Chapter 122 – Independence (1)

Sun-woo planned to learn useful abilities from Empire refugees’ capabilities.

He had purchased a new skill slot yesterday after the mission and had sufficient points remaining.

Of course he would need permission from ability holders, but that was a problem for the branch chief and refugees to solve among themselves.

The branch chief tilted his head hearing Sun-woo’s story. He couldn’t understand the reason for asking about abilities.

“I guess you didn’t tell him.”

“I’m not someone who carelessly talks about others’ secrets.”

Caroline answered with a serious expression.

Caroline who went on missions with Sun-woo several times knew how Sun-woo acquired skills.

But she apparently hadn’t informed the branch chief or others about that information.

Sun-woo felt his frustrated heart ease a bit at her answer. At least Caroline was definitely someone he could trust.

“But is it okay for others to know?”

“Many people saw it on missions. It’s hard to keep secret.”

Caroline nodded at Sun-woo’s words.

With Sun-woo’s consent, Caroline explained to the branch chief how Sun-woo acquired skills.

However, she only knew about acquiring skills with others’ consent and didn’t know about other methods.

Of course, not just her but people who knew Sun-woo’s secret didn’t know about other acquisition methods (stealing after killing enemies).

This method was perfect for misunderstanding if others knew. Sun-woo planned to keep this secret as much as possible.

“If that’s the case, it’s no problem at all.”

Hearing the story, the branch chief rather brightened and accepted Sun-woo’s request.

“Give me just one day and I’ll organize and inform you. If there’s someone you want among them, please let me know.”

Thanks to the branch chief actively stepping forward, things could become easier.

After finishing the conversation Sun-woo left the conference room and Caroline also followed Sun-woo out of the conference room.

“The last obstacle has been resolved too.”

The branch chief who confirmed Sun-woo and Caroline left took out his phone and called Douglas, the headquarters director.

[Isn’t this Branch Chief Schmidt? What made such a busy person call?]

Like the relationship between headquarters and Korea branch that had been awkward, Douglas’s voice answering the phone was quite rough.

“I contacted you because there’s something to discuss.”

[What’s the matter? You haven’t listened to my words until now.]

Director Douglas seemed intrigued when the branch chief said there was something to discuss.

At Douglas’s slightly brightened voice, the branch chief felt a bit sorry.

Though it was an order given as a mission, they were the ones who accepted refugees like himself and helped them adapt.

Turning their backs on such people couldn’t feel good.

But Branch Chief Schmidt couldn’t abandon his hometown, his world with such emotions.

The branch chief opened his mouth with a firm voice.

“Our <Cleaners> Korea branch and Korea branch of Summoner Association have decided to separate from headquarters and become an independent corporation. We’ll accommodate headquarters’ requests as much as possible according to necessity, but Korea branch will move independently.”

Even after the branch chief finished speaking, there was no response from beyond the phone.

After some time, Director Douglas’s subdued voice could be heard.

[Is it because of the Empire?]

“Because of our hometown, the world we lived in.”

A small sigh could be heard.

[I shouldn’t have sent you to Korea. If I knew the Empire would become like that, I wouldn’t have sent you…]

After a brief silence, the voice was heard again. This time it was a hard voice with emotions cut off.

[But the association and I cannot accommodate your words. No branch can be separated from headquarters. And from this moment, Korea branch chief is stripped of branch chief position by headquarters director’s authority and summoned to headquarters. If refused, we’ll enforce it.]

Though it came out much stronger than expected, the branch chief and refugees were already sufficiently prepared.

“If you don’t accommodate, it’s withdrawal. If the association won’t listen, all we Empire refugees will withdraw from the association.”

If scattered around the world they would have nowhere to go even if they withdrew, but gathered in Korea they could live sufficiently even after withdrawing from the association.

There was already Sun-woo as an excellent example.

[Is this a threat?]

“It’s a notification.”

[Ugh.]

As director, it was hard to accept refugees’ withdrawal from the association. Among summoned ability users, only Empire’s ability users had mental-related abilities.

Moreover, with internet and electronic warfare ability users having died in large numbers, it wasn’t easy to deal with governments and corporations without refugees.

[Did you think threatening like this would definitely work! Even if the association can’t help it, Summoners won’t stay still! How do you plan to handle their anger!]

But before his words finished, both people heard the Summoner’s voice.

[From now on, summoner Tobias will be added to the communication network for Dimension Alpha along with summoner Douglas. Summoner Tobias will be in charge of communication networks for summoners throughout the Korean Peninsula and Empire dimension.]

The branch chief smiled hearing the Summoner’s voice.

Association headquarters might not be interested in the contaminated Empire, but Summoners were different.

“Summoners seem to approve.”

