Chapter 105: City of Death (1)
From early in the morning, Hyun Suho was on the phone with Jin Seo-yeon.
"Yes, yes. Understood. Is there anything else you need? Ah~ okay. Then let's meet next time to discuss in detail."
Hyun Suho and Jin Seo-yeon had become important business partners.
Hyun Suho's skill, "Machine God's Aura," increased in effectiveness the more people benefitted from it.
There were limitations to using the "Body Modification" skill, but the "Upgrade" skill, which boosted equipment performance, could be used as long as there were monster materials available.
By upgrading other hunters' equipment and getting paid, Hyun Suho was also able to strengthen his skill—truly a win-win situation.
As word spread about the upgrade skill, inquiries began pouring in from all around the world.
Jin Seo-yeon was in charge of mediating these requests.
It would be far too inefficient and time-consuming for Hyun Suho to travel to each hunter individually to use his skill.
Thus, it was better for all the equipment to be brought to Hyun Suho's location, so he could use the skill all at once.
However, hunters' equipment was extremely valuable, costing anywhere from hundreds of millions to billions of won.
Who would easily entrust such life-critical equipment to someone else?
If it got lost or stolen during the process, the hunter could face financial ruin.
No matter how excellent Nova's abilities were, people's anxiety couldn't simply be eliminated.
All these problems were solved by teaming up with Jin Seo-yeon.
The project bore the name of Jinryong Group. It was far more trustworthy than the Light Bringer or Ex Machina guilds.
Moreover, working through Jin Seo-yeon allowed Hyun Suho's identity to be concealed.
"Tomorrow? Ah! Of course, that's fine with me. Yes, yes~"
Striking while the iron is hot, they set the meeting date as soon as possible.
They agreed to meet for dinner tomorrow and discuss further.
"Yes, then I'll see you tomorrow."
After ending the call, Hyun Suho smiled softly as he looked around, eventually stopping in front of a full-length mirror.
He adjusted his clothes and ran his fingers through his hair, but nothing seemed to satisfy him.
"Come to think of it, I don't even have anything to wear..."
Hyun Suho crossed his arms, lost in thought.
Sure, the guild's storage contained high-end gear worth several hundred million won per set, but he didn't own a decent suit.
Even he thought it was a bit too much.
He had been too focused on battles all this time.
"Hmm!"
He thought about looking up the latest fashion trends online but was startled when he looked at the mirror again.
Nova was staring at him, though he didn't know when she'd arrived.
"Gah! You scared me. What are you doing there?"
"How lost in thought must you have been to not even notice me arriving?"
Since obtaining Pluto's body, Nova had become much freer in her movements.
Though he wasn't exactly sure, using Bipo's body seemed to have had its limitations.
In contrast, Pluto could act independently as long as a little energy was provided.
He thought she'd be lazing around today too, snacking on junk food and getting lost in the internet, but it seemed she'd heard his entire conversation.
'Well, that’s probably to be expected.'
Nova could monitor global communications and internet records in real-time.
Naturally, she would hear Hyun Suho's call, dissecting it at a nano level.
Nova, looking displeased, asked, "You seem to be in a really good mood."
"Huh? Me?"
"You're practically grinning ear to ear. Something good happened?"
"Uh... nothing in particular."
Hyun Suho answered genuinely, not lying.
From Nova's perspective, it was all the more frustrating.
He didn’t even realize how excited he was.
"Truly the most oblivious man in the world..."
Just as Nova was about to berate him more, Hyun Suho suddenly grasped his temple and staggered.
"Huh?"
Hyun Suho managed to regain his balance and avoid falling clumsily, but he still seemed dizzy, bowing his head low.
Nova, surprised, hurried over.
"Huh? Master? Are you alright?"
Hyun Suho was now a strong Level 7 hunter.
He wouldn't suffer from anemia or catch a common cold.
Seeing him sway like this was shocking.
Nova checked his body just in case, but there were no abnormalities.
"I-I’m fine."
