Chapter 60
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: We Must Capture Them
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We must capture them.
He swallowed dryly, then looked at each of the three hunters standing beside Si-woo.
Kim Ye-eun, yawning boredly with her sword in hand, Baek Chang-gi brushing off his fists with an irritated scowl.
Lee Ji-ah, emanating a chill as she guarded Si-woo's side.
No matter how closely he examined them, not a single scratch marred their bodies.
They weren't even out of breath after such a massive battle.
They looked utterly composed, as if they'd just returned from a casual stroll.
And they were all gathered around Si-woo.
'How... even as fellow S-ranks? And why is that CEO Han guy completely unscathed?'
Could he have handled this ambush with the same composure?
'No.'
Even with his own squad, it would have been a grueling fight.
Yet these people had crushed it overwhelmingly.
Michael turned his gaze back to the man standing in the midst of those monsters.
Han Si-woo stood tall and aloof amid the chaos.
Not a drop of blood on him, not a trace of battle.
'...What kind of man is he?'
A chill ran down his spine anew.
"Colonel."
Si-woo's call snapped Michael back to reality, and he responded.
"Ah, yes! CEO."
"As you can see, the situation is resolved. We may have responded a bit aggressively, but I trust you'll understand it was self-defense."
"O-Of course! Absolutely."
Michael nodded vigorously.
He ought to be expressing gratitude instead.
If they hadn't kept the fight outside the city, these monster-like modified humans might have rampaged through downtown.
Thanks to their perfect containment beyond the city limits, there were zero casualties.
"Please collect and process everything, then give us a detailed report."
Si-woo gestured with his chin toward the frozen corpses.
"Especially those among the villains who seemed like S-rank modified humans. They should yield some significant data."
"...S-rank?"
Michael's voice cracked.
Even as modified humans, S-ranks were tough—even two of them could overwhelm him.
He knew this best, having fought them himself.
The thought that such beings had been mixed into this large-scale ambush sent another shiver through him.
'...What the hell happened here?'
Michael couldn't make sense of it, no matter how he racked his brain.
Looking around, the whole area was blanketed in white, every corpse shattered into ice sculptures.
Among them were bodies radiating powerful residual mana.
And every one had been cleanly bisected.
'It looks like they couldn't even mount a proper defense.'
That meant they'd been utterly annihilated by an overwhelming gap in power.
"Well, they're still just modified humans, right?"
And how could that man so nonchalantly dismiss the presence of S-rank modified humans with such a bored expression?
America had been tearing its hair out over those very "just modified humans."
"Then we'll leave the cleanup to you."
Si-woo turned away without a second thought.
One of the intact escort vehicles pulled up in front of him.
At that moment.
"All personnel!!"
Si-woo halted at the sudden shout, turning to its source.
In his view was Colonel Michael.
He was saluting with every ounce of sincerity he could muster.
"Salute to the heroes who protected America!"
Click.
The friction of his heels sounded, and all around, salutes snapped up in unison with heels striking the ground.
They saluted Si-woo's group without the slightest disarray.
Expressing genuine respect.
"... ."
Si-woo raised his hand in salute to Michael.
He wasn't military, but it felt like the proper way to acknowledge their gesture.
'Hope they don't think it's rude.'
His concern was unfounded; as soon as he saluted, Michael dropped his hand to attention.
All the others followed suit, dropping salutes and standing at attention.
Watching them, Si-woo couldn't help but think the word "noble."
'So even if it's just the result of protecting America, they show respect like this. Impressive.'
"Get in."
Si-woo opened the door, and Kim Ye-eun hopped in promptly.
Lee Ji-ah boarded, then Si-woo, and Baek Chang-gi chuckled as he took the passenger seat.
As the car drove off into the distance, Michael stood there in a daze.
"Colonel! We'll begin securing the site."
His aide's voice finally pulled him back to reality.
He surveyed the devastation, eyes gleaming.
"...Transport every single villain corpse to headquarters without exception."
He glanced once more at the receding car.
