I Became The Only Healer In The Academy [EN]: Chapter 194

The next morning.

The person who arrived under the Association President’s orders was someone Sung Hyun already knew.

“…Sammy?”

“Haha. Hello. It’s been a while.”

It was the very person who had once tried to persuade Sung Hyun to naturalize as an American citizen.

“I didn’t realize you were such a prominent figure in the U.S., Sammy.”

“Most people in the Association aren’t particularly famous. I just happen to be known among a slightly different crowd.”

“Different crowd?”

“Well… to put it simply, people with… more to offer, perhaps?”

Sammy’s primary role was to recruit promising Hunters into the American system.

But it went deeper than that.

His ultimate goal was to cultivate strong relationships with the American ‘Association’ [a powerful organization of Hunters and related professionals].

Naturally, Sammy was in constant contact with Hunters from various countries, including his own, acting as a key liaison in the field.

‘Ha. The Association President is quick to understand, as always.’

The Association President had immediately understood the underlying meaning of Sung Hyun’s request for someone ‘famous’.

The condition that they had to be famous was crucial.

Being famous meant instant recognition, but more importantly, it implied a degree of influence or leverage that would constrain their actions.

“Ah, and I wanted to express my gratitude.”

“Gratitude?”

“Hunter Kim Sung Hyun probably doesn’t remember, but my wife was among the 130,000 lives you saved during that incident.”

Sammy bowed respectfully to Sung Hyun, expressing his sincere thanks.

“It was nothing much.”

“Wouldn’t that be subjective? More importantly, could you tell me where we’re headed today?”

Sung Hyun hesitated for a moment, but knowing they would be traveling together soon, he explained everything that had transpired.

The Association was already aware of the connection between the Lich [a powerful undead mage] and the Old Man [a mysterious figure with significant influence], so he detailed the crisis the Old Man was facing and the danger threatening the entire area.

“Wow. Something like that…”

“The Association wasn’t aware of this, I presume?”

“While the Association holds considerable influence, its primary focus is on Hunters. It typically intervenes only in cases involving rampant Class 1 gates [dangerous portals to other dimensions] and rampaging mana beasts [creatures empowered by magical energy]; it doesn’t usually concern itself with peripheral matters.”

“They could, but they choose not to? Or…”

“It’s a bit complicated, actually. That area is technically private property. The government does assign tasks, but the mana beasts there are usually quite strong, so there’s a reluctance to take responsibility. That’s probably why they didn’t pay much attention to those who volunteered to manage it.”

In a way, it was a predictable outcome.

The U.S. government had its own Hunter groups, but they weren’t all composed of top-tier Hunters and couldn’t match the Association in overall strength.

“Thanks to you, the United States has received help once again. If things had continued according to their plan, who knows what kind of disaster might have occurred.”

“Enough with the thanks.”

“Haha. You haven’t changed. I’ll show you with actions. Believe it or not, I have some influence.”

Sammy wasn’t just a recruiter.

He traveled extensively, facing numerous dangers, and as a result, he had cultivated a powerful network and access to resources.

“Do you know anything more about them?”

“I’ve only heard of them. They’re not a particularly difficult group to deal with. There aren’t any significant connections to worry about.”

Sammy provided additional information about the company and its president, but it wasn’t anything that particularly concerned Sung Hyun.

To be precise, it was information Sung Hyun could handle without worrying about repercussions.

He could deal with the situation as he saw fit.

“Good. It’s about time. Shall we go?”

“Yes.”

——————————————–

The president was preparing to welcome Sung Hyun.

As emotions often fade with time, the overwhelming display of force Sung Hyun had exhibited the night before had diminished somewhat overnight.

And it was clear that this wouldn’t be the end of it.

If he appeared to give in too easily, the owners of the shops who had hired that man would undoubtedly take advantage.

“Is everything ready?”

“Yes. We’ve prepared everything exactly as you instructed.”

Although the fear had lessened, the memory of Sung Hyun’s power remained vivid, prompting the president to prepare even more meticulously.

He had deployed numerous Hunters with sniping abilities within a 100-meter radius of the main gate, and he had also arranged for Hunters with terrain manipulation abilities to hinder their movement.

He didn’t know the full extent of their abilities, but even the strongest Hunter couldn’t fly.

By distorting the terrain to restrict their mobility, they could then unleash a coordinated barrage from dozens of snipers.

And that wasn’t all.

The Hunters the president typically employed specialized in area-of-effect attacks.

He received a radio message from the personnel on standby.

“They’ve arrived.”

“Good. Prepare.”

No matter how powerful the opponent, they couldn’t withstand such an attack from a group of high-ranking Hunters without sustaining significant damage.

“You messed with the wrong person.”

He would regret not accepting his offer yesterday as he breathed his last.

At that moment, a car entered the entrance.

“…What?”

