Chapter 208: For the Future (2)

Wakimoto Toshiaki, a member of Japan's National Diet[1], slammed his desk and rose from his seat.

"This is sabotage! No matter how much he contributed to the clear, this Gate appeared in our country and is under

our

jurisdiction."

Japan had been deeply concerned when the S-Class Gate first appeared, as it led to the Patera Dimension, notorious for being the most dangerous type of Gate.

However, they rejoiced when foreign S-Class Hunters came to Japan to clear it. Although it took time, the possibility of clearing the Gate increased. The Japanese government also saw an opportunity to create a Permanent Gate, like their neighboring country, South Korea. It would require a significant investment, but if they managed to build a Permanent Gate, they could hold a monopoly on Pastera.

Even if only dwarves could process the metal, Japan could still sell it to the Yuashiel Dimension or to Korean guilds with ties to the Alliance. S-Class Hunters would be customers too, since they already used the Permanent Gate to operate in the Yuashiel Dimension and had formed friendships with the Alliance. The opportunity was now gone, however, all because of a foreign Hunter.

"We must inform the public about this!" one of the Diet members shouted.

"And let the whole world know?" Representative Okata Taki turned to Wakimoto. "What should we say? That Kim Ki-Rok kept Japan in check and blocked the creation of the Permanent Gate?"

"That's right!"

"But the Gate isn't completely closed. Given the situation in the Patera Dimension and the survivors, Gates leading there will reopen periodically. We could buy Pastera through these new Gates, and Hunters could use their earnings to claim clear rewards."

Representative Wakimoto fell silent. There was nothing inherently wrong with what had happened. The Patera Dimension would periodically receive supplies needed for survival and war recovery through the reopened Gates. Hunters working in those Gates could deliver relief supplies as clear rewards and purchase Pastera before returning to Earth.

"What if we say that Kim Ki-Rok, at his nation's request, prevented the creation of the Permanent Gate—"

Representative Kawamoto Mikichi raised his hand and shook his head as he addressed the other members of the National Diet. "That would be difficult."

"You mean it would be hard to claim he blocked the Permanent Gate at his nation's request?" Wakimoto asked.

"Well... yes."

Wakimoto was wondering why it would be so difficult to manipulate the narrative and sway public opinion, but then it hit him. "The DG Channel..."

"That's right," Kawamoto replied. "Kim Ki-Rok filmed the Gate clear, not with just dozens, but

hundreds

of cameras. He likely recorded his conversation with the Patera Dimension as well."

Kim Ki-Rok had never directly mentioned Japan, but he had raised the worst-case scenario of "colonial rule" for the sake of the Patera Dimension and proposed a plan that benefited both the Patera Dimension and Earth. What would happen if they tried to criticize him?

"If we go after him, you can be sure the recording he releases will prominently feature the words 'colonial rule.'"

If the proposal hadn't benefited both the Patera Dimension and Earth, they could have criticized Kim Ki-Rok or the Republic of Korea for giving them a new opportunity. However, his proposal served everyone's interests.

"We must let it go."

The other members turned to face Representative Kasawaki, an elderly member.

"You mean without voicing any criticism or protest toward Kim Ki-Rok?" one of the other representatives asked.

"Yes. Hunter Kim Ki-Rok's proposal benefits both Earth and the Patera Dimension. If it had been any other Hunter who took this opportunity from us, we could have swayed public opinion to create another chance. But the one who stood in our way was none other than Hunter Kim Ki-Rok," Kasawaki said.

Kim Ki-Rok might have been an A-Class Hunter, but he was no ordinary one. He was more famous than many S-Class Hunters, capable of using Discernment to read information about Gates, monsters, and even other Hunters. He could uncover details about ordinary people within just a few hours.

"It is such a shame it has to be this way, but we have to let it go," Kasawaki concluded.

***

The Hunters liked Kim Ki-Rok's proposal. His plan meant the periodic appearance of Gates where Hunters could receive rewards by donating relief supplies, without having to risk their lives in battle. Hunters would have to pay financially, but considering the clear rewards, it would be a net gain for them.

"A small number of ordinary people, and some politicians, will dislike this outcome very much, but there's not much I can do about that," Kim Ki-Rok said.

"Is that so?" a Hunter asked.

"Yes. I can ignore what a small number of ordinary people say. Why? Because they wouldn't come to criticize or protest in person; they'd do it on the internet."

"What about the politicians?"

"If they mess with me, they'll be finished," he said plainly.

"Why's that?"

"Because I have the Gate clear footage."

Yoo Seh-Eun and Lee Ji-Yeon, who had been serving food, glanced over at Kim Ki-Rok in his chef's attire as he cooked.

"I brought up colonial rule knowing full well that Lieutenant General Akabe would join the conversation," he continued.

"Aha! If a politician criticizes you even though your proposal benefited everyone, people will think it's because they're venting their anger over trying and failing to carry out the colonial rule you mentioned."

𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Kim Ki-Rok nodded. "That's right."

"Wow! Did you think of all that on the spot?" one of the female Hunters of the DG Guild asked.

"No. I thought about this a very long time ago."

Probably... 300 years ago?

Kim Ki-Rok thought and shrugged.

He continued to stir-fry vegetables and meat as he spoke, "So there's no problem. Even in the worst case..."

"Worst case scenario?"

"It would just lead to an increase in the number of people during the raid."

Since it had been a day since the clear, the Gate would close in two days. However, instead of returning home with the Korean Gate clear team after the Gate closed, the DG Guild would go on a thirty-day hot spring trip in Japan. Their goal during the trip was to clean up the Awakened criminals from Japan, and those who had joined forces with the Awakened criminals who held a grudge against Kim Ki-Rok, in one swift operation.

