The True Meaning of Slender Forearms
"Ah! Lady Lupinus! In any case, you should at least finish what you were saying...!"
Unlike Taejun, Yunjae was quick to offer a helping hand!
"Alright, I'll finish this up and get right back to it!"
"No! Don't do it!"
"Just wait!"
"Ugh! I said no!"
While Taerin, having crossed paths with the wicked goddess, clung to Yunjae's chest and tasted defeat for the first time in her life, Lupinus continued her explanation, as shameless and haughty as if nothing had happened.
"Anyway, that's how awakened ability users came to be. The important thing was that we needed time for Yunjae to fully mature and return."
"So, in short, an entity named Mamon opened the portals to invade this world, and you came here to stop it by creating ability users and raising Mr. Lim Yunjae to be the strongest of them all?"
"It's so much easier talking to someone smart. Yes, exactly."
"Then what was the incident that occurred yesterday?"
"It happened because other humans had absolutely no idea what was going on behind the scenes. You already know about Kadmus and Halles, right? The ones you dismissed, but turned out to be very real."
Taejun had already heard from Akemi that those threats were real. As he slowly nodded, Lupinus continued.
"Originally, they were destined to become the masters of this world, but they were all defeated by Yunjae. As a result, the only thing they could do was push forward with sheer numbers. And the outcome of that was..."
"An all-out assault, but even that was completely handled by Mr. Lim Yunjae."
Lupinus chose not to mention Rozamy or Domian, who had awakened as a Great Demon King. Doing so would only overcomplicate the story.
"In any case, then this portal ability user over here was also...?"
"Yes. She's one of the hidden cards I prepared."
Lupinus covered up Rozamy's past with a casualness that matched her sheer shamelessness!
"I see. Thank you so much. If not for you, my homeland would have been completely destroyed."
Taejun was a Korean-American. Even though he had established his base in Korea now, he was still American at heart, so he was deeply grateful that New York had been saved.
"...No, it's nothing."
Rozamy looked visibly uncomfortable receiving his gratitude, which seemed a bit strange, but since there were other ability users with eccentric personalities like Suyeon, Taejun didn't pay it much mind.
"In any case, I understand the situation perfectly. I will brief the others and ensure everyone keeps their mouths shut."
"I knew you were a reasonable man!"
Taejun was not someone impossible to reason with. As long as their interests aligned, there was perhaps no better ally than him.
"But the problem lies in what comes next."
"What do you mean?"
"They say the portals are disappearing."
Everyone flinched at those words.
"The portals are disappearing?"
Rozamy, in particular, looked utterly bewildered, clearly not having anticipated this. Seeing her reaction, Yunjae asked:
"What do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. We received word from London that the minor portals have begun to vanish. We've confirmed it here in Seoul as well. Two portals in Seoul have already disappeared. Based on our ongoing communications with other regions, portals are continuing to vanish worldwide."
Being at the center of the global information network, Taejun was naturally faster than anyone else in receiving such news.
"Do you happen to know what this means?"
Hoping she might have an answer, Taejun directed his question to Lupinus, but she shook her head, indicating this was news to her as well.
"Perhaps it's because Yunjae blew up the hub dimension that managed the portals."
"A hub dimension?"
"Ah, yes! Thanks to Ms. Rozamy, we were able to locate that space. And I destroyed it while we were there."
To be precise, he had gone there to capture Mamon, but he couldn't exactly admit that there had been a misunderstanding.
"You destroyed a whole dimension?"
Naturally, Taejun seemed far more focused on the sheer scale of Yunjae's destructive power than the underlying details.
"Well, I suppose trying to comprehend it is meaningless at this point."
After all, the feats Yunjae had displayed across the globe yesterday were peerless. In New York, a single swing of his sword had crushed thousands of monsters. In Beijing, where casualties had been particularly severe, he had healed thousands of wounded civilians in less than a second using recovery magic. What did that imply? It was no exaggeration to say it was literally the second coming of a god!
"In any case, the key point is that the portals are disappearing, and nations and guilds worldwide are keeping a very close eye on these developments."
"Hmm..."
But the most critical issue was...
"Because of this, various countries and hunter associations are requesting information on you, Mr. Lim Yunjae."
The entire world was showing an extraordinary level of interest in Yunjae, the very individual who had brought about this current state of affairs. It was only natural. His mere existence was enough to decide the fate of the world.
"Ah! It's true that personal privacy isn't very well protected these days, but still...!"
"Do not worry. You are not affiliated with our guild, nor are you a registered hunter, so we have no obligation to share anything with them."
"That's a relief."
Yunjae sighed in relief, but...
"However, those who wanted to find out have likely already done so. And countless people will try to approach you from now on."
