The World Turns Its Eyes

It was a broadcast accident.

The eyes of everyone standing by in emergency readiness around the gate widened all at once. The reason was that the gate had begun to tremble minutely. At first, it was so subtle it was hard to notice, but in an instant, the intensity of the vibration grew. For those near the gate, the shaking became strong enough to make the ground itself tremble.

"N-no way?"

Team Leader Park Hae-soo’s eyes were also trembling uncontrollably. The gate was vibrating. That meant only one thing.

"The gate... has been cleared?"

No sooner had Park Hae-soo finished his mutterings than Cheon Yooshin revealed himself from the gate.

"Whoa."

At that moment, Park Hae-soo was staring at Yooshin with dazed eyes. He had expected it. He had hoped for it. If it were Hunter Cheon Yooshin, perhaps he could clear a gate that even an A-rank hunter had failed to conquer. But seeing it manifest as reality before his eyes, his brain had momentarily overloaded, leaving him unable to react. It was the same for the soldiers and police officers guarding the perimeter.

Thump. Thump.

Amidst the silence of the surroundings, Cheon Yooshin began to walk toward Team Leader Park Hae-soo. Before he knew it, Yooshin stood before him and opened his mouth.

"Let's go."

"D-did you really succeed in clearing it?"

Worry flickered in Cheon Yooshin’s eyes. Why was he like this?

"Did you get presbyopia ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠already? I wouldn't have come out if I hadn't succeeded."

There was truly no one like Cheon Yooshin to crack a joke in a situation like this.

"Are you really Hunter Cheon Yooshin?"

"Huh? Are you really suffering from severe presbyopia?"

A rare look of concern appeared on Cheon Yooshin’s face. But Park Hae-soo was in a daze. It was nothing short of a miracle. No, there was no other word for it than a massive success. Of course, the hunter powerhouses had been clearing C-rank gates. But aside from the famous Sorcerer in the United States, no one had been able to clear a C-rank gate solo. But now, a South Korean hunter could proudly stand alongside that name. Cheon Yooshin. That name began to spread across the entire world.

Articles poured out like a flood.

The public’s reaction to him was equally heated.

While the entire nation was shouting for Cheon Yooshin, an interview with Kang Minho was uploaded to Tube.

He was kneeling on a table. His gaze was heavy, and his expression was somber.

"I have come here today to offer a national apology."

After catching his breath for a moment, he continued.

"I sincerely apologize for failing to clear the C-rank gate. I failed to live up to the expectations and trust that you, the citizens, sent me."

His voice trembled. Then, his expression changed minutely. As if he were slightly aggrieved.

"However, the monsters in this gate did not have a good compatibility with my abilities. Slime monsters are poison to melee types. As those who know, know... and because I was worried about the safety of my guild members, I couldn't fully display my skills. But I won't make excuses."

Kang Minho said, putting strength into his eyes.

"Please give me one more chance. I am Kang Minho, the only A-rank hunter in the country who has cleared a C-rank gate. I will definitely succeed!"

Along with his firm resolve, sincerity flowed from his eyes. And as the screen turned off, it switched to a black screen. But then, a voice was heard.

"What kind of embarrassment is this because of that son of a bitch Cheon Yooshin? I wish he'd just die. That fucking bastard...! Ah, the mic isn't off? You son of a bitch!"

It was a broadcast accident. The internet, which had been burning hot for Cheon Yooshin, began to blaze even brighter due to Kang Minho’s broadcast accident.

Everyone was full of criticism for Kang Minho. And that criticism began to open a new path. Namely:

It was the military. The military always values weakness. That meant they always pursued strength. Therefore, every hunter must go to the military. Of course, it wasn't the two years like a regular soldier. It was a short period of 6 months, and as soon as they were commissioned, they entered with two diamonds engraved on their hats. However, hunters who had become accustomed to the privilege of being a hunter tried to get out of it somehow, but a hunter's body is flawless. There is only a difference in the degree of strength. Naturally, since they couldn't get out due to physical defects, if you were a hunter, you were dragged in without fail. However, Kang Minho was the only A-rank hunter. Therefore, the enlistment warrant with his name on it had not yet been created. In such a situation, a hunter named Cheon Yooshin who could replace Kang Minho had appeared. And regarding Kang Minho, who was caught up in this swearing controversy, the voices of the citizens, especially those who had completed their military service, began to gather.

Send Kang Minho to the military. It was the result of the desire that if I had to suffer, he should too.

#

Beijing, Zhongnanhai Headquarters.

Chairman Zhang Weichang asked back as if he couldn't believe the news he had just received.

"What does that mean? He cleared a C-rank gate alone?"

His voice was a mixture of annoyance and bewilderment. It was because he had heard just yesterday that a guy called an A-rank hunter had failed to clear it. Tomorrow—or rather, today—a Gate Break was scheduled to occur, and Chinese hunters were on standby at that time. If they were in crisis, their own country's hunters would save them. It was a plan to gain massive political and economic benefits under the pretext of saving them. Chairman Zhang Weichang fell into deep thought for a moment. But a C-rank gate was cleared in just one day? And solo, at that? His gaze turned to his aide.

