Chapter 79

Chapter 79

‘This is bad.’

Alarm bells were ringing one after another in James Reed’s head.

Of all people, Choi Junho and Guillermo had to run into each other this early.

The cold sweat was only natural, but it was because he remembered what Guillermo had been saying about Choi Junho.

Before attending the gathering, he had committed hundreds of pages of information on Choi Junho to memory.

With the emergence of the newly appeared Harmful-class Level 8 Plus, Mexico had suffered greatly. And amid all that, Guillermo had lost a close friend.

He had expressed his fury at Choi Junho, who claimed to have hunted one alone, insisting the threat level of the Plus-class monster had been manipulated.

James Reed understood how Guillermo felt, but he thought the man was directing his anger the wrong way.

Strictly speaking, it was Guillermo’s side that had miscalculated—assuming that because Choi Junho had hunted one alone, it must be similar to other Harmful-class Level 8 monsters.

They had simply gone looking for someone to blame and settled on Choi Junho.

‘We handled it well.’

In America’s case, they had dealt with the Plus-class monster through a thorough response system from the early stages, hunting it without significant damage. The Nuri hunt briefing had been a great help in that regard.

There had been fierce debate internally as well, the main question being: ‘Did Choi Junho really hunt this alone?’

James Reed, along with the other transcendents, had concluded that no one could have hunted it alone. That was how powerful a Plus-class monster was.

But looking at Choi Junho, he couldn’t help thinking it might have been possible.

If it was true that he had hunted it alone, Choi Junho’s standing would reach a level on an entirely different dimension from now.

He would become one of the world’s strongest transcendents.

Perhaps James Reed and the other transcendents were deliberately turning a blind eye to that reality.

Regardless, one thing was certain.

‘If I mess up the interpretation, Guillermo dies.’

James Reed thought of Choi Junho’s personality.

A disposition infinitely far from a righteous transcendent and infinitely close to a villain.

A transcendent who, with just one more step in that direction, could be called a member of the League’s Twelve Zodiac, with a vicious forcefulness to match—that was Choi Junho.

If something rubbed him the wrong way, he lashed out first regardless of who it was, and being narrow-minded and petty, he never let anyone who insulted him off the hook when they were standing right in front of him.

His one redeeming quality was that he had no greed for money or lust.

Choi Junho’s hand didn’t discriminate between men and women. The prime example was Anna Christine, who had suffered such severe mental damage from his age attack that she had to take a month off. And this was in America, where Awakened were overflowing with those desperate just to catch a single glance from Anna Christine.

Because of that incident, any plan involving honey traps had been completely scrapped.

And his lack of material greed wasn’t exactly a good thing either—the fact that his donations had led to uncovering corruption at a boxed-meal company, which then snowballed into a case involving the Mayor of Seoul and members of the National Assembly, proved once again that Choi Junho was a walking time bomb.

Whether the truth came out or not, it was a problem either way.

He was the type to kick up a storm wherever he went.

‘If I make a mistake…’

James Reed imagined the aftermath his interpretation could cause.

Just imagining it was horrifying.

Guillermo was a transcendent called the pillar of Mexico, and with his pro-American leanings, he served as a bridge between the United States and Mexico.

Thanks to him, America and Mexico maintained smooth relations despite sharing a border.

But without Guillermo?

The other Mexican transcendents with anti-American tendencies would try to confront the United States.

That would raise tensions across the North American continent. And Choi Junho would be ostracized by other transcendents for killing one of their own.

If it was true that he had hunted a Plus-class monster alone, then he was a precious asset for dealing with even stronger monsters that would appear in the future. It meant he could contribute even more to the world.

They couldn’t let such an asset turn the world into his enemy. James Reed adopted a look of resolve, filled with a sense of mission.

This collision—he would stop it himself.

“Alright. I’ll give it my damn best.”

James Reed began interpreting between the two.

* * *

James Reed accepted the request to interpret, and I conveyed what I wanted to say to Guillermo.

What I wanted to say was simple.

Why are you blaming me for being weak?

Should’ve hunted better.

Wouldn’t it have been better to spend that time improving your skills?

Since we couldn’t communicate, I softened it appropriately.

If the guy couldn’t recognize his own fault and kept pushing back, I planned to deal with him without mercy.

But our conversation started getting toyed with by James’s scheme—something I hadn’t anticipated.

The way Guillermo’s words came out through the interpretation was strange.

“You totally exaggerated that hunt! You think you’re that strong? Your shit’s thick!”

“Must be nice hogging the hunt all to yourself. I hear you’re loaded? Treat us!”

