5 years ago.
Woo Jin-cheol had already noticed the changes in the world since then.
"… … You didn't come in today either?"
"Yes, Chief."
Central Police Station, Violent Crimes Unit Office.
Detective Sung Jin-woo's desk had been empty for several days.
But the expressions on the faces of his colleagues who shared the same office did not show even a hint
of worry or concern.
This was because such things happened frequently.
Detective Sung Jin-woo was a very elusive person, and he often left his post like that.
But despite that, he was a so-called 'untouchable' who didn't even write a single report, let alone disciplin
e.
From the perspective of a civil servant living off the country's taxes, such a case was extremely unusual.
But of course it had to be that way.
Back?
Is it because Chief Woo Jin-cheol is supporting him firmly?
It's not like that, it's just because the results were so good.
If a violent crimes detective is good at catching criminals, who would dare touch him?
Especially when detective Sung Jin-woo disappears for a long time and returns, there are always countles
s criminals who follow him like candy.
Most of them were people who had practically given up on the investigation, not to mention other depart
ments, but also other local police stations, and that day was also the day when the entire violent crimes unit
had a dinner party.
As if they thought that Sung Jin-woo would naturally do the same this time, none of Sung Jin-woo's fello
w detectives worried about his well-being, who had been absent for several days.
Instead of worrying about the living legend of the Central Police Station's violent crimes unit, he was busy
cleaning up after the criminals he had caught.
Detective Sung Jin-woo was good in every way, but the problem was that he only caught criminals and le
ft all the annoying and burdensome paperwork to his subordinates.
Of course, he would share the credit with his subordinates who did the paperwork for him, or even give t
hem all the credit, so he was truly a veteran who you couldn't help but know.
There's a reason why there are rumors going around that he's a police officer as a hobby.
But despite that, there is one person in particular.
For some reason, this time, Chief Woo Jin-cheol's expression was a little dark as he looked at Detective
Seong Jin-woo's empty seat.
'… … This time it's taking you particularly long.'
Woo Jin-cheol knew that every time Seong Jin-woo was away for a few days, it was just an excuse to ca
tch criminals.
In fact, every time, Sung Jin-woo would have struggled to protect the world alone in a place unknown to
anyone.
And on the way back, I just catch a few criminals who are hiding because I don't want to come empty-ha
nded.
But in recent years.
The number of times Sung Jin-woo was absent from his post was increasing.
Of course, the period wasn't long each time...
For some reason, this time in particular… I had a feeling that his overseas trip would be long.
"Phew."
Woo Jin-cheol, who had been looking out the office window for a moment, looked up at the sky.
And then he opened his mouth as if letting out a sigh.
"This time, let's treat it as a vacation."
"Yes? But Detective Seong didn't even apply for vacation… … ."
"I will pay it myself."
"… … Yes, I understand."
Is there any possibility?
The police chief said he would handle it himself.
thud.
The door closed like that, and Woo Jin-cheol sat alone and let out a deep sigh.
And I thought of Sung Jin-woo, who at this very moment is somewhere in the world fighting something t
hat threatens the survival of humanity.
And I believed it without a doubt.
As always, he will eventually come back.
Smiling as if nothing happened.
… …as it always has been.
But why is that?
'This time it feels different.'
Even though he was fully aware of Sung Jin Woo's power, for some reason this time, Woo Jin Chul felt a
strange sense of unease.
And why are ominous intuitions never wrong…?
Not a few days, but months.
Not a few months, but a year, two years… … .
No matter how much time passed, Sung Jin-woo never returned.
'… … I guess I should prepare myself mentally too.'
And Woo Jin-cheol's eyes, looking at his empty spot covered in dust, became determined.
Of course, even at this moment, he wasn't worried about Sung Jin-woo's well-being at all.
At least to Woo Jin-cheol, Seong Jin-woo was a god, or something more.
The idea that Sung Jin-woo is in danger is something I can't even dare to imagine as a possibility.
However, I only focused on how difficult the enemies were to keep him captive for so long.
Time passed like that… … .
About two years ago from now.
Woo Jin-cheol's intuition turned out to be correct.
'Cataclysm'
bang!
When news broke that the first gate had been discovered in downtown Seoul.
Woo Jin-cheol took action without hesitation.
A moment of cataclysmic change when Earth connects with the other world.
While world leaders are in turmoil, they are at a loss.
Woo Jin-cheol was not flustered.
At least this isn't the first time something like this has happened to him.
'First, awakening.'
Since it was something I had already experienced once, the process was not difficult.
A foreign energy flowed into the atmosphere through the gate.
