Chapter 395
“Follow me.”
Magic Johnson led us to none other than the hospital rooftop.
I glanced around the empty landing pad, devoid of helicopters or jets, and asked, “There’s nothing here?”
“Wrong. I’m here,” Magic Johnson replied curtly, but the meaning behind his words was anything but simple.
It seemed Captain Choi had the same thought as me, as his eyes widened slightly.
“Mr. Johnson, could it be…?”
“That’s right, we’re going to use *Teleport* magic.”
*Teleport.* In simple terms, instant transportation.
Magic Johnson talked about it as casually as if he were riding a tricycle, but *Teleport* magic was notorious for its extreme difficulty.
It wasn’t just about the complex requirements for casting the spell. If you were even slightly off on the coordinates, you could end up dead.
A single misstep could fuse you with an apple tree or a rock—gruesome.
“…Can’t we just take a jet instead?”
“Nope.”
Magic Johnson answered firmly, narrowing his eyes.
“Hey, Jin. Don’t tell me you don’t trust me? I’m Magic Johnson. Want me to show you to prove it?”
It was actually making me more nervous that he felt the need to reassure me. I didn’t care if he showed me his teleportation skills or something else. I just wanted to get to the destination peacefully on a jet.
Picking up on my anxious look, Captain Choi spoke up.
“As you know, Mr. Johnson, we’re in a region where the Arch Lich’s influence is strong. Not only is magic interference rampant, but even communication is unstable.”
“Oh, that’s all it is? I was wondering,” Magic Johnson chuckled.
“How do you think I got here in the first place?”
“…What?”
“No way…”
“That’s right. I teleported here. It was a little annoying, but nothing can hold back *Magic Johnson.*”
*Snap!*
With a snap of his fingers, a pillar of flame erupted in midair. His magic manifested as easily as breathing. It was a stark contrast to the Public Security’s mages, who had been struggling due to the magic interference.
“So, you could’ve done this from the beginning?”
“Not exactly. So far, most magic has been manageable despite the interference, but teleportation was too risky to attempt.”
“Then…”
“The Arch Lich… His power has been gradually weakening. Especially after last night, most of the interference has dissipated. Although, it seems like the communication lines are still a mess.”
Magic Johnson’s abilities are something only one of the three grand magicians in the world could pull off.
Flashing a grin, Magic Johnson extended his hand toward us.
“Now, isn’t that enough to trust me?”
“If you say so.”
I took his hand without hesitation, but Captain Choi quietly stepped back.
“Captain Choi?”
“I’ll stay behind.”
“What? Why, Choi?”
“There’s still work I need to handle here. Besides, I don’t have much say in these matters. Whether I hear it firsthand or receive a report later, it’ll be the same.”
Captain Choi always stays calm and assesses the situation realistically. If he can’t change the main event, he focuses on handling the secondary tasks.
I wanted to tell him he was wrong, but I just nodded in agreement.
*He’s not wrong, after all.*
Even the most influential S-rank hunters were ultimately mercenaries from other countries, just borrowed swords.
That’s why Chairman Xiao Yang and Defense Minister Wei Fenghu made it clear that they held the ultimate command authority.
“Choi, you can’t just leave! Is it because Jin isn’t charming enough?”
I swear, I wanted to punch him. But maybe I should feel lucky?
After whining for a while, Magic Johnson finally gave Captain Choi a reluctant farewell.
“Well, I can’t help it. See you later, Choi.”
“Take care.”
“Take care? This’ll only take a second.”
Magic Johnson shrugged before turning to me.
“Hey, Jin. Ready?”
“Yeah.”
“Hold on tight. Don’t let go.”
“…Why are we interlocking fingers? Can’t I just hold your palm?”
*This is something couples do, right?*
As a late-20s bachelor, the idea of holding hands, fingers intertwined, with this massive black man was uncomfortable.
Sensing my hesitation, Magic Johnson spoke in a soft tone.
“You can let go if you want, but if you lose your grip while we’re teleporting, you might die.”
