The battle was over. Lieutenant Squall, who'd been struck by the centurion commander, received emergency treatment with a potion just in time. The medic confirmed his life wasn't in danger.

"Hunter Kim!"

Karim and the soldiers ran over.

"You truly are… huff, words like 'amazing' don't even begin to cover it." She looked past me. "At this point, aren't you challenging the realm of the gods?"

It was similar to what I'd heard in Kisowa. I turned to follow her gaze. The supercell, after grinding up the monsters, was rising into the sky and slowly dissipating. The sight of the dark clouds covering the world was a breathtaking spectacle. I was surprised all over again. To think I had done that. Or… had it not been me this time?

'Ea.'

-Yes, Tower Master.

'When I was casting that fifth-order magic, did you notice anything strange?'

-Strange? I see. Despite your terrible condition, the way you processed the fifth-order magic was almost mechanically perfect. Even a seventh-order mage couldn't have done it so cleanly. I had assumed you were exhibiting miraculous potential due to your Over-immersion, but in retrospect, it does seem unnatural.

'Really?'

I couldn't figure it out. I should have grabbed Anton by the collar and shaken an explanation out of him. Just then, a crackling sound came through my comms.

"Yusin! Yusin! Are… okay? …you hear me?"

Her voice kept cutting out. The battery must be dying. I pulled a spare battery chip from my pocket and installed it.

"Yusin!" Hong Yeon's voice came through, clear now.

"Yeah, I'm here."

"You scared me! Answer sooner!"

"The battery just died. How are things on your end? Are you hurt?"

"No, thanks to you. And you didn't pass out this time, either?"

"Hey, give me a little credit."

To be honest, I was fully prepared to rack up my second fainting spell, but I got lucky.

"See you in Mtwara," I said.

"Okay!"

* * *

The Tanzanian and Alliance forces had achieved an indescribable victory. They had driven Selegma's legion north and destroyed the plants that had supplied nearly eighty percent of the monsters in the south. The southern region was now completely cut off from the legion commander. The remaining centurion commanders and company captains entered a regional defense mode and were no longer a major threat. We moved quickly. Completely exterminating them now would be too difficult, so for the time being, we settled for trapping them by removing the surrounding living fields. In effect, we had reclaimed southern Tanzania. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say so.

This victory gave immense hope to the people of Tanzania, who had been steeped in despair, waiting for death in their homes. In terms of numbers, it was just one win among many battles, but perhaps the people of this country had simply been waiting for even the slightest sliver of hope to descend upon them. For the first time in a long while, large festivals erupted in Mtwara and other major cities. The atmosphere was so jubilant you'd think they had driven the monsters out of Tanzania for good.

And for accomplishing in a single week what no one had managed for years, Hong Yeon's position as commander was firmly solidified. Many soldiers were particularly inspired by her heroic image, charging into the enemy commander's ranks alone and nobly cutting down the beasts before them. Other African nations cheered the news of a major victory as if it were their own, and word quickly spread to Europe and East Asia. Some European corporations sent large-scale supply shipments in support of the Tanzanian front, and a few rank-4 and rank-5 hunters chose Tanzania for their overseas dispatch. The Tanzanian front was no longer just a war in a single African nation; it had become an issue of international interest.

I, along with Karim, Samia, and the Alliance commandos, toured several garrisons, eliminating plants and cutting off connecting living fields before returning to Mtwara. As our mana helicopter landed and I disembarked, I saw Hong Yeon and a few military staff officers running toward us.

"Yusin!"

Perhaps it was due to the successive victories, but her face, which I hadn't seen in a while, was beaming. Karim and the soldiers saluted, and Hong Yeon returned the gesture as she greeted them. I added a comment of my own.

"The commander herself came out to greet us? I'm deeply moved."

She shot me a playful look, sticking her tongue out, before turning to offer Samia a respectful bow.

"You've worked very hard, Princess Samia."

"Just Samia is fine. You've also worked hard, Commander. It must have been a difficult fight."

"It was all thanks to everyone here. Because of you, we were able to take Iringa without interference."

Samia smiled warmly. "On behalf of the Tanzanian monarchy, I express my deepest respect. We owe an indescribable debt to you and your country."

"It was only possible because all the Tanzanian forces fought as one."

After Samia, Hong Yeon exchanged pleasantries with Karim. Then she went to the rest of the soldiers, shaking each one's hand and kindly asking if they were hurt. Each time, the soldiers' faces would flush bright red.

"You've become a real politician in the few days I haven't seen you," I muttered.

As she continued greeting the soldiers, she subtly brought her heel down hard on my foot.

…Damn, that hurt.

The residents of Mtwara who had gathered as the helicopter landed welcomed the soldiers with fervent cheers, waving and greeting both Hong Yeon and me.

"Thank you for coming to Tanzania!"

"You are heroes!"

We greeted the welcoming residents on our way back to the military barracks. Only after we were inside the building, out of the public eye, did Hong Yeon return to her usual self, placing a hand on her chest and letting out a deep breath.

"Nervous?" I asked.

"It's not just nerves… my heart is just so full," she said. "We brought smiles to the faces of people who were suffering because of monsters. It makes me feel like everything I've built up until now wasn't in vain. Even if I have to keep killing, fighting while covered in blood, the path I've walked isn't wrong. I've been thinking things like that… I'm so glad I was able to have this experience."

