The Defector

It was a high-end hotel banquet hall in Tokyo. A place that would normally host a gala was instead packed with reporters. Each had claimed a spot, laptops open, waiting in anticipation.

"Hey, who’s supposed to show up today?"

"No idea. I just came because the higher-ups told me to."

Just then, a reporter named Kobayashi chimed in from the side.

"I heard the Hunter Management Department prepared an interesting event."

"An interesting event? What is it?"

"Who knows."

Small whispers continued among the reporters until the protagonist appeared. Their eyes were filled with curiosity and expectation. A middle-aged reporter muttered to himself, "Good grief, this is the first time in my life I’ve attended a press conference like this. Coming here without even knowing who the main character is."

How much time had passed? Just as the reporters’ eyes began to fill with annoyance and boredom, someone finally made an appearance. It was the Chief Cabinet Secretary, Nakamura. As soon as Nakamura stepped onto the podium and sat down, he opened his mouth.

"We will now begin the press conference."

As soon as those words fell, a barrage of questions poured out from the reporters.

"Chief Cabinet Secretary! What exactly is the content of today’s press conference?"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"This is the first time I’ve seen a press conference like this. It was off-the-record until the very last second! Tell us quickly!"

"What is this 'interesting event' anyway?"

Faced with the flood of questions, Nakamura smiled and raised a hand to quiet the reporters. "You’ve waited a long time. I would love to tell you, but today’s protagonist is someone else, so why don't you hear it directly from him?"

At his words, a small stir rippled through the reporters. He slowly raised a finger. "Then, I shall bring him out now."

As he snapped his fingers, the side door opened and a man walked in. For a moment, every reporter in the banquet hall held their breath. Immediately after, gasps of astonishment erupted from them.

"That’s Korea’s A-rank hunter, Kang Minho?!"

"Huh? Why is that person appearing here?"

Camera flashes went off incessantly, and the excited voices of the reporters mingled together. They instinctively realized this was a scoop.

As soon as Kang Minho sat down, he brought the microphone to his lips. "Hello. Yes. That’s right. I am Korea’s A-rank hunter, Kang Minho. No, I suppose it would be more accurate to say I was."

At his words, the reporters buzzed.

"What does that mean? Why the past tense?"

Kang Minho was a person who had studied abroad in Japan during elementary school. There was no way such a person would misuse his tenses. Then why? As questions filled the reporters' minds, Kang Minho continued.

"As of today, I am a Japanese citizen. In other words, from now on, I will be active as a hunter for Japan."

For a moment, the banquet hall was engulfed in silence. But that silence was very short-lived. A storm of commotion erupted.

"Hunter Kang Minho! Is that true?!"

"What did you say? Then does that mean you have naturalized in Japan?"

"Korea’s top hunter coming to Japan—why did you suddenly make such a decision?"

A barrage of questions poured out in the reporters' excited voices. Kang Minho began to speak on the points he had prepared in advance.

"Korea’s hunter system has many regrettable aspects. The inefficient management system, the lack of support policies for private guilds, and even the issue of guaranteeing the status of hunters. On the other hand, Japan was different. Seeing the systematic and efficient gate response, and the way they carefully look after the status of hunters, I made my decision. I want to dedicate this body to Japan for my future hunter life."

Chief Cabinet Secretary Nakamura took over from his words. "I believe Hunter Kang Minho’s decision proves the excellence of our Japanese hunter system. We clearly state that we will spare no full-scale support so that he does not regret his choice of naturalization, and so that he can play a major role in Japan, which has now become his home country."

Catching his breath, Nakamura opened his mouth again. "With this, our Great Empire of Japan now has five A-rank hunters. In the upcoming World Hunter Championship, all of Japan’s participants will be A-rank hunters. And Hunter Kang Minho will also participate in the raid on the C-rank gate where slimes appear. I ask for the people’s great support so that he can have a successful first debut in Japan."

The World Hunter Championship that Nakamura mentioned. It was a global festival held every two years and a battle of pride. While the nominal purpose was to strengthen international cooperation or re-evaluate the standardization and grading criteria for hunter abilities, to put it more simply, it was nothing less than a fight between hunters with their respective countries' pride on the line. Which country is stronger? Who is the strongest hunter in the world? And so far, two hunter championships have been held, and the United States has won both times. Even though the famous Sorcerer didn’t even compete. Anyway.

This press conference by Kang Minho heated up Japan’s internet portal sites.

