CHAPTER 43
043 - The Hatchling

A dark, starless night. Even the moon, the only source of light, was hidden behind the clouds.
On the rooftop, where a fierce wind was blowing, David drew his sword and faced Jinwoo.
He couldn't hold back any longer. When someone comes looking to be killed like this, not killing them would be impolite.

'How dare a mere E-class raise a sword to me!?'

He didn't care anymore. It felt like his anger wouldn't subside until he had torn the man before him to shreds.
His former self might have endured it to protect his dream of entering politics. To live as a New York politician, he would have avoided committing a crime directly in the city.
But that dream had been shattered because of the man in front of him, and he had already established a connection with Hong Kong just in case. If killing Jinwoo became a problem, he could simply cross the ocean.

"An E-class brat who doesn't know his place! If you want to die that badly, I'll kill you right here!"

When David took a step, the considerable distance between them closed in an instant. It was an instantaneous movement technique, as if he were folding the ground itself.
David's sword flew in, catching the timing a beat faster than expected.

CLANG—!

But it was useless against Jinwoo, who had been prepared. Jinwoo had come up here fully intending to fight. Since he was already prepared for battle, a fast-paced attack was within his range of expectations.

'This bastard...!'

That fact alone was a great humiliation for David. He blocked it because he was prepared? That was something that happened in a fight between two S-classes, not something that should happen in a battle between an E-class and an S-class.

SCREEECH! KANG!

He twisted his sword upwards, creating an opening in Kang Jinwoo's defense to somehow maintain the offensive. The advantage of a first strike wasn't just in the element of surprise, but in seizing the upper hand.
In a battle between masters, once one side gains the upper hand, it's not easy to turn the tables. David designed his swordplay to solidify that advantage.
At first, it seemed to be working. Kang Jinwoo was consistently on the defensive, and it felt like he could take his neck at any moment.
Then, at some point, he realized. His sword was always missing by a hair's breadth, never reaching him.

'No way.'

David had a bone-chilling realization. No, it was something he had known all along but had been ignoring.

'I've gotten too dull.'

Compared to his active days, his sword had become far too rusty.
A swordsman must not let go of their sword for even a day. A sword is as delicate as it is sharp; the moment you let go, it begins to rust.
How long had he let go?
After becoming the Director, he had been busy attending various receptions. Even before that, he had been engrossed in lobbying and networking to enter the political world.
He had held the phone numbers of politicians and businessmen stored in his smartphone closer than the sword in his inventory.
He had vaguely felt it when he picked up his sword again for the Island incident, but he had deliberately ignored it. The price for that was showing now.

'This, this isn't me! Remember, David. Remember the me from my active days. And the me from my past life!'

David recalled the abilities he had awakened while crossing through Gates and the fragments of his past life. An S-class Hunter typically possesses some memories and knowledge from their past life.
In his past life, he was a mercenary who wandered with only a single sword to rely on. You could call him a ronin.
He went wherever there was war and did whatever it took as long as he got paid. He was trash as a human being, but first-class as a mercenary.
Remember.
The senses of that time, when I roamed the battlefields.
The cruelty of beheading an enemy and quenching my thirst with their blood!

'Yes! This is my...!'
This is my power!
My memory! My past life!
This is my...!

His chest was pierced, and Jinwoo's sword cut through his Blue Flame.
"...Huh?"
The thread supporting David, who had just been recalling his past life and drawing up his strength and energy, snapped.
"No... way..."
He wanted to say it was impossible.
At this moment, the fact that Jinwoo was E-class or a thorn in his side didn't even cross his mind.
There was only sheer astonishment.
"How... could I..."
This was something he had never imagined. Not confronting Jinwoo one-on-one, and certainly not losing.
What's more, he hadn't lost due to some difference in abilities. He had been defeated purely in swordsmanship.
His past life was powerful enough to make his current self an S-class. Then what about his current self?
If there was a next life, what rank would his current self be able to raise his future self to?
He thought he probably wouldn't even reach A-class.
That lingering regret became his final thought as he closed his eyes in frustration.
A moment later, his inventory ruptured, and the items inside spilled out onto the hotel rooftop.

"Jinwoo!"

Around that time, Chartia, whom he had signaled, arrived. It had taken her a little while to avoid the surveillance, but less than a minute had passed.
It had felt like they had crossed swords for so long, but the actual time had been that short.

"Are you safe... ah."

What she saw on the rooftop was not the worried sight she expected, but an unharmed Jinwoo and, in contrast, a bleeding and collapsed David.
Seeing that all the items from his inventory had spilled out, he seemed to be already dead. Jinwoo had dealt with him.
She knew Jinwoo was incredible; cutting Island's heart and returning alive from an encounter with Johann were equally amazing feats.
But hearing about such things and witnessing them firsthand were two different shocks. To defeat an S-class swordsman with a sword!

'David.'

