A few days before the King of Giants fell, a helicopter belonging to the Hunter's Association touched down on the grounds of a lavish mansion. TATATATATATATATAT— The master of the mansion, who had been enjoying a late lunch at his table, caught sight of the helicopter through the window and stopped carving his steak.
"I wasn't told anyone was coming today." "I'll look into it."
The servant bowed his head and scurried out. And just then, the master of the mansion spotted the two people stepping out of the helicopter. His face hardened in an instant.
"...This is going to be a problem."
The maid, carrying out an empty plate, happened to overhear that remark and tilted her head. The well-dressed gentleman seated at the table — the master of this grand mansion — was one of only five top Hunters in the entire world. Christopher Reed. Known more by his title "Nation-level Hunter" than by his actual name, who would dare cause trouble for him? The servant came barreling back in, leaving the maid's curiosity behind.
"Sir Christopher!" "I know."
Christopher cut the servant off, rose quietly, and greeted the middle-aged man who walked in a step behind with a smile.
"It's been a while, Deputy Director. And..."
Christopher's gaze shifted to the Black woman standing behind the Deputy Director.
"Ms. Selner."
The visit of a heavyweight like the Deputy Director of the Hunter's Association was unusual enough, but her coming in person was an entirely different matter. Sure enough. The Deputy Director, whose face was clearly tense as he glanced around, rubbed his chin and spoke.
"We have something urgent to discuss. Would you be able to have everyone leave the room?"
Just as he'd feared. His gut feeling that things were going to get complicated had been right. Had it been only the Deputy Director, he might have left him to rot for a few hours as payback for interrupting his peaceful afternoon without warning. But. He couldn't be so rude with Ms. Selner present. Christopher swirled wine in his mouth for a moment in thought, then beckoned the servant with a finger. Leaning in close enough that their foreheads nearly touched, he whispered.
"Until those two leave, make sure no one so much as comes near my quarters." "Understood."
The servant bowed deeply and ushered everyone — the maid included — out the door. Then he stepped out himself, placed both hands on the door, and bowed once more. At Christopher's nod, the door slid shut without a sound. Now only three people remained in the spacious room: Christopher, Deputy Director Michael Connor, and Ms. Selner. Christopher surveyed the two of them and smirked. After all, here were two people, each the second-in-command of the top agency of the U.S. government, occupying what had now become the most valuable seats in the room. Not to mention himself, a Nation-level Hunter. The value of Ms. Selner, who could permanently enhance a Hunter's abilities, was beyond estimation.
"Oh, where are my manners."
He couldn't keep such honored guests standing. Christopher pulled out two chairs from the table and said:
"Please, have a seat."
As the Deputy Director and the woman took their seats, Christopher settled into the chair across from them.
"Then..."
Christopher looked back and forth between the two and smiled.
"What brings you all the way out here?"
Ms. Selner glanced at the Deputy Director. He nodded. And just as she was about to open her mouth — Christopher raised his hand.
"Before that."
A slightly displeased look crossed his face.
"If you're here about that S-rank Gate that supposedly opened somewhere in the East, let me make it perfectly clear. I'm not going."
Decisively. He drove the nail in deep, leaving no room for persuasion.
"As you both know, the U.S. government has granted me the status of a fully sovereign entity. I have the right to refuse requests from the U.S. government, and as I informed you beforehand, I have decided to sit out this raid."
A nation within a nation. For "Nation-level Hunters" who were not mere citizens of a country but "living nations" treated as equals among other nations, concepts like civic duty meant nothing. Of course, he could offer some degree of cooperation. But there was one reason he refused: he simply saw no need to participate in a raid where all the S-rank Hunters across the country would be gathered. Even if the Deputy Director had brought Ms. Selner along to persuade him, he had no intention of reversing his decision. But just as Christopher had been resolute, Ms. Selner drew her own line just as clearly.
"I'm not here about the Gate, Mr. Reed. There is a far more serious problem."
Japan had just been pushed to the brink of collapse by a single S-rank Gate. And now there was something even more serious than an S-rank Gate opening on U.S. soil? Christopher leaned forward toward the woman.
"And what exactly is this serious problem?"
The hesitant woman struggled to find the words.
"Mr. Reed... you may be killed by someone in the near future."
A silence fell over the room in an instant. So that was it. No wonder the Deputy Director had been fidgeting the whole time. He was now dabbing the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.
"Ms. Selner."
Christopher's voice dropped as he addressed her.
"I have not forgotten the kindness you've shown me."
Thanks to her ability, his power had grown far stronger. He had surpassed limits that once felt like insurmountable walls. But. That didn't give her the right to dismiss him.
"Who exactly is going to kill whom, did you say?"
