Chapter 378. Raid Prohibited (5)
"How could this... how could sothing like this..."
Jung Haseong muttered clumsy words, as if spilling the flow of his thoughts directly. After traveling together through t he winter and barely learning to trust his companion's health, he supposed it was only natural to be shocked by a sight like this.
"See? I told you not to follow ."
But what else could I have done? For , this was the best option.
Until now, I had often made excuses about things like mansions being flooded or other personal reasons. But the truth is, if I had been even a little later, that island would have cast its shadow over the land the Earthlings call Japan. And o nce it had moved that far, clearing away its debris would have been several tis more difficult.
'At least the job's been wrapped up neatly. But on the flip side, my web of trust has gotten a lot more complicated.'
Damn it, whatever. I gave up on making any complicated excuses and let myself be led by the humans straight to the i nfirmary. The black-haired awakened refrained from speaking, as if sparing so consideration for a patient like .
"What are you staring at? Keep it up and I really will hit you with a mory-wiping spell."
I didn't bother with any particularly kind thoughts. After all, a single spell was worth more than a hundred words. And I happened to be a conscienceless archmage from Alqhauri.
***
...A brief commotion erupted.
"-_-"
Today is Tuesday, December 24th. But while others are busy slicing Christmas cakes this ti of year, a certain youn g man—hailed as one of Korea's greatest heroes—has found himself cast out onto the streets.
"-_-"
Maybe it was because he was a psychic with too much inner heat. Inside a warm house, he could hardly ever focus.
Inside a naless park, Jung Haseong sat on a bench, lost in thought with a troubled expression.
"That person really is an unprecedented shaless fraud."
The "that person" ntioned in the sentence referred to the dyed-haired awakened one, now known to everyone in S outh Korea.
"How can he keep lying without even batting an eye? And then, saying there's no problem—how does soone end u p like that just from "pushing himself a little"?"
But then again, grumbling to himself wasn't going to change anything.
For reference, this was after the strange phenonon that had appeared in the Pacific Ocean had been neatly dealt wi th.
"Ha."
At first, the entire nation was shocked by the appearance of an otherworldy floating island. But after all, this was the a ge of Dungeon Shock. Red Gates that spawned monsters right in the middle of cities were already a reality—so why w ouldn't there also be nests drifting in the sky? Besides, with January approaching, bizarre new Gates had been surfaci ng all around the world anyway.
"The [Are You Happy?] EX-rank Gate in Türkiye. The Red Gate rush in Africa and East Asia. In the end, is this island tha t just appeared bound to follow the sa course as those?"
"-_-"
He no longer paid any attention to a dungeon that had already been dealt with. The only thing that bothered him was j ust one matter.
"Am I just ddling too much?"
That a Hunter, now a bona fide idol, is suffering from a tumor.
"So that's why he wanted not to follow him. And yet, I really was the fool who boarded the ship without a second th ought."
As his gaze drifted, he noticed the dust gathered on the bench. But since Jung Haseong wasn't the type to fuss over c leanliness, he simply stayed seated in silence.
"And on top of that, soone like , what right do I have to follow an adult and stubbornly tell them not to enter a du ngeon?"
At this very mont, the only thing that was noisy was the pyromancer's mind.
"Really, just..."
While working together, he always seed perfectly fine, so I almost completely overlooked it. But if he's suddenly co ughing up blood on the ship, isn't this clearly serious?
Jung Haseong recalled once more the scene he had witnessed over the Pacific Ocean. The fourth S-rank's attack had left him with entirely justified consequences.
"I don't even know how I'm supposed to react."
Even if he saw him collapse from overexertion, he couldn't just blindly stop his companion from going into the dungeo n. As he had thought all along: strictly speaking, Kim Giryeo was a stranger who hadn't shared a drop of his blood. He couldn't restrict his actions simply because it made him feel uncomfortable.
'In fact, the attitude I've taken up until now was actually overstepping my bounds.'
But as the conversation had progressed this far, Jung Haseong found himself curious about a particular topic.
"...Why doesn't that hunter quit his job as a hunter?"
Money, money, money.
In truth, the answer to this question was extrely simple, but from the Earthlings' perspective, it wasn't a conclusion they could easily arrive at.
This is the kind of person Kim Giryeo appeared to be through Jung Haseong's eyes.
A suit so neatly worn it would make one suspect obsessive cleanliness. Bare hands, without a single weapon like a gu n or knife that spies typically carry. And a calm face, maintained at all tis as if to put the final seal on that composur e.
To anyone who looked, Kim Giryeo was an ideal strong figure. But at the sa ti, he could also be called an eccent ric, even bizarre.
'I originally thought he cared about the safety of the citizens. But judging by his actions so far, sohow it doesn't see m like that anymore.'
If he keeps obsessing over hunting instead of focusing on treatnt, his lifespan will surely be shortened. And Kim Gir yeo isn't the kind of person who wouldn't realize that; in the long run, this would be a loss for the nation.
'From the start, he even scolded not to think so short-sightedly.'
Several thoughts flashed through his mind.
'Did he perhaps threaten a national agency with his mother, who supposedly collapsed recently...? No, no. That's goin g too far.'
But no matter how he thinks about it, it doesn't seem like such a psychic would let their entire life be swayed by so one else's words.
After long deliberation in the cold wind, a single hypothesis gradually took shape in Jung Haseong's mind.
"Then, could it be..."
There remained a reason that had not yet been tested.
