Outside, all hell had broken loose. Han Yoonjeong was screaming into a radio while Samia was trying to teleport through the gate. Hong Yeon was pacing anxiously, her arms crossed.

"Huh? Hey!" Yoonjeong was the first to spot me. "What happened? You just vanished, I was so worr—!"

'Bump.'

I looked down to see Hong Yeon had closed the distance and was resting her head against my chest. She looked up, her face flushed. "…You scared us when you suddenly disappeared."

"Ah, sorry about that."

Yoonjeong narrowed her eyes. "Hey. What happened?"

"Well, you see…"

"Skip the formal crap and just explain." So much for her insisting on professionalism.

"Alright. When Legion Commander Selegma was dying, it said something…" I gave them a brief summary of what had happened in the dungeon. They were all speechless at the revelation that the taves monsters, which had brought Africa to the brink of ruin, were the manifestation of a starving child's suffering.

And the most important part: "The core dungeon has been cleared."

"Ah."

"Let's go outside. The communication network should be restored by now."

We walked out of the cave.

"…Huh?"

"What is all this?"

Everyone stared, their eyes wide. Selegma's garrison, once teeming with monsters, was now a lush forest of grass, flowers, and trees.

"You there, can you explain?" Samia asked a nearby soldier.

The dazed man snapped to attention. "The monsters that were attacking us suddenly turned into plants, ma'am!"

"Hey! What kind of crazy bullshit is that!" Yoonjeong snapped.

"It's true, Pharaoh!"

I just stood there, smiling faintly.

-Tower Master. Photos and videos are being rapidly uploaded from all over Africa.

Ea displayed the images through my Deva's Eye. The monsters that had threatened all life had become grass, flowers, and trees. The joyful faces of the people smiling amongst them were striking. A deep, lingering emotion washed over me as I gazed at the verdant continent.

'This is good.'

Once, it was a cursed, dead land. Now, it was a 'true' living field.

* * *

By the time we left the garrison, we had reestablished contact with headquarters. Communications were fully restored by the time we returned to the allied camp. A voice from HQ, half in shock and half in elation, crackled over the radio.

"This is HQ! The taves monsters are turning into flowers and trees!"

"It's not just Tanzania! We're getting simultaneous reports from Kenya, Uganda, Congo, Zambia, Mozambique—every country that suffered from the taves!"

Hong Yeon stared at me quietly. "…Sunbae."

"Yeah?" I met her gaze with a broad smile.

"Is there anything you haven't told us?"

"It's just as I said. I only cleared the dungeon."

Our vehicle arrived at the main camp. The soldiers stared, their mouths agape, unable to process the scene. I activated my earpiece.

"This is your Captain." Every soldier on the Tanzanian Front turned to me. "The taves monsters were born from a terrestrial disaster known as a famine. I have defeated the source of that disaster and cleared its core dungeon. As of today, the threat of the taves monsters has been eliminated from Africa."

I took a long breath, a sudden nervousness gripping me as thousands of eyes fixed on my every move. I could hear soldiers swallowing hard over the comms. Beside me, Hong Yeon gave me a faint, encouraging nod. I nodded back and delivered the final sentence.

"As of this moment, the Tanzanian Front Command…" The soldiers' eyes lit up. "…declares the complete liberation of Africa!"

At that, the pent-up emotions of 40,000 people erupted. A tidal wave of cheers, shouts, and tears. And it wouldn't end here. Soon, thirty million Tanzanians would be cheering. Then 1.2 billion people across Africa. And in a day, the entire world would be in an uproar.

This was a great victory.

* * *

[Complete Annihilation of Disaster Taves Confirmed! Africa Liberated!]

[Global Alliance's Brilliant Strategy Yields Greatest Achievement of the Century! Top Contributor Is Korea's Certified Rank-3 Hunter.]

[The Tanzania Story: How Monsters Turned Africa Green.]

[Archmage Kim Yusin, Who Introduced Magic to the World, Does It Again!]

Media outlets worldwide rushed to make the liberation of Africa their front-page story. The world was captivated by the miracle of a cursed land becoming fertile soil, of monsters transforming into fruit-bearing trees. The people of Africa wept, praising what they saw as divine intervention. The feared disputes over the newly fertile land never materialized; everyone seemed deeply moved by the transformation of the monsters that had held them in a death grip. A reverent atmosphere settled over the continent.

It was the best possible outcome. My only lingering frustration was the matter of Hakan Abdullah. We had tried to keep his capture quiet, but the Alliance somehow found out and demanded his immediate custody.

Right. I knew their game. With the world praising their judgment, they didn't want Hakan's treachery to tarnish their victory. They would try to bury the incident, and in the worst-case scenario, he might quietly return to duty. I couldn't stand the thought of a man who tried to sacrifice 40,000 lives serving as a peacekeeper. I'd also made a promise. I couldn't back down.

I moved quickly, having Ea send a message to major media outlets.

'This is Kim Yusin, Captain of the Tanzanian Front and a certified rank-3 hunter. I will hold a press conference tomorrow at 15:00 in Mtwara. A matter of great importance will be discussed. Your attendance is requested.'

