The organizational structure of the association is broadly divided into five main divisions:
While these divisions could be further subdivided, generally speaking, these five are the primary ones that are understood.
At this point, the Monster Hunting Division handles the hunting forces, and the Boundary Defense Division manages the defense forces.
These are often metaphorically compared to a spear and a shield.
The Monster Hunting Division is the spear.
Its role is to resolve dungeons and monsters showing signs of becoming a disaster within its sphere of influence.
An example of this would be the two-headed dragon hunting mission from the past.
The Changhae Clan, located near China, and its blood alliance, the Three Major Clans, were the main forces in this hunt. However, the association also did not stand idly by during this crisis and contributed significant power.
On the other hand, the Boundary Defense Division acts as the shield.
Instead of aggressively hunting, their role is to remain stationed and prevent any incoming threats.
The most representative task of the Boundary Defense Division is managing the frontlines of the Demon Realm, the only one in the present day located in Africa.
The association is the force that dedicates the most energy to ensuring that monsters in Africa, which pile up like solitude, do not spread to other regions.
In other words, there is no clear superiority between the two forces... simply put, they are the primary military power of the association.
“...Are you referring to the Monster Hunting Division and the Boundary Defense Division?”
The order to mobilize these two armies could not come lightly.
The reaction of the council members, becoming tense, was entirely understandable.
'Now, this is where it gets important.'
My role now is to convince them, who have hardened expressions.
I jokingly told Maxwell that I could just "knock some sense into them," but I couldn't actually do that.
It might be possible, but it would only cause resentment.
'What should I do...'
I snapped my fingers and began to think.
The knowledge available to me is limited. Either from the original records or from the Tower of Knowledge...
"May I ask the reason?"
'Hmm?'
After briefly remaining silent, one of the council members, who had been stiffening his expression, cautiously spoke up.
He was a superhuman who had raised his level considerably, yet he had an appearance close to that of an elder. He was holding a pen now, but the hands he had just shaken showed clear traces of past struggles.
'Robert Hyaline.'
One of the council members. Also, a member from the 9th cycle that was consumed by it...
'His reaction is milder than I expected?'
I tilted my head inwardly.
His words were quite polite. I had expected more intense resistance and negative reactions.
That makes sense, though. After all, a random rookie showing up claiming to be the association's representative and immediately trying to mobilize troops?
I asked Maxwell through a private transmission just to be sure, and the answer was negative.
[...They seem to be accepting me more smoothly than expected. Don't people usually resist? Or were they expecting this?]
"Haha, at least none of us have future sight abilities. Also, to be honest... I don't feel much resistance."
When I asked directly, a small chuckle came in reply.
"It's just that it was too sudden... but I think the association's president must have something in mind."
[Do they trust the president so much that they just accept a random person as their representative?]
"Well, it's not like an unknown person. Ha-yul, the hero from Siyoram's special entrance exam, is quite famous."
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The council members replied with a strange smile, and my expression turned a bit strange.
It didn’t seem like a lie...
They truly trusted the president, which is why they are accepting me as his representative.
I thought the biggest hurdle would be convincing the council members, but it seems like I got through that rather easily.
‘Did they say the tower’s representative personally chose them?’
Perhaps because of that, their sense of justice is secondary, and their loyalty to the president seems rather high.
[Hmm, well then, let me explain the reason.]
I cut off the branches of my thoughts as all attention was focused on me.
[For now, this is not a confirmed issue. It’s just that we need to be ready in case a situation arises that demands an immediate response.]
“That part is already prepared. We have ready-to-deploy forces on standby at all times.”
[And even more so. To give an example... if a Demon Realm were to suddenly open up in the center of the region, we would be prepared to handle it.]
“...!”
The faces of the council members stiffened even more at my denial.
The term Demon Realm was anything but trivial for people who were well-versed in world affairs.
Being part of the leadership of the association that manages the Demon Realm frontlines, this was even more significant for them.
Just maintaining the Demon Realm frontlines in Africa costs a tremendous amount, and if something similar opened up in the middle of the region?
The thought alone would send shivers down anyone’s spine.
