After clearing the Gate, the DG Guild gave up their customary vacation and instead spent those days tracking fugitive Awakened criminals, retired businessn, and politicians. Their so-called ti off was used to wrap up the Gate clear aftermath and the final "cleaning" operation, and they resud Gate activities imdiately upon returning. Kim Ki-Rok had pushed for this, hoping to raise their level, even slightly, before Operation Peace began.
However, Kim Ki-Rok was different. While the others who had chosen the temporary stat boost went to work at A-Class Gates or those barely qualifying as S-Class, he headed to the Yuashiel Dinsion instead. The elf-run border outpost had expanded into a central city known as "Gate."[1]
"Yo! Long ti no see!" he called out.
Travis, the representative of the dwarves and soone fascinated by Pastera, looked at him and frowned. "What?"
"I've got a gift for you," Kim Ki-Rok said, pulling out a large chest from his subspace pocket.
"What is it?" said Reardon as he peered from behind Travis.
"Open it and find out."
After frowning at each other for a mont, Travis and Reardon tentatively opened the gift.
"What is this?" they asked, still confused.
"I thought it would be perfect for passing the ti," Kim Ki-Rok replied vaguely.
"So... what is it?"
"This is sothing we call 'plastic model kit.'"
The two turned the chest around and checked the cover.
"A golem?"
"It's a robot," Kim Ki-Rok said. "Ah, and this..." Kim Ki-Rok took out another item from his subspace pocket and placed it on top of the plastic model chest. "This is a special adhesive and tool set for plastic models."
The two dwarves stood there for a second, not knowing what to say. "Well, thanks, I guess?" one of them said.
"Hahaha! No problem at all. Ah, and the eting is in two hours. Is that right?"
"Yes," Travis confird.
Representatives from each country and species, having departed from the Continental Alliance's temporary capital, would arrive in the central city of Gate in an hour. An hour after their arrival, they would convene to discuss matters concerning the war for peace.
"I've prepared many gifts, and since the recipients aren't all gathered in one place, I'll see myself out first. I'll be busy moving around," Kim Ki-Rok said.
The dwarves nodded. "Okay. See you at the eting."
"Yup. Then, bye-ah!"
The dwarves stood in silence for a mont. "Right, okay. Bye-ah."
Kim Ki-Rok burst into loud laughter at Reardon's repeated farewell and walked off humming.
Reardon watched him go, then mumbled, "Hmm, so that's why he moved up his appointnt."
The Hunters had received a temporary reward for saving another dinsion, and from the lack of objections from the elves, he'd expected Kim Ki-Rok to return stronger, but the change was beyond anything he'd imagined.
"Still, that alone won't be enough," Travis said with concern.
"It might be impossible for Hunter Kim Ki-Rok... but maybe for Miss Ji-Yeon," Reardon replied.
"Well, we'll find out at the eting," Travis said.
Kim Ki-Rok's power still fell short of what was needed to face a demon, yet Lee Ji-Yeon, his ally, had grown strong enough to stand against one. In two hours, they would know exactly how much the Hunters had grown.
Travis pushed his curiosity aside for a mont and checked Kim Ki-Rok's gift again. "So... This is what, a plastic model?"
"Isn't it a sculpture?" Reardon guessed. "A puzzle-type sculpture?"
"You think?"
"Perhaps?"
"Hm."
"The golem looked cool," Travis noted.
"It does."
"Hmmm... Robot... A robot... This is the robot from those 'gas' the children received, right?"
"It would seem so," Reardon surmised.
"Hmm..."
Two hours was an awkward amount of ti to do anything. The two dwarves nodded, carried the plastic model box to the workshop, carefully opened the chest, and started assembling the plastic model.
***
The dwarves had gathered near the Permanent Gate for the Pastera processing request, and Kim Ki-Rok went there first to deliver their gifts. From there, he visited the Beastfolk, t the human nation's representative, and finally made his way to the elves. Though the city had grown from a border outpost into a central hub, it remained under elven administration.
The beautiful High Elf Serena was spending ti in front of the World Tree, waiting for the representatives of each country and species. Her ears perked up at the familiar male voice behind her.
"Yo!"
Slowly turning, she saw Kim Ki-Rok standing at the entrance of the flower garden where the World Tree was planted. He raised both hands, standing still at the entrance, unconcerned by the stares of the elf warriors assigned to protect her.
"Ogenkidesukaaaaah!"
Serena and the elf warriors tilted their heads. Lee Ji-Yeon's face turned bright red, and she bowed her head deeply.
Serena slowly walked over and stopped in front of Kim Ki-Rok. "Ogenkidesukaaaah?" she asked.
"More accurately, it's 'ogenkidesuka,'" Kim Ki-Rok explained.
"What does that an?"
"It's a greeting from a country called Japan," Kim Ki-Rok said. "If you et a Japanese Hunter in the future, please greet them with that phrase. Even if you can communicate through the system, it would feel nice for them to be greeted in their own language."
Lee Ji-Yeon quickly lifted her head, only to bow again. She would have corrected Kim Ki-Rok if he had been wrong, but he wasn't.
Serena blinked, not knowing what to say. "I see. I'll keep that in mind."
"Ah, this is a gift," Kim Ki-Rok said.
"Green tea?"
Kim Ki-Rok nodded. "Yes, it's Japanese green tea."
"I see. This country called Japan must be famous for its green tea," Serena remarked.
"So they say. Well, I prefer it in teabags anyway. Ha! Ha! Ha!"
Serena smiled slightly at Kim Ki-Rok's exaggerated laughter and bowed her head. "Thank you. I'll cherish it."
