Chapter 61: Guild Admission Duel (1)

“As I’ve already explained, today’s sparring match is a demonstration of Hunter Lee Taejun’s abilities as he seeks to join Hwiryong. If he proves his skill as a Necromancer in this match, he will become a member of our guild. Furthermore…”

Ko Youngmin continued, his expression betraying his inner turmoil.

“…depending on the outcome, he may be appointed Vice Guild Leader of Hwiryong.”

A derisive snort pierced the air.

It came from Jo Yongtae.

I returned it with a knowing smile.

Ko Youngmin shifted his gaze to me and continued.

“The rules are simple: you must subdue your opponent using only Undead Skills. There’s no time limit. Fight to the best of your ability until your opponent surrenders or is incapacitated.”

With these words, the Hwiryong Guild Leader turned and disappeared into a corner of the training ground.

Thud.

Jo Yongtae stepped forward. The shadow of the towering man, well over two meters tall, loomed over me.

With a nonchalant expression, I glanced around and asked, “Are we starting right away?”

“No, it’ll start on its own. But before that, I have a proposition for you.”

Instead of answering, I looked up at him. Yongtae smirked, one corner of his mouth curling upward. “Still not thinking of dropping to your knees and begging for mercy right here and now?”

“Hmph.”

“So, you actually think I’d take you in as a baggage carrier, even if it’s just to handle the dirty work? So what if you did well on a measly B-rank Promotion Examination? Even if it was rigged? You’re getting way too ahead of yourself.”

”…”

“Look, you worm—you baggage carrier trash—you always get too cocky. Then you die miserably in some pathetic dungeon or end up half-crippled, begging the Guild for support.”

Jo Yongtae lowered his head slightly.

“So scram now. Unless you want to spend the rest of your life crawling around half-crippled like the insects I’ve crushed.”

I met Vice Guild Leader Hwiryung’s hostile glare.

And then…

“You know,” I began with a soft sigh, “until just now, I actually felt sorry for you.”

“What?”

“I don’t need to go into detail. Let’s just say your Guild Leader screwed up, and you’re catching the fallout.”

After all, Jo Yongtae was likely uninvolved in the Promotion Examination Manipulation incident. He was merely a sacrificial lamb, caught in the crossfire as Hwiryong used Ko Youngmin as a puppet Guild Leader to bleed the guild dry.

That’s why I felt a flicker of sympathy.

“But now I realize you’re just worthless trash who deserves to go bald from the fallout.”

“What?”

That single statement was enough to reveal the kind of person he was.

He was the kind of man who thoroughly disregarded and trampled on the weak and those beneath him, though it was hard to say how he treated the strong.

“Well, his usual behavior is clear enough from the Guild Members’ reactions right now.”

The eggs overhead simply watched in silence, their mouths sealed shut.

Not a single person showed any sign of supporting Jo Yongtae.

Instead, several Guild Members glared at the Vice Guild Leader with hostile eyes.

“What to do now?”

He spoke with a faint smile playing on his lips.

“It seems it’s too late for a graceful farewell to the Guild Members.”

“You bastard…!”

Jo Yongtae’s face flushed crimson as he stormed up to him, nose practically touching the Vice Guild Leader’s.

But at that very moment…

A voice boomed through the Training Ground, seemingly from a modified announcement system.

Simultaneously, blue light erupted from the northern and southern ends of the Colosseum, outlining two circular zones large enough for a single person to stand in.

Jo Yongtae glanced at the blue circle behind me and snarled, “You’ll never beat me. Not with your Undead Skill, absolutely not.”

“We’ll see about that,” I replied.

“Yes, we’ll see. In a moment, I’ll have you groveling on all fours, begging for mercy.”

With those words, Yongtae turned and stalked back to his designated position. As he retreated, I began walking toward the blue circle at the southern end.

The mechanical voice began its countdown.

I lifted my gaze once more toward the members of the Hwiryung Guild. It wasn’t the pressure of their undivided attention that drew my eye.

I was simply curious about Ko Youngmin’s earlier story.

A security agent, huh?

Someone capable of maintaining control in any situation.

And judging by the unsettling glint in Ko Youngmin’s eyes…

He must be higher-ranking or possess greater power than Ko Youngmin.

Given that he seems to have gathered information about today’s sparring match and positioned himself accordingly, it’s highly likely he’s closely connected to Hwiryong.

Well, I’ll find out soon enough.

By stomping on Jo Yongtae over there…

No, by deliberately crushing the Summoned Beast he dares to unleash.

By blatantly shattering Hwiryong’s established hierarchy like that…

He’ll be forced to reveal himself, even if it’s just out of sheer curiosity.

So, for now, before this crowd of Necromancers…

Time to showcase my partner’s abilities.

That pathetic loser.

In a secluded corner of the Colosseum, far from the Hwiryung Guild members, the Nine Heavens Bone King, his identity concealed beneath a cloak, fixed his gaze on a single point, his lips curling into a crooked smirk.

The Colosseum’s announcement echoed through the arena, signaling the start of the countdown.

“I’d rather Lee Taejun won this.”

“Fuck, I hope that bastard Jo Yongtae gets crushed and kicked out for good.”

“You think that’ll happen? He’s a total asshole, but he’s the Guild Leader’s right-hand man when it comes to necromancy.”

“Are you defending him? He steals all our essence stones and items every time we go on expeditions with him!”

“No, that’s not what I meant…”

The Hwiryung Guild members buzzed with agitated expressions.

The arena, once a training ground now transformed into a dueling field, began to crackle with ominous mana.

“How did you ever convince me to take on such a worthless piece of trash, Kyung Ho?”

Go Geonho’s gaze remained fixed on Ko Youngmin, seated in the VIP section across the arena.