Meanwhile, Jinwoo looked at David's scattered belongings on the floor. Seeing them, Jinwoo understood why his swordsmanship had been so dull compared to his skill level.
Among the scattered items, there were few tools necessary for Hunters. Besides a few items for emergencies and a couple of swords, there was nothing.
Instead, there was cash, jewels, boxes full of money, and things that appeared to be gifts, like luxury watches and car keys.

'So that's why he was so much weaker than Rona. Weaker than Johann, even.'

He wasn't a Hunter. He was a politician.

David had gone missing.
Despite the recent controversy, he was still the Director of the New York Bureau, and there was much to be done regarding the Island incident.
But he had vanished overnight. Not just the Bureau, but the New York authorities were also flustered and searched for his whereabouts.
In the process, it was discovered that he had recently been in frequent contact with a New York congressman. This congressman was subtly known to be receiving bribes from Hong Kong.
At the same time, a crumpled note, presumed to be from Hong Kong, was found in his suite's trash can.

This is ridiculous! He's just going to ditch everything and run to Hong Kong at a time like this?!
What an irresponsible act! Even if he was going to leave, he should have finished dealing with the Island incident first!
Could it be because of the assassination request for Chartia he made to the assassin guild? Did he bolt because he thought he was going to be investigated by the police?

In reality, David had no intention of going to Hong Kong. He just wanted to listen to various offers and prepare for a worst-case scenario.
But with things turning out this way, he had been perfectly framed as a criminal who had abandoned his duties and defected to another country.

'So this is what he was stealthily up to.'

Jinwoo knew David was plotting something, but he hadn't known he was preparing to flee to Hong Kong.
He had assumed he was, at most, running around bribing the police or prosecutors.

'Things got weird because Hong Kong got involved.'

He had considered it a matter between himself, Chartia, and David, so he hadn't expected Hong Kong to get involved.
The same went for a phone call he received from Kurenai Masato.
— I've cleaned up that guild. Turns out it was a Hong Kong-based guild.

"That was Hong Kong too?"
— Yes. I hear David has disappeared into Hong Kong? It seems they were hiding for a long time in preparation for something like this.

From what he heard, the Blackout Guild was an assassination guild that had operated diligently in Tokyo for a whopping 15 years.
Not that a diligent assassination guild deserves any praise, but in any case, it was a guild that had built up a track record over a long time without drawing attention.
The point was, they were hidden spies. Hong Kong had used a spy they had infiltrated for so long just to recruit David. To tarnish his reputation and make him think about leaving New York.
He also heard that traces of Hong Kong's intervention had been found in the recent New York public opinion that had spread like wildfire.

"That's scary."
— This is how things are between nations. They pull all sorts of tricks in ways you can't even imagine. There were probably more than a few operations targeting David besides Blackout.

"So you're saying it's a cheap price to pay if they can get one S-class Hunter?"
— Of course. You should be careful too. Especially women who approach you out of the blue. Nine times out of ten, they're likely spies.

"I'll keep that in mind."

After ending the call with Kurenai Masato, Jinwoo watched the news. He flipped through various channels, and all of them were reporting on David's case.
Many prominent figures in New York condemned David's irresponsibility and denounced Hong Kong's treachery.
He also saw Hong Kong's mayor, Jang Ji-e, making an official announcement from a podium.

— New York's claims are lies and deceit from start to finish. Our authorities did not entice David, and we have nothing to do with his disappearance!

That was the gist of it, according to the translator.
Though it wasn't his intention, he had somehow ended up driving a wedge between New York and Hong Kong.

'Why did he have to try and go to Hong Kong in the first place?'

Well, it wasn't his fault. He had simply settled a justified grudge, and in the end, David's contact with Hong Kong was the root of the problem. The timing was just a bit coincidental.
Jinwoo shrugged and turned off the news.

Lin Shao Feng, the Director of the Hong Kong Hunter Bureau, felt like he was about to get a hole in his stomach from stress.
"Where the hell did he vanish to! That bastard David!"
"We have no information on our end..."
"I don't care if New York is making a fuss, but even Mayor Jang Ji-e is starting to suspect me. He's asking if I'm plotting something shady after spiriting away an S-class!"
"Th-that must be unfair, sir."
"Of course it is!"
At his subordinate's detached comment, Lin Shao Feng gripped the back of his neck and slumped into his chair.
"Agh, ow... damn it! Find him, no matter what! I have to clear my name of this disgrace."
"I will order them to search more diligently."
"Don't just be diligent, bring me results! Do you understand?"
"Y-Yes, sir! By the way..."
"What now?"
"What should we do about Kang Jinwoo?"
A momentary silence fell.
Lin Shao Feng pulled up a video on his monitor. It was the very video of Kang Jinwoo bisecting Island's heart.

'Our guys have been watching this like crazy too.'

