A screen lit behind Director Jong. A chat with Jinwoo.
---
[Jong]: Mr. Jinwoo. I'll get straight to the point. Join the Association. We'll give you better benefits than any S-Ranker.
[Jinwoo]: 6 billion.
[Jong]: Yeah, no.
---
"That's the Hero Hunter, Jinwoo, right?" Minsoo asked, barely holding back his laughter.
Mira rolled her eyes. "Who else demands 6 billion like it's pocket change?"
Minsoo leaned against the wall, grinning. "He really hung up after that. Man's allergic to negotiations."
Director Jong sighed, rubbing his temples. "Six. Billion. Is he out of his mind or just… committed to the bit?"
"He's committed, sir," Harin muttered. "Deeply."
The room fell into a weird silence. The kind where everyone was thinking the same thing but didn't want to say it.
"...So what now?" Mira finally asked.
Jong turned back to the screen, now showing Hyunsoo's profile. His tone shifted.
"We go with Plan B. Hyunsoo. Jinwoo's location is still unknown, but we've tracked Hyunsoo. And since the majority voted against using him as bait, we're going forward with Japan's proposal."
"And what's that?" Minsoo asked, arms crossed now.
Jong tapped the tablet. A holographic file lit up the table — the Japanese flag and a glowing scroll hovering above it.
"A teleportation scroll. Grade-A. One use. Japan's Mage Division sent it this morning. Pinpoint entry into Pangyo."
---
The 10 hunters in the room — the best the Association had — stood silently around the table, all of them elite in their own class:
10. Minsoo Kang – Class (Brawler)
9. Mira Han – Class (Healer)
8. Daejin Yoon – [Special] Class (Magic Marksman)
7. Harin Park – [Special] Class (Sprit swordswoman)
6. Eunjae Kwon – [Special] Class (Shadow Walker)
5. Taesik Lim – Class (Tanker)
4. Jiwoo Nam – Class (Mage)
3. Areum Choi – Class (Assasin)
2. Hyuk Jang – [Special] Class (Booster)
1. Seokjin Ryu – [Special] Class (Barrier Specialist)
---
"They want thirty percent of the Hero Hunter's bounty in return," Jong said. "Standard deal. We get the scroll, they get the credit."
"And how much is the bounty on Jinwoo?" Jiwoo asked, raising an eyebrow.
Jong swiped on the tablet again, pulling up a new screen.
"Current bounty stands at ₩18 billion," he said. "Nationwide."
"Eighteen billion?" Minsoo whistled. "He really pissed off the right people, huh?"
"Not just here," Mira added. "He's got at least five cross-border incidents tagged to him. Korea, China, Philippines, even a skirmish near Vladivostok. It's not just about beating heroes anymore."
"Yeah," Eunjae said quietly. "He's making a statement."
"Exactly," Jong replied. "Which is why this mission isn't just retrieval. It's reputation control."
"And Hyunsoo?" Harin asked. "He's still just labeled as an 'associate', right?"
"Yes, but he, too has a bounty of 7 billion." Jong replied.
"So not only are they criminals that need to be caught…" Minsoo muttered, eyes wide with amusement. "They're also walking hitmarks?"
"Basically," Kang Nam replied, blowing out a slow breath. "We're not just fighting two outlaws. We're fighting two symbols."
"Symbol my ass," Areum scoffed, twirling a knife between her fingers. "They're not freedom fighters. Just two monsters hiding behind rubble."
"You say that," Jiwoo chimed in, "but one of those 'monsters' made the Philippines declare a ceasefire just so they could evacuate civilians."
Even Taesik, who barely spoke, grunted. "Took down a rogue guild leader in Busan, too. No casualties."
Everyone glanced at each other.
Jong raised a hand. "I don't care what they seem like. Jinwoo is a threat. Hyunsoo is a risk. If we wait too long, that risk becomes a third disaster."
"Agreed," Daejin said.
"Now, what's the plan?"
"2 Gb for 28 days one." Jong replied
Silence fell in that room, until it was broken by Jong himself.
".Ahem.. First, we will have Seokjin try to talk it out with Hyunsoo."
"Do you actually think that would work?" Taesik facepalmed.
"No, that's why I am sending Seokjin. If the conversation fails, he will use the teleportation scroll to teleport both of them to the basement in Pangyo"
Minsoo blinked. "Wait, just them two?"
Jong nodded. "Seokjin's barrier will keep him alive longer than any of us. If Hyunsoo reacts violently, we contain the threat immediately in a sealed space."
"You're using the basement as a cage," Eunjae muttered.
"A negotiation room," Jong corrected. "With thick walls."
Areum rolled her eyes. "So it's a jail. Got it."
Hyuk crossed his arms. "And what about us?"
"You nine will follow thirty seconds after," Jong replied. "We're syncing two scroll activations. One for Seokjin and Hyunsoo. The second for the rest of you."
"So we're backup?" Mira asked.
"You're the strike team," Jong clarified. "Seokjin tries peace. If that fails, you go loud."
Seokjin, who had been quiet this whole time, finally spoke.
"I'll get him to talk."
Everyone turned to look.
His tone was calm — too calm — but his gaze was sharp. Like someone already calculating the outcome ten steps ahead.
"If Jinwoo shows up," he added, "I'll hold him off. You take Hyunsoo."
Minsoo raised an eyebrow. "You think you can take Jinwoo alone?"
"I don't need to win," Seokjin said. "I just need to buy time."
"Buy time for what? Nuclear bomb? Who do you think can beat him?"
Seokjin didn't blink.
"Japan's isn't the only country helping."
The room tensed.
"What do you mean?" Harin asked slowly.
Seokjin turned to Jong.
