Chapter 112
Chapter 112
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 115
Chapter Title: Change (2)
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Damn it.
Beep, boop, boop.
In the A-grade Helper lounge's common room, Su-ho clutched his head at the echoing game sound effects.
"I won! Wanna play a round, Su-ho?"
Killian grinned innocently, waving the game controller in his hand.
"You play."
"This is seriously fun. Next up's a soccer game. You sure you don't wanna?"
Su-ho's vision darkened at the thought of Killian hanging around the A-grade Helper lounge from now on, soccer or not.
Killian had been firm. He insisted on sticking with Su-ho and claimed an empty room in the A-grade lounge.
Su-ho had felt relieved. The remodeling had eliminated Ayrin and Tae-il's rooms anyway. Upstairs, only Kwon Oh and Su-ho's rooms remained.
But even when told there were no rooms, Killian's response didn't waver.
"No rooms? That's fine. I can crash in the common room. Doesn't matter where I sleep. As long as there's a game console."
And seeing Su-ho's shocked face, Killian added,
"Once I'm officially transferred to Branch 1, give me a room to share with Su-ho then."
Su-ho had protested vehemently, but he couldn't win against Killian's childish whining.
In the end, this was the result after giving up and coming back.
"Yes! Go, go, go! Goal!"
The silver lining was that Killian, who used to trail Su-ho everywhere, focused solely on his games when playing.
To buy his freedom, Su-ho kept pushing games on Killian, filling the A-grade Helper lounge's common room with constant game noises.
"It's nice, right? Not so lonely?"
Kwon Oh actually seemed to like Killian staying in the A-grade lounge.
"Sorry, Kwon Oh hyung. Because of me..."
"Nah, I love it. You know how Tae-il always had music on while gaming? I got used to that, so the silence in the common area now feels eerie instead."
Kwon Oh smiled at Killian.
"Feels like Tae-il's back sometimes. Come to think of it, Killian's personality is kinda like his?"
Su-ho shook his head firmly.
"You're mistaken. Tae-il was just childish. Killian's childish but a psycho."
"Psycho? Haha. Is there such a cute psycho?"
"...Kwon Oh hyung. You really can't judge by appearances. In reality..."
Killian suddenly popped up in front of Su-ho, who was speaking calmly.
"Huh? What?"
Su-ho jumped in surprise at Killian's abrupt appearance and spoke.
"Please make some noise when you come over."
"I did make noise. What?"
Su-ho stared blankly at Killian, at a loss for words, then sighed.
"Forget it."
Killian beamed and turned to Kwon Oh.
"I'm hungry."
"Oh? Hungry, Killian? What do you wanna eat?"
"Me... um, I wanna try Korean food."
"K-Korean food!?"
Killian mumbled with his head down.
"Yeah. I was locked in the Center until I became an adult, so I only ate the same stuff. Never tried food from other countries."
Kwon Oh looked at Killian with pity.
Hold on.
"Su-ho seems like he'd just order delivery, but you look like you'd buy or make it yourself... I like when someone makes it for me."
This little punk.
Words that never should have come from Killian's mouth. But unlike Su-ho, Kwon Oh looked ready to tear up.
"Tell me anything! I'm not great at cooking, but I can handle simple stuff. My parents made great seasoned short ribs—want that?"
"...Kwon Oh hyung, no need to..."
"Sounds good!! Can you make it right now?"
Killian blinked with sparkling eyes, and Kwon Oh shot up from his seat.
"Yeah. I'll grab ingredients quick. Play with Su-ho!"
"Kwon Oh hyung!"
"Su-ho, take good care of Killian."
"Wait, really no need to..."
Despite Su-ho's attempts to stop him, Kwon Oh didn't listen. Killian watched Kwon Oh rush out of the lounge and burst into laughter.
"Wow, he's such a rare pure soul."
"Killian."
"Don't get mad. I just wanted to hang with you. And I really do wanna try Korean food."
Though they hadn't known each other long, Su-ho had Killian pegged.
Unlike his innocent, childlike exterior, Killian was pretty shady inside.
So he never sweet-talked anyone without an agenda.
"Don't do that anymore. Using someone's goodwill is wrong."
"Hmph, Su-ho, you're so rigid. I just wanted to tell you something fun."
"Something fun?"
Fun story from Killian?
"Remember I said I made a fan club for you?"
Fan club?
"It hit 10 million members in one day. Impressive, right?"
10 million in a day?
"And that's not all. It's gaining a million a day. So the Association contacted me."
Killian's purple eyes gleamed.
"They said fan clubs are fine, but for official activities, we need their permission. Ridiculous, right? So I asked how to go official."
