Part 1, Chapter 7 (1)

June 3, 2020. Morning dawned.

In just one day, East Asia experienced great turmoil from top to bottom, but fortunately, miraculous events occurred one after another, and the chaos subsided.

Seolhwa Princess Seok Harang’s SS-rank awakening.

Unjang Shaolin’s martial prowess and identity, who defeated the Phantom Dragon in a single blow.

The appearance of a ‘Monster Tamer’ who can even control S-rank monsters.

The Korean Peninsula became the eye of the storm.

While the world watched the Far East, people were enjoying their respective moments of peace.

* * *

June 3, 11:00 AM. Seoul City Hall.

“Alright. That finishes the restoration. All that’s left is for the internal furnishings to arrive from New Seoul.”

“Thank you, James.”

Ryu Cheon-seong couldn’t help but admire the neatly erected building. The original Seoul City Hall building was completely destroyed when they attacked the snake in the city hall, and James insisted on building an entirely new one.

Its exterior, which resurrected a Joseon Dynasty palace rather than a modern design, evoked a sense of reverence in those who saw it. Although the interior had a modern office structure, with a little interior work, it could easily restore the old style.

“I didn’t know you had such a sense for this.”

“Didn’t I tell you? I have a Ph.D. in architecture. The reason I stayed in Seoul was because I was researching hanok.”

Ryu Cheon-seong’s eyes widened. A man who looked like he’d love concrete jungles was a hanok expert? He should have noticed it back when he wore traditional Korean clothing.

“I thought you were a restoration expert.”

“It just improved as I did it. You know I’ve restored 1/5 of Seoul by myself, right? As I gained experience, my ability started to develop too.”

James unfolded his fan and chuckled heartily.

“At this rate, I’ll become S-rank first, hahaha!”

“Ugh….”

Ryu Cheon-seong groaned. Unlike Ryu Cheon-seong, a combat-type ability user who had to gain experience through combat, James, a production-type ability user, climbed a step higher with each building he restored.

“…I’m envious.”

Ryu Cheon-seong let out a hearty laugh and shook his head. In the past, he would have quickly felt jealous and thrown a punch, but now that he was in the position of mayor, he had more room in his heart.

“If you reach S-rank first, you’ll have to buy me a big meal.”

“……My bad. Was I too boastful?”

“There’s no need to be sorry. In a world where even SS-rank appears, why be impatient? And didn’t the leader-nim say?”

Ryu Cheon-seong spread his fingers.

“Among the five remaining Spirits, there must be one that will awaken me to S-rank. Haha.”

“……Mine will clearly be earth attribute. The boss said he’s going to China this time. If that Spirit isn’t earth attribute, won’t I be completely screwed?”

“Why are you worrying? You might become S-rank if you restore all of Seoul.”

Even if they had stepped into the public eye, they were still ability users. Ryu Cheon-seong, who had been exchanging trivial talk about their respective ranks, snapped his fingers and asked,

“Speaking of which, you said you were a doctor, right? Where are you from? I’ve never seen you at Y University.”

“Me? Anam. G University-“

*spit*

Ryu Cheon-seong spat on the ground and disappeared. Kang Soyeon, who was accompanying him as his secretary, shook her head with a pathetic expression.

“He’s below S-rank anyway….”

“What did you say?”

Ryu Cheon-seong pressed something in his pocket. Kang Soyeon’s legs wobbled, and her posture momentarily broke. But Kang Soyeon only changed her expression slightly and limped after Ryu Cheon-seong.

“Haaah, don’t do it outside! You old pervert! I’ll report you for sexual harassment!”

“Now. Tell me. Is Y University prestigious, or is S University prestigious?”

“D-Do you think I’ll lose?! Hmph, go on and try your best! Do you think the words you want will come out of my mouth?!”

James awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck with his hand.

“Is that really something to fight about with such pride?”

He himself was from an Ivy League university in his home country, America.

* * *

At the same time, Azure Syndicate Hideout.

“I’m telling you, it doesn’t make sense. How is your contribution higher than mine?”

Deokbae openly grumbled at the results displayed on the screen. Yooishin nodded with a triumphant expression.

“It’s only natural. I died right before the battle ended, and Deokbae-nim died dozens of times. The difference in merit is obvious.”

“Hey, Kim Ji-hwa. You secretly helped Yooishin, didn’t you? You secretly told him, so he just got the last hit perfectly. Right?”

“That’s pathetic, Deokbae.”

Kim Ji-hwa pushed up his slipped sunglasses. Deokbae glared at Ji-hwa with a strange expression, noticing that the finger subtly pushing up the glasses was his middle finger.

“If you have a complaint, go argue with the leader-nim.”

“Kids. You’re noisy. Can those below 2% please be quiet?”

