# 42
042
There are not many awakened people who receive a grade A from the first measurement stage of the year.
At most, one person per month. About two or three people at most.
This is not a case that happens very often, so if an awakened person with Class A qualities appears from the beginning, Park Jeong-ho will hear the rumor.
‘I was wondering why I was feeling so confused earlier…’
Park Jeong-ho, who was staring intently at Daesung’s profile listed in the document, narrowed his eyes.
His eyes stayed on the ‘Awakening decision’ column.
There it says,
‘It was because of this.’
Borderline.
Four letters meaning ‘judgment withheld’ were written on it.
Park Jeong-ho said without taking his eyes off the border line of Daesung’s expressionless face printed in color and the overwhelming record score he achieved in this test.
“Manager Lee, did you know this too? “This guy, Han Dae-seong, doesn’t have any awakening results yet?”
“I already had something to tell you about that.”
“I was wondering why I couldn’t remember the name Han Dae-seong among those who got Grade A earlier this year… I didn’t know there was such an inside story.”
I can cut it short and be honest.
He said he knew without a single doubt that a young man named Han Dae-seong was a Class A awakened person.
And it’s not just an A-class, it’s a unique A-class where you can easily expect the skills of an S-class.
At that time, Chief of Staff Lee Ha-won handed another document to Park Jeong-ho, as if he had predicted the flow of this conversation.
“This is Han Dae-seong’s awakening level determined by the 10 officers in charge of this test.”
Based on all actions taken during the exam process, the grade results are determined by the borderline adjudicators from the quarterly exam administrators.
Regardless of whether you meet the passing cutoff line or not, unconditionally.
Final approval rests with Park Jeong-ho, the general manager of association-related affairs.
He took the document and said calmly, as if he was not surprised.
“It’s unanimous.”
“What will you do, Chairman of the Association?”
“Won’t my mouth hurt if I say it again?”
Next to the result of ‘A’, which all 10 people decided without any second thought.
bang-!
Park Jeong-ho cheerfully stamped his approval on the blank space.
“Then, I will issue a Class A license to Mr. Han Dae-seong.”
“Please. Oh, and….”
It is very enjoyable to give wings to a talented young person who will lead the era of peace.
However, the story that follows next seems to be a topic that has moved away from that fun event.
Park Jeong-ho’s expression was filled with heavy solemnity.
“We will have to discuss the disposition of < Red Demon > soon.”
***
Did you say that when a dragon that passed the cross-examination appears in a corner of a rural village, the entire village holds a feast that day?
Hunters can think of the countryside as being upgraded to a ‘national’ scale.
Of course, it would be an exaggeration to say that a feast is actually taking place, but in any case, there are quite a few reports in media outlets all over the country.
Just as the names and faces of those who got perfect scores on the CSAT appear on the news.
< A test taker who achieved unrivaled results in the hunter license exam in the first half of this year, which was controversial for being the most difficult in history, became a hot topic... >
_ I can see it…. >
< The leaders of the Big 10 were planning to rush to the testing site and propose immediate recruitment, but they were already nowhere to be seen at the site.... > < Experts said that the 6th S-class awakened position, which has been vacant in Korea, is nearby. We predict that it will appear in the near future. >
However, the tone of this test was particularly hot.
The topic of candidate number 104, and especially the attack on the rookie of another clan by < Red Ma >, have put this license exam on the chopping block of public opinion.
In other words.
“Uh huh… huh?”
If you have a home with either a TV or the Internet, you can never miss it.
What did the hot topic number 104 look like and what is its name?
“…brother?”
Tuk.
Jisoo dropped the TV remote control she was holding in her hand.
When I turned on the TV, Daesung’s face appeared in large numbers.
In addition, there are also strange modifiers such as ‘unrivaled first-place runner’ or ‘prospective sixth S-class hunter’.
“what is this. It’s a dream, right? “It must be a dream, right?”
