CH 24

At this moment, Lee Se-hee and Jung Da-hyun had the same expression.

Those were the eyes I saw the most when I was the Blood Master. It was like they were looking at a madman.

“Non-arrest privilege...”

“Mr. Jun-ho, isn’t non-arrest privilege granted only to members of the National Assembly?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Immunity from arrest, how beautiful those words alone were.

“There were so many inconveniences while working as a government hunter and arresting villains. The team leader here helped me with some of them, but--- ah, never mind. There were too many restrictions, and I felt like I needed a way to protect myself if I made a mistake.”

“Immunity from arrest isn’t anything special, but it’s not going to be easy, because giving it to a Level 8 superhuman is like giving them a legal license to kill.”

Lee Se-hee shook her head.

“It would have been easier if you pursued personal gain. Money is money, honor is honor. But immunity from arrest privilege...”

“Will it be difficult?”

“The art of negotiation is push and pull. It’s not impossible if the circumstances are conducive. If Mr. Jun-ho is worth a lot and the government is in a hurry.”

The simplest method came to mind, but I erased it.

Meanwhile, Lee Se-hee, who had been lost in thought, spoke up.

“Maybe it’s a good thing that Mr. Jun-ho became a government hunter. Maybe the immunity from arrest is also a key point.”

“Why?”

“Mr. Jun-ho is not exactly normal, right? Both in terms of thinking and skills.”

“Exactly.”

I had a lot of things I wanted to say in retort, but Jung Da-hyun’s fierce response next to me prevented me from doing so.

“Rather, because you belong to a government organization, it was possible to stop at excessive suppression. If you were affiliated with a guild, there would have been numerous clashes. Perhaps you might have been detained? The NSA, as well as the capable figure of Director Jung Ju-ho, was protecting you as much as possible.”

It seems like Jung Ju-ho’s plea about his hair thinning because of me was true, after all. Actually, his hair was already thin to begin with, and I hadn’t noticed the difference, but it seemed like I was rubbing salt on the wound, so I stayed quiet.

“So, if you want to belong within a government organization with authority, your current position is not a bad right now, but you can’t just stay still.”

“Level 8.”

“Yes. Powerful authority and being a low-level government official are incompatible. You have to make a choice. Either stay quiet and keep the authority at a distance or reveal yourself and demand what you want confidently.”

Things were starting to make sense.

Our eyes met and Lee Se-hee gave me a refreshing smile.

“Part of me wants to get you to quit your job as a government hunter and bring you into the guild using the best treatment, but I’m afraid you would just suddenly crush my head.”

“I don’t crush heads just because.”

“It’s scarier because I can’t figure out your criteria.”

Lee Se-hee said, pursing her lips.

“The Red Snake in this operation is a superhuman past his prime. Even if they pretend otherwise, the government is wary due to their possession of a Level 8 superhuman ability. The fact that the Red Snake can act with impunity is also due to the absence of a successor and the government’s alignment with their motives. But if a young superhuman in his twenties shows up right now, then it’s obvious who the government will choose."

“It means I should take the initiative.”

“Yes. Act as if you have no strong attachment to being a government hunter.”

“Why?”

“Because then your value will skyrocket. The government will try to understand Mr. Jun-ho’s conditions and negotiate. Non-arrest privilege? Depending on how desperate the government is, it could be possible.”

With that, Lee Se-hee said that my appearance would draw the attention of the whole world.

“Even if it’s not the government, there are multiple options. You can join a large guild, go solo, or even choose to go abroad as a last resort. There are many things you can do if you don’t cling to non-arrest privileges.”

“Thanks for the advice. It’s definitely something I wouldn’t have thought of.”

It was the kind of advice that only Lee Se-hee, who was well versed in government and guild interests and the politics of many countries around the world, could give.

“I’m glad you find it helpful. If I may offer further assistance, please invite the Sacred Guild as an observing organization during the Level 8 assessment. Since Yoon-hee is also a member of the guild, we can provide the background support.”

“That way, I can also gain the background of a potential ally.”

“Please consider this as a small favor.”

Lee Se-hee said with a bright smile. As I didn’t have any negative thoughts, I nodded in agreement.

After finishing the meeting, I stepped outside. It was a highly beneficial time, even though it was recommended by Jung Da-hyun and not something I thought of myself.

Utilizing my abilities appropriately to gain maximum benefits. Whether it was the method of treating after subduing villains or this, Lee Se-hee’s advice left a deep impression on me.

