Chapter 87: Black Unicorn
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 87: Black Unicorn
Black Unicorn.
I spent a blissful time until my discharge.
Every morning when I opened my eyes, Han Ra-im would visit my room to help me with my business, cleaning me up with her mouth before climbing on top of me to make a mess all over again.
During the daily scheduled counseling sessions, I would find Lee So-dam salivating like a puppy waiting for a treat; the moment I took out my cock, she would rush over to suck on it.
I satisfied her in countless positions on the leather sofa where she was supposed to be consulting patients.
I made sure to clean up afterward, but I couldn't help feeling a tiny bit sorry for the next patient who would sit there—other than that, it was a grand old time.
It depended on her shift, but Han Ra-im rarely forgot to drain my seed before she clocked out.
I enjoyed Han Ra-im’s company in every corner of that hospital room.
The bed, the table, the chairs, the bathroom, the sink, the walls—sometimes I’d pin her against the door, muffling her mouth as I tormented her narrow vagina while she struggled to hold back her moans.
After enjoying herself with me once, Ellie stopped making demands and returned to being her usual cocky fairy self.
Eventually, Lee So-dam issued an opinion stating that there were no issues with my mental state, and I was able to be discharged without a hitch.
"Ngh! You can't... people are waiting... Haaah!"
As I shoved her against the wall and hammered into her from behind, Han Ra-im let out a moan, her pussy tightening around me.
After enjoying her lewd body one last time, I finally left the hospital.
We had exchanged numbers, so whenever I felt stressed—or even if I didn't—I’d be able to sleep with her whenever I wanted.
When I reached the hospital entrance, I was met by Yun A-young, Kwon Ye-jin, and even Lee Yu-na, who had all come to pick me up.
Seeing my party members, each with their own distinct charms, brought a smile to my face.
"Congratulations on your discharge."
"Master, did you get enough rest? Ready to go wild again?"
"Yeon-woo, I'm glad to see you looking healthy."
I climbed into the van the clan had prepared with the three of them and headed to the press conference venue.
I had avoided all reporters using my treatment as an excuse, so it was time to show my face.
Besides, Square Garden had asked me to do some media play to help recruit the hero I wanted, so I had to play my part well.
To coincide with my discharge, today was the day our party would be officially unveiled.
Not that we hadn't been in the public eye before, but for the sake of perfect media play, Square Garden had finished registering our party name and our hero aliases with the Association.
It was, in a sense, our official inauguration.
"Isn't the name Prydwen cool? It's the shield King Arthur used."
Kwon Ye-jin bragged, clearly pleased with her nickname.
Yun A-young, however, remained silent, looking dissatisfied.
Her nickname was Bingseolhwa. She hated it, claiming it sounded weak, but the Association had already finalized the registration.
They say the Association decides these based on public reaction or the hero's characteristics, but I have no idea why they get to be the ones to choose.
Lee Yu-na had been using the name Soul Shift since she reached C-rank because of her guardian spirit skill.
As for me, after praying fervently to God that they wouldn't give me something weird, I received the incredibly plain name of 'Gunslinger.'
Gunslinger... isn't that going to be confusing later when more people start using guns?
But the explanation they gave was actually quite good.
Since I was the one who created mana bullets, they gave me a name that felt like a profession to honor that significance.
The Association staff member explained with sparkling eyes that in the future, all heroes who use guns as weapons would be called gunslingers, and they would all respect me for blazing a new trail.
Hearing that explanation just made it feel like a burden, though.
"Can you guys see this thing?"
I asked, pointing at Ellie, who was perched on my shoulder.
Yun A-young shook her head silently, while Kwon Ye-jin gave me a sly smile, thinking I was joking.
"I can feel a faint presence."
Only Lee Yu-na could sense Ellie's presence on my shoulder.
It wasn't necessarily because she had the highest stats among us, but likely due to the influence of her skill that dealt with guardian spirits.
"Huh? There's nothing there. Stop acting cool. Are you going through a chuunibyou phase?"
While Kwon Ye-jin was picking a fight, I tore off a piece of the snack sitting in the van and gave it to Ellie.
