Chapter 198: Tsukushima Satomi (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 198: Tsukushima Satomi (6)
Thud, roll—
The head Baek Seo-woo threw rolled across the floor like a toy.
Fortunately—if one could call it that—it didn't belong to any of the people who had been waiting outside. Judging by the expressions of my party members, it seemed to be someone they didn't recognize either.
"Communication with the field team is down. I'm attempting an emergency contact with the Support Headquarters," Ryu Ji-hye’s voice crackled in my ear.
As we glared at him in silence, Baek Seo-woo clapped his hands with a bright smile.
"I heard you've never even seen a corpse, let alone killed anyone, but you're surprisingly calm. Impressive."
Baek Seo-woo praised me as if he were telling a child, 'Good job!'
The members, who had been tense at his attitude, gritted their teeth and shot him looks of pure fury.
"What did you do to the people outside?"
"Now, what do you think I did~?"
My own anger was starting to simmer. Could you just speak properly, you bastard?
"It’s a joke, just a joke. They wouldn't let me in, so I just put them to sleep for a bit. I wouldn't do anything that would truly make Jeong Yeon-woo angry."
"I'm already a little angry, though?"
"Ayy, once you hear about my gift, your anger will melt away."
Baek Seo-woo waved his hand dismissively in the air with a sly smirk.
"I see you're still intent on bringing me to The Hero."
"Of course. Is there anyone more suited for The Hero than you, Jeong Yeon-woo?"
At Baek Seo-woo's words, the members looked at me in shock. Since the entire clan had been vetted several times, they all knew he had visited Square Garden before. However, this was the first time Lee Na-eun and Yoon A-young had heard the reason for his visit, and their eyes wavered.
Under the incredulous gazes of Satomi and Hornet, I spoke calmly to Baek Seo-woo.
"I told you then, I have no intention of leaving Square Garden. I like Black Unicorn quite a bit."
"Yes, I didn't think your mind would have changed already. But it’s such a waste. Someone like you, Jeong Yeon-woo, who could grow so much higher with better party members, wasting your precious time in a place like this."
The members flinched and glared at him.
"Why? Did I say something wrong? If that purple-haired thug hadn't met Jeong Yeon-woo, would she even be D-rank by now? And the little devil? She’d probably be in prison for killing a few people outside a dungeon. Not to mention the sister of that Fist guy with the trash skill, or the Nippon Samurai. Ah, Yoon A-young, and you, Amy—I’ll acknowledge the two of you."
"I told you not to call me by my name, you son of a bitch," Hornet growled, but Baek Seo-woo just chuckled, ignoring her.
Since we were in the middle of exiting after destroying the dungeon core, the world began to shake. If we didn't escape now, we’d be trapped inside.
But damn it, his skill is Acceleration. He can get out on his own whenever he wants.
"This party is worthless without Jeong Yeon-woo."
"So? Is that all you came here to say?"
When I spoke to him informally, Baek Seo-woo flinched as if surprised, then laughed. That damn closed-eyes character... I really hate that mocking face of his.
"I suppose you're a bit upset that I'm critiquing the party members you've worked so hard to raise. Sorry, I apologize."
"Stop bullshitting and tell me why you're here. I don't want to be trapped in a dungeon with you."
"Hmm—alright. Have you seen this woman before?"
Baek Seo-woo, his smile never wavering, pointed to the head on the floor. When none of us answered, he nodded as if he had expected it and continued.
"You wouldn't know her. Well... let's skip the details and just consider this an introduction. She’s from the New Human Alliance."
"So, did you come here to brag about villains fighting each other?"
"No, I came to be praised. The New Human Alliance is planning to pull something using this Dungeon Impact."
"... ..."
The source of the information was unreliable, but if it was true, it was a massive problem. It was already difficult enough with more than half of Japan's heroes and heroes from all over the world focusing solely on the Dungeon Impact; if villains started interfering now, it would be a total disaster.
"You believe this guy? He's from The Hero."
"Yes, we are The Hero. Heroes acting like heroes. Unlike you, Amy, who lives the life of a fruit fly, we are heroes with pride and conviction. The Hero supports the heroes who have come to resolve the Dungeon Impact."
"Support from a villain alliance? Give me a break."
Yoon A-young twisted her lips into a bitter smirk and glared at Baek Seo-woo. Meeting her gaze, Baek Seo-woo gave a thin smile and stood up.
"Shall we talk while walking to the entrance? I'm worried that with your pace, you might get trapped in the dungeon. Or, since I have the orb, I could send you out quickly. Choose whichever you prefer."