"Among our hunters, are there any who can clear a C-rank solo?"

"...I am aware that there are none."

Bang!

At that moment, Chairman Zhang Weichang slammed the desk.

"This is unacceptable! This is a matter of the prestige of our People's Republic of China. From now on, deploy our best hunters solo to any C-rank gates that appear."

"B-but then, the hunters' casualties..."

At the aide's words, Chairman Zhang Weichang’s eyes glistened with rage.

"This guy? Are you daring to oppose me!"

"I-I apologize!"

"Individual sacrifice is inevitable. For the honor of the nation, you should consider it an honor to sacrifice your life."

Zhang Weichang, who was watching the aide hurriedly leave with a pathetic look, slumped into his chair. Then, he suddenly picked up the phone and said,

"Contact the media and prepare a congratulatory statement. The content should be congratulating South Korea on their solo C-rank gate clear."

Chairman Zhang Weichang, who hung up the phone, walked to the window.

"We must bring that Korean hunter to our country."

If their own hunters couldn't clear it solo, they just had to naturalize a hunter who could. America's Sorcerer was impossible to approach, but Korea was different.

#

"Chiksho!"

Prime Minister Kenji slammed the desk hard.

"Are you telling me to believe this right now?!"

The expression on Prime Minister Kenji’s face as he looked at the Chief Cabinet Secretary was complex. To think he would clear a C-rank solo. The number of A-rank hunters South Korea possessed was only one. With one person, clearing a C-rank was practically impossible. Naturally, he thought they would ask for help. That was why he had put on a show of force. For the sake of national pride. As a result, hadn't the cabinet's approval rating risen sharply? The media had praised him endlessly as the next Ito Hirobumi, and the citizens were the same. Saying that an opportunity had come to show Korea a thing or two. But.

"This is a disaster! A disaster! What will happen if this news reaches the citizens! Block the media immediately!"

"B-but."

The media was not owned by the cabinet. And.

Bang!

Someone hurriedly threw open the door to the Prime Minister's office. It was his secretary.

"P-Prime Minister! We have a big problem!"

"Don't you know I'm in a meeting with the Chief Cabinet Secretary?!"

"B-but!"

The Prime Minister sighed and opened his mouth.

"Fine, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠what on earth is such a big problem?"

"A C-rank gate has appeared."

"Why is that!"

C-ranks were impossible to clear in a hunter-poor country like Korea, but in Japan, clearing a C-rank gate was possible.

"I-it's a slime! The monster that appeared there is a slime!"

"Chiksho!"

The notorious slime had landed in Japan.

#

US Hunter Management Bureau Situation Room, Washington D.C.

Director James’s face hardened. Director James, who was watching the giant screen hanging on the wall, was completely stiff.

'He cleared a C-rank solo?'

And a gate where slimes appeared, at that?

'How on earth did such a hunter come out of that tiny piece of land.'

The only person in the world who could clear a C-rank solo was Sorcerer Supreme.

'No, are there two now?'

Unless Korea had gone insane, the news being reported on that screen right now was the truth. If so.

Director James, who had been lost in thought while tapping the armrest of his chair with his fingers, had eyes that shone.

'He will become a new nuclear weapon.'

And Director James—no, the United States—had no intention of missing out on this new nuclear weapon. When he pressed the button on the table, someone opened the door and entered.

"Did you call for me, Director?"

"Send agents to Korea immediately. Prepare to recruit Hunter Cheon Yooshin. Ah! And perhaps that greedy China might send their people. Block them well in the middle. Do you understand what I mean?"

"Understood."

The aide bowed his head and left immediately. But.

Someone knocked and entered again. It was the second aide, Ames.

"What is it?"

"Director, a request for support for a C-rank gate has come in from Japan."

A look of bewilderment appeared on Director James’s face. Although weaker than the US, Japan’s hunter power was still strong. A country capable of clearing C-rank gates. A request ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠for support from such a country?

"They say slimes are appearing in the C-rank gate."

"Ah..."

Director James understood. That was how terrifying slimes were. Physical attacks didn't work properly, and telling melee hunters to go inside the gate was the same as telling them to die. But.

"Doesn't Korea, where Hunter Cheon Yooshin is, exist? Besides, the gate he cleared this time was also a C-rank, a gate where slimes appear. Why are they not requesting support from there?"

It takes over 10 hours to get from the US to Japan. But from Korea to Japan? It’s a stone's throw away. So why were they requesting support from them?

Then, the aide’s explanation began. What the Japanese Prime Minister had demanded of Korea as a condition for clearing the gate through a press conference when a C-rank gate appeared in Korea.

Hearing that, profanity burst from Director James’s mouth.

"They’re crazy bastards. Why are they all just crazy bastards over there? China, Japan, North Korea—these three countries are truly hopeless. Hopeless."

At least Korea could communicate. To be precise, Korea was bowing down to the US. Anyway.

"Refuse the support request. Crazy bastards, don't they know now is not the time to ask us for help?"

Due to the existence of Hunter Cheon Yooshin, the situation in East Asia would now change. And Korea would stand tall as an unrivaled country. But were the stupid Japanese people unaware of that? Or were they pretending not to know?