Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: The End of Incompetence (8)
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Cha Su-ho, who had boldly flung open the door, faltered at the sight of countless eyes fixed on him.
There were plenty of familiar faces too. From An Ji-young, whom he hadn't seen in months, to all the hunters and helpers from Center 1 who had been at the Evil Zone site with him—they were all seated there.
As Cha Su-ho scanned the crowd, his gaze met Takahiro's. The man flinched visibly, shaken.
'Takahiro saw it all, right?'
'Yeah. He's pretty rattled.'
It made sense—he'd witnessed the rampage firsthand. A helper going berserk and fighting like a hunter, no less.
Cha Su-ho knew full well he'd looked like a mutated monster in Takahiro's eyes.
'This is getting annoying. Look straight ahead.'
At Jin Seong-hyeok's words, Cha Su-ho's eyes shifted forward. There sat Center Director An Sang-jun and Chief Examiner Trevor side by side, flanked by two unfamiliar men.
Before Cha Su-ho could even ask who they were, Jin Seong-hyeok spoke up.
'That's the 2nd Center Director and the 3rd. Real pains in the ass.'
The directors from Center 2 and Center 3 were here too?
A one-on-one with Center 1's An Sang-jun had been suffocating enough, but with Trevor and the entire Center 1 staff waiting for him? Cha Su-ho felt like he was choking.
And then there was the rectangular table. Everyone from Center 1 sat on the opposite side, but his side was empty.
Save for a single lonely chair.
Realizing that one chair was meant for him made Cha Su-ho wish the ground would swallow him whole.
'Mr. Jin, got any teleportation skills or something?'
'Want me to make you vanish?'
'Yeah. If you can.'
Jin Seong-hyeok's laughter echoed in Cha Su-ho's mind.
'I'm serious here.'
'I get it. You're dying to crawl into a hole out of fear.'
'Mr. Jin.'
Cha Su-ho let out a sigh aimed at the teasing Jin Seong-hyeok—just then.
"Cha Su-ho, helper."
Center 1's director pointed to the chair in front of Cha Su-ho.
"Have a seat."
All eyes locked onto him. With no choice, Cha Su-ho sat, staring down Center Director An Sang-jun and Trevor across from him.
A suffocating silence descended. No one dared speak first—not even Cha Su-ho.
'I'd rather go hunt monsters.'
To Jin Seong-hyeok, killing monsters was one of life's tedious chores. This situation bored him to no end.
'Still dragging things out, huh. Classic.'
Ignoring the sarcasm, Cha Su-ho spoke first.
"I heard you were looking for me."
His calm voice contrasted with the tension rippling through the room. Everyone seemed dying to know more about him.
"Cha Su-ho, helper."
The center director's deep voice filled the conference room.
"I'll get straight to the point."
His sharp gaze pierced Cha Su-ho.
"What are you?"
What was he?
It was a blatant question, yet a genuine one at its core.
And they had every reason to wonder. An F-grade helper becoming A-grade was one thing—but rampaging and wielding hunter powers?
They'd shown impressive restraint waiting this long. Meeting the stares head-on, Cha Su-ho replied.
"A helper."
Predictably, faces twisted in varied expressions of disbelief. Cha Su-ho continued.
"But being just a helper... you can't protect anyone that way."
He recalled Won Tae-il, coolly claiming he'd saved him even as he lay dying. The helplessness from that moment burned fresh in his memory. Cha Su-ho exhaled shortly.
"So I want to be a hunter. And a helper too."
The thrill of being a hunter, the fulfillment of helping—they were both too precious to let go. Greedy or not, he wanted them both.
Facing the baffled looks, Cha Su-ho let a faint smile tug at his lips.
"So that's what I'm doing. Helper. Hunter."
Stunned gazes bore into him. It sounded absurd. A helper, a hunter?
The 2nd Center Director shot to his feet like he'd been electrocuted.
"That doesn't even make sense...! Hunters need abilities...!"
The earpiece translated the man's words.
"If it's abilities you're talking about—"
Cha Su-ho slowly closed and opened his eyes. In an instant, the room lit up like it was bathed in red emergency lights. Faces paled as they stared at him.
"Abilities matter. If you're a hunter."
Flame chains slithered around Cha Su-ho like serpents. The 3rd Center Director spoke next, voice trembling.
"Th-that's Jin Seong-hyeok's technique...!"
It paled compared to Jin's massive chains, but undeniable—this was a flame chain.
"Doesn't this make me a hunter too?"
Trevor's eyes turned icy.
"How can Cha Su-ho, a helper, use Jin Seong-hyeok's technique?"