I was so dumbfounded that I stretched out my cheeks and tears came out.
One day, my brother, who had said he was going on a trip with a friend for a few days, was suddenly sent across the country with the title of a promising hunter.
It wasn’t unreasonable to think it was a dream.
Jisoo was glued to the screen and narrowed her eyes.
I wondered if it was someone with the same name who looked a bit similar by chance, but I asked,
“Is this a true story?”
Of course, there is no chance of that happening.
She was on the verge of fainting and urgently called Hyejeong in the kitchen.
“oh my god! mom! mom!”
“If this girl stays for a while, it’s almost midnight and the neighborhood is noisy… Why?”
“Come here and check this out!”
“Mom, I’m busy preparing dinner right now.”
“Oh, dinner is not the problem now! “My brother is on the news!”
Clink! Degurr-!
I thought I heard the ladle that was making the stew rolling on the floor, and then Hyejeong came into the room in a huff.
When I heard it was on the news, I thought there would have been an accident somewhere.
But in reality, it was farther and bigger than expected.
“Dae Daeseong?”
“mom. That’s my face, right? “It’s not like I have facial recognition disorder or something, I just saw it right, right?”
Hyejeong was in a daze, not even noticing that the stew was bubbling with the lid lifting.
While the two were quietly absorbed in something, the front door suddenly opened.
“I’m here.”
Even tigers come when you tell them to.
Hyejeong, who had been frozen, came to her senses at the sound of a tiger-like bastard’s voice.
Jisoo also muttered as if she was dumbfounded.
“Wow, someone will think it’s the voice of someone who really went on a trip.”
***
KHA, which controls all hunters in Korea, naturally has the authority to disband clans.
Of course, in the case of large clans, it is not possible to influence them arbitrarily due to their large presence.
“As of today, the < Red Demon > Clan prohibits all activities related to hunting.”
However, despite that situation, the situation that occurred this time clearly crossed the line.
A large clan attacked a rookie from the same large clan.
“Every single awakened person belonging to this place will be subject to administrative action as they are forced to withdraw from the clan…”
It was also revealed by Jeong Jin-cheol that the leader directly ordered the attack.
This is a serious crime that cannot be ignored.
“I received an order from the president of the association to arrest Mr. Lee Seok-woo, the leader.”
Because a hunter who was supposed to protect people from monsters attacked an innocent human.
“Please follow me quietly.”
The person who said that was Kim Seong-su, the second director of KHA’s surveillance department.
Next to me, a man who was a subordinate was looking nervous.
The person you need to catch is Lee Seok-woo, the leader of a large clan and a B-class awakener.
Naturally, those dispatched to the surveillance department were also highly skilled B-class awakeners.
Inside the head office of < Hongma > headquarters.
Lee Seok-woo, who was notified of the disposition details, looked out the window with his back turned and said.
“If I get taken away by you, what happens to me next?”
“As for detailed follow-up measures, the association will decide directly.”
“So you’re sending things you don’t know anything about? The president of the association, that person.”
Wooduk –
Seongsu Kim’s eyebrows twitched when they referred to themselves as ‘those who don’t know anything.’
However, they only carry out orders to the extent of their duties. I was able to put aside my personal feelings as much as I wanted.
“Since you have been notified, please come to the association with us right now.”
“If you don’t follow me.”
“yes?”
Lee Seok-woo’s eyes, reflected translucently in the glass window, were focused on Kim Seong-su.
It was a sharp gaze full of contempt, disregard, and resistance.
“What are you going to do if I don’t follow them?”
“…Please follow me.”
Sreuk-
A blue air current was quietly entangled in Kim Seong-su’s hand.
“If they don’t comply, we have no choice but to use coercive measures.”
“Coercive means…”
Lee Seok-woo could feel the small but clear waves of Aurors showing off their presence.
Kim Seong-su was sending a warning that violence would be used if there was even the slightest resistance.
“For me. “I can’t understand the association’s decision at all.”
