66

66

As they relaxed in the spa, Raul turned to ask Lee Ho. “Should I visit London?”

“Why would you go there?”

“Because I want to meet your brother.”

His words made Lee Ho smile. After seeing his reaction, Raul asked. “Aren’t we friends for eight years now?”

“It’s been seven years.”

“Come on! You know that’s just the same!”

Raul grumbled for a bit before bringing up the topic he wanted to talk about.

“Shouldn’t we express our closeness? I mean, you can address me in a more friendly way.”

“What do you want me to call you?”

“How about big bro?”

“I have only one big bro.”

“Then how about ‘Raul the brave?’”

“You know that’s cringy. Plus, I’ve seen you a lot, and it would be awkward.”

Raul laughed as if he had just heard something absurd. “Snappy boy. Alright, call me what you want.”

“Then I’ll call you Mister.”

“That sounds too old for me!”

Lee Ho merely shrugged.

“Then I’ll call you Mr. Albanes.”

“You know our age difference is not that much. Mister sounds… Never mind, call me what you want.”

People thought that Raul was arrogant, but he was not as arrogant as they claimed him to be. He was simple-minded. He did a good favor if someone helped him out, and he made sure to return the favor if someone tried to harm him. His attitude was solely based on these two ideas.

When he allied with someone, he would be there for that ally forever. At the same time, if he became enemies with someone, he will be an enemy forever.

He was certainly a simple man.

He didn’t want anything; influence and high positions didn’t matter to him. While famous Hunters made PMCs to get a profit, Raul never created one.

A lot of people followed him, but he never saw them. He only moved by himself. Lee Ho was the first one who reached out to Raul and the only one who kept in touch with him. They saved each other plenty of times and relied on each other a lot.

In fact, Raul thought of Lee Ho as his younger brother.

“Hey, bro.”

“Oh, is this what you are calling me now?”

“I can call you what I want.”

“Well, that’s true.”

“Just tell me straight. What do you really want?”

Lee Ho closed his eyes. As Raul had said, it was time to talk about their main topic. He used his aura to make a soundproof barrier around them.

“What was that?” Raul asked him.

“I made a barrier so that no one can hear us.”

Lee Ho’s answer put a smile on Raul’s face.

“So you believe I’m credible now? Now we’re talking.”

“Yes. I observed you, but I can’t spot anything suspicious about you. From an anti-Hunter organization’s perspective, they would rather kill you than recruit you.”

Raul tilted his head. “Apart from you, is there someone else who can kill me?”

“Do you think I can kill you?”

Raul grinned. “You know it better. What do you think?”

“There’s no such thing as one hundred percent, but this one is an exception. I don’t know about the others, but I can kill you.”

That was the truth. Raul was known as the strongest Hunter, but Ho was known as the quickest Hunter. Like what happened in China, SS-rated monsters could never catch up with Ho’s speed. He always got away from them. With his unique skills and speed, Lee Ho could fight against anyone.

“That’s why I like you. You are always reasonable.”

Raul was right; Lee Ho was always reasonable. His intuition was always correct, and he was good at foreseeing events. That was why Raul trusted Ho.

“In that Chinese group… Do you think there’s someone who can kill me?”

“Well, they would think that it’s stupid to turn you into an enemy. So, Mister, I think they won’t reach out to you.”

That was true. Raul had never received any form of communication from that organization.

He was not interested in them, so it was none of his business. However, that had changed. Ho, his bro, was at war with that group. Raul thought that he should support his little bro.

Lee Ho explained the information he had gathered.

“Seven years ago, there was an organization called Shilla.”

“Shilla? I’ve heard of it before.”

“You probably have, they were famous in America as well. They were a group of anarchists who caused chaos around the world.”

Raul now remembered. “Didn’t you kill them all?”

“All except one.”

“You mean the leader?”

“Yes. He didn’t have any fingerprints or ID numbers on him. Also, he was extremely strong.”

“So what’s the point of this story?” Raul asked.

“I think he is now the leader of the anti-Hunter organization.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I think he is now an SS-rated Hunter and must be as strong as you or me. Even stronger, I suppose.”

Raul started to laugh.

“That’s why Shao Wei followed him. A strong man like him would only follow an even stronger leader. That’s what I think.”

“But didn’t you make a truce with them?”

When Lee Ho had gathered the other SS-rated Hunters, he issued a warning to that organization not to make another move. What he gave was just a warning, saying that he would kill them if they do something.

