Chapter 83

Chapter 83

After the World Transcendent Day event ended, I returned to Korea.

If I had to give my impressions of the event, there wasn't much worth seeing.

It felt like a bunch of guys from all over the world who'd been whining about how hard they were working hunting monsters had gathered to pat themselves on the back.

"Oh, right."

Come to think of it, I had something to present too, but I'd forgotten because Schwantner had picked a fight with me.

It was about what the emergence of Plus-tier monsters meant. When I was the Blood Lord, I'd experienced fragments of the future, so I knew what direction monsters would develop in going forward.

I'd have to bring this up once I got back to the Blue House.

As for what I'd gained from this Japan trip—the Japanese Prime Minister had conveyed his intentions to me, asking that I increase the export volume of the Big Bang Series.

He'd ordered more than ten times the quantity of other nations, and then proposed establishing a joint venture company in Japan to handle production. It was a different approach from other countries that had purchased licenses.

The Assistant Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance put it this way:

"Japan is geographically close to Korea, so they're willing to take short-term losses for the sake of the bigger picture."

Currently, countries around the world were trying to catch up to the Big Bang Series by purchasing licenses.

But nothing on the market could match the efficiency of the Big Bang Series, which had already seized the market. Japan's strategy, apparently, was to cover the gap through imports while producing high-quality goods through a joint venture, giving Shinseong Group a cut instead.

Once more time passed, technology would develop enough to catch up to the Big Bang Series' efficiency.

It was a strategy only a wealthy nation could afford. And being a neighboring country, there'd be no shipping mishaps either.

I figured there must be plenty of sharp minds over there too.

But why did they ask me instead of Lee Sehee?

The Assistant Deputy Minister spoke with an awkward smile.

"Team Leader Lee Sehee is famous for being incredibly difficult to deal with in negotiations."

"How difficult are we talking?"

"They say being on the weaker side against her feels like standing in hell. I actually negotiated with her once, and it felt like being filleted alive."

...So Lee Sehee was even scarier than I'd thought.

Recalling that time, the Assistant Deputy Minister shook his head, saying it still made his hair stand on end. He was clearly holding back his words.

But from my experience negotiating with her, nobody was easier to communicate with than Lee Sehee.

So the Prime Minister must have figured I was easier to deal with than Lee Sehee. Did I look like a sucker?

Well, I got everything I was owed, so I wasn't upset about it.

Anyway, aside from successfully exporting the Big Bang Series, I hadn't gained much else.

I bought the anime Blu-rays Yunhee had asked for, and received the soybean paste stew recipe from James Reed.

But that Jolla Man bastard scammed me.

"What's it matter as long as it's fucking delicious?!"

The recipe Guillermo had passed on was normal, but he'd said the Nordic style took time—then for the Mediterranean style, he just piled on a ton of Mediterranean mussels and insisted it was Mediterranean style, and then left for the United States.

...If it hadn't tasted good, I might have blown his head off.

It is tasty, though. Next time I should try adding something else.

After returning to Korea, I decided to make my formal report the next day, then turned on the location tracker to find Berserker.

But he wasn't in Yeosu—he was in Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province?

"This bastard. I told him to stay put, and he went somewhere else."

Did he think I wouldn't be able to find him?

I needed to hear how the League had found him, and what they'd talked about.

I also had to tell him about the proposal from Japan. And I needed to check whether Immunity to All Poisons had shown any abnormal signs.

This guy kept trying to drift farther away, so I figured I'd use this opportunity to make sure he couldn't go below Chungcheong Province.

And.

"I need to give him another round of discipline."

That was the main objective.

* * *

After thoroughly beating the Berserker I'd apprehended in Jecheon, I sprayed him with recovery potions.

He really was one tough bastard.

For someone else, attacks that would tear their limbs to shreds only left him with minor wounds.

Watching the torn and split wounds heal, I stood in front of him.

"...How the hell did you find me?"

"You said we're buddies, didn't you? I've got a buddy detection sensor."

"Damn it. Is it a gift?"

I'd appreciate it if he kept thinking that.

Before I'd beaten him, he'd carefully stashed his smartphone away first—so he definitely hadn't caught on yet. If I pretended it was a gift, he wouldn't get suspicious, so I could keep using it. I'd have to swap his device at the right moment.

"Why the hell did you come looking for me?"

"I've got things to say and things to hear."

When I tossed him another bottle of recovery potion, he caught it and downed it in one go.

"Tell me about the League."

"It wasn't anything special. I was just chilling like usual, and they managed to find where I was and showed up."

Berserker told me about the proposal Shylo had made. Did these guys use a location-tracking app like me? I was curious how they'd figured out where Berserker was.

It was most likely that eye bastard, but I figured there must be other means. Assessing your opponent's capabilities was important, but you could also raise them up endlessly in your head and fall into fear.

Aside from that, there wasn't much else.

