Chapter 694

〈Chapter 694〉 Part 2, Chapter 4, Episode 21

The greatest concern of the internship guild.

Where will A-Rank Hero <Blazemist> Jeong Soo-ri go?

And that interest exploded when it was revealed she had joined a mysterious guild called “Magical Cutie.”

“Holy crap, what the hell is this unknown guild?”

Was someone playing a prank? But then again, their achievements were impressive.

Defeating a B-Rank Monster. Neutralizing a C-Rank Villain. Winning in a sparring match against an A-Rank Hero.

If people knew when exactly these feats were accomplished, they’d be shocked, but unfortunately, that much wasn’t clear. Ultimately, folks could only draw logical conclusions.

Isn’t this the Oracle Studio? Isn’t it basically just a harem party over there?<This post has been deleted.>

…While red taxis from Yu-Sung Group arrived at the homes of some quick-witted individuals, people drew their conclusions logically.

It’s a front guild!

It must have been created by a famous guild trying to increase their chances of getting assigned good interns. There was no other way to explain it.

Unless… who would name their guild something so bizarrely magical, fairytale-like, and childish? People began wondering which main guild Magical Cutie belonged to and where they were headed.

We need to somehow persuade Jeong Soo-ri to join our ranks!

Just being assigned to an internship guild doesn’t guarantee recruitment. Many interns get discouraged after seeing the darker sides of their assigned guilds.

But if Magical Cutie truly is just strangely named yet rich in resources, infrastructure, and manpower, things change. If Blazemist becomes a magical girl, it’s like other guilds losing out on a lottery ticket that’s already guaranteed second place or better.

“So where are these magical girls going?”

“Idiot! We should be watching where Blazemist is going!”

“Besides, where are these so-called magical girls even located?”

“Damn! There wasn’t a single person dressed as a magical girl during the Seoul Recovery Operation! Everyone was wearing standard hero suits!”

With no one able to identify the true identities of the magical girls, people decided to track the movements of the interns rather than the guilds.

<Blazemint> Jeong Soo-ri.

The last confirmed sighting was her boarding a self-driving taxi from Yu-Sung Group heading towards Incheon.

“That’s really Jeong Soo-ri? Her walk seems different.”

“How often do you see a woman with such massive breasts?!”

“Oh, that’s actually a pretty convincing argument.”

Numerous guilds started heading towards Incheon.

Unaware that Jeong Soo-ri herself, thanks to association support, had switched taxis and was heading somewhere else entirely…

***

<A Little Later, Near Mokpo Port Hotel>

The game world of South Korea, also known as Hell Joseon, is a chaotic realm filled with all sorts of malicious memes.

Especially since Sun Icheol intentionally discriminated against other regions to make New Seoul look better, people in this game world frequently made disparaging remarks about various regions.

Such negativity and conflict manifested as Monsters and Villains. Just like how Texas has its chainsaw-wielding maniacs, most countries and cities tend to produce Monsters and Villains born from human malice.

“From Gangwon-do’s Potato Monster to Jeju’s Cheon Haeharbang, regional monsters and villains are common. Even in Shinan, we’ve got an A-Rank monster.”

“…”

Yuinah, Raon, Nuri, Gaon, Yuha, and Gyeoul.

Even the heroines of our group seemed reluctant about the destination I mentioned. Though they were all dressed in marine-themed outfits, they clearly showed discomfort.

“Boss, do we really have to go there?”

“Why not?”

“It’s just… kinda…”

“What’s wrong with Shinan?”

When I directly mentioned the city name, everyone avoided my gaze. Even Yuha, who’s an Xroid, seemed hesitant to discuss it.

“Don’t worry too much. I’ve heard enough rumors to know what’s up. But still, we’re perfectly safe, right? We’ve got an SS-Rank bodyguard.”

“I can’t trust that at all.”

“We’d need to see it to believe it.”

“Boss, isn’t Harang actually coming?”

