Chapter 99
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 99
Chapter Title: Return (1)
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Headquarters of the Seekers of Truth.
Unknown was reviewing the report Maestro had handed him.
Quite an interesting set of experiment results.
Contrary to his usual self, Unknowns expression was exceptionally bright.
The experimental report on the control and modification of the Sabangsin and monsters, which Hermit had infiltrated to acquire, had been quite beneficial.
Hermits actions were crucial.
Maestro smiled as well.
Unknowns joy was Maestros joy. It was only natural for him to be pleased.
You said this report was obtained through Allens voluntary actions.
Yes. Hes a useful one, after all.
Maestros lips twisted into a smirk.
What is he thinking?
His eyes, filled with elation, gleamed.
Unknown was well aware that Hermit despised him.
That was why, unlike the other executives, he placed many restrictions on his actions. There was no telling what Hermit, blinded by hatred, might do.
Yet that same Hermit had voluntarily brought him useful information. What could this mean?
Surely he hasnt had a change of heart and decided to become my true subordinate now.
There was no room for improvement in the relationship between Hermit and Unknown.
That had been decided the moment Unknown disposed of the superhuman Kim Sangjae, who was like a benefactor and family to Allen Velvet.
Hermit would never do anything that benefited Unknown.
Which meant there was a high probability that he had another objective.
Hmm.
But it was difficult to see it that way entirely.
Unknown had suffered no losses from this incident.
He had obtained over ten years of research records on the Sabangsin. The world had been thrown into chaos by the reappearance of the Australian Sabangsin, making preparations for international terrorism much smoother.
For Unknown, there was nothing but gain.
He replayed it in his mind dozens, hundreds of times, but the result was the same.
Am I overthinking this?
Just as Unknown was setting aside his suspicions.
Boss. Is something worrying you?
Maestro spoke cautiously.
Its nothing.
But
I said its nothing.
Yes. My apologies.
He had not told Maestro that Hermit was hostile toward him.
He had judged that Maestro, whose entire ideology was Unknown's happiness, would not leave Hermit be if he learned of his hatred.
That wont do. The organization absolutely needs Hermits infiltration skills.
Unknown smiled inwardly.
So. What is Hermit up to now?
He moved on to his next mission immediately. He should be in Japan right now.
Japan, so it must be for the King of Beasts Claw.
Yes. It will likely be a long-term mission.
Hmm.
Maestro stroked his chin.
The King of Beasts Claw was a rather important mission.
Do you have business with Hermit?
If Hermit were nearby, he had planned to summon him and force him to reveal his inner thoughts with the Oath of Absolute Obedience.
But there was no need to recall Hermit from an important mission.
Forget it. Its not that important.
Besides, hadnt he already completed the search for the traitor last time?
Interrogating Hermit again would be stirring up trouble for no reason.
And so, Unknown tucked away his lingering suspicion about Hermit into a corner of his mind.
Then, David. Lets move on to the next item.
More importantly, there were more pressing matters at hand. Dealing with them was the priority.
Right. You said youve identified the mastermind behind Jaces death?
Jace Scarlett.
Code Name Vagabond.
Yes.
Maestro operated a terminal, projecting a hologram in the center of the room.
The mastermind is the guild master leading the Bihon Guild. Yuhwa.
A hologram displayed Yuhwas profile and face.
* * *
I returned to Korea on Ms. Meidens private jet.
The other first-year cadets had also finished their return, flying on private jets owned by the Australian government and one sent by the Korean government.
With the publics eyes on us, returning through the airport was deemed too risky.
Thus, we succeeded in entering Korea secretly.
Nyaang.
Shh. Be patient. Youll be in big trouble if youre found.
Thanks to that, I was able to bring Baekho back to Korea without anyone noticing.
Even this would have been impossible without Ms. Meidens help.
Long live connections.
Hey. I told you to stay still.
After much soothing of the squirming Baekho inside my bag, I boarded a limousine parked near the runway, concealed from view.
Nyaaaaang!
The moment I unzipped the bag, Baekho shot out with the most annoyed expression in the world.
Her face seemed to scream, How dare you imprison me in a bag?
She looked utterly ferocious.
Grrr.
However, that fierce aura melted away like snow the moment Geumho gently pressed her head with his paw.
If a moment ago it was like a frigid winter gale, what was this now? A gentle breeze on a sunny spring day?
Baekho, with a look of pure bliss, began to coquettishly snuggle up to Geumho.
...Is that a tiger or a fox?