[It’s not an exaggeration. It might be stable now, but one day, the center could be turned into a Demon Realm, and it would become a disaster.]
“The Demon Realm... what kind of disaster are you talking about?”
[Well... for now, I’ll refer to it as the ‘other side.’ What I intend to investigate and prepare for is the entrance to that 'other side'.]
I quickly explained the concept of the 'other side' and then subtly raised my right hand to draw the air downward.
At the gesture, the space began to tear apart.
This space was secured with powerful security measures, but since it was the same type of power, I had no issues bypassing it.
The gazes of those watching me widened.
“Space power...!”
They might have mistaken it for space magic or some other ability, but since some of them had served under the head of the Tower of Space, they immediately recognized it.
[The entrance to the other side is something I will find using the space power granted to me.]
“Ah...! To be granted such a power, there can be no greater proof of your qualifications.”
[...]
One of the council members muttered, and my expression became slightly awkward as I closed the space back up.
The reaction of the council members shifted drastically.
Earlier, they seemed hesitant but willing to go along, but now their eyes were gleaming with trust.
'...I should have just shown them my powers from the start.'
If I had done that, there would have been no need for all the unnecessary talk. I came to this realization late as I continued my explanation.
[The other side, like a dungeon, eventually erupts. The damage from it would be incomparably greater than that of a chain explosion in any other dungeon.]
“Does that mean a Demon Realm is created due to this eruption?”
[Yes, with a high probability.]
In the original, whenever the other side erupted, it always turned into a Demon Realm.
It was a place where enormous mana and monsters would flood in all at once, and if not dealt with quickly, it would be abandoned, making it impossible to prevent the Demon Realm formation.
“Are you planning to find the entrance to the other side and prepare for the eruption?”
[That’s correct.]
“Certainly, to prevent the damage from such an eruption, we would need a force of that magnitude. But...”
The council member, Samuel Delay, trailed off, and I could guess the unfinished words.
[Indeed, if we seal the entrance during the eruption, we would suffer immense losses. We might even fail to suppress it.]
“Then...”
[However, if we leave it unchecked, it would cause even greater damage.]
“Hmm... Should we determine its location and deploy the Boundary Defense Division primarily...”
“You said monsters will be pouring out, right? If it's a threat akin to a Demon Realm, there might be Tier 3 monsters involved, so we should prepare the Monster Hunting Division as well.”
“If it's a threat like a Demon Realm, we’ll need to pull all available forces, but the damage will be significant. If there’s a gap in the frontlines...”
“...I’d rather not imagine it.”
The council members’ faces were full of contemplation. This was indeed a matter with many things to consider.
Since I had already demonstrated my power, they were placing their trust in the information.
After giving them some time to think, I tapped the table with my finger.
The sound echoed in the empty space.
[Actually, I have something to add.]
“I’ll listen.”
As the council members, who had been discussing various matters, turned their attention back to me, I absentmindedly touched my necklace.
Now, the real crux of my plan begins.
[After I find the entrance to the other side and investigate, if it’s judged that there’s no time left before the eruption...]
“Excuse me?”
[Then, I plan to enter the other side myself and forcefully trigger the eruption, suppressing the damage before it spreads outside.]
The eruption of the other side cannot be stopped. The crack is already too wide, and the space has started to act like a dungeon.
It’s inevitable. In that case, it’s better to trigger it ourselves before it gets worse and mitigate the damage.
At the same time, if we can handle the damage inside the other side, all the better.
Of course, finding the entrance is no easy task, and even if I find it, entering in the usual way is impossible...
[But, I have the space power, so I can manage it.]
I’ll be able to enter using my space power. Once inside, I’ll find the core of the other side and, if necessary, trigger it forcefully, taking the damage within.
“That’s... dangerous.”
Robert shook his head in shock after hearing my plan.
“I’m ignorant about the other side, but logically, the consequences won’t be mild. By triggering the core inside, you’ll be exposed to great danger.”
He said this in a polite manner, but it was clear that he was expressing deep concern.
[Don’t worry.]
I shrugged my shoulders and lightly tapped my left arm. The sound of rough metal echoed from inside my clothes.
