NOVEL NEXT Chapter 45
[At that moment, Seoul. The Presidential Office in the Blue House.]
“Ha, these damn bastards. They really think they can do whatever they want in public office.”
Shin Min-guk, the President of Korea, who was sitting in the office chair and looking at the situation board, unconsciously gestured as if holding a cigarette before clenching his fist.
“Haah… damn…”
Everyone, both Koreans and foreigners, would know what words should follow. However, the reason for holding back was that there was more than just the President in the office.
“Director of the National Intelligence Service.”
“…Yes, Mr. President.”
“So you’re telling me that the ‘hunters’ down there tried to raid the house of someone suspected to be a Master?”
“Y-yes.”
“…….”
At the President’s words, the director of the National Intelligence Service hung his head, pale.
“So, I said we shouldn’t just accept any hunter who awakened from nothing as a public servant, didn’t I?”
“Th-that means….”
“You didn’t think it would come to this? Ha. They didn’t take a civil service exam or an administrative exam; they just happened to awaken on the street and got selected as a 5th class special appointment, and now look at this? They treat the public office like it’s a joke.”
“Mr. President, please consider the decorum….”
“Considering decorum when the country is about to flip over!”
The President slammed his fist on the table and shouted.
“Is it even acceptable to have a shooting incident in the middle of Seoul right now?”
“W-we didn’t fire first….”
“The problem is that it was made to escalate to that! Why poke a hornet’s nest, why! You, come on, be honest. Did you know, or did you not?!”
“I-I didn’t know. The kids under me have teamed up with Russia….”
“After this is over, you’re out of a job. You know why, right?”
The director blushed to his earlobes but only nodded in silence, tightening his fist on his thigh.
“Ha, damn it. In our day, we just did what the President said—sat when told to sit, stood when told to stand. The world has changed too much. It’s just changed to a disgusting degree.”
The President covered his face with one hand and pointed at the TV in the situation room.
“Is that right? Huh?”
On the TV, a broadcast was showing.
“Is it right for the President of the United States to so boldly say that he is steering an aircraft carrier in the East Sea?”
Reporters at the White House were interviewing a man, who was countering their questions as if he were equipped with the arrogance of a spokesperson.
[Sea of Japan? No, that’s ‘East Sea,’ it translates to ‘Dong-hae’ in Korean. Please clarify that. You say the map reflects that? Then it must be the map that’s wrong.]
“W-well, the US President is supporting us on the Dokdo issue, isn’t he?”
The Minister of Foreign Affairs cautiously opened his mouth.
“Moreover, he specifically referred to it as ‘Dokdo’ and not ‘Takeshima.’ It could be an opportunity to resolve the issues carried over from previous administrations….”
“Whether it’s Dokdo or whatever, are we just supposed to accept what the US serves us on a silver platter and do nothing?”
“…Mr. President, that’s the current situation.”
The Minister of Foreign Affairs continued with a somewhat gloomy expression.
“The movements of the US President have already surpassed the stage of prediction. No one on Wall Street, Silicon Valley, or in Washington knows the direction.”
“Isn’t predicting that your job?”
“Well, based on our predictions….”
“Based on what?”
“If timed correctly, the aircraft carrier could head towards Jeju Island after taking Dokdo.”
“Ha.”
The President buried his face in his hands.
“This is the worst of times. …Is there still no contact from Jeju Island?”
“Yes. The last report from the Grade A Hunter sent to update the situation came back from the Tower, saying they have already entered the boss room and are currently raiding.”
“……Huh.”
With no clear solution in sight, all that could be heard were sighs.
“When a million awakenings occurred, I wondered how things would be resolved, but the world has completely gone crazy. There is no minimal decency related to the state and administration, and there’s no progress for the country at all. Is this even a country?”
“…….”
No one could provide an answer.
“Especially the one who raises the most international uproar….”
[Is Dokdo US territory? No, Dokdo is Korean territory. Is Korea the 51st state of the US? Such statements could be seen as an insult to Korea. Please be cautious.]
“The President of the United States.”
“Mr. President.”
“What now?”
“If both Jeju and Dokdo are involved… how about preparing a speech in advance, assuming the Tower is successfully raided?”
“Both?”
“Yes.”
“…….”
A headache was a headache, and in the end, a politician has to make choices for the state and the people even in such confusing circumstances.
“…First, I will express sincere regret that the aircraft carrier has approached without any prior notice, and I will issue a statement wishing for the successful raid of the S-Rank Tower at Dokdo. Ha, can I call this a relief?”
The President shook his head in disbelief.
“Is the situation better than when the entire country flipped over due to the US suddenly turning pro-Korean in Tokyo?”
At the President’s words, the staff members awkwardly smiled and nodded briefly.
Yes. At least it would be better than when the territorial dispute ended overnight in Japan.
Still, unlike the desire for the S-Rank Tower at Dokdo here, perhaps they genuinely hoped for the failure of the Master.
* * *
Limousine.
After Patrick left, only Elaine, Kiharu, and I remained.