Debuffer Shylo—I remembered he'd been famous for a while, but if he'd died at Berserker's hands, that was all he amounted to. In the end, only those who survived and rose to the top were truly strong.

"But you shouldn't underestimate the Three Evils or the Twelve Zodiac. Especially the Three Evils—they're called the pinnacle among transcendents."

According to Berserker, among the transcendents in the world, the exceptionally strong ones were grouped together and called the Ten Great Transcendents, and the Three Evils were members of that group.

They were that strong? But this was the first I'd heard of such transcendents existing.

Ten people on the level of Blackhound... I supposed I could take it as proof that the world is wide and the strong are many.

"I've scrapped with that mutt before. He was strong, alright."

"You mean Blackhound?"

"Yeah."

Berserker was taken aback.

"When did you fight him? How did it end? Why are you only telling me now?"

The way he pressed me so insistently left me briefly confused.

Did I have any reason to tell him?

Well, I suppose that's how it is when you're obsessed with strong opponents.

"We scrapped briefly when he was running his mouth about being born to be a villain. He was strong, alright."

His super regeneration gift in particular had been very tempting. I wanted to catch him next time I saw him, but he wouldn't be easy.

The League bastards were definitely a nuisance.

If I could figure out where their base was, I could drive a few monsters over there and drop them in.

If Zhang Zidong could drive monsters, there was no reason I couldn't.

After subduing Berserker, who kept pestering me with questions, I brought up what he'd said in our phone call yesterday.

"Were you serious about wanting to join the League?"

"...Even if I went there, I'd just get used. It seems like it'd be fun, but I'm not drawn to it."

"Good thinking. There's no fun to be had in a place full of lunatics."

"......"

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's nothing."

Just now, his disrespectful eyes seemed to be treating me like I was the bigger lunatic.

Shaking his head and avoiding my gaze, he coughed. The more he did that, the more convinced I became—but I had no proof.

Should I hit him? Let's hit him.

Berserker grabbed his head.

"Why did you hit me?"

"Felt like you were thinking something strange."

"If you ever got a mind reading gift, it'd be a disaster."

Hearing him mutter that, it seemed he really had been thinking something disrespectful. Should I hit him again?

I didn't follow through, and instead explained the Japanese Prime Minister's proposal.

"What?"

"The conditions aren't bad, are they?"

"That Prime Minister is a lunatic."

The Japanese Prime Minister got called some truly horrible things. To be called a lunatic by a lunatic. Good thing he didn't hear it to his face.

Berserker rejected it without even thinking about it. I'd known he'd refuse, so I let it go. I'd tell them it was rejected when I got back.

Now I brought up the last remaining question.

"I heard Immunity to All Poisons was pretty useful?"

"Extremely useful. It completely neutralized all the debuffs. If it hadn't, dealing with Shylo would've been a pain."

"No abnormalities?"

"None."

Different from me, then.

Berserker noticed and asked.

"Did something happen? A problem when you copied it?"

"That's not it."

When I bring over a gift, I can tell whether it's intact or abnormal.

Immunity to All Poisons had been copied properly.

That meant the attempt to breach my mental barrier had been a phenomenon unique to me—and I still didn't understand it.

That lunatic's Immunity to All Poisons had done nothing to him, but it had reacted only to me?

As I thought about why, I reached one conclusion.

I looked at Berserker with eyes full of pity. Poor bastard.

"Seems Immunity to All Poisons gave up on you."

"What do you mean?"

"It didn't even dare try to fix that insane mind of yours, and just gave up."

From how it had tried a few times and then gone quiet with me, it must have realized I was normal.

At my gaze, Berserker threw a fit.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Just live as you are now. Your day will come eventually."

"Tell me in detail. Tell me!"

I shook my head and turned away.

To think even Immunity to All Poisons had turned its back on him.

Berserker was beyond saving.

* * *

After returning to duty, I gave my report to the President. He was quite pleased, citing the diplomatic achievements and acknowledging my abilities.

The Blue House, which I'd visited just days later, looked quite different. Seeing the color return to Cheon Myeongguk's face, things must be going well for him these days. Was it because I handled things well?

After exchanging greetings, I visited the National Front Defense Administration, where Jung Juho had newly taken office.

With the establishment of the new Administration this time, the division of duties between the Awakened Security Office and the Awakened Affairs Bureau was being praised as appropriately handled.

Perhaps because the workload had increased.

Jung Juho's face was heavily worn. Looked like he had a lot on his plate.

"I should've run early back then! We both got cursed out at the confirmation hearing, so why did I pass?!"

He threw a fit at the sight of me, then suddenly glared.

"It's all because of you!"

"What did I do?"

Anyone watching would think I'd been working him to the bone. It's just that work piles up on capable people.

Seeing that no chaos had erupted under the new division of duties, Jung Juho's management skills were impressive.

"We'll be seeing each other often from now on, so I look forward to working with you."