“Thanks to Ms. Da-hyun. It was very informative.”

“I’m glad it was helpful. If it’s not too much trouble, can I ask you for one more favor?”

“Sure.”

“Next time we meet, please feel free to call me informally.”

“...”

“Just call me Da, Da-hyun, like this.”

Wasn’t it uncomfortable to use informal language?

Not knowing the meaning behind it, I looked at Jung Da-hyun’s face, and what I saw in her eyes was a surprised expression, as if she had said something unintentionally.

“It’s just that I treat Se-hee so casually, but I’m so formal when it comes to you, so it might seem like I look stiff. There’s no other meaning. Well then, I’ll be going now. See you tomorrow.”

Jung Da-hyun disappeared without giving me a chance to respond.

***

“After capturing the Berserker and Puppeteer, I will proceed with the level assessment.”

My words did not particularly surprise Jung Ju-ho.

“... Is it because of the Red Snake?”

“There’s no need to hide anymore, and I want to be treated fairly, according to my abilities.”

“If it’s about treatment, I’ll try to accommodate it as much as possible. What do you want?”

Considering Lee Se-hee’s reaction when I mentioned the non-arrest privilege, I decided not to tell about it to Jung Ju-ho, sensing that it might burst his bubble.

“I will reveal it after my level assessment.”

“You’re making me even more curious. Well, you’re truly an odd one. At your age, most people go crazy over money or women, but not you. I’m already getting a headache thinking about what to give you. Well, I guess it’s the negotiators who will have to deal with this dilemma. I’ll enjoy watching it.”

Would he still smile when the non-arrest privilege was revealed?

Hmm, honestly, I still didn’t understand why Lee Se-hee or Jung Da-hyun were surprised. It seemed like the perfect privilege for me.

Anyway, I decided not to reveal it because Jung Ju-ho’s reaction might be serious.

The role of the reserve team in capturing the Berserker and Puppeteer was simple.

They would take turns setting up an encirclement network in conjunction with the existing Villain Response Team, and they would take over if the main force took a major hit or had an anomaly.

Their operational areas were southern Gyeonggi and Incheon.

Initially, they moved back and forth between the two areas, but after establishing the encirclement, they slowly converged in Incheon, and a week later, they succeeded in pushing the two villains into the Namdong District.

No, it would be correct to say that the two moved in that direction on their own.

“The Berserker and Puppeteer have appeared.”

“The main force encounters the Puppeteer! The battle has begun.”

The Puppeteer was a Level 7 villain known more for his immortality than his combat prowess.

The main stage of this battle was the confrontation between Kim Yong-hwan and the Berserker. But could he fight properly with his arm broken like that? It’s not an easy injury to recover from.

After a while, news of their clash also came up.

[If you’re not reading this at wyrdtranslations.blogspot.com, then you’re reading it at some aggregate site. Try to read it at the translator’s site to help them.]

“Minister Kim Yong-hwan has encountered the Berserker! The battle has begun.”

“Stay in your positions. Wait for the results before moving. And Choi Jun-ho.”

Jung Ju-ho, who was giving instructions, called me separately.

“Yes?”

“You’re a black agent, so I’ll give you the authority to move individually. Assess the situation and act accordingly. Why do you look at me like that?”

“I just felt it’s unexpected.”

“Because if I were to spare you, the sacrifice would be greater. Feel free to go wild. Just bring me their heads.”

“Understood.”

For now, I chose to hold my position.

“Aren’t you going?”

“I think I’ll only be a hindrance at the moment, so I’ll observe the situation and act accordingly.”

“...I thought you’d be the first to move, thinking you wouldn’t miss anything. Surprising.”

Instead of replying, I just smiled.

Jung Ju-ho knew that my target was the Berserker. Now that Kim Yong-hwan was there, he thought the Berserker was going to be defeated.

But if it’s the Berserker I knew, the outcome of this confrontation would be different from what they expected.

It wasn’t long before the situation started to change.

***

Finally facing the Berserker, Kim Young-hwan didn’t doubt his defeat for a second.

This Level 7 madman was not his opponent in the first place. The injury to his hand was annoying, but it was a minor factor.

You son of a bitch, I’ll kill you once the mission is over.

He burned with anger at Choi Jun-ho for casually talking shit to him.

He had already killed him thousands of times in his imagination.

However, the moment he clashed swords with the Berserker for the first time, he couldn’t help but stop those thoughts. The Force that surpassed his imagination penetrated his arm along with the sword.