In other words, he was telling them that they needed to focus on the gates first.

With the gates still wreaking havoc on the world, it was more likely for them to end up dying together. The anti-Hunter organization also knew that, and that was why they accepted Ho’s suggestion.

He was already a distraction, playing chess to capture the leader of the anti-Hunter organization. The rule of chess was to kill the king, and Lee Ho was preparing to kill the enemy’s king.

“I’ve narrowed it down to three countries.”

“Oh… That was quick. Anyway, what countries?”

“Switzerland, Ukraine, and the US.”

Raul didn’t expect to hear that.

“The US? It’s quiet there.”

“Your point of view and my point of view are different. That’s because you work alone.”

“That is true.”

Lee Ho glanced at Raul. “Let’s make one thing clear.”

“Go on.”

“Will you be on my side?”

Raul laughed. “Hey, bro. I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I am always by your side. You know me well.”

“I know, but this is different.”

“What do you mean?”

Raul tilted his head. He couldn’t quite understand what Lee Ho was trying to say.

“So… You need someone to work for you? Like a hound dog?”

“Yes.”

Raul burst out laughing. He knew that Lee Ho was an interesting guy, but what he was showing was beyond his imagination.

“You want the strongest Hunter in the world as your hound? Cool, bro.”

Raul accepted Ho’s offer. It seemed funnier than he thought.

“So, what should I do?”

“It’s a simple task. Keep an eye on Sophie Winsted.”

“Why her? You want her as well?”

“…It’s about her ability. Since she can see something’s potential power as well, everyone would be targeting her; even assassinations could be possible.”

“I see. What else should I do?”

“Don’t be rude to her.”

Raul shrugged.

“I was just being nice, you know.”

“You were hitting on her rudely. If you want her, then be sincere. Or else you’ll really get hit by her.”

Lee Ho then changed the subject.

“How should I reward you? Do you want money? Artifacts are available as well.”

Raul shook his head. “Just give me a plane ticket. First-class seat, of course.”

Upon hearing this, Lee Ho burst out laughing.

“I’ll lend you my plane, you can use my room. Also…”

“What else?”

“Meet with my brother. I’ll send him a message. Talk to him.”

“If that’s the case, I should have approached Sophie and we could have gone to the UK together.”

Sophie had already returned to the UK by using a teleport skill. Their conversation was done.

Raul stood up, clapped Ho on the shoulder, and stepped out.

The very next day, he left for the UK.

***

That night, Yoo Ee-Na, Kim Yoo-Jeong, and Kim So-Eun were drinking beer in the hotel bar.

All the food they were served was free.

So-Eun was the one who caught people’s attention the most. She had Excalibur strapped to her back.

“Wouldn’t it better for you to keep it in your inventory?” Yoo Ee-Na had asked, but Kim So-Eun shook her head.

“Mr. Lee told me to bring the sword with me every time.”

He had told her that privately.

Yoo Ee-Na smiled awkwardly. If Lee Hwan said so, then it must be correct. The three women now trusted Lee Hwan more than anything.

Kim So-Eun murmured the words to open her Status Window.

Name: Kim So-Eun

Level: 1 (88%)

Title: Student

Strength: 1

Stamina: 2

Agility: 6

Intelligence: 9

Unique Skill: Regeneration (?)

Skill: Immune to Poison (SS)

So far, her stats were still low. Lee Hwan already knew that as well. However, the most important thing was her new skill. Everyone who had joined Hwan’s PMC had that same skill. They gained it after eating the monster meat that Hwan had cooked.

To be honest, it had seemed impossible. Learning a skill just by eating food? That was really unrealistic, but it seemed to be the case.

Though she had had a stomach ache, the effect of it was great.

Even if she drank ten glasses of beer, she felt fine.

“Mr. Lee told me that I should never let someone backstab me.”

The two women laughed. It certainly sounded like something Lee Hwan would say.

After a moment of silence, Yoo Ee-Na and Kim So-Eun glanced at Kim Yoo-Jeong. Their intense stares made Yoo-Jeong gulp.

“…What? Is there something on my face?”

“It’s not that… I think it’s the right time to tell us.”

“About what?”

“Did you sleep with him?”

That was a quick blow. Kim Yoo-Jeong gulped again.

“You know that So-Eun is still a teenager. Why are we talking about this?”

Kim So-Eun responded quickly.

“I know all sorts of things. Just tell me. Did you sleep with him?”

Yoo-Jeong smiled awkwardly and downed her beer. With a blushing face, she admitted it.