"Out of curiosity."
Perhaps Korea's fourth S-rank is engrossed in hunting just because it's fun? This may sound ridiculous, but surprisingl y, there were many actual cases to support this theory. The dominant species of a certain planet has always had a cult ure of extre sports. A creature known as an Earthling enjoyed skydiving—with a body that would suffer a fatal injur y just by falling from the third floor of an apartnt, no less! And to top it off, they even paid for the privilege. But now, a world has co where alien monsters, as if they just popped out of an RPG, stride about the streets. Well then.
'For those who find thrill in danger, this must be paradise right now.'
A man who, finding everyday life too boring, took modern hunting up as a hobby. Jung Haseong thought such a case was entirely possible. In a way, it was similar in nature to the misconception Kang Changho had once imagined. But un like anyone else, the national hero didn't stop at re thoughts.
'Still, I can't just leave that Hunter be. No matter how capable or extraordinary soone is, if they go around risking th eir life, they're bound to die eventually.'
A hero who, through consistent treatnt by experts and constant ntal discipline, had regained the ability to make sound judgnts. Jung Haseong clearly understood what it ant to obsess over work, just as he had in the past.
Thus, he thought of a certain thod. As long as Kim Giryeo lacked a "specific trait," the actions he was about to try c ould easily resolve the problem.
.
.
.
Ding dong.
A few hours later, the chanical chi of a bell rang out from a mansion on the coast.
"Hoho."
From the wide glass windows, one could take in the winter sea at a glance—this place was the private property of an a lien. After the explosion of the abandoned house on the ship, Kim Giryeo had gone straight ho, using the excuse th at he was too tired and needed to rest.
Therefore, the only way to et the alien mage was to visit him here, where he had secluded himself.
"So he actually ca just because I called him."
But the hoowner's attitude upon spotting the guest was decidedly negative. Of course, Jung Haseong, being a polit e local, had called ahead and received permission. Still, from the perspective of soone planning to laze around the house, snacking and web-surfing, this visit was hardly welco.
"Enough. What good would getting angry at an inferior Earthling do?"
Tsk.
Kim Giryeo moved his mouth to let out a aningless interjection, then obediently moved his body. He opened various doors so that the guest could enter the living room.
"Hello, Hunter Kim Giryeo."
"rry Christmas!"
"It hasn't even been a full day yet. I thought showing up on Christmas Day would be too much of a nuisance, so I delib erately ca today instead."
"Is that so..."
By the way, he wondered what business the fire-attribute youth had coming all the way to the seaside mansion.
"What is it?"
Tuk.
Upon arriving in the living room, Jung Haseong asked about his well-being with a serious expression. After receiving s everal reassurances from Kim Giryeo that he was fine, he soon began taking a few items out of the bag he had brough t.
"What on earth?"
The first thing he revealed was an analog wristwatch. Next ca a piece of paper that appeared to be a plane ticket to the UK, and...another unknown rectangular docunt.
"It's filled with English text. Judging roughly by Kim Giryeo's mind, it seems to be so kind of event ticket."
The alien tilted his head slightly, trying not to make it obvious. Still, the last item that ca out was sothing he was at least familiar with in everyday life.
"A photo?"
To be precise, it was an automobile magazine featuring various foreign cars that appeared here.
Wristwatch. Various tickets. Magazine.
To the alien, the belongings seed haphazard and random. The hoowner, with a negative balance of 40 billion, st ared at the items placed on the glass table for quite so ti. And in this awkward silence, it seed the visitor acro ss from him had finally gathered what he wanted to say...
"Hunter Kim."
Jung Haseong said quickly.
"May I ask you sothing?"
Of course, the answer was brief.
"Yeah."
Considering that Jung Haseong was two years older, the tone was quite inappropriate. However, the alien figured it w ould be awkward to change his attitude at this point. The number one dostic Hunter didn't take issue with the tone either. Instead, he felt reassured by the usual reaction and simply brought up the question he had prepared.
"What do you think of these products?"
"Hmn?"
"By the way, this watch is from a newly launched line by a Swiss high-end brand. They say it's made entirely of high-s trength new materials so that even Awakened Ones can wear it comfortably."
But the aliens didn't have much to say on this topic.
"What do you think of these things?"
Watches and cars.
Such things usually only catch the eye of Earthlings. A soul who had lived on a remote planet still didn't quite understa nd why these products were considered luxurious.
"Please, I ask that you be completely honest."
Moreover, with his acquaintance speaking so earnestly in front of him, in the mage's domain where the waves outside the glass window could be heard, the alien seated at the center calmly voiced his opinion.
"Well... it's just a watch."
"-_-"
"The thing next to it is a blue car."
Since it didn't seem like an especially strange remark, he spoke his mind comfortably and honestly.
"Is that the end?"
"Of course."
"Then, are you not interested in the professional soccer match ticket either?"
"Oh, so those were soccer tickets."
And when the topic shifted to ball sports, only a genuinely indifferent reaction ca out. The visitor at the mansion, ob serving this series of responses, tried bringing up other areas like gas or fashion. As expected, the atmosphere did n't change much.
"You're asking if I play mobile gas since I'm using the latest phone? Well... I'm aware of their existence, at least inte llectually."
"You don't play them yourself, do you?"
"Isn't that expensive?"
"Most of the ti, no. But just the fact that you're asking that gives a rough idea of the situation."
Jung Haseong had gradually turned pale, as if he had just confird sothing.
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