"..."

"Yes."

...

...

* * *

The Hunters unanimously agreed that this disaster had been especially difficult to handle.

"A living, moving sea. Seriously, it gave me the creeps."

"We went to all that trouble freezing it, and it just kept drawing more water up from the depths. Wore me right out."

"It gradually eased up, so I guess the mermaid was getting tired too, but still..."

The one saving grace was the sheer number of skilled Hunters who had gathered for this war. They did everything they could to hold back the deep seawater so the plants they had painstakingly grown would not wither. Meanwhile, the plants flourished at their masters' command.

"Honestly, though, that was pretty amazing."

"It didn't look like anything humans could create."

"It was fucking incredible..."

The flower garden humans had created on the sea was a rare sight indeed.

"The suppression team would've had a hard time if the dungeon raid team hadn't acted so quickly."

Aria, the humanoid monster who had been stealing authority over Earth's seas bit by bit, had visibly suffered immense pain a couple of times during the confrontation.

"The first time, they said she was hurt by the backlash when Hunter Seo Jio woke up and broke free, right?"

"And the second time was because the raid team destroyed the dungeon's heart..."

"But didn't they say Hunter Seo Jio was the one who destroyed that too?"

"I heard he was able to locate the dungeon's heart while he was trapped in the dream."

"Preparing to clear the dungeon even in a situation like that. He really is something else."

"Clear it? I wouldn't even have woken up."

"Hey, we wouldn't have gotten that kind of special treatment in the first place. They'd have killed us in one shot."

The dungeon-clear notification had not even appeared until quite some time after Aria's mermaid form dissolved into the sea. Apparently, it had taken a while for the monster's influence over Earth's seas to disappear.

And naturally, all the remaining cleanup fell to the humans.

"..."

"... This fucking shit..."

The Hunters summoned for the cleanup could not help lamenting the state of the ravaged sea.

"Fuck, let's get a move on. We can't go home until this is done."

"Any word from the Association? With things this bad, you'd think other countries would be complaining."

"We haven't heard anything yet, so they must be keeping a lid on it."

"Exactly. Let's get this cleaned up while the Association's covering for us."

The sea was so vast that even a slight disruption could make the entire world suffer. They had created polar glaciers off the coast of South Korea; climate problems were only to be expected.

The Hunters' task was to contain those "climate problems" as quickly as possible. They worked to melt the enormous glaciers and artificially restore the currents to their original state.

"Hey, but this..."

"Right? It does feel like a waste."

"Excuse me, Association staff? Can't we leave this part?"

"It must have taken a lot to make."

"Sure, it's a scar left by the fighting, but..."

The Hunters felt a pang of regret as they looked at the flower garden on the sea.

"Isn't this a pretty historic landmark to just clear away?"

Encouraged by those Hunters and citizens' comments calling it "mysterious" and "a vestige of a terrifying war," the Association decided to preserve the flowers blooming on the sea.

They would be more than a beautiful sight: they would serve as a teaching aid and a canary in a coal mine, warning of the dangers of changes in the sea.

"If something goes wrong with this flower bed, it'll mean something has gone wrong with our management of the sea."

"The public response is favorable, and there's no harm in leaving some traces of a war like this. Plenty of people only think, 'Oh, I should be careful,' once they see the marks left by a natural disaster of this scale."

"It'll give us another area to manage, but we can simply create a separate department for that..."

The Association was always proactive about such matters. South Korea was a very small country with an overflowing population, and it had put great effort into shaping the environment to control and manage so many people.

This time was no different. The Association swiftly established a new department and began managing the remnant they named the "Sea Flower Garden." Staff were also assigned to make regular visits to tend and maintain it.

"Well, this is also a chance to show off our country's capabilities."

"If we handle this cleanup well, immigration should rise again. It looks promising as a tourist attraction too."

In an age when no one knew when or how they might die, people wanted to belong to a country that could keep them safe. The image of a nation with the resources not merely to clean up after a war, but to turn its aftermath into another source of profit, brought South Korea substantial benefits.

"Quite a few Hunters died, though..."

"For those with surviving family, convey our apologies and gratitude, and make sure the compensation is generous enough to leave no room for complaints. We need to make a good impression at times like this if we want our Hunters to throw themselves in again without regard for their lives."

"Keep things under control on the civilian side too, so there are no complaints. Aren't you tired of hearing that we value lives differently in the cities and the provinces? Even if nothing changes in practice, we need to establish the perception that we at least provide basic support. It'll make things easier later."

"The government and the Association must always be the institutions the people trust. You all know that a crisis this big is precisely when we can win the public's favor."

"We've spoken to the guilds as well. When the time comes, they'll donate to citizens who lost their homes and those who rendered distinguished service to the nation. The top three guilds, in particular, brought it up long ago..."

