables in the past and was now based at the HSIU headquarters, but Do Kyung-hoo was like the center of gravity for the Hunters of South Korea.
When Choi Dae-soo had climbed the political ladder, it was Do Kyung-hoo who had become the center of the Hunters and led them.
“If someone like Hunter Do Kyung-hoo were to serve under someone else. . . It wouldn’t be good for his image.”
Choi Sung-il respected Do Kyung-hoo and didn’t want him to make a hasty decision.
“Oh my. . . It seems you all don’t know Min Siwoo at all. He’s not trying to stand above anyone; he simply wants to teach. In fact, he already has two disciples here. Kang Yeo-hwa, Min Si-joon, what do you two think?”
“I think Hunter Do Kyung-hoo will become even stronger if he receives Master’s teachings.”
“I agree with Hunter Kang Yeo-hwa. If you’re worried about his image, we can keep it a secret.”
Even in the eyes of S-Rank Hunters like them, Siwoo’s strength was beyond the norm.
That fact had become even clearer in the dungeon they had visited a few days ago.
The King slumbering beneath the dungeon was as strong as any monster they had ever faced.
If only Min Si-joon and Kang Yeo-hwa had been there, they would have had to give up on clearing the dungeon and return.
Even Benedict and Lo-an said that they wouldn’t have been able to defeat the monster in a one-on-one fight.
However, Siwoo had effortlessly dodged all of the King’s attacks and easily subdued him without any danger.
Based on that alone, Siwoo’s level could be considered to be on par with the world’s top rankers.
‘He’s far stronger than Lo-an, who’s ranked 18th in the world. . . Isn’t hyung’s status comparable to or higher than that of Misteltein?’
Min Si-joon and Kang Yeo-hwa believed that Siwoo was already at the world’s top level.
They just hadn’t said so.
“Hahaha! When two S-Rank Hunters say something like that, what can I do! Choi Sung-il, don’t worry about my image and focus on getting stronger!”
Do Kyung-hoo patted Choi Sung-il on the back, who was sitting next to him.
“Whew━ We’ve gotten sidetracked. Continue your report, Min Siwoo.”
Choi Dae-soo exhaled a puff of cigarette smoke and sorted out the situation.
“There’s nothing else to report, really. I went to Mongolia to clean up an S-Rank Gate, and I went to 〈Sult Ordd〉 to meet the Queen of the half-demons. There, I met a demon named Tatar, who is Ruslana’s master, and we had a bit of a falling out.”
“The Queen of the half-demons—?!”
“W-Wait, the Queen of the half-demons is a high-ranker shrouded in secrecy, isn’t she?”
The room was in an uproar in an instant.
Choi Dae-soo, who had been contacted by Siwoo last time, had purposely not passed on this information, so it was the first time anyone else had heard of it.
That included Min Si-joon and Kang Yeo-hwa.
“Master! You didn’t tell us anything about that! The Queen of the half-demons?!”
“Hyung—how do you know about the Queen of the half-demons? Did you meet her in person?!”
“P-President, half-demons could be great research subjects, why didn’t you tell us anything!”
Siwoo frowned and looked at them.
“You didn’t ask. And what’s the big deal?”
“. . . . . .”
“. . . . . .”
Those present, who knew Siwoo’s personality well, could only remain silent at his response.
“Oh, by the way, the half-demons have decided to side with humanity. I’ve already reported it to the HSIU, but I’ve decided to be their backer. That’s all.”
“Whew━ That’s crazy.”
“Hahaha! That’s the craziest thing I’ve heard in a long time! It’s unprecedented for half-demons to side with anyone. Wherever you go, you cause trouble, you Mad Dog! Hahaha!”
Siwoo clicked his tongue and glanced at Do Kyung-hoo and Choi Dae-soo.
Choi Dae-soo flicked the ash off the end of his cigarette and continued.
“Was there anything else in the dungeon?”
“Nothing.”
“B-But, Master, we met North Korean soldiers.”
“Oh, right. They were good guys. Their speech was a bit hard to understand, though.”
In the end, Kang Yeo-hwa, Min Si-joon, and Han Tae-chi took turns reporting on the dungeon, taking over for Siwoo, who was getting annoyed.
