Once the energy problem was fundamentally resolved on a global scale, the world economy began to revive across the board.
Environmental issues, too, began to show noticeable changes one after another.
And as diplomatic and military competition brought about by energy independence arose, certain regions saw their conflicts intensify.
China and Taiwan were first among them.
There were also regions where ethnic and religious conflicts flared up due to strengthened national autonomy, with Israel and Palestine being the representative example.
In various other regions as well—India and Pakistan, Türkiye and Greece, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Serbia and Kosovo, and so on—the acceleration of military expansion, arms races, and many other factors caused the clouds of war to gather.
Perhaps once people’s bellies were full, they started having too many idle thoughts.
Among them, a few countries actually began snarling at one another while preparing for war, so Jeong Suho, the head of World Discipline, had no choice but to take the field for the first time in a while.
He made an undercover appearance and toured every country where tensions had worsened to the point of war preparations, greatly reducing the risk of combat.
By permitting only hand-to-hand combat.
As a result, before long, weapons from countries all over the world were piled up like mountains in his subspace warehouse.
Though he had not specifically asked for it, Rabi had neatly organized and stacked all the weapons.
Looking at the endless rows of tanks and armored vehicles, self-propelled guns and field artillery, attack helicopters and fighter jets, multiple rocket launchers and missiles, Suho clicked his tongue.
“Wow... What am I supposed to do with all this?”
“Isn’t it fortunate that there’s no use for it?”
“That’s true. Oh... Rabi, you’ve grown!? You’ve finally developed a relatively human way of thinking?”
“Hmph. Even a dog at a village school can solve partial differential equations after three years.”
“I feel like you mixed something up there...”
“In any case.”
The countries whose weapons had been thoroughly confiscated by Suho when he appeared out of nowhere had their national military assets vanish in an instant, leaving their security extremely vulnerable, and they had no choice but to organize emergency budgets to restore them.
Because of that, existing welfare and infrastructure budgets were drastically cut, which led to economic instability.
Naturally, it had a negative effect on the entire economy through falling exchange rates and stock market collapses, and their diplomatic independence and bargaining power weakened as well.
In short, they became so strapped that they stopped having idle thoughts about things like war again.
“It’s pretty unfortunate that they ended up struggling economically, but they brought it on themselves. That much, they’ll just have to bear. What else can be done? War is absolutely unacceptable on this Earth.”
Suho muttered as he looked at the mountain of modern weapons.
“Anyway, one of these days, I need to set aside some time and confiscate all the nuclear weapons in the world... Tsk.”
Only after achieving worldwide denuclearization would everyone be able to get along a little better.
* * *
The world was improving in many ways—economic issues, energy issues, environmental issues, security issues, and more.
However, there was one hole that could overturn all these favorable developments in a single blow, and that was none other than the issue of the Towers.
The threat of the Towers, whose danger level continued to trace an upward curve depending on their number and height.
There was a conference that had been established since the early days of the Towers’ emergence in order to discuss such issues together: the International Tower Response Summit, hereafter referred to as the ITRS.
This event, held every two years, was hosted in New York, USA, this year, and the names of the participants attending the ITRS were made public.
It was a conference attended by representatives of government agencies related to Towers and Admiti from various countries, special envoys from the United Nations Security Council, scholars involved in Tower ecology research, and several S-rank Admiti representing their respective nations.
Among those attending this year’s ITRS, Jeong Suho and Lee Danbi had been invited as the S-rank Admiti representing Korea.
After spending a night at the five-star hotel prepared by the organizers, they arrived at the venue: the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, located by the Hudson River on the west side of Manhattan, New York.
Equipped with the latest audio systems, large screens, video conferencing systems, and more, as well as powerful security systems and safety management protocols, it was a convention center suitable for large-scale international conferences.
Since key figures from each nation were attending for the sake of a sustainable world order, countless bodyguards and armed troops occupied the area, maintaining strict security.
