'...'
Even now, countless thoughts were racing through Matsumoto's mind. But no matter how hard he racked his brain, he couldn't come up with a better solution. This was no time to think about pride or face. If this matter leaked out, the fallout wouldn't end with just losing his position.
"Chairman Goh Geon-Hye... Please, I beg your forgiveness."
But Chairman Goh Geon-Hye's gaze was cold. How could he look favorably upon a man who had been shouting loudly when there was no evidence, only to fold and grovel the moment it came to light?
"Stand up."
Chairman Goh Geon-Hye urged him to drop the pointless apology in a cold voice, but Matsumoto stubbornly pressed his forehead to the floor.
"Japan has lost more than half of its top-tier Hunter forces and will now desperately need the international community's help."
Even with Japan's superior Hunter system, with half of its S-rank forces gone, gaps would inevitably emerge at some point. A-rank Gates could still be handled with the remaining Hunters, but the moment an S-rank Gate spawned, Japan would no longer be able to let its guard down. Perhaps what happened on Jeju Island could happen in Japan.
"If that file becomes known, we will be completely ostracized. I beg you, Chairman Goh Geon-Hye. For the sake of Japan's innocent citizens, please—grant us your forgiveness just this once."
"Consider it your punishment."
Goh Geon-Hye cut Matsumoto off without hesitation.
"Consider it the punishment for the crime you and your Hunters were about to commit, and bear it."
Carry the bomb that could go off at any moment and wait for the time of reckoning. That was what Goh Geon-Hye intended. But Matsumoto did not lift his forehead from the floor.
"Chairman Goh Geon-Hye... I will not stand up until your anger has subsided. Please, I beg you—reconsider just one more time."
"Then I have no choice."
Goh Geon-Hye made an unpleasant face and pulled out his phone.
"I'll give you five minutes."
What was he planning to do? Unable to contain his curiosity, Matsumoto raised his head and looked up at Goh Geon-Hye. Goh Geon-Hye shook the phone.
"If you don't leave within five minutes, a message will go out simultaneously to every reporter registered in this phone—the chairman of Japan's Hunter Association is on his knees, begging in front of me."
If he was going to cling out of fear of the bomb that could go off at any moment, Goh Geon-Hye would detonate it right here and now. This wasn't a threat—it was a notice.
"I..."
Matsumoto bit his lower lip. Goh Geon-Hye was not a man so lacking in resolve that he could be swayed by a mere appeal for mercy. Matsumoto realized it too late. The moment his last attempt—even abandoning his pride—came to nothing. Weakly, Matsumoto rose to his feet. Watching him, Goh Geon-Hye lowered the phone. To Matsumoto, who was stooping as he gathered his things, Goh Geon-Hye spoke.
"Be thankful to Mr. Sung Jin-Woo."
A fierce gleam shone in Goh Geon-Hye's beast-like eyes.
"If our Hunter had been harmed because of your schemes, you wouldn't have left this room alive."
With trembling hands, Matsumoto gathered all his belongings and fled the Association building without once looking back. The confidence he had shown during his previous visit to Korea was nowhere to be found.
"Phew."
Goh Geon-Hye leaned back against the sofa. He felt a weight lift from his chest. But he had no intention of letting it end here. It was no exaggeration to say that Japan's Hunter Association's lifeline was now in his hands.
'If you commit a crime, you should face the consequences.'
Goh Geon-Hye had always been a man who kept clear accounts of debts and grudges. Just then, the phone on the desk rang loudly.
'Hm?'
When Goh Geon-Hye pressed the call button, an urgent voice came through. As he listened quietly, Goh Geon-Hye's eyes widened.
"What? A Gate appeared in the middle of the road?"
And not just any Gate—a B-rank one, far beyond what a regular strike team could handle.
"Where?"
The best course of action was to quickly contact the major Guilds and dispatch a strike team. But—
'Wait a moment.'
As Goh Geon-Hye listened to the staff member's report, his expression became peculiar.
'Isn't that near where Hunter Sung Jin-Woo set up his Guild office?'
***
The road had suddenly ground to a halt. Trapped in his car, unable to move forward, Jin-Woo fell deep into thought.
'That woman—she saw something.'
Mrs. Selner. A woman who must have encountered countless Hunters without memories, yet she had been so terrified she couldn't even look him in the eye. What had she seen? A trace of the System? Even though the System sometimes made difficult demands, it wasn't something that terrifying.
'No, if anything, it's my greatest support.'
But how would it appear in other people's eyes? The Deputy Director had asked if it would be okay to contact him again later. But when the Deputy Director had brought it up, he had sensed a terrible disturbance from Mrs. Selner standing behind him—the kind of distance that suggested she would avoid him on her own even if he wanted to meet. Jin-Woo had intuited it then: perhaps her ability simply didn't work on him.
'No need to waste any more time on this.'
So he had politely declined, saying there was probably no need for the Deputy Director to contact him again. The Deputy Director's frozen expression lingered in his memory.
