Chapter 26: Ending Bad Ties
After signing the contract with the director, I enjoyed a day of comfortable rest in the hospital. The next day, I was discharged and immediately headed to the headquarters of Seohwa Group with Seo Mina.
Well, more like I was half-dragged there. She had practically kidnapped me by forcing me into the car when I was about to head home.
After a brief moment admiring the 100-story skyscraper, I found myself seated in a conference room, surrounded by people in suits with stern faces. I scratched my chin, puzzled by the situation.
‘What’s this about…?’
I had a lot on my plate—visiting my younger brother, taking care of those company pests, renewing my rank, and learning magic from a Word Spirit Mage. So many tasks and not enough time. What is going on here?
And this strange atmosphere—like they were ignoring me or even showing hostility—was getting on my nerves.
My confusion was soon resolved when a man who seemed to hold the highest position stood up and began briefing us.
“Let’s start the report on the request you made. First, we have lodged a strong unofficial protest against the Seongun Guild. It appears that the issue stemmed from the unilateral actions of their scout team leader. Given that the guild leader prefers a clean reputation, it’s likely that the team leader will face severe punishment. They won’t be able to ignore our influence, so I expect the penalty to be significant.”
Revenge against those who tried to kill Seo Mina and me. I had planned to deal with it immediately after my discharge, but she had beaten me to it.
Unfortunately for the scout team leader, he had sent people to kill Seo Mina and me just when we ended up in the hidden stage together, turning him into a lunatic who attempted to kill the princess of Seohwa Group.
No matter how large the Seongun Guild is, they cannot cover up this situation. The Seongun Guild is known for maintaining a clean reputation without any scandal. With this blemish on their record, the guild will likely enforce severe punishment internally.
Additionally, they will likely go overboard in offering their apologies and compensation for this incident.
‘Free things are always good.’
I made sure to memorize the face of the scout team leader, the root of the problem, and listened to the next part of the report.
“Next, here’s the information on the loan shark organization, commonly referred to as ‘The Company.’ It turned out to be… quite insignificant. It’s baffling why such a place would target you. I want to destroy them all right now, but I’ve been given a standby order.”
“And what exactly is this place?”
“It’s a trashy organization that engages in illegal activities, making money through shady dealings and people. They use their money to buy influence and act like kings in a small area near Seoul. Tsk, they should never have taken a loan and caused trouble for you…”
“Director, that’s enough.”
“My apologies. In any case, we’ve severed all their ties by exerting our influence, so all that’s left is for you to finish it off. Should I contact the association now and have them dealt with?”
I frowned. Those people were mine to deal with. They were my bad ties to sever and curses to break.
“No, just contact the Association’s inspection team and pass on the information. Shin Juha and I will handle the rest ourselves.”
“No, I’ll do it alone. You don’t need to get involved.”
“It’s too dangerous. The company’s boss was an E- rank before retirement and is currently estimated to be an E rank Hunter. No matter how talented you are, you should know your limits. Please listen to reason, or there will be consequences when the Chairman and President hear of this.”
I looked at the man who was openly dismissing me and let out a smirk.
Just a few days ago, I might have nodded in agreement with the director’s words and played it safe, but now, things were different.
“That man must have reached E rank after all those years of effort. Anyway, I’m going. Please contact the association’s inspection team in three hours. By then, it will all be over.”
“…Well, if you insist. A car is ready downstairs. After all, you’ll be joining our guild soon, so it wouldn’t hurt to learn from a little defeat.”
He must have thought I couldn’t hear his whispered words. But I heard everything.
Seo Mina showed no intention of intervening in the conflict between the director, his subordinates, and me. It was her silent way of saying that she wouldn’t care what I did.
“Do you want to bet on it? Whether I win or lose?”
“…If I sounded disrespectful, I apologize. I was only concerned for you. As someone who manages Seohwa Guild’s operations, I’ve seen many hunters lose their lives because they overestimated themselves. I simply don’t want to lose a promising talent.”
“It seemed like you didn’t like me from the beginning, so no need to make excuses. So, are you taking the bet or not?”
“…Fine. If Shin Juha fails to handle them all, you’ll sign a five-year contract with Seohwa Guild.”
“Sounds good. But if I win, I want a rare-grade quest or higher from Seohwa Guild.”
Once I enter the Abyss, the quest system will fully activate. Quests are given by the natives or NPCs of the Abyss, functioning as tasks that hunters can use to grow stronger.
“Very well. That’s a condition I can accept with my authority.”
“Great. Then let’s depart right away. Please contact the association in exactly three hours.”
With those words, I left the conference room, got into the car, and headed straight to that accursed place that I could never forget.
***
Meanwhile, at the Association’s top floor, more than ten people gathered in a space reserved for a single individual.
Considering that each of them held tremendous influence in Korea, it was clear that whatever was being discussed in this secretive meeting was no trivial matter.
“So, why did you call us here, Association President?”
“If this turns out to be something insignificant, you’ll have to bear the consequences.”
“Damn it, I came out of the Abyss for this, only to gather with these old geezers?”
Time is money for these people, so they were quick to criticize the Association President for calling them together on such short notice.
However, the Association President remained silent and took their complaints with patience. Normally, he would have tried to appease their grumblings, but today he kept silent, prompting them to sense that something was amiss.
Once silence settled, the President finally spoke.