The media, always hungry for a story—especially the hottest story in the world—chartered private planes to Mtwara. Now, on the day of the press conference, reporters were swarming outside. I was adjusting my tie in the mirror when Hong Yeon burst in.

"Yusin sunbae! A helicopter from Alliance HQ just arrived! A certified rank-2 hunter is here and demanding we hand over Hakan immediately!"

"I figured." Sending a rank-2 hunter just to transport a prisoner meant they were desperate. I smoothed down my suit. "Let's go."

"Okay!"

We headed for the outdoor press conference venue. "By the way," I said, "isn't this kind of thing usually the commander's job? It'll be global news. It would be more advantageous for you. First place, top of the pack… that's your thing, right?"

She just smiled. "You let me have the spotlight after the Labyrinth Dungeon. I'm returning the favor."

"…Much appreciated."

Just as we were about to step outside, a black, liquid substance swirled up from the floor.

"Where do you think you're going, Archmage?"

The liquid coalesced into a human form, wrapped in a black cloak reminiscent of Dracula, his face hidden by a mask.

"Night Walker…!" Hong Yeon tensed, dropping into a defensive stance.

I smiled nonchalantly. "Wow. It's an honor to meet someone so famous in person."

"Answer me. What are the reporters for?" the certified rank-2 hunter demanded, his voice flat.

"No idea. Probably just here to cover the big story."

"…Where is Hakan?"

"Don't know."

Night Walker reached back under his cloak. The black liquid surged, forming a spear over two meters long.

"Last warning. Take me to Hakan."

"Tsk, fine. Hong Yeon, would you mind showing him the way?"

"Stop playing games. Both of you, with me." His voice was laced with menace. As Hong Yeon gritted her teeth, her hand going to her sword, I patted her shoulder reassuringly.

Then I smiled. "I don't think so."

'Swoosh!'

My body dissolved into water.

"Archmage!" Night Walker spun around, his attention snapping to the press conference outside.

The exact moment I was waiting for.

<Devastar>

My real body, hidden by a second Water Veil, burst forward. It was a simple fake-out. One veil for the clone, one for me. The moment he was distracted, I used Devastar to shred the veil and shoot into the conference area.

"Ooooh!"

"He's here!"

A storm of camera flashes erupted. As if it were all part of the show, I spread my arms with a relaxed smile. This was fun. The thought of Night Walker grinding his teeth just out of sight was amusing.

"Thank you all for coming. I am Kim Yusin, captain of the Tanzanian Front." I gave a brief summary of our achievements before getting to the point. "Since we're short on time, shall we move on to the important part?"

I walked to the podium and poked a finger into the air. A four-layered veil of water cascaded down, revealing Hakan. Gasps rippled through the crowd as shutters clicked furiously. He was kneeling in a prisoner's uniform, his mouth covered by a metal gag, his body tightly bound.

"This is Hakan Abdullah, the rank-3 hunter who commanded the Alliance's dispatched forces. He is currently being held on charges of desertion and treason."

The reporters were stunned.

"I will now play a recording I have prepared." I played the audio file from Ea over the speakers, then explained how Hakan had seized command and cut communications just as Colossus was about to attack our rear, endangering all 40,000 troops. The reporters scribbled furiously, their eyes wide.

"I have a question! Why on earth would he do such a thing…!"

"Why indeed?" I countered. "The truth is, Hakan was an advocate for abandoning Africa. One of the companies he controls is a major shareholder of PHC. Yes, the very same company that built the defensive line at the Suez Canal."

A shocked murmur spread through the crowd.

"This is the true face of the Africa abandonment faction. I used to believe that differing opinions could have their own validity, but…" I looked down at the kneeling Hakan with contempt. "This is the reality. These are the demons who would willingly bury 40,000 people alive for their own profit."

In the audience, Karim and Samia nodded in grim agreement.

"Yes, Africa was liberated thanks to the Alliance's decisive action in sending reinforcements. That is a fact. However, it is regrettable that even a solid organization like the Alliance contains extremists like the 'Africa abandonment faction.' It's a tragedy that the pure goodwill of the majority can be tainted by the malice of a few."

This was my olive branch to the Alliance, a chance for them to cut their losses. My message was clear: 'My target is the abandonment faction, not you. Clean your own house.'

I nodded to the soldiers waiting behind the stage. They came forward and led the limp Hakan away, to be delivered discreetly to the Alliance.

Of course, I could have just burned the Alliance to the ground. I could have turned and announced, "Mr. Night Walker, you can take Mr. Hakan now. You even resorted to threats; you must have been in a real hurry!" and pointed him out to the press. The ensuing scandal would have been devastating. But there was no need to make an enemy of the entire organization. It's always better to have fewer enemies. With this press conference, I praised their decisiveness while shifting the blame to a rotten faction within. If the Alliance was smart, they would swiftly announce Hakan's punishment and purge the leadership that put him in power, minimizing the damage.

"Alright, then." I turned back to the reporters. "I'll take questions from just ten of you now."

The moment I finished speaking, hands shot up from all directions.

* * *

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