Chapter 23: VIP Kim Song-cheol (4)

Kim Myung-joo, who had been stiff as a statue, slumped back into his chair.

“What’s wrong?

What happened?”

NIS Director Kang Hak-sang pressed him, noticing the unusual reaction.

To anyone watching, Kim Myung-joo looked like someone who had just witnessed a catastrophe.

“…I am told Trainee Kim Song-cheol has disappeared with a high-level Mage,” Kim Myung-joo explained in a hollow voice.

At those words, the shoulders of Kang Hak-sang and the other NIS employees slumped.

A shock so profound it rendered the room silent consumed the headquarters.

The intervention of a Hunter of the 6th Circle or higher.

This was no different from a machine gun appearing in a medieval battle.

In Operation Truman, a Hunter of the 6th Circle or higher hadn’t even been factored into the plan.

They were categorized as asymmetric power; there was neither reason nor need to include them.

“Are you saying the high-level Mage kidnapped Kim Song-cheol, or what?”

Kang Hak-sang, finally regaining his composure, put strength back into his voice.

Kim Myung-joo had specifically said they ‘disappeared together.’ From Kang Hak-sang’s perspective, that was a highly ambiguous statement.

It left a lot of room for interpretation.

“I don’t know.”

“Is there a possibility that Kim Song-cheol accepted an offer?”

“I don’t know that either.”

Kim Myung-joo shook his head, repeating the same words like a parrot.

“Damn it.”

Kang Hak-sang spat out a curse and roughly pulled out his earpiece.

“We should have planted a bug at least.”

He glared at Kim Myung-joo with a resentful gaze.

The NIS had suggested planting a GPS tracker and a wiretapping device on Kim Song-cheol’s phone and clothes.

Kim Myung-joo was the one who had blocked it until the end.

He had persuaded the Director of the NIS by citing potential trust issues if discovered and the basic courtesy a Training Academy Director owed to a Trainee.

“…We still don’t know anything for sure.”

Kim Myung-joo repeated the same words again.

However, the nuance was different this time.

“Isn’t it already over?”

“As I said, we don’t know the situation yet, do we?”

“They’ve already flown off with a Teleport or whatever.

Are you saying they’re just taking a midnight stroll and will bring him back nicely?”

“It’s over, Training Academy Director Kim Myung-joo.”

Kang Hak-sang unclipped the communication device from his waist, tossed it onto the desk, and stood up abruptly.

“Withdraw!”

The command from the Director of the NIS fell.

Kang Hak-sang walked right out, and the employees began to stand up one by one to pack up the office.

The sharp atmosphere of the office turned into a chaotic mess in an instant.

The sound of equipment being packed into boxes and documents being fed into the shredder filled the space.

The operation was over.

The regret that had been on the employees’ faces had already vanished.

They were simply doing their jobs mechanically.

Amidst the movement, only Kim Myung-joo remained in his seat.

He sat with his arms crossed, staring at the screens as if time had stopped for him.

The split screens, numbering in the dozens, were turned off one by one.

But Kim Myung-joo sat quietly.

It felt as if time had frozen only around him.

He was waiting.

He believed in Kim Song-cheol.

And a moment later.

His waiting and faith were rewarded.

[Director, Trainee Kim Song-cheol’s Mana reaction has been confirmed.

He has returned.]

Kim Myung-joo’s earpiece rang.

“He’s back!?”

Kim Myung-joo answered loudly, as if wanting the other employees to hear.

The employees all turned their heads toward Kim Myung-joo at once.

One employee even started calling Kang Hak-sang back.

[Yes.

He is back.

It’s confirmed.]

“What about that Hunter?”

[We don’t know yet…

wait?]

A sudden note of bewilderment.

“Why?

What’s happening!?” Kim Myung-joo asked urgently.

[That Hunter just now…

appeared right in front of us, flipped us off, and vanished.

For now…

it seems he has left.]

It was a dazed voice.

“Did you recognize his face?”

[It was…

Colt Vangard.]

A name anyone with even a slight interest in Hunters would know.

One of the greatest Mages the United States possessed.

