Chairman Go Gun-Hee and Chairman Matsumoto sat facing each other. Lined up on both sides of them were officials from the Hunter's Associations of both Korea and Japan, along with representatives from various government ministries. Given the gravity of the matter, the meeting proceeded swiftly.
"Would it not be reasonable to form a joint Japan-Korea attack squad composed of top-tier Hunters?"
The officials from the Japanese side of the conference table had begun to whisper among themselves. The meeting was obviously going to be about how Japan would compensate for the losses it had suffered. But now they were offering to eliminate the menace themselves? What a stroke of luck. After a moment of surprise, the faces of the Korean participants brightened. Among them, only one person — Chairman Go Gun-Hee — stared at Chairman Matsumoto with a sharp gaze.
"Are you proposing that we form a joint team to strike the ants' main base?" "That is correct." "I'm well aware that Japan's top-tier Hunters are highly capable. But a direct assault on Jeju Island is far too dangerous."
Go Gun-Hee added that the ant population had multiplied several times over compared to two years ago, when Korea's extermination operation had ended in failure. Chairman Matsumoto wore a somber smile.
"If you charge into enemy territory without any sort of strategy, naturally it would be dangerous."
One of the Korean politicians, who had been swayed by Japan's sudden offer to help, asked with visible delight.
"Do you happen to have a good idea in mind?" "Yes."
With that concise answer, Matsumoto drew everyone's gaze. After a brief pause, he continued.
"Of course we do."
At his signal, files prepared for each participant were placed in front of the Korean attendees one by one.
"This is our observational data on the ant-type magical beasts."
While the Korean participants leafed through the files, Matsumoto began his explanation in a measured tone.
"Each ant is strong enough to rival a high-ranking Hunter, but they have one weakness: their lifespan."
Ants lived for only one year.
"In other words, if we eliminate the ants' queen, within a year all the ants on Jeju Island will naturally be exterminated."
Indeed. The Korean participants nodded as they read through the meticulously prepared research materials. All they had to do was eliminate the queen. This sounded far more feasible than trying to kill every last one of the thousands of special-grade magical beasts that had poured out of an S-rank Gate. But Go Gun-Hee's expression was icy.
'That's absurd...'
He knew. Eliminating a single queen was no different from having to kill every last one of the thousands of special-grade magical beasts.
"Are you suggesting that without considering the fact that the ants will lay down their lives to protect their queen?"
Chairman Go Gun-Hee pointed this out, but Chairman Matsumoto simply smiled and brushed it aside.
"Of course. To reach the queen, you would have to break through the defense line of several thousand ants."
Matsumoto's relaxed attitude sent a sharp look from Go Gun-Hee.
'What exactly is he planning?'
Matsumoto raised the corners of his mouth.
"But what if there were a time when every last ant vacated the nest?"
The ant queen lived in the deepest chamber of the nest. There was no way the ants, whose duty was to protect the queen and the eggs, could all leave the nest at the same time. Just as deep suspicion appeared on the faces of Go Gun-Hee and the other Korean participants, Matsumoto spoke.
"There is. Exactly three times."
Three times? Such a thing had happened three times? No — even if it had, how could Japan possibly know so much about it? The answer came quickly.
"When Korean Hunters landed on Jeju Island for extermination operations, the ants vacated the nest every single time and swarmed toward them."
Gritting his teeth, Go Gun-Hee clenched the fist resting on his knee. While Korea's Hunters had risked their lives fighting the magical beasts, Japan had been covertly observing the whole time. No one blamed Japan for not helping Korea. But was it right to take a neighboring country's misfortune and turn it into research data, then proudly present that data to the very country that had suffered? An S-rank Hunter had lost his life during the third extermination operation, along with countless other Hunters. Go Gun-Hee had watched their deaths unfold from the closest vantage point. His clenched fist trembled.
'Hmm...?'
Noticing that Go Gun-Hee's complexion had turned dangerous, Ryuji Goto — Japan's strongest Hunter — released his mana. A warning: if you try anything, we will act too. Woo Jin-Cheol, who had attended the meeting as Go Gun-Hee's bodyguard, hurried to his side.
"Chairman?" "...It's fine now."
Go Gun-Hee dismissed Woo Jin-Cheol, who withdrew without protest. Regardless of Japan's attitude, if their research was accurate, this was an opportunity to annihilate the ant magical beasts.
'I can't let personal emotions destroy an opportunity like this.'
Go Gun-Hee swallowed his anger. With the tension easing, Matsumoto finally got to the heart of the matter.
"That role will be taken on by our Japanese Hunters."
Japan's S-rank Hunters would split into teams and attack Jeju Island from all directions. The ants would pour out toward every point of attack, and just as before, the queen's nest would be left empty.
"We would like Korea's top-tier Hunters to take charge of eliminating the queen."
Korean S-rank Hunters would infiltrate by helicopter, eliminate the queen, and then evacuate the island by helicopter again. Murmurs rippled through the room. The Japanese plan was specific and highly feasible, and the Korean participants began to grow excited.
"If we do as Japan says, we can retake Jeju Island, can't we?" "Those Japanese — now that they're the ones taking damage, they've finally decided to act." "This is a real opportunity." "Let's use the Japanese Hunters to reclaim Jeju Island."
Rather than joining the conversation, Go Gun-Hee quietly reviewed Matsumoto's proposed plan in his head.
'It's certainly possible.'