Kim Penril still hadn’t revealed herself. She was sitting on my lap, purring while I gently pinched her back. I tried to calm down the team.

“Alright, alright. The internship lasts a week, so let’s work hard for that duration.”

Though staying directly in the area wouldn’t have been terrible, I chose to set up near Mokpo at a Yu-Sung Hotel to boost team morale and provide psychological comfort. Even Laon, who has Yu-Sung Phobia, felt somewhat relieved to be in a Yu-Sung Hotel, indicating how bad the reputation of the actual location was.

‘Honestly, it makes sense.’

Human malice correlates with the frequency of Monster and Villain appearances. Naturally, areas with frequent incidents tend to attract more Villains and Monsters.

“When Jeong Soo-ri arrives, we’ll start moving seriously, but everyone be careful. We’re not the only guild around here.”

No matter where you’re assigned, there are always at least two nearby guilds. It’s common for nearly ten guild members to move for a single academy student, sometimes even hiring on-site staff.

Guilds following protagonist’s group to ambush Jeong Soo-ri from behind.

People planning to deep-fry Jeong Soo-ri out of jealousy from academy students over her A-Rank potential.

“I’ve said it before, but the possibility of Shuri encountering such situations is just that—a possibility. Those guild members aren’t inherently bad. Anyone can feel jealous or hateful, right?”

Take Nuri from our team—her jealousy fuels her power surge. It’s merely whether the jealousy hidden deep within causes her magic to corrupt or not.

“The nearby internship guilds—are they familiar to you?”

“…Yes. An old acquaintance from my previous guild established it.”

“Even a subsidiary guild under Yu-Sung Group is here. Subsidiary of a subsidiary though.”

“Our parents’ guild is here too.”

Even among those planning to deep-fry Jeong Soo-ri, the individuals themselves aren’t necessarily criminals. They’re simply influenced by the world’s malice.

‘That guy’s doing it.’

The timing is March. While Kim Penril might be considered the chapter boss, the dark shadow is slowly creeping towards Korea.

“Let’s prepare to welcome Shuri then. We’ll hold an emergency meeting now.”

At my words, the team’s expressions changed. The matter was urgent and required immediate attention.

“About Shuri—should we dress her in a magical girl costume or keep her in the marine outfit?”

Opinions were split evenly.

* * *

“Hmm, is Gyeoul going to Incheon?”

“Yes, that’s correct. You’re heading to Incheon.”

“But why didn’t Gyeoul tell me?”

“It’s not like it’s been a day or two, right?”

“That’s true.”

Munsinsa sighed deeply while consoling Sun Icheol, who left New Seoul without notice.

The father learned about his daughter’s activities through reports from subordinates, and the daughter learned about her father’s schedule through news articles. Their relationship had grown irreparably distant.

‘Since the young lady insists on keeping her distance.’

Sun Gyeoul avoided getting close to Sun Icheol. Munsinsa helped her actively, knowing the reasons behind it.

“Where in Incheon did she go?”

“Nounhyeon.”

“What?! Nounhyeon?! Isn’t that part of Seoul?!”

“Incheon Nounhyeon. The Academy arranged to place guilds as far away from Yeongjong Island and Seoul as possible.”

It’s a lie. Munsinsa easily fabricated an obvious falsehood without flinching.

“Well, that’s fortunate. That’s settled then.”

But Sun Icheol fell for the lie immediately. He trusted Munsinsa as a business partner and believed he controlled every situation.

He couldn’t imagine Munsinsa taking Sun Gyeoul’s side between her and Sun Icheol, coercing subordinates to fabricate lies. The past Sun Icheol might have noticed something amiss, but his mind was currently preoccupied with events in Seoul.

“Dammit. Is there still no news in Seoul?”

“Yes. The item you seek hasn’t been found. There is a suspected location, but entry is difficult.”

“I understand. Tch, this isn’t Pyongyang, and every time I send operatives, contact is lost.”