When a war of this magnitude broke out, the government and the Association were kept busy. With such a small national territory, they could assess and respond to conditions in detail, down to the smallest places.

There was, however, another subject generating a very different kind of discussion.

"Did you hear? Hunter Seo Jio..."

"I heard monsters kidnapped him during the war."

"No, not that."

That subject was Black Cloak.

"They're saying he's Black Cloak's apostle."

"... Black Cloak is a god? Wait, wasn't he a monster?"

Some did not believe it, and others accepted it immediately, but fortunately, Black Cloak's identity did not throw the public into any great confusion.

"Oh, sure. That's possible."

This was an age of individualism taken to its extreme. Citizens constantly plagued by loneliness and harsh living conditions might be selfish toward creatures that were always kind to them, but they returned that kindness nonetheless.

That remained true even when the recipient was a mystery they could not identify as a monster or otherwise.

"Considering he gives us food, he doesn't seem like a bad god, right?"

"Who cares if he's an evil god? He feeds us and takes us sightseeing..."

"Think how many people survived that goddamn winter thanks to Black Cloak."

"God or whatever, I just hope he gives me snacks if I meet him."

"I heard some people made a fortune selling those. Now that's winning the lottery."

"A lottery where doing good deeds improves your chances... A lottery you can rig the odds for..."

To the citizens of today, Black Cloak was no monster deserving extermination. Before anyone knew it, he had become a gentle, kindly urban legend woven into Korean life. With tangible benefits to be gained from him, people might consider capturing or exploiting him, but no one argued that he ought to be eliminated.

"Why cut open the goose that lays the golden eggs?"

"Hey, they say he's a Divinity..."

"... Oh, r-right. I mean, it's just an expression."

Some of the more unusual enthusiasts who had been eagerly awaiting Black Cloak's new works defended him with particular vigor.

"I knew it! A being who creates such sublime worlds couldn't possibly be a mere monster!"

"No wonder I sensed something divine in those frames' peculiarities. Yes, I knew it would turn out this way. Now that it has, we can't simply sit idly by."

"Shouldn't we form an organization to protect Black Cloak? Where else will you find a Divinity who lets the world tour his artistic creations? We must prevent anyone from exploiting him."

"He's a mystery who loves good people so dearly. Of course we should take precautions before wicked vermin start clinging to him. There is something rather innocent about him as a Divinity..."

The enthusiasts were already thoroughly blinded by their affection, and no amount of reproach from others would cure them. They were utterly captivated by their thrilling exchanges with the ominous yet kindly urban legend called Black Cloak.

Above all, the fact that "Black Cloak favors good people" swelled their pride even further. Seeing themselves as people who had earned his approval, they felt a sense of mission. This was even more pronounced among those he had directly helped.

"I-I would have died that day if Lord Black Cloak hadn't saved me. He punishes the wicked and shows grace to the weak. Just thinking that such a being could be exploited by evil humans, I truly..."

"We understand how you feel. This is precisely when we need to make our voices heard."

There were such stirrings in certain circles, but they amounted to no more than hobby clubs, or salons at the very largest, so people paid little attention.

In an age with countless small groups praising monsters for being cute or useful, it was inevitable that gatherings would form to cherish a mystery of Black Cloak's caliber. People accepted it as a phenomenon as natural as a government forming when a country was founded.

"Well, they seem to attract gentle people."

"Black Cloak's dislike of wicked humans must have played a large part in that."

"Apparently, they're very thorough about checking each other's qualifications."

"They also say people who live nearby get together to do good deeds..."

"I hear his art enthusiasts even hold charity events. Some apparently go out and volunteer in person."

"So this is what gets the rich to open their wallets. Fascinating. Those people see citizens of Grade 1 and below as a different species, yet they're actually getting involved themselves."

Some joined simply for a little lighthearted fun, others out of a serious desire for an invitation from a work of art, and still others out of enduring faith...

"A positive influence in the truest sense. If this is what comes of it, well, is there really any reason to worry?"

Even as everyone came to accept Black Cloak's newly revealed identity, their attention turned to "Hunter Seo Jio."

"He must have been Black Cloak's apostle all along. I wonder if that has anything to do with the Collector raising him in confinement."

"The humanoid monsters that started this war kidnapped Black Cloak's apostles. What exactly was their reason? I hear they also made several remarks expressing wariness of Black Cloak."

"Apparently, some of their remarks suggested they coveted Hunter Seo Jio himself. I heard this from a Hunter who took part in the raid team, but would you believe it? This dungeon's heart was something that looked exactly like Hunter Seo Jio..."

"What? Why would they do that?"

Opinions on that point split into several camps.

"We uncovered some of the story of the mermaids and their teacher in the Temple of the Deep Sea. Apparently, they became monsters because they lost their teacher to humans. There are reports that Hunter Seo Jio looks very much like that teacher."

