Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Midnight Raid on the Loan Sharks
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Once the sun sets, we raid the loan shark branch.
So today, Perfect Clear is closed for business.
Gotta save my mana.
Aden had gone out to film her broadcast.
I just watched TV.
Oh, perfect timing. It's on.
A storm of questions poured in on Aden.
Apparently, viewers had selected them directly via comments.
<What's your favorite hobby?>
<Uh, umm... Studying magic?>
<As expected of an A-Rank mage! Favorite food?>
<C-Candy?>
<Oh, such a modest palate for someone of your status?>
She looked incredibly tense.
Was she about to pass out or something?
But then the next question hit.
Her eyes lit up in an instant.
<What are your thoughts, as a fellow mage, on the hot topic S-Rank Word of Command User?>
Her face suddenly came alive.
Just like a total nerd otaku hearing a question about their favorite subject.
'Ah. Not like one. She actually is one.'
<Ahem! That person's truly remarkable! We mages know the greatness of higher-order Words of Command!>
And then the machine-gun rap began pouring out.
The otaku had found her element.
This was gonna drag on.
The story kept going forever.
Even the MC seemed to be struggling.
Kang Hyun felt the same.
Wasn't all that talk really about him?
Hearing someone gild your own face like that right to your face?
Not easy.
At least not for Kang Hyun's personality.
"Sigh..."
Should I turn off the TV?
<Ah, ahaha! Wow, as expected of a mage—you know so much!>
<And from saving citizens despite the risk of exposing their identity, they seem to have excellent character—>
<Y-Yes! So, shall we wrap up?>
<Huh? Already?>
The MC hurriedly dropped the closing line.
<Hearing that explanation really drove home how amazing Word of Command Users are!>
<Ahem! That's exactly my mas—>
"Hey!"
I shot up and yelled.
'What the hell was that!'
At that, Aden on screen jumped in shock.
She frantically looked around.
<Pardon? What sound?>
<Uh... N-No, nothing.>
What an eerie coincidence.
Kang Hyun tilted his head too.
What was that?
There was no way Aden had actually heard his shout.
This was a recorded broadcast, after all.
Just a coincidence, probably.
Anyway.
"Phew..."
Felt like I'd aged ten years.
I'd have to teach that girl to watch her mouth.
<What was that? 'Our s...'? What did you say?>
<Pardon?>
<Pardon?>
<Uh, the favorite food... you asked earlier...>
<Ahaha! You were still thinking about that!>
The studio audience burst into laughter.
And cheers calling her cute.
The questions kept coming.
<Who do you respect the most?>
<First, the great hero Kyle! Second, my master!>
She even volunteered the second one without being asked.
"Heh."
Tch, making me blush.
Still, it didn't feel bad.
The girl had an eye for talent.
Picking exactly those two.
Even though she thought they were different people.
<Master? Oh ho! So you have a separate magic master!>
<Yes! My great master, the one who saved my life!>
<Wow, what kind of person is an A-Rank's magic master? There aren't many A-Rank or higher mages in the country.>
<Ah, they're not a domestic A-Rank Awakener.>
<Then from overseas? Like you, from Terra?>
The net was closing in.
Aden started to panic.
<Uh... K-Kinda?>
<Are they in Korea? Could that person naturalize too!?>
Sudden hot topic.
Viewers were probably going wild.
The MC's butt was practically off his seat.
He could feel the ratings climbing.
The conversation was veering into dangerous territory.
Aden seemed to sense it and started fumbling.
<Uh-uh, well...>
<Have them come on our show sometime!>
She desperately muddled through.
It probably wouldn't cause too much trouble, right?
I checked the internet reactions.
💬 Comments — Anonymous Context suggests not a foreign Awakener. — Anonymous If it's someone from Terra, real naturalization potential? — Anonymous New A-Rank incoming!? — Anonymous Korea's got something special lately. ⭐ Top Comment — Anonymous Dangun grandpa's real estate, crypto mooning incoming. — Anonymous A-Rank's master can't be S-Rank level, right? — Anonymous No kimchi soup. At best A-Rank, maybe a theory-master B-Rank. — Anonymous S-Rank ain't your dog's name. E-Rank here, folks.
Aden came back just then.
"I-I'm back..."
She looked exhausted.
Definitely not the broadcasting type.
"Hey, you're on TV."
"Aaah! Don't watch! Turn it off now!"
"Heh heh."
Aden frantically switched off the TV.
"Guild love calls still coming?"
"Yes. Especially from Blaze and Blue Wave—the offers keep getting sweeter."
After Aden got famous from media exposure,
Guilds had been flooding her with offers.
Especially Blaze and Blue Wave.
They were domestic powerhouses at #3 and #5.
The so-called top 10 guilds.
The dream job every Awakener coveted.
"You should join a guild."
For Awakener activities, guilds?
Practically essential.
Too many things to handle alone.
Overwhelming solo.
"I'm leaning toward Blaze myself."
"Yeah, that Yoo Chae-young team leader seemed good to you."
"Can't Master come with me?"
"I hate being tied down anywhere."
Predictable answer.
"They wouldn't take me anyway. Still E-Rank."
At least D-Rank to even submit a resume.
"That's upsetting..."
Aden wilted like a deflated plant.
Like a puppy soaked in rain.
But her eyes soon sparkled again.
"I'll ask Team Leader Yoo for you!"
"Don't bother her when she's busy."
