78 – Birth: Beginning of Act 2

Four days ago, the headquarters of the Monster Management Bureau.

Hye-seo, who led the investigation of the accident site all night, was sitting in a conference room in the headquarters building with a tired face.

There was not a common window in the dim interior, and only a few small lights hanging sparsely on the walls illuminated the interior.

At first glance, it is an unusual space.

And right in front of Hye-seo, a beam of light shoots out and begins to create a human-shaped hologram.

It was Director Choi Il-geon, the highest authority of the Monster Management Bureau.

Hye-seo stood up from her seat, nodded absent-mindedly, and sat down again.

Aside from knowing why he was summoned here today, it was because his mind was distorted by the death of a senior he respected.

furthermore.

-Don’t ask me, Hye-seo. Did you know that my daughter is getting married to Hunter Jangsuho of the Black Guardian Guild this time? It’s not a penny or two. If I get a pay cut or disciplinary action here, it might really be a big deal. please please huh?

The head of the investigation headquarters, who organized a top-secret investigation project called the [IS Project] together, asked for poisoning in order to avoid responsibility in the death of Han Chang-ho holder.

A high-risk, high-return project that even had to fool the director’s eyes.

In the end, it failed, so we have to endure the high risk together, but the head of the headquarters pulled out of his feet.

The IS project was a top secret of top secrets that was not even reported to the head of the monster management bureau.

Because the only people who knew about the project were the person in charge, the head of the office, and the holder Changho Han.

Even at the beginning, he said he would be a reliable supporter, but when the accident happened, the head of the headquarters was in a hurry to run away.

However, Hye-seo only chewed on her molars, and did not reject it.

It wasn’t a decision he made because of the unpleasant feelings that had accumulated over the years.

After all, his heavy punishment is scheduled.

Whether he carried it alone or with the head of the headquarters, the level of severe punishment to be given to him did not change, so it was meaningless whether he used poisoning or not.

What’s more, she didn’t even care about discipline.

The failure of the IS project, the blood and sweat of which he put so much effort into, the death of Han Chang-ho, and the image of cadet Han Tae-jin fighting against the S-class hunter were shaking in his mind.

It was a sight that gave goosebumps all over my body and made me feel fear for the first time in a long time.

The bright red eyes that craved blood and the bright red magic that roared were the first overwhelming feeling after becoming the head of the Villain Investigation Team of the Monster Management Bureau.

Even though he has a human form, he is absolutely fearful as if he is facing a super-giant monster.

The beast-like magic of Han Tae-jin, who was about to be overwhelmed and crushed, was drawn in his mind as a vivid afterimage.

It was a magic that is hard to describe.

Fierce like a beast, ferocious like a monster, something like that.

If, as Hunter Park Na-yeon said, if Han Tae-jin had not fainted from a mana explosion himself, it would have been a desperate situation where he might have joined.

‘What the hell is your identity, Han Tae-jin?’

I am saddened by the death of my senior Han Chang-ho and angry that the IS project was abandoned, but strangely, thoughts about Han Tae-jin remain in my mind.

《Team leader Kim Hye-seo.》

At that time, Director Choi Il-gun called her.

Hye-seo brushed off her thoughts and corrected her posture.

“yes. Chief.”

《The IS project… There was a top-secret investigation going on that even I, the director, didn’t know about?”

“yes.”

Hye-seo answered confidently.

He wasn’t afraid of severe punishment.

It was just bittersweet that the trick to catch God Rachel, the head of the illusion, disappeared due to the failure of the project.

However, she had no intention of giving up.

If it was for her parents’ long-cherished wish, she would have come up with another method to wipe out the illusion without fail.

《Han Chang-ho disguised himself as death and infiltrated Illusion to try to find out the identity of God Rachel and the location of Gaikan… The intentions were good, but in the end, it turned out to be a devoted couple.”

“I have no face.”

《The IS project, disguising the death of a platinum holder and turning them into illusion spies… It seems to be quite big to run alone, but are holder Han Chang-ho and team leader Kim Hye-seo really the leaders?”

“yes. That’s right.”

《Hmm.》

Director Choi Il-gun opened his eyes and looked at Hye-seo. It seemed that he did not believe that he had done a project alone that he had not even heard of.

However, I didn’t bother asking because I knew what kind of person Kim Hye-seo was.

instead.

“I will gladly accept any punishment.”

He would admit that he conducted a top-secret investigation, avoiding his own eyes as the director, but failing to do so was something that could not be tolerated.

“yes.”

“All right. Then I will punish you immediately.”

Even though the disciplinary action is imminent, the afterimage of Han Tae-jin fills Hye-seo’s mind again.

A series of afterimages that are getting thicker and thicker, and even if you try to shake them off, they stick to you like leeches, suck your blood, and inflate your size.

“ah.”

Then, suddenly, something flashed through my mind.

Why does he keep coming to mind?

A strange aura hidden behind absolute fear.

Why is that energy shaking my brain and inflating my size?

finally realized

It was because the result of the intense magic that Han Tae-jin exuded was the same as that of his senior and teacher, Han Chang-ho.

