Chapter 179

South Korea’s largest hunter community.

The “Hunter Bulletin Board” was in complete uproar.

[★BEST★]

[ID: I’mAnA-Rank]

[Likes: 1,325,000]

[Title: The story of my recent interview at ‘Dmir’s Workshop’]

A post on the free bulletin board had become a hot topic, and the flames spread fast.

The post went like this:

I just had an interview at the recently hot Dmir’s Workshop, and I think I failed?

But, fuck. It was a bit much.

As you guys who frequent the board know, I’m a purple-badge guy (A-Rank nameplate color).

And being a purple-badge guy means I’m in a position to be scouted by any guild. You all know that, right?

Of course, I applied because Dmir’s Workshop had a lot of attractive conditions, like recent weapon support and the best treatment in the industry.

But still, fuck lol.

Every single person coming out of the interview room had a golden nameplate.

Fuck, they’re S-Rank hunters.

Seriously, it seemed like B-Ranks didn’t even pass the document screening. I didn’t see a single one.

Even those golden-nameplate guys had grim expressions.

From that moment, I suddenly got super scared.

When I entered the interview room, a rather pretty woman asked me this and that.

I was so tense I couldn’t even answer properly before I left.

Ha, fuck.

I never imagined an interview for a workshop, not even a guild, would be this intense.

An A-Rank hunter’s lament, rattled by a scene he’d never seen at other guild interviews.

As expected, the comments were a sea of fire.

▶ lol It might be a workshop, but it’s not just any workshop. It’s a workshop whose President is a high ranker.

▶ lolol Still, that’s crazy. Isn’t being an S-Rank a free pass to any guild?

▶ I’m an A-Rank and I got rejected at the document screening. Just passing screening means you’re insanely competitive…….

▶ The treatment is definitely insane. From what I know, it’s probably 10 times the industry average?

▶ Yeah, I heard they’re only picking a small, elite group and raising the compensation instead.

Some were genuinely shocked, while others said it was only natural.

▶ But OP deserved to fail. Calling the interviewer “a rather pretty woman” lmao. The guy applying didn’t even research the workshop? That’s the Vice President, Kim Jina.

▶ lolol for real.

▶ He deserved to fail. Doesn’t even know the name of an executive.

▶ It’s probably because he’s an A-Rank. Honestly, if you’re an A-Rank, you don’t need to do that kind of research wherever you go.

▶ Still, if you want to get into a highly competitive place, you should have the basics down lol

▶ But is the interview still going on?

▶ Yeah, I heard it’s pretty much all day today.

Then there were those who mocked the original poster.

All kinds of hunters took the bait, and it ballooned into a major topic.

It wasn’t just this community that was buzzing.

[Dmir’s Workshop, Interviews Still Sailing Smoothly.]

[Majority of Applicants are S-Ranks? Rumors of Rankers Applying Circulate.]

[Why Is the Workshop Recruiting Hunters? Are They Planning to Establish a Formal Guild?]

[A Refresher on Dmir’s Vice President, Kim Jina.]

Reporters, too—hungry for clicks—pumped out all kinds of spin-off articles.

“Hooooo.”

And so.

In the second-floor VIP room of Dmir’s Workshop.

Kim Jina sat with her hands clasped on the table and let out a deep sigh.

A thick stack of applications was piled beside her.

“There are so many.”

Amazingly, every last one of them was from an A-Rank or S-Rank hunter.

And beyond high-rank hunters, there was also no shortage of capable people suited to supporting the workshop’s overall operations.

These were the people who would commute to the future city within Peach Blossom Land and shoulder an enormous workload.

“Hehe.”

Kim Jina laughed, excitement lighting her face.

She could feel it—building something up, piece by piece, with her own hands.

Creak!

Then came the clatter of bones outside.

It was one of Eldrin’s minions, currently serving as an assistant.

Which meant the next interviewee was approaching.

“Ahem, ahem.”