But Lee Seok-woo’s expression showed no movement.
Even though even Heo Jeong-woo, an ally on the same team, was nervously glancing at the shooter’s fate.
Kim Seong-su slowly felt genuine anger towards Lee Seok-woo, who behaved poorly until the end.
“I have just informed you of the charges against you. If you don’t understand, go ahead and do it yourself-”
“No, no. “Thanks to your kind explanation, I understand what my sin is.”
“then…?”
At that moment, Lee Seok-woo’s expression reflected in the window changed.
With an eerie smile.
“So what I’m saying is, why did you send only the two of you? “I don’t understand that.”
Rattling-!
As soon as he finished speaking, the office door opened roughly and large generals came in.
There is no need to ask who it is.
Because hunters recognize fellow hunters.
“Director of the department…”
“…You treat a hunter who is your subordinate like some kind of hired thug. “My prayers are not cold.”
Hunters at the headquarters of < Red Demon >.
They were also evil people who were willing to get their hands dirty if it was Lee Seok-woo’s order.
“Would a tiger be caught just by sending two people to the tiger’s den? Park Jeong-ho, as he gets older, his judgment becomes increasingly blurred.”
Seongsu Kim and Jeongwoo Heo were surrounded by enough people to fill half of the spacious office.
Things won’t go smoothly.
“Jungwoo, get ready.”
“Chief of Department… But if the number of people is like this…”
“Then do you want to just be beaten to death? “Fight with the determination to kill.”
I had been prepared ever since I heard the order that the person I had to capture was the infamous < Red Demon >.
Puzzle-!
Sigh-! The moment Kim Seong-su and Heo Jeong-woo pressed the button on their bracelets,
the
black suits covering their bodies disappeared without a trace, and at the same time,
red Auror armor showed its majesty as if it was about to burn at any moment.
Lee Seok-woo was amazed when he saw the scene.
“Wouldn’t it be stuffy if I wore that and a suit on top?”
“You are now baring your teeth at KHA. “Aren’t you afraid of the repercussions?”
“well. “I think it’s much better than the fear you must be feeling right now.”
It was a declaration.
From now on, < Hongma > declares that it will turn the Republic of Korea into an enemy.
“bite.”
The moment Seokwoo Lee opened his mouth.
Faba Park-!
His hunting dogs rushed towards Kim Seong-su and Heo Jeong-woo.
***
Due to the development of forecasting systems, incidents such as gate fracture do not occur frequently.
However, if the gate fracture really explodes occasionally and the monster appears in reality, the damage is indescribable.
Many people die. A disaster that seems unlikely to occur in the 21st century is reported on the news.
That’s why Hyejeong knows.
How fierce and cruel monsters are.
And how dangerous a job it is to be a hunter who has to risk your life fighting with those guys.
“I wish you wouldn’t do that. To be honest.”
“me too.”
Those were the first words that came out of Hyejeong and Jisoo’s mouths.
Even Jisoo, who used to be so reserved, now had an extremely serious expression on her face.
“Well, looking at the news, I know that my brother has become very famous… Famous is famous, and dangerous is dangerous.”
“Mom, I think Jisoo is right, Daesung. What do you think?”
Daesung did not respond immediately.
In fact, I was already expecting this kind of reaction when I came home.
Seong Chan-ho told me in advance that I should be prepared because the media would be making noise for a while.
‘There are no eternal secrets.’
Just as Hyejeong tried to hide the secret of the cataclysm from herself, it never lasted long.
‘I was planning to tell you as soon as I became a hunter anyway.’
It might be better.
While I was thinking about how to get out of my way, the media took the initiative and started talking about it.
“You two don’t have to worry too much. “I’ll be careful.”
“This isn’t something that can happen just because you’re careful.”
“I just signed a contract with Chanho’s clan and am on my way back.”
Instead, I needed to mix in some lies. If possible, tell a lie that has a shelf life as long as possible.
