Chapter 80
Chapter 80
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: Verification (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Cha Su-ho, the Helper. Not only did he possess the ability to revert berserk Hunters, but he also wielded Hunter powers himself.
"I see."
Only then could Dae-geon finally accept it. With a Helper as remarkable as Jin Seong-hyeok appearing, it made perfect sense for security personnel to be present. He had been staring at the reception room but turned to leave.
Wait a minute.
Dae-geon froze in place, his head snapping back toward the reception room.
His name was Cha Su-ho. He'd been an F-grade Helper but had awakened to become an A-grade Helper.
"No way."
A chill ran down his spine. Years ago, the son he had abandoned at birth simply because he wasn't A-grade had also been F-grade.
"Open the door."
"Pardon? Oh, yes, sir!"
The security guard opened the door. There, sprawled on the sofa in a deep sleep, was Su-ho.
Dae-geon stepped forward quietly. He stopped right in front of the sofa where Su-ho was leaning and let his gaze drift downward.
A strikingly pale face framed by thick black hair. From the moment they'd first met, something about him had drawn his eye inexplicably.
At that instant, Su-ho's eyes snapped open. Jin Seong-hyeok, who hadn't been asleep, had sensed the presence and woken him.
Seeing Dae-geon looking down at him, Su-ho widened his eyes in surprise and spoke.
"Ah, hello, sir."
"Nice to meet you, Cha Su-ho Helper."
Dae-geon offered a smile.
"It seems I've woken you. My apologies."
"No, no... I was just resting my eyes for a bit."
Dae-geon's gaze swept over Su-ho. Su-ho stared back curiously at the searching look, prompting Dae-geon to speak.
"I came to see the Association Chairman, but when I heard Cha Su-ho Helper was here, I thought I'd drop by to say hello. After all, I'm the Center 1 Director, and I've never properly greeted one of our own affiliates."
"Ah... The Chairman seems to be in a meeting right now. I came with Chief Examiner Trevor."
"Chief Examiner Trevor, you mean?"
"Yes."
"Hmm, I see."
Dae-geon glanced around before continuing toward Su-ho.
"Mind if I sit for a moment, then?"
"Sure, go ahead."
Su-ho eyed Dae-geon awkwardly as he sat down right in front of him. Then Jin Seong-hyeok spoke up.
'I've always thought this, but the Center 1 Director is more of a sly fox than the Chairman himself.'
Su-ho didn't have a favorable impression of Dae-geon either. There was something subtly off about him, a familiar yet repulsive vibe from their first encounter.
"Cha Su-ho Helper."
"Yes?"
"Do you keep in touch with your parents often?"
The sudden question about his parents caught him off guard.
"How many Hunters or Helpers do you think stay in regular contact with their folks?"
A-grade Helpers were raised in centers from childhood, and those SS-grade and above grew up under strict control. Even lower grades lived with parents until adulthood but had to reside at centers thereafter.
In a life of darting between field operations and the brink of death, few maintained steady contact with family.
The question itself was flawed from the start.
"Especially since I was judged F-grade at birth and abandoned by my parents."
"I see."
Su-ho's brow furrowed at Dae-geon's calm "I see."
"Who gave you the name Cha Su-ho?"
Why keep prying into irrelevant matters?
"The orphanage director did."
"So you kept the family name."
Su-ho's gaze sharpened, unlike before.
"What are you implying...!"
"Cha Su-ho Helper."
Su-ho cut himself off at Trevor's voice and turned his head.
"Ah, the Center 1 Director is here too."
The Center 1 Director rose from his seat and said,
"The Chairman called me urgently. Did he want to talk together?"
"I'm not sure."
"We'll find out when we go."
Dae-geon looked at Su-ho and added,
"Let's go together."
As Dae-geon led the way, Su-ho stared at his back with displeasure. Trevor spoke quietly.
"The Chairman asked for you, so it's best to go."
"...Understood."
Pushing aside his uneasy feelings, Su-ho followed.
'I told you, you need to act aloof with types like that.'
Jin Seong-hyeok's tone carried a sneer.
'Guys like him are weak against the strong and put on airs with the weak. The worst kind.'
It was obvious who he meant without spelling it out. Su-ho's eyes naturally fixed on the back of Dae-geon's head.
'They scheme behind your back plenty. When everyone else was pretending not to court me, he was the one pulling the most strings.'
'I had a feeling.'
You could tell from his eyes, even if he feigned innocence. Unlike the overtly greedy Center 5 Director, Dae-geon played it cool, but his gaze burned with avarice.
'Watch your back.'
'Got it.'
Dae-geon, who had been walking ahead, suddenly stopped. The Chairman's secretary spotted him, then Su-ho and Trevor behind, and said,
"The Chairman is inside. You can enter."
Dae-geon glanced back briefly before flinging open the door to the Chairman's office.
"You've all had a hard time getting here."
The Chairman's smiling face looked somehow off.
"Oh, Cha Su-ho Helper's here too. I've missed you."
