The Return of the Immortal

Seiko wore a cap pulled low and a mask covering his face. 'No one will recognize me like this.' There wasn't a soul who didn't know him. That had been true before, but now that he had gained such immense popularity, it was even more so. That was exactly why he couldn't let word get out that he was frequenting the police station. If those vultures—the reporters—caught a scent, they would dig until they found something. He had to cover this up as quickly as possible. Whether by pulling strings or paying off the detectives involved to keep their mouths shut.

'Damn it, I don't even have any money!' He had already been bled dry by the blackmailer. There was almost nothing left in his bank account. He was practically penniless. 'Wait, no. I was told the blackmailer was caught, so I should be able to get the money back.'

He couldn't even trust his road manager, so he drove himself to the police station. A familiar silhouette caught his eye. It was his manager, Damagochi. As expected of him. As expected of his manager. He had arrived at the station even before him, though who knows how he found out.

'He must have already cleaned up the mess, right?' Damagochi never hesitated to get his hands dirty for him. And he, in turn, never hesitated to let Damagochi get his hands dirty. As much as that guy suffered losses, he paid him handsomely in return. In fact, wasn't it he who had taken that guy in, despite his poor educational background? If it weren't for him, that guy would have been living on the streets. So, he figured he was practically a savior to him.

Seiko smiled behind his mask and slid into the seat next to Damagochi. Then, he whispered secretly so the wandering detectives wouldn't hear.

"Hey, Hyung! What the hell happened? They said the culprit was caught! Shouldn't you have handled this at your level? What are you trying to do, getting them to contact me? What if the reporters find out? It's all resolved, right? Huh?!"

But Damagochi just stared at the floor, as if he couldn't hear a word Seiko was saying. His eyes were clouded with complex emotions. Frustrated, Seiko scowled and poked him in the side.

"Hey, Hyung! What are you doing, spacing out? Tell me already. I'm dying to know."

Still, there was no answer. Just then, a man with a strong, square jaw strode toward them.

"Are you Mr. Seiko?"

A heavy voice. He had heard it before. 'Ah, that's the person I spoke to on the phone.' But how did he know? Seiko answered a beat late.

"Yes, that's me. Why?"

"Your manager, Damagochi, has been implicated in this case."

Seiko's eyes widened. He was struck dumb. Had he heard wrong? What did he say?

"I know it's a huge shock to find out that an acquaintance who has been your manager for several years is involved in this case. But given the nature of the incident, we had no choice but to call you in, Mr. Seiko."

"W-wait a minute. So you're saying this guy is an accomplice to the person who blackmailed me?"

"Excuse me? I'm not sure what you mean." Saito blinked in confusion. "Accomplice? This is a solo crime. The person who blackmailed you is Damagochi, and him alone."

What kind of nonsense was this? Seiko's gaze slowly shifted from Saito to Damagochi.

"...Hyung, what is this? That guy is mistaken, right?"

He couldn't believe it. The guy who had been his manager for years had blackmailed him? To extort money? Why? Then, suddenly, he noticed the black cloth covering his hands. Whack! He grabbed the cloth and yanked it away with lightning speed. A silver object was revealed. The undeniable evidence—handcuffs binding his wrists.

"You son of a...!"

Pow! Unable to contain his rage, Seiko struck Damagochi square in the face. He hadn't infused it with mana, but it was still the punch of a Hunter. Damagochi was knocked unconscious in a single blow. The detectives nearby quickly stood up and rushed toward him. Saito intervened, scowling.

"Mr. Seiko! This is a police station. What do you think you're doing?!"

But it was useless. Seiko was so filled with killing intent that he wanted to kill the unconscious Damagochi right then and there. No matter what anyone said, he was an A-class Hunter. He wasn't someone that mere ordinary detectives could stop. If he wanted to, he could annihilate this place in less than ten minutes. Even if they were holding pistols.

He clenched his fist. Just as his killing intent was reaching its peak, an emergency news flash on the TV in the corner struck ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Seiko's ears like a thunderclap.

At that moment, Seiko's killing intent vanished like melting snow. 'What? Who's alive?' Seiko brushed aside the detectives rushing to restrain him like annoying flies and fixed his gaze on the TV. It was impossible. It wasn't a rumor. The South Korean Hunter Management Department had released an official statement. That South Korea's Hunter, Cheon Yooshin, was alive. That guy was alive.

His face instantly drained of color. Detective Saito was saying something, but he couldn't hear it. All the things he had fabricated about what happened in Taiwan, thinking Cheon Yooshin was dead, would all be exposed. And Damagochi, whom he thought was on his side, was nothing more than a criminal trying to extort his money. On top of that, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the police now had the video. The vultures—the reporters—who had caught the scent might already be trying to contact him. If that happened, he could no longer show his face and live in Japan. There wouldn't be a single person who didn't know his face.

'I have to leave. I have to get out of Japan!' Right now, immediately. Once he made his decision, the noise inside the police station began to reach his ears again. But that wasn't what was important now. Seiko's eyes had changed.

Seiko quickly finished up his business at the police station and rushed back home. He packed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his passport. He made a call, his fingers moving rapidly. A woman's voice answered on the other end.

"Hello?"

"This is Japan's A-class Hunter, Seiko. You know me, right? You offered me naturalization before. I'll accept it. I'm saying I'll naturalize to China. Right now!"

