READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 332: 77% (3)
“No, really. It’s a misunderstanding!”
The fourth S-Class found on the rooftop.
Kim Gi-ryeo was draped in clothes haphazardly, like a patient.
But the fact that the patient was loosely wearing a blue gown over a white T-shirt and lazily dragging monotone slippers from the vending machine didn’t matter at all right now.
Honestly, if the other party was an alien, it would have made sense if they acted bizarrely.
‘Is there CCTV here? If this kind of sight gets public, they’ll just add more charges for assault.’
The association employee who rushed over appeared worried, pondering if that elderly civilian had been offended or something like that.
Of course, Kim Gi-ryeo wasn’t overly flustered by this.
“Hey. Just listen to what I’m saying. It’s a misunderstanding~”
As he kept asserting repeatedly, there was indeed some sort of reason for this situation.
The good news was that the alien that really crash-landed on this planet spoke Earth languages quite fluently, just like in movies.
Soon enough, the blond man began to explain.
*
[1:03 PM]
The incident started with a meeting around this time.
‘What? Seonwoo-yeon texted me?’
Around 1 PM, just past lunchtime.
I had received a notification from a public official saying there was something to discuss and was actively waiting for my Earth acquaintance.
It happened that I had business with her as well.
‘I need to meet the beast corpses that are somewhere.’
There was clearly a hidden agenda behind the dungeon break plan that some scammers had targeted.
I’d mentioned before that I wanted to investigate the bodies of the deceased mages to gather information, and for that, I needed to comply with the rules of the organization that collected the corpses.
And who would know the laws and procedures of this planet well enough? A public official was definitely a strong candidate.
‘Though even if there’s no way to meet them formally, I could later sneak around while keeping an eye on things. For now, let’s proceed gentlemanly.’
So, after finishing my thoughts, I went straight up the stairs.
Anyway, wandering around the hospital, I was just under a lot of scrutiny from non-awakened individuals.
First, I headed towards the fifth floor where my hospital room was.
And I lay on the bed, killing time on my phone.
Originally, I had walked back up here just for this.
But sitting still just on the internet left my throat dry halfway through, so I pondered whether to grab a soda from the vending machine.
‘Aha! I had coins in my wallet!’
The closest vending machine here was in the rooftop garden.
‘Come to think of it, this rooftop is right next to the VIP rooms. The medical staff doesn’t wander around, which is convenient~’
So, I jingled a few coins and flung open a door.
As I just thought, certain areas of this hospital are limited in access.
Honestly, I stood alone for hours in the morning without seeing anyone come by.
But in this situation, I had, well, solid SS-Class awakening powers.
Thus far, to prevent any civilian inside from foaming at the mouth in shock, I had been compressing my magic a bit.
‘Should I stretch a bit?’
Keeping my boosted strength under wraps was exhausting.
For that reason, when I arrived at the rooftop garden, I briefly released the compression.
This was the crux of the whole incident.
“Mommy!”
At that moment, there was a civilian on this rooftop.
An individual with absolutely no magic to even remotely sense me in a mage-like manner.
“Whoa?”
An elderly man leaning on a walker got startled.
It seemed he was shocked to suddenly encounter a huge magical presence.
Soon, he lost his balance and started to topple over.
‘It’s too early to say I’m about to commit murder against an Earthling!’
But what kind of person was this body, anyway?
Just a few days ago, the situation seemed unimaginable, yet now my body, fully awakened to its true potential, displayed superhuman abilities to compensate for all the struggles faced.
So, I caught the falling old man with pure reflexes, saving him in the nick of time.
This whole scene, precisely, meant there was indeed touching backstory behind it.
“It’s simpler than it seems, right?”
“The visual was hardly heartwarming though…”
“It just turned weird when I hurriedly grabbed you. Seriously, with this strength, if I grab someone recklessly, it’s bound to break something!”
I retained my grip on the old man’s clothing while explaining.
Seonwoo-yeon, on the other hand, gave me a gaze that implied alien life forms were incomprehensible and complex, suggesting I should let go of the citizen now.
“Go, go, Grandpa~ Please stay healthy and live long~”
The situation seemed to be wrapping up.
“Just a heads-up, since I specially saved you, don’t go giving weird testimonies!”
However, even after all the cleanup was finished, for some reason, someone’s complexion didn’t improve.
I threw a glance at Seonwoo-yeon and moved away.
Clink, clink, cling.
I started a conversation while casually picking out a drink from the vending machine, just as planned.
“By the way, why’s the atmosphere like this? Is something up?”
