Chapter 163 – K-Hero (1)

TV, newspapers, and YouTube were completely flooded with news about that day.

[Breaking News] Director Media visits the families of the victims of the Joaquin tragedy and apologizes.

[Breaking News] The Vice President of the Heroes Association schedules a visit to Korea to pay tribute to the victims.

[Debate Over Responsibility] Joaquin Academy and the Heroes Association under scrutiny. Who should take the blame?

At first, most of the news was speculation without any clear basis. This was because neither Joaquin Academy nor the Heroes Association had made any concrete statements, limiting themselves to saying they were still verifying the facts.

However, the purpose of both organizations wasn’t to hide the truth. Their intention was to make it public once everything was under control.

Everything has a priority. And in this case, the first was stabilizing the students’ mental state before informing the public.

Watching classmates die in the very place where you study, witnessing a colossal monster for the first time, and facing the descent of Vesna, Commander of the Third Corps.

They had witnessed events far too overwhelming, all in a single day.

Anyone exposed to such levels of terror and shock needs time to process it. And in the case of teenagers with still-developing minds, that need is even greater.

If they hadn’t been students of Joaquin Academy, with training and mental strength beyond that of an average civilian, most of them would have developed PTSD so severe they wouldn’t be able to return to a normal life.

That’s why the Academy chose to keep the incident as secret as possible.

Of course, this was only possible thanks to the agreement of all the students who were there that day.

The surprising thing was that they cooperated without objection. Those arrogant nobles who always held their noses high fell into complete silence.

The usual antisocial types acting like that? Maybe this event helped them grow up a bit.

‘In the end, only suffering can harden the mind.’

Even so, little by little, details of the incident began leaking online.

After all, in a world like this, it was impossible to keep an event of such magnitude hidden forever.

Reporters were everywhere, running back and forth trying to gather information and piece together the puzzle.

…And once they managed to find fragments of the truth, they spread it—each in their own way.

[The archipelago was stunned, the continent in shock… The hero of the Joaquin tragedy: The Saint of Sashimi.]

[Sashimi storm, Kang Geom-Ma. Is he really a god?]

.
.
.

I dropped the phone from my hands and flung it far away.

I covered my face, feeling heat rise in my cheeks.

“Please…”

Why do embarrassment and humiliation always end up being my burden?

For the first time since falling into this world, I felt like crying.

***

Joaquin Academy Affiliated Hospital.

[Room 313]

While looking for the room number, I heard a voice from the other side of the door.

“Then do it.”

“…Do what?”

“Eun Japcho, honorary firefighter.”

Sounds like a drama…

Just hearing the dialogue made my fingers curl like squids.

This man and I definitely don’t share the same taste. But well, I should respect it.

Ahem.

I coughed deliberately, then knocked on the door.

“Ah, yes…! Come in!”

I heard the hurried sound of a TV being turned off. When I opened the door and walked in, Chief Sung greeted me.

I acted like I hadn’t seen the remote control he tried to hide under the blanket.

“Ka, Kang Geom-Ma-nim! To what do I owe the honor?”

“……”

Chief Sung’s face looked so pale and haggard it was almost skeletal. When he struggled to sit up from the bed, I raised a hand to stop him.

“I was just passing by and thought I’d drop in. And please, don’t move too much. If you move around, your stitches will come loose. I say this from experience. I’ve been hospitalized plenty of times.”

“No, how could I stay lying down when my savior has come to visit me in person?”

Says the man who crossed the Jordan River a couple of times…

I shook my head with a serious expression.

“If the person you consider your savior ends up killing you, who takes responsibility? Just stay still. Or I’ll call your doctor and run away.”

I know I was being shameless speaking to an elder like that, but I genuinely felt like he could die at any moment.

Just a few days ago, Sung had undergone major surgery. Honestly, he looked beyond saving, but a team of over ten doctors worked nonstop to rescue him.

Even the doctors boasted that they had literally brought the dead back to life.

He still had several surgeries to go through, but at least he was out of immediate danger.

I studied his condition. His face showed deep loss, an emotional wound that wouldn’t heal easily.

After all, a subordinate he cared about turned out to be an infiltrated enemy. That must’ve been a devastating blow.

But that didn’t mean Sung had to carry any guilt.

He was a good man. And that was enough.

“Ah… well. If you insist that much…”

Chief Sung sank back onto the pillow.

