Chapter 152: Overdue Homework (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 152: Overdue Homework (6)
I spent the week conducting intensive military training.
Rather than just having them fire guns or get used to support equipment, I focused on teaching them military tactics.
I pounded as much as I could into them: direct action, counter-terrorism, internal defense, irregular warfare, and special reconnaissance.
It’s impossible to master all aspects of special operations in just a week, but Black Unicorn isn't a special forces unit; they just needed to grasp the concepts.
Besides, their tactical consciousness will naturally evolve as they continue to face monsters and villains and gain experience.
I also continued the close-quarters combat training with Han So-ye.
As expected, Yoon A-young and Kwon Ye-jin stood out the most in man-to-man combat.
Yoon A-young has "hexagon" stats—well-rounded in every area—so she handles any situation with ease. Kwon Ye-jin, on the other hand, has a combat style that suits one-on-one scenarios perfectly, pushing through with incredible focus and her unique temperament.
Lee Yu-na has the best understanding of special operations, while Anna, as expected, is the type to rely on raw stats, making her less suited for technical duels.
Each of Anna's strikes is powerful and fast, but once she undergoes Demonization, she relies too much on instinct. She has a strong tendency to get swept up if the opponent operates with enough cunning.
In fact, I get the feeling that she’s actually stronger in a duel when she’s in her Angel form.
Still, Anna shows her true worth when fighting monsters, so she’ll do just fine in dungeons.
The problem is that my Hero qualification is still suspended, so I can't enter dungeons yet.
With such a packed training schedule, the members of Black Unicorn were busier than they ever were when they were just clearing dungeons.
"Ugh... I wish Master could go in with us."
Kwon Ye-jin puffed out her cheeks and spoke with regret in front of the D-1 Dungeon.
This was a regular training session for Black Unicorn—designed to enjoy the freedom of being stark naked in the great outdoors... no, wait. It was to train their presence detection and mana detection.
Of course, what Kwon Ye-jin actually regretted was missing out on the chance to have me sneakily take her from behind while the others were around.
"It can't be helped. I have a personal schedule today anyway."
"The Association finally called, right? Master, everything will be fine. You didn't do anything wrong."
"Why are they bossing people around when they don't even do their own jobs right?" Yoon A-young grumbled from the side.
She seemed quite annoyed that they couldn't enter higher-ranked dungeons because the Association hadn't lifted my suspension yet.
"Leave things here to me and go kneel before them to beg for forgiveness, you ignorant commoner who isn't even a Hero anymore."
When I glared at her, Ellie, who had been speaking so insolently, quickly hid on top of Lee Yu-na's head.
Feeling the weight of the fairy, Lee Yu-na looked up and gave me a small smile.
"Yes, Ellie said she'd help us with our training, so please go with a light heart, Yeon-woo."
"What did Ellie say?"
"She told you to be quiet because your breath stinks."
"There's no way Ellie would say that!"
Kwon Ye-jin snapped at Lee Yu-na's words and called out for Ellie.
Ye-jin seems to have some romanticized fantasy about fairies, but if she could see Ellie right now—flicking her off and mocking her because she's invisible—she’d probably try to wring the fairy's neck.
"Fine. I'm going to see Ellie today for sure."
"You've got a long way to go, kid. Go suck on those big tits of yours or something."
Well, Ellie usually behaves once she's actually visible, so I doubt Ye-jin will end up killing her.
I saw the party members off as they entered the dungeon.
Mmm... Now the four of them will strip off their clothes and expose their naked bodies to the wild.
Just thinking about the four of them, blindfolded and defenseless, showing off their breasts and pussies, made my cock throb in protest.
I really need to get my qualification back soon.
It was time to have a talk with the Association, the people who had robbed me of one of my few hobbies.
*
"I will be your escort, Hero Jeong Yeon-woo."
"Thank you, Jae-hee. Sorry for taking up your time."
"Not at all. I'm happy we get to enjoy a drive together."
Woo Jae-hee gave a shy smile.
Woo Jae-hee, Kim Tae-eun, and Joo Ji-hyun.
They were the field staff who had been moving with Black Unicorn ever since the party was formed at Square Garden.
