Chapter 164
Chapter 164
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 164
Chapter Title: Dragania Underground (3)
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“But.... will I be of any help? It should be easy to find ex-military personnel......”
“It's good to hide things, but once you're on my team, no more hiding.”
“Pardon?”
“I know you're a Superpower user.”
“!”
Kwak Hyun-tae had lost count of how many times he'd been shocked today. The mage standing before him felt like an all-knowing god.
*Just what the hell is this guy?*
He'd always prided himself on his wits. He'd lived skillfully, hiding his true self with ease. Yet here was someone who had seen right through him.
“Smart choice not revealing your invisibility. It wouldn't have done you any favors in the military.”
“Ha, haha...”
Caught red-handed, Kwak Hyun-tae let out an awkward laugh. There was a reason he'd kept his Superpower hidden: invisibility.
As everyone knew, invisibility offered almost no combat prowess. Against monsters, it was hit-or-miss due to their senses of smell and hearing. Still, as a Superpower user, he'd inevitably be assigned to recon missions—fatally dangerous for someone with his low combat ability. That was his calculus for staying hidden.
“Don't worry. No one's died on my team yet. We won't use you as cannon fodder.”
“Do you have some mind-reading artifact or something?”
“Maybe.”
As Suhyun stepped out, the Director spoke up as if he'd been waiting.
“Is the talk over?”
“Yes, thanks to you.”
*He's more impressive than I thought...*
Kwak Hyun-tae thought, treading carefully. The Director's attitude made it clear Suhyun wasn't under him. Suhyun beckoned to Kwak.
“?”
“Take this.”
“What is it?”
“A cash chip. Use it to clean up that embezzlement mess. Don't let rumors linger.”
“Do you even know how much I embezzled?”
“You have no idea how rich I am. Pocket change. Check the amount, wrap things up, then contact me. I guarantee you'll count meeting me as your lucky break.”
With that, Suhyun left with the Director. Kwak glanced around, then hurriedly checked the chip.
“What the—how much did he...?!”
His legs gave out, and he toppled backward.
* * *
“Fine with Second Lieutenant Mun Seo-yeon, but that sergeant? I just don't get it.”
“He's more capable than he looks. He'll be useful. Where's Second Lieutenant Mun now?”
“Tried contacting her. She's off-base on an op in Euterpe.”
“Damn.”
“Superpower users in the military are always busy. And she's one of the best.... Anyway, request's in. She'll come as soon as she arrives.”
“That'll take months. We'll skip her for this job.”
“Pardon? This job?”
“Oh, forgot to mention. Heading to the Dragania Basin.”
“??”
The Director thought he'd misheard. At first. But Suhyun's expression was dead serious, so he asked again.
“Where?”
“Dragania Basin. Underground, specifically.”
“Absolutely not!”
“It's fine. I've thought it through and prepped.”
“The Dragon Slayer Project was 'prepped' too!”
“That wasn't my project.”
The Director looked ready to grab Suhyun's leg. His panic was understandable. After the bloodbath of Dragon Slayer, if the nation's sole mage died there....
“But who's this guy?”
“Hey, don't change the subj—.”
Interrupted mid-protest, the Director grumbled but looked up to answer.
“From AD development.”
“AD? You mean....”
“Yeah, where they made the Black Bear.”
Spotting the Director as they approached, the man greeted him warmly.
“Man, it's been ages, Director. And this is?”
“Nice to meet you. Kim Suhyun.”
“Wait, *the* Kim Suhyun...?”
“Yes, that's him.”
The Director confirmed, and the man leaped forward, grabbing and shaking Suhyun's hand.
“Whoa, what an honor! Never thought I'd meet you like this!”
“What's this?”
Suhyun feigned ignorance, pointing at the Black Bear behind him. The man grinned.
“New Black Bear Power Armor from our division. Far superior to civilian Panthers, on par with the U.S. military's Odin. Top speed is...”
He rattled off specs with clear expertise. The Director nodded in admiration, but Suhyun was dumbfounded.
*These bastards.*
“Actually, Team Leader Kim Suhyun here has some real skill piloting Power Armor.”
“Really?! If you're up for an ad with our company, hit us up. Mercs would line up to ride whatever the famous Kim Suhyun uses.”
“It's military-grade, isn't it?”
“Haha, we're eyeing civilian markets with downgraded versions.”
*Downgraded my ass...*
“Mind if I take it for a spin?”
“Pardon?”
The man looked flustered. Why would a mage want to pilot Power Armor himself?
Superpower users generally didn't. Except rare cases awakening from Power Armor pilot backgrounds. So he'd relaxed....
“W-wait a sec.”
He hurried back, whispering.
“Hey, the guy's asking to pilot it. That's fine, right? Don't want trouble.”
“Huh? Who's piloting?”
“The mage, you idiot. The mage!”
