The aftermath of the Ogre's instantaneous demise left the three Korean Hunters in a state of suspended disbelief.
Woo Jin-Chul, Choi Jong-In, and Cha Hae-In exchanged looks of deep disquiet. This level of power—the effortless manipulation of a dungeon's core functions and the conceptual destruction of a high-level boss—was beyond anything recorded, defying the established limits of S-Rank Hunters and even the National-Level Hunters.
Jong-In slowly exhaled, rubbing his temples as he muttered, 'That… wasn't just strength. That was control beyond normal.'
Cha Hae-In, usually calm even in the most terrifying dungeons, couldn't tear her eyes from Ethan. 'Is he even human?'
Jong-In and Hae-In both glanced at Jean and Anna, silently assessing the terrifying possibility that all three Carters possessed this overwhelming strength. The thought alone was enough to make them abandon any notion of resistance.
Jin-Chul, relying on his extensive experience in crisis management, forced himself to breathe slowly, grounding his focus. He concluded, 'If they meant harm,' he thought grimly, 'we'd all already be dead.'
"Mr. Carter," Jin-Chul began, his tone respectful yet firm. "While your demonstration was... effective, I must ask that you restrain your power and refrain from causing incidents like this in the future. It creates unnecessary panic among Hunters and civilians."
Ethan, still wearing his usual calm smile, nodded. "That's fair."
Jin-Chul continued, "For now, I'll escort you to Chairman Go Gun-Hee, at the Association headquarters immediately. This situation exceeds normal protocol, and only he can authorize what happens next."
Jean and Anna were surprised by how quickly the tables had turned. They had expected hours of tedious interrogation.
'Well, that was certainly faster than filling out a stack of government forms,' Anna mused through the Nexus-Mind Lattice.
Jean leaned slightly toward Ethan, 'You really think that was the best way to earn trust?'
Ethan flashed them a smug, confident look. 'Why use delicate tricks when you can just flex? The only language the world truly understands, especially this one, is brute strength, beautifully applied. We are a walking disaster, and everyone knows you don't pick a fight with a disaster on its honeymoon.'
Anna couldn't help but grin. 'You know… he's got a point,' she said, already taking mental notes. 'Maybe next time I'll make an entrance like that.'
Jean simply sighed before closing her eyes for a brief moment. 'I am not even going to argue the ethics of that right now. Let's just get the meeting done and move on to a peaceful few days.'
Across from them, Jong-In and Hae-In exchanged looks of silent understanding. Whatever these people were — gods, aliens, or something in between — they were far beyond Korea's strongest hunters. Even with every Korean S-Rank united, victory wasn't guaranteed.
They were already began strategizing, realizing their priority was no longer to fight, but to survive and gather intelligence.
'Best to stay on their good side,' Jong-In decided grimly.
Jin-Chul spoke into his comms, scheduling the urgent meeting with the Chairman in an hour. He turned to Ethan. "Chairman Go will see you within the hour. Please, follow us to the Association headquarters."
He then turned back. "Mr. Choi and Ms. Cha, you will accompany us."
Ethan nodded, rising from his chair. "Lead the way."
As they exited the tent, Hae-In's sharp eyes lingered on Ethan. Even without mana, the air around him felt… alive.
Her heartbeat quickened for reasons she couldn't name, and for the first time in a long while, Cha Hae-In felt something unfamiliar—an ache that wasn't fear or awe, but quiet, unshakable fascination.
As they prepared to leave the encampment, Jin-Chul started to call out for the E-Rank miner, Sung Jin-woo, intending to bring him along as a potential witness and, covertly, a third S-Rank defense in case of trouble.
At the vehicles, Jin-Chul began making arrangements. "Hunter Sung Jin-Woo will also accompany—"
Ethan, walking closely beside Jin-Chul, lowered his voice. "Mr. Woo," he said softly, "I think we have enough S-Ranks for a simple conversation. Let's keep the numbers small. I promise, we won't cause any more trouble."
Jin-Chul studied him for a long moment before giving a small, understanding nod.
He caught the deliberate subtext in Ethan's words—a quiet warning wrapped in casual tone. Keep the numbers small. Don't call for more hunters.
Jin-Chul understood perfectly. For now, he'd play along, trust the stranger's judgment. But even as he agreed, a part of him made a silent note to keep backup ready—just in case things went sideways.
Ethan then broke away, walking directly toward Jin-woo, who was standing with the Mining Chief, still processing the impossible event. Hae-In immediately followed, on high alert.
Jin-woo snapped to attention as Ethan approached, his guard instantly spiking.
With a warm, friendly smile, Ethan offered his hand. "It was nice meeting you, Mr. Sung," he said. "I have a feeling we'll cross paths again soon."
Jin-woo, surprised but instinctively polite, shook the man's hand.
Before anyone could speak, Hae-In stepped past Ethan and, in an utterly bizarre repeat performance, closed the distance to Jin-woo and sniffed him intently, her nose close to his chest.
Jin-woo's confusion was absolute. 'Seriously? What is with this woman and smelling everyone? Is this some high-level Hunter habit I don't know about? Or... does she have a thing for sniffing people?'
