The American Proposition
Just as Novum had predicted, two Extra Clear Tickets appeared as the raid reward.
And that was strictly it.
No additional items, equipment, or magic crystals dropped.
For an Ancient-grade ruin, walking away with nothing more than two slips of paper might have seemed meager to an outsider, but—
‘Great. Just great.’
Clenching his fist in quiet satisfaction, Jeon Jaewoo carefully stowed the clear tickets away.
In the end, simply expanding his lifetime ruin raid quota by one net clear was more than worth the effort.
After stepping out of the ruin, Jaewoo dialed Yoo Jeongtae.
“Hello, Commissioner? Ah, yes. I just finished clearing the ruin.”
Yoo Jeongtae’s voice crackled through the receiver in utter disbelief.
“A-already, you say?”
“Yes. It turned out to be easier than the last Ancient-grade ruin.”
Then again, for someone like Jaewoo who operated solo by default, a ruin with a solitary challenger restriction like the Silent Palace was right up his alley.
“You’ve truly done incredible work, Hunter Jeon. Er, but by any chance…” Jeongtae hesitated, audibly wetting his dry lips. No doubt he was dying to know what would become of the rewards from an Ancient-grade ruin. “May I ask what you plan to do with the rewards you obtained?”
Jeongtae was clearly hoping Jaewoo would make another deal with the bureau, but Jaewoo had other plans.
“I’m sorry, but this time, I intend to use all of the ruin’s rewards myself.”
Jeongtae sounded completely flabbergasted.
“Pardon? Every last bit of the rewards from an Ancient ruin?”
“Yes. I have a use for them.”
“……”
Knowing neither Jaewoo’s innate traits nor the specifics of the rewards, Jeongtae had no grounds to press further on what that use might be. His tone turned visibly crestfallen.
“…Understood. If you happen to change your mind, please give me a call.”
“Will do. Take care then.”
After Jaewoo hung up, Commissioner Yoo Jeongtae slumped in his chair and let out a deep, anxious sigh.
‘Using all the ruin rewards by himself? And not from some Rare or Normal ruin, but an Ancient-grade one?’
By all conventional logic, it made zero sense. Could using them himself just be an excuse because he no longer wanted to deal with the Korean Hunter Bureau?
‘…Could he be planning to take his business elsewhere from now on?’
The sheer thought made his stomach drop.
Still, Jeongtae forced himself to regain his composure.
‘No, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.’
This was merely the first time such a thing had happened since Jaewoo began operating. Ordinary hunters rarely dealt exclusively with the bureau anyway. Perhaps the reward wasn't bulk resources like magic crystals, but rather a specialized piece of equipment that he needed for personal use. It wasn't as though any bad blood had formed between them.
Yet as fate would have it, not long after that call, Jeongtae received word that foreign intelligence agents from the United States had entered the country.
The news of Jaewoo’s raid was broadcasting from a wall-mounted TV in a diner near his home. Two young men eating together chimed in as they watched the screen.
“Man, that’s insane. How long has it even been since his last Ancient ruin?”
“Didn’t you say you wanted to become a hunter? Think you could pull that off?”
The friend scoffed, waving his spoon dismissively. “Like hell. How could anyone realistically pull that off? I’d be over the moon if I could just solo a single Normal-grade ruin.”
Sitting a few tables away slurping blood sausage soup, Jeon Jaewoo let out a quiet smirk.
‘Mm. Feels pretty good.’
Hearing total strangers lavish unprompted praise on him didn’t embarrass him in the slightest; if anything, his pride was soaring through the stratosphere. Humans really were natural attention seekers after all.
With his belly full and spirits high, he set off on his walk back home.
‘Creator,’ Myeolgeop’s voice resonated telepathically in his mind.
‘Hm?’
‘There are individuals following you nearby. All of them are Awakened.’
‘What? Who?’
‘Unfamiliar faces. I detect no hostility, however…’
‘Then leave them be for now. Let’s see what they do.’
Sure enough, a moment later, complete strangers approached and called out to him.
“Excuse us. Would you happen to be Hunter Jeon Jaewoo?”
Dressed in crisp business suits with disciplined, measured movements, they were clearly not ordinary civilians.
‘They’re obviously not Korean. Americans?’
“I am Jeon Jaewoo, yes. Who might you be?”
The man at the front bowed politely in greeting.
“It is an honor to meet you. We are field agents serving under the United States Awakened Management Department.”
“……?”
For a split second, Jaewoo wondered if this was some bizarre scam. But even the boldest con artist wouldn’t pose as US government agents on the streets of Seoul.
“Wait, why would American agents be looking for me…?”
“Our apologies. We had no formal channels to arrange an audience with you, which forced us to take the liberty of approaching you directly like this.”
Judging by their demeanor, Myeolgeop was right; they harbored no hostile intent. Then again, who would blindly swallow the words of strangers claiming out of nowhere to be agents of the United States?
“If it is not an imposition, might we trouble you for a brief conversation? We are confident we have an offer that will not disappoint you.”
With Myeolgeop standing guard invisibly right beside him, Jaewoo had little to fear. But his lingering doubts were fully dispelled once he followed them into a luxury hotel nearby.
The hotel suite was packed with suited personnel—every single one of them Western hunters radiating substantial mana. They really were US government officials.
A solidly built man who appeared to be their superior stood up, extending a hand to Jaewoo.
“Pleasure to meet you, Hunter Jeon Jaewoo. I am Alan, Deputy Director of the US Awakened Management Department.”
