“Who is it?!”
Kim Yong-hwan’s horizontally slashed eyes swept the room.
The government hunters who met his eyes couldn’t withstand his momentum and quickly stepped aside, making way for me to naturally face Kim Yong-hwan.
“I think you’re getting old, so why don’t you retire and go home to rest?”
“Is that your last will?”
“I’ve heard of wills, but I’ve never made one. And...”
I smiled while looking at Kim Yong-hwan.
“For a guy who talks about sacrifice, I’ve never seen you sacrifice yourself.”
“How dare you!”
Unable to contain his anger, Kim Yong-hwan reached out. It was a surprise attack, the kind that probably had caught quite a few people before, even without his primary weapon, a sword.
“Minister!”
Before the astonished Jung Da-hyun’s voice could disperse, Kim Yong-hwan’s right hand reached my face.
Thud!
I lightly flicked away Kim Yong-hwan’s hand and reached out to grab his collar. Kim Yong-hwan twisted his body, pushing my hand away with his left hand and swung his right hand with all his might. As I caught his hand, it clashed with my gripping strength like a coiling snake.
Clang!
A powerful explosion resounded as our Force intertwined. The hunters who were observing the situation retreated in fear. I tried to let go, but Kim Yong-hwan didn’t release me and engaged in a contest of strength.
He may be able to take me down with his overwhelming amount of Force, but it would be suicidal to try to fight me with all of my experience, Force, and Gifts.
Crackle!
The surrounding air trembled, and a powerful shockwave spread in all directions.
It didn’t take long for the balance of power to become evident.
For a brief moment, Kim Yong-hwan managed to hold his ground on equal footing, but it didn’t take long before he reached his limits, and his face began to flush with frustration.
“Ugh!”
“...”
Crushing the Force that was stirring inside me, I thought to myself.
What should I do? Should I finish it like this? It’s an easy task for me to bring an end to someone like Kim Yong-hwan, who was in the midst of aging and could barely exert half of his strength in his prime.
In the past, I would have killed him without hesitation.
However, considering the situation where the operation had been planned, I decided to be lenient and give him a chance.
“Get down on your knees and apologize, and I’ll let you off the hook.”
“...Bastard!”
Wasn’t sparing his life already very generous of me?
If the other party didn’t accept it, then I had no choice but to handle it.
Kwadddd!
As the power of my landmine Gift began to penetrate his bones, Kim Yong-hwan’s eyes trembled.
He was struggling to withstand the pressure using his accumulated Force, but it was only that. His bones were being twisted, and if it progressed further, they would shatter into pieces, turning to dust.
Kim Young-hwan’s face turned bright red.
“Haha! Minister! That’s enough for now. Choi Jun-ho, you too.”
Jung Ju-ho stepped in the middle, separating me from Kim Yong-hwan.
I thought about going further, but I saw Jung Ju-ho’s dazzling movements and obediently backed down.
After all, his pride had been shattered, and his arms were virtually useless.
“It seems there may have been a misunderstanding.”
“You’re saying that after hearing what he just said?”
Struggling to support his weak arm, Kim Yong-hwan shouted. Jung Joo-ho’s face showed a pitiful expression.
“Do you not know that kids these days don’t listen? He doesn’t listen to me either, and the minister’s request is actually quite problematic.”
“What?”
“There are ways to catch both the Berserker and the Puppeteer with minimal damage. As long as the Minister is willing to do everything in his power.”
“......”
Kim Yong-hwan shut his mouth, openly criticizing the plan that aimed to conserve energy and minimize mistakes.
“We all work with a sense of mission, but it’s not easy when you dig a hole for people to die and tell us to jump into it. I need the Minister to go the extra mile.”
With those words, Jung Ju-ho looked at Kim Yong-hwan. If he had been smiling with a friendly smile a moment ago, he now wore the face of the director of the National Security Agency who would protect his subordinate’s life to the death.
Kim Yong-hwan, who had been looking around and pursing his lips, turned his body.
“...I’ve lost my appetite. Do as you wish!”
“Thank you!”
Jung Ju-ho shouted after Kim Young-hwan as he walked out. Relieved, he looked at me and his eyes split horizontally, just like Kim Yong-hwan earlier.
“Phew! Everyone except Choi Jun-ho, get out!”
The National Security Agency hunters, who were hesitating for a moment, left the conference room.
“What the hell were you thinking?”
Did he find out that I was trying to kill that old man? Indeed, the director had a sharp sense.
“I’m not going to kill him though--”
“He’s always been greedy, and this is his way of establishing himself. It was reckless, but thanks to you, we don’t have to make a pointless sacrifice.”
Hmm? I guess we weren’t on the same page. I realized that, too, so I didn’t finish my sentence, but nodded in acceptance.
“Well, even so, aim to be recognized as Level 8. Then the government won’t be able to say anything. The best way right now is to do it in moderation. You know?”
“That’s what I’m doing now.”
“Don’t lie.”
Seriously, if I hadn’t been doing it in moderation, I would have just snapped that old man’s neck.
Lately, it seems like there’s no one who understood my sincerity.
“To be honest, I feel like there are too many people telling me not to do this or that.”
“That’s how an organization is maintained.”
“It’s difficult.”
“Even at home, your parents tell you not to do this and not to do that. I mean, why do I have to teach you this in the first place? Am I your babysitter?”
“I think you’d be great at babysitting.”
“I have no intention of doing it. Get out.”
I felt as if I were being chased out as I walked outside. The gaze of the National Security Agency hunters, each occupied with their own tasks, gathered upon me. Was it because I caught Kim Yong-hwan like a captured prey? Their eyes were different from before. In the midst of that, Jung Da-hyun approached me, her face filled with worry.
“Mr. Junho, can you spare me a moment?”
“Sure.”
We headed towards the café on the first floor. As the drinks arrived, Jung Da-hyun fidgeted with the mug in her hands and hesitated, then lowered her head to me.
“I’m sorry.”
“What do you mean?”
“I should have raised my objections first as someone with a higher position. But you ended up doing it instead.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“No, Minister Kim Yong-hwan is a narrow-minded person, and since he clashed with Mr. Jun-ho, he’s going to take revenge.”
The word “revenge” held the same level of gravity for me as the word “suicide.”
No one who came to me for revenge ever came back alive.
There was no reason for me to be concerned about the irritating old man who would possibly come to kill me.
“How do you define revenge?”
“It can take various forms. Until now, he’s been known to be quite vocal about ambition and malicious intentions. There’s a high possibility that he will try to hinder your work or promotion.”
“It seems like none of it will have any impact.”
After receiving recovery medicine from Lee Se-hee, the incidents of excessive oppression noticeably decreased, and I had no ambition for promotion.
However, I do wonder if I should be treated according to my skills rather than being kept quiet as a Grade 9 government hunter.
“I’m sorry, but this isn’t my area of expertise, so it’s not easy for me to help Mr. Jun-ho.”
“It’s okay.”
“But I believe Se-hee can provide advice for Jun-ho.”
“Team leader Lee Se-hee?”
“Se-hee is exceptional as an awakened individual and also has great capabilities, exerting the most influence within the Sacred Guild. How about talking to Se-hee?”
In the eyes of Jung Da-hyun, directed at me, there was a mix of apology and concern.
It didn’t really matter.
However, if Lee Se-hee, who was talented and capable, could help me with the concerns I currently had, it might be worth seeking her for advice.
It wouldn’t hurt to ask for guidance once.
“Understood.”
“I will contact Se-hee and let you know.”
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