The first move was made by Woo Jin-Cheol. While everyone was eyeing each other, he approached Jin-Woo, took out his ID card, and showed it to the Hunters.
"I'm from the Hunter's Association Surveillance Team."
Hunters, whether high-ranking or low-ranking, tense up when they hear the name Surveillance Team. The move was crucial. For a moment, a flicker of tension passed across the faces of the Hunters from the Hunters Guild, excluding Cha Hae-In. Woo Jin-Cheol smoothly seized that gap and continued speaking.
"Hunter Sung Jin-Woo's identity is exclusively managed by our Association. It is a top-level classified matter that cannot be disclosed externally."
Jin-Woo marveled at Woo Jin-Cheol's acting skills. His expression and tone were so natural that Jin-Woo wondered if he'd practiced in front of a mirror beforehand. But his intention was clearly conveyed. Just then, Woo Jin-Cheol subtly sent him a signal with his eyes.
'I'll help you leave here without a commotion.'
He didn't know why the Surveillance Team was helping him, but there was no reason to refuse when they were offering to clean up the mess. Jin-Woo nodded. That was what he wanted. Woo Jin-Cheol's quick-witted subordinates swiftly surrounded Jin-Woo.
"If you have any questions, please direct them to the Association later. We will be escorting Hunter Sung Jin-Woo."
The vibe was unmistakable: they would brook no dissent. With Woo Jin-Cheol's stern attitude, which looked like it could cut through steel, the Hunters from the Hunters Guild, who had plenty they wanted to say and ask, all became mute as clams.
"Let's go."
Under the Surveillance Team's escort, Jin-Woo passed by the Hunters.
'It's helpful, but...'
He felt a bit odd. Why was Department Head Woo Jin-Cheol doing something he hadn't even been asked to do? After putting some distance between themselves and the Hunters, he asked quietly.
"Why are you doing this suddenly?" "Are you perhaps considering joining the Hunters Guild, Hunter-nim?"
Jin-Woo shook his head. As if he'd expected that, Woo Jin-Cheol quickly replied.
"Right now, you have just displayed power exceeding an S-rank in front of the guild with the most capital and personnel in South Korea. If you want to avoid troublesome situations, this is the best way."
Indeed. No one knew what lengths the well-resourced Hunters Guild would go to in order to secure a single S-rank Hunter. Other Hunters would welcome it with open arms, but Jin-Woo was different. And the Hunter's Association was the same. Jin-Woo's desire to avoid troublesome suitors—both from the Association and guilds trying to prevent power from concentrating in any single guild—aligned with their interests. If it were one-sided goodwill, it might be a burden, but this mutually beneficial situation wasn't troublesome.
'This worked out well thanks to the Association.'
Things had taken an unexpectedly favorable turn, and a faint smile touched Jin-Woo's lips. Just as he was about to exit the boss room entrance—
"W-wait a moment!"
A hurried shout came from behind. Glancing back reflexively, he saw Son Gi-Hoon being supported by a large comrade as he headed this way. His wounds were fully treated, but he looked pale, probably from having lost a lot of blood.
'It would be better if he didn't move.'
Despite Jin-Woo's concern, Son Gi-Hoon insisted on standing in front of him. Then he bowed deeply.
"Thank you."
Following that, Son Gi-Hoon spoke with unfeigned sincerity.
"Thanks to you, Hunter-nim, we were all able to survive safely. On behalf of the entire strike team, I express my gratitude."
According to the Surveillance Team Hunter, it seemed there were circumstances preventing him from revealing his identity to this man.
'With that kind of power, any circumstances wouldn't be strange.'
But he had risked being exposed to help him and his team. And not only that. He hadn't demanded any compensation. He could have claimed the magic beast carcasses or the lives of the strike team members from the Hunters Guild, but he had backed down without a single word. How could Jin-Woo not bow in return to such sincerity?
"...Thank you!"
