Chapter 66: Even the Absolute Being Is a First-Time Dad
Absolute One's First Time Being a Dad - Episode 66
"Have these people lost their minds...?"
Choi Min-ki, who had unwisely escalated his arrogant tone, began glaring at Kang-jun with murderous intent.
Meanwhile, Kang-jun remained utterly indifferent to that gaze, responding with nothing but calm composure.
"If you run out right now and buy chocolate macarons, I might graciously forgive you."
At those words, Choi Min-ki's expression turned icy as he muttered through gritted teeth, "You little shit..." His voice trembled with rage as he stepped aggressively toward Kang-jun...
"You don't seem inclined to buy macarons."
"What?"
"Then you'll compensate me for them."
Choi Min-ki furrowed his brow deeply and snapped back, "How much could those damn macarons possibly cost...?"
"I never said anything about monetary compensation."
Kang-jun added coldly:
"I'll take payment from your teeth."
What he truly wanted was to rip out every last tooth and tongue that had dared chew and swallow the chocolate macarons meant for his daughter's mouth.
No...
He burned with the desire to sear that insolent mouth shut with a branding iron for its utter lack of self-awareness. But of course, he couldn't do that.
"Ten should suffice."
With that, Kang-jun lightly tapped Bong-gu's back with his palm—"Tok."
Simultaneously, Bong-gu lost his balance, staggering wildly as his arms flailed about.
"Whoa—?!"
Inadvertently colliding with Choi Min-ki, Bong-gu desperately grabbed the man's collar to avoid falling.
"Hey—?!"
The two became entangled, swaying drunkenly as if dancing a waltz.
CRASH!
A deafening impact echoed as Choi Min-ki's face slammed into the table.
CRACK—!
The solid wood table split cleanly in half from the force, sending sawdust and debris flying.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye.
As the cloud of dust and wood particles began settling across the conference room...
"What the hell...?"
The hunters who had been watching the sudden altercation with keen interest now wore expressions of utter bewilderment.
The first thing they saw was Choi Min-ki sprawled between the broken table halves, eyes rolled back with foam at his mouth.
"Is he dead...?"
Their gazes then shifted to Bong-gu, who had landed hard on his tailbone and was now rubbing it gingerly.
"Ow..."
At that moment, Kang-jun picked up the fallen macaron bag.
"Fucking idiot nearly died..."
He dusted off the bag with visible irritation.
"Tch, the bag's all crumpled now..."
Meanwhile, the other hunters remained completely oblivious to what had just transpired.
"What... what just...?"
"Did anyone...?"
"What the hell...?"
One hunter finally spoke up.
"I think I saw Filial Son Kim Bong-gu grab Choi Min-ki's sleeve real tight..."
Another quickly agreed.
"Yeah, same. Saw it clear as day."
"Looked like a judo throw..."
"Just slammed him right into the table, huh?"
From their perspective, it appeared Bong-gu had lost his temper and suplexed Choi Min-ki onto the table.
"Damn, they call him a new hero, but he's just a hothead, isn't he?"
The Ice Witch Seol Eun-bin gasped dramatically, unable to hide her shock.
"Even if Choi Min-ki started it with that nonsense, was it really necessary to go that far...?"
The Black Wolf Kang Sung-hyun tilted his head slightly before responding in a low voice.
"Given the extreme rudeness displayed, I'd say the response was proportionate."
Then, almost musing to himself, he added:
"Though I must say... for someone labeled a 'magic-type Awakened,' his martial prowess is astonishingly refined."
As Sung-hyun lavished praise, the "Swift Blade" Yun Hee-soo cautiously voiced skepticism.
"Doesn't this seem... off?"
She tightened her ponytail and murmured:
"Why would someone of that caliber still be stuck at B-rank...?"
Her gaze then drifted toward the "manager" standing behind Bong-gu.
"And I could've sworn it wasn't Kim Bong-gu who moved just now, but that manager next to him..."
For reasons she couldn't articulate, Hee-soo's attention kept returning to the impassive man who now calmly dusted off the macaron bag, utterly unfazed by the chaos.
Though there was no concrete evidence—just a mountain of suspicious circumstances...
'Everything about him feels wrong.'
Go Du-yeol shared the sentiment.
"No doubt..."
Du-yeol was certain Kang-jun had orchestrated the entire incident.
"What kind of training could produce such terrifying skill...?"
As the atmosphere grew tense, filled only with hushed murmurs...
SCREEEECH—
The conference room door opened, revealing Director Seo Do-cheol of the Awakened Management Bureau. His eyes swept across the scene.
A table split in half. Hunters looking shell-shocked. Choi Min-ki foaming at the mouth on the floor. Bong-gu massaging his forehead beside him.
"Sigh..."
After a long exhale, Director Seo pieced together the situation and spoke.
"Hunter Kim Bong-gu."
Bong-gu tensed visibly, his voice shrinking to a mumble. "Y-yes...?"
"As you know, the Bureau always emphasizes 'cooperation' and 'teamwork' among hunters."
"Yes..."
