About an hour had passed since Cerberus was defeated.
“Hello.”
A neatly dressed man and woman arrived at the Bupyeong Station underground shopping center.
One was a man with an honest appearance, and the other was a woman with a cold impression.
Soon, the woman with the cold impression presented her official ID.
“I am Inspector Bae Minji, special investigator from the Hunter Surveillance Bureau.”
I examined the person in front of me.
Neatly trimmed bob hair over her shoulders.
Long, narrow eyes, a sharp nose bridge, and tightly closed lips.
She seemed like a thorough and meticulous personality with no gaps whatsoever.
Hunter Surveillance Bureau. I’ve heard of it.
The Hunter Surveillance Bureau is a nationally authorized organization that manages and supervises the Hunter Association and monitors hunters’ misconduct.
In simple terms, hunters who hunt hunters.
They are essentially the police in charge of hunters.
Soon, the investigator who introduced herself as Bae Minji extended her hand toward Jeanne.
“You must be South Korea’s 12th A+ rank hunter. I look forward to working with you.”
[……………..]
Jeanne did not accept the handshake and merely stared at her with cold eyes.
At that, Investigator Bae Minji smiled bitterly.
“The Hunter Surveillance Bureau doesn’t have a very good image among hunters. I understand.”
It seemed like there was some misunderstanding, but I was too tired to bother explaining.
Soon, she began explaining the details, er, the details of the Bupyeong Station underground shopping center incident.
To summarize briefly, it was as follows.
1. The mission to “capture the escaped experimental subject” was originally designated as an A-rank mission.
2. However, due to a new employee’s mistake, it was incorrectly registered as a C-rank mission.
3. The new employee in question has been dismissed and detained, and the related responsible parties have also been dismissed.
4. The Hunter Association has promised clear and specific compensation for damages.
Hearing the explanation, I pressed my brow hard and thought.
How on earth do you mistake an A-rank for a C-rank?
People like that should get the same grades in university too.
If it had been other hunters instead of me and Jeanne, nine out of ten would have died horribly.
Soon, I looked at Investigator Bae Minji and asked an additional question.
“Let’s say Cerberus was due to employee error. Then what about that Choco… the Hellhound?”
Having finished her explanation, Investigator Bae Minji continued with a serious expression.
“We are currently investigating the incident at the Hunter Surveillance Bureau. As it involves high-ranking officials from the Hunter Association, we plan to conduct a strict and fair investigation. However, until the truth is clearly established, we cannot disclose investigation information, so please understand.”
“I will promise you this one thing. We will definitely uncover the truth and punish those responsible.”
Uncovering the truth and punishment.
But that’s not enough.
We went through all sorts of hardships and got screwed over, after all.
As if reading my thoughts, Investigator Bae Minji alternated her gaze between me and Jeanne and continued.
“It goes without saying, but the Hunter Association and the government will actively compensate you both for all damages suffered today, including treatment costs and such.”
Kka.
“As you said, that’s only natural. You don’t need to tell us what’s natural.”
Investigator Bae Minji quietly closed her mouth.
A situation where we were 100:0 clearly the victims without any fault on our side.
In such cases, a half-hearted attitude helps no one.
Either appeal firmly and get compensation, or get nothing at all.
Naturally, if you say nothing, you get treated like a pushover.
Meanwhile, Investigator Bae Minji was slowly blinking and watching us.
She probably expected me to present separate demands.
Then the conversation would be quick.
I looked straight at Investigator Bae Minji and opened my mouth.
“We’ll take Cerberus.”
The demand was just one.
Namely, Cerberus’s corpse.
Nothing from a magical beast’s corpse is wasted—from the hide to the bones, meat, and organs.
Hide and bones are materials for weapons and armor, meat and organs for various items.
Moreover, an A-rank magical beast’s corpse is a rare material worth whatever price is called.
At that moment, the male investigator opened his mouth with a troubled expression.
“Cerberus’s corpse is key evidence, so we cannot transfer it. It is absolutely necessary for organizational inspections and various other investigations. Instead, the state will provide compensation equivalent to that. It will be set at a much more generous price than selling to private parties…”
I interrupted the male investigator and said.
“The upper body.”
“Pardon?”
“From the middle of the waist up, we’ll take only Cerberus’s upper body. Organizational inspection can be done with just the lower body, right?”
“No, even so, there are procedures…”
The male investigator could not hide his flustered appearance and was at a loss.
Needless to say, Cerberus’s upper half is by far the more valuable part.
