Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Lee Sehee still thought of Choi Junho as an unknowable man.

Someone whose way of thinking was far removed from the norm.

And yet he insisted he was perfectly sane.

At first she'd assumed it was an act. But after talking with him, she realized he genuinely believed it. If he weren't a public service Hunter, she would have believed he was a villain.

Even so, his overwhelming skill and techniques of unknown origin drew her eye. To get close to him, she'd investigated him from every angle and offered what he needed—and it had worked.

She felt a little sorry for the villains who would end up going against Choi Junho.

Everything had been going so smoothly that she'd felt refreshed.

That is, until she stepped into the training room.

She'd been curious about what kind of training Choi Junho would give Choi Yoonhee, and she'd also intended to build a personal rapport with him.

But what she'd approached so lightly had hit her like a truck on the way back.

"This is as far as we go."

"......"

"Are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I have to be."

She forced strength into her trembling legs and rose to her feet. But the shock from moments ago hadn't faded in the slightest.

"I'll stay here a little longer."

"Then I'll head out first."

She watched Choi Junho's back as he left, then sank down onto the floor.

"...I almost wet myself."

It was an honest sentiment, stripped of all pretense.

What Choi Junho had shown her was the aura of a monster, perfectly imitated.

A predator's endless bloodlust toward its prey—hostility laid bare. Lee Sehee recalled the days years ago, when she'd first hunted monsters.

The memory of being overwhelmed even when she could have hunted them fine once she pulled herself together.

It's something every Hunter goes through at least once. In that sense, the monster's aura Choi Junho had shown was the real deal—the kind you'd encounter while out hunting.

If new Hunters on their first hunt could experience this, it would dramatically reduce the absurd deaths and injuries.

"How on earth...?"

She'd been so shocked she forgot to even ask.

One thing was certain.

Choi Junho was a man who far exceeded her expectations. Like a treasure chest that could spew out anything at any moment. Though he was also like a monster that might devour even her if she made a wrong move.

"I want him."

She caught herself and let out a wry laugh.

She must be out of her mind. Lusting after a man who'd tried to kill her, even if he had been putting on an act when they first met.

Was this why women were drawn to dangerous men? Did this even count as that category? She was pretty sure this wasn't the kind of "dangerous" that meant actual mortal peril.

But one thing was clear, and even she found it strange.

She had to hold on to Choi Junho no matter what.

* * *

Lee Sehee's advice had come at just the right time, and it helped Yoonhee get used to the monster's aura.

She'd asked why he had to get down on all fours like a dog—well, didn't it look more realistic that way? Most monsters move on four legs, after all. In any case, Yoonhee seemed to have gained a great deal from exposure to that wholly foreign aura.

"Wow! I really could've died if I messed up."

With that, I'd done everything I could.

Next would be moving like a monster myself to build up her combat experience, but doing that properly required the whole team present, so I decided to skip it.

Thinking about it, maybe I was being overprotective.

Still, wasn't overprotection better than neglect? I handed her the bracelet I'd gotten as a favor from Lee Sehee.

"Whoa, it's pretty. What is this?"

"A location tracker. Wear it every time you go hunting."

"Are you insane?"

There was a bit of back-and-forth, but we agreed she'd wear it whenever she went hunting.

With the Yoonhee matter settled, what remained was my own problem.

The Erasure incident had ended as a mere hiccup, but two issues had cropped up.

First was Berserker—a guy who shouldn't have had any contact with me until fifteen years later had taken an interest in Erasure.

With that lunatic involved, there was no telling what changes he'd set off. As a rule, the most annoying people are the ones you can't predict. I needed to keep an eye on Berserker too.

Second was the utility of Arc Mine.

Originally, Arc Mine was a gift specialized for one-on-one combat, and it had its difficulties when facing multiple opponents.

It was the gift I was most comfortable with, so I'd planned to use it while switching to the sword depending on the situation—but the naming of Erasure changed things.

It bothered me that Berserker had said he was chasing Erasure. If I used the sword, wouldn't that expose me as Erasure?

Then a thought struck me, and I let out a hollow laugh.

