Chapter 14
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: National Power-level Hunter (2)
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Blue House annex conference room.
The dimly lit conference room was filled with South Korea's cabinet ministers seated around the table.
They sat in their chairs, eyes fixed on the screen covering one entire wall.
The screen played footage from the Superhuman Management Bureau's main gate CCTV—specifically, the moment Hwang Won-uk was torn limb from limb by Kim Hyun.
"Ugh."
"Hmm..."
"Ahem...!"
Every time the screams of ripping flesh echoed from the screen, the ministers grimaced.
Fortunately, the footage had been heavily mosaicked out of consideration for the ministers' mental health. No one in the room vomited.
Then.
"Let's turn it off now."
The middle-aged man at the head of the table—current President Han Sung-ho—waved his hand dismissively.
"We've seen enough to understand. Shut it down."
With that, the video ended, and the darkened room began to brighten.
Only then did the stiff ministers start to speak up.
"That woman's completely insane."
"How do we even control something like that? Shouldn't we just put her down?"
"We don't have the firepower for that."
"Jeez..."
Having witnessed blood in a way they rarely did, they were all a bit worked up.
Clap clap!
Han Sung-ho clapped his hands to refocus the chaotic atmosphere.
"Alright, alright. The Superhuman Management Bureau Director's opinion is this: This returnee, Kim Hyun, came back with power comparable to other nations' National Power-level Hunters. So, we should follow international precedent and sign a treaty with her, treating her as such."
Immediate objections erupted from the ministers.
"I oppose."
"Agreed. A treaty with a murderer? Things worked out this time by sheer luck, but there's no guarantee it won't happen again!"
"This could end up giving her a free pass for whatever she does."
However, President Han Sung-ho wore an expression of resignation.
"But if we leave her be and she defects somewhere? How many S-Rank Hunters have we lost that way already?"
"Well..."
"Ahem..."
"We have to secure her when we get the chance, even if it means offering generous terms."
"What..."
Right then.
"But has it been definitively confirmed that this woman has National Power-level Hunter capabilities?"
The Foreign Minister, who had been sitting quietly until now, posed the question.
"What do you mean?"
"Killing an S-Rank Hunter doesn't prove she's National Power-level. She needs to demonstrate her strength. What if we sign a treaty and it turns out Kim Hyun is weaker than expected? Korea's reputation would be ruined."
President Han Sung-ho nodded in agreement.
"That's a fair point. So, how do we verify she's National Power-level?"
"Have her raid an S-Grade Gate?"
"An S-Grade Gate?"
President Han Sung-ho tilted his head.
"But I thought there were no recently forecasted S-Grade Gates?"
"There's already an existing one."
At the Foreign Minister's words, Han Sung-ho's eyes narrowed.
"...You're talking about the North Korean Gate?"
The ministers began to murmur at that.
"What?"
"The North Korean Gate?"
"That's not your average S-Grade Gate."
"It's been measured as beyond S-Grade..."
"It's not even a proper gate anymore anyway."
As the murmurs died down, the Foreign Minister chuckled dryly.
"If she's National Power-level, she can handle that much, right?"
"Hmm."
"Honestly, she has to do at least that for us to sign a treaty. What does it mean to treat her as National Power-level if she gets it for free without proving herself?"
Most of the ministers nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, that makes sense."
"I agree."
"We can't just hand it over without results."
Confirming the reactions, President Han Sung-ho slowly nodded.
"Then that's what we'll do."
'...We're screwed!'
The Superhuman Management Bureau Director, observing the meeting, muttered a curse under his breath, his face paling.
'Opposing it... won't change anything.'
The President had already decided. Speaking against it now would just earn glares from the ministers.
'Better to handle this at the field level.'
As soon as he left the conference room, the Director texted Lee Min-hyuk.
Break the news to Kim Hyun gently so she doesn't get pissed.
My stomach was starting to growl, so I headed to a nearby seolleongtang place for lunch.
"What'll it be?"
"Blood sausage soup."
"And Agent Chae?"
"Uh, I'll have blood sausage soup too."
"Three blood sausage soups."
Lee Min-hyuk ordered three bowls.
As Chae Seol-ah busied herself laying out tissues and wet wipes on the table.
Something suddenly occurred to me.
"Oh yeah, I forgot to ask earlier. So, what's a National Power-level Hunter?"
At my question, Team Leader Lee Min-hyuk began explaining slowly.
"Exactly what it sounds like: a hunter with power equivalent to a nation's authority, capable of negotiating on equal footing with a country."
"Equal footing?"
"Yes. Literally. National Power-level Hunters actually sign treaties with nations."
Treaties?
"I don't get what that means."
I tilted my head.
"Is that a good thing?"
"Of course it's good."
Team Leader Lee Min-hyuk gave an awkward smile.
"It depends on the treaty terms, but being able to negotiate as an equal to a nation is huge in itself."
"I still don't quite get it. Give me an example."
"For instance, Mac Diago, America's National Power-level Hunter, signed a treaty exempting him from income tax. He doesn't pay a dime."
"Ah."
So, basically, a hunter strong enough that the country has to say yes to whatever terms I demand in a treaty.
"Sounds convenient, I guess."
"It definitely would be."
I nodded.
"Blood sausage soup's up!"
Right on cue, the bowls arrived.
I quickly dumped rice into the stone pot and stirred vigorously with a spoon. Added a bit of shrimp jeotgal, then a big bite.
Mm, perfectly seasoned.
Now that's the stuff.
I turned to glance at the TV mounted in the shop. News was playing, and suddenly the breaking news ticker at the bottom caught my eye.
[Dismembered bodies everywhere... Bizarre murder spree in Anseong City, over 20 victims...]
"Hmm."
That looks familiar.
I turned back. Lee Min-hyuk and Chae Seol-ah had paused mid-bite, mouths agape, staring at the TV.
"Whoa... 20 people dead."
"No way a regular person did that."
Lee Min-hyuk scowled deeply.
"...The Black Magician?"
Chae Seol-ah flinched at the words.
"B-Black Magician?"
"Yeah. That type loves human sacrifices to gain power."
"H-Human sacrifices...!"
"It has to be the Black Magician doing sacrifices... How did we let one roam free domestically? What the hell is Team 1 doing?"
Lee Min-hyuk clenched his fist in outrage. Chae Seol-ah's eyes narrowed at the screen in anger too.
I watched them, smacking my lips.
"Hmm."
Should I say something?
But I didn't do anything wrong, right?
"Team Leader Lee."
"Yes? What's up?"
"I did that."
He blinked, momentarily not comprehending.
And at the same time.
Clang!
Chae Seol-ah dropped her spoon on the floor.
Her pupils were already earthquake-shaking.
Screeech!
She trembled as she slowly pushed her chair back.
To prevent any needless misunderstandings, I explained more carefully than usual.
"I returned to Earth during the Black Magician's human sacrifice ritual. When I came out, there were obviously bad guys there. So I killed them all."
"...Pardon?"
"I'm not in the wrong, right? It was self-defense?"
Finally snapping out of it, Lee Min-hyuk asked with a hardened face.
"S-So, a gate happened to open at the Black Magician's sacrifice site...?"
"And honestly, I didn't kill that many. Just the guards, the Black Magician, and... hmm."
...One of the brats the guards were protecting too.
"Anyway, that's how it was."
Lee Min-hyuk buried his face in his hands.
"Haa..."
It was a profoundly deep sigh.