"You're saying you want to make last-minute changes to the operation plan?"
In the conference room, the leaders of the major guilds, along with Go Gunhee, stared with puzzled expressions at the man across from them, Ryuji Gotō.
"That's correct."
Ryuji Gotō's expression remained utterly unchanged, perfectly calm as ever.
His assistant meticulously translated his words for everyone:
"The DFN's original plan accounted for the possibility that all of you might struggle to hold off the large-scale insect assault, so we took the initiative to shoulder the most difficult part."
"However, both Hunter Cha Hae-in and Hunter Castorice possess considerable strength, capable of handling the insect swarm's attacks."
His words carried an obvious note of contempt—after all, the underlying message was that they hadn't thought much of the local forces to begin with.
But what the guild leaders were more concerned about at the moment was something else.
It wasn't the last-minute plan change itself; adjustments after confirming combat capabilities weren't uncommon.
What they wondered was why the change was necessary.
Yes, on the surface, Ryuji Gotō's explanation made sense… but from the perspective of results and the operation itself, it was completely unnecessary.
They could already win as things stood; keeping the original plan would simply mean a smoother victory than anticipated.
Changing strategies under such circumstances was both pointless and troublesome.
After Choi Jong-in calmly laid out these points, Ryuji Gotō fell silent for a moment before replying, "This is a condition for Japan's support of Korea. As you are all aware, the criteria and difficulty for becoming a National-Level hunter are quite stringent."
The most crucial factor in becoming a National-Level Hunter was having cleared an S-rank Gate. But Gates were typically handled domestically by each country.
Even if an S-rank Gate did appear, any nation capable of clearing it would keep the opportunity to themselves—there was no reason to invite outsiders to resolve it.
While there had been instances where foreign assistance was sought, the ones invited would invariably be National Level Hunters who had already cleared S-rank Gates.
Though many acknowledged that Ryuji Gotō possessed the strength to clear an S-rank Gate, he simply hadn't had the opportunity.
Hearing this, Lim Tae-Gyu couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. "Then why didn't you bring this up earlier?"
Everyone knew Japan's assistance this time surely came with ulterior motives—they just hadn't known what those motives were.
But now, after witnessing the strength of Castorice and Cha Hae-in, they suddenly wanted to change the plan?
It was hard for seasoned veterans like them not to suspect the worst—like, for example, a scheme to trap and eliminate them.
Ryuji Gotō, of course, knew there were no fools here. His and the DFN's schemes weren't difficult to guess at this point.
But guessing didn't matter; what mattered was that nothing had been put into motion yet. As long as he denied it, no one could be certain or prove anything.
"The DFN has its own considerations."
He essentially shrugged it off.
'You son of a…'
Lim Tae-Gyu wanted to curse, but that would only make him seem like he was throwing a tantrum over baseless speculation.
"The DFN should be aware that we've already invested considerable tactical planning into this operation. These things can't be changed with just a few words."
Go Gunhee was more emotionally driven than anyone else in the room, but his rationality was never swayed by sentiment.
Rather than venting emotions, he wanted something more concrete: "Moreover, it's not just Japan that needs an S-rank Gate. Korea needs this opportunity as well."
Everyone understood he was referring to Castorice.
They understood even more clearly that the so-called "tactical planning" was largely handled by the S-ranks present.
While arrangements existed outside the island, not much actual investment had been made there. It wasn't something that could be changed with just a word, but it also wouldn't require excessive effort.
Similarly, Castorice wasn't a native Korean hunter. Though currently operating under Korea's banner, where she would end up in the future was anyone's guess.
Go Gunhee's argument was flimsy, something that could easily be bargained over… but Ryuji Gotō merely nodded.
"Regarding compensation, I will discuss it with the DFN. We can refund half of Korea's hiring fee for this operation."
"Let's set that aside for now and go over the details later. First, allow me to explain the DFN's revised operational plan."
Knowing his initial offer hadn't swayed the old man before him, Ryuji Gotō remained unfazed.
After all, no one revealed their bottom line at the start. They were already prepared to refund the full amount and even throw in a divine artifact if needed.
But compared to that, explaining the upcoming raid plan clearly was more important.
--+--
Meanwhile, elsewhere.
Golden blades of pressure that easily tore through the earth fell like rain from the sky, carving scars deep enough to reshape the terrain across this desolate, lifeless exclusion zone.
Hovering in midair, Cha Hae-in unleashed her magical power without restraint.
The endless well of mana and the intensity of her output were almost intoxicating. Attacks that would normally require half a minute to recover from had become her basic strikes.
On the ground, Sung Jinwoo felt his scalp tingling as he frantically parried the storm of blade pressures with his dagger.
His hands were far more numb than his scalp, but his gaze never wavered for an instant.
The moment the dust cloud's visual obstruction reached his calculated threshold, Sung Jinwoo didn't hesitate to channel his mana.
A dark purple flame shot out instantly from a shadow he'd planted earlier, aiming straight for Cha Hae-in's wrist.
Simultaneously, he activated his skill 'Stealth' and leapt into the air, planning to land his real attack just as the feint connected.
Cha Hae-in naturally detected the mana rapidly closing in on her and immediately prepared to swing her sword—only to feel an inexplicable force restraining her wrist.
'Ruler's Authority'—an ability that could exert physical influence without direct contact, and one of Sung Jinwoo's favorite harassment tactics.
With the restraint, the feint, and the ambush, Sung Jinwoo was convinced he'd seized a golden opportunity.
But… amplified by her immense magical power, Cha Hae-in instantly broke free from Ruler's Authority, ignored the negligible sting on her wrist, and swung her sword fiercely toward an empty patch of air.
Sung Jinwoo: …
"I can't do this!"
Back on the ground, Sung Jinwoo's face was a picture of exasperation.
A sparring match? More like him being a punching bag!
After all this time, he'd gained almost nothing from the fight, essentially just helping Cha Hae-in get accustomed to her new power.
But the real question was… did this power even need getting used to?
Cha Hae-in, for her part, felt somewhat awkward and didn't know what to say. She'd also noticed the pattern in their bout.
Brute force worked wonders. Her opponent couldn't breach the defense of her Astral Dress and couldn't withstand the pressure of her sword, Sandalphon.
She was essentially fighting purely with overwhelming stats.
In fact, her stats were so high that Castorice had been forced to relocate them to the depths of an uninhabited valley just to prevent widespread destruction before they even began.
She was having a great time, but she knew Sung Jinwoo's experience was anything but enjoyable.
"This is the strength of a Monarch," Castorice said with a gentle smile, addressing Sung Jinwoo's frustration.
"Although some Monarchs may not reach this level, Cha-sunbae's current power still doesn't match that of the strongest Monarch."
Hearing this, Sung Jinwoo—already a man of few words—fell silent.
So that was it.
While this session was nominally about him helping Cha Hae-in familiarize herself with her power, it was also meant to broaden his horizons, letting him clearly understand the true might of a Monarch.
After all, the game-like system he carried was likely created by the Monarch of Shadows, a being contending for the top spot among Monarchs in strength.
If he couldn't even handle Cha Hae-in, then facing the Monarch of Shadows would truly be a hopeless wait for resurrection.
With that realization, his eyes regained their determined gleam. "I understand. Thank you, Miss Castorice."
He couldn't afford to grow complacent just because his mother had awoken. He had to push himself harder.
"I've never used any of the vacation time I've accumulated. Starting now, I'll use these coming days to become stronger."
Looking at Castorice's smiling face, Sung Jinwoo made his declaration.
…Huh?
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.