“Yeah, you’re so great! Go bald!”

Guillermo was clearly speaking seriously. But once his words passed through James Reed’s mouth, they came out bizarrely changed.

The guy must have noticed the transcendent interpretation too, because his expression started to turn strange.

But telling someone to go bald—isn’t that crossing the line?

When Jung Juho had complained about it, I’d brushed it off, but now that it was happening to me, it hit like cold water to the face and snapped me wide awake.

Could my hair actually be thinning? I should check.

I asked James Reed, who was running his mouth like a fish in water.

“Is that really what he’s saying?”

“Yeah! For real!”

“Doesn’t seem like it.”

“It’s true! Trust me!”

“……”

Something’s getting seriously twisted in the middle here.

James Reed met my gaze with innocent, guileless eyes.

I can’t argue further since I don’t know Spanish.

But it was definitely transcendent translation.

The atmosphere between me and Guillermo was far softer than before, which proved it.

“If you’ve got complaints, learn Spanish! It’s dead easy!”

And in the middle of all that, he lies without batting an eye.

This Macho Man—no, from now on, you’re Jolla Man. Jolla Man definitely played tricks in the middle.

When neither Guillermo nor I spoke anymore, Jolla Man grinned.

“Haha! Seems like there was a big misunderstanding between you two. From where I’m standing, you two could be great friends! So let’s just get along! Yeah? Best friends!”

“You get along with yourself.”

“It’s not all bad! Guillermo’s a real gourmet! As an apology, I’ll ask him to make you a Mexican-style soybean paste stew.”

“……!”

That dish exists?

Mexican-style? What style is being added, exactly?

At my look, Jolla Man said with a triumphant expression.

“Aren’t you curious? It’ll be delicious!”

“If it’s not, it won’t be fun.”

“Haha! Trust me!”

Why should I trust you when Guillermo’s the one cooking?

“Come on, let’s share the good stuff! You know that saying! We Are The World! Mm! Love it!”

“……”

I’m starting to think this guy is fluent in Korean and just pretending he isn’t.

Setting that aside, under Jolla Man’s mediation, I got to try the Mexican-style soybean paste stew.

…Mm! Guillermo, maybe he’s not such a bad guy after all?

* * *

Having succeeded in bringing the World Transcendent Day event to Tokyo, the Japanese side was going to extraordinary lengths to make it a success.

It was set to be a stage for propaganda—announcing to the world that Japan was still alive and flaunting its national power.

Naturally, they were keeping close watch on the transcendents’ movements.

There was a hidden scheme behind the Japanese side’s decision to put Choi Junho and Guillermo in the same hotel.

If a clash occurred, the result would be the elimination of another country’s transcendent.

A reduction in another nation’s strength and a tarnished image was by no means bad for Japan.

Especially if a neighboring country was involved.

The Awakened Minister delivered his report to the Prime Minister.

“Choi Junho and Guillermo encountered each other, but no clash occurred.”

“Why not?”

“James Reed mediated, apparently.”

“Macho Man… I heard Choi Junho isn’t the type to accept mediation.”

“James Reed brought his resourcefulness to bear. I hadn’t accounted for that far. My apologies.”

Macho Man James Reed—his burly appearance made him seem easy to fool, but in reality he was the elite of elites, having completed his doctoral coursework at Stanford.

He was one of the transcendents Japan was most wary of at this event.

He was the文武兼备 type, possessing the seasoned skill to secure his nation’s interests in any situation.

“A shame, but it can’t be helped. Choi Junho is a bomb anyway, so there will be plenty of opportunities, won’t there?”

“Indeed.”

“His skill is considerable, but his temper is foul. A bomb can go off anytime, anywhere.”

“There are several flashpoints.”

The Awakened Minister pointed to the Nuri hunt among them.

As Harmful-class Level 8 Plus monsters appeared across the world, a growing number of transcendents were raising questions about the hunt information South Korea had provided.

Neither the Prime Minister nor the Awakened Minister doubted the information South Korea had handed over. It was the basis on which they had established their manual and hunted Plus-class monsters with minimal damage.

Still, the presence of a young transcendent from a neighboring country who could be argued as the world’s strongest was a burden.

Even if the relationship was close to an alliance.

“Jealousy has a way of obscuring the truth. Just fan the flames from behind. Our involvement must never be revealed.”

“They’re hot-blooded creatures by nature, so even a gentle push will spark an incident. I’ll do my utmost to stoke the situation.”

“I’m counting on you.”

The Awakened Minister bowed his head deeply.