'But why is the traffic so bad?'
Jin-Woo frowned as he looked at the road clogged with cars.
'This is why the subway is more convenient.'
Just as he began to think there must have been an accident up ahead, his phone—plugged into the charger—buzzed and vibrated. Jin-Woo checked the caller.
'The Chairman?'
Only a few hours ago he had seen the man at the memorial service. What business could he possibly have now? Jin-Woo pressed the call button.
-Hunter, this is Goh Geon-Hye.
The Chairman calmly explained the situation unfolding in the middle of Seoul.
"A Gate appeared in the middle of the road?"
Come to think of it, the traffic had seemed a bit too severe for a regular jam. Jin-Woo turned to look behind him, trying to turn the car around. But cars were packed so tightly that neither forward nor backward movement was possible. Jin-Woo shook his head from side to side and looked forward. And just then—a welcome voice came through the phone, one that could instantly wash away all the discomfort pressing down on him.
-Our staff have measured it and determined it's a B-rank Gate. Could you take care of it, Hunter?
Hah. Jin-Woo barely held back a smile at the welcome news after so long. Still, he shouldn't be happy about something causing so much inconvenience to citizens. Right. Straightening his voice, Jin-Woo asked cautiously.
"Is it all right if I just go in without a raid permit?"
"Heh heh, Hunter. Where does a raid permit come from?"
"From the Association."
"Then who am I?"
"The chairman of the Hunter Association."
"Go in without worry."
"Then I'll dig in— ... Thank you."
Jin-Woo clenched his fist in excitement. Stepping out of his car, Jin-Woo followed the trail of magical energy flowing from the Gate and walked forward. After all, every direction was packed wall-to-wall with cars, so there was no need to find a separate place to park.
"Yes. The black hole you're looking at right now is what appeared in the city today..."
"According to information just received, this Gate is rated B—a high-level Gate requiring Guild intervention."
Reporters had gathered around the Gate seemingly out of nowhere, and Association staff and police were controlling the surrounding area.
'Hmm...'
As Jin-Woo crossed the wall of reporters and approached the Gate, a stern-looking female employee blocked his path.
"Wait! Who are you?"
The woman pressed her hand against his chest and strained her neck, trying to push him back.
"You can't just barge in here!"
But no matter how much effort she put into it with her small hands, Jin-Woo didn't budge an inch. Only then did she realize that the person in front of her was a Hunter—and a high-ranking one at that.
"You're... a Hunter?"
Jin-Woo showed her his ID. The woman's eyes widened.
'S, S-rank? Sung Jin-Woo?'
Then this was the one who had fought on Jeju Island— The woman, learning Jin-Woo's identity belatedly, looked up. He looked so different from how he appeared on TV that even as an Association employee, she hadn't recognized the S-rank Hunter. But among the many people gathered, someone with a keen eye was bound to notice.
"Huh?"
"Could that be...?"
"It's Sung Jin-Woo!"
"Sung Jin-Woo came out to take care of the Gate himself."
People who had been frustrated by the traffic jam began to recognize Jin-Woo one by one, and their faces brightened. Some who had appointments even let out cheers. But regardless of the citizens' reactions, the woman did not bend her stubborn stance. After hesitating for a moment, she asked.
"H-how did you come to be here?"
How else? When a Hunter stands before a Gate, there's only one reason to be there. Deciding there was no need to explain, Jin-Woo simply pointed a finger at the Gate behind the woman's shoulder. The woman, who had glanced back for a moment, wore an expression as if she had made up her mind. Many Hunters had lost their lives by trusting only in their own strength and ignoring procedures and regulations.
'The same goes for even S-rank Hunters...'
She had been taught time and again that the Association existed precisely to prevent such accidents. The Association's top priority was Hunter safety. Believing that she absolutely could not let an accident befall someone as outstanding as an S-rank Hunter, she spoke firmly.
"No matter if you're an S-rank Hunter, I cannot allow you to disregard procedure."
"..."
Jin-Woo was at a loss for words, standing there staring down at the woman's face. He hadn't expected this. Convinced she had successfully persuaded the S-rank Hunter, the woman began firing off questions.
"Do you have a raid permit?"
Jin-Woo shook his head.
"No. Even with a permit, you can't go in unless you've filled the minimum party size."
The woman was resolute. Judging by the look in her eyes, she wasn't doing this out of malice—she simply appeared to be an employee who stubbornly clung to rules and principles. Jin-Woo clicked his tongue internally. Well, there was nothing he could do about it then.
"One moment."
Jin-Woo immediately made a phone call. And once the call connected, he held out the phone.
"Here."
When the woman looked confused, Jin-Woo spoke clearly.
"Take it. It's for you."
The woman asked with a puzzled look.
"Wh-who is it?"
"Someone else you won't be able to refuse."
Flustered, she took the phone and checked the caller's name on the screen—three characters. Her eyes went wide.