Yoo Ee-Na burst out in laughter as Kim Yoo-Jeong grumbled.

Yoo Ee-Na quickly asked a follow-up question.

“How was it?”

“…It was great.”

They were having a girl’s talk; it was only natural that they had gotten closer over the past few days together.

Yoo Ee-Na was curious about that night.

“Was it big?”

“Why are you asking me that?”

Kim Yoo-Jeong felt awkward, but she found that the two women were really curious. As they continued to badger her, she finally sighed and whispered an answer.

After hearing that, both So-Eun and Ee-Na were left speechless.

Wow.

“…Weren’t you hurt?”

“…It hurt a lot, but I felt great as well. It was my first time.”

They shut their mouths as they couldn’t imagine it. Yoo Ee-Na never had a chance to date around since she worked hard to enter ROKHA. Kim So-Eun had to think of her life and safety first before dating.

As everyone fell silent, Yoo-Jeong decided to change the subject.

“I’ll stay with Lee Hwan until the end.”

The others agreed.

“Because of the skill we just learned, we don’t have to worry about poison. That’s what he did for us, and he is helping me to achieve something I want. I feel sincere gratitude toward him.”

Then Kim Yoo-Jeong confided in them about her goal of killing the leader of Shilla.

Yoo Ee-Na also talked about her dream.

“I would like to help someone who really needs help. To be more specific, I want to help someone who isn’t able to get help. That’s why I want to become stronger.”

They talked about their dreams then turned to Kim So-Eun. It was her turn.

Her dream must be different from theirs. She didn’t have a past related to the awakeners, so they were both curious.

Kim So-Eun was a woman with a big dream.

“I want to reach…”

“Where?”

“The top.”

Kim So-Eun wanted to be like Lee Hwan. She wanted to be a woman with freedom. That was the reason why she wanted power.

She wanted to reach the top and surpass even Hwan.

As she thought about her great dream, Excalibur began glowing as well. That was the main reason why the sword had chosen her. Her desire to stand above everyone else made Excalibur choose her. Its ego was only killed because it tried to surpass her.

Suddenly, a breaking news report flashed on the television set. The three women turned to watch it.

[ King Alexander has resigned from his position. ]

66

As they relaxed in the spa, Raul turned to ask Lee Ho. “Should I visit London?”

“Why would you go there?”

“Because I want to meet your brother.”

His words made Lee Ho smile. After seeing his reaction, Raul asked. “Aren’t we friends for eight years now?”

“It’s been seven years.”

“Come on! You know that’s just the same!”

Raul grumbled for a bit before bringing up the topic he wanted to talk about.

“Shouldn’t we express our closeness? I mean, you can address me in a more friendly way.”

“What do you want me to call you?”

“How about big bro?”

“I have only one big bro.”

“Then how about ‘Raul the brave?’”

“You know that’s cringy. Plus, I’ve seen you a lot, and it would be awkward.”

Raul laughed as if he had just heard something absurd. “Snappy boy. Alright, call me what you want.”

“Then I’ll call you Mister.”

“That sounds too old for me!”

Lee Ho merely shrugged.

“Then I’ll call you Mr. Albanes.”

“You know our age difference is not that much. Mister sounds… Never mind, call me what you want.”

People thought that Raul was arrogant, but he was not as arrogant as they claimed him to be. He was simple-minded. He did a good favor if someone helped him out, and he made sure to return the favor if someone tried to harm him. His attitude was solely based on these two ideas.

When he allied with someone, he would be there for that ally forever. At the same time, if he became enemies with someone, he will be an enemy forever.

He was certainly a simple man.

He didn’t want anything; influence and high positions didn’t matter to him. While famous Hunters made PMCs to get a profit, Raul never created one.

A lot of people followed him, but he never saw them. He only moved by himself. Lee Ho was the first one who reached out to Raul and the only one who kept in touch with him. They saved each other plenty of times and relied on each other a lot.

In fact, Raul thought of Lee Ho as his younger brother.

“Hey, bro.”

“Oh, is this what you are calling me now?”

“I can call you what I want.”

“Well, that’s true.”

“Just tell me straight. What do you really want?”

Lee Ho closed his eyes. As Raul had said, it was time to talk about their main topic. He used his aura to make a soundproof barrier around them.

“What was that?” Raul asked him.

“I made a barrier so that no one can hear us.”

Lee Ho’s answer put a smile on Raul’s face.

