Chapter 68 – 22. Korea Hunter Association Headquarters (2)
‘What. I can’t believe you’re so obedient…’
The life I had just a little while ago was gone.
And instead, the hunters who had been wary of me just a moment ago looked apologetic.
Judging by the energy felt, there were hunters of S rank or higher. They bowed their heads to me politely.
The receptionist also looked at me and apologized.
“Sorry. These days, terrorist attacks by villains have increased significantly. “Please understand.”
She lowered her head and then looked at my business card again.
“It’s definitely the chairman’s business card. “I will contact the Chairman’s office immediately.”
Hunters around me also looked at the business card with surprise.
“The Chairman’s business card… There are a lot of rumors, but I never thought there would be a hunter who actually received it.”
“Since you retired from the field, you haven’t shown much interest in active hunters. “It’s my first time seeing it in real life.”
“It’s my first time seeing a hunter, but I can’t believe I received the president’s business card. “Maybe he’s someone with skills you can’t even imagine.”
I knew it was something of some value, though.
It’s such a rare item that even the association headquarters is making a fuss. It was surprising again.
‘But. To the hunters at headquarters, the chairman must be even more like a mountain.’
Among countless hunters, the highest is the special gathering of 20 hunters in the sky.
Among those SS-level hunters, he is the president of the Korean Hunter Association. Kwon Jun-seong has reigned at the top for a long time.
As he withdrew from the scene, the number one position was taken by the guild leader of the Helios Guild.
I naturally fell for Jeong Ha-eun’s father, Jeong Yong-hyeon.
Anyway, I also acknowledged that he was the strongest.
‘It was amazing. Even in Arnster, such a strong person was rare.’
I became a hunter and spent a year on the American Southern Front.
After returning to Korea from the southern front, I had the chance to briefly meet with Kwon Jun-seong. The business card I have now was also received at that time.
After waiting for a while, someone came out directly from the chairman’s office.
A young woman who appeared to be her secretary guided me.
“Sorry. Mr. Eric Becker. Mr. Becker’s appointment was already scheduled. “Recently, an assassin-type villain has been appearing frequently at our headquarters, so I had no choice but to bother Mr. Becker like this.”
The secretary bowed to me.
If Kwon Jun-seong is the secretary, he will have a big position in the hunter world and politics in the future.
But that secretary was also polite to me.
‘That’s unexpected.’
Even though I have an appointment with the chairman. I am an unknown hunter. Still, there was nothing particularly bad about that polite attitude.
Perhaps for security reasons, the route to the president’s office was quite complicated.
After completing all the procedures, we finally reached the 120th floor. Arrived at the chairman’s office.
When I entered, three people were already there.
“Instructor Eric is here.”
And a familiar face, Professor Cho Hyeong-jun, head of the Department of Swordsmanship, spoke.
Ryan was with him at the reception table. Unusually for Ryan, his sitting posture was very polite.
He was the one who proudly sat with his feet crossed even in front of high-ranking American politicians.
Across from him is a man who has passed middle age and is entering old age.
Kwon Jun-seong, the president of the Korea Hunter Association, was there. The chairman recognized me and opened his mouth.
“Right. “A hero from the American Southern Front has arrived.”
At those words, I glanced at Ryan.
The person who was called the hero of the Southern Front in the media was my friend and colleague Ryan.
Why do you use that title towards me? It might have been a little unpleasant for him.
“Also!! The Chairman also recognizes this. “It is not I, but Eric, who is the true hero of the Southern Front.”
However, he instead supported the chairman’s words.
I sat with them feeling a little embarrassed.
***
The American Southern Front was one of the fiercest battlefields even in hunter history.
The eastern polluted zone of Korea feels like a very easy dungeon group. That place was full of super high-level magic beasts.
The boss of that place was an unprecedented SS+ level demon that surpassed even the SS level.
More than 100 S-class or higher hunters participated in the boss raid.
If victory was not achieved on that front.
The prevailing view among hunters was that even the United States, the world’s greatest hegemon, may have disappeared from the map.
Of course, even if the battle ended in victory. The damage was so severe that the United States could not recover its former national power.
Since then, the reputation of a hegemonic country has passed to what is now the Republic of Korea.
“Eric Becker, without you, victory would have been impossible in the battle to attack the SS-class demon beast.”
And Chairman Kwon Jun-seong spoke to me as if recalling the story of the southern front.
Even though he wasn’t on the battlefield.
An emergency security meeting of 20 people. I knew everything that happened on the southern front through the post-processing meetings of that great battle.
“Although I saw you fighting on video. To be honest, even now I can’t believe your skills. “It was a battle that completely shattered the preconceptions of hunters who believed that the hierarchy of the awakened was absolute.”
As he said. At that time, due to the aftereffects of the transference, I could not use the Demon Manahat.
So, we participated in the final raid together as a 3rd tier.
“Really… Hunters who can throw themselves to that extent without being crushed by the magical energy emitted by that SS-class demon and without even being afraid of death are rare, even in the sky of 20.”
When Chairman Kwon Jun-seong kept praising me, I felt embarrassed.
Professor Cho Hyeong-jun also found out about my activities late. And Ryan, whom I already knew, was also looking at me with an expression full of awe, which honestly embarrassed me.
“It’s not like that. Ryan here has drained all of that demon’s power. “I only got one last hit.”
“What are you talking about! Even the SS-class hunter who was with us at that time couldn’t enter the dead zone created by that demon! You were the only hunter who penetrated that final murder! Really… It was because you risked your life that you cut off that damned demon beast’s head!”
