LTTH C86

Chapter 86

The Sky Garden of the Magic Tower—an open-air space the Tower had vowed never to reveal to ordinary civilians—was where Hansol now stood. And it was entirely because of the Tower Master.

“You’re going to the Korean Association headquarters? Do you have any idea what those vultures might pull?”

“Yeah, no. Absolutely not. Just stay in the Tower.”

“I’m against it too, Hansol.”

Hansol, feeling guilty about freeloading at the Tower when he technically had a home, had suggested that the meeting take place at the Association. The moment he said it, he faced fierce, unified rejection… and thus the gathering was instead held here in the Sky Garden. That was why officials from the Korean Association and representatives from several countries were seated in the tower’s open-air heights.

Even counting Hansol’s group, there were only ten people present.

“……”

Those few attendees remained stiff and silent, watching one another carefully. Someone shifted in his seat repeatedly, as if the chair itself were tormenting him.

“If we sit here quietly any longer, we’ll get nowhere. Everyone must be busy—let’s handle this quickly and adjourn.”

The Tower Master broke the silence first, his tone and expression brimming with displeasure. Yet no one dared complain. Without the Tower Master and James, this meeting would never have happened in the first place—everyone here understood that.

“Ahem, then—there is something we, the Korean Association, would like to say first to the Messiah.”

“…Yes.”

Boldly stepping forward, the head of the Korean Hunter Association began. Hansol recognized him—from the news, at least. His most memorable statement had been the ridiculous proposal to enforce mandatory gate-entry hours for hunters, like a 9-to-6 job. A completely unrealistic policy that vanished within days. To Hansol, he had always been the image of incompetence.

“First, we would like to thank you for making Korea the safest country in the world from monster threats.”

“…Please think nothing of it.”

What’s with this tone? Did his worldview reset overnight?

The unexpectedly polite gratitude threw Hansol off. He bowed his head slightly in acknowledgment.

“Now then, about the Sanctuary—yes, that’s the correct term, isn’t it? Could you perhaps… reduce its range a little?”

“…Excuse me?”

“At least limit it to Seoul—ah, no, perhaps Gyeonggi Province as well…”

“……”

So the Association hadn’t changed at all. Nor had its president. Hansol’s faint hope evaporated instantly.

“Of course, the safety of our citizens is wonderful—however, with gate byproducts and such… if people get too accustomed to safety, in the long term—”

He rambled on endlessly, but Hansol absorbed none of it. The gist was obvious enough: sudden peace might unsettle people, so perhaps the Sanctuary should begin with smaller regions and gradually expand; gate byproducts are an important revenue source; blah, blah—idiocy, all of it.

“And eventually, nationwide safety will come, but—”

“No.”

“…Pardon?”

“I said no.”

If he let the man ramble further, it would never end. Hansol cut him off. The Association president—whose face could have passed for someone in his forties despite being over fifty—visibly twitched.

“This is my ability, isn’t it? I’m not some criminal abusing power to threaten the country—I’m literally making the nation safer.”

Hunters who misused their Awakening abilities to terrorize people did exist. The Association issued bounties for them. Hansol felt as if his Sanctuary was being treated as something dangerous—offensive, even.

“Why would this require your approval?”

“But then hunters, and those whose livelihoods depend on gates—”

“Korea isn’t the only place with gates. Other countries don’t have enough hunters—some can’t even clear their overflowing gates. Correct?”

“That is true.”

“Exactly. I’d prefer if we coordinated support.”

The U.S. and Japanese representatives promptly nodded, eager to use this chance to earn favor. The American official was the same middle-aged man Hansol had seen during the cleansing of the Dark Zone; the Japanese representative was unfamiliar.

“Doesn’t seem like there’s an issue, then.”

“But still—”

“Did you think everyone gathered here just to watch you haggle with Messiah? Do you know how many people are waiting their turn?”

“……”

A stern-looking man snapped sharply at the Association president, who immediately shut his mouth. His solitary, embarrassing monologue ended.

“Then, may we speak next? We at least have a bit of familiarity.”

“Yes, of course.”

The American representative stepped forward, smiling kindly.

“I’m Mack Dillon from the U.S. Hunter Association. Please feel free to call me Mack.”

“…Yes, Mack.”

Hansol realized he’d never actually learned the man’s name before. Until now, he’d simply thought of him as the middle-aged American association guy.

“First, we would like to ask for the purification of the remaining infected individuals.”

“Ah—yes. We agreed on that before. Definitely.”

Hansol had forgotten amidst the chaos, but he nodded quickly. Mack’s face lit up.

“Truly, thank you, Messiah. And—if possible, could you establish a Sanctuary in the U.S. as well? Even a small area would be enough.”

“Hmm…”

Hansol hesitated—not out of reluctance to help, but because he genuinely wasn’t sure. Was it possible to establish multiple Sanctuaries? Previously, the skill required points. Now, it did not—but was multi-location installation feasible?

“…I can try, but I can’t promise success yet.”

“No problem at all! The attempt alone means everything!”

Mack beamed with unrestrained joy. In contrast, the Korean Association president’s face was twisted like someone chewing bitter herbs.

“We’d like the Sanctuary too, but more importantly, we want to borrow Messiah’s abilities directly…”

“…My abilities?”

Hansol had assumed everyone only wanted the Sanctuary—not anything else. But the man who had earlier silenced the Korean president had different priorities.

“I’m Vladimir from Russia. You can call me Radi.”

He had the air of a fearsome but oddly likable older brother—the kind of intimidating man who wasn’t actually unpleasant.

“Anyway, you can take your time setting up a Sanctuary in the U.S. or skip Russia entirely. That’s not a problem. What I want is for Messiah to come to Russia personally.”

“No.”

“Nope.”

“Hansol, tell him you’re not going.”

Three voices—Tower Master, James, and Kassie—snapped back instantly. The Tower Master was glaring at Radi as if the man were a pest.

“If you’re uneasy, your bodyguards can come too…”

“…May I know the reason?”

“Hansol-nim.”

“Darling.”

“Hansol.”

Ignoring the three who tried to stop him, Hansol looked at Radi. If the man was begging this much, something significant must be happening. It wasn’t as simple as needing a healer—Russia had plenty.

“Hmm…”

Radi’s gaze swept across the room—from the representatives of each country back to Hansol.

“We need Messiah’s Heal. That’s the most I can say here.”

Someone was injured. Severely injured. Someone high-ranking enough that a man like Radi had personally come.

“……”

Even so, Hansol could not answer lightly. In the past, he would have rushed over without hesitation. But now? If he kept running to everyone who needed help, he would be pulled apart. Hansol was no longer the level 1 healer no one looked twice at.

“If you come, we will grant you anything you desire. Anything. Even if your Heal doesn’t work on him.”

Radi finally laid out a blank check—whatever Hansol wanted. Any terms.