On the first day she tried to get stronger, Jung Da-hyun encountered a fairly impressive opponent. A level 6, but they weren’t much of a challenge to her.
The problem was that this opponent was a government hunter disguised as a villain.
Han Sang-min of the Foreign Cooperation Agency, also known as Villain Blink Na Kyung-wook, was gravely wounded by Jung Da-hyun, requiring over a year of treatment. Unlike me, Jung Da-hyun didn’t believe Han Sang-min’s identity until the end.
Her unwavering vigilance was admirable. It’s why I held Jung Da-hyun in high regard.
The next day, when Jung Da-hyun arrived at work, she was immediately taken to the director’s office. Director Jung Ju-ho’s face was flushed and ready to explode. When she came out after a while, I approached her.
“How are you?”
“I’m fine. I feel almost guilty towards Agent Han Sang-min.”
“He just had bad luck. What did the director say?”
“He told me to be more careful from now on.”
Certainly, Jung Ju-ho knew how to assess the situation.
“You didn’t do anything wrong. The fact that a Black Agent disguised himself as a villain means he was willing to take such risks.”
“In the future, I wish we’d kept that kind of information between the agencies, so no one would make the same mistake. I will apologize to the Foreign Cooperation Agency, and to Agent Han Sang-min.”
“They’ll understand. It was an unavoidable situation.”
“Do you think so?”
“As far as I can see.”
“I should pay a visit to Agent Han Sang-min at the hospital to apologize.”
“That wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
Would visiting him go smoothly?
Considering the ordeal he went through, it might not be easy.
After ending the conversation with Jung Da-hyun, I walked into the director’s office and was greeted by Jung Ju-ho, whose face was crumpled.
“Yeah, what brings our extraordinary guest, Jung Da-hyun’s instigator, here?” he said.
“It was an unfortunate incident,” I replied.
“I see. So, you’re not at fault?”
“Now that Han Sang-min learned how dangerous it is to go undercover as a villain, I think he should take this opportunity to return to being an official government hunter.”
“That’s a decision for Yeom Ki-cheol.”
Thinking again, Blink’s Gift was a truly tempting Gift.
To the point where I wanted to steal it.
“Anyway, could you stop instigating Da-hyun a bit?”
“Da-hyun was my mentor and a friend with exceptional talent. You don’t have to be too grateful for what I’m teaching her.”
“I’ve never been grateful!”
“Really?”
He’s definitely pretending.
I nodded as I looked at the screaming Jung Ju-ho. Jung Da-hyun was his niece, but as the leader of the National Security Agency, I highly appreciated Jung Ju-ho’s attitude of treating everyone fairly.
Still, there’s a way to win him over. He must be feeling grateful to me.
I had never led an organization, but when I looked at Jung Ju-ho, I sometimes thought he might be the right leader.
“I know how you feel, Director.”
“Wow, you’re really driving people crazy.”
***
I personally didn’t like Cheon Myeong-guk. Just seeing his face reminded me of my past life.
Cheon Myeong-guk was evaluated to have caused countless sacrifices with the so-called ‘great compromise’ carried out to capture the Blood Master.
However, ultimately, he succeeded in pushing the Blood Master away. If it hadn’t been for the relentless pursuit that followed, I would have remained suppressed in South Korea in my previous life.
Ultimately, he was the person who drove me out of Korea.
But, excluding personal emotions, Cheon Myeong-guk was a great person.
He was polite and courteous to the people below him. So, I was also cooperating with him without mixing personal emotions.
“Are you talking about the courtesy car?”
“Yes.”
“Since you didn’t say anything, you were going to be assigned a sedan.”
“I thought so.”
A Level 8 Transcendent was provided with a courtesy car to maintain dignity. In the era of scarce resources, the provided gasoline was unlimited and free.
But how often would I ride that? I didn’t care about formalities, etiquette, and the like.
Cheon Myeong-guk noticed that I had something to say.
“Do you have a different opinion about the courtesy car?”
“I don’t have to meet people often, so I didn’t think I needed a courtesy car.”
“You could think that way.”
“Instead, I’m often racing for time when I’m operating outside the city. As you know, I don’t have the KTX or SRT at my disposal.” (T/N: They’re high-speed rail system.)
“That’s true.”
So, I changed my mind.
“I would like to have a sports car to use when I move for operations outside the city. It would be great if the driver has a background in Formula 1.”
I had this idea when I was going to rescue Yoon-hee.
With a sports car and an F1 driver, could we have reached speeds of 300km per hour?
I had gone 200km on a motorcycle, so 300km would be 1.5 times faster.
Cheon Myeong-guk had a bewildered expression at first, but soon burst into laughter.
“Ha ha! Choi Jun-ho’s idea seems to be different from others. I’m impressed.”
“Is it possible?”
“You’re trying to reach the operation area as quickly as possible. It shouldn’t be too difficult. I’ll do my best to make it happen and let you know the date.”
