The Returner

“What’s taken you so long?” (Seo Ah-Young)

Seo Ah-Young suddenly began her mini-rant and Yi Ji-Hyuk could only scowl unhappily as his initial response.

“What the? Even if your handling of the matter was messy and sloppy, we have never talked about me coming here at a scheduled time anyway, and besides all that, how nonsensical is it to abruptly order me to show up immediately as soon as the preparations are complete? What are you even trying to say here?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Why didn’t you commute to the office in the morning and wait like everyone else, then?” (Seo Ah-Young)

“.....”

That one retort managed to soundly crush all of Yi Ji-Hyuk’s arguments so he could only whistle sheepishly and head towards his assigned location. As he was a salaryman who shirked his own duties, he had no right to say anything in his defence anymore.

“...Well, it’s still not enough to bite my head off, though.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“You fool, seriously?!” (Seo Ah-Young)

“Please calm down.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

Choi Jeong-Hoon hurriedly tried to pacify Seo Ah-Young.

“This isn’t the first time he’s acting this way, after all.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“You’re right. I haven’t seen that mug recently so I can’t help but get angry at him all over again, you know. Should I just flip everything over or something?” (Seo Ah-Young)

Yi Ji-Hyuk let Seo Ah-Young’s stabbing words enter one ear and leak out of the other, while booting up his computer.

“And why are you switching on your computer? We’re about to leave, don’t you get that!” (Seo Ah-Young)

“Tsk, tsk, tsk...” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Seo Ah-Young cries only elicited a loud tutting from Yi Ji-Hyuk.

“This isn’t my first rodeo, you know. Doesn’t take a genius to see that he will start a lecture trying to educate us on the things we know to be really important already. And by the time he’s done making us swear our hearts out, it’d be one hour later.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“...I won’t do that.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

Choi Jeong-Hoon was inwardly thinking of doing exactly that so he couldn’t help but flinch.

‘B-but, if I don’t say them out loud, you all are going to cause incidents later.’ (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

If he did nag, then people slagged him for being a nagging superior officer. But if he didn’t, people would slag him for failing to prevent the incidents from happening by not educating the masses ahead of time. This was the sorrow of a man stuck in middle management.

He couldn’t do anything about being at the end of all the slagging, but more than that, he also couldn’t do anything about hating the fool who just had to accurately point that out, too.

Well, Yi Ji-Hyuk being a hateful little fool was nothing new anyway, so there was that.

“Keu-hmmm.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

Choi Jeong-Hoon tried to change the topic with a loud fake cough.

“We have permission.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“Permission?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Yes. The Americans said we can participate in the training.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“I’ll be the one training people, so why do you need America’s permission? I should be the one giving permission here.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Huh?” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

Choi Jeong-Hoon tilted his head.

Wasn’t that true, now that he thought about it?

“T-the thing is, we’re about to train the Americans. Plus, they are also wanted criminals, as well. And finally, we’re going to train in America, aren’t we?” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“I merely said to look for a place to train, and never said anything about it needing to be in America. If they think they can play hardball with me, just call everyone over to Korea, then. Baseball games have been cancelled anyway, so we can just borrow a stadium and train everyone in there or something.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

That... sounded pretty good?

“You could’ve told me that sooner.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

Choi Jeong-Hoon had completely failed to think about that, and while recalling how he had to grovel before the uncomfortable-looking Christopher McLaren earlier, he began grumbling in unhappiness.

“I thought you’d be able to figure out that much by yourself, though.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“...Yes, it’s my fault.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

Somehow it felt like all the ills of the world were his fault lately, but even then Choi Jeong-Hoon found it hard to come up with a proper retort right now.

“Okay, fine. Let’s not waste any more time and get to the main topic already. Your excessive bantering just doesn’t know the right time or place, does it?” (Seo Ah-Young)

Seo Ah-Young spoke in a brittle tone of voice and everyone around her all nodded in agreement. Choi Jeong-Hoon realised that his current position had fallen to the level of a time-wasting kkondae despite his best intentions and could only swallow back his tears of unfairness.

‘And this wasn’t even my fault, too...’ (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

Why didn’t anyone express their dissatisfaction at Yi Ji-Hyuk? No matter who saw it, it was him who kept retorting back, wasn’t he?

“...In any case, the Americans gave us their go-ahead. In return, they requested that the elite agents from both America and Europe be included in the training, as well.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon) 𝗳𝗿𝐞ℯ𝙬𝗲𝗯n𝗼νel.𝒄𝑜𝘮

Choi Jeong-Hoon looked at Yi Ji-Hyuk and asked.

“What will you do?” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“No one’s gonna stop them if they want to kill themselves. Tell them to come, then.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“..............”

Choi Jeong-Hoon was inwardly impressed by Yi Ji-Hyuk’s ability to turn the atmosphere in the surroundings into an icy wasteland with just one sentence. That one sentence was enough to cause the NDF agents to form totally fed-up, disgusted expressions, while various muscles on their faces twitched and quivered endlessly.