The director nodded. "He's right. The U.S. sent over something last night."
He tapped his tablet again. A classified file opened — locked behind three security layers. The hunters leaned in.
"Operation Cagewalker," Jong said. "A spatial lockdown system. It's experimental, but if Jinwoo gets caught in it…"
"We trap him," Seokjin finished.
"Trap him where, exactly?" Minsoo asked, eyeing the diagram.
"A dimensional bubble," Jiwoo muttered, recognizing the design. "Like a pocket universe. A mini-prison floating between space-time. Only opens from the outside."
"Sounds like sci-fi BS," Areum muttered.
"It is," Seokjin admitted. "But if it works, we don't need to beat him. We just need to bait him in."
"And you're the bait," Mira said.
"Exactly."
---
At a random open restaurant called "Bun's Grill & Rice",
Hyunsoo and Seokjin sat across from each other.
No plates. No food. Just two tall glasses of untouched water sweating under the summer heat.
But even that wasn't half as tense as the atmosphere between them.
Everyone around was staring. Pretending not to, but absolutely staring.
The top hunter in Korea — Seokjin Ryu, the man with the unbreakable barrier.
And across from him?
That guy.
That guy people had seen in blurry gate-footage. That guy who might be with the Hero Hunter.
No one knew for sure. But damn if he didn't look cool enough to be a criminal.
Phones were already pointed under the tables.
---
"You like rice bowls?" Seokjin asked casually.
Hyunsoo didn't reply. He stirred his straw, deadpan.
"I personally like eel," Seokjin continued, ignoring the silence. "When I was younger, I used to think they looked like dragons."
Hyunsoo looked up. "You're stalling."
Seokjin met his eyes. "I am. Letting the scroll sync."
Hyunsoo snorted. "At least you're honest. So, what's this scroll about?"
"It's a teleportation scroll to Pangyo."
"Why?"
"To have a negotiation"
"Can't we do it here"
"Will you agree just because I will say so"
"Nope."
Seokjin smiled faintly. "Exactly."
The scroll in his pocket began to hum lightly — a low vibration only a hunter could feel.
"So," Hyunsoo leaned forward, elbows on the table, "what's your plan? Trick me, teleport me, cage me?"
"No tricking," Seokjin said. "You'll see it coming."
Hyunsoo's eyes narrowed. "You're actually gonna try to talk me down? Like some anime protagonist preaching friendship?"
"I'm not here to preach," Seokjin replied calmly. "I'm here to give you a choice."
Hyunsoo laughed, a quiet, sharp breath. "Choice? Between jail and death?"
"Yes." Seokjin tapped the table once. "Going to jail is a given. Comply and there will be no need to fight. Also, you could do a favour to help find jinwoo for us."
"Well, you could do me that favour. I haven't been in contact with him for days."
Seokjin got up and stared at hyunsoo.
"Get up, the scroll's ready or.."
"..Will I have to force you?" His tone grew colder and sharper.
Hyunsoo stayed seated.
He didn't blink, didn't flinch—just stared up at Seokjin like he was watching a dog bark at a thunderstorm.
"You really think you can force me?" Hyunsoo asked, voice low.
Around them, the air shifted. People started getting up, sensing something was about to go very, very wrong.
Seokjin didn't answer. He didn't need to.
His hand went to his pocket — the scroll glowing faint blue now.
Hyunsoo's eyes flicked to it. "You use that, and you're dragging me into a cage. That's not a conversation. That's a setup."
"It's containment," Seokjin corrected. "You just said you haven't been in contact with Jinwoo. That makes you disposable."
A flash of something — not fear, not anger — disappointment crossed Hyunsoo's face.
Then he stood up.
And the table between them exploded.
A pulse of raw force, invisible but heavy, rippled out from Hyunsoo's step. The glass cups shattered. The chairs flew back. Phones dropped.
And yet — Seokjin didn't budge. His barrier shimmered like a heatwave around him, neutralizing the shock instantly.
Customers screamed. The restaurant cleared in seconds.
"You call that containment?" Hyunsoo muttered, dusting his sleeves. "That's war."
Seokjin took out the scroll.
"No," he said flatly, "this is war."
FLASH.
The scroll activated — swallowing both of them in a flash of light. The last thing visible in the restaurant was the cratered floor where the table used to be.
---
30 seconds later.
Nine other scrolls glowed inside the Association HQ.
Jong's voice rang out: "Engage. Strike team, deploy."
And the elite team vanished one by one — sucked into the same portal with synchronized precision.
Destination: Pangyo.
Mission: Capture Hyunsoo. Trap Jinwoo.
Outcome: Unknown.
---
PANGYO — THE BASEMENT
The teleportation landed Seokjin and Hyunsoo in the center of a giant, concrete underground room — circular, layered with sigils, and humming with sealed energy.
The scroll burned to ash in Seokjin's hand.
The lights overhead flickered.
Hyunsoo didn't hesitate.
He moved — fast — aiming straight for Seokjin's chest.
But he hit nothing. His palm slammed into a translucent wall.
"Barrier's up," Seokjin said. "And so is the timer."
"Timer for what?" Hyunsoo asked.
Seokjin's eyes glowed faintly. "Thirty seconds. Until the others arrive."
Hyunsoo's jaw clenched. "You really went all-in, huh."
"Last chance. Give up and quietly go to the Awakener jail"
"Nope." Hyunsoo took a step back, and rushed again, hitting the very corner of the barrier.
The barrier shatter in an instant, and so did Seokjin's cool-facade.
'how did he find out the weakness in just a single strike?!'
Just before the punch landed, Seokjin dodged and stepped back.
Both stared at eachother.
The battle was about to break out.
And it was about to overturn the whole korea.