#312. That's Why Dad Told Me to Read Contracts Carefully?
Thomas landed on the ground. The moment he touched down, Joo Se-ah rushed over and grabbed him by the collar.
"Thomas Hunter, you got here from Paju quicker than I expected."
"Who ordered it?"
"Perfect timing. We gotta chase down those escaped monsters. If we lose 'em, who knows where or how fast they'll grow—real dangerous bastards."
"That thing over there... a pterosaur?"
Thomas pointed at the bisected, dead flying reptile.
"How the hell does something die like that?"
"That's not the point. You can do flight magic, right? Hurry up and track them...!"
"Those are the escaped chicks, huh? Don't worry. I won't let a single one slip away."
"What...?"
Joo Se-ah tilted her head in confusion.
The escaped pterosaur chicks had scattered in every direction. They weren't as fast as their mother, but it was already too late to chase them down one by one. It'd take time, but they'd have to alert guilds in each area and call for backup.
Yet here was Thomas, boldly claiming he could catch them all.
"Index... hm!"
Thomas raised his staff overhead to cast a spell but hesitated.
His eyes flicked toward Seong Seon-je, then to Yeo Mun-gi, Slayer's top mage.
As if seeking permission, he turned to Joo Se-ah.
"Lots of eyes watching. Mind if I use magic?"
Joo Se-ah caught on to Thomas's concern. He was asking if it was okay to go all out. Kang Moo-hyuk didn't want to reveal—even conditionally—that he was S-rank to outsiders.
No one here could gauge Thomas's level anyway, but the fact he was asking meant he planned to unleash something massive, she figured.
"The boss would say the same. Saving people comes first."
"In that case."
Thomas shrugged and rapidly chanted a series of spells.
【Wide Scope】 = 【Force Field】 = 【Targeting】
∥
【Pexis】 = 【Navigation】 = 【Index】
Each spell unleashed mana of a completely different nature, swirling wildly.
Wide Scope erected a vast mana domain. Invisible to the eye, but mana-sensitive mages sensed it instantly blanket dozens of kilometers around Bukhansan, all within the caster's perception.
Force Field ensured mana could reach anywhere in that range. Targeting isolated the escaped pterosaur chicks.
Index marked and stored the designated targets. Navigation tracked their paths. Finally, Pexis locked the spells in place, enabling pursuit no matter where the chicks fled—for quite some time.
'What the hell... I've never even heard of spells like these.'
Only Yeo Mun-gi here could fully appreciate the spectacle—aside from Thomas.
Not even S-rank Joo Se-ah could grasp the intricacies; she sensed something happening, but magic worked differently from skills.
Even Yeo Mun-gi couldn't fully parse Thomas's spells, but he grasped the sheer absurdity of what he'd just pulled off.
'A mage like this in Korea? In Iron Will?'
It was exactly what Thomas had feared.
People getting curious about his true nature.
Curiosity would breed doubt about his magic, and soon they'd realize its origins differed from other mages'.
And rightly so—Thomas hadn't learned from skill books.
Normal magic was hard to innovate, unlike skills.
Skills came from bodily repetition and insight reshaped intuitively. Magic demanded knowledge of underlying principles.
The problem? Earth had zero foundation for magic.
It was like mastering calculus before zero existed, let alone basic arithmetic.
But Thomas could see, feel, and touch magic.
He lacked theoretical knowledge, but being one with mana—its source—he shaped it freely, like a child molding clay into new forms, birthing original spells.
Had Yeo Mun-gi known, he'd have crowned Thomas grand mage without hesitation.
"All set."
Thomas ignored Yeo Mun-gi's burning gaze and spoke casually.
Joo Se-ah asked, "What now?"
"Chase 'em down and snag 'em. If we hustle, we can wipe 'em out by tonight."
"Then I'm counting on you."
"Sorry, but maintaining and tracking this spell's my limit. Plus, my combat skills suck. You'll have to handle the takedowns yourself, Guild Master. I'll guide you to their positions."
Thomas could've done it all himself but deliberately downplayed his abilities.
He'd used magic to save people—that was done. Now, leak false info to minimize exposure. He couldn't fool everyone completely, but posing as a pure support mage would sow confusion.
Joo Se-ah blinked at his act.
'This guy's fought queen bees—what's he on about...? Oh, minding the onlookers? Totally Boss's Mini-Me. Thinking tactics even now.'
She caught on quick and played along.
"Didn't think that far. Must be tough holding it already. Lead the way—I'll handle the kills."
"Gonna fly fast."
Thomas levitated lightly and beckoned Joo Se-ah.
【Levitation】
As Joo Se-ah floated up and they prepared to launch—
Chaos erupted at the gate. More monsters were spilling out.
The first one was a doozy, gathering ominous energy like the pterosaur emergence.
