071 – Haildo Released the Squirrel Beast at T-Rank Rift! #1
“Are you saying you want me to teach English to Illinois…?”
Illinois was a nymph who spent a lot of time in America.
I wanted to learn English for the upcoming business agreement with some Americans, and I thought it would be nice to learn from Illinois.
From what I could tell, Illinois seemed to be quite good at English.
“Hehe, that’s a very nice choice…! This Illinois is a master of English…! You only need to know one sentence…!”
One sentence.
I was curious about what that would be when Illinois said:
“Give me…!”
I see.
It was a moment of doubt about why I had wanted to learn English from Illinois in the first place.
These days, with AI and all, translation into English was pretty incredible.
Anyway.
I had decided to participate in the support work for the S-Rank Awakened arriving from America tomorrow.
When I think about it, this was my first big stage debut.
What if I did so well that the Americans said, “Oh, let’s establish a partnership in the future. Call to me,” and tried to take me to America?
The outflow of Awakened individuals was a serious issue that many countries were dealing with.
If they tried to scout me to America, I would need to think about how to refuse in various ways.
With that in mind, I diligently prepared for the T-Rank Rift participation.
# # #
Swoosh-.
My work began at the airport.
S-Rank Awakened Cash arrived in America.
I heard she was called the Desperado, Cash?
True to a country where firearms are legal, she was an S-Rank Awakened who used firearms.
Puff-.
As soon as a woman with platinum hair dyed and wearing a wide-brimmed hat arrived, reporters and people swarmed around her. When the flashes for taking pictures went off, S-Rank Awakened Cha Yura said:
“Welcome to Korea! Welcome! Welcome to Korea!”
“…….”
Rather than answering, Cash slowly looked around.
Was she in her mid-twenties now?
Her features were striking, and she had the kind of beauty that seemed like it belonged in a movie.
She tied her shirt like a bikini, exposing her stomach, and around her waist, she wore a scarf that looked like the flag of the United States.
The spurs attached to her high-heeled boots were very unfamiliar to me, as a Korean.
A woman who looked like she stepped out of an American movie.
That woman opened her mouth.
“Hello! How are you!”
It was a bit awkward, but she spoke in Korean!
It was a very fascinating situation.
Soon, people were excitedly asking her various questions.
“Is it true that Cash’s grandfather was a veteran?”
“You idiot! You should ask in English!”
“I. I can speak a little Korean!”
Indeed.
She could speak Korean.
Perhaps that was why she was sent to Korea.
America was indeed a large country, and it still had so many talented people.
Is there a reason why there are only ten S-Rankers?
These days, people say that a country’s power is determined by the number of S-Rank Awakened it has compared to nuclear missiles.
Korea originally has three.
This was quite considerable for a developed country.
We then got into a car together.
It seemed we were going to some sort of welcoming event.
However, Cash, dressed like a 21st-century female cowboy, looked out of the car window and said:
“Let’s go to the Rift! To the site!”
Was she saying she wanted to see the site?
Her fighting spirit, as expected of an S-Rank, was surging.
I liked it too.
I wanted to finish my first mission quickly.
Swoosh-.
We headed to the location of the nearest T-Rank Rift.
Near Gwanaksan in Seoul.
A large Rift entrance tore through the world on a university’s athletic field, and many military and police forces were gathered, controlling the incident.
Wooooo-.
The Rift entrance was about the size of a three-story building.
The force it exuded was incredible.
So that’s a T-Rank.
I had seen it often on broadcasts or online articles, but it was the first time I had encountered it so closely.
Wow.
It felt like seeing Niagara Falls in person.
Of course, I had never seen Niagara Falls in person.
But if I had, I imagined it would feel like this.
Clunk-.
S-Rank woman Cash looked at the two revolvers she had on her waist.
She seemed to be checking the cylinders here and there before she spoke.
“The T-Rank in Korea is smaller than I thought! This much is enough for me!”
Really?
Cha Yura, who had planned to enter the Rift with Cash for the purpose of building goodwill with America, seemed slightly taken aback by her words.
“It is more comfortable to do it alone!”
Cash.
With her two guns, she entered the Rift, and I was surprised by the Americans’ execution power and decisiveness, as well as their individualistic independence.
What should I do?
It was my first mission after all.
We watched the video transmitted from the camera Cash was wearing on her chest on the monitor.
The monsters that appeared were referred to as A-Rank monsters known as “Pawns of Fafnir.”
They looked like lizards but were enormous, and some even had wings and flew around.
I heard each one was as powerful as a fighter jet.
Moreover, the surrounding environment was a blazing volcano.
In that environment, the S-Rank Awakened Cash, who wasn’t even wearing protective gear, began to spray her 30mm caliber revolver into all directions.
Bang, bang-bang-!
It looked like a battlefield.
At this level, wasn’t she spraying bullets rather than shooting?
Cha Yura was at a loss for words.
“It definitely looks like she works better alone. She must have the skills to be rated 15th among S-Ranks.”
Indeed.
Of the now 30 S-Rank Awakened, Cash was ranked 15th.
15th out of 30.
Right in the middle.
For reference, according to a magazine released not too long ago, Cha Yura was ranked 17th, and Seo Ye-rim was ranked 21st.
Korea should have at least one solo ranker S-Rank Awakened in the top 10.
After all, isn’t it a leading country in the 5th industrial revolution?
Puff─.
Finally, Cash jumped back out of the Rift entrance.
“Clear!”
20 minutes.
That was how long it took Cash to break through the T-Rank Rift alone.