Overcome with emotion, Son Gi-Hoon bowed at a 90-degree angle once more. The sudden movement made his body scream, but even that felt welcome. When the man had dealt with the magic beast using the same method it had tormented him with, his chest had welled up. Recalling that moment, the mere words 'thank you' could be said a hundred times over. Seeing their leader bow, the strike team Hunters finally broke free from their confusion.
'If it weren't for him...' 'He's our lifesaver!' 'Then instead of just standing here blankly...'
They all rushed over and bowed their heads.
"Thank you, Mr. Porter... no, Hunter-nim." "If it weren't really for you, Hunter-nim..." "Thanks to you, my wife was spared becoming a widow."
The young male Hunter, who had playfully complained when Son Gi-Hoon gave up on conquering Jin-Woo, approached with tears in his eyes.
"Hunter-nim, uh... I'm so grateful that... would it be okay if I hugged you just once?" "Hey, that's too much." "He's at it again. Someone stop him." "Then you hug him, hyung!"
*Smack*
"Heugh! Get off, that's creepy!"
Wahahaha—For the first time since entering this A-rank Dungeon, laughter erupted among the strike team members. Jin-Woo watched the hunters with a fond smile. He hadn't helped them for praise, but seeing their sincere gratitude brought an involuntary smile to his face.
"Ah."
Jin-Woo approached the female healer, who was jumping up and down with joy in a corner.
'She's so small, standing in the back, she's hard to see.'
When he held out the notebook he'd received from her, the female healer blushed and received it with both hands, demurely.
"Th-thank you..."
The female healer silently berated her recent self.
*Sigh, I shouldn't have said those things.*
Before going to sleep, she now had one more thing to make her kick the covers in embarrassment. From Mr. Porter's perspective, who could easily punch out a Dungeon boss, how ridiculous must she have looked, handing him a memo as a supposed last will and testament? She cautiously raised her head and was relieved to see he wasn't laughing at her. No, if anything, his voice was somewhat stern.
"Healer-nim." "Yes?"
The female healer lifted her head sharply, like a student being scolded for her attitude.
"From now on, don't put personal belongings in the strike team's supply bag. It increases the volume." "What?"
The female healer was left speechless, her eyes wide open. Jin-Woo grinned. He'd said what he wanted to say. Over there, they seemed to have said what they wanted to say too. So, leaving the stunned female healer behind, he coolly turned around.
"Let's go."
As Jin-Woo took a step, the waiting Surveillance Team Hunters moved with him. Except for one person.
'Ah...'
Cha Hae-In, who hadn't been able to approach Jin-Woo, reached out a hand but stopped.
'I at least wanted to ask for his contact info...'
She just wanted to ask if he could spare a little time. But in the current situation where things hadn't settled down yet, saying that to the person involved would leave too much room for misunderstanding. Just then, a female Hunter approached Cha Hae-In.
"Um... Vice President." "Yes?"
When Cha Hae-In turned, the female Hunter pointed to her fingertips.
"Why are you carrying that pickaxe?"
Cha Hae-In looked at the head of the raised pickaxe, her face gradually turning red. She lowered the pickaxe and asked.
"Do I look weird?"
The female mage tilted her head and replied.
"To whom?"
At that, Cha Hae-In's face flushed red down to her neck.
***
It was just as they exited the Gate. Woo Jin-Cheol checked his watch and asked.
"We're planning to return to the Association... if it's alright, Hunter-nim, would you like to come with us and have a meal with the Association President?" "What time is it now?" "5:15." 'Hmm...'
It was tight, but still enough time to arrive before it was too late. Jin-Woo politely declined Woo Jin-Cheol's offer.
"I have a prior engagement, so I'll take my leave."
***
*Huff, huff.* Yoo Jin-Ho tried to maintain his composure by taking deep breaths, just like he'd seen in a movie.
'The fateful time is approaching.'