“You think a mage knows how to pilot Power Armor? Got a license?”
Suhyun, eavesdropping quietly, shrugged.
“Dunno. Says he can pilot. Probably not great. No fancy acrobatics—just basic maneuvers. Should be fine.”
“It's fully tuned, so yeah.”
“Really fine? If the mage crashes, we're both screwed.”
“No sweat. Not doing split-S or yo-yos in the air.... He's a newbie. Just left-right, up-down. Engine's a demo unit—zero issues.”
“Alright, we're good?”
The man returned, clapping.
“All set. Careful getting in. Armor can take a beating, but if Kim Suhyun the mage gets hurt, it's a national loss, right?”
“As long as the Power Armor's solid, how would I get hurt?”
Suhyun climbed into the Black Bear's cockpit. Different from the early version Lee So-hee piloted, but just like the one he'd handled before.
“Ease into takeoff... What the—?!”
Before the man could finish, Suhyun blasted off. Two runway hops, boosters fired, soaring into the air. The man's face drained of color.
“Team Leader Kim Suhyun! Don't push it! No need to!”
The Director's concern was genuine, but Suhyun ignored him, maneuvering in the sky. The man rushed over, grabbing his subordinate's collar.
“What now!?”
“N-not my fault! I said he couldn't pilot it well!”
“When did I say that! Crazy.... What if he pulls advanced maneuvers?”
“Worst case, mid-air stall....”
Suhyun's Power Armor shot up, then whipped around sharply. Sending trailing monsters ahead, then reclaiming rear guard—a must-have for any pilot. But his skill was otherworldly. Any pro would've gasped in awe.
“Stall....”
Clunk.
“Huh?”
The Director tilted his head as the Power Armor froze mid-air.
“It's crashing!”
Not super high, but enough to injure. Cockpit protection or not, the pilot wasn't ordinary.
“Why's it doing that?!”
“Uh, well....”
Crash!
Suhyun had cut power deliberately, letting it drop. Telekinesis could absorb the impact anyway. He popped the cockpit, storming out furious.
“What the hell is this?”
“Uh.... Not a piloting issue....”
“What? Piloting issue? You're saying *I* messed up?”
“N-no, not that. Each Power Armor's got quirks. Switching from another model to Black Bear can mismatch like that....”
The Director stared at the man like he was insane. Even to him, it sounded like bullshit.
* * *
“Feels a bit tiring after so long....”
Back after wrapping things up, Suhyun reviewed Dragania Basin underground files again.
*Golem's no problem.*
Fusion was for beating Superpower-resistant foes. Layering powers into one attack. It worked on the Twin-Headed Ogre, so it'd pierce the golem.
*It doesn't attack proactively, so the ruins aren't that deadly. If it blocked intruders fully, it'd attack on approach. Only striking when neared means... likely a pass condition.*
Even more so if a shelter. Golems letting qualified pass, blocking others. Amazing tech, but plausible. Other races pulled off human-shocking feats sometimes.
*Finding the condition's a stretch. Means forcing through....*
Dragon worries aside, pure underground concern was post-golem.
A place using such golems as gatekeepers wouldn't be easy after. And Suhyun had never been there.
Noise outside. Through the window, Kwak Hyun-tae bantered with the team. Ex-military bonding fast.
*Knew it'd play out like that.*
Invisibility was useful, but Suhyun didn't crave it now. He brought Kwak for his brains. The man judged situations with ice-cold precision Suhyun admired.
“Hey. Quit yapping and come up.”
“Yes.”
“Read this. Analyze threats.”
“Pardon??”
“What, no confidence?”
“I've been here less than a week....”
“How much did you get paid?”
“I'll do my absolute best.”
Kwak snapped to attention, diving into files. Suhyun's gaze burned.
*He won't demand the money back if I'm useless, right?*
“Won't make you cough up the cash, so relax.”
“!!!!!!”
Kwak looked up, aghast.
“Mind-reading after all...?”
“Maybe. Eyes on the files, not me.”
Time passed. Kwak nodded—he was done.
“Thoughts?”
“The Superpower users in the video coming with?”
“Yeah.”
“Damn, where'd you find those....”
“You'd faint at mine.”
“No clue how to take it down, honestly.”
“Good start. Go on.”
“Don't think I can puzzle out beating it.... Better find a bypass. No need to fight unless we must—too risky.”
“Bypass without fighting?”
“If it's a shelter, there's probably a pass condition. Find it, sneak through. Fail that, diversion: one draws eyes, others slip by.”
Eclipse and Chairman Charles had scouted the underground ruins, clearing obstacles for later passage.
They had the muscle for it. If they couldn't, no one could.
But Kwak Hyun-tae, far from that power, sought to avoid fights. True to his nature.
“What do you think?”
Like a new hire in an interview, Kwak eyed Suhyun cautiously.
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