My Catastrophic‑Level Summon Devours Gates - Chapter 25

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 25

 

[Bareun Small Intestine Restaurant]

 

An old sign that looked older than my age.

 

Creak—

 

Director Jung Seung-il opened the door that carried the full weight of time’s passage.

 

“Please come in.”

 

“Ah. Yes.”

 

A high-pitched, delicate voice.

 

It was a tone that didn’t match well with his lean build and sharp features.

 

【Who is this person?】

 

“Director Jung Seung-il.”

 

The only SS-rank Hunter in South Korea.

 

One of the heroes of the Great Cataclysm.

 

He’s called the pillar of Korea’s public safety.

 

To see in person someone who regularly appears as a standard question in the Great Cataclysm section of modern history.

 

I was dumbfounded.

 

【So there are strong ones in this world too.】

 

Oh ho.

 

So he’s someone whose martial prowess even the Continental Greatest Sword acknowledges, is that it?

 

Seeing this reaction for the first time, I felt both curious and somehow proud.

 

How would the Director measure up by Sir Isra’s standards?

 

【He would be at Royal Knight level.】

 

What’s that?

 

【The Imperial Knights formed by selecting only the outstanding ones among the Knight Order Members.】

 

Oh.

 

So that means he’s at the highest level.

 

【Though he doesn’t reach my prime.】

 

Yes. Yes.

 

I’m sure you’re right.

 

You’re truly remarkable.

 

“Do you perhaps dislike small intestines?”

 

“Ah, no. I just can’t afford to eat them.”

 

Eek.

 

The small talk went on too long.

 

It’s fortunate we were talking in my mind.

 

If I had said it out loud, I would have looked like a strange person.

 

“It seems you were having a conversation with your Summoned Being.”

 

Ah.

 

I guess it was obvious.

 

“Yes. It said you looked strong, Director.”

 

“It’s nothing impressive.”

 

Hmm.

 

That’s a bit too modest.

 

Considering you’re always counted among our country’s strongest Hunters.

 

Sizzle—

 

The intestines on the heated grill cooked to a golden brown.

 

The savory aroma tickled my nose.

 

But are intestines really important right now?

 

Our country’s strongest Hunter is right in front of me.

 

Sharing a meal with a living legend, there’s no way I could taste the intestines…

 

Munch munch.

 

“This is delicious?”

 

Like hell I couldn’t taste it.

 

What is this.

 

This fantastic flavor.

 

“That’s exactly why I can’t stop coming to this place.”

 

“Wow. I think I’ll have to come again.”

 

Maybe it’s because I’ve been busy moving around since morning.

 

I couldn’t stop using my chopsticks.

 

Now that my stomach was somewhat full, I finally came to my senses.

 

“Ah. This is embarrassing in front of you, Director.”

 

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it. It was worthwhile.”

 

“This is a place I’d like to introduce to my friends too.”

 

【You had friends?】

 

Shut up.

 

When I put down my chopsticks, Director Jung Seung-il’s expression changed.

 

“Thank you for accepting my invitation to dine together, even though I came suddenly.”

 

“Ah. Yes.”

 

“I think you can guess the reason.”

 

“A recruitment offer?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

A request to join the Rift Agency Crisis Response Department.

 

Calmly.

 

Director Jung Seung-il recited the conditions.

 

To be honest, the conditions were terrible.

 

The annual salary was money I could earn by clearing two Gates.

 

After clearing Gates, I’d have to pay 50% commission to the government.

 

The average guild commission is 10%, so this would be five times that amount.

 

But.

 

How could I refuse?

 

This was a Hunter who could be considered the nation’s best.

 

Refusing to his face felt a bit burdensome.

 

“You must think the conditions are quite terrible.”

 

“Ah. That’s…”

 

“I think the same.”

 

Director Jung Seung-il downed a glass of soju.

 

When did he bring alcohol?

 

【It was when you were focused on the food.】

 

As expected of an SS-rank Hunter.

 

Such speed that even Heavenly Martial Body couldn’t detect it.

 

【If you hadn’t been so absorbed in eating, you would have noticed easily.】

 

Shh.

 

Stop it.

 

“That’s how government agencies are. They just keep saying ‘What do you expect when you’re serving the country?'”

