SHOWR 09

Chapter 09

“Hmm……? Sunbae listened to me well? When?”

At Unni’s incomprehensible words, my eyelids slowly closed and opened.

“Maybe you’re the only one who doesn’t know? That he only listened to what you said?”

I rolled my eyes and tried to recall our days at the training center, but no particular scene came to mind. It’s not like I was close to Sunbae, and I don’t think we even exchanged more than a few words.

“Anyway, even you can’t see him, so how am I supposed to meet him? You said he’s stuck on the top floor of the Hunter Association?”

“You know how every February the kids from our training center hold an alumni reunion, right!? He’ll come too, if you come.”

“To the reunion…… you want me to go?”

“Ah, please! Please! I know you hate going to the reunion, but do you think I’d be like this for no reason?”

At the word reunion, a sigh slipped out on its own.

After all, I know that the kids who used to bully me back when I attended the training center show up to the reunion every year.

“Even in a situation like this, they’re still holding a reunion?”

“When has a hunter ever cared about that? A fly-like life that might die tomorrow—better to enjoy today.”

As I hesitated, Unni suddenly dropped to her knees right in front of me and begged, kneeling on those expensive knees of hers.

“I already told Kang Jinseo that you’re coming too! If you don’t come, I’m seriously ruined!”

“You already told Sunbae?!”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah! You know how long I worked to recruit him. He said he’d rather die than enter the entertainment industry, so I even founded a guild!”

“……Just because I go, would Sunbae really come to a reunion he hasn’t attended even once all this time?”

“I can bet everything on it.”

As far as I know, Sunbae has never attended a single reunion since graduating from the training center. I don’t think he even keeps in touch with any classmates.

So what on earth was her basis for being so certain he’d come? I truly couldn’t understand that confident expression on Nara Unni’s face.

“You’ll come, right? You’ll come, right?”

It wasn’t a request I particularly liked, but it was the first favor Nara Unni had ever asked of me, so I had no intention of refusing. Considering the debt I owe her, I could grant this kind of request ten times over.

“……Okay.”

“Thank you! You lucky charm!”

Unni covered her mouth with her hand, barely suppressing her cheers, then glanced at her wristwatch and jumped in shock.

“Ahh, I’m going to miss my flight. Make sure you eat well! You’ve lost even more weight than last time.”

I hurriedly called out to Unni as she reached for the doorknob.

“Ah, Unni!”

“Yeah?”

“Wait, just one minute!”

I dashed into the workshop and took out a spray-type empty bottle. I wanted to give Unni the floral water left over from making oil earlier as a gift.

I always felt sorry toward Unni, like a sinner indebted to her, so this felt like good timing.

Especially since the effect granted to the floral water seemed like something she would really like.

“Here, take this!”

I was extremely happy to give the first product I made using my skill to the person I like the most.

“It’s dry on the plane, so use it as a mist.”

Unni quickly opened the cap, took in the scent, and smiled brightly.

“Lavender?!”

“Yeah, yeah. You like it.”

“Thank you, my little sister. I’ll use it well!”

“I made it in a hurry, so there’s not much. If you need more, tell me.”

“You’re always giving me gifts. It’s fine.”

“No, this time it’ll be a little different.”

I waved lightly at Unni as she left the shop.

At the same time, the top floor of the Korea Hunter Association building.

Even though the sun had risen, the bedroom was blocked by curtains, not a single ray of light entering.

The air in the bedroom felt heavy and still. There was no furniture except a large bed in the center, and surrounding it were rows of state-of-the-art medical equipment.

Thin tubes extending from the machines were connected to the man lying on the bed—his arms, legs, neck, even his forehead.

The liquid flowing through the tubes was transparent with a faint blue tint, sparkling subtly like the Milky Way in the night sky.

The identity of this liquid moving throughout his body along his veins was holy water from a hunter known as an S-class healer and Saint.

It is known to temporarily halt the progression of mana intoxication by clearing out mana residue accumulated in blood and muscles.

Because of that, the price of holy water is whatever the seller asks.

The reason this man can pour such holy water all over his body is none other than the fact that he is Kang Jinseo, the S-class hunter who supports South Korea.

Wiiing— Wiiing— Beep— Beep—.

The room was filled with the low hum of machines. The faint blue glow from the monitors cast a pale light over Kang Jinseo’s face.

With his eyes closed, a painful crease formed between his brows.

