“Chief Choi. Take the Defense Force away and get them treated. And cover up those windows.”
Under Lee Jong-seok’s seasoned direction, the conference room was quickly put back in order.
“Please sit, Senior. You sit too.”
Bulldozer, who had been standing awkwardly with a puzzled expression, sat back down.
Seed got up, then sat back down in his own seat.
Kang Hyeon-woo silently walked over to the conference table and stood beside Seed.
“Get lost.”
“......Pardon?”
“If you question me one more time, I’ll kill you.”
“City Lord Seed. No, Yeon-gak. Hurry and give him your seat.”
Lee Jong-seok urgently pressed Seed.
As soon as Seed stood, Kang Hyeon-woo naturally took the seat at the head of the table, while Lee Jong-seok sat across from him.
“Seed. You sit at the very end.”
“Pardon?”
‘Hold.’
HUMMM.
The rings of light Kang Hyeon-woo had used to capture the Scavenger appeared and wrapped around Seed, tightening around him.
“Ghhhhhh.”
“S-Senior. I apologize. I should have raised him better......! Please forgive him......!”
“I believe I said I’d kill him if he questioned me.”
“Please forgive him just this once, for the sake of a junior you haven’t seen in a very long time.”
“None of my business.”
“Ghhhhhhhhhh...... Father......”
Lee Jong-seok was beside himself with anxiety.
He could not even begin to understand how his idiot son had managed to invite over a man who was difficult to describe as merely a big shot—more like a monster in human form—and then pick a fight with him.
To Lee Jong-seok, Kang Hyeon-woo looked almost exactly as he had in his prime.
That meant one thing.
He absolutely had to be avoided whenever possible.
Then Lee Jong-seok noticed a liquor glass rolling across the conference table.
“L-Liquor! Why don’t we talk over a drink, Senior? We have single malt!”
“It was blended whisky.”
“Th-That’s because this bastard doesn’t know anything. I have genuine single malt that I received from headquarters.”
THUD.
The moment Lee Jong-seok finished speaking, the rings of light disappeared, and Seed collapsed to the floor, gasping heavily.
“Gasp. Gasp.”
“Thank you, Senior. Chief Choi!”
***
Kang Hyeon-woo quietly stared at the dark brown liquor on the table before taking a sip.
“Where have you been all this time, Senior? You never even attended things like the annual meetings at headquarters......”
“You’re still alive.”
“Yes...... I suppose that is thanks to potions. It varies by Grade, but I hear A-Grades can live past one hundred and fifty.”
As humanity analyzed core energy and mercenary skills, its technology advanced rapidly.
Those living in cities could enjoy lives even better than before the destruction, as long as they had money—cores.
It was the complete opposite of the utterly ruined world outside the cities.
Kang Hyeon-woo silently swallowed his drink.
A moderate scent of vanilla and fruit.
It was top-quality liquor.
“Senior. Have you met any of the others?”
“There was no reason to.”
He had awakened after spending ten years lying in a hospital.
During that time, the world had changed completely.
One of the Final Seven had become humanity’s traitor.
Another had become a nobody who dropped out halfway through.
And the remaining five became heroes who ruled humanity.
At first, Kang Hyeon-woo had wandered the completely ruined Earth for more than a decade, consumed by anger toward Park Seong-jun.
He had wandered aimlessly, intending to find him and kill him immediately.
But after decades of repeatedly finding clues only to lose him again, the anger gradually faded until only one question remained.
‘Why the hell did he do it?’
There was no reason for him to.
Given the Park Seong-jun that Kang Hyeon-woo knew, he would either have struggled to save the world once again or, at the very least, sought out his old friend Kang Hyeon-woo to remove this curse called a buff.
But Park Seong-jun kept running.
And Kang Hyeon-woo kept chasing him.
Headquarters could have located Kang Hyeon-woo in real time through the Awakening System whenever they wished, yet not a single person ever came looking for him.
Kang Hyeon-woo did not go out of his way to find them either.
In the first place, no one in the entire world knew where the five heroes were or what they were doing.
Lee Jong-seok had been quietly watching Kang Hyeon-woo’s mood when he cautiously spoke.
“Senior. What about Senior Caroline......?”
The only female mercenary among the Final Seven.
Just before Kang Hyeon-woo was caught in the explosion, the faintest memory left in his mind was Caroline’s expressionless face as she looked at him.
Kang Hyeon-woo took another sip.
“None of my business.”
“......Understood.”
Lee Jong-seok found it strange.
It was already odd that the man known as the Archmage had failed to detect the Mana instability and been caught in the explosion.
But even stranger was that the two of them, who had seemed like lovers to anyone watching despite both denying it, appeared never to have sought each other out even once after that day.
Caroline had not appeared anywhere since the final dungeon.
“When you have time, you should attend the Annual Meeting held at the end of the year, Senior. The four heroes still attend every year.”
“No need. Have you ever heard anything about Park Seong-jun’s whereabouts?”
“......You mean B-Beast......?”
