Not long ago, there was a major incident that sent the world into a frenzy. An Awakened who received an S-rank, of all things, appeared in the most recent quarterly Hunter Qualification Test. He is the only one to be judged S-rank at the qualification test stage since Maria, who is revered as a saint.
Being not only a high-rank but also a rare healer type, people showed great interest and had high expectations for him. The Awakened’s name is Cheon Hae-seon. A promising figure who is not yet twenty years old.
He seemed burdened by the media's attention, but that wasn't a major issue. There have always been Hunters, including Maria, who shy away from media exposure. Just as there are Hunters who enjoy the attention, there are also those who dislike being in the spotlight.
The problem is that Cheon Hae-seon's disappearance goes beyond a matter of personal preference. Cheon Hae-seon did not immediately join a Guild, but he was on the verge of official activities, completing his mandatory dungeon runs during his probationary period. But what happened?
Two months after being officially appointed a Hunter, he has vanished without a trace, conducting no activities whatsoever. There is no news of him joining a Guild, let alone any dungeon conquests. His actions are in stark contrast to other senior Hunters who become active everywhere immediately after becoming an S-rank Hunter.
Being a Hunter is a profession that requires a sense of calling as much as it enjoys privileges. It is the fundamental duty of a Hunter to save people from the threat of Monsters, and this is a principle that must be upheld unconditionally, regardless of rank.
In the future, Cheon Hae-seon will receive immense popularity and benefits as an S-ranker. An S-rank Healer can pick and choose any Guild he desires. There are more than a few Guilds waiting with open arms, promising the best treatment.
This would be no different even for the Glory Guild, the top Guild in the Republic of Korea. The stage is already set. We do not know why Cheon Hae-seon has chosen to disappear, but if he is playing hard to get for better conditions, we believe what is on the table is already more than enough.
We hope that he will soon show the public the image of an S-rank Healer that they are anticipating. -Kang Jin-hee, Editor-in-chief, Central Daily News. └Hey. Is it okay to write an article that so openly disses a Hunter? └Well, it’s not wrong.
It’s true that people have high expectations. └Setting aside his activity, why hasn’t he joined any Guild yet? └I know, right? If he were a Knight, he could just go into dungeons alone and smash everything, but he’s a healer. └These crazy bastards are being so nosy.
Did Central Daily News do anything to help him become a Hunter? └Whatever he does, I hope he starts being active soon. I’m already anxious with all the Gates opening recently. └Cheon Hae-seon!! Hurry up and sign with Bishop Guild and protect our Dongnae District!! └Wake up.
Can’t you see they blatantly mentioned Glory Guild? They just didn't state it directly, but this is no different from a recruitment article. └That bastard Kang Jin-hee from Central Daily News is the one who writes praise articles for Glory Guild every month. He’s the most disgusting reporter out there.
On the way to the black market, a call came from Iron Arm.
[Hunter Cheon Hae-seon. Did you see the article?]
[Yes.]
[They are vicious bastards. To write such an article without even checking the facts properly…!]
Iron Arm was as indignant as if it were his own affair. It seemed he was getting more emotional because we go to Poison Dungeons together.
[If I had my way, I would step forward and clear things up myself… but that would be going too far, wouldn't it?]
[It would.]
[If you wish, I can find a reporter who will write a clarifying article for you.]
[No. It's alright.]
[Are you saying you'll just stay quiet? Isn't this blatant instigation?]
[People will see what they want to see and believe what they want to believe anyway. Even if I step forward and deny it, those who want to deny me won't believe it.]
[Still….]
[Rather than the content of the article, I thought about the people who stand to gain from it.]
[The people who stand to gain…. Are you perhaps talking about Glory Guild?]
[It could be Glory Guild, or it could be other Guilds. What's certain is that if I get swayed by the article and hastily sign a contract, things will go exactly as they planned.]
[….]
Iron Arm, who had been extremely agitated, suddenly fell silent. After some time, a much calmer voice came through.
[…What you said is right, Hunter Cheon Hae-seon. I failed to act my age.]
[Haha. Still, I appreciate it. Getting so angry on my behalf.]
[I couldn't help it. For someone doing such noble work like you, Hunter Cheon Hae-seon, to be treated like this instead of being praised….]
‘Noble work….’
No. It's not noble work, not at all. I'm just doing things out of necessity. I received a Gold Core in exchange for clearing a Poison Dungeon.
Only I can absorb the Black Cores obtained inside the dungeon. The ownership of the rare herbs is also solely mine. Except for the promise to use the Gold Eternal Flower on Iron Arm's wife, everything I did was for my own needs.
The reason I didn't get angry after seeing the article isn't because I'm a saint. No. In a way, you could say it's a very accurate article. Iron Arm, not knowing the full truth, probably thinks of it as 'talent donation by clearing dangerous dungeons,' but I'm not that nice of a person.
Therefore, there's no way I'll be swayed by the article and sign a contract with a Guild. Whoever instigated this article, things will not go the way they want.
[By the way, where are you headed today?]
[I'm going to a place where I can get rid of the rare herbs.]
[…You're heading to a dangerous place…. Are you sure you don't need my help?]
[Thank you for the offer, but this is a difficult place for a Clan Leader to wander around. A mere pickpocket uses a Stealth skill here.]
[How can that be…. It must be an incredible place.]
She’s useless without her Stealth skill, but he wasn’t wrong. As always, with the Copper Eternal Flower in a black plastic bag, I visited the black market.
“Hey. Look who it is. The man from the newspapers, isn't it?”
“News travels fast, huh.”
As Bi-soo approached with a wide grin, I couldn't help but give a bitter smile. Does she just read articles all day instead of pickpocketing like she's supposed to?
“I need more antidote and monster-luring essence.”