"And report to the Director. Field assessment matches his judgment. We must bring them to America's side."
"Yes, sir!"
When he first received the intel on them, he hadn't believed it.
How could it be possible?
A swordswoman wielding slashes no S-rank could defend against.
Bearing the moniker Sword Ghost, with a rabid temperament even she couldn't control.
Baek Chang-gi, a martial artist no less wild, like an untamed colt.
Even Lee Ji-ah, reported merely as an S-rank magic hunter overshadowed by their titles.
The report claimed someone controlled them all, and he figured there had to be a mistake.
Of course there was.
Three—no, four—S-ranks.
Those with firm convictions like him rarely gained S-rank talent.
Thus, they were all extremely individualistic and selfish.
They hated taking orders more than death itself, despised being controlled.
'Well, excluding China.'
Barring those steeped in Chinese chauvinism, every S-rank shared that nature without exception.
Who could believe one man controlled four of them?
Not just him—all the officers said the same.
That Director Miller was faking reports to cover his failures.
But plainly, even Lee Ji-ah was a magic awakener on another level, and just as Miller said, Miracle's hunters obeyed Han Si-woo to a tee.
'A man who can create S-ranks.'
Michael thought Han Si-woo's evaluation needed upgrading.
The current AHB assessment was unfair.
He'd assert that if there's one man in the world who must be an ally, it's Han Si-woo.
'We must. We must capture him.'
**
The AHB-provided lodging was Blair House, near the White House.
It boasted security and facilities surpassing any luxury hotel.
They each received rooms and began unpacking.
Entering his assigned room, Si-woo took in the antique furniture and old-world atmosphere.
He hung his jacket on a chair and approached the window.
Washington's nightscape gleamed through the curtains.
Si-woo pulled a device he'd pocketed from the scene out of his pocket.
'There has to be something on it.'
He placed it on the table.
Confirming it had power, he touched the device.
Bzzz-
A faint vibration hummed, and the screen flickered.
[Welcome, CEO Han Si-woo.]
'...A message left for me.'
It was phrased as if they knew he'd find it.
[Hope our welcome was to your liking. By now, you're probably en route in Hiker custody.]
'...En route in custody? Then that means.'
They'd planned to abduct him.
And left this message assuming success.
'They invested that much force and layered plans two or three deep, so they never considered failure.'
Then the screen text shifted.
[What you seek—and what we want—may align. Everything to achieve it is prepared.]
What they wanted, what he sought—what could it be?
Si-woo pondered.
He knew what they wanted.
They misunderstood his ability, mistaking it for the power to create S-ranks.
And craved it.
Then what did he seek?
'...Money, fame, power. Becoming the world's top management agency.'
Success.
But even as he thought it, certainty eluded him.
Why?
That was all he'd chased.
The sole goal of his life.
Yet this total stranger claimed to know what he sought, and when Si-woo defined it himself, doubt lingered.
'Why?'
As he sank into thought, the screen flickered.
A map appeared.
Dead center of the Nevada Desert—the site of Varkas's tomb that Director Miller had shown.
But the map zoomed further, marking specific coordinates with a red dot.
'Where is that?'
Then, a loaded phrase emerged.
[For the sake of one world alone.]
Si-woo's pupils dilated.
'This phrase... no way.'
Not exactly the same, but he'd definitely heard it before.
'Is the Villain Alliance connected to them?'
He couldn't be sure yet.
It was just a phrase—too early to conclude.
Could be a bluff.
But assuming it was them made all the puzzle pieces fit.
The Villain Alliance's numbers, estimated at a nation's population.
The suspiciously targeted incursions into specific countries.
And the timing of today's massive ambush.
It all felt like part of one colossal current.
Then the screen text changed again.
[If you wish to manifest the Dragon with us, come. We await.]
Tick.
The message ended, and the device went dead again.
As if its job was done.
Si-woo fiddled with the blank device.
"Haha..."
The board might be far grander than he'd imagined.
America, the Villain Alliance, and...
He stood at its very center.
"Interesting."