Chapter 708

〈 Chapter 708 〉 Part 2, Chapter 5, 02

In the UK, none other than the Round Table requested the dispatch of a Commander.

In response, key figures related to the Commander hastily convened for a meeting. Without even having time to gather in New Seoul, they assembled via video call, only to be greatly troubled by an official document that had arrived through the Hero Association.

Officially, they were requesting “Oracle Studio’s Xian.”

The sender was the UK Hero Association, and while the contents of the document spoke of a mundane lecture, the information received through back channels naturally indicated different senders and intentions.

[This is a responsibility-dodging official document. They’re trying to pin any future problems on us.]

[That’s why those island kids are so annoying.]

[Watch your tongue. This is unofficial, but someone might be listening.]

Those gathered via videoconference exchanged their thoughts and opinions with equally serious expressions. The most pressing issue at hand was whether or not to inform the government.

Would Sun Icheol, as the Commander, be able to handle the aftermath if he knew? Would unnecessarily trapping someone who entered the country incognito for free activities cause them to relocate their base to Japan or China?

Already, the special ability users he had discovered were classified as Top A-class secrets, and among those aware, only an extremely small number knew about Oracle Studio’s growth rate.

Yuinah, C+.


Park Ra-on, C+.


Kim Nori, C++.


Kim Gaon, A+.


And Su Ri, A+.

Without exception, abilities that had hit rock bottom just months ago had surged past C-Rank in merely 2-3 months. Even those presumed to have stagnated at A-Rank had all gained “+” signs, showing rapid magical power growth.

[Miss Blueberry, do you know anything about this?]

[Stop giving me weird codenames.]

Even a certain S-Rank Hero participating in the meeting, according to ultra-unofficial sources, had surpassed S+ and reached SS+.

Korea wasn’t ready yet to embrace this grand display of growth. The people’s longing for a national hero bordered on madness, and it was questionable whether mere hope, passion, and will could keep one man, one in six billion, tied to Korea.

[Guh… Is there any way to appeal to his patriotism? What if something happens in Korea while he’s in the UK?]

[Baek Cheonghwa may have a Korean name, but she’s a blonde Caucasian—she’s American.]

[F***ing America! These guys have so many heroes; they can spare a commander for us!]

The meeting had already derailed. Miss Blueberry, or rather the SS+ Rank Hero, sighed softly and checked a message secretly sent to her.

[What the f*** is this guy doing?]

[…….]

As everyone fell silent, Ms. BB cleared her throat to justify her cursing.

[It’s a picture just sent to me… She’s already on the plane.]

[S**t!!]

Everyone swore simultaneously.

Indeed, this meeting, discussing the Commander, was one in which the actual Commander wasn’t even present.

[This is what happens when you theorize without action.]

Time was wasted like garbage.

* * *

<Over Russian airspace.>

“Is someone talking trash about me?”

I kept feeling an itch in my ears, making me feel oddly uneasy. The Oracle Studio team had spent the entire night reassuring me, resolving all important March events in Korea before boarding the flight.

“Hmm. Maybe it’s because you’ve given them so much to criticize?”

Sitting beside me was a woman with black hair and sunglasses in formal attire. With a model-like tall build, her black hair reaching her shoulders, and sharp canine teeth, her emerald eyes shone despite the sunglasses.

“You just left after telling the studio crew and then ran off like this.”

“It’s only a week-long trip. They’re just worrying too much.”

“Don’t you think it’s strange if no one worries when you leave the country?”

“With the best bodyguard here, there’s nothing to worry about.”

I reached out and stroked her head. She purred and enjoyed my touch, revealing her white canines as she flipped through a catalog.

“Check out the in-flight meals. First class, and yet…”

Her expression stiffened. Cold sweat trickled down my back as I noticed the sticker on the catalog.

“No…mint chocolate?”

She double-checked the catalog several times. But you can’t conjure something that isn’t there, and in mid-air, there’s no way to procure mint chocolate.

“Should we turn back?”

“Be strong.”