Cerberus’s three heads. And the sharp teeth. Even the flame pouches that spew sulfur fire.
The valuable materials are mostly in the upper body.
…Well, in my case, I’m not planning to sell it.
I looked at the quest window in the corner of my vision.
<Procure the corpse of an A-rank magical beast…….. (0/1)>
<Procurement deadline: 3 days 23 hours 17 minutes 52 seconds>
The quest given by Morgue’s spear.
From the beginning, I planned to bring Cerberus’s upper body, an A-rank magical beast, to the warehouse.
Now, let’s see how they respond.
Soon, Investigator Bae Minji opened her mouth in a soft voice.
“In the fierce battle with the A+ rank hunter, Cerberus’s upper body was destroyed. Therefore, what could be recovered was only Cerberus’s lower body… Let’s go with that.”
Investigator Bae Minji coolly accepted the deal, befitting her cold impression.
With this, I could clear the quest as is, and sell the spoils for a generous price separately.
Soon, Investigator Bae Minji looked at Jeanne and continued.
“There’s nothing good for us in clashing with an A+ rank hunter. Instead, please keep today’s incident from being publicized in the media until it is officially announced…”
Don’t leak it to the press.
Keep quiet.
That’s what it means.
Anyway, the status of an A+ rank hunter works even on the Hunter Surveillance Bureau side.
It worked out well, thankfully.
Good is good, right?
There’s no benefit for us in antagonizing the Hunter Surveillance Bureau either.
At that moment, Investigator Bae Minji subtly pointed at Cerberus and opened her mouth.
“How about it, will you take it right away? Or if you tell us the location, we can transport it there.”
“No. We’ll take it right now.”
“Then we’ll bring a special A-rank cutting tool. Please wait a moment.”
To cut Cerberus’s body, a corresponding tool is needed.
At that instant, Jeanne, who had been silent until now, slowly stepped forward.
Then, pointing at the sword on the male investigator’s waist, she said.
[Lend me that sword for a moment.]
“My sword is B-rank, so it won’t pierce Cerberus’s hide?”
[…It doesn’t matter.]
At Jeanne’s firm momentum, the male investigator awkwardly handed over the sword.
An ordinary sword with nothing particularly special.
But as Jeanne gripped the handle, a pitch-black aura began to roughly envelop the blade surface.
Wooong~! Wooong~! Wooong! Wooong! Wooong~!
The surrounding air vibrated fiercely.
Soon.
“Seven Demon First Strike: Gluttony Slash, Beelzebub.”
Kwaaaaaaaa~! Sseugeok!
The sword energy that split the underground shopping center floor rushed in and cleaved Cerberus’s body like tofu.
Truly overwhelming power. And unlike when she was rampaging, precise control was added.
If she had a sword from the beginning, Cerberus wouldn’t have been an opponent at all?
Meanwhile.
The Hunter Surveillance Bureau investigators seemed unable to say anything at the sight.
Unlike the man with his mouth agape, Investigator Bae Minji was narrowing her eyes and watching Jeanne.
Soon, Jeanne quietly returned the sword to the male investigator.
Then, I put Cerberus’s upper body into my inventory and said.
“Then we can go now, right? Oh, right… what about the request then?”
“We will instruct it to be processed as completed without issue. Including the rewards for the mission, as jointly completed by the two of you.”
That should be a fairly satisfactory result.
I shook hands with the investigators and then headed toward the exit.
Just Cerberus’s upper body alone completes the spear’s quest, so it’s quite a profit.
And I got to confirm Jeanne’s skills with my own eyes once again.
Moreover, separately from that, I’ve reaped unexpected gains quite nicely.
Ding dong!
[Inventory]
-<Cerberus’s Corpse (Upper Body)>/Material / A
-<Mana Stone>/Material/A
-<Cape of Sulfur Hell>/Cape/A
-<Essence of Miniaturization>/Essence/A
In the inventory, besides Cerberus’s upper body, three additional spoils have been added.
An A-rank mana stone and an A-rank cape.
Fresh items dropped by Cerberus.
But the real jackpot was something else.
Jackpot.
I never thought it would drop a skill essence!
Skill essence.
An ultra-unique item obtainable with a very slim probability when defeating a magical beast.
Using the skill essence allows you to acquire the corresponding skill.
In the hunter world, skills symbolize power itself.
To think you can obtain a skill just by using it.
For hunters, essence is a cheat-level item that allows them to surpass their own limits.
