Chapter 57
Chapter 57
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: 5th Branch (5)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Su-ho glanced around the banquet hall. Every single person in the room had their eyes fixed on him.
Clark, in particular, was staring openly with his arms crossed, as if daring him to answer.
"It's nothing. Just...)
The words slipped casually from Su-ho's mouth, freezing everyone in place as if the world had stopped.
"It's a bit more tiring than usual to perform Clean."
He didn't care what the 5th Branch thought or what the examiners watching him from the wall would report to the Association. He'd shown them enough—let them think whatever they wanted. In fact, he hoped they'd overestimate his power even more.
That way, they won't underestimate me.
'Spoken a bit too arrogantly there.'
Jin Seong-hyeok said in a playful tone.
'Didn't you say a little arrogance is a good thing?'
Su-ho turned and walked away as if he had nothing more to say. Ignoring the stares, he headed toward the long rectangular table laden with all sorts of food.
His eyes scanned the table, and he picked up a slice of pizza.
'No way he's actually going to eat it.'
'It's a dinner party. Isn't it polite to eat?'
'Didn't you say there's shake on the table?'
'...I'll eat this and drink it.'
Before Jin Seong-hyeok could add anything, Su-ho shoved the pizza into his mouth. His eyes lit up at the long-forgotten spicy flavor.
The salty pepperoni and nutty cheese filled his mouth.
Crazy good.
His self-control snapped in an instant.
'Hey, Cha Su-ho.'
Ignoring Jin Seong-hyeok's attempt to stop him—just for one day—he grabbed another slice.
"Mm, weren't you on a diet?"
Su-ho startled at Ji-young's voice and dropped the slice in his hand.
"An Ji-young... Hunter?"
"Sis."
"Ah, right. Sis."
Ji-young casually picked up a slice and took a bite.
"Mmm, this is good."
Su-ho watched her eat for a moment before cautiously asking,
"I heard you're joining the raid."
"Oh, yeah. The day after the 5th Branch got back, the 2nd and 3rd Branches went to the Dead Zone..."
Her eyelashes lowered, revealing cold eyes underneath.
"They said the situation wasn't good. The 1st Branch is handling the Evil Zone."
"Wasn't the Evil Zone purge already done?"
"Right. But the Dead Zone is so saturated that monsters keep spilling down into the Evil Zone. They're just dealing with Dead Zone monsters."
The 5th, 2nd, and 3rd Branches had all gone to the Dead Zone, yet it was still saturated.
'Pathetic.'
Jin Seong-hyeok clicked his tongue.
'At this rate, monsters will come through the teleport beyond.'
Monsters coming through the teleport to this side? Horrifying thought.
The monster origin zones were inaccessible to civilians in the first place—only Hunters and Helpers could teleport there. Evil Zone, Dead Zone, Last Zone. Entry to each required teleportation.
Movement between zones was impossible. To go from Evil Zone to Dead Zone, you'd teleport back to the Center and take another to the Dead Zone.
So how did monsters move between zones?
'I'm really curious—how do monsters come down from Dead Zone to Evil Zone?'
'They come here too. Of course they can move between. They're connected. We just haven't found the passages. It started in Last Zone as the origin of all monsters, then spread to Dead and Evil Zones—you can tell from that.'
'Ha, monsters won't come back to the world again, right...?'
'We have to make sure that never happens.'
The reason Hunters and Helpers existed, brainwashed by the Association and government: Stop monsters from emerging and protect humanity's peace.
Su-ho had heard it dozens, no, hundreds of times during Center education as a kid.
The day monsters emerged into the world. Naturally, it became the worst day in human history. Before Su-ho was born, when Jin Seong-hyeok was just an infant. They underestimated monster saturation and left them be, so monsters destroyed the teleport zone and broke out.
Centers weren't separated from civilian downtowns back then, so monsters ravaged major cities worldwide. Civilians, who knew of monsters but had never seen them, panicked and fled in horror.
In the warzone, Hunters, Helpers, and militaries from every country gathered and fought desperately.
The five-month battle against monsters ended in humanity's victory. But the losses were immense, so governments and the Association built systematic plans to prevent recurrence.
Hunters and Helpers were strictly segregated from civilians, high-rank ones raised by the Association or Centers from birth.
As human tech advanced, Hunter and Helper stats grew, leading to hopes of exterminating monsters. But monsters evolved in tandem.
Those who tasted fear began to worry: What if monsters break out again?
'If you catch up even to my fingernail, that won't happen.'
Su-ho agreed with Jin Seong-hyeok. Indeed, since he appeared, no monsters had emerged.
He stepped up every crisis.