Kwon Ye-jin’s expression went blank as she watched Ellie take the piece—which was the size of her head—in both hands and start wolfing it down.
To Ye-jin, who couldn't see her, it must have looked like the snack was floating in mid-air and slowly disappearing.
"If you lack the ability, you should talk less. That way, you won't embarrass yourself."
Lee Yu-na gently mocked Ye-jin before looking at me.
"Is it a fairy?"
"You recognized her immediately. Can you see her?"
"No, my abilities aren't quite there yet... but she seems like a very beneficial fairy. I can feel a warm energy from her."
Hmm... I wonder if she'd still say that if they actually talked?
Ellie, emboldened by Yu-na's words, started poking my cheek. I dodged her hand.
She calls herself a Fairy of Joy, but no matter how I look at it, she's a Fairy of Sex.
Or maybe just a battery that exists to piss people off?
"You're thinking something rude right now, aren't you, you brat?"
I stuffed Ellie's mouth with more snacks as she kicked my shoulder, then stepped out of the van.
As I entered the press conference hall prepared at the clan headquarters, the reporters stared at me intensely.
Square Garden had only selected reputable media outlets for today, so everyone was well-behaved.
"Good luck, Master."
"See you later, Oppa."
"We'll be waiting here, Yeon-woo."
Since I was the protagonist of the day, only I, the leader, went up.
By the way, all three of them call me something different.
I thought about how we might need to unify those titles as I sat down at the podium behind the microphone to talk to the reporters.
As expected, the first questions were about the New Human Alliance. I kept the secrets secret and answered everything else I could.
The biggest change while I was stuck in the hospital was the situation with the New Human Alliance.
The 'Sperm Factories'—horrific facilities where semen was extracted without sex—had been exposed.
The revelation that men were being treated like livestock caused a global wave of revulsion. The New Human Alliance took a massive hit worldwide, but in Korea, they were crushed so thoroughly they had to withdraw entirely.
As if to show what happens when you touch one of her clan members, Lee Ru-da focused entirely on smashing the New Human Alliance instead of entering dungeons, and clans across the country, led by Square Garden, hunted them down like rats.
Anyone even slightly involved was arrested immediately, and the number of executive-level members caught in Korea alone exceeded double digits.
News of New Human Alliance villains being arrested filled the headlines every day; they were shaken down until the well ran dry.
Another change was the sheer number of sponsors trying to attach themselves to me.
Between being a top prospect and the various incidents that sent my stock through the roof, corporations smelling money were swarming.
However, I had no desire to have corporate logos plastered all over my clothes, so I had already spoken with Lee Ru-da. I wasn't going to play the part of a clown.
It would mean less income for the party, but Square Garden wasn't fond of the 'walking billboard' look either, so Ru-da had agreed immediately.
"Photos of Thunderblue's funeral have been circulating a lot on social media. Do you have any plans to purchase a new vehicle?"
A reporter asked a lighthearted question to break the heavy atmosphere.
Thunderblue.
Kwon Ye-jin had posted photos of the 'Thunderblue Funeral' on N-Star, and many people had expressed their condolences.
I wondered if a car was really something to be that sad over, but well, everyone has different perspectives.
"I have no plans yet."
Thunderblue was a discontinued compact car, and I had turned down the car company's offer to custom-build one just for us after seeing its popularity.
"I was looking forward to a 'Thunderblack,' so that's a shame."
The reporter's comment drew small chuckles from the others.
It was a joke based on our party name.
Black Unicorn.
That was the name of the party I would be leading from now on.
When a reporter asked what 'Black' signified, I gave a sophisticated-sounding answer about monsters and combat, but in truth, I just added it because I didn't want to be called just 'Unicorn.'
Since these girls had been blathering about 'Unicorn' so much that it was already stuck in people's minds, I couldn't change it completely. I insisted on adding 'Black,' and everyone agreed, saying it was a 'woman's color' and they liked it.
"Can we expect the same level of performance in C-rank dungeons as before?"
I shook my head at the reporter's question.
"No. The reason we climbed to C-rank so quickly was for the sake of Hero Lee Yu-na, who was waiting for us."
