Chapter 7: Irreplaceable Power

Re-enlistment.

Of course, for those who didn’t want anything to do with the gates after being discharged, this was nothing short of a bolt from the blue.

“Are you crazy? Re-enlistment?”

“It’s a national emergency. The outpost is empty. Under the Gate Act, you’re being re-enlisted. Refuse, and your service will be extended.”

“Damn it! Are you kidding me?”

Those who weren’t smart enough to realize the value of magic stones and leave for the U.S. early, or who didn’t have connections to get out of re-enlistment, were being taken away.

Some tried to apply for naturalization at the U.S. embassy at the last minute, but South Korea was thorough in such matters.

They banned all discharged hunters from leaving the country and stationed people around the U.S. embassy to prevent any possibility of naturalization.

The discharged hunters went berserk, but South Korea remained terrifyingly silent on the issue of re-enlistment.

[Breaking News: Re-enlistment Notice Received Today]

-Damn, what is this? I’ve been discharged for over two years, and now they’re telling me to go to the gate?

It became a hot topic in a few male-dominated online communities, but it didn’t go beyond that.

The Chief of Staff and the President controlled the media and kept releasing other issues to cover the essence of the re-enlistment issue.

“The President is already being chewed out over the economy. If national security becomes an issue too, it will be very troublesome. Bury this issue. Release other issues.”

It was absurd and foolish, but it worked in South Korea.

Thanks to the clean collaboration between the media and politicians, while the public indulged in scandalous events involving celebrities and YouTubers, the re-enlistment was buried, and 134 newly enlisted hunters were sent to the outpost.

“This is insane! Let me out!!”

“You bastards! I’m discharged!!”

The re-enlisted hunters screamed.

Discontent hit its peak.

But the Ministry of Defence threatened and coaxed them into working.

“The state will buy the magic stones you hunt. It will be a good way to make money. You all know from the news that magic stones are valuable, right? You can make a fortune. So, bear with it one more time.”

“Damn, I don’t need money! What’s the use if I die!!!”

“Let us out!!”

“That’s not possible. It’s your choice. Will you make money that commoners can’t even dream of, or will you starve?”

“Don’t even think about escaping to the U.S. Kim Sungho was able to control a wyvern to escape that distance, but you would have to walk and would meet monsters along the way and die. Dedicate yourselves one more time for South Korea.”

There was no choice.

The 134 re-enlisted hunters had to bear the burden of risking their lives once again.

“Still, they said we can make money with magic stones.”

“Damn… This sucks. But I guess we have to endure. What else can we do?”

Though they reluctantly decided to trust the promise of making money with magic stones, they soon realized that even that was a lie.

“100,000 won per magic stone?”

“That’s generous.”

“Damn, I risked my life for this, and it’s 100,000 won? Are you kidding?”

South Korea didn’t have the technology to refine magic stones into elixirs like the U.S. did.

Therefore, hunters had to sell them to the state at a low price because their value was still low.

The reward for risking their lives in the raids was no more than 500,000 won per person.

Discontent grew, but the hunters had no way to communicate their situation to others inside the gate, where electronic devices didn’t work due to mana.

“This is fraud! You said we could make a fortune!!!!”

Thus, the already faint patriotism in the hearts of the 134 hunters was shattering.

***

I looked at the man passionately speaking in front of me with a nonchalant expression.

Younghak’s expression was not much different from mine.

The spokesperson from the Ministry of National Defence, the one speaking angrily, was glaring at me, Younghak, and Volkov, the head of the association, as well as the interpreter beside him.

“We formally request the return of the 30 tons of magic stones you stole. This is theft. Theft!!”

“As I’ve said several times.”

Chairman Volkov looked at the spokesperson with a smiling face.

For nearly an hour, he had been accepting the spokesperson’s fiery anger with a relaxed smile.

“Magic stones belong to the hunters who hunted them. It’s problematic for the state to take them away.”

“They belong to South Korea! Not the hunters!!”

“It’s unfortunate. It’s tiring to repeat myself, but it seems the legal interpretation of magic stones differs between South Korea and the U.S. Well, these two gentlemen are now U.S. citizens, so it’s right to apply American legal interpretations, isn’t it?”

“I didn’t know the U.S. was such a petty country.”

Chairman Volkov kept smiling.

His mask-like smile was so slick that it impressed even me.

It was the kind of smile that could deflect any amount of anger.

“Well, we’d like to express our deep regret over the human rights abuses committed by the South Korean government. What can we do? We are a country of the people. If capable individuals want to immigrate here, there’s no reason to stop them, right?”

The spokesperson’s expression showed he wanted to hurl curses, but he successfully swallowed his anger and calmly adjusted his tie before glaring at the three of us.

“The Republic of Korea has no intention of compromising on this issue. From now on, the United States will continually face obstacles in its relationship with South Korea due to this issue.”

“Thank you for your concern, but it’s not that frightening. No country that threatened to hold us back has actually managed to do so. Haha.”

The spokesperson looked like he wanted to beat Volkov to a pulp.

But there was nothing he could do.

“One more thing.”

“What is it?”

“The 103 hunters are now American citizens, correct?”

“That’s right.”

“Then please ensure that they do not fly back into South Korean territory within the gates. We hope there will be no more violations of international law.”

Volkov nodded.

“Of course. International law must be upheld.”

“You’d better. Otherwise, you will see a significant backlash from the international community led by South Korea.”

After finishing his speech, the spokesperson stood up and left the room.