Known as the ‘Jester.’

The asymmetric power deployed for Operation Truman was none other than Colt Vangard.

Yet, even with the identity revealed, Kim Myung-joo’s expression did not clear.

Colt Vangard was not the type of person to move just because the government requested it.

Why specifically Colt Vangard?

He couldn’t fathom the reason at all.

***

‘Ah, in the end, I couldn’t say it.’

Kim Song-cheol lay on his bed.

This was after spending the entire evening with his parents.

He had eaten, taken a walk, and watched TV with them.

During those long hours of chatting, he hadn’t managed to say a single word about being a Hunter.

‘At this rate, they’re going to see my face on TV first.’

Once he graduated from the Training Academy and started active duty as a Hunter, his face would occasionally appear on the news or in the media.

If he became famous before then, paparazzi photos might pop up in short-form videos.

‘Whatever.’

Uncharacteristically, Kim Song-cheol just pushed the problem aside.

No matter how much he thought about it, he didn’t feel confident enough to tell his parents.

Kim Song-cheol hugged his blanket and tried to sleep.

Perhaps because his mind was cluttered, he tossed and turned several times.

He had just fallen into a light sleep.

Kim Song-cheol snapped his eyes open, sensing a sudden fluctuation of Mana.

It was a massive flow that his senses could not possibly miss.

It was a level he had never felt before.

‘What on earth…?’

He couldn’t even guess what level of Magic would need to be cast to generate such a fluctuation of Mana.

However, the flow of Mana scattered as suddenly as clouds clearing, and instead, he sensed a presence.

A slight sound of breathing.

The sound of clothes brushing.

There was definitely someone standing behind him.

Kim Song-cheol tensed up.

The opponent was alone, but clearly a powerful Mage.

Just as Kim Song-cheol was racking his brain for a countermeasure.

“Relax.

I didn’t come here to kill you, haha.”

A playful voice drifted over.

Only then did Kim Song-cheol slowly sit up to check the owner of the voice.

It was a foreigner with a stylishly grown beard.

It was too dark to see his face clearly, but he didn’t seem that old compared to his beard.

He wore a long coat and was as tall as the coat was long.

The man, still wearing his shoes, strolled over and flicked on the light.

Kim Song-cheol, whose eyes had adjusted to the dark, winced.

The man, as if he had expected this, was already wearing sunglasses.

“What?

You look older than I thought?” The man tilted his head.

Kim Song-cheol belatedly recognized the man’s face and rubbed his eyes instinctively.

It was a face he knew.

“Colt Vangard…?”

“Oh, you know me?

Well, it’s harder not to know me.”

“Why are you here?”

Colt Vangard and Unit 1208 of Building 105 in Hanmaum Apartment were a very mismatched combination.

“Because I was curious.

Everything’s in an uproar because of you.

Do you know that?”

“I have no idea.”

Kim Song-cheol was being sincere.

Honestly, he was still struggling to process the fact that Colt Vangard was standing right in front of him.

A Mage of the 6th Circle.

In the entire Earth, there were no 7th Circle Mages.

A person who could be considered one of the highest-level Mages on Earth had come to find him personally.

If he told any other Trainee, they would probably dismiss it as a dream.

“Then let me tell you indirectly.

The United States has promised you a blank check.

Since I was coming anyway, they told me to relay that to you.”

“…Did you come to make me naturalize?”

“No.

I told you, I just came because I was curious.”

Colt took a step closer and held out his hand.

He was wearing a refreshing smile.

“Shall we shake hands?”

Kim Song-cheol gripped his hand without any hesitation.

In that instant, Colt Vangard’s Mana briefly entered through his palm and then left.

“…It’s real.”

Colt slid his sunglasses up like a headband and stared directly at Kim Song-cheol with vivid green eyes.

He looked as if he had just seen the world’s largest diamond.

“Your Mana Affinity really is 100.

How can a person be like this?

Are you even human?”

“Are you going to keep holding this?”

When Kim Song-cheol pointed out the joined hands, Colt finally let go.

“At this level…

they can’t take you, can they?

Those idiots.

