Chapter 22
Chapter 22
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Weapon Steal
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hunter Association President's Office
President Song Jin-woo paused while flipping through the approval documents, furrowing his brow.
"The police requested cooperation?"
"Yes. It's about the Viper Guild, which has been getting a lot of complaints lately."
The president half-listened as he resumed going through the documents.
The secretary spoke in a quiet voice.
"They're planning a raid on suspicion of drug trafficking and special intimidation charges. But since the targets are hunters, they're worried about potential clashes and are asking for Association support..."
"Decline."
Song Jin-woo answered without a second's hesitation.
"We're already short-staffed for gate standby duties. Where am I supposed to pull people to catch street punks?"
Enforcing justice was fine, but the Association's primary role was prioritizing citizen safety.
If they diverted resources to nab a few drug offenders and a gate broke out, the blame would fall squarely on the Association.
"Well... we've received a tip that this incident might be connected to gates."
"Gates?"
"Yes. The report claims Viper Guild might be manipulating mana waves in a specific area to artificially generate gates."
Song Jin-woo snorted at the secretary's words.
Gate generation device.
It was like an urban legend that had been floating around for ten years—pure talk, no substance.
How could local thugs trying to speculate on land even get their hands on something like that?
"That's grasping at straws. Tell them to bring solid evidence."
"But the tipster..."
The secretary hesitated for a moment.
"Who is it?"
"...Blue Vest."
Only then did Song Jin-woo stop and look up.
"That guy reported it himself?"
"Yes. He claims he confirmed it personally."
"Confirmed what?"
"He says he overheard the thugs talking in secret... and picked up the drugs they dropped."
Picked up dropped drugs?
Overheard thugs talking by chance?
One hundred percent lie.
"Hmm..."
Song Jin-woo stroked his chin.
Lee Sang-hyuk.
He was a thorough pragmatist.
He didn't move unless it benefited him, prioritizing safety over money or fame.
For a guy like that to stick his neck out and stir up trouble?
A close associate must be involved.
'What to do...'
If the Association stepped in aggressively and resolved the case, he could create a small debt with Lee Sang-hyuk.
'No, that's too shortsighted.'
Song Jin-woo tapped the approval documents with the end of his pen.
Blue Vest's true abilities were still shrouded in mystery.
His mana output clearly put him at S-rank or higher.
But he had almost no track record.
That meant major restrictions on using his powers.
His obsession with safety probably stemmed from that.
Whether he could truly shine in real combat or not.
This was a good chance to gauge Lee Sang-hyuk's potential.
"Secretary Kim."
Song Jin-woo closed his fountain pen cap and gave instructions.
"Contact Blue Vest. Tell him the police requested cooperation, so with investigative authority on his side, he can do whatever he wants."
I put on a simple magic trick show from the passenger seat of the Starex.
Nothing major.
I just solved a 3x3x3 puzzle—commonly known as a Rubik's Cube—in 0.5 seconds.
"Woooow! It's really Blue Vest! Amazing!"
In return, my eardrums were now at risk of bursting.
The female officer gripping the steering wheel beside me kept glancing at me and screaming whenever we stopped at a light.
"I'm a huge fan! Did you really send that Red Ogre flying with your bare fists? I watch that CCTV footage every day! Wow! Meeting you in person like this!"
"Officer Park! Keep your eyes on the road and drive straight!"
The sergeant in the back seat finally clicked his tongue in exasperation.
"Sorry! I got too excited and..."
"Always so loudmouthed. This isn't a joyride. Get it together."
I'd gotten Association approval and was riding in the police van en route.
I wore the perception-disrupting mask Han Yoo-jung had lent me.
I'd figured I'd have to show my face, but the president said masks were fine.
Apparently, the Association didn't care much about impressing the police.
'Yoo-jung's turned into such a material girl.'
[You want to borrow it? For free?]
[How much would it cost?]
[Nah, can you put a price on this? There's only one in Korea.]
[Then what do you want...? A collab video?]
[A day-use pass.]
[Huh?]
[You can borrow the mask whenever you want from now on, if I can borrow you for one day whenever I want.]
Borrowing a person like an object.
But I couldn't resist unlimited mask access.
Man, where did that angelic Han Yoo-jung go who used to cover my repair bills as thanks?
Screeech!
While I was mimicking a magician, the Starex had pulled up in front of a rundown ghost town shopping strip.
Not their official guild building with the Viper sign—this was their real hideout.
Siren blaring, five police cars followed behind us.
"We're here."
Officer Kim, who had been making a fuss earlier, pulled the side brake with a grim expression.
As we got out, punks smoking in front came swarming.
Familiar faces.
The snake tattoo guy who'd flicked his cigarette butt into the soup stock at the noodle house, and his underling.
'I pegged him as B-rank, but he's an A-rank hunter and guild master.'
A moment where I genuinely worried about Korea's future.
"What's this? Why so many cops?"
