The Wise Cleaning Life Of A Returning Genius Hunter [EN]: Chapter 273

272

PB Corporation.

A secret organization operating under the International Association, engaging in activities like assassination, kidnapping, and hostile takeovers to expand the Association’s influence in the shadows.

When Emma was first offered the position of its head by Secretary-General Wesley, she was honestly quite pleased.

She was tired of the same repetitive subjugation every day.

More than anything, it was a time when she had many concerns due to her skepticism about Hunters.

Why should we, who possess such power, sacrifice ourselves for the weak?

Such skepticism.

Because of that, an organization that would do anything for the International Association was, at the time, something she had no reason to refuse.

Director Emma became the head of PB Corporation at Wesley’s suggestion.

For the first few years, it was just as suitable as she had expected.

Unlike Hunters, who were merely forced to sacrifice, anything was possible there as long as you had power and skill.

It felt like standing at the top of the world.

Wasn’t it so?

She could kill anyone in the world, whether they were Hunters or politicians, entirely at her own discretion.

But unfortunately, the feeling of being a king didn’t last long either.

After a few more years, when the number of people handled by PB Corporation exceeded three digits, boredom struck again.

This place was also just a job, and no matter how special the work was, it was still just work.

Now, she didn’t feel any emotion even when killing someone.

It was then that Kim Junwoo appeared, as she struggled to suppress her desire for fighting and domination.

Of course, she didn’t pay any attention to him at first.

Who would care about an Irregular [a Hunter who didn’t follow the standard path of training and registration] from a cleaning service?

But it didn’t take long for that thought to change.

Watching him casually destroy what she and Wesley had built up, Director Emma was convinced.

That as long as that man was alive, no one could stand at the top, whether it was PB Corporation or the International Association.

Yes.

To stand at the absolute pinnacle, she had to overcome Kim Junwoo.

If she couldn’t overcome him, she would be a second-in-command for the rest of her life.

It would be better to fight and die.

And finally today, that opportunity came.

Director Emma vowed to see the end here that she hadn’t seen in Sicily.

Void was there, after all.

Moreover, it was something that had reduced the risk of runaway through improvement, and instead greatly increased overall combat power such as ability, dynamic visual acuity, and judgment.

She thought that even if Kim Junwoo was an extraordinary monster, she could at least put up a fight.

But…….

“Cough…!”

A lump of blood spewed from Director Emma’s mouth.

A space completely different from reality, as if she had entered a dungeon.

Above that dark cliff where rough waves could be heard.

Krrr―.

Kieeeee―!

In front of Director Emma were hundreds, thousands of monsters.

And Kim Junwoo, in a form that was hard to believe was the same human, was poised to devour her.

It was only after one advance.

She somehow managed to deal with the monsters rushing towards her by gathering all her strength, but…….

“…Heh, hehehe.”

It was too much.

She could never win.

As she muttered that, she shifted her gaze towards Kim Junwoo, who was commanding the legion from afar.

This isn’t a battle.

How can fighting single-handedly against an existence that defies common sense and the large-scale army he leads be a battle?

Massacre would be more like it.

She didn’t know how many times he had invited other beings into this space, but…….

Thinking that they all must have felt their powerlessness in this ridiculous battlefield and died, she felt sorry for them.

Even if they were monsters.

“I thought I had analyzed it thoroughly, but it seems I underestimated everything.”

She, who had lost one arm, sat down and opened her mouth.

“This is the first time I’ve been so overwhelmingly defeated since that person.”

“…That person being?”

“Wesley.”

She answered with a smirk.

And soon.

“Can I ask you just one thing?”

Director Emma asked in a friendly tone.

“Why do you live like that with this much power?”

“…What do you mean?”

“You said you were from a cleaning service, right? If you have this much power, you could have started from a high position. Why did you choose such a low level?”

“…….”

Kim Junwoo’s expression looked quite complicated.

But he didn’t explain the reason in detail.

Instead.

