Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Conditions
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The 21st state of the United States, located east of Iowa State.
Inside a private room at a high-end restaurant in Illinois, two men sat across from each other.
One was David, and the other was a mysterious Chinese man.
BAM!
The Chinese man couldn't hold back his anger and slammed the table.
The freshly served dishes tumbled over, and the atmosphere in the room turned hostile in an instant.
It felt like someone could die right there.
"Canceling now, after all this?!"
He was Ryu Jin, a Chinese hunter recently promoted from A-Rank to S-Rank.
Ryu Jin had been on the verge of signing a contract to become Iowa State's official hunter.
Until Seo Dae-hyun stepped in.
Upon hearing the sudden cancellation, Ryu Jin had contacted David directly to set up this meeting.
To be precise, it was more of a one-sided demand.
"I'm sorry."
David bowed his head slightly.
It wasn't something he needed to apologize for, but it was a firm rejection nonetheless.
"Do you even know who I am? I am Ryu Jin, the supernova of the mainland!"
David knew him well. China's S-Rank hunter.
The "supernova" title was something coined only within China, though.
Still, he was an S-Rank hunter.
David had once investigated Ryu Jin's background when considering recruiting him.
As the branch chief of the Iowa State Hunter Association, he saw Ryu Jin as someone dubious to bring into their state.
He was a troublemaker who had stirred up scandals with assaults, drugs, and all sorts of major incidents—infamous for all the wrong reasons.
After becoming S-Rank, he had gone even wilder, like a frisky colt.
"What's the reason for canceling the contract?!"
"......"
David maintained his silence.
He had zero desire to tell Ryu Jin about Seo Dae-hyun.
In fact, he hadn't breathed a word to anyone.
Ryu Jin was the petty, venomous type.
He had immense power but no idea how to wield it properly.
David couldn't help but resent the heavens for granting strength to a hunter like him.
If Ryu Jin learned about Seo Dae-hyun, jealousy might drive him to threaten the man.
Right now, Seo Dae-hyun was like a young beast still growing into its power.
David had to protect him personally until he fully matured.
That's why he had steered Ryu Jin toward Illinois next door instead of Iowa.
Illinois had no association branch, but it was home to mid-tier and major guilds.
"Don't tell me... you're planning to pick some other hunter besides me!"
He wasn't completely clueless.
It wasn't an open application; David had scouted him personally.
But still.
"I can't disclose that."
Ryu Jin took David's resolute attitude as confirmation.
Another hunter had applied.
'How dare they encroach on my spot?!'
Ryu Jin unleashed his mana.
"Who is this hunter? Tell me right now!"
If the guy was weaker, he'd track him down and intimidate him.
He knew that half-killing one would put him next in line.
Even under Ryu Jin's pressure, David repeated the same line: he couldn't say.
David suddenly sensed something off.
If an S-Rank hunter released their mana in earnest, he wouldn't even be able to breathe.
But right now, it was just a bit taxing—he could still hold on.
'He's not holding back...'
It didn't feel like he was going easy.
David could tell just by looking at his face.
Ryu Jin had no poker face; his emotions were plain as day.
His actions were downright childish.
It stood in stark contrast to Seo Dae-hyun.
'To think we almost handed Iowa State to a guy like this!'
He had eyes but hadn't seen, ears but hadn't heard.
He had nearly chosen based solely on rank.
No more such mistakes.
Lately, mana waves had been detected several times in Iowa State.
The association headquarters had confirmed a high probability of gate outbreaks.
If not for that confirmation, he wouldn't have even approached Ryu Jin.
It was a sign before the storm.
Like Noah's Ark, they needed to prepare in advance.
Ryu Jin was that preparation.
If Seo Dae-hyun hadn't appeared, Iowa would have been under Ryu Jin's thumb by now.
David silently thanked Seo Dae-hyun once more.
Iowa State was no longer safe from monsters.
In the end, Ryu Jin stormed out in a rage.
Harming a U.S. association branch chief directly would backfire on him too.
"Tch. You'd better keep him hidden out of my sight."
David couldn't understand the words due to the broken translation device, but he caught the threatening tone.
David had now made an enemy of one S-Rank hunter, but thinking of Seo Dae-hyun, it was no loss.
A Chinese-born S-Rank felt a bit off-putting anyway.
Not racism—there were documented cases of Chinese hunters who emigrated overseas only to be caught spying.
David checked his phone: over ten missed calls.
He had silenced it during the meeting with Ryu Jin.
David called his aide immediately after checking the messages.
"Get the chopper ready. We're heading to the Iowa farmlands right now."
David arrived at the scene.
He had rushed back from his business trip upon hearing Seo Dae-hyun was there.
"Branch Chief!"
Three or four 911 ambulances had pulled up.
Unlike expectations of mass casualties, everyone looked relatively fine.
The only injuries were scraped knees from falls.
Painful, but nothing requiring the ER.
Casualties were far lighter than anticipated.
David let out a small sigh of relief.
Seeing everyone safe eased his mind.
He'd heard the seriously injured had been healed by Seo Dae-hyun, which brought further relief.
'Now I owe him one.'
David was genuinely grateful.
As Iowa branch chief, fewer losses in his jurisdiction were a win.
This was why every association needed a healer.
Seo Dae-hyun was a necromancer, not a healer—but officially, he was still listed as one.
To prevent incidents like this, appointing Seo Dae-hyun as Iowa's certified hunter was essential.