He skillfully grabbed 'Mana'.
Flash!
He woke up immediately.
As an A-class hunter like before.
'The total amount of magic power is the same as before. Is this my limit?'
Woo Jin-cheol, who had measured his own magical power, immediately grasped the situation.
I didn't even have the vain thought that maybe this time I would awaken to an S-class.
Since he was a thoroughly rational person, he only thought and planned about how to utilize this situation.
'So you're saying that depending on your magical aptitude, you'll awaken just like in the old world. This is
actually better. It reduces the margin of error.'
He knew exactly what he could do and what he had to do.
"I guess we should start by creating an association."
Woo Jin-cheol immediately put his plan into action.
'In the old world, the association was formed when Chairman Go Gun-hee awakened as an S-class hunte
r. Unfortunately, Chairman Go Gun-hee had already passed away from old age.'
In the end, the only person who could replace the role of Association Chairman Koh Kun-hee in the prese
nt era was Woo Jin-cheol himself.
Even in the old world, wasn't he already the person who became the association president after Chairman
Koh Kun-hee?
Since it was a position I had taken on before, it wasn't difficult.
However, if there is a problem.
'I am not Chairman Koh Kun-hee.'
Chairman Koh Kun-hee, who was the head of a large corporation, organized the association with his enor
mous financial resources and power.
But Woo Jin-cheol did not have enormous financial resources or power.
A mere police chief can't even hand out his business card in front of those with real power.
'But I have memories of the past.'
Woo Jin-cheol was living a second life thanks to Seong Jin-woo.
And since I was much older than then, I had enough experience and knowledge to go with it.
'My memory, depending on how I use it, is not much different from knowing the future.'
Woo Jin-cheol was fundamentally a righteous person, but he was by no means an easygoing person.
Knowing his personality, Chairman Ko Geon-hee also placed him in the 'Hunter Association's Surveillance
Department'.
And because of the nature of the surveillance department, they dealt with a lot of secret information ther
e… … .
'The future may have changed, but the past remains the same. The corruption committed by those in po
wer and the second and third generations of conglomerates decades ago remains the same.'
Woo Jin-cheol also remembered all the information they had discussed at that time.
However, these were corruption cases that had already occurred decades ago, and had been completely f
orgotten and covered up a long time ago, so the 'police chief' was unable to take any action.
'... ... But if it's a 'hunter', it's different.'
The current situation is one of great upheaval and lawlessness.
This means that we live in a world where it is difficult to discipline criminals who break the law at will, but
conversely, it also means that we have entered a world where criminals can be punished 'regardless of the l
aw.'
In that sense, the first thing Woo Jin-cheol did was to take out the information on corruption of politicians
that he had collected over the past several years by using his position as police chief.
And he neatly filed them away in a file, linking them to corruption that had been covered up decades ago.
And then, out of the blue, he went to the prosecutor's office and powerful politicians and handed them th
e files.
bang!
"Minister, could you spare me a moment?"
"What, what are you! Who are you to dare say where this is… …!"
"Ah, the guards outside have been put to sleep for a while. No one will come for a while even if you screa
m."
"… … ?!"
They couldn't help but be taken aback by Woo Jin-cheol's unexpected visit.
Originally, meeting famous people with a lot of power or money was quite difficult.
Of course, they don't meet just anyone, and they don't waste their precious time on things that don't brin
g them any benefit.
In particular, no one among them wanted to get involved with the police.
Even if Woo Jin-cheol is the chief of police, it is basic etiquette to contact him in advance and make a res
ervation through his secretary when meeting with a powerful person.
But that was before the cataclysm.
It was now an era in which force was more important than power and money.
Especially in the early days when there weren't many Awakened people, the bodyguards of the powerful
were just ordinary people without even a bit of magical power.
Although it was a time before the term villain had been properly established, Woo Jin-cheol's actions wer
e shamelessly no different from those of the villains he had caught after him.
Shh.
Woo Jin-cheol, who had just gone to see the politicians, raised his black sunglasses with a meaningful s
mile in front of them.
Then he put a tight leash around their necks, holding out in front of them the old materials he had organiz
ed.
"Minister, wouldn't it be quite troublesome if these things were leaked to the press?"
"Wh, what… …! Isn't this police chief afraid of the consequences after committing such a heinous act?! A
nd what effect does this old, stale data, which is past the statute of limitations, have now… …!"
"Yes, that's right. Everything you said is correct, Minister. But, you know."
In that moment, the smile that had been on Woo Jin-cheol's face disappeared.
And then suddenly a memory came to mind.
