The U.S. Hunter Bureau had released the list of guilds invited to the International Guild Conference.
[Sciarion Guild, Alon Diaz (Mexico)] [Ahjin Guild, Sung Jin-Woo (Korea)] [Eraetvia Guild, Fabio Garco (Italy)] ...
The International Guild Conference. A major event where representative guilds from around the world were invited to discuss trends and outlooks in the Hunter community. And this time, Korea's representative was the Ahjin Guild. Ahjin's participation drew enormous attention both at home and abroad. The only top-tier Hunter belonging to Ahjin was its guild master, Jin-Woo — a single person. By selecting Ahjin, the U.S. Hunter Bureau was essentially acknowledging that one Hunter could hold his own against the world's greatest guilds, which were flush with elite Hunters. However, not a single voice of dissent arose. Was there even a need to question his qualifications? Jin-Woo had already single-handedly thwarted two critical crises — one in Korea, one in Japan — that had nearly brought those nations to their knees. So no one doubted the strength of the Ahjin Guild, or more precisely, the strength of the one man who was the entirety of the Ahjin Guild. If anything, many were excited that another formidable Hunter would be joining the gathering of the world's strongest Hunters. Major international media outlets, whenever they covered Japan's Dungeon Break, could be counted on to bring up the Ahjin Guild's participation in the International Guild Conference. Naturally, Korea was no exception. As public interest in the conference surged, a TV station requested an interview with Choi Jong-In, the representative of "Hunters." Choi Jong-In gladly accepted, even though he mistakenly believed the station had called him in place of Jin-Woo. The interview, filmed at the station and broadcast live nationwide during the prime-time slot of 8 p.m. on a weekday, reached viewers across the country.
"Hello. I'm Choi Jong-In, the representative of Hunters."
The clean smile that appeared on Choi Jong-In's sharp features stirred the hearts of women everywhere. The station's online forum was flooded with female viewers complaining that the Hunters guild should have been the one to receive the invitation from the Hunter Bureau.
"It's a pleasure, Representative Choi."
The female host bowed her head, then brought out her prepared questions.
"The Ahjin Guild has been attracting a great deal of attention lately. What are your thoughts on that, Representative Choi?"
Without a moment's hesitation, Choi Jong-In said, "The U.S. Hunter Bureau's choice was the obvious one." "Not understandable — obvious?" "Yes. I believe it was the obvious choice." "But isn't the Ahjin Guild essentially a one-man guild?" "But that one man is Hunter Sung Jin-Woo, isn't he?"
The moment Choi Jong-In answered with a grin, the host across from him burst out laughing as well. Just as the laughter was about to die down, Choi Jong-In smoothly continued.
"If we define guild members as personnel that can be mobilized for combat, then Hunter Sung Jin-Woo already commands hundreds of members." "You're referring to Hunter Sung Jin-Woo's summons?" "That's right. I'm confident that even compared to any guild in the world — not just in Korea — the Ahjin Guild's military strength wouldn't fall short." "Because of Hunter Sung Jin-Woo alone?" "Yes. Because of that one person alone."
Murmuring rippled through the studio audience at Choi Jong-In's resolute attitude, but the man himself remained composed. Having witnessed Jin-Woo's exploits both directly and indirectly, he could say it with certainty. Even now, whenever he recalled how Jin-Woo had carved a path through the swarm of ant-type magical beasts surrounding them, the hair on the back of his neck stood on end and goosebumps spread across his entire body.
'Who would ever think that man was an E-rank Hunter?'
When Choi Jong-In so cleanly acknowledged the gap in ability, the interview set heated up. The host, wearing a satisfied smile, cautiously gauged Choi Jong-In's expression. "Still, from the perspective of the Hunters guild, which has represented Korea at the guild conference every year, this might not sit entirely well..." "Of course it stings to miss the trip to the States. I even renewed my passport and was waiting."
When Choi Jong-In cracked that joke, laughter erupted from the studio audience.
"But more than the sting, I'm proud."
The smile that had been fixed on Choi Jong-In's face turned serious. The laughter in the audience gradually faded, and the host's gaze became solemn as well. What comes next is the main point. That atmosphere radiated from Choi Jong-In's expression. Naturally, all eyes turned to his lips. Having grown quite accustomed to interviews from his frequent TV appearances, Choi Jong-In let the silence linger just long enough to build anticipation, then opened his mouth again.
"Think about it. A Hunter appeared who, when faced with magical beasts far beyond one's ability to handle alone, could be trusted to take the front line without hesitation."
Words spoken from the heart carry a weight that is hard to express in language. As that weight bore down on the entire set, both the host and the audience were rendered speechless, gazing at Choi Jong-In. In the quiet that settled over the studio, Choi Jong-In spoke softly.
"In truth, my guild members, my fellow guild members, and many other Hunters as well were able to return alive thanks to Hunter Sung's help."
Choi Jong-In looked out at the audience. He hadn't planned it deliberately, but an unexpectedly solemn atmosphere had taken hold. To lighten it just a little, he finished with a smile.
"I am truly proud that Hunter Sung has been chosen as the Hunter who represents Korea."