His fate would be decided based on Unnie's decision. He felt even more excited and nervous than when he'd negotiated with his father a few days ago to take over the Yoo Guild.
'Let's go back to the beginning, the beginning.'
He hadn't chosen the cafe where they first met by Unnie by coincidence.
'If it weren't for Unnie's help, I couldn't have made it this far.'
Thinking that, he looked around the cafe interior, feeling sentimental. The location was even the same as back then. *Jingle.* The door opened with a bell, and Jin-Woo entered.
"Unnie!"
Spotting Jin-Woo, Yoo Jin-Ho jumped up with a happy face and bowed respectfully.
Jin-Woo replied with a simple nod and sat across from Yoo Jin-Ho. Only then did Yoo Jin-Ho sit down.
"What's going on?"
As Yoo Jin-Ho raised his head, his eyes widened.
"Unnie, your clothes...?" "Oh, this?"
He'd fought High Orcs and rushed straight here, so his clothes were a bit dirty. There was even a little High Orc blood splattered on his shirt. Jin-Woo said it nonchalantly.
"I stopped by a Dungeon and came straight here." 'Heck!'
Yoo Jin-Ho was surprised again. He, who was insignificant compared to Unnie, had been spending his time drinking after getting his Master License. But what about Unnie? Even with such immense power, he was still diligently entering Dungeons to train in his spare time. He felt ashamed of himself.
'As expected of Unnie...'
And at the same time, he found Unnie infinitely admirable. The fact that he walked around without even wiping the blood off his clothes showed he felt no need to hide the signs of his training.
'For Unnie, signs of battle are like medals earned through his own effort.'
Yoo Jin-Ho set his expression. If it was Unnie's decision, he was ready to follow it without question, no matter the direction. So he decided to tell the truth.
"Unnie, actually..."
Yoo Jin-Ho reported everything that had happened with his father the other day to Jin-Woo, without missing a single detail. He even included the fact that thanks to Ko Myung-Hwan's testimony, they now knew who had saved the Baekho Guild Hunters at the Red Gate.
'That guy... doing something unnecessary...'
Still, he couldn't get angry since the man had done it for him. For some reason, Yoo Jin-Ho's face was a bit flushed as he talked about the Red Gate. Anyway. He understood what Yoo Jin-Ho was saying.
"So you need my help to become the Master of the Yoo Guild?"
After finishing his story, Yoo Jin-Ho calmly waited for Jin-Woo's answer. He wasn't being cheeky or trying to sweet-talk him like usual.
'This is Unnie.'
He intended to leave it entirely to Unnie's will. Jin-Woo, who had fallen into a silence as deep as Yoo Jin-Ho's dilemma, lifted his downward gaze.
"Jin-Ho, I..."
*Gulp.* Yoo Jin-Ho swallowed nervously.
***
The Hunter's Guild CEO, Choi Jong-In, also received a call. He dropped what he was doing, entered his private office, and raised his voice.
"What? Sung Jin-Woo has been to our raid yesterday and today?"
A newly appeared S-rank Hunter. He had appeared right in front of their guild, and they hadn't known! It was like kicking away a pumpkin that rolled right to them. He should have been furious.
"He was with the mining team yesterday and carried luggage today?"
...Listening to that, it was understandable that they didn't know.
'Let's set aside for now why he did that...'
Because no matter how much he thought about it, it would just give him a headache and yield no conclusion. That wasn't the important thing right now.
'After Baekho, our Hunters Guild received his help too.'
He owed a debt to Sung Jin-Woo. Before recruiting him, he had wanted to speak with him on equal footing, but now he was in the same position as Baekho.
'But discovering the existence of the 10th S-rank first is still something.'
Right. More important than the fact that he'd received help was that man's ability.
"Hunter Sung Jin-Woo, what kind of type was he?"