"I had said before there would be an attack within a month..." Kim Ki-Rok said. "But the raid will likely happen within a week."

"How do you know?" one of the Hunters asked.

"We received a temporary increase in our stats as our reward. However, the increase was too high. If they want to target us, this is the only window they have," Kim Ki-Rok explained. "If they don't strike now, when our bodies and minds are out of sync, they won't be able to defeat me and the DG Guild, whose levels increased by fifty."

"Then after that, do we move on to the Yuashiel Dimension?" Lee Ji-Yeon asked while she served food.

"Yes. We then make our way to the Yuashiel Dimension. And then we defeat the demons."

Lee Ji-Yeon paused to smile, finished serving the food, then turned around to ask, "What about our plan? Are we changing anything?"

Kim Ki-Rok set the plated dish aside and responded, "Yes, we'll change our plan."

Although they had been given time to choose their rewards, the unaffiliated S-Class and A-Class Hunters who heard the conversation between Kim Ki-Rok and Lieutenant General Akabe, like the DG Guild, had chosen the temporary stat increase reward.

The Republic of Korea Gate clear team—specifically, Phoenix Guild's Ji Seok-Hyun—also chose the temporary stat increase reward, along with the Phoenix Guild members who had taken part in the Gate clear.

Many Hunters saw the Gate reward as an opportunity, but only the unaffiliated and Guildmaster Ji Seok-Hyun chose the temporary stat increase. Hunters in guilds had to consult their Guildmaster, while those working for the government or the Association postponed their decision until they received approval from the Association President and the President.

For these Hunters, the question was whether to use the reward now to clear a new S-Class Gate, or to take the reward and let the Yuashiel rescue operation pass them by.

"DG Guild, Phoenix Guild, the United States, and the United Kingdom will participate in the Gate clear, as well as unaffiliated S-Class and A-Class Hunters. I immediately sent people as soon as more participants than I expected gave up this reward and moved on to the next one."

More people than expected showed interest in participating in the Yuashiel rescue operation.

"When will it take place?" Yoo Seh-Eun, who gently stroked the head of the child in the mother's arms, asked as she continued serving food.

"In a month," Kim Ki-Rok replied.

"So about twenty-three days left."

"We will raise our levels through Gate activities for fifteen of those twenty-three days," Kim Ki-Rok said.

Yoo Seh-Eun and Lee Ji-Yeon nodded.

Concluding the conversation, Kim Ki-Rok turned back to cooking, his knife thudding against the cutting board. Yoo Seh-Eun and Lee Ji-Yeon also focused on serving food and volunteer work.

"Next person, please!"

"Please come back after you finish eating."

An indeterminate amount of time had passed when an A-Class Hunter from a foreign guild walked into the cafeteria.

"Oh my! Aren't you the Guildmaster of Knight's Wing?" Kim Ki-Rok asked in English.

The Hunter was at a loss for words for a few seconds, then bowed. "Ah, nice to meet you. I am Taylor, an A-Class Hunter from England and the Guildmaster of the Hunter guild Knight's Wing."

Taylor, Guildmaster of Knight's Wing, had refrained from joining the Gate clear to ensure his country's safety.

"Oh my. Nice to meet you. I am Kim Ki-Rok of the DG Guild. I served as their Guildmaster."

"It is an honor to meet you," Taylor replied.

"Likewise. Then let's get straight to the point. I believe you came because you were curious why we gave up the Gate reward of the Patera Dimension and chose the reward of the Yuashiel Dimension. Am I right?" Kim Ki-Rok asked.

Taylor's eyes widened, and the surrounding S-Class and A-Class Hunters reacted the same way.

"You were expecting me," he said.

"Of course. There are a lot of people listening, so from now on I'll speak in Korean, which I'm more comfortable with. Since everyone's wearing translation devices, that shouldn't be a problem, right?"

Kim Ki-Rok slid the vegetables from the cutting board into the wok, then added the blood-drained meat before continuing, "You probably thought my choice was strange, since the demons of the Yuashiel Dimension won't make their move for another five years. In other words, there's plenty of time, but I gave up the rewards of the Patera Dimension to shorten those five years."

Hunters could raise their levels and reinforce abilities through Gate activities. Considering Earth's current state, with more A-Class and S-Class Gates appearing and the World Tree supporting Hunters' growth, Hunters could gain the power to defeat the Demons within five years.

Taylor nodded, wanting to understand why Kim Ki-Rok had forfeited the clear rewards to cut that period in half.

"Let's see. Where should I start?" Kim Ki-Rok quickly stirred the wok, moving his spatula through meat, vegetables, and seasoning. "The first reason was that I judged the rewards of the Yuashiel Dimension would be greater."

"May I ask why you thought that?"

"Unlike the Patera Dimension, the Yuashiel Dimension was not on the verge of destruction. Countless humans resisted the Demons and Black Wizards. Beastfolk, elves, dwarves, and, contrary to our expectations, Vampires were part of the allied forces. The Patera Dimension was different."

"You thought the reward would be greater because more people would be saved through the Gate clear," Taylor said, realizing.

"Correct."

"And the second reason?"

"The future," Kim Ki-Rok said as he began plating a finished dish. "The Patera Dimension can't afford to help Earth, but the Yuashiel Dimension can. If a Gate appeared on Earth that we couldn't handle, we could call on them for aid. Since they received salvation through our help, they'd answer."

While humans might hesitate, the other species would readily accept Earth's request for support.

"To prepare for the future..." Taylor murmured.

"Exactly. I wanted to hasten the Yuashiel Dimension's salvation for that very reason."

1. Japan's bicameral legislature, consisting of the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors. ☜