Chapter 24: The Weight of an Officer
Hunter Association.
Special Situation Room.
Ding.
One message appeared on the main screen.
[Sender: Yoo Seorin]
·
Third-Class Officer confirmed. Investigation begun.
·
"...What?"
The employee's face turned white.
"Chairman. We have a serious problem."
"What happened?"
Chairman Han Sangho hurried into the room.
The employee pointed at the message with trembling hands.
"Hunter Yoo Seorin has just confirmed the existence of an unidentified Third-Class Officer."
The chairman's face hardened.
"Third-Class Officer? Is that even possible?"
"Our highest-ranked Hunter, Yoo Seorin, is only High-Rank NCO. Third-Class Officer is one rank above."
"Could it be... Crimson Rain?"
"Very likely."
Heavy silence filled the room.
"Call an emergency strategy meeting immediately. This... will need to be reported upstairs."
The chairman quickly made several calls.
Not long afterward...
Step. Step. Step.
Dress shoes echoed through the hallway.
A middle-aged man in a clean suit knocked on the Special Situation Room door.
Knock, knock, knock.
Chairman Han Sangho steeled himself.
He expected fury.
An unidentified superhuman threatening national security.
Surely there would be orders for immediate identification and strong action.
But...
"Let's simply watch him."
"...Excuse me?"
The middle-aged man, the Presidential Chief of Staff, looked completely calm.
"This isn't particularly shocking."
"But Chief of Staff, an unregistered Hunter has already reached Third-Class Officer..."
"Chairman Han."
The Chief of Staff handed him a file.
"Read this first."
Han Sangho opened the sealed document.
[TOP SECRET]
It was intelligence secretly obtained from the CIA.
The chairman's eyes widened as he read.
[Japan's highest-ranked Hunter is currently at the top of High-Rank NCO. Wearing a total of ten Tower Knights Squad Leader armor/accessory pieces. Estimated to be close to promotion to Third-Class Officer.]
"...Is this accurate?"
"It's CIA intelligence. Reliability is high."
Only then did Chairman Han understand.
The Blue House's concern was completely different.
They aren't afraid of Crimson Rain.
The Chief of Staff looked out the window and spoke quietly.
"At minimum, we cannot afford to fall behind neighboring countries. Especially... Japan."
The chairman was speechless.
The Blue House wasn't treating this as a national-security threat.
It was treating it as international competition.
The Chief of Staff looked back.
"So, Chairman Han."
"Yes."
"Do not obstruct that Hunter's movements."
"...Excuse me?"
"If you approach him when necessary, do so very carefully."
It was subtle but clear.
They weren't ordering the Association to capture Crimson Rain.
Quite the opposite.
Han Sangho simply bowed.
If the order came from above, he obeyed.
In the end, the Hunter Association Chairman was still a position appointed by the government.
Washington, D.C.
The White House.
At the same time, an emergency meeting had been called.
The President.
National Security Advisor.
CIA Director.
Senior officials from multiple departments.
Everyone sat around the table with serious expressions.
"Is it true Crimson Rain has stopped using the Gatling Laser?"
The President opened the meeting.
"Yes, Mr. President. We have not observed Crimson Rain firing the Gatling Laser since Floor 40."
The President frowned.
"Cause?"
"We're considering several possibilities. Death, disappearance, hiding, even loss of ability."
Officials offered different theories.
Then an economic advisor carefully raised his hand.
"Could it be... because he ran out of money?"
Everyone looked at him.
"Money?"
"Yes. As you know, the Gatling Laser uses Highest-Grade Magic Stones as fuel. According to the report, one full minute of continuous fire consumes exactly one stone, around one hundred fifty thousand dollars. An hour would cost roughly nine million dollars."
"That much?"
"Yes. The stones are expensive, and supply is limited. Even a wealthy individual would struggle to maintain continuous usage."
"That makes sense."
The National Security Advisor nodded.
The President asked quietly:
"So your conclusion is that he stopped because he ran out of fuel?"
"Yes, Mr. President."
Silence.
Then the President smiled.
"Then we can refill him."
Several officials looked startled.
"Mr. President, that..."
"Why? Is it impossible?"
The President continued calmly.
"This would not be the first time we've indirectly supported someone doing work useful to us."
The National Security Advisor exhaled.
"...We supported the Soviet Union through Lend-Lease once."
"Exactly. We have similar historical examples in Afghanistan."
"That particular one didn't end very well."
"True. But this is different."
The President tapped the table.
"That was ideological warfare. This is simply about acquiring experimental data. Continued observation of that firepower directly benefits our research."
"But if direct support is discovered..."
"Then make sure it isn't."
The President gave the order.
"Find a way to supply Highest-Grade Magic Stones, or the money to purchase them, without leaving a trace."
"But Mr. President. We don't even know Crimson Rain's identity."
"Then find him. That's what the CIA is for."
The CIA Director lowered his head.
"...Understood."
The most important item of the meeting was settled.
As the National Security Advisor left, he muttered:
"Never thought I'd write this kind of support proposal in my life."