As people listened to the story of meeting the North Korean Hunters and the part about the King, they cast complex glances at Siwoo.
‘𝘈 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳.’
‘He’s crazy.’
‘I shouldn’t get close to him.’
Siwoo closed his eyes, his chin raised, as if he knew what they were thinking.
“Whew. . . And the day after tomorrow, we’ll be holding the graduation screening process. I’d like all the Guild Leaders to attend if possible.”
Choi Dae-soo said, flicking his cigarette ash.
“Are you coming?”
“Of course not. The Guild Leaders can handle it themselves.”
Siwoo replied with an annoyed expression when Choi Dae-soo asked.
🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷
After the meeting.
Chae Woo-dam, the President of the 〈Korea Hunter Association〉, returned to his office.
He sat down and stared blankly.
Although he was often told that he had a kind and warm face, despite the scars, that was no longer the case.
Lately, no one had even approached Chae Woo-dam.
A perpetually expressionless face, eyes staring into the void.
His increasingly haggard appearance and body were enough to make those around him not only worried but anxious.
It all started with the death of Vice President Kim Eun-ju.
“Eun-ju. . .”
He recalled the image of her standing next to him, chattering brightly.
He couldn’t forget the sound of her voice, calling him senior and laughing cheerfully.
It still felt like she was right next to him.
It felt like he could touch her if he just reached out, like he could hold her warm smile in his hands.
“. . .How. . .”
How could everyone else laugh and chat as if nothing had happened?
Chae Woo-dam recalled the faces of those he had seen in the conference room.
They joked with each other, talked about the future, and discussed the days ahead.
They talked about unity and peace, about working for the sake of South Korea, Asia, and even the world.
What good was a future without her?
What good was a future for this damn country that had taken away the warmest person in the world?
Chae Woo-dam picked up the picture frame that was sitting on his desk.
It contained a picture of Chae Woo-dam with an awkward expression and a brightly smiling Kim Eun-ju.
“My time. . . stopped that day.”
For me, time does not pass a single second in a place without you.
I loved her.
An emotion I had never expressed once.
Now that the person I should have conveyed it to was gone, the emotions were welling up inside me uncontrollability.
It felt like my heart was being crushed by the heavy, rotting emotions.
Tears streamed down Chae Woo-dam’s face.
He didn’t even think about wiping them away, just caressing her face in the picture frame.
“Do you. . . think I should forgive the world that took you away. . .?”
Once, he had worked hard enough to break his body for the sake of his country.
Despite the strength of Choi Dae-soo and Do Kyung-hoo, he had risen to the 3rd-ranked position.
He had volunteered for the presidency of the 〈Korea Hunter Association〉, wanting to serve the younger generations.
“Thanks to that, I met Eun-ju. . .”
People are laughing.
The world without you is still turning, even without you.
I can’t accept that at all.
Chae Woo-dam looked out the window, his eyes bloodshot.
The man who had once been nicknamed ‘Buddha’ for his warmth no longer existed.
At that moment, a black doll rose up from a dark corner of his room.
“Good. You have good eyes. Have you made up your mind?”
A crackling voice spoke, like a broken radio transmission.
Chae Woo-dam wiped away the tears that had flowed down his face with the back of his hand, beneath his dark circles.
“I’ll do it. . . I’ll accept your conditions.”
“You’ve made a sudden decision. It seems your heart has changed.”
“A change of heart. . .”
Chae Woo-dam carefully placed the picture frame back on the table.
“She’s gone . . . yet everyone else is laughing so happily. That’s why I. . . decided to kill them all. This damn world has no value without her. . .”
“Kukukuku. You have a good heart. I will not give you strength. You will give me help in return.”
“I’ll do whatever it takes. In return, you must keep your promise.”
“You do not have to worry. I will keep my promise. If you cooperate with my plan, I will revive that woman.”
Chae Woo-dam nodded, his eyes bleak.
If Eun-ju could come back to life.
If he could just see that warm smile again.
“I’ll sell the lives of everyone in this world for it.”
“Kukukuku. Good. Drink this medicine. And pledge your loyalty.”
He swallowed the black glass bottle that the other party handed him without a second thought.
“The contract is established.”
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