Listening to the explanation over the phone, Choi Jong-In's words gradually grew fewer. The person he was speaking with, Son Gi-Hoon, who had led the strike team today, was not the type to lie or exaggerate small matters. Yet the question slipped out instinctively.
"Is that really true?" -Yes. That's what I saw. 'That's all? So there could be even more?'
If that man was that strong...
"Compared to me, how is he?"
It might be a childish question, but there was no better way to gauge someone's strength. After a brief pause, Son Gi-Hoon continued.
-Can you, CEO, clear the upper dungeons of A-rank alone? "...Impossible." -But he did. While stopping Hunter Cha from helping him. 'Cha Hae-In was there?'
He found it a bit puzzling, but whether she was there or not wasn't the big issue right now.
"Is there no possibility that dungeon wasn't an upper A-rank dungeon?" -If it wasn't, we wouldn't have struggled at all. He saved us all. "..."
The man called the 'Final Weapon,' Choi Jong-In. In a way, it was a situation where he was being dismissed, but instead of feeling bad, his heart was pounding.
'Me, Cha Hae-In. And Sung Jin-Woo.'
This was a real opportunity to build a guild famous not just in Korea, or Asia, but potentially the world, depending on Sung Jin-Woo's true ability.
-CEO Choi. I'm not in a position to comment on guild management, but...
Actually, Son Gi-Hoon was not the type to meddle in guild affairs. That made Choi Jong-In all the more curious about what he had to say.
"No, please, say it." -That man... Hunter Sung Jin-Woo, you must bring him to our guild. Perhaps your dream might come true.
*Thump.* Choi Jong-In's heart raced. Trying not to reveal his trembling voice, he spoke with all the effort he could muster.
"I'll do my best."
***
In front of the Korean Association building. A crowd of reporters covering Lee Min-Sung had formed a solid wall in front of the Association building. Lee Min-Sung, called the superstar of not just Korea but Asia, was becoming a Hunter! It was no exaggeration to say all the cameras in the country were pointed this way. There was no space to stand, making the battle between reporters even more intense.
"Hey! We staked out this spot!" "Look around you! Do you see how many people are here? There's no 'your spot' or 'my spot.' Where you're standing is your spot." "Ugh..."
Inside the building, looking through the glass at the reporters spilling all the way to the road, Lee Min-Sung's face was beaming with smiles.
"Something like this was expected."
He felt it was worth the time he'd deliberately taken to build public interest.
"Hey, Min-Sung. We're planning to run the headline like this tomorrow, what do you think?"
A reporter from Korea's top newspaper showed him the draft for tomorrow's front page.
"Isn't that too bland for a headline?" "Really?" "Hmm... How about this? 'Lee Min-Sung, the man who has everything, now attains power beyond human limits.'?" "If you use such strong wording, won't some readers be uncomfortable?" "I'm not saying anything wrong. Besides, who in Korea would dare criticize me? The media and fans are watching with both eyes wide open." "Alright. Then we'll go with that." "I appreciate it."
Lee Min-Sung lifted his head with a good-natured nod and then frowned.
*He'll do it anyway if I tell him, so why talk so much?*
At that moment, two luxury foreign cars arrived at the Association parking lot. *Thud. Thud.* The two men who got out almost simultaneously were Baek Yoon-Ho of the Baekho Guild and Choi Jong-In of the Hunters Guild.
"Huh? Over there!" "It's Baek Yoon-Ho!" "Choi Jong-In is here too!"
The reporters blocking the entrance swarmed around the two men. Baek Yoon-Ho and Choi Jong-In frowned.
'What's with these reporters?' 'Why is it so chaotic today?'
*Click-click-click-click.* The sound of camera flashes popping was deafening. The reporters surrounded the two men and peppered them with questions.
"Are you two also visiting the Association to recruit Lee Min-Sung?" "As representative Hunters of Korea, what do you think about the possibility of Lee Min-Sung retiring from entertainment?" "What do you think Lee Min-Sung's rank will be?" "Please say a word about Lee Min-Sung."
