“Damn it. Another bust today.”
The bearded man, moving his old mouse around, clicked his tongue in distaste.
“Agh! If everyone only wants to eat the beef, who's going to clean up the cow dung?!”
The bearded man shouted gruffly and picked up a can of beer.
Gulp, gulp.
The messy office, his disheveled clothes, and even the beer foam trickling down the side of his mouth. It was a scene that perfectly fit the description of a ‘trinity of filth’. The bearded man was the Clan Leader of the Cleanup Clan.
The only Hunter registered to the Clan was Iron Arm. In other words, he was a one-man Clan Leader. The official Hunter groups sanctioned by the government are ‘Guilds’.
However, Hunters do not necessarily join only official groups. A small number of Hunters join ‘Clans’ to conduct their activities. Unlike ‘Guilds’, which have strict qualification requirements, there are no special conditions for forming a ‘Clan’.
There is also the advantage of being able to join and leave freely. However, ‘Clans’ had one major drawback: they could not receive help from the Hunter Association. This meant that when a member Hunter was in danger, unlike in a regular Guild, they couldn't receive support from other Guilds or public authorities.
Furthermore, they did not receive government subsidies for clearing dungeons. Free but unprotected, ‘Clans’ were, simply put, a gathering of free spirits. As its name suggested, the Cleanup Clan was more of a service group (?) than a group of Hunters.
They were people whose main purpose was to enter dungeons and dangerous areas that others avoided, searching for rare materials rather than typical rewards. Clans of this kind could be found in every city, and people called them ‘cleaners’. Their main area of operation was mostly 2-star (★★) or lower Poison-type dungeons.
With luck, one could obtain high-quality materials not available in normal dungeons, but the majority of Hunters never preferred this ‘cleaner’ role. Far from being preferred, it was often avoided, called the most undesirable job in the Hunter world.
“Tsk… I went through all the trouble of getting a permit for a Poison-type dungeon…”
Entering a 2-star (★★) Poison-type dungeon alone was too much in many ways. Disappointed, Iron Arm called a colleague he used to work with.
[Yeong-ho. Hahaha. How've you been?]
[Oh. Brother Iron Arm. It's been a while.]
[You punk. Why are you so hard to reach? You busy these days?]
[I was in a dungeon until just now. The mercenary scene is booming these days.]
[I-Is that so?]
[What have you been up to, brother?]
[Me? Nothing new. Still in Yongin. That's why I was calling…]
Before Iron Arm could finish, a sigh-filled voice came through.
[What is it? Are you still running that ‘cleaner’ clan that doesn't make any money? Brother Iron Arm. Let’s start working clean and stylishly. Guilds are desperate to recruit Hunters these days, so why do you insist on roaming through dangerous and dirty dungeons?]
[...]
Iron Arm had to press the end call button after hearing nothing but scolding.
“That punk. Getting all arrogant just because he's made some money recently.”
Iron Arm grumbled and tossed his phone onto the old sofa. The member had been with him since the founding of the Cleanup Clan, but it seemed he had completely changed his line of work. This wasn't just Yeong-ho's case.
With the frequency of Gates and dungeons increasing in recent years, there were no Hunters willing to take on the role of ‘cleaners’.
‘Clans’ had a structure that allowed for free entry and exit, and the Cleanup Clan, which once had dozens of members, had now become a one-man business run by Iron Arm alone.
“Damn it. Just you wait and regret it when you see the Gold Eternal Flower I find!”
Iron Arm emptied the remaining beer in one gulp and tossed the empty can into the trash. Clang, clang, clang…
Miss.
Iron Arm let out a stream of harsh curses. Nothing was going right. As Iron Arm bent over to pick up the beer can, he suddenly shrugged his shoulders and let out a laugh.
Had he finally gone mad from the continuous financial difficulties…! No. He was just an overly optimistic person.
“They say that after hardship comes good fortune. Since I can't even get this one beer can to go where I want, something incredibly good must be about to happen. Kuhaha.”
His optimistic thinking was overheating to the point of smoking.
Knock, knock.
“Huh?!”
Was this what they meant when they said words have power? A guest had arrived at the Cleanup Clan, which hadn't received so much as a single phone call, let alone a visitor. Quickly wetting both hands with saliva, Iron Arm smoothed down his sideburns.