They had probably already begun digging up everything they could on him. He held citizenship in Point 6, but that was merely a token of gratitude from Mayor Manson for dealing with the Red-tailed Monsters. Thus, unless they targeted the people around him, there was hardly any real information to be found on Yunjae. Yet...
"Don't worry about that! I don't really mind!"
He truly didn't seem to care in the slightest.
"However, certain suspicions have been raised. I believe we will need to clarify those points."
"Pardon? Suspicions?"
Yunjae tilted his head, wondering what on earth anyone could be suspicious about. At his reaction, Taejun let out a chuckle, finding the whole situation absurd himself.
"They are demanding to know the true meaning behind Slender Forearms."
Following the newspapers, even Taejun was bringing it up now. Yunjae was temporarily struck speechless by the sheer absurdity.
"Ah! Why on earth are they asking about that?!"
"It seems they are quite bewildered to see such a title floating above the head of an overwhelmingly powerful being. Opinions are wildly divided. Some wonder if it refers to the forearms of Ms. Rozamy, who accompanied you, while others speculate if you have a preference for ordinary girls' forearms, or if there is some hidden political agenda behind it."
"Ah! I only made it up as a joke!"
Why on earth were they interpreting it like that?!
"The most popular theory is that a 'Girl' is the mastermind, and 'Slender Forearms' is merely the agent executing her will. Well, somehow, that interpretation actually fits the reality quite well. Though opinions will continue to clash regarding the identity of this mysterious 'Girl.'"
The only difference was that the "Girl" currently suspected by foreign intelligence agencies was not Rozamy, but Lupinus.
"How could they..."
Amused by the young man's sheer bewilderment, Taejun smiled and added an even more ridiculous detail.
"In some circles, because the portals started disappearing right after your arrival, conspiracy theories are emerging that you might actually be the mastermind behind all of this."
At that, not only Yunjae, but Akemi, Mari, and Rozamy all looked utterly dumbfounded.
"That makes absolutely no sense! Do you have any idea how many people Yunjae saved?!"
"They believe his intentions aren't pure. They suspect he staged everything just to win over the public and seize control."
"What kind of twisted bastards would think like that? Their minds must be absolutely rotten!"
"Exactly! If Yunjae wanted to, he could stand above everyone without having to resort to such petty tricks!"
His very existence was on a completely different plane from ordinary humans. He was a man capable of erasing an entire continent in the blink of an eye if he so desired, yet they dared to spout such nonsense!
"Of course, from their perspective, Mr. Lim Yunjae is an object of terror. A man who was saving London just moments ago suddenly appears in Cape Town in the blink of an eye to rescue people. An unknown entity traversing every nation, accomplishing feats that are absolutely impossible for any human. That is what terrifies them."
Perhaps it was only natural. He was such an overwhelmingly powerful existence that even the meaningless name "Slender Forearms" made people wonder if it held some profound, monumental significance.
"So it begins again."
Lupinus reacted in the exact same way as Taejun. What was bound to happen had finally arrived. As Lupinus wore a worried expression, wondering if the true enemy was not Mamon but the humans of this world, Yunjae spoke up, his gentle smile never wavering.
"I'm well aware of that. That's why I'm fine. I won't let things like that bother me. I'd much rather spend that time picking out cafe uniforms!"
"You dummy, are you still obsessing over the uniforms?!"
"Ah! That's the only thing on my mind right now! I have to decide before Ms. Ariel and Mr. Demian open their cafe!"
The hero was being scolded over uniforms yet again! However, unlike usual, Lupinus and Akemi did not chime in on his bickering with Mari. Instead, they stole quiet glances at Yunjae.
Once again...
They had almost been fooled by his naive demeanor, but once again, he was accepting this harsh reality with incredible composure. Could this calm acceptance be related to his past—the one where he had debuted as a child idol at the age of twelve?
"Hmm?"
Sensing the unusual atmosphere, Mari looked back and forth between the two.
Why aren't these idiots chiming in?
"...Is something wrong?"
Meanwhile, Rozamy muttered quietly to herself. Perhaps due to the effects of the Taming skill, she too seemed to sense the subtle shift in Yunjae. He felt strangely subdued compared to his usual self.
"In any case, may I get back to work now?"
"Yes. If anything urgent comes up, I will let you know immediately."
Whether he liked it or not, Yunjae now stood at the very center of the world. His own desires mattered little; the world would never leave him in peace.
And I absolutely cannot let him slip away.
With Demian now on board, alongside Yunjae, Rozamy, and Lupinus! Taejun decided that the best course of action was to handle any troublesome matters himself while building genuine human relationships with them. With a soft chuckle, he spoke.