The impatient Baek Yoon-Ho waved his hand dismissively.
"I'm not here because of him. I have nothing to say."
Choi Jong-In calmly stated the facts without emotion.
"It's a fact known to most industry insiders that Lee Min-Sung has signed with the guild he personally created. I am here at the Association on other business today."
As the responses fell short of expectations, the reporters grumbled and turned away.
*Aw, what a letdown.* 'Thought there might be a story here.' 'Too bad.'
Still, they couldn't openly express their dissatisfaction in front of an S-rank Hunter. The reporters repositioned themselves and waited for Lee Min-Sung to appear. After the reporters left, Baek Yoon-Ho and Choi Jong-In locked eyes. Baek Yoon-Ho spoke first.
"I heard the story. It seems the Hunters Guild *also* had a close call yesterday."
He deliberately emphasized the word "also."
"Not as close as Baekho, which lost even an A-rank rookie."
Their verbal sparring was as intense as the battle between the reporters. Baek Yoon-Ho, who had briefly gotten heated, let out a slight sigh and said.
"Anyway, both our guild and the Hunters Guild received his help." "Fortunately so. If he hadn't been there, our elite second-in-command team would have been annihilated."
Even though they both knew everything, not mentioning the name until the end was their final nerve-wracking move. Choi Jong-In took a step closer to Baek Yoon-Ho.
"Therefore, out of obligation, we wish to bring him *to our guild*."
Baek Yoon-Ho didn't back down. He stepped so close to Choi Jong-In that their foreheads were almost touching.
"We even had casualties. For reinforcement purposes, shouldn't we be the ones to take him?" "What kind of reinforcement needs an S-rank Hunter? Are you planning to invade North Korea?" "Since when did you care about obligation, talking about obligation, obligation?"
Sparks flew from their eyes.
'Huh?'
Arriving right on time for the press conference, the Master of the Shin Guild, Lim Tae-Gyu, grinned at the two men locked in a staring contest. What was that thing they called it again? Drinking kimchi soup before the rice is even served? For Lim Tae-Gyu, who was usually robbed of resources by the two major guilds, this was an exciting development. Trying to hide his constantly rising lip corners, he approached the two men.
"Hey, you two CEOs. Don't tell me you're fighting over our Min-Sung?"
At that, Baek Yoon-Ho and Choi Jong-In simultaneously whipped their heads toward Lim Tae-Gyu, almost in unison.
'Who's this idiot?' 'We couldn't care less about Lee Min-Sung or Lee Min-Gun.'
Shrinking back from their terrifying glare, Lim Tae-Gyu flinched and involuntarily took a step back.
'Why are these guys like this?'
***
"What? Choi Jong-In and Baek Yoon-Ho?"
Lee Min-Sung smirked. The CEO next to him, Lim Tae-Gyu, was someone he'd become familiar with while signing the contract. Signing with the Shin Guild, which was said to be past its prime compared to the nation's top two guilds, was also a calculated move.
'This way, an image of siding with the underdog will stick, right?'
Celebrities, frankly speaking, live by selling their image. Lee Min-Sung was meticulous about image management.
'The nation's top guilds fighting over me...'
He didn't plan to be a Hunter for long, but he still felt his shoulders naturally broaden with pride. Soon his manager entered.
"Min-Sung, you're all ready. Let's start with the interview first." "Yes."
The manager led the way. As the glass doors opened and Lee Min-Sung stepped out of the Association building, camera flashes rained down like a storm. *Flash-flash-flash-flash-* Lee Min-Sung flashed his usual practiced, artificial smile at the hundreds of glass eyes surrounding him. Just then, Jin-Woo arrived in front of the Association.
'...?'
True to what he'd heard beforehand, he was visiting the Association three days later.
'Why is it so crowded?'