“It’s karma.”

He just spat out meaningful words.

“And now that I think about it… I don’t think cleaning service is necessarily a low level. Frankly, when you think about it, even you, who have all the power and authority, are focusing your efforts on other things instead of doing your job. At least that wasn’t the case where I worked.”

Kim Junwoo added.

“Even at this moment, they will be moving to evacuate the citizens. Even though they could be in danger. Unlike you, who are affiliated with the International Association.”

“…….”

“Who seems to be living a lower life?”

At that question, Director Emma let out a chuckle.

“Doing your best in your assigned role? That’s just an excuse for people who don’t have the power to do other things. You know it too. The world originally revolves around powerful people, and we have the right to enjoy it.”

“…….”

Kim Junwoo refrained from answering.

In that gap, she struggled to continue speaking.

“It would have been nice if you had worked with us. With your skills, you might have been able to take over the world all by yourself.”

“…….”

“How about it, even now…….”

“I was going to.”

“What…?”

And then, an unexpected answer came.

“In the past, I was thinking of taking over the world with you guys, the International Association.”

“Then why…….”

“Why am I so eager to devour you now?”

His voice echoed heavily.

“The reason I was trying to stand at the top was to eliminate all the guys who were interfering with the operation. At one time, I thought the cleaning team was one of them. But…….”

Soon, Kim Junwoo’s gaze turned to Director Emma.

“It turns out that the real obstacles are somewhere else.”

His eyes flashed.

“The rights of the powerful? Are you an elementary school student? If I was interested in that kind of thing in the first place, I would have gone into politics, not become a Hunter.”

“…….”

“If you didn’t want to turn me into an enemy, the International Association should have done its job. Protecting the citizens, I mean.”

Director Emma lowered her head at Kim Junwoo’s words for a moment.

“Heh, hehehe…!”

She burst into laughter as if sobbing.

“Well, yeah… I guess you could think that way.”

“…….”

“I don’t think we’ll ever understand each other in our lives.”

She continued.

“Since we’ve started, go all the way to the top. But Wesley, you have to be careful of that bastard. He’s a coward, but he’s good at what he does.”

“…Are you surrendering?”

“If I do, will you spare me?”

“If you drop the charges against the Haramura branch manager and the International Association promises to take all responsibility for the distribution of Void and the attack on civilians… there’s no reason why I can’t.”

Kim Junwoo said calmly, but she shook her head.

“I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

“Then… I have no choice.”

Director Emma struggled to get up from her seat.

And then.

[Unique Skill: Weapon Acquisition – Awakening]

[Selector – Drop]

[The caster’s awakening skill has been confirmed to be activated.]

[Connecting to unique firearm.]

Once again, sparks began to fly from her entire body.

Jiiiiiing―.

Eventually, she gathered all her strength and tried to attack Kim Junwoo, but.

Kieeeee―!!

Kuaaaaaa―!

Thousands of monsters immediately threw themselves at Kim Junwoo.

Kwagwagwang―!!

Thus, her last attack flew away in vain without even reaching Kim Junwoo.

“Haha…….”

A sound of laughter was heard, whether she had given up or felt a final joy.

[Unique Skill: Demon King – Dictator]

[Creates a one-time skill according to the caster’s thoughts.]

[Skill creation in progress.]

[Skill creation complete.]

[Karma]

───!!

Eventually, a huge blaze engulfed her.

***

“…….”

There was no trace left of where Director Emma had been standing until just now.

PB Corporation, an organization under the International Association that killed me in my past life and killed dozens of people here.

Today, that organization has finally disappeared completely.

With this, the charges against the Haramura branch manager will be safely dropped, and the Japanese branch will be safe.

My revenge is a bonus.

“…….”

The fight was over, but I was still lost in thought for a while without leaving the unique battlefield.

Even though I should have been happy, I wasn’t.

It was the first time I had told someone this story.

As soon as I said it, the past memories messed up my head in a complicated way.