At that, I gripped his hand tightly, imagining my first crush.
“Let’s go, darling.”
Magic Johnson’s face turned serious.
“Sorry, Jin. You’re not my type. You don’t have to hold that tightly, so ease up a bit.”
“…Ah, okay.”
“Alright, let’s go.”
Just as I opened my mouth to respond—
*Whooosh!*
*Ugh!*
I felt a sudden tightness in my chest, the air thick and oppressive, as if it were squeezing my entire body.
In the blurry vision before me, Captain Choi’s figure flickered like a mirage before vanishing altogether.
The world flipped upside down, the ground and sky traded places, and then, finally, came an overwhelming sense of release.
“Pwah!”
I exhaled the breath I had been holding in, taking in the cool, refreshing air that filled my lungs. As I blinked, the blurred scenery sharpened into focus.
Though only a second had passed in my perception, the landscape and people before me were completely different.
“The last guest has arrived.”
Approaching me was Wei Fenghu, the Defense Minister of the Central Military Commission. He looked like he had aged ten years in just a week as he patted me on the shoulder.
“Everyone’s waiting. Let’s go inside.”
“Wait a second…”
“Hm?”
“…Uuuweeegh!”
*Splat!*
For reference, I’m quite tall. About two heads taller than Wei Fenghu.
And now I was vomiting all over the top of this old general’s head.
From behind, I heard Magic Johnson’s voice.
“Oh, I forgot to mention that teleport sickness can get worse. Sorry, Jin. Sorry, Wei Fenghu.”
“You should’ve told me before—*Uuweegh!*”
*Sigh.*
It took a bit of extra time to clean up before the meeting could begin.
—
In the large conference room, a holographic video was playing in the dim light.
The footage, taken from a pilot’s perspective, showed complex control panels and clouds scattering outside the reinforced glass. As the descent began, countless dots appeared below.
Those dots swarmed the ground like waves.
*Monsters.*
It wasn’t hard to figure out that the person in the footage was a fighter pilot. With a headcam on, he transmitted a message somewhere.
“This is YANU-4885. I repeat, YANU-4885. Target acquired. Ready to fire.”
“Fire at will.”
There was a crackle of static, but the message was still understandable. After taking a deep breath, the pilot carried out his mission without hesitation.
*Vwoosh!*
With a small tremor, the missile attached to the aircraft shot out. In an instant, it turned into a dot and sped toward the center of the advancing monster horde.
Just as it was about to strike—
*Whoosh!*
A black vortex suddenly appeared in the empty air above the monsters and swallowed the missile whole.
*Gasp!*
The pilot gasped in shock and immediately pressed the red button on the control stick. But…
*Boom! Crackle!*
A deafening roar filled the air, and the video cut off. The hologram vanished, and Wei Fenghu, looking grim, spoke.
“What does everyone think?”
Magic Johnson, lighting a cigar, answered.
“It’s teleportation magic. They relocated the missile right on top of the aircraft.”
“Could you do something like that, Mr. Johnson?”
After pondering for a moment, he spoke.
“It wouldn’t be difficult. But doing it that quickly and accurately? I don’t think I could.”
“Even a grand magician like you?”
“…Yeah.”
Magic Johnson nodded slightly and exhaled a puff of smoke from his cigar.
He, too, was an S-rank hunter with accomplishments that would go down in history. He certainly had pride in his abilities, so admitting that a monster like the Arch Lich outclassed him didn’t sit well.
But this wasn’t a time for pride. They needed to face reality.
“So we can’t count on firepower support. One wrong shot and it could end in disaster.”
Pai Chen, tapping her slender fingers on a glass of liquor, spoke up.
“We anticipated this, but now it’s clear we’ll have to settle this on the ground.”
“At least the situation is improving overall. The Royal Guard of the British Empire, led by yours truly, has shattered the monster horde. But tell me, is that drink you’re sipping a Romanee-Conti 1945?”
“No, it’s not.”