Once he was gone, Volkov dropped the mask-like smile and lit a cigarette.

“What a tiresome person. How can he keep making such unreasonable demands that won’t work?”

“Considering they’ve lost 30 tons of mana stones, it’s only natural. They must be hurting a lot.”

Hearing my words through the interpreter, Volkov laughed heartily.

“They must be. Haha! But not everything he said was wrong.”

Volkov looked at me and Younghak like he was staring at treasures.

“I’d prefer it if you two no longer got involved in the Korean territory within the gates. If Korea starts appealing to the international community, several countries that already view the US unfavourably might openly rise up, causing a lot of noise. I want to avoid such troublesome matters.”

“I understand.”

“Beyond international relations, the US would like you two to focus solely on securing mana stones. Now that you are American citizens, please dedicate your time to obtaining mana stones rather than getting involved in other countries’ affairs.”

Volkov stood up with a sly smile.

“In return, we’re proceeding with the request to bring over the families of the 103 hunters. It should be possible to bring them all to the US within a few weeks.”

Younghak’s expression brightened.

“Really?”

“Of course. America likes capable people. So, please continue to ensure there’s no issue with the mana stone supply without worrying about Korea.”

Volkov and the interpreter left the room.

Younghak and I burst into laughter.

“Now it feels like things are finally going right. Truly.”

“It might take some time to get used to living in America, but well, people eventually adapt.”

Younghak lit a cigarette.

As he deeply inhaled and exhaled the smoke, it felt like he was expelling all the pent-up frustration inside him.

“Seongho.”

“Yes, hyung?”

“You’re the brains, and I’m the action guy. So, tell me, what are we going to do next?”

I lit a cigarette too and exhaled a long puff of smoke before sharing the plan I had in mind.

“I was thinking of taming about 100 wyverns.”

“Wyverns?”

“They’re versatile monsters that cover transportation, combat, and logistics. If we can utilize them, our combat power will skyrocket. It would also make it easier to carry American hunters during raids.”

“Since you’ve already tamed an ancient dragon, it’s definitely possible. Good idea.”

Wyverns were powerful monsters in their own right but had an unusual fear of dragons.

Using this trait, some high-class dragons had tried to create rifts while commanding dozens of wyverns as subordinates.

I remember how we struggled immensely to hunt those dragon-led groups.

Considering that difficulty, controlling over 100 wyverns should be entirely feasible.

“However, the only place where a hundred wyverns might inhabit is the unexplored region, right? Are you planning to go there?”

The continent within the gate, Eldorado, had more unexplored areas than explored ones.

The fact that it was unexplored meant that the terrain was incredibly rough or that there were immensely powerful monsters living there, so this was sure to be a highly risky expedition.

“An ancient dragon, three wyverns, and a hunter at level 1100. With us, we can certainly handle the unexplored region. Don’t you think?”

However, we were not an ordinary party.

If Party 41, 42, and 43, trained directly by our leader, moved together, we would definitely be able to navigate the unexplored region.

“Well, if it’s us, sure. We can do it. Fine. Let’s tame the wyverns and all become wyvern riders.”

The leader stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray.

Then, he looked at me intently.

“Why are you staring at me like that? Is there something else you want to say?”

“Seongho, what are you going to do about the issue with Korea?”

“What do you mean, what am I going to do? That country is already done with us. Unless they’re begging us to hunt rifts while paying us a lot of money, I have no desire to be associated with them.”

“They’ve re-enlisted the hunters, you know. Those guys are probably being exploited just like we were… isn’t that pitiful?”

“So what? Are you suggesting we go over to the Korean territory within the gate as Americans and bring those re-enlisted guys back?”

“Yes.”

I understand his feelings.

I was in the same exploited situation, so I understand very well.

But you can’t do everything based solely on emotions.

“Didn’t you hear what Chairman Volkov just said? It’s a violation of international law. If we keep overstepping the line, even the US will be in trouble. They can’t protect us anymore.”

The leader laughs at my words.

For some reason, it seems like an evil laugh.

“If there’s an organization composed of a hundred wyvern riders that covers transportation, movement, and combat, don’t you think the US would bear that burden? We would be irreplaceable assets.”

Younghak lights another cigarette.

His eyes were shining intensely.

“Let’s go with a diversionary tactic.”

“Diversionary tactic?”

“You take the ancient dragon and lead Parties 41, 42, and 43 to the unexplored region and tame about a hundred wyverns. Meanwhile, I’ll take Yongil, Yongduri, and Yongsam and fly to the Korean base to bring back the re-enlisted guys. Of course, international relations between the US and Korea will get tense, but well… If we have a hundred wyvern riders, the US won’t abandon us?”

“Yeah, that’s it. Then Korea will have no choice but to beg us. To please hunt the rifts. I want to see that. I want to see those damned bastards in Korea begging us and paying us money.”

I pondered the leader’s words for a moment.

And the more I thought about it, the more it seemed like a plausible idea.

The discharged hunters were also high-level hunters, so it would definitely be a significant boost in power.

“Chairman Volkov will hate it.”

“But what can he do? If we become irreplaceable assets, that’s it.”

I stubbed out my cigarette in the ashtray.

“It’ll take about a week to prepare for the expedition to the unexplored region. We need to scout the route while riding the dragon and prepare supplies.”

“Then let’s execute it next Wednesday. Of course… we’ll keep it a secret from Chairman Volkov and the US government.”

A smile spreads across my face.

Thinking about how the faces of those high-ranking bastards in the Korean government would crumple in a week made me smile.