 

“But aren’t you a high-ranking person in that agency?”

 

“Hehehe. It’s true that I work out of patriotism.”

 

The Hunters representing the Domestic Big Five are also S+ rank.

 

SS and S+ are only one rank apart.

 

But the actual power difference is said to be enormous.

 

I heard it takes two S+ ranks to barely get ahead.

 

A person who could create the largest domestic guild if he wanted to was chuckling heartily.

 

“Hunter Park Min-ho doesn’t seem like someone who’d be swayed by appeals to patriotism.”

 

When you put it so bluntly, it stings my conscience.

 

As I affirmed with silence, Director Jung Seung-il continued.

 

“Soon there will be a reorganization of the Response Department, no. The Rift Bureau.”

 

“A reorganization?”

 

“In a way where you’d have external affiliation while also participating in Rift Bureau work.”

 

So.

 

It means having dual affiliation.

 

“It’s a concept where you sign a contract in the form of collaboration and help when cooperation requests come down from the Bureau.”

 

“Like a kind of mercenary.”

 

—No commission fees.

 

—Tax deduction benefits applied.

 

—Must participate in Gate clearing when cooperation requests are issued.

 

—Requests can be declined. However, must participate in designated Gate clearing at least once per quarter.

 

“The specific details may change, but this is the general framework.”

 

These are quite generous conditions.

 

There’s not much enforcement.

 

And the benefits are significant.

 

But one question came to mind.

 

“May I ask why you’re telling me this?”

 

If guild members can participate too.

 

There was no need to take time to tell me separately – you could have proposed it when the official system launches.

 

“It’s because Hunter Park has the biggest stake in launching this system.”

 

“Who, me?”

 

“It’s been a long time since we had an S-rank promotion in the country. Thanks to that, it was easy to push this through.”

 

Ah.

 

I see.

 

After being briefed on the new system, we didn’t talk much more.

 

We’d already eaten our fill too.

 

“I’ll escort you home.”

 

“No, thank you. I want to take public transport to help digest the food.”

 

Oh my.

 

They already know my home address from the Hunter Registration Card anyway.

 

But being escorted home was a different story.

 

My mental state is already in tatters from dining with South Korea’s hero.

 

“Then I’ll be going first.”

 

Just as I bowed and was about to turn around.

 

“Hunter Park will become a good Hunter.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

“I wish you good luck.”

 

Director Jung Seung-il extended his hand.

 

The fine wrinkles showed traces of time.

 

I didn’t hesitate and clasped his hand.

 

* * *

 

A luxury sedan emerged from the shabby alley and merged onto the main road.

 

Director Jung Seung-il, sitting in the back seat, looked out the window.

 

“Hunter Park Min-ho. Is he a decent person?”

 

“He’s a solid young man.”

 

“It’s been a long time since you’ve given such a positive evaluation.”

 

Deputy Director Jung from the Response Department replied.

 

“What do you mean, a long time.”

 

“It’s rare for you to say you’re impressed by a Response Department newcomer, isn’t it.”

 

“I only spoke the truth.”

 

While using respectful language toward his conversation partner.

 

Jung Seung-il made his assessment coldly.

 

“You’re as sharp as a sword, just like before.”

 

“That’s how someone in public service should be.”

 

“What did you like about that young man?”

 

“His talent, effort, and character.”

 

Deputy Director Jung, who was driving, slightly turned his head back.

 

“Isn’t that a complete monster then?”

 

He was genuinely surprised.

 

It had been over 20 years since he joined the Response Department and worked under Director Jung Seung-il.

 

Even Deputy Director Jung.

 

This was the first time he had heard someone praised to such an extent.

 

“Well, talent is obvious since he got S-rank. But for someone like that to also work hard. And even his character…”

 

“I noticed he had calluses on his hands.”

 

“Calluses, you say.”

 

“They were hands that had been hammering, carving, and handling things.”

 

A profession shrouded in mystery.

 

According to the staff member in charge of ‘Deep Swamp,’ it was likely a summoning-type class.

 

However, the atmosphere Min-ho gave off felt like a production job.

 

Or maybe it was both.

 

Director Jung Seung-il was able to understand a considerable amount about Min-ho through the information he had gathered beforehand and their conversation.