Agents wearing bulletproof vests sharply surveyed their surroundings on roads and sidewalks, rooftops and alleys, while every access route leading into the center was controlled by heavily armed soldiers. Vehicle inspections and security checkpoints were installed at all major points, thoroughly examining even the smallest item.
Special forces vehicles and armored cars stationed throughout the area guarded the surroundings with an intense sense of pressure, while armed attack helicopters and drones in the air reported every movement nearby to the control center in real time.
“Whew... This place feels like it’s about to turn into a battlefield.”
As Danbi said that while riding the bulletproof vehicle prepared by the organizers from the hotel to the venue, Director Kim Gyusik, who had been invited as the representative of Korea’s Alien Defense and Tower Management Agency, responded.
“According to the rumors I’ve heard, even summit meetings where presidents from various countries gather don’t have this much military force assigned to security.”
“Eek? Really? Then isn’t this a bit too much...?”
“Perhaps it’s only natural, since the most important people in the entire world are gathering here. The representatives among the Admiti of each nation are forces who cannot be replaced by anyone else.”
“Still, if they’re S-rank, they should be people capable of protecting themselves even without much help.”
As Danbi said that, fiddling with Seolbing at her waist, Kim Gyusik glanced at her and asked.
“This is the first time you two are attending the ITRS, correct...?”
“It is.”
“Same here.”
Danbi and Suho answered almost simultaneously.
Until last year, the first- and second-ranked members of the Thunder Lion Clan had occupied the top positions domestically, so they had naturally attended as Korea’s representatives. But now, their rankings had been pushed far back.
From first place, Jeong Suho, to second place, Lee Danbi, third place, Kang Hojin, and fourth place, Seo Yunjae—the domestic rankings from first through fourth were already all occupied by members of the Ultimate Clan.
If the rankings included not only pure Koreans but also those who had recently naturalized as Koreans, even first through fifteenth place would all be taken by members of the Ultimate Clan.
“Hmm... Then you may not know. To begin with, the possession of any weapons is prohibited inside the event hall.”
“Huh... Really? Why...?”
At the mention of weapons being confiscated, Danbi’s eyes trembled uneasily.
“For safety. Though thorough investigations will be carried out in advance, there could still be someone attending the event with malicious intent.”
“Mm... Still, not being allowed to bring weapons in... I don’t like that.”
Danbi pursed her lips sulkily.
But Suho grinned as though it did not bother him.
“Don’t worry. I can just hold on to Seolbing for you.”
“Ah.”
Realizing the meaning behind Suho’s words, Danbi untied the sword from her waist and held it out. Then Seolbing disappeared smoothly in front of Suho.
Seeing that, Danbi too smiled back at Suho in satisfaction.
Now her main armament had been completely removed and would not be caught by any checkpoint, yet she could receive it from Suho at any time.
Moreover, Suho’s subspace warehouse contained countless more weapons.
His personal powered armor set, seventeen super-enhanced androids, and even the three hundred enhanced androids, Ascend, newly created this time.
In truth, Suho’s hidden combat power was enough for him alone to overwhelm every S-rank Admiti gathered here.
He had been thinking it would be quite exciting if some terrorist attack targeting the S-rank Admiti were to occur, but fortunately, nothing of the sort happened.
After entering the building, taking their assigned seats, and waiting for the event to begin, a large figure appeared in front of Suho.
“Well, well, who do we have here? My, my... If it isn’t the head of the Ultimate Line.”
He was a man nearly two meters tall.
Danbi’s eyes sharpened when she recognized who he was, but she was immediately disarmed by his next words.
“Oh? And who’s this beside you? Did Clan Leader Jeong Suho bring his girlfriend?”
At the sudden confrontation between S-ranks, the bodyguards guarding the interior hurriedly exchanged radio communications, and many people nearby began focusing their attention on the scene.
In the middle of all that, Suho let out a small laugh as he watched Danbi’s face turn red.
“Hmm, you seem to know who I am, but who are you?”
At Suho’s words, exclamations and laughter burst out here and there.