I placed the can of preserved fruit I’d brought on the bedside table and sat next to him.

“How are you feeling?”

“As you can see, aside from a few minor injuries, I’m perfectly fine.”

Sung smiled, trying to make a joke.

“Minor injuries? You lost an arm and a leg. Joking like that isn’t very appropriate.”

“Well, in this job, injuries like that are expected. That’s why I chose an administrative position with lower pay—to avoid this sort of thing…”

His voice trailed off toward the end.

But then, suddenly, his face brightened and he shook his head.

“Anyway, the Association has a special artifact prepared for cases like mine. They’ll be providing prosthetics made with it.”

He slapped his knee with his palm and continued excitedly.

“Ah! If there’s anything you need, just say it. I speak on behalf of the Association. After all, you’re the hero who saved us in the Joaquin tragedy.”

“To be honest, I just got lucky.”

“Haha, you call that luck? I still remember the scene clearly! Suddenly, knives floated into the air and sliced all the enemies like sashimi. You saved us with your technique! Kang Geom-Ma-nim, you absolutely deserve a reward.”

Just like Chief Sung said, I had massacred my enemies by floating thousands of sashimi blades into the air.

While doing it, I even blurted out the weird phrase: “I win.”

Thinking back on it made my face burn with shame.

What’s the difference between me and this old man who watches embarrassing dramas?

At least he was respected for liking those dramas.

Me, I made a ridiculous scene in the middle of a death match.

I placed a hand over my face, feeling unbearable heat.

‘Why the hell did I do that?’

To let Human Dignity take control of your actions…

I never imagined that would be more dangerous than the erosion of humanity itself.

…Either way, after that, I couldn’t manifest Dominant Sword again. I tried several times, but it didn’t work.

When I tried, I could only picture the image of the swords in my mind, but the real sashimi didn’t move an inch.

There seemed to be specific conditions that had to be met. And it wasn’t hard to guess what the clue was.

[The Blessing of the Sword God ‘Heart’ manifests.]

That line had to appear for Dominant Sword to activate.

I didn’t know what I had to do to trigger it again, but I’d figure it out eventually. It wasn’t something I needed to obsess over right now.

I turned my attention back to Sung. With a bitter look, he continued.

“…Supervisor Ha was the one who orchestrated all this. On behalf of the Association, we deeply regret what happened. And we can only thank you, Kang Geom-Ma. Because you eliminated the incompetence of our organization with your own hands.”

“I see.”

“The truth will be made public. But first, the Association has decided to give you a proper reward. No matter how great a hero is, no one should act without fair compensation.”

That statement wasn’t entirely accurate. I had already gotten my own reward.

Jörmungandr’s fang.

The teeth of a demonic being were top-tier reinforcement materials. And since they came from the Underworld of Gehenna, getting them via Miracle Blessing M was a nightmare.

But I got lucky. I faced the creature, defeated it, and after the battle, I picked up its fang.

Before coming to the hospital, I left the fang and Murasame with Volundr to be worked on.

The hospital was on the way, so I stopped by for a visit.

In other words, I already got what I wanted.

Shortly after the battle, Jörmungandr’s body disintegrated into dust. Since it was an incomplete summoning and the environmental conditions changed drastically, its body couldn’t endure it.

I would’ve liked to collect its scales, but there wasn’t time. It was a shame.

‘A reward, huh…’

I thought about it for a moment. Since they were offering to give me something, I would ask for exactly what I wanted.

“Actually, I only want one thing. Access to the artifact ‘Monolith’.”

Chief Sung’s eyes filled with surprise.

“But, Mr. Kang Geom-Ma, haven’t you already obtained it? If you become student council president, you’ll automatically receive an access pass to the Association.”

“That’s the problem. I don’t want to be president. I just want the pass.”

Basically, I wanted the useful part without the unnecessary burden.

More specifically, I didn’t want to be president.

“Is it possible?”

Only then did Sung swallow hard. A few seconds later, he opened his mouth and spoke in a serious tone.

“It’s possible. Completely possible.”

“From your reaction, I thought it wasn’t.”

“What surprises me is that your request is so modest. The Association was willing to accept material demands without hesitation… Mr. Kang Geom-Ma, you truly are a difficult man to predict. Should I call you a transcendental being?”

It was an understandable reaction.

It’s not that I didn’t have desires. Nor was I trying to be modest.

But with this, I was already satisfied.

In this incident, many people lost things.