Lee Jong-seok simply could not bring himself to call humanity’s traitor his senior.
“As far as I know, Beast...... was executed by the heroes.”
“Maybe. Either way, have you heard any rumors about a similar large-built tank?”
“Well...... Hmm. There is one thing that bothers me.”
The Resistance attacks on cities had been unusual lately.
Rebellion and sabotage against Shinhwa Group, which allowed humanity to maintain civilized life, had always existed.
Those who rejected Shinhwa’s rule, or criminals who committed crimes and fled.
Such people gathered together and formed the Resistance.
Every city had to deal with monsters emerging from Anomalies while also defending itself against the Resistance.
Criminal organizations entrenched within the cities were another headache.
There was a limit to how much territory could be effectively policed.
Most of surviving humanity wanted to live in cities, causing urban population densities to become absurdly high and giving rise to all sorts of problems.
Criminal organizations took control of portions of the back alleys and committed various crimes while being careful not to provoke the rulers.
Most rulers already knew about the situation, but they considered criminal organizations a necessary evil and allowed them a certain amount of freedom.
“They are two groups that should never be able to work together, but recently there have been joint attacks by criminal organizations and the Resistance.”
If someone with exceptional leadership had brought the criminal organizations and the Resistance together under one banner, then it would explain things to some extent.
“For example, someone like Beast, who was once called the ‘Shield of Humanity.’”
“According to Bulldozer over there, he seems to have met someone similar around Cheongju.”
“Y-Yes? No. I-I might have seen wrong. Ha...... haha.”
Bulldozer could barely keep his thoughts straight as he listened to the conversation between the founding City Lord and the man drinking single malt whisky with him.
Names of the heroes who had once protected humanity were being tossed around casually.
They spoke of the Annual Meeting, supposedly attended only by the absolute elite among humanity’s mercenaries, and then started discussing incidents on the scale of entire cities.
To a mercenary who simply made a living completing ordinary requests, it all seemed unimaginably distant.
“Still, would it not be possible to find a clue?”
“You’ve become quite the sly old fox.”
“Haha. If I can receive your help, Senior, what would I not do? You are one of only six mercenaries in the entire world classified as ‘Beyond Grade.’”
“Gasp......”
Bulldozer, who had been silently listening to the conversation like a sack of barley someone had left sitting there, swallowed dryly.
‘So he really is some incredible big shot. But he doesn’t look that old......?’
“There’s no reason for me to remain here anyway. I can stop by on my way.”
“Thank you, Senior!”
“Payment.”
“Ah....... Is there anything in particular you require?”
“High-Concentration Cores or old-model energy capsules.”
“Headquarters manages its stock of High-Concentration Cores very strictly, so getting approval would take some time. As it happens, I have a few old-model energy capsules myself. I’ll give them to you.”
A short while later, Chief Choi brought over three old-model energy capsules.
“What do you use these for?”
“None of your business.”
“I suppose that is true.”
“I’m leaving.”
“Uh, um, what about me......?”
Bulldozer hurriedly spoke, drawing everyone’s attention.
“I-I think it would be better if I withdrew from the City Lord’s request. Haha.”
“I never intended to take you with me.”
“Yes, sir.”
After speaking, Kang Hyeon-woo rose from his seat and walked over to Seed.
Seed’s eyes darted around in panic as he looked to his father for help.
“I...... I apologize. I failed to recognize you.”
“Rating. Review. Under your real name.”
“......Y...... Yes, sir.”
Seed almost questioned him reflexively, but hurriedly covered his mouth before bringing up his holographic window and frantically moving his fingers.
[(Anonymous): S-Grade? Shinhwa? Did they deliberately let the Outbreak happen instead of catching the Resistance beforehand?]
[(Anonymous): Person above...... I-I think you should delete that post quickly?]
[(Anonymous): Code name SIN...... Well, he is a legend among magic-skill users.]
[(Seed): I am Seed, City Lord of Port Mine. Thank you for protecting the safety of our citizens. I strongly recommend him to the other City Lords in distant cities as well.]
After confirming that the review had been properly posted, Kang Hyeon-woo looked around at the people in the conference room, who were staring back at him with strange expressions.
SNAP! SNAP!
Kang Hyeon-woo snapped his fingers twice and walked out of the conference room.
After sending Seed and Bulldozer away, Lee Jong-seok finished the remaining liquor and sank deep into thought.
‘Perhaps...... this could become an opportunity for me.’
Even rotten, a prized fish remained prized.
Lee Jong-seok had no way of knowing whether humanity’s traitor was still alive, but the Kang Hyeon-woo he had just met was the genuine article.
The four heroes treated Lee Jong-seok, despite being a fellow Shinhwa mercenary, like vermin at the Annual Meetings and would not even spare him a glance.
If he could earn their favor, securing a position at headquarters might no longer be a dream.
After finishing his deliberation, Lee Jong-seok summoned Captain Kim Hyeon-seok.
“You called for me?”
“Captain Kim. Are you currently a company commander?”
“I am preparing for the handover.”
