People are all the same.
Success after success makes them more confident, and before long, they start closing the eyes and ears they once kept wide open.
But Team Leader Choi was a decent person before he was an excellent Hunter or manager. Even though the decision was his to make, he always sought everyone’s understanding.
“…So I’d like to hear what you all think.”
When Team Leader Choi finished speaking in a low voice, the people sitting on the sofa fell silent for a moment.
No, people wasn’t quite right. At some point, a monster had made himself at home among them.
And that monster looked more serious than ever.
“This body objects.”
Every gaze turned toward him at the firm refusal, delivered without a hint of hesitation.
But the Skeleton King continued without a care.
“You all know why. Expand your influence too far, and people grow wary. Human envy and jealousy invite danger. Am I wrong?”
I’d thought this before, but the bastard really had become almost human.
When I awkwardly shook my head, the Skeleton King’s voice gained even more force.
“This body would prefer to avoid any more attention, too. If other humans discover my true identity, it will cause trouble for all of you. So put an end to this foolish talk.”
He ended his speech with a stern rebuke. The rest of us looked at one another as though we’d rehearsed it.
He had a point.
He definitely had a point, but…
“If you’re so desperate to avoid attention, why’d you make an SNS account the second you got a phone?”
Team Leader Choi, Im Kkeokjeong, and Song Song nodded in turn.
“I agree with Mr. Jin Taekyung.”
“Come to think of it, yeah. I don’t use that stuff, so I hadn’t realized, but he seems pretty famous.”
“More than pretty famous. He hasn’t even had the account long, and he’s already got over a hundred thousand followers.”
The Skeleton King, who had faltered after being struck in the heart of the matter, thrust out his chest at Song Song’s words.
“As of today, a hundred and twenty thousand.”
“Really?”
“Of course. Advertising offers are pouring in from all sides.”
I watched him preen and let out a dry laugh.
“Look at this fucking bastard. Want me to split you into a hundred and twenty thousand bone fragments?”
“…”
“Delete the account. Now. That’s your last warning.”
After hesitating for a moment at my threat, the Skeleton King answered in a depressed voice.
“……Understood.”
“At least you’re obedient. But you didn’t post any strange nonsense on SNS, did you?”
The internet’s reach was staggering. In Murim, people sent messenger pigeons. Here, a few taps of a finger could send something around the world.
If that bastard posted some shit, we’re in trouble.
Song Song broke in, sounding unconcerned.
“Fortunately, there’s nothing much. I looked through everything just in case, and he’s only posted a ton of pictures of his own face.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Most of his followers are overseas, too. And the overwhelming majority are men.”
“That’s a relief, but why would so many men… Ah.”
It hit me.
I remembered whose hands had created the Skeleton King’s handsome face.
Magic Johnson.
The Grand Mage of the century. And the century’s gayest man.
Magic Johnson—the man said to work unbelievable magic with two staffs—had put plenty of his own taste into the Skeleton King’s current appearance. The guy was handsome by any standard, but his face and build were perfectly suited to the tastes of a certain crowd.
A crowd of a hundred and twenty thousand.
That was enough people to kick the asses of a hundred thousand followers of the Demonic Path if they came swarming back. Whether they’d stop at kicking was another question.
This guy’s kind of impressive.
He’d gathered that many followers in no time without a name anyone knew or a face anyone recognized. Even the Murim Alliance Leader couldn’t pull that off.
Oblivious to my newfound regard, the Skeleton King fiddled with his phone and spoke with a stricken look.
“I cannot bring myself to delete it. You are the most wicked, cruel human in the world.”
“What crime did I commit in my previous life to deserve being called cruel by a monster bastard?”
“Ah, to part so suddenly. Somewhere, an unknown woman who can no longer gaze upon this body’s dazzling face will weep without end.”
“…”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Nothing. You’re better off not knowing.”
Some truths were better left hidden.