A cold city tiger?
Cold to others, but warm to my tiger, I suppose.
Something like that.
Then, suddenly feeling an intense gaze, I looked up.
Yuhwa was staring at the three of us with an expression of pure envy.
...What is it?
Theyre just so, so cute, I cant stop looking.
Her eyes were filled with an undisguisable affection.
Geumho alone had enough destructive power. But now with Baekho too
Her gaze was a little frightening.
Baekhos aloof, cat-like charm contrasts with Geumhos lap-cat-like charm. This synergy is nothing short of invincible. Normally, two cats with such personalities would either avoid each other or fight constantly, but in Geumho and Baekhos case, their dynamic is clear, and at the same time, their affection for each other is also clear, creating a truly subtle chemistry. Its like, rather than just two cats, its like watching the bickering of the second male and female leads in a romance novel, you know? Theres something more than just a simple relationship. It makes you want to keep watching. Where will their relationship go? Which one of them is cuter? It makes it impossible to look away for even a second. And, and, and! The contrast in their fur colors is also very charming. The rare combination of gold and white
No, it wasn't just a little frightening; it was very frightening.
Besides, theyre monst Ahem. Guardian beasts. Their lifespans wont be comparable to ordinary cats.
Yuhwa smiled bitterly.
She understood the pain of parting with a pet better than anyone. That was the main reason she didnt raise a cat herself.
Im so, so jealous.
Watching Yuhwa, Meiden clicked her tongue.
There she goes again. Kid, youll have to understand. That girl goes absolutely crazy for cats.
...Yes. I know.
I knew all too well.
Geumho. Look this way. Thats it.
As if she couldnt hear us, Yuhwa was frantically taking pictures of Baekho and Geumho with her smartphone.
Anyway, kid. You got lucky.
With what?
Meiden switched the limousine to autonomous driving and looked at me.
Its a good thing the fact that you were the one who dealt with the Vermilion Bird didnt get out.
Ah. That?
I glanced at Geumho, Baekho, and Yuhwa bickering beside me and answered casually.
It wasnt so much luck as it was part of the plan. I already knew that one of the Black Tortoise's abilities was blocking transmissions and communications.
You meticulous bastard.
That was why I had used Lucifers Demonic Spear without hesitation. There was no way my battle would be recorded.
Oh. Right. That guy.
Meiden, who had been cackling, suddenly turned serious.
Whats Allen up to now?
...Ah. Um.
The biggest variable in this plan, after the Sabangsins rampage resonance, was the meeting between Hermit and Meiden.
Hyeonmu had said not to worry, but I never imagined he would head straight for her.
I had been careless.
In any case, whats done is done. I spun a suitable story about my relationship with Hermit.
Something along the lines of us being comrades hunting the Seekers of Truth together.
Naturally, I left out the fact that Hermit was an executive of the Seekers of Truth.
Fortunately, Meiden believed me.
Considering the relationship between Kim Sangjae and Hermit, it was reasonable for Hermit to harbor hatred for the Seekers of Truth, so she didn't even suspect a thing.
Hes on another mission right now.
Is that so?
Meiden clicked her tongue, her face full of dissatisfaction.
That damn bastard. He could have at least said goodbye.
Even as she said that, her expression was slightly apologetic.
...And if he was chasing those Seeker of Truth bastards, he should have said something.
Meiden had thought that the man named Allen Velvet had forgotten all gratitude and run away to find freedom after Kim Sangjaes death.
She saw him as an ungrateful wretch who didnt even appreciate her husbands kindness.
That kid. He always had a good heart, though.
But through this incident, Meiden learned that Hermit hadnt forgotten Kim Sangjae, but was acting for the sake of revenge.
Thats why she felt sorry.
Anyway, tell him to be sure to contact me the next time he comes to Korea.
Yes. Hes a busy friend, so I dont know when that will be, but I will.
Meiden and Hermit.
Thinking about their twisted relationship made my stomach ache for no reason.
Even though they both harbor hatred for the Seekers of Truth.
The limousine drove on for a while before arriving in front of my house.
Anyway, kid. Leave the rest to me and Hwa, and get some good rest at home. Got it?
Yes. Thank you.
And so, my first school trip came to an end.
* * *
Seonjonim!
The next morning.
Jia came to see me early in the morning.
You look much better.
The last time I saw her was when she was in the hospital.
Huh? Yes. Its been a while since I was discharged. They say there are no after-effects. No, thats not the issue
Jia suddenly dropped to her knees.