I had already spoken to Seong Chan-ho on my way there.
“If it’s Chanho’s clan… did you sign a contract with < Soul >?”
When Jisoo asked with wide eyes, Daesung nodded silently.
“Isn’t that a class equivalent to that of a major company? Wow, your ability has been clearly proven, and your personal connections also shine.”
“Jisoo.”
“I know, Mom. “I’m not saying I’m doing well.”
She looked away from Hyejeong’s warm glare.
I was just amazed that my brother, who was unemployed until yesterday, became popular overnight and joined a large company.
The feeling of undesirability did not change.
“But even if it’s a < Soul > clan, the fact that you ultimately have to enter the gate and defeat the monster doesn’t change, right? Well, since I’m considered a dark horse, there’s no way I’d be noble enough to do a sales job…”
“I signed with the gate rush team.”
“yes? Then-”
“To the rear healer.”
Hye-jeong and Ji-soo, who had planned to argue with all their might, suddenly became dumb.
They don’t know exactly what camp the current hunters form and what their responsibilities are.
However, the nuances of the words ‘posterior’ and ‘healing’ served as a cushion of sorts.
“My role is to quietly treat my colleagues in the back line. “There are different people fighting.”
“That doesn’t mean…”
In any case, isn’t it true that you have to be in the same space as the monsters?
Hyejeong was concerned about that part.
“mom.”
“….”
“If danger comes even though I am in a safe place, then I will fight really hard. And I will survive.”
“…Daeseong.”
“I have the confidence to protect myself.”
The sixth S-class hunter of the future.
The birth of the strongest successor to Lee Chang-sik!
Such public evaluations were being played on TV at this very moment.
It was as if the TV was proving for him that his son was at least strong enough to protect himself.
“…If it’s dangerous, you have to run away.”
“mom?”
In the end, Jisoo was the first to be surprised by Hyejeong’s answer, who took a step back.
“What can I do? The world needs you and you can’t stop it. To be honest, Mom, I really wish you wouldn’t have to do such a difficult thing, but…”
The fear of losing the son she got back after only 10 years.
Despite the overwhelming fear, Hye-jeong retreated.
To respect my son’s choice.
The moment I block my son’s path, it becomes an interference rather than a worry.
And more than anything, I felt a little reassured to hear that my son belonged to Seong Chan-ho’s clan.
“Jisoo, what about you?”
When Hyejeong turned to Jisoo, she held her head and looked Daesung up and down.
Soon, I took a deep sigh.
“…It’s a plague. “I don’t have the visuals to go anywhere and come back from being beaten.”
The same goes for the last time he punished the evil store owner instead of him. It’s the same with what you’re hearing on the news right now.
It wouldn’t be strange for me to fold up monsters and put them in a metal bag.
“Thank you both for understanding.”
His voice was grave, but Daesung was uncharacteristically deeply relieved.
I was worried that persuasion might fail.
Knowing that his family cared for him as much as he cared for his family made him even more worried.
“Daeseong.”
Hyejeong hugged him without saying a word.
I tried hard to hold back the tears, but the voice in Daesung’s ear was trembling.
“You have to be careful, son. “Don’t get hurt… If something happens to you again, I don’t have the confidence to stand up to you then.”
“….”
“I don’t want to go back to the days when you fell. Mom, I can’t live without you. “You guys know that Daesung is holding on because of you and Jisoo, right?”
Hyejeong burst into tears that she had been holding back.
Even the confident Jisoo was getting teary-eyed behind the scenes.
Daesung, whose feelings of sadness were worn away, silently hugged Hyejeong instead of shedding tears.
A wide and warm embrace.
He felt that his mother’s embrace was his reward for having endured 80 years in hell.
And….
‘There’s no need to suffer anymore, Mom and Jisoo.’
The time has finally come.
A lot of money in a subspace pocket.
A time when you can freely use that large amount of money for the happiness of your family without having to make excuses to your family.