“Master, about the conversation….”
“It doesn’t matter if it’s recorded or not. If it leaks, it’ll be the US’s fault.”
Since the car we are in belongs to the US, there’s no need to worry too much if conversations are recorded on the black box or elsewhere.
“Instead, we need to plant a narrative beforehand. It wouldn’t be fun if the conversation we had here got leaked.”
“…Still, be as careful as possible.”
“That’s the kind of thing I should be saying.”
I raised my sword toward Elaine.
“Solo play, can you handle it?”
“I’ll return if it doesn’t work out.”
Elaine nodded toward Kiharu, who was sitting on my thigh. Since the driver was not present, and Kiharu had decided to serve as ‘my protector,’ Elaine had to raid the S-Rank Tower alone.
“I’ll be back, Master.”
Elaine greeted me politely and tapped on the limousine door, and I answered with a nod.
Whoosh.
As the limousine door opened, a strong wind blew into the car.
The smell of the sea was distinct from the scent of the city.
As soon as Elaine exited, the limousine door closed, and I could view the outside in real-time through the CCTV I had been informed about.
“Ha.”
In front of the limousine, Marines stood with serious faces, and among them were a few middle-aged men in military uniforms.
Thud.
As one of them stepped forward, the military men saluted Elaine simultaneously.
The badges on their shoulders and chests resembled those of US generals found on Wikipedia.
Generals.
Under the command of our friend Louis, the naval officer responsible for bringing the aircraft carrier from Okinawa was now saluting Elaine.
And perhaps having heard a little bit, even though Elaine passed by them, they continued to salute the limousine.
“…….”
With a sense of awkwardness, I slightly rolled down the limousine window and waved my hand through the gap, signaling to lower it.
At that, the generals lowered their hands and began to look toward Dokdo.
“…….”
Feeling a bit of embarrassment, I quickly closed the window and shifted my attention to my smartphone’s summoning management app.
[Kiharu: To command US generals with just a gesture. You’ve become quite a big shot!]
Kiharu conveyed through the app.
Since having a cat speak directly could be quite shocking even in the US, I needed to introduce that concept to them gradually.
[That also means taking on more responsibility.]
What could be the reason for treating someone who was just an ordinary employee before awakening with such regard?
It’s because they expect them to conquer the Tower in the US.
‘If they are offering these benefits to get something done, then there’s no choice but to do it.’
That’s why I left home in the first place. If it hadn’t been for that, I would have been cooped up at home from the very start.
“…Huh.”
Taking a light, deep breath.
Since Kiharu wasn’t around to support me, I needed to focus all my attention on Elaine raiding the Tower.
Boom boom boom.
The aircraft carrier was heading toward Dokdo.
Between the two islands, the white ivory tower that rose towards the sky was a fortress that had never been conquered up to the boss room.
Even Japan had unofficially mobilized S-Rank hunters but had to retreat under overwhelming pressure, claiming difficulties so extreme that it was no longer an S-Rank but an SS-Rank challenge.
[Elaine. You can do it, right?]
[Elaine: Of course.]
Elaine was no ordinary S-Rank herself.
Tatatatatat.
Elaine started running on the aircraft carrier’s runway.
Charging straight for the bridge where a fighter jet would normally take off, she leapt off the edge and landed on the railing with one swift motion.
“Wow.”
The Marines outside gasped at Elaine’s leap.
Leaving a trail of magical energy, Elaine leaped forward in an arc and dove into the Tower, and I immediately opened the management app on my smartphone—
Swish.
Lying back in the limousine, I grasped my smartphone horizontally.
Inside the Tower.
Despite being a tower built over Dokdo, its shape was uniquely peculiar as if it had its own color.
A vast wasteland.
The first area was filled entirely with desolate terrain, as if the sea had turned into plains, welcoming us to a world full of barren land.
Boom boom boom.
The ground trembled.
And something stirred up dust, approaching us like a wave.
Swish.
Left hand on the directional control.
Right thumb aimed at an inactive button.
As Elaine prepared to grip her sword, I firmly pressed my thumb forward.
Kyaah!!
A gigantic object came flying toward us.
Elaine flickered forward, leaving only a white light and began to charge ahead.
Dokdo S-Rank Tower.
There was no way to know how to reach the top of the Tower, and inside, countless A-Rank monsters were said to be rushing out in madness, leaving no room to breathe.
[Elaine: Master, please.]
Inside that tower, Elaine lightly drew her sword.
[Elaine: The newly added buff for me… ‘Decisive Strike.’]
A buff from the game company.
I pressed the button that began to glow in a separate location from the existing buttons in sync with the timing.
And at that moment.
Creak.
The screen.
The world was split apart.
Elaine’s buff.
It wasn’t stat adjustment or additional breakthroughs.
-I will add one special move for each character!
-I will give you one permanent character summon ticket, so experience the new skills of the characters who have received a decisive strike along with Elaine!
It was a technique custom-prepared by the game company directly for Elaine.