“Hello.”
Jaewoo shook his hand and took a seat opposite him.
“Thank you very much for accepting our invitation. Allow me to also offer my heartfelt congratulations on successfully conquering the Ancient-grade ruin.”
“Yes… thank you.”
While showering Jaewoo with lavish praise and diplomatic pleasantries, Alan sized him up with a discerning eye. Yet the more he observed, the more questions arose.
‘I can barely sense any distinct presence from him.’
Judging by his mana circulation, he was certainly an Awakened hunter, but he hardly gave off the impression of someone capable of solo-clearing Legendary and Ancient-grade ruins. Could this man truly be the Jeon Jaewoo they were looking for?
“Hunter Jeon. I know this may seem impolite, but would it be possible to see your hunter registration card?”
“……”
Just what did this guy take him for? He wasn’t an official from the Korean Hunter Bureau—why on earth did an American need to inspect another sovereign nation’s hunter license?
Jaewoo contemplated walking out right then and there, but the sheer absurdity of the situation struck him as comical enough to play along.
Alan took the card and inspected it.
‘…It really is him.’
The data embedded in the card matched their intelligence down to the smallest detail. Alan let out a hearty chuckle and returned the license.
“Forgive me, that was terribly rude for a first meeting. I offer my sincerest apologies if I caused you any offense.”
“So, what is it that you wanted to see me about?”
When Jaewoo cut straight to the point, Alan broke into a confident grin.
Jaewoo’s expression was guarded, bordering on wary. Naturally, anyone would react that way if a high-ranking foreign official showed up out of the blue demanding a private meeting. But once he heard what they had to offer, his posture would inevitably change.
Alan cleared his throat before launching into his pitch.
“Then allow me to be direct. We were dispatched under personal orders from the President of the United States to escort you, Hunter Jeon Jaewoo, to America.”
Jaewoo put on a feigned look of bewilderment. “Pardon? Bring me to the United States?”
“Precisely.”
“Why would you take another country’s hunter to America?”
“Haha, I will take that feigned ignorance as a joke. There is no way a man of your caliber doesn't know the answer to that, surely?”
“……”
Just as Alan said, Jaewoo had guessed their motive the moment he heard who they were. They wanted to poach a talent with an extraordinary track record and make him an American asset.
‘Clear a few ruins, and you get to experience things like this.’
In truth, he had expected foreign powers to try courting him once his fame grew. Any hunter who made a name for themselves went through this routine. The United States in particular was notorious for poaching high-tier talent from across the globe. Perhaps he should consider himself fortunate they hadn't resorted to abduction.
“We will guarantee you treatment superior to any active hunter currently operating in the United States,” Alan declared smoothly. “Furthermore, the United States government is prepared to accommodate whatever request you might have.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I don’t really have any complaints with my current life.”
Yes, of course. A natural response. Alan wasn't fazed in the least. These days, foreign governments weren't foolish; to keep their top hunters from defecting, they granted them maximum autonomy and paid astronomical sums. Even if America offered slightly better terms, hunters saw little reason to endure the hassle of leaving their homeland.
But will you maintain that same composure once you see this?
“Is there any need to rush your decision? Once you hear our full proposal, you might regret refusing so quickly.”
“……?”
Just what kind of card had they brought to be brimming with such smug confidence?
At Alan's subtle nod, an agent placed a reinforced metallic briefcase onto the table. When the latches clicked open, a familiar slip of paper caught Jaewoo’s eye.
It was a Ruin Extra Clear Ticket.
“I am sure you have heard of an item capable of expanding a hunter’s raid quota,” Alan said, his eyes glittering with certainty. “This is the reward we guarantee the moment you agree to become a citizen of the United States of America.”
“……”
So that’s why he’s so full of himself.
Upon awakening, a hunter was strictly granted only twelve opportunities to conquer ruins in their entire lifetime. In hunter terms, this ticket was effectively an elixir that extended an Awakened's functional career and lifespan by one-twelfth.
“For your information, the United States possesses only three Ruin Extra Clear Tickets in total, including this one.”
“And you’re willing to spend one on me?”
“Indeed. Of the remaining two, one was granted to an American Transcendent-grade hunter, while the other rests deep within the federal vault. However, if you so desire, we are even willing to part with that remaining ticket in the vault as well.”
They had clearly come prepared to go all out. If Jaewoo used those extra chances to conquer more ruins and traded the spoils to the United States, America would reap an incomparable return on their investment anyway.
‘Any hunter would be tempted by an offer like this.’
Had he heard this proposition even a week ago, Jaewoo might have wavered, national loyalty be damned.
Unfortunately for them, America's timing was atrocious.
Gazing quietly at the smugly relaxed American, Jaewoo reached out casually toward Myeolgeop—who was concealed invisibly right beside him—slipped two sheets of paper from the golem's mechanical grip, and held them up in front of Alan’s face.
“It’s a generous proposal, but as far as Extra Clear Tickets go, I already have plenty. So I’ll pass.”
“???”
Meanwhile, at that very moment, the Korean Hunter Bureau was thrown into utter turmoil.
Word had just arrived that Hunter Jeon Jaewoo was meeting behind closed doors with American intelligence agents.
Upon receiving the report, Commissioner Yoo Jeongtae let out a bloodcurdling shriek that shook the entire office.
“WHAT?! Hunter Jeon Jaewoo is meeting with American agents?!”