I exchanged a glance with Song Song. With our silent agreement settled, I looked around.
“Anyway. Everyone’s on board?”
Im Kkeokjeong nodded as if the answer were obvious.
“Well, if you and Team Leader Choi have decided, I’m with you.”
“Song-i, what about you?”
“Hmm.”
Song Song crossed her legs at an angle and continued.
“From what I’ve heard, we’re doing this for everyone. If I say no, I’ll be the only bitch here, won’t I?”
“No.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. You weren’t all that nice to begin with.”
“Oh, listen to this bastard.”
Song Song smiled sweetly and raised her middle finger before suddenly sighing.
“What a ride. When Team Leader Choi offered me a transfer and I left the Ares Guild, I never imagined we’d end up here.”
“You should’ve just stayed there.”
“Hey, I couldn’t. That Branch Leader was too much of a pervert. I figured I’d be better off working for someone young, handsome, and rich. But I got a bad feeling on the very first day.”
“The first day?”
“Yeah. I’d come to get away from one pervert, and there was some other weird bastard waiting for me. I was starving, and he burned all the meat. Then, out of nowhere, he told me his star sign was Taurus. What kind of lunatic does that?”
“Ah-ha.”
I gave a quiet laugh and looked at her without another word.
Truthfully, I felt bad for Song Song and Im Kkeokjeong. Ever since the Peace Guild was founded, they’d been dragged through one crisis after another. None of it was what they’d signed up for.
“Hmm.”
“What’s that look for?”
“Nothing. I just wanted to tell you that it isn’t too late yet.”
“What?”
“This could be a lot more dangerous than you or Uncle Kkeokjeong realize.”
There was no laughter in my voice this time. Song Song’s gaze turned serious.
“How dangerous are we talking?”
“We’re past the point where this is just a domestic matter.”
“You seem to have a tendency to underestimate yourself. You and Team Leader Choi left Korea behind a long time ago.”
She wasn’t exaggerating.
Ever since I took down the Arch Lich in China, my name had become known throughout the world. Meanwhile, Team Leader Choi had appeared in the media as the new City Lord of the Ares Guild and the successor to the living Savior.
But this was different. If anything, everything we’d achieved was what had created the problem.
I shrugged.
“Someone once said that the bigger you get, the more there is to take a bite out of.”
“So how much are you planning to let them take?”
“I’m not. And I don’t intend to start.”
Song Song stared at me for a moment before suddenly speaking.
“You know something?”
“What?”
“It’s way too late for us to back out. Both Uncle Kkeokjeong and me.”
Im Kkeokjeong quietly added to her words.
“I wasn’t planning to back out anyway.”
“Uncle.”
“Whether it’s too late or not doesn’t matter. Once you start something, you have to see it through to the end. At least for the sake of the one who left us first.”
“…!”
“Right, Team Leader Choi?”
At Im Kkeokjeong’s quiet question, everyone’s gazes turned in one direction.
Team Leader Choi had gone quiet at some point. He was looking at the empty place someone had left behind. Until recently, it had still held that person’s warmth. Now nothing could fill it.
He spoke.
“I visited the grave today. Someone had carved words beside the gravestone. ‘Thank you for coming. I love you. Please come again.’”
No one said anything. Team Leader Choi continued calmly.
“So next time, I’d like all of us to go visit that person together. Next year, the year after that……and even decades from now.”
It was the resolve of a man who had been forced to send someone precious on ahead.
The words all of us together carried his determination not to let the same thing happen again.
Decades from now.
Yeah. That was enough.
I didn’t know what we’d look like then. For now, knowing we’d go forward together was enough.
“Team Leader Choi.”
At my quiet call, he gave a heavy nod.
“Understood. Let’s begin.”
We’d already discussed the broad strokes. Team Leader Choi took out his phone and called the first person.
Beep. Beep. Click.
The call connected before it could ring a third time. A deep voice, practiced by a hectic life in politics, came from the other end.