‘I was going to ask if anyone wanted to opt out, but now...’ (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

It seemed a wiser move to omit that step now. If he asked that question in the current atmosphere, then potentially more than half gathered here would simply choose to leave and go home.

Unfortunately, there would always be that one fool who decide to tackle Choi Jeong-Hoon’s hasty change in plans head-on. Kim Dah-Hyun, renowned for his utter lack of ability to discern the current mood, raised his hand high up.

“Yes?” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“I have a question for Mister Yi Ji-Hyuk.” (Kim Dah-Hyun)

“...Ah, is that so?” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

Please don’t answer the question. Just say you can’t be bothered. Please. (Choi Jeong-Hoon’s inner monologue)

Unlike Choi Jeong-Hoon’s ardent prayer, though, Yi Ji-Hyuk replied with a refreshing grin on his face.

“What’s up?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“...There’s something I was curious about, you see. How hardcore will be the training we’re about to go through? Is it worse than the training we got the last time?” (Kim Dah-Hyun)

For a moment there, Yi Ji-Hyuk carefully contemplated his answers.

“Mm... Compared to the training you got the last time, this one should be much easier. Besides, you all had gone through hell once already, so what could possibly be worse than that?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Oh, really?” (Kim Dah-Hyun)

Kim Dah-Hyun sighed in relief. But too bad, Yi Ji-Hyuk wasn’t the type to let a fellow human being off the hook that easily.

“But then again, the training you received the last time was some stuff I’ve tried out already so they weren’t all that dangerous, to begin with...” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

‘...They weren’t dangerous? Wha???’ (everyone)

Even though it was a miracle that everyone came back home in one piece?

So, so many times the group nearly got wiped out in the blink of an eye. Yet, none of that was dangerous?

Even though just one slip-up was enough to kill everyone back then?!

“The training this time around is also new for me, so yeah, I guess you can say it’s gonna be a bit more dangerous. Sure, the concept of mixing Ether and magical powers has been in use already, but well, that was casting buffs on a person’s body. Since we’re trying to use the combination as the primary way of fighting, mm, how should I put this... Mm...” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Yi Ji-Hyuk scratched his cheeks noisily.

“One slip-up, and you’ll blow up? Like a balloon going pop?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“...............................” (everyone)

The atmosphere in the NDF office went straight past ‘icy wasteland’ and into ‘Antarctica’.

“Well, I’m sure things won’t go that far. When you die, you’ll still have an intact corpse left. Your bodies are pretty study, aren’t they?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Kim Dah-Hyun smiled brightly and asked Choi Jeong-Hoon next.

“Vice director?” (Kim Dah-Hyun)

“Y-yes?” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“You remember what you said the last time? The one about those who didn’t want to participate, they can opt to stay out. Is that still valid this time, too?” (Kim Dah-Hyun)

“I’m sorry, but this ship has set sail already. Everyone’s participating.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“...F*ck.” (Kim Dah-Hyun)

Kim Dah-Hyun failed to find an escape route and dejectedly slumped in his seat. No matter how he looked at it, he was basically going there to kill himself, yet he couldn’t find a way out.

“Do we really have to do this?” (Yun Hyuk-Gyu)

Yun Hyuk-Gyu stared with anxious eyes, and Choi Jeong-Hoon replied with a grim, determined look on his face.

“Does it matter if you die now or later?” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“What dogsh*t are you talking about?” (Yun Hyuk-Gyu)

“Ah, that wasn’t it. W-well, if you manage to overcome this danger somehow, it’ll become possible to prevent the world’s destruction. Isn’t that true, Mister Yi Ji-Hyuk?” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“Well, that’s hard to say...” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“...You heard him.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

Choi Jeong-Hoon almost nearly gave up just then. The person in question wasn’t even being remotely helpful here, so what else could he do in the current situation?

“In any case!” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Just as Choi Jeong-Hoon’s mental state reached the point of, ‘I don’t care anymore’, Yi Ji-Hyuk opened his mouth.

“You’ll all become stronger than you currently are. The biggest problem our combat force is facing right now is not that you can’t fight against a demon king, it’s the fact that you all are too weak and you can’t even properly win against the demonic beasts serving a demon king.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Mm...” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“If it’s a lone individual, then you’ll inevitably find a way to deal with it. Doesn’t matter whether you hit with everything you got, or find and exploit its weakness, whatever. However, when those individuals hide in a horde, then all potential methods to deal with them go out the window. So, if humanity wishes to fight and win against the demonic beings, we need people capable of dealing with those demonic beasts first.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“And that will be us, in other words.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“Nope, that will be Alpha.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“...”

“All of you are, like, accidental extras.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Was there any other opening speech in humanity’s history that managed to sap out someone’s enthusiasm this quickly and so badly, too?

Choi Jeong-Hoon began thinking that maybe they were on the cusp of making history today.