"She treats me so well! I'll convince her for sure!"
"Do what you want."
Whatever.
Kang Hyun was just thinking about heading to his friends' places to hang out.
Hurry up and get dark already.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Blaze Support Team Leader Yoo Chae-young.
Like always, she was living her busiest days ever.
Searching for the Word of Command User and Perfect Clear.
But then an unexpected troublesome call.
She furrowed her brow.
"E-Rank?"
<Yes! An absolutely splendid person!>
And then the machine-gun rap started.
<Even as a mana-less regular person, they perfectly recreated it with precise calculations and exquisite theory...>
<Breaking down and reconstructing each magic circle, understanding roots other mages couldn't pierce, all without mana...>
<This is a secret, but they achieved something no one else has, truly unspeakable heights...>
Flustered Yoo Chae-young.
What was with this energy?
Wasn't she supposed to be shy?
"...We'll review it."
<Wow! Thank you!>
She'd phrased it as a polite rejection.
But she couldn't comprehend the super-excited Aden.
After hanging up,
Yoo Chae-young's troubles only grew.
"Team leader. I overheard— you really gonna approve?"
"No."
Ice-cold decisive answer.
"Aden's sweet and cute, but we separate personal and professional."
"She really is cute. Fan club already popped up."
A-Rank's freakish magic power.
Rookie with no ties to any group.
A godsend for Blaze.
And the person herself was pure too.
Made you wanna adopt her as a little sister.
But!
Yoo Chae-young's glasses flashed.
"No parachutes!"
E-Rank to boot!
To mighty #3 Blaze!
"Good thing it was just a phone request."
"Really."
If they'd met in person?
Could she have refused?
Those jewel-blue eyes.
Doll-like blonde hair.
Cute stature, mismatched with her magic power pouch right in front of you?
Her subordinate nodded vigorously.
"First time seeing her so full of vim too. In person, no way we'd refuse."
"Right. Shame we didn't record video."
"Pardon?"
"Anyway, no parachutes."
But curiosity lingered too.
"What's this Kang Hyun that has Aden so sincere?"
"Dunno, boyfriend?"
"You've seen him, team leader. Handsome?"
"Wore a black mask, but sharp eyes."
That hyped because it's her boyfriend?
Cute. Enviable.
But healing time over.
Yoo Chae-young's glasses gleamed.
Subordinate flinched.
"Uh-oh, workaholic mode...!"
"Healing ends here! Move it! No time to slack!"
"Yes sir! Cuteness recharge complete! For the S-Rank Word of Command User and Perfect Clear Awakener!"
"For Blaze!"
Find just one!
Blaze becomes the world's greatest!
Make Blaze Great Again!
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ That night.
Dark midnight.
Loan shark branch.
The branch chief was chewing out his underlings.
"No word on that Lee Team Leader's punishment yet?"
Lee Team Leader.
Had infiltrated as security team leader at Awakener Management Headquarters.
Leaking new Awakener registration info.
Then suddenly arrested.
Naturally, the company's 'weed removal' squad went on high alert.
"Yes. Shouldn't take this long... Seems off from normal procedures."
"Bro, that eyewitness about Lee going not to police but NIS—is it real?"
"Don't jinx it, you punk!"
"Sorry!"
The underling bowed deeply.
Though he said that,
The yelling chief was inwardly uneasy too.
'If busted, NIS makes sense... Did he really get nabbed?'
He's done well so far.
Even landed security team leader.
Sudden bust?
Something felt off.
'Those two missing hit squad guys too. Flow's weird.'
To survive dirty work in the world's top safe country,
This 'sense' was essential.
The chief trusted his gut.
"Rookie."
"Yes!"
"Missing hit squad's two targets. Bring profiles and family info on those 'weeds'."
"Yes sir! On it!"
Let's see.
'Kang Hyun...'
Nothing odd even on second look.
Academy director.
This guy's been paying on time.
Not from shady background either.
'...Huh? Wait.'
Now he remembered.
This punk could scrap a bit.
Months back.
Kids went to scare him as usual,
Came back with black eyes and busted noses.
Let it slide then.
He kept paying interest on time.
Cops were cracking down hard, so no point escalating.
Who knew it'd bite back.
'Still weird though.'
Even if a scrapper Awakened,
Fresh Awakened are all F-range, geniuses hit E.
Those guys were D-.
And two of 'em.
"Ugh, headache..."
What the hell happened?
"For now, hit the family, scare 'em a bi—"
"What, you fucking bastard?"
"...Who just said that? Where you get off swearing at sacred bro—"
Puke—
Something pierced the chief's gut from behind.
A dark red blade.
"...Wha— Huh?"
"Bro! Behind!"
"What the fuck's this guy!? Where'd he come from! Grab him!"
"Save bro first!"
"Who the hell are you! Mask off!"
Then a chilling mutter from behind.
"【Silence, go blind, and forget.】" In that instant, the room drowned in black.
The Words acted not on living beings, but on this 'object'—the room itself.
Can't see.
Pitch black.
The chief endured the pain and tried ordering his men, but no sound came out.
Just mouthing.
"It's not that words won't come out. It's that they won't be heard."
This was a complex space woven from three Words.
A space where even the 'trace' vanished conceptually.
Kyle called it Shadow Bind.
No one could trace deeds done inside.
"Thought about settling with words."
The blade shluck— pulled from the chief's gut.
"But you crossed the line hard. So just die."