It wasn't a bad proposition. If Ko Geon-Hee had someone's back, even an ordinary person could ride the fast track to success. The National Assembly, the government, the Hunter's Association, the media — there was almost nowhere Ko Geon-Hee's influence didn't reach. And what if the person receiving his support happened to be an S-rank Hunter?
*'Who knows how high I could climb.'*
Jin-Woo briefly imagined himself in a sharp suit, seated beside Chairman Ko Geon-Hee. His heart beat a little faster.
*'This isn't a chance that comes around easily.'*
The "other path" Ko Geon-Hee had offered wasn't one just anyone could set foot on simply by wanting to. But there was something critical missing from that path.
*'If I join the Association, I won't be able to level up anymore.'*
Senior Hunters belonging to the Association didn't go on hunts. Their primary role was dealing with other Hunters, not slaying monsters. Even if he managed to get permission to tag along on an Association raid…
*'The dungeons the Association handles are D- and E-rank at best — the kind guilds wouldn't even glance at.'*
Was he supposed to spend his life farming low-level mobs that didn't even give experience? No. Absolutely not. Jin-Woo rejected the idea fiercely in his mind.
*'I want to become stronger.'*
He wanted to climb higher. To go as far up as he could. If it were impossible, or if he had no confidence — maybe. But being told to give up when he knew he could do it? Not a chance.
*'As long as the System keeps letting me Level Up, I can keep growing.'*
Thump. Thump. His heart pounded harder than when he'd imagined sitting shoulder to shoulder with Chairman Ko Geon-Hee. Ko Geon-Hee noticed the change.
*'His breathing just quickened. Has he finally made up his decision?'*
If only it turned out well.
*'No. It has to turn out well.'*
Given the time he had left. Ko Geon-Hee waited for Jin-Woo's answer with just as much excitement. One second felt like a minute. Then Jin-Woo parted his lips.
"I'm sorry."
Ko Geon-Hee's face went stiff.
*'He was just looking like a man full of resolve… Was I imagining it?'*
The disappointment was impossible to hide.
*'So in the end, that's as far as Sung Jin-Woo goes.'*
His offer to help Jin-Woo walk another path was no lie. In truth, he'd been thinking even bigger.
*'An S-rank who appeared after two years…'*
He'd planned to keep him close, teach him the ropes, and if the potential was there, groom him as a successor — someone who could hold the Hunter's Association upright when Ko Geon-Hee was gone. That meant handing over everything he had. And this was the result.
*'What a joke.'*
Ko Geon-Hee withdrew the badge he'd extended and asked, almost grumbling.
"Is it… money, then?"
Jin-Woo answered instantly.
"It isn't."
Ko Geon-Hee let out a silent snort.
*'They all talk such a noble game.'*
But peek inside, and they were all the same. In the end, it always came down to money. Add popularity on top, and it was the cherry on the cake.
*'Well…'*
Chasing wealth was only natural for any human. He had no intention of mocking that. He just found it amusing when people weren't honest with themselves.
"Then why are you refusing?"
Ko Geon-Hee already knew the answer, but asked anyway. He just wanted to see the reaction. But then—
"I want to fight."
Jin-Woo's words, spoken without a moment's hesitation, struck Ko Geon-Hee like a blow to the back of the head.
*'What?'*
It felt like he'd been hit with a hammer.
"You mean… fight monsters?" "Yes."
Jin-Woo stripped away every unnecessary explanation and laid out the honest truth.
"I want to enter Gates and take down monsters. I believe the place where I belong is inside a Dungeon."*'How is this possible.'*
Ko Geon-Hee's eyes widened. A man who stood above countless others could tell from someone's gaze alone whether they spoke the truth or a lie. That was a position you could only reach by being that way. So Ko Geon-Hee could tell.
*'Those eyes… He's sincere.'*
His gaze toward Jin-Woo did a complete about-face.
*'When was the last time I felt this way?'*
When he'd first awakened his power, Ko Geon-Hee was already too old. So instead of fighting monsters, he'd found other things to do. He sold the businesses he owned, used the money to establish the Hunter's Association, gathered Hunters, leveraged his popularity to enter the National Assembly, and passed Hunter-related legislation. But despite all that running around, that deep, fundamental emptiness had never been filled.
*'If only I'd been twenty years — no, even ten years — younger, I could've stood alongside young men like this one…!'*
Thump, thump, thump. Ko Geon-Hee pressed his hand to his chest. His heart — which could have stopped at any time without anyone being surprised — was racing with vigor.
*'So my heart can still make this sound.'*
It was a pleasant beat. Meanwhile, Jin-Woo tilted his head.
*'That's strange?'*
He'd staked his relationship with the Association on the line and turned down the Chairman's offer — yet the Chairman looked somehow pleased.
*'Well, whatever.'*
He'd said what he needed to say. Jin-Woo rose from his seat.