Perhaps it was too soon to entrust Hwiryong to that boy.

The sudden sparring match between Lee Taejun and Jo Yongtae, the hidden motives behind it, and the events of this morning…

Immediately after discovering that the Lich’s Bone Chamber in Hwiryong’s Secret Vault was empty, Go Geonho had stormed into the Guild Hall, ready to beat his nephew like a stray dog.

But as always, the moment he saw that vulnerable face, his resolve crumbled.

The face of his only younger brother, now gone, resurfaced in his mind.

He remembered cradling his brother’s miraculously surviving child amidst the burning wreckage of their car, crushed by a monster attack. At that moment, he had vowed to become the boy’s unwavering guardian and protector.

That was precisely the problem.

Ko Youngmin had never possessed the innate strength of character needed for such a role.

Perhaps due to his bloodline, Go Geonho had awakened as a Necromancer, but his abilities were far from exceptional. He neither indulged in extravagance nor acted arrogantly.

He simply seemed destined for mediocrity.

As a result, Go Geonho was trapped in a cycle of hope followed by disappointment. Yet he couldn’t abandon his past resolve, especially since his time was running out.

Three years prior, despite objections from the Guild Council and those around him, Go Geonho had handed over leadership of Hwiryong to Ko Youngmin. After stepping down as Guild Leader, however, he refused to provide any further support to his nephew. He withdrew far from the public eye, content to observe from a distance.

But now…

How could it end like this?

In just three years, Hwiryong’s Power Ranking had plummeted from 7th to somewhere in the 20s. The morale of the Guild Members had hit rock bottom.

Unable to withstand the pressure of a steadily dwindling budget, Ko Youngmin had made the unthinkable choice, knowing full well his nephew’s timidity and lack of backbone.

Go Geonho was certain that Ko Youngmin hadn’t initially conspired with Bae Hyeon-su to rig the Promotion Examination. More likely, desperate for money, he had sold the Lich’s Bone Chamber without considering the consequences, only to be later blackmailed and entangled by Bae Hyeon-su.

Regardless, if news broke that Ko Youngmin had handed the Bone Chamber over to Bae Hyeon-su, he would be arrested immediately. Hwiryong, already teetering on the brink, would lose its Guild Leader and be branded with the stain of Examination Manipulation, swiftly crumbling into ruin.

That was why the Nine Heavens Bone King…

The man now standing below, bathed in the collective gaze of the crowd…

“Lee Taejun.”

…even felt a flicker of gratitude toward Taejun. Not only had Taejun spared his only nephew, but he had also granted Hwiryong—the guild he had painstakingly nurtured for thirty years—a temporary reprieve.

Of course, I knew.

Taejun wasn’t keeping Ko Youngmin’s secret out of mere whim or goodwill.

He plans to exploit Hwiryong to the fullest.

As a freelance hunter without affiliation, Hwiryong had long been coveted by the country’s leading guilds, including Shinwa and Hwarang, who were salivating at the prospect of snatching up this rising star.

But Taejun hadn’t chosen any of them.

Instead, he had personally selected Hwiryong.

To preempt any discord arising from his parachute entry, Taejun had even arranged a demonstration before the guild members to prove his worth.

So, he’d rather play above the guilds than be swallowed by them, huh?

If Taejun won his duel against Jo Yongtae and secured the position of Vice Guild Leader, he would surpass even Ko Youngmin in rank, establishing himself as the highest authority within Hwiryong.

Taejun planned to leave all the responsibilities of the Guild to Ko Youngmin, while he himself would reap the benefits of membership, thoroughly exploiting Hwiryong in the process.

But…

But even if Taejun thoroughly exploited Hwiryong…

It would still be better than the current situation.

Over the past three years, Hwiryong had been shattered beyond repair. Ko Youngmin, the weak and timid Guild Leader, was no match for Jo Yongtae, a former street thug who bullied not only the weak but even his own Guild members. Hwiryong was now a runaway train hurtling toward destruction.

However, if Taejun ousted Jo Yongtae…

And if this rookie who had captured the world’s attention made a name for himself under the Hwiryong banner…

Then the “Lee Taejun effect” could give Hwiryong a chance to regain its footing.

No matter how much he exploited the Hwiryong Guild for his own gain, it was a symbiotic relationship.

And so, as the proper countdown began and a tense atmosphere filled the air, Go Geonho muttered, glaring at his nephew, who was nervously biting his nails, “Pray for Lee Taejun’s victory. He’s the only benefactor who can save your worthless hide.”

Still… I wonder just how capable Lee Taejun truly is.

During the rigged Promotion Examination—where he emerged unscathed even with a Lich as the final boss—Taejun’s abilities were beyond doubt.

But the crucial point was this:

Today’s duel had to be conducted solely with Undead Skills.

It was unavoidable if Taejun wanted to earn the recognition of the Hwiryong Guild members.

Though Jo Yongtae is arrogant and ill-tempered, he’s a formidable Necromancer.

His mastery of the Undead was among the best in the country. Purely in terms of Necromantic power, Jo Yongtae possessed strength comparable to an S-Rank Hunter.

Go Geonho watched Taejun standing in the arena with a dubious gaze.

If the duel were solely based on Undead Skills, Taejun’s chances of victory were slim. Even the Hwiryong Guild members, despite their personal animosity, seemed certain of Jo Yongtae’s triumph.

Yet Taejun, standing calmly within the blue circle, exuded an almost casual air of confidence.

He seems confident.

Thus, Hwiryong, the Honorary Guild Master and former hero of the Great Change, watched as the duel began.

Shhh…

The moment the duel commenced, a sinister, jet-black aura began to swirl around Taejun. Hwiryong narrowed his eyes slightly.