The punks showed no fear at the sight of police.
They spread their legs cockily, sneering and eyeing us up.
"Detectives. What's the occasion for mobbing our business like this?"
"Got the warrant?"
The sergeant emotionlessly held out the warrant.
"Here. Arrest for special intimidation. And since we got a tip, we brought our cute pups too."
At the sergeant's words, the Starex back door opened, and two burly Shepherds leaped out.
Drug-sniffing dogs.
The punks' faces twitched at the sight of the dogs, but they quickly scoffed.
"Fine. Let's see what turns up."
"If nothing, we won't let it slide easy."
The punks' bravado had the police swallowing hard.
"Go on. Let the mutts sniff!"
A fat punk stepped forward boldly.
"Woof! Woof!"
The Shepherd jammed its nose into his jacket pocket and went berserk barking.
"...?"
His eyes bulged wide.
"W-what? What's wrong with this mutt! Get lost!"
The fat guy panicked and tried to back away, but the sergeant had already grabbed his arm.
"Mind if I?"
The sergeant smoothly reached into the jacket pocket.
And pulled out, for all to see.
A clear ziplock bag of white powder.
"...!?"
Silence fell instantly.
The sergeant shook the bag demonstratively.
"This... yours, right? What gave you the balls to act so cocky?"
"No way...!"
The fat guy's face went pale.
Truth be told, I had an extra baggie besides the one I turned over to police.
Go home, grab it from the safe, come back, stuff it in his pocket?
I could do it with a second to spare out of one.
'Returning your stuff, so don't feel hard done by.'
The Viper Guild master kicked the fat guy in shock.
"You idiot! Why carry that around!!"
"No, boss! I swear I lost it...!"
"Shut up!"
The momentum had fully shifted to the police.
"Aha."
I feigned surprise, covering the mask's mouth area as I stepped forward.
"No wonder! At the noodle house earlier, your hand was shaking as you ditched that cigarette. Withdrawal symptoms, huh."
"Who the hell are you? What do you do?!"
The snake tattoo lunged at me, but the detectives held him back.
"Arrest 'em all in the act. Haul 'em in."
"Boss! What do we do!?"
The underlings desperately looked to their leader.
The fat guy especially seemed frantic.
'What do you mean, what? Idiots.'
Go quietly, or what other options were there?
Flee overseas, abandoning all that sweet real estate cash they'd raked in legally?
"Boss! What now!?"
As the fat guy whined with a teary face, the snake tattoo grinned creepily.
Seeing the grin, the fat guy grinned too.
Snake tattoo.
No, Viper's boss Sma Jin spat on the ground and flicked his tongue.
"What now? Kill 'em all, moron."
"...Kekeke. Knew it, boss."
At Sma Jin's word, the punks' eyes changed.
Tension skyrocketed.
"Wh-what?"
Officer Kim shouted, holding a mana detector.
"Sergeant! Mana waves are spiking dramatically!"
Officer Kim's face drained of color.
"A gate's about to pop! Estimated rank at least A or higher!"
"What!?"
As the police recoiled in shock, the building shutter rolled up, and over a dozen armed hunters poured out.
Swords, axes, spears made from monster parts—weapons only licensed hunters could carry, deadly killing tools.
"Boss!! We activated it like you said! Blasted all the A-ranks! You sure it's okay?!"
"Good job. Gotta go this big to wipe the cops clean."
Sma Jin cackled.
"While S-rank hunters clean up, we jet overseas and sip cocktails!"
"Haha! Boss is a genius! Life this easy?"
Crazy bastards.
Opening A-rank gates in central Seoul just to escape?
Cold sweat beaded on the detectives' foreheads.
"We need... backup...!"
"Too late! This wave strength kills comms!"
The radios only hissed static.
A-rank gate mana bursts disabled electronics within a 1km radius.
They were completely cut off.
"Wipe 'em out! No witnesses!"
At Sma Jin's roar, the Vipers charged like beasts.
The enemy came intent on murder, while the police floundered.
"Sergeant! Permission to draw execution blades!"
"Granted!!"
At the sergeant's yell, the detectives drew swords from their waists in unison.
"Kuhahaha! Losers. Need permission just to draw?"
The Vipers laughed, raising their weapons.
They had the numbers and momentum. Police looked outmatched to anyone watching.
...Or so it should have been.
"Dieee... Huh?"
The fat guy leading the charge swung at empty air with bare hands.
"W-what?"
His axe had vanished.
As the fat guy stared dumbly at his empty hand, a detective's blue sword slash struck his shoulder.
Slash!
"Gaaah!!"
Not just the fat guy.
The ones swinging swords, thrusting spears.
Viper members all faced the same magic trick: weapons vanishing right before attack.
No way they could win bare-fisted against armed police.
"Secure! Secure!!"
Thud! Thud! Crack!
The detectives gleefully pummeled the bewildered bare-handed punks.