Chapter 190 – Senior (1)

-Don’t worry, Commander.

-My only regret is not being able to see the peace you will create.

Words like the final wishes of the dying.

Those words were so heavy.

I buried each of their deaths in my heart.

Vowing not to let their deaths be in vain, I gave a kiss of oath to the dead.

Heavy.

For the sake of their wishes, which I carried on my back, I raised my sword.

I shed blood.

And then I shed more.

Finally, I completed my path of conquest by bringing all who denied me to their knees.

I looked back.

Instead of glory, I saw a field made of corpses.

I abandoned everything.

After all, what I had desired from the beginning was neither glory nor power.

I simply didn’t want their wishes, their deaths, to be in vain.

The drizzling raindrops patter against my entire body.

The rainwater trickles down, as if checking my body’s gradually cooling temperature.

My body is heavy, like a sponge soaked with water.

I lifted my head.

Despite not even being able to see clearly in front of me, I could smell the sickening stench of blood.

What is this?

I raised my hand.

A strange sense of déjà vu washes over me. An unknown place, an unknown situation.

Foresight?

No.

There is one thing I know.

My body is in excruciating pain. Slashed by swords, burned by magic. It’s a miracle I’m still alive.

A red glint of light looks down on me, no different from a living corpse.

Shining horns visible above its head.

The Demon King of Demon Kings.

Baal, known as the Lord of Demon Kings, is looking at me.

…?

I don’t know why I know that name.

Everything is unknown. I don’t even know what’s happening.

There’s only one thing I know for sure right now.

I am going to die.

-You persistent bastard.

The bastard gripped his demonic sword. And swung it down at me.

* * *

“…!”

The moment the sword touched my body, I opened my eyes.

“Sir Hero.”

Olivier was watching me from the side.

I wiped my forehead. Sweat smeared onto the back of my hand.

“Are you alright? Maybe that kick from the elephant hit something important?”

I let out a dry laugh at Olivier’s words.

-Ladies and gentlemen, we will be arriving at Gimpo International Airport in 30 minutes. We hope you had a pleasant and enjoyable journey, and thank you for flying with us today.

This is reality.

The arrival announcement confirmed that we had arrived in Korea.

“Honestly, have some conscience. Your whip probably did more damage than that elephant’s attack.”

You hit me for playing a little prank?

“Well, who told you to give me those weird clothes? It was your fault.”

“That’s rich. How did you walk around in fishnet clothes in that other world, then? Huh? Huh?”

“Th-that’s…”

“What? Go on, say it’s not true. It’s not like we only met once or twice. No, honestly, shouldn’t you be apologizing? Ambushing someone from behind with a whip right after they fought a boss monster?”

Olivier was at a loss for words, unable to respond to me.

Oho, so she does know she’s guilty.

“If you had just fought with the Holy Sword, or even any other sword, it would have been over quickly! Who in the world fights an elephant bare-handed?”

“Right here. Wow, you’re really something else. You tried to kill me over a little prank… and not a single word of apology?”

“Well…”

“You won’t?”

“I’m…”

“‘I. Was. Wrong.’ Just three words. Say those three words and you can avoid a terrible fate. ‘I. Was. Wrong.’ Just three words.”

“I…”

Backed into a corner, Olivier mumbled, her lips trembling.

Have I subdued her?

“Y-you crazy bastard! You were in the wrong too!”

“Tsk, tsk. This won’t do. Not at all.”

“D-don’t. I said don’t do it!”

I tormented Olivier until a flight attendant warned us.

After being tormented for a while, Olivier sniffled and crouched in the corner.

Satisfying. I feel better now.

I opened the system window.

-2 Dominator’s Achievements acquired
-Achievement data is synchronizing.
-Achievement completion rate: 14%

Defeating the elephant chief earned me a “Good Job” stamp, delivered right by its trunk.

Clearly, the guardians protecting the landmarks were on a different level from ordinary boss monsters.

Even as it turned into experience points for me, the beast vanished with its tusks shining brightly, as if it had fulfilled its duty.

What I realized while conquering this landmark is that I don’t need to run dungeons anymore.

Landmarks drop better experience and items than dungeons.