"I've gone soft, haven't I."

I reflected on it sincerely. I'd sworn not to repeat the mad things I'd done in the past—but I'd never once said I'd go easy.

If I were my old self, this kind of worry wouldn't even have been worth considering.

"I could just eliminate them and be done with it."

* * *

Over a dozen villains who'd been operating in the shadows of the city were arrested en masse, but unusually, it didn't become a problem.

There was no excessive force. Even though Choi Junho had been deployed, everyone was astonished that the villains' limbs were intact.

When everyone asked in amazement, Choi Junho just smiled and left behind a cryptic remark: "A genius's idea changed the paradigm of arrest. It just costs money."

Apart from that, daily life passed peacefully.

Jung Dahyun thought it was the calm before the storm. Talk of the League was gradually taking shape, and sightings of notorious high-level villains were being reported.

Action would be taken before long. And she was determined to play a key role in that mission.

"Jung Dahyun, Choi Junho—to the Director's office."

"Yes!"

At Jung Juho's summons, Jung Dahyun entered the Director's office with Choi Junho.

"You've worked hard guiding Choi Junho all this time. I believe he's grown accustomed to National Guard Bureau operations by now."

"It was simply my duty."

"It's thanks to you, Official Jung Dahyun. I still have a long way to go."

At Choi Junho's words, Jung Juho latched on as if he'd found an opening.

"A long way to go, all right—with your villain-arresting skills! Every time you're deployed, at least ten people end up seriously injured. This time everyone was fine, so I thought maybe you'd finally turned over a new leaf—what did you pull? Why are they fine on the outside but completely wrecked on the inside?"

"You flatter me."

"That wasn't a compliment!"

Jung Juho shouted with a face about to burst.

She'd seen that expression before. When she'd said she wanted to transfer from the Shinseong Guild to the National Guard Bureau. The look of a man staring at an incorrigible troublemaker.

Whenever Jung Juho spoke of him not as a subordinate but as a nephew, he'd complain: "You were the mild flavor! Why did the next one have to be nuclear fire chicken flavor?"

Having barely suppressed his anger, Jung Juho let out a thin breath.

"Dahyun, you know as well as I do—Choi Junho has skills too good to waste on petty criminals."

"...Yes."

"So I'm going to assign Choi Junho several solo missions."

"What? But Director! Junho is still Grade 9, and he doesn't have much experience yet."

"You, who worshipped skill above all, talking about rank—now that's awkward."

"......"

Struck by the truth, Jung Dahyun shut her mouth.

"Choi Junho, you can handle it, right?"

"If you entrust it to me, I'll do my best."

"No—you must not do your best. If you do your best, you'll kill everyone."

"I'll try to keep them alive."

"See? You're admitting that if you don't try, you'll kill them all."

Having vented his stress by nitpicking meaningless words, Jung Juho spoke toward her with a visibly more relaxed face.

"Anyway, the reason I want to give Choi Junho solo missions is simple. Jung Dahyun, you're too weak."

"......!"

It felt like a sharp arrow had pierced her heart. Her legs went weak and she staggered, but Jung Juho's expression was cold.

"If you don't want to be a burden to your assistant partner, get stronger. Then I'll assign you together."

"......"

"You're dismissed. I have more to discuss with Choi Junho."

"...Yes."

With nothing more to say, Jung Dahyun stumbled out of the Director's office.

She didn't know how she'd made it back to her seat. With a blank face, she replayed the conversation from moments ago.

They say the truth is clear-cut.

In the end, this had happened because she was weak. If she'd been stronger—if she'd reached Level 7—she wouldn't have been excluded like this.

Yes, Director Jung Juho was right. She was weak. As a child, she'd been more used to being called a genius than her own name, and she'd carried her fame as a member of the Shinseong Guild and then the National Guard Bureau—but that was all it was. The enemies ahead would include not only Level 6 but Level 7 and beyond.

"I have to get stronger."

Biting her lip hard enough to taste blood, Jung Dahyun steeled her resolve once more.