Somehow, Killian pulled out a tablet and handed it to Su-ho.
"All commercial stuff has to go through them? Even photos for commercial use cost money. They're gearing up to profit off you, right?"
Su-ho let out a hollow laugh. Suddenly, memories of Jin Seong-hyeok's countless posters flooded back.
'Hyung.'
Su-ho's expression chilled as he thought of Jin Seong-hyeok.
'No way they'd pose for posters on-site.'
Jin Seong-hyeok striking a proud pose atop a monster felt off-putting.
'They photoshop real good.'
'Sold those as posters and pocketed the cash.'
'The Association that fabricates autobiographies from fake notes? That's nothing.'
Su-ho chuckled incredulously at Jin Seong-hyeok's mocking words.
Killian wouldn't miss that.
"So I had a brilliant idea."
"What idea."
"Screw the Association."
'That's a great idea.'
Jin Seong-hyeok muttered excitedly.
Su-ho felt the same.
"How do we screw them."
"Super easy."
Killian grinned.
"Announce you're personally managing and recruiting for the fan club."
"Me?"
"I've heard there are Hunters who act as celebrities."
Hunters acting as celebrities—that was Kai Cheng.
"We're just Association Hunters and Helpers. They can't profit off us without our say. So let's do it."
"So we release photos and posters ourselves?"
"Exactly. And for free. First-come-first-served or limited editions prevent abuse. Posters? Merch? All good."
It was a solid plan. The Association had shifted from profiting off Jin Seong-hyeok to Su-ho, so striking first wasn't bad.
No more letting them exploit Hunters and Helpers for cash.
The issue? Su-ho had no time. His priority was clearing the Last Zone ASAP.
"Oh, just in case."
Killian continued with a sly smile.
"You don't have to lift a finger. Just keep hunting monsters and growing stronger. I'll handle the rest."
"You'll handle it?"
"Yeah. Not hard. I just switched from Jin Seong-hyeok Hunter to you. Lots to do. You don't even have a single poster."
Su-ho asked seriously, eyeing Killian's manic gaze as he planned posters first.
"Killian."
"Yeah? What?"
"Just checking. I really like girls. With guys..."
Killian grimaced like he'd seen a bug.
"I said I switched from Jin Seong-hyeok to you. I only want SSS-grade Hunter Cha Su-ho."
In other words, Killian liked SSS-grade Hunter Cha Su-ho, not Su-ho himself.
"If you're gonna say weird stuff, go train. I need photos of you training for posters."
Su-ho awkwardly scratched his head as Killian turned away.
Soon, Kwon Oh returned from outside the lounge, arms full of plastic bags.
His excited face turned to Killian.
"Killian, hungry? Hang on. I'll whip up something tasty real quick..."
"Huh? Nah, I'm good. Drank too much cola—stuffed. Thanks. Next time."
Kwon Oh stood frozen, watching Killian roll himself in a blanket and crash on the sofa.
A single jaguar prowled lazily. It stopped before a man whose legs were already claimed by two other jaguars.
Grrr.
The man crooked a finger at the jaguar, as if calling a pet, not a beast.
The jaguar approached, rubbing its face against his hand. Truly a pet.
As it nuzzled the man, the jaguar froze, then spun around baring its teeth.
"R-Representative."
Representative. The title for the man.
The man, Branch 3's representative, was Muhammad.
His secretary continued, glancing warily at the jaguar.
"Cha Su-ho Hunter, who went to Branch 2, has returned to Branch 1."
Muhammad tilted his head curiously.
"That quick? Only three days passed."
"Yes. Unlike expectations of a week... Seems he didn't like Branch 2 much."
"Good news, then."
Muhammad gripped the snarling jaguar's jaws and continued.
"Anything else?"
"One more thing. On returning to Branch 1, Cha Su-ho Hunter took a Branch 2 Hunter with him."
"Branch 2 Hunter? Who?"
"Killian. As you know, he's been a big help to our Branch 2 and 3 Hunters."
Killian. Miriam had bragged about him. She had reason to. A drop of his blood erased all presence before monsters.
Essential for Branch 2 and 3 Hunters who couldn't face Last Zone monsters.
"Miriam just let him go?"
She wouldn't let Cha Su-ho Hunter—or Killian—go to Branch 1 without a fight.
"That's what's strange."
Muhammad laughed at his secretary's words.
"Curious. He ditches Branch 2 and poaches Killian too?"
Muhammad's eyes, visible through his sunglasses, sliced the air.
"Can't wait to meet him. Cha Su-ho Hunter, that is."