"We understand it's not easy, but at least in official settings, please refrain from conflicts."
The director rubbed his temples before continuing sternly:
"We don't expect all hunters to be best friends."
"My apologies..."
"But at the very least, avoid relationships that involve shouting matches or physical altercations."
He then delivered the verdict:
"After this reclamation operation concludes, you'll face disciplinary action and fines."
Once again, responsibility fell squarely on Bong-gu's shoulders.
"Understood. I'll accept the punishment..."
Director Seo nodded at the prompt response before shifting gears with bureaucratic detachment.
"With our scheduled time approaching, let's begin the pre-mission briefing for the Southeast Asia Reclamation Team."
He gestured to staff behind him.
Choi Min-ki—still foaming at the mouth—was carried out on a stretcher.
Diagnosis: Multiple contusions, orbital fractures, and dislocations requiring 20 weeks of treatment.
That day,
Choi Min-ki sustained injuries typically seen only when civilians get hit by dump trucks.
The price he paid was for selfishly devouring Seol-i's favorite chocolate-flavored macarons.
As the beam of light from the projector hit the wall, a detailed map of the East Asian continent materialized.
"Reclamation teams from over 20 nations worldwide will participate in this operation," explained Director Seo Do-cheol, using a long pointer to indicate the Himalayan border between Nepal and India. "Each team will be deployed across strategic locations in East Asia."
"The Korean Reclamation Team will be stationed near the India-Nepal border region of Sonauli," he continued, moving his pointer westward. "From Sonauli, our forces will advance westward, eliminating all encountered monsters."
The pointer's tip eventually landed on New Delhi, India's former capital. "Our secondary objective is to penetrate the Calamity-grade Gate in New Delhi."
Murmurs rippled through the conference room. Most attendees had assumed this would be a standard monster suppression operation along the continent's periphery.
"Yes, this is an extremely dangerous mission," Director Seo acknowledged, silencing the room. "Anyone wishing to withdraw may do so immediately without consequence."
His statement implicitly confirmed even the Bureau recognized this operation's recklessness.
One hunter cautiously raised his hand. "Why attempt a Gate even the Global Awakened Association abandoned years ago?"
"The Reclamation Team's ultimate purpose," Director Seo responded quietly, "is survival and rescuing lost comrades."
The room stirred again.
"You all remember our nation's top hunter who disappeared six months ago inside New Delhi's Calamity-grade Gate." Director Seo paused dramatically before enunciating each syllable: "Jung Yoon-chan. The Time Reaper."
Before his disappearance, Jung had maintained an unshakable hold on Korea's #1 hunter ranking.
"After thorough analysis, our Bureau and several S-rank hunters concluded Hunter Jung likely still survives." Director Seo drove his point home: "This is literally a life-or-death operation. Will those still committed to the Reclamation Team please remain?"
What followed was an exodus.
"Not dying for nothing."
"Count me out."
"This is suicide."
Like a receding tide, hunters streamed from the conference room—all except the S-rankers and one unexpected figure.
"Last chance to back out," Ice Witch Seol Eun-bin mused, eyeing Bong-gu curiously.
Bong-gu glanced behind him at Kang-jun, who stood cradling the macaron bag. "I... I'm going."
Black Wolf Kang Sung-hyun nodded approvingly. "Knew you'd stay."
Director Seo clapped his hands sharply. "Then our team is set. Let's begin the proper briefing."
The wall display changed to show an image of Return Stones. "As mentioned, after rescuing our comrade from the Calamity-grade Gate, we'll escape using these."
Ice Witch whistled. "Director Scrooge actually splurged on Return Stones?"
The exorbitantly expensive escape items—always in short supply—confirmed the mission's importance.
When Bong-gu hesitantly raised another question—"How can we be certain Hunter Jung survives?"—the S-rankers exchanged glances.
Director Seo took a deep breath. "While Hunter Jung's ability has restrictive conditions... when met, he can reverse time."
This explained both Jung's flawless gate conquests and his epithet: Time Reaper.
"Two weeks from now," Director Seo concluded, "you'll deploy to Sonauli on the India-Nepal border."
Kang-jun, counting on his fingers, muttered: "If we follow their schedule... might miss Seol-i's kindergarten entrance..."
Unless...
"If we work faster than planned, finish in one day... perfect solution."
Two weeks evaporated instantly.
"Desolate," someone remarked as Korea's elite twelve hunters—supported by auxiliary staff—first set foot in Sonauli.
Once habitable, the border town was now a wasteland where not even ants survived. Devoid of infrastructure and further ravaged by monsters from the Calamity-grade Gate, it resembled scorched earth.
Black Wolf Kang Sung-hyun, squinting against sand-laden winds, initiated the briefing: "We'll advance west from here, eliminating all hostiles until reaching New Delhi." His finger circled the red-marked capital on the map. "After penetrating the Gate, we execute our primary objective: extraction."
As everyone absorbed the plan, Kang Sung-hyun suddenly frowned. "Wait—Filial Son Bong-gu." He scanned the area behind the hunter. "Where's your manager?"
Kang-jun had mysteriously vanished.