In this state, he couldn't possibly get inside. Of course, he could use Stealth, leap over the reporters' heads, or even go around to the back entrance—there were plenty of ways to get in. But having scheduled the re-measurement three days in advance, he didn't like the idea of having to avoid the reporters when there was a perfectly fine front door.
'I haven't committed any crime.'
There was no reason he couldn't use the main entrance. Jin-Woo pushed through the tightly packed reporters, forcing a path open, and went inside.
"Excuse me, coming through." "Hey, what's with you?" "Ugh, seriously." "Who's that guy?"
It was the brute strength of an S-rank Hunter. The reporters were shoved aside powerlessly, frowning. In an instant, a path opened, and Jin-Woo stepped onto the stairs leading to the Association entrance. But before he could take even a single step, a burly, muscular man blocked his path.
"Hey!"
It was Lee Min-Sung's manager. He glared and shouted.
"Who are you? Someone from the Association?"
Jin-Woo didn't avoid the manager's gaze and shook his head.
'Huh? Look at this guy?'
The manager's thick eyebrows twitched.
"Can't you see the reporters are swarming here?"
Jin-Woo briefly looked at the reporters. They were all glaring at him with displeased expressions. He understood they were busy with interviews. But they hadn't rented the road. Just as individuals couldn't chase reporters away, reporters couldn't chase individuals away—that was common sense. But with so many eyes on them, he didn't want to raise his voice, so he just tried to ignore them and pass. At that moment.
"Turn around. You can't go this way. Go on, kid."
The manager blocked his path again and pushed against Jin-Woo's chest. Jin-Woo's eyes changed.
'What?'
The manager was startled. As a D-rank combat-type ability user, he had pushed with force expecting to shame the guy a bit, but the opponent stood as if nailed to the ground, not budging an inch. It was a force that could seriously injure an ordinary person. Jin-Woo knew this well.
"..."
So he just stared silently, but that alone was enough to make the manager's face gradually turn pale.
"What's his problem?" "What's going on? Are those two starting something?" *Murmur, murmur.*
The reporters also sensed the unusual atmosphere and grew noisy. The manager broke into a cold sweat. If there hadn't been an audience, he might have backed down at this point and let the guy pass. But right now, leaving the reporters aside, his employer Lee Min-Sung was watching. Approaching with a frown, Lee Min-Sung said quietly.
"Ah, hyung. What is it. Hurry up and get him out of here, then we're done." "Uh... R-right."
If he didn't handle this well, he might lose his job. The manager frowned and raised his voice.
"You can't pass here, so get lost!" "Who says I can't pass here?" 'Huh?'
The voice came from behind, not in front. The manager's head turned back. In front of the glass door. There stood Go Geon-Hee, President of the Korean Hunter's Association. The reporters' eyes widened in shock. They were so surprised they forgot to press their shutters.
"Go Geon-Hee?" "President Go Geon-Hee?"
The atmosphere in the chaotic area instantly quieted down due to the unexpected appearance of this person. Go Geon-Hee walked to the front of the stairs and said.
"He is our guest."
Go Geon-Hee looked at Lee Min-Sung.
"You know who granted you permission to hold this press conference here, don't you, Mr. Lee Min-Sung?"
Lee Min-Sung snapped to his senses.
"O-of course."
Losing the Association President's favor on his first day as a Hunter and having his press conference location taken away... with so many eyes watching, he couldn't allow such a foolish situation. Lee Min-Sung grimaced and signaled the manager with his eyes. The manager bowed to Go Geon-Hee and Jin-Woo in turn and obediently stepped aside.
"Please go in, Hunter Sung Jin-Woo."
After Jin-Woo disappeared into the Association building following Go Geon-Hee's guidance, the reporters couldn't hide their bewilderment. *Murmur, murmur.*
"What?" "Who is that guy, that the Association President personally looks after him?" "Does anyone know who that man was?"
The reporters raised their voices in frustration, but no one answered.
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