[EP 2: Vampire's Castle]
Knock knock knock.
The knock on the door was cautious.
[EP 2: Vampire's Castle]
A moment later, a voice from inside invited him in, and the man opened the door and entered.
"President."
"You've arrived."
Jang Gil-san was sitting in his chair.
His massive frame blocked all the sunlight from the window.
The man was startled every time he saw Jang Gil-san up close.
He should have been used to it by now.
'He's getting even bigger as time goes on.'
The A4-sized report in Jang Gil-san's hand looked like a tiny notepad.
Jang Gil-san set down the report he'd been reviewing and headed to the sofa in the room.
"Dong-su, you don't drink coffee, right?"
"...Yes."
Jang Gil-san poured hot water into the prepared cup.
The sight of his enormous bulk stirring with a tiny teaspoon felt oddly cute.
But perhaps because the memory of what this man before him had done was so overwhelming.
Every time this feeling washed over him, the man imagined himself plunged into an ice bath.
Jang Gil-san, the Hunter Association president, was one of Korea's rare S-rank Hunters.
People mistook him for a physical powerhouse because of his huge build, but his ability was in the esper category.
Back when the man was young and reckless, fearless of anything scary, he'd once challenged Jang Gil-san to a duel.
But with a single gesture, he'd been slammed straight to the bottom of the Han River.
Into the frozen solid Han River, no less.
Even now, just thinking about it...
"Why?"
"Does your head still hurt?"
Jang Gil-san grinned mischievously as he handed over the teacup.
Clink.
It was the jasmine tea he always offered whenever the man visited.
Slurp.
"So, Dong-su. What brings a busy man like you all the way here?"
Hwang Dong-su worked in the Hunter Association's most secretive department.
The Emergency Response Team—a division even most civilians didn't know about.
It had only five members in total.
Hwang Dong-su carefully handed over the report he was holding to Jang Gil-san.
"Hm?"
The report detailed the recent surge in dungeon occurrences.
Astoundingly, the number of gates spawning had nearly doubled in just one week.
"The dungeon spawn rate is abnormal."
"Hmmm."
"Don't leak it to the outside yet. Just summon the heads of the five major guilds separately. Until then, we'll say Association hunters are handling the dungeon raids."
"Understood."
"Any signs pointing to them?"
Hwang Dong-su's stone-faced expression flickered for a moment—a look he'd maintained since entering the room.
"...Nothing so far."
"Good. That's a relief."
He sighed.
"For now, ramp up surveillance just a bit more."
Hwang Dong-su stood, bowed his head politely, and left the room.
Click.
Slurp.
'Three years. Has time flown by that fast already?'
Jang Gil-san's expression hardened subtly as he took another sip of tea.
Ring ring ring.
At that moment, the phone in Jang Gil-san's office blared noisily.
It was the dedicated line for urgent reports, one he rarely used unless it was critical.
He'd told them not to call while Dong-su was here.
Frowning, Jang Gil-san picked up the receiver.
Click.
"What is it?"
"Uh, President. This is Kim Cheol-su from the Screening Department. I'm calling about the re-examination."
Screening Department?
Did the ranking machine break again like last time?
His head was already too full with more pressing matters to deal with something like this.
From the sudden spike in dungeon spawns to preparing for the summit with the five major guilds' leadership.
"If it's not urgent, send a report."
But the voice that followed exceeded Jang Gil-san's expectations.
"...An S-rank re-examination candidate has appeared."
―
The entire screening room fell deathly silent in an instant.
'Did I hear that wrong?''What did he just say?'
Amid the crowd's doubts, someone repeated the staffer's words as if seeking confirmation.
"...S-rank?"
The quiet tone carried clearly in the hush, reaching everyone's ears.
"..."
"..."
Even C-ranks got recruitment offers from guilds or the Association.
They could handle backup roles, and with decent gear, even tackle higher-rank dungeons alongside stronger teams.
B-ranks got treated like kings—team leader positions at the Association or executive spots in guilds came calling.
The survival rates differed vastly between C-rank-led raids and B-rank-led ones.
The gap in ability and prowess between C and B was that significant.
A-ranks only got scouted by a select few guilds.
Korea's five major powerhouse guilds.
No one else dared dream of recruiting an A-rank.
Because an A-rank could start their own guild and people would flock to them.
The presence of an A-rank determined whether higher-rank dungeons could be cleared.
No matter how good the gear, lower-rank hunters couldn't conquer upper-rank dungeons.
But with an A-rank, they could raid those high-level dungeons and rake in billions.
That capital drew more people, building even grander guilds.
That was why the five major guilds had grown so strong.
Then what about S-ranks?
Most people in the room had never even seen an S-rank in person their whole lives.
TV sightings or secondhand stories were it.
The apex predators among hunters.
People stole glances at Jae-jun.
'Does that make seven S-rank hunters now?'
Jae-jun stared blankly at the male staffer.
Gulp.
The same gaze and posture as before, yet the staffer felt overwhelmed by Jae-jun's presence.
"Is that it?"
Jae-jun asked the staffer.
As if he'd known from the start he'd be rated S-rank.
"Uh... th-that is... one moment."
The staffer panicked at this unprecedented situation.
What were the protocols for an S-rank again?
'Report it! Report first.'
In his fluster, the man left Jae-jun in the screening room and dashed outside.
As the staffer exited, a few people eyed Jae-jun with gleaming interest.
'He was F-rank, right?''If I buddy up with him now, maybe I can get something out of it?''What does an ex-F-rank know about the real world?'
Or perhaps...
They could connect him to an S-rank hunter guild and pocket a massive commission fee.
That thought sparked courage—it felt like opportunity knocking.
'...Gonna talk to him.'
Someone approached Jae-jun.
"Excuse me."
At that moment, several people entered the screening room.
It was Hwang Dong-su, fresh from his conversation with Jang Gil-san, the Hunter Association president.
Three men followed behind him.
Hwang Dong-su deliberately let a faint, sharp aura radiate outward.
To shoo away the flies swarming Jae-jun.
"Ugh."
The man standing beside Jae-jun recoiled, unsure how to react to the pressure, and backed away.
Only then did Hwang Dong-su bow his head in greeting to Jae-jun.
"Pleased to meet you, Hunter Choi Jae-jun. I'm Hwang Dong-su."
A low, gravelly voice.
Fierce, piercing eyes were his signature.
"What is this about?"
"Someone wishes to meet you, Hunter Choi Jae-jun. Would you come with us for a moment?"
Hwang Dong-su bowed deeply.
The men behind him followed suit.
All but one.
A man about Jae-jun's age smirked and eyed him with fervent intensity.
What the hell's with this guy?
Not hostile, but... like staring at a beloved sweetheart.
Jae-jun felt uneasy and turned away.
"Do I have to?"
"I'm quite busy."
"I beg you."
Hwang Dong-su bowed even deeper.
For those who knew him, it was politeness enough to drop jaws.
Sigh.
"Who wants to see me?"
He needed to know exactly who was issuing the invitation.
Hwang Dong-su raised his head.
"It's Association President Jang Gil-san."
―
"Association President Jang Gil-san?"
Jae-jun knew the name well.
A rare esper-type hunter with psychic powers, another of Korea's S-rank