Chapter 575
There was no need to check with my eyes, no need to run over and feel for a pulse.
The moment the White Flame Spear, wrapped in blue flames, pierced the Kraken’s body, I knew.
‘It’s over.’
Slash! Boom!
A clean cut, followed by an explosion of fire from within.
The head of the monstrous beast, nearly ten meters tall, burst like a balloon, and blue blood that hadn’t yet evaporated poured down over the sea like a downpour.
And in the next instant—
Craaaash—
As the Kraken’s massive body finally collapsed, a clear bell rang in my ears.
Ding.
* [You have defeated Lv.140 ‘Kraken, King of the Black Sea’!]
* You have gained a large amount of experience!
* [Universal Antidote Pill has neutralized all toxins in your body!]
* Status effect [Poisoned] has been removed!
* Status effect [Paralyzed] has been removed!
Even as the system notified me of the Kraken’s defeat, my mouth felt as dry as if I’d been chewing sand.
‘Damn it.’
I should have kept it alive. I should have found a way to uncover the true mastermind.
But a single moment of carelessness led to irreversible consequences, and the Kraken died, taking its secrets with it.
If it had attacked me directly, it might have had a chance…
‘It was already too late.’
The Kraken was smarter than I thought.
It knew even while poisoned that I was stronger, and that there was no escape.
That’s why, instead of going for me, it targeted the survivors—choosing death over capture.
And with the Kraken’s last desperate struggle, there was only one choice left for me.
“…Haa.”
I let out a sigh, looking at the Kraken’s half-submerged corpse.
It was the only choice. If I hadn’t killed it in a single blow, someone right in front of me would’ve died.
Talking about sacrificing the few for the many always sounds noble, but in truth, it’s still just sacrifice—and standing by, letting people die even when you have the power to stop it.
‘I should never have let my guard down… but it’s already done.’
I was anxious and regretful that I couldn’t uncover the one pulling the strings, but I didn’t regret killing the Kraken.
Because there were people who lived thanks to my decision.
“Hey, over here! Please save us over here!”
“Cough! Please, our child—!”
“Mom! Mom!”
Maybe it was because I fought as far away as possible, but although there were already hundreds of casualties by the time I arrived, there were still more survivors waiting for rescue.
With the desperate cries of people coming from the surging sea and the collapsed Gwangan Bridge, I forced myself to shake off my exhaustion and launched myself into action.
Screeech!
The sharp, salty scent of the sea filled my nose.
I shot across the surface like a gust of wind.
Crossing over the floating Kraken’s corpse, I reached the people and quickly pulled them to safety, reminding them:
“It’s dangerous here. Please stay together. If you can move, help me rescue the others.”
A young man who seemed relatively unharmed spat out water and spoke up.
“Cough. B-but we still need to escape somewhere else…”
“Escape?”
“Y-yes…”
I raised my hand and pointed somewhere. Black smoke was rising through the dense forest of buildings in every direction.
Ordinary civilians couldn’t hear it, but with my heightened senses, I already knew.
– Shshshshk!
– Tanker! Advance three steps!
– The building—the building’s collapsing! Civilians are in danger!
– Aaaah!
Rumble! Crash!
Faint screams and explosions could be heard. Not far away, a battle between humans and monsters was raging in the streets.
And it was happening simultaneously all over the city.
“Monsters are waiting everywhere. Do you still want to go?”
“…No. We’ll stay here.”
At least they understood quickly.
Even though the Kraken was dead, nothing was truly over.
To bring this chaos under control, it looked like I’d be spending a very busy day.
Screeeech, boom!
The survivors stared blankly as I burst out of the water and soared upward.
—
Everyone eats.
But who you eat with, and where, changes everything about the meal.
In that sense, today’s breakfast for two was unusually formal.
The late breakfast dragged on for two hours, accompanied by quiet conversation. Soon, a beautifully arranged bowl of sujeonggwa was placed on the crisp white tablecloth.
“I had rice cake soup prepared since Lunar New Year is soon… I wonder if the meal was to Team Leader Choi’s liking.”
With a polite, gentle voice, Choi Minwoo dabbed his lips with a napkin and spoke.
“Perhaps it was because of your personal attention, but it was excellent.”
“Haha, I’m glad to hear that.”
Sitting across from him, President Baek Hanseong smiled warmly.
“You’ve been so busy lately, I figured you weren’t eating properly. I made sure to tell the Blue House chef to give you special attention—after all, you’re an important guest.”
Calling someone an important guest was no empty phrase.
Getting invited to breakfast at the Blue House already marked someone as a major figure, but a private meal carried even more significance.
It meant President Baek Hanseong regarded Choi Minwoo that highly.
“It’s good to see you eating well. Makes me proud, too.”
Choi Minwoo bowed his head lightly.
“Thank you. I don’t actually go hungry as much as you think, but I suppose I did make you worry.”
“Is that so? Well, I suppose you have your own personal chef.”
“No, these days there’s someone else who looks after me.”
“If someone else cooks for you… Ah, could it be?”
Choi Minwoo gave a small nod.
“Jin Taekyung’s mother prepares my meals.”
