He’s the Legendary Guard, Isn’t He?

Chapter 188




Chapter 188: Flashing Lights

Camera flashes erupted all at once.

Lee Si-hyun smiled slightly as he looked at the reporters surrounding him.

It was a look very conscious of the cameras.

Then Si-hyun tried to take a step forward.

However, before he could take more than a few steps, the microphones of the reporters blocked his path.

“Correctional Officer, could we get a few questions?”

“It’s said you played a crucial role in stopping the recent Choi Gang-hyuk’s escape attempt. Is that true?”

“You must have seen the criminals up close. Can you describe their characteristics?”

“How exactly did Choi Gang-hyuk die?”

Faced with the barrage of questions, Si-hyun wore a perplexed smile.

This was a serious matter.

It wasn’t something he could answer just because he wanted to.

He had merely leaked the basics of the incident to the press.

Even now, the government was likely debating how much they should disclose, struggling with the dilemma.

Revealing all the facts would mean severing ties with the powerful nation of Russia.

And, naturally, Russia would deny everything.

If there were clear evidence, support from other countries could be rallied, but that was precisely the issue—there was no such evidence.

Pressing Russia without proof would only make South Korea’s position awkward.

So, the government probably wasn’t even considering going that far.

“I’ll answer later,” Si-hyun replied simply and slipped through the forest of reporters.

“Uh-oh?”

The reporters showed expressions of confusion.

However, it was impossible for ordinary reporters to catch the movements of an Awakened Being like Si-hyun.

Leaving the reporters behind, he strode toward the back entrance of the Hunter Association.

“Please, come in.”

Large-built staff members who emerged from the Hunter Association gestured for Si-hyun to enter quickly.

Si-hyun bowed his head slightly in thanks and stepped into the building.

As soon as he entered, the staff blocked the back door like a fortress.

Looking at the disgruntled reporters, the staff shouted, “Alright, disperse! Wait for the official Q&A session!”

◈ ◈ ◈

Si-hyun took the elevator to the 21st floor.

This was the floor where the Hunter Association President’s office was located.

As the elevator doors opened, an unexpected face appeared.

It was Ryu Geon-woo, the Association President.

He seemed to have been informed by the staff on the first floor and came out to greet him.

It was as if he perfectly embodied the old saying of ‘rushing out to greet someone.’

With a brightly beaming expression, he greeted Si-hyun and firmly clasped his hands.

“Haha, I’m a bit disappointed, Kaiel. You didn’t mention it sooner.”

Due to this incident, Si-hyun was inevitably recognized as a Sword Master now. It seemed he would have to live as one for a while.

Si-hyun flashed an ambiguous smile.

“…I had my reasons. But please, just call me Correctional Officer for now. It’s more convenient.”

“Oh, is that so? Then we’ll do just that.”

Ryu Geon-woo nodded in agreement with Si-hyun’s words, then guided him to the President’s office.

“Come this way.”

Si-hyun followed Ryu Geon-woo.

In the President’s office, another visitor was already present.

A man in his early fifties with a cold expression. Ryu Geon-woo introduced him as the National Intelligence Service Director.

After exchanging names, they took their seats.

“The President places great importance on the opinions from the field,” the Director explained the reason behind their meeting.

Matters related to Awakened Beings were the specialty of both the Hunter Association and the National Intelligence Service.

The Hunter Association was an obvious choice, but since the Gate wave, the National Intelligence Service’s primary duty had always been related to Awakened Beings.

The leaders of those two organizations and the involved party, Si-hyun, were the ones most capable of handling this incident.

“First, I want to confirm something. You are indeed an S-Class Awakened Being, correct?” the Director asked.

He had done some research on Si-hyun, so he knew that the magic power measurement had come out as D.

That’s why he couldn’t help but ask such a question.

“That’s correct, but not at the moment.”

Si-hyun gave the answer he had prepared.

“What do you mean by that?”

“It’s because I have not yet fully recovered my power.”

“….”

The Director fell silent for a moment.

Ryu Geon-woo added from the side, “It’s very rare, but I believe the Director has heard of such cases.”

“Hmm… now that you mention it, I seem to recall hearing about that,” the Director nodded slightly.

He took a sip of the green tea placed before him.

Then he spoke again, “So, claiming you are Korea’s new S-Class Awakened Being immediately would be difficult…?”

“Is it really necessary?” Si-hyun began to speak.

Whether formally announced or not, the number of S-Class Awakened Beings Korea possessed wouldn’t change.

Besides, he wasn’t even an S-Class yet.

“But the people need a new hope,” the Director replied immediately.

Si-hyun could guess his true intentions.

The number of S-Class Awakened Beings was a significant indicator of national strength.

With only five such Beings, they were publicly disregarded by neighboring countries like Japan, China, and Russia.

As the head of a government agency, the Director must have felt that humiliation more deeply than anyone else.

So, it made sense that he would use the people’s name to appeal directly.

“Kaiel… I mean, Correctional Officer, you are a trump card. I believe making this public right now would be unwise.”

Before Si-hyun could respond, Ryu Geon-woo interjected.

The Director certainly knew a lot about Awakened Beings and was probably an expert in the field.

However, he was not an S-Class.

This meant he lacked the memories of the other realm.

Thus, he could not fully grasp what a Sword Master truly represented.

