Chapter 563

“You’re later than usual.”

Go Jun was wrong. Go Se-won’s watch was always accurate, and there was still plenty of time before he was due at work.

The one who was different today wasn’t Go Se-won. His superior was simply in an unusually foul mood.

Go Se-won bowed his head and kept his reply brief.

“I’m sorry.”

“Enough. Sit down.”

Being allowed to share Go Jun’s sofa was a privilege reserved for his closest aides. But before Go Se-won could sit on the Italian leather, he realized his superior’s anger was far from spent.

“Go Hyeon-woo, Rough News.”

The reporter, a man in his early thirties who had been given the floor, continued smoothly on the holographic TV.

“Just ten days into the new year, we’ve already had three Mutated Gates. What are your thoughts on that, Mr. President?”

Go Se-won glanced to the side.

Go Jun’s face was rigid, his eyes bloodshot. He was glaring at someone in the broadcast.

Ah.

Go Se-won remembered an article he had seen on his way in: Jin Taekyung and the President were holding an official New Year’s press conference.

He had more or less guessed what was happening, but watching the broadcast in his current state was no different from forcing Go Jun to swallow deadly poison.

Like showing a snuff film to a child.

Go Se-won had made up his mind and was bending down to pick up the remote from the floor when—

“Head of Security.”

Go Jun’s sharp voice cut in. He kept his eyes on the TV.

“Leave it.”

“…I’m only putting it back.”

Go Se-won hesitated, brushed the glass shards off the remote, and set it on the table in front of the sofa. On the TV, a man in his early forties had begun to speak.

“That’s a good question.”

He had a pleasant voice and a kind face, though there was nothing weak about him.

Baek Hanseong, Korea’s twenty-seventh President and the youngest ever elected at forty, continued in a gentle tone.

“As those of you who saw the Blue House’s¹ official announcement yesterday afternoon will know, these successive Mutated Gates…”

His calm, unflustered manner inspired trust. Baek Hanseong was known for speeches that held an audience with his voice and slipped in humor so subtly it was hard to tell whether he was joking. Of course people listened.

By the time his lengthy speech—almost like the one he had given when announcing his presidential campaign—ended, the reporters broke into vigorous applause.

“It’s a campaign rally in there.”

Go Jun spat out the words, anger and mockery mingling in his voice. Then he muttered,

“How many of those bastards haven’t taken our fucking money, huh?”

“…”

“They couldn’t even breathe properly when Master was around. The youngest president in history? Anti-Ares Guild? That bastard Baek Hanseong was still beneath Master’s feet in the end.”

Humiliation and rage poured from his voice—emotions that had never been visible in him before.

Go Se-won lowered his eyes. His thoughts turned cold.

It’s true. Though it’s all in the past now.

Lee Jungryong’s influence had been immense.

Even before Cheon Taemin vanished, he had taken little interest in worldly affairs, like an immortal above the clouds. Lee Jungryong had remained on the ground, enjoying a position equal to—or greater than—a president’s or king’s.

Yes. That was how it was back then…

Politicians, business leaders, even the masters of the great Guilds that had risen into a new ruling class had bowed to Lee Jungryong.

He was a hero who had accomplished extraordinary deeds at Cheon Taemin’s side. As the vanished savior’s sworn brother, entrusted with full authority, he had been all but a pope.

Another Vatican.

The people of Korea called this 150-story skyscraper a second Blue House.¹ In truth, it had been closer to the Vatican, where the pope lived.

Even people who freely cursed the incompetent government and lawmakers had been reluctant to speak against Ares Guild. Its name had been practically sacrosanct.

But…

“This world! The entire world! Is changing even now! We have entered a new phase!”

As the President’s voice rang out over unending applause, everything was changing.

With the fall of the giant that was Lee Jungryong, the shadow he had cast was beginning to lift.

And at the center of all these events, one person’s presence was exerting a powerful influence.

“But, my fellow citizens! The government and I will do everything in our power to keep you safe! Together with the young man seated beside me, we will protect Korea from every threat, at home and abroad!”

President Baek Hanseong did not say the young man’s name. He didn’t need to.

In the past few months, that man in his late twenties had become one of the most famous people in human history.

“Waaaaah!”

“Jin Taekyung! Jin Taekyung!”

“Fuck! Fucking fuck!”

Cheers louder than any before shook the press conference hall.

The young man who had been sleeping with his chin propped at an angle suddenly opened his eyes. Then he began clapping at a frantic speed while staring at the President.

“That was truly an incredible speech, Mr. President. Especially your final words. They moved me so deeply that I feel—”

“Um, that last part was about you, Hunter Jin Taekyung.”

“Ah, wait a moment. My stomach really is churning. I think I’m suddenly getting motion sickness.”

“All of this is being filmed. Please wipe the drool off your face first—”

“Edit this out. Please. Okay?”

“I told you several times before we started. We’re live.”

“Right. Wow. Fuck, I’m screwed.”

“It’s live. I said it’s live, please. Hunter Jin Taekyung. Hello?”

The sight of the sweating President in his forties and the young hero in his twenties was broadcast in its entirety.

It was a broadcasting accident that would go down in the history of Korean television, but no one would scold or curse Jin Taekyung for it.

Even now, the people caught on camera were not frowning. They were smiling as they chanted his name.

Jin Taekyung.

Watching them, Go Se-won realized that the young man and the crowd’s reaction to him resembled something he had thought of only moments ago.

…Sacrosanct?