Korea’s internet portal sites were also fiercely heated.

Everyone was criticizing Kang Minho in unison.

Some people couldn't understand his choice. Why of all places? Then someone left a comment.

#

The government also began to respond quickly to this unexpected situation. The Blue House, the Ministry of National Defense, and ministers from each department gathered in one place. President Cha Insoo’s face hardened.

"What on earth is this? An A-rank hunter naturalizing in another country! And to Japan, at that."

Then the Minister of National Defense opened his mouth cautiously.

"According to our investigation, Hunter Kang Minho acquired Japanese nationality immediately after receiving his active-duty enlistment notice."

"Sigh... does this make sense? Are we just supposed to let an A-rank hunter go like this? Is there no problem?"

He was the only A-rank hunter in the country. No matter how much Kang Minho failed the C-rank gate raid and was cursed at by the public, he was a hunter with an A-rank license. And he was giving up his South Korean nationality? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠This was the worst-case scenario. This time, the Minister of Foreign Affairs spoke.

"Unfortunately, there is no problem at all with Hunter Kang naturalizing in Japan. He is already a Japanese citizen."

At those words, a groan burst from President Cha Insoo’s lips. His brow throbbed with a sudden headache. President Cha Insoo, who had closed his eyes tightly and was lost in thought for a moment, nodded as if he had made a decision.

"Good. Fine. So what is the response going to be from now on?"

"Uh, Mr. President."

President Cha Insoo’s gaze turned to one place. It was the Minister of Justice, Jo Inseong.

"We must push for an emergency bill. It would restrict the entry into our country permanently for any hunter of A-rank or higher who has not fulfilled their military service and acquires another country’s nationality."

"···"

President Cha Insoo’s eyes deepened. He understood what intention the Minister of Justice had in bringing up such a thing. This was a bill aimed at Kang Minho. It was a super-strong measure to ensure he could never set foot on Korean soil again. Furthermore, it was to prevent the recurrence of such a situation. If they proceeded according to the Minister of Justice’s opinion, Kang Minho would never be able to step on Korean soil again. As a South Korean citizen, stepping on South Korean soil is one of the basic rights guaranteed by the Constitution. But it’s a different story if you are a foreigner with another nationality. As a non-Korean, he would now have to undergo strict screening just to enter. Of course, refusing entry was also fully possible. Whatever pretext they attached, that was South Korea’s freedom. However.

President Cha Insoo said in a heavy voice.

"Kang Minho is an A-rank hunter. In the worst-case scenario, we might need his help. Restricting his entry to prepare for such a worst-case scenario might be the worst self-defeating move."

"I don't think you need to worry about that, Mr. President."

It was Minister Choi Jeongwon, who was in charge of the Hunter Management Department.

"What does that mean?"

"When analyzing internal data, Hunter Cheon Yooshin has already surpassed Kang Minho. The evaluation on HunterNet and in the global hunter world is the same. Our country no longer needs Kang Minho. Mr. President."

"···, that is welcome news."

President Cha Insoo, who tapped the armrest of his chair as if in deep thought, finally opened his mouth.

"Is there no problem under international law?"

The Minister of Justice nodded and said, "There is room for controversy, but restricting the entry of foreign nationals is the right of that country. Therefore, it can be fully justified."

"Good. Since we’re pushing for it, let’s proceed quickly. It seems it will be the last remaining task within my remaining term."

#

Groans of pain spread over the sandy beach of the uninhabited island. Their translucent bodies reflected dimly in the moonlight, creating a gruesome sight. Because what lay collapsed were not people, but souls. Even Baek Woohyun, Joo Jowoon, and Yoon Heewon, who were counted among the strongest, were no exception. It was only because it was them that they were barely maintaining their consciousness; the relatively weaker hunters had already lost their minds.

And in the middle of them stood Imp, a being looking down at his creation with a dangerous smile. "Tsk tsk, this is why humans are..."

He was sneering, looking down at them with the eyes of an absolute being. It had been a long time since he felt like this. How many times had he suffered under a master who wasn't really a master? Actually, if he had crawled on his own, shouldn't there have been something coming from the other side? Always a blunt tone. And if he didn't like something, he would hit him in the back of the head. Come to think of it, I'm getting pissed off?

'Should I just let it rip once?'