"Beats me. I don't know either. After the rampage, powers just... appeared."
Cha Su-ho lied smoothly, face unchanging.
"Maybe because I wanted to be like Mr. Jin. So when he left, he stuck by me and gifted me his powers."
Jin Seong-hyeok recoiled inwardly at the cringeworthy line.
'What? Gift? You're insane.'
'Mr. Jin.'
'What?'
'You said a healthy dose of arrogance is necessary.'
'True.'
Perfect timing for it. Cha Su-ho lifted his head, scanned the room, and dropped his final line.
"Anyway, I've got hunter powers and helper powers—so why not do both?"
No one could rebut casually. They couldn't deny it, couldn't stop him from hunter-ing right there with Jin's technique—and had no reason to anyway.
But no one had ever wielded both before. They needed time to figure out what to do with him.
"Cha Su-ho, helper."
The 1st Center Director spoke gravely.
"I understand your position. But I can't give you a firm answer right now. As you know, no one's ever had both helper and hunter abilities—and you're the first."
It made sense. Reports to the Association, paperwork—they'd have plenty. But that was their problem, not his.
"Doesn't matter what you say, director. My mind's made up. Even if I go to sites as a helper, I'll fight like a hunter. I won't forget my duties, of course."
He wasn't about to be led around.
"Even if the Association and Center say no—I'll do it anyway. My way."
The declaration was tantamount to war. The 3rd Center Director scowled.
"Do you even realize how dangerous that statement is?!"
Cha Su-ho's refusal to obey posed a threat to the Association's control over hunters and helpers.
Especially as an A-grade helper who wielded Jin Seong-hyeok's techniques.
Glaring, the 3rd continued.
"We eliminate threats preemptively."
The 1st Center Director furrowed his brow.
"3rd Director. That's too far."
"He's the one acting all high and mighty!"
Cha Su-ho let out a hollow laugh amid the chilled silence.
"I don't know what past helpers and hunters did."
He tilted his head toward the directors.
"But I'm not going to be dragged around."
His final words stunned the room. Watching from within Cha Su-ho's body, Jin Seong-hyeok felt a thrill.
'This is getting exciting.'
He'd only ignored the noise before because it was a hassle. His job was killing monsters. Never getting a proper Clean meant constant headaches—no room for clear thinking.
Easier to just slaughter monsters and tune out everything else. Physically, mentally.
So he'd brushed off all the slander and schemes around him.
But now, seeing Cha Su-ho declare independence, Jin felt vicarious satisfaction.
He should've done it ages ago. Life might not have sucked so much.
Awakened by Won Tae-il's death, Cha Su-ho had become someone entirely new.
'Feels like you finally said something right.'
Cha Su-ho replied to Jin's mutter.
'Didn't you tell me not to let them lead me around?'
It was Jin's advice to the kid who wanted to be both—not a mindless weapon slaughtering monsters on command like him.
'That's why I said I'd avenge you.'
The playful promise now rang true, stirring Jin's blood after so long.
'Feels like I picked up a tiger cub.'
'More like the tiger cub picked you up, Mr. Jin.'
Jin Seong-hyeok's hearty laugh boomed in Cha Su-ho's head. Just then, the 1st Center Director called out.
"Cha Su-ho, helper."
"Yes, Director."
"We'll let you do as you want."
The room buzzed at the unexpected concession.
"But keep your hunter abilities under wraps for now. Until we find a solution."
"A solution?"
The director's face was deadly serious.
"Didn't you say you won't be led around?"
True or not, it was wise to comply for now.
The Association and nation wouldn't tolerate a defiant helper with hunter powers.
Precautions were needed—and hiding his abilities fit the bill.
"Understood."
As Cha Su-ho finished replying, a knock echoed from the conference room door. No one else was expected.
Before the 1st Center Director could respond, the door cracked open, revealing a figure that made the directors' eyes widen in shock.
"Sorry to interrupt the meeting, heh heh."
Flanked by security in black suits stood an elderly man in a pristine white collar shirt, his hair snow-white.
"...Association Chairman?"
Association Chairman?
"H-how is the Association Chairman here...?"
Ignoring the flustered 2nd Center Director, Endres scanned the room before his gaze settled on the lone Cha Su-ho.
"Cha Su-ho, helper..."
The man smiled kindly.
"That you?"
'That's the Association Chairman. Slippery fox—watch yourself.'
Without Jin's warning, that grandfatherly smile might've fooled him.
"Yes, I'm Cha Su-ho."
"I know it's sudden..."
Endres eyed him from crinkled eyes.
"But could you spare a moment?"