Chapter 195 - Chapter 195 (1/2)

Jin-Woo had read the article featuring his feat on his way here.

After seeing the gazes of other Hunters locking onto him because of a completely unrelated matter, though, he had to concede that the ripples created from that article were far greater than he anticipated.

Jin-Woo scanned the Hunters and they quickly withdrew their gazes.

'Come on now. This is just....'

He discovered palpable fear within their eyes and could only let out a helpless sigh in his heart.

'Looks like these people are really, seriously mistaken about something here.'

All he could do now was to wait for the Hunter Bureau to release that promised statement.

And so – just as the atmosphere within the venue was getting a bit weird, Doctor Belzer looked in Jin-Woo's direction and cracked a joke.

"I've also read this morning's article. But folks, you shouldn't be looking at Seong Hunter-nim that way. If he was capable of causing all this magisphere in the air like that, then obviously, he's no longer a Hunter, is he?"

Hahaha….

Awkward laughter came from here and there. Doctor Belzer smiled refreshingly and carried on with his explanations.

"As you might have guessed, we couldn't discover any tangible similarities between the locations I have mentioned."

Since there were no similarities, it was hard to figure out the cause for this change. And since there was also no precedence, it was equally as hard to tell what might happen next.

The scientist then brought up another image on the giant screen.

"This here is a shot of the skies above the aforementioned nine spots."

He then added that his team had enhanced the footage with special effects so that the image taken by the magic energy detection camera on the spy satellite could be deciphered far more easily for the audience members.

Just as the scientist had explained, large magisphere lumps could be seen gathered above, in the skies of the nine spots, like some kind of storm clouds.

Since 'special effects' had been added to the image, the reality might not be as severe, but still, those things didn't look like natural phenomena, all things considered.

"Huh...."

"Mm."

Hunters began leaking out shocked groans after confirming the contents of the giant screen. It was definitely bad news that no one could figure out the reason for this suspicious phenomenon, or what would come out of it.

The skies above Seoul looked to be especially bad.

Jin-Woo studied the satellite image of Seoul, which seemed to have become the eye of the storm made up entirely of magisphere, and wondered why there were nine spots in the world, to begin with.

'Is it related somehow to the number of the Sovereigns? Because there are nine of them?'

To call it a mere coincidence, it just left that vague uncool aftertaste in his mouth. And also, now that the King of Giants was slain by him, that number nine should not hold significance anymore.

It was then – Doctor Belzer shot him a very quick and sneaky glance. Their gazes met in the air. Unlike the last time this happened, though, there was not a hint of a smile on the good scientist's face.

"Our current situation is that, since we don't know the cause, we also don't know how to respond to this phenomenon."

The scientist's lengthy presentation was about to come to its conclusion.

"However, let me make it clear. The assertion of being unable to respond does not mean there is no need to make plans. It's eminently possible that our world will experience yet another seismic shift soon."

***

As the conference was drawing to a close, the director of the Hunter Bureau took to the stage. His reason? To make an important announcement.

Since this wasn't in the schedule, Hunters naturally became noisy from his unexpected entrance.

Noisy, noisy….

Was the Hunter Bureau about to make an official statement related to the events of the night before?

While being showered by the curious, interested gazes of the Hunters, the director politely requested his audience to quieten down before he could proceed.

"I have something important I must inform you about, everyone."

Every single Hunter gathered here today were the elites of the elite within their respective nations. The citizens of those nations would recognise who they were just from their names alone.

Indeed, these people were not some unruly immature kids or a ragtag bunch of misfit soldiers.

"...."

"...."

Just one sentence from the director, and in an instant, the venue was enveloped in an eerie silence.

This was their superhuman-level ability to focus in full display; the high degree of concentration that no regular human could ever possess was deeply ingrained like instinct within the highest-ranked Hunters present in this venue.

The director nodded his head as he found the current atmosphere much to his liking and scanned the faces of the Hunters. Eventually, his gaze met Jin-Woo's.

'Hunter Seong Jin-Woo....'

The director had been fully informed of everything that transpired yesterday. He sent his acknowledgement in Jin-Woo's direction with a brief nod.

He was expressing his gratitude for letting Thomas Andre live.

Unfortunately, other Hunters had no clue on the ins and outs of that situation, so they could only begin murmuring their theories to each other when the director of the Bureau shared that greeting with Jin-Woo.

After a short while of unease later, the director finally addressed the crowd.

"My heart is heavy as I deliver this unfortunate news to you all."

Finally....

Jin-Woo sensed that the moment he was waiting for had finally arrived. The director spoke in a low, gloomy voice.

"About two weeks ago, Hunter Christopher Reid was murdered by unidentified assailants."

***

'….!!'

The gathered Hunters were all astonished by the revelation.

One of the top Hunters in the world was murdered by someone?

Their level of shock transcended what Jin-Woo felt when he heard the news first. This issue was well beyond the realm of who won the fight between two powerful Hunters.

The director brought up the relevant information on the giant screen behind him.

First, the remnants of flames that didn't want to die out; the ashes of the mansion; and then, Christopher Reid's dead body with a hole in his chest.

Hunters confirmed the death of the Special Authority-rank Awakened via the provided video footage as well as the several still images on the screen, and reacted by gasping out in shocked moans.

Not one person present was able to dispute the fact of that man being dead now.

As expected, the surprised Hunters began their outpouring of questions, but the director firmly shook his head, instead.

"I'm sorry, but I'll answer your questions only after this presentation comes to an end."

There was a far more important matter still to be carried out instead of answering the questions. The director glanced at Jin-Woo from the corner of his eyes. The young Korean Hunter and his gleaming eyes displayed no reaction as he sat quietly in the corner of the conference venue.

His calm attitude managed to rouse up several complicated emotions in the director's heart.

However, there was no more time to hesitate. He pressed a button on the remote controller and the image on the screen behind him changed again.

"We strongly suspect this man as the perpetrator of this crime."

A man's face now filled up the entirety of that giant screen. Almost immediately, the gathered Hunters realised that something was amiss.

That Asian man's face, wasn't it uncannily similar to someone else sitting inside this conference venue?

But then, these Hunters also recalled what happened to Thomas Andre, and none of them could voice the thoughts bubbling up inside their minds.

"....."

Jin-Woo too, closed shut his mouth.

The photograph must've been taken moments after 'he' had arrived at the Hunter Bureau for identification purposes. That face definitely belonged to his old man from his memories no matter how many times he took a look.

Jin-Woo eventually bit his lower lip.

'How come it's my father....'