Chapter 218: Episode 218

Episode 218

Hunters’ Day.

It was a holiday jointly designated by every nation to commemorate overcoming the great catastrophe “Devil’s Garden,” which had erupted simultaneously all across Earth and driven the entire world to the brink of annihilation.

Korea was no exception.

Especially now, when things were more unsettled than ever due to the Frost incident, there was a pressing need to quickly stabilize domestic affairs and the hunter world.

That was why this year’s Hunters’ Day event was held on an unusually large scale. Hunters and people from every social stratum gathered in a massive banquet hall.

Because of Frost, the hunter community had once been split clean in two, and the remnants of that division still lingered.

Those directly tied to Unix deserved every bit of criticism they received, but hunters who had merely supported Frost’s policies were all being condemned together as well.

So this event was also meant to clear away those old grudges and send the message that everyone should join forces and make a fresh start.

Naturally, the Tower members and I, who had been the primary contributors to the operation to rescue Hong Yul, were invited as guests of honor.

“Yusin! The smoked salmon over here is seriously amazing!”

“There was salmon? I didn’t see any.”

Dressed in formal banquet attire, we had taken seats together at one table.

It was me, Jin Bora, Jeong Seojin, Eunsol, and even Samia—five of us in total.

Across from us sat the 4th Floor Team, gathered around their own table with Na Daeyong at the center, creating a warm, lively atmosphere.

“Haah. It finally feels like we’re getting back to normal life,” Jin Bora said, setting down her fork and stretching with a long yawn. “I really thought the world was going to end.”

“Bora.”

“Yes?”

“I heard you cried reading the hate comments about me.”

Her ears turned bright red.

“Wh-who, who told you that? Hey! Jeong Seojin!”

Jin Bora suddenly grabbed Jeong Seojin by the collar.

“Sol told me.”

“Yup! Bora was bawling her eyes out!” Eunsol pointed at Jin Bora and burst into giggles.

Flustered, Jin Bora let go of Jeong Seojin’s collar and mumbled a tiny apology, then shot me a glare.

“Why do you have to confuse people like that!”

“You’re the one who got yourself confused. Idiot.”

I wiped the cream smeared all over Eunsol’s mouth as I spoke. Eunsol just beamed, happy as could be.

“Yusin! I want another plate!”

“You’re really putting it away today, Sol. All right, let’s go.”

I took Eunsol’s hand and started to stand, but then an unusual stir went through the crowd around us.

Jin Bora and Jeong Seojin jolted and ducked their heads. The 4th Floor Team at the next table did the same.

“Oh, there you are, my boy.”

Association President Hong Yul approached with a radiant smile.

She wore the same dark gray pinstripe suit she seemed to own in multiple copies, her jacket draped over her shoulders with her arms out of the sleeves.

“How are you feeling?”

“Ah, I’m fine. I’m fine. Nothing worth worrying about.”

She strode up to me and fixed me with those gleaming golden eyes.

Most people felt an inexplicable fear when they faced those eyes, but I had gotten used to them by now. I could meet her gaze without any problem.

“Kid,” she grinned. “Why are you so damn cute?”

With that, she suddenly started roughly ruffling my hair with her big hand.

“Madam President!”

I was a functioning adult in society, and this was embarrassing.

I tried to resist, but the more I did, the bolder she became. Soft laughter rippled through the nearby tables.

Off to the side, Jin Bora had a hand over her mouth, quietly snickering.

’…Just you wait.’

“Oh, right. Maybe the Association President shouldn’t be doting on just one hunter too much, huh?”

Still holding my head in a loose headlock, she spoke as if the thought had just occurred to her. I narrowed my eyes and glared up at her.

“Before that, could you think about my social standing and dignity…?”

“Pfft, give me a break! As far as I’m concerned, you’re still a kid. A kid.”

Her voice was overflowing with affection as she said it. She finally released me and straightened up.

“By the way, Hong Yeon couldn’t make it?”

At my question, the President shrugged.

“Sounds like she’s finally wrapping things up in Antarctica. She should be back sometime next week.”

