Chapter 42

Chapter 42.

“First, I will give you one piece of information. I was the one who judged the new ‘Numbers 1.’”

It was, in his own way, his trump card.

However, the voice beyond the receiver was calm.

[...I have already guessed that he is the same person as ‘Apostle,’ the one who killed Scathach. More than the item he submitted, that existence itself is interesting.]

‘Ah, she has already seen through it. As expected, she is not an easy woman.’

While Kang Hyo-jun clicked his tongue, Min Ji-hee let out a light sigh.

[Let us stop probing each other and speak honestly. What do you think? About that person.]

The Vice President, who would normally have measured the conditions first, removed her mask first.

It was probably because of the weight carried by the name Apostle.

“...He was frightening.”

As Kang Hyo-jun answered, he unconsciously rubbed his arm.

Even now, just recalling that man’s eyes gave him goosebumps.

The way he had looked when he first brought the Red Elixir.

The way he casually spent hundreds of billions of Gold while saying, ‘Give me everything from here to there.’

When Kang Hyo-jun saw him treat such precious things as though they were not precious at all, there was something he felt.

‘The sense that he is not a person of this world...’

“He seemed extremely... distant.”

[...Hmm.]

“He did not seem like the same kind of person... No, to begin with, I wondered whether he was even human. I could not see an end to him. There was no desire in his eyes.”

[Pfft, that is unlike you. Your tongue is long. Emotional, too. It seems you cannot organize your thoughts, can you?]

“To be honest, that is true. I do not know how to express it.”

Kang Hyo-jun readily admitted it.

He was a person who could not be measured.

“How did he look to you?”

[What I felt was similar. I could not see the end of this person.]

“Is that all?”

[Human vessels are all different. But when I roughly look at someone, and when I exchange a few words with them, I can tell, you see. How large that person’s vessel is. You know, those things. Habits people have because they are people. The human things. There is something that can be read from them.]

“Hmm.”

[But with Apostle... I cannot see that. I cannot read any human elements. From just how high a place is he looking down to make it so that I cannot even dare to guess? He seems like someone who has never encountered another person in his entire life....]

After a brief silence.

“Haa.”

[Whew.]

The two sighed at the same time.

It was an implicit gesture that the emotional conversation ended there.

In a cold voice, Min Ji-hee asked.

[So, what do you need help with? Is it that being’s request?]

“It is similar, but a little different.”

Special One’s request was to purchase all the requested equipment by tomorrow.

Under normal circumstances, the time would have been extremely tight because of various variables, such as the Market’s spite or difficulties in securing materials.

However, because the ‘Dimensional Merchant’ lost its mind after seeing the Red Elixir, he had been able to complete the mission quickly.

“Whether it is Special One or Apostle, people sitting above us have a chronic habit, do they not?”

[What habit?]

“That those below them must handle things on their own. Properly. Perfectly. Cleanly. With sense. If they say one thing, we must prepare ten.”

[...That is true.]

“I am trying to act smart as well.”

[Tell me. I will help as much as I can.]

Kang Hyo-jun organized his thoughts for a moment.

The approaching calamity, Resonar’s descent.

Apostle’s arrangement, the exclusive purchase of Tanker Artifacts.

The conclusion was simple.

They were necessary to stop Resonar.

However, which Artifact was most efficient for which Tanker?

How should the Artifacts be distributed, and how should the consumables be handed out?

That was a task that required a great deal of time.

‘He seemed quite pressed for time.’

Therefore.

“Can you summon... every Tanker nationwide who is C-rank or above?”

They would prepare it in advance.

So that it would please him.

[Of course. Who do you think I am? What is the reason?]

“Let us just say there is a gift.”

[A gift? Aha.]

‘...Aha? What is that, as though she already knows?’

[He said he would handle it himself... So that was what he meant. Understood. Bring that gift properly.]

“...I will.”

[By when should they be summoned? Tomorrow?]

“Immediately.”

[...By what time, and where should they gather?]

“In thirty minutes, in front of the Hunter Association.”

[...]

Grit.

[Hyo-jun, did you get shot in the head?]

“I clearly asked for a favor.”

Click.

Kang Hyo-jun hung up.

Heh.

A laugh escaped him.

“I finally landed a hit on her.”

***

“Ah, that rude bastard!”