“Perhaps sending Gwanggeum for a day would help?”

Sun Icheol put down his tea and glared at Munsinsa.

“Nonsense. Gwanggeum must remain in New Seoul.”

For the safety of New Seoul, for Sun Icheol’s own safety. People criticized S-Rank strongest being kept in the capital as wasted talent, but they wouldn’t dare say it openly.

After all, whenever Gwanggeum left for places like Busan in the past, Monsters rampaged near New Seoul. Especially the Monsters surrounding New Seoul seemed eerily aware of Gwanggeum’s absence and caused chaos.

“Is the operation regarding the recent arrivals from Seoul complete?”

“Yes. All tattoos have been applied. The remaining step is ideological education.”

“Good. This is a great opportunity for society’s trash to be reborn for the nation. Since they were salvaged from the garbage can, they surely understand the rules of the garbage can better than anyone. Once the mental training is done, deploy them to Seoul immediately.”

“Understood.”

“And…”

As Munsinsa was about to leave, Sun Icheol called him back, adjusting his glasses.

“You aren’t hiding anything from me, are you?”

“…Hmph. What could I possibly hide?”

“Nothing serious. Go ahead.”

Munsinsa quickly exited the office. Emerging from the shadows outside, he quietly instructed two waiting Patriotic Youth Corps members.

“Remember who holds your lives.”

“…Yes.”

The two quietly entered the office. Through their tattoos, Munsinsa eavesdropped on Sun Icheol’s questioning.

– Wasn’t there anything unusual in Busan?

– No, it was just a casual date-

– You just stood there and watched?! You idiots! Who’s daughter was cavorting with a blonde punk while you just stood there?!

Punch, punch-punch.

Beating someone powerless with supernatural abilities isn’t very painful, but even so, getting hit on the head with an ashtray stings. Munsinsa chuckled silently as he left.

“As if it was just a date.”

Sun Icheol remained completely unaware.

* * *

<Late Night, Mokpo Yu-Sung Hotel Suite Room>

“Hello, Blazemist-sama!”

“……Nice to meet you.”

Jeong Soo-ri was called to my room as soon as she arrived. Shuri appeared much more reserved and uneasy compared to before.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“Huh? For what?”

“For… for misunderstanding you severely…”

“Ah, don’t worry about that. It was due to Yuna. Sit down first.”

Even though academy students aren’t military cadets or professional soldiers, she sat rigidly in front of me.

“Welcome to our guild for your internship. We’ll be patrolling the area and hunting monsters, so do you have any questions?”

“Um, what should I do?”

“Sex.”

“……What?”

Shuri’s expression immediately twisted. I deliberately leaned back arrogantly with my legs spread wide.

“Suck it.”

“……What the f***?”

“Hey now. Looks like someone forgot who’s in charge here.”

I transmitted the guild internship rules to her via magical gear.

“Shuri, you might not know since you lived abroad, but conduct records are super important! Your evaluation can vary greatly depending on your actions.”

“Y-you… disgusting…”

Pressuring college students with sexual favors. Utterly despicable behavior, but it’s okay to do it to Shuri. It’s necessary.

“Hehe. Just kidding. Remember, if you want to function in our team, you need to follow orders like that. You’re now part of our team, and you must follow the ‘instructions’ of me and Yuna. Got it?”

“…Are you doing this just to clarify the hierarchy?”

“How important it is! Shuri, remember this. If you disobey orders…”

Snap. As I snapped my fingers, a woman emerged naked from the bathroom.

“Yuna will suck my cock right in front of you. Yuna, your friend insulted me by calling me a bastard. What should we do?”

Yuna immediately knelt in front of me despite her best friend standing right behind her.

“Yuna, how do you manage your friends?”

“Sorry, kiss, please.”

“I-I…”

“If you say another word, I’ll stab Yuna’s throat. Understand?”

Faced with my tyranny, Jeong Soo-ri couldn’t utter a word.