Just as she picked up the prepared list of questions and cleared her throat—

Murmur, murmur!

The murmuring of the waiting applicants drifted in from outside.

‘What is it?’

Tilting her head toward the entrance, Kim Jina stared.

And then, three figures entered at the same time.

“Hoh, so this is the interview site?”

A German woman with snow-white skin looked around with interest.

“Wow, this guy! He decorated it pretty nicely, didn’t he?!”

Behind her stood a middle-aged German man holding a mysterious sword, and a Brazilian youth dressed like an explorer.

“Ahem. You must be the Vice President, Kim Jina. A pleasure to meet you. I am Maximilian of Germany. I hold the rather flashy title of Absolute Unrivaled, embarrassingly enough.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Capu. I applied because I heard this was Hoon’s guild.”

‘Huh?’

‘Huh?’

Kim Jina, who had been staring blankly, sprang up from her seat.

“My goodness, all three of you came in person? I told you that you could take your time!”

A moment ago, she’d been the one in command even against S-Rank hunters.

Now she was instantly reduced to a subordinate.

That was what a Ranker was.

A being whose mere presence added to a nation’s power and a guild’s strength.

Their value couldn’t be measured in money.

“Hm? What do you mean? I applied, so of course I should come.”

Crackle!

Thunderstrike Floa sparked electricity from her fist.

‘Good heavens.’

Gulp.

Kim Jina swallowed hard.

To think she’d see Germany’s hero, rank 80, in person.

And to think someone like that would even consider joining them.

However, the shock ended there.

She was the Vice President of the workshop established by Joo Donghoon, rank 78.

And she was currently acting in his absence.

‘I have to do what I have to do.’

Setting her jaw, Kim Jina put on a gentle smile.

“First of all, thank you, all three of you, for coming all this way. Please, have a seat.”

—

She couldn’t accept them blindly just because they were Rankers.

They might not be here out of goodwill, but because they had their own agenda.

So Kim Jina asked each of them why they applied.

However—

“Umm, I respect Hoon. I was able to become a Ranker thanks to Hoon, and I feel I can grow even more by his side. That’s why I applied. Also, I developed a new skill recently. Hmm, I’d like to explain that to Hoon directly.”

Rank 908, Guide Capu.

He was simply a fan of the President.

“My reasons are the same as Capu’s over there. He’s reckless but has romance, and he’s cold but has loyalty. I don’t care what kind of treatment I get. Rather, I hope I can be of some help. So… I just like this guild. No, should I say workshop? I like this place.”

Rank 905, Absolute Unrivaled Maximilian was the same.

‘What is this?’

Kim Jina wore a stunned expression.

Normally, Rankers would hold their heads high and start negotiating their treatment right away.

But these people were different.

It felt like they were here simply because they liked the President.

The real spectacle was Floa.

“Me?”

When asked her motive, she pointed at herself with an innocent expression.

“Because Joo Donghoon, that bastard, is my master.”

“Ex…cuse me?”

For a moment, Kim Jina thought she’d misheard.

‘What? Master?’

The master she knew?

‘No, President… just what in the world?’

What had he been doing while he was gone?

As Kim Jina gaped, flustered, Floa grinned.

“It’s just that I’m the type who keeps her promises.”

“A promise?”

“Yes. Master is a more incredible person than you might think. Maybe more than you even realize. From now on, I intend to serve that master. If I’m going to ride his coattails, isn’t it better to get on early and become a founding contributor or something?”

‘Good grief.’

She couldn’t make sense of a single word.

Was there something only Rankers could recognize?

Even for her, someone with fairly good judgment, this was absurdly hard to read.

‘In any case.’

These Rankers were already beyond her authority.

The President would see them later and judge for himself.

“Hoo.”

Letting out a faint sigh, Kim Jina looked at the three of them.

“As you’d expect, the three of you have passed. We’ll provide treatment that won’t leave you disappointed. Umm, when can you start?”

“Work? Before that—he’s in Russia right now, isn’t he?”