"My little brother's home alone, so I should be going now." "Thank you for taking the time."
Ko Geon-Hee stood as well and pulled something from inside his jacket.
"Oh, and this."
It was a business card.
'...?" "If you ever need my help, don't hesitate to reach out."
Ko Geon-Hee smiled warmly. Jin-Woo was right. A strong Hunter belonged inside a Dungeon. Though he had failed to recruit Sung Jin-Woo, Ko Geon-Hee — as the head of the Hunter's Association, and as a Hunter himself — wanted to help Sung Jin-Woo however he could. To be more honest about it:
*'I like this young man.'*
And so he had some advice to give. Closeness, after all, started with concern.
"Entering a high-level Dungeon alone is impossible. So when you choose a guild, please be careful."
Your choice would change everything. Listening to Ko Geon-Hee's heartfelt advice, Jin-Woo briefly showed a faint smile.
"Thank you."
Jin-Woo tucked the card into his wallet, gave a light bow to Ko Geon-Hee and Woo Jin-Cheol, and left.
"Hah…"
Ko Geon-Hee sank heavily into his chair with a long exhale.
"Are you alright, sir?"
Woo Jin-Cheol, who had assumed the Chairman would be upset, stepped forward quickly. But Ko Geon-Hee waved him off with a smile.
"No, I'm fine."
Of course he was fine. When was the last time he'd enjoyed a meeting this much? For a long while, Ko Geon-Hee kept the smile on his face. Then he turned to his aide with an instruction.
"Cancel all my appointments today." "But today you have meetings with the ministers." "All of them. Every last one."
He grinned as he said it.
"I don't want to waste any of this good mood on those old codgers today."
He wanted to hold onto this pleasant feeling for at least one more day. Ko Geon-Hee's gaze drifted toward Woo Jin-Cheol. Even Woo Jin-Cheol felt a lift in spirits at the Chairman's rare smile.
"Did you have something to say?" "It's nothing, really, but you…"
Ko Geon-Hee paused, stroking his chin.
"How about a drink with me today?"
Caught off guard, Woo Jin-Cheol smiled awkwardly.
"I don't really drink… Is that alright with you?" "Well, I didn't expect that from you."
Ko Geon-Hee clicked his tongue in jest.
"Don't they say a man can hold as much of the world as the size of the cup he drinks?" "I'm sorry, Chairman."
Woo Jin-Cheol blushed bashfully and scratched the back of his head.
"I'm joking. Feeling good puts me in a joking mood."
Though the truth was, there was someone else he'd really liked to share a drink with. Ko Geon-Hee's gaze traveled toward the far end of the corridor where Jin-Woo had disappeared.
*'Sung Jin-Woo, Hunter…'*
He wondered how much that young man could drink. Ko Geon-Hee smiled faintly at the thought that one day, they absolutely had to share a glass together.
***
Creak. Thunk. Jin-Woo stepped off the bus.
*'I used my little brother as an excuse to leave, but…'*
Checking his watch, it was still too early for his brother to arrive. Jin-Woo walked home at a leisurely pace. Tick, tick. An unfamiliar sound made him turn his head, and in the distance he spotted a dying streetlight.
*'Come to think of it.'*
It was far too dark around here. It was such a rundown neighborhood that stepping even slightly off the main road brought you to places this dark and deserted. Then a news story he'd heard not long ago came to mind.
*'The random killings that happened around here.'*
Were all the victims women? This street, too, was one his little brother walked often. Late at night, no less.
*'His school's nearby, so we can't just move whenever we want.'*
Worry started creeping in. Catching the culprit wouldn't be hard once he was found — but standing guard on the street every night just because he was worried wasn't exactly practical. Was there any other way? Jin-Woo folded his arms and racked his brain, then suddenly smiled.
*'I could just send shadow soldiers in my place.'*
Weren't there the perfect guys for exactly this kind of job?
"Come out."
At Jin-Woo's summons, the shadow soldiers appeared.
*'About five should be enough.'*
They were soldiers he'd carefully cultivated during the raids on the Demon Castle. Just looking at them was reassuring.
"From now on, you're this neighborhood's vigilante squad. Begin patrols."
The moment he finished speaking, the soldiers reverted to their shadow forms. They absorbed into the shadows of buildings and other objects, then emerged again, moving from place to place.
*'Right. Stay out of sight and keep moving carefully.'*
Oh, what adorable things. Unless the serial killer was some kind of high-level Hunter, there was no way he could deal with shadow soldiers. And even in the unlikely event that happened, Jin-Woo would know the moment something went wrong with any of his soldiers. An S-rank Hunter.
*'Well, not officially — I don't have a license yet, so I guess it's S-rank Awakener?'*
Whatever. Hunter or Awakener, this neighborhood now had an S-rank guarding it. If word ever got out about a free, 24-hour security system, land prices would skyrocket several times over, no question about it. A small laugh escaped him.