He shouted loudly towards the door.
“Yes! Please, come in!”
After seeing the inside of the Cleanup Clan's office, I was sure.
‘I came to the right place.’
The scene inside the office was far worse than I had expected (?). The floor was so dusty that clumps of it were rolling around on their own, and the furniture and fixtures were all old and worn. There were three or four desks, but apart from the ‘Clan Leader’s’ seat, there was no sign of human presence.
At this point, a Poison-type dungeon would feel more refreshing. If it weren't for the Clan Leader staring at me with wide eyes, I would have believed it was a haunted office.
“Hu-Hu-Hu-Hunter Cheon Hae-seon??”
“You know me?”
“Of course I do!”
Iron Arm was so excited that a thick droplet of saliva flew from his mouth. I almost got covered in an impurity I hadn't even encountered in a dungeon. Unaware that my eyes had narrowed slightly, Iron Arm was still in a state of utter shock.
“Hunter Cheon Hae-seon!! There hasn't been a single day I haven't seen your face!! Articles about you are all over every news site!!”
“Ah, yes…”
“The S-rank rookie who appeared after ten years! The genius healer following in the footsteps of Saint Maria! And the mysterious Hunter shrouded in a veil!”
“Mysterious?”
“Yes! You've never even had a simple interview with a reporter, nor have you negotiated with any Guild. This is the very pinnacle of being mysterious!”
Hmm.
Well, he can think whatever he wants. Iron Arm was looking at me with the face of a devout believer. It was a gaze too burdensome to meet head-on.
I looked around the office again.
‘I can't even bring myself to say the office is nice as an empty compliment.’
A bitter smile formed on its own. But a shabby clan like this is a perfect fit for me.
“By the way… what brings you here?”
Once the joy of meeting an S-rank Hunter subsided, a look of bewilderment appeared on Iron Arm's face.
“Why else would a Hunter come to a clan office? I came to join.”
“I see. To join a clan.”
Iron Arm, who had been nodding absentmindedly, suddenly leaped up from his spot.
“J-Join?! Our clan?!?!?!”
Not long after visiting the Cleanup Clan, I was able to figure out a few things about Iron Arm. Just as I'd heard on the forums, his emotions were plain to see, making him an easy person to read. He was the type to make one wonder, ‘Is it okay for a person like this to be a leader?’
“Please, have a seat!”
He guided me to the sofa, then walked over to a coffee vending machine in the corner of the office.
Click.
How long has it been since that machine was cleaned? It might be more dangerous than a well in a Poison-type dungeon.
“Here, have a cup. Maybe because the machine is old, it brings out a deep flavor. Hahaha.”
“Thank you. I'm fine.”
“Yes…?”
After giving such a vague answer, I got to the point.
“As I said a moment ago, I would like to join the Cleanup Clan. Are there any qualification screenings to join the clan?”
“No! Absolutely not!”
Well, of course. If there were an entry screening in the first place, it wouldn't be a clan anymore. Besides, this was an S-ranker.
Even regular Guilds were trying to recruit me; there was no way a mere clan would turn me away.
“But… as you know, Hunter…”
Iron Arm carefully began to introduce the Cleanup Clan.
“We play the role of what's called ‘cleaners’. It doesn't matter for run-of-the-mill Hunters, but I'm not sure if there would be a reward satisfying enough for someone as esteemed as you, Hunter Cheon Hae-seon.”
“Hmm… Contrary to what you might think, Clan Leader, there is a very meaningful reward for me.”
“Yes?”
“From what I understand, when a Clan clears a dungeon, your name isn't recorded. Is that right?”
When a dungeon is cleared, a record is normally left. Not just the Guild's name, but the names of each participating Hunter. But Clans are different.
Since they don't receive clear rewards from the Association in the first place, only the clan's name is simply recorded. Anonymity, the greatest reward for me.
“Ye-Yes. That's right. We always operate as the Cleanup Clan when we go to and from dungeons. Though we don't have much experience clearing them…”
Iron Arm scratched his head, looking embarrassed. Since the clan's main purpose was resource gathering or dungeon cleanup, catching a boss Monster would have been a difficult task.
“That's great. Give me the application form.”
“!!”