He might view it simply as a title, without comprehending its magnitude or significance.

If the knowledge of a Sword Master being in Korea got out, nations would undoubtedly reach out, trying to recruit him.

Moreover, Si-hyun’s current condition was not normal.

Like in the case of the Emperor, there was a risk that some malicious entity could take advantage of him, leading to a dire situation.

So right now, it was better to remain quiet.

Perhaps later, after he had fully recovered his strength.

“But Russia must already know, right?” the Director pressed, refusing to easily bend his opinion.

“Only Russia, I imagine. So, we just need to be cautious of them,” Ryu Geon-woo answered.

For now, it was only Russia they needed to be wary of.

But what if word got out that a Sword Master was in Korea, and that his condition wasn’t normal?

Even the ally, the United States, might not be trustworthy.

Moreover, this side was aware that the Russian President was the Emperor.

Russia would surely approach with caution.

“But….”

“I see no reason to think that way, so I suggest we move on from this discussion,” Si-hyun said as if to wrap up the situation.

The Director fell silent in response to his words.

The individual’s will was the most important.

At this moment, he was not merely a Correctional Officer. He was essentially an S-Class Awakened Being acknowledged by the other S-Class Beings.

His statements held enough weight that even the head of an agency had to respect them.

“Understood. Then how about your activities…?” the Director shifted the topic.

“What activities?” Si-hyun asked.

“Your activities as an S-Class Hunter,” he clarified.

S-Class Hunters sometimes held titles like Ryu Geon-woo, but they were generally independent entities.

Officially, there was no direct boss.

It was an equal contract.

Huge rewards and treatment came as part of that contract.

And based on that contract, they would undertake activities when necessary.

Ryu Geon-woo explained this to Si-hyun from the side.

Si-hyun nodded as if he understood.

Then he opened his mouth.

“I don’t plan on doing that. I lack the ability right now. No, even if I did have the ability, I wouldn’t want to act as an S-Class Hunter. I am a Correctional Officer.”

“A Correctional Officer…?” The Director looked at Si-hyun in disbelief.

Was he serious?

To his eyes, being a Correctional Officer was not a particularly noteworthy profession. A job spent dealing with criminals for life.

There was no fulfillment, no power.

So it was impossible for him to understand Si-hyun’s words.

“Yes. I am a Correctional Officer.” Si-hyun emphasized again.

The Director leaned closer, appearing bewildered.

“…I know, of course, that you can’t take on the role of an S-Class immediately. You can stay freely until you recover your strength. It’s a courtesy, you see. Just courtesy. Even if I can’t offer you the same treatment as other S-Class Beings right now, I can adequately support you so that you can live comfortably. Please don’t feel any burden.”

Si-hyun was highly likely to become one of Korea’s S-Class Awakened Beings.

It made sense to treat him well from now on.

Otherwise, he could easily leave for another country at any time. There were plenty of nations that desired S-Class Beings.

“It seems you’re not quite grasping what I’m saying.”

Si-hyun continued, “I plan to remain a Correctional Officer until I retire. Being a Correctional Officer is my calling.”

“….”

The Director sat there frozen in thought.

With a simple nod, he could have access to tremendous money and treatment.

Far beyond what a Correctional Officer could ever dream of.

Could there really be someone in this world who would turn down such an offer?

…And yet, there was.

Right in front of him.

Like someone who had been struck hard in the head with a hammer, the Director couldn’t speak for a while.

“Alright then, Correctional Officer, I assume you’ve expressed your views clearly, so let’s move on from that topic,” Ryu Geon-woo said, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

He was a very seasoned elder who had lived a life longer than a hundred years when combining experiences from both this world and the other.

Thus, he could discern that Si-hyun was speaking from the heart.

“Let’s discuss this incident now,” Ryu Geon-woo smiled.

◈ ◈ ◈

The Emperor laughed.

Seomjeon, who had expected him to be enraged, could not hide his shaken expression as he bowed his head.

“Hyris and Rachel appeared to assist him… how amusing.”

“I never expected Hyris would help him,” the Leader spoke.

“There’s nothing strange about that. Love and hate are merely separated by a thin line. They can flip at any moment.”

The Emperor said nonchalantly.

He poured the red wine, as crimson as blood, into his mouth.

Then he continued, “Delagardi and Hyris were the most troublesome ones for me. Their influence is vast and their ties are incredibly strong, so I constantly pondered how to eliminate them. But amusingly, they crumbled because of a single woman. It was absurd.”

For an Emperor who sought a dominion that could not be rivaled, dismantling the Four Great Dukedoms was a necessary task.

And he had made the two dukedoms, including Hurein, submit.

But the remaining two were the issue.

As the Emperor had said, their power was daunting, and their unity was solid.

Yet, in a moment, that unity shattered.

Taking advantage of that opening, the Emperor ultimately succeeded in constructing a powerful dominion.

“It seems that frustration will be relieved here.”

The Emperor said with a smile of delight.

Even though plans had fallen through and both his subordinates and the powerful Predator had perished, the Emperor’s mood didn’t seem to dampen.

Seomjeon didn’t understand why, but the Leader, closer to the Emperor than anyone, did.

The Emperor was a man who felt his blood boil more at trampling stronger foes than weak ones.

“How amusing. Truly entertaining,” the Emperor muttered with a grin.



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