Chapter 51: I Know (2)

“Ah, ah! Taejun! I never expected to see you here like this!”

The Hwiryong Guild Leader, his pupils still dilated with shock, burst into exaggerated flattery.

“Do you know who I am?”

“Of course. You’re the Hot Rookie Hunter who shattered every record in the recent B-rank Promotion Examination.”

“Rookie might be a bit of a stretch—I’d say ‘recycled rookie’ is more accurate. But I won’t deny my capabilities.”

I grinned and added, “It’s not easy to excel in a Promotion Examination with rigged difficulty.”

Ko Youngmin’s body jerked as if struck by an electric current.

“T-that’s right. I was surprised too.”

“Oh? What exactly surprised you?”

“Huh?”

“Judging by your reaction, Guild Leader, you must have watched my livestream back then. Were you astonished by how easily I navigated that intricately twisted dungeon, as if it were laid bare before me? Or perhaps you were impressed by how cleanly I dispatched those Corrupted Millennium White Serpents with a single Fireball? Or could it be something else?”

I leaned back comfortably on the sofa and continued, “Could it be that you’re shocked to learn that the Lich you transferred to Bae Hyeon-su vanished without achieving anything?”

”?!”

Ko Youngmin’s already pallid face turned deathly white, like that of a corpse.

“Wh-what on earth are you talking about?” the Hwiryong Guild Leader asked, his voice hoarse with strain.

Instead of answering, I pulled a document from my pocket and tossed it onto the table.

The transaction agreement between Hwiryong Guild Leader Ko Youngmin and Shadow Guild Leader Bae Hyeon-su.

The contract lay on the table, detailing how Ko Youngmin had transferred the “Bone Chamber of the Dead Wraith” to Bae Hyeon-su in exchange for 5 billion won.

Ko Youngmin stared blankly at the document, his thumbprint clearly visible on the signature line.

“How…?”

Again, there was no need to answer the question.

The moment Bae Hyeon-su was hit by the Vampire’s Allure, Technique Nullification had temporarily broken the Sealing Word Spell.

And he had effortlessly revealed the password to the vault where he kept his contract with his accomplice.

A knowing smile spread across his face.

“I was quite surprised myself during the B-rank examination. Who would dare possess an internationally banned S-Class Summoning Item? Getting caught dealing with something like that would land you in the Alliance Headquarters’ special detention facility, as far as I know.”

”…”

Ko Youngmin alternated his gaze between the contract and me.

But before the murderous intent could fully ignite in his rat-like, cowering eyes, I gestured toward the contract with a flick of my chin.

“Oh, and by the way, this contract is just a copy.”

“A copy…?”

“And if this copy is damaged, or if anything happens to me here, the original will be sent to Alliance Headquarters, and another copy will be delivered to the Presidents of Hwarang and Cheongyeon.”

The Hwiryong Guild Leader froze, looking as if he’d lost everything.

He must have already witnessed Matthew and Seo Yeon-hwa utterly demolishing the Shadow Guild’s headquarters the night before.

The fate of Hwiryong, a guild far weaker than Shadow, was as clear as day.

“Fucking shit.”

“Shall I tear up the contract?”

“Ah, no, wait!”

Ko Youngmin hurriedly stopped me as I reached for the contract. Realizing he had no escape, he began rambling incessantly.

“H-Hunter Taejun, please, just this once, have mercy. It’s true I handed the Bone Chamber to Bae Hyeon-su, and it’s also true I unintentionally became complicit in his Examination Manipulation scheme.”

“Hmm.”

“But after being forced into this mess, I’ve been constantly trying to restrain his rampage! When he threatened to send villains after you, Hunter Taejun, I desperately tried to stop him!”

That much was true. Bae Hyeon-su, ensnared by the Vampire’s Allure, had been cursing Ko Youngmin relentlessly, calling him a cowardly little rat.

