I’d worn Lyla out several tis before morning finally ca.
Of course, I used my usual cheat move—recovering all by myself.
“You’re so unfair.”
“Ugh...! You’re the one who picked up and refused to put down...!”
We were waiting in the hotel lobby for Max and Emilia, exchanging couple-y banter.
Even then, with last night’s afterglow still lingering, Lyla gently ran her hand across her lower belly.
“You filled up until it was overflowing... When do you think our baby will finally co?”
“...”
She used to be the most innocent girl in the world...
When did she get so seductive...?
“But seriously, what’s taking Max so—”
“Hun! Sorry I’m late!!!”
A voice echoed loudly through the hotel lobby.
When I turned, Max and Emilia were walking toward us.
“What took you so long?”
“Haha, I called ahead to where we’re going today.”
“You made a reservation?”
“Mm... It’s a place you can’t get into without an invitation.”
“What kind of place needs an invitation?”
He just laughed and slapped on the back.
“You’ll see for yourself. We’re headed to Miami!”
Once again, we boarded Max’s private jet.
While I was munching on so snacks mid-flight, I noticed Max looking weirdly hesitant.
The guy who always seed so laid-back suddenly had sothing he was struggling to say.
“What? Got sothing on your mind?”
“Ahem... Actually... I’ve been getting ssages from a bunch of people about you.”
“ssages?”
Turns out, mbers of the U.S. House and Senate wanted to et .
But I’ve always been extrely cautious when it cos to anything political, so the idea instantly put on edge.
Max, on the other hand, looked totally unfazed.
“In Arica, no one cares. Artists talk politics all the ti.”
“...”
Yeah... I’ve heard that before.
There are even celebrities who openly declare their views onstage.
But if you did that in Korea...
“All your ad deals get pulled, and you get blacklisted from TV.”
“Heh... Over here, we had a singer get criticized for not speaking up.”
I shook my head.
I want to keep streaming until I’m old and gray.
To keep doing that, I need to steer clear of political drama.
‘If I’d wanted to be filthy rich, I wouldn’t have beco a strear in the first place.’
“Hmm... What about an independent senator, then?”
“Huh?”
Soone with no party affiliation.
A person with enough clout, money, and reputation that they don’t need party backing.
“No thanks. Even just eting up would probably make headlines.”
“So, if it’s a casual eting, you’re fine with it?”
“...?”
Max gave a sly grin as he looked straight at .
And right then, the plane landed in Miami.
From there, we hopped in a car headed for a harbor.
At the port, we had our identities verified before boarding a small boat to sowhere unknown.
“See that cruise ship?”
“We’re going there?”
“Yeah. To et the top 1% who run Arica.”
My heart started to race.
Was I really ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) about to et the secret elites pulling the strings of the world?
‘Wait, no... I’m probably overthinking it.’
But maybe I wasn’t.
Even the viewers were getting excited.
[dkdkdkdkdkdk]
[Dude, who’s gonna be there? I’m dying to know]
[What if it’s, like, the Freemasons or so shit??]
But their excitent was quickly shattered.
“Yeah... we probably can’t stream once we’re inside.”
“Huh?”
“The security’s just that tight.”
It was a bumr, but that’s how it had to be.
I told the angry chat I’d do a follow-up stream later and ended the broadcast.
When we got to the cruise ship, security guards ard with rifles checked our IDs again.
“Go ahead.”
As soon as we stepped inside, a massive welco sign greeted us.
There was a main restaurant hosting a luxury gala dinner, a spa, sauna, concert hall—basically everything you’d find in a top-tier hotel.
When we entered the main hall, all eyes turned toward us.
It wasn’t a discriminatory kind of attention—just pure curiosity.
Like they were all wondering, “Who’s the Asian guy?”
“Oh my, Max. It’s been so long.”
“Wahaha! How many years has it been?!”
The one who spoke was an older woman who radiated experience and class.
Max clearly knew her well—he greeted her with warmth and enthusiasm.
“And this is...?”
“This is my friend, Song Hun. He ca to visit the States, so I’m showing him around!”
Max’s booming voice carried across the room, and everyone heard him.
The curious stares grew sharper.
People were wondering, “Who is this guy that Max is personally guiding?”
“Song Hun... Oh! You an the one who closed the Gates at Baekdusan and Mt. Fuji?”
