Chapter 32
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: The Four Great Guilds
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In a high-end hotel restaurant somewhere in the city—
There was a private room in the innermost section, reserved exclusively for VIPs.
A secretive spot that could only be booked by VIPs personally vetted by the hotel.
"Today's food is way too sweet. The chef must be off his game."
Han Cheol-yong, master of the Black Tortoise Guild, set down his fork and grumbled.
A four-term National Assembly member, party leader, former prime minister, and presidential hopeful, he had abruptly retired from politics to take the helm of a guild.
It was a politician's gamble on the belief that gates and hunters would come to dominate humanity.
"This isn't the place for critiquing the menu."
Oh Mihee, master of the Vermilion Bird Guild, who sat beside him, shot back curtly.
The national actress who had ruled the '80s entertainment scene, she now also served as CEO of JJ Entertainment.
She was the only female guild master among the Four Great Guilds.
"Food's just for filling your belly. You're too picky, Representative Han."
Gu Bonwoong, master of the White Tiger Guild, chimed in. His plate was already spotless.
A former mixed martial artist who had reigned as UFC champion.
Even now, he was the kind of musclehead rumored to have brains made of the same stuff.
"This isn't a food critique session. The chief's been too quiet, that's why we're hearing this nonsense."
Yoon Taeyoung, master of the Azure Dragon Guild, spoke up. He hadn't touched the food on his plate.
The second son of the Daeyoung Group, he had pivoted to guild master after being overshadowed by his half-brothers.
"Nonsense? That's rich coming from a Daeyoung Group reject who can't even taste food."
"I was just sparing you an old man's complaints about his loose dentures."
Yoon Taeyoung fired back leisurely at Han Cheol-yong's jab.
"What'd you say?"
"Guild Master Yoon's right. I've been too quiet."
Cha Yona, the Hunter Agency's Intelligence Bureau Chief seated in the middle, intervened to calm the two.
"You're all busy people, so I'll keep it to two points. Feel free to keep eating."
Even in front of the Four Great Guilds' leaders, Cha Yona showed no intimidation.
"You know Na Woojin, right? The first male Awakener. The Agency's been managing him so far, but we're releasing him as a free agent now. Feel free to use him for gate raids or sign him exclusively."
"Do we have to babysit batteries now? I thought the kid had zero abilities."
Han Cheol-yong replied with a sour expression.
"That's what the tests showed. Hunter labs are always like that. We're expecting his abilities to manifest based on his partner. Guilds have way more hunters than the Agency, so we need diverse samples. Prioritize deploying him on raids."
"Sounds like the Agency's too lazy to do it themselves and wants us to gather the data."
Oh Mihee said, dabbing her mouth with a napkin.
"I won't deny it. But if you get useful intel, we'll compensate generously. We still have plenty of artifacts guilds need."
The Four Great Guilds' top priority was pushing beyond Blue Gates to higher levels.
Their ultimate goal was, naturally, the pinnacle: Red Gates.
Reaching them would require far more artifacts than they had now.
Gu Bonwoong reacted first.
"Can that guy fight?"
"He was a baseball player through high school. Quit due to injury, but his physique is solid. He cleared a White upper-level gate without issue."
The mention of a good physique piqued Gu Bonwoong's interest.
"An athlete, huh... If he's decent, I might train him up as a supporter."
The White Tiger Guild favored hiring hunter-athletes, matching their master's tastes.
Their managers weren't just for replenishing Yin Energy; they maxed out their physical stats to serve as supporters aiding hunters in gates.
With mana stone-modified weapons, even without skills, they could provide solid backup.
"Sounds good. Other guilds, please cooperate actively too. We really want to draw out Na Woojin's potential."
"What's the second thing? You said two points."
Yoon Taeyoung, uninterested in Na Woojin, prompted.
"About that recent disappearance..."
Cha Yona referred to it as a disappearance because confirming life or death was impossible once someone vanished inside a gate.
Even deploying arrest teams on suspicion of murder yielded no bodies—they vanished without a trace.
No bloodstains or other clues ever remained.
"Minister Shin's daughter?"
"Yes. He's forming a search party. Claims she's still alive and is pressuring everywhere to halt raids."
