Chapter 25: Who Are You? (3)

“I’ve also included rations for the dwarves.”

Suho pulled a suitcase out of the built-in closet.

Inside was his only suit.

“A bit of a hassle, but since the bounty is 600 million won, I guess I have to go, right?”

The bounty for capturing the Doppelganger was six hundred million won.

It also included exemption from the annual basic training all Hunters had to attend.

“There are commendations and all that, and it would be perfect if only it wasn’t such a hassle.”

However, the Association officially gave out commendations.

He had to accept the commendation to receive its benefits, which was the only annoying part.

“I’m heading out now, so keep the house safe.”

Suho said to Balryong after finishing his preparations.

“Keep the house safe? What do you take me for?!”

“I’ll order chicken when I get back, so just keep quiet. Don’t go bothering the dwarves for no reason while I’m gone.”

Suho quietly pulled a broom handle from his dimensional suitcase.

“What’s the point of bothering the warlike ones? This place is already under my domain anyway.”

Oh, is that so?

Suho smirked slightly and headed toward the refrigerator.

“Tarunga, Dalkong, I’m off. If Balryong gets harassed, let me know later.”

“Don’t worry and have a safe trip, Giant.”

“Take care.”

After bidding farewell to the dwarves, Suho left the house.

In the distance, the Hunter Association Building was waiting for him.

***

Top floor of the Hunter Association Building.

A stern-looking old man sat in a chair.

He was Baek Mujin, Hunter Association President of the Republic of Korea.

“The aroma is pleasant.”

Baek Mujin smiled faintly.

“President, you look in good spirits.”

The man sitting across him asked.

Shin Sunghyun.

Officially, the president’s secretary; unofficially, Baek Mujin’s right hand.

Also an 80-level Hunter.

“Yes, today’s a day to gauge some possibilities.”

“Planning to test the rookies again?”

Sunghyun asked, clearly displeased.

“What choice do I have? With no one else to trust, I have to look among the young ones.”

“That may be true, but there hasn’t been anyone who caught your eye so far…”

Sunghyun trailed off.

Baek Mujin smiled wryly and replied,

“Right, only Kang Minje.”

“…..”

“This time, I plan to approach more carefully. If I get careless, ‘that side’ might get a chance to make their move first.”

“Only if we have the right talent for that.”

“Probably we do. Maybe not today, but eventually.”

“….”

“After living this long, I’ve realized one thing: even in the worst circumstances, there’s no rule that says you have to fail. At least a minimum chance always appears. That’s probably why I’m still in the president’s seat.”

“I understand. I was being unreasonable. I’ll support you with my best efforts.”

“Thank you.”

Sunghyun gave a charming smile in response to Baek Mujin’s sincere gratitude, then spoke again.

“It’s about time. Let’s go down.”

“Yes, the friends who caught the Doppelganger are coming too, right? Let’s see how impressive these guys really are.”

Baek Mujin drained his teacup in one gulp and stood.

***

Entrance of the Association Building.

Jung Hyunsu waited for Suho.

“You’re here, hyung.”

“You’re early. Been waiting?”

Suho and Hyunsu had coordinated in advance.

They planned to claim credit together for capturing the Doppelganger.

‘The Doppelganger was too strong for me to have handled it alone.’

Due to its class traits, the Doppelganger was extremely strong one-on-one.

Since it even copied the Red Gray Guardian, Suho wouldn’t have been able to handle it solo.

‘If word got out that the internal gear was special, it’d cause suspicion… better to nip it in the bud.’

‘Claiming Hyunsu helped makes things smoother for everyone.’

So Suho shared the credit for capturing the Doppelganger with Jung Hyunsu.

Since the Doppelganger’s copying ability was hard to use effectively against two opponents.

“I just arrived myself. I’ll hand over the bounty as soon as I get it.”

“Alright, let’s go inside.”

Suho led the way into the conference room where the commendation ceremony was held.

“Lots of people.”

Suho said to Hyunsu as they took their seats.