What appeared in the video was just a single sword stroke, but that one strike was incredibly shocking.
Many Hunters in Hong Kong had past lives as martial artists who practiced swordsmanship, so most of them used swords.
Because of this, the analysis and discussion of Kang Jinwoo's "One Sword" (一劍) had become a social phenomenon in Hong Kong.
How great would it be if an S-class like that transferred to Hong Kong? Of course, Kang Jinwoo wasn't an S-class yet, but...

"If we could bring him in, he would be a great asset. Not only would our S-class combat power increase, but the overall level of our country's Hunters could also rise."
His subordinate's words were correct, and indeed, many were hoping for that.
However.
"Leave him be."
Lin Shao Feng's decision was swift.
"There's no guarantee that something like Island won't appear in Hong Kong. If we approach him carelessly and earn his resentment, it'll be a headache."
Just as the S-class Hunters at the victory party had said, if a new Erosion appeared, as long as it was small, it could be dealt with somehow.
But there was no guarantee that another massive entity like Island wouldn't appear.
What if, in such a crisis, Kang Jinwoo were to declare, "I don't like Hong Kong. I'm not going to help"?
At that moment, Hong Kong would be destroyed.
"There's no need to poke the bear and invite disaster. Just leave him be."
"Understood."
Lin Shao Feng instructed his subordinate in a weary tone.
And that judgment was being shared by almost every other country in the world.
From the moment Kang Jinwoo single-handedly dealt with Island when no one else could, they had no choice but to walk on eggshells around him.

The discussion about the reward money was not something that could be settled in a day or two. Not only were there over twenty S-class Hunters who had come to help, but the compensation for A-class and B-class Hunters also had to be calculated.
New York already needed a large budget to rebuild the western district, and now, having to pay a massive amount in rewards, it seemed they would have to create money out of thin air.
Naturally, the countries that had sent support dispatched capable diplomatic teams to squeeze out as much as they could, and New York had to face the diplomatic corps of the entire world alone, going through a great ordeal.
The discussions naturally dragged on, and Jinwoo took the opportunity to stay in New York a little longer.
There was still nearly a month until the next Gate, so he had plenty of time.
Chartia also seemed busy every day, meeting acquaintances here and there in her hometown, which she had returned to after a long time.

'Should I go out for some fresh air?'

For a change of pace, Jinwoo walked around downtown New York, sightseeing.
Even without grand cultural landmarks, just walking the streets of a foreign country was enough to feel like he was traveling.

"Hey! Mr. Kang! Mr. Kang!"
"Ah, hello, hello."

Every citizen he met recognized him and asked for a handshake or a photo. He had become a celebrity in New York overnight thanks to the Island incident.

Being treated so warmly by the locals in this foreign land made traveling a real pleasure. Even better, every shop he entered either gave him food for free or offered a massive discount.

‘Mmm, nothing beats meat. Meat is the best.’

From dry-aged cuts to steaks seared in boiling butter, Jinwoo entered every eye-catching restaurant to sample all sorts of rare meat dishes.

When his stomach was full, he would walk around eating ice cream or watch the city-dwellers from a bench in a small park. In many ways, he was thoroughly enjoying the sights of New York.

Just then.

"Mr. Jinwoo?"

He ran into a familiar face. It was the woman who carried a conspicuous red hatchling in her arms: Mahiri.

"Mahiri?"

"Fancy meeting you here."

She approached the bench where Jinwoo was sitting. She sat down next to him, leaving a slight distance, but strangely, fluent Korean flowed from her lips.

Was she always good at Korean? He hadn't heard a word of it from her until yesterday…

Jinwoo eyed them with suspicion. Mahiri and Kalesian. More precisely, their flames.

"Kalesian… was it? That hatchling."

"That's right. Isn't he adorable? Look at these beautifully curved wings and scales. The horns on his head truly express the dignity of a prince…"

Mahiri began to praise the hatchling's appearance and character. At a glance, they looked like nothing more than an obsessive owner doting on a cute pet, but…

‘Did she really tame him?’

Jinwoo had a fundamental doubt.

Mahiri's flame and the hatchling's flame were connected by a thin thread. At first, he had assumed it was a taming-related ability. He thought that Mahiri, known as an S-class Tamer, had linked their souls through her power.

But observing them calmly like this, something felt off. It was as if the positions of master and servant were indistinguishable.

Perhaps sensing Jinwoo’s suspicious gaze, Kalesian, who had been resting quietly in Mahiri’s arms, let out a smirk.

A completely different tone, yet in Mahiri’s voice, emerged from her previously chattering lips.

"You are quite perceptive. Just as I would expect from the one who devoured my kin."

"...This is crazy."

Jinwoo stared at the two of them, dumbfounded. Two souls, linked. The master of the two was not Mahiri, but the hatchling!

He was even more wary of a woman who approached him so suddenly. Nine times out of ten, she was likely a spy.

He recalled his earlier phone call with Kurenai Masato. It wasn't just a spy from another country; a spy from another world had infiltrated their midst.