"Then perhaps they found a human who resembled their teacher and tried to turn him into the same being?"

"They say Hunter Seo Jio appeared grief-stricken after waking and breaking free. Wouldn't that support it? The mermaids were using some trick to synchronize him with their dead teacher."

"If that's true, isn't it revolting? Honestly, trying to impose a dead person on a perfectly healthy human. Exactly the sort of idea you'd expect from evil monsters."

That was one opinion.

"Perhaps he really was a similar being. We haven't uncovered all the mysteries between dimensions yet. Reincarnation, for instance... Couldn't Hunter Seo Jio be that sort of mystery?"

"Apparently, the teacher's name discovered in the Temple of the Deep Sea was 'Batlan Giovanni.' We don't know whether he was normally called 'Jio,' but with even their names being similar, I believe some kind of fate was at work."

"These were monsters who traveled between dimensions amassing evil deeds. Their hatred of humans must have run deep. If there had truly been no connection at all, would their desire for him have been so unadulterated? Even if they intended to use his body to resurrect their teacher..."

"Exactly. They would ultimately have shown their hatred of humans. If Hunter Seo Jio alone escaped that hatred, there must be something to it. Surely there has to be at least some connection."

That was another.

"Couldn't they simply have coveted a talented person with a large vessel?"

"Yes. I hear they were quite courteous to that prospective priest, Cha Yi-sol or whatever his name is, who's supposedly another apostle of Black Cloak. In that case, Hunter Seo Jio wasn't the only one spared their characteristic hatred."

"Well, the resemblance between Hunter Seo Jio and that human teacher might have played some part... but humanoid monsters are highly intelligent."

"Indeed. They're the type of monster that won't hesitate to join hands with humans to further their plans. They may have done all this to get their hands on Hunter Seo Jio, an exceptional apostle of Black Cloak."

"They even disparaged him, saying, 'Hunter Seo Jio is only an ordinary human too'... I don't think they lacked a basic aversion to humans. Ultimately, he was merely a valuable means to an end for the mermaids."

"At most, wouldn't he have been a favored subordinate? Perhaps they hoped to turn Hunter Seo Jio into a monster and make him one of their own, but either way, I doubt they had such sentimental affection for him."

"Right. Apparently, Hunter Seo Jio once visited the Temple of the Deep Sea and came out half-dead. They would never have done that if they truly cared about him."

And that was another view.

Various other ideas were floated, but those three theories came up most often. What was certain, however, was that Black Cloak was a Divinity, and that Hunter Seo Jio and prospective priest Cha Yi-sol were his apostles.

"Something about it still feels a little unsettling."

"What? What does? It seems like everything's been sorted out..."

"I know the cleanup is going well. I'm just wondering why this happened."

"Dungeons and monsters are natural disasters. They don't need a reason to cause trouble."

"What bothers me is that these happened to be highly intelligent humanoid monsters."

Some people were concerned about the mermaids' actions.

"They specifically singled out Black Cloak as someone to guard against."

The world now had as many Divinities and religions as stars in the sky. The concern was that the mermaids had not simply been hostile to every Divinity on Earth. They had focused on Black Cloak alone, who had only recently begun to appear.

"Uh... that's also evidence of how favorably Black Cloak views Earth's humans, so I don't think it's a problem for now. Maybe he got in their way because he cares so much for Earthlings."

"Hmm, yes. That could be it."

"I hope Black Cloak helps when another powerful enemy appears. I heard he helped transport the raid team when their submersible was damaged this time..."

"Was that actually true? I thought it was just a rumor."

"Considering how he gives out little snacks all the time, it does seem plausible."

And Hunter Seo Jio disappeared from public view.

"Why?"

"Isn't he going to be on TV?"

"Wasn't this practically his debut...?"

Hunter Seo Jio's fan club could not hold back their tears. After everything he had done, surely he could show his face just once by now. But Collector's only response was that "Hunter Seo Jio was badly affected by the recent kidnapping incident and requires rest."

"Badly affected? What, has he gone bad? Is he fruit? A vegetable?"

"I'd heard he coddles him like his own precious creation, but..."

"Really living up to his name."

All the abuse rained down on Bi Sabeol, rumored to be Hunter Seo Jio's father.

* * *

Arjio clicked his tongue.

"You'd have every reason to dislike this."

"Don't you find this situation amusing?"

"It is amusing."

"Then wouldn't you play along?"

"Of course. If that's what you want, I'll gladly oblige. Father."

"How can anything in this world sound so sweet?"

Bi Sabeol was all smiles.

"One more time."

"Father?"

"What a thrill."

"What an adorable family."

"Want some pocket money?"

Cleanup be damned, Bi Sabeol was wholly devoted to savoring the situation. A member of the secretarial staff who came to submit paperwork walked in, then promptly walked back out and shut the door. This was truly a man enjoying life at 200 percent.

(To be continued)