Chapter 102
Chapter 102
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 102
Chapter Title: Changing Tides
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-Min Ha-na Resigns from the Hunter Management Bureau.
It wasn't a huge shock; everyone had seen it coming.
Her departure had been a foregone conclusion ever since Kang Il-seop left.
It was only delayed because the president had publicly declared he would keep her.
-The Republic of Korea's Hunter Management Bureau will henceforth provide treatment befitting one's abilities.
Having witnessed the president's actions firsthand, Min Ha-na refused to even meet with him.
Dozens of negotiation offers were made, but Min Ha-na never even bothered to check the terms.
The reason her resignation was processed as a leave of absence was due to one remaining promise.
-Min Ha-na to part ways with the Hunter Management Bureau after the Russian expedition.
The first hunter to send reinforcements during the New Zealand incident was none other than Russia's Gregory.
Although they were late, they had assembled an expedition team as quickly as possible, and the president had approved it.
The distance was the only issue; their response had been perfect. That was why she had waited for the Russian expedition.
As it happened, A-rank gates appeared simultaneously near Moscow and Kazan, presenting an opportunity to repay the favor.
New Zealand also expressed its gratitude by sending ten A-rank hunters, and the gate clear proceeded in a warm, amicable atmosphere.
After clearing the gate near Kazan, they tackled the final one in Moscow.
Min Ha-na and Gregory stood at the forefront, bathed in the flash of cameras.
"Allow me, my lady."
"I'm honored."
As Gregory bowed and gestured the way, Min Ha-na responded with a slight curtsy.
Their playful exchange was captured by the cameras.
Though it was a dangerous gate clear, it carried the strong undertones of a political event between friendly nations.
"We begin."
At Gregory's command, twenty A-rank hunters from New Zealand and Russia followed Min Ha-na.
They might have been playful outside, but the atmosphere shifted the moment they entered.
"I see some smiling faces."
Min Ha-na, at the lead, immediately set the tone.
"Do you want to die with a smile on your face?"
The A-rank hunters straightened their posture, their faces tense. Min Ha-na nodded.
"Stay alive and follow me."
As she said this, Gregory, standing beside her, shook his head.
Seeing his disappointed expression, Min Ha-na sighed and looked at the hunters.
"If you don't want your heads bashed in, grit your teeth and keep up."
Yeahhh!
A cheer erupted.
"You damn perverts..."
Yeahhh!
An even louder roar followed.
*How did I end up...*
Min Ha-na shook her head and signaled the start of the battle.
With two S-rank hunters at the lead, the fact that it was an A-rank gate became meaningless.
Monsters fell to their firepower, and any that targeted Min Ha-na were dealt with by Gregory before they could even get close.
Unlike when they were cheering, the hunters following behind had nothing to do.
"Truly a beautiful sight."
"It's just as amazing the second time."
The A-rank gate was cleared in an instant, without a single injury.
"Gate cleared!"
Min Ha-na's duties as a member of the Hunter Management Bureau were now completely finished.
She stepped out of the gate with a light heart, only to find an unexpected figure waiting for her.
It was the president of Russia.
The Russian president approached with confident strides and extended his hand, which Min Ha-na did not refuse.
The image of the two shaking hands was broadcast on news channels worldwide.
Not everyone was pleased by the warm atmosphere in Russia.
Smith, the Bureau Director of the American Hunter Management Bureau, looked away from the online news.
"Haaah."
With Bae Wang-sik's public reveal, the possibility of him becoming a naturalized American citizen was completely off the table.
He had thought he could at least control him indirectly through the agreement with Korea, but even that fell through with the launch of Mad Castle.
On top of that, he now had to exclude Min Ha-na from his strategic planning.
*To think I lost Korea.*
The problem was that they had now formed a relationship with Russia, a rival nation, that was as strong as a blood alliance.
The bipolar world order of the United States and China would now have to include Russia.
His plan to use the Asia-Pacific Treaty to secure a competitive edge and build a force that even multinational guilds couldn't touch had gone up in smoke.
"Nothing is going my way."
Decan, America's key power, already wielded more authority than Smith.
He was now even exchanging political opinions with the U.S. President.
"Am I getting old?"
He leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh. But even rest was not permitted.
-The Commander of Mad Castle is requesting a connection.
The Commander of Mad Castle could only be Kang Il-seop.
It was the first time he had heard the title used officially.
"Put him through."
He picked up the receiver and heard a familiar voice.
-This is Kang Il-seop, Commander of Mad Castle.
"It's been a while."
-I'm calling today to offer my greetings. I hope to maintain a good relationship with the American Hunter Management Bureau going forward.
He had never once heard Kang Il-seop speak like this.
He was a man who was confident even when he had nothing, someone who always showed his emotions plainly.
That was why Smith had wanted to defeat him so badly.
-I look forward to working with you.
He had heard the very words he had always wanted to hear.
But why?
Why did he still sound so confident?
*What was I fighting for?*
He felt utterly pathetic.
There was another person reminiscing about the past, their face filled with regret.
The Blue House, Republic of Korea.
"Agent Min Ha-na's resignation has been formally accepted."
It had been agreed that it would be processed after she handled the Russian gate.
"And the final negotiation?"
"She refused to meet."
The president had offered terms that broke the existing framework in a desperate attempt to keep Min Ha-na.
Treatment and privileges that surpassed even those offered by the United States.
He had even promised to expand the authority of the Hunter Management Bureau, not just her own, but Min Ha-na had refused without a moment's hesitation.
He knew it was a long shot but had tried until the very end, yet the outcome was the same.
*In the end, I lost everything.*
The power struggle with Kang Il-seop had, technically, ended in the president's victory. But the result was not what he had wanted.
