The Aftermath of the Misunderstanding 4

Alfredo had been happier with each passing day lately. Elected president of the association by sheer luck, the weak, idle leader of old was no more. Now he wielded the greatest power in the association's history.

And he never forgot that it was all thanks to Miracle. So Alfredo always wielded that power with caution. He had to prepare for the next election, and just in case he lost and had to step down, he never neglected building friendly factions.

His happy days continued like this until he got a call from Lee Musin. Musin was practically a benefactor to him, so Alfredo answered with a cheerful voice.

"Bureau Chief, how have you been?"

"Good to hear from you, President. I wish ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I could say I've been well, but I haven't."

Sensing something ominous in Musin's tone, Alfredo asked worriedly,

"Has something bad happened?"

"Well... Japan infiltrated South Korea with over 200 hunters."

Alfredo was so shocked that he stammered.

"W-What? H-How could they... unless they're insane..."

Hunters were superhumans. If a hunter set their mind to terrorism, regular troops stood no chance. In the early days after hunters were revealed, terrorist acts and crimes using them erupted worldwide—no distinction between developed or developing nations. Developed countries suffered even more.

The world learned the hard way back then: when hunters were weaponized, hell returned to earth. The only way to counter them was with other hunters. Even then, if the attacking hunter hid and struck guerrilla-style, there was no real defense.

That's why the World Hunter Association, upon its founding, established an absolute taboo: the weaponization of hunters. Using them to invade another country meant facing the entire world.

Of course, the taboo had loopholes—limited to outright invasions, and only if discovered. Actual violations could be counted on one hand.

Even so, those who knew its terror never crossed the line. They stuck to reconnaissance limits or outsourced anything more, never getting their hands dirty.

But this? What the hell was this? It was pure madness, something no sane person would do.

Targeting a nation's Hunter Management Bureau chief with over 200 assassins. And South Korea's, no less.

These lunatics... what have they done!

Alfredo's head felt like it would explode. He had no idea how to resolve this.

But Musin's next words chased away the frustration, filling his mind with one burning thought.

"And Miracle passed a message. If Japan doesn't pay a just price this time, no more healing potions to the World Hunter Association. That includes the 200 headed your way."

Suddenly, Alfredo's mind overflowed with rage.

Of all countries, they targeted South Korea. That's why Miracle was furious. And it threatened his happy days with catastrophe.

This cocktail of fury honed its blade straight at Japan.

Japan, you crazy bastards. I won't let you off.

The ambassadors gathered in the conference room all wore grim expressions. Some stared at one man, cursing without a care for decorum.

"Crazy bastards. Daring to target Miracle's country with hunters?"

"If we miss even one potion shipment because of this, they won't get away with it."

"I always knew those idiots would screw up eventually. People who don't learn always repeat the same mistakes."

The Japanese ambassador, Muto Masatoshi, was the target of the abuse. He'd lost his grip on sanity. No sound mind could endure this.

If he'd known the real agenda, he never would've attended. He wanted to bolt from the room right now.

Damn it. All the money I poured in just to get here...

Two days ago, Shigeru called about a summons as a witness. Shocked, Muto asked what was up, but Shigeru snapped back, demanding he find out.

Muto went straight to the association president, who looked troubled. Pressing him gently revealed it was about verifying Japan as the next H2O conference site, so they summoned the bureau chief. With so many countries vying for it, secrecy meant the rushed summons form.

He arrived lighthearted today, but something felt off. Everyone but him—216 people—glared with hostility. He felt like he'd die under those stares, clueless why.

He asked the German ambassador, Eugen Ott, who looked at him with pity instead. Ott's explanation nearly floored him.

Shigeru, you mad bastard... what did you do?

Muto lost it completely.

•••

Alfredo entered the conference room with a stone face and started the meeting immediately.

"Today's agenda is disciplining Japan for violating the association's absolute taboo on hunter weaponization. Bring in Japan's Hunter Management Bureau Chief, Shigeru Masahiro."

A side door opened, and Shigeru entered. Thinking it was about H2O site selection, he strutted in proudly.

But the piercing glares upon entry told him something was wrong.

What? This hostility?

The inexplicable enmity was weird, and Alfredo's question sounded like an interrogation.

"Shigeru Masahiro, you're Japan's Hunter Management Bureau Chief, correct?"

Shigeru pushed back hard, sensing trouble.

"Treating a national bureau chief like a criminal. Highly unpleasant. We'll decline H2O."

He turned to leave, but his escort blocked him. Alfredo's voice came from behind.

"Bureau Chief Shigeru, did you deploy 212 hunters to South Korea?"

Shigeru whipped around in shock. Alfredo pressed on.

"I'll ask again. Did you order 212 hunters into South Korea?"

H-How...? Did the mission really fail?

Shocked silent, Shigeru froze. Then Alfredo spoke.

"Bring in the witnesses."

The door opened, and four hunters entered. Blinded by Blind magic, mana-cuffed, roped together, they stumbled in.

Guided to a spot away from Shigeru, Alfredo questioned them.

