The Superhuman General Bureau

China's sole organization dedicated to hunters—known there as superhumans.

Guilds founded by private citizens?

The Chinese government had outlawed hunters operating independently or under private groups.

—We unite for the peace and well-being of the people.

That was only the official line.

In truth, it was about keeping an iron grip on hunters, who had become strategic assets ever since the Great Cataclysm.

Perhaps that was why.

Hunter awakening rates scaled with population, so China had no shortage of hunters—yet the proportion of true powerhouses among them remained low.

They raised hunters even as they monitored and feared them. A walking contradiction.

To resolve that paradox, China had spent the past several years pouring everything into securing high-grade hunters.

How?

"The Party has decided to increase the Superhuman Bureau's budget by thirty percent."

Money.

More money.

That was it.

For all that it was a socialist state, China solved problems with capital more ruthlessly than any capitalist nation.

Ling Shamei, Director-General of the Superhuman Bureau, stroked her chin with one hand.

"As expected of you, Director."

"We place our full trust in you, Director."

"Hahaha. It's all thanks to your hard work."

The conversation among the Bureau's high officials stayed warm and congenial from start to finish.

Only a few years ago, they had been constantly berated for how few strong hunters China produced.

Hunters' standing had only grown since the Great Cataclysm, yet China's rigid, uniform culture had failed to cultivate many top-tier ones.

Everything changed when Ling Shamei took over as the new director.

If you don't have them, buy them!

Over the past several years, they had poached numerous A-class and higher hunters—along with promising rookies whose futures were already written—from various countries.

One of those prospects had even recently reached S-class.

"Any talent worth watching lately?"

"Word is an S-rank promotee has emerged in Korea."

"That little country really does churn out gifted people."

"They're nothing but pigs steeped in capitalism. Show them the Party's dignity and they'll bow their heads at once."

That "dignity," of course, meant money.

Everyone knew it.

No one felt the least bit ashamed.

"Have we identified them?"

"Not yet."

"Comrade. You'll need to try harder."

Korea was a priority surveillance state.

Geographically close, prolific in outstanding hunters, and second only to the United States on the list of potential adversaries—China kept a constant watch.

"My apologies. I've been focusing more effort on another hunter we're currently making contact with."

"Do you expect a favorable answer?"

"If you would grant me just a little more time and budget…"

"Do what you can."

"Thank you!"

"And look into that S-rank promotee quickly as well."

"Understood."

"Let's all give it our best."

Ling Shamei laughed heartily.

Her expression was one thing. Inside, a thread of irritation twisted.

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Does our great nation truly look as though it will fall behind some minor country?

The journey to make China great again.

The Superhuman General Bureau would be the cornerstone of that grand march.

Ling Shamei was certain of it.

The next day.

The moment morning arrived, I headed for the Challenging Realm.

"Hello."

Maybe it was from seeing them so many times, but I'd grown fairly familiar with the hunter team that ran the bus. We exchanged greetings.

"Yes, hyung-nim!"

"All of a sudden?"

"We've been riding your bus every single time, haven't we?"

"We're grateful, so we're calling you hyung-nim from now on."

"That was my idea!"

Excuse me.

The idea person here has XY chromosomes, you know.

"If you make a lot of money, you're hyung-nim!"

The team's only female hunter said it cheerfully.

Well.

It was such sound logic I had nothing to argue.

【Hahaha! They bow their heads before your greatness, Sir.】

【They ought to address him as Master. Kids these days have no basics.】

【Hmph. A fair point. Mage. Once we enter the gate, I shall educate them.】

Do not bond over that.

【Does it displease you?】

No.

Being called hyung-nim is nice and all, but I'd already been thinking it was about time to graduate from commuting to the Challenging Realm.

Two Armed Zombie Warriors at D+ combat power.

Ingrid, same grade, plus the broken skill Solar Eclipse.

Sir Isra was due for a spec upgrade soon as well.

With this force, couldn't I start eyeing C-class gates?

【You are not permitted entry, are you not?】

Not entirely true.

I could enter places whose access limits were listed as C-class and below, or anywhere in the C-to-D range.

I'd finished the Armed Zombie Warrior crafting method, too.

The Split Soulstone buff was a bit disappointing, but there was no need to hitch myself to this place forever.

【Facing stronger foes is the way to grow swiftly.】

【Securing funds will also make material procurement easier.】

Just when our faces were getting familiar, it was time to part ways.

We'd only met through the bus runs. No point attaching too much meaning.

"Shall we go, then?"

This time the layout opened into a dense forest again.

They said there were five patterns.

I'd only ever seen the corridor type and the forest.

Lucky or unlucky—I still couldn't tell.

【Only the places that drop Split Soulstones have appeared. Is that not fortune?】

She had a… point!

"Grrrurk!"

Harsh breathing rasped at my ears.

Orcs approaching from a distance.

The two Armed Zombie Warriors I'd inducted as knight order members no longer needed storage in the Death Space.

Sir Isra, combat-ready, flashed a murderous light in her eyes.

【Give the order. Tell us to slaughter the enemy!】

"Hold on a second."

There was something I wanted to try.

I opened my palm and rearranged the mana before it.

The power to twist the world's rules and work miracles.

Magic.

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I called up the feel of the shots I'd fired at the training dummies.

Heavenly Martial Body read the orcs' pathing.

Origin of Magic analyzed the trajectory the moment I threw.

The two talents meshed.

Whoosh.

It landed dead-on among the charging orc pack.