“You said you were D-Grade?”
“Yes, sir.”
“No wife or children?”
“No, sir.”
“Then...... I am thinking of assigning you a special mission.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I will contact headquarters in advance, so go there. There is a Special Program still in its experimental stage. If you undergo the procedure there, you could be promoted to B-Grade—no, even A-Grade.”
“R-Really, sir?”
“Yes. And when you return, you need only carry out one mission.”
“Command me to do anything.”
“Follow SIN. Kang Hyeon-woo. Report everything he does to me.”
“What kind of person is he......?”
“Do you know why the so-called heroes were humanity’s guardians and why they carry the ‘Beyond Grade’ classification?”
“I do not.”
“Because they are true Awakened who can operate without the Awakening System’s rule, control, or assistance.”
“......Pardon?”
“No one noticed before the accident. But now I need to know how they are able to wield that kind of power.”
***
When Kang Hyeon-woo reached the place that had once been called Ansan, endless rows of rusted and collapsed abandoned factories stretched out before him.
Kang Hyeon-woo broke open an old-model energy capsule and poured its contents into his mouth.
[500 Mana restored.]
[Direct core consumption has low recovery efficiency.]
[Use refined cores or a Recovery Station.]
[Fatal Error......]
Cores, which also circulated as currency, had low purity.
Recovery Stations were places ordinary mercenaries used, and their methods fundamentally differed from Kang Hyeon-woo’s magic.
Once he finished recovering his Mana, Kang Hyeon-woo slowly walked into the ruins of the abandoned factories.
BANG—!
A gunshot echoed through the quiet ruins.
Kang Hyeon-woo calmly looked in the direction of the sound and raised a hand.
‘Hold.’
HUMMM.
Rings of light appeared and ensnared someone hiding among the wreckage.
“Aaaaaaargh!”
“Th-This bastard...... Shoot him!”
RATATATATATAT—!
Bullets poured down like rain amid the deafening gunfire.
TING! TING! TING! TING! TING!
Whenever a bullet struck Kang Hyeon-woo’s body, blue light flickered before it dropped harmlessly to the ground.
‘Phase Intervention.’
‘Classification.’
‘Mesmerize.’
Kang Hyeon-woo cast the spells in succession.
THOOM—!
A translucent sphere spread across the factory district.
The bodies of the people hiding throughout the ruins began to glow, and soon they all collapsed limply to the ground.
Kang Hyeon-woo slowly approached the man struggling within the rings of light.
“U-Ugh...... Wh-Who the hell are you......? M-Monster......”
“There’s a simple reason I left all of you alive. I have something to ask.”
“W-What......?”
“Take me to whoever is highest-ranking here.”
“I-I can’t! I’d rather die than lead you to our Master!”
“Then have it your way.”
“Aaaaaaargh!”
The man’s screams echoed across the silent factory district.
“Stop.”
A high-pitched voice cut through the man’s screams.
Kang Hyeon-woo turned around and saw a short-haired woman aiming a gun at him.
“Are you a mercenary who accepted a request from Port Mine?”
“Something like that.”
“Then I can’t let you live.”
“Low intelligence.”
“Excuse me?”
Kang Hyeon-woo quietly stared at the woman.
Dozens of people had just fired at him, yet not a single hair on his body had been harmed.
Everyone had been subdued in an instant and was now lying on the ground, yet she was threatening to kill him.
“Ghh......!”
“You’re using old-fashioned chemical-propellant rounds instead of guns powered by core energy to avoid being tracked, aren’t you? Looks like I found the Resistance.”
“Didn’t you come here already knowing that?”
“I have no interest in any of you.”
“Didn’t you just say you came here after receiving a request?”
“I didn’t sign a contract. It was merely a favor.”
“Then...... why did you come here? Who are you?”
“Who I am is none of your business. I’ll ask you something. Do you know anything about a large man called Beast? He can’t use Mana at all.”
Flinch.
The woman’s body moved ever so slightly.
Kang Hyeon-woo did not miss it.
“I-I’ve never even heard of a tank by that name.”
“I never said he was a mercenary tank.”
Flinch.
Then it happened.
BEEP. BEEP.
The device inside Kang Hyeon-woo’s clothes sounded an alarm.
Kang Hyeon-woo took it out and manipulated it, causing a hologram to appear.
[Tracking Target: Beast]
[Trace found 1 km from current location.]
“That is...... an old-model Combat Support System?”
“Interesting that you recognized this first. Are you a mercenary?”
“Th-Then are you...... code name ‘SIN’?”
“Why do you want to know?”
The woman glared at Kang Hyeon-woo for a moment before lowering her gun.
“Follow me. There’s something I need to tell you.”
‘Dispel.’
“Uggghhh.”
The people lying scattered around the area began getting back to their feet one by one.
As she walked ahead, the woman glanced back at Kang Hyeon-woo.
“By the way, why did you ask whether I was a mercenary?”
“Satisfaction rating. Review.”
“Pardon? What does that mean?”
“None of your business. For now.”