The audience erupted in thunderous applause.
* * *
As Choi Jong-In was leaving the station after the successful taping, his phone rang. Buzz-buzz.
'Hm?'
He lifted the vibrating phone and saw the number of Department Head Jo Myung-Ki, who served as his right-hand man within the guild.
"Yes, this is Choi Jong-In." —Representative. The Suseo-dong Gate that appeared this morning — we secured the reservation. It's an A-rank Gate, but the readings aren't that high. "Good news."
A smile was about to form at the pleasant update when Choi Jong-In tilted his head.
"But did the Ahjin Guild not put in a reservation this time either?" —That's right. As a matter of fact, the Ahjin Guild has been awfully quiet lately.
Four days had passed since Hunter Sung Jin-Woo returned from Japan. In that time, four high-ranking Gates had appeared in the Seoul metropolitan area alone — one per day. The number of high-ranking Gates was climbing sharply, yet the Ahjin Guild — or more precisely, the one man who was the entirety of the Ahjin Guild, Hunter Sung Jin-Woo — showed no sign of activity. Of course, that was precisely why the other major guilds in the metropolitan area had been in a festive mood day after day. The incarnation of Dungeon destruction, the ghost of beast slaying, who would pounce like a hound the moment a Gate appeared and rip out the roots of every magical beast inside, had been nowhere to be seen for days. But. The strange disconnect of there being a Gate with no Sung Jin-Woo nearby gnawed at Choi Jong-In, making him inexplicably anxious.
'If it were Baek Yoon-Ho of Baekho or Lim Tae-Gyu of the Reaper, maybe. But I'm different.'
What separated a man from a monkey was the difference between simply rejoicing at a fallen apple and contemplating the law of universal gravitation. At the very moment Choi Jong-In told himself he was not the sort to lower himself to giddy delight over a stroke of luck, Department Head Jo Myung-Ki's bright, cheerful voice came through the phone.
—Still, because there was absolutely no competition from the Ahjin Guild, our guild revenue shot up a whole forty percent. Representative! "There's a monkey right here..." —Excuse me? "Never mind."
Choi Jong-In quickly deflected and continued.
"Does the Association have any information on their end?" —As far as we know, he's just been resting at home. He hasn't been coming into the guild office much lately either. "Hmm..." —Well, is there really anything to read into, Representative? Maybe he's just resting to prepare for the International Guild Conference?
Choi Jong-In shook his head.
"That can't be it."
Look at the kind of person Hunter Sung Jin-Woo is. Choi Jong-In spoke.
"Before the re-evaluation, he was clearing three or four lower-ranked Gates a day. After becoming S-rank, he even started crossing into other guild territories to clear their Gates. And just recently, he flew solo all the way to Japan and came back after resolving an S-rank Dungeon Break. That is Hunter Sung Jin-Woo."
Hearing it laid out like that, it did make sense. Even Jo Myung-Ki was growing curious about why the Ahjin Guild had been so quiet. Wasn't Hunter Sung always wherever the magical beasts were? It wasn't as though he was exhausted from the giant raid. The Representative's puzzlement over the Ahjin Guild's inactivity was perfectly understandable, he realized.
—You're right about that. "Come to think of it, wasn't today the interview day for the Ahjin Guild's career hires? And he still didn't show up?" —No. Hunter Sung wasn't at the interview location either. Vice President Yoo Jin-Ho was handling everything on his own. "..."
A brief silence fell. After a pause, Choi Jong-In spoke calmly.
"How do you know that, Department Head Jo?"
* * *
—Brother, I'm dying.
The moment Jin-Woo picked up the phone, Yoo Jin-Ho's voice came out in a wail. Jin-Woo chuckled. Yoo Jin-Ho had been seeing applicants' faces all day — it must have been exhausting. They had whittled the pool down and still ended up with several hundred? Despite his young age, Yoo Jin-Ho was handling the vice president's role in Jin-Woo's stead with admirable competence.
'So blood really is thicker than water, huh?'
The younger man might look a bit rough around the edges, but coursing through Yoo Jin-Ho's veins was the blood of a celebrated chairman — a born entrepreneur. Thanks to that, Jin-Woo could entrust guild affairs to Yoo Jin-Ho and move freely.
"You worked hard." —Not at all, Brother. But how are things on your end? "Here?"
Jin-Woo turned around. The soldiers on standby had signaled that everything was ready. A smile crept onto Jin-Woo's face.
"Same old. Looks like I'll be late today, so go ahead and head out." —Understood, Brother.
With Yoo Jin-Ho's polite farewell, the call ended. A staff member from the Japan Hunter's Association rushed over and took Jin-Woo's belongings, including his phone. After handing everything over, Jin-Woo slowly loosened his neck and shoulders. This exhilaration. The thrill of warming up before a raid always put his mind at ease. While Jin-Woo was stretching, the staff member asked — perhaps wanting to make conversation, or perhaps genuinely curious.
"If word got out that you were clearing the high-ranking Gates that have been appearing in the affected areas, your fame would only grow. Why keep it a secret?"
Jin-Woo's answer was simple. He finished loosening up and smiled.