"Then, I'll leave you to your work. Taerin, let's..."
"Aaaah! No! I hate this lady!"
His daughter's whining erupted the instant the words left his mouth.
"Oh, I just love her reactions! Teasing her is so rewarding!"
Lupinus launched another attack, rubbing her cheek against Taerin's.
"Stop teasing the poor kid, you perverted goddess!"
"Just feel her cheeks! They're so squishy! It's totally addictive!"
"Waaah! Mister! Get this lady off me!"
"Ah! Lady Lupinus!"
A flustered Yunjae tried to intervene, but Lupinus was not one to listen.
"Mmm, this is the best!"
"I hate this! Mister, save me!"
Watching the chaos unfold, Taejun simply shrugged his shoulders.
"Grow strong, my daughter."
With that, Taejun headed back to his office, resolving to tighten security around the area to filter out any external ability users. Meanwhile...
"...I don't get it."
Having already initiated her mission, Japan's top ninja, Renge, watched the group from the rooftop of the adjacent building, her face a mask of utter confusion.
"Why are there so many girls? Just whose forearms are they talking about?"
"I have absolutely no idea."
Standing on the rooftop of the neighboring building, Renge wore an incredibly serious expression. Since the target, Yunjae, had the words Slender Forearms floating directly above his head, she didn't bother analyzing him too closely. Instead, she was focusing her attention on the individuals who could be classified as "girls."
"First of all, those two blondes are a bit too mature to be called girls."
The first to catch her eye were the blondes. One had platinum-blonde hair, and the other had ash-blonde hair. The ash-blonde was a striking beauty with a remarkably slender yet voluptuous figure, while the platinum-blonde beside her possessed a level of beauty that transcended human imagination.
"But to call them girls..."
Even so, it felt a bit of a stretch to classify either of them as a mere "girl."
"Hmm."
Putting their figures aside, they both exuded an aura that was far too mature.
"Then again, there are plenty of kids these days who develop early and look like adults. Besides, I heard that ash-blonde has been with him from the very beginning, and they're even living together, right?"
Indeed. What kind of era was this? It was a world where even elementary schoolers wore makeup, and some of them genuinely looked like they were in their twenties. Since that ash-blonde had been by his side from the start and shared a home with him, wasn't there a decent chance she was the "girl" in question?
"Maybe it's a pet name."
Lost in deep thought, Renge analyzed them once more.
"But still, she has to be candidate number one."
The most promising candidate was Rozamy, who had appeared alongside Yunjae. Watching her quiet, reserved demeanor—so different from the others—she certainly felt the most like a "girl."
"Her forearms would certainly fit the description best."
Just as everyone else had speculated, she seemed the most likely suspect.
"But I can't overlook other possibilities..."
Renge tore her eyes away from Rozamy and let her gaze drift. Her eyes landed on Taerin, who was still being tormented by Lupinus.
"Ugh! She's way too young!"
She was already well aware that the child was the daughter of Blast's guild leader, Taejun.
"But she is Ryu Taejun's daughter. And she's a psychic ability user as well."
If it involved an extraordinary figure like Ryu Taejun, it wouldn't be surprising if he was the mastermind behind Slender Forearms. Could he have brainwashed the hero, forcing him to bear that name and obey the "girl's" every command?
"...But that theory feels a bit lacking too."
But could that really be the case? No matter how precocious she was, she was only five years old.
"She's too old to be called a girl, she's too young to be called a girl! The criteria are way too vague! What on earth does 'Slender Forearms' even mean?!"
It was only natural that she found it difficult, considering she was searching for a hidden meaning behind a name that had been created purely as a joke. But there was no way Renge could know that. Shifting her gaze to Akemi, the Gothic Lolita beauty, she shook her head.
"It can't be Hoshino Akemi. Her being the mastermind girl? That's ridiculous. She's just an idiot."
It seemed she was already acquainted with Akemi, likely because they were both Japanese.
"Then is it one of those four?"
Still completely oblivious to the fact that the name referred to Yunjae's own forearms, Renge let out a soft smirk.
"Shall I make my move?"
"I was hoping you could spare some time this afternoon..."
"Ah, Mr. Anton! Is the schedule set?"
Looking at Yunjae's bright, joyful face, Anton nodded, looking somewhat embarrassed yet deeply grateful.
"Your schedule is what matters most, of course. Whenever you are free, we..."
He was willing to wait as long as it took. If only his daughter, Ileyna, could be cured.
"Yes! I understand! Right now... Ah, I have one consultation request to handle first. Once that's finished, let's go together during lunch!"
Watching the young man who had saved the world just yesterday diligently focusing on his administrative duties again today, Anton couldn't help but let out a warm chuckle.