The phone became quiet again, and after a while Douglas’s calm voice was heard.

[I’ll discuss with the entire board but it won’t be easy. And officially, no branch can become independent under any circumstances.]

“If only corporate separation happens, it doesn’t matter if we don’t announce officially.”

Eventually though expressed differently, Director Douglas had raised the white flag.

The board would be noisy but there was no other director who could overturn what Director Douglas and Summoners passed.

[Korea branch has many summoners besides you refugees. They won’t stay still.]

“We’ll handle that ourselves. Please just don’t cause trouble from headquarters.”

Though Director Douglas complained bitterly until the end, Branch Chief Tobias didn’t mind at all.

With this, the refugee hideout they had been preparing was completed.

Not only problems with Korean summoners Director Douglas just mentioned, but various problems were piled up.

However, they succeeded in taking one step forward.

“Then, is it time to conduct surveys now? The hardship starts from now.”

After hanging up, the branch chief’s face that had relaxed a bit hardened firmly again.

And he left the conference room with vigorous steps.

---

Some time later, the email the branch chief sent really contained various abilities.

Caroline’s erasure ability, and the most numerous abilities were mental manipulation abilities possessed by Caroline’s subordinates and the branch chief, besides that spatial movement, telekinesis, telepathy and various other abilities were written.

Sun-woo agonized and selected several to send a reply.

He gave leeway because abilities like Caroline’s or Hayden’s might be hard to buy with points.

Next morning, the branch chief called Sun-woo saying he gathered people. Seeing he also called Yeonhwa, there seemed to be other reasons besides ability transfer.

Among people gathered in the conference room were people he knew like Caroline and spatial ability user Sofia, and people he saw for the first time.

Sun-woo asked people for understanding and checked people with his phone camera.

Froyden Empire Sofia Sergeant

<Spatial Movement> – 3,000 points

Cleaners Korea Branch Executive Director Caroline

<Erasure – Modified> – Acquisition impossible

Sofia’s ability that he brought just in case couldn’t be handled with points Sun-woo had. Even if he continued collecting points to buy it, he’d need to obtain more points to develop it.

Strong abilities weren’t easy to obtain with points.

Moreover, Caroline became completely unacquirable. Because her ability was modified after being contaminated then treated.

“You got promoted to executive director.”

“That content comes out too?”

Caroline looked at the phone with a curious expression.

“Yes, you officially received orders recently. But it’ll probably change again soon.”

As she said, if the branch separated there would definitely be changes again.

Sun-woo looked at sighing Caroline and praised himself for not joining the association.

Sun-woo then checked other people one by one.

Cleaners Korea Branch Guest Director Schneider

<Memory Readjustment> – 2,000 points

The first person checked was a subordinate employee who traveled with Caroline and possessed the ability to modify memories.

Though it was memory adjustment ability only possible on ordinary people, the points were much higher than expected. Sun-woo shook his head and aimed the phone camera at the next person.

Fortunately from the next person, purchase was possible with Sun-woo’s points.

<Recognition Reduction> – 1,000 points

<Telekinesis> – 1,000 points

<Phantom Pain> – 700 points

Excluding ordinary(?) combat abilities and substituting memory and mental-related abilities with Caroline’s subordinates, these were abilities Sun-woo selected from other abilities.

<Recognition Reduction> was a kind of mental ability that made others not notice well even when passing by them, good for assassination or espionage.

<Telekinesis> was added after seeing Hayden’s telekinesis. Abilities like telekinesis or flight were men’s romance.

The last ability called <Phantom Pain> was quite a unique ability.

“I can make you feel pain until confirmed with eyes or other senses.”

A woman with a gentle-looking impression carefully explained her ability.

“For example, like this.”

“Ah!”

Yeonhwa who was sitting on one side watching this place was startled and looked down at her foot.

“Wow, I thought someone pinched my toe.”

At Yeonhwa’s words, the woman lowered her head with an apologetic expression and continued explaining to Sun-woo.

“Well, like this I can give pain without wounds. The problem is that like just now, if you actually check and find out there’s no substance, it has no effect. It’s also less effective on people with strong mental defense.”

“Then realistically it’s useless?”

“No. There are places where it’s still useful.”

The woman continued with a slightly sad expression.

“It’s effective during torture. After tying the body and blocking vision, you can give long-lasting pain without wounds.”

Sun-woo looked surprised at the unexpected usage.

But anyway, at the woman’s words Sun-woo could decide on abilities he should learn this time.

Sun-woo aimed the phone camera at the woman then firmly pressed the <Phantom Pain> button that appeared on screen.

[Min Sun-woo has requested to acquire Phantom Pain. If you permit, summoner Sun-woo can learn your Phantom Pain ability. Will you permit?]

A voice was heard in the woman’s head.