The Crazy Villain Regains His Sanity

The death of the Chinese Transcendent Zhang Zedong, along with the demise of over half of the hunters and students, had a profound impact.

Even though they acted at the Prime Minister’s command, there was no mercy in Choi Jun-ho’s hands. In the blink of an eye, the attacking people were all killed, and the arena was stained with blood.

Watching the gruesome scene of blood and flesh splattering, the Berserker smirked.

“Kakaka, good, that’s good. That’s the sight I was hoping for.”

“……”

Jung Da-hyun tried to maintain an unaffected expression, but her eyes trembled slightly. Sometimes Choi Jun-ho’s actions were not that easy to accept.

He was a hunter who advocated for justice, but his actions were not in line with the typical hunter’s ways. Now, it seemed amusing to distinguish between who was just and who was evil, but occasionally, she felt like he lived in a different world from her own.

Was it because of her narrow-mindedness, or was it Choi Jun-ho who had gone too far? The answer might not come easily, but since she had decided to accept his way, she must embrace it.

“That’s the world that Choi Jun-ho and I see. I bet it’s hard to accept.”

“Not really.”

Jung Da-hyun firmly denied.

“Zhang Zedong, the hunters, and the students all acted recklessly. If they felt a gap in abilities, they should have surrendered and sought mercy. If you don’t know your limits, you’ll die in this field.”

“That’s just people’s hypocrisy.”

“I thought that one cannot survive in this world without such a mindset.”

“Those hypocrites may wrap themselves in fine packaging, but that’s their essence. The strong survive, and the weak die. Your background, your connections, they won’t protect you in crucial moments.”

Jung Da-hyun nodded in agreement.

In a world where strength mattered, one could easily die if they lacked it. Moreover, tensions between nations didn’t just involve personal feelings; they could even affect relations between entire countries, making it even more challenging.

In that regard, the Chinese Prime Minister made the worst choice. In that split-second decision, many hunters and a considerable number of students who would be responsible for the future died. Even his own political life. And could the surviving students even keep their sanity?

If one could witness such a gruesome sight without feeling anything, it must be a lie.

“You’re here.”

The Berserker’s words broke Jung Da-hyun’s reverie. Choi Jun-ho was coming this way.

He sounded nonchalant when he said that. As if he hadn’t questioned whether it was right to have killed so many people just earlier.

“Why have you come this way?”

“It’s because I tried to kill the Prime Minister and was kicked out. They said if I kill him too, there’s no turning back. But can we still turn back from this? Isn’t it already irreversible?”

“They probably believed they could turn it back.”

“They say he’ll be punished anyway when he returns to his country, so it’s still better to end him with my own hands.”

His casually spoken words were all harsh.

“What were you two talking about?”

“Just some trivial talk about life. You, on the other hand, killed a Transcendent, but you seem unfazed.”

“It wasn’t really a big deal.”

If people had heard that statement, wouldn’t they have been shocked?

Choi Jun-ho’s nonchalance after killing Zhang Zedong, who was a highly regarded Transcendent in China, was amazing to watch.

Would there be anyone who could truly challenge him?

Jung Da-hyun’s mind flashed through the Transcendent who were said to be the strongest in existence, but she couldn’t picture Choi Jun-ho struggling against them.

“I’m hungry. Let’s go eat.”

“After causing this catastrophe, you want to have a meal?”

“They’re the one saying I should go, so what can I do? Actually, Director Cheon says I should disappear quickly. He says it’s hard to negotiate with them if I’m around. He keeps nagging me about the people I’ve killed.”

“Haha, you really are a crazy person.”

“I don’t want to hear that from you.”

Amidst their casual conversation, Choi Jun-ho’s gaze landed on Jung Da-hyun.

“Wanna go together?”

“I’d like to.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

The three of them left their seats to have dinner.

***

After chatting away for a while, the meal they had was delicious. Following a tasty dinner of cheonggukjang (a type of Korean bean paste stew), Jung Da-hyun returned to the National Security Agency, leaving only me and the Berserker behind.