As I answered, several reporters turned their gaze toward Lee Yu-na.
She seemed pleased to hear it was for her sake and smiled, while Kwon Ye-jin looked at her with dissatisfied eyes.
"From now on, we will take things step by step. We need a new party member, and we need time to practice our tactics."
"Have you already decided on a new party member?"
Finally, the question I wanted.
I looked directly into the camera and spoke confidently.
"Nothing is set in stone yet. Right now, I am looking for a hero to join me and my party, Black Unicorn."
"A hero from Square Garden?"
"It's not necessarily limited to our clan. Clan Leader Lee Ru-da is providing a lot of support, so we are looking at the entire world."
I emphasized the word 'world' with a strong accent.
Some might call me arrogant for saying that as a mere C-rank, but I had the right to be.
The fastest breakthrough record in 20 years, the arrest of Millionface, and the fact that I had turned the tables on the New Human Alliance to rescue other men after being kidnapped.
Any one of those achievements alone would make my value skyrocket.
The room was filled with the sound of typing for a moment before a reporter raised their hand.
"By 'the world,' do you mean you might recruit prospects from the US, Japan, or China into Square Garden?"
"That would be within Clan Leader Lee Ru-da's authority, so I can't answer that."
I smiled and immediately followed up.
"However, if Black Unicorn finds a hero we believe fits the team, we will reach out regardless of what country or clan they belong to. I hope many heroes will show interest."
It was a statement of status.
Being scouted by the hottest, most famous party was a form of validation.
Even if they weren't interested, they would want to receive our 'love call,' and it was highly likely we'd get favorable responses.
Since there were foreign reporters present, I wanted them to spread the news globally.
One of the foreign reporters who hadn't had a chance to speak yet asked a question.
"I'm Ailee from Red Gears. First, I wish for the success of Black Unicorn."
I raised a hand to stop the translator who was about to step in and replied in English.
"Thank you. I appreciate the interest from Red Gears."
Since I often had to cooperate with Awakened from other countries in my previous life, English was basic for me, and I could communicate in several other languages as well.
The reporter, who had introduced herself and offered well-wishes, smiled and continued.
"One of the reasons Black Unicorn is drawing so much attention is that you have never used a Jewel of Life. Is there a specific reason for this? Or have there simply been no dungeons difficult enough to risk your lives yet?"
I had to answer this one carefully.
If I honestly said, "Because I don't want to die," I'd get trashed by people asking if anyone wants to die.
They'd tell me to change my tactics if I'm so afraid of death.
Because this was a world centered on Attackers, those who feared death in a dungeon were treated as cowards not worth dealing with.
Though to me, everyone else looked like they were just itching to die.
"We are simply proving Square Garden's tactics."
"Are you referring to the diverse roles within Black Unicorn?"
"Yes. As the leader, I am a Supporter. Since the Belarus incident, many clans have begun to feel the limits of forming parties consisting only of Attackers. Our tactic is to clear dungeons stably and surely, even if the clear speed is a bit slower."
"Sometimes, time is of the essence."
"Yes, and in those cases, we will adopt the appropriate tactics. Square Garden is currently developing new strategies, and Black Unicorn will be the ones to prove them."
Since Lee Ru-da was giving me so much support, I decided to give all the credit to Square Garden.
That way, Square Garden would handle all the annoying fallout too.
Are you watching, Clan Leader?
The reporter nodded at my confident attitude and scribbled something on her tablet.
Please write a good article—one that makes C-rank heroes all over the world take an interest in Black Unicorn.
With that one question from the foreign reporter, I had achieved my goal.
Fearing death makes you a wimp? Just charge in because you have a Jewel of Life?
Heroes are human too.
Awakening doesn't turn your heart into iron.
Even if you can come back to life, the experience of death takes a massive toll on the psyche, and very few people enjoy suffering.
You can only endure so much pain; if someone pushes you to fight hard while your arms and legs are being severed, you're going to get angry.
And the hero I currently had in mind was someone being crushed by the very weight of the word 'death.'
Hoping that hero would see this broadcast, I moved on to answer the next question.