It was certainly an experience that would be hard to have in Korea. Unlike here, Korea has a small territory and a surplus of hunters. Far from being thanked for a rescue, you're more likely to have people get angry and ask why you were so late. A single mistake could get you entangled in compensation claims or civil lawsuits. There are countless cases where hunters compete with each other, even when monsters appear. But Tanzania was different.

"Colonel Frederick was right," I said. "It's an experience worth having at least once."

"Yes!" she replied, giving me a brilliant smile.

It occurred to me then that people destined to be heroes are just different. A hunter who is moved by every cheer from the residents, who feels genuinely grateful and fulfilled. In this day and age, when the concept of hunting as a business is firmly established and most hunters think of monsters as mere commodities, she had a very classic mindset. But I didn't think it was a bad thing. It was good for there to be at least one hunter like this.

"Yusin."

"What?"

"You came because my sister asked you to, didn't you?"

'Ouch.'

Just then, she came closer, gently took my hand, and gave me a sweet, smiling glance.

"Thank you. For coming here with me."

She's getting awfully friendly now that she's in a good mood.

"Commander. General Augustine has requested a meeting," a voice crackled over the radio.

The sudden call made Hong Yeon jump back in surprise. Looking embarrassed, she clasped her hands behind her back and bowed her head.

"I-I have to go."

"Yeah, go on. I need to get some rest."

"Th-Thank you for your hard work!"

She quickly answered the radio and ran up the stairs. The future of humanity might just be brighter than I thought.

* * *

As soon as I returned to my quarters, I collapsed onto the mattress and passed out. I slept through the day and didn't wake up until the next morning. I had truly slept my fill.

'I don't feel sleepy anymore.'

I was also quite hungry. I'd worked hard, so no one could complain if I enjoyed a little vacation in Korea now, right?

"Bora. I'm coming over to the Magic Tower today."

"Oh! Is there anything you'd like to eat?"

"Anything Korean is fine."

After sending the message, I stepped onto the warp magic circle I had created in the room and activated it. The sensation was brief but disorienting—like being sucked through a narrow, fourth-dimensional sewer pipe—before my body materialized from the warp gate on the fifth floor of the Magic Tower.

'I can never quite get used to this feeling of dimensional travel.'

First, I went up to the Tower Master's room on the ninth floor. After a light shower and changing into clean clothes, I felt relaxed and drowsy. I sat in my comfortable, personal chair and was about to close my eyes for a moment when…

"You've returned, Tower Master."

Jeong Seojin, having apparently heard the news, appeared.

"Oh, Seojin. Everything been okay?"

"On the contrary, sir."

'Thump!'

He dropped a thick stack of documents on my table.

"I've been busy preparing for Alchemia's overseas business expansion."

"S-Seojin?"

"I'll give you one hour. Please review these documents and sign them."

"W-Wait a minute, Seojin. I came here for a vacation."

"Isn't a vacation just an extension of working overseas? I would be grateful if you could also take care of some of this backlogged work."

"…Ugh."

And so, for the next hour, I had to wring out every last drop of concentration to deal with paperwork. When I went down to the first floor with my mental state in tatters, Jin Bora was bustling about, preparing something.

"Yusin! You're here?"

"Yusin!" Eunsol cried out.

"Okay, everyone! Up we go!"

I picked up Eunsol and walked over to Bora. She was rapidly chopping something on a cutting board. They were 'kimbap' ingredients.

"Is kimbap on the menu?"

"Kimbap and a few other things for a lunch box set! You said you were coming to the Magic Tower for a vacation, right? The weather is so nice today, let's all go out for a picnic!"

"A guy's idea of a vacation is locking himself in a room with the AC blasting and playing video games."

"A picnic sounds great, doesn't it? I think so too. The weather is amazing!"

"…I see I have no choice in the matter."

I picked up a piece of kimbap and held it out to Eunsol. Like a baby bird begging for food, she opened her mouth wide. She was so cute that I suddenly wanted to play a prank.

"Here you go! Or not? Here you go? Or not?"

With exquisite control, I repeatedly moved the kimbap in and out of Eunsol's mouth. She shook her head with a frustrated, "Ooooh!" She flailed her small arms in a little tantrum.

"Hey! Don't play with food in front of a child!"

As expected, Bora's scolding came down like thunder. Before I could get into more trouble, I quickly put the kimbap in Eunsol's mouth. Watching her munch on it happily, my mood melted away, and I felt instantly healed. How can life be so different? Just a few days ago, it was chaos, with monster blood splattering everywhere and my own side getting torn open. Peace really is the best.

"Tower Master!"

Seojin appeared again, running in with a laptop in one hand and a bag and some documents in the other. Ah, I want to run away.

"Please look at this and sign it as well…!"

"Ugh! That workaholic, seriously! Can't you see he's tired?!"

Bora's reprimand fell upon him again. Seojin put down the documents with a dejected look. After she finished slicing the kimbap and neatly arranging it in the lunch box, she held it to her cheek and smiled cutely.

"Let's go, then! Picnic time!"

…R-Right. The picnic is the most important thing. Of course.

* * *

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