Japan had twenty-one S-rank Hunters. Korea, by contrast, had eight. Excluding himself, who was difficult to move around, and one other who had retired, only six could actually be deployed.
'Six people alone can't draw the attention of several thousand ants.'
That was why Japan's twenty-plus top-tier Hunters were necessary. Even split into teams of five, they would form four attack squads — enough to buy sufficient time. The question was whether Korea's top-tier Hunters could kill the queen, who was the boss of an S-rank Dungeon.
'Is it possible?'
That was when a name suddenly surfaced in Go Gun-Hee's mind: Sung Jin-Woo. If Sung Jin-Woo — the man who had soloed the boss of an A-rank Gate — coordinated with the other S-rank Hunters? Thump. Thump. Go Gun-Hee's heart quickened.
'I can't put this off any longer.'
The ant magical beasts were evolving at a rapid pace. No one knew when the entire ant swarm would gain the ability to fly. It could be ten years from now. Five years from now. Perhaps even next year. Before that happened, he had to eliminate those damnable ants — even if it meant borrowing another country's help. And before that.
"What conditions does Japan want in return?"
Chairman Go Gun-Hee did not miss what mattered. Chairman Matsumoto did his best to put on the most benevolent smile he could manage.
"When the ants are all dead one year from now, split their mana crystals with us."
Just that much? Go Gun-Hee tilted his head.
"Will that really suffice?"
Go Gun-Hee's remark drew frowns from the government officials and politicians nearby.
'If they're willing to help for so low a price, we should just be grateful instead of nitpicking.' 'What if Japan changes its mind because of this?' 'Chairman Go Gun-Hee — he used to run a corporation, so I suppose that level of suspicion is second nature to him.'
Their pointed stares flew at Go Gun-Hee and struck home. Left with no choice, he fell silent. After a brief discussion among the Korean participants, no one voiced opposition. In the end, Japan's proposal passed unanimously. After the meeting ended, Chairman Matsumoto approached with a smile and extended his right hand to Chairman Go Gun-Hee.
"This is a matter on which the future of both nations depends. Let's work together and do well."
***
Back at the hotel, Chairman Matsumoto Shigeo put a cigarette between his lips. Ryuji Goto, standing beside him, lit it.
"Thank you for your hard work today." "Goto, you've worked just as hard." "You're too kind." "I'm not being kind. Did you not see the look on Go Gun-Hee's face just then?"
Matsumoto chuckled. The emotion that had flashed across Go Gun-Hee's face — that was unmistakably fury. The reason Matsumoto could remain composed even before the rage of the nation's most powerful S-rank Hunter was that he had a formidable ally behind him. Ryuji Goto. Japan's number one combat-type Hunter. Matsumoto recalled Go Gun-Hee's expression and sneered.
"Having to borrow the hand of someone you despise. The position of the weak truly is unbearable."
Goto gave a brief smile as well. In the end, Korea had taken Japan's hand — exactly as Chairman Matsumoto had planned. Everything had gone smoothly.
"Korea is only the beginning," Matsumoto said.
"Hunters represent new power, new authority. With this power bestowed upon Japan, I shall build a new empire."
His gaze turned to Goto.
"And you shall be the next emperor."
If Matsumoto was the first emperor, who had built the empire through strategy, then Goto would be the second, who inherited the empire through force. This was the reason Goto served Matsumoto with such deference. Just then.
"Oh, right."
Remembering something, Matsumoto crushed out his cigarette and asked.
"Do we still have no information on Korea's newest S-rank?" "It seems even Korea doesn't know much about the man yet." "Is that so."
They already had detailed information on all of Korea's top-tier Hunters. There was only one exception — the Hunter most recently registered as S-rank. They had zero information on him. The unknown could become a variable. For Matsumoto, who had just revealed his ambitions through this operation, a variable was unwelcome.
'What can one person really do, though...'
There were only five in the entire world — Hunters so powerful that even S-rank Hunters couldn't measure up to them. Known as "national-power"-level Hunters, because a single individual's strength rivaled that of an entire nation's authority. Their common trait was that each of them had cleared an S-rank Gate at least once. A Hunter of that caliber certainly could become an obstacle.
'But the odds of that are extremely slim.'
If the world's population was seven billion, the probability was less than one in a billion. If a Hunter of that power had emerged, there was no way Korea would be this calm about it. Judging from the recent atmosphere, there was no need to worry.
'Unnecessary caution could cost me this opportunity.'
Matsumoto picked up the phone and issued his orders to the Association — which was no doubt anxiously awaiting his call.
"Korea has agreed to take our hand. Proceed as planned and summon all S-rank Hunters."
***
Chairman Go Gun-Hee also reached out to the Korean Hunters. First and foremost, he needed to explain the gravity of the situation to them. He tried to coordinate a meeting schedule, but then —
"What?"
Devastating news came in.
"Sung Jin-Woo is unreachable?"
Sung Jin-Woo was the only one who couldn't be contacted.
"His phone has been off for days. We can't even determine his location." '...'
Go Gun-Hee pressed his lips tight, then spoke as though he had no other choice.
"Then gather the other Hunters as quickly as possible." "Understood, Chairman."
The staff member bowed and hurried out. Go Gun-Hee sat with a grim expression, lost in thought.
'Where could he be?'
Ever since receiving the report that Sung Jin-Woo's whereabouts were unknown, a sudden sense of foreboding had begun to creep over Go Gun-Hee.