Without waiting for our answer, Baek Seo-woo started walking ahead. Hornet gnashed her teeth at his defenseless back, but even with a surprise attack, we couldn't win with our current strength.
I gave a signal and started walking. The members followed, surrounding me protectively while remaining on high alert. They were expressing their resolve not to let anyone touch me, but if things went south, I really hoped they’d prioritize their own lives.
The world was collapsing, and the ground shook so violently it was hard to walk, but Baek Seo-woo strolled along as if he were out for a walk, chatting away.
"As the samurai over there probably knows, the New Human Alliance is powerful in Japan. The government often looks the other way."
Satomi frowned but didn't respond to him. I knew Awakened were the ruling class in the past, but is that because it's still deeply rooted in the culture? Even so, the government backing a villain alliance? That was shocking. It was likely a few idiots in high-ranking positions sympathizing with the New Human Alliance rather than the government itself, but it was still incomprehensible.
"Maybe that's why they've gotten so arrogant that they're trying to exploit the Dungeon Impact. Ridiculous, isn't it? If things go wrong, they'll be kicked out of Japan, the only place they still have influence. Anyway, stupid people are a problem because they have no vision for the future."
Baek Seo-woo chuckled while mocking the New Human Alliance.
"How are they planning to exploit it?"
"Well, I don't know that much. That friend from earlier wouldn't talk. But isn't it easy to guess? They'll probably interfere and try to lure the monsters outside. Cough, cough—they'll eat up all the civilians."
As if acting out a monster, Baek Seo-woo held up two fingers and wiggled his body ridiculously. If it was just a matter of escaping, the Awakened were at a much greater advantage than ordinary people. The monsters that emerged from the dungeon would indiscriminately slaughter people, and Japan would be left with only the Awakened, just as the New Human Alliance wanted.
Soon, Baek Seo-woo’s expression turned serious, and he turned his head back to look at me.
"A true hero should save the civilians."
Coming from a terrorist whose estimated casualties exceed 100,000?
"Crisis gives birth to heroes. I'm very much looking forward to seeing how a hero named Jeong Yeon-woo will bloom here."
"I'll tell you one thing. If I 'bloom' like you say, you're definitely going to die. Don't expect to be arrested like other villains."
"Yes, do your best."
Baek Seo-woo gave a hollow laugh and turned his head forward again. As the entrance drew near, the members grew tense, ready to swing their weapons at any moment, unsure of what he might do.
"Field team, Self-Defense Forces, and Japan Association staff have all been successfully rescued. Including the Korean Support Team Leader, Hero Song Jae-ah, reinforcements have arrived from the US, France, and Japan. Two A-rank parties and six B-rank parties are currently guarding the entrance."
Hearing Ryu Ji-hye’s transmission, I felt like we had a chance. However, seeing Baek Seo-woo, who had come here knowing this would happen, a strange sense of unease washed over me.
Before stepping out of the entrance, he turned back to look at me.
"Then, I'll say my goodbyes here. I hope we can meet when things are a bit more relaxed next time. Perhaps over coffee or a meal."
"That's never happening, so don't ever come looking for me again."
"How cold. See you later. Oh, and don't worry about the heroes outside. For your sake, Jeong Yeon-woo, I'll go easy on them."
Baek Seo-woo bowed at the waist and swept his hand to the side in a playful, medieval-style greeting before exiting the dungeon.
"Engage! Heroes, begin the attack!"
Ryu Ji-hye’s radio call reached my ears. The members looked at me, but I shook my head.
"Going out through a narrow passage won't help us."
"So you're saying we should just let that bastard go?!"
"If that many people can't catch him anyway, us going out there won't make a difference."
Hornet kicked the ground in frustration and shouted toward the other side. Having vented her rage into the void, she took a ragged breath to steady herself.
"You better keep that promise."
"Trust me. One day, I'll put a hole right between Baek Seo-woo's eyes."
"... ..."
Hornet held my gaze for a long moment before letting out a heavy sigh and turning away.
"Perimeter breached. Baek Seo-woo has vanished. Zero hero casualties."
Shit, he really broke through that?
There were plenty of heroes who knew Baek Seo-woo's skill and were prepared for it, yet he escaped leisurely without injuring a single person. How is that guy only A-rank?
At Ryu Ji-hye’s report, the expressions of the other members darkened as well. They were likely worried because a monster like that had taken an interest in me.