[It’s a high-level artifact specialized for defense. I also have other means, and I can mitigate the damage with space power.]
“Even so, isn’t exposure to that much damage still a risk?”
The question came from behind me, after Maxwell, who had been standing there, spoke up.
“Maxwell’s right. This is too risky.”
The council members threw objections as well. They seemed to think my plan was even more dangerous than I had considered.
[Well, that’s the plan for now. The situation might change, so we’ll adjust accordingly. And...]
I lightly stroked the emblem of protection.
[The danger is something we’ll just have to endure.]
We can’t just run away from danger.
Once you run away, it becomes easier next time.
If you start making excuses and running away now, how will you deal with future invasions from the Tower Lords?
So, from the start, you can’t run away.
“Miss, you’ve arrived.”
“Oh, it’s already winter break...”
Choi Ji-yeon, who had been buried in paperwork as usual, gasped when she heard about Hong Yeon-hwa’s return.
“Ugh, my head hurts...”
Choi Ji-yeon pressed her forehead as she thought about the upcoming visit from Hong Yeon-hwa.
Reuniting with her daughter was something every parent would look forward to, but the amount of work she was dealing with right now was overwhelming...
A lot of it was due to the incident in the Changhae Clan's domain.
The Three Major Clans were bound by blood alliances, and Choi Ji-yeon couldn't just stand by and do nothing.
She had sent various support and dispatched elite units like the Purification Division, adding to her pile of work.
‘And now a special-grade dungeon just suddenly appears...’
Her head was throbbing.
In the midst of all this, the news of Hong Yeon-hwa’s visit was a bit of a break, and Choi Ji-yeon was hoping to take a short rest with a cup of tea.
“How about it? Cute, right?”
“?”
But when Hong Yeon-hwa arrived, she was holding a child in her arms.
Choi Ji-yeon, who had been preparing tea, blinked in confusion.
'What?’
The sudden sight startled her, but she quickly composed herself.
Then, she recalled the previous question and looked closely at the child in Hong Yeon-hwa's arms.
The child had flawless white hair and eyes. Despite looking somewhat grumpy, the perfect features made it impossible to not find the child adorable.
“...I see. I wonder how they'll turn out once they’re all grown up. So, who is this child?”
The child was strikingly beautiful. She could tell that the child was special, but why had Hong Yeon-hwa brought this child here?
Choi Ji-yeon tilted her head and asked, and Hong Yeon-hwa gently patted the child’s head.
“Yep, my daughter’s granddaughter. Say hello.”
“Oh, I see, my granddaughter...”
Choi Ji-yeon nodded with a kind expression, but her head started to spin.
“What did you just say?”
Swearing unintentionally, she couldn’t comprehend what her daughter had just said.
Granddaughter? A granddaughter?
Choi Ji-yeon stared at the child in Hong Yeon-hwa’s arms, Lee Se-yul.
...Now that she looked closely, the child really resembled her son-in-law, who was strangely good-looking.
“No way, is this for real?”
“Why are you swearing in front of the kid?”
Hong Yeon-hwa narrowed her eyes and scolded her, causing Choi Ji-yeon’s face to twitch.
Her lips parted in a stunned state.
“...My goodness. I never thought I’d hear that from you in my lifetime.”
“You’re not happy to hear it, but I’ll let it slide today.”
Hong Yeon-hwa pouted, lightly patting the head of Lee Se-yul.
“Hmm...”
Lee Se-yul scrunched up their face, but quietly accepted the touch, watching Choi Ji-yeon from the corner of their eye.
“Sigh...”
The sight of Lee Se-yul trying to look affectionate made Choi Ji-yeon sigh softly.
“Oh, right.”
Just when Choi Ji-yeon was stunned and gaping at the sudden situation, Hong Yeon-hwa gave Lee Se-yul a snack and casually asked.
“Can we deploy forces now?”
“Seriously, what the hell are you talking about?”
“Don’t curse.”
Choi Ji-yeon swallowed the tea she was about to spit out, pressing her forehead.
She had hoped to clear her head, but instead, it only made her feel worse...