* * *

It was the first time I'd seen Jung Dahyun so dispirited. Being told her skills were lacking must have been a shock. But if I became a Black Agent and took on dangerous missions, she was likely to become a burden.

In the end, she'd need to build up her skills—and since I'd received her help all this time, should I help with her training?

Come to think of it, I'd taught Yoonhee well enough to get her a top recruitment offer from the Shinseong Guild, so maybe I had a knack for teaching. She'd cursed me the whole time she was rolling around, then thanked me after she passed. I should bring it up with her.

"All right, the watcher's gone—shall we have an honest talk now?"

"I'm listening."

"How far are you going to raise hell?"

"How far is possible?"

"...Hey, why do you have to be so scary? Can't you cut me some slack? I'm losing hair because of you these days."

I smiled instead of answering. It was meant as reassurance, but he must have taken it the wrong way—Jung Juho's expression darkened.

"I'm always grateful to you, Director."

"I must've committed some sin in a past life. I've really lived a good life, you know. Hah! Fine, if you're going to run wild, there are conditions. It won't contradict the justice our National Guard Bureau stands for. No innocent victims. As much as possible, it'll be something I can clean up. And you'll tell me in advance. That should do it. Can you manage?"

"I'll try."

"You won't even say you'll do it if it kills you. Jung Dahyun—this is the problem, the problem. Why did you have to bring back a troublemaker like this? No, wait—did she bring him back well? If he'd been anywhere else, he'd have raised even more hell. Fine, let's say I sacrificed one strand of hair to save the world. The higher-ups ought to appreciate my efforts, but I can't even go complain to anyone. Ugh!"

I wanted to ask if he was just using me as an excuse for hair he was already losing, but I held it in.

I knew, even disconnected from the world as I was, that attacking a balding man was simply rude.

* * *

I seriously considered what I could do. Then I remembered there was a meaningful first mission for me as a Black Agent, so I drafted an operation proposal and brought it to Jung Juho.

It was a perfect operation—one that would let the National Guard Bureau score a major achievement while ensuring no innocent victims.

Whether Jung Juho could clean up after it was another matter entirely.

When Jung Juho saw the document's title, he clutched the back of his neck.

Berserker Capture Operation

"Hey, you're not really an assassin sent to kill me, are you? Did Yeom Gicheol send you? Or Park Beomsu? Just kill me openly instead! Stop tying my stomach in knots!"

Having hollered at the top of his lungs, Jung Juho asked.

"Why Berserker?"

"I believe an unpredictable element becomes a variable. I think it's better to remove him in advance."

"You say he shows up at the black market sometimes, so you want to start by scouting the black market? You're planning to touch the black market too?"

"Is that not allowed?"

"Let's set that aside for now and talk about Berserker first. Why do you think we only monitor Berserker's movements and don't dare touch him?"

"......"

Probably because he's among the strongest in South Korea's villains in terms of pure combat power. Even in his insane state, Lee Gwangjin—who'd built a fearsome reputation with his overwhelming swordsmanship before being called Berserker—was said to have not lost any of his finesse; if anything, he'd improved.

But what came out of Jung Juho's mouth was different from what I'd thought.

"It's because he's insane."

"Sorry?"

"He's crazy. You never know which way he'll bounce. Especially Berserker—do you have any idea how much his mind comes and goes? When he's in the mood, he'll help Hunters on a hunt, then a few hours later he'll change his mind and slaughter them all. He'll kill villains he was working with just because they annoyed him, and he'll drive monsters into the city citing the ban period. This isn't a one- or two-time thing."

Jung Juho took a light breath.

"If you still want to catch him, I won't stop you. But know one thing clearly. Berserker is, in my opinion—no, among all the villains in the world who've earned every kind of infamy—the craziest of the crazy."

"......"

I stayed quietly silent.

Anyone could see Berserker was insane. That was an undeniable fact.

I might be a normal person now, but in my past life I too had been a villain who went mad.

And I'd been called the worst.

But the craziest villain was Berserker?

"Hah!"

It wasn't as if I could show him what a truly insane villain looked like.

My pride smarting in some strange way, I felt a pang of frustration.