Fired Characters from an Idle Game

45. Bat Yu Junseo – (1)

Yu Junseo never imagined, in all his life, that he’d find himself in such a clandestine location.

A safe house near Seoul City Hall, specifically, its basement.

After passing through multiple layers of heavily guarded doors, Yu Junseo was finally led to a seat. A few political appointees offered their cards and greetings, but he couldn’t recall them individually.

He was too flustered.

Yu Junseo didn’t understand why he, the Director-General of the Administration Bureau, had been summoned here.

Initially, he thought it was because he had become the Republic of Korea’s second S-Class Awakened.

However, the moment a man who introduced himself as a Chief Secretary, with a deliberately serious expression, began to speak, Yu Junseo was thrown into disarray.

“Wait, you want to take down Nam Juyeon?”

Their proposition was truly shocking.

The tirade began with the assertion that Nam Juyeon was dangerous.

They wanted to detain the Republic of Korea’s first S-Class Awakened.

Specifically through the hands of the only being deemed a counter, the S-Class Awakened and Director-General of the Administration Bureau, Yu Junseo.

“Why would you do something like that? Are you people insane?”

Yu Junseo asked, bewildered.

The answer that followed, summarized, was this:

‘That human cannot be controlled. One wrong move and she could become a terrorist. For the sake of the nation’s safety, she must be eliminated.’

It wasn’t wrong.

Nam Juyeon *had* actually made death threats in a room full of assemblymen.

Even so, was it right to imprison an S-class Awakened?

From what he’d heard, they were planning to kill Nam Juyeon, not just imprison him.

“No, that doesn’t make any sense.”

At first, he’d wanted to refuse. To get up and leave that instant.

But Yu Junseo, as always, was a small-time citizen.

No matter how steadfast his will, even sitting in the important position of Awakened Management Bureau Director, he felt intimidated being among these high-ranking people in such a clandestine place.

Yu Junseo stammered, trying to find the words to protest, but each time the man introduced as the chairman cut him off.

Nam Juyeon was dangerous, and the government seemed to truly believe that Yu Junseo himself could take over his role.

Seoul had suffered some casualties, but it was still the country that suppressed eruptions best in the world.

It wasn’t surprising that a government riding on that reputation would become so arrogant, or that they would try to coax a man with no political connections, like Yu Junseo himself.

“Think carefully. Consider what is the *right* decision.”

When the conversation led nowhere, the man dismissed it with those words.

“More than anything, Director, if you capture him, you can acquire three Calamities of the Fourth Magnitude. You could become the greatest human in the world.”

“…Even if you say that…”

“You must think carefully and choose. Which string to hold. Which choice is *for* you.”

The last words lingered in his ears even after he left the building.

*

“Ah, damn it.”

The next day, Yu Junseo didn’t check the community comments, something he usually did to begin his day.

His head was too complicated; he’d spent the night wide awake. He was tired, and he felt rotten.

“b*stards, what do you want me to do?”

What the government wanted was simple.

To use Yu Junseo as a hunting dog to tear Nam Juyeon apart. To control this city of Seoul more easily, according to their tastes.

A truly excellent choice. Unlike Nam Juyeon, he couldn’t say he’d kill them all in the middle of a meeting. He wasn’t that kind of guy. Not that bold.

More than anything, it wouldn’t be *that* difficult.

Even an S-class Awakened dies from a single bullet. This wasn’t some superhero from a movie. Nam Juyeon couldn’t dodge bullets, either.

So, what should he do?

Yu Junseo knew the phrase “discarding the hunting dog after the hunt.” If he eliminated Nam Juyeon and became the only S-class Awakened, the government would surely try to manipulate him again, just like last time.

“Please handle this with some flexibility, Yoo Jun-seo-ssi.”

Meanwhile, Nam Joo-yeon had tossed the negotiation with the government to Yoo Jun-seo. He must have some degree of trust in me, then.

But was it the right call to antagonize Nam Joo-yeon, whom the government had already flagged as a person of interest? Was he really a rope you could rely on?

“Fools.”

There was no way.

Yoo Jun-seo had witnessed Nam Joo-yeon’s selfless acts during the last Tower raid. He was something close to a hero.

Therefore, there was no way he’d betray him, or sink his teeth into him as those b*stards hoped.

Yoo Jun-seo was a master at figuring out measures to protect his own hide, after all.

His mind was made up. He would discreetly summon Nam Joo-yeon, even now, to discuss this matter.

“Ah, you’ve finally arrived.”

A languid morning.

Just like any other day, Yoo Jun-seo came to work at the Administration Bureau, and was greeted by an unexpected visitor.

“Shall we have a little chat?”

Nam Joo-yeon was already waiting in the Director’s office.

With a bottle of liquor in tow.

“Oh, uh… Nam Joo-yeon-ssi, what brings you here?”

Yoo Jun-seo hastily greeted him.

What wind had blown him to the Administration Bureau building itself? He glanced at Kang Se-na, but she just shrugged and left the room.

