Ch.9533. Expansion of Flame’s Influence (2)

I glanced at Soso for a moment.

Our relationship had changed quite a bit, just like the elevated status of Flame.

Right after joining Flame, there was a noticeable wall between us that made our previous relationship at Eins seem meaningless. But now, we’ve grown close again.

‘And Soso continues to remain stable.’

As long as she doesn’t summon the Blood Demon, I have no reason to feel uncomfortable around her. On the contrary, during our time together in Busan, Soso has been helping my emotional state.

Our eyes met. Soso was smiling broadly, clearly hoping I would quickly come to her side.

I felt myself relax a little. These days, I seem to be relying on Soso more than I expected.

Perhaps during that year when I was being cared for by Arini, I became accustomed to depending on someone. And now, having left Seoul and being distant from Arini…

I might have unconsciously chosen another person to rely on.

‘Above all, Soso is…’

While the person I loved was Yuri, the one with whom I created countless memories was Soso, even if the emotions were slightly different.

Before the tragedy at Eins. And before I formed an exchange pair with Yuri. Without knowing anything about what would happen in the future.

As I was adapting to life at Eins and growing. After being transported into the novel, most of what could be called my most peaceful times were spent with Soso.

And now I had to acknowledge that those memories were helping me overcome the tragedy of Eins and my PTSD.

For Soso as well, after our relationship was restored, I could feel her potential being released like the Ashen Forest as our bond grew closer.

I sat down next to Soso on the sofa in front of the table.

“Then… would you turn your back to me?”

At Soso’s words, I sat cross-legged with my back to her. After removing my top, I soon felt Soso’s palms touch my back.

A moment later, I could feel mana spreading from Soso’s hands. Then, with careful but attentive touches, she began tapping my back with her fingers.

Chugong-gwahyeol.

A special massage technique that artificially injects another person’s mana to activate the recipient’s mana channels.

As an awakener of the Heavenly Demon Divine Technique, Soso’s mana refinement was exceptional. So each time her mana circulated through me,

My mana channels, which had been tainted like soot from the raging fire attribute mana, were partially purified.

“Your mana channels are a mess again after just a few days without treatment. Don’t push yourself too hard.”

Instead of answering, I just nodded. When I first arrived in Busan, I focused solely on operations to gain the trust of Red Breakers and their allied guilds.

But once I had earned a certain level of trust, I began participating in dungeon raids and villain elimination in earnest.

‘If I had just given orders from the back room, I wouldn’t have gained their complete trust.’

Taking direct action was definitely the right choice. The hunters of the southeastern guilds were quite rough. After showing them my combat skills, I was able to quell any remaining dissatisfaction.

My fighting abilities must have impressed the Busan hunters, as I even earned the amusing nickname “Flame Master.”

And through that process, I was able to divide Busan as it is now. Busan, which had been filled with numerous competing guilds of similar strength, was now split east and west since my arrival.

Red Breakers in the east. And Dead Arms in the west.

‘This is exactly the picture I wanted to paint.’

Having a clear enemy increases cohesion.

So if we deal with Dead Arms decisively, the Busan hunter community will be unified under the name of Red Breakers.

‘Of course, Red Breakers is already promised to merge with Flame.’

Red Breakers is set to become Flame’s Busan branch. And the first branch manager will naturally be Pyo Seonghun.

If economic cooperation follows through Pyotr’s Solaris, Flame will grow even more with a solid regional foundation.

“… Why aren’t you answering? Are you feeling unwell?”

It seems Soso had spoken to me while I was lost in thought. I hurried to answer.

“No. I was feeling so good that I almost lost my soul.”

“D-don’t make jokes like that. It sounds somewhat obscene.”

Soso continued her Chugong-gwahyeol as she spoke. My mana channels were calming down. Over the past three months,

I had been struggling to strengthen my flame spells.

‘Since my main weapon is flame magic through the Red Jade, I need to get used to it.’

After the second seal was released, I repeatedly trained to get accustomed to the massive flow of mana. Fortunately, the side effects were minimized thanks to Parma’s Sacred Fire.

Parma’s Sacred Fire, which had become the Red Jade’s shrine maiden outfit. It wasn’t just an image in my imagination; the Sacred Fire suppressed the recoil of my flame mana.

That’s why I was able to gradually get used to flame spells over the three months.

To the point where I could attempt the Two-Element Resonance Compression, a new spell theory that Choi Seunghun, the Secretary-General of the Association, had taught me.

Of course, these regular Chugong-gwahyeol sessions from Soso also helped greatly in stabilizing my mana.

Chugong-gwahyeol from an S-rank hunter, especially an awakener of the Heavenly Demon Divine Technique, is not something one can easily receive even for a fortune.

“I think this is enough for today.”

With those words, Soso removed her hands from my back. I put my top back on. When I unfolded my legs and naturally turned to sit on the sofa,

My eyes met Soso’s. For a moment, she looked flustered. Even though we had done this Chugong-gwahyeol many times, she was blushing with embarrassment.

But then Soso grabbed my sleeve. After hesitating shyly, she said with reddened cheeks:

“S-since I worked hard today too! Um… do that for me!”

Her voice sounded a bit brazen, as if trying to shake off her embarrassment. I almost couldn’t help but smile.

‘Acting so shy like that.’

And since what happened in the Ashen Forest, Soso had naturally developed something she would ask of me.

Soso closed her eyes. I embraced her soft body and pressed my lips against hers.

Soon our tongues intertwined as one. Soso made a small noise.