Even an F-rank essence starts bidding at millions of won, and from C-rank and above, the price truly skyrockets.
The ‘Intermediate Detoxification Essence’ that went up at the last auction was B-rank but was sold for a final price of 3.8 billion won.
They say even intermediate detoxification can neutralize most poisons.
Especially for hunters who frequent dungeons, it would be incredibly useful.
And what’s now in my inventory is the essence obtained by defeating Cerberus.
An A-rank essence that even renowned powerhouses can’t help but covet.
The moment it’s registered at the auction house, it’s obvious what kind of unprecedented situation will unfold.
Thinking that, a smile naturally spread across my lips.
“Jeanne.”
[Yes, Master.]
I continued in a serious voice.
“Tonight’s dinner is beef. And 1++ Hanwoo.”
[……………..]
Not speaking doesn’t mean you can hide your emotions.
Though Jeanne tried to hide it, the bright smile blooming across her entire face clearly showed how happy she was right now.
***
Meanwhile.
The male investigator watching the departing hunters soon opened his mouth with a face full of worry.
“Are you really okay with this, senior?”
“……With what?”
Investigator Bae Minji answered indifferently while continuing to thoroughly search the surroundings.
“Handing over Cerberus’s upper body like that? If the higher-ups find out…”
“They’ll say I did well. Because I ended the negotiation with just Cerberus’s upper body.”
“Huh?”
Investigator Bae Minji brushed her bangs aside and looked at the male investigator.
“If this were America, just filing a civil suit over this would make our side spit out tens of billions of won. The responsibility for the Hunter Association’s management and supervision failure lies with us too.”
“T-Tens of billions!?”
“Moreover, the status of the Hunter Association and Hunter Surveillance Bureau would have hit rock bottom. Money lost can be recovered with time, but a stain on the name doesn’t erase easily. If it can be covered with Cerberus’s upper body, it’s a profitable deal for us.”
An A+ rank hunter wouldn’t antagonize the association and bureau over mere money.
“The Sword Demon of Ravianglily… Jeanne d’Arc, was it.”
South Korea’s 12th A+ rank hunter announced by the Hunter Association.
The sword energy that bisected Cerberus without batting an eye was enough to capture Investigator Bae Minji’s interest.
It was power that wouldn’t lose at all even compared to the 6th-ranked A+ Swordmaster Cheok Junseong.
“I hope we don’t get annoyingly entangled.”
Meanwhile, the man who led the negotiation with her also somehow bothers her.
Cha Hasang.
According to checks, he’s an F-rank hunter.
Moreover, the result she personally ‘confirmed’ was exactly F-rank.
I didn’t feel any particular power.
Investigator Bae Minji subtly looked at the hand she had shaken with Cha Hasang.
That F-rank hunter is merely the porter for the A+ rank hunter.
But what is it?
The moment she shook hands, the immense, unprecedented energy she felt even if just for a brief instant.
The fear and overwhelming pressure she felt then.
Am I nervous? Why would I, over a mere F-rank hunter…
At that moment.
Beep beep-! Beep beep beep-! Beep beep beep~!
Suddenly, a ringing sound began blaring from Bae Minji’s pocket.
Soon, Bae Minji calmly pressed the call button.
“Mm……. Mmm… …….As expected.
Got it. ..Yes, that too, please.”
After giving a few short answers, she hung up the phone and slowly stood up.
Soon, Investigator Bae Minji looked at the male investigator and continued.
“This incident. Don’t report it upstairs. Until I do.”
“Huh? What do you…!”
“The Hellhound matter I mentioned earlier. It wasn’t something a high-ranking official could do alone by registering the mission so loosely. Some force is involved in the Hunter Association.”
“S-Surely it’s not related to Cerberus too?”
“Perhaps. If hunters die in droves to the Hellhound causing a commotion, they might have planned to quietly recover Cerberus in the gap.”
Investigator Bae Minji said with a rather serious expression.
“Cerberus. Where did you say the request came from?”
“Deus Ex Machina Corporation. Senior.”
“Deus Ex Machina… An affiliate of the munitions factory operated by ‘Mrs. Luddite,’ right?”
Mrs.
Luddite.
The 2nd-ranked A+ hunter and the owner of South Korea’s largest munitions factory.
Soon, Investigator Bae Minji took out a whip and handcuffs from her waist and muttered.
‘……What a coincidence. How coincidental.’
There’s no leisure to think about the F-rank hunter.
Because it’s time to go solve the ‘real’ problem from now on.
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