“Thank you.”
Next up was the case of the Incheon area villain hunt. The conversation was cordial the whole time.
It was quite satisfying. Next, I should bring up the topic of a private plane.
***
Oh Jong-su did a better job than I had expected.
Especially his ability to summarize extensive content was outstanding.
Since reaching Level 8, the number of proposals coming to me had increased dramatically, and Oh Jong-su was able to cover everything.
I started selecting what Oh Jong-su had sorted out and what I thought was acceptable and included them in my schedule.
Since I became a national-level Transcendent, catching villains alone wasn’t the only task. I had to meet people, attend events, and boost the government’s approval ratings. This way, I could expand my sphere of activity with the support of allies.
After hearing Lee Se-hee’s interpretation of my actions, I acted accordingly.
I thought to myself.
“It’s important to fully utilize the non-arrest privilege.”
Transcendents had the authority to plan and execute solo missions, and their judgment was respected on-site.
The non-arrest privilege I received ultimately depended on how justifiable it appeared. If I could sway public opinion to my side and secure legitimacy, even procedural issues wouldn’t allow them to touch me.
And I was confident.
After all, I was going to take down that guy.
The events I participated in were mainly country-sponsored events. It wasn’t too challenging; I just had to introduce myself briefly, exchange handshakes, and stand there like a folding screen.
Of course, it was much easier than hunting down and killing villains or demons.
“Yeah! Just stand there quietly like that! Oppa, you should take advantage of the situation! Do you know how good you look when your mouth is shut? People who don’t know your true nature are already becoming fans and going crazy!”
Yoon-hee’s role of persistently interfering like a ghost also became significant when it started to get tiresome.
She recommended that I attend various events here and there, saying that the more active I was, the more allies I would have. Why were there entertainment events and corporate events here?
I wondered if all this effort was in vain, but the journalists seemed to be writing positively about it.
I was glad they understood my sincerity.
The place I was visiting today was the Academy located in Apgujeong-dong.
It’s one of the top Awakeners training institutions in Korea. It’s a place where aspiring awakened individuals dream of entering, especially since it had produced three Level 8 Awakened individuals among its graduates.
In my previous life, I wanted to enter here, and Yoon-hee did too.
But it’s a place that’s hard to enter because the tuition was too expensive unless one had an outstanding talent that qualified for a full scholarship.
Jung Da-hyun and Lee Se-hee were also graduates of this academy.
From the academy’s headmaster to the professors and teaching assistants, they were all verified by hunters with experience in the field.
The person I met was the headmaster of the academy.
“My name is Go Myung-hak.”
“I am Choi Jun-ho. It’s an honor to meet you.”
Academy headmaster Go Myung-hak was over 70 years old, a retired Level 8 Awakened from ten years ago.
He retired gracefully, stating that he would focus on training the next generation if he could no longer utilize the abilities of a Level 8. It was a stark contrast to Kim Yong-hwan, who died senselessly by the hands of the Berserker.
“I have to say, I was impressed with your press conference at the National Assembly.”
“Thank you for your kind words.”
“Seriously. It was refreshing.”
Upon hearing those words, I extended my goodwill.
“There are many journalists who write articles about the Academy without proper verification. If you provide me with the materials, I will cross-check them.”
“Haha, I’ll just take your goodwill.”
Go Myung-hak had been a person who held a position at the Academy until the very last moment of my previous life. Just as he had said when retiring, he had put in effort from beginning to end in nurturing the next generation.
Despite his old age, his appearance was so pristine that it was hard to believe he had crossed into his senior years. However, appearances weren’t that important. After all, on the surface, even the Berserker could seem like a decent-looking middle-aged man. But his actions were those of a madman.
“What did the Headmaster think when he saw the press conference?”
“Perhaps I will criticize it if I was still in office. You’re overflowing with vitality. But I sensed that Mr. Choi had standards that others didn’t, and when I said I felt refreshed, I meant it.”
“...”
“Unexpected, wasn’t it? When I was still in office, I suffered quite a bit from the journalists, and even after retirement, I continued to suffer at the Academy. So if I have no opinions about them, it would be a lie. But I have never revealed my true feelings while preserving my image. Instead, I envied your actions, your courage and youth.”
“I didn’t expect you to think so highly of me.”
His words sounded like a request for me to make use of that courage, youth, and boldness in the future.
“These days, it’s difficult to join a guild. I understand the guild’s perspective, and I also understand the government’s stance. But the students caught in between are not at fault. We need more opportunities for the children.”
“It’s not an easy task.”
“It’s a rule that has been maintained for a long time.”
The job market for awakened individuals was also extremely competitive.
The government was extremely wary of guilds possessing more firepower than necessary.
As a result, guild membership was restricted. Just as businesses had different standards for 5, 10, 100, and 300 employees, the rules and taxes to be paid by guilds increased exponentially as their membership grew.
