Chick 339

339

Plink.

A tear fell from Alice’s eye.

The teardrop slid down the mana stone cradled in Gru’s hands.

“…?!”

Alice sank to the floor, her tears pattering down in streams.

‘Did Gru mess up again?!’

Gru started to back away, startled.

But suddenly—

[“Thank you.”]

Alice hugged Gru tightly, tears flowing as she kept repeating her gratitude.

“Don’t cry, unnie.”

Pat, pat.

[“Thank you, really, thank you.”]

Though thrown by Alice’s sudden tears, Gru soon understood the meaning behind her sobbing words.

Gru hugged her in return, patting Alice’s back gently.

Meanwhile, as Joorim entered the hospital room, he took in the sight—Alice weeping as she embraced Gru, the mana stone in Gru’s hand—and quickly pieced together what had happened.

‘So it wasn’t just the ho-mi after all?’

His daughter was utterly unpredictable.

Joorim breathed a sigh of relief, and then his gaze slipped toward On Ijo.

On Ijo had changed.

His brother was no longer the man he’d been before climbing the Tower.

Joorim hesitated for a moment, then tried sending a message to Jin Siwon, but the read marker remained, unread, at ‘1’.

---

Alice, face alight with nervous anticipation, picked up her phone for a video call.

A surgeon, freshly finished with the operation, appeared on the screen.

Alice wasted no time and blurted out her question.

[“How did the surgery go?”]

The doctor brought his face close to the camera and shouted.

[“It went great!”]

It had all gone ahead rapidly thanks to Alice’s bold assurances that she’d take full responsibility for anything that happened.

It had been a high-risk operation, opening a baby’s chest, and on top of that she’d urgently asked them to use the newly-sent item in surgery. The doctor must have found it hard to proceed.

Still, he believed in Alice and performed the operation.

[“Oh, my God…”]

Clutching her phone with both hands, Alice burst into tears.

The doctor, excited, began to speak.

[“The operation went very smoothly, and the surgical site is exceptionally clean. This is a miracle, Cole!”]

He boasted a little.

[“I’m glad I trusted you on this. That person you called Fakeclaw, they’re truly remarkable. Cole, take a look at this baby.”]

He turned the camera toward the baby in the incubator.

The infant slept peacefully, like an angel.

[“It’s truly a miracle…”]

Alice, brushing the screen as though to caress the sleeping child, murmured.

[“Fakeclaw gave me a miracle.”]

Alice’s face broke into a tearful smile.

Joorim smiled faintly, and translated for Gru.

Miracle! Gru’s eyes sparkled.

Alice wiped away her tears, then showed Joorim and Gru a glimpse of the child on her phone.

Watching the tiny baby sleeping soundly, Gru’s mouth fell open in awe.

That such a tiny child could be healed with something Gru had made—her chest felt ticklish, as if swelled by clouds.

‘Amazing!’

Gru hugged back her rising joy.

Alice, voice excited, spoke again.

[“By the way! Where’s Maskman? I want to show my gratitude in the biggest way possible!”]

[“Maskman?”]

[“You know, the man in the hospital room wearing a mask and sunglasses.”]

[“Why do you need Maskman?”]

In response to Joorim’s question, Alice snickered playfully.

[“Why do you think! He’s Fakeclaw!”]

[“Ah…”]

Joorim narrowed his eyes.

[“How did I know? Listen, I realized from the start that Maskman had to be Mr. Ho-mi! Why else would he hide his face? I had a hunch the moment I saw him. Bang—right here in my heart. Hahaha!”]

Alice grew chattier in her elation.

Gru, who had been dumbfounded, heard the explanation from Joorim, giggled shyly, and averted her eyes.

Apparently, Alice had mistaken On Ijo—the man hiding his face in mask and sunglasses—for Fakeclaw. For their sake, that was a good thing.

There was no upside to too many people learning that Gru was Fakeclaw.

Even if it made her a bit sad…

Suddenly, fluffy clouds filled her thoughts.

‘So that little friend was Fakeclaw all along!’

She pictured cheers of “Supreme Gru” ringing across the world.

