199. US Monster Extermination Request (3)
199. US Monster Extermination Request (3)
"It's a little awkward for us to say this when it's only our second request, but the U.S. Monster Subjugation Request is a bit unusual."
I had gathered the party members before we left for the U.S.,
to explain things and avoid repeating the unexpected situation we'd faced in Jukai Forest.
"Unusual, you say?"
At Sofia's question, I nodded.
"Well, once you start taking them on, subsequent requests keep coming to you specifically as nomination requests based on your results. And the pay is considerably more generous compared to other requests."
"Ah, so it's kind of like being a contracted hunter for a guild?"
"Yeah, exactly. More or less the same."
Even if this was a world of mind-boggling patriotic fervor where the Great Gate Era has opened and South Korea is the number one hunter power in the world,
the influence of the United States was still undeniable.
While most nations had focused almost desperately on training their own hunters after the Gate Incident, as if their feet were held to the fire,
the U.S. had split its focus and turned its attention to the equipment hunters use.
Consequently, the U.S. accounted for a significant share of the cutting-edge equipment hunters currently use.
'Well, recently, all sorts of cheap equipment has been coming in from China, but depending on what gear you use, you can practically gain an extra life. Yeah, American-made really is the best.'
Even just looking at the items issued to the Utopia Party members right now, most were made in the U.S.
Anyway, that's how the U.S. hit a second golden age, raking in massive profits by exporting expensive hunter goods.
They chose to hire hunters from other countries with money to handle their own incidents and accidents, instead of trying to rescue their vast territory with their own power alone.
In that process, it was standard practice to scout outstanding hunters by offering various benefits, or to push for immigration and naturalization.
"...Scouts. Do you think we'll get offers like that?"
Lee Yu-ri spoke, clutching the golden shield she had received from Chairwoman Rina tightly in her arms.
"No."
The one who answered was Shin Se-hee.
"We're affiliated with Velvet Hunter Academy, so an approach that blatant is impossible. They'll probe once, and if they sense it's a no, they'll back off immediately. Even the U.S. can't ignore Chairwoman Rina's influence."
At that, Lee Yu-ri and Ichika couldn't help but recall how she had looked just moments ago—
handing over the shield, engraving the Subspace Tattoo, and grumbling nonstop under her breath.
'...That person, is she really at that level?'
"You don't have to worry too much about the scouting side. But there's something else you should be worried about."
I cut in to steer the conversation back on track as it was about to veer off somewhere else.
"What is it?"
"Other parties. Quite a few other parties will be gathering for this request."
Within Velvet Academy, it feels like we're representing the whole school,
but hunters from other countries, and guilds not affiliated with the academy, have no reason to care what we think.
That's exactly how much the U.S. Monster Subjugation Request had people everywhere salivating over it!
The moment I mentioned the presence of other parties,
the party members' faces hardened.
Because so far, every time we'd tangled with another party on a mission, things had never gone well.
"Other guilds..."
"We're the academy's representatives..."
"Then, could they try to pull something behind our backs...?"
Seeing the party members' stiff faces, I let out a small snicker.
'Actually, they're the ones who should be worried, but, well, a healthy sense of tension isn't bad. Should I just let it be?'
"Now that I've explained everything I needed to, shall we get going? To the U.S."
Right after I finished explaining.
Utopia headed for the United States using the spatial movement formation.
This time, it was the entire Utopia, including Shin Se-hee.
* * *
Hummm—
Unlike Japan, where a crowd of people had been waiting in front,
here in the U.S., only a single foreign man with pomaded, slicked-back hair in a suit came out.
"Welcome. Utopia members of Velvet Hunter Academy. I have been waiting. Welcome to the United States."
Flawless Korean flowed from the foreigner's mouth.
The Korean was so natural that if his mouth shape hadn't matched the voice, I would have mistaken it for the capability of a translation device.
He gave a slight bow and extended his hand with a relaxed attitude.
"Yes, hello. So, you're... Richard?"
The one who took his hand was Shin Se-hee.
It was only natural for her to step forward in situations that required negotiations with another country.
As if he hadn't expected her to know his name, a flicker of surprise crossed Richard's eyes for a moment.
He immediately composed his face and nodded.
"Yes, that is correct. I am Richard Parkers, affiliated with the U.S. Hunter Association. Cheonhwa."
"Hmm, for you, who is evaluated as a promising talent by the current U.S. Hunter Association, to come out here means you assess our Utopia quite highly. Thank you for the warm welcome."