As a result, large guilds were forced to maintain a certain number of members, and students fresh out of the academy found themselves unable to get a job at the top tier guilds.
Unless one had the skills to completely overcome this.
Then, Go Myung-hak asked me for a special lecture for the students.
“Are you serious?”
“I heard that someone like you teaches very well.”
Me, a teacher?
I had never even thought about it. Was there something for me to teach?
Then my thoughts wandered elsewhere. The academy was a place filled with awakened individuals, and there must be some crooked guys here, so there might be some of them who became villains in the future.
If I could turn those guys into decent people, it would be a favor.
“I’m interested in the troublemakers at the academy.”
“Troublemakers, you say?”
“Even if their character is twisted, wouldn’t it be useful if we can straighten it out?”
“You’re right. Huh! I’ve been really worried about those wayward kids during puberty, and now you’re showing concern like this.”
“I’ll prepare a special lecture for those kids.”
“Haha, I’m very grateful.”
Go Myung-hak kept thanking me while adjusting his glasses.
Nothing much. All I planned was to spend a day with the kids at the academy who were causing headaches.
“But it can be risky.”
“To make the wayward kids come to their senses, they need a significant shock. We need to discuss the composition and schedule. While we prepare, if you could let us know the direction of the lecture, we will cooperate actively.
“I understand.”
“Thank you. Thanks to you, I have one more thing to be proud of. I hope your special lecture serves as a wake-up call for the kids.”
In the end, everything becomes fair in the face of death.
When facing the crisis of death, I should see if they could still hold any complaints.
But if I saw a potential villain, wouldn’t it be better to nip it at the bud?
Still, since I promised to straighten people up, I should save a few.
I exchanged a few more words with the headmaster and left the academy. The day had been quite fruitful.
***
Jung Da-hyun looked depressed. She said she went to visit Han Sang-min in the hospital, but as soon as he saw her, he got up and left without even giving her a chance to apologize.
“It couldn’t be helped.”
“I should have paid more attention to what he was saying.”
“If you pay attention to every little thing when dealing with villains, you never know when you’ll die. You did your best. The opponent was just unlucky.”
“...”
Jung Da-hyun nodded quietly. Not everything in the world goes logically. Both Jung Da-hyun and Han Sang-min were unlucky.
“I heard Oppa was the one who pushed for this villain hunt.”
“Since I reached Level 8, I needed to do things like that.”
“You did well. The atmosphere was already tense due to the news of the League’s entry into the country. Many organizations are taking advantage of the situation.”
While the Berserkers had wiped the League’s power out, various organizations were running wild in the chaotic atmosphere.
Although they were small organizations, their numbers were considerable, and the number of villains alone was over 500. As a result, the Incheon Regional Villain Response Team was on high alert and calling for assistance every day.
“How is it going?” I asked.
“Results aren’t as great as expected. I did manage to catch a few, but their skills are lacking, and low-level villains are causing trouble...”
“Is it taking more time to find them?”
“Yes. And they gave me a nickname as well.”
“Nickname? What do you mean?”
Had Jung Da-hyun finally earned a nickname, too? I was curious about what the first nickname for Jung Da-hyun would be, who had always been called a genius, the flower of the Sacred Guild, the light of the National Security Agency, and so on.
“Well, they’re calling me a ‘Crazy Witch.’”
Well, that nickname suited a villain better than a government hunter.
She didn’t seem to have a bright expression, knowing it herself.
When you think about it, I was also called the Head Breaker. I hid my true identity once and became the Eraser.
It seemed like neither I nor Jung Da-hyun had any connection with cool nicknames.
But her disappointment seemed big, so I offered a soulless comfort.
“It’s cool.”
“R-really? It’s not weird?”
“They gave you that nickname because they’re scared of you. You should naturally get a terrifying one. Head Breaker and Crazy Witch go together perfectly.”
“Yes, perfectly.”
Whether it was comforting or not, Jung Da-hyun’s expression brightened.
Then we talked about her training. Her current state was at a stage where what she consciously learned through intense battles neeed to be passed on subconsciously.
It was necessary to compress the minor stages of power development into a smooth single step.
This was a hard realization to come by without being pushed to the limit.
I had to teach Jung Da-hyun well, and I thought that would also help the Academy’s problem kids to be reborn neatly.
Soon, a guy with decent skills and a good temperament came to mind.
“Ah! There was that.”
“Is there a good way?”
Since that guy appeared normal as long as he kept his mouth shut, it seemed like we could use him.
In the future, as I continued to mobilize for various purposes, it seems necessary to have open and frank discussions when we come across each other.
“I’ll find out and let you know. That guy also has a schedule.”
There’s probably no schedule. Judging by the fact that he sent me a text message every day, he’s not some kind of secret agent; he’s just a nature lover on a gourmet trip.
First, I should contact him after dealing with the villains.