He didn't regret burning bridges with Ryu Jin.
The injured were loaded into vehicles and transported to nearby hospitals.
No life-threatening cases, but lingering in a danger zone was risky.
"Where's the hunter?"
David scanned around, searching for someone.
Seo Dae-hyun was nowhere in sight, even if he rubbed his eyes raw.
Kyle explained Seo Dae-hyun's whereabouts.
"What?! You should've gone with him!"
Those at the scene knew.
Kyle had wanted to go too but got pushed aside by May.
Taking only the rookie was a test of sorts!
David let out a deep sigh.
He worried endlessly, judging the man's close-combat skills lacking.
A necromancer's awakened class wasn't for frontline fighting.
And before reawakening, he was a healer.
How well could a healer fight?
If something happened to Seo Dae-hyun...
Just thinking about it drained the color from David's face.
"Launch the chopper for a search—"
A unfamiliar TTS voice cut David off.
It was Kim Hyun-jun.
'A civilian?'
Most people had evacuated to the city by car, leaving only association agents at the scene—yet one remained.
David was quick on the uptake.
An Asian like him.
They had to know each other!
David quietly asked Kyle who he was.
"Seo Dae-hyun Hunter's..."
Kyle fumbled for words to introduce Kim Hyun-jun.
He was dead but alive, with his original consciousness intact.
Calling him a summon felt off.
"A comrade."
He barely managed that.
David's guess hit the mark.
He had nearly committed a faux pas.
Learning he was Seo Dae-hyun's comrade brought a smile to David's face.
He still hadn't realized the man was a soldier revived by Seo Dae-hyun's powers.
At a glance, he looked almost exactly like a living human.
"We'll carry out a rescue operation for Seo Dae-hyun Hunter."
David continued his earlier statement.
Kim Hyun-jun shook his head again.
'His comrade, but not worried?'
David had no clue Kim Hyun-jun was his soldier (summon).
He couldn't think otherwise.
If danger struck Seo Dae-hyun, Kim Hyun-jun would sense it best.
"You're not even worried?!"
Kim Hyun-jun replied without hesitation.
'These people don't know a thing about Dae-hyun hyung.'
Before becoming an A-Rank healer, he had fought like a demon on the battlefield.
He had saved more comrades through raw physical prowess than with his Heal skill.
Kyle whispered more about Kim Hyun-jun into David's ear.
David's eyes went wide.
"He's clearly a living person..."
"David!"
He clapped a hand over his mouth in shock.
"Sorry."
He apologized right away.
Even as Seo Dae-hyun's soldier, he was the closest to him—best to tread carefully.
He didn't seem dead at all.
Kim Hyun-jun was linked to Seo Dae-hyun via the necromancer's unique trait.
Bound, more accurately.
If Seo Dae-hyun was in danger, Kim Hyun-jun would feel it first.
Five minutes later.
Seo Dae-hyun emerged from the reeds, trudging along after finishing the magical beast hunt.
A one-eyed wolf stepped out from between the cornfields.
"M-Monster?!"
One agent shouted.
"Stand down! It's not a monster—lower your weapons!"
Kyle raised a hand to calm the association agents.
They had tensed at the magical beast's appearance but relaxed upon seeing Dae-hyun and May riding on its back.
The Bear Wolf guarding the scene appeared too.
No commotion ensued.
That wolf was also Dae-hyun's summon.
He hadn't entered a dungeon, but promotion was possible.
Dae-hyun wondered how far it could go.
Kim Hyun-jun envied the Bear Wolf's promotion to sergeant.
"Seo Dae-hyun Hunter! You must be exhausted!"
David approached a bit too closely, almost intrusively.
Sensing Dae-hyun's discomfort, the Bear Wolf and One-Eyed blocked the path, maintaining distance.
Gulp.
They wouldn't attack unless provoked first.
Still, monsters so near for the first time had David on edge.
Kyle and the agents guarded David.
"Don't worry."
"Stand down."
David and Seo Dae-hyun spoke simultaneously.
Seo Dae-hyun unsummoned his soldiers.
"My apologies."
"N-No, not at all. More importantly, are you hurt anywhere?"
David checked his condition first.
"No. As you can see."
No empty words.
Anyone could see Seo Dae-hyun was unscathed.
In contrast, rookie agent May, who had gone with him, looked pale as a ghost.
David and the agents misunderstood, thinking she had guarded him and taken the brunt.
She was just nauseous from the ride.
One-Eyed had risen from Private First Class to Corporal, his speed improved too.
Seo Dae-hyun looked relatively fine, while May had messy hair and wolf fur on her—clear signs of hardship.
"May, good work."
"Not bad, huh?"
May couldn't respond to her senior agent's praise.
Urk—blegh!
Kyle asked if all the magical beasts were taken care of.
With Seo Dae-hyun handling the sweep, agents could protect civilians.
He wondered if they had returned early, missing some.
Chasing beasts across this vast farmland would require helicopters and even guild members from neighboring states.
"I took care of them all, so no more monsters around here."
He had confirmed the gate closed too.
"H-How?"
Not suspicion—pure curiosity.
"Ask Agent May."
Seo Dae-hyun added.
"That's why you sent her, right?"
He had known from the start.
Kyle's offer to assign an agent wasn't mere kindness.
He had deliberately paired him with a green rookie untouched by fieldwork.
Like how a senior sergeant always has privates tagging along.
It didn't bother him.
If anything, it was amusing.