Chapter 45. Guam Song-cheol (3)

Marco Bianchi from Italy lay on a sunbed, sipping coconut juice through a straw.

His plump belly jiggled slightly every time he swallowed.

Gazing lazily at the beach, Marco adjusted his sunglasses and stood up.

He intended to slowly head out for a look around.

The Italian Hunters he had brought along had already entered the Theme Park.

They were three 4th Circle Mages.

They were fiercely loyal to Italy, so there was no need to worry about them defecting.

‘Hmm, that Hunter over there seems…’

As he walked across the sandy beach, his eyes sparkled while looking at a Hunter from Pakistan.

A country like Pakistan would surely be tempted if Italy offered better terms.

However, he didn’t go out of his way to speak to him.

Someone was already hovering nearby, keeping a wary eye on the surroundings.

‘Can’t be helped, haha!’

He stroked his protruding belly and headed toward the Theme Park.

Italy didn’t necessarily plan on scouting anyone at this Forum.

Things were running well enough back home, and the Hunters worth being greedy over had likely already been claimed by the larger superpowers.

Italy’s position at this Forum was that of an observer enjoying the festivities.

“Hmm?”

Upon entering the Theme Park, Marco felt an unusual atmosphere and took off his sunglasses.

People were crowding excessively around a specific booth. Furthermore, he kept hearing the same name.

Kim Song-cheol.

It was a name he knew.

A few months ago, he had heard intelligence reports that a Hunter with incredible Mana Affinity had been discovered in Korea.

Italy had tried to establish contact with Kim Song-cheol, but they had been cut off by the NIS.

The people nearby were talking about Kim Song-cheol’s score, and it reached Marco’s ears clearly.

He squeezed through the crowd to peek at the ranking.

‘…580,000 points?’

The gap between first and second place was over 450,000 points.

Something was wrong. Marco’s relaxed expression stiffened slightly.

He finished the rest of his coconut juice, tossed the plastic cup into a trash can, and moved deeper into the Theme Park.

He had spotted another booth at the far end where people were gathered.

Marco pushed through the crowd and checked the rankings.

As expected, first place was Kim Song-cheol.

‘…2,000,000 points?’

The gap between first and second place was 600,000 points.

Although it wasn’t as overwhelming a difference as the shooting game, it was still a staggering score.

The proof lay in the score of the Hunter who had just finished.

He had only managed 520,000 points, even though he was a promising Hunter from France.

‘This is beyond my imagination.’

Marco clicked his tongue.

Although it was just a game, it was essentially a combat power measurement tool.

They were, after all, developed for training purposes. Marco looked around.

He intended to strike up a conversation if he saw Kim Song-cheol.

If the opportunity arose, that is.

But.

“You, you…!?”

What caught his eye was an Italian Hunter engaged in a serious conversation with Korea’s Kim Myung-joo.

Marco knew who Kim Myung-joo was.

He liked the man personally, but this was different.

He immediately walked over, leading with his belly.

“Haha, hello there!”

When Marco greeted them loudly, the conversation broke, and their eyes turned toward him.

“Ah, Mr. Bianchi. It’s been a long time.”

As expected, Kim Myung-joo smiled brightly and offered a handshake.

Marco took Kim Myung-joo’s hand with his own hairy one.

Maintaining a smile, he exchanged a few pleasantries.

“Haha, this fellow. I’ve been looking for him everywhere, and here he was. If it’s not an important conversation, may I take him with me?”

Marco spoke while placing a friendly arm around the shoulder of the Italian Hunter, Alessandro.

“Yes, of course.”

“Haha, it was a pleasure meeting you.”

Marco practically dragged Alessandro away in a headlock.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Marco whispered.

“I was just talking?”

“About what?”

“The Korean Education Center… Hunter Cha Se-hyeon… and a bit about Hunter Kim Song-cheol.”

“Is that really all?”

“Yes.”

“Was there any talk about moving to Korea?”

“Huh? What are you talking about? There was none of that. We really were just talking.”

Alessandro looked distressed, as if he were being wronged.

“You, don’t talk to that man. Do you want to go to the Republic of Korea?”

“It’s not that I particularly want to go…”

“You should say you don’t want to go, you brat!”

Nobody would blatantly suggest a defection in such a public place.

