It would be tiring to list all the things that Association President Woo Jinchul had accomplished in the past two years. And as many achievements as he had, there were numerous nicknames and modifiers attached to his name, one of which was the 'Villain Detector.'
– It's really amazing.
– How does Woo Jinchul catch villains so well? Does he have some kind of special skill?
– Rumor has it that he can predict who will awaken among those with a criminal record?
– Ah, that's nonsense.
– No, it's true. Would Woo Jinchul be called the Villain Detector for no reason?
– Doesn't everyone know how Jisan Prison was created?
Jisan Prison was a detention center specializing in villains, established by the Hunter Association two years ago under President Woo Jinchul's strong anti-villain policy. But in fact, in the early days of the Cataclysm, it wasn't originally that kind of place. It was a prison where even ordinary criminals with long sentences could go, not just villains. But then something amazing started to happen there. Normal criminals that Association President Woo Jinchul personally put in Jisan Prison began to awaken one by one. At first, everyone dismissed it as a coincidence. But when most of the inmates eventually awakened, people couldn't help but be astonished once again.
– Maybe Association President Woo Jinchul has a skill that allows him to know in advance who can awaken and when.
– That's a bit of an exaggeration. If that were possible, the Hunter Association would have sought out those people in advance and registered them.
– Still, it seems certain that he can at least tell who will become a villain. It's a fact that he's good at catching them.
– Maybe he developed that kind of eye after a long career as a police officer?
There were many opinions like this, but no Korean citizen doubted the fact that Woo Jinchul was good at identifying those who would become villains. So it was only natural for people to say this:
– Then what about Hunter Sung Suho?
The Hunter Association announced that he was an S-rank Hunter. And Sung Suho himself publicly declared that he was the Beast King Crow who had been active while wearing a mask. People who learned of this fact were busy talking about Sung Suho whenever they gathered.
– I wonder if Woo Jinchul would be able to tell if Sung Suho is a villain or not just by looking at him?
– No, why would Sung Suho be a villain? Haha.
– He is the hero of the Loktak Field who saved India! Our National pride!
– That's why it's even more suspicious.
– That's right. Why would he go to India in secret and wander around someone else's field dungeon?
– Maybe he's actually a criminal?
– Haha. It's a fact that he's already a criminal. In the first place, an S-rank Hunter crossing the border without permission is a violation of international law.
– Well, it's a happy ending in the end, but from India's perspective, it was no different from a declaration of war.
– He even confessed that he's the Beast King Crow himself this time.
– There must be a reason why someone who's an S-rank Hunter had to hide his identity and operate like that? Isn't it because he has a guilty conscience?
– Wow, then is he really a villain?
[…The era of great confusion has arrived.] Beru chuckled as he watched the noisy public opinion.
As he predicted, the numerous pieces of information about Sung Suho that hit South Korea were throwing the world into chaos. Lim Dogyoon, who was watching the tablet with Beru, looked at Suho with a very nervous expression.
"Suho, no, Guild Master. Are you really okay with this? The atmosphere is so… public opinion is increasingly portraying you as a suspicious person." Lim Dogyoon felt like he had become the vice president of a failing company with dark secrets to be exposed. It was unfair.
"People are really going too far! He only hid his identity, he hasn't done anything wrong so far, so why does he have to be called a villain?!"
Suho chuckled and shrugged at Lim Dogyoon's fuss.
"Why are you so upset? I did do something wrong. An S-rank Hunter going to India without permission is a really serious crime."
"True, but Thomas Andre came to our country before! No one said anything then!"
"I heard later that Thomas paid a huge compensation fee because he was sorry."
"Can everything really be solved with money?!"
"Yes, most things…" The last words were spoken by Yoo Jinho, who just entered the room.
"Suho." He smiled at Suho and said,
"This should be enough, don't you think?"
Suho smiled too.
"Yes. It's perfect. With this level of suspicion, I don't think anyone will oppose me going to North Korea."
"Yes. In fact, the atmosphere now is that another S-rank Hunter should take responsibility and take you to Woo Jinchul for verification. And that the Association President should personally take you around and do some good deeds in North Korea to reassure everyone that you're not a villain… I just finished reading the comments."
"Thank you."
Flinch. Lim Dogyoon suddenly realized a shocking truth from their conversation and his eyes widened.
"W-wait. Are you saying that this public opinion atmosphere is all intentional…?"
Yoo Jinho stretched his neck from side to side and shrugged at Lim Dogyoon.
"Well, we used our employees to do some minor comment manipulation."
"…?!" Lim Dogyoon's expression was like that of a child who just found out that Santa Claus was actually their dad. He realized just how enormous the 'minor' things that the CEO of Ahjin Soft was talking about were.
[The vote has begun!] At Beru's words, everyone's gaze turned to the voting screen simultaneously.
"There are… almost no opposing votes."
"We'll have to watch the voting results until tonight to be sure, but…"
"Yes. It seems like we succeeded."
A meaningful smile appeared on Suho and Yoo Jinho's lips at the same time. The number of opposing votes was increasing in real-time, but the speed was insignificant. They had tried various ways to sway public opinion just in case, but the fact that it was this effective meant that the public was actually feeling a strong sense of anxiety about Sung Suho.
"Well, it's only natural. I don't think you need the warning, but be carefull, just in case." Yoo Jinho patted Suho's shoulder and continued in a relatively light tone,
"It's only been two years since the Cataclysm. Even though Hunters are fighting for humanity, it's still unsettling for ordinary people to have those who suddenly turned into superhumans around them. It will take at least… five years for the masses to adapt." Since it was Yoo Jinho, who had the memories of the past era, speaking. That minimum of five years was probably accurate.