"What’s going on? You wouldn’t stagger for no reason."
"I saw something."
"Saw something? Did you... see a vision of the future again?"
"Seems like it."
Hyun Suho had spontaneously developed the ability—one of his powers—that wasn’t acquired from a skill book or leveling up.
Future vision, considered one of the top-tier abilities.
Unfortunately, he couldn't consciously control it. He only caught glimpses like this on occasion.
Still, seeing a vision was a very promising sign.
Thanks to this overpowered trait, which allowed him to monopolize future knowledge, he had been able to avert crises and reap incredible rewards.
However, this time, the scale and danger seemed far beyond anything he'd experienced before.
"Nova. Search for news from France."
"France? What exactly are you looking for?"
"Uh... just wondering if there's anything unusual?"
Nova closed her eyes for about a second, then opened them again, tilting her head as she spoke.
"I've searched through all the information from the past three months, but I can't find anything unusual."
"Really?"
Hyun Suho looked slightly relieved, but it was too soon for that.
"But there is a summit meeting scheduled in two days with a large number of European leaders attending."
"In Paris?"
"That's correct."
"…Damn! Why now of all times?"
As Hyun Suho scratched his head in frustration, Nova asked, "What kind of vision did you see? Is something going to happen in France?"
"I'm not sure exactly. This vision wasn't clear."
Hyun Suho had seen visions twice before.
The first time, he and members of the Cheonrima Guild prevented the Dark Phoenix's resurrection, and the second time, he obtained a magic book by attending Jinryong Group's banquet.
While the repercussions could have been significant, the incidents themselves were relatively small in scale.
But this time was different.
"Paris is in danger."
He had seen a vision of Paris, the capital of France, collapsing.
It wasn't just a matter of a few buildings falling; it was a disaster that shook all of France.
Unfortunately, the vision he saw this time was so vague that he couldn't gather any precise information.
All he could make out was that it was Paris—thanks to a fleeting glimpse of the Eiffel Tower.
Other important details, such as the exact date, time, or location of the incident, remained unknown.
He couldn't even tell whether the event was caused by human action or was simply a stroke of bad luck.
"…There's no choice. We leave immediately."
There wasn't time to deliberate.
Just getting to France would take a considerable amount of time, so they needed to move as quickly as possible.
Hyun Suho hurriedly checked his gear but then paused.
He suddenly remembered his appointment with Jin Seo-yeon.
"I'll have to postpone tomorrow's meeting."
"Paris is the city of fashion, right? While we're there, why not buy a few outfits?" Nova's voice seemed to carry a hint of excitement.
* * *
Paris is the heart of France.
It ranks as the fourth largest city in the entire European continent, and it’s a city renowned for art, fashion, and trends stemming from its long history.
It wasn't easy for foreign hunters to enter, unlike the time in Vladivostok.
One needed an important request from the Hunter Association or a clear reason for visiting.
It wasn't a place you could just enter on a whim as a tourist.
But Hyun Suho’s case was different.
Beep!
The gate guard, who scanned Hyun Suho's hunter ID at the terminal, scrutinized the information displayed on the computer screen.
He looked somewhat suspicious.
You can't underestimate experience.
The intuition of the gate guard, who had worked there for years, was telling him that Hyun Suho wasn't qualified to enter the city.
But what could he do?
There on the computer screen was proof of his authorization to enter the city.
"Hmm... You're clear to pass."
Hyun Suho passed through the gate and entered the city without any signs of worry.
In some ways, it was an even easier process than when he entered Vladivostok.
[It’s all thanks to me.]
Nova had hacked into the hunter terminal, giving Hyun Suho, who was visiting France for the first time, authorization to travel throughout Europe.
The hunter terminal was known to be impossible to hack with Earthly technology.
But with Nova, it only took a second to strip down its core.
As soon as he entered through the city gates, Hyun Suho couldn't help but whistle at the magnificent city view.
"Wow! So this is Paris?"
In the past, Paris had also been famous as a tourist destination, but now not a single tourist was in sight.