“……”
“What do friends even mean? I’m in a pretty good mood personally, considering some recent matters. If there’s something to say, spill it now.”
But then, as I somewhat anticipated, that really was the reason she was here.
“I’m not quite sure how to tell you this…”
Seonwoo-yeon stammered for a moment before revealing the truth.
“Seriously? Am I gonna get arrested for murder?”
To be precise, there were several possibilities, such as involuntary manslaughter and other charges.
It was unclear how I would be charged exactly.
“Is my brain malfunctioning? Like, does Earth really not have the concept of self-defense?”
“No, of course, we do. And in situations like this, it’s usually acknowledged to protect your own S-Class Hunters’ interests. But the vibe seems awfully suspicious right now.”
Hearing that, I briefly checked my phone.
‘I was just told via text that it would be a brief inquiry.’
Now that I thought about it, one of the texts received had indeed asked us to come in for a summons from the police.
But contrary to my assumption that this would be a simple affair, it seemed opinions were forming in the investigation agency that my response had been excessive.
‘Hmm.’
Plus, judging from the vibe, it appeared Seonwoo-yeon wasn’t fully supportive of me either…
‘I get it. To others, the situation could look like I had the power to subdue my opponent yet still chose to kill them.’
It felt unjust.
Let me be clear, I would have loved to save all three beasts if I could.
But simply, the situation just didn’t allow for it.
‘Having just re-awakened, I couldn’t control my strength at all. My head hurts, and I swear that was my utmost effort!’
Even though I retrieved the deep and broad power like waves, the first thought was to save people.
‘Ha, I’m too good-hearted.’
If only they acknowledged this gentle intent of mine, how great that would be!
“I’m so sorry.”
“Again, sorry.”
“Of course, I can’t represent anyone, but you moved to save everyone, and I guess I personally owe you an apology for causing you trouble…”
I crossed my arms and paused in front of the vending machine.
Naturally, I didn’t delve too deep into my thoughts.
‘Seriously, making a fuss just because I dealt with a few puny S-Class wonders. Honestly, in my previous life, I sank an enemy with just one tentacle swipe. How many is that?’
All of this pondering continued to grumble in my head.
‘In the year I’ve been reincarnated here, I’ve only managed to take down a measly four S-Class Hunters. Is that worth being chased like this…?’
Around this time, there was a faint afterimage of someone in a raincoat making a sour expression flashing through one of my neurons.
‘Right. Five. Overall, I’ve dispatched around five of them.’
Anyway, I firmly believed I had done nothing wrong.
If I hadn’t acted in the dungeon, surely there would have been casualties among my allies.
“Anyhow, got it.”
But Earth mammals can’t use magic to unveil a person’s heart.
So, I needed to engage in conversation to explain my benevolent intentions.
“Thanks for the heads-up, and I’ll handle this without getting too lost in it.”
I conveyed my message to Seonwoo-yeon.
“I’ve been reviewing the legal statutes on the side, and most importantly, I can gather a legal defense team with funds.”
“Hmm.”
It seemed she accepted this once she recognized she couldn’t quite aid me more than a professional legal expert.
“Uh, but I just want to ask, if people don’t acknowledge the self-defense claim, would you have plans to wipe out the whole court…?”
Of course, a few uncertainties still lingered.
But was there any need to resort to that?
“No, not at all.”
Violence should strictly be the last resort, only utilized when dialogue fails entirely.
So, I quietly told Seonwoo-yeon.
“It’s a promise. I won’t harm any Earthlings over this.”
Now that I was finally speaking, it was because I had a certain conviction that this issue would resolve smoothly.
‘When I meet with the investigating officer, I’ll lay out my points. They’ll likely aim for a peaceful resolution.’
Why would a situation that could be resolved by words escalate to a full-blown brawl?
Having wrapped my thoughts, I reassured Seonwoo-yeon not to worry about it and finally pressed the button for the drink I desired.
After much deliberation, I chose an apple-flavored sparkling drink from the vending machine.
Clunk.
Looking down, I discovered a can of coffee at the drink exit.
“What the hell──”
It was so out of the blue I instinctively swore.
I clearly pressed the button right, so why this calamity?
But let’s try to think positively. Could this also be one of those ‘bad luck’ moments?
Anyway, how much misfortune was ahead for it to start right at the season’s change?
Holding that errant can of coffee, I looked over at the nearby Earthling helplessly.
*
Hours passed since then.
The advantage of a certain fallen alien in this neighboring nation is probably that people are quite hasty.
