Chapter 21

The Returning Archmage Is a Max-Level Player Chapter 21

______________

‘This is way too inefficient.’

At the Association branch in the border region. Sitting inside a private consultation room, Kim Dohyun inwardly lamented the inconvenience.

‘If I only had spatial storage magic or a magic item, I wouldn’t have to go through all this trouble.’

The System did have a reward-receiving function with a similar effect, but unfortunately, it only worked for withdrawals.

Storage was impossible.

That was why he had continued keeping portable spatial storage in mind.

But once the need for it actually arose, the inconvenience was tremendous.

‘I don’t know how I used to get around without one.’

Before he became capable of using spatial storage, he had carried items around personally.

At the time, he had not felt particularly inconvenienced.

But after becoming accustomed to freely using spatial storage and then losing access to it, the inconvenience felt even more pronounced.

‘Even right now, this is pretty troublesome.’

A day earlier. He had hidden the belongings used by the group of ten villains he had killed nearby. And over the course of several days, he had been repeatedly returning while carrying them back little by little.

‘It would be too risky to dispose of everything at once.’

In Kang Cheolmin’s case, he had Jung Taeho’s party as a smokescreen, but now he was operating alone.

A beginner who had registered as an Awakened less than a month ago was repeatedly disposing of villains’ belongings.

No. Even right now, things were already precarious.

“Hmm...”

Jo Seonghun’s narrowed eyes were fixed on Kim Dohyun.

But Kim Dohyun calmly met his gaze.

‘For now, suspicion is as far as it goes.’

Not enough to make anything certain.

It was still a situation that could easily be accepted as simple good luck.

Indeed, he had deliberately been disposing of the villains’ belongings while staying precisely within that acceptable range.

And so.

He also knew clearly that he could not become any greedier.

‘I shouldn’t dispose of anything else for a while.’

He had concealed the remaining items as thoroughly as possible with magic.

Of course, since it was a place where not only people but monsters also wandered around periodically, there was no telling what variables might arise, but he did not particularly care.

He had already disposed of nearly all the valuable items that could fetch a proper price anyway.

Of course, he was not completely at ease.

Even if their value was declining, they were all items he had legitimately acquired as spoils.

It was a shame.

But that was all.

It was absolutely not worth taking on additional risk.

‘Besides, I’ll be able to enter the Tower tomorrow.’

He could reach the 3rd Circle, which he had set as his highest priority.

That meant he would be able to dramatically increase his hunting efficiency. And his Mana Core supply.

There would no longer be any reason to cling to small change.

Kim Dohyun quickly organized his thoughts while maintaining his expression.

But Jo Seonghun, sitting across from him, was still staring suspiciously.

“You’re saying you confronted villains again this time?”

He was openly interrogating him now, but there was no solid proof anyway.

Kim Dohyun shamelessly answered.

“I was unlucky. I almost died.”

Still looking doubtful, Jo Seonghun skimmed through the information displayed on the screen.

‘F+ rank.’

There was a record showing that his rank had risen by one level after being recognized for his contribution in apprehending and killing several villains, including Kang Cheolmin, alongside an Awakened named Jung Taeho.

But overall, it was still a low rank.

Of course, that itself was not a problem.

In the first place, rank was essentially a concept based on cumulative contribution as judged by the Association.

It meant there could be glaring differences in individual combat ability even among people of the same rank. And situations like this were not unprecedented.

Because of that, he could not easily judge an Awakened’s skill.

But this time, he could be certain.

‘It definitely isn’t because of skill.’

It had not even been a month since Kim Dohyun Awakened.

Occasionally, someone with extraordinary talent did possess exceptional combat ability.

But if he were that kind of talent, the Association headquarters would already have placed him under special management.

There would be no reason for him to risk his life wandering around a public hunting ground.

Which meant.

‘He’s absurdly lucky.’

It was something like beginner’s luck.

In Kang Cheolmin’s case, there was a high chance one of the Awakened in the party with him had been exceptional.

As for the villains he had defeated recently, perhaps they had let down their guard or had encountered him after becoming extremely exhausted from some harsh ordeal.

Considering the tendencies of villains. And the characteristics of the public hunting ground, it was entirely possible.

There was no reason to suspect Kim Dohyun immediately.

But Jo Seonghun did not let him go.

‘If he really is just a lucky bastard.’

Then he would be an inexperienced Awakened.

It meant he still did not understand the ecosystem of Awakened very well.

‘And there aren’t even any eyes watching.’

This was not headquarters, but a small branch in the border region.

A place where strict oversight was comparatively lax.

‘If I play this right. I could make a nice profit.’

The corner of Jo Seonghun’s mouth rose faintly.

It was a subtle change, but Kim Dohyun did not miss it.

‘Interesting.’

As the suspicion disappeared, greed was rising in its place.

As expected, the human heart was like a reed.

There was no telling when or where it would sway.

Indeed, Jo Seonghun was now beginning to pressure him openly.

“A beginner like you defeated villains one after another?”

“I don’t think defeating villains is against the rules.”

“I’m the one who decides whether it’s a problem or not.”

He spoke calmly, but his overbearing attitude was obvious.

Kim Dohyun could easily read Jo Seonghun’s intention.

‘Money.’

Among the villains’ belongings he had disposed of were several fairly valuable magic items.

Jo Seonghun was after the reward money.

‘How should I deal with this?’

A method immediately came to mind.

