one side.
"… … What is that?"
Hunters from the Korean Association who happened to be wandering around North Korea at the time, hun
ting for demons.
That unrealistic scene also unfolded in front of Association Chairman Woo Jin-cheol.
However, Woo Jin-cheol calmly sent a radio message to the association to understand the situation even
though it was a very confusing situation.
And when he learned that this phenomenon was happening all over the world, he nodded in a very busine
sslike tone.
"Hmm. There are now more things to handle."
He looked at the endless desolate land before him with bird-like eyes through his dark sunglasses.
A sense of alienation, as if this land had suddenly turned into an alien planet.
The sky was still covered in blue fog, and the occasional howling roars of demons and spirits echoed from
the ground.
In the midst of all this, the sudden appearance of huge trees that caught their eye from afar was an event
that might have forced them to completely revise their plans up to that point.
"There are trees that we didn't see on the road we passed. Did they just appear, or did we really pass by
without seeing them?"
At that moment, Choi Jong-in, a S-class hunter from the association, approached Woo Jin-cheol and spo
ke to him.
And as if it was interesting, I took in the sight of the numerous trees towering up as if they were piercing
the sky.
It was quite surprising, but not surprising.
No matter what, the work he had to do was the same.
Hurrah!
A bright red flame burst out from the final person's hand.
He gripped the flame tightly, pushed up his horn-rimmed glasses, and grinned.
"I vote for going back the way we came and burning it all down."
"hmm."
At the suggestion to go back the way he came, Chairman Woo Jin-cheol hesitated for a moment.
They had already been eliminating the demons as soon as they saw them as they came here.
So the decision to just go back the way we came to burn those trees was a bit inefficient.
Because those alien trees existed not only along the path they had passed, but also on the opposite side.
Just north.
Rather, the number of trees visible at the end of the path they had been moving in was much greater.
So, if we only consider efficiency, it would be much more efficient to continue on the path we were on, b
urning trees and eliminating demons.
So then what the heck is the problem?
In fact, Woo Jin-cheol's gaze had been focused on a particularly irritating spot beyond the north.
"Is it just me or does it seem like those trees are more crowded together on the Russian side?"
"Hmm, that's certainly true."
Following Woo Jin-cheol's gaze, Choi Jong-in also checked the Russian border and nodded.
Beyond the distant blue fog, countless alien trees towered over Russia, forming a landscape painting.
Is it just my imagination that makes it look like those strange alien plants originated in Russia?
'No way.'
Woo Jin-cheol muttered while glaring at Russia.
"If it's Russia… …coincidentally, it's Yuri Orlov's country."
"Yuri Orlov? Are you talking about the Prime Minister who was elected two years ago?"
"Yes, he happens to be an S-class user with great barrier abilities."
Choi Jong-in absentmindedly observed Woo Jin-cheol's expression as he spoke, seeming to have guess
ed something.
Looking from the side, Woo Jin-cheol's eyes were shining seriously behind his black sunglasses.
Gulp.
When he saw those eyes, Choi Jong-in swallowed dry saliva without realizing it.
'… … You have that expression again.'
Sometimes, Chairman Woo Jin-cheol would make that kind of expression.
A gaze that is vague as if reminiscing about the past, but at the same time extremely rational and confide
nt as if planning for the future thoroughly.
When Woo Jin-cheol makes that kind of expression, it's a bit embarrassing to say this, but... ... Honestly,
it gave me goosebumps.
Sometimes, I felt like his gaze was not looking at the reality right in front of him, but at a world completely
different from his own.
It's as if there are things beyond his gaze that are never seen by the eyes of ordinary people.
'… … That was the expression you had on your face when you first proposed the association to me.'
-Will you be my comrade for this country, for justice, and to protect the world?
Two years ago, Woo Jin-cheol's gaze as he politely handed out his business card to her after she had awa
kened was also like that.
Overwhelmed by those confident eyes, he had no choice but to accept the business card.
And from that day on, Choi Jong-in began to work as an S-class hunter representing the Hunter Associati
on of Korea, and even earned the somewhat embarrassing nickname of 'Humanity's Ultimate Weapon'.
When I first got called that childish nickname at this age, I was so shocked that I felt embarrassed, but at
the same time, I focused even more on the work of the association with the determination to devote myself
to the country so that I would not be ashamed of that nickname.
