Chapter 273
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Current re-published chapters (270 - 305)
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“Good day, sir!”
“Good day, sir!”
I feel like a mob boss with all these rookie guild members bowing at a perfect ninety degrees and greeting me as I walk by.
They’re fresh out of the training camp, so I guess I’m their senior by a long shot in terms of experience.
‘This field really does emphasize seniority.’
The problem is that some of these rookies are older than me—late-bloomers who became hunters later in life.
“It’s an honor to meet you, sir!”
One rookie, who looked well into his mid-thirties, bowed with bright, eager eyes.
Seeing the shine on his bald head, more dazzling than his eyes, made me feel a bit sympathetic.
“Yes, keep up the good work…”
“Thank you, sir!”
“Thank you, sir!”
Is this an echo chamber?
And by the way, I wasn’t talking to you guys, you overzealous bunch.
As I clicked my tongue inwardly and scanned the rookies, my eyes landed on one young man.
‘That one might have potential.’
He stood out among the other newcomers.
His presence was strong, and every movement he made was disciplined, like a martial artist.
The young man, sensing my gaze, grinned and greeted me.
“Good day, sir.”
He’s different. He wasn’t nervous or overly deferential like the others.
In my experience, guys like him fall into one of two categories.
Either they have nothing to back up their pride, or they’re genuinely confident in their abilities.
This guy is clearly the latter.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“My name is Kim Jin-soo. I was the top graduate of the B-rank course at the training camp. I was also the first to destroy the golem’s core during the recent raid.”
“Really?”
“Yes. It was my first time in an A-rank gate, but it wasn’t as challenging as I thought.”
Interesting guy.
He’s not shy about singing his own praises, yet it doesn’t come off as arrogant. The type who knows how to secure his place wherever he goes.
As I stared at him, Kim Jin-soo smiled cheekily.
“And feel free to speak casually, sir.”
“It’s our first meeting. I’ll speak casually once we’re more familiar. It goes for everyone—let’s skip the formal greetings like today.”
“Yes, sir!”
“We’ll remember that, sir!”
They’re not listening at all.
The loud, echoing voices caused the office door at the end of the hall to slide open.
Wearing a crisp white shirt and well-pressed black slacks, there’s only one hunter in our guild who dresses like that.
“Quite lively this morning,” he remarked.
“It’s almost too lively.”
Holding a coffee cup like he was in a commercial, Team Leader Choi gestured toward the office.
“Why don’t we calm down with a cup of coffee? Come on in.”
The office was spacious and comfortable. It was decorated to match Team Leader Choi’s tastes, with luxury furniture everywhere, and a silver nameplate sat on his desk.
[Team Leader Choi Min-woo]
‘Even the nameplate looks expensive.’
Given the cost of relocating the guild house and recruiting new members, the rumor about extracting an astronomical settlement from Star Guild during Won Myung-hoon’s tenure as guild leader must be true.
As I admired the nameplate, a cup of black coffee was suddenly handed to me.
Seeing where my gaze had wandered, Team Leader Choi asked, “Want me to get you a nameplate?”
“No, thanks. I don’t even have a title.”
“You could have one if you want. Chief team leader, director, you name it.”
“Anything?”
“Anything.”
“Then, how about something simple like Guild Leader?”
“Just kidding. The guild would go under if I took that role.”
Besides, even if I did take it, I’d just be a figurehead.
I took the coffee and sat on the sofa. The glass table was piled with over twenty newspapers.
From major domestic dailies to international papers filled with indecipherable characters, just looking at them made my eyes spin.
“Do you really read all of these?”
“I try to stay updated on global trends and industry information. It’s no big deal. You only need to know about five languages.”
Five languages? That’s a pretty big deal. This guy… what kind of life has he lived?
Shaking my head, I glanced at one of the newspapers lying open.
A headline in bold font caught my eye, accompanied by a clear color photo of a man who appeared to be in his thirties.
– The Late Hunter Jung Hyun-woo (photo attached) – Another Accident: The Deadly A-rank Gate Strikes Again – Myeongdong Guild Expresses Regret Over the Unexpected Death…
Another incident, it seems.