“Tsk…….”

But that didn’t last long either.

I soon shook my head and wiped away my 잡념 [japnyum – idle thoughts/worries].

After that, when I withdrew the skill, the night sky of Japan, which had been covered by the black sky, reappeared.

“Teacher…!”

Kim Minjoo approached me in one step.

“Are you okay?!”

“Yeah.”

“J, just a moment! A, arm…!”

“I told you I’m okay.”

It was bleeding because it was torn so badly, but it wasn’t the first time, so what’s the big deal?

Even so, Kim Minjoo began to tear her sleeve and stop the bleeding on my arm.

To be honest, I wanted her to just leave it alone now, but unfortunately, I didn’t have the strength left to push her away, so I kept quiet.

As I was doing that, she cautiously asked.

“Take care of yourself. It’s unfair if you go back sick.”

“……?!”

At the same time, my eyes widened.

“W, what are you talking about…? Where am I going back to…….”

“You don’t have to hide it. Ah Young told me.”

“…….”

No, are you kidding me?

She said she wouldn’t tell!

“Don’t be mad at Ah Young. I asked her in detail when it accidentally popped out while we were talking.”

“You just believed that?”

“Of course I didn’t believe it at first. But… when I saw Ah Young’s expression, I couldn’t help but believe it, right?”

“Sigh…….”

Anyway, that human.

She can’t lie either.

“I’ll really keep it a secret from Yubin.”

“That human already knows.”

“Wait… then you told the two of them, but you only kept it a secret from me?”

Ah, ah.

Why does it feel like there’s strength in her hand?

“I wouldn’t have told you with my own mouth. Everyone’s been so perceptive.”

Kim Minjoo smiled at that.

Well, I didn’t intend to…… did everyone around me find out with this?

Damn it.

“What was our relationship where you were?”

Then, Kim Minjoo asked as she firmly fixed the cloth wrapped around my arm.

“She was my subordinate.”

“…It’s not much different from now.”

“But I cut her off. Because she had shoulder surgery.”

“Pfft! Lie.”

……?

She’s saying it’s a lie?

I even swore at her to her face?

“Well, but when I think about it… I think it’s possible enough.”

“…What do you mean?”

“If a prosecutor injures her shoulder, she can’t go back to the way she was before, no matter how much surgery she has. There will be a difference of 1 second, no, 0.1 seconds, and a difference of 0.1 seconds in subjugation is…….”

“Life or death.”

I answered instead of her.

Then Kim Minjoo looked at me and smiled.

“Then you saved me there too, Teacher.”

“…….”

What is she talking about since a while ago.

“But you know……. Are you really going back when everything is over?”

Then, Kim Minjoo opened her mouth again in a serious voice.

“…….”

But I didn’t answer that question.

Kim Minjoo didn’t seem to want to ask any more questions either.

As such, only a heavy silence flowed, then.

“J, Junwoo! Minjoo unnie [older sister]! It’s a big deal!”

Moon Soyeon and other members of Cleaning Team 3 rushed over.

“What’s the big deal? Didn’t you finish evacuating the citizens?”

“We finished the evacuation safely. But just now, we got a call from the branch…….”

After hesitating for a while, Moon Soyeon continued.

“A large amount of Void has been distributed.”

“Y, yes?!”

“The source isn’t even Kyokuseigumi [a Yakuza group]. It seems they entrusted Void to another organization too!”

Han Yubin said in an excited voice.

Did they leave some for other guys in preparation for a possible suicide?

“Teacher! I’ll find out the distribution route right away. Teacher, go to the hospital…….”

“No, there’s no need to do that.”

“Yes?! Do you not know what condition you’re in?! Go to the hospital right now…!”

“It’s not that. I’m saying you don’t have to find out the distribution route.”

“……Yes?”

Kim Minjoo’s eyebrows twitched.

Well, I expected it this time too.

I asked Director Lee Ah Young before coming to Japan in preparation for a possible suicide.