Chapter 41: A Talent That Cannot Be Hidden, Kim Song-cheol (2)

“What kind of answer?”

Colt asked. He maintained a smirking expression throughout.

He seemed happy about the salary increase, but that was just his natural face.

It was also why he had been nicknamed the Jester.

“The Hunter from the Republic of Korea. Why didn’t you report him properly?”

“Ah.”

Colt scrunched his nose and shrugged, admitting to his lie.

“James, you know me too well. I came running as soon as I heard the words ‘salary increase.'”

“Just answer me.”

“But how did you find out? I didn’t think it was time for it to be revealed yet.”

James stared at Colt with a look of extreme displeasure before handing him a report that had been on the desk.

Colt read the report.

His smile deepened.

“Ha, there’s no room for excuses when something like this happens…”

“I asked you why.”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

Colt walked naturally over to one side of the Bureau Director’s office and picked up a bottle of whiskey.

The exquisite crystal bottle sparkled.

After pouring exactly one mouthful of whiskey into a glass, he spun around.

“I’m popular. You know that, right?”

” “

“I have hundreds of millions of followers. Everyone likes me. When I go out on the street, people go crazy asking for photos. I’ve never thought of it as a nuisance. I actually like it.”

James let out a silent sigh.

He urged Colt to continue with his eyes.

“But imagine that guy coming to the United States. Of course, I’m much more handsome… but how many of my followers would he take?”

“Just because of followers…”

“No, no, James. It’s about how he would take them. There’s only one way that guy could steal my followers. By becoming a Mage stronger than me.”

Colt downed the whiskey and continued.

“I am one of the strongest Mages in the world. I hate being second place. So… I’m saying I want to be at least the strongest Mage in the United States, haha.”

“You damn brat…”

“Don’t use such harsh words. It makes you look weak. Oh, wait, you actually are weak, aren’t you?”

Colt poured another glass of whiskey without James’s permission.

James’s expression contorted as if the sound of the liquid pouring was disgusting.

“….Is there anything else you’re hiding?”

“Well.”

“I suppose you want your salary cut? I heard the gap between you and Bane has narrowed significantly.”

Colt was the strongest Mage in the United States, but his salary wasn’t the highest.

This fact created a very subtle tension between Colt and the Hunter Bureau.

“Ah, I wouldn’t like that, haha. Am I hiding anything?”

“Yes.”

“Nothing.”

Colt smiled with his eyes. For a Westerner, his narrow eyes curved completely into crescents.

It was an expression that made his thoughts impossible to read.

‘I sent the completely wrong person.’

Normally, Colt Vangard’s work ethic was quite reliable.

He tried to do the jobs he was assigned. He also diligently earned Points.

But the compatibility was too poor.

To think Kim Song-cheol would trigger Colt’s insecurities.

“Well, my lie has been exposed… so what now? Are you going to kidnap him or something?”

“Nonsense.”

It was an absurd idea.

How could you make a Hunter work through simple kidnapping?

“Or maybe threaten him by taking his family hostage?”

“Why do you keep trying to drive a wedge between us?”

“No, it’s nothing like that, really. I was just suggesting an opinion.”

Colt raised both hands as if he were innocent and twirled around.

In fact, the idea of kidnapping the family of a 6th Circle Mage—or one who would soon reach it—was preposterous.

The moment he Teleported into the White House and blew everything up, it would be game over.

The agents who kidnapped the family would lose their chain of command.

In the end, the only way to bring a Hunter in was to give them what they wanted.

One had to negotiate with a teleporting bomb, not try to control it.

That was common sense.

“You did tell him clearly that we would give him as much money as he wanted, right?”

James asked.

“That’s why I said he’s not very bright. I told him how much money we’d give, but he didn’t even seem fazed. He’s clearly stupid, haha.”

“Did you really tell him clearly?”

“I told you I did.”

A brief moment of seriousness flashed through Colt’s laughter.

Rather than being subconscious, it was a sign he sent intentionally when he wanted to prove he was telling the truth.

One couldn’t trust it 100 percent, but it was at least somewhat believable.

James nodded and rubbed his forehead.

‘If it’s not money… then what is it?’

He couldn’t give up on Kim Song-cheol. Even excluding his personal desire to bring Kim Song-cheol in to spite Colt Vangard.

And it would be the same for other countries.

Hunters these days could be substituted for everything.

Not just money, but power as well.

Just as the United Kingdom’s influence in the international community was immense.

***

The 4th Circle Mage Hwang Ki-jin returned to Earth with his teammates.

It had been a fairly standard Dungeon, so there weren’t many difficulties.