“Hmm. You lack taste.”
Pai Chen glared at Prince Felix.
“What’s this kid talking about? Hey, get a grip. The British Empire disbanded long ago, and the only reason the monsters are retreating isn’t because you won a few battles. It’s thanks to that guy over there.”
Prince Felix glanced over at me.
“I’ve heard you’ve made great contributions on the western front… Are the rumors true?”
What’s this? Is he implying I’m lying?
I looked at him, annoyed.
“Of course it’s true. Why would I make that up? Don’t believe me if you don’t want to.”
“Your achievements deserve praise, but your tone is rather disrespectful. You should refer to me as Prince Felix and use proper language.”
I complied without hesitation.
“Your Highness, did you perhaps eat some bad fish and chips?”
“Hmph. Brave yet terribly rude.”
*Rude, my ass. I’ll rip your balls off, you prick.*
Meanwhile, Wu Haixing, who had tried to confront me a week ago, remained dead silent, refusing to even make eye contact.
*It’s nice that he’s quiet, but something feels off.*
Knowing how foolish Wu Haixing is, I expected him to pick a fight again. Either he’s more cowardly than I thought, or I misjudged him.
But more concerning than Wu Haixing was another individual sitting quietly across from me.
“You’ve been awfully quiet. Got nothing to say?”
Like a coiled snake, Lee Jung-Ryong smiled softly.
“Thanks for your concern, but I’m fine. As a mercenary, it’s my duty to follow my employer’s wishes without complaints.”
“Ah, I see.”
“It’s a simple principle.”
I smiled and responded.
“But for someone following orders, your performance has been a bit lacking. The situation on the northern front doesn’t look too great. Is that also your employer’s wish?”
At my comment, the room fell silent, as if cold water had been splashed over everyone. Lee Jung-Ryong stroked his chin, feeling the weight of everyone’s gazes.
“I find that remark unpleasant. The Ares Guild and I have been doing our best.”
“Your best? Really?”
“We fought ten battles in the past week and won nine of them. Though we did suffer one unfortunate defeat, I think our achievements are quite impressive.”
Nine wins and one loss. By the numbers, it was indeed an impressive feat.
But when I heard about the northern front’s defeat two days ago, Captain Choi and I couldn’t help but laugh.
*Cunning old fox.*
Lee Jung-Ryong is one of the strongest individuals in the world—no, even by Murim standards, he’s an exceptional powerhouse. Knowing his nature, he certainly wasn’t showing his full strength, so he was likely even stronger than the world believed.
And this man… what?
*“Unfortunate defeat,” my ass.*
I’m sure of it. Even if others aren’t, I can tell for certain.
If Lee Jung-Ryong was involved and still lost, it was a deliberate defeat from start to finish. The fact that the Ares Guild members retreated unscathed despite the heavy casualties proves it.
*Of course, I can’t prove it, so I’ll just have to trust my gut.*
That’s why Lee Jung-Ryong could remain so calm. With his arms casually crossed, he spoke again.
“I regret that defeat, but I’d appreciate it if you refrained from hasty criticism. There was a clear reason for that loss.”
“A clear reason?”
“Who would have expected Death Knights to appear? When the commander was killed, the chaos was impossible to contain.”
“Death Knights…”
“I heard they appeared on the western front last night as well, didn’t they?”
His words jogged my memory. The testimony of the civilian couple we rescued in the small town—their account of how ten Death Knights slaughtered nearly a thousand troops, and how the leader, a black knight, left them alive for some unknown reason.
I had been particularly bothered by the mention of that black knight.
“So, among the ones that appeared on the northern front, was there perhaps…”
Before I could finish my question, the conversation was interrupted by the sound of hurried footsteps echoing through the hallway.
*Bang!*
A Chinese officer burst through the door, panting heavily.
“Huff, huff… Emergency! Emergency!”
He gasped for breath as he delivered the news.
“The monster horde is advancing! Battles have broken out on every front!”
“…What?”
