Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: The Witch Who Calls Herself a Magical Girl
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While I was recovering in the hospital, Han Sang-ah and Jeong Oh-hoon kept up their training.
Our next target was Jawun Valley. Of course, even though we'd set Jawun Valley as our goal, that didn't mean I'd let go of my questions about the series of events that unfolded after the Refrigerator subjugation.
The blank contract scams, the entities behind those scams, and even the descendants of Dangun.
"The descendants of Dangun definitely aren't involved."
Han Sang-ah nodded at my words.
"I think so too. Considering the fundamentals of that organization, they wouldn't pull something like that right in the heart of Seoul."
The first blank contract scam I'd encountered was Kim Ji-hyun from the descendants of Dangun. But Sohwi didn't seem to be one of them.
"For now, there's nothing we can find out right away."
Since Sohwi was dead, there was no way for us to know who she'd agreed to the blank contract with or how.
Jeong Oh-hoon, who had been repeatedly firing at the target, shook his head vigorously.
"So, is your gear still in repairs?"
Valera's clubbing had turned my precious equipment into scrap. I'd asked Choi Seung-gi to fix it, but even he had told me not to expect too much when he received the mangled pieces.
"He said he'd repair what he could by today and source replacements for the rest."
Truth be told, I wasn't holding out much hope. The plate that had protected my body was shattered beyond restoration.
My smartphone buzzed. A text from Choi Seung-gi had arrived.
"Well, figures. Looks like he couldn't salvage the plate I was using."
Instead, he'd apparently crafted a new one using the slime byproducts we'd secured from Bratsk.
After a short wait, the items Choi Seung-gi sent were delivered.
"Made using the slime byproducts secured from Bratsk."
The plate I'd received was a thin, flexible film filled with a processed, transparent gel made from the slime's mucus.
"Would you like to test it?"
I immediately swung my fist at the provided plate. Upon impact, the mucus instantly turned white and hardened solidly at the point of contact.
"When it receives an impact, it hardens in an instant to absorb the shock and protect the user's body."
A moment later, the gel that had hardened white returned to its original transparent, viscous liquid state.
"After a bit of time, it reverts to gel form, so unlike your previous plate, there's no worry of it breaking."
"Choi Seung-gi must have put in a lot of effort."
"I heard the processing was extremely difficult. Probably because of the raw materials."
The man finished speaking, bowed, and left. I slotted the new plate into my armor.
"So, are we all set now?"
I shook my head at Jeong Oh-hoon's question.
"You're not ready yet."
He muttered a curse and scratched his head vigorously.
"I feel like I've improved a lot compared to before."
"You're still a long way off, man."
During a short break, Han Sang-ah spoke up.
"There's a rumor going around that our next target is Jawun Valley."
"It's not a rumor—it's a fact, isn't it?"
I wasn't sure how it had spread, but word was circulating among people that Jawun Valley was our confirmed next target.
"Seems like quite a few hunters are showing interest."
"Of course there is interest. The problem is they lack the skill."
Lots of people want to join, but few can actually handle it. It was disheartening. And then there was some disappointing news on top of that.
"Se-eun noona won't be joining us for this one."
Han Sang-ah let out a soft "Oh no."
"She was a major asset."
"But she introduced someone to take her place."
According to Lee Se-eun, the person was a bit mentally unstable, but their skills were top-notch.
"Oh? What's their name?"
"Adakawa Nanami."
Hearing the response, Han Sang-ah went "Ah."
"The Japanese hunter Lee Se-eun unni mentioned repaying a debt to before."
The debt had probably been settled when she helped with the Bratsk cleanup, so her participation in the Jawun Valley subjugation was purely out of personal interest.
"She's coming to Korea. The hunter associations in Japan and Korea have already coordinated."
Jeong Oh-hoon, who had been listening, looked back and forth between me and Han Sang-ah.
"Adakawa Nanami—you mean Sumire's partner hunter?"
"You know something about her?"
Jeong Oh-hoon nodded.
"When combat starts, she sprouts angel wings on her back, flies around, and unleashes barrages of mana blasts. She calls herself a magical girl, and most other hunters just go along with it."
"Magical girl? How old is she?"
"32."
No shame at all? At 32, she's hardly a girl anymore. After checking a few videos of Adakawa Nanami in action, I scratched my head. At least, those mana blasts she fired seemed to be just her innate ability.
It was different from the magic used by the mages I knew.
"She's just a witch."
Not magic, not a girl—so witch it was.
"Don't say that to her face. Some small Japanese hunter company once pulled aggro over her age, and she wrecked their building and beat them up."
Doesn't seem to have the best personality. But since Lee Se-eun vouched for her skills, I could trust that much at least.
"What did the building owner do wrong?"
"I heard he owned the company."
So one wrong word and she blows up the building—a flashy personality with a short fuse was joining us. Already worrying.