There was a brief silence.

"I understand. However, the procedures..."

"Are you kidding me right now? I'm Seiko. If you're going to talk about procedures, I'll look elsewhere." Seiko said, practically barking.

"I understand. You seem to be in a hurry..."

"Prepare a private jet immediately. I'm heading to the airport right now."

He didn't have time to book a regular passenger flight and wait. He had to get out of here as fast as he could.

"Understood. Please come to the airport immediately. We will have everything ready."

Seiko's eyes gleamed as he hung up the phone. 'I'll go there and get plastic surgery, or whatever it takes to change my face. Then I'll just get a new identity.' Then no one would be able to recognize him. Not even Cheon Yooshin, should he ever come looking. Not even he would know who he was.

***

President Cha Insoo urgently summoned Minister Choi Jeongwon to the Blue House.

"Is it true? Is he alive?"

"Yes, they say he is alive."

"What do you mean by that? Where is he right now?"

News that Cheon Yooshin had died and come back to life had already spread through the media.

Even those who had initially dismissed it as a tabloid rumor now knew for certain that he was alive through the Hunter Management Department's statement.

Everyone welcomed Cheon Yooshin's return. President Cha Insoo had also only learned of the situation belatedly. Minister Choi Jeongwon hesitated for a moment. 'Haa...' He, too, had only learned the truth a short while ago. He had met with Team Leader Park Haesu, who was connected to Cheon Yooshin, before coming here and had received the report. He really was alive. And that he was currently in Japan. But should he tell him this? He had received a report through Team Leader Park Haesu about why he had gone to Japan. What would happen if he reported the inside story to the President? Wouldn't he immediately order him to be caught?

Bang! President Cha Insoo slammed the table and said, "Tell me right now! Where on earth is Hunter Cheon Yooshin?"

'Damn it! I don't know either!'

"...He is in Japan, Mr. President."

His eyes widened. "Japan? Over there... don't tell me, did he naturalize?"

Minister Choi Jeongwon quickly waved his hands. "No, Mr. President. That's not it..."

President Cha Insoo scowled. "Look here, Minister Choi. Do you want to see the first President of South Korea to die of frustration?"

Minister Choi Jeongwon let out a deep sigh and began to open his mouth. Starting with the private jet explosion, the existence of Ninja Assassin, and finally, Hunter Seiko who had orchestrated the bombing. "Is that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠what you mean? Is that really the truth?"

He knew the private jet had been involved in an intentional bombing accident. But he hadn't known the mastermind behind it. And it was done by a Japanese group, and a group called Ninja Assassin at that? On top of that, a Japanese Hunter named Seiko was involved?

"Yes, Mr. President. It is all true."

"So you're saying Hunter Cheon Yooshin went to Japan to take revenge?"

"...That is correct."

"Then the building bombing incident that's causing such a stir in Japan right now... that was Cheon Yooshin?"

"..."

Minister Choi Jeongwon kept his mouth tightly shut. But that was enough. Silence served as the answer.

President Cha Insoo squeezed his eyes shut. At that sight, Minister Choi Jeongwon's mouth went dry. What if he ordered him to catch Cheon Yooshin right now? What if he informed Japan of this fact? The position of President was not one that could be moved by personal feelings. What Cheon Yooshin had done in Japan right now was an outright criminal act. An act that could never be tolerated under international law.

The silence grew long. The time spent waiting for the President's decision felt like an eternity. Finally, President Cha Insoo opened his eyes. A heavy resolve was etched in his gaze.

"Minister Choi. I am the President elected by the people of South Korea. So, you know well what we must do, don't you?"

Countless thoughts flashed through Minister Choi Jeongwon's mind. National prestige, international relations, and even Hunter Cheon Yooshin. Everything intersected in an instant. Minister Choi Jeongwon took a deep breath.

"Yes, Mr. President. I will do my best to persuade Hunter Cheon Yooshin to..."

He would finish it at his own level. To make sure he couldn't commit any more crimes. But.

"Persuade him? We should be supporting him, not the other way around!"

"...Pardon?"

Minister Choi Jeongwon's eyes widened at the unexpected remark. Support him? Instead of making him return to Korea immediately?

President Cha Insoo said firmly, "Hunter Cheon Yooshin is no ordinary Hunter. He is now the one and only proud Hunter representing South Korea. Such a Hunter has been subjected to terrorism. And the culprit is Japan. Then what is it that we must do?"

"W-well, that is..."

"Naturally, we must support him. We must set everything right. We must do everything we can. Isn't that what we should do?"

"Y-yes. You are correct."

President Cha Insoo stood up from his seat and walked toward the phone. And he immediately dialed somewhere.

"This is President Cha. Director of the NIS, don't we have our people in Japan?"

President Cha Insoo, who had been nodding, continued, "Good. Contact Hunter Cheon Yooshin on the scene immediately. And support him with all your heart and soul. Yes. That's right. Help him, whether it's legal or illegal, whatever it takes. Make it so that Hunter Cheon Yooshin can do everything he is capable of. Don't worry. I take full responsibility for everything. I have less than a year left in my term anyway. If it comes to it, I'll just step down. Whatever."

Minister Choi Jeongwon stood there with his mouth agape, watching President Cha Insoo hang up the phone with such coolness.