Sung lost his limbs and his trusted subordinate.

Asking for more in this situation felt uncomfortable to me, even if the Association was willing to compensate me.

Besides, there might be something else I needed from the Association in the future.

Sometimes it’s better to restrain greed and secure future opportunities.

Sung stroked his chin with his only remaining hand.

“So, to summarize, you will withdraw your candidacy for student council president, but in exchange, you only want the Association access pass.”

“Exactly. If I were to obtain the majority of votes, give the position to the next candidate.”

Sung, after a moment of reflection, nodded firmly.

“Understood. It will be done. I would like to offer you more, but if you refuse… It makes me feel a bit uncomfortable.”

He let out an awkward laugh.

“You should focus on your recovery, sir. Otherwise, the wound will get infected. Anyway, I’ll take my leave.”

The conversation was over, so I prepared to leave.

Just at that moment…

Almost paradise ♪ Brighter than the morning ♫

The ringtone blared loudly.

It came from Sung’s phone.

This guy really took dramas seriously.

Sung, his face completely red, answered the call.

I decided to feign ignorance and leave, but then he suddenly stopped me.

“Mr. Kang Geom-Ma! Wait a moment!”

Without turning around, I shook my head.

“I didn’t hear anything.”

“No, no. It’s not that. They want to talk to you.”

“Who?”

Without saying anything, Sung handed me the phone.

I took the call with suspicion, and immediately, a booming voice thundered in my ears.

[I’ve heard many stories about you from my niece, but this is the first time I’m hearing your voice in person! In a few days, I’ll be going to Korea on business, so we can meet face to face, ha, ha, ha.]

“Who are you?”

[I’m the vice president of the Hero Association. My name is Richard, though my surname is Mura.]

“……?”

“If it’s hard for you to pronounce, you can call me Changseong.”

***

…Meanwhile, in the same hospital.

Saki was nervously walking down the third-floor hallway.

After pacing in circles, she finally leaned against a window frame.

“Haah.”

The cold glass made her shiver. She stared at the ceiling.

“What’s wrong with me…?”

On the day of the Joaquin Incident, Saki had also been injured.

She had been cut and lost quite a bit of blood.

But, unlike Chief Sung, she was in much better condition.

Thanks to Speedweapon and Kang Geom-Ma, who used the Healing Blessing, her wounds were almost invisible.

Even so, she had to undergo regular check-ups.

The doctors wanted to monitor her condition, as she had been hit by several spells.

That’s why she was at the hospital today…

Saki lowered her gaze and stared intently at the door of room 313.

Just at that moment, the door opened, and Kang Geom-Ma came out.

“Oh, Ryozo. What are you doing here?”

Ryozo looked away awkwardly. He had no excuse prepared.

…Instead of speaking like a stalker, it was better to bite her tongue.

Ryozo’s pupils spun like a whirlpool. Kang Geom-Ma, with a puzzled expression, stared at her.

“Oh, it’s the day you’re getting your medical check-up.”

Ryozo responded clumsily.

“Uh, uh, yes. That’s right.”

“You’re taking good care of yourself. I’m glad to hear that.”

That smile… In front of it, Ryozo felt something inside her melt.

“Ah, by the way. Geom-Ma, what are you doing at the hospital?”

“I came to visit Chief Sung. That’s why I ended up involved in some troublesome matters….”

Ryozo was left bewildered and then looked away.

Besides waiting, she also felt curious about Kang Geom-Ma’s privacy. It wasn’t right. She felt like she was in danger.

Her legs trembled. Ryozo lowered her head deeply. It was hard for her to lift her face.

Kang Geom-Ma, who had been watching her silently, spoke naturally.

“If you have time, let’s go to the supermarket together.”

Ryozo slightly lifted her gaze at the proposal. Kang Geom-Ma scratched his cheek and continued.

“I promised to buy you a sweet.”

“…Ah.”

“I don’t eat sweets, so I don’t know which ones are the best. And it’s best if you choose what you like yourself.”

Ryozo stared at Kang Geom-Ma. She had forgotten. This guy… had a more detailed memory than she thought.

She moved her fingers with some unease and murmured.

“Can we have something other than yokan?”

“You don’t want a yokan? Then, what do you want?”

An awkward silence filled the hospital hallway. The setting sun gently rested on both their shoulders.

Ryozo responded in a low voice.

“The kimchi stew you make…”