For the record, Woo Jae-hee was the driver who almost got killed by Hornet during the kidnapping by the New Human Alliance.
Her black hair, cut slightly short in the back with straight bangs, gave her a cute impression.
Basking in the envious glares of Kim Tae-eun and Joo Ji-hyun, Woo Jae-hee climbed into the black sedan she had brought instead of the van.
I headed toward the Association in Yeouido with her.
"This is the latest report on the Association's trends. Ju-hee asked me to give it to you."
She pulled a file from the back seat and handed it to me.
Han Ju-hee really is meticulous.
Lee Ru-da had already told me why the Association was calling.
'Those damn old hags are going to act like they're doing you a huge favor.'
Since the public was already up in arms, they had no choice but to lift the suspension they had "mistakenly" issued. However, they intended to use that as leverage to make me feel indebted to them.
You didn't do anything wrong, but we're going to show you some mercy.
It was obviously bullshit, but there was no point in making an enemy of the Association, so I planned to just nod along and pretend to accept whatever they said.
"Ah, could you pull over up there for a second?"
"Yes, of course."
Woo Jae-hee pulled over to the curb without question.
The people at Square Garden really are efficient.
I'm glad these people weren't caught in the purge when the staff was overhauled due to internal information leaks.
"I'm going to grab some coffee. Is there anything you'd like to drink?"
"Oh? Um... an Americano is fine."
"Come on, I know you like sweet things."
"Well, that's true... Ah, I'll pay with the Clan card."
"No, no. I'm buying because I want one. Just something sweet? Nothing else?"
I stopped Woo Jae-hee as she fumbled to pull out her card, then went into the cafe and returned with the drinks.
"I asked them to put in three ice cubes so it wouldn't be too hot."
"Thank you."
Woo Jae-hee smiled and began driving while sipping the perfectly tempered drink.
Her driving posture reminded me of a taxi driver with twenty years of experience.
As I went back to reviewing the materials Han Ju-hee gave me, wondering what the Association would say, Woo Jae-hee spoke up quietly.
"Hero Jeong Yeon-woo, I think you're different from other people."
"Pardon? In what way?"
"Most would just sit comfortably in the back, but you sit in the passenger seat, and you even went out of your way to buy me coffee."
"Isn't it basic manners to sit in the front when someone gives you a ride, and to show a little gratitude?"
Isn't that just common courtesy?
When I said that, Woo Jae-hee let out a small, amused chuckle and set her cup in the holder.
"That's exactly it. Usually, men prefer the back seat... Ah, I'm not badmouthing men. Please don't misunderstand."
Woo Jae-hee quickly followed up, looking flustered.
"What I mean is... driving is my job, so it's only natural for me to serve you, but you treat me like a friend. You even act like you're 'getting a ride' even though it's my duty. How should I put it? You're just different from the others."
"Hmm... is it more comfortable for you if I sit in the back?"
"No, no! I like it when we're together."
Woo Jae-hee spoke with a shy smile.
It was a long explanation, but basically, she liked my down-to-earth nature.
Now that the ice was broken, I continued chatting with her as we headed to the Association.
Usually, the vans have a partition between the driver and the back, so we didn't get much time to talk, but this was a good opportunity.
Woo Jae-hee poured out all the stories she had bottled up—from thanking me for saving her life during the New Human Alliance incident to the parties she had worked with in her previous clans.
Whether it was bad luck or not, most of the Hero parties she had worked with were overbearing, so she said she loved being with Black Unicorn because we treated the staff like equals.
I’d like to get even closer, too.
Though that’s probably not something I should be thinking while stealing glances at her thighs as she drives.
"It's not just our members. The situation room, Ju-hee, and people like you who go out into the field—everyone is a part of Black Unicorn."
"Thank you for thinking of us that way."
Again, not something I should be saying while licking my lips and watching her slightly cross her legs.
Hoping for a chance to get closer to the other two members of the field team as well, I stepped out of the car.
Woo Jae-hee followed me like a secretary as we entered the grand building.
"Welcome, Hero Jeong Yeon-woo. I will guide you."
A man at the information desk recognized my face and greeted me before I could even speak.