The stronger he became, the deeper his mana intoxication grew, becoming shackles he could never escape, gnawing at his body and mind.

“Ugh…….”

Afterimages of gates poured into his mind like lightning. The cries of horrific monsters, the pain of flesh being torn, the suffocating tension and pressure.

They all revived vividly at any moment, hacking apart his sanity.

At that moment, the clock announced 7 a.m.

The curtains covering one wall automatically split open to both sides, letting the morning sunlight flood into the room.

Jinseo, who had been trapped in a nightmare, barely regained his senses and groggily opened his eyes.

“Ha……”

As he let out a breath and pulled out the needle, his face was covered in cold sweat.

When he sat up, the thin blanket covering his upper body slipped down, revealing his well-built muscles.

The deep and large scars crossing his sides and back, along with countless other big and small wounds, told the story of his life.

Then, the composed voice of artificial intelligence echoed in the room.

–An urgent summons from the Association President’s office.

At the same time, the television screen turned on. Breaking news was being broadcast.

[Representatives from 20 countries and leaders of famous guilds around the world have visited the Korean Hunter Association and are staging a sit-in, demanding the immediate announcement of support plans. It is not an official visit schedule…….]

“I told them not to summon me today.”

–It is such an urgent matter that the President asked me to convey his apologies.

A faint frown formed between Jinseo’s brows. He repeatedly clenched and unclenched his right hand as if it felt uncomfortable.

It was because he had solo-cleared an AA-grade gate the day before and had spent several hours consuming mana inside a maze gate.

Mana intoxication manifests differently for each person. In Jinseo’s case, it appeared as paralysis in the extremities.

Only now was his body reacting—his mind had long since collapsed.

Yet there was another reason he had endured until now.

“Tell them to wait until I’m ready.”

–Yes, understood.

Jinseo got out of bed and walked to the large full-window that occupied one wall, looking outside. Beyond the wide window overlooking Seoul’s landscape, he could see the Hunter Training Center where he had grown up.

He had never had a habit of looking out the window, yet every time he woke up, he stood before it—because of someone who had lived in that building below.

Jinseo slowly inhaled and exhaled.

As if he had become that little kid from long ago, who used to secretly watch the green trees outside and the small shoulders rising and falling gently.

After checking the time once more, Jinseo entered the shower room.

A short while later, fully prepared to go out, he boarded the elevator that went directly to the President’s office.

Even though his actions were no different from usual, a shallow crease remained between his brows.

It was due to the headache he had been feeling since the moment he woke up.

The artificial intelligence installed in the elevator detected his abnormal state.

–It seems you are experiencing a headache. Tranquilizers are accompanied by side effects, including headaches. You have exceeded the currently recommended level.

“Get me a prescription for something stronger.”

–Higher dosages require consultation with a doctor.

“……Make an appointment.”

–I will request an appointment with Director Sung.

Jinseo headed toward the conference room where the President was waiting.

As soon as President Maeng Seokwoo, who had been pacing anxiously in front of the door, spotted him, he hurried over.

“N-no matter how much I told them to wait……! They barged in, insisting on bringing you in, so I had no choice. You understand, right? It’s not like I wanted to stop you from resting.”

“…….”

“Could you just go in and say you’re reviewing the proposals? Nothing else, absolutely nothing else. Okay?”

“Sure.”

As Jinseo entered the conference room, dozens of pairs of eyes turned toward him.

The once noisy hall fell silent in an instant, and Jinseo twisted his lips into a faint smile.

Seeing the desperate gazes of the countries that usually belittled Korea and its hunters and treated them unfairly—he couldn’t hold back his laughter even if he tried.

Jinseo opened his mouth.

“We’ll start with the country that makes the best offer.”

“W-what? The whole world is on the brink of collapse, and you’re trying to make money off this?”

It was the representative from China.

Apparently, he didn’t remember openly bringing up money when Korea had once requested support during an emergency.

Jinseo stared at the Chinese representative and replied concisely.

“The one in a hurry isn’t Korea.”

Everyone’s mouths fell open.

Kang Jinseo, who was called a gate-conquering machine and would rush anywhere there was a gate—he was saying something like this!

Representatives from various countries, who had thought they could obtain Korea’s help at a cheap price, swallowed hard.

“S-so are you saying countries without money should just die from dungeon breaks?!”

“A good offer doesn’t necessarily mean money.”

“Then……?”

“It could be cheap knees.”

The room once again fell silent, as if doused in ice water