This was why I hadn’t immediately reported Ko Youngmin to Alliance Headquarters, Matthew, or Seo Yeon-hwa, but had sought him out myself.

I saw him as fundamentally different from Bae Hyeon-su, who recklessly charged ahead for his own and his guild’s benefit without considering the consequences.

Of course, that didn’t mean I intended to forgive him easily.

To be more precise, I had no intention of forgiving him at all.

After all, Ko Youngmin had conspired with those who had tried to take my life.

But he wasn’t an immediate threat, like a bomb about to explode.

I could savor this—chew him up, tear him apart, relish every moment—and then discard the bare bones.

“Please, just this once, have mercy. I beg you. If there’s anything you want, I’ll do everything in my power to fulfill it…”

Ko Youngmin lowered his head, his face a picture of abject humiliation.

With a subtle smile, I asked, “Are you truly willing to grant me anything?”

“Yes, yes! Anything within my power!” the Hwiryong Guild Leader replied, his face brightening as if he’d glimpsed a ray of hope in the darkness.

I nodded and said, “Then I’d like you to admit me into the Hwiryong Guild.”

”…Our guild?”

“Yes.”

Of course, I had my reasons.

After all, I need to belong to a guild eventually.

Independent Hunters face numerous restrictions when applying for dungeon and Gate expeditions, as well as when settling accounts for essence stones. Government policies, influenced by politicians with past ties to established guilds, also heavily favor guild-affiliated Hunters.

Of course, I could join Shinwa, Cheongyeon, or Hwarang right now if I wanted.

Being a Hunter affiliated with one of the Big Three Guilds came with surprisingly burdensome responsibilities. There were mandatory international expeditions to participate in regularly, and I’d be summoned by political figures to attend national events. And of course, there was the relentless scrutiny of the media, who hounded me wherever I went.

On the other hand, Hwiryong Guild, ranked 22nd in the Power Ranking, didn’t command nearly as much prestige. Yet it was a guild that received substantial government support and lacked the hierarchical complexities of the Big Three, where one had to tread carefully around upper management like Che Soohyun, Seo Yeon-hwa, or Matthew.

In other words:

It was a place where I could enjoy all the benefits of guild affiliation while still maintaining the freedom to act as I pleased.

With that in mind, I pulled a document from my pocket and handed it over.

“Of course, I’m not asking to join under the same contract terms as ordinary Guild Members. I’d appreciate it if you could adjust it to something along these lines.”

The Hwiryong Guild Leader snatched the documents and began skimming through them.

“A 10:0 split of essence stone revenue? The Guild covers all taxes and fees? And you want us to prepare all expedition supplies three days in advance? This is highway robbery! …Ah, never mind.”

Ko Youngmin fell silent as I reached for the contract with Sayoung. But as he continued reading, his expression soured further. I was demanding authority far exceeding that of the Guild Leader in every aspect. And at the very end, I made it crystal clear:

”…You’re asking for the Vice Guild Leader position as well?”

“Yes. That way, even with these extraordinary benefits, there won’t be any discontent within the Guild.”

Of course, the position of Vice Guild Leader was purely symbolic. If my demands were met, I would effectively outrank even Guild Leader Ko Youngmin.

Yet Ko Youngmin, clutching the documents in his trembling hands, hesitated to speak. After all, it was theoretically possible.

“Ah, but Hunter Taejun…” he said, his face suddenly lighting up as he desperately racked his brain. “I would gladly accept all your terms and push for your membership. However, there’s one small issue.”

“An issue?”

“Yes. Hwiryong Guild doesn’t impose rank restrictions for membership. Instead, all members must possess at least one unique skill.”

A unique skill.

“This is a rule that’s been in place since the time of our first Guild Leader, so there’s nothing I can do about it. It’s fundamental to Hwiryong’s identity.”

Hwiryong’s identity.

I already understood the implications, but I feigned confusion. “What kind of skill is it?”

The Hwiryong Guild Leader grinned. “Necromancy.”