“Well, let’s just get started, then.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“You aren’t going to lecture us?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“There was a ton of stuff I needed to remind you of, but I can’t think of them right now. My head’s completely blank at the moment, you see.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“Onset of dementia, maybe?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“...When I think about it, it’s not like folks here will listen even if I remind them, so I might as well stay close and sort out whatever mess they get into when it happens. It’s not like I’m not going with you all, anyway.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

Indeed, if one got technical here, there was no guarantee that Alpha’s side wouldn’t be the first one to start trouble even if the Koreans managed to hold themselves back. The Korean side’s people might look a bit suspect but they were actually more like the regular army, but the other side was an organisation of criminals that specialised in committing terror and destruction.

So, if trouble happened then it’d be the other side starting it first.

“Let’s just get going.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

Choi Jeong-Hoon replied with an exhausted, don’t-care expression. Yi Ji-Hyuk nodded and replied.

“Well, sure. Ah, wait. I haven’t said anything to my mom before coming here, so I wonder if that’ll be okay. Can I call her before leaving?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“...Sure thing. Knock yourself out.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

At this point, calling someone on the phone to waste even more time wouldn’t matter much, anyway.

Choi Jeong-Hoon had been planning for a sombre and serious opening speech that spoke of how much humanity’s future rode on their shoulders, but it was his shoulders slumping forward in dejection right now.

Seo Ah-Young lightly patted him on the shoulder.

“You knew things would end up like this.” (Seo Ah-Young)

“Well, that’s true...” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

The moment he got tangled up in Yi Ji-Hyuk’s matters, Choi Jeong-Hoon should’ve kissed goodbye to any thoughts of holding a proper opening speech. His head knew that so well, but there was little he could do about the bitter taste in his innards after experiencing it personally.

A bit more time passed under the awkward atmosphere, and Yi Ji-Hyuk eventually came back inside the office with a dissatisfied expression.

“Argh, really now?!” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Did something happen?” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“Mom wants me to buy some burgers on my way back!” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“...............”

“Does she think I’m going on a field trip or something? Seriously!” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Without a doubt, at least half of Yi Ji-Hyuk’s rather extraordinary mental state must’ve been influenced by his mother.

‘But well, when you think about it, she’s basically a warrioress herself, isn’t she?’ (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

If she was born as a man, she’d have become a general that conquered the world. Only someone like that would be powerful enough to raise an oddball son like Yi Ji-Hyuk.

While thinking about Yi Ji-Hyuk’s mom who made a great contribution (?) towards humanity, Choi Jeong-Hoon spoke up.

“Please open the Gate.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

***

“The Koreans have said they’ll participate, sir.”

“What about the Europeans?” (Christopher McLaren)

“They say they’ll mobilise all available teleporters and send over their elites. They should arrive soon.”

“All available teleporters? How many are they planning to send here?” (Christopher McLaren)

“They lost many of their teleporters while trying to establish a defensive line around Germany, sir. Excluding the injured, they don’t have a lot of available agents, apparently.”

“Oh, how so bloody wonderful, then.” (Christopher McLaren)

Christopher McLaren stared at the giant screen with some reluctance on his face. The screen currently displayed the list of the agents hand-picked to participate in the upcoming training session.

“And I’m equally being wonderful here, too.” (Christopher McLaren)

He had misgivings on whether it was the right thing or not to send America’s top elite agents, arguably the pride of the American government, and have them train alongside a criminal organisation. But now wasn’t the right time to worry about the morals of that decision.

No, he needed to do whatever he could. If that meant he’d have to cling shamelessly onto someone’s pant legs, then so be it. f𝘳𝚎𝐞we𝐛𝑛𝐨𝘃e𝘭.co𝘮

“Does Yi Ji-Hyuk know that we were targeting him?” (Christopher McLaren)

“No, sir. However, according to Choi Jeong-Hoon, Yi Ji-Hyuk isn’t the type of man to care even if he knows. As long as there’s some use, he won’t treat America as an enemy, sir.”

“Indeed. He even went and joined hands with Alpha, didn’t he.” (Christopher McLaren)

Christopher McLaren sighed and waved his hand.

“Switch on the feed. What’s happening in the training area?” (Christopher McLaren)

“Alpha and his people have arrived there earlier and are waiting for the Koreans to arrive, sir.”

“He must be feeling like he’s on a godd*mn cloud nine right about now.” (Christopher McLaren)

Christopher McLaren gritted his teeth.

Before the spots connected to the demon world opened up, the Americans treated Alpha as the most wanted criminal currently on the run. But after the spots manifested, his status had rapidly risen until he became a true bigwig that not even the American government was willing to haphazardly cross.

“He scored big properly this time.” (Christopher McLaren)

Surely Alpha hadn’t aimed for this result, but he still didn’t forget to extract as much benefit as possible from the situation nevertheless.

Christopher McLaren continued to grit his teeth while glaring at Alpha’s figure visible on the screen.

“I swear, things won’t end this way.” (Christopher McLaren)

His eyes were blazing white-hot right now, which was unusual even for him.

< 442. That’s the only thing I can give you -2 > Fin.