I got roughly over twenty items and more than five skills.

Not to mention the magic stones.

High-quality, top-grade magic stones dropped one after another. Selling them all would probably net me billions.

“So that’s the hidden quest only you can see, Sir Hero.”

“Yeah. There will be many more achievements to extract in the future, so I’m counting on you.”

“For free?”

Olivier said, wrinkling her nose.

“Alright. 9.5 to 0.5.”

“I’m not the 9.5, am I?”

“Of course not. You’re the 0.5.”

“You must be crazy. Why are you so greedy? Do you think you would have found the landmark in that vast place without me?”

Olivier didn’t back down.

Come to think of it, she secretly enjoys things like shopping.

“You’re really obsessed with money.”

“Seriously. Are you one to talk, Sir Hero?”

“Isn’t it because you’re always buying bags and whatnot? What’s so great about them?”

“What’s wrong with my babies? You have plenty of muscles, but you’re always building more!”

Ah, she has a point.

“50-50!”

“You want to be split 50-50?”

“60-40…?”

“I should have just let the elephant trample you.”

In the end, Olivier obediently agreed to take just a 10% cut.

No, honestly, even with just 10%, she could probably build a handbag factory.

Is building a factory too much? Well, whatever.

“But really, is nothing wrong?”

“What do you mean?”

“No, it’s just… you’re acting strange.”

In Olivier’s hand was the handkerchief she had used to wipe my sweat.

The touch I felt in my sleep. I suspected it had been hers.

“What, do you like me or something?”

“A-are you crazy? What kind of insane woman would like a psychopath who tore her to shreds?”

“To be fair, I didn’t tear *you* apart, I tore your clone apart. And you’re the one who launched a night raid.”

“It’s the same thing! You crazy Hero! And it wasn’t a night raid, okay?”

“Then what?”

“…Spying?”

Same difference.

“I was just worried because you’ve been acting a little strange lately.”

I scoffed at Olivier’s words.

“Don’t worry, I won’t die.”

“Why are you suddenly raising a death flag?”

While I was exchanging useless banter with her, the plane was already preparing for landing.

That Olivier, thanks to her search skill, has incredibly sharp instincts.

She’s definitely the best scout.

Nothing has really changed for me.

Except that I keep witnessing my own death, over and over.

* * *

Shin Chae-ho, the director of the Disaster Agency, was grinning from ear to ear.

“How many commendations has that fellow Lee Hyunbin received now?”

“This is his third.”

Thanks to him hunting a 4-star boss monster in Thailand this time, he received a plaque of appreciation from the Thai government.

“I’m telling you, this kid really lifts my spirits. Huhu. Honestly, it’s because I’m Shin Chae-ho that I recognized his talent at a glance and gave him a major role. It’s like Liu Bei discovering Zhuge Liang.”

Director Shin Chae-ho had become a total Lee Hyunbin fanboy these days.

He maintained his composure in front of Hunter Lee Hyunbin, but in his absence, he would puff out his chest as if he had raised Lee Hyunbin himself.

“Certainly, there was a lot of talk when you gave Hunter Lee Hyunbin such unconventional treatment.”

“More than just a lot of talk. They said I was crazy.”

Director Shin Chae-ho said, laughing heartily.

Before him was Tak Ji-woo, the head of the Hunter Operations Department.

“Director. It is not good to show so much favoritism toward Hunter Lee Hyunbin.”

“I know, I know. But the young man is just so admirable.”

Due to the incident where the Disaster Agency was taken over by Villains, the director had been on the verge of being dismissed.

But afterward, Hunter Lee Hyunbin magnificently subjugated all the Villains, eradicating them completely.

The more Lee Hyunbin distinguished himself, the more the director’s prestige rose with him.

To the director, he was the goose that laid golden eggs.

“He’s gained fame as the nation’s hunter, secured a position in a state agency, and even made a name for himself worldwide. It’s too much responsibility for one person.”

“Oh, right. The executives from China’s Tianxia Hui contacted us for a meeting, didn’t they?”

The director was ignoring the department head’s warning.

Tianxia Hui.

The world has formed an alliance centered around Union Hunters, which has established standard regulations.