BOOM!

One of the three orcs died instantly.

The other two took wounds of varying severity.

"Grrrurk!"

Look at those rolled-back eyes.

Hurting and still limping straight at me.

Yeah.

It ends before they arrive.

The two nicely roasted orcs collapsed.

【Magnificent, Master!】

【Both power and accuracy have risen.】

【All thanks to an excellent teacher.】

【All the mage did was watch.】

【I was the one who instructed him, you know?】

Charred black orc corpses.

Whew.

The mana stones were intact.

Just how powerful had Ingrid's fused magic been?

"You can use magic as well?"

"Yes."

Since yesterday.

"Hyung-nim, wasn't summoning your main thing?"

"It is."

"You look stronger than Mijeong, though."

"Hey! Hyung-nim's magic is Fireball, okay?!"

The mage hunter shouted.

"Good thing I packed popcorn again this time."

Why on earth do you bring that?

"I brought snacks for you too, hyung-nim."

"Ah. Thanks."

These kids were thorough.

Maybe it was from spending brainpower rearranging mana, but I'd gotten hungry. Perfect timing.

I took a solid bite of an energy bar and used Fireball once more.

KWAANG!

【Try delaying the mana release timing by just 0.2 seconds?】

"Got it."

KWAAAANG!

Oh.

The destructive power went up a notch?

【Even with the same formula, the power changes depending on the exact moment of release.】

I cheerfully blasted Fireballs at orcs until my mana bottomed out in no time.

If I pushed it, I could probably squeeze out two or three more shots.

【Mana exhaustion is coming. Be careful.】

Yessir.

But taking the monsters down myself left my hands itching.

I still had spare bone swords.

Maybe I should cut a few myself?

【Do not even think it.】

"I didn't say a word."

【It's written all over your face, Master.】

【Why has your hand gone to the hilt?】

Damn it.

So using magic from the rear was fine, but getting into a scrap with monsters myself was still forbidden?

Now I had two masters instead of one.

"Guuuurk. Kill."

"Guurk. Destroy."

The two newly reinforced Armed Zombie Warriors crushed the orcs, and—

【Haaah!】

Sir Isra overcame her lacking specs with pure technique.

【How dare you direct killing intent at Master?】

Pung—

Ingrid targeted only vital points with exquisite precision, dropping them with one or two E-class spells.

"Excuse me. Mijeong-ssi, was it?"

"Yes, hyung-nim."

"That's not an easy thing to do, right?"

"Oof. I couldn't even imitate that. I'd need at least five Ice Bolts."

The mage hunter answered with a full-body flinch.

I wasn't even asking her to try it. No need to jump out of her skin.

"Kururuk. Challengers. Insolent—"

【An orc dares talk back to Master?】

A fireball smashed into the orc mage's face.

Once the acrid smoke cleared, a crushed face was left behind.

"Grrrrr. Cowardly!"

【To speak of cowardice when you cannot even recognize the gap in power.】

Seogeok—

Sir Isra and a single Armed Zombie Warrior alone made easy work of the boss.

Specs boosted by the Undead Master's effect.

Add Ingrid and one more Armed Zombie Warrior on top of that.

An orc mage was no match.

Didn't even feel special anymore.

Time to raise it to C-class, right?

【A Split Soulstone.】

【There's a piece of clothing, too.】

【It has a musty smell to it.】

"Resurrected can smell things?"

【No. It just feels that way.】

Unnamed mage gentleman.

I'm sorry.

It's not my fault, but I feel obligated to apologize anyway.

Solid, reliable performance.

Since it boosted magic ability, I decided to give it to Ingrid.

【At last, a third knight order member!】

【Tch.】

【Hahahaha! The one who serves our Lord best is I, Isra!】

Hmm.

Can Ingrid not see it?

"This one's going somewhere else."

【Ah! Aaaah!!】

Don't make that devastated face.

The wavelength is a bit different from the Twin Living Armor drops.

If my hunch is right…

【The return path has opened.】

Ah.

I got lost in thought too long.

I stowed the orc mage's corpse in the Death Space.

"Shall we?"

Outside the gate, things were fairly chaotic.

Maybe the SSS-grade clear news had gone up a little early.

Well, we weren't the only hunters nearby, so it should be fine.

"Isn't that Director Baek from Chilseong Guild?"

"The one who scouted Kim Jihun?"

"Think he's here looking for the hunter who cleared SSS?"

Chilseong?

One of the domestic Big Five.

So a high-up had come in person.

Whoa.

Park Minho, your market value just went up.

"We'll keep our mouths shut."

The melee dealer made a big show of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠zipping his lips shut.

You don't have to go that far.

But if they were going to, I had no intention of stopping them.

Thud— thud—

Was it my imagination?

Why.

Did it feel like he was walking straight toward me?

"You are Hunter Park Minho, correct?"

Kek.

Nailed it.

"Yes. That's right, but—"

"Congratulations on passing the S-rank promotion review."

Right.

A refined way of saying he already knew everything and came prepared.

"My name is Baek Seonghyeon. If you have a moment, might we speak briefly?"

The bus team members glanced at my face, then—

"Please talk at your leisure, hyung-nim."

"We'll head out first!"

—and smoothly slipped away.

Take me with you.

My high-personage quota was already filled by Director Jeong Seungil.

Nothing for it.

Couldn't exactly send away someone who'd come a long way to have a "nice" chat.

"Yes. Let's do that."

Well then.

Let's hear what you've prepared.