Hae-In's eyes widened again. Just like with the Carters, there was no foul, nauseating mana smell. He smelled clean. Nice. 'Another one?'
First Ethan and his wives, and now this mysterious miner—just what on earth was going on today?
She took a mental note, the curiosity about this miner now rivaling her concern over the three mysterious visitors.
Meanwhile, Ethan rejoined Jean and Anna at the car. She quickly backed away before joining the others.
But Ethan just smiled inwardly, mission successful. He didn't want Hae-In and Jinwoo to miss their destined meeting because of him. He wanted Jinwoo to be happy—with the girl meant for him. From what Ethan remembered of the manhwa, it was Hae-In who pursued Jinwoo with quiet determination until she won his heart.
If fate got derailed here, Ethan was pretty sure Jinwoo would end up single for life—and that just didn't sit right with him.
He even planned to make sure Jinwoo met that healer girl—the one who'd liked him and helped him from the very beginning. Ethan couldn't quite recall her name, but she'd always been kindhearted and loyal.
'Maybe I can even set him up with both,' he thought with a sly grin. 'A little harem for our shadow monarch—guy deserves some happiness after all that suffering.'
Jean and Anna watched the exchange with amusement.
Anna asked curiously, 'You seem… interested in that guy. Why?'
Ethan winked at them both. 'He looked interesting.'
'I almost asked for a selfie… or maybe some aura farming tips. But yeah, probably best to save the fanboy moment for later.'
...
**The Hunter Association Headquarters**
Moments later, the group was whisked away in the black, armored cars, arriving swiftly at the imposing Seoul headquarters of the Hunters Association.
Ethan, Jean, and Anna were seated across a large, polished conference table.
Across from them sat the man himself, Go Gun-Hee, the Chairman of the Association, an imposing older gentleman with a gentle smile and eyes that held the wisdom of decades.
Standing behind him was Jin-Chul. On the sides of the table sat Choi Jong-In and Cha Hae-In, maintaining their surveillance.
Go Gun-Hee looked at the three visitors—the stunning women and the charismatic man—all perfectly calm.
The Chairman's calm smile carried the weight of decades of leadership. "Mr. and Mrs. Carter, welcome. I'm Go Gun-Hee, Chairman of the Korean Hunters Association. It's a pleasure to finally meet you.
I've heard quite a bit about your… unique arrival."
Jin-Chul had already given him a concise, terrifying report: Three non-mana users. One casual A-Rank boss kill. Possible threat to global stability.
"The pleasure is ours, Chairman," Ethan replied, returning the friendly smile. "I believe it's time we properly introduce ourselves."
Go Gun-Hee nodded. "Mr. Woo has explained the nature of your sudden appearance, and the… demonstration of your unique abilities. We have zero records of you. Before we discuss logistics, or diplomacy, I must ask for the simple truth. Who are you, and what is your purpose for traveling here?"
The tension in the Association conference room was palpable. Go Gun-Hee, the man who commanded the respect of every Hunter in the nation, leaned forward in his chair, his expression calm but expectant.
Ethan met the Chairman's gaze, his friendly smile never wavering. "Before I answer your rather weighty questions, Chairman Go, please tell me: how much do you know about the Multiverse Theory?"
The question hung in the air, ridiculous in its context yet somehow entirely serious given the power they had just witnessed.
Jin-Chul, Jong-In, and Hae-In exchanged glances.
"I do have some idea," Hae-In said slowly. "But what does that have to do with you?"
Ethan chuckled. 'Sure, I could lie,' he thought. 'But is there even a need? With my strength I could crush every hunter here, even those bearing fragments of the Rulers' power. But why would I? I didn't come to rule or pull some Aizen‑level mastermind move. I just want to enjoy this honeymoon with my wives... And of course, increase our strength with the 'help' of the Monarchs.'
Besides, with the Monarchy War on the horizon, it was beneficial for these powerful humans to realize the scale of cosmic power that existed beyond their Gates.
"It matters because we aren't from here, Ms. Cha," Ethan stated, his voice dropping to a serious, resonating tone. "We are not from this world, or even this universe. We are from a different reality entirely."
He paused, letting the truth sink in before continuing with his formal, theatrical introduction.
"Allow me to properly introduce myself again. My name is Ethan Carter, or as I'm known back home, Aeon, the founder of Aeon Biotech, the guy who married two of the most beautiful women in the world, and your friendly neighborhood superhero for fun from a neighbouring universe."
A profound, suffocating silence descended on the room.
Jean sighed softly, though a fond smile touched her lips. 'He just couldn't resist the dramatic speech, could he?' she sent to Anna.
Anna simply nodded, a slight smirk on her face. 'He always was a showman. But he's right—we're here to have fun. If they don't believe him, we'll just show them more.'
The others looked at Ethan, Was this a joke? Was this powerful being mentally unstable? But they couldn't simply ignore the power he had displayed earlier.
Go Gun-Hee, however, didn't laugh or scoff. He leaned forward with his hands folded. His wisdom told him that a being capable of the Ogre's instantaneous execution would not bother with a childish lie.