“Mmm…”

Her arms wrapping around my neck now felt natural.

***

A few days later, the atmosphere in Busan was tense.

While it seemed like a temporary peace had been established with the two-guild division, in reality, conflicts were constantly occurring.

A hunter’s territory doesn’t have legal grounds like a country’s administrative districts. Especially in times like now, when gates appear randomly and villains run rampant,

The guild that can definitively clear gates and eliminate villains in an area naturally takes many privileges within that territory.

‘And this area…’

I left Haeundae, where the branch headquarters was located, and came to Yeonsan-dong in Yeonje-gu, Busan, together with Soso.

Currently, Busan is divided between the forces of Red Breakers and Dead Arms, using Busan’s Subway Line 1 as the boundary.

The administrative districts along Line 1 had Busan’s population concentrated there. Even though Busan had declined, it was once Korea’s second city.

The more densely populated an area is, the bigger the pie for hunters to share.

‘The rewards for clearing gates increase accordingly.’

This means larger bounties from the Association and the government. And since villains also frequently appear in densely populated areas for their terror acts,

Hunter territory disputes naturally center around densely populated areas.

“Yeonsan-dong has long been a stronghold of our Red Breakers. But recently, there have been reports of Dead Arms members showing up in this area.”

I nodded at Pyo Seonghun’s words. I already knew this information. Although Team Leader Seo Duho hadn’t come down to Busan and was handling other Flame business,

One of the information team employees who had been working with him came to Busan with me. An employee named Yoon Taehyung, whose position was department manager.

‘Thanks to Manager Yoon’s hard work, Dead Arms has taken the bait.’

Manager Yoon was also someone who had worked with Team Leader Seo since Manseong. That’s why he was very skilled in information operations.

I had asked him to spread false information in advance. Information about a gate that had appeared in Yeonsan-dong.

‘I disguised it as a much more dangerous gate than its actual rank.’

So right now, a dungeon raid led by Red Breakers’ elite team is scheduled.

The estimated rank of the gate is A+. While not too difficult for major corporate guilds, it’s a challenging dungeon that requires putting everything on the line for Busan’s local guilds.

‘In fact, even when Flame was much smaller… we conquered an AA-rank dungeon, which is higher than A+.’

Of course, a guild with Yuri and Soso can’t be compared to a provincial guild. So whether the raid succeeds or fails,

The guild’s fighting power will be significantly reduced right after emerging from the gate.

‘That moment is Dead Arms’ opportunity.’

Rather than engaging in an all-out war with Red Breakers, it’s strategically better to strike when they’re weakened. In the capital region, attacking a guild right after a raid is strictly prohibited by law,

But in the provinces, such laws are more loosely enforced. There’s neither the manpower nor the capability to properly investigate the full details of incidents after they occur.

‘So it’s possible to disguise an attack as a villain’s assault.’

For Dead Arms, it’s an opportunity to reap benefits without effort. But this dungeon raid is a trap I’ve set.

The actual rank of the dungeon the party will raid is B+. With Red Breakers’ current strength, it’s not a difficult dungeon to clear.

This means Dead Arms will face a raid party that has preserved its full strength.

‘If a battle breaks out, our side won’t suffer much damage.’

But Dead Arms will be the ones who initiated the attack. I intended to use this incident as justification.

As justification for an all-out war with Dead Arms. Even in the provinces, clear justification is needed for local governments and the Association to turn a blind eye to conflicts.

‘That’s how I’ll take Busan.’

But I wasn’t being arrogant. I had recently received information from Team Leader Seo.

That Sigurd is behind Dead Arms. Or more precisely, Yggdrasil Group, Sigurd’s parent company.

‘Sigurd and Yggdrasil. In the original story, they were definitely related to the Red Lake.’

Yggdrasil is a joint American-Japanese company. A massive global corporation like Pyotr’s Solaris. Taking control of Busan means

Becoming a target for Sigurd and the Yggdrasil Group. But I’m prepared for that.

‘Especially Japan, where Yggdrasil’s Far East branch is located… is where Seo Munyeom, an executive of the Red Lake, is.’

That Seo Munyeom might also have some kind of relationship with Yggdrasil. That means Sigurd and Yggdrasil are enemies of Flame.

Having finished my thoughts, I said to Pyo Seonghun:

“Let’s clear this dungeon quickly.”

It was late afternoon now. The party was positioned in an alley of an old residential area. And Dead Arms hunters were secretly stationed throughout this slum-like neighborhood.

‘Manager Yoon has already gathered the intelligence.’

Pyo Seonghun said to me:

“Deputy Branch Manager, are you sure you’re alright? You participated in a dungeon raid just yesterday, aren’t you tired…”

“I’m fine. I manage my own condition.”

As I said, I had cleared a dungeon in eastern Busan just yesterday. But it wasn’t anything special. We need to conquer dungeons in Flame’s name to establish legitimacy for taking over Busan.

Recently, I’ve been participating in many dungeon raids with Soso. I’ve been so busy that even having two bodies wouldn’t be enough.

‘Which is fortunate.’

I unconsciously glanced at Soso standing next to me. Perhaps, if I didn’t have the excuse of being busy with work like now,

My relationship with Soso might have progressed much further.

“Then we’re going in!”

With Pyo Seonghun’s words, the party entered the dungeon.

And an hour later, as the party emerged from the gate after clearing the dungeon, Dead Arms hunters blocked their way.

“Wait! Why is Min-su here?”

The expressions of those who recognized me turned serious.