As a result, it burst open the wounds that had barely healed.

“Grooaaah!”

Even if that wasn’t the case, the Berserker’s skill was on a different level.

The world had misunderstood the Berserker.

“Re, reorganization...”

“The old snake’s got his head in the sand.”

Berserker tenaciously bit into Kim Yong-hwan, who was trying to retreat, and started overpowering him. At first, Kim Yong-hwan resisted tightly, but after about a hundred strikes, his injuries worsened dramatically, and he eventually lost his grip on the sword.

“How petty. Is this the Red Snake that used to spread its wings in South Korea?”

“Berserker, you were hiding your true strength!”

“Everyone has a trick up their sleeve. Even the Red Snake has upped his game several notches during our exchange.”

Kim Yong-hwan gritted his teeth. Berserker’s skill surpassed his expectations, but if it weren’t for the clash that had happened a few days ago, he wouldn’t have been so miserably defeated.

“Choi Jun-ho, if it weren’t for that bastard!”

Knowing that he was already talkative due to his declining strength, Kim Yong-hwan hid the fact of his injuries and used recovery medicine. However, the persistent Force of the opponent, who dug in so tenaciously, slowed down his recovery.

Berserker, who was listening, glimmered with his eyes.

“Choi Jun-ho? Are you talking about the Head Breaker?”

“Die!”

Kim Yong-hwan rushed forward, clutching his sword with his relatively undamaged left hand, but Berserker easily deflected him. When he had reached Level 8 and was endlessly seeking to fully utilize his strength, the old superhuman hadn’t been much of a threat.

Soon, a powerful sword strike, far more formidable than before, swept over Kim Yong-hwan.

“Wait, wait a moment!”

Kim Yong-hwan, completely overwhelmed, desperately tried to speak, but Berserker’s sword didn’t stop.

Crack!

If it was a hole in his side, it could be a medal of victory. However, Kim Yong-hwan’s throat was cut instead.

As the headless corpse fell, the Berserker murmured calmly .

“It is a triviality unworthy of a glorious death.”

The old, decrepit man had no shining talent. One would think that a Level 8 superhuman would be more inspiring, but it was just wishful thinking.

With Kim Yong-hwan dead, the siege was quickly broken.

After a while, the Puppeteer revealed himself to the Berserker.

“Amazing. Even though he’s old, you still manage to kill the Red Snake.”

“It wasn’t a big deal. It’s overrated.”

“Hehe, only you would say such things. Now, shall we go catch the Head Breaker?”

The Berserker shook his head.

“In order to savor the thrill, I must also be prepared. I will treat my injuries and then go.”

The Head Breaker, rumored to be Level 7.

Curiosity about him filled the Berserker’s mind instead.

How did a Level 7 inflict injuries on Kim Yong-hwan?

Although it turned into a trivial competition because of that, his anticipation for the Head Breaker was boundless.

“Well then, I shall go and witness the spectacle.”

“Is that corpse useless?”

“After its prime has long passed, reinforcing it would only make it break quickly. Young and fresh bodies or well-trained ones are better. Like you.”

In response to the Puppeteer’s quick glance, the Berserker replied calmly.

“If you want to die, come at me.”

“Kekeke, I can’t do that. I don’t want to die yet. The joining date for the League is approaching, so I have to collect as many dolls as possible until then. You go and do your own thing.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to the southern part of Gyeonggi Province. Those fools from the large guilds are still hunting. I have to make them pay the price for being blinded by money. Kekeke!”

The Puppeteer looked at the list of hunting teams the puppets had compiled, then turned to leave.

Berserker, watching, tended to his wound and left.

***

When I arrived, Kim Yong-hwan was already dead.

“He couldn’t even escape and just died. I thought I could finish him off with my own hands.”

I never had any intention of saving Kim Yong-hwan. His head was already blown off when I arrived. It would be less painful than dying by my hand. This was already a blessed death for him.

After sorting through the bodies, I stopped to track down the Berserker.

The location tracker I gave to Yoon-hee was sending a signal.

“......”

I focused on the Force contained in the location tracker Yoon-hee possessed.

It would be difficult to determine the exact location with a regular location tracker, but what I gave her was special.

A slight pain tingled in my temple, and along with the sensation of my entire body trembling, the Force covered my eyes. A Gift that allowed me to perceive where my Force was present.

Clairvoyance.

I could see Yoon-hee with the location tracker.

And the puppets swarming around her. Yoon-hee was in danger.

I immediately headed to where Yoon-hee was.