Necromancy.

A unique skill that can only be acquired immediately after Awakening, and an essential passive ability for controlling the undead.

I knew this well.

The reason the once-renowned Hwiryong Guild, now fallen from grace and lacking even a single S-Rank member, still maintained its reputation was simple:

It only accepted Awakened individuals who possessed Necromancy.

That was a guild rule established by its founding leader.

“I’m sorry, but while I could manage to accept you as a regular guild member, it would be difficult to make you Vice Guild Leader.”

Ko Youngmin said this with a deliberately regretful expression.

“You see, there will undoubtedly be voices within the guild wanting to verify Hunter Taejun’s abilities as a Necromancer. Without actual Necromancy, there’s no way to prove it.”

“That’s not a problem at all.”

“Really? Well, in that case, we could perhaps reduce your benefits and bring you in as a regular guild member instead… Huh?”

The Guild Leader, who had been speaking enthusiastically, suddenly froze.

“What do you mean, ‘it’s not a problem’?”

“Because I have it,” Taejun replied with a shrug.

“Necromancy.”

“You have Necromancy?” The Hwiryong Guild Leader stared at him, dumbfounded, like a dog chasing chickens suddenly finding himself staring at the roof.

“Yes, I do.”

“No, that can’t be. Hunter Taejun was definitely a D-Rank porter just a few months ago… not even a Hunter. Awakened individuals who manifest Necromancy are typically ranked at least C-Rank or higher.”

“I deliberately concealed the fact that I possessed Necromancy,” I replied.

“Concealed it…?”

I nodded solemnly.

Certain unique skills, like Necromancy, are undetectable by the equipment used during license assessments. So, it wasn’t entirely implausible that I’d hidden it.

“As you know, the public perception of Necromancers is still quite negative, isn’t it? Of course, it’s much better than it was in the early days of the Great Change, thanks to Hwiryong’s founding Guild Leader.”

“Ah.”

“That’s why I intentionally kept my ability hidden and never used it.”

In short, I’d been living as a “low-profile powerhouse” for the past seven years.

Of course, it’s a lie.

If I had awakened my Necromancy at the same time as my Awakening, I wouldn’t have spent years toiling as a porter under that corrupt Guild Leader.

After all, despite the public’s negative perception of Necromancers, they certainly know how to secure their own livelihood.

”…Well, it’s not entirely impossible,” the Hwiryong Guild Leader muttered suspiciously.

Then, he cautiously inquired, “In that case, would you be willing to demonstrate just one of your Necromancy-related skills, Hunter Taejun?”

Instead of answering, I leaned forward slightly.

“Hmm, Guild Leader Ko Youngmin…”

“Y-yes?”

“You’re hardly in a position to be making demands of me right now, are you?”

I glanced down at the contract lying on the table.

The color drained from Ko Youngmin’s face once more.

“Ah, no. I didn’t mean it as a demand.”

“Of course, I intend to prove my abilities. But not just to you—I want all the members of the Hwiryung Guild to witness it.”

I could have pressured Ko Youngmin further and simply appointed myself as Vice Guild Leader without any further proof. But that would undoubtedly backfire.

To those unaware of the circumstances, I’d appear as a parachuted appointment, handpicked solely based on my performance in the B-rank Promotion Examination. Not only would the current Vice Guild Leader resent me, but ordinary guild members would also feel a sense of relative deprivation and look down on me.

If I wanted to comfortably freeload without causing trouble, it was better to thoroughly demonstrate my capabilities, ensuring the existing members wouldn’t dare pull any territorial games.

“Oh, um. I understand what you mean,” Ko Youngmin stammered.

“I’d appreciate it if you could expedite the processing of these requests as much as possible.”

“Y-yes, I will.”

“And arrange a venue for me to showcase my skills.”

Ko Youngmin wore a pained expression, but he soon nodded in resignation. “I’ll arrange it swiftly.”