He had tried to keep them under his control, but both Kang Il-seop and Min Ha-na had left.
*Where did it all go wrong?*
Now that they were gone, the Korea-U.S.-Japan alliance was meaningless. In fact, just as Kang Il-seop had predicted, he was now in a position where he had to cede control over national security.
Fortunately, Kang Il-seop had left behind combat agents, and Min Ha-na had helped Russia under the banner of the Hunter Management Bureau, so they had at least avoided the worst-case scenario.
"Your Excellency, shouldn't we take measures against Mad Castle?"
Hearing his chief of staff's question, the president frowned.
It wasn't out of displeasure with him.
It was because it felt like he was looking at a reflection of himself when he had fought with Kang Il-seop.
The president suppressed his anger and replied.
"From now on, cooperate with Mad Castle as much as possible."
The president closed his eyes.
*I've missed the best outcome, but I must avoid the worst.*
He was only now realizing what he had done.
"Whoa! You're a bad guy!"
"That's a compliment, right?"
"I respect you! To think my big bro is such a villain!"
"I'm better at being bad."
"I'll give you that."
After hearing Wang-sik's plan, Oh Min-jae gave him a thumbs-up.
"This is who I am. A hero on Earth, a villain in Azelan. It's perfect."
"I'll move according to your plan. With a few adjustments, we can establish ourselves even faster. So, what's next?"
Oh Min-jae's eyes sparkled with anticipation.
"I'm going to do what I do best."
"Brawling?"
"I don't like your choice of words, but you're not wrong."
"Hehe."
Oh Min-jae chuckled but was the first to offer an opinion.
"There's a way to reclaim your honor in one fell swoop. The new year is coming soon."
When the new year arrives, the empire's grandest festival begins.
The Festival of the Sun.
"If you enter the tournament to select the greatest knight... no, that's too risky."
"You're right. It'd be suspicious if I suddenly took first place."
"Right, and Eliana the Spirit Master will be there. She might see through your disguise."
Spirit masters had the ability to see the true nature of things, so there was a risk of Wang-sik's transformation being discovered.
"So what are you planning to do?"
"Monster subjugation. I need to win over the public first."
Across the Azelan Continent, there were still lands ruled by monsters.
The imperial army was still subjugating areas where it was necessary, but they tended to leave the less dangerous places alone.
They paid no attention to regions far from major cities, especially where subjugation offered little profit.
"I'm going to correct the dark side of the teleportation gates."
Ironically, the proliferation of monster territories was a result of the development of these gates.
As teleportation gates became more common, the use of roads declined.
With fewer humans treading the paths, encounters with monsters decreased, and naturally, so did the need for subjugation.
In the end, only the common folk who couldn't afford to use the gates were left in a dangerous situation.
"By the way, how was the social gathering?"
"The atmosphere was terrible. The results of the sudden gate incident were bad, right? It feels like Sodoban's influence has weakened."
That was only natural, since Sodoban was the one who had actively recruited investors.
No one would be fond of a person who caused them to lose money.
The Magic Tower's reputation was still formidable, so no one was openly hostile, but many people simply offered a brief greeting before turning away.
"And you?"
"I was the star of the show. Money is power in Azelan, too."
Oh Min-jae spread his hands and shrugged.
It wasn't just about having a lot of money; many of Oh Min-jae's businesses were connected to the nobility.
Noble ladies and their daughters would even approach him first, especially for the scarce luxury goods he handled.
"Sounds like your debut was a success."
Wang-sik hadn't been worried about this part. He trusted that Oh Min-jae would handle it brilliantly.
"I've been subtly dropping hints that a big project is underway on the east coast. Once the results are out, you can make your grand entrance."
The reason Oh Min-jae had attended the social gathering first was to set the stage for Wang-sik's own debut into high society.
"Well then, shall I become a villain again?"
Wang-sik's face transformed back into Vega's.
***
Leonard was walking along the coast.
The trade ship from the Seven Islands had been attacked by pirates, forcing him into a much longer voyage than expected.
The naval crew was still cleaning up, but that was not a task for an admiral.
It was well past midnight, and with no way to contact his butler, he left the port alone.
But at the edge of the cool breeze, he saw something white.
At the far end of the harbor, where the waves crashed.
A woman stood there, her clothes fluttering in the wind.
*Is she a ghost?*
Coincidentally, she was standing right in the path Leonard had to take.
As he drew closer, the woman's figure became clearer.
"Hmm."
He could only see her profile, but she was beautiful enough to make him stop in his tracks.
But as she gazed out at the sea, tears streamed down her cheeks.
The strange atmosphere made Leonard pause.
The more he looked, the more her beauty captivated him. As he stood there, staring blankly, the woman began to move.
"No..."
The woman walked toward the sea.
Leaving her neatly placed shoes behind, the white waves crashed against her ankles, and soon the water was up to her waist.
Still, the woman did not stop.
Belatedly, Leonard ran toward her.
The woman, who had already waded out until the water reached her chest, was swept away by a high wave and vanished in an instant.
Leonard scrambled to the spot and scanned the area.
The sea was dark, and he couldn't see anything.
Just then, something brushed past his ankle.
Leonard quickly reached out, and the hem of her clothes caught in his hand.
*Found her.*
Forgetting that his well-tailored uniform was getting soaked, he plunged into the water and found the woman.
She must have already lost consciousness, as she was limp and unmoving.
Leonard quickly carried her out of the water and laid her on the ground.
Fortunately, she was still breathing.
"Haaah."
Unconsciously letting out a sigh of relief, Leonard looked at the woman again.
Her wet clothes clung to her body, revealing her curvaceous figure.
As he stared, unable to look away, the woman let out a moan and shivered.
"She needs to rest for now."
He created a rational excuse for himself and lifted the woman onto his back.