“...Dear?”

Jin Cheon-jin asked cautiously.

Min Ji-hee’s expression instantly hardened.

“Call every Tanker who can be mobilized right now.”

“Right now? So suddenly?”

“It seems Apostle stopped by the ‘Market.’ And this is Apostle’s request.”

“Mm. I will issue an immediate mobilization order.”

Jin Cheon-jin picked up the phone and went outside.

Grit.

Min Ji-hee ground her teeth.

Considering Kang Hyo-jun’s personality, he probably meant to gather them ‘as quickly as possible.’

And the ‘quickly’ he meant here truly meant mobilizing all the Association’s capabilities.

Realistically, it was impossible to gather Hunters within thirty minutes.

However.

‘Just wait and see.’

Right now, it was possible.

The Hunters they had already gathered under a mobilization order.

Originally, they should have been sent home right after the Scathach subjugation, but thanks to Apostle’s request, they were still being held here.

‘Fine, I will show you. I will show you just how tightly united the Hunters of the Republic of Korea are.’

And Kang Hyo-jun really did come.

Exactly thirty minutes later.

“How many have gathered?”

‘This bastard...’

Min Ji-hee smiled while grinding her teeth.

How many had she gathered? This bastard had definitely done this because he was certain she would fail to gather them in time.

“All of them.”

“...All of them?”

The corner of Min Ji-hee’s mouth twisted upward. Did this bastard think the Association was a pushover?

“You did not know? Right now, the Tankers are staying in positions where they can be summoned immediately.”

“What about the A-ranks?”

“All C-ranks and B-ranks have assembled. The A-ranks are in the waiting room.”

Killing intent dwelled in Min Ji-hee’s smiling face.

“Do you think such top-class personnel are dogs that come running when someone like you tells them to come in thirty minutes? Does the Association look easy to you, you bastard?”

“Yes.”

“You son of a...”

“C-Calm down, Vice President.”

The one who stepped in was Jin Cheon-jin.

“So, what is the matter?”

Kang Hyo-jun tilted his head.

“Association President. Your manner of speech has become quite archaic since I last saw you.”

“Do not mock me. I changed it in a hurry because people pointed out that the dignity of the Association President was falling.”

“Is that so? Hmm. I think simply keeping your mouth shut would be enough.”

In any case.

Kang Hyo-jun took off the bag he was carrying on his back.

When he flipped it over.

Clatter!

A tremendous number of Artifacts poured out from inside.

“!”

The eyes of Jin Cheon-jin, Min Ji-hee, and the A-rank Tankers who had come out of the waiting room to observe the situation all widened at the same time.

-Is, is that not a ‘Soft Petal Shield’? It is hard to obtain, but it is the only equipment that can absorb the shock when my skill barrier breaks!

-Bro, look at that. That is ‘Chain Mail,’ is it not? 

-Sis, sis!! Wake up!!! That is ‘Selsword Armor’!!! Damn it, why is a German specialty here?

Some people found their own wish-list Artifacts, as well as those of their acquaintances, among the equipment that had begun piling up like a mountain.

-That cloudy color... Is that not a ‘Stone Skin Potion’?

-Come now, brother. Stone Skin Potions have more gray mixed in.That is an ‘Ogre Skin Potion.’

-...Why is something that precious rolling around there?

-Brother, that is not the important part right now. Look beside it. There is also a ‘Radiant Stone Skin Potion.’ That is a special compound that reduces joint load when holding the front line. How did they pinpoint exactly the itchiest spots for us like this...? Who on earth designed this?!

Some were deeply interested in the consumables.

And Min Ji-hee calculated the ‘value.’

‘Wh-What is this? This is the gift?’

It was incredible.

She could not calculate it at a glance.

Moreover, it was not merely expensive.

‘Selsword Armor? Why is a specialty that only comes from the German Tower here? And that is... Mithril Full Plate Armor. The one that can only be obtained from the British Tower...’

It even included ‘specialties’ from each region’s Tower, items said to be unobtainable even with money.

‘Hah.’

And what was even more surprising was...

The amount of consumables.

‘Ogre Skin Potions, a superior material to Stone Skin Potions. Troll’s Blood.’

Monster Potions, said to be made by killing Demonic Beasts in the Tower, bringing out rare dropped raw materials, and using special production methods...