"Good. Then we can just wait until tonight for the voting results. Shall we go take care of other things in the meantime?"
[I'll follow you!] As Suho stretched and looked at him, Beru quickly climbed onto his shoulder.
Just then, he received a call from Hunter Seo Jinwoo.
"Hunter Sung Suho, I've arrived. Where are you now?"
"I'm almost there." Suho quickly answered, even though he hadn't even left yet.
The double dungeon where they contracted Eternal Sleep Disease. He had made an appointment to meet Hunter Seo Jinwoo, who promised to tell him the exact location of that place. It wouldn't take long to get there anyway.
"Dogyuun, Uncle. I'm going somewhere. Please text me when the voting results are out."
"Huh?"
"Yes, go ahead." Lim Dogyoon was flustered, while Yoo Jinho waved with a relaxed smile.
[Using Skill: 'Shadow Exchange'.]
At that moment, Suho's position was switched with that of the shadow soldier in Seo Jinwoo's shadow.
* * *
"Hello."
"…?!"
Seo Jinwoo, who was holding her phone, couldn't help but step back in surprise as Suho suddenly approached her.
"H-how?!" It was natural for Seo Jinwoo to be surprised.
'What? I didn't even sense him approaching? Could he be an assassin type, not a tanker?'
'No way…?' When he sparred with Ma Dongwook, Suho was undoubtedly a tanker. A combat type who focused on strength and durability. On the other hand, Seo Jinwoo, unlike Ma Dongwook, was an agile dealer who fought using quick movements and powerful skills. And she was an S-rank.
'How could he deceive my senses and approach me…?' She was confused.
She knew he had extraordinary abilities from the moment she first saw him at the Association, but Suho was like an onion, with layers upon layers. But as if not caring about Seo Jinwoo's surprise, he calmly looked around and spoke,
"Hapjeong Station. You said you contracted Eternal Sleep Disease somewhere around here."
"Yes. I asked the Association to temporarily block public access to this passage."
There was a 'Under Construction' sign around Hapjeong Station. Citizens were using other ticket gates after crossing the street, but there weren't many complaints. Since it was something the Association was doing, they were more concerned about the possibility of a Gate appearing and hurriedly evacuated. Thanks to that, Seo Jinwoo guided Suho, retracing her memories on the quiet street.
"Back then, the Gate was open along these stairs, but now it's just an ordinary subway station entrance. Even in a place like this… can we find any clues?"
"We'll have to look for them now." As he answered, Suho's gaze swept down to his shadow.
"Harmakan, come out."
[Yes, Master.]
"Kyaa?!" At that moment, the giant shadowy magic spirit, Harmakan, suddenly rose from Suho's shadow. And Seo Jinwoo couldn't help but scream this time.
[Hmm.] He greeted Suho and then glanced down to meet Seo Jinwoo's eyes, she couldn't help but tense up with an eerie feeling.
"Hunter Sung Suho…?" She managed to speak in a calm tone, but her voice inevitably trembled.
'What! What is this summon? At least A-rank, no, S-rank? This is the first time I've felt such an eerie feeling from a summon. Wasn't Hunter Sung Suho reawakened as a tanker?'
She was confused. For Seo Jinwoo, who had only seen Suho's cute summons, the energy emanating from the newcomer that appeared before her was enough to bewilder her.
[Harmakan Lv.5]
[Elite Knight Rank]
As Suho's level increased, the summons who fought alongside him also leveled up. Anyone alive couldn't help but feel an eerie feeling from Harmakan, who was the Grand Shaman of the Demonic Spirits.
'Don't tell me that wasn't actually a dungeon break?' The thousands of shadowy magical beasts that stood beside Suho in Loktak, India, suddenly came to Seo Jinwoo's mind.
It seemed like the Association should have been more thorough in their verification process. It was a huge misjudgment to assume that he was definitely a tanker just because he suddenly had a contest of strength with Ma Dongwook.
"Hunter Sung Suho… just what… are you?"
"I'm the Beast King Crow." Suho replied jokingly, but Seo Jinwoo couldn't take it as a joke anymore.
"Beast King…"
'Yes. That's right!' The disaster that happened in the Magok Field before. The unknown Hunter who overcame all the trials there and gained the power of a king. The fact that he was Sung Suho now had a different meaning.
"I see. Hunter Sung Suho, you gained the power of a king in Magok and reawakened…" It was chilling. It felt like all the puzzle pieces were finally falling into place.
'He's not someone who was lucky enough to escape Eternal Slumber like me, but someone who reawakened in a completely different way. And he even overcame tremendous trials.' Seo Jinwoo's eyes trembled as she looked at Suho. Who, without noticing glanced at Hapjeong Station and ordered,
"Harmakan, she said there was a double dungeon here. Can you confirm it with your ability?"
[I will do my best.]
Whoosh!
At that moment, a magic circle began to unfold around Harmakan. This was a legacy of Kandiaru that he discovered by chance in the demonic spirit world long ago, and Harmakan was able to become incredibly strong by earnestly studying this ability. It was also thanks to this ability that he was able to rise to the position of Grand Shaman from a mere chieftain.
[Instance Dungeon has been created.]
Instance Dungeon. A large-scale magic circle that creates a 'reverse world' by distorting the existing dimension. This ability was to distort the dimensional gap and create a world beyond it.
Ding!
Harmakan respectfully offered the key created by magic to Suho.
[Item Acquired]
[Item: Dungeon Key]
[Acquisition Difficulty: E-rank]
[Type: Key]
[A key that allows you to move to the Instance Dungeon.]
[Can be used at Exit 3 of Hapjeong Station.]