“So she really is going to finish that job before she comes home.”

From what I had heard, Hong Yeon was starring in yet another personal drama.

After being exiled to the polar region, she had faced all kinds of discrimination and hazing, but before long she had seized control of the organization with her trademark charisma, earned everyone’s recognition, and united the team as their leader to fight the monsters.

Now she had even secured cooperation from the Antarctic base staffed by foreign personnel and was battling some previously unknown calamity that had never been made public. Antarctica was in the grip of full-on Hong Yeon fever.

“Oh, right.”

The President turned her gaze to the 4th Floor Team at the next table.

“You’re the mage team, right?”

The 4th Floor Team shot to their feet and shouted in a stiff, formal tone.

“Y-Yes, ma’am! That is us!”

“People have high hopes for the first generation of mages. Me included. I’ll be watching with interest, so work hard.”

“Th-thank you, ma’am!”

The 4th Floor Team trembled, shivering with excitement.

Encouragement from the Great Hero herself! In particular, So Simhui was practically in a state of mental blackout.

The President gave a faint chuckle and shifted her gaze again.

“And you must be Samia, Rank 3?”

“It is an honor to meet the great hero.”

The two of them exchanged a handshake with warm smiles. Perhaps because both were seasoned veterans, there was a natural dignity in the way they shook hands and smiled.

“I never thought a new teleporter would show up in Korea. We’ve been worried, you know—no new teleporters for two years straight.”

“I am just a half-retired relic.”

“Experience and gravitas like yours don’t just disappear. Keep Yusin grounded so he doesn’t go off the rails.”

“Yes, I will do my best.”

After chatting with Samia, the President noticed Eunsol, who was hiding behind my legs.

“So you’re the Golem girl.”

She bent her knees to get a closer look at her. As expected, Eunsol was shy around strangers.

“All the engineers have been foaming at the mouth wanting to meet you, you know. You’re quite the celebrity these days.”

Eunsol stayed silent.

“Sol, say hello.”

She glanced up at me for reassurance, then toddled forward. Placing both hands over her belly button, she bowed and chirped, “Hello!”

The President smiled, and the people around us erupted with delighted squeals.

She gave Eunsol’s head a gentle pat and straightened up. By now, Jin Bora had her phone out and was staring at the President with sparkling eyes.

“I-It’s such an honor, Madam President! I’m really sorry, but could I poss—!”

“Oh, it’s nothing! Hahaha!”

I hurriedly clamped a hand over Jin Bora’s mouth. ’Is her terminal case of clout-chasing really incurable?’

At that moment, the President let out a small snort.

“You mean a photo, right? It’s fine. Go ahead. Take it.”

“Reallyyyy?”

In the end, Jin Bora had the honor of taking a photo alone with the President.

True to her reputation as a selfie master, Jin Bora struck a bright, cutesy pose, resting her chin on her hand, and the President flashed a practiced smile for the camera.

“Aaaaah! Thank you so much! I can’t believe this!”

Beaming with happiness, Jin Bora bowed repeatedly, then checked her phone’s gallery. I could see the 4th Floor Team looking on wistfully.

However, none of them dared to ask for a photo the way Jin Bora had.

The President finally turned to look at Jeong Seojin.

“You’re Jeong Hajin’s younger brother, right?”

“Yes.”

Seojin bowed his head.

“I’ve heard a lot about you from Yusin. Those materials for attracting the Magic Administration Department—those were written by you, right?”

Seojin’s eyes widened for a moment. Then he adjusted his glasses and replied.

“That’s correct.”

“After seeing how government officials handle their work, I was blown away when I read those documents. Bright young people like you are exactly who we need at the Association.”

Seeing her practically licking her chops, I quickly cut in.

“Just so you know, we’re not handing over our Seojin.”

“I know, I know. Don’t be so stingy!”

The President gave a playful laugh and smacked me on the back. My waist bent into a ninety-degree angle on impact, but she didn’t seem to care as she swept her gaze over everyone one last time.