"State your affiliations."

"Koga clan, Itake Mut sui of the Japan Hunter Management Bureau."

"Koga clan, Kazuki Kenta."

"Iga clan, Hosoi Daisuke."

"Iga clan, Akino Sota."

Shigeru, stunned as they named themselves, tried to shout, but his blocker acted first.

"Silent. Hold."

Shigeru's body locked; he could only roll his eyes and gape silently, forced to watch as Alfredo and the hunters talked.

"Itake Mut sui will answer as representative. Correct him if wrong. First question: Who ordered you to infiltrate Korea?"

"Lord Kokubo, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠under Chief Shigeru's special orders."

Shigeru's face drained to ashen as questions continued.

"How many did Shigeru send to Korea?"

"212."

"Koga 108, Iga 104."

"What were Shigeru's orders?"

"Target unknown. Kidnap him, kill all protectors."

Alfredo signaled; the escort led them out. He spoke again.

"Now, footage of what happened to those 212 hunters."

Behind Alfredo, unfiltered images of B3 post-battle appeared: guts spilling, limbs severed, heads rolling amid the carnage.

"The incident occurred in B3 of a building used as Bureau Chief Lee Musin's secret hideout. He was residing there, and over 50 Korean bureau agents died protecting him."

Shigeru seethed at the lie, blood boiling.

No! It's not true! I targeted Kim Suho, not Musin!

Mute, he screamed internally. He knew where this was heading if unchecked. Desperate, he yelled despite knowing it was futile.

But suddenly, his voice burst out.

"No! I didn't target Bureau Chief Musin. It was Kim Suho! I ordered them to take out the Chinese hunters protecting him and kidnap Suho!"

Unaware he'd spoken aloud, Shigeru kept yelling until the end, then panicked realizing it.

"Th-That was..."

"Silent. Hold."

Locked again, silent.

"You targeted Chinese hunters but sent 212 to South Korea, not China. Implying South Korea hosted a similar number of Chinese hunters. Ambassador Wang Cheonjung, your thoughts on Chief Shigeru's statement?"

Wang scowled at the sudden attack on China.

"Utter nonsense, unworthy of consideration. As the president said, countering 212 Japanese hunters would require similar numbers from us—but China never sent that many to South Korea. And protecting some hunter named Kim Suho? Why would we protect a Korean hunter? Chief Shigeru must be mad."

Shigeru felt his gut twist in frustration as his head turned and voice emerged. The spellcaster whispered,

"Speak only when the president grants the floor."

Shigeru nodded frantically. Silent now, disaster loomed for him and Japan. He nodded like his neck would snap.

The man stepped back.

"Chief Shigeru, something to say?"

"Yes, President."

"Very well. You have the floor."

Shigeru calmed himself. No room for agitation. Everything was stacked against him: agents gone silent then dead, Suho's building now Musin's hideout, Chinese vanished without trace. Total mess.

The room's mood was hostile, openly cornering him. Clinging to China would backfire.

Right. Admit what I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠must, limit to Kim Suho. Frame it as personal.

"Yes, I sent the hunters—but the target wasn't Bureau Chief Musin. It was hunter Kim Suho. I targeted the enchanter Kim Suho for his white ink."

Shigeru sacrificed flesh to save bone. Kidnapping foreign hunters was bad, but shifting from Musin to Suho was safer.

But he overlooked the fatal flaw in his words—a blunder he'd never make normally, born of panic.

Alfredo pointed it out.

"Impressive Japanese hunters. 212 to kidnap one enchanter, 208 dead facing him. Or perhaps that enchanter is the world's strongest?"

"Th-That's..."

Finally seeing the hole, Shigeru tried to retract—but silenced and frozen again.

"Now, the victim nation's stance. Ambassador Kim Younggwang, please."

Alfredo passed to Korea's ambassador. Kim stood, face rigid.

"I won't belabor. Let this slide, and someday hundreds of foreign hunters invade your nations. If they claim 'kidnapping' for any atrocity, you'll have to release them. Ponder that. The world will regress 20 years. That's all."

No one found his hyperbole odd. Everyone but Japan's ambassador heard Miracle's warning pre-meeting, and he wasn't wrong.

Especially the "20 years"—ambassadors' faces twisted in horror. How could they forget? Dozens of daily terrors, thousands, tens of thousands dead.

Alfredo seized the mood for a vote.

"To the agenda. Japan violated the taboo, invaded another nation. Proposed sanctions:"

By the end, Shigeru had passed out, foam at mouth, rigid from Hold. No one cared.

"Vote now. Aye or nay."

Everyone but Alfredo, Kim Younggwang, and Muto voted aye. Sanctions passed.

"Japan's sanctions are hereby enacted."

Muto stirred belatedly, causing a fuss. Shigeru woke and ranted too, but ignored. Others fled association.

China's Wang Cheonjung watched suspiciously.

Why drag us in? Better to pin it all on Korea. Was China really involved? What happened?

As if ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠foreseeing China's near-future doom, unease hit him. He resolved to investigate.

To be continued in the next chapter...