However, it was still a threat to Marco, and he wasn’t the only one feeling threatened by the Kim Song-cheol and Kim Myung-joo combo.

As time passed, the average age in the Theme Park increased.

It was the adults coming out to supervise their ‘children.’

It was common to see Hunters being dragged away by their superiors.

Kim Myung-joo didn’t expect to reel in a Hunter just like that.

The Hunters flocking to him were simply curious about Kim Song-cheol.

Since a great Hunter had appeared, they were merely inquisitive.

However, he had succeeded in drawing their attention, so he considered the first stage complete.

Feeling the heat in his Combat Uniform, which didn’t suit the weather, Kim Myung-joo sought out some shade.

It was a small bar set up inside the Theme Park.

When he ordered a cool juice, the bartender squeezed the fruit on the spot.

“This is nice.”

Kim Myung-joo gave the bartender a thumbs up.

The bartender responded with a thumbs up of his own.

It was while Kim Myung-joo was taking a brief rest.

“Excuse me.”

Someone called out to Kim Myung-joo.

He turned around to see a woman wearing tight jeans and a short crop top.

Her wavy blonde hair was striking.

Kim Myung-joo recognized her immediately.

Grace Callahan.

She was the American Hunter who had taken second place behind Kim Song-cheol.

“Ah, Miss Callahan.”

Kim Myung-joo acknowledged her with a bright smile.

At the same time, he began to wonder why Grace had come looking for him.

“Where is Mr. Kim Song-cheol?” Grace asked.

Despite having her first-place spot taken by an overwhelming margin, she didn’t seem particularly bitter.

“I’m not sure myself. Haha.”

It was the truth.

Cha Se-hyeon had taken him away after casting Invisibility Magic on him.

“Is that so?”

Grace, who looked like she might leave, instead sat down next to Kim Myung-joo.

She ordered a cocktail, and the bartender shook various ingredients together before serving it.

Grace wet her lips with the drink.

Her expression brightened slightly, perhaps because it was to her taste.

“I’m actually quite good at Magic myself,” Grace said, acting elegant before bursting into laughter.

She gave off the vibe of a cheerful lady from the American South.

“You are excellent. I am well aware.”

Kim Myung-joo matched the atmosphere with an even brighter smile.

“Really? I guess you know a bit about me.”

“You’re a top prospect… I couldn’t help but know. Haha.”

“Not as much as Mr. Kim Song-cheol. Oh, by the way, I like Korea. I watch Korean dramas often. I’m also a fan of idols.”

Grace pulled out her phone to show him.

A photo of a Korean idol was tucked into the back of her case.

“What do you think? Will Mr. Kim Song-cheol get as many fans as this idol?”

It was a subtle question.

“I don’t know about fans, but he will certainly become strong. After all, it’s only been half a year since he started learning Magic.”

“Oh, really? That’s truly amazing.”

Grace widened her eyes and mouth, even raising both hands in surprise.

“7th Circle, 8th Circle… maybe even 9th Circle?”

“Probably? Haha.”

“Hohoho.”

The two laughed harmoniously.

Then, Grace suddenly asked.

“If Mr. Kim Song-cheol becomes that strong, then weaker Hunters won’t have to enter Dungeons as much, right? I’m so jealous of Korean Hunters.”

At those words, the suspicion sprouting in Kim Myung-joo’s mind shifted closer to a conviction.

Grace’s approach was intentional. Currently, Korea was a nation that possessed a 6th Circle Mage.

In this state, if just one more 6th Circle Mage appeared, Korea could be considered a Magic superpower relative to its population.

But would Kim Song-cheol stop at the 6th Circle? Based on his current performance, it was certain he would go higher as long as he didn’t die. And he would do so quickly.

‘Grace Callahan… is she looking for a free ride?’

She was a more calculating young lady than she appeared.

Grace wanted a comfortable position, and Kim Myung-joo needed to bring Grace over and put her to work.

However, neither could lay their cards out on the table here.

“Hahaha.”

“Hohoho.”

Amidst the blossoming laughter, a fierce battle of wits and probing—a ‘spoon war’—had begun.

***

Day 3 of the Forum.

Kim Song-cheol sat on the beach behind the resort playing poker.

