ch21-ch40 · 039-ch39

Chapter 39: Peaceful Daily Life

『E-everyone, look! A miraculous return!!』

The announcer's voice thundered.

The Hunters who'd escaped raced across the night sky, and the World Clock's door closed with a loud groan behind them.

Hagane and the others appeared on the giant screens broadcasting the coverage, with a text crawl reading: 《Breaking News: Survey Team Returns Alive!》

HELL YEAH—!

I've been waiting for this!!

So glad they're safe!!

No way Japan would lose

I couldn't sleep from fear... thank goodness...

I hope the news crew is okay...

Hagane and the others touched down on the ground.

The cameras on the news helicopters zoomed in all at once, broadcasting their faces nationwide.

『The survey team has returned safely from inside the door!』

『And that angel-like being is...!』

『A mountain of loot! What a magnificent haul!』

Cheers erupted from the gathered crowd.

Among them were the three Remnant Guild members too.

Thunderous applause and unending clapping.

"We're back..."

The reality finally sinking in, Hagane's legs gave out and he sat down on the spot.

The other Hunters also wore expressions of relief and exhaustion.

So glad they're safe for real

With 4 S-Ranks taking part, of course they'd make it!

That cart full of items is insane, right?

That spilled potion is Level 7! Estimated value 500 billion www

Japan's Hunters are the strongest! Japan's Hunters are the strongest!

Wait, isn't Kido Hunter missing?

Where's Oba bro!?

A sea of flashes and microphones surged forward.

"What was beyond the door!?"

"Why did it take so long to return!? Is it true you were trapped?"

"We haven't confirmed the safety of the Rock News crew member or Iura-san."

"I see some team members in tears... was it really that extreme?"

"Were there any casualties? Can you tell us the details?"

"Please, just one comment!"

Questions from the press came rapid-fire.

Men in black suits stepped forward to form a wall against them. They were Hunter Association staff.

"Please refrain from questioning the survey team as they are in an extreme state immediately after the mission. Since we have not yet gathered the survey results, we will hold a press conference later with the details."

When Vice President Mineyama of the Hunter Association stepped forward, the press reluctantly backed off.

Hunters who had been waiting rushed over to the survey team.

Voices of joy and cries of anguish echoed.

"Sis—"

"Koh, Lumiel. Welcome back."

Maeda Akira embraced them both.

Hagane smiled shyly, but Lumiel remained expressionless.

"What were you thinking, following us without permission!"

"I didn't get in the way, so what's the problem?"

As Shiki Mitsumune and Kunimori started arguing behind them, Remnant Guild Master Momose Ichiro also approached Hagane.

"Hagane-kun, Lumiel-kun. You did incredibly well. As for what happened inside — I can tell from seeing Cross Guild's state."

"..."

Following Momose's sorrowful gaze, the members of Cross Guild, who had lost their master, were in disarray.

A total of five Hunters had died in the line of duty, all B-Rank or higher — a massive loss of Japan's top combat power.

"You've done enough. Get some rest."

Hagane decided to take him up on that offer. Even though it was Lumiel who did all the hard work, Hagane wondered why he was so sleepy as he lost consciousness in his sister's arms.

◇◆◇◆◇

《World Clock Changes》

《S-Rank Hunter Kido Dies in the Line of Duty》

《Tragedy: All News Crew Members Dead》

《Ranking System Flaws Exposed》

《Hunter Association's Role Questioned》

By the next morning, the media's angle had shifted. While most stations were praising the survey team, a few outlets ran critical coverage.

The main reason was the testimony of overseas Hunters who had cooperated with the other two countries.

『I mean, the enemies coming out of the door weren't that different from usual, y'know? More importantly, look at these items — top quality, right?』

The overseas Hunters all testified that it was nothing special. In fact, the other two countries' World Clocks only had enemies that a few A-Ranks could easily clear.

"Japan's Hunters are low quality."

"That's why people died inside the door."

"Letting civilians die makes them unworthy of being Hunters."

The critical media spun this as a gap in capability between Japan and overseas. Needless to say, the stations that lost their news crews were fanning the flames.

Then the next day — the Hunter Association held a press conference that crushed the media's negative campaign.

"This — is the report on what was inside the World Clock, and the enemy information."

The report contained footage from Yashiki C-Rank Hunter, who could mentally photograph what she saw, as well as cameras built into the armor of A-Rank Hunters assigned to the survey team — showing just how brutal the battlefield had been.

The press conference was being live-streamed, with over a million concurrent viewers — the entire nation was watching.

They're definitely not showing any gore

That'd be a disaster on a live stream

But damn, the report contents are brutal

I saw the other countries' reports and all the mobs were existing types that B-Ranks could handle

These monster designs are way too creepy...

And their intelligence is too high. No wonder it was impossible

When Vice President Mineyama finished speaking, the reporters who had been jeering earlier fell silent.

Intelligence capable of deceiving humans, high coordination, the ability to steal skills — and the existence of a king strong enough to defeat an S-Rank.

Anyone with even a basic knowledge of monsters would recognize how abnormal the enemy was.

A reporter bravely raised their hand.

"Overseas Hunters said that a few A-Ranks would have been—"

"Not all World Clocks have the same difficulty. This has always been common sense, not just with interior worlds."

Did he really ask a question that was already shot down once...

Sorry, there's an idiot reporter mixed in ww

Mineyama getting visibly pissed LOL

How much easier were the overseas ones?

↑Stop stirring up conflict, overseas Hunters are calling ours trash

"What about the responsibility for letting civilians die!?"