*'Good.'*
This was enough to put his mind at ease. Jin-Woo looked around, nodded with a satisfied expression, and turned to go home.
***
"You dragged me out here saying you wanted to grab a meal, and it's pork belly?" "Huh? You looking down on pork belly right now?" "..." "This place is where I made memories with my hyung!"
Yoo Jin-Ho's face flushed red as he slammed down his drink and blew a puff of air through his nose.
"So why am I here in this 'place of memories,' exactly?"
Yoo Soo-Hyun looked utterly exasperated. She'd been lying in bed ready to sleep when Yoo Jin-Ho's call came in.
—Noona, cheer me up a little. —Since when do you call me noona? —Nooooooona—
His whining voice had been so pathetic that she came out — only for him to bring her to a place like this. Yoo Soo-Hyun, who'd grown up as the delicate daughter of a conglomerate family and was now working as a model, had every right to be displeased. Glimpse, glimpse. Even though she'd only thrown something on in a hurry and clamped a hat over her head, the stares from surrounding men kept flying in.
"What's the matter? Spit it out, spit it out."
Yoo Soo-Hyun poured soju into Jin-Ho's empty glass and asked.
"Look at this, Noona. He's definitely dodging my calls, right?"
Yoo Jin-Ho held out his phone with a trembling lip. The screen showed a long call history. One connected call, and four failed attempts. That one connected call had even been cut off mid-conversation.
"So you called me out here because you can't get ahold of someone you know?"
Yoo Jin-Ho nodded repeatedly.
"Ha—"
Yoo Soo-Hyun snatched the phone from his hand.
"Give it here."
She quickly tapped the phone icon. Trilll— the ringing tone sounded for a moment, then cut off. Yoo Soo-Hyun's eyes narrowed.
"Hey." "Huh?"
Yoo Jin-Ho looked up.
"It rings for exactly 15 seconds and stops. That doesn't mean he's avoiding calls — his phone is turned off. If the call dropped mid-conversation, his battery must've died." "...Really?" "Don't believe me? Try calling again."
Trilll— just as Yoo Soo-Hyun said, the tone cut off after 15 seconds.
"It's true!"
Yoo Jin-Ho's face lit up.
"There. Problem solved. I'm leaving."
Yoo Jin-Ho grabbed the sleeve of Yoo Soo-Hyun as she turned to leave coldly.
"Noooooona— at least finish your drink before you go!" "Now I'm noona, now that you need something."
This same guy who usually called her "you," "idiot," and "hey." Yoo Soo-Hyun sat back down.
"Oh? You're drinking too?" "You said finish your drink before you go, right? I'm not waiting forever while I drink alone." "You're still my Noona, after all." "Shut it."
But despite her words, the two of them were soon drinking in cheerful harmony.
"So who is this 'hyung' of yours, anyway?" "You'll find out soon enough."
That's what Yoo Jin-Ho was about to say — if he joined the Yoo Guild. But then he glanced up at the TV mounted high on the wall and his eyes went wide.
"Wait, that guy…?"
Yoo Soo-Hyun turned to the TV as well. The news broadcast showed the announcement that Lee Min-Sung, currently one of the hottest top stars, had awakened. Standing before a swarm of reporters like a cloud, Lee Min-Sung spoke with a bashful smile.
—My filming schedule isn't over yet, so… I won't know my Awakener rank until the evaluation comes back, but…
The caption below stated that Lee Min-Sung would be visiting the Hunter's Association soon to undergo his rank assessment.
"Wow… K-pop star Lee Min-Sung, as expected! Look at all those reporters. There's even a Chinese reporter over there."
Yoo Jin-Ho let out an exclamation of admiration. But Yoo Soo-Hyun frowned.
"How can he stand there and lie so brazenly in front of all those people?" "Huh?" "Everyone in the know is aware. It's all an act. He already got his A-rank evaluation, and he's hyping it up with the media to make a big splash." "An act? Lee Min-Sung, the icon of humility?"
Yoo Soo-Hyun clicked her tongue. Tsk, tsk.
*'How can they all be this clueless?'*
Talking bad about someone behind their back felt distasteful, but among people who actually knew Lee Min-Sung, his reputation was truly abysmal. The gap between who he was with a camera on and off was — to use the modern phrase — light-years apart. The exact type Yoo Soo-Hyun despised. If it were just a two-faced personality, she could've let it slide — but the way he relentlessly hit on her. Just recently, he'd called out of the blue, saying they were "fellow Hunters" now, trying to make a move on her. She'd struggled for a long time just to get off the phone.
*'What a creep…'*
Even before he awakened, his arrogance had pierced the heavens. How much more insufferable would he be as an A-rank Hunter? And now his A-rank assessment was about to be broadcast live to the entire nation through cameras.
*'He really is clever when it comes to stuff like this, I'll give him that.'*
Yoo Soo-Hyun shook her head in disgust and knocked back the last of her soju.