"Every time I see you, I feel like I age a year. Damn it! I should've declared I couldn't do it, President be damned, and run."

That's the kind of thing the President would be hurt to hear.

"Put in a request to Noh Gukcheol when you get a chance. We're short-staffed, so tell him to pay more attention to the National Guard Bureau. He won't even pick up my calls these days."

The vacant Director of the National Guard Bureau position had been filled by Special Team Leader Noh Gukcheol's promotion. He was a man who handled everything strictly by the book.

He'd be great as a subordinate, but when you needed a favor, he'd be incredibly difficult.

"That guy's too rigid—he'll say no."

"...I raised a bunch of tiger cubs. Why is every single one of them grabbing me by the ankle?"

The way he heaved a deep sigh was a little pitiful. But he wasn't genuinely resenting me, was he?

"What's the point of blaming you? It's all that Cheon Myeongguk fellow's fault."

There must be something I didn't know about. Seeing Cheon Myeongguk's face glowing while Jung Juho wasted away, Cheon Myeongguk must have gotten one over on him.

They really seemed to get along well.

Though Jung Juho, upon hearing my words, had a fit.

"Go easy on Dahyun! The kid's dying!"

"I'm adjusting the pace appropriately."

Though seeing that Jung Dahyun hadn't risen as fast as expected, I worried whether my teaching skills were lacking.

She had talent and passion, so I'd thought she'd reach Level 7 quickly, but she was progressing more slowly than I'd expected.

I casually brought up the topic I'd meant to present at the World Transcendent Association event, which I'd forgotten because Schwantner had picked a fight.

"Oh right, and this isn't exactly your area, Administrator."

"What is it?"

"If a monster stronger than the current Plus-tier appeared, it'd be chaos, wouldn't it?"

The monsters named Level 8 Plus were entities that had emerged at a kind of transitional stage.

When a monster's Force manipulation ability increased and it underwent gift awakening, it meant its level itself had changed. Once it completely surpassed that wall, monsters on a different dimension from those faced so far would appear.

Monsters referred to as Harmful-class Level 9. I wasn't sure whether they'd been named Level 9 in my past life. One thing was certain—they were on an entirely different level from what was currently classified as Harmful-class Level 8. Back then I'd been out of my mind, so I didn't remember well.

Since Nuri had appeared, I figured I'd let them know that even higher-grade monsters would emerge.

If I could find and wipe them out before that, it'd be fine, but that would be impossible, wouldn't it?

At my words, Jung Juho shuddered.

"Just imagining it is horrifying. Don't even say that as a joke."

"That bad?"

"Yeah. It wouldn't just be chaos—the country would be flipped upside down."

I needed to share the information as soon as possible so they could prepare in advance.

* * *

I compiled a report on the possibility that monsters higher than Plus-tier could emerge.

It was called a report, but the content was simple and clear.

I just wrote that the current Plus-tier monsters were transitional, and that the emergence of higher-tier monsters capable of using their power skillfully was not far off.

After finishing the report, I went to find Cheon Myeongguk.

"Welcome, Transcendent Choi Junho. I don't believe there's anything scheduled for today?"

"I have something to give you."

Unlike Jung Juho, his face was full of life. But the moment he received and read the report I handed him, his expression began to darken rapidly.

"...Is this true?"

"It's highly likely."

I'd written it based on what I'd seen in the future, after all.

"Transcendent Choi Junho, if this report is true, the government will need to completely reexamine its monster defense posture. And we'll need to adopt a total war footing. Honestly, my heart doesn't want to believe it."

But Cheon Myeongguk's hands were trembling. In a place where the nation's capable minds had gathered, discussions about the current Plus-tier monsters would have already taken place.

There'd be content similar to what I'd written, too.

It's just that I'd stated it more bluntly and with a tone of certainty.

"Especially this Level 9—it'll send your approval ratings straight to rock bottom immediately."

"Should I rephrase that?"

"I'm not sure. But if this gets out, the fallout won't be minor."

The Plus-tier was already effectively a monster on a different plane from Level 8.

Even if they could insist it was an extension of the same line, a monster that had surpassed the wall was clearly a step higher.

It wasn't as if the threat level of the monsters would change. Yet supposedly a name change would make a difference. Was this some kind of language magic?

Then I supposed I'd have to come up with an idea.

"Then how about we try Plus Plus?"

Twin Horns, though. That's a no, huh.

It kind of sounded like the name of some delicious cut of meat. But with monster meat, danger level and flavor didn't go hand in hand.

Cheon Myeongguk laughed, impressed by my naming sense.

"If you were trying to make the monsters look trivial, you've succeeded."

"Then Twin Horns?"

"That's not something I can decide on my own. I'll file a report."

Somehow, I'd meant to warn them of a danger, but it felt like I'd turned it into a whole incident.

Thirty minutes after the report went up, the President summoned me.