The master, too, was a human with hot, fresh red blood flowing like those guys. It didn't matter how strong a human became. Memories tend to be naturally beautified over time. Looking back, he had a reasonable conviction that if he hadn't been attacked by surprise there, he wouldn't have been defeated so helplessly.

A dangerous glint began to hover in Imp’s eyes. Meanwhile, Cheon Yooshin was enjoying a leisurely life on the uninhabited island. If he was hungry, he could go fishing; if he was sleepy, he could take a nap. A rest he felt for the first time in a long while. However, there was a message that broke that rest.

'Huh?' An unexpected message. 'Fear level? What was that?' His memory was hazy. Yooshin immediately activated Imp’s status window.

"...Look at this bastard?"

Cheon Yooshin’s body, which had been limp, was half-raised. He had let his guard down a bit lately, thinking he had trained the kids well, so he had loosened the reins—was this the treason he had been thinking of? Yooshin moved to where Imp was in an instant. The fear level had already dropped to 40%. It was a level where it wouldn't be strange to be attacked now. Yooshin tilted his head at an angle and looked at Imp’s back. He could also see the hunters who were gasping for breath around Imp.

"Haha. This little shit, he’s really turned people into dough."

He was training them very well, just as he had instructed. Through their wounds, he could see that Imp was pushing them well beyond their limits. But it is the way of the world that if you commit a sin, you must be punished. Yooshin had no intention of ignoring the way of the world. At Yooshin’s voice, Imp’s gaze turned toward him.

"Kwahahaha!"

The guy covered half his face with one hand, opened his mouth wide, and laughed. What is this, is he doing a middle-schooler syndrome concept now? Imp, who had been laughing for a long time, straightened his face. He glared at Yooshin intently. It looked like lasers were going to come out of his eyes.

"Master, no! You human bastard! I will be a free body now. I am not someone to be subordinate to a lowly human!"

Magi erupted from the guy’s body as if it were exploding. However, Yooshin chuckled. Because it was funny. The moment his hand waved through the air, the bodies of the hunters groaning in pain on the floor began to heal. Then the hunters stood up one by one. When the hunters saw that they were cleanly healed and had expressions of disbelief, Yooshin’s voice was heard.

"Everyone, watch closely, to see what happens when you rebel."

Yooshin, who had let go of his hand, tilted his head and walked slowly. "Come here. To the Room of Truth."

The sin of not recognizing his master and attacking recklessly. It was treason. So, he had to be beaten. The Magi erupting from Cheon Yooshin’s entire body swallowed Imp’s Magi like a living creature. Only then did Imp seem to come to his senses and step back.

"Huh?! W, wait a minute?"

"Too late. You bastard."

His cold voice cut through the night air and rang out. Yooshin moved. For a moment, his body blurred and appeared right in front of Imp. His leg whipped Imp’s waist with lightning speed.

Thwack!

"Kuaack!"

Even though he had only been hit once, Imp’s eyes bulged as if they were about to pop out from the pain of his waist bone breaking.

"What’s wrong, just from one hit?"

A voice full of mockery. This time, Yooshin’s fist struck Imp’s face.

"Cough!"

Something white popped out of his mouth. They were pieces of broken teeth.

"W, w—"

"Yeah, I’ll let you sleep, just bear with it a little."

At the sight of Cheon Yooshin grinning, Imp realized how foolish he had been to the bone.

"P, please spare me!"

But that realization had already come too late.

#

Hunter Management Department Headquarters. Despite the late hour, the lights illuminating the interior were not turned off. No, it was filled with tension. It had been since the emergency official document arrived from the Ministry of Unification a little while ago. Team Leader Park Haesu responded to Section Chief Lee Eunsoo’s call with an urgent expression.

"Is it true? North Korea requested support?"

Section Chief Lee Eunsoo sighed and said, "Yes. It’s accurate. It’s an official document from the Ministry of Unification. Read it."

Park Haesu, who received the document, read the official document. The content was simple. But the meaning contained within it was quite heavy.

'C-rank gate appeared in Pyongyang, attempted to clear it on our own, but all North Korean hunters died. The time remaining until the Gate Break is 70 hours. Emergency support request from the South.'

Park Haesu, who read the document, opened his mouth.

"I never dreamed I would get the chance to step on North Korean soil in my life."

However, contrary to that, Park Haesu’s face became heavy. Clearing the C-rank gate wasn't the problem. The real problem was...

'Will that Hunter Cheon Yooshin really be able to return from North Korea without causing any accidents?'

Park Haesu was already worried.