“They often call in Hunters who do good deeds for commendations.”

“I wish they’d just give us the bounty and exemption from basic training.”

“They do it to promote Hunters’ contributions to society. They’d never give those benefits just like that.”

Suho nodded.

Catching the Doppelganger was a big deal, but it didn’t necessarily call for a commendation.

There were plenty of bad guys out there, and big problems always popped up.

“I heard the Association is working hard to improve the public image of Hunters. Looks like the day I’m lumped in with that crowd has come.”

“Don’t worry. If you keep this up, you’ll be doing something big in no time.”

Suho smirked at Hyunsu’s praise.

Why was he so confident?

He was curious about what Hyunsu wanted later, but didn’t ask.

“I’ll tell you when the time comes.”

At least not scheming or pulling dirty tricks was a good start.

Just then, the conference room door opened and the old gentleman Baek Mujin entered.

“That’s the president…”

“Yes, that’s President Baek Mujin.”

Jung Hyunsu’s explanation reached Suho as he examined Baek Mujin.

A relaxed expression, natural gait.

But Suho’s senses told him otherwise.

‘No wonder his nickname is Sword King.’

Like a finely honed blade.

An aura sharp enough to provoke Suho’s instincts.

‘His presence is no joke.’

A short while later, the commendation ceremony began.

After the other Hunters’ turns passed, it was Suho’s turn.

“Jung Hyunsu Hunter, Won Suho Hunter.”

Both stepped onto the stage.

Hyunsu received his commendation first.

He shook hands with Baek Mujin with a smile and stepped back.

Now it was Suho’s turn.

But Suho couldn’t move forward.

‘What the…?’

His body refused to obey.

More precisely, his senses were blocking him from approaching Baek Mujin’s figure.

‘What’s this? Hostility?’

A sharp aura flowed from Baek Mujin’s body, surrounding the area in tension.

One more step forward and Suho’s throat could be crushed.

His senses sent warning signals so intense he couldn’t take a step.

‘Hyunsu can’t feel this?’

He glanced sideways at Hyunsu.

Hyunsu was watching Suho, puzzled by his stiffness.

“Won Suho Hunter, please accept your commendation.”

The host urged Suho.

Then—

Step.

Baek Mujin took a step forward holding the commendation.

Clack.

Suho clenched his teeth.

At the same moment, his left foot shifted back just a fraction of a toe.

He pushed out his right shoulder, hiding his heart, ready to draw the Pot lid and Sword from his dimensional suitcase at any moment.

‘Avoidance alone won’t do.’

His right hand moved down near his waist to draw the sword.

In an instant, Suho’s battle stance was complete.

“You said you caught a Doppelganger, so I expected something, but a tiger has come.”

Baek Mujin’s voice echoed.

The surrounding tension naturally eased.

“Ah…”

Suho’s tightly held breath was released.

“Receive it.”

Suho barely gathered himself and looked at Baek Mujin.

The previous tension felt like a dream.

Baek Mujin smiled comfortably.

“…Thank you.”

“I should be the one thanking you. You caught that notorious murderer.”

Suho and Jung Hyunsu stepped down from the stage.

Several more Hunters received commendations after them.

“Hyung, are you alright? You look pale.”

“I’m fine.”

Suho sat down and calmed his mind.

“The president… is really something else.”

Like he was testing strength.

Why? Just for catching the Doppelganger?

It didn’t seem like he was testing only Suho.

Suho was sorting out his complicated thoughts when someone approached.

“Won Suho Hunter, could you spare a moment?”

Suho recognized the person.

“He was the one following the president.”

Probably the secretary.

So, the president wanted to meet him?

Suho stood from his seat after considering.

“That’s right.”

He had expected that things wouldn’t end so easily after sensing the president’s aura.

***

Pour—

Tea poured into the teacup.

Suho watched the hand pouring the tea instead of the cup itself.

Could he dodge if that hand attacked?

There was no special aura felt, but Suho wouldn’t let his guard down.