“Excluding the three who couldn’t make it for unavoidable reasons, we have gathered all 11 members, so I’ll explain why I called this meeting. Yesterday, a crazy employee within the Association accessed a certain individual’s records without authorization.”
“Get to the point, President. My patience is running thin.”
Although all 11 people present were influential, they were not all equals. There was a clear hierarchy among them, and the Association President held the lowest rank.
Understanding his position, the President nodded briefly to the person sitting beside him before getting straight to the point.
“The person whose records were accessed had a Zero Grade Security classification. You all know what Zero Grade Security entails. It’s the kind of protection granted to only seven people in Korea, where information is effectively erased, making it so no one can uncover their details.”
The revelation caused gasps and exclamations from everyone present.
And rightly so. Implementing a Zero Grade Security classification required the agreement of at least five individuals with significant national influence, along with a myriad of procedures.
In other words, someone among those present had a connection to this Zero Grade Security individual.
“Unfortunately, this security classification was set before I became President. It was implemented at least 14 years ago. The only Zero Grade subjects I know of are the crazy A-rank Hunter who terrorized North Korea seven years ago, and the retired individual who has since gone into hiding. So, I called this meeting to seek your guidance on how to proceed with this matter.”
The association president took a moment to catch his breath and then opened his mouth again.
“The individual whose records were accessed is… Shin Juha, a 20-year-old male.”
The room fell into silence. More than half of the members’ faces hardened, while the others observed with curiosity.
Not missing the opportunity, the Association President pressed forward with his questions.
“Is this Shin Juha the child of those two I’m thinking of? The very reason my predecessor had to step down as Association President?”
However, the ten individuals skillfully avoided a direct answer, their silence indicating a tacit agreement.
“Hahaha. I never thought I’d hear that name again. The kid’s still alive, huh?”
“Yes, we investigated. It seems he lived a rough life, but recently awakened and became the top candidate of the current batch.”
“Hahaha! How interesting. I guess the bloodline truly doesn’t lie.”
The old man at the head of the table stroked his white beard, his eyes gleaming sharply.
“Just leave him be. He’s still just a lowly hunter. If we react too strongly, it might only make things worse. No word of his parents should be allowed to surface.”
“I agree. Any mention of those two must never come to light again.”
“We went to great lengths to erase them from this society. We can’t go through that again.”
“Besides, even though he’s their child, he only awakened now that he’s an adult. He won’t become that powerful. Besides, doesn’t he have a brother? From what I hear, the kid’s practically a vegetable. With such an obvious weak point, it’s best to leave him alone.”
Hearing their words, the Association President clicked his tongue internally, disgusted by their hypocrisy. But he had no intention of opposing their decision.
He lacked the power for that—yet.
He remembered all too well how his mentor, the former Association President, had been executed for going against their will.
So he bowed his head, listening to their every word and waiting for the right moment.
‘And when I’ve gathered enough strength, I’ll bring them down.’
The President’s gaze shifted to the man’s name on the document in his hand. A child of those once hailed as heroes of South Korea. When the notification of a Zero Grade security access first appeared on his phone, he realized that this Shin Juha would be significant.
He recognized that this young man would become a powerful ally, a sharp blade to wield against these people.
That’s why he convened this meeting.
‘These prideful people…’
He knew that, despite their arrogance, these powerbrokers were exceptionally cautious.
That’s why he had arranged this meeting, knowing they wouldn’t dare lay a finger on Shin Juha.
Masking his true intentions, the President simply bowed his head and gave them a servile smile.
“Very well, I’ll handle it accordingly. Thank you for your guidance today.”
“Haha! Our Association President is still so subservient. You can relax a bit, you know.”
“Well, it’s not a bad trait. He’s capable and responsive. Much better than that idiot we had before.”
“Take care, then~~”
They left one by one, passing by the President, who bowed deeply, almost at a 90-degree angle. Once they were all gone, the smile vanished from the President’s face, leaving only a fierce, burning hatred.
***
Shortly before, I arrived in front of a 10-story building that paled in comparison to the Seohwa Group’s skyscraper. I quietly stretched my body and told the driver to wait at a distance.
As soon as I suggested that he should keep away, as if he knew what might happen next, the driver quickly sped away.
“These people from this company, just like Seo Mina, seem to have a few screws loose.”
I finished my preparations, activating the invisible form of the Sun above my head, casting its light around me.
“Status Window.”
『Status Window
Name: Shin Juha
Title: World Destroyer [SSS]
LV 10 (0%)
Status
Mugeuk (Mythical) F- (50+20/100)
Sun (Mythical) F- (50+20/100)
Heavenly Fortune (Mythical) F- (11+20/100)
Misfortune (Legendary) F- (12+20/100)
Perseverance (Legendary) F- (16+20/100)
Remaining Points: 0
Authorities
[Golden Tower LV2] [Heavenly Fortune LV1] [Midday Sun LV1]
Unique Abilities
[Curse of Misfortune (Legendary) LV MAX] [Mugeuk Heavenly Veins (Mythical) LV1] [Ultimate Soul (Mythical) LV1] [Equivalent Exchange (Origin) LV1]
Skills
[Wings of Arrogance (Mythical) LV1] [Heart of the Colossus (Legendary) LV1]』
Thanks to the [Relic: Eye of the Supreme Sun] hovering behind my head, all my stats had increased by 20.
It was a fight that I couldn’t possibly lose. I stepped into the building.
“Come out, boss!”
I shouted, provoking them without hesitation.
—
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