"...Pardon? Yes, th-thank you?"
From the very start, Shin Se-hee smoothly seized control of the conversation in an instant, like flowing water.
"Hmm, I'm sorry, but may we get straight to the point? Are we moving to the site via helicopter from here?"
"...Yes, that is correct. It's a location about an hour away by helicopter."
"I see, Bannack, Montana. The site of the dungeon explosion five years ago, right?"
"Yes, yes..."
"Hmm, it's a dungeon explosion area, not a dungeon where broadcasting equipment fails... Then, does the U.S. plan to broadcast the Bannack area operation?"
"...!"
"Then we'll need a separate discussion on that as well, won't we?"
Shin Se-hee said this with a gentle, harmless smile.
'...They warned me that Cheonhwa was no ordinary person, so I should be careful. This—this is just a straight-up monster...!'
He felt as if his entire prepared scenario had been laid bare before he could even open his mouth properly.
"Ah, haha. L-let us do that. Let us talk while we move by helicopter."
Even as he was drenched in cold sweat, he had no choice but to force a smile on the outside.
*
Whup-whup-whup-whup-whup─
During the helicopter ride to the site.
Shin Se-hee finished negotiating several aspects of the Monster Subjugation Request with Richard.
"Hmm, that was a productive conversation. Richard."
"...Ha. Haha. Th-thank you. Cheonhwa."
Shin Se-hee, stepping out of the helicopter, somehow looked like she'd become refreshed and lively,
while Richard, conversely, had a face as pale as if a vampire had sucked his blood.
"Th-the other party members will be arriving soon! I've relayed all the explanations to Cheonhwa, so I, well, I'll be taking my leave then...!"
Hastily gathering his briefcase, Richard staggered away as if fleeing.
Watching his retreating back, Shin Se-hee touched her lips.
"Hmm, it's a shame, but... I suppose I should be satisfied with that?"
Even having drained Richard's very soul right before their eyes and smacking her lips in regret,
the Utopia Party members could only look at Shin Se-hee with fed-up expressions.
'As expected, no matter how gentle she's become lately. A Black Snake (黑蛇) doesn't just lose its fangs.'
A black snake with the face of a flower.
It was a moment where her alias came to mind again.
* * *
Unlike us, who had reduced the distance to the U.S. to zero using the spatial movement formation installed at the academy,
parties from other guilds and hunters from other countries had often been traveling for days by ship or plane already.
Because of that, we were able to arrive first on-site even though we departed the latest.
"Yu-ha hoobae, I heard that monsters have completely taken over this area. Are there any particular things to watch out for?"
"Ga-eul sunbae, I already explained all of that earlier... Were you sleeping then?"
"Ehehe..."
Im Ga-eul scratched the back of her head sheepishly.
This person always has her eyes squinted shut; why is it so hard to tell if she's sleeping or not...?
I let out a heavy sigh and answered her.
"They're called Sapiens. Just think of them as four-armed gorillas. And the point to watch out for is that they steal and use hunters' weapons."
"...They steal and use hunters' weapons!?"
"Well, their intelligence isn't that high. They just swing them around with brute force. But it's still dangerous."
"So that's a reason why the U.S. Hunter Association has been racking its brains... Because if they send weak people in carelessly, they could just end up boosting the monsters' combat power..."
"Yes. And this time, they seem to have made a pretty firm decision."
Whup-whup-whup-whup-whup─
"Enough to hire this many hunters en masse."
As the helicopters arrived on site, the sandy wind whipped through our hair.
Clang─ Hisss!
The door of the first helicopter to arrive opened, and a woman stepped out.
A short-haired woman, looking delinquent as she chomped on gum, got off first.
She looked our way, her eyebrow twitched, and then she spoke, as if intrigued.
"Well, well... Who do we have here? Isn't that the famous supernova party? A party of first-year academy rookies with a male leader."
Stomp─
"You came for the Monster Subjugation Request, sweetheart?"
She walked straight up to me, rolling her eyes as she started looking my face over from every angle.
"Well, your face is definitely something to look at. You'd do fine as the face of the party. You look delicious."
And then, with what was clearly a provocative intent, she slowly curled one corner of her mouth up into a smirk.
"Hey, are you any good in bed too? You're all passing him around already anyway, right? Why not share?"
Smack-smack-smack—
She slapped her fist against her palm in a lewd hand gesture.
At that, all of the Utopia Party members standing behind Jin Yu-ha emitted a terrifying killing intent.
"That fucking bitch?"