The Berserker, who was drinking coffee with an unexpectedly gentle demeanor, came across as anything but a madman. I recalled him complaining when I mentioned that dinner was cheonggukjang, saying he preferred steak. He certainly had a knack for diverting the conversation to the topic of food.

At first glance, he looked like a professor who could stand at any podium. But his true nature was that of a madman.

After discussing the process of killing Zhang Zedong in the cafe, Berserker unexpectedly bid farewell.

“Well, I should start heading back.”

“So soon?”

“I never planned to stay long in the first place. No matter how kindly they treat me, I’m still a villain. If their attitudes change, I’ll be their first target.”

“You’re quite the remarkable villain.”

I said teasingly, but Berserker’s words were true. I also despised the thought of my actions being exposed to the government when I was pursued as the Blood Master.

“Head Breaker.”

“If you have something to ask, go ahead.”

“I’m curious about something. Just how strong are you?”

Berserker’s eyes, looking at me, were serious.

I didn’t understand why he suddenly brought up the topic of strength. Was it because I killed Zhang Zedong? But Berserker was not the type to be easily discouraged. He was much more resilient and tenacious.

By the way, my skill. How should it be evaluated? If I were to participate in a guerrilla war, would that be enough to blow up a whole country?

“I don’t know.”

“Level 9, perhaps?”

“I don’t know. If they come up with a way to measure it, I’ll try.”

“No matter how much I think about it, the difference between two Level 8s shouldn’t be this significant. It seems highly likely that you’re a level 9.”

“Just let people believe I’m Level 8. That way, those fools who don’t know their limits will rush in to die.”

By the way, one of them was the Berserker.

A guy who survived even after his heart broke twice.

And to me, Level 9 or anything like that wasn’t that important. No, I was trying not to make it important.

Worried about what others would think of me, I sought power in order to be more accepted, and the Blood Master villain was born. Ever since then, I had realized that obsessing over numbers was a surefire way to lose oneself.

I used my abilities reasonably, so as not to be mistaken for a villain.

Fortunately, I had been doing well so far.

“Well, I guess there’s nothing we can do about it. I had a good time today.”

“You did a good job with what you were asked to do. I might call on you from time to time.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve been in a hotel room. But I’ll pass on being called often. I don’t have a taste for being tamed like this.”

“I decide that, and you come when I call. Text less.”

“I’m sending it to ease your loneliness, but you’re rejecting it. I know you don’t have any friends.”

“……”

Sometimes the truth could get you killed, but this guy didn’t seem to know that.

By the way, if you considered similar ages as a basis for friendship, you could say that Oh Jong-yeop was a friend, but there was hardly any interaction between us in this life, so our relationship was ambiguous. I was quite close with Jung Ju-ho and Cheon Myeong-guk this time around, though.

Both of them were older gentlemen, but because I had gained a fair amount of experience in my previous life, it felt more like I was interacting with peers, making it more comfortable.

And then there’s Berserker, but I didn’t want to call this crazy guy a friend. I didn’t want to be misunderstood as a crazy person.

…The word “friend” could make things complicated for no reason.

“Alright, when you unlock your Gift, contact me.”

“……”

“I’ll take a look when you unlock it. Hey! Hey!”

Berserker turned as if he hadn’t heard me and walked away quickly.

If anyone saw him, they would think I was after him.

A shrewd bastard.

***

After Zhang Zedong’s death, the Chinese delegation canceled all their plans and returned to China the very next day. The whole process unfolded like a lightning strike.

China, while attempting to eliminate the rising Transcendent rookie named Choi Jun-ho and gain insights into the hunting process of Nuri, ironically suffered a painful loss, losing Transcendent Zhang Zedong, along with valuable future resources as well.

As a result, while the relationship between China and South Korea might experience a temporary chill, with the decrease in trade due to monsters, South Korea didn’t suffer any significant damage. On the contrary, South Korea held the upper hand in the trade sector as China was making efforts to recover its territory and import even a small surplus of monster products.

The President spoke to Cheon Myeong-guk, his face relaxed, a decade’s worth of frowns lifted from his face.