“Ha, hahaha... Who am I? Ha, this is just unbelievable. Haha. There’s a limit to treating someone like an idiot.”
The man made exaggerated gestures, drawing reactions from those around him.
Many S-rank Admiti watched as if this situation was extremely entertaining. None of them seemed to have any intention of stopping it.
Director Kim Gyusik, who had been shrinking back nervously, spoke quietly to Suho as if whispering in his ear.
“He’s America’s number one, Alex Carter.”
Only then did Suho’s eyes widen as though he finally understood who the man was.
“Ooh, ‘Titan Brute’ Alex!?”
“Hmph, only recognizing me now... How unbelievable.”
He was America’s strongest S-rank Admiti, an S++-rank.
Alongside Joshua Evans, he was known as one who stood beyond the heavens, recognized as the strongest in all of America and one of the strongest in the world.
If Steelshade, the villain who could manipulate metal and harden his own body like metal, had been the unofficial world number one among S++-rank Admiti, then Alex Carter was the man considered the official world number one.
Danbi was so tense from the overwhelming aura he emitted that her body stiffened, but Suho simply found the situation amusing and fascinating.
The world’s greatest Admiti. He almost forgot that he himself was EX-rank and nearly asked for an autograph.
Alex placed both hands on the table where Suho was sitting and leaned in close, as if his face might touch Suho’s.
“I don’t know how impressive a clan you think you’ve created, but to dare poach one of our clan members...”
“Huh? Was one of our clan members from your clan? I don’t keep track of every little thing like that. I was barely involved in recruiting clan members. Besides, isn’t that a petty thing to get all worked up over? Grown adults can go wherever they want. You should have managed them better from the start.”
Perhaps people found it fascinating that Suho responded word for word without showing the slightest sign of being pressured, because exclamations kept breaking out around them.
As if he found Suho’s words insulting, Alex’s face turned bright red and his body trembled.
“Hmph... We’ll see how long that smug look lasts.”
Only then did Alex withdraw his pressure and turn his back.
Once he had gotten some distance away, Director Kim Gyusik finally let out a heavy breath.
“As expected of the world’s strongest Admiti... It felt as though he could kill someone with his presence alone...”
“Really?”
Suho, who had felt nothing at all, could only find that strange.
“But Danbi, is one of that guy’s clan members in our clan?”
“Yes, there is. But what’s more important is... Alex himself also applied to join our clan.”
“Eek!? Really?”
“He applied secretly. Since we were already well aware of his dictatorial and arrogant personality, we unanimously eliminated him at the document screening stage...”
“Ah, so that’s why he’s sulking like that? Because we accepted his clan member, but not him?”
“...That’s entirely possible...”
“Good grief... What is this, seriously? How childish.”
As he said that and looked, something was strange about the table where Suho was sitting—the very table Alex had just been standing at with both hands pressed against it.
The edge of the table was crushed and folded in the shape of hands.
One corner was even broken, with a hideously warped section.
It looked like a sturdy table at a glance, yet the man had broken off a corner with his grip strength alone before leaving.
Since it was a confirmed assigned seat, and the table was fixed in place, it was awkward to ask for it to be replaced.
“Hah, look at this...”
Annoyance surged through Suho in an instant, and he looked toward the seat where Alex was sitting.
Then, over the head of the man sitting about fifty meters away, he dropped a pencil-shaped metal rod made of Ovelun.
It was small and sharp, but it was a mass weapon weighing a full 63.6 kilograms.
Surely the world’s greatest tanker wouldn’t die from just this much, right?
Still, dropping it from too high might be dangerous, so he materialized it about two meters above and let it fall.
“Aaagh!”
From a distance, he saw Alex clutching his head and crouching down. Suho immediately stored the Ovelun away again.
Medical staff rushed to Alex’s side, and security guards moved busily, trying to find where the attack had originated.
Serves you right, brat. That’s what you get for throwing a tantrum.
Just think of it as getting flicked on the forehead.
Since an announcement came that the conference would soon begin, Suho sat up straight with a broad smile.