Instead of driving in, they parked the car some distance away, and a man emerged and began walking toward them.

“Well, it doesn’t matter.”

The figure approaching with a hood drawn up was clearly the same man he had encountered yesterday.

Seeing that figure, yesterday’s memories and emotions flooded back, but there was no turning back now.

“Just a little… just a little more.”

Step by step.

The man, approaching the designated spot, stopped precisely there, as if inviting an attack, and spoke.

“The atmosphere seems quite different?”

“…Of course.”

The president finished speaking with a forced smile.

A word to signal the start of the attack. Of course.

“Huh? Don’t you remember what happened yesterday?”

“…Huh? Why…”

But the attack from those who had clearly received the signal never came.

Despite deploying a considerable number of people, not a single one responded to the president’s command.

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“Ah, no… it’s, it’s not that… Start!!”

Having come this far, there was only one option left.

Attack without sniping.

As soon as the president finished speaking, the ground where Sung Hyun was standing began to buckle and distort.

But that was all.

The wide-range attacks that should have been raining down were nowhere to be seen.

“I said attack…”

Turning back to look at his base.

His subordinates, who should have been at their posts, were lying on the ground, unconscious.

“All done.”

Except for the Hunter manipulating the ground next to the president, everyone else had been incapacitated.

“Haha… W, welcome.”

With no other recourse, the president offered Sung Hyun an awkward smile and bowed.

But the president’s embarrassing predicament wasn’t over.

Another man emerged from the car parked behind them, and his face was quite familiar.

“Phew, it’s just as the Hunter said. It seems you’ve prepared a grand welcome.”

“S, Sammy… sir?”

A face that anyone in the know would recognize.

If you were to list influential figures in the Hunter Association, this man would undoubtedly be among them.

“Oh. You seem to know me?”

“Ah, hello. I am…”

“That’s enough.”

“Yes? No…”

The president didn’t fully understand the situation, but he felt deep down that something had gone terribly wrong.

‘Even, even Sammy? How could…’

It was utter chaos.

If he had involved Sammy, who was constantly busy recruiting Hunters, in such a personal matter, he couldn’t even begin to imagine who was backing the hooded man.

“Now, you can do as Hunter Kim Sung Hyun wishes. We’ve identified all the evidence of the prior threats, and I guarantee it.”

“W, wait a minute… Kim Sung Hyun… Hunter?”

There weren’t many Easterners the president was familiar with.

The name Kim Sung Hyun wasn’t particularly familiar either, but it was the name most deeply etched in his mind.

The Republic of Korea’s number one top-tier Hunter, and the man hailed as a hero in the United States for saving 130,000 lives.

Moreover, he was publicly known to have a close relationship with the Lich.

‘T, that man is Hunter Kim Sung Hyun?’

Was there anyone in America who didn’t know the name Kim Sung Hyun?

He could confidently say there wasn’t.

“W, why…”

Why would someone of that stature conceal his identity and come to him?

If he had revealed himself as Kim Sung Hyun from the start, he would have complied without the slightest resistance.

“I’ll give up everything, everything. I won’t even go near that area…”

“No, no. I’m not such an inconsiderate person.”

“…Yes? Then what do you want me to…”

What on earth did he want from him?

Recalling that he had explicitly instructed them to pay a reasonable amount of money, it didn’t seem like he was demanding they abandon the redevelopment project altogether.

“Just like I said yesterday. Offer them a reasonable price, and proceed with the redevelopment as planned. Exactly as it is.”

“Does that mean…”

The original agreement he had been permitted.

To protect the surrounding area.

Adhering to that agreement meant abandoning the tourism aspect and focusing solely on preservation.

“But that would require enormous funds…”

“Of course, you can refuse. I’m not forcing you. Right?”

Sung Hyun turned to Sammy as he spoke, and Sammy responded with a harmless smile, nodding in agreement.

“Of course. Hunter Kim Sung Hyun wouldn’t do such a thing. But I don’t know what *I’ll* do.”

Right now, Sammy held evidence of the president’s attempt to harm America’s hero, Kim Sung Hyun.

In that situation, refusing Sung Hyun’s offer would likely result in losing everything without even having time to calculate the losses and gains.

Just like the previous night, the president had no choice.

“I, I’ll do it. I’ll pay the surrounding shop owners a reasonable price and proceed with the redevelopment solely for preservation.”

“I trust you.”

The president flinched slightly at Sung Hyun’s touch on his shoulder.

It felt like being praised for being a good dog.

But he was also ashamed of himself for secretly feeling relieved by the gesture.

With that, Sung Hyun and Sammy departed, and the president looked at his subordinates, who were pathetically collapsed and hadn’t even carried out their orders.

“…You morons.”

He wanted to smack the back of their heads, which were buried in the ground.

But since the only difference between him and his subordinates was that he was still standing, he let out a deep sigh and went inside.