'Missed him? When did they even meet, that old coot must be senile.'
Jin Seong-hyeok's quip nearly made Su-ho burst out laughing.
'Bro, don't make me laugh here.'
'When did I make you laugh? I just called out the Chairman's nonsense.'
Su-ho liked this completely different side of the once stoic and cold Jin Seong-hyeok. It felt more comfortable, even refreshing.
"Come, sit down."
At the Chairman's words, Dae-geon sat first, followed by Trevor and Su-ho. In the awkward silence, the Chairman addressed the quiet Su-ho.
"I've heard the news. Cha Su-ho Helper, you've gained Hunter abilities?"
As if hearing it for the first time, the Chairman continued.
"Nothing like this has ever happened before. A Helper with Hunter powers, no less. And you're an A-grade Helper at that."
He lavished praise as if it were groundbreaking, then turned to Trevor.
"So, Trevor, what was Cha Su-ho Helper's Hunter grade?"
Trevor recited exactly what he'd said earlier to the oblivious-looking Chairman.
"Cha Su-ho Helper received an SSS-grade judgment in the Hunter exam."
"SSS-grade?! You mean on par with the late Jin Seong-hyeok Hunter?"
Despite the Chairman's feigned shock—when he clearly knew—Trevor continued calmly.
"Yes, that's correct. Though the stats match numerically, we can't say his prowess does yet. Cha Su-ho Helper has fewer usable skills, and his power output is weaker compared to Jin Seong-hyeok Hunter. And..."
"Hold on."
Dae-geon interrupted, whipping his head toward Su-ho.
"Did you just say Cha Su-ho Helper's Hunter ability is SSS-grade...?"
Su-ho tilted his head defiantly under Dae-geon's blazing stare.
"That's right. An A-grade Helper with SSS-grade Hunter powers. A being unprecedented in this world."
Even as the Chairman spoke, Dae-geon scowled at Su-ho without breaking eye contact.
"Mr. Cha?"
Dae-geon rubbed his brow at the Chairman's call.
"My apologies. I was just so shocked."
"That's understandable. A nonsensical existence like this. I still can't believe it myself."
The Chairman patted his chest dramatically before looking at Su-ho.
"Cha Su-ho Helper—no, should I call you Hunter now? We'll need a new title for you."
"Doesn't matter to me. Call me Cha Su-ho Helper or Hunter, whichever."
The Chairman's eyes narrowed at Su-ho, who spoke boldly unlike other Hunters or Helpers.
It had been like this from the start. Even at their first meeting, he'd rejected the offer outright. Hunting dogs needed a collar fastened quick to break them in, to make sure they knew their master.
The problem was Su-ho's inexplicable lack of favor toward the Association. Normally, he'd tighten the leash with Clean, but Su-ho didn't need it, leaving no easy way to bind him.
"Well, Cha Su-ho Helper."
Forcing the kindest smile he could muster, the Chairman pressed on.
"As Association Chairman, I'm thrilled by your emergence, but also deeply worried. As you know, with monsters around, every branch and government vies for stronger Hunters and Helpers."
'Here comes the predictable spiel.'
Jin Seong-hyeok snorted, and Su-ho nodded in agreement.
'Yeah. Let's see what he says.'
Thanks to Jin Seong-hyeok's prior rundown, Su-ho already knew the gist.
"Your mere existence will spark controversy, but mishandle it, and it could ignite disputes—or even war—to claim you."
The Chairman shook his head with a regretful expression.
"As Chairman, I can't just stand by."
'His acting's on fire.'
Su-ho couldn't focus on the Chairman's words amid Jin Seong-hyeok's jabs.
"So, I've thought it through. What's best for our Association, the world, and you, Cha Su-ho Helper. Peaceful resolution is surely ideal, no?"
'Laying the groundwork long.'
'Bro... cut it out. I can't concentrate.'
'No need to listen anyway.'
'Still gotta hear to respond, right?'
More than that, he feared bursting into laughter at Jin Seong-hyeok's commentary in this atmosphere.
"Cha Su-ho Helper."
Unaware of their side chatter, the Chairman smiled warmly.
"How about staying with us?"
His gaze fixed on Su-ho, who looked utterly unimpressed.
"What do you mean by 'with us'?"
"Haha, I mean live at Association headquarters. Being HQ, we can grant anything you desire. If needed, even assign Chief Examiner Trevor as your exclusive."
'Spouting the exact same lines word for word. Listen, he'll offer a dedicated building next.'
"If you want a Helper, we'll assign one. There's an empty building at HQ we can convert for your exclusive use."
'See? Identical.'
"We can shield you from unwanted contacts from other nations too. Seems the best choice for you, Cha Su-ho Helper. From F-grade to A-grade, now SSS-grade Hunter title to boot, living at HQ with full support."
The Chairman laughed heartily.
"Cha Su-ho Helper, you've made it big!"
Su-ho let out a hollow chuckle. It was absurd. Tilting his head skeptically, he stared at the Chairman.
"Did you just say I've 'made it'?"