 

“I didn’t expect his character to receive a passing grade too.”

 

“He looks out for his own interests but not excessively, and he didn’t seem like someone who would harm others.”

 

It wasn’t because he was naive.

 

His own value.

 

His behavior that looked toward the future.

 

Yet not being overly greedy.

 

These were the reasons Director Jung Seung-il gave him high marks.

 

“Patriotism didn’t work, did it?”

 

“Are you asking when you didn’t even expect it to?”

 

“I thought maybe.”

 

The job offer from the Rift Management Bureau was cleanly rejected.

 

To work solely on a sense of duty and patriotism.

 

Too much time had passed since the Great Upheaval.

 

Even Director Jung Seung-il, who still harbored such feelings, didn’t expect that kind of spirit from young Hunters.

 

“We won’t have to worry about him going abroad for a while.”

 

“Did the Special Operations Unit get some interest?”

 

“They showed sufficient interest.”

 

The true purpose that Min-ho hadn’t noticed.

 

Testing the waters by mentioning the Special Operations Unit establishment story to see how much interest it would generate was successful.

 

“Hunter outflow has become severe recently.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“To the point where the question of Guild versus Rift Bureau has become secondary.”

 

The number and military strength of Hunters are directly linked to national competitiveness.

 

Behind the Special Operations Unit establishment lay political calculations.

 

“We’ll need to keep watching Hunter Park Min-ho going forward.”

 

“Understood.”

 

He didn’t even hope for recruitment into the Rift Bureau.

 

It would be enough just to protect this Hunter with excellent skills, firm resolve, and decent character so he wouldn’t be broken.

 

No.

 

‘Still, it would be nice if he came to the Response Department.’

 

Director Jung Seung-il buried the thought he couldn’t bring himself to voice in his heart.

 

* * *

 

“Ugh.”

 

Maybe it was because I met a high-ranking official without warning.

 

My sleep was restless.

 

【Why are you shuddering so much?】

 

“I was rude in front of the Director’s proposal.”

 

The aftertaste isn’t good.

 

【Then you should have accepted the recruitment offer.】

 

“Ah. I don’t want that.”

 

Low pay and many restrictions.

 

Even if I generously tolerate the high commission fees.

 

Having restrictions on activities would be inconvenient and unacceptable.

 

【Are those restrictions things like this?】

 

“Like what.”

 

【Lounging around in the morning.】

 

“Could you call it Web Surfing?”

 

Anyone listening would mistake me for unemployed.

 

Absolutely not.

 

I’m not playing around because I’m not fully awake.

 

I’m in the middle of important work searching for materials needed to create new undead.

 

【Are you trying to improve the Armed Zombie Warrior creation method?】

 

“First, I’m going to create a Skeleton Mage.”

 

The Skeleton Mage Blueprint was engraved in my mind during the skill enhancement process.

 

The most important Mage Corpse was obtained from the Domain of Challenge.

 

If I can just get a few more materials.

 

“Our party will finally have a ranged attacker too.”

 

【You’d be better off sending reinforcements from the Storm Knight Order instead.】

 

“Hey now. Just wait a bit.”

 

Do you think researching undead creation methods just works out smoothly whenever I want?

 

I’ve had a lot on my mind lately, so I haven’t even been able to touch it yet.

 

There’s also the achievement at stake.

 

I need to clear out a whole day and focus on research.

 

While searching for monster byproducts on the online Hunter Auction.

 

【Oh?!】

 

Sir Isra’s sudden outcry made my head throb.

 

“What is it? Why?”

 

【L-look at this!!】

 

I can’t tell what he’s looking at.

 

I can’t even tell what he’s pointing at.

 

Calm down your excitement and speak slowly.

 

【Right below your finger.】

 

“Ah. The 12 Heroes’ Weapons Exhibition?”

 

The 12 Heroes.

 

A term referring to the twelve Hunters who saved the world from crisis during the Great Catastrophe.

 

An event honoring the heroes’ noble spirit and achievements.

 

It was an exhibition that displayed the legendary armaments they used back then to the general public.

 

“I heard it was on a world tour. This time it’s in our country.”

 

【That sword.】

 

“You mean Black Knight Gerard’s Beloved Sword.”

 

【That’s the sword I used when I was alive.】

 

What?

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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