Who would dare lay a finger on a Nation-level Hunter? A cat couldn't kill a lion. Only another lion could kill a lion. And he was confident he could hold his own against any of his fellow lions. The real reason he'd sat out this raid was exactly that: what business did a lion have among a gathering of cats? He might make an exception for a crude lion like Thomas Andre, but that was the extent of it. Even though Ms. Selner could read the quiet fury smoldering inside Christopher, she didn't stop explaining.
"Not long ago, I had a dream about you." "A dream?" "Yes."
The woman nodded. Christopher was flabbergasted, but she continued.
"In the dream, you were — surrounded by men who—" "Now see here, ma'am!"
Christopher could no longer contain himself and raised his voice.
"You flew all this way just to spout this nonsense based on a dream you had?" "This is not nonsense. I—" "I know what you did before you were Awakened."
There had been much speculation that the reason Ms. Selner possessed a unique power setting her apart from other Awakened was that she had been a spiritual medium before her Awakening. But her former profession was no excuse for this absurd nonsense. Christopher's face twisted in disgust.
"I am a Nation-level Hunter. No one can kill me." "In the dream, it was clear—" "That damn dream, dream."
Christopher let out a heavy sigh and nodded.
"Fine, alright. Let's say I believe you. Let's say there are enemies who can kill me. Then, if that's true, who exactly am I supposed to ask for help?"
Call the police? Or apply for protection from the Hunter's Association? Against an enemy that could kill a Nation-level Hunter? Don't make me laugh. Christopher scoffed and said:
"In the end, there's nothing I can do, is there?" "..."
The woman, who had been silent, spoke after much deliberation.
"There may be someone who can help you." "And who would that be?" "Hunter Sung Jin-Woo. He might be able to protect you."
Sung Jin-Woo? Christopher, who had been listening without much expectation, fell into thought for a moment. The name was unfamiliar, but it wasn't the first time he'd heard it. Where was it? It had been relatively recent. He had heard the name "Sung Jin-Woo"...
'No way...'
Christopher's face scrunched up.
"You're talking about that Asian Hunter who went to deal with the Dungeon Break in Japan?" "That's right. He is Hunter Sung Jin-Woo."
Ms. Selner had seen it — the near-infinite power sleeping inside Hunter Sung Jin-Woo. He might even surpass the Nation-level Hunters. Her words to Christopher had been genuine concern. But to someone with such fierce pride, it sounded like an insult. BAM! The fist he slammed down in reflex cratered the table.
"Get out. Get out right now!"
Christopher shot to his feet, his index finger pointing at the door.
"Now, just let us talk a bit more—"
The Deputy Director tried to calm the furious Christopher, but—
"We'll leave..."
The murderous glare of a Nation-level Hunter left him unable to say another word. The Deputy Director took the reluctant woman and hurried out of the mansion. The servant waiting outside saw the broken table and came running in.
"What happened, Sir Christopher?" "...Nothing."
Christopher shook his head. Had it been someone other than Ms. Selner — someone who hadn't helped enhance his abilities so significantly — saying those things, simply chasing them out wouldn't have been the end of it. He swallowed his lingering anger and let out a deep breath.
'Beg for help from some second-rate Asian Hunter?'
There were limits to how much they could look down on him, this Christopher Reed. He spun around to face the servant. The servant flinched and his shoulders hitched, but he quickly returned to his usual composure.
"Is there something you'd like to say, Sir?" "That... when did they say the raid with that Hunter Sung Jin-Woo starts?"
News from Japan was the talk of the world. The U.S. was no exception. Naturally, Jin-Woo's name had become as famous as the Dungeon Break in Japan and the giants that had emerged from it. The servant checked his wristwatch to calculate the time difference and answered Christopher.
"I believe he arrives in Japan in one hour." "One hour from now..."
He wouldn't be bored for a while. That was how Christopher consoled himself as he glared at the helicopter carrying the Deputy Director and Ms. Selner as it lifted off into the sky.
* * *
[You have slain the master of the Dungeon!]
Thud. The King of Giants lost its head. Jin-Woo quickly stepped back to avoid the blood gushing from the severed neck. Just then — Ding! A mechanical sound rang out. At first, he thought it was just a routine System notification. But. The message was anything but routine.
[You have slain Legia, the Primordial Monarch, one of the nine Monarchs.] [Calculating experience.] [Due to the massive amount of experience gained, this may take some time.]
'What is this?'
For the first time in a case like this, even Jin-Woo couldn't help but be momentarily taken aback. Before long — Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! The mechanical sounds continued without end. At the same time, Jin-Woo could only watch as System messages flooded his entire field of vision.
[Level Up!] [Level Up!] [Level Up!] . . [Level Up!] [Level Up!] [Level Up!]
'...!'
Jin-Woo's eyes went wide. A full six messages appeared, and the level-up notifications only stopped after two more chimes. Jin-Woo hastily pulled up his status window.
'Status window!'