Chapter 5

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Translator: 8uhl

Chapter: 5

Chapter Title: Rapids

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Han Seung-woo, who had been looking down at Lee Ru-ri with her brows furrowed, spoke up.

"Rest until we arrive at headquarters. I'll go meet Cheon Ye-jong."

Han Seung-woo patted Lee Ru-ri's shoulder a couple of times before moving over to where Cheon Ye-jong was bound.

'He's probably behind that door.'

Lee Ru-ri stared fixedly at the small door Han Seung-woo had entered, her body tense as she sank into thought.

'Is it just my imagination, or is the situation getting more and more tangled?'

She didn't like any of this at all and lost track of time as she fell deep into worry.

The bus came to an abrupt halt, apparently having reached headquarters.

Peering outside, her eyes were drawn to a magnificent crystal building.

The Association headquarters never failed to inspire awe and intimidation.

"This way."

Han Seung-woo guided Lee Ru-ri to the Association's guest room.

"You can stay here. Resolving the Cheon Ye-jong crew incident will take quite some time. I know it's inconvenient, but it's for your safety, so please cooperate, Miss Lee ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Ru-ri."

"Yes... Understood."

Han Seung-woo bowed politely and left.

"Ah, this is all because of that damn bitch. Ugh, ptui."

Han Seung-woo stared expressionlessly at Cheon Ye-jong, who spat blood from his mouth toward him from across the room.

"Again."

The two men standing on either side of Cheon Ye-jong delivered hard blows to his stomach at Han Seung-woo's command.

"Ugh! Cough. Ha, fuck."

"Cheon Ye-jong, denying it won't help. Twenty hunters have fallen victim to the murderer named Cheon Ye-jong. No more."

"At least bring that bitch here! Ah, I really should've killed her with my own hands for sure."

"Clean him up and hand him over to the Surveillance Division."

"Yes."

Han Seung-woo gave the orders to the two men, then wiped the flecks of Cheon Ye-jong's blood from his face with a handkerchief as he rose from his seat.

'The biggest headache is settled for now. Next up, Lee Ru-ri...'

Han Seung-woo closely examined Lee Ru-ri's information, which was displayed in his activated status window.

'A solo gate clear by an F-rank healer with errors in her healing values—at a glance, her aura is vastly different from before. I need to start with a re-evaluation, somewhere out of Han Ho and Han Gyeol's sight.'

Han Seung-woo immediately sent a message to Yang Jeong-hyun.

As he whipped around to head for the guest room where Lee Ru-ri was staying, Choi Si-jin urgently called out to stop him.

"Director!"

"What?"

"Vice Chairman is summoning you."

"He's already here?"

"Professor Jo-an was badly injured, so he returned to assemble a follow-up team."

"Damn it, let's go now."

Han Seung-woo and Choi Si-jin headed for Association Vice Chairman Han Gyeol's room.

Han Gyeol's secretary jumped to her feet and bowed deeply upon seeing Han Seung-woo.

Han Seung-woo gestured for her to sit, then quietly instructed Choi Si-jin.

"I've contacted Professor Yang, so take Miss Lee Ru-ri there right away."

"Got it."

Han Seung-woo watched Choi Si-jin's retreating figure for a moment before striding into Han Gyeol's room.

"You're here?"

"Yes."

"Make it quick."

"Cheon Ye-jong has been handed over to the Surveillance Division."

"I see. Caught him thanks to Lee Ru-ri, huh?"

Han Gyeol gazed warmly at Han Seung-woo, who flinched at the mention of Lee Ru-ri's name, then let out a smirk.

"Well, that woman's not my type anyway, so no need for that look."

Han Gyeol slowly rose from his chair and walked over to the large monitor displaying real-time updates on gate creation sites as he continued.

"Things have been off lately."

"What do you mean?"

"My father—he says the gate energy feels strange. I can't tell if it's just age making him unsteady or if something big is really brewing."

"I'll look into it."

"Good. Go."

Han Seung-woo had been thinking the same—that the gate phenomena seemed unstable.