Professor Cho Hyeong-jun joined in on what Ryan and I said.
“Instructor Eric looks the same as I saw at Nova Academy. I found out about the story of the Southern Front only late… But with that level of performance, I can be proud of myself as a hunter. But to be this humble…”
My face grew hotter at those words.
To be honest, it is true that I caught that witch.
But at that time, I had no will to live in this world. A world without Iris is like hell to me.
So, I went into battle with an attitude that was completely different from what Chairman Kwon Jun-seong and Ryan meant.
‘At that time, it didn’t mean much to me whether I lived or died.’
In other words, I had an extreme sense of futility and had no attachment to life.
It is true that I threw myself into it without fear. The determination was completely different. It wasn’t for the greater good at all.
Well, if only for the sake of my colleagues at the time.
A meaningless life. I thought it would be okay to throw it once, so I charged at the beast.
But, back then, I threw everything away.
Rather, he ended up throwing away the results he achieved during the time of the mercenary kings.
“Hmm. Anyway, there’s no need to talk too much about the past. And Ryan has a much higher number of actual kills, so Ryan is better suited as the hero of the Southern Front than me.”
“Oh… I thought that too the last time I saw it. These days, it’s not easy to find a hunter who has both skill and humility like Eric. “One of the two is always missing.”
You misunderstood me like that again. Fortunately, the conversation got to the point.
“Anyway, you are all busy people. As Eric said, let’s leave the past behind. “More than anything, I have something to say quickly.”
Everyone’s expressions became serious at those words.
Professor Cho Hyeong-jun lifted the glasses he was wearing with his fingertips.
“As expected… You’re talking about the Black Eclipse.”
“That’s right. Even in the world, they are known as a very dangerous group of villains. “There are very few people in the Hunter Association or major guilds who know the detailed story.”
The chairman’s expression became heavy.
“Everyone who knows about it is silent. Perhaps… That is the original sin of those who remain. Su-ah’s parents… People who don’t want the truth to be revealed. “There are probably more of them in today’s hunter world.”
Professor Cho Hyeong-jun continued after the Chairman’s remarks.
“If it’s Su-ah’s parents. Are you talking about what happened with Seo Sang-hyun and his wife?”
The chairman’s face became somber at the unexpected name.
“I see. And by chance, Eric, just like you, Hyeongjun, is at the Nova Academy where Suah is. “It feels like guidance from a goddess.”
And the Chairman started talking about the truth about the Black Eclipse.
The original demonic beast that first appeared in the Far East. Sua’s parents, who were members of the 20 Sky, risked their lives to kill that beast.
However, Black Eclipse was aiming for the resurrection of that demon beast.
***
The chairman finished speaking.
Although I knew it to some extent from the original work.
As expected, the purpose of Black Eclipse is to awaken the demonic beast.
“Thanks to that couple sacrificing their lives, we were able to defeat that demon beast. But even they could not completely destroy the demon beast.”
Although the body could be destroyed. Even the two strongest men in the Hunter history could not defeat that evil spirit.
So those two people sacrificed their souls and sealed them with a special magic tool.
‘That location wasn’t even mentioned in the original work.’
It is only known to be somewhere in the Far East. However, the chairman seemed to know the location. I listened to him over and over again.
“Even that couple’s noble sacrifice was a temporary measure.”
Even though it was necessary to deploy more troops than those deployed to the southern American front, it was necessary to deal with the aftermath.
Those in power at the time kept that fact a secret.
“Not only them, but the 20 Sky…Were exhausted from the battle that continued after the gate opened. No, it would be more correct to say that I was scared rather than tired. “They must have been afraid of death when they witnessed that primordial demon beast.”
It is said that even among them, opinions were sharply conflicting.
Chairman Kwon Jun-seong is, of course, the main preacher.
They argued that the soul of the original demon beast must be extinguished, even at the cost of their lives.
“But the main fighters, including me, were a minority. They have already become heroes of humanity. It means that you have more things. So, for now, I don’t want to risk my life against that primordial demon beast that succeeded in sealing me.”
The seal made by Su-a’s parents was not permanent.
It could have lasted at least several decades.
“So in the end, we decided to organize a large army to annihilate it later. In the end, it has become a blur now.”
And the truth has been thoroughly hidden by those in power.
The awakened troops they have are their power. So, they would have no intention of giving up that power for the sake of humanity.
However, the seal was already on the verge of collapsing.
“Black Eclipse found out about that. “They plan to bring chaos to the world with the enormous power of that demon.”
The Black Eclipse has been planning it for a long time.
Those forces have already deeply penetrated into the hunter world.
“I can no longer trust anyone. It’s clear that their people are already planted in major guilds. So I called you all together.”
And at the same time, the chairman’s eyes turned to me.
“Especially Eric. Although you have such great skills, you are a hunter who is not well known to the world. So, you can trust and talk about what will happen in the future.”
It was the story I was hoping for.
Although the main characters from the original work are definitely being developed. More helpers were needed.
‘A trustworthy helper too.’
I talked with the three of them about the future for several hours. The Chairman promised me considerable support as well as his assistants.
And by late afternoon, we finished talking. I left the Hunter Association headquarters.
‘It’s going to be very busy from now on.’
We have already reached the turning point of the original work.
It was time to get busier, if only to protect my descendants. There was also a villain that would have to be dealt with soon.
But first, I returned to Nova Academy and entered the general store.
“Oh. “Instructor Eric!”
And there were the clerk, Mr. Yeji, and the 13th Platoon’s saintess, Yoo Yena.