“Ah, the President?”

One moment it was ‘master.’

The next it was ‘that bastard.’

Kim Jina’s head was spinning.

“Yeah. Master Bastard.”

“…Yes. Well. It was in the news.”

“Then can the three of us head over there first?”

Crackle!

Floa asked, electricity snapping off her.

“I have a feeling he’s about to clash with Gotham, so we should provide some support fire.”

Gotham.

She was spouting more nonsense.

‘It doesn’t matter anyway.’

Right now, there was nothing for those Rankers to do even if they started working.

It might actually be better for them to be with the President, like the Shadow Empress.

“Alright.”

Kim Jina nodded readily.

“Please do so, Rankers.”

It was the moment the three Rankers joined.

—

At that same time.

Inside the Russian Dungeon.

“Ugh.”

Bong Jaeyoung wiped cold sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.

From behind him, someone asked,

“Is there still no solution? It’s already been three days since we started wandering like this.”

It was one of the survivor Rankers.

Rank 914, Sharkskin Thomas.

“Just wait. Can’t you see I’m looking for it right now?”

Bong Jaeyoung snapped, frowning.

KABOOM! KABOOOM!

“Uwaaah!”

“Gaaah!”

The screams of the survivors who had followed him.

‘Dammit.’

The Dungeon was more difficult than he’d thought.

They kept getting lost in the unfamiliar terrain.

And a constant stream of unknown attacks poured out from within the jade-colored mist.

“You cowardly, wicked bastards! Stop using dirty tricks and come out! Come out and fight like men!”

Unable to hold it in any longer, Bong Jaeyoung finally exploded.

Even if they were lower-tier Rankers in the 800s and 900s, there were five of them.

Including himself, six.

How could they be getting beaten so helplessly?

“Co-come to think of it… the opponent could be Gotham. Why, why didn’t I think of that?”

“Gotham?”

“If it’s Gotham… don’t they have a few high rankers?”

“Not the absolute top-tier high rankers, but they’ve got a dense lineup of high rankers. That’s what makes them scary.”

“Fuck, what was I possessed by? Why the hell did I come here…!”

The group’s morale collapsed.

And with the name “Gotham” spreading through the survivors, it only dropped faster.

“I’m scared.”

“Dammit, I want to get out. Can’t we just run for it now?”

But the terrain here was strange.

All sides were swallowed in green clouds.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

Boom! Boooom!

Even now, unknown attacks kept pouring out from between them.

Because of that, over 20% were already dead.

Grind.

Bong Jaeyoung bit his lip without realizing it.

Fear had sunk its claws into his heart as well.

‘Fuck, what the hell is Gotham?’

He knew it was the name of some mafia-like group.

But why would they be inside this Dungeon?

There had been no mention of that when he came here.

‘Don’t tell me.’

Did that guy know everything?

The image of Joo Donghoon trying to stop the survivors surfaced in Bong Jaeyoung’s mind.

‘That arrogant bastard.’

Why was it?

Even though he knew he was wrong—

Even though he’d failed—

He didn’t want to admit it.

Shwoooong! Boom!

Another attack shot out of the darkness.

“Kuh, keoheok!”

A hunter clutched his stomach and collapsed.

Blood splattered across the ground.

“…”

Now, he had to decide.

If this kept up, the outcome was obvious.

‘Annihilation.’

And his own miserable death.

‘I don’t want that.’

How had he climbed to rank 101?

He didn’t want to die in some crappy foreign Dungeon.

‘If I want to live…’

He felt sorry for the hunters who had followed him, but there was only one way.

Wooooong!

Bong Jaeyoung drew out every last drop of strength, shrouding his body in energy.

Then—

“Fuuuuuck!”

He began sprinting blindly toward the green mist that filled every direction.

Not toward the center.

Outward.

‘I’ll break through no matter what.’

That’s right.

In the end, Bong Jaeyoung planned to escape the Dungeon alone.