"You have something you want to ask?"
He felt puzzled, but since there was no hostility in Thomas's gaze, Jin-Woo nodded. The moment he gave his approval.
"This arm…"
Thomas raised his bandaged left arm.
"The shock from the mana was so immense that the healers' treatments aren't taking effect. The doctors said the same. It's recovering little by little, but they say it'll be a long time before it fully heals."
This was the left arm that had had to take the full brunt of Jin-Woo's mana-infused fist. At the time the fight ended, the bones had been completely pulverized—he might never have been able to use the arm again. Thanks to the healers' swift intervention and his own extraordinary regenerative ability, this was as far as recovery had gotten. Truly terrifying destructive power. While groaning in pain from the lingering aches left by the traces of battle scattered across his body, Thomas had spent a great deal of time thinking and thinking. But in the end, unable to find an answer, he had come to find Jin-Woo. Thomas spoke to Jin-Woo, who was looking at him with an expression that seemed to ask, 'Don't tell me he came here to show off his injury.'
"With your strength, you could have easily finished off not just me, but all of my guild members as well."
In a foreign land, they had kidnapped his companions, and they—Thomas himself and his subordinates—were the ones who had attacked him when he came looking for them. Even if he had killed every single one of his attackers, as the Hunter Management Bureau had announced, he would not have faced legal judgment.
'Of course, there was no way to punish him either…'
But. Sung Jin-Woo had not killed anyone except for Hwang Dong-Su alone. What if he had been in the same situation? He wouldn't have left a single one alive. He had the power to do so, and more than enough justification. So why had Sung Jin-Woo made a different choice? Thomas hadn't been able to get that thought out of his head for the past two days.
"Why did you… let us live back then?"
Of course, the one who had admitted defeat and pleaded for mercy was Thomas himself. But the one who chose to honor that was Sung Jin-Woo. Not a single one of his own guild members who had been attacked by Jin-Woo's summons had died either. Thomas was curious about the reason. But despite days of deliberation, Jin-Woo's answer was extremely simple.
"Because they hadn't committed a crime deserving of death."
Thomas's arrogant attitude had been hard to stomach, but he had at the end of the day come to that abandoned factory to protect his guild member, Hwang Dong-Su. The Scavenger guild members were no different. They were wrong to attack first, but they had paid a sufficient price for that mistake. That was the conclusion Jin-Woo had reached when he held back the final blow he was about to deliver to Thomas. Upon hearing the answer, Thomas's eyes wavered for just a moment.
"…I see."
When he thought about how Hwang Dong-Su, who had committed a crime deserving of death, had met his end, the answer he'd just been given couldn't have been a lie. So it was that simple and clear-cut a reason. His mind was more cluttered than before hearing the answer, but Thomas, who had at least gained some sense of relief, smiled.
"When my arm heals, I'd like to have a meal together. If you could leave your contact information with my manager, I'll reach out to you separately."
As Thomas turned to leave, having offered his polite farewell, Laura, who had been waiting behind, bowed deeply. Thomas left the banquet hall without even looking back. With every step he took, the gathered Hunters parted to either side like the miracle of Moses. Laura, who had been watching Thomas's retreating figure, turned her gaze back to Jin-Woo.
"My Master was just expressing his gratitude to you, Hunter-nim, for not harming his guild members."
Jin-Woo was speechless. How did his words translate into that interpretation? As if Jin-Woo's confusion was perfectly natural, Laura added an explanation.
"For all his appearance, he's surprisingly shy." "Ah… I see."
Well, if that's the case, then so be it. Thanks to them coming to him first, Jin-Woo had been spared the trouble of going to each of them to attach Shadow Soldiers, so he simply accepted it and nodded. Laura, having finished interpreting Thomas Andre's style of courtesy, pulled out a small notebook and prepared to take notes.
"Hunter-nim, if it's not too much trouble, may I ask for your contact information? Ah, and—"
The fair-haired beauty, her hair neatly pinned up, smiled.
"My Master would like to offer you a token of gratitude. If there's anything you'd like, please let me know." "Ah, that won't be necessary."
A polite refusal. But Laura, with an awkward smile that suggested she was in a bind, asked him to reconsider.
"Our Master… is someone with a strong competitive drive, and when he feels he owes someone, he can't rest until he's repaid the debt. Anything at all is fine—could you not think of something?"
Jin-Woo, who had been about to refuse, lowered his hand at Laura's repeated insistence. It wasn't that he particularly wanted anything, but he judged that refusing when they were being this insistent would be impolite. The one problem was.
'…I don't really need anything.'
