Convict Unit: Black Parade

«Hunter Shin-woo Jo has declared: ‘The Knights will never accept this bill. Should the government force its passage, we will resist with every means at our disposal.’»

“Hah.”

Commander Seo let out a dry laugh as she watched the news.

“Well, would you look at that? Our old Iron Knight’s really picked a fight.”

Shin-woo Jo’s statement was no small thing. He was, after all, the most senior Hunter in Korea, and the man who led the oldest Hunter Guild, The Knights.

The man had essentially declared war on the government as the de facto representative of all Korean Hunters.

They called it a statement, but it was little more than a threat of rebellion should the bill not be overturned.

And there was no way President San Kim, who had bulldozed his way this far to pass the Awakened Protection Act, would back down from this level of defiance.

This is going to get ugly…

The bill had been put to a vote in the National Assembly today. At most, it would be a matter of days before it was passed into law.

And within those few days, all hell was going to break loose.

As Hae-eun rubbed the goose bumps rising on her neck, sensing the ominous clouds of war gathering, her phone vibrated on the table.

Bzzzt.

Hae-eun checked the name on the screen, let out a low sigh, and slowly picked up the phone.

“It’s me, Your Excellency. I’m listening.”

The voice on the other end stated its business concisely.

Though the caller couldn’t see her, Hae-eun bowed her head deeply.

“Understood. As soon as the previously assigned mission on Geoje Island is complete, I will proceed there immediately.”

«…»

“Yes, that goes without saying. You needn’t worry on that account. Old ties won’t be a problem. Not for me, and not for Ghost.”

«…»

“We are the blade in the shadows. Our sole purpose is the peace of the Republic of Korea. Use us as you see fit. Yes, of course.”

A bitter smile touched Hae-eun’s lips.

“It’s a-okay dokay.”

***

[Mission Report]

[B-Rank] Jail Mojik: Survived

[B-Rank] Powerbomb: Survived

[AA-Rank] Firestarter: Survived

[AA-Rank] Bookworm: Survived

[OLD S] Ghost: Survived

[B-Rank] Romeo: Survived

[B-Rank] Juliet: Survived

[B-Rank] Oberon: KIA

[B-Rank] Titania: KIA

[AA-Rank] Boy: Survived

[D-Rank] Shylock: Survived

[D-Rank] Status Window: Survived

- Special Monster: Entity Name ‘Crying-X’

- 300,000 P.€

- 200,000 P.€ (Team Mission Success)

- 200,000 P.€ (Double Booking Success)

***

The next day. Aboard the prison cruise, Paradise Lost.

CRACK-BOOM!

A storm had descended at dawn.

It was the first time Jae-hee had experienced such foul weather on the prison cruise. Fierce winds whipped across the deck, and the massive ship pitched and rolled, tossed about by the towering waves crashing against its hull.

“My… my stomach’s turning…” Jae-hee muttered, his face pale. He’d never been seasick before. “The whole ship is… dancing… urgh.”

His room was in the aft section, where the rocking was supposedly less severe, but the ship still pitched violently.

Finally unable to hold it back, Jae-hee bolted for the bathroom and dry-heaved. 

Razor followed, patting him on the back with a sigh.

“You’ve just been lucky with the weather since you got here. We get storms like this on a regular basis.”

“You get storms like this often?!”

“Of course. The sea’s a fickle bitch.” Razor shrugged. “And this isn’t even a real storm. More like a prelude.”

“It gets worse than this?!”

“Yeah, kid. If anything, this is the calm before the storm. Just a little preview.”

“Are you kidding me? How can anyone live on a ship?”

Jae-hee didn’t even want to imagine how much the ship would rock when a real storm hit.

Thankfully, the violent winds began to subside as morning turned to noon. The rain still fell in sheets, but the ship was rocking less than it had been at dawn.

That was when they had a visitor.

“Is Boy around?”

“Oh, Romeo?”

It was Romeo, who had been on the last mission with them.

He gestured upward.

“The boss wants to see you two from yesterday’s mission. It’s an invitation for lunch. Got time?”

***

Deck 4.

Unlike Deck 1—which reeked no matter where you went—or Deck 2—which didn’t stink but wasn’t exactly fresh—Deck 4 smelled pleasant, as if someone had sprayed perfume in the hallways.

After a short walk down the spotless corridor, they arrived at a spacious room in the aft section.

Shylock was waiting for them.

“Welcome.”

This was the space Shylock and Team Shakespeare used as their quarters.

While it couldn’t compare to Commander Seo’s office, it was a vast room created by knocking down the walls of the entire aft corner section.

Jae-hee looked around, impressed.

One corner of the room opened onto a terrace, offering a full view of the storm raging outside. Raindrops hammered against the glass and streamed down in rivulets.

“I like stormy weather.” Swirling the wine in his glass, Shylock gestured toward the view beyond the wide-open curtains.

“Watching the world fall to pieces from the safety of the indoors… there’s a certain pleasure in it. A sense of security.”

Shylock offered a wrinkled smile.