“What’s China’s stance?”

“They had nothing to say. It was a legitimate duel, and it was in self-defense.”

“They couldn’t say anything because their true intentions were exposed. Making them stay silent ultimately comes down to one’s abilities. I quite like it.”

“Congratulations, Sir.”

“Am I the only one receiving congratulations here? It’s thanks to Director Cheon’s plan. You’re my benefactor. Hahaha!”

From start to finish, it was Cheon Myeong-guk who devised the plan to capture Zhang Zedong. Zhang Zedong, who constantly stirred up trouble and used his Transcendent Gift to push monsters into North Korea, was a thorn in the side of South Korea, the government, and the president.

With him removed, the number of demons pouring into North Korea would decrease.

Above all, seeing Choi Jun-ho’s unparalleled strength in person was significant.

“I’ve seen the strength of Transcendent a few times, but Choi Jun-ho’s power was real. It was on a different level from the Red Snake. How did it look to you?”

“I have never seen someone with that level of strength.”

“Do you, who came from the Reapers Guild, see it that way too? Aren’t there other Transcendent like him?”

“Choi Jun-ho was out of the norm. His strength, speed, and dueling operations were all perfect. And he was relentless. I didn’t think he could kill them all without hesitation.”

“Well, that was impressive.”

The President nodded in agreement.

It felt surreal because Zhang Zedong, who had been so arrogant, had fled in a pathetic manner and turned into a pile of flesh and blood.

“What matters is that the sword is on our side.”

“I’m still concerned.”

“If you were going to worry, you shouldn’t have swung it. Choi Jun-ho is on our side. So don’t worry. And when you get a sense of things, don’t think of Choi Jun-ho in terms of ordinary people.”

The President chuckled.

“Don’t try to control him too much. Keep a reasonable distance. Build trust by showing respect and giving trust. Show that we can be of help. Then Choi Jun-ho won’t try to kill us.”

“I’ll do my best to adjust.”

“It might be tough, but I’m confident Chief Cheon will take care of it.”

“Yes.”

“Japan’s delegation will arrive soon, and there’s a lot to prepare for, but you know I trust you, right?”

“…I will do my best to repay your trust.”

After receiving encouragement from the President, Cheon Myeong-guk returned to his office and let out a deep sigh.

Work had been piling up since accepting Choi Jun-ho.

And now, with the visit of the Japanese delegation.

His body was exhausted, but the tasks were piled up like a mountain.

Strangely, the image of Choi Jun-ho using his abilities remained in his mind.

“…It was amazing.”

Turning a promising Chinese Transcendent into a handful of flesh and blood.

How did such a monster come about?

He had investigated it dozens of times, but there was nothing suspicious.

The other grew up in an ordinary household and became an Awakened in an ordinary way. But suddenly, he gained the power to rule the world. And a personality even more stubborn than that power was added.

How to control such a guy was the question.

If it went well, it would all be thanks to the President, and if it failed, it would all be his fault.

“This is driving me crazy.”

Feeling a pain in his stomach, Cheon Myeong-guk made a reservation at the hospital.

***

The Japanese delegation followed the Chinese delegation. The Awakened Minister, who held the second-highest rank in the cabinet, personally led the delegation.

Unlike China, they maintained a consistently polite attitude.

To be more precise, the atmospheres in relations between Korea and China and Korea and Japan were similar due to the current circumstances.

At this time, the relationship between South Korea and Japan was not bad.

The crucial reason for this was that their territories did not border each other. Since there were no disputes over monster issues near the border between the two countries, cooperation was possible regarding monster problems.

They took on the role of trading partners, filling in the necessary parts for each other. Due to limited flight routes and sea routes, South Korea and Japan were reliable trading partners in the expanding world.

The Awakened Minister, who was meticulously documenting Nuri’s hunting process, exclaimed in admiration.

“To step forward like this to save a colleague, I admire it. I look forward to even greater hunting achievements in the future.”

“I also wish for Japan’s prosperity.”