He sat down awkwardly, and Nam Joo-yeon offered him the liquor he’d brought. With luxury goods dwindling rapidly these past months, liquor was quite the precious item.

“I just came up from Daejeon yesterday. I heard you pulled a 4-Star Calamity.”

“Ah, uh, yeah. Lucky me.”

Accepting the gift, Yoo Jun-seo scrutinized the other man’s expression.

He was perfectly placid.

“Is there… something you needed?”

“I just wanted to congratulate you, since we’re both S-Class Awakeners. I actually went to the celebration yesterday, but you weren’t there.”

“Ah, yes. I had some business…”

“Business at the National Security Office, I presume.”

The casual remark from Nam Joo-yeon sent a chill down Yoo Jun-seo’s spine.

Had Kang Se-na told him? No, she was a woman of few words. Then Seo Ye-rin? Was it her?

Whatever the case, it didn’t matter now. Nam Joo-yeon knew that he’d been summoned by the government and heard something confidential.

As expected, he crossed his legs and began to speak.

“So, what are you thinking of doing?”

“Huh? What do you mean, doing?”

“Are you going to become my enemy? I know what the government said. Not that I particularly blame you. I simply came to hear what your decision will be, Mr. Yu Junseo.”

“….”

A frigid silence descended.

Cold sweat trickled down Yu Junseo’s back.

As the silence stretched, Nam Juyeon nonchalantly picked up the remote on the desk and switched on the television.

A news flash happened to be airing.

[Central Seoul, Explosion Terror Incident. National Security Director Dead, Suspected Disaster Attack.]

Scarlet backdrop, stark white lettering.

Yu Junseo felt as if he’d been struck hard. He blinked a few times.

“Rather gruesome news to start the day, wouldn’t you agree?”

“….”

The photograph splashed across the news screen was familiar.

It was the face of that man he’d shared a clandestine conversation with just yesterday.

He turned his head. Nam Juyeon wore a faint smile.

There was no need to see any more.

“Speaking of which! Ms. Nam Juyeon! Those government b*stards dared to try and turn me against you….”

Yu Junseo was a bat.

*

Persuading the Director of Management was as easy as pie.

The moment I showed him the news, he tucked his tail between his legs, like a scolded puppy.

He kept cursing the government, constantly chanting my wish that the Management Bureau must become independent from them.

Just as I was beginning to tire of it, Kang Sena approached.

“Ms. Nam Juyeon, someone has come to see you.”

“Someone from the government, I presume?”

“How did you know… I’m dying to ask, but…”

Kang Sena turned her head and glanced at the television, still broadcasting the breaking news.

The incident being reported on television was, in fact, one I had orchestrated through Selene yesterday.

Assassination and terrorism. Crimes devoid of humanity. Yet, I felt not a shred of remorse. I’d already killed six in Daejeon. Adding one more name to the list wouldn’t change a thing.

“Well, I’m sure you’ll manage somehow.”

Kang Sena left without further prying.

After Yoo Jun-seo was turned away, it was the Prime Minister who sought me out in the Director’s office, the same one I’d spoken with in the conference room last time.

“What brings you here? Paying a visit so early in the morning.”

“…N-Nam Ju-yeon.”

The Prime Minister glanced nervously at me.

He’d rushed so frantically that his hair was a mess, and his glasses had slid halfway down his nose. He panted, struggling to get the words out.

“It’s all a misunderstanding. I can explain everything.”

“Misunderstanding? I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”

I reached for the remote and switched off the television.

The Prime Minister looked back and forth between me and the blank screen, then dropped to his knees.

He was just as quick on the uptake as Yoo Jun-seo.

“Please… give me a chance to explain.”

“Let’s hear it, then.”

“The truth is, there’s been fierce division even amongst ourselves. After the outburst and the argument in the conference room, in the process of formulating a plan to deal with Awakeners, we were split into hardliners and moderates…”

“…”

“What happened yesterday was the sole doing of the faction represented by the hardliners. We want to make it clear that we are not involved. We moderates wish to maintain a cooperative relationship with Ms. Nam Ju-yeon…”

The rest of his story washed over me, in one ear and out the other.

It seemed the Prime Minister was telling the truth.

If he were lying, Mirienne, who was surely watching, would have given me some kind of signal.

Well, I understood their situation.

But…

“But why should I care to understand it?”

“…H-huh?”

The Prime Minister blinked, taken aback by my sudden curtness.

I casually rested my chin on my hand.

“Isn’t that right? Why should I need to understand your situation? If we just look at the bare facts, I could kill you right now, and it wouldn’t be so strange.”

Just months ago, I was merely a cog in the societal machine. Now, I was blackmailing the nation.

‘How about that, seems like I’ve really become an absolute being.’

It wasn’t a mere delusion.

Before I knew it, I, Actor, Dominator of Rifts, seemed one step closer to becoming an absolute being of this world.

[5★ Scorched Saint Selene is moved by you.]

*Ting.*

[Achievement Unlocked: Distorted God]

[Reward: 500 Exp / 4☆ Legacy of the Ash Saint]

The Affinity achievement of Selene, floating before my eyes, proved it.