‘Myeongdong Guild… That’s Ji-hoon’s guild.’
I was about to take a closer look when Team Leader Choi, gracefully sipping his coffee, spoke up.
“Peace Guild is going to continue growing. We’ve already recruited twenty B-rank hunters and thirty C-rank and below. At this rate, we’re seeing unprecedented growth in the stagnant domestic market.”
Just as he said, Peace Guild’s growth rate was staggering.
It’s only been about four months since the guild was established, but at this pace, it wouldn’t be wrong to call it a mid-tier guild.
‘Although compared to mid-tier guilds, we still lack in numbers. But that’s not because we can’t recruit more—it’s because we haven’t chosen to yet.’
The guild’s website crashed due to excessive traffic. They say they receive hundreds of applications daily.
“And I’ve played a big part in that. The main contributor, you could say.”
“It’s true.”
Team Leader Choi continued smoothly.
“It is true, but I won’t be giving out any bonuses.”
“…You’re sharp.”
I had hoped for a different response, but I wasn’t surprised when he didn’t bite.
Team Leader Choi smiled, seeing me lick my lips in disappointment.
“But if you do me a favor, I might consider it.”
“What favor?”
“I’d like you to take charge of the new recruits for a while.”
“…The recruits?”
“Yes. We’ve handpicked them, and they’re talented, but still a bit rough around the edges.”
“Of course, they are. They’re newbies.”
No matter how much training they’ve had, the atmosphere in real combat is entirely different.
There’s a reason people say a hunter with ten years of experience is better than a fresh graduate.
“But why me? There are other people here who can do that.”
“I’ve already spoken to Butler Kim and Song-yi this morning. We’ll take turns teaching them.”
“What did they say?”
“They agreed. Without a moment’s hesitation, quite enthusiastically.”
“…What about Jeok-jung?”
“I haven’t told him yet. It’s way past his usual arrival time, and he’s not answering his phone.”
Glancing at the time, Team Leader Choi spoke again.
“It would be good for you. The new recruits are eager to be guided by you, Jin Taekyung. Most of them applied to our guild because of you.”
“I appreciate the flattery, but…”
I scratched the back of my head.
In Murim, Amcheon was starting to show its true colors, and Jeok Cheon-Gang was still unconscious.
Even if I spent 30 days in the modern world, only three hours would pass in Murim. I had time, but considering the A-rank gates we could be tackling, teaching newbies didn’t seem like the most worthwhile choice.
If anything, I’d rather spend that time with my family.
“Please count me out. Wouldn’t it be more efficient for the guild if I cleared another A-rank gate instead of teaching those rookies?”
“Efficient…?”
“Yes, efficient.”
“In that case, I have no choice.”
A sinister smile formed on Team Leader Choi’s lips.
“Please take good care of our new recruits.”
“What?”
“The A-rank gates are all fully booked. At least for the next week, there’s no chance of getting in.”
“Don’t lie! You scammer!”
“If you don’t believe me, see for yourself.”
I snatched the paper he handed me. It was filled with the current reservations for A-rank gates across the country.
Damn it, it’s true.
“I’ll give you a 200% bonus this month. You’ll get to run raids and mentor the newbies. How heartwarming.”
“Or you could just stay home and do nothing.”
His smile was infuriatingly smug.
I was about to shout, ‘No way!’ when a system alert rang out.
*Ding.*
– Quest:
[It Was Too Much Money to Say ‘No!’]
– Would you like to accept the quest?
Y / N
“What will you do?”
“Assuming you agree, I’ll start preparing the newbies. I’ve booked a few B-rank gates.”
*Ding.*
– You have implicitly agreed.
– You have accepted the quest!
Damn it.
* * *
Grrr…
The monsters’ heavy breathing closed in from all sides. Twenty pairs of nervous eyes scanned the surroundings.
Their breaths came in quick, shallow gasps, and their hands gripping their shields and weapons turned white.
I sat perched on a high branch, watching the scene unfold.
