Suspicion and Rewards
Jeong Seungil's eyes, laced with suspicion, narrowed as he looked at us. Isra coughed dryly, clearing her throat.
"The saying goes that the right hand must not let the left know what it has done."
"Skip the pleasantries."
"We've already eliminated the enemy forces."
*You didn't use this as a chance to bond, did you?*
*Somehow.*
*Even after all the time we spent wandering outside all day, the card fee didn't come to much.*
*You should have noticed earlier when I wasn't eating much.*
*Hah! What kind of improper remark is that?*
Isra's remaining words barely reached my ears.
*I never even told you about this and now you're pulling off something this big.*
*Ugh.*
*My head was pounding like it was splitting.*
*Be pleased. With the enemy's core destroyed, they won't be able to operate for a while.*
*What? Why would you do that...*
*We hit the wrong target.*
*This guy.*
*Sigh.*
*"Our Summoner's story has been circulating on SNS quite a bit."*
Commissioner Choi Jiung held up his phone screen.
*- He's become a celebrity in Myeongdong.*
*└ That's Park Minho's summon, right?*
*└ Is the summon really that pretty?*
*└ But that guy looks unfamiliar.*
*└ Showing off his skin in the middle of winter.*
*└ This place must feel like Hawaii to him.*
*At this point, he probably never even considered hiding.*
*Even CCTV wouldn't explain real-time SNS sharing of his movements.*
*I was busy fiddling with the [Primitive Heart] in the Death Blacksmith at the time.*
*"Thanks to the summons' contributions, we've managed to identify Chinese spy organizations."*
*"How lucky. That's good to hear."*
*"Their methods were a bit over the top."*
*"Did our guys cause a lot of trouble?"*
*"We took out everyone except one survivor."*
*A photo of the inside of the secret unit.*
*Something that was once human was plastered everywhere on the walls.*
*With eyes tightly shut, it looked like it had been ground up in a crusher.*
*Guys.*
*Taking out Chinese hunters is self-defense, but this crossed a line.*
*Their gazes full of rebuke turned the entire group in unison.*
*"The overall leader is Isra."*
*"We only did what our lord ordered."*
*Heh heh heh...*
*Aha.*
*The real mastermind behind all this was Isra?*
*"You don't need to worry about it."*
*Commissioner Choi Jiung waved his hand as if calming me down.*
*"Director Jeong said something like these people don't exist."*
*"Yes, he did mention similar things."*
*"On the intelligence side, they avoid taking responsibility for each other and just say they didn't know."*
*A terrifyingly global game.*
*"Last time with the Turan ambush, you made it public, right?"*
*"We had to go all out to protect Hunter Shin and Park."*
*Aha.*
*"Still, we left one survivor so the investigation can continue."*
*"That's good news."*
*"The reason I invited you here today is to make a request."*
*"Yes."*
*"When we carry out operations like this in the future, please give us advance notice."*
*"I'm sorry."*
*"Oh, actually, we should be thanking you for this matter."*
*Thanking us?*
*If they're talking like that after putting several people down, my sense of morals is shaking?*
*"Even if the Rift Bureau had found it, combat was inevitable."*
*"In the end, it was a fight we were always going to have to have."*
*"That's just how things go on your side."*
*Ugh.*
*This is scary.*
*"But the problem is that the actions of your lord's summons have been exposed."*
*"Yeah."*
*Even CCTV would have been fine, but...*
*The multiple photos that made it to SNS were the real issue.*
*"If you had told us in advance, we would have hidden everything as much as possible."*
*"Doesn't that break the Rift Bureau's rules?"*
*"Park is an external asset. We can't complain if it doesn't follow our regulations."*
*Hah.*
*So this is what irresponsible pleasure feels like.*
*"Please avoid excessive casualties in the future."*
*"I'm sorry."*
*"No need. Those people deserved to die anyway. You don't need to worry about holding the summons accountable."*
*So as long as it's not legally problematic, it's fine?*
*Ugh.*
*He spoke that way, but I told the summons to restrain themselves.*
*"My second request is whether you can hand over the data we've secured."*
*Data?*
*"After interrogating the survivor, we learned that the important information was all taken by the intruders."*
*I looked at Isra once more.*
*"It's in my lord's room."*
*You brought it?*
*You caused a massive incident.*
*"I'll check the data first before deciding."*
*"Thank you."*
*Commissioner Choi Jiung bowed his head.*
*"Crushing the Chinese spy organization was a huge success and very patriotic."*
*"Oh. Yes."*
*Even though I didn't do anything, I'm being praised, so I'm a bit uneasy.*
*"Right. I remember we discussed the item rental before."*
*I remembered.*
*It was the Rift Bureau offering to lend items they owned.*
*No ownership, no limit on duration, basically free.*
*"I already passed the message to Director Jeong."*
*"Since you're here, how about renting the items today?"*
*Oh.*
*This was an event to boost the power of the summons.*
*I couldn't miss it.*
*"Then I won't refuse."*
*"Finally, the Rift Bureau is doing something for us."*
*Commissioner Choi Jiung smiled genuinely and stood up.*
*"I'll show you to the items myself."*
*"You must be busy."*