Money? The money he'd already earned from raids was quite substantial. The Ahjin Guild, through income from selling the carcasses of giant-type magical beasts, had already surpassed the annual revenue of most large guilds. And the representative of that Ahjin Guild was Jin-Woo. Of course, it couldn't compare to the financial power of the world-renowned Scavenger Guild, but why would he reach out to them when he had no shortage of his own?
'And it's not like there's going to be a situation where I'd need the help of Thomas or Scavenger either…'
Just as he decided to go back to his original plan and refuse, something suddenly flashed through his mind.
'Wait, if it's Scavenger…'
Scavenger, the guild where the finest elites gathered and carried out the most active operations. The dungeons they had cleared were beyond counting, and the number of artifacts salvaged from those dungeons was immense. Perhaps. If it was the Scavenger Guild's warehouse, there might be something decent. Jin-Woo answered reluctantly.
"If it's a decent short sword…"
Lately, many opponents had been too tough for his "Demon King's Dagger" to cut through, owing to their immense defensive power. He figured it wouldn't be a bad idea to try changing weapons with the help of the Scavenger Guild on this occasion. Even if nothing particularly useful turned up, he had nothing to lose.
"A short sword… Understood. Thank you, Hunter-nim."
Laura, having gotten her answer, finished her notes with a bright expression and left the banquet hall. Adam, who had been nervously watching from the side, wondering if something was about to happen because of Goliath's sudden visit, approached with a sigh of relief.
"Hunter-nim, shall you begin meeting the Hunters on the list now?" "That's the plan." "Then allow me to guide you. Agents are stationed all around here, so it won't take long to find them." "No need."
Jin-Woo grinned.
"That won't be necessary."
Shadow Soldiers, already dispatched on Jin-Woo's orders, had been scouring the entire banquet hall, mapping out the Hunters' positions. All he had to do now was go meet them one by one. Adam, who hadn't the faintest idea what was going on, widened his eyes.
"Huh?"
Jin-Woo asked instead of answering.
"But why is one spot empty? I don't see number six." "How did you…"
When Jin-Woo shrugged, Adam nodded as if he understood.
'Ah, trade secrets…'
And continued speaking.
"They went silent a few days before the conference. Even the Brazilian government searched for them in secret, but their whereabouts are still unknown."
Jin-Woo nodded. He had just attached a shadow to number two, Thomas, and there was no sign of number three, Christopher Reed, or the Brazilian-born hunter at number six.
'So that leaves seven people.'
Jin-Woo said to Adam.
"Let's go." "Yes."
Jin-Woo went around the banquet hall with Adam, exchanging greetings with the Hunters on the list. He had asked Adam to arrange the meetings, and he also wanted to know, to some degree, who his shadow targets were. Starting from number one, Liu Zhikang, all the way down to number ten in order.
'Huh?' 'Is Hunter Sung Jin-Woo trying to expand his network here too?' 'But the Hunters he's approaching seem to be…'
The Hunters, having observed the caliber of those Jin-Woo approached first, began to hope that perhaps he would come talk to them as well.
'He's coming this way…!' 'Right, next must be me.'
The Hunters who had been anxiously waiting for Jin-Woo's greeting hung their heads in disappointment when he passed them by. The job was done quickly. Having attached Shadow Soldiers to every Hunter on the list, Jin-Woo left the banquet hall with his companions.
"Ah…"
The tenth-ranked Hunter who had exchanged the last greeting was so pleased that his voice went up, while the Hunters ranked eleventh and below silently sipped their drinks from that point on. That day, the Hunter Management Bureau, the host of the "Night of the Hunters" event, had to wrack their brains trying to find the cause of the unprecedented increase in alcohol consumption.
* * *
"Tomorrow's the last day, isn't it?"
The Deputy Director handed a coffee to Agent Adam, who had been slumped in his chair. Adam immediately straightened up and accepted the coffee respectfully.
"Thank you, sir."
The Deputy Director patted Adam on the shoulder and sat down next to him.
"When I heard the news that Goliath and Hunter Sung had clashed, I thought I was going to drop dead… But thanks to your efforts, it all worked out. You really did a great job." "Sir, you're too kind…"
His words said otherwise, but what subordinate would turn down a sincere compliment from their superior? Adam's face lit up. The Deputy Director, smiling warmly at his subordinate's genuine reaction, stopped mid-sip and asked.
"So, what was Hunter Sung like up close?"
Adam thought for a moment, then spoke.
"Sir, did you know? Hunter Sung Jin-Woo still trains every single day without fail." "Trains?" "Yes. I confirmed it myself. He runs ten kilometers every morning, does a hundred push-ups, and never skips sit-ups or squats either." "What?"