I had no expression on my face, but my mind was filled with serious contemplation.
‘What should I have for dinner?’
Should I go for ribs, or maybe duck stew for a change?
It’s too much of a waste to pass on either…
“Hold the line!”
“What are the dealers doing?!”
Amidst the shrieking, I glanced down to find chaos.
About a dozen lycanthropes were slamming into the shield wall.
The pale-faced tanks were being pushed back in a wave.
‘They’re trying to match the monsters with brute force, so of course, they’re losing ground.’
But it’s not just the tanks’ fault. The dealers are too panicked to fulfill their roles.
If they’d kept up the pressure, this situation wouldn’t have happened.
I’d warned them several times before the raid, but as expected, nothing’s changed.
‘They’re going to break soon.’
No sooner had the thought crossed my mind than the shield wall collapsed with a scream.
A gap opened instantly. A particularly agile lycanthrope charged through, letting out a chilling howl.
Its predatory yellow eyes locked onto the healers who had been hiding behind the shield wall.
– Grrrr!
– Awooooo!
To me, it sounded like nothing more than a dog barking, but to the rookie hunters in only their second raid, it was terrifying.
“Aaaah!”
“Eeeek!”
The shrieks of the mages and healers echoed through the shadowy forest.
It’s already noisy enough, and with their screams, at least twenty more lycanthropes would be drawn here.
I made a mental note of the two who screamed.
From now on, their nickname would be the Pied Pipers.
“Senior! Jin Taekyung, sir!”
“Please help us, sir!”
Desperate voices called up to me from below.
The frontline had already collapsed, and the only thing behind them was a massive boulder.
The lycanthropes, sensing victory, closed in.
‘How do these monsters maintain better formation than the rookies?’
I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and replied.
“I told you, if I help, you won’t improve.”
“We don’t care about improving!”
“But I do. You know, if you get used to relying on help, you’ll end up making a mess during raids.”
“But I don’t want to die!”
“Well… no one wants to die.”
“Please, just save us!”
“Don’t give up, and keep fighting. You can do it!”
“Please, save us!”
“But seriously, should I go for ribs or duck stew tonight?”
“You bastard!”
It was the balding rookie I’d met this morning.
The admiration that once sparkled in his eyes was gone, replaced by pure rage.
“Get down here, you brat!”
Thud!
A tank came flying out of nowhere, crashing into the balding rookie and sending him sprawling.
The tide had already turned in favor of the monsters. I was debating whether to step in when…
*Slash!*
– Grrrrr…
With a flash, one lycanthrope let out a groan. Blood gushed from its gaping neck before it collapsed with a thud.
It was a precise and powerful strike, delivered by the young man at the front.
“Formation three!”
The loud command snapped the others out of their panic.
Soon, the twenty hunters regrouped and began to advance slowly.
At the forefront was the young man, Kim Jin-soo.
“Push harder! Archers, prepare your skills!”
This guy’s got potential.
I grinned and jumped down from the tree. Then, I turned my attention to the dozens of lycanthropes that had been drawn by the sounds of battle and swung my spear.
*Shing!*
“You did well.”
“Thank you, sir!”
Kim Jin-soo grinned and bowed his head. Behind him, three people had their faces buried in the dirt.
Two of them were the Pied Pipers, and the last one was the balding rookie. [1]
I made the balding rookie do a special exercise—I had him lie flat on the ground.
He needs to protect whatever hair he has left…
“Keep doing what you’re doing. You’re improving fast.”
“Yes, sir. I won’t disappoint you.”
“Now go rest. There’s another raid in two hours.”
Team Leader Choi really went all out, scheduling three raids in one day.
Just as I was grinding my teeth, my phone vibrated in my pocket.
[Myeongdong Connoisseur]
What is this, telepathy?
Feeling uneasy, I answered the call, and Team Leader Choi’s urgent voice immediately hit my ears.
“Taekyung, get to Ilsan Hospital right now!”
Hospital?
***
Footnotes:
[1]**Pied Pipers**: Nickname given to rookies who tend to attract trouble (or monsters) with their actions.
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