Since the Great Cataclysm and the surge of monsters, the concept of travel had nearly vanished.
Countless famous landmarks representing European travel, such as the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, and the Arc de Triomphe, could now only be viewed online.
Hyun Suho had also only ever seen Paris through books and the internet.
Seeing it in person was still an awe-inspiring experience.
If it weren't for the impending incident, he would’ve wanted to explore the city fully.
"The city’s defense is stronger than I expected."
In a few days, an international meeting of European leaders was to take place here.
It was only natural that security was being given extra attention.
Looking around, it was easy to spot the French military and police.
In particular, stationed in Paris was France's pride, the Order of Knights.
The Rose Blanche Knights.
In Korean, it directly translates to "White Rose Knights."
"The leader of the Rose Blanche Knights is a high ranker, ranked 20th, and their subordinate knights are also either rankers or have ranker-level abilities.
They are one of the strongest armed forces in the world.
Even if a dungeon break occurred right next to the city, they could easily handle it.
It was hard to imagine the city collapsing under these defenders with their eyes peeled, guarding the city.
If he hadn't seen it in a vision, Hyun Suho wouldn't have believed it either.
[Who could be planning something like this?]
"There are some suspects."
There were those who tried to awaken the Dark Phoenix and turn Seoul into a sea of flames.
The Reus Order, who called themselves sinners.
[Do you think the incident might be man-made?]
"That seems likely, doesn’t it?"
[If the incident is targeting the summit, wouldn't the European leaders be the targets? In that case, why don’t we stay at the hotel where they’re staying?]
"That makes sense."
Those who had arrived in Paris a few days earlier to attend the summit were staying at a hotel near the meeting venue.
If harming them was the goal, then the incident would surely occur at the hotel.
"Alright, let's head there."
Getting to the hotel where the European leaders were staying would be much harder than getting through the city gates.
This time, even Nova's hacking wouldn't help.
Still, if they stayed nearby, they could respond quickly if something happened.
"Taxi!"
It had been a long time since he took a taxi.
He could have taken a bike, but he wanted to avoid attracting attention.
Besides, it wasn't a bad idea to enjoy the cityscape passing by through the window.
How much time had passed like that?
It was when the taxi carrying Hyun Suho was almost at its destination.
Suddenly, without speeding or ignoring traffic signals, someone jumped out in front of the taxi.
It was a woman in high heels and a floral dress.
"What the—!"
Startled, the taxi driver slammed on the brakes.
Screeech!!
The car skidded to a stop, leaving tire marks on the road. It was a moment so dangerous that the car almost flipped over.
Fortunately, the woman was unharmed.
The relieved taxi driver, visibly irritated, swung the door open and shouted, "What’s wrong with you? Are you on drugs or something in broad daylight?!"
The woman who had suddenly jumped in front of the car.
The taxi driver stepped out roughly, as if ready to grab her by the collar.
But something was off about her.
"Guh… guh…"
The woman stared at the driver with vacant eyes.
Her mouth was slightly open, and thick saliva was dripping from it.
Even though she hadn’t been hit by the car, her body was twisted in an unnatural way.
It was hard to notice with her bright floral dress, but on closer inspection, there were stains of blood all over.
Was it hers?
But there were no visible injuries on her.
"W-what the—?!"
The taxi driver, sensing something was very wrong, began to back away, but suddenly the woman lunged at him.
"Raaagh!!"
The way she looked... it was almost like...
"A zombie?"
Hyun Suho, who had already stepped out of the car, grabbed the woman by the back of her neck and spoke.
Thanks to that, the taxi driver fell back on his rear, unharmed.
It was a half-joking comment.
She must’ve been under the influence of drugs.
But Nova said something unexpected.
[Be careful, Master. An unknown virus has been detected in the woman's body.]
"What?"
Surprised, Hyun Suho squinted his eyes.
He could see a group of people rushing from the alley.
All of them, like the woman he was holding, showed signs of madness.
"Raaagh!!!"