"There's no need for that. Within a few days, or maybe a few weeks, a Japanese Hunter will visit with tea leaves," Kim Ki-Rok said.
"I see. I'll keep that in mind."
"So, how's the World Tree... Oh, it's grown well."
The young branch had thrived and grown into a big tree. Whether it was because the World Tree recognized Kim Ki-Rok or simply rembered him, the branch swayed from side to side.
"Oh!" Kim Ki-Rok exclaid.
He waved his hand from side to side, mimicking the World Tree, and greeted it. "Okay, okay. You seem to be doing well."
"Guildmaster Kim Ki-Rok," Serena said.
"Even though they grow in different dinsions, there's no additional buff because they're the sa World Tree... Ah, yes. Miss Serena." Kim Ki-Rok, who had been muttering to himself with a regretful expression, answered with a bright smile when Serena called him.
"If it's not too much trouble, could you tell how many people have been blessed, like you or Hunter Lee Ji-Yeon?" she asked.
"Oh, it's no trouble at all. It'll be revealed eventually anyway. Let's see..."
Seventeen mbers of the DG Guild took part in the Gate clear, joined by Phoenix Guildmaster Ji Seok-Hyun and three of his mbers. In addition to them were state-affiliated Hunters, Association Hunters, and others who had heard Kim Ki-Rok's explanation and recognized the value of his plan.
"It cos to about fifty people," Kim Ki-Rok answered.
"That's a lot."
"It's actually quite a small number, considering how many Hunters participated in the Gate clear."
A total of fifty-three people chose the temporary stat boost as their Gate clear reward. The others opted for permanent stat increases, skills, or other rewards that would last. It was an understandable choice, since even greatly enhanced stats would fade with ti.
"Ah, I heard from Travis. Let's see. In thirteen minutes, the representatives of the species and nations will arrive?"
Serena nodded. "That's right."
"Then, may I go out to greet them with you?" Kim Ki-Rok suggested.
Serena nodded with a smile. It was not a bad idea, since she had many things she wanted to ask.
***
"There are so people I'm eting for the first ti, so I haven't seen in a long while, and so I saw just yesterday. So please, allow to introduce myself formally. I am Kim Ki-Rok, an A-Class Hunter from Earth."
Although the audience knew his class was not the highest, they still gave him the utmost respect for his achievents: the World Tree revival operation, the dwarf rescue mission, and the bet with the demon. Hero Kim Ki-Rok's na was tied to all of these events, each of which had changed the fate of the Continental Alliance and their world.
He was never just a participant. He planned, assisted in preparations, and executed the operations. Most notably, he had not only survived a confrontation with the demon but also made a bet and succeeded in completely sealing its movents. The representatives couldn't ignore Kim Ki-Rok.
"It's nice to et you. I am Regent Krayvan, the representative of the Oras Empire, part of the Continental Alliance."
Krayvan was a young regent of the Oras Empire, a nation that ruled the continent alongside the Aians Empire. He was the first to greet Kim Ki-Rok with a smile.
"Oh my. Nice to et you. I'm Kim Ki-Rok."
"His Majesty the Emperor of the Oras Empire wanted to attend this eting in person and speak with Hunter Kim Ki-Rok, but was disappointed that he couldn't be here due to his position and important duties," Krayvan said.
Kim Ki-Rok nodded. "I see. I'll visit him if I get the chance."
"It would be an honor."
While the elves, dwarves, and Beastfolk were oblivious, the human nations were currently targeting Kim Ki-Rok. It didn't matter to them that he was a stranger from another dinsion. The Permanent Gate allowed travel between Earth and the Yuashiel Dinsion at any ti, anyway. Communication wasn't an issue, either, since Hunters supported by the system could communicate with all species.
After Krayvan, Pilarin of the Aians Empire addressed Kim Ki-Rok, "Guildmaster Kim Ki-Rok. It's been a long ti."
"Oh my, you're right. The timing just never worked out," Kim Ki-Rok replied.
"Hahaha, indeed. And just like His Majesty the Emperor of Oras, His Majesty the Emperor of Aians has also said he'd like to have a conversation with Guildmaster Kim Ki-Rok."
"Got it. Let's seeeeeee..." Kim Ki-Rok drew out his words with a knowing smile, pulling Krayvan and Pilarin's attention back to him. "I'll stop by once we bring salvation to Earth."
They fell silent for a mont. Earth's situation differed from that of the Yuashiel Dinsion, which faced attacks from demons and Black Wizards. Connected to countless dinsions in crisis, Earth's people battled an unusually wide range of threats, and both Regents knew it.
"Understood. Please visit our Aians Empire at least once, once you save Earth."
"The sa goes for the Oras Empire."
The Regents bowed their heads in response. The other nations and races also understood Kim Ki-Rok's intentions and stayed silent.
"What are they talking about?" asked Lionfolk Champion Laon, the Beastfolk representative.
His aide, Foxfolk Shaman Ponnel replied, "Hunter Kim Ki-Rok's saying he won't consider romance or marriage until there's peace on Earth."
"Then he could have just said that."
"Well... think of it as a linguistic trait unique to his race," Ponnel explained.
"But—"
"Just let it be," he said, to which Laon gave a reluctant nod and straightened his back.
"Let's see." Kim Ki-Rok slowly looked around. Once Laon and the other representatives straightened, he spoke with a gentle smile. "Then, I'll explain the details of Operation Peace."
1. This isn't a Gate, but a city with an unfortunately inconvenient na. ☜
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