Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Many Hands Make Light Work (4)
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— You idiot sucker!
Monjiro pulled the phone away from his ear.
Isabel's eardrum-shattering yell dragged on for a while.
Exactly one minute.
Seeing signs that it was dying down, Monjiro brought the phone back to his ear.
"You done?"
— Heh heh. Ahhhh! I should've gone to Korea myself!
"Even you wouldn't have made a difference."
— At least I wouldn't have gotten played like a sucker!
Monjiro's brow furrowed.
"Quit calling me a sucker. The sucker listening doesn't like it."
— ...What's gotten into you? Not denying you're a sucker for once?
Monjiro readily admitted he was a sucker, and Isabel's momentum softened a bit.
"Well, it's the truth."
Monjiro shrugged once and continued.
"Like you said, we should avoid pissing off the Guild Master if we can. It wasn't an unreasonable demand anyway."
— Good boy. And your reward? You bent over backward for that guy's convenience. The mighty Pentagram, reduced to this.
"He wasn't wrong. We do operate outside normal laws."
Pentagram had always acted under the grand banner of 'saving humanity.'
They dove headfirst into barren wastelands nations had abandoned, massive gates, dungeonized zones from gate breaks—anywhere help was needed, without hesitation, saving lives on the front lines.
Actions that transcended nationality, politics, diplomacy, economics—pure self-interest be damned.
The public couldn't help but overwhelmingly support them, and their brilliant achievements had cemented Pentagram as the undisputed world's top guild.
But unlike the masses, nations, corporations, and other guilds weren't so welcoming.
Some countries even viewed Pentagram as...
'A gang of do-gooder delinquents.'
Ignoring all international hunter laws and prioritizing their own judgment made them a massive headache for governments running massive state apparatuses.
It was hard to punish them publicly.
Like suing a firefighter who extinguished a massive blaze for damaging a car blocking the alley.
That's why complaints like 'Why can Pentagram get away with it and we can't? Since when does the law pick and choose?' kept popping up.
From corporations or other guilds' perspectives, Pentagram came off as...
'Hypocritical scholars wearing savior masks.'
Gates varied wildly in type and rank, and so did their byproducts.
Profit-driven groups had to prioritize efficiency.
So Pentagram's selfless actions made everyone else look petty by comparison.
Growing accustomed to such treatment, Pentagram became increasingly detached from other groups' standards.
And Monjiro, with his strong disregard for laws, didn't see Kim Gunja's 'dual household' demand negatively at all.
As long as Pentagram came first, pruning a few twigs was no big deal.
— But Hero Guild of all places. You won't run into White Flame or anything, right?
Thinking of Kim Gunja at Isabel's words, Monjiro shook his head.
"He'll handle it fine. From what he pulled on me, he's no fool. And come to think of it, his dual setup might not be bad for us."
— Huh? Why?
"We've planted a decent spy in Hero Guild, haven't we?"
— ...Dude. Flip that around—doesn't that mean Hero Guild planted a spy in us?
"...Touché."
— Argh! You moron!
Monjiro chuckled as he stroked Gluttony, who was chomping away at a massive sausage.
"Eh, we achieved our goal anyway. Praise me a bit. Can't eat him now and start a war with White Flame. Tell the Guild Master it'll be fine."
— Tch. Fine, got it. You specified Pentagram first, so the boss'll understand. No other demands besides gate intel, right?
"Yeah, that's it. Just..."
Pausing at Isabel's question, Monjiro licked his lips.
"That Kim Gunja guy... he's got no filter in words or actions."
— So? Probably just a manly personality. Or his trait's influence?
"Maybe... Hmm."
Monjiro trailed off.
He couldn't find the words for what he'd sensed.
Kim Gunja conveyed his intent plainly and firmly.
Calmly assessing his surroundings, poised for any sudden twist without excess tension.
Even without the Master Ring, he'd be a promising talent worth watching.
"Eh, whatever. If he grows, he could be a solid ally..."
Monjiro muttered with a faint smile.
— What? Sounds like a mosquito buzzing. Speak up!
Monjiro scowled at Isabel's jab.
"Looks like you won't be getting married this year either."
— What?! You greedy bas—!
Click. He hung up just as the phone rang furiously again, quickly switching to silent.
"What a temper."
Stroking Gluttony, now purring contentedly with a full belly, Monjiro smiled pleasantly.
Academy director's office.
"F-For real?"
"Yeah."
Kim Gunja answered Park Chunduk's question nonchalantly.
"...My god. Joining two guilds at once is insane enough, but Pentagram and Hero Guild? World numbers one and two?"
What were Pentagram and Hero Guild?
Every hunter dreamed of joining them.
Making it into even one was huge; unprecedented dual membership left Park Chunduk dumbfounded.
A sudden thought hit him.
"But... is that even legal?"
"Depends on the law's reach. Globally active Pentagram doesn't qualify as a 'guild' under international hunter law."