This was a special resolution that only he, who was an exclusive disciple of Han Chang-ho, could know.

The same magical grains emitted in an extreme crisis situation mean that the instincts are the same, and that means the souls dwelling inside are the same.

Puzzles that seem to finally come together.

It was Hye-seo who only exclaimed at him.

《Is there anything you want to say before the disciplinary action?》

Choi Il-gun asked.

“no. There is not.”

However, Hye-seo firmly shook her head and answered.

After realizing why the afterimage of Han Tae-jin was hitting her brain, her eyes were urging her to take disciplinary action.

“All right. Then, as of today, Holder Kim Hye-seo will be removed from her position as investigation team leader, and will be placed on probation for two months. Regarding future actions, instructions will be issued from the main office once the probation is lifted.”

“All right. Are you done?”

《… Do you think you have no intention of objecting?”

“There is not.”

“good. So let’s end this quietly. However, keep in mind that there will be no mercy twice.”

“yes. I will keep that in mind.”

《… .》

Choi Il-gun bit his molars slightly, perhaps disapproving of Hye-seo who answered before he even finished speaking as if he was waiting for punishment.

However, there was no reason to reprimand any more.

“Then let’s go.”

He didn’t even feel the need to reprimand, so he had no choice but to look at Hye-seo’s back after opening the door.

And that was the last appearance of Kim Hye-seo Holder that he could see.

#

“Yes?! The team leader is on probation?! why?!”

Hye-seo, who returned to her seat, frowned as her subordinate, Park Dong-jin, slapped her ear.

However, he silently packs his luggage without replying.

-chin! chin! chin!

… Rather than taking care of it, it was just tossing it in the box.

Park Dong-jin jumped up from his seat and approached Hye-seo.

“no! manager? whatever you say… !”

“shut up. Are you planning on spreading rumors about the neighborhood?”

“No, why the hell did such a punishment come out of nowhere!”

Knowing that it is Dong-jin who is paying ardor for her, Hye-seo sighs and looks down for a while holding the picture frame with Han Chang-ho on the table, then puts it in the box.

“If it’s black, you have to black it, what.”

“No, chief!”

“shut up. While I’m gone, if you get any information about Gad Rachel or high-ranking officials, contact me right away. Okay?”

“yes?”

Park Dong-jin looks at the person who has been put on probation and is now obsessed with Rachel.

However, at Hye-seo’s cold eyes, she comes to her senses. Because he also happened to know why Hye-seo came to hate Rachel and why he joined the Monster Management Bureau.

“Ah, yes! But now what… .”

“I told you to put it on, so you have to put it on.”

Dongjin knew that the words were ironic.

Because Kim Hye-seo is such a person.

He knew full well that it was her rule not to obey orders.

However, knowing that it would be difficult without official support from the Monster Management Bureau, he only looked at him with a worried expression.

Hye-seo, who had already put everything in the box, was about to leave with the box.

But.

“ah! Now, wait! manager.”

Dongjin hurriedly returned to his seat and handed over a small package.

“What is this?”

“Don’t you know? It just arrived. But there was no sender information?”

“okay?”

A mysterious package that arrived at a time when the Illusion Terror incident was still unresolved.

Hye-seo immediately tore the packaging at the package that had a strong feeling.

and.

“… This.”

I could see a cylindrical device in a small parcel box.

A cylinder with a circumference that can be wrapped and held with one hand has a monitor attached to the body that looks like a password.

Seeing this, Dong-jin is frightened.

“Hee!? Eh, isn’t this a mana bomb?!”

Hye-seo shook her head.

If it was a bomb, it would have exploded as soon as the package was opened, or a timer would have to be set.

Therefore, this is a device that only works by entering a password.

And if someone sent this, he must have wanted it to work.

Hye-seo enters the four-digit password on the numeric keypad without hesitation.

-Beep, beep, beep, beep.

Inconsistency.

-Beep, beep, beep, beep.

Inconsistency.

-Beep, beep.

“Hee! T, what are you doing, chief? What are you going to do when it explodes!”

The third input was blocked by Dongjin.

Small bombs like this, no matter how mana bombs, cannot seriously injure advanced hunters or holders.

However, it was a bomb that ordinary people could evaporate without a handful of powder.

“… scram.”

To that, Hye-seo allowed him to leave.

“Yes, yes!”

Dongjin rushed out of the room.

Hye-seo is left alone.

He tossed a cylindrical object as if juggling and sat down on a chair.

Usually, this type of device is set to be permanently sealed when a certain number of errors are made in order to prevent anyone other than the recipient from reading it.

I had to be careful.

“Hmm… .”

Hye-seo ponders for a while.

As if he had made up his mind soon, he pressed the password.

-Tiriling.

It was the date [IS PROJECT] started.

– Iron Duck.

Ironically, on the date the IS project ended, the date that announced its start came back.

It seemed to announce that the IS project was not over yet, and that the second act was about to begin.

After a while, a hologram floats over the activated device.

It was a familiar face, a hope that I thought was over.

Because he was my senior and teacher Han Chang-ho.