Spinning her revolvers, she tucked them back into her waist.
Honestly, it looked cool.
Firearms have that kind of romance to them.
Even though the magic bullets are expensive, I wouldn’t even dare to use them.
“But then, what am I doing here?”
It was my first T-Rank Rift, and I felt both nervous and excited.
At that moment, I regretted all the studying and English learning I had done the night before.
A woman with blue eyes then asked me.
“Are you Mr. Haildo?”
I was taken aback.
Despite everything I had gone through, I felt my hands and feet trembling and my heart sank as I was approached by a foreigner due to the side effects of rote education.
What should I say?
I replied.
“Of course…! I am Haildo…!”
An S-Rank Awakened who came from America knew my name.
While I felt proud amidst my bewilderment, Cash said.
“I heard you have a very cute K-squirrel! Please show me your cute K-squirrel! An animal that only appears in Korea!”
For a moment, I was puzzled about what a K-squirrel was, but then I realized she was talking about the Squirrel Beast.
K-squirrel.
Squirrel Beast.
They’re quite similar.
Anyway.
The Squirrel Beast Kkungkkungi has become famous all the way across the Pacific to the distant New World.
I opened the bag at my waist.
Then the Squirrel Beast Kkungkkungi popped its head out, and as Cash saw that, she displayed the typical exuberant reaction seen in foreign women.
“It’s so cute! So cute! So lovely! Can I catch this K-squirrel when I come to Korea? Where should I go? Please guide me quickly!”
I felt like I understood everything at that moment.
She must be eager to see the Squirrel Beast since she had quickly finished her duties after treating the T-Rank Rift.
But is that really okay?
I looked at Cha Yura, the daughter of the president.
She was the one in charge of this situation.
Cha Yura looked around and finally contacted someone.
# # #
“Unbelievable!”
Cash was extremely happy to be in Primal Village, where Squirrels and Honey Ants thrived.
Suddenly I found myself needing to be a tour guide, but honestly, there wasn’t much to introduce.
“This is where the Squirrels roam. Way. Well, Squirrel. Cheemungke Way.”
“Oh! Cheemungke Way!”
Kkungkkungi…!
Kkungkkungi…!
At that time, various Squirrels were wandering around.
There were even quite a few little baby squirrels, making it fun to watch.
Cash spoke as if she was moved.
“It’s different from the countryside in America! Even Korea’s countryside is small and warm! The squirrels are small! Everything is cute and charming!”
“Of course…! It seems that way…!”
Swoosh-.
Illinois came out from the yard.
Upon seeing Illinois, Cash was surprised again.
“This is Korea’s Elf? Even Korea’s Elves are small and cute!”
“That Illinois is not an elf, but a nymph…! Are you a redneck yankee who came to this place from America and don’t know this Illinois? But I will give you some…!”
Listening to the two talk, I felt like all those ten years of English study during my school days were becoming meaningless.
Anyway.
The squirrels didn’t come into our yard much, perhaps out of caution towards strangers, and the honey ants were also hiding today.
I heard that S-Rank Awakened individuals look like terrifying hunters or predators to animals.
The Desperado Cash said.
“I want to take two squirrels! Squirrels! I heard they are strong! In America! There are many animals! I want to take the squirrels and set them free!”
America was vast.
So many rifts caused many exotic species to invade and destroy the ecosystem, right?
It seemed she genuinely wanted to take the cute Squirrels to help preserve the ecosystem in America.
“I’ve heard there are giant crocodiles lurking around there, right? I think they come from the rifts.”
I asked.
Then Cash shouted as if she had been waiting for this.
“Witch! Witch! They are in America! They control animals! Evil magic! Fauna and flora transform! Are there witches in Korea?”
Witch.
I never thought I’d hear the word “witch” from an American.
I was someone who knew that name quite well.
Wasn’t there just one witch, or were there several?
Or is it the same person?
Controlling animals and using evil magic to transform fauna and flora—was that it?
It sounded like a tale from a fairy tale.
As the evening passed with that feeling.
“So, I decided to go with Cash to the B-Rank Rift tomorrow. She said she wanted to see Kkungkkungi’s skills. There’s a B-Rank Rift in Chungju that hasn’t closed yet.”
An S-Rank Awakened wanted to observe my breakthrough of a B-Rank Rift.
It was a very tense moment in many ways.
“Cash? Have you become that close already?”
Seo Ye-rim, who came to pick up Illinois.
She frowned.
Seo Ye-rim seemed to not like Cash for some reason.
Come to think of it, she had been a bit low-pressure since they had said an S-Rank Awakened was coming from America.
Curious about the reason, I asked.
“Were there any incidents between you two?”
Had they met at some point?
Wasn’t there a meeting three years ago in America for S-Ranks?
If any matters had occurred, wouldn’t it have happened then?
Seo Ye-rim didn’t answer and just took Illinois along.
With that feeling, the following day passed.
I felt awkward from the morning.
Seo Ye-rim had come to our house from early morning.
“Are you saying there are two S-Rank Awakened going into the B-Rank Rift?”
“Yeah. I have to go too!”
To think there would be two S-Rank Awakened entering a single B-Rank Rift.
Wasn’t that a complete waste?
It was like saying you’re using two strategic bombers just to catch a mosquito.
“Seo Ye-rim, when I made milk tea with the expensive tea leaves, what did you say? What you’re saying now is a bigger waste of manpower than that.”
“It was just delicious milk tea! If so, then let’s go into the T-Rank Rift I had to break through today together. Haildo, don’t you want to try your first T-Rank mission?”
“Oh.”