After perfectly clearing the first gate, Namsan Tower Gate, gates had generated in a consistent pattern regardless of clear counts.

But recently—more precisely since the An Young-hoon crew incident—the rate of new gate generations had started accelerating bit by bit.

To the point where there weren't enough hunters to raid them all now.

Association Chairman Han Ho seemed to have sensed it too.

So it wasn't just Han Seung-woo's unfounded worry.

He immediately called Choi Si-jin, whom he'd sent to Lee Ru-ri.

"Si-jin."

—Yes, Director!

"Set up a meeting with the Gate Status Management Division chief. Any slot immediately."

—Got it.

"Lee Ru-ri."

—She's heading there with Jeong-hyun noona right now.

"I'll be right there."

—Yes!

Han Seung-woo hurried to Yang Jeong-hyun's lab.

Yang Jeong-hyun was already examining Lee Ru-ri from every angle.

A mana analyzer whirred busily on one side.

Probably testing Lee Ru-ri's mana.

"How is it?"

"Oh, Director Han. Even a rough look shows something's up. You're keeping this from the Hans, right?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll handle it personally. I'll discard all results from here on sight."

"Understood."

Just then, a message arrived for Han Seung-woo.

Urgency seeped from Han Gyeol's message.

'What's so urgent?'

Han Seung-woo said to Choi Si-jin.

"Vice Chairman's summoning me. Handle that meeting schedule from earlier and look after Ru-ri."

"Yes! Safe travels."

Han Seung-woo hurriedly returned to Han Gyeol.

Yang Jeong-hyun watched him rush out of the lab, then turned to Lee Ru-ri.

"Ru-ri, you have some idea of your condition, right?"

"Pardon? I don't really..."

"No way you don't."

"Noona, is it serious? Don't scare Ru-ri—she's delicate."

Lee Ru-ri chuckled quietly to herself at Choi Si-jin's words.

'Delicate, huh.'

Yang Jeong-hyun looked slightly taken aback by Choi Si-jin's comment, then smiled warmly and patted Lee Ru-ri's shoulder.

"No need to worry. At the very least, the stats alone show you're no F-rank."

"Ah... But my healing output hasn't changed at all..."

"There might've been an issue with the position evaluation. The report did note some errors. A precise exam ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠will clear it up."

The words "precise exam" triggered the tinnitus that had long tormented Lee Ru-ri.

—Hide! You have to hide! Can't let them find you! Survive—at least you survive!

Lee Ru-ri abruptly clutched her ears, collapsed, and went deathly pale. The panicked Yang Jeong-hyun and Choi Si-jin rushed to support her.

"Oh my, Ru-ri! What's wrong?!"

Lee Ru-ri clenched her molars, desperately trying to calm herself.

The chaotic tinnitus had caused her trouble more than once or twice.

Her body might have toughened from countless solo gate clears, but her mind seemed frozen in that ancient moment when the ringing first began.

'Ugh, please...'

Yang Jeong-hyun and Choi Si-jin waited anxiously for her to settle, faces full of concern.

The tinnitus clawed persistently at her brain but finally ebbed after a while.

Color slowly returned to Lee Ru-ri's face.

"Haa..."

Yang Jeong-hyun watched her slump back against the chair with a deep sigh, then peered intently at the monitor.

"Ru-ri, your brainwaves are wildly unstable. They're calming now, but does this happen often?"

"Not often, but it's like a chronic condition I've suffered from for a long time..."

"Hmm."

As she listened to their talk, a call came in for Choi Si-jin, who was handling Han Seung-woo's errands.

"Director?"

—Choi Si-jin, any healers available for immediate deployment right now?

At Han Seung-woo's words, Choi Si-jin scanned his status window for Association upper-rank healers not on active raids.

"Hmm, all the upper-rank healers are out on raids right now."

—B-rank or even lower is fine.

"What's going on?"

—A gate opened in Japan.

"Eh?!"