The Deputy Director's eyes went wide. Hunter Sung Jin-Woo, who could now be called the strongest Hunter without exaggeration, did such basic training every single day without exception? For a body that had already far surpassed the limits of humanity, what good was running? To the Deputy Director, who wore an expression of complete incomprehension, Adam continued his explanation.
"It's probably less about the body and more about sharpening the mind." "A spiritual discipline for mental fortitude…"
Adam nodded. His composure in the face of technology beyond anything modern science could offer, his diligence in never skipping a single day of training, and his mysterious ability to effortlessly restore a weary body and mind—to Adam, Jin-Woo was nothing short of astonishing. And the Deputy Director, who had been listening to Adam's account with genuine interest, wholeheartedly agreed with him.
"What a… truly remarkable fellow."
If only he were one of their American Hunters. He found himself envying Korea anew for having such a Hunter.
'Hmm? Was the coffee always this bitter?'
The Deputy Director found this coffee, which he usually drank with admiration, strangely bitter today, and in the end left half of it unfinished.
* * *
There's a saying. If you want to know where the office of the Chairman of the Korean Hunter's Association is, find the room where the lights go out last. Today, too, Ko Gun-Hee had stayed late in the Chairman's office, working overtime. Recently, as magical beasts grew stronger and the number of new Awakeners increased, incidents and accidents had been on the rise. For the Hunter's Association, which had to manage them all, this was a headache.
"Hm."
Ko Gun-Hee, setting down a document on his desk, rubbed his tired eyes.
'…That's strange.'
Strangely, the trembling in his heart hadn't stopped lately. Thump, thump. It wasn't as if his heart problems were a recent development, but his condition had grown noticeably worse of late.
'Is it… time at last?'
His personal physician had told him that if he didn't quit working immediately, he could lose his life within six months. One year, two years, just like that—and before he knew it, he'd come this far.
'Even if it's the end, there's nothing to be done. Making it this far is something, isn't it?'
A faint smile crossed Ko Gun-Hee's face. Heh. Why was that? In the past, he would have whipped himself into holding on longer, pushing himself just a bit more—but now he didn't feel that same anxiety.
'What's changed?'
What was different from before? Ko Gun-Hee, deep in thought, let out a small laugh at the all-too-obvious answer. Hunter Sung Jin-Woo. Now Korea, too, had the strength to hold back an S-rank catastrophe. With his very existence, Korea's standing had changed.
'That's right. Perhaps my heart…'
had endured all this time so that he could meet him?
Ko Gun-Hee laughed bitterly.
"Listen to me, saying such things."
The Chairman's words echoed through the empty office.
'Come to think of it, isn't tomorrow the day Hunter Sung Jin-Woo returns?'
Tomorrow, he would sit down Manager Woo Jin-Cheol and hear about Hunter Sung Jin-Woo's exploits firsthand from someone who had witnessed them—and the thought alone made his heart race already. Just then. Ring, ring—ring, ring—the phone suddenly rang.
'A call at this hour?'
He couldn't help but wonder if some major incident had broken out somewhere again. Ko Gun-Hee picked up the receiver with a sense of unease.
"—Everything alright today, dear?"
It was his wife.
"…Honey."
The voice of his wife, checking in on her husband who hadn't come home by his usual time, gradually softened Ko Gun-Hee's rigid expression.
"Nothing's wrong. I was actually just about to head ho—"
But then, with a crackle, the phone signal cut out.
"…Honey? Honey?"
Of course, no answer came from his wife. What was going on? As Ko Gun-Hee tilted his head and was about to set down the receiver, he unconsciously glanced out the window.
'…!'
He was rendered speechless. Everything that should have been visible outside the window had vanished without a trace. The buildings, the roads, the people. All that remained was a fathomless, pitch-black darkness. In mere seconds, the view outside had completely transformed. It was impossible.
"How… how can this be?"
In the instant Ko Gun-Hee shot to his feet in shock, he realized that someone he had never once seen before was sitting on the sofa in the Chairman's office. As if they had been there from the very start.
'A person…? No. It isn't the aura of a human.'
It wasn't just the aura. A face as pale as a corpse, long, pure-white hair, pointed ears, and silver eyes that gleamed like jewels. An Ice Elf. Or a Baekgui. But even Ko Gun-Hee had not been able to sense the faintest trace of the being's entrance. Ko Gun-Hee slowly placed the receiver he was still holding back in its cradle. And quietly asked.
"Who… are you?"