Having achieved the purpose of the visit, the Awakened Minister sought the President’s understanding and cautiously brought up another agenda.

It was about the League.

Until just a short while ago, Japan was a powerhouse with five Transcendent. And there was one Level 8 villain, but recently, when the League made its way in the country, a situation arose where one Transcendent turned to the League.

As a result, there were currently two Transcendent villains causing trouble in Japan, and it’s not just a minor issue.

The Awakened Minister asked about the secret of how South Korea could maintain its position as a country free of the League.

Was it necessary to have a secret when you could simply kill them all?

I felt puzzled, but it seemed that Japan believed there really was a secret.

There was no such thing.

I decided to do some sales pitch, offering to show Japan how they could boost their Awakened’s power.

Listening to the officials from the Blue House speaking one by one, I raised my hand to speak.

“Ultimately, wouldn’t it be better for the Hunter’s power to become stronger to drive out the League?”

“…Yes.”

The Awakened Minister seemed not to understand what I was saying.

I took out the core of a monster.

“This is a monster core made using a new processing method.”

“……”

The Awakened Minister looked puzzled, but his expression changed as he infused Force into the core I handed him.

He, too, was a hunter. He marveled at the efficiency of the monster core.

“Oh, how is this efficiency possible?”

“How is it?”

“It’s amazing! Is this a new processing method? I made an astonishing discovery in Korea. However…”

The Awakened Minister’s expression darkened.

It seemed he thought the item would be expensive.

It was expensive. But if you produce it locally, the story would change.

And Japan was known to have a lot of money, and I knew it too. So, why make a fuss?

“We plan to proceed by selling licenses for the processing method of this item.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Please inquire with the Sacred Group for more details.”

I was planning to reveal it soon, so there’s no harm in doing some sales in advance.

My role was to show them the product and connect them with the Sacred Group.

The Awakened Minister’s expression brightened at the mention that the price would be determined within a reasonable range.

“Thank you, Jun-ho-san. This will be a great help.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“We have something else for you, too, though it’s modest.”

With that said, the Awakened Minister brought a tightly sealed document folder.

Unexpectedly, it contained some surprising content.

***

The Japanese delegation departed, and the President, who had examined the monster core processing method, smiled.

“This is the processing method of the Sacred Group. It will create a valuable product for the country.”

“The method of increasing the efficiency of monster cores can be applied in various ways.”

“If the efficiency of power plants increases, there won’t be much to wish for. To raise our food self-sufficiency rate, this is necessary. The government should not hesitate to support it.”

Since it was a means to bring in foreign currency, the President had high hopes.

“It will bring in quite a bit of money. Team Leader Lee Se-hee said I’ll make a lot of money from this.”

“Team Leader Lee? Then it’s for sure.”

“She has a sharp eye.”

“Isn’t she the daughter of the chairman? If the chairman has cultivated high-quality soil, then Team Leader Lee is tending to it abundantly.”

Lee Se-hee’s abilities were recognized even by the President.

“By the way, if you make more money here, won’t you become the richest person in our country?”

“I’m not sure about that. I’m not particularly trying to make money, but the more money, the better.”

“More money is better. Just be careful with the tax issue. You should really do it by the book.”

“I don’t plan on doing tax evasion. I’ll pay my fair share as I earn it.”

“The National Tax Service will probably honor you as a model taxpayer.”

In my past life, I was a villain. Being considered a model taxpayer in this life felt like a symbol of engaging in normal economic activities. Even if I paid all the taxes, I wouldn’t be short of money. The money I had on hand and the money I would earn were just means for me to do what I wanted.

But how much would I earn?

Lee Se-hee confidently stated that it wouldn’t be a small amount. She was also planning a large-scale showcase for it.

“But how will you deal with this?”

The President and Cheon Myeong-guk’s eyes turned to me in response to my question. If they had been relaxed a moment ago, they now looked somewhat anxious.

“Corruption of the Busan Mayor Yoo Sung-soo.”

The documents handed over by the Japanese Awakened Minister were nothing other than information about corruption related to Busan Mayor Yoo Sung-soo.