“You don’t have to be so tense. I’m not here to harm you.”

Baek Mujin said with a broad smile.

“May I hear your business?”

“Heh, maybe it’s because you are young, you have a sharp temper. I was the same at your age, I couldn’t stay still.”

“You didn’t apologize earlier.”

“I wanted to test the young ones. It’s my long habit, but hardly any young people notice. So I end up losing control.”

Is that kind of aura really a habit?

Suho, feeling bewildered, asked Baek Mujin.

“Did you call me to apologize??”

“Something like that, but I also have something to give you.”

Baek Mujin finished speaking and handed something over.

It was a piece of paper no larger than a palm.

“Take it. It’s good.”

Suho glanced at the paper.

“Maybe it’s because I’m getting old, but I don’t have the strength to hold my arm up for long. Just take it.”

Judging from his attitude, he didn’t seem to be scheming.

Only then did Suho cautiously reach out.

His eyes widened when he saw what was written.

[Blink Scroll]

• Teleports the user within a 100-meter radius to an unoccupied location.
• Item grade: Rare
• Consumable item

“Why this?”

It was a spatial teleportation scroll for escape.

A versatile and useful item with high demand and limited supply.

Only top-level Hunters usually carried one.

“Think of it as an apology, or as a gift from a senior who wants to befriend you.”

Suho accepted the scroll and spoke.

“This is too generous to accept just like that.”

“A few years ago, a friend who passed my test didn’t get along well with me.

I don’t want that to happen with you, so please take it. I mean it sincerely—no other intentions.”

If you say it like that…

Suho put the scroll in his pocket.

“Understood. Anything else to say?”

“Is this place so uncomfortable? Heh. My approach was rough, I can’t blame you. Well then, see you next time. And I apologize for testing you without warning.”

Having received the Blink Scroll, Suho decided not to hold a grudge.

“It’s fine. I’ll make good use of the scroll.”

After exchanging greetings, Suho soon left the room.

“Did the Blink Scroll really have that much value?”

Seeing the situation, Shin Sunghyun asked Baek Mujin.

“Back when Kang Minje got involved, the tension started then. But…”

Baek Mujin gulped down the rest of his tea.

“From the moment I entered the conference room, only one person never took his eyes off me.”

“Isn’t that just curiosity?”

“From stepping onto the stage to receiving the commendation, he never once faced me directly. He always shifted his left foot slightly back.”

As a skilled Hunter, Shin Sunghyun understood the meaning immediately.

“He was protecting his heart and preparing to counterattack.”

“Even when receiving the commendation, he stayed at the edge of my range, not planning to come any closer. Heh heh heh. So, what do you say? Was the Blink Scroll a waste?”

Baek Mujin’s hearty laugh echoed around the room.

***

‘Suddenly, the president…..’

Suho never imagined he’d have a separate meeting with the president.

And to receive an unexpected gift on top of that.

‘Well, I didn’t lose anything.’

An embarrassing situation.

One big gain, no losses.

‘No point worrying about it. That’s that.’

While walking home after leaving the Association, Suho collected his thoughts.

He soon arrived in front of his house.

Suho opened the door and stepped inside.

“You’re later than expected. The master’s stomach is growling. I demand the promised chicken.”

Seeing the sharp-eyed Balryong as soon as he entered, Suho felt his complicated thoughts dissolve.

“What do you want it with? Soy sauce? Seasoned?”

“…I don’t know if you’re willingly complying with the master’s request, but if you think I’ll do everything, you’re mistaken. The master wants garlic! Garlic!”

After showing him a chicken flyer once, Balryong was already good at choosing the menu.

“Wait a bit. I’ll change clothes and order it.”

Suho took off the suit he had worn.

Then he went over to the built-in closet on one side of the room.

Inside hung a suitcase made of bulletproof fabric.

A long black case for his suit.

Suho pulled out the zipper running vertically down the middle.

At that moment—

[Dimension [DITOD-0624B] detected.]

A startling message popped up.