Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Reunion and New Duties
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Sorry to Na-young, but I shoveled the food in eagerly. While traveling with Eres, I’d eaten some good meals a few times, but over the past five months, the number of times I’d actually eaten could be counted on one hand. Even though my ability to absorb and use life force more efficiently had nearly eliminated the need for meals, that didn’t mean I’d forgotten my appetite or the pleasure of eating.
After finishing the meal, I returned home. My mothers seemed relieved and fell into a deep sleep for the first time in ages.
I placed my hand over my mother’s hand, which gripped mine tightly even in sleep.
“I knew they’d be happy you’re back... I even left a note saying you’d gone...”
Na-young muttered, thoroughly deflated after getting an earful.
“They are happy. They were just angry too. I’m heading to the Awakening Bureau, so cheer them up a bit.”
“Oppa, are you dumping Mommies on me and running away?”
“...No. Gotta close the Gate, right?”
“Hmph... Fine.”
I dropped Na-young and my mothers off at home and slipped out like I was escaping. Before heading to the Awakening Bureau, I detoured to the Regen Lab.
“Chairman! Thank goodness you’re back safe! How was the core?”
Jae-in asked about my well-being, then inspected my chest before I could even respond.
“It exploded.”
“Huh?”
“I must’ve drawn too much power from it, and it went berserk. I could’ve controlled it alone, but I got attacked mid-control, and it blew up.”
If it hadn’t been for the World Tree’s roots, the explosion would’ve collapsed the entire underground.
“Th-that... There’s no way...”
“You didn’t make more, right?”
“...”
“Jae-in.”
“Hahaha, I made a few more thinking they’d worked. They were just about to be tested.”
“You haven’t mixed in the catalyst yet?”
“No. It’d be too dangerous without you here, Chairman.”
“Impressive that you waited five months without experimenting.”
“You’re not the type to go down easy, Chairman. I figured we’d do it together when you got back.”
“But five months must’ve felt long? Since you were about to test them.”
“Hahahaha...”
“Still, thanks for trusting me. We’ll test them together later.”
“Got it.”
“I’ll head to the Awakening Bureau first. They’ll call soon to close the Bridge Gate there once they’re ready.”
“I’ll be prepared.”
I turned the car around and headed for the Awakening Bureau.
“...You came back?”
“I’m here again.”
Sonorim was waiting.
“Don’t worry. We’ll start closing the Gates now.”
“Thank you. But leave one open.”
“Huh? Why?”
“To stand against the Destruction God, won’t we need cooperation between our worlds?”
“Didn’t seem like the type to allow that.”
“...You met him?”
Sonorim’s eyes widened.
“Kinda happened that way.”
“No one in Telus history has ever met him in person. Who’d have thought an Earthling would be first...”
Sonorim looked both envious and frustrated.
“Leaving one Gate open won’t affect Telus much. I’m sure he’d understand that much.”
Sonorim was the type to act first and deal with consequences later.
“And wouldn’t it benefit both worlds to exchange technology between Earth and Telus, making us stronger?”
“To fend off the Destruction God’s invasion forces?”
“You heard about that too? What did he say?”
“He said the big wave is inevitable. The next invasion force is coming. But not for ten thousand or a hundred thousand years.”
“Hahaha, matches what we’ve figured out. So if we hold out this time, won’t a solution appear?”
“Let’s give it our all together.”
I shook hands with Sonorim.
Per his request, I left one open and closed all the other Bridge Gates.
“I’ll visit periodically for exchanges.”
“Please do. Looking forward to it.”
Sonorim shook hands with Awakening Bureau Chief Baek Young-shin, and the moment was broadcast worldwide.
It was the instant Korea, a weak hunter nation, secured the sole bridgehead to Telus, boosting its standing.
The pressure from the great powers was immense, but with us holding the knife, we could push back a bit.
“Lee Ji-seok Hunter, clear your schedule next week.”
In the Bureau Chief’s office, Baek Young-shin sat at his desk, checking the calendar.
“What’s up?”
“Various countries are dispatching personnel.”
“Why?”
“Officially, to prevent misuse of the Bridge Gate or potential threats from Telus, but it’s probably more about monitoring Korea.”
“Why me?”
“You’re the key figure in this incident and one of Korea’s two S-Rank Hunters, so you have to participate.”
“Huh? I’m S-Rank now?”
“Correct. You were promoted after the Franklin incident.”
Baek Young-shin handed me a hunter ID made from shaved dragon scales. Issued only to S-Rank Hunters by the World Hunter Association. It was pricey, but its defense was insane. There were famous stories of hunters saved by it blocking attacks.
“Ooh.”
I’d only heard stories; this was my first time seeing one. Felt surprisingly light. Might use it as inspiration to upgrade my armor.
“Congratulations.”
“Thanks. So next week, then?”
“We’ll confirm the exact time. But there are other schedules before that.”
“Like what?”
“You’re an S-Rank Hunter now, so you need to lighten Jung Min-gi Hunter’s load.”
Baek Young-shin smiled brightly as he plunked a stack of dozens of files on the desk.
“Shall we go through them one by one?”