It was the easiest route, but not one he particularly preferred.

‘Bone Heat.’

It was one of the unique magical arts he had created.

Its ability was simple.

Send mana into the body and stimulate the bone marrow.

It did not require a large amount of mana. Or a high Circle.

‘But the effect is certain.’

More precisely, it could be called cruel.

Pain like fire flooding the inside of one’s bones swept through the body.

It was not a level of pain that could be endured through willpower.

Indeed, those who had suffered Bone Heat had their minds collapse and were completely ruined.

Of course, he could control the intensity of the pain through the amount of mana.

But if Jo Seonghun in front of him suddenly began writhing in agony.

‘That wouldn’t be a good method.’

Jo Seonghun had not yet crossed the line Kim Dohyun had drawn. And at present, Kim Dohyun was not particularly eager to attract attention.

And so.

Kim Dohyun chose to resolve things through words as much as possible.

“I’ll tell you the locations where I dealt with the villains, so if you really suspect me, why don’t you send investigators?”

If they saw the traces of battle, his skill might be exposed.

But several days had already passed, so many of the traces would have been damaged.

It would be difficult to find any proper traces or evidence.

In the end, they would discover nothing and only waste time. Which was exactly what Kim Dohyun intended.

“Let’s just settle this through conversation as much as possible. If I handle things favorably for you, I might be willing to let this slide.”

Perhaps deciding there was nothing holding him back, Jo Seonghun was now practically demanding money outright, but Kim Dohyun did not answer.

“...”

“Let’s not make things complicated. If you keep holding out, this won’t end with words.”

Jo Seonghun began pressuring him harshly when Kim Dohyun maintained his silence.

But Kim Dohyun had not been paying attention to Jo Seonghun in front of him in the first place.

Kim Dohyun’s gaze was directed toward the office entrance.

He was silently staring there when.

Creak-!

“After reviewing his history. I see absolutely nothing that should pose a problem.”

The door opened and an unfamiliar voice cut in.

A man neatly dressed in a suit.

Though the clothes were unfamiliar, the face was one Kim Dohyun recognized as the man looked down at Jo Seonghun.

“W-Who are you?”

At Jo Seonghun’s stiff-faced question, the man confidently held out his civil servant ID.

“Yoo Minseok, Manager of the Strategic Analysis Division. I’m from Association headquarters.”

Yoo Minseok’s low-set gaze dropped toward Jo Seonghun’s chest.

After checking the name and position on the civil servant ID hanging from his neck, Yoo Minseok spoke again.

“You should be treating an Awakened who eliminated villains with respect, yet you resort to coercive questioning?”

“...”

“Recently, the Association President gave firm orders after declaring war on villains, so I have no choice but to report this matter to the audit team.”

“I’m sorry!”

Jo Seonghun hurriedly bowed his head, but Yoo Minseok’s resolve was firm.

“There is no point in continuing this conversation. I will take over the investigation of this individual, so you should leave now.”

It had not been a direct announcement.

But Jo Seonghun could already tell the result.

‘It’s over.’

Once the audit team investigated him, everything he had done until now would be exposed.

A long list of charges would follow.

But struggling here would change nothing.

If anything, it would only make the situation worse.

In the end, Jo Seonghun could not defy Yoo Minseok.

“...Understood.”

Scrape-

Jo Seonghun rose from his seat and left the consultation room. Now the only one remaining was Yoo Minseok.

Facing him, Kim Dohyun smiled faintly.

‘As expected.’

The phenomenon had unfolded along one of his predictions.

What was going to come would always come eventually.

Since Kim Dohyun had already expected it, he calmly met Yoo Minseok’s gaze.

Compared to him.

Yoo Minseok was staring at Kim Dohyun with a face filled with various emotions.

_______________

He is absolutely not a villain.

There are no other notable peculiarities.

Those were words that Yoo Minseok himself had personally written in the report.

Indeed, he had withdrawn all suspicion toward Kim Dohyun.

Strictly speaking, he had not completely put the matter behind him.

There had still been something vaguely unsettling.

But there was no longer any justification.

Because there was no clear evidence.

So he had intended to stop concerning himself with Kim Dohyun.

‘Because that was the right judgment.’

Looking at it rationally, that was what he had to do.

But his emotions rejected it.

Indeed, his intuition continued sounding alarms.

In the end, unable to ignore it, he had moved personally just to check one more time.

And thus he arrived at the Association branch in the border region.

There, the scene he encountered was Kim Dohyun being pressured by Jo Seonghun.

Jo Seonghun’s actions were clearly criminal.

But Yoo Minseok could somewhat understand why he had behaved that way.

‘His results really aren’t normal.’

For an Awakened who had been active for less than a month, his achievements were excessively good.

Of course, they were impressive enough to call exceptional.

But they were not impossible.

Indeed, there were Awakened who, through a streak of luck. Or depending on certain circumstances, achieved results like this.

Kim Dohyun’s achievements before him were exactly at that same level.

‘The absolute maximum that we. The Association can reasonably accept.’

In other words, it was still believable.

But paradoxically, that was exactly why it was difficult to believe.

‘It’s as if he knows exactly where the acceptable limit is.’

Everything fit perfectly.

In a way, it was enough to send chills down his spine.

‘No. If this really was calculated...’

Gulp-!

He swallowed heavily.

‘Then someone at my level wouldn’t even dare judge him.’