"According to the report, the crew waving at the drones were already enemies in disguise, and they had already died before the survey team arrived. They ignored our warnings, approached a World Clock where anomalies had been detected, and kept circling it. This applies to normal World Clocks as well — I'd like everyone to reconsider the nature of free reporting — for your own safety."

Mineyama-san, way too based

The media are truly garbage

Getting themselves killed is suicide wwww

May Iura rest in peace

The media have been seriously out of line lately

Numbers over everything, right

Mineyama cut through all the press questions, dismissing them one after another.

When the reporters trying to paint a negative image fell silent, another wave of journalists who had gathered to publicize the survey team's achievements started firing questions.

"What would have happened if this incident had been left unchecked?"

"According to reliable sources, if all the threats inside had emerged... the damage would have exceeded that of five years ago. We extend our heartfelt respect to the survey team members for their calm judgment and courage under extreme conditions. Without them, Japan as we know it wouldn't exist today. Their actions were truly worthy of being called heroes."

Wait, Japan was nearly destroyed?

Isn't he exaggerating?

No, the fact that an S-Rank died is serious

Thank you so much to the entire survey team

"There are rumors that the Hero of Aoba Town contributed as well. Who are they? Are they the 13th S-Rank Hunter?"

"...Regarding the Hero of Aoba Town, that is the Association's highest classified information, so we cannot comment."

Wait, the Hero of Aoba Town was actually there?

Saving even the survey team is mega-hero

I saw it on the broadcast — a literal angel

And super beautiful

We've gotta protect her...

After the reporters buzzed with murmurs, another hand went up.

"Regarding this incident, while there were Hunter casualties, the fact that civilian casualties were kept at zero is a testament to the Association's swift judgment and personnel selection. Wouldn't you say Vice President Mineyama, who took command, is also worthy of being called a hero?"

"It wasn't me — it was all the field—"

Cutting off Mineyama's words, the man beside him grabbed the microphone.

"Everything was done under my direction."

The speaker was Defense and Awakening Minister Yanamoto.

Stroking his well-groomed chin beard, he accepted the camera flashes smugly.

"By deploying appropriate combat power and excellent investigators — unfortunately not everyone made it back safely — but I believe this was a wonderful opportunity to showcase Japan's high national defense capabilities. Going forward—"

("If this guy hadn't been stirring things up, the survey team could have been organized after more thorough discussion... Mineyama takes the blame, and he takes the credit?")

A staff member sitting at the corner of the press table glared at Yanamoto, looking like he'd bitten into a bitter bug.

Yanamoto's mouth kept running.

"There was no mistake in my judgment to request and deploy the Hero of Aoba Town! Placing the right people in the right places quickly — this is the fundamental essence of national defense—"

Behind Yanamoto, a giant screen that had been displaying the report materials abruptly switched.

What appeared on the screen was — Yanamoto fanning himself with a folding fan.

'Don't be ridiculous, kiddo. Awakeners are weapons.'

Yanamoto's movements froze.

!?

What is this!?

Things just got interesting

Wait, is that the Minister's voice?!

The venue buzzed with noise.

'Weapons don't have human rights. That's why I can't leave things to you.' 'Approving S-Rank Hunter travel was a mistake. Write it up as the Chairman's orders.' 'Make sure you don't make the same mistake as the Vice President. Otherwise, we'll need to change how the Association operates.' 'Select disposable personnel and send them in. It's only natural selection.' 'If something goes wrong, just pin it on the Descent entity. That thing isn't human.' 'Hunters are volunteers — that means self-responsibility. They're just crazy people who willingly go to die.' 'If it fails, just tell the media we were hoping for everyone's safe return. Got it?'

Footage from various times and places played.

Who leaked this?!

Whoa whoa whoa, this is bad

This guy is Japan's Defense and Awakening Minister?

He seriously blamed the Chairman for S-Rank defections?

So that's why the Chairman got disciplined

And he was pressuring Mineyama too LOL what a total scumbag

This is seriously not okay, right?

Reporters were scribbling furiously.

"Wh-who made this fabricated footage!?"

Yanamoto roared in outrage.

The flash of cameras burst again from the press.

"Minister! Is that statement true?"

"Don't you think it's disrespectful to the Hunters who died in the line of duty?"

"The era of binding Hunters with obligation and loyalty ended long ago!"

"Was the poaching of S-Rank Hunters actually your responsibility?"

"Three Hunters, including the late S-Rank Kido, disappeared from Japan because of you!"

"Take responsibility!"

The negative campaign against the Hunters vanished without a trace as the press began a harsh pursuit of Yanamoto.

Drenched in greasy sweat, Yanamoto struggled to respond, and eventually rolled his eyes back and collapsed on the spot.

《#MinisterYanamotoResign》《#HumanRightsForAwakeners》

On social media, posts demanding Minister Yanamoto's resignation with hashtags reached hundreds of thousands, and the compilation of the Minister's offensive statements spread worldwide.

After his past hate speech and scandals were dug up, Minister Yanamoto was quickly driven to resign.

《Minister Yanamoto Submits Resignation》

《Minister Yanamoto Pressured the Hunter Association?》

《Former Defense and Awakening Minister Yanamoto Arrested on Bribery Charges》

《The Fate of Politicians Who Look Down on Awakeners》

《Hunter Association Chairman Cleared of Suspicion, Reinstated!》

《Hero of Aoba Town Too Beautiful, Causes Stir》

The world buzzed with a whirlwind of topics, and the days passed in a flurry — before long, peaceful daily life returned for Hagane and Lumiel.

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I was debating whether to include the comment section, but I've always liked stuff like this so I went for it. Ended up pretty chaotic but no regrets.

Next chapter concludes Arc 2.

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