"Mr. Carter," the Chairman said gravely, "please, give me more details."
"With pleasure."
Ethan began to speak, carefully threading truth with necessary omission. He spoke of the Multiverse, the endless parallel Earths, and the technology that had brought them here.
He described their Earth as a lush, thriving planet, healed and made green by the efforts of his company, Aeon Biotech. He painted a picture of a world where they served as protectors, occasionally engaging in heroics between corporate meetings.
He downplayed the extent of his Authority of Genesis power and the Omni-Watch, describing himself only as a highly skilled sorcerer and healer who possessed unique methods of energy manipulation.
To drive the point home, Ethan snapped his fingers.
Instantly, the air above the conference table shimmered. Using a Magic Spell, he projected holographic images—a cinematic montage of their life.
The Korean Hunters stared, mesmerized by the indisputable evidence of another, grander reality.
Choi Jong-In rubbed his chin. "You said Aeon Biotech? A company that makes the Earth green again? That's… quite the claim."
Ethan shrugged casually. "We do our part. The environment's too important to mess with."
Cha Hae-In, meanwhile, watched silently. 'He's not lying,' she thought, 'but he's definitely hiding something.'
Go Gun-Hee simply absorbed the information, his decades of political maneuvering and strategic thinking kicking into overdrive. "Assuming your story is true," he said, "and based on the evidence, I have little choice but to believe it. What do you want from us? A being of your caliber does not simply ask for directions."
Ethan smiled, taking a hand of both Jean and Anna, his confident gaze sweeping over the table. "A fair question, Chairman. How about a deal?"
Gun-Hee raised a brow. "A deal?"
"Yes, a deal," he proposed simply. "I will use my abilities to help your Association in any emergency. I can heal your most grievously injured Hunters, teach specialized tricks to those who have the potential to grow stronger, and ensure the stability of your nation while we are here."
Jong-In immediately interjected, his voice tight. "And what, precisely, do you want in return, beyond simple hospitality?"
Ethan squeezed his wives' hands with his eyes sparkling with genuine emotion. "We want to enjoy our Honeymoon in peace. That's all. No paparazzi, no government interference, and no annoying armed escorts. Maybe your help identifying things in this world or handling any formalities. That's all."
Hae-In blinked, surprised. Woo Jin-Chul's expression softened slightly. Choi looked between them, unsure if they were joking. Such immense power for such a mundane demand.
Go Gun-Hee paused, his keen eyes trying to find the hidden cost. "And if we refuse this deal, Mr. Carter?"
Ethan's shoulders rose in a casual shrug. "Then we simply move to another country, Chairman. I imagine there are plenty of nations that would welcome a few hours of free, world-class magical healing and gate-clearing expertise. And if that falls into the wrong hands, well, that's not our problem, is it?"
The thinly veiled threat—the knowledge that Ethan could shift the global power balance by simply moving his location—hit them hard.
"I will need time to consider this," the Chairman said, his face etched with the weight of the decision. "This is no small issue, Mr. Carter. We need to verify these claims before granting you free reign."
"I understand, Chairman Go. Take your time," Ethan said congenially. "But since you are still hesitant to trust my word alone, and since I need to prove my healing is as potent as my destroying..."
Jean closed her eyes and tilted her head back slightly. 'Here we go again,' she sighed mentally.
Jin-Chul, Jong-In, and Hae-In tensed, their hands subtly moving toward their weapons, but they were far too late.
Ethan snapped his fingers.
The sound was sharp, definitive, and immediately followed by a soft, bright green glow of intense energy—enveloping Chairman Go Gun-Hee.
Jin-Chul, in a flash of movement, stepped forward, but the Chairman raised a hand, stopping him.
Go Gun-Hee closed his eyes, clenching his fists. He felt it—a warm, rushing tide of vitality flooding his old, weary body. The decades of fatigue, the years of silent internal injury from his S-Rank days, and the persistent heart failure—all vanished.
When the green light faded, the visible change was profound. Go Gun-Hee's tired features smoothed, his posture straightened, and he looked like a man who had shed twenty years of his life. His exterior reflected a man in his powerful late forties.
"I am... more than alright," Go Gun-Hee said, his voice ringing with newfound strength. He rose from his seat, moving with the fluid power of his prime, before bowing his head slightly to Ethan. "Thank you for the gift, Mr. Carter. Now, I believe we have a deal to discuss."
Jong-In and Hae-In stared—not just at the Chairman's transformation, but at the dawning realization that Ethan could heal people on a biological level. They didn't realize it was a combination of time manipulation and a touch of life energy but pure healing in its essence.
After all, who in the world could turn back time with a snap of their fingers? According to them… no one.
...
Author's Note:
Hi guys, how's the chapter? The next two or three chapters will be a bit slower, but the story will pick up pace soon.
I have an important question for you all: should I add Cha Hae-In to the harem or not? I didn't originally plan to include any others, but I want to hear your opinions. Honestly, I'm about 70% against adding her.
What do you think? Please share your thoughts.