The woman tilted her head thoughtfully, then nodded and extended her hand to .
“Then this must be the Saintess people talk about—your partner.”
Lyla accepted the handshake and greeted her with elegance and grace.
No idea who her boyfriend is, but damn, she’s gorgeous.
“Forgive . I should’ve introduced myself sooner. I’m Helen Ashford—just an old scientist who still dabbles in research.”
A scientist?
That wasn’t what I expected at all.
I figured I’d be eting giant CEOs, celebrities, or politicians.
Max must’ve noticed the surprise on my face because he chuckled.
“She’s the one who created the global mana asurent system.”
“...???”
The very scientist who developed the device used by every country to asure mana after its discovery.
She was said to earn enough in royalties every year to sustain an entire nation.
And just as much as she earned, she gave back to society.
The more Max explained, the more amazed I beca.
“You’re definitely not just a regular scientist...”
“I just got lucky with timing, that’s all.”
Helen chatted a bit more with Max, then handed her business card.
“Let’s et again soti.”
“Ah, yes—though I, uh... don’t have a card myself...”
“Pfft, that’s fine. I can see you anyti, can’t I?”
She tapped her phone with a wink.
Right.
All she needed was her phone and a signal, and she could watch my stream no matter where she was in the world.
After Helen left, more people began to approach us, sensing the atmosphere had relaxed.
‘God, I’m already tired...’
Business execs, celebrities, politicians—everyone seed to want a piece of .
If I had kept streaming, it would’ve been incredibly boring content.
Just as I was starting to feel totally drained, the distant sound of a helicopter echoed from outside.
“...What the hell?”
“Hmm... Looks like soone else just arrived.”
After a short wait, a Western man with a commanding presence stepped into the room.
Instantly, every eye turned toward him.
‘Who’s that...?’
The man scanned the room the mont he entered—and locked eyes with .
Then, without hesitation, he started walking straight toward .
“Pleasure to et you.”
“?”
“I’m Colton Grave, currently—perhaps undeservedly—serving as President of the World Hunter Association.”
The President of the World Hunter Association.
Ever since Gates first appeared, there have been rumors in so circles that this man holds more power than even the President of the United States.
With impeccable posture, he extended a large, solid hand for a handshake.
“Nice to et you. I’m Song Hun.”
I’d heard stories about him.
Back in the early days of Awakening, the world was in chaos.
Awakenings happened randomly, to anyone—no logic, no warning.
‘And this man...’
He moved fast, collaborating tightly with countries around the world to build a structure from the ground up.
So much so that people say most of the current Hunter Laws ca straight from him.
“As soon as I heard you’d be here, I made arrangents. I ca solely to et you.”
“It's an honor, hearing that from the President of the World Hunter Association.”
“I’d like to speak with you privately, if that’s alright. Just the two of us.”
He wasn’t a politician. He was the head of the World Hunter Association.
This was soone worth having a real conversation with.
“I hope it’ll be a worthwhile one.”
When I nodded, we all headed into a private room—Max, Emilia, Lyla, and .
****
As soon as we stepped inside, he interlocked his fingers and looked straight in the eye.
“Do you know Superman?”
“...?”
I tilted my head at the completely out-of-nowhere question.
Superman? On a first eting?
I an, it’s not like there’s anyone who doesn’t know who Superman is.
“You’re soone like Superman.”
“What does that—”
“I’d like you to stand above all Hunters. As a Hunter of Hunters.”
What a strange man.
To say sothing like this when we just t?
What if I suddenly had a change of heart? Then what?
“But what if your Superman suddenly turns evil?”
“He won’t. That will never happen.”
He said the World Hunter Association had been observing for so ti.
My family background.
My behavior.
The way I talk.
Everything—carefully analyzed and judged.
And once they’d finished their evaluation, he ca here personally to et .
“You may fight out of anger... But you’re not soone who would ever endanger humanity.”
‘How can he trust soone he’s just t this much...?’
He was bolder than I expected.
No—maybe reckless was the better word.
“Because, like Superman, you have your own Lois Lane.”
He looked between and Lyla, then smiled with deep satisfaction.
And once the air had lightened just a bit, he finally got to the point.
“We’re planning to create a new rank—beyond S-rank.”
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