“How much?”
“Five times what I got before.”
“Are you crazy? Are you going to dig for a Gold Eternal Flower or something?”
“Yeah.”
Bi-soo stared at me with a look of astonishment.
“Really? For real?”
“Why. Are you worried?”
“Bullshit. Worried, my ass.”
Bi-soo scoffed and turned her head away. I thought her eyes wavered for a moment, but maybe I was imagining it. She went inside the black market and brought back the items I wanted.
Of course, it wasn't free. The previous purchase was about two million won, so this time I had to pay close to ten million won. Some might think it's a huge expense, but considering the money I've earned so far, it's nothing.
The one Copper Eternal Flower I brought today is worth about that much.
“Is the old hag here?”
“Yeah.”
“Take me to her.”
“You've been here so many times and you still haven't memorized the inner passages?”
“I know the way. It's just that they don't open the door for me.”
“Ugh. You're so annoying.”
Grumbling like that, Bi-soo started walking ahead. She'd be perfect if it weren't for the scar by her mouth and that temper of hers. In terms of looks alone, I think she could hold her own against the great (?)
Maria.
Especially that red hair, no one could pull it off like Bi-soo.
“Hurry up. I have to take a shit.”
“... Right.”
Of course, she seems completely unaware of it herself.
It feels like it's been a while since I've seen Yaksha in person. They said he was a precious figure who rarely deals directly, and it seems that wasn't wrong. Lately, I couldn't see Yaksha even when I brought not only Copper Eternal Flowers but also Silver Eternal Flowers.
He's probably off somewhere causing trouble again.
“Old hag. I'm here.”
“Hohol. Many a young lad has met an early grave calling me that….”
“Then you should tell me your name.”
Yaksha's subordinates come in all ages. This old hag, in particular, who appraises the 'goods,' was so old it was impossible to even guess her age. She didn't have a moniker like Bi-soo or Phantom Strike.
Yaksha called for the 'old hag' every time he needed something appraised, so I naturally started calling her that too.
“Sniff, sniff.”
Whenever the old hag appraised a rare herb, she would always shove her nose into it and smell its fragrance. Perhaps inhaling would be a more accurate description than smelling. After she sucks in the herb's scent like that, her appraisal is given.
During that process, she never examines the herb's appearance. Because the old hag has always been blind.
“Forty million won.”
“Let's make it a little more, old hag.”
“Hoholhol. You want more? To pay for your own funeral rites?”
“Good grief.”
That wasn't just a joke. Every time I questioned her appraisal value, I could feel bursts of Ether's energy coming from her body. She might be a stooped old woman now, but she must have been quite formidable in her youth.
“Alright. Let's make it four dollars.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Aish. This is why I can't even joke with you, old hag.”
I gestured to Bi-soo with my eyes, and she quickly put the Copper Eternal Flower in a silk pouch.
“Old hag. There's something I'm curious about.”
“What is it, you brat.”
“I think I'm starting to be able to recognize the scent of rare herbs now.”
“And?”
“Does the Gold Eternal Flower have a similar scent? Like other rare herbs.”
With no focus in her pupils, it was difficult to read her expression. The old hag's face twisted bizarrely for a moment, and then a raspy voice emerged.
“It does…. A scent that you can never forget once you've smelled it….”
“Oh-ho?”
“It seems you've grown greedy for the Gold Eternal Flower…. You'd better be prepared.”
“Prepared for what?”
“Hoholhol.”
The old hag let out a grim laugh, then stared intently at me with her unseeing eyes.
“There's a reason why hard-to-get items are hard to get…. Quite a few people have found the Gold Eternal Flower, but none have returned unscathed. You will surely pay the price.”
“... That's pretty grim for a word of encouragement.”
I stared straight into her blind eyes and gave a defiant smile.
“Why the long face?”
I came to the Cleanup Clan office for the first time in a while, only to find Iron Arm looking glum. A man who looks like a mountain bandit making a face like that. It was a sight that would make a loan shark, here to collect a debt, turn tail and run.
“The permit isn't being approved.”
“What?”
“Lately, the dungeon entry permits haven't been coming through. I've been applying for days… but I keep getting the same response.”
“What are they saying?”
“That it's a dungeon scheduled to be handled by the jurisdictional authority….”
“What kind of crazy talk is that….”
It's hard to find a place in Seoul that isn't under Glory Guild's jurisdiction. Most Poison Dungeons would be in Glory Guild's territory. That meant those bastards were blocking the permits for Poison Dungeons.
To enter a dungeon, you need permission from the Hunter Association and the jurisdictional Guild. Normally, if there are no competitors, permits for low-difficulty dungeons or Poison Dungeons are approved right away.
They would handle the dungeons with a lot to gain themselves, but for dungeons with 'not much to gain,' they would be grateful if someone else took care of them. But for some reason, Glory Guild is blocking the permits for Poison Dungeons.
“Hunter Cheon Hae-seon. Why are they suddenly doing this? Did Glory Guild suddenly grow a sense of justice they never had?”
“You'd have better luck finding foie gras at Kimbap Heaven.”
The same guys who left the residents of Gaebang District to die are now clearing up unprofitable Poison Dungeons first?
That's laughable.
I don't know for sure, but there must be a shady reason behind it.
“What should we do? It's not like there are no Poison Dungeons if we go down to the provinces, but….”
“No. There's no need for that.”
The thought of Glory Guild trying to stop me just makes me want to do it more. I don't really like handling things this way, but I have no choice. I took out my phone and called my 'contact.'
The one who belongs to the organization behind the Association. The Association affiliate who handed me the Gold Core.
[Hunter Cheon Hae-seon???]
A rather flustered voice came from over the phone.
“It's been a while, Supervisor Pyo Hyeok-gyu.”