It’s a sad world when a man with such a clean-cut, handsome face is working a reception desk.
I followed him inside, but he stopped me in front of a door, saying only I could enter from there.
"Um... that coffee..."
"Oh? It's fine. I brought it, so I'll take care of it."
"No, it would be a breach of etiquette. Please hand it to me before you enter."
"Ah... I see."
This place is stricter than I thought.
What kind of era is this, still harping on about showing "proper etiquette" to superiors?
Respect and manners are one thing, but having a staff member censor you at the door makes it feel like I'm going to meet some high-ranking royalty.
Well, I suppose the Association executives are the high-ranking ones.
"Please hold onto it for a moment. Don't drink it behind my back."
"Hahaha, understood. I'll guard it with my life."
At the stiff man's words, I handed the cup to Woo Jae-hee and stepped inside.
The massive wooden double doors felt like the entrance to a courtroom.
Inside was a vast hall lined with small pillars.
It looked like something out of a medieval fantasy; pillars were arranged around a central circle, and the ceiling soared three stories high into a dome decorated with murals.
What an absolute waste of space.
It looked impressive, sure, but what on earth does the Association actually use this space for?
I was speechless at the sight of the lavish hall, which looked like it had been built using every cent squeezed from the clans.
As I approached the center circle, people standing on the second-floor balcony looked down at me.
"..."
I really had no words.
The way they looked down from a higher level to emphasize the difference in status was almost comical.
The Association didn't get criticized by the public for nothing.
I finally understood why Lee Ru-da always called them "those old hags."
"We shall now begin the hearing regarding the suspension of Hero Jeong Yeon-woo."
A young woman, presumably an Association official, stepped forward and spoke to me.
Hearing, my ass. You guys are the ones who messed up.
Their attempt to act noble, when in reality they were no different from the old-world military, sparked a rebellious streak in me.
Most of the people on the second floor were elderly.
They ranged from a cranky-looking old woman to a middle-aged man who seemed to be the youngest of the lot.
Just as there are those like our great Elder Michelle, who created Astra and remained graceful in her old age, there are also those whose faces are etched with the storms of time and the ugliness of their own spite.
Why did every single one of them look like they had a nasty personality?
At least the middle-aged woman over there had a somewhat gentle expression.
But among a group that all looks the same, the one person smiling with a different face is usually the one you have to watch out for the most.
"While the charges against Jeong Yeon-woo have been proven false, he resisted the Association's judgment and engaged in a flight from justice, causing social unrest."
Yep, I knew they'd nitpick.
The public might see my case and say "justice has prevailed," but there were plenty of things they could use against me.
It was true that I had fled, and it was true that I hadn't cooperated with the Association or the police.
If they kept harping on that, they could pile a mountain of sins on me.
But are they sure about this? If I just refuse and walk out, the Association will be the one facing public backlash.
"During his flight, several suspicious acts of inhumane behavior were captured..."
I stared blankly at the woman as she listed my "crimes" down to the smallest detail.
She had red hair, but it wasn't dyed; it was a change caused by Awakening.
The woman, who likely possessed fire-related skills, was wearing a knight-like outfit—perhaps her costume.
She was encased in rigid metal, but it couldn't hide her voluptuous, Western-style figure.
It was a shame; I really wanted to peel off that breastplate and get a good look at her chest.
"...Jeong Yeon-woo, are you listening?"
"Yes, I'm listening. I was focusing very hard."
"That light attitude, showing such disregard for the Association, makes us doubt your intentions."
Sure, sure. Whatever you say.
It was infuriating, but I had to endure.
Even Lee Ru-da, as much as she cursed them, still cooperated with the Association.
If I acted out here, it would only cause trouble for Square Garden.
Well, that’s exactly what they’re aiming for with this performance.
By forcing people to comply one by one to avoid causing trouble for their organizations, they make them adapt to the Association's unfair treatment.
It’s not because the person is weak or stupid.
It’s a malicious tactic that exploits a good person's desire not to harm those around them.
I listened to the red-haired woman's words to the end, then looked up at the old hags of the Association looking down arrogantly from the second floor.
Let's see how far you're going to take this.