But China has established its own independent power.

That is the Tianxia Hui. A hunter alliance united by the Sinocentric spirit of standing at the center of all nations.

Right now, a scouting war for Lee Hyunbin was coming not only from various Western countries but from China as well.

Thanks to this, the number of factions requesting partnerships and cooperation with the Disaster Agency and the Hanul Guild had grown considerably.

“Too much power is being given to one individual. I heard you also passed the matter of Hunter Seol Ji-hoon to Hunter Lee Hyunbin.”

“Oh, I did.”

The department head’s brow furrowed at the director’s words.

“Director, many people are concerned.”

“Why? That I’ve gone senile?”

“Who would dare say such a thing? However, there are concerns that Korea now has a nation-level hunter.”

A single hunter becomes more than a hero; they come to symbolize the nation’s prestige.

America’s Big Man was like that, as were Russia’s Brown Bear and China’s Grand Master.

“Our country needs someone of that caliber too. Isn’t that how we develop?”

“But…”

“Just leave it be. He’s doing fine on his own. What’s the problem when we’re reaping the benefits without lifting a finger?”

The director crossed his legs and smiled.

“It’s a good thing. If not for Lee Hyunbin, what reason would global rankers have to come to Korea?”

“…Are you referring to the rankers?”

Not long ago, Jean-Pierre’s visit to Korea became a hot topic.

But an unfortunate incident occurred shortly after.

Jean-Pierre died in Korea.

Thanks to that, the Korean government was in a very awkward position.

“Danny McGuire is coming. An official document arrived. It seems Lee Hyunbin made quite an impression on him.”

“You mean the Consul?”

Ranked 10th in the world.

The reason the Italian ranker, Danny McGuire, is called the Consul is because he can summon a legion.

The higher his level, the larger the army he can pour out.

A one-man army. That’s what the Consul was called.

“Ah, and unofficially, Mr. Cowboy, Bob, is coming too.”

“…!”

The Operations Department head’s eyes widened.

Bobby Brilliant. A member of America’s top guild, Buffalo, and the world’s 9th-ranked ranker.

Two rankers coming to Korea at the same time. This was, quite literally, big news.

“In any case, we just have to watch the show and enjoy the benefits. Use what we can use.”

The director’s eyes smiled like a snake’s.

“If you want to play big, you have to think big. Give away all the small stuff. Isn’t that right, Secretary Kim?”

At the director’s words, the department head flinched and looked back.

There, the director’s aide was bowing her head politely in greeting.

The director’s aide, who had an aloof impression.

The director trusted her and had brought her in as one of his own.

“Secretary Kim is a fan of that Lee Hyunbin fellow too, right? Aren’t you?”

“Me?”

The department head saw Aide Kim Min-jeong’s face twitch.

Her very aloof and cold impression changed strangely.

Unable to speak right away, she mumbled with her lips before answering quietly.

“He is famous.”

“Haha, she says that, but… the way she looks at that Lee Hyunbin fellow is a little different. She, uh, sometimes looks up a lot of articles about…”

“I will take my leave now.”

Aide Kim Min-jeong put down the tea and quickly disappeared.

Seeing her human-like reaction for what seemed like the first time, the department head could only blink.

As if finding it amusing, the director just gave a good-natured laugh.

“But is it alright for an aide to hear this kind of conversation?”

“It’s fine, she’s my person. One of Shin Chae-ho’s people. A trustworthy and competent person. Just like you.”

“Not at all.”

“Don’t be modest. I don’t even talk to incompetent people. Huhu. You know that.”

Saying that, the director wet his mouth with tea. Then, he stopped joking and narrowed his eyes.

“The Wizard System is utterly useless.”

The current Wizard System is nothing more than a copy of the Regressor System’s algorithm.

Of course, it’s better than the systems other countries have, but it’s sorely lacking compared to the initial forecast system.

“It’s about time we started the next phase, isn’t it?”

The director asked the department head with a secretive smile.

“Preparations are proceeding smoothly. With the new Wizard, many things will change.”

The Operations Department head said with a smile. His eyes seemed to be looking at the director, but they were following Kim Min-jeong’s retreating figure.