Two years like that.
But now, when I look back on all the actions of Chairman Woo Jin-cheol, whom I have watched from the
closest side, I sometimes have such absurd thoughts.
'Maybe the president already knew that I would awaken to S-class?'
It was a truly absurd imagination, but I couldn't help but think that Woo Jin-cheol might have really done t
hat.
"Chairman, do you think that Prime Minister Yuri Orlov has been using his barrier powers to keep those tr
ees hidden all this time?"
"It is quite possible."
"The scale of the barrier is too enormous for that. I know that even if they are the same S-rank, the level
difference is different, but isn't there a limit? With my ability, I would never be able to burn that many trees
at once."
"He may have received help from outside. And in particular… … Yuri Orlov's abilities are optimized for rec
eiving outside help. With enough magic power, he can easily cover an entire city with a barrier."
"… … ?"
Choi Jong-in made a puzzled expression at Woo Jin-cheol's confident tone.
Not much is known about Russia's new Prime Minister Yuri Orlov.
This was partly because Russia had become such a hostile place after the cataclysm, but its isolation had
become even more severe since Yuri Orlov became prime minister.
"Have you by any chance planted a spy in Russia without my knowledge?"
"No, not yet at least. But at least I know what kind of person Yuri Orlov was."
"Was it?"
past?
Choi Jong-in tilted his head at the strange feeling.
Even less was known about Prime Minister Yury Orlov's past history.
"Have you ever met Yuri Orlov before?"
"Well, I haven't met him in person… … but I know one thing. No matter how old a person gets, their true
nature doesn't change much. Good people age well, and bad people age badly… … ."
Woo Jin-cheol adjusted his black sunglasses and a confident smile appeared on his lips.
"Of course, this is often a bias, but I tend to trust that bias quite a bit."
"We've reached a social consensus to just call it plain old nerd stuff."
"Haha, is that so?"
Woo Jin-cheol burst into laughter, saying that he was taken aback by Choi Jong-in's joke.
But what if you're an old fart?
At least in the two lives I have personally walked, I have learned that prejudice is ultimately the result of c
ountless big data.
"Chairman, we have a radio transmission."
At that moment, the secretary handed Woo Jin-cheol a walkie-talkie.
"It is the shadow of paradise."
"Ah! That's perfect timing."
As if he had been waiting, Woo Jin-cheol happily accepted the walkie-talkie.
But the voice heard over the radio was not Ha Seul's, but Seong Su Ho's.
Woo Jin-cheol nodded vigorously after receiving a detailed account of the situation that had just occurred
from Sung Su-ho.
"… … So that's what happened. Thank you for sharing."
Apostles of Paradise and Alfheim.
Elvenwood and the High Elves.
And the apostle of Itarim.
'And Russia… … .'
Thanks to Suho, countless pieces of information were piling up in Woo Jincheol's head, and a picture was
being drawn.
Woo Jin-cheol, who had gathered his thoughts, spoke to Su-ho in a serious tone into the walkie-talkie.
"Hunter Seongsuho. I think the repercussions of the death of the Apostle of Paradise will be much greater
than expected."
-I think so too.
Su-ho also agreed with his words in a serious voice from the other end of the radio.
As he said, even now, the death of the Apostle of Paradise was already causing enormous ripples through
out the world.
Meanwhile, the Apostle of Paradise had been creating and hiding his flower pots in various parts of the w
orld, and the moment his death caused the cognitive inhibition magic that had been hiding them to disappe
ar all at once.
Phew! Phew!
People all over the world were in shock.
-What is that?
-What are those trees?!
Alien trees that grow tall and jut out as if they are piercing the sky.
To the eyes of people all over the world, the sight seemed as if countless alien ecosystems had suddenly
invaded the Earth on the same day and at the same time.
Even the sheer size and scale of the events, and the fact that they occurred simultaneously, were enough
to cause panic among the people.
Add in the countless Chinese drone cameras and American satellite photos, and the entire scene was bro
adcast to the entire world.
in result.
The whole world was thrown into chaos overnight.
-No, really, what are all those??
-Where did those trees suddenly come from?
-Is this a new type of dungeon break?!