"With his daughter like that, of course he'd do something. But what's it to us?"
Han Cheol-yong said.
"Don't respond to any contact from the Four Great Guilds. Especially you, Master Han, with your connections—the Agency will handle it directly, so no lending hunters."
"Why's that?"
"Because the Gate Church is involved."
Cha Yona's words made all four grimace.
A pseudo-religion claiming gates were divine blessings, aggressively expanding its flock.
On the surface, they deified gates, but behind the scenes, they ran unregistered gate raids, smuggled mana stones and artifacts, and orchestrated hits on hunters and managers—a criminal syndicate shunning no dirty deed.
"Did the church's fixers get Minister Shin's daughter?"
"Investigation ongoing, but it's likely. If true, digging into it puts even Minister Shin at risk. The church has deep roots in politics."
Their proselytizing was eerily effective, infiltrating politics, business, entertainment—everywhere.
It was an open secret that no small number of hunters followed the church too.
"Hmmm... Can't lose Minister Shin. I'll talk to him."
With that, the secret meeting between the Hunter Agency and the Four Great Guilds concluded.
The Mito Guild Master insisted on meeting, so I went to her office with Nayeong.
"Woojin, thank you so much. Really... I don't even know how to repay this kindness."
She bowed her head so deeply it felt burdensome.
"Thank Nayeong instead. She did the heavy lifting taking down the boss."
Her eyes widened at me deflecting the credit.
'Why are you doing something you never do? You did everything.'
She whispered in my ear.
'She's like a close sister, right? Use this to rack up a debt. You think you'll only need guild help once or twice?'
Her face lit up, touched by my grand scheme.
It was a half-baked plan, but to a blockhead like her, it'd seem brilliant.
"Nayeong, thank you so much. I'll repay this favor... until the day I die."
"You did it for Mijeong, so take good care of her. What's next for the guild?"
No hunters meant a guild in name only, debt or not.
"Some folks said they'd come back if we reopened. Time to reach out. What about you? Better to be affiliated somewhere than stay free, don't you think?"
Nayeong had been freelancing gates since her old guild kicked her out.
Bad rumors kept other guilds from signing her.
"Not uncomfortable, but yeah, joining a guild makes sense."
She glanced at me sidelong.
Felt like she was hinting we join together.
"Speaking of, what about you, Woojin? Now that you're Awakened, you could manage. I know everyone in the industry. I've got all the intel—I'll definitely be useful."
The guild master gazed at me with sparkling eyes.
Since Awakening, guilds had become an option.
The Agency released me sooner than expected, perfect timing to join one.
No need to cling to a desk job as a civil servant now.
As I pondered, Nayeong spoke first.
"It's a big decision. I'll talk it over with Woojin, so give us a bit."
"Sure. I got ahead of myself. Talk it over good."
"And, uh, any updates? On what I asked last time."
"The gate murder case?"
"Yeah. Yumi confessed, but it doesn't add up. Find anything?"
"Heard a few things. Rumors, so take with salt."
"Got it."
"That Yumi girl? Word is she's a Gate Church believer."
I was startled to hear Gate Church.
A rapidly growing cult often tied to gate-related crimes and hits.
They had deep ties to politics and business, fulfilling their shady needs.
"Bad rumors about that place. They say they train joy squads for VIPs and specialist assassins."
"Yumi used church fixers for the hit?"
"Possible. From what you said, the target was no pushover. If she couldn't solo it, she'd borrow muscle."
If the church was in it, the minister staying quiet made sense.
No high government official messes with them lightly.
"That gangster boss we met in the warehouse? Believer too."
"For real?"
"Yeah. Rumor he pacified Gangbuk's nightlife thanks to church loyalty. Wasn't that big last year."
Gangsters and a cult... a combo that swelled the chest like majestic cola bubbles.
"You two watch out. Don't know how you beat them, but if the real church is behind, they'll retaliate somehow."
Old me would've trembled, but not now.
I had three spirits usable outside gates.
Gangsters or cults were no match.
'After a life-or-death scrape, surely no idiot thinks revenge...'
But they were far dumber than I'd thought.