Compared to the sun that was Cheon Taemin, Jin Taekyung was still only a torch.

But one thing was undeniable. Jin Taekyung was walking the same path as the man remembered as an immortal hero.

And perhaps, regardless of what Jin Taekyung wanted, everything around him was trying to make him a second Cheon Taemin.

“Mr. Jin Taekyung! I heard you suppressed all three Mutated Gates that appeared this time by yourself! Would you say a few words about that?”

“I wasn’t alone. There were two of us, though—”

“Mr. Jin Taekyung! Kim Jin-mu, Mudang Daily!”

“I have a question about the Mutated Gates!”

Reporters with microphones swarmed toward him. Camera flashes went off without pause.

Go Se-won listened to questions flying in from every direction and felt a sudden sense of déjà vu.

This is…

Something was wrong with the flow of it. It looked natural at first glance, but everyone was being drawn in a direction someone had chosen for them.

Then an unfamiliar reporter shouted a question, and a chill ran down Go Se-won’s spine.

“I have a question about the third Mutated Gate you suppressed two days ago! According to information obtained by our newspaper, that Gate was being handled by a famous Guild—”

“…!”

That’s it. So that’s what this is.

The moment enlightenment flashed through him, Go Se-won hurriedly reached for the remote.

Crunch!

Go Jun crushed the remote and the table beneath it. His eyes flashed red.

“I’m sure I told you to leave it.”

“But, Vice Guild Master…”

“I won’t say it twice.”

The blood vessels in his superior’s eyes had burst. The voice that followed was so chilling that it raised goose bumps.

“Stay still. Unless you want to die.”

“Hk…!”

Go Se-won swallowed a breath without meaning to and leaned back against the sofa as though his half-raised body had collapsed.

On the holographic TV, exactly what he had feared was happening.

“That’s right. Ares Guild handled that Gate. Well, it’s technically on a permanent lease, but as everyone knows, that’s practically ownership.”

The great Guilds’ monopoly on Gates was an open secret. Everyone knew; no one said it aloud.

Jin Taekyung had just exposed it without hesitation at a live, official Blue House¹ press conference. And he wasn’t stopping there.

“What exactly happened? The magical power readings kept climbing, and no rescue team came.”

The reporters lunged at their prey. Quite a few had once taken Ares Guild’s dirty money, but money always gave way to more money.

“Wait. Are you saying a rescue team didn’t arrive even after you waited?”

Jin Taekyung nodded.

“Yes. They still hadn’t come fifteen minutes after the initial situation began. In the meantime, the magical power readings kept rising until the Gate became a Mutated Gate.”

“Does that mean it could have been dealt with before the Gate fully mutated if the rescue team had arrived on time?”

“Well, I can’t be a hundred percent certain, but if they had sent in even one A-rank Hunter early on, there probably would have been a high chance of resolving it without outside assistance.”

“Unlike the other Mutated Gates, the Guild responsible for this one has enormous numbers of Hunters and considerable financial resources. Why do you think it failed to send a rescue team in time?”

“The reason… Well, I’m not sure.”

Jin Taekyung thought for a moment, then tossed out an answer as though it were nothing.

“That family seems to be having a lot of trouble these days. Or should I say, the boss? Their management has changed, too, so I imagine there was probably some confusion here and there.”

Crack!

Something beside Go Se-won splintered. He closed his eyes.

It’s over.

An enormous Guild with vast manpower and capital. A change in management.

Those two clues were enough. Anyone who knew anything would understand without searching online. Even if no one had named it yet…

“It was a serious mistake, but what could I do? Fortunately, I happened to be there, so no one died. Personally, I’m just glad about that. Oh, and while I have this opportunity, I’d like to once again offer my deepest condolences to the deceased.”

“An excellent answer, Hunter Jin Taekyung. I’m certain the deceased would be grateful and proud of you.”

Damn it.

Go Se-won swore inwardly and opened his eyes.

Korea’s youngest President had the microphone again. He was delivering the final blow.

“Fortunately, we were able to bring this incident to an end without any fatalities, but our government intends to take the initiative and begin a thorough investigation. As President of Korea—and as a citizen—I find this Guild’s negligent response deeply regrettable. However, the wishes and legacy of the deceased, who was a great hero, have been passed on in their entirety to Hunter Jin Taekyung—”

The President’s words did not reach the end.

No—in precise terms, Go Se-won could no longer hear them.

“…!”

He threw up his guard on instinct. Powerful mana shot out like a beam of light, shattering the holographic TV and tearing through everything around it.

Kwa-gwa-gwa-gwang!

The layered protective magic circles installed by ten high-ranking mages broke apart. Bulletproof glass and everything else shattered, then scattered into dust.

At the center of the destruction stood Go Jun, his eyes blood-red.

“How dare you! How dare you! How dare you—!”

Bang! Bang! Kwaaaang!

Everything had a limit.

Those last words had set fire to all the anger Go Jun had swallowed in the days since becoming Vice Guild Master.

“I’ll kill him! I’ll kill him no matter what!”

Kwaaaang!

Go Jun was Lee Jungryong’s de facto successor. But those who watched today’s press conference would see it differently.

They would believe that Jin Taekyung was the new hero—and the only person who had inherited the will of Cheon Taemin, who had still not revealed himself, and Lee Jungryong, who had died only recently.

“Jin Taekyung! Jin Taekyuuung!”

Go Jun screamed the name as though coughing up blood, all reason gone.

Go Se-won watched him, his gaze sinking deep.