“Speaking. Baek Hanseong here.”
There were plenty of people named Baek Hanseong in Korea. But only one Team Leader Choi would call first in a situation like this.
“Yes, Mr. President. I’m calling about something important.”
“Ha-ha. Well, putting it that way already makes me feel a little strange. I’m looking forward to it, but at the same time, I’m starting to feel uneasy.”
At the appearance of a major figure who moved an entire country, Im Kkeokjeong and Song Song fell silent. The Skeleton King’s eyes widened as he whispered to me.
“President Baek Hanseong? Is he—”
“That’s right. Our country’s pres—”
“I know. Isn’t he the popular celebrity with more than ten million followers?”
“…”
“Damn it. A human has a hundred times this body’s following.”
As I watched the Skeleton King vent his frustration, I thought:
Please just fucking die already…….
Come to think of it, he already had.
The corridor was dazzlingly bright. An A-rank Magic Gem filled with immense energy supplied power throughout the building, and every floor was crowded with people busy at work.
Until darkness fell without warning.
Crackle. Whoooosh.
The lights faded. Every machine stopped.
Confused shouts erupted from all around, shattering the momentary silence.
“What the hell?”
“Uh, looks like a power outage.”
“You call that an answer? Fuck… I told them to replace the Magic Gem before this happened. They’ve had a straw stuck in it for over twenty years, sucking it dry. It’s probably begging us to put it out of its misery.”
“Right? Though the experts said an A-rank Magic Gem would last at least thirty years.”
“So what, does it matter why the Magic Gem ran out ten years early? Are you so curious you’re about to go insane?”
“N-No, sir.”
“Enough. Everyone, focus! The Security Team and Technical Team will be here within two minutes, so don’t move a finger—stay exactly where you are! Anyone with spare mana lanterns, go get them right now.”
But despite the department head’s shout, the entire building lit up again before even a minute had passed. The power had returned.
“Damn it. Running around for nothing…”
The department head grumbled before waving away the Security Team, who had arrived a step too late.
“As you can see, everything’s fine. Any idea why the power went out?”
“I asked our team leader, too, and apparently it happens once every few years, although it’s rare. The Technical Team will have to investigate to find the exact cause.”
“Right. That’s their job.”
The Security Team Hunter gave an awkward smile and went through the checks. Had anything gone missing during the blackout? Was anyone hurt? Had anyone noticed anything suspicious?
But it was little more than a simple procedure, and there were mountains of work waiting to be handled. No one had the time or energy to devote to a blackout that had lasted barely a minute.
“Sorry, but could you come back if you have any more questions? We’re a little busy right now.”
The Security Team employee nodded at the department head’s words.
“Of course. You do look a lot busier than usual. Something going on?”
“A notice came down from above. Apparently, something big is going to happen sometime today.”
“Something big?”
“Yeah. We don’t know the details, but it looks like it came from the Blue House. Everyone’s on edge. At this rate, we can forget leaving on time.”
“Sorry. I’ve taken up your time.”
“Don’t worry about it. We’re all working for the country. Take care. See you later.”
“You too.”
But as they returned to their respective positions, none of them knew.
During that short span of less than a minute, some ghostlike entity had moved through every part of the building, riding the thick darkness.
And that one item had disappeared from the evidence storage room deep underground.
The hundreds of employees going about their work, the highly skilled Hunters of the Security Team, and even the alarm magic had failed to notice. The entity that had completed everything with ease leisurely slipped out of the building.
Step. Step.
Along with someone’s footsteps.
“Sehwan, did you check the third floor?”
“Yes, Team Leader. Nothing out of the ordinary. Any word from Technical?”
“It hasn’t even been ten minutes. You think they’ve found the cause already?”
“Fair point. By the way, isn’t the weather great today?”
Sssrk.
Behind the Security Team employee as he chatted with his superior, a dark shadow stirred faintly.
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