*"It's not like someone else. Ranger Number One. We need to make time."*
*Well, when he put it that way...*
*What kind of items were being stored in the Rift Bureau?*
*I was already excited.*
* * *
*The path to the Rift Bureau's item storage room was strictly guarded.*
*Clank—clank—*
*The door, protected by analog and electronic systems plus magical barriers, slid sideways.*
*I had no idea how many layers of security there were.*
*"Even a B-rank spell could be blocked several times."*
*"With Aura, it would be hard to break through."*
*"Hmm. Even the [Shonen] couldn't come up with a way to steal it."*
*Security measures good enough to earn the summons' praise.*
*We passed through the heavily protected door and felt a strong mana wave.*
**The Blacksmith's Soul**
*A tingling sensation ran through me.*
*Seeing several high-quality weapons at once triggered a reflexive signal.*
*Inside the safe were dozens of weapons.*
*[Moonlight Spirit Blade]*
*[Ignus Ties]*
*[Atlas Gauntlet]*
*...*
*All of them were unique-grade items infused with considerable mana.*
*"I'd love to give you epic or higher, but they're all currently lent out. Sorry."*
*"This is more than enough. Thank you."*
*"Pick any five that you need."*
*Five.*
*That was more than enough.*
*I had already sorted the priorities.*
*The first one I chose was the orb that shimmered with every color.*
**[Elemental Orb]**
*Grade: Unique*
*Category: Weapon*
*Restriction: Mage class, mastery of at least three elemental spells.*
*Durability: 150/150*
*A crystal infused with the four elemental forces. It can store one spell per element, and the stored spells amplify the user's mana based on how many are held.*
* *Mana Amplification Lv 55*
* *Mana Application Lv 54*
* *Currently Stored Spells: 0*
*Ingrid possesses a broad understanding of all elements, including the four natural ones.*
*She can push mana amplification to its maximum.*
*In a crisis, she can create variables by releasing stored spells.*
*"Thank you, Master!"*
*Hah.*
*Look. Among the summons, the one most loved by the nation is...*
*Just a difference in priority. It doesn't represent my lord's heart.*
*First one? Heh.*
*Whoa!*
*The first sword is nothing special.*
*Thief! Do you really want to die?*
*Isra kept the unique sword from the promotion exam, so I skipped explaining it.*
*The second item I picked was the sharp dagger.*
**[Obsidian Dagger]**
*Grade: Unique*
*Category: Dagger*
*Restriction: A-rank or higher warrior hunter.*
*Durability: 300/300*
*A blade forged from black obsidian infused with the extreme cold of the night sky. Its swing creates a stealth that lets it easily probe the opponent's weaknesses.*
* *Pierce Lv 57*
* *Slash Lv 49*
* *Penetrate Lv 45*
* *Second Strike skill embedded*
*[Second Strike]*
*Category: Grappling*
*Grade: A*
*Type: Active*
*When using an ambush-type skill, this skill can be used again.*
*The skill must be 100% understood to activate.*
*"Big Lord! This item is perfect for the [Shonen]!"*
*"Thank you for the lord's grace, you thief."*
*"It's the first item I couldn't give away."*
*"I'm killing you."*
*Eek!*
*But what now?*
*The next one I chose was Roan’s weapon.*
**[Heavenly Hammer]**
*Grade: Unique*
*Category: Holy Artifact*
*Restriction: Cleric class*
*Durability: 170/170*
*A mace forged from iron that had been blessed and smelted.*
*It amplifies holy power.*
* *Holy Amplification Lv 65*
* *A-rank and below holy spells / holy techniques rank +0.5.*
*Spell Rank Up!*
*One rank increase is not exactly right; it's an extra effect.*
*Even that boost was enough to make the skill's power noticeably stronger.*
*It was a fitting option for a unique-grade item.*
**Master. Gratitude.**
*Roan's consciousness trembled.*
*He had not expected this.*
*This guy...*
*You're a summon too. Of course I should bring you.*
*Big brother hates discrimination.*
*"My lord."*
*I held off as long as I could. Just before Isra started crying, I grabbed one more item.*
**[Ogre Belt]**
*Grade: Unique*
*Category: Belt*
*Restriction: Warrior class*
*Durability: 270/270*
*A belt made from ogre leather. Wearing it supposedly lets you harness ogre strength.*
* *Strength Reinforcement Lv 70*
*This item only has one option: pure strength boost.*
*That was why I chose it.*
*"It will fill Isra's power."*
*Isra had always actively used Mana Release to overcome her slender body.*
*Even after resurrection, the same thing applied.*
*She had to look exactly like her original form to level up.*
*She couldn't turn into a muscular Armed Zombie Strengthened Soldier like before.*
*She had reinforced her muscles with ogre tendons to the max, but pure strength was still lacking.*
*"Ah, what a merciful decision!"*
*Isra's eyes burned with passion.*
*"Do you feel how much I worried for you, Lord? This is your difference from the nation. Hahaha!"*
*"What nonsense. You're last."*
*"Hahaha. You don't want to admit it. The summon your lord trusts most is none other than me, Isra."*
*"Lord, that's going a bit too far."*
*While the summons were arguing, I continued quietly browsing the remaining items.*
*Only one item left that I could take.*
*I wondered if there was something helpful for swinging a hammer.*
*If not, I'd just have to give Isra another item.*
*Walking leisurely between the items...*
*—Hrm, hrm.*
*A very faint consciousness brushed against my mind.*