NOVEL NEXT Ch 16
Chapter 16
In the Hunter Management Bureau meeting room, a group of people who usually didn’t meet gathered.
There were congressmen, the president of the Hunter Management Bureau, and the team leaders of various teams.
In front of them sat Yoo Jin Chul, holding a remote control in his hand.
He turned to face the people watching him and said, “The video is over.”
Even after his words, the room was silent.
Some people looked uncertain, questioning whether what they saw was true, while others appeared shocked.
Time passed as the room stayed quiet, until an elderly man seated at the head of the table knocked his hand against the table.
His simple action drew everyone’s attention.
“Remarkable,” the president of the Hunter Management Bureau, Jin Myung Han, said.
He was one of the first Awakened individuals and, though not S-rank, held an A+ rank, making him a top-tier hunter.
Having spent his entire life as a hunter protecting humanity, he was respected not only in Korea but around the world.
Even in retirement, he continued to serve as the head of the Bureau.
Every word he spoke carried weight.
“My question is, has there ever been a hunter who could manipulate elements as freely and powerfully as this one?” he asked.
Yoo Jin Chul responded, taking the microphone, “There are many elemental users, but most never exceed A-rank, and their powers have limits.”
He adjusted the remote, and the image of a blonde-haired, white man appeared on the screen. “There was only one exception—Lucas, a wind controller. He was the only S-rank hunter who could manipulate elements.”
“Isn’t Lucas known as a psychokinetic, though?” someone interrupted.
“Yes, that’s correct. This is why the abilities of this new hunter are drawing attention. There have been many hunters who could control electricity, but none could manipulate lightning in the way this hunter does,” Yoo Jin Chul continued.
Before anyone could respond, the elderly president spoke again.
“There were many attempts before the Cataclysm to harness lightning as energy, but they all failed because lightning is too powerful for humans to control. Even after the Cataclysm, it remained out of reach.”
“This hunter who manipulates lightning is strong. He single-handedly defeated a Legion Commander…”
Yoo Jin Chul began, but before he could finish, a voice interrupted.
“How can you be sure that this hunter killed the Legion Commander?”
A congressman, Kim Jin Saek, asked.
“Yes?” Yoo Jin Chul was momentarily taken aback.
“I’m asking how you can be sure the video wasn’t manipulated,” Kim Jin Saek clarified.
He was known for opposing hunters and frequently criticized them.
Despite his dislike, the Hunter Management Bureau couldn’t afford to ignore him since he was a member of the National Assembly.
“The video has been verified as authentic,”
Yoo Jin Chul replied, but Kim Jin Saek was not convinced.
“Even if the video is genuine, are we supposed to believe that one hunter took down a Legion Commander?” Kim Jin Saek shouted, banging his fist on the table.
“A Legion Commander! Even six S-rank hunters barely managed to fight one!”
Yoo Jin Chul glanced around at the others in the room.
Most of them were glaring at Kim Jin Saek, not impressed with his outbursts.
“We only know that it was a Legion Commander because the Hunter Management Bureau confirmed it,” Yoo Jin Chul responded, but Kim Jin Saek was relentless.
“And how do we know for sure it was the Legion Commander? For all we know, it could have been fabricated,” he continued.
The tension in the room grew, but then the president’s voice cut through the argument. “Enough, Kim Jin Saek.”
Kim Jin Saek fell silent immediately, recognizing the weight of the president’s authority.
The president was respected worldwide, and challenging him could have serious consequences.
“Now, Yoo Jin Chul, have you identified this hunter?” the president asked.
“We’re still investigating,”
Yoo Jin Chul replied, turning to Kim Jin Saek, who muttered under his breath.
“A hunter not even fully investigated, yet you’re presenting all this information?”
“Let’s move on to the next topic,” the president suggested.
Yoo Jin Chul then introduced a new item on the agenda.
“A potion called ‘Asgard’s Elixir’ has appeared on the Hunter Market. The seller’s name is Odin.”
He held up a potion for everyone to see, and the members gasped in awe.
“Is this from the Alchemist Guild?” the president asked.
“No,” Yoo Jin Chul replied, shaking his head. “That’s why this is an issue.”
He gestured toward a man seated nearby, who stood up and approached the microphone.
“Good day, honored members of the Bureau. I’m Kim Jin So , a member of the Alchemist Guild,” the man said, removing his hood.
The president raised an eyebrow.
“This is a Bureau meeting, not the Alchemist Guild. What’s your business here?”
“This potion is related to our guild,” Kim Jin So explained nervously.
“We’ve been providing many potions to hunters and the world, but now we’re facing problems due to this potion.”
Kim Jin So continued, explaining that the seller was just an individual without the means to produce such a potion.
The president gave him a sharp look, and Kim Jin Su shrugged.
“We, the Alchemist Guild, know all the suppliers. If we don’t know where the materials came from, it’s not legitimate.”
At that moment, the door to the meeting room suddenly swung open, and the light from the hallway flooded the room.
Everyone turned to see who had entered.
A man walked in, and the atmosphere became heavy with his presence.
It was Kim Sung In.
“Kim Sung In, do you know the meaning of this?” the president asked, his voice stern.
Kim Sung In bowed his head slightly. “I apologize for entering without permission, but it was urgent.”
The president and everyone else fell silent, as Kim Sung In, known as the Sword Saint, was not someone to be dismissed easily.
“I’ve heard that the Legion Commander has been defeated,” he said as he stepped forward. “Is that true?”
As he approached, Yoo Jin Chul hesitated and took a step back for a moment.
“Yes, it’s true,” Yoo Jin Chul confirmed.
Kim Sung In came closer, asking, “Are you sure it was the Legion Commander?”
“I saw it with my own eyes. It was Baal’s 3rd Legion Commander,”
Kim Sung In replied.
“Are you certain?” the president asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes,” Kim Sung In answered confidently.
“Yoo Jin Chul, you’re not the type of person to lie about something like this.”
Kim Sung-in walked to the platform where the potion was, then stopped when he saw the potion on it.
At that moment, the conversation turned to the mysterious potion on the table.
“I don’t recognize this potion,” Kim Sung In remarked, looking at it closely.
Yoo Jin Chul, realizing who Kim Sung In was, quickly responded, “It’s a very expensive potion, bought by our team leader.”
Kim Sung In stared at the potion, his eyes lighting up. “I’ll buy it from you at ten times the price.”
…
Meanwhile, outside the meeting room, Hank yul, the one who had listed the potion on the market, was browsing through the Hunter Market.
He opened his product listing and was surprised to see hundreds of new reviews for the potion.
It seemed to be gaining a lot of attention quickly.
As he read through the reviews, one stood out: “This potion is worth a million won. It’s a true elixir.” Hank-yul smirked and continued reading, feeling the excitement grow.