‘That color... and looking at the glass bottle, that is definitely “Prototype No. 9,” an imitation made by the legendary Alchemist Paracelsus in an attempt to mimic an Elixir!’

There was even one of the ‘fake Elixirs’ of Paracelsus, the greatest Alchemist who had made it his lifelong wish to create an Elixir.

It could not reach the functions that a real Elixir was said to possess, but compared to other mass-produced potions, its efficacy was on a completely different level—a super-rare item.

There were also a tremendous number of other consumables.

In fact, there were almost no ‘healing potions’ that healed wounds.

Potions that made the body tougher. Potions that nullified fatal injuries...

The direction of the consumables was clear.

If they were hit by the Boss, they would die instantly before there was even time to heal.

It was not a consideration that said, ‘I will heal you if you are injured.’

It was a persistent arrangement for survival that said, ‘I will prevent you from dying in a single blow no matter what it takes.’

Min Ji-hee looked at Kang Hyo-jun with trembling eyes.

Kang Hyo-jun stood there with an expressionless face.

“What exactly is this?”

“A gift.”

“...How much is it?”

Gulp.

‘I have no money because I have been securing Apostle’s activity funds... But I cannot give up this equipment and these consumables.’

These were items that could not be obtained even with money.

It was obvious that if they missed this chance, they would never obtain them.

‘Should I squeeze more out of Jang Ho-hyeon? No, that is nowhere near enough. Maybe installments...’

Min Ji-hee’s mind spun rapidly.

“I will give you all of this.”

“On installments... Pardon?”

“The price has already been paid.”

“...Ah?”

Kang Hyo-jun grinned.

“Special One. In Hunter terms, Apostle. It is that being’s gift.”

“....”

Min Ji-hee’s face went blank.

Her eyes, which were always coldly sharpened, softened, and her tightly sealed lips parted slightly.

It was as though the calculator in her picky mind, which had been weighing tens of thousands of profits and losses, had completely gone white and stopped.

‘So Min Ji-hee can make this kind of face too?’

Heh.

As Kang Hyo-jun appreciated that exhilarating expression, he unknowingly added with a faintly smiling face, as though driving in the final wedge.

“It is free.”

A suffocating silence.

A brief stillness, as though even the sound of heartbeats had stopped, ruled the open space.

But it lasted only a moment.

“Waaaaaah!!”

Like a dam collapsing, beast-like roars burst out.

The Republic of Korea.

A region that produced no Artifacts. A place that had nothing to sell, and had to be overcharged when buying.

The insane difficulty of the 94th Floor. Tankers were the first to be killed by the out-of-standard Bosses that emerged from it.

They were the most necessary class in the region most desperate for Artifacts.

And yet, having good Artifacts was close to an impossible dream.

However, that dream had now come true.

Special One?

They did not know who he was.

However, every Tanker gathered that day thanked him from the bottom of their hearts.

“Hic, sob. Thank you, thank you!”

“He is a god!!!”

While everyone fell into a crucible of emotion.

Min Ji-hee alone fell into thought.

What came to her mind was what had happened not long ago.

During Apostle’s ‘strategy lecture,’ which had lasted roughly an hour.

Apostle had said this.

Their attack power was sufficient. The problem was defense.

In the process of subjugating Resonant Entity Resonar, the national territory could be destroyed.

To prevent that destruction, overwhelming defensive power was essential, but right now, it was insufficient.

Instead of asking why defensive power was essential, Min Ji-hee had asked for a countermeasure.

Apostle had answered simply.

—I will handle it myself.

“....”

So his method had been to release unlimited funds and distribute Artifacts to the Tankers?

Min Ji-hee was confused.

‘Why go this far? What exactly is he trying to extract from us... No, what could a person with financial power on this scale possibly want from the Republic of Korea?’

Her mind, which had been calculating gains and losses, turned cold.

Only one conclusion remained.

Apostle simply wanted to protect this land without asking for any compensation.

‘I was too shallow... Thank you. Truly....’

Tears gathered at the corners of Min Ji-hee’s eyes.

***

[But why are you going this far?]

“For what?”

[Giving things away unconditionally like this is...]

“Giving things away? Me?”

Snowy.

You are naive.

“It is an investment.”

Watch.

It will come back several times over.