“Oh, his mother herself?”
“Yes. I tried to refuse since it didn’t seem right, but she’s very insistent.”
President Baek Hanseong let out a small exclamation.
He’d already heard that Jin Taekyung’s family was staying temporarily at Choi Minwoo’s house, but hearing it directly from the person gave it new meaning.
‘If she’s even preparing meals… They must be closer than I thought.’
Jin Taekyung and Choi Minwoo. Choi Minwoo and Jin Taekyung.
For President Baek Hanseong, these two were the biggest catch he could not let go of, and the only way to restrain the mighty Ares Guild.
Jin Taekyung, who carried enormous prestige, and Choi Minwoo, the only grandchild of Cheon Taemin—if he could work with both, he could rise even higher.
Following his rise as Korea’s youngest president, with the changes in the law, it was more than possible he could become the first two-term president as well.
‘No matter what it takes, I have to make sure both of them become my people.’
While President Baek Hanseong was lost in such political thoughts, Choi Minwoo, sipping his coffee, was thinking something completely different.
‘Tonight’s menu she promised… Was it kimchi stew?’
It was odd. He’d just finished a meal, yet he felt strangely empty inside.
No matter how expertly prepared the tteokguk was, made by the Blue House’s top chef, what he wanted was Jin Taekyung’s mother’s kimchi stew.
Fluffy white rice cooked in a pressure cooker, rich pork and kimchi, and the people sitting together, eating with so much heart at one table.
…Huh?
“…”
He found himself licking his lips, suddenly realizing something and letting out a faint chuckle.
‘Yeah. That’s what it is.’
He didn’t particularly like rice cake soup or kimchi stew.
The reason he looked forward to dinner wasn’t because her cooking was better than the Blue House chef’s.
He just liked being there. A warm meal, together with warm people.
‘Home.’
And family.
For Choi Minwoo, those two words were something he’d lost when he was much younger—something he thought he’d never find again.
‘No. If family, there’s still one left.’
A hero who saved humanity, a living savior.
But the one person he couldn’t protect—his own family.
Recalling his last meeting with his grandfather, whom he barely remembered, Choi Minwoo murmured inwardly.
‘Soon… I’ll be able to see you again.’
Thinking of his grandfather, who had secluded himself for decades, brought up a strange, unnamable feeling.
Sensing the unusual atmosphere, President Baek Hanseong asked with concern.
“Are you feeling unwell?”
“Ah, no. It’s nothing.”
“Haha, I see. Well, since we’ve finished our meal, there’s something I need to discuss with you—”
Bang.
But President Baek Hanseong couldn’t finish his sentence.
He frowned as he saw the aide enter without knocking.
“I said not to let anyone in.”
“I’m sorry. I tried, but you weren’t answering your phone so…”
“Calls? Of course I had it on silent.”
In the middle of an important conversation, pulling out a smartphone would be a considerable breach of etiquette, given their positions.
“Huff, I’m sorry. But it’s an emergency.”
The aide was breathing hard, sweat beading on his forehead.
Sensing something was off, Choi Minwoo pulled his smartphone from his inner pocket.
Over a dozen missed calls from Butler Kim, and a stack of messages.
A deep sense of foreboding rose up inside him.
‘No way?’
The moment he checked the messages, his well-groomed eyebrows twitched.
[Emergency: Monster Wave in Busan. Extra-large Named Monster appeared.]
[Young master, where are you?]
[Young master.]
The sender: Butler Kim.
The messages were brief, but the content was heavy.
‘A Monster Wave? In Busan?’
Busan, Korea’s second-largest city, home to millions. Even if an extra-large Named Monster just rolled around, the loss of life would be catastrophic.
And the real problem was just now coming out of the aide’s mouth.
“The alarm was delayed for more than ten minutes. The Monster Wave came on so suddenly, and the Gate management office and all nearby facilities were destroyed…”
“How can you say that so calmly?!”
“S-sorry, sir.”
The aide wiped cold sweat as he continued.
“But according to a report that just came in a minute ago, the extra-large Named Monster has been subdued. Hunter Jin Taekyung arrived at the scene just in time…”
“What? Are you sure?”
“Yes, absolutely. They’re clearing up the remaining monsters and rescuing survivors.”
“…Whew. At least that’s a relief.”
President Baek Hanseong let out a sigh of relief, while Choi Minwoo stood up without hesitation.
Even if the worst was averted, this wasn’t a time to sit and chat idly.
“I’ll be going, Mr. President.”
“Yes, let’s continue this conversation later.”
After a brief farewell, Choi Minwoo left the Blue House.
As he turned his phone back on, it vibrated urgently in his hand.
He already guessed who it was. Team Leader Choi immediately picked up.
“You… Butler Kim, I’m on my way—”
—It’s me.
Choi Minwoo froze in his tracks.
On the other end, the aged voice of Song Cheon-woo echoed through the receiver.
* * * * * * * *
(T/N: i apologize for the super delayed chapters, baby time was so rough. baby is currently on a sleep regression phase. good news though, i should be back to our regular release rate (or even faster) by the end of this month. we’ve got everything arranged, so we’re all set. )