Iron Arm wore an expression as if he couldn't tell if he was dreaming or awake. Of course, it was an organization one could leave at any time, but where else would he get the chance to work with an S-rank Hunter? Perhaps because the shock was so great, Iron Arm's movements were sluggish.
“You'd better give it to me before I change my mind.”
“Ah! I'm sorry. Please wait a moment!”
Iron Arm rushed over to the old metal desk. But as is often the case with old desks, the stuck drawer wouldn't open easily.
Creak, creak.
“Grr… Why won't this thing open…!”
Thick veins bulged on Iron Arm's hands and forehead. Nothing in this clan works properly. On the other hand, this messy environment and the clumsy Clan Leader feel somewhat familiar.
Things aren't fun if they're too perfect. While the flustered Iron Arm struggled with the desk, I spotted an official document sent from the Association.
“Oho…”
[Restricted Dungeon Entry Permit: Suwon Ingye District Poison-type Dungeon / Difficulty 2-star (★★) / Authorized Group: Cleanup Clan]
Swish. Swish.
It's been a month since I started learning martial arts from Oh Ji-ho. In that time, I learned two new things. The first was that the name of the martial art, ‘Phantom Strike’, was the same as Oh Ji-ho's alias.
In the black market here, Oh Ji-ho was regarded as a symbol of martial arts.
Whoosh.
“Fuck!”
“Please refrain from swearing.”
Oh Ji-ho spoke politely, but it was hard for me to hold back. How could I not get pissed when every attack I thought had landed missed completely? And to make matters worse, the blade I swung was flying back towards my own face.
It was truly maddening.
Swish. Phantom Strike.
The 'Hwan' before 'Gyeok' (Strike) was not the 'Hwan' meaning 'to return,' but the 'Hwan' meaning 'to appear as an illusion.' I had simply thought it was Hwangyeok because my attacks came back to me, but it turned out to be a different kind of Hwangyeok.
One might say that a play on words isn't that important, but this held a very significant meaning. It was because the highest-level skill of psychic power, ‘Illusion Technique’, used the same ‘Hwan’. The psychic power Oh Ji-ho added during combat was a far more difficult skill than I had anticipated.
The Oh Ji-ho I see before me is not his real body. It might be a small space, but he was casting an Illusion Technique within his illusory domain. That must be why the attacks that seemed to land never did.
That was the second thing I learned.
‘Chase the real body…!’
Ignoring the opponent I can clearly see and attacking an invisible area is accompanied by a tremendous sense of dissonance. But that's what I have to do to reach him. To reach Oh Ji-ho's ‘real body’, which I couldn't touch even after hundreds, thousands of attacks.
Swish.
It wasn't just theory. I can feel a sensation that is definitely different from before. The 6-star (★★★★★★) Monster, the ‘Singing Harpy’.
After absorbing its psychic-based core, I could faintly feel a new sense that was different from before.
‘A little more… a little more…!’
Whish.
I activate all the Ether I have and swing Exa, chasing Oh Ji-ho's real body. The thick sweat on my forehead drips into my eyes. I want to wipe my stinging eyes right away, but I can't. I want to maintain this state of intense focus.
My stamina, Ether, and mental strength reach their limits. Annoyingly, Oh Ji-ho's stamina seems almost unchanged from the beginning.
‘Just a little more…!’
To an onlooker, it would seem like I'm just flailing in the empty air, ignoring the target in front of me. But I was maximizing all my senses to find Oh Ji-ho's ‘real body’. While hundreds, thousands of my attacks cut through empty space.
Swoosh.
And then, finally. I was able to find a small clue. A faint black form that I could only see with extreme concentration.
‘A shadow…?’
It was a color so faint it was embarrassing to even call it a shadow, but there was definitely a shadow behind Oh Ji-ho. Not one attached to the ground. A shadow standing a few steps away.
Upon confirming the shadow, a strong conviction washed over me. That the real body of Oh Ji-ho I had been searching for so desperately was that very shadow.
“There you are!”
Vwoom!!
I squeezed out all my remaining strength and slashed at the shadow with Exa. This time, too, there was no satisfying feeling of cutting through something.
However.
There was definitely a change. It was a very, very faint touch, not even enough to cut a single thread of clothing, but there was definitely a sensation of Exa's blade making contact. And then, “...
Excellent.”
For the first time, a change appeared on Oh Ji-ho's expression.