It’s obvious what would happen if they took a Mage like this.

Right?” Colt asked with a bright smile.

“What do you mean by that?”

“It means that before long, the state won’t be able to control you.

Right now, they probably think they can do anything if they just bring you in…

but even I struggle with those types, haha.

By the way, how old are you?

You look old.”

“…I’m 31.”

“You’re a late-bloomer.”

“The Affinity tests just happened to miss me for some reason.”

“I guess the universe was trying to balance things out.”

Colt shrugged and stepped back.

The moment he snapped his fingers, a Magic Circle appeared beneath his feet.

Even at a glance, its complexity was immense.

At least 6th Circle or higher.

Kim Song-cheol guessed it was Teleport Magic.

“You’re not going to the US, right?

I figured as much.

Well, then…”

Colt rambled on as he waved his hand.

It seemed like he didn’t want to take Kim Song-cheol, or perhaps he never intended to in the first place.

Or maybe he was wary of his own standing being diminished if Kim Song-cheol were brought in.

Just as the Magic Circle began to emit light, Kim Song-cheol’s Mana intervened in the Magic Circle.

“Eh?

You can do this too?”

Colt’s eyes sparkled.

In human terms, it was like someone had grabbed his wrist.

However, if it were an ordinary Mage, they would have been blown back before their finger even touched the wrist.

Colt could have easily broken free, but he stopped the activation for a moment.

“I have something to ask.” Kim Song-cheol said.

An opportunity to meet a 6th Circle Mage—and a friendly one at that—did not come easily.

“Since you’ve shown me this much, I can’t just leave.

What is it?”

“Do you know of a phenomenon where one can influence a Magic spell that has already been cast?”

“Influence a spell that’s already been cast?

What do you mean?”

Colt didn’t understand Kim Song-cheol’s words immediately.

It was because the concept was outside his common sense.

“For example, changing the trajectory of a Lightning Spear while it’s in flight.”

“That’s impossible,” Colt said flatly.

“Changing the trajectory of a Spear?

Doesn’t that mean you’ve given it a homing function without a Formula?

And for a Lightning Spear, which is lightning magic at that?”

“Something like that.”

“No way.

If this is a joke, now’s your last chance.

Tell me it’s a joke.

Then I’ll laugh it off.”

“Want me to show you?

But not here.”

He scrutinized Kim Song-cheol’s expression before speaking.

“…Step up.”

Colt pointed at the ground beneath his feet.

The moment Kim Song-cheol stepped out of bed and onto the Magic Circle, he felt like he was entering a Portal as he was enveloped in light.

When he regained his senses, he found himself standing in a park.

It was a quiet night.

Only the orange streetlights illuminated the park.

“This place should be fine, right?” Colt asked.

Kim Song-cheol nodded and took a step back.

The sand felt gritty against his bare feet, but he proceeded to cast Lightning Spear.

First, a Magic Circle was generated.

Colt analyzed it the moment he saw it.

It was a textbook Lightning Spear without any other special formulas.

Crack!

Soon, a long spear of electricity emerged from the Magic Circle and was fired forward at high speed.

And the moment Kim Song-cheol slightly narrowed his eyes…

The trajectory of the Lightning Spear twisted and it flew up toward the sky.

The Lightning Spear vanished into the night sky, cutting through it like a comet rising in reverse.

Colt’s jaw dropped the moment he witnessed it.

“It’s real…

Why is everything so real…?

Please, just once, tell me a joke…”

He was still looking up at the sky where the Lightning Spear had disappeared.

Kim Song-cheol’s words were true.

Something he had completely dismissed as a joke was reality.

Colt stared at the sky for a long time before slowly opening his mouth.

“How on earth did you do that?”

“I just thought about wanting to twist the trajectory.

Though it requires intense concentration.”

“Crazy.”

Colt laughed as if he were hollow and continued.

“This…

can’t be explained with Circle Magic.

The variable of ‘will’ is not handled in Circle Magic.

Maybe if it’s a higher Magic system than Circle Magic, but I don’t know.”

The expression on Colt’s face, which had been playful all along, was as serious as it could be at this moment.