After transmitting the Points they had earned, they stepped off the Portal Tablet.

“Anyone want to grab food?”

The Swordsman asked while taking off his outer coat.

Normally, they would have gone out for a team dinner, but they couldn’t today.

“I can’t. They said they’re distributing Magic Books today.”

“Ah, right. But can’t you just look at them after we eat?”

“If we learn one more Magic, it’s like gaining an extra life. We have to learn them as quickly as possible.”

Hwang Ki-jin was firm. The other Mages on the team felt the same way.

“What kind of Magic are they giving? Is it something great?”

“Who knows? I didn’t get a proper briefing. I assume they’ll give one for each Circle?”

“Really? Well, nothing we can do then. Let’s eat among ourselves. Beef? My treat?”

“Are you paying?”

“Geez, why are you like this between people with similar salaries?”

The Swordsmen chatted amongst themselves and left first.

Hwang Ki-jin finished changing clothes with the other Mages, packed his gear, and headed outside.

The location where the Magic Books were being distributed was the West Wing of the Center.

He didn’t know why it had to be the West Wing.

It was because Hwang Ki-jin hadn’t been distributed new Magic since becoming a Hunter.

He figured that’s just how it was.

Hwang Ki-jin entered the West Wing. Feeling the cool air typical of a building lobby, he headed toward Room 103 on the first floor.

That was where he had been told to go.

The moment Hwang Ki-jin opened the door to Room 103 and stepped inside, he couldn’t help but pause.

‘What is this?’

There were about ten bookshelves, and half of them were filled with books. The others were still being filled.

It wasn’t the sight Hwang Ki-jin had expected.

He had come in expecting maybe a few bound Magic Books.

“Are you Hunter Hwang Ki-jin?”

A researcher in a white coat asked, looking back and forth between a tablet and Hwang Ki-jin.

There were four or five others inside Room 103 besides that researcher.

“…Yes, I am.”

“You’re 4th Circle, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Take a look at the list first.”

The researcher held out the tablet. It contained a list of Magic categorized from 1st Circle to 4th Circle.

The other Mages were receiving similar lists.

On that list, more than 30 new Magics were listed for each Circle.

In the Republic of Korea, they usually possessed an average of about ten Magics per Circle.

The inventory had quadrupled in an instant, and even that was a curated selection. If they had actually laid out every single Magic, there wouldn’t have been enough space.

“Eh? You can give us all of this?”

Hwang Ki-jin asked, blinking.

“Yes. However, ‘borrowing’ is limited to one book at a time.”

The researcher nodded nonchalantly.

“One book at a time… No, even so…”

No matter how he thought about it, it didn’t make sense.

The Republic of Korea didn’t have enough Points to purchase this many Magic Books.

There were even several Magics that weren’t direct combat spells.

If they had actually spent money to buy them, many would have been considered a waste of Points.

“For now… please tell me once you’ve made a choice.”

The researcher spoke in a businesslike tone, then walked to a bookshelf and began taking books out of a box on the floor to stock the shelves.

“What is all this?”

“…I don’t know. Man, this is scary.”

Hwang Ki-jin and his colleague could only look at each other with bewildered expressions.

But as they read through the list carefully, that emotion soon turned into joy.

There were too many Magics they wanted to learn.

The Magic purchased by the Republic of Korea was always focused on attack power.

The higher the Circle, the more pronounced that trend became.

Even at the 4th Circle, most were attack spells.

The structure forced one to become a firepower-obsessed Mage who only screamed firepower, firepower, firepower.

But this list contained various utility Magics.

For example, Ear Sight.

It didn’t just amplify sound; it was a Magic that allowed one to perceive the surrounding terrain and life forms through sound.

It was a farewell to the past where they barely managed reconnaissance by relying on the 4th Circle ‘Wizard Eye.’

There was also the Fly magic that allowed one to fly for a short time, and hypnosis-type Magic that could momentarily distract Monsters or Hunters.

“We can really learn all of this?”

Hwang Ki-jin trembled with joy.

Of course, it would take a lot of time. If it was 4th Circle Magic, one would have to focus on just that for at least two months to use it properly.

But after a year, they could learn five or six. Even that much would mean they could master the essential utility spells.

Hwang Ki-jin and his colleague each picked a Magic and left Room 103.

Hwang Ki-jin chose Ear Sight, and his colleague chose Mind Surge, which momentarily increased casting speed.

Since his colleague had been struggling with slow casting speeds, it was a perfect fit.

As they were coming out into the lobby with the Magic Books held to their chests, a man came down from the second floor.

He looked a bit old to be a Hunter.

Most Hunters were in their early to mid-20s.