'G-Goh Geon-Hye?'
Could it really be the person on the other end of the line—
"Th-the phone's been switched to me."
When the woman answered in a highly tense voice, a deep voice came through from the other end.
-This is the Chairman.
Sure enough. The woman—whose eyes had wavered several times—nodded repeatedly.
"Yes. Yes. No. Yes. Yes. I'll do as you say."
Click. The woman handed the phone back with a deflated expression. Jin-Woo took the phone, shrugged his shoulders, and walked past her.
'Ugh...'
The woman, thoroughly infuriated, trembled and directed a curse—or rather, a hex—at Jin-Woo's back.
'Dear God! Please let that man trip and sprain his ankle in the Dungeon!'
But Hunter Sung Jin-Woo was a man who had escaped unscathed from Jeju Island, which had been swarming with S-rank beasts.
'What could possibly happen to someone like that in a B-rank Dungeon?'
But at that very moment, screams erupted from all around.
"Huh? What's that?" "Why is it turning red?"
After Jin-Woo had entered, the Gate's black barrier had begun to slowly turn the color of blood. Red Gate! It was a terrifying name.
"Aaah..."
The woman stared at the Red Gate, dumbstruck.
'Could it be because I just prayed for him to get hurt?'
Of course not. But the thought that it was her fault wouldn't leave her mind. She knew well from her training just how dangerous a Red Gate—a gateway to another dimension—could be. She had heard that even high-ranking Hunters did not have a high chance of survival.
'No way...'
The moment the worst-case scenario flashed through her mind, the woman's face went completely white.
'If that Hunter actually gets hurt...'
How many minutes had passed? As she was berating herself, she sensed someone's presence and looked up from the floor—Jin-Woo was right in front of her.
"Ah!"
She jumped as if she had seen a ghost, but Jin-Woo merely glanced at her, shrugged, and walked past.
'...'
The woman's face turned even redder than it had after the Chairman's call. Looking around, Jin-Woo approached a truck driver who was loading a cargo hold full of potatoes.
"Mister. Sell me one of those sacks."
"What? The potatoes?"
Jin-Woo shook his head.
"No. The sack itself."
***
Yoo Jin-Ho—acting Vice President, recruiter, lawyer, and accountant of the so-called "Solo Play" Guild—lit up when he saw Jin-Woo enter the office.
"You're here, hyung!"
"Nothing going on?"
"Yes, hyung. But we have a founding member applicant."
"Okay. Give me the list. I'll take a look too."
The fact that Yoo Jin-Ho was still pressing him about something they'd discussed since morning showed he was eager to get the Guild formed as quickly as possible. Fortunately, Jin-Woo felt the same way. The one remaining person to become a founding member. At least three Hunters needed to come together to satisfy the Guild establishment requirements.
'Even if they're just here to fill a roster spot, it would be nice if they were at least diligent. We won't be seeing each other just once or twice.'
Jin-Woo nodded to himself. But on closer look, Yoo Jin-Ho's face seemed a bit gloomy.
"Something wrong?"
"Well... hyung."
"Hmm?"
"As you know, setting up a Guild costs quite a bit of money. Auction prices for high-level Gates are on a different scale, we need to pay signing bonuses to rookie Hunters, and especially the person who applied as a founding member this time..."
Jin-Woo cut him off.
"Will this be enough money?"
Thump. Jin-Woo set the potato sack he'd brought onto the floor.
'What's this?'
Yoo Jin-Ho peered into the sack with a puzzled look. Inside were plenty of valuable mana crystals.
"Hy-hung...? What is all this?"
Jin-Woo said casually.
"There was a Gate on the way here."
"..."
There was a high-level Dungeon full of valuable mana crystals on the way, so he looted it and came back with the mana crystals?
"As expected, you're amazing, hyung!"
Yoo Jin-Ho stopped thinking about it altogether. Holding up the standards of common sense to his hyung was an exercise no longer worth the effort. Jin-Woo gazed fondly at Yoo Jin-Ho—who had been suffering after his father cut off his funds, now beaming with joy at having secured money—and turned his head toward the conference room.
"By the way, why is she here?"
"Huh? Ah, I was about to mention it... There's an applicant here right now."
Jin-Woo's eyes widened.
"Applicant?"
"Yes, hyung."
"Who?"
"The person in the conference room, hyung."
"She says so herself?"
"Yes, hyung."
What was he hearing right now— The moment Yoo Jin-Ho finished speaking, Jin-Woo strode over and opened the conference room door. Creak. A woman who had been silently sipping a canned coffee—one that Yoo Jin-Ho had hurriedly bought from a nearby convenience store since the office furnishings were not yet in place—turned her head.
"Hey, you."
Jin-Woo's voice grew louder.
"What exactly are you thinking?"
At that, Cha Hae-In—who had been quietly looking up at Jin-Woo—spoke.
"I'm here to... join the Guild."