The participants were Hunters from Brazil, Thailand, and Georgia. Cha Se-hyeon was drinking with another Hunter.

It was a Hunter from Russia, and they were matching each other drink for drink, showing incredible tolerance.

The beach behind the resort was quiet.

Most Hunters had flocked to the game booths, and unlike the front beach, this area was hidden by the buildings.

It was just a small stretch of white sand behind the resort.

“Ah!”

Kim Song-cheol pressed his hand to his forehead.

He had lost the pot again.

It was a total of 12 bottle caps.

“Song-cheol! You shouldn’t bet with a hand like that!”

Thiago, the Brazilian Hunter, spoke in frustration.

He was also a case of being discovered late in life.

He was 29 years old.

Having some common ground with Kim Song-cheol, they had become quite close.

“I relied on a seven percent probability, but it didn’t work out.”

Kim Song-cheol munched on a mango, looking disappointed.

His reason for losing was constantly betting on low odds.

“Koreans are all about the ‘all-or-nothing’ play.”

“Play poker like you play with Magic.”

“Too much work, too much work.”

Kim Song-cheol tossed his cards and retreated.

He had already lost all his bottle caps.

He didn’t have any ‘money’ left to play.

‘I thought I’d clear my head for a bit, but…’

Kim Song-cheol shuddered slightly as he watched the three Hunters dealing cards.

Perhaps because they were Mages, they enjoyed using their brains immensely.

And upon discovering poker, their competitive spirits had exploded, leading them to play with extreme seriousness.

Just watching them engage in psychological warfare over mere bottle caps was draining.

Kim Song-cheol had intentionally exited the game quickly.

He moved away from the card game and lay down under a different parasol.

As he lay there listening to the sound of the waves, he felt the urge to urinate.

It seemed he had drunk too much juice.

Kim Song-cheol stood up and walked toward the resort.

Cha Se-hyeon, who was sitting between the resort and the beach, asked where he was going.

He replied that he was just going to the restroom and headed inside.

After relieving himself, he was about to return to the beach when…

“There you are!”

A needlessly cheerful voice called out. He turned his head to see Peter.

Hearing the sound, Cha Se-hyeon, who was sitting further away, glanced back briefly.

Seeing it was Peter, she turned her head back.

“Haha, are you enjoying the Forum?”

Peter spoke Korean well, but he occasionally used awkward phrasing like this.

Of course, there was no problem understanding him.

“Yes, thanks to you.”

Kim Song-cheol replied with a smile.

Peter had been very helpful in many ways.

Peter handled all the guidance, and whenever something was needed, he would procure it.

“Can we talk for a moment?”

Peter made his characteristic humorous expression and pointed to a nearby bench.

“Ah, sure.”

Kim Song-cheol nodded.

The two sat side-by-side on the bench, and Peter took off his sunglasses and tucked them into his shirt.

“Please don’t misunderstand what I’m about to say.”

Peter calmed Kim Song-cheol down in advance.

“I won’t, so go ahead.”

Kim Song-cheol shrugged, wondering what he was going to say.

“Haha… Well, first, just listen. I’m actually part of the British Special Security Department.”

“Is that so…?”

It was quite unexpected that Peter was an undercover agent.

He looked exactly like a guide who happened to speak Korean.

“My mission is simply an interview. I’m not even a field agent in the first place.”

“Uh… for someone like that, your acting was quite good.”

“This is just my natural personality. I wasn’t acting…”

Peter looked a bit sad. Hearing the part about ‘not being a field agent in the first place,’ it felt more like he ‘wanted to be a field agent but couldn’t.’

‘How much of this is an act?’

Kim Song-cheol looked at Peter and thought.

Even for a desk worker, he seemed a bit clumsy, which made him suspicious.

Perhaps the claim that he wasn’t acting was the act itself.

Meaning, even the claim of not being a field agent could be a lie.

If an interview was truly the goal, acting this way to lower someone’s guard seemed plausible.

“I couldn’t speak because Hunter Cha Se-hyeon was nearby. If I had known it would be like this, a real field agent should have come…”

“You said your mission was an interview?”

When the conversation started to drift, Kim Song-cheol brought it back to the center.

“Ah, yes. That’s right.”

“What kind of interview?” Kim Song-cheol asked.