“Perhaps that’s why being a crime consultant suited me so well… though I doubt you’d understand my tastes.”

As Jae-hee blinked, unable to comprehend the old man’s aesthetic, Shylock chuckled and gestured to the dining table.

“Sit. I had the best chef on Deck 4 prepare this.”

As Jae-hee and Status Window hesitantly took their seats, Romeo and Juliet served them. Both were wrapped in bandages, but they smiled warmly at Jae-hee as they carefully placed the dishes before him.

“Please, eat.”

At Shylock’s gesture, Jae-hee and Status Window looked at each other, then simultaneously picked up their utensils and began to shovel food into their mouths. 

They were both growing teenagers, and this meal was leagues better than the mess hall fare.

Shylock smiled fondly as he watched the two eat with youthful vigor.

“I may be a Villain, but I haven’t forgotten common decency. I must give proper thanks for saving my life.”

Shylock gave a slight bow. “My gratitude. Thanks to you, this old life of mine gets to drag on a little longer.”

Flustered, Jae-hee tried to say something but choked on his food. Romeo poured him a glass of water while Juliet brought a fresh napkin.

As Jae-hee finally swallowed the water and wiped his mouth, Shylock chuckled and gave him a knowing look.

“Whatever your calculations were, it takes great courage to risk your life to save the very person who tried to kill you.”

“…”

“I am truly grateful. For the courage you’ve shown, we will repay our debt, no matter how long it takes.”

Romeo and Juliet nodded with smiles of their own.

Jae-hee scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. He’d expected some thanks, but not something this formal.

Shylock gestured with his chin. “So… you said you wanted the Deck 4 Leader position?”

“Ah, yes, sir.” Jae-hee answered honestly. “My goal is to make it all the way to Deck 8… to be the big cheese of every deck in this prison!”

“Big cheese…?” The dated slang seemed to both amuse and surprise Shylock.

He replied, “I have no particular attachment to the position. If you want it, it’s yours.”

“Really?!”

“However, there’s an order to things.”

The empty appetizer plates were cleared away, and the next course was served.

“Just as you can’t eat the main course before the appetizer, you can’t just skip Deck 3 and come straight to Deck 4.”

Shylock lightly tapped the floor with the toe of his shoe, as if pointing to Deck 3 below them.

“So, if you can first earn the ‘acknowledgment’ of the ruling power on Deck 3—the Glasses Society—then I will cede the Deck 4 Leader position to you.”

“The acknowledgment of the Glasses Society…!”

“I believe a man of your skills is more than capable, but it won’t be easy.”

Shylock’s lips curled into a mischievous, expectant smile. The kind-looking old man from moments ago vanished, replaced by the familiar old Villain.

“Those bastards on Deck 3 are a special kind of crazy.”

***

After the meal.

Jae-hee was marveling at the Deck 4 terrace, a luxury absent on the lower floors. Seeing his interest, Romeo took advantage of a lull in the rain to show him around outside, and Juliet decided to join them.

While Jae-hee, Romeo, and Juliet were briefly out on the terrace, Shylock turned to Status Window, who was sitting alone.

“Look here, little piggy.”

“…!”

Status Window flinched and hunched his shoulders. He’d been silently scooping ice cream into his mouth.

He avoided eye contact and adjusted his glasses.

“Don’t talk to me. Just go away desu. I have nothing to say to some old geezer who plays with people and then throws them away desu.”

“That, I apologize for. There’s no excuse.”

Shylock had baited Status Window with sweet talk about joining Team Shakespeare, only to use him as a pawn for his Hallucination ability and throw him into the line of fire.

Seeing him sulk, Shylock let out a hearty laugh and pushed his own dessert toward him.

“Still, I need to thank you properly. I heard you were the one who suggested to Boy that he save us.”

“…”

“You had every right to hate me for what I did, yet you opened a path for me and my subordinates to live. Thank you.”

“Hmph. I only did it because I thought it would benefit Boy-kun desu.”

Status Window grumbled as he accepted Shylock’s dessert and began to eat it.

“Better to make players drop some items before they die so we can farm them.”

Even if you hate your opponent, you keep them alive if it’s profitable…

For someone his age, his judgment was remarkably cold and rational.

Shylock paused in thought for a moment, then gave a nod.

“Piggy boy.”

“What is it desu, you wicked old man?”

“I’m making you a serious offer. How would you like to learn the trade from me?”

Status Window’s gaze turned suspicious.

Shylock just smiled. “I genuinely see potential in you. This isn’t a lie.”

“…”

“I’m not talking about some grand master-disciple pact, either.”

He placed a cigar between his lips, flicked open a Zippo lighter, and slowly lit it.

Through a thick cloud of smoke, Shylock smiled wickedly, revealing his true nature without reservation—the very smile of the Villain who once stood at the pinnacle of the underworld.

“Learning the old ways of a first-generation crime consultant… could come in handy for you down the line. What do you say?”

“…”

As Status Window hesitated, Shylock extended a wrinkled hand.

“Will you truly become my assistant?”