“So you believe I’m credible now? Now we’re talking.”

“Yes. I observed you, but I can’t spot anything suspicious about you. From an anti-Hunter organization’s perspective, they would rather kill you than recruit you.”

Raul tilted his head. “Apart from you, is there someone else who can kill me?”

“Do you think I can kill you?”

Raul grinned. “You know it better. What do you think?”

“There’s no such thing as one hundred percent, but this one is an exception. I don’t know about the others, but I can kill you.”

That was the truth. Raul was known as the strongest Hunter, but Ho was known as the quickest Hunter. Like what happened in China, SS-rated monsters could never catch up with Ho’s speed. He always got away from them. With his unique skills and speed, Lee Ho could fight against anyone.

“That’s why I like you. You are always reasonable.”

Raul was right; Lee Ho was always reasonable. His intuition was always correct, and he was good at foreseeing events. That was why Raul trusted Ho.

“In that Chinese group… Do you think there’s someone who can kill me?”

“Well, they would think that it’s stupid to turn you into an enemy. So, Mister, I think they won’t reach out to you.”

That was true. Raul had never received any form of communication from that organization.

He was not interested in them, so it was none of his business. However, that had changed. Ho, his bro, was at war with that group. Raul thought that he should support his little bro.

Lee Ho explained the information he had gathered.

“Seven years ago, there was an organization called Shilla.”

“Shilla? I’ve heard of it before.”

“You probably have, they were famous in America as well. They were a group of anarchists who caused chaos around the world.”

Raul now remembered. “Didn’t you kill them all?”

“All except one.”

“You mean the leader?”

“Yes. He didn’t have any fingerprints or ID numbers on him. Also, he was extremely strong.”

“So what’s the point of this story?” Raul asked.

“I think he is now the leader of the anti-Hunter organization.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I think he is now an SS-rated Hunter and must be as strong as you or me. Even stronger, I suppose.”

Raul started to laugh.

“That’s why Shao Wei followed him. A strong man like him would only follow an even stronger leader. That’s what I think.”

“But didn’t you make a truce with them?”

When Lee Ho had gathered the other SS-rated Hunters, he issued a warning to that organization not to make another move. What he gave was just a warning, saying that he would kill them if they do something.

In other words, he was telling them that they needed to focus on the gates first.

With the gates still wreaking havoc on the world, it was more likely for them to end up dying together. The anti-Hunter organization also knew that, and that was why they accepted Ho’s suggestion.

He was already a distraction, playing chess to capture the leader of the anti-Hunter organization. The rule of chess was to kill the king, and Lee Ho was preparing to kill the enemy’s king.

“I’ve narrowed it down to three countries.”

“Oh… That was quick. Anyway, what countries?”

“Switzerland, Ukraine, and the US.”

Raul didn’t expect to hear that.

“The US? It’s quiet there.”

“Your point of view and my point of view are different. That’s because you work alone.”

“That is true.”

Lee Ho glanced at Raul. “Let’s make one thing clear.”

“Go on.”

“Will you be on my side?”

Raul laughed. “Hey, bro. I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I am always by your side. You know me well.”

“I know, but this is different.”

“What do you mean?”

Raul tilted his head. He couldn’t quite understand what Lee Ho was trying to say.

“So… You need someone to work for you? Like a hound dog?”

“Yes.”

Raul burst out laughing. He knew that Lee Ho was an interesting guy, but what he was showing was beyond his imagination.

“You want the strongest Hunter in the world as your hound? Cool, bro.”

Raul accepted Ho’s offer. It seemed funnier than he thought.

“So, what should I do?”

“It’s a simple task. Keep an eye on Sophie Winsted.”

“Why her? You want her as well?”

“…It’s about her ability. Since she can see something’s potential power as well, everyone would be targeting her; even assassinations could be possible.”

“I see. What else should I do?”

“Don’t be rude to her.”

Raul shrugged.

“I was just being nice, you know.”

“You were hitting on her rudely. If you want her, then be sincere. Or else you’ll really get hit by her.”

Lee Ho then changed the subject.

“How should I reward you? Do you want money? Artifacts are available as well.”

Raul shook his head. “Just give me a plane ticket. First-class seat, of course.”

Upon hearing this, Lee Ho burst out laughing.

“I’ll lend you my plane, you can use my room. Also…”

“What else?”

“Meet with my brother. I’ll send him a message. Talk to him.”

“If that’s the case, I should have approached Sophie and we could have gone to the UK together.”