“Please take good care of our Yusin. Things are going to get a bit busy from now on, so hang in there.”

“…Huh?”

Everyone wore a baffled expression. The President winked at me and waved her arm.

“See you after the speech.”

“Yes, ma’am. Good luck out there.”

* * *

’He’s unbelievably carefree.’

Frost’s right-hand man, Secretary Ahn, sat alone, sipping water as he watched Yusin. His gaze drifted to his watch.

’It will begin any moment now.’

It was Hunters’ Day, and a massive crowd had gathered for the event. In just a little while, Association President Hong Yul and other high-ranking figures from all walks of life would step up to the podium to give their speeches.

Secretary Ahn was also scheduled to speak. He would not be representing the fallen Unix Guild, which had been kicked out of the Top 10, but rather acting as an advisor to the Dungeon Research Society. He intended to reveal everything at that moment.

’This is the end, Kim Yusin.’

He clenched the USB drive hanging from his neck like a pendant. Inside it was the truth about the monstrosity of Seoul that Kim Yusin had desperately tried to hide. No, the truth about the Otherworldly Ruin.

The sudden change in the Unique Ability of a lifelong non-combat awakened one, the meteoric appearance of a power called magic, the secret behind the potions produced by Alchemia—all of these unresolved mysteries made sense if Kim Yusin had been hiding an Otherworldly Ruin.

And the most decisive evidence was the data sent back by Wayne Jones’s team, who had gone to attack Kim Yusin. He had been guarding the Magic Tower, the so-called monstrosity of Seoul, and when they arrived, he had willingly shown himself.

Why had he been guarding that place? For what reason?

It was because that monstrosity was an Otherworldly Ruin.

The files contained photos of Kim Yusin entering the restricted zone, as well as photos of his companions going into the tower.

Up until now, Kim Yusin had monopolized this facility and hidden it from the public.

If this fact were announced domestically and to the entire world, countless truths would come to light and an explosion of controversy would erupt.

And it wouldn’t stop at controversy. The moment it was revealed that he possessed a ruin, power blocs from Korea and around the world would intervene and begin fighting over the spoils.

Kim Yusin would be dragged into a kind of power struggle he had never experienced before.

Of course, Kim Yusin himself knew this and had been desperately hiding his secret, but that was over now.

His master had been sentenced to death. If anyone thought he would just slink away quietly, they were gravely mistaken.

At the very least, he intended to land a proper blow on Kim Yusin, the root cause of this entire mess.

A short while later, the speeches began.

First came a statement from Association President Hong Yul, followed by speeches from the big shots of the foundation that supported the Association, politicians, the mayor of Seoul, and various guild masters.

Secretary Ahn checked his watch. Only one speech remained before it was the Dungeon Research Society’s turn.

The emcee raised his voice.

“Next up! The organization that develops Korea’s cutting-edge hunting devices! Please welcome Chairman Jo Min-geun of the Association’s Research Foundation!”

Thunderous applause erupted from the audience. Secretary Ahn clapped along as he waited.

But then—

“…Huh?”

Everyone waited, but no one appeared on the stage. In the silent hall, a low murmur began to spread.

“The Association Research Foundation has been going through a lot this year for various reasons.”

The voice didn’t come from the stage, but from the tables.

“We had the unprecedented situation of the Association President changing twice, and on top of that, the Alchemia controversy.”

People turned toward the source of the voice.

Someone was walking forward with a microphone in hand.

’…Kim Yusin!’

Secretary Ahn’s face went ashen.

“I feel infinitely responsible for all of that. So I have come here today to clear up the controversy surrounding Alchemia.”

Amid the murmuring of the crowd, Yusin stepped onto the stage.

“The process by which potions are made, the place they are made, the manufacturing methods and ingredients—none of this has been disclosed, so it is only natural that the public feels uneasy. I will now reveal that secret. However, before that, there is something I must disclose to you first.”

Yusin took a deep breath, then stared solemnly into the camera.

“I, Kim Yusin, am in possession of the Otherworldly Ruin known as the Magic Tower.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep