WHEN YOU CRUSH AN ANT
BENEATH YOUR FOOT DO YOU FEEL REMORSE NO. IS IT BECAUSE YOU ARE EVIL OR BECAUSE YOU RECOGNIZE YOURSELF AS A HIGHER FORM OF LIFE THIS IS WHAT THE WIZARD COULD NOT UNDERSTAND IF I HAVE THE POWERS OF THE GODS THEN AM I NOT A GOD MYSELF?
-TETH ADAM, RETURN OF BLACK ADAM
............
Myung-Hwan immediately shifted his attention to his wife.
"And what are the results of the concours?"
"She won, of course. She's our daughter, so it's expected, really."
A subtle smile formed on Yoo Myung-Hwan's face, but it disappeared without a trace before anyone had the chance to see it.
"Hmm. When will she be returning to Korea, then?"
"She says she's too busy during the semester but will come around once it ends."
Yoo Myung-Hwan frowned deeply.
"I told her to attend her grandfather's ancestral ceremony regardless of how busy she was."
"Dear, children nowadays don't place much importance on such matters anymore."
"Tsk, tsk."
The madam of the Yoo family carefully fixed Yoo Myung-Hwan's slightly out-of-shape tie and spoke to him intimately.
"Also, dear, how about paying more attention to Jin-Hoo?"
"You're speaking about that again... A tiger is supposed to rear tiger cubs, not kittens. But his recent deals do show some positive development."
"Whether he's a tiger or a kitten, he's still my child. And your child, too."
"Hmm..."
"Did you notice? After his graduation from middle school, it was Jin-Hoo's first time smiling in front of you."
Did he do that?
Yoo Myung-Hwan fixed his gaze in the direction Yoo Jinhoo had disappeared, his expression showing just the slightest hint of puzzlement.
But that lasted only for a brief second.
Yoo Myung-Hwan spoke dismissively.
"Maybe he found himself a girlfriend. Anyway, the second meeting is about to begin. And now this could be the biggest deal I could make."
"Yes, and it's all because of our kitten."
"Yes," said Yoo Myung-Hwan with a small smile on his face that only lasted a few seconds.
....
Inside the Hunter Association's HQ, located in Seoul's Guro-gu, one of the Association's employees was checking various equipment within the building and came to a sudden stop in front of a miniature magic energy measuring device.
"What the hell? What's wrong with this thing?"
The number on the display panel should have stayed at '0', yet the value was continuously fluctuating. It was as if the device had lost its mind.
However, the employee didn't think too much about it. These measuring devices were very sensitive and often broke down.
"Hey, Kim Gun-Ah."
"Yes, sir?"
A subordinate quickly jogged closer.
"How many Gates has this device measured recently?"
"What is its serial number, sir?"
"It's N-1744B."
The subordinate scanned through the log and nodded.
"Nine Gates, a couple of days ago."
"A couple of days ago? Let me see."
Indeed, it was true. Two days ago, this device measured the ranks of seven Gates, and out of those, four had already been closed by the Hunters.
"Were there any problems with the Gates this device measured?"
"No, sir. I didn't hear anything."
"Oh, really?"
The senior employee slowly scratched the stubble on his chin.
Normally, when malfunctioning magic measuring devices like this one were found, the raid permits issued for all the Gates measured by the faulty device would be rescinded immediately.
It was obvious why. What would happen to Hunters who entered a Gate thinking it was rank C but turned out to be A or B?
None of them would return alive and intact.
High-ranked dungeons were like that.
Just as the boundary between lower-ranked Hunters and higher-ranked ones was crystal clear and impossible to bridge, the differences between higher-ranked and lower-ranked dungeons were also vast.
It was not without reason that high-ranked dungeons had been exclusively dealt with by large Guilds until now.
"Should I send out notices now?"
Letting others know wasn't that difficult.
However, apart from the discontented voices of teams that had paid for the permits, taking more time to remeasure the Gates could mean that a dungeon break might occur in the meantime. If that happened, the Association wouldn't be able to avoid the pointed criticism coming their way.
And their plates were already overflowing with the whole mountain just disappearing.
Hell, if something went wrong, he might even lose his job.
"I worked so hard to get to this position, too."
The Hunter Association received treatment similar to state-run public enterprises. Entering this organization required as much effort as passing the bar exam, for instance. Just the thought of losing this job made him almost black out on the spot.
"No freaking way. Nope."
He shook his head.
The subordinate also understood the superior's dilemma to some extent. That's why he asked rather cautiously.
"So... What should we do now?"
"Hmm."
It had already been two days.
If there were problems, shouldn't he have heard about them by now?
"...Let it be."
"W-Will that be fine?"
"Well, I don't think much will happen. It's already been two days, right?"
"Well, that's true."
The subordinate nodded.
"In the report, write that N-1744B was working fine until yesterday but developed a fault earlier today. Okay?"
"Okay, sir."
...
The private residence of the Chief of the White Tiger Guild's Second Division, Ahn Sahng-Min.
He stopped cutting the spring onion, straightened his back, and his bones issued a loud complaint.
Crackle...
"Aigoo..."
Today's dinner: doenjang stew.
As a bachelor going strong for eight years, he had already mastered the art of cooking a fair number of dishes.
It all happened five years ago.
Back then, he filled himself up all the time with instant foods until he realized that his health was rapidly deteriorating and reflected on his stupidity. He made up his mind to learn cooking, and now he was at a level where he could almost replicate a dish that appeared on TV in passing.
However...
Didn't they say that the end of tuning is pure love?
As his skills grew, the types of dishes he prepared for himself became simple side dishes.
Like today's doenjang stew.
"Kyah, now this is what I'm talking about!"
Ahn Sahng-Min tasted his own creation and nodded his head as if he was truly amazed by his own skills.
Too bad only one person could taste this wonderful stew, though. He really felt sorry about that.
"Should I invite someone over for a meal?"
He immediately thought of a certain subordinate but soon shook his head.
He was already sick and tired of being called an old bachelor, so what kind of misunderstanding would he arouse if he invited a fellow male employee?
"I wonder if he's properly doing the job I gave him."
That guy was quite attentive and smart most of the time, yet there was this part of him that was undeniably sloppy too.
"Eii, why am I worried about work even though I'm at home, relaxing?"
Time to eat dinner then.
Ahn Sahng-Min placed the doenjang stew on the coffee table in the living room while humming to himself.
It had become a normal thing for him to watch TV in the living room while eating dinner alone. The dining table in the kitchen was far too big and lonesome for a bachelor to have a meal alone there.
Click.
He switched the TV on with the remote and settled down on the couch.
A news broadcast came on.
[Today's breaking news.]
One of the main advantages of being a bachelor was that he'd never have to fight someone else for the TV remote.
When he turned that boob tube on, it'd always be on the channel he preferred.
Ahn Sahng-Min watched the large flat-screen TV mounted on the wall with the corner of his eyes while he scooped up a spoonful of rice.
{...The entirety of the United States of America is in deep shock after an unexplainable explosion took place in the American Hunter's Association headquarters in Washington D.C. A rumor is rising among some experts that the explosion was due to a new rising talent causing irreparable friction among S-ranked Hunters...}
"Uh-huh... What is this world coming to, huh? Really now."
Ahn Sahng-Min clicked his tongue with a rueful expression but still didn't forget to carefully choose the side dish that would signal the beginning of his dinner.
Well, there weren't that many side dishes to choose from anyway.
"Well, it just has to be kimchi, no?"
{...This is the CCTV footage recorded near the American Monitoring Division's building. Cracks suddenly formed on the walls of the building, and...}
Not really caring about what the news bulletin was saying, the steamy rice resting on top of his spoon now acted as a home for a cold piece of kimchi he took out from the separate kimchi refrigerator.
And just as Ahn Sahng-Min was bringing the pair to his mouth, His phone suddenly emitted a loud ring.
"Argh! Who the heck is it this time?"
Ahn Sahng-Min inwardly complained and picked up the smartphone. But he hurriedly answered the call after discovering who was calling him.
"Hello, this is Ahn Sahng-Min speaking."
The one calling him was, of course, Jin-Woo.
Ahn Sahng-Min's expression was bright as he answered the call. Finally, he got a call from him. He wanted to meet him, but he didn't get the chance with recent incidents.
However...
While listening to Jin-Woo's story, Ahn Sahng-Min's expression progressively became puzzled.
"Pardon me? You were wondering if you could tag along during the training of our new recruits?"
...
*Jin-Woo's POV*
"Alright. That's taken care of."
I ended the call. At first, Ahn Sangmin was flustered, but upon hearing my explanation, the man happily agreed to my request. Plus, I also had to give my word that I'll meet once I am free. Thanks to that, I would be able to see how Baekho trained their new recruits in a Raid. Or should I say their deaths in the red gate, at least without me.
"I've already got the van."
Yoo Jinho had helped me out with that even on his busy day. The young man had told me that he could only vacate wherever he came from for a brief moment and apologized. I thought the young man's attitude was rather mature compared to how he had acted in the past. I also returned his car.
Anyway, I was ready. I was currently in front of the residence of the trouble student that Jinah's teacher had asked me to convince.
"It's kinda close to our old place."
It was about a ten-minute walk. I probably could've hit it with a rock from my own room. I took a look around the neighborhood. It was a small neighborhood filled with worn-down buildings. I was able to roughly gather that, like my own family, she probably did not grow up that well. I understood why she wanted to be a Hunter. It reminds me of my past.
"Still, it's people like that who are the first to die."
The E-rank Hunter even teetered between life and death a few times. If it wasn't for og Jinwoo's mother's rare illness, Jinwoo would've never started the job. For an E-rank Hunter, the Dungeon was that much of a dangerous place. If I did nothing, she would surely come to regret her decision. Forget regret, she might even lose her life.
"And that's not all that rare."
After all, dozens of Hunters died every day across the world. I did not care about any of them; it was their decision.
"However..."
The person this time around was not a complete stranger. If she was, I would've ignored the teacher's request, even if she was Jinah's classmate. But there was much more than just this.
I felt a presence approaching; looking up, it was the problem student. Seeing her face, I confirmed it was indeed the same girl.
"What the?"
The student noticed me and tilted her head.
"Ahjussi, why are you here?"
As expected, the girl recognized me, even when I am more different than usual.
Sigh! "That's why I don't like pesky kids."
I scratched the side of my head.
A female high school student who wanted to be a Hunter. She was the sole female member of Yoo Jinho's raiding party; the one whose age concerned me in the beginning.
"Is it okay to bring that one?"
"I went ahead and got some legal counsel. There isn't any legal reason why she can't join us. It's just going to be a big problem if she gets hurt."
"Han Songyi."
When I heard her name from Jinah's teacher, I was sure it was her. Just in case, I asked for her records. The day that she stopped coming to school was the day I started raiding with Yoo Jinho's team. Once he realized this, Jinwoo realized all this might've been partially my fault, so I decided to take responsibility. The circumstances of our raiding party were special, and I did not want to mislead the girl into thinking that what she earned with them would be the norm going forward. After all, she had earned 36 million won in the past week; that was an unthinkable amount for a high schooler.
"One thing's for sure."
If I heard in the future that she died in a Dungeon, I decided to take the time today to convince her. It wouldn't be that difficult. When she will enter the red gate.
"So why are you here?"
Han Songyi stared at me with wide-open eyes. She looked a little hesitant.
"No way, the Hunter that the teacher wanted to introduce me to was you, ahjussi?"
I was bothered by the fact that she kept calling me ahjussi but nodded with a smile.
"I don't know what the teacher told you, but I'm not interested in school anymore. I don't plan on giving up the Hunter life."
She attempted to cut him off firmly from whatever he was planning on doing. Back in the raiding party, she was a rather quiet girl, but when it involved her future, her attitude had changed. It was a precocious behavior fitting for today's children.
"Reminds me of another precocious brat living at my home. Spending like it's no big deal."
I smiled widely. Having attempted to come off as stern, Han Songyi was flustered by my unexpected response. I calmly spoke,
"Yeah, I don't plan on telling you to give it up either."
The girl's eyes widened in surprise.
"Really?"
I knew telling kids like her not to do something was the best way to get them to do that thing. From the start, I had no intention of convincing her through words. I would just show her a glimpse of the reality and horror of a dungeon.
The reality was much crueler than she thought. Han Songyi tried to maintain a stern demeanor and asked,
"Th-then why are you here?"
I stepped forward. The girl almost took a step back in surprise but kept her composure so as not to appear weak. In front of Han Songyi, I put on a smile. I did not mean to do so, but it was a rather evil-looking smile, filled with ulterior motives.
"I want to make you into an amazing Hunter."
She did not need any convincing to go into the Dungeon. Enticed by the prospect of watching Baekho's new recruits training in person, she excitedly tagged along without a shred of suspicion towards me.
"..."
"Get in."
"Thank you!"
I drove Han Songyi to the place where Baekho would be holding their new recruit training in the form of a Raid. I was told that they would begin their training at 9 PM, so I had plenty of time.
*zoom-*
The van, which was too large for just two people, traveled to our destination like it was flying.
"Man, these attribute stats sure are useful."
From her side, Han Songyi struck up a conversation.
"So, does Jinah really spend all day studying at home? I heard she even uses an encyclopedia as wallpaper so she can constantly look at something to memorize."
Did my little sister really have such a reputation? At home, she was just a chicken-loving girl who loved to sleep.
"She's the same as everyone else. When she comes home, she plays around, eats, and sleeps."
"Well, mostly sleep.
"Eh... No way. How could her grades be so good if that was the case?"
"I couldn't believe it either. Back in junior high, she was just a girl who went to arcades with me."
While we were having a conversation, we arrived at the Gate. I stopped the car.
*screech-*
It was a neighborhood that produced a lot of Gates for some reason. Because of that, most of the people had moved away, and it was easy to find parking. I heard that there were at least 8 residential buildings in the area that were abandoned. Once the remaining people moved away, the government planned to flatten the entire area.
Han Songyi and I got out of the car. There was a strange foreboding feeling in the air.
*Waaaah-*
I swore I could hear cheering coming from my shadow. I chalked it up to the atmosphere. Han Songyi was slightly scared because of that atmosphere but quickly cheered up when she saw other Hunters in the distance. Her sparkling eyes were like someone looking at a celebrity.
'Well, they are THE Baekho's Hunters.'
As a student who wanted to be a Hunter, they were no different than celebrities, even more than just celebrities. When I remembered the image of Hunters in the media, it was not a strange thing.
"Oh, you must be Sung Jin-Woo."
Hyun Gicheol noticed me and came over.
"Isn't this our first time meeting?"
I lightly nodded. When Hyun Gicheol introduced and greeted me with a genuine smile, not a business-use smile, I smiled back despite myself. This was the first time meeting the man, but it seemed like he had a likable personality.
"I heard from the chief. So this is the student?"
"Hello."
Han Songyi bowed her head. They were exchanging greetings when a large musclehead split off from the Hunters and came over.
"Can we get going already? We're not here for a picnic. It's almost nine."
........
So world travel has started to the Akame Ga Kill.
I am currently writing it.
Now to confirm the plot points Esdeath is part of the Harem and other are Shadows.
Now if can suggest me some good shadows both humans and danger beasts it would be great help.
Thanks