Sophie had already returned to the UK by using a teleport skill. Their conversation was done.

Raul stood up, clapped Ho on the shoulder, and stepped out.

The very next day, he left for the UK.

***

That night, Yoo Ee-Na, Kim Yoo-Jeong, and Kim So-Eun were drinking beer in the hotel bar.

All the food they were served was free.

So-Eun was the one who caught people’s attention the most. She had Excalibur strapped to her back.

“Wouldn’t it better for you to keep it in your inventory?” Yoo Ee-Na had asked, but Kim So-Eun shook her head.

“Mr. Lee told me to bring the sword with me every time.”

He had told her that privately.

Yoo Ee-Na smiled awkwardly. If Lee Hwan said so, then it must be correct. The three women now trusted Lee Hwan more than anything.

Kim So-Eun murmured the words to open her Status Window.

Name: Kim So-Eun

Level: 1 (88%)

Title: Student

Strength: 1

Stamina: 2

Agility: 6

Intelligence: 9

Unique Skill: Regeneration (?)

Skill: Immune to Poison (SS)

So far, her stats were still low. Lee Hwan already knew that as well. However, the most important thing was her new skill. Everyone who had joined Hwan’s PMC had that same skill. They gained it after eating the monster meat that Hwan had cooked.

To be honest, it had seemed impossible. Learning a skill just by eating food? That was really unrealistic, but it seemed to be the case.

Though she had had a stomach ache, the effect of it was great.

Even if she drank ten glasses of beer, she felt fine.

“Mr. Lee told me that I should never let someone backstab me.”

The two women laughed. It certainly sounded like something Lee Hwan would say.

After a moment of silence, Yoo Ee-Na and Kim So-Eun glanced at Kim Yoo-Jeong. Their intense stares made Yoo-Jeong gulp.

“…What? Is there something on my face?”

“It’s not that… I think it’s the right time to tell us.”

“About what?”

“Did you sleep with him?”

That was a quick blow. Kim Yoo-Jeong gulped again.

“You know that So-Eun is still a teenager. Why are we talking about this?”

Kim So-Eun responded quickly.

“I know all sorts of things. Just tell me. Did you sleep with him?”

Yoo-Jeong smiled awkwardly and downed her beer. With a blushing face, she admitted it.

Yoo Ee-Na burst out in laughter as Kim Yoo-Jeong grumbled.

Yoo Ee-Na quickly asked a follow-up question.

“How was it?”

“…It was great.”

They were having a girl’s talk; it was only natural that they had gotten closer over the past few days together.

Yoo Ee-Na was curious about that night.

“Was it big?”

“Why are you asking me that?”

Kim Yoo-Jeong felt awkward, but she found that the two women were really curious. As they continued to badger her, she finally sighed and whispered an answer.

After hearing that, both So-Eun and Ee-Na were left speechless.

Wow.

“…Weren’t you hurt?”

“…It hurt a lot, but I felt great as well. It was my first time.”

They shut their mouths as they couldn’t imagine it. Yoo Ee-Na never had a chance to date around since she worked hard to enter ROKHA. Kim So-Eun had to think of her life and safety first before dating.

As everyone fell silent, Yoo-Jeong decided to change the subject.

“I’ll stay with Lee Hwan until the end.”

The others agreed.

“Because of the skill we just learned, we don’t have to worry about poison. That’s what he did for us, and he is helping me to achieve something I want. I feel sincere gratitude toward him.”

Then Kim Yoo-Jeong confided in them about her goal of killing the leader of Shilla.

Yoo Ee-Na also talked about her dream.

“I would like to help someone who really needs help. To be more specific, I want to help someone who isn’t able to get help. That’s why I want to become stronger.”

They talked about their dreams then turned to Kim So-Eun. It was her turn.

Her dream must be different from theirs. She didn’t have a past related to the awakeners, so they were both curious.

Kim So-Eun was a woman with a big dream.

“I want to reach…”

“Where?”

“The top.”

Kim So-Eun wanted to be like Lee Hwan. She wanted to be a woman with freedom. That was the reason why she wanted power.

She wanted to reach the top and surpass even Hwan.

As she thought about her great dream, Excalibur began glowing as well. That was the main reason why the sword had chosen her. Her desire to stand above everyone else made Excalibur choose her. Its ego was only killed because it tried to surpass her.

Suddenly, a breaking news report flashed on the television set. The three women turned to watch it.

[ King Alexander has resigned from his position. ]