Choi Si-jin's extreme surprise drew puzzled looks from Yang Jeong-hyun and Lee Ru-ri simultaneously.

"Director! Aren't gate phenomena only confirmed in Korea?!"

—Details later. Five healers. It's urgent—rank doesn't matter. Find them now.

"Yes!"

Choi Si-jin checked the healer list again.

Yang Jeong-hyun asked.

"What's the commotion?"

"A gate opened in Japan! Seems like total emergency!"

"Japan? What nonsense is that?"

"The Director didn't sound like he was spouting nonsense. Need to find healers—ah! Ru-ri's a healer too... right?"

"Y-Yeah...?"

"If you're feeling okay now, come along! Full emergency!"

Choi Si-jin kept monitoring the healer roster in his status window as he headed to Han Seung-woo with Lee Ru-ri in tow.

"Director! Secured Ru-ri as the first one!"

"Ah, good. Miss Lee Ru-ri, please stand by for a bit. I'll explain on departure."

"Yesss..."

Han Seung-woo and Choi Si-jin frantically dialed and messaged from their spots.

Lee Ru-ri sat still, observing them and piecing together what might be happening.

"Still short?"

A man radiating an immense aura entered through the door.

'Whoa, what a beast of a physique.'

While admiring his build for a moment, Choi Si-jin started fawning excitedly.

"Vi-Vice Chairman! You came all the way here yourself... Just one more to secure!"

"Tea."

The man sank onto the sofa opposite Lee Ru-ri and ordered the attendant who'd followed him to fetch tea.

"Lee Ru-ri, right?"

"Ah! Y-Yes, hello!"

"I'm Han Gyeol. This one's coming along today too?"

"Yes, Vice Chairman."

"Well, as long as we fill the headcount, doesn't matter. Haha!"

Han Gyeol laughed heartily.

'Arrogant and obnoxious.'

Still, it was her first time seeing an S-rank dealer up close.

Han Gyeol gulped down his tea and eyed Lee Ru-ri.

"You might've heard, but a gate opened in Japan. In 70 years, not one has ever opened outside Korea. They don't know gate management there, no hunters either. Seems like quite a few people have died."

"Ah, I see..."

"Gate rank's unconfirmed too. But still short?"

"Time to go."

Han Gyeol, Han Seung-woo, and Lee Ru-ri headed for the rooftop where planes awaited.

Two planes and four healers stood ready on the rooftop.

'We heading out like this?'

As she wondered inwardly, someone vaulted over from the opposite building's rooftop with insane speed and thrust.

"You're late. Depart."

Up close, it was an old man emanating an aura even greater than Han ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Gyeol's.

She knew instantly.

Korea's one and only S-rank tank, Association Chairman Han Ho—still dazzlingly active at the forefront, making his 90 years seem a lie.

At Han Ho's words, everyone tensed for a split second before splitting into groups of four and boarding the planes.

"Weapons managed?"

Han Seung-woo answered Han Gyeol's question.

"Managed, even if not in use."

"You could hit S-rank quick if you trained more. Ah, other healers' ranks?"

"All B-rank except Miss Lee Ru-ri."

"Five healers blasting heals? We'll be fine."

Amid the back-and-forth chatter, they arrived in Japan before long.

Narita Airport's billboard broadcast live footage of Tokyo Tower—a bloodbath from monsters surging out of the gate.

Everyone stood frozen, speechless at the gruesome scene.

"Oh dear, thank you for the long journey."

A man with slightly stiff but fluent Korean approached, trailed by a sizable entourage.

Han Ho shared a warm embrace with him, then asked gravely.

"Damage looks severe. You took the measures I suggested?"

"Yes, Chairman. Sealed the perimeter and confronting armed, as you said."

"Good call. Leave the rest to us—keep watch for any other gates nearby."

"Truly grateful. How to repay such grace..."

Han Ho unleashed his signature overwhelming aura to the max and addressed the hunters following him.

"No more casualties tolerated. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Eyes sharp."

Taught with tension at Han Ho's command, they headed for Tokyo Tower.