I did receive a phone call asking me to appear beforehand.
Even though no specific schedule had been arranged, they just barged in as if saying ‘Oh? The person reported as hospitalized has already come in?’ with the investigator rushing towards me.
Who asserted they wanted to hear my testimony wasn’t just an ordinary cop.
It was a stylishly dressed inspector and a representative from the Supreme Court.
Moreover, a few individuals, including someone referred to as the head of security, were behind them.
‘How many are coming in?’
Is this an investigation room or a conference hall?
Regardless, I ended up explaining the previous case of the [Unauthorized Occupation Gate] in this more crowded environment than I’d anticipated.
At first, the vibe was fine.
“First off, I want to express gratitude for your ongoing efforts to protect the country. Now, please take your time and explain comfortably from here.”
But as time wore on, it was like Seonwoo-yeon warned, I could feel some pressure from them.
“-Oh, then at the time, the beasts weren’t fully capable of using the [Book of Extermination]? You visibly saw the item’s effect wear off. Hmm…”
What could be the reason for this?
“To reasonably consider that I felt threatened for my life and responded in self-defense would be tough since you attacked after regaining your strength…”
“If I hadn’t taken down those beasts there, other hunters would have died.”
“Of course. We all acknowledge your efforts. However, quite frankly, when weighing how appropriate this is legally, we have to be cautious.”
The magic wielded by awakened individuals in modern society could be deemed ‘free weapons’.
Thus, claiming one retaliated with lethal force after losing their own weapon in self-defense could easily be dismissed as unjustified…
Several Earthlings’ doubts made sense.
If we looked too favorably on my actions here, it could set a bad precedent for weaker parties in the future.
‘Given the differentiation in skills and ranks among awakeners, it would complicate assessing adequateness in their counter-action during conflicts.’
But assuming they were weighed in ‘righteous’ reasoning…
Something felt amiss.
Why pick on their own rankers?
‘What’s to gain by scrutinizing me?’
Yet. At this point, many possibilities became evident.
‘An S-Class Hunter causing unrest due to bitterness could leave the city in ruins, but they seem unperturbed, suggesting they have leverage.’
Unfortunately, two hunters from superpowers were mixed into this incident.
‘They must have something to rely on.’
Instantaneously, various scenarios flickered through my mind.
‘Mainly, the perceived reasons might include inter-country prestige, insurance, leverage exchange, or maybe even suppressing the awakening class.’
Personally, Korea is a country where aliens can live fairly happily, but that doesn’t mean it ranks as the top on Earth, so it’s natural to be affected by other countries.
‘Or did a nation blackmail them to lessen the responsibility of its citizens?’
However, despite the countless conjectures sparked, I never once voiced my doubts.
Whisper, whisper….
Then again, this was probably a notion I came to late, but perhaps the very fact that the discussion began from such a standpoint was problematic.
Across the long table, the regular folks gathered, began murmuring among themselves.
No matter how I turned it, it felt impossible for a dead incident to be accepted without questions.
What if this hunter received negative attention in international society?
If that’s the case, we need to bury this matter, and so forth.
Outwardly, their statements might seem caring.
But they weren’t fools.
They surely understood how sensitive awakened ears are.
So, the reason for letting those words be heard was likely to gain leverage in some trivial negotiations to come.
“Excuse me, Hunter Kim Gi-ryeo.”
I shifted my posture slightly.
I put my hands under my shoulder in a habitual thought pose, crossing my arms and raising my gaze diagonally upwards.
It was a gesture of deep consideration.
As I suddenly fell silent, the Earthlings in front of me started stealing glances at me, slowly realizing they should pay attention to the conversation partner.
“Hunter?”
Even when called, my mouth remained shut.
“Everyone, let me first say I forgot to mention…”
But after buying a moment to gather my thoughts, a fairly lengthy opinion flowed out from my lips.
I had already grasped how to resolve this predicament from the moment I left the hospital.
I hoped my understanding of the culture here would be useful and that this problem would be resolved peacefully and swiftly.
“If this issue might become a problem for Korea, I’ll consider relocating. I’m uncertain if this will be viewed as political asylum, but at least the neighboring country has plenty of fans who welcome me.”
I calmly relayed my stance, looking back into space.
“If need be, I’ll change my name to Nakamura and enter the Japanese Hunter industry. Or perhaps I’ll rename to Chiwei and seek citizenship in China. And should people ask why I moved, I plan to say it’s because self-defense wasn’t recognized by my birth country. By the way, may I ask for your names, the responsible officers for this incident?”