* * *

The opening performance was truly magnificent. Japan put its formidable soft power front and center, delivering a diverse array of performances that delighted the eyes of all who watched.

It felt like they’d spent an enormous amount of money on that. Truly fitting for a wealthy nation.

According to Lee Chantae, a few common agenda items are voted on at the World Transcendent Day event, and whether each country accepts them is optional.

“Accepting more earns you goodwill from UPN. UPN can’t offer direct help, but it can provide indirect assistance in various ways. In this era overflowing with lies, it’s the closest thing to the most objective source of information.”

Being the largest event where transcendents from around the world gathered, its authority was considerable, Lee Chantae explained.

Since the opinions of Awakened from many places converged there, it sometimes contained important matters and often proved greatly helpful.

“You’re popular.”

“My face is going to get worn out.”

I’d been feeling eyes on me for a while now.

Jealousy, anger, killing intent, admiration, respect—a mix of positive and negative emotions reached me. It felt like being a monkey at the zoo. They must be itching to test my skills.

They can test me, but they’d better be prepared.

Before the common agenda was decided, each country gave a presentation.

Starting with host nation Japan, followed by the United States, China, the UK, France, Germany, Russia, Italy, Canada, Brazil, India, South Africa, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea—each of the major Awakened powers of the G15 gave presentations on hunting results plus five special case reports, totaling twenty presentations.

These presentations carried the meaning of showcasing each nation’s achievements.

Countries whose Awakened forces were insufficient to fully solidify their monster defense lines needed the G15’s help. And in Africa’s case, systematically organized Awakened forces were laughable. The G15 secured interests in other nations by dispatching their forces abroad.

It was a venue for information exchange, but peel back the surface and it was a diplomatic stage where each nation’s interests clashed sharply.

I had no head for this sort of thing, so I just let the other countries’ presentations go in one ear and out the other. Some nations exaggerated their results excessively—enough that I thought it would blow up in their faces later.

But I had no reason to step up and point that out. I just listened quietly and passed the time.

Then finally, it was our turn. Since we were the ones who had kicked off the first Harmful-class Level 8 Plus hunt with Nuri, the faces of officials from every country came alive.

Our first presenter was Lee Chantae.

Standing before the podium, he began his presentation in a calm voice.

“I will brief you on the hunt process for Nuri, the first monster classified as Plus-class. As some of you may know, the Avant-garde Guild that I lead failed in the Nuri hunt.”

“……!”

As he calmly confessed his failure in a place where everyone else was boasting, the people gathered in the hall were startled and focused on Lee Chantae.

Under the pouring gazes, Lee Chantae explained the Nuri hunt process in a voice no different from before. How they had tried to prepare before the hunt, how Nuri had responded once they engaged, and how the Avant-garde Guild had been devastated.

“I ordered all my guild members to retreat and stayed behind alone to hold Nuri off. But at the time, Nuri’s gift was far too powerful—it was impossible. I thought I was meeting my end right there.”

The Awakened listened intently to the vivid account of failure. Humans learn from failure. From where I stood, Lee Chantae’s presentation was the most valuable one today.

“The one who saved me—when I could have become a traitor to the citizens of South Korea—was Transcendent Choi Junho. Let me state one thing plainly: Transcendent Choi Junho did hunt Nuri alone.”

Should Lee Chantae’s words be taken as simply boosting his own country’s transcendent, or as the doubts being laid to rest?

As long as he doesn’t pick a fight with me, I don’t care.

The problem is the constant talking behind my back.

“The details of how Nuri was hunted will be explained by Transcendent Choi Junho.”

The Awakened’s gazes now turned to me. I took the podium after Lee Chantae.

Looking around, the gazes mixed with every kind of emotion came through more vividly.

Some were fidgeting, barely able to contain themselves.

Well, sure—the number of transcendents is one thing, but there are plenty of people faking their level too.

Since I became a transcendent at a young age, there must be plenty who want to expose it as a lie.

Here’s what I think.

The Nuri hunt process is already widely known to every country, so why bother explaining it until my mouth hurts?

Those who won’t believe will keep not believing and keep running their mouths anyway.

I held up the paper they’d copied for me to read from. I activated Arc Mine, and it was wrapped in lightning, turning to powder and scattering away.

Well, that’s one sure way to grab attention.

“There’s no one here who doesn’t know how I hunted Nuri anyway, and those who won’t believe won’t believe till the end—so why waste my breath? So, anyone with complaints, raise your hand. I’ll kindly explain it to you.”

Of course, I’ll be teaching them with my body, not my words.

My words were translated into the languages of every country in the world and spread far and wide.