Objectively, he wasn’t that old, but he was old for a Hunter.

“Excuse me.”

Hwang Ki-jin called out to him.

It was because he thought the man was a staff member.

When he asked the researcher, they only said that Hunter Cha Se-hyeon had procured them. They said they didn’t know the details.

Perhaps this staff member might know.

“These Magic Books, how did Hunter Cha Se-hyeon get them?”

“Ah…”

While the man scratched his cheek for a moment, Hwang Ki-jin threw out another question.

“Is it related to the directive that came down back then? The one saying Arcadia might give us Magic Books. That directive was sent out once, right?”

“Oh, right. I remember it because it sounded so strange.”

Hwang Ki-jin’s colleague also nodded.

“I… don’t really know either.”

He said, avoiding Hwang Ki-jin’s gaze for some reason.

“Then…”

And then, before Hwang Ki-jin could ask more questions, he quickly left the lobby.

“What’s with that guy?”

Hwang Ki-jin glanced at the security guard standing in the lobby.

Seeing as there was no reaction, the man didn’t seem to be a thief or an outsider.

Hwang Ki-jin tilted his head and walked toward the main entrance.

Outside the glass doors, reporters had already swarmed. He could see the back of the man he just met strolling past the reporters.

“Director Kim Myung-joo! Is it true that Hunter Cha Se-hyeon procured the Magic Books!?”

“What is the approximate quantity of the Magic Books!?”

Kim Myung-joo was at the center of the reporters.

Kim Myung-joo was walking toward the West Wing with the reporters trailing him.

It was difficult to keep the distribution of Magic Books to Hunters a secret.

In any case, rumors would spread quickly once they started using the new Magic.

Rather than letting them keep snooping around, it was better to reveal what could be revealed.

“Yes, Hunter Cha Se-hyeon procured them.”

“There are about 50 books. The number of Magics that can actually be put into use isn’t that many.”

Kim Myung-joo answered calmly.

He had already finished discussing this with Cha Se-hyeon, and the staff had been instructed to say the same.

The world’s attention toward Kim Song-cheol had finally quieted down. Fearing that attention would be drawn to him again, he had given the credit to Cha Se-hyeon.

It was just as Kim Myung-joo was about to enter the West Wing.

Flash!

Suddenly, light erupted in front of the West Wing, and Cha Se-hyeon appeared.

She had also come to get a Magic Book, but her timing was bad.

“Hunter Cha Se-hyeon!”

“Hunter Cha Se-hyeon! Just a word, please!”

“Hunter Cha Se-hyeon!”

Reporters swarmed around Cha Se-hyeon in an instant.

Thanks to that, Kim Myung-joo was released from the prison of reporters, but his tension level rose.

He tried to calm the reporters with an anxious look.

He didn’t know what might come out of Cha Se-hyeon’s mouth.

“Now, now, reporters. Don’t go over that way for no reason…”

But the reporters didn’t listen to Kim Myung-joo at all.

With the primary person right in front of them, there was no need to interview Kim Myung-joo.

“Hunter Cha Se-hyeon! How did you procure the Magic Books?”

“Just a word, please!”

Cha Se-hyeon’s face was already full of irritation.

She did not like reporters.

Being surrounded like this was also one of the things she absolutely hated.

“Hunter Cha Se-hyeon!”

“Hunter Cha Se-hyeon!”

Several reporters called out to her.

It was like a chant to summon a demon.

Biting her lip as she walked up the stairs, Cha Se-hyeon finally couldn’t take it anymore and turned around.

As expected, curses began to fly from her mouth.

“Fuck, ‘Hunter Cha Se-hyeon’ my ass. These Magic Books, I didn’t—”

Just then, a voice pierced Cha Se-hyeon’s ears.

[I won’t practice magic.]

Cha Se-hyeon’s eyes fiercely scanned the surroundings.

She saw Kim Song-cheol watching from a distance.

[If you say one more word, I won’t practice magic. You can be number one for the rest of your life.]

If Cha Se-hyeon messed up the story they had already agreed on, it would be problematic in many ways.

Since it would be a sudden change of story, a credibility issue could arise.

Furthermore, what if the name Kim Song-cheol came out of her mouth?

His parents might see on the news that their son had become a Hunter.

…

Cha Se-hyeon’s eyes rolled once, and then she glared at the reporters.

“I’m the one who got them, not you! Fuck, I went through hell to get them, so stop acting up and get the hell out of here, you bastards!”

Cha Se-hyeon pushed through the reporters and stormed into the West Wing.

Kim Song-cheol had perfectly controlled Cha Se-hyeon.

It was a feat that even Kim Myung-joo couldn’t achieve.