A history now forgotten by everyone.
In the past, at a time when he had just become the president of the association after Chairman Koh Kun-
hee.
He was immediately summoned before the president and was asked, not suggested, but forced to use S
ung Jin-woo as a public relations ambassador to promote national prestige.
At first, he was a public relations ambassador.
Next, President Kim Myung-chul, who gradually tried to use Sung Jin-woo's reputation for political purpo
ses...
- Hehehe, our President Woo Jin-cheol is more communicative than anyone else. Yes, I wish President
Woo would work harder. Is that something I should do just for my own good?"
Different from everyone else.
It wasn't a difficult problem to figure out who he was talking about.
At that time, Woo Jin-cheol gritted his teeth and spoke silently.
-Former Association President Koh Kun-hee was a truly gentlemanly man.
-Yeah, yeah. As much as he is a gentleman, he is very old-fashioned.
-I am very different from Chairman Koh Kun-hee.
- Hehehe. That's right. The Hunter Association needs to change like that too. How long should we stay b
ound by the old framework?
At that time, Woo Jin-cheol felt very discouraged by the president's proposal.
And he was getting angry that he had to get involved in this kind of noise right after becoming the preside
nt of the association.
'… … You must be taking it lightly.'
Because I am not former association president Koh Kun-hee.
When former chairman Koh Kun-hee, who had served as a breakwater for the association, disappeared, t
he political world immediately pointed to him.
Do the work for us.
but.
Woo Jin-cheol found himself feeling angry and relieved at the same time.
President Koh Kun-hee has said this over and over again.
The Hunter Association must create an environment where hunters can focus on their work.
'... ... And that's a task that's absolutely necessary, not just for hunters, but for non-hunters as well.'
Recalling the memories of that time, Woo Jin-cheol slowly raised his magical power in front of the Minist
er of National Defense.
Kugugugugugu!
"Hey, you… … what are you… … doing now?!"
The minister couldn't help but be terrified as the building shook as if it would collapse at any moment due
to Woo Jin-cheol's magic.
The man I thought was just a police chief was suddenly showing off the aura of a giant predator.
"Minister."
Woo Jin-cheol opened his mouth calmly as he looked at the minister whose face had turned pale.
Just as I said long ago in front of President Kim.
"If I step forward, how long do you think it will take to kill everyone in this building, including your bodygu
ards?"
"No, this guy!"
At those words, the minister jumped to his feet, but his body froze stiffly at the murderous intent that Wo
o Jin-cheol was sending out.
Woo Jin-cheol did not overestimate his own strength.
Just an A-class.
With such mere power, they were nothing but flies in the face of those great monarchs and rulers.
But at least… … among the same humans, the power of an A-class Hunter is truly disastrous.
How can a human who is helpless when confronted by a tiger or a bear possibly handle a top-class hunte
r?
"How many hours? No, it won't even take a few minutes."
Woo Jin-cheol continued to speak calmly, looking at the minister who was becoming increasingly blue in
his own eyes.
"How many people do you think it would take to stop me from causing such a ruckus? Well, if we mobiliz
e all the police and military in Seoul and hold out until my magic power runs out, we could probably stop it s
omehow."
Woo Jin-cheol's expression as he spoke of the terrible things so calmly and nonchalantly aroused the min
ister's fear even more.
"Well… … You, why on earth… … ."
I wanted to say something, but I was so overwhelmed by the pressure of life that I couldn't even move m
y lips properly.
"At that time, I will kill the minister right in front of you, and I will kill your family members one by one. O
h, of course, I will only kill the family members who committed wrongdoings in the past as recorded in this
document."
"… … !"
"And as the Minister said, I just have to run away until the statute of limitations runs out."
"So, you… …what do you want from me?"
The terrified minister eventually gave in to Woo Jin-cheol's threats.
At that moment, Woo Jin-cheol's murderous spirit that had been dominating the area disappeared as if it
were a lie.
He adjusted his black sunglasses and smirked.
"Um, well, first of all, help me establish the association… … and here's one more thing."
Woo Jin-cheol held out a strange mineral from his bosom.
"I'm trying to collect some of this stuff, could you help me out?"
"Th, what is that?"
"No one knows the name yet, but it's called 'Rune Stone.'"
Shh.
In this way, the Hunter Association was quickly established with the consent of many politicians accordin
g to Woo Jin-cheol's wishes.
After that, Woo Jin-cheol kept his promise and spared the lives of all those who had committed corruptio
n in the past.
But only life.
After everything was over, they were all imprisoned in Jisan Prison, which Woo Jin-cheol had created.