"Because I prefer it quiet."
Humility was one of the highest virtues in Japan as well. Taking Jin-Woo's preference for quietness as a sign of his desire to remain humble, the staff member's eyes welled up with tears.
"If there is anything you need, please say the word! I will help with all my heart — no, with every ounce of my strength!"
...There seemed to be a slight misunderstanding, but as long as the results were good, that was fine. Jin-Woo gave the staff member an awkward smile and a pat on the shoulder, then walked toward the Gate. Japanese soldiers cleared a path and saluted him. This Gate was A-rank. Every day, Jin-Woo commuted between Korea and Japan, claiming every high-ranking Gate that the country could not handle on its own. This was possible thanks to Japan's mana-detecting satellite, satellite skills, and the Shadow Exchange. Jin-Woo stood before the Gate and looked up. Sure enough — it was enormous, befitting its A-rank classification. Here, there was no need to spend a fortune reserving a Gate, and the Japanese government had promised a full tax exemption. But. More valuable than any financial benefit was the fact that he could claim every Gate spawned across Japan's vast territory, where guilds had lost their ability to function.
'The Demon King's Daggers.'
Swoosh.
"Huh!"
A young soldier involuntarily gasped at the daggers that materialized at Jin-Woo's fingertips. Embarrassed by his own reaction, he gave Jin-Woo a quick bow. Jin-Woo let out a soft laugh and stepped toward the Gate.
'Three days until the Guild Conference.'
Resolved not to waste a single day, Jin-Woo threw himself into the Gate. Immediately, a familiar mechanical voice rang out. Ding.
[You have entered the dungeon.]
* * *
"Is this really alright?"
Woo Jin-Cheol asked cautiously. Association Chairman Ko Geon-Hee, receiving the report, showed not the slightest disturbance.
"What do you mean?" "Hunter Sung Jin-Woo... has been in Japan continuously."
The Hunter's Association could track Hunters' locations using the tracking function on their Hunter phones. They had been handing false information to anyone who inquired about Hunter Sung Jin-Woo's whereabouts, as per Chairman Ko Geon-Hee's orders.
"If this goes on and Hunter Sung decides to stay in Japan for good..."
Korea would lose its greatest Hunter right before its eyes. That was Woo Jin-Cheol's concern. But Ko Geon-Hee, who valued Jin-Woo more highly than anyone, was showing an unusual lack of concern over the matter. That only made Woo Jin-Cheol's chest tighter. Perhaps sensing the younger man's anxiety, Ko Geon-Hee chuckled and spoke.
"Don't worry." "Do you perhaps know something?" "Before he went to Japan to hunt the giant-type magical beasts, he came to see me."
Of course he had. Chairman Ko Geon-Hee had been the very first to publicly announce that Hunter Sung Jin-Woo intended to hunt the giants. Ko Geon-Hee searched his memory.
"I tried to stop him. I told him the risks far outweighed what he stood to gain. He hadn't been promised a fortune like that Hunter Guerri."
Woo Jin-Cheol nodded. Jin-Woo had only asked for the rights to the carcasses of the magical beasts he killed. For saving an entire country, that was far too little.
'Then again, there was no time to negotiate with a country where cities were crumbling by the day...'
It was an unavoidable situation. That the Association Chairman, whose duty was to protect the nation's own Hunters, would send Hunter Sung abroad was almost extraordinary.
"But then he said something."
Ko Geon-Hee smiled as he recalled that moment. Woo Jin-Cheol's curiosity got the better of him, and he asked first.
"What did he... say?"
Ko Geon-Hee answered.
"That he wanted to add Japan to the Ahjin Guild's territory." "Huh."
A strangled sound escaped Woo Jin-Cheol's lips. When Ko Geon-Hee had first heard those words from Jin-Woo, his reaction had been no different.
"With the damage from Jeju Island and the giants' attacks, most of Japan's large guilds have lost their power. And he boldly declared that the Ahjin Guild would fill that void." "Good grief..."
Woo Jin-Cheol couldn't close his mouth. Had Jin-Woo already planned that far ahead before even hunting the giants — was it confidence, or a brilliant sense of calculation? Either way, Jin-Woo had achieved his goal. From Japan's side, it was a deal they would welcome with open arms.
"So could I have possibly refused to let him go?"
While Seoul, relatively small by comparison, saw major guilds fighting over territory, Jin-Woo would claim Japan as his own domain. One of a hunter's qualities was the ability to choose the right hunting ground. When you added in the skill to handle any prey, Sung Jin-Woo was truly a hunter born for the role. Ko Geon-Hee voiced the thoughts in his head and marveled once more.
"He really is something." "...I agree."
Woo Jin-Cheol felt the same. Putting aside the ability to cross between Korea and Japan instantly without even boarding a plane, the sheer power to turn an impossible goal into reality left nothing but admiration. Just then, the TV that had been playing in the background showed Choi Jong-In's interview.
[I am truly proud that Hunter Sung has been chosen as the Hunter who represents Korea.]
Chairman Ko Geon-Hee, leaning back on his sofa, smiled and spoke to Choi Jong-In on the screen.
"I feel the same way."