J-Jia?
Im so sorry! I couldnt even rush to your side in your time of crisis!
A full prostration.
I had only seen it described in novels; this was the first time I had seen it in person.
Hey. Dont do this. Get up.
No! An incompetent woman like me doesnt even deserve to stand on two feet before you, Seonjonim!
Her head was bowed so low I couldnt see her face, but I could tell she was dejected.
This is all because my father wouldnt let me leave the house No. That must be just an excuse. Im sorry.
She was a one-woman drama, playing all the parts herself.
Seonjonim youre disappointed, arent you?
Jia peeked up at me, her eyes glistening with tears. It felt like watching a puppy that had been scolded by its owner.
Get up.
So this is why she hadnt contacted me after the incident. Shed been thinking like this.
But
I chuckled and said.
No buts. Im not disappointed, so get up. If you dont, Ill get into the same position as you.
Yes, sir! Ill get up!
Thump!
Jias movement was like a lightning strike.
And Im not disappointed.
...Really?
Of course. I know you were handling all sorts of things here in Korea. Why would I be disappointed?
And Jias work while she remained in Korea was also lightning-fast.
Ms. Meiden praised you, saying the post-incident cleanup was much easier thanks to you.
Military support isnt everything. Jia did her best in her own position.
Thank you.
I smiled and expressed my gratitude. It was sincere. I always felt grateful to Jia.
...Seonjonim.
Jias eyes shone with an expression of profound emotion.
Her gaze was a little overwhelming.
* * *
That afternoon.
After Jia left for another appointment.
I sat in my room with Geumho and Baekho, organizing my thoughts on the recent events.
First, what I gained from this incident is
I started writing in my notebook.
[Demon Race Trait Malice Detection Acquired]
A trait obtained from Lucifers Demonic Spear.
Malice Detection.
Its a danger-sensing trait that allows me to feel surrounding killing intent as a tangible aura, categorized by levels.
As a passive trait, its one of the best ways to counter sudden ambushes. With this, I can prevent an untimely death.
[Geumhos Growth]
Geumhos growth also finished safely.
Ill have to check his exact power later, but hes probably around the level of a high-tier A-rank superhuman.
[Baekho]
I gained a new guardian beast named Baekho.
Theres a risk that she could transform into that vicious Baekho as she grows, but thats unlikely to happen.
The Contract of Protection is a trait of the Dragon race, no less.
Theres no way Baekho will ever break free from my control and go berserk.
What am I going to do with you?
Nyang.
But what should I do about the Sabangsin essence that Baekho absorbed?
Her different colored eyes.
Anyone could see that one was the eye of the Blue Dragon.
Fortunately, there seem to be no other changes. Ill have to monitor her progress over time.
[Cheonbyeon]
This might be the biggest gain of all.
Elder Jeong Ilyongs masterpiece.
Though I only used it for a short ten minutes, it was enough time to understand what an absurdly powerful weapon it was.
Its basic performance was a given, and it even had a special ability, Boost, that accelerated physical abilities for two seconds.
Cheonbyeons unique, ever-changing combat style might be of unknown use against giant monsters, but in one-on-one combat, it would exhibit power close to invincibility.
...And.
[Contract of Protection (Dragon Race) Fully Assimilated]
The full assimilation of a Dragon race trait.
At first, I thought it was just a simple mana increase.
I did feel a tangible increase in my mana.
But the full assimilation of the Dragon race trait was not something as one-dimensional as a mana increase.
The quality of mana.
The mana increase was just a secondary effect.
Everything related to manaits intensity, efficiency, conductivity, and recovery speedall rose across the board.
It was a world of difference from the Succubus race assimilation, which had only increased my mana quantity and output.
And that wasnt all.
The most overpowered effect was something else entirely.
I turned my palm upward.
And focused my mana.
Hoo.
Until now, all the ways I had used mana were just variations of aura.
The flames of the stigma and the flames of the spirits were nothing more than a crude discharge of mana.
It was a stretch to call it magic.
I couldnt even use basic magic like a Fireball.
I simply didnt know how.
But now, its different.
Hoo.
I recalled the mana formula Hermit had used, which I had seen up close just a while ago.
Ching-!
The next moment, a small, hexagonal barrier had formed above my palm.
It was a bit crude compared to Hermits, but it definitely had the form of a barrier.
...Wow.
The ability from the full assimilation of the Dragon race trait.
Its magic
It was the awakening of my talent as a magician.