I grabbed her wrist to calm her down. Like discovering an empty cigarette pack after lighting one, she showed clear signs of unease at not being able to eat mint chocolate.

“How about some patience? You’ll get it once we land. Can you endure for now?”

“…Then I need a substitute.”

She pulled me close by the neck and kissed me forcefully. The stewardesses blushed and stared as our kiss became loud enough to draw attention, but she didn’t care, sucking every drop of saliva from my mouth.

“This should last me three hours, haa.”

Satisfied, she lay down on the first-class seat. The stewardess was torn between stopping us or letting it go.

‘At least it ended with a kiss.’

To quickly calm the woman beside me, all I could do was hope the plane landed sooner in the UK. Whispering into her ear, I tried to soothe her anxiety.

“Penril Park. Let’s check into a hotel right after we land.”

“……”

Snap.

She snapped her fingers and winked at me. Like prey eyeing its food, she licked her lips in anticipation.

“Then don’t eat strawberries until we arrive. Keep that flavor intact, Mr. Boss?”

“……Maybe I’ll use the restroom?”

Eventually, I took her to the restroom, drained the water, and only afterward could I eat the strawberry.

Penril Park.

There’s no point hiding it.

“…Ms. Park Ra-on. We apologize for our insufficient service. If you’d like, we can provide alternatives to mint chocolate—”

“I’m fine. I just refreshed myself.”

She is Penril possessing Park Ra-on.

Not synchronized possession, but ‘forced possession.’

* * *

“Do we really have to go?”

“It’s a request from the Round Table.”

I gathered my team to explain the official document I had received. The Round Table, specifically SS-Rank Hero <Sir Gawein>, had directly sent a support request.

In short, this is not something I can refuse.

In game terms, it’s a forced event, a device to starkly contrast how the protagonist thrives overseas but is undervalued in Korea.

Of course, right now, it’s nothing more than an inconvenient burden.

“Bro, do we really have to go?”

“I agree. The boss doesn’t need to go personally.”

The team strongly opposed my overseas trip. Their concern, naturally, was “my safety.”

“Boss, the chance of accidents during air travel due to monsters or villains, or getting caught in terrorism, is reportedly as high as 18%.”

“That’s fine. That means it’s 82% safe.”

“Bro, 18% is still ridiculously high!”

“It’s fine. The plane I take never crashes.”

Technically speaking, I’m more likely to cause accidents. Therefore, the probability of an accident happening is incredibly low.

“What if crazy terrorists hijack the plane?”

Regarding aircraft hijacking and terrorism, there’s a very simple solution.

“This is a bit sneaky, but if everyone except me is replaced with Xroids on the flight, it’ll work.”

“…Isn’t that practically a private charter?”

“Isn’t money meaningless compared to this?”

If the plane explodes, we’ll compensate with money we have in excess. My words slightly calmed the team.

“And I’m not going alone. I need a bodyguard too.”

At the mention of a bodyguard, everyone’s expressions hardened. Just moments ago, they were all trying to dissuade me, but now they started glancing at each other.

Yesterday’s comrades are today’s rivals.

While the team waited for my choice, I’d already firmly decided on one person.

“Ra-on, you haven’t been to the UK, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then let’s go to the UK together this time.”

“Thank you.”

Park Ra-on happily greeted the news of our trip to the UK. The rest of the team openly expressed their dissatisfaction, but since the bed incident, their complaints were swallowed along with their magic.

“Do we just book the flight tickets? Anything you want me to do.”

“But Ra-on, we can’t just go like this. I need your understanding.”

“Understood. What do you mean?”

“I want to borrow your ‘body.’ Do you trust me completely, Ra-on? After this trip, Ra-on might experience rapid growth.”

I asked Park Ra-on to lend me her body, and she closed her eyes tightly, lying down on the bed.

“Feel free to use it!”

“Great. Ra-on, let’s start by taking off our clothes.”

Creak.

I sent Park Ra-on to the peak of mana supply. And while she lost consciousness…

“Here comes the possession!”

A Dark Legion officer, Kim Penril, possessed Park Ra-on’s body.