Maybe her face would appear front and center on YouTube instead of Fakeclaw’s.

But as her smile began to widen, Gru caught herself.

No, no. That won’t do. What if the bad guys start targeting Gru?

It’s disappointing, but a true supremo knows how to hide their power.

With great power comes great responsibility.

‘Gru, that was a really cool thought.’

Feeling delighted with herself, Gru gave her nose a proud little rub.

[“He’s busy.”]

Joorim answered Alice evenly.

[“I’m sure he is… but is he really so busy he can’t spare even a minute? I just want to say thank you—”]

Joorim glanced at his wristwatch.

[“Yes. He’s busy.”]

Soon, it would be time for the government to announce On Ijo’s return.

Joorim hid an inexplicable sense of unease behind his words.

Jin Siwon still hadn’t replied to his message.

Chapter 発火 [Ignition]

[Breaking News>

[World’s First New Substance for Rare Tumor Treatment Developed—‘Fakeclaw Takes on the K-Bio Legend’]

[“A single ointment to end rare diseases?”—Application for State Drug Approval Underway…]

[Fakeclaw, A New Era for Curing Malignant Tumors!]

[(News Flash) With Fakeclaw’s New Drug, Can Humanity Conquer Cancer?]

[America’s Number 1 Hunter Alice Cole: “Fakeclaw is humanity’s treasure!”]

---

Jin Siwon suddenly opened his eyes.

‘Where am I?’

He was lying in an ordinary bedroom.

Judging by the familiar belongings, it seemed to be Sergey’s place…

As he tried to sit up, breath coming in short bursts—

“Hyung?”

“Oh? Team Leader, you’re awake?”

Sergey and Gidan’s voices came in quick succession.

“Yeah.”

Sergey, keeping things light, turned Jin Siwon’s face this way and that.

“Nothing seems wrong.”

“The doctor said the same—just exhausted, apparently.”

Gidan laughed softly, taking a seat beside Sergey.

“Team Leader. Do you remember collapsing in front of our school parking lot?”

“…I did?”

“Yes, so we carried you to the hospital. But since you seemed fine and they said you’d wake soon, we brought you home.”

“Ah…”

Jin Siwon nodded, dazed. It vaguely seemed to fit.

But whose eyes had he seen in that last memory?

He searched his foggy recollections.

He’d met Director Han Rowoon and spoken for a while, but nothing unusual had happened. Then, he’d met Guildmaster On Joorim at the gym…

After that, everything was a blank.

“What sort of place is the Bureau, anyway? If they work you so hard you collapse, quit already. I’m making plenty of money now.”

“….”

Jin Siwon was moved by Sergey’s grumbling concern.

“If you start crying, I swear, I’ll avoid your face for a month.”

“…!”

At Sergey’s warning, Jin Siwon snapped his mouth shut, while Gidan giggled.

“Team Leader, the doctor said you should get plenty of rest.”

“If you’re going to keep working there, don’t overdo it. Don’t be a bother to anyone.”

“Yeah…”

Jin Siwon awkwardly scratched his chin.

Then Gidan, as if remembering something, popped his fist into his palm.

“Oh, Team Leader, you should get something to eat. I’ll go buy some porridge.”

“No, I’ll go.”

“You stay here.”

“Oh, come on.”

After a moment’s playful bickering, Gidan and Sergey headed out, saying they’d go pick up some food.

Left alone in Sergey’s quiet room, Jin Siwon tried to retrace his memories.

Just exhaustion?

Could that really be it?

Checking his phone, he saw several days had passed since that incident.

Had he really been unconscious for days from simple fatigue?

Jin Siwon was S-class. It couldn’t have been mere exhaustion…

“Barret.”

He called his contracted partner, and the shadow of a great snake uncoiled.

“Do you remember anything from just before I passed out?”

Barret nodded.

“Tell me.”

The massive serpent slid close and began to speak.

Jin Siwon couldn’t hear anything, but nodded as though understanding it all.

After a moment, he picked up his phone.

Joorim’s number appeared on the screen.

“Guildmaster On, I need to talk to you urgently.”