"Cha Su-ho!"
Ji-young's voice snapped Su-ho back to reality.
"Ah, did you call me?"
"What? You went blank, didn't even answer. You okay?"
"Yeah. Just lost in thought for a sec..."
Ji-young looked at him in disbelief.
"You... right now."
"Yes?"
"I was right here, and you were thinking about something else?"
Su-ho waved his hands frantically.
"No!"
Ignoring Jin Seong-hyeok's snort, Su-ho continued,
"What did you say?"
"Later."
Ji-young mouthed silently.
"Let's. Talk."
She flashed a smile and walked away. Kwon Oh approached the dazed Su-ho and handed him something.
"Su-ho, you don't seem to be eating much, so I brought this. You're sticking to your diet, right?"
No way.
Su-ho's eyes went to the item: a large portable water bottle. Black, contents invisible, but he knew.
Leri's protein shake.
"...Hyung."
As if waiting, Leri and Roni approached.
[ "Yeah! Cha, drink up quick." ]
With the three watching like guards, Su-ho chugged the full 1L shake right there.
* * *
Leri, Roni, and Kwon Oh stuck by Su-ho's side, chattering nonstop. It was a relief, actually—no need to mingle with others sneaking glances.
The problem was his queasy stomach after the shake. Su-ho checked his watch: 9 o'clock. The dinner was winding down.
[ "Whoa! You! That's a good method, but look at me! Mine's good too, yeah!" ]
With Leri, Roni, and Kwon Oh deep in workout talk, it was perfect timing. Su-ho slipped up and headed for the door. He worried the Center staff at the entrance might stop him, but they didn't as he opened it.
Back in his room, Su-ho locked the door. He checked for bugs again, as Kwon Oh suggested, found none, and flopped onto the bed.
'Hyung.'
Calling him "hyung" suddenly felt odd after always using his full name, but Jin Seong-hyeok was unfazed.
'What.'
'What do you think the Center Director wanted to say?'
'Obvious. Don't use Hunter powers.'
Sending Ji-young here to watch him said it all.
'Cha Su-ho.'
'Yeah.'
'Ignore the Center. Use it anytime you feel in danger.'
Jin Seong-hyeok chuckled softly.
'If you're lacking, I can help.'
Su-ho wasn't one to just watch someone get hurt, even if his power to protect was still lacking. Jin Seong-hyeok knew that well.
'If it really happens.'
'What, you using power?'
'Yeah. What if the Association finds out.'
'Scared? Worried they'll drag you off for dissection?'
He might've flinched before, but not now.
'I'm not strong enough to face the Association head-on yet.'
'What's the issue? You don't need Clean like Hunters do. It's absurd from the start, and you even revert rampaging Hunters?'
Lack of strength wasn't the point. Who would dare touch Su-ho, who held all powers?
Jin Seong-hyeok scoffed.
'They won't dare. They're all scrambling to get you on their side.'
Besides, Su-ho's abilities upgraded daily.
'Just get to using my full power soon.'
'Yeah...'
Su-ho stood up.
'Can't just sit. Time to train.'
A knock stopped him just as he was about to beg Jin Seong-hyeok for a Dead Zone trip.
Knock, knock. A light knock, then Ji-young's voice.
"Cha Su-ho? It's me. You asked for pizza, so I brought some."
Su-ho quickly opened the door.
"Ah, thank you. Come in for a sec."
"That okay?"
He nodded at her nonchalant question.
"Yeah."
"Then, excuse me."
As Ji-young entered, Su-ho peeked down the hall. Empty. He shut the door.
"Did you check what Kwon Oh said?"
She tapped her ear with a finger. Knowing the signal, Su-ho replied,
"Room's clean. No bugs."
"Good."
She tossed the pizza box on the table and sat on the bed.
'Barging into a guy's room and sitting on the bed—where'd she learn that?'
Jin Seong-hyeok said incredulously.
'Only possible 'cause she's An Ji-young the Hunter.'
Oblivious to their talk, Ji-young crossed her arms and spoke.
"Cha Su-ho."
Her face was deadly serious as she stared at him.
"First, the Center Director supports your idea. About being both Hunter and Helper."
"So I can use my power?"
"Yes. But."
"But?"
Ji-young exhaled shortly.
"They're already watching you closely just for reverting rampaging Hunters. If you show Hunter abilities too, conflict's inevitable."
It made sense. Without full access to Jin Seong-hyeok's power, Su-ho couldn't win against the Association.
"He said he'd find a way ASAP..."
Blinking slowly, Ji-young asked,
"I know it's frustrating, but can you hold off using it except in front of the 1st Branch for now?"