Cheon Gaeul, who was furiously typing on a keyboard a little distance away, spoke softly. But the superiority in her voice made Deokbae flare up.

“And you only got 9% with an S-rank Core….”

“Next, 1%. Can you be quiet? I’m busy.”

Even as Gaeul spoke, her eyes were fixed on the screen. Gaeul was so focused on the screen that she even let her Tentacles, which she always hid under her coat, simply trail on the floor. Yooishin cautiously asked first,

“Gaeul-nim. What have you been doing since earlier…?”

“I’m digging up their personal info.”

“…Pardon?”

“I’m finding every single person who cursed at our little kid and archiving them.”

Ji-hwa subtly lowered his sunglasses and glanced at Gaeul’s screen. Yooishin noticed this and subtly leaned closer to ask,

“What is it?”

“She’s tracking the accounts of those who are sexually harassing Azure Syndicate Villain Beast Tamer, Miss Cheonghwa.”

“…Who is that?”

“It’s the leader-nim’s public name.”

“Cheonghwa? …Ah!”

Yooishin clapped his hands at Ji-hwa’s words. Deokbae grumbled at that.

“It’s wordplay. Cheonghwa of the Azure Syndicate. Anyone would think she’s the leader.”

“It’s to make them think she’s a core force. A monster tamer who awakened due to the influence of the Seoul Dimensional Gate. Isn’t that appropriate? A Villain who protects Seoul by controlling a Black Flame Dragon.”

“Honestly, tell me. You’re just trying to clean up the mess now because the Black Flame Dragon can’t turn back into a human, aren’t you? Am I wrong?”

“……That’s true, but it’s also a great strategic help. The 60,000 Seoul citizens know well who the Black Flame Dragon is and who Miss Cheonghwa actually is. How would they know the truth? She does control monsters, after all.”

Since even the Round Table had found out, the Azure Syndicate needed a justification for how they controlled monsters. Fortunately, Phoenix’s human form was still publicly known as a non-combatant, so the executives ordered them to be strictly distinguished.

Human Cheonghwa, the Beast Tamer.

Monstrous human Phoenix, the Blue Phoenix.

“The former is still unranked, but the latter is unofficially SS-rank. So now Gaeul is-“

“Don’t make me laugh. Phoenix crushed Seolhwa Princess at Gwanak, so shouldn’t the first SS title naturally belong to Phoenix?”

Gaeul got irritable even though it wasn’t her business. However, the other monstrous humans somewhat understood. The world’s first SS-rank ability user and the strongest hero currently existing, that title belonged to Seok Harang. Deokbae crossed his arms.

“Since Seok Harang lost, aren’t we superior for now?”

“Since she lost and then awakened to SS-rank by gritting her teeth and resolving to do better, the dominant theory is that they should fight again.”

Yooishin subtly showed Deokbae the data he had searched for. Over the weekend, the hero communities worldwide were abuzz with the rivalry between the two ability users who appeared in East Asia.

The monstrous human, Villain Phoenix, who killed Gwanggeom and defeated Unjang.

The hero, Seolhwa Princess Seok Harang, who single-handedly froze the S-rank Sea Dragon Moby Dick and the sea.

People were enthusiastic about the fated rivalry between fire and ice. Since Gwanggeom’s death naturally created a grudge, it was only natural for people to instigate a confrontation between the two.

*slam!* Gaeul slammed the table.

“Aaaargh! So annoying! No one is taking my side!”

“Well, the leader-nim is a Villain.”

A Villain who interfered with the Seoul Recovery Operation and ruined the Pyongyang advance was unlikely to be popular. Experts, considering the superiority in power, were siding with Phoenix, but emotionally, they were openly revealing their true feelings that they wished Seolhwa Princess would win. Gaeul gnawed at her Tentacles and growled.

“Should I open an SNS account?”

“Are you going to manage it? Don’t even think about it.”

“…….SNS?”

Ji-hwa rubbed his chin with his hand. Seeing that he looked like an idea had popped into his head, Yooishin subtly pulled his chair closer to Ji-hwa.

“Do you have a good idea…?”

“……Gaeul. Where is the leader-nim right now?”

“Right now?”

Gaeul let out a hollow laugh and brought up a screen.

– Going on a date with Seok Harang.

“That’s what it says. Honestly.”

Gaeul furiously typed on the keyboard. The three monstrous humans quietly left the lounge and moved elsewhere. Gaeul didn’t even notice and went around all the communities, predicting Phoenix’s overwhelming victory.

“Hehehe, just you wait. We’ll see who wins. What? Seolhwa Princess’s overwhelming victory? Gulag if you object? Who is this?”

Gaeul’s hand froze at an SNS message from someone quite famous. Of all things, the Round Table had come out in defense of Seolhwa Princess.

* * *

Russia. Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport.

“Whoever it is, they’re malicious. A birdbrain wins? Hmph, whose daughter is she anyway?”