-Surely there won't be gates appearing underground now?
-Oh, my God! That's so horrible!
-If a gate is created underground, there's no way for the hunters to stop it!
An extremely unusual situation.
It was natural for people to be shocked by the absurdly large scale of the situation.
The gate isn't even open.
It wasn't even a dungeon break.
It's not like 'those trees' suddenly sprouted from the ground.
Alien trees appearing all over the Earth so naturally, as if they had always been growing there.
The absurdly large scale made the viewer feel both an overwhelming sense of pressure and a sense of bi
zarreness.
That wasn't all.
It didn't take long for the world to learn that beneath those trees, not only were there strange plants, but t
here were also cities of demons, spirits, and villains living hidden within them.
This was a disconcerting situation for both those outside the barrier and those living hidden within it, and
it was not something that anyone had planned.
Then, naturally, a fierce battle suddenly broke out between the two forces without anyone saying who wo
uld start.
This phenomenon was not limited to North Korea, Russia, or China.
The Apostle of Paradise had been working hard to increase the number of flower pots in various places, a
nd there were some flower pots in other countries as well.
but.
"People's reactions are all good."
At least for Woo Jin-cheol, who had experienced the brink of the end of the world, the appearance of a fe
w Elvenwood trees was a good thing.
After all, they are neither rulers nor monarchs, just a few trees.
It was the role of the hunters to solve such problems.
That is why the fact that the entire world was shocked when they witnessed the existence of Elvenwood
being revealed to the world overnight was information that had absolutely no value to Woo Jin-cheol.
But right now, at this moment.
However, there was another important issue that Woo Jin-cheol was really worried about.
-… … The problem is that because of this situation, the other Itarim apostles will also know that the Apos
tle of Paradise has died.
"Yes, I'm sure it will."
-There will definitely be a reaction in some way. It could even lead to an all-out war.
"… … It is quite possible."
As the conversation progressed, Woo Jin-cheol was quite impressed by Su-ho's words, which accurately
captured the essence of the situation.
Early 20s.
Compared to himself, who was living two lives, the person on the other end of the radio was still just a yo
ung and immature young man.
But what does age matter?
Woo Jin-cheol already knew 'him'.
A man who had already saved the world single-handedly at that age.
"In that sense, Hunter Seongsuho."
-yes.
And at the same time, hearing the voice coming from the other end of the radio, I realize it again.
The fact that Seongsuho is his son.
Especially since we were talking only with voices like this, I couldn't help but feel like I was talking directly
to Sung Jin-woo when I listened to it again.
In that strange feeling, Woo Jin-cheol couldn't help but feel very excited about what his son, Seong Su-h
o, would do from now on.
"… … What are your plans from now on, Hunter Seongsuho? We will decide what to do from now on acco
rding to Hunter Seongsuho's plans."
Woojin Railroad and Seongsuho had the same opinion.
By this incident, all of the Itarim apostles spread across the world would have noticed that someone like t
hem had been murdered.
So, as Seong Su-ho said, it was certain that there would be some kind of response from them in the futu
re.
An all-out war could suddenly break out.
'… … Just like back then.'
Woo Jin-cheol couldn't help but swallow dry saliva as he recalled the tragedy he had experienced long ag
o.
The end always comes suddenly.
And although Woo Jin-cheol had been thoroughly prepared for that moment, he couldn't help but feel anx
ious.
It was because there was no Sung Jin-woo on this Earth like there was back then.
but.
That is why we can't help but look forward to it even more.
To his son, Seong Su-ho.
And Seongsuho answered.
-Please join us. We will arrive shortly.
Kururung-!
Kwakwakwakwang!
At that moment, Woo Jin-cheol saw huge trees falling in the distance.
Just like dominoes.
"… … Haha."
Woo Jin-cheol burst into laughter at the sight.
And then suddenly a plan came to mind, and I made a suggestion into the radio that was still to my ear.
"Hunter Seongsuho. Do you have any plans to go to Russia?"
-Oh, isn't that illegal?
"That's true. Of course, our association doesn't know about it."
-… …Secret friend?
Woo Jin-cheol touched his forehead when he heard Ha-seul's voice coming from next to him.
"Saying it's a secret, isn't there a better expression like spy?"