A few days later, I met that loose cannon in the training room.
"Hello~ Good morning!"
As I opened the door, a cheerful voice rang out, and a woman slipped right into the training room.
Her face beamed with a bright smile, and she had a mole under her left eye. She was a refined beauty, the type you'd call sophisticated. She gave off the vibe of a successful career woman.
Lowering my gaze, though, her outfit was something else entirely. A shocking ensemble of white and pink, frills and ribbons—a veritable explosion.
"...Are you Adakawa? I'm Yoo Chan-seok."
But I'd seen all kinds of shocking sights. This wouldn't faze me.
"Right now, I'm Fantasia Pink. Transformed state."
She's nuts. The thought flashed through my mind.
"Are there other Fantasias?"
"Of course! Five more besides me."
No way they all strut around calling themselves Fantasia whatever like her. The whole Japanese archipelago couldn't be full of people like this.
It was bewildering, but I could understand it somehow. People who danced on the edge of life and death often snapped from the stress—or coped by going off the deep end.
Some secretly cross-dressed at night, others butchered humans like livestock but wouldn't touch dogs or cats.
Those were actually pretty mild. There were guys who cut off the ears of people they'd killed and pickled them for keepsakes.
Compared to that, magical girl play was downright tame. Tolerable, even.
Adakawa Nanami, scanning the training room, asked in her cheerful tone.
"You're planning to take down Jawun Valley, right? So, the investments? Where from?"
"Investments?"
When I asked back, Nanami's innocent, bubbly expression hardened slightly. Then she sat on the training room bench, crossed her legs, and inspected her nails while sighing.
"Se-eun said I'd have a lot to help with, and now I get what she meant. Geez, magical girls aren't supposed to count coins. It taints the pure crystals. Transformation release."
Enveloped in a faint light, Nanami's frilly outfit vanished, replaced by neat, clean clothes.
"Jawun Valley is in Changchun City, right?"
"Yes."
With the outfit change, Adakawa Nanami's voice shifted dramatically. Gone was the artificial brightness; now it was like clear, frozen ice.
"To hire an operator team, procure consumables and gear for the additional hunters and operation— you need money for all that. Obviously, you squeeze it from corporations."
"Be specific."
Nanami stood as she replied.
"There are companies that stand to gain from Jawun Valley in Changchun disappearing. Get investments from them. Logistics firms, companies eyeing underground resources near Changchun, and so on..."
Plenty of companies wanted Jawun Valley gone.
"Succeed in taking down a Rank-1 Erosion Core, and lots of companies make bank. Naturally, demand investments from them to cover costs."
"If we fail, we can't repay the borrowed money."
Nanami smiled at my words.
"Idiot companies that can't distinguish investments from bonds deserve to go bust. Investments account for the risk of loss while anticipating profits."
Hearing this, Han Sang-ah nodded.
"I agree. As Adakawa says, plenty of companies will benefit from Jawun Valley vanishing. Contacting them for investments shouldn't be too hard."
Han Sang-ah glanced at me as she spoke.
"We already have a track record. Finding companies interested in investing for this shouldn't be tough."
"Yeah."
Honestly, for funding, I'd planned to follow the usual procedures. But after hearing Nanami, there seemed no reason to take loans or shell out cash to hire operating companies or other hunters.
"Love and hope, pure hearts unite! Fantasia Pink, transform!"
We were deep in serious talk when Nanami started spouting nonsense from behind again. This time, unlike before, her body flashed with brilliant light. When the swirling glow faded, she was back in her previous outfit.
"Enough tough talk—let's do something else!"
Her voice had reverted too.
"Something else? Play house?"
Instead of answering, Nanami floated several bright pink orbs into the air and spoke.
"We're precious comrades fighting evil together, right? I want to see your resolve and determination!"
In short, she wanted a spar.
"And I want to check how strong my magic is! Yoo Chan-seok the hunter is famous for his skills, after all."
What Nanami used wasn't magic. It was just converting her immense mana into kinetic energy and smashing things—brute destruction.
"If you're curious about skills, check in real combat. I have things to do."
Plus, thanks to Nanami's advice, my to-do list had grown.
"Things to do? What? If it's not urgent, put it off!"
I replied.
"People got caught in the crossfire and died during my duel with Sohwi. I asked the Korea Hunter Association President for the list and addresses."
My words changed the expression of Nanami, who had been eagerly pushing for a spar, her eyes gleaming.
"Why...?"
"Gotta go say sorry. Couldn't save them."
Hearing me, Han Sang-ah, Jeong Oh-hoon, and Nanami fell silent. What? Why the sudden funeral atmosphere?
"Chan-seok, you did your best. And those people were beyond saving anyway."
"I know."
Even rewinding time hundreds of times, I'd have ended those bug-nest afflicted people in their agony. No regrets there.
Me visiting them personally to apologize was for a different reason.
It's suspicious.