Anastasia asserted Seolhwa Princess’s victory on SNS and chugged vodka. Oracle, who was right next to her, turned pale and put her index finger to her lips.

“Please just shut up…! Don’t make a slip of the tongue!”

“Hey. You saw all my past with ‘Observation,’ didn’t you? Did I say anything I shouldn’t have?”

“I know your long and sad story, so please just shut up, you washboard from outer space!”

Anastasia flicked her finger like light and hit Oracle’s forehead.

“Drop dead, you peeping tom kid.”

“Did I say anything wrong? Apologize to Anastasia, the original owner of your body, right now. Your soul is so strong that your body is also a washboard, aaargh?!”

This time it was quite strong. Anastasia, who had smacked Oracle’s head with the vodka bottle, smiled brightly at the bodyguards and reporters who were standing far away and raised the vodka bottle.

*click*. The reporter quickly took a picture. Anastasia turned her head and returned to a blank expression.

“It’s done. With this, the headline in the article will be Undine Who Subdued a Playboy.”

“Damn it. Heo Yun-hwan must have something wrong with his head. How can he like such a violent alien? Is he a pervert with unusual sexual preferences? …No, actually, he is.”

Oracle scanned Anastasia up and down and scoffed. Anastasia, who instantly caught the meaning in her gaze, spun the vodka in the glass bottle. The vodka shot out of the bottle like a sharp awl.

“I guess I’ll have to take the plane alone. Farewell.”

“……Honestly, you have to admit that. About 140? That’s your original height, isn’t it? How can you commit such a brutal act against a child? I can’t even do that. Really.”

Even with the clearly sarcastic tone, Anastasia put her hand on her chest and felt proud. There was nothing to hide.

“That’s why he’s my husband. Isn’t he practically the first human SS-rank?”

“…There’s Jeon-gwi, you know? And I told you not to say things that would cause misunderstandings-“

“Oracle-nim. Come here for a moment.”

A large man who appeared behind her called Oracle. Vladimir Ivanovich Suvorov. An A-rank ability user who was a former military general and Anastasia’s father.

“…Yes, yes.”

Oracle followed him, making a deathly expression. She wanted to smack Anastasia hard, who was giggling while blowing into the bottle and drinking vodka, but because of the bear in front of her, she couldn’t even think of it.

*creak*. Suvorov opened the emergency exit door. Suvorov, who confirmed no one was there by emitting mana, bent his upper body and met Oracle’s eyes.

“Oracle-nim. You surely know who my daughter has fallen for, don’t you?”

“…Yes. That’s right. Perun-nim.”

Lies don’t work on this person. Oracle answered obediently.

“Then who is this h… *ahem*. Who is this husband my daughter speaks of?”

“I cannot tell you.”

“Oracle-nim!!”

The stairs echoed loudly. The Barrier he had set up almost broke with one shout. Despite this, Oracle’s face was calm.

“I cannot tell you. Unless Undine reveals it herself, how dare I reveal the secrets of heaven?”

Suvorov’s face became urgent.

“Listen. My daughter suddenly cried her eyes out. Then she talks about a husband, and isn’t she talking about love? She’s a child who hadn’t dated anyone for 20 years since collapsing from a heart attack. How embarrassing would it be from a parent’s perspective for such a child to suddenly become like this?”

I’m going crazy too. Oracle barely swallowed the words that had risen to her chin along with her saliva.

‘How do I tell him? Your daughter is already dead, and an alien took over her body and has lived as your daughter for over 20 years! Moreover, that alien was the vanguard of the Seongju who intended to conquer Earth, and she fell in love with Gwanggeom Heo Yun-hwan and had a child! That’s Seolhwa Princess Seok Harang! Wow, amazing fact!’

“…There will come a time when Undine reveals it herself. She seems quite confused herself, so let her do as she wishes for now. I will keep a close eye on her.”

“Alright. …Though I don’t quite trust it.”

“What is my other alias? Before inheriting the Oracle title, I was Cupid. A love matchmaker who connected Hollywood stars. I don’t support anything less than true love.”

“…If you say that much, I understand. I’ll back off for now. But listen.”

Suvorov placed his hand on Oracle’s shoulder and bared his teeth. Yellow electricity crackled on the back of his hand.

“Whoever blinded my daughter, I won’t let it slide easily.”

“……If I ever get a chance to meet that person, I’ll be sure to tell them.”

They’re not even human and much stronger than you. Oracle swallowed the rest of her words and barely escaped the Barrier. On the chair she walked to, completely exhausted, Anastasia was twitching her lips, foolishly watching a video showing Seok Harang’s activities.

Oracle raised both hands to the sky in surrender.

“Long live true love, damn it.”

Oracle’s private jet, carrying two members of the Round Table, took off from Moscow.