"Whoa..."
In short, no legal issues.
But the real problem was...
"...The day Hero Guild finds out..."
"Gotta play it smart so they don't."
"Isn't that too risky?"
"Dunno..."
Kim Gunja pondered briefly before speaking.
"Bro."
"Yeah?"
"What's the most powerful force in modern society?"
"...Connections?"
"Bingo."
"You don't mean..."
"No need to toss something just because it's dirty. Used right, it's prime fertilizer for growth."
No matter how strong a hunter, they were still human.
Unless living as a hermit forever, they'd rub elbows in society.
Connections and backing helped civilians; hunters were no exception.
Kim Gunja was a fresh-licensed hunter with zero record.
No one handed prime gate passes to newbies.
But Hero Guild's clout changed everything domestically.
He pulled documents from his pocket.
"This is...?"
"My debut schedule."
Park Chunduk snatched it up eagerly.
And...
"Ho...ly...shit..."
He cursed involuntarily.
It looked less like a debut and more like a murderous training regimen.
B- to C-rank gates packed tight every few days.
But the real shocker was elsewhere.
"...Other Hero Guild hunters see this, their stomachs'll hurt."
It had to.
Even skimming it, the list was drool-worthy—only the nation's prime gates.
Tight schedule was a con, but if it was paved with gold? Anyone would walk it.
Kim Gunja smiled at Park Chunduk's words.
"Gonna grow fast, make him pay his dues, and drag him down ASAP."
"Drag him down?"
"Kang Inhyeok doesn't deserve the hero title. Time he stepped off. Can't have a superiority-complex psychopath called a hero."
Park Chunduk gave an awkward smile at Kim Gunja's matter-of-fact tone.
Still weird hearing him casually plot against someone.
Once the switch flipped, he turned ice-cold—barely recognizable.
Decisiveness and drive? Obvious today.
Deliberation over, he moved without wasting a second.
Like it was nothing.
Yet results were absurdly perfect.
Embarrassingly so for past worries.
Then Park Chunduk remembered.
"Oh, right."
The item the guys left.
"Gift for you."
"Gift?"
Nothing came to mind, so Kim Gunja looked puzzled.
Park Chunduk fetched the carefully stored case.
A sleek black rectangular case gleaming luxuriously.
"...?"
"Take it."
Kim Gunja accepted it.
Click.
With a satisfying sound, it opened to reveal a near-black scabbard and sword.
"Vatinium alloy laced with an A-rank magic stone. No special effects, but durability's top-tier among A-rank weapons. High stability—perfect first blade."
Shing—
Drawing it, a pristine white blade emerged, contrasting the black sheath.
Under fluorescent light, blue edge-glow shimmered.
Loving it, Kim Gunja sheathed the sword with a grin.
"Whoa. Didn't see that coming. Thanks, bro. I'll take good care of it."
"Don't thank me."
"Huh?"
"They told me not to say anything till now... Day your exam ended, they called. Asked what a fresh licensee like you needed most."
Kim Gunja fell silent at Park Chunduk's words.
No names given, but he knew who.
"Told 'em, and while you were out hustling, they dropped it off. Said too embarrassing to wait—have you pass it on. Geez..."
"...Yeah."
Smiling softly, Kim Gunja caressed the scabbard.
They had their own struggles.
Yet thinking of him meant the world.
"Huh...?"
Then he spotted a small post-it in the case corner.
No cheesy 'good luck' or cheers.
Just a curt line.
— Oda picked it up. Use it or don't.
Kim Gunja's smile deepened.
Park Chunduk chuckled at him fondly stroking the sword.
Changed a ton, but still Kim Gunja.
"Bro."
Sheathing it, Kim Gunja called out.
"Yeah?"
"Any Awakeners with healing traits who can fix disabilities?"
"Hmm. Minor wounds, sure. But disabilities? Doubt there's anyone that strong... Oh."
Something clicked; Park Chunduk paused.
"Not certain, but rumor was Vatican has a seriously powerful healer."
"Vatican?"
"Yeah. But it fizzled out quick—unverified."
Musing on friends, Kim Gunja whispered "Vatican."
Bzzzzt—
His phone vibrated.
Glancing at the screen, Park Chunduk's eyes bulged.
'Infinite Guild's Hong Sua?! When did he snag Infinite Guild too...!'
Watching Kim Gunja chat casually, Park Chunduk finally got it.
Many hands make light work.
Kim Gunja wouldn't waste a single connection in sight.
Hero Guild, Pentagram, now Infinite Guild.
'Really... can't compete.'
Internally, externally.
Kim Gunja's growth blinded him.
The tearful kid who'd vented about Awakening overlapped then faded from the phone-holding Kim Gunja.
No more of that guy.
Three months, unrecognizable change.
Park Chunduk smiled, then reviewed the gate schedule beside him.
To scour for any Hero Guild tricks.