First Commission (2)
About thirty people were staring at us. They showed various emotions like curiosity and surprise, but some harbored annoyance and irritation.
"Is this everyone?"
"Yes. It is a bit small, isn't it?"
Yeah, the numbers are definitely low.
With 250,000 members in the Association, ten teams of thirty each was pathetically few.
"It's small, but too many for moving as one group, so we split into squads within the team for operations."
She explained while pointing out positions with her finger.
"Left is Squad 1, middle is Squad 2, right is Squad 3. For this op, Squads 1 and 2 are deploying, and Squad 3 is backup."
"Oh ho."
"If someone from Squad 1 or 2 dies, Squad 3 fills in."
The command structure was more sophisticated than I'd expected.
"Still, there sure are few ability users. With 250,000 people, only thirty for ten teams."
"Pardon?"
She tilted her head for a moment, then burst out laughing.
"You could see it that way. The Association has 5,000 combat ability users. Including non-combat, around 15,000."
"What? Then why only ten teams?"
"Those others usually join different teams, and come over as replacements when someone on the Special Ability Agent Team dies."
"What???"
I plastered question marks all over my face. Why bother? Just make more teams.
Reading the confusion on my face, she smiled and spoke up.
"The Association's policy is to keep the Special Ability Agent Team at exactly ten teams. No one knows the exact reason, but everyone guesses it's related to monsters. The Association doesn't do inefficient things for no reason."
"Well, if that's the case..."
I nodded. I gave up trying to understand. Trying to make sense of monsters was ridiculous anyway.
Thud, thud.
"Squad 1, introduce yourselves."
"Nice to meet you all. I'm Heuk Seol-ah."
Nine out of ten welcomed me warmly. One greeted me but glared sharply.
"People hurt by monsters tend to react sensitively if it's monster-related."
She'd noticed those two stares and whispered to me.
"Or, since you're an ability user, you could explain yourself."
"?"
I put a question mark in my mind at her words.
Does no one here know I'm a monster?
Come to think of it, the whispers had a nuance like they weren't sure if I was a monster or ability user.
Some think we're ability users?
Time to correct that properly.
Humans are sneaky—if you don't spell it out upfront, they whine about betrayal later. I can't stand that crap.
I stepped forward with Yoo Hwa in tow.
"For the record, I'm a monster."
Before reactions could pour in, I shoved Yoo Hwa forward.
"This one's a monster too. I trained her to be good."
BAM!
The guy who'd been glaring kicked back his chair and stood.
"...I get you hate monsters, but the Association treats friendly ones as comrades."
Jeong Seol-yoon was flustered by my sudden coming out but hurriedly defended me.
Don't worry. I didn't blurt this out thoughtlessly.
Thud, thud.
I slowly walked toward the guy spewing rage.
WHAM!
I kicked him square in the gut.
"That's no way to talk to your superior!"
WHOOSH!
He flew back and crashed down. Association agents have superior physiques. A normal person would've had their bones shattered, but he endured. I'd learned that firsthand.
WHAM!
I rushed the staggering bastard and swung my fist.
"Team leader brought us, so just roll with it—why the fuck are you bitching?!"
WHOOSH!
Flames erupted from his hands. The firepower was no joke—enough to incinerate a building outright. For your average monster, it'd be threatening coming straight from his hands.
Not magic, though.
Unfortunately, it wasn't magic. Not mana-based... more like a natural phenomenon.
Interesting. What's the principle there?
Focus on the task.
I tamped down my curiosity and leaned in.
"Go ahead, burn me."
I shoved my head forward.
"..."
His shaking pupils looked up at me from the floor. He knew it was futile.
Thud! WHAM! Thud!
I kept swinging with a grin. Anyone bringing personal grudges to a mission and disrupting hierarchy needs crushing upfront—makes things smoother later.
"Ah, uh, that..."
Jeong Seol-yoon tried to say something from behind but shut up watching my frenzy. I learned later she'd meant "I told everyone to speak casually"—after I'd beaten him unconscious.
"Uh, anyway, please take care of us."
Slightly embarrassed, I stepped up, bowed deeply, and greeted them.
One half-dead guy slumped in a chair behind me, but no one paid much mind.
They chattered like it was inevitable. Seemed his attitude had been a team issue for a while.
"...Then let's start the operation briefing."
Jeong Seol-yoon glanced at me, then spoke. She snapped her fingers—lights out, massive screen up front lit.
"Location as explained last time? This building."
A five-story building on screen.
"Looks five above ground, but with basement, estimated eight floors total. Bigger inside than it seems, so no solo actions."
The briefing was textbook. TL;DR: Squad 1 and Jeong Seol-yoon take above ground, Squad 2 basement. I tag with Squad 1 above, Yoo Hwa with Squad 2 below. Ground had more floors, needed bodies.
"Stand by individually, depart 2:03 AM. Dismissed."
Team scattered. Unconscious guy dragged off by Squad 1.
"Why depart at 2 AM?"
"They're human too—sleep at night. We hit then since we don't need much."
She added agents could go five days sans sleep.
"You two kill time till then. Wanna hang outside the Association?"
"That okay?"
"You're externals. Can't hold you here."
She smiled.
"Send us out then. Text address, we'll arrive on time."
"Sure, shortly."
Snap.
Floating sensation—space shifted. Back in the alley, we scanned and exited.
"Couldn't I go with you, Seol-ah?"
"Too crowded above then. You seem stronger than Squad 2 agents—support them below."
Opponents weren't that strong anyway. Yoo Hwa would be solid firepower. Truth be told, I could've soloed sans Team 7... but as an outsider, play the merc—carry appropriately.
"What till dawn?"
"What else?"
I pointed obviously. Ultimate time-killer.
"PC bang."
"Games are fun!"
"No fucking way... no way..."
Heading from PC bang to rally point, I muttered quietly.
No way. Yoo Hwa, who'd never played, beat me. And I never won once. My reflexes crushed hers!
"You kinda suck, Seol-ah."
"Sh-shut up!"
Her innocent jab without malice pissed me off more. Fuming, we walked on to the site.
Screech.
Entered the rally building—eyes everywhere. Dark, agents gearing up for infiltration.
"Ah, Seol-ah, you're here."
Jeong Seol-yoon, suited in high-tech gear, approached smiling.
"Gear prepped for you two. Need it?"
"Nah, fine. No training anyway."
I declined, scanned around. Spotted oddity immediately.
"Just Squad 1?"
"Squad 2 waits in another building. Squad 3 hidden near target."
She explained kindly.
"On my signal, all rush entry. Split ground/basement teams on breach."
I nodded, observed. Association had been lax before, but pre-op tension was night-and-day. Faces of those staking lives. Their mindset was different.
The bandage-faced guy glanced, tsked quietly. Fine, I could shrug that off. As long as no overt bullshit.
"Yoo Hwa, join Squad 2 on entry."
"Got it."
Her eyes sparkled nodding. Bingeing action flicks on TV—definitely fantasizing.
She'll be fine.
Demonkin obey the Demon King's orders to the letter. She'd support basement come hell or high water.
"Five minutes to deploy. Prep."
Click, click.
Agents readied gear—guns, grenades? But enhanced, not standard.
"You two, prep."
"Roger."
I struck a casual pose to her serious tone. No cast time on my spells—no real prep. Just faking.
"...?"
Yoo Hwa mimicked puzzled. Do your thing.
"Deploy!"
After five minutes of clowning, Jeong Seol-yoon bellowed.
BAM!
Agents burst out.
"Let's go."
"Yep."
I followed, matching pace.