What emerged: a one-eyed giant, a Cyclops. Not your standard one, either—this had a horn sprouting from its head: a unicorn Cyclops.
From atop Seong Seon-je's head, Joo Se-ah peered down.
"Mob like that's a guardian. You can handle it without me, right, Team Lead Seong?"
"We look funny from up there?"
"If you can, great—quit the attitude? Tame that temper for rank-up."
"Seeing you and the Tyrant, mental stuff seems irrelevant to rank-up."
"What's that mean?"
"Exactly that."
"Me and the Tyrant are the same?"
"You know it."
"Wanna trash Slayer HQ again?"
"Bill it to Director Kang Moo-hyuk."
Thomas stepped in to stop their endless bickering.
"Any longer and the city's screwed, Guild Master."
"Ah, sorry. Catch you later, Seong. Team. Lead."
"You bet, Joo. Se. Ah. Guild. Master."
Joo Se-ah and Thomas vanished into dots in an instant.
Yeo Mun-gi approached to speak, but Seong Seon-je waved him off.
"That mage later. Gate first."
Seong Seon-je ordered the hunters: commence hunt on the unicorn Cyclops.
"Take it down in one go and breach the gate! Tell support to set up a strategy camp once the guardian's down!"
It was nearly evening when shelters finally opened.
People shuffled out from subway stations, school basements, government bunkers, apartment and office parking garages.
Even with the all-clear, their eyes darted anxiously.
Government said it was contained, but folks knew from experience: no such thing as 100% with monsters.
Oftentimes, one overlooked beast caused more casualties post-evac.
Still, authorities wouldn't keep them holed up till perfection.
They feared losing hard-won revival after Great and Small Wars.
Most agreed. Didn't want fragile peace shattered by a few monsters.
Monsters were becoming "unavoidable disasters."
An era where sacrificing few for many was normalized.
Korea boasted top-tier stability, but shadows lurked beneath.
"Some won't tolerate even that shallow peace. I can't forgive them."
Kang Moo-hyuk had summoned Mr. Jo to Iron Will.
She was furiously signing papers on the table.
"Screw peace and forgiveness. Why so many damn signatures? Fewer than a bank loan."
"Merger agreements, employment retention, NDAs, asset sales and equity deals, handling your company's real estate..."
"Who asked? It's an unregistered outfit anyway. Just sneak it through—why complicate?"
"Illegal means extra hoops for legit processing."
"Swallowing Baekho wasn't illegal?"
"Overseas, so domestic law doesn't apply."
"We all know you smuggled it to Korea."
Mr. Jo grumbled nonstop, pen flying, but dropped the Baekho assets when Kang invoked silence. She focused and finished.
"Last one."
Kang took the final doc with a smile and offered a handshake.
"Welcome to Iron Will."
"Tch! Wasn't planning to join a guild. Got marked by tier kids over Baekho..."
"Might as well join an S-rank backed one, right?"
"Fair."
Gripping his hand, Mr. Jo asked, "So, my position?"
"Keep doing what you did. Won't appear on official org chart. Use your old office or move."
"That's why you folded my real estate into the merged guilds? Thought it odd not dissolving them—paper guilds, huh?"
"When'd you figure that? Secret from everyone but the boss."
"I'm Mr. Jo. If I don't know it in Korea, even the king doesn't."
"World's top spy, as I recognized."
Flattered, Mr. Jo leaned back smugly.
"Didn't wanna say it, but if my English was better, I'd be in the US by now. With a translation item sooner, Europe. You hit the jackpot, Director."
"US and Europe? Nah, crawling with big orgs. Tough gig."
"Caught by Federation once? They're world-top, so exclude 'em. In shadows, few catch me—S-ranks aside."
"Nah. North America's Dark Side owns the night; Europe's Mirage turf. Crime syndicates, terrorists—even you can't solo. I rate you equal, but world-class? They're global, not national."
"What? Praise or diss? Mocking me?"
Mr. Jo bristled.
"Home turf advantage. I'd crush 'em in my yard. Piece of cake, like rechewing gum. Ugh, can't prove it. Frustrating."
"No need to die frustrated."
"Sudden nonsense?"
Kang's face hardened.
"Suspect 'Mirage'—known terrorists—has infiltrated Korea."
"M-Mirage? Why here? In Korea now?"
"First mission: initiation gift."
"Celebrate with terrorists?"
"Grab their tail, Mr. Jo."
"Director, you listening?"
"World-class like you, with home advantage? Gum, right?"
"Fucking gum."
"Haha, jaw might ache from chewing."
"Jaw? It'll fly off."
"Don't worry if it goes south."
"Means bail if bad?"
"That signed doc: injury insurance on duty, death payout..."
Mr. Jo thought:
'That's why Dad said read contracts carefully?'
Five minutes in, regret hit.