The files contained tasks like rescuing hunters stranded in A-Rank Gates, searching for missing ones in North Korea, overseas aid, and more—piled mountain-high.
“Jung Min-gi Hunter handled all this alone until now?”
“That’s the plight of a nation with only one S-Rank Hunter. But thanks to his tireless efforts, we’ve grown this much.”
“No wonder he always looked exhausted. And honestly, he could’ve immigrated anytime. Staying loyal suits him perfectly.”
“...You won’t immigrate, right?”
“If I were scared of that, you wouldn’t dump all this on me.”
“Well...”
“I’m not going. Hand over the files.”
I pulled the files from the worried Bureau Chief’s arm.
Nothing major. Just sending S-Rank Hunters for jobs that’d be risky for A-Ranks.
I made trips to North Korea for file missions and continued rescues in Gates. Thanks to Eres’s training, my skills had improved, making it all too easy.
“Huh?”
While searching near the North Korea-China border, blood suddenly burst from the back of my hand.
“Not attacked or anything... What the hell?”
It was odd, but the wound was small and already healing. No issues moving my hand, no enemies around. I shook off the weird feeling and continued the mission.
“Lee Ji-seok Hunter!”
When I returned, Jung Min-gi Hunter, looking brighter than ever, rushed over and hugged me.
“Thanks to you, I can finally catch a break. Thank you, thank you.”
“No problem.”
He needs to live long to help in future fights. Can’t have him collapsing from overwork.
“My daughter said thanks too. So, about that... Could you train Yeon-su for me?”
“Huh? Yeon-su? Suddenly?”
“My daughter’s a hunter too. But our guild kids baby her because she’s my daughter. I figure you’d train her properly without holding back.”
“You’ve seen me train others, right?”
“I have.”
“And you want me to put your daughter through that?”
“Do it.”
His smile vanished, face turning serious.
“She’s been spoiled rotten... No manners. I’ll take some of your tasks, so please.”
“Alright.”
In the future, Jung Jang-mi dies. Don’t know how, but training her should boost her survival odds. That’ll motivate Jung Min-gi more too.
“Good. Here, take these.”
I handed him a thick stack of my mission files.
“...That’s not a little.”
“You handled them solo before.”
“True... Alright. Take good care of my girl.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll send back a proper person.”
“Pr... Please go easy.”
“I’ll drill some discipline into her for sure.”
Ignoring his regretful expression, I left.
* * *
“...Hahaha...”
Seeing Jung Jang-mi, who’d arrived, I couldn’t help but chuckle dryly. Legs crossed, chewing gum, face buried in her smartphone—her whole vibe screamed she didn’t want to be here.
“You’ve seen my face, so I can go now?”
She spoke without looking up.
“Where you gonna go? Not entering the Gate?”
“Ugh, this sucks. I have to do everything Dad says? I’ve got friends to meet now.”
As I opened my mouth to speak, Sang-hun tugged my arm.
“Hyung, she’s still Jung Min-gi Hunter’s daughter. Don’t go too hard.”
“Is that Gate gear? Even for a mage, isn’t that too much?”
We were heading into a Gate, and she was in hot pants and a tank top.
“You go in with nothing on, Hyung. At least Jang-mi has her staff.”
“You call that gear? She’s like me? She’d die if hit.”
“Hyung, we can’t train her like us. He said that, but he doesn’t really want her drilled hard.”
“Probably.”
“So you’ll go easy?”
“Nope. Gotta fix that attitude.”
“Why?”
“So she lives longer. Going into Gates like that is suicide. This is for Jung Min-gi Hunter’s sake. That’s why he sent her to me.”
I walked toward Jung Jang-mi.
“We’re entering the Gate now.”
“Ugh, I said I don’t wanna go! I’ll tell Dad not to let some old guy scold me, so don’t worry.”
“Ah... Old guy?”
Way younger than me, and she calls me old guy? Felt like an S-Rank Resilient Mind couldn’t block that mental attack.
“I’m outta here~”
“Where do you think you’re going?”
I grabbed her wrist.
“What the—?! Let go!”
She swung at my cheek. Lately, too many people think my face is a punching bag.
Thwack.
“Ow!”
She yelped, her hand hurting from the hit.
“Shut up and follow.”
I dragged her by the arm toward the Gate.
“Let go! I said let go!”
She kicked and tried to bite to break free, but a D-Rank mage’s flailing was just ticklish.
“Let go!”
Then she nailed a pressure point with her kick. Wouldn’t hurt me, but male reflexes made me clamp my legs.
“Aaack!”
Her leg slammed into mine and snapped.
“Oops... Ye-seul, heal her please.”
“...Is this okay? I can’t approve.”
“It’s all for her. What if she acts like this later and gets jumped by bad guys? Or dies in a Gate in that mindset?”
“Still, being this rough...”
“Ah! Shut up and heal me already!”
Jung Jang-mi rolled on the ground, screaming.
“Chairman has a point.”
Even in pain and yelling, Ye-seul hardened her resolve seeing it.
“Let’s go.”
I slung the healed Jung Jang-mi over my shoulder.
“Kyaa! Kidnapper! Rapist! Help!”
She screamed at the top of her lungs.