"Let's get out before this place collapses."
I spoke as if nothing had happened and led the way out.
The area around the entrance was a mess, looking like a battlefield. Buildings had collapsed miserably, and the roads were torn up, likely from the barrage of skills unleashed. Heroes standing atop the ruins were either despondent or venting their anger on the piles of rubble.
The members who followed me out looked around at the devastation with wide eyes.
"Yeon-woo!"
Staff from the field team ran toward me from a distance. Atsuko was alive and well, and the soldiers guarding the entrance seemed safe. As soon as we cleared the area, the entrance collapsed, but no one celebrated. For now, let's just be glad everyone is safe.
We were practically dragged back to the headquarters. I explained the situation to the heroes and showed them the footage Ryu Ji-hye had sent.
"What is your relationship with Baek Seo-woo, Hero Jeong Yeon-woo?"
An American hero asked, looking at me with a sharp gaze.
"It seems he wants to recruit me into The Hero."
"Hah—those damn bastards."
A string of curses like 'fucking' and 'bitch' poured out of the hero's mouth. But right now, The Hero wasn't the main concern. Baek Seo-woo's credibility aside, the problem was what to do about the New Human Alliance. The heroes groaned and sighed at the news that they had to worry about villains on top of the already chaotic situation.
"I believe we need to hold a meeting between the support team leaders."
Song Jae-ah, who had been shrinking back, nodded at the American hero's words. Even though it was the Korean Support Headquarters, the American hero was acting like the team leader, contacting the Japan Association and the government and handling everything.
After sending the members back to the lodging, I alone went to Yokohama, where the General Support Headquarters was located. In a room filled with support team leaders from various countries and Association executives, I gave the same explanation and showed the video once more.
After being interrogated several times about my relationship with Baek Seo-woo, I had nothing left to do. While they continued their meeting, I left the headquarters and returned to the lodging.
Since a major incident had almost occurred, a party from another country even escorted me. Walking through the streets that had already grown dark, I could see small lights in the distance.
It’s been a while since I’ve felt this powerless.
Two A-rank parties and six B-rank parties, and they couldn't catch one man. Just how strong is he? We had to taste the bitterness of defeat, unable to do anything even with the villain right in front of us. We were on a roll, but that one bastard ruined everything.
After thanking those who escorted me to the lodging, I stepped inside, only to find it even more chaotic.
Shit, what is this now?
I wondered why there were so many luxury cars in front of the lodging; it turned out the Japanese government had come to visit. And it was a whole crowd of high-ranking politicians. Since the banquet hall was the only place large enough to seat them all, the hallway leading to it was packed with executive secretaries and bodyguards.
"They came to see Satomi," Lee Na-eun rushed over and whispered to me.
I'm exhausted, why is everyone being so annoying?
I looked toward the banquet hall, which was partially obscured by the doors, and started walking that way.
"You cannot enter past this point."
I stared blankly at the woman who blocked me with a hand on my shoulder, then looked down at her hand.
"I'm sorry, but I've had a lot of annoying things happen today, and my patience has reached its limit. Could you move so I can go in?"
"As I said, you cannot enter past—"
"I told you to move."
At my cold voice, the bodyguard flinched and reached for the handcuffs at her waist. However, she stopped moving when she saw what was behind me. As the nearby heroes glared at her, the bodyguard hesitated with wavering eyes.
Is that Anna drawing her sword?
Sensing Anna's presence behind me, I let out a small sigh and spoke to the guard.
"I apologize. A lot has happened today, and everyone's nerves are frayed. Satomi is a member of my party, so as her leader, would you allow me to step inside for a moment?"
It wasn't the bodyguard's fault; there was no need to take my anger out on her. I held up my hands to show I was harmless and waited for permission. After a moment of hesitation, she stepped back.
Creak—
Passing through the crowd that parted like the Red Sea, I opened the door to see the politicians seated in a U-shape, with Satomi in the center. They seemed to be in the middle of a heated discussion, but it suddenly went silent upon my entrance.
"How insolent, to barge in here without—"
When I stared at her in silence, the old woman’s voice trailed off as her spirit broke. I ignored them and walked toward Satomi, who was sitting in the middle.
"Leader, this place is..."
I plopped down next to the flustered Satomi and looked at the women who were wearing terrifying expressions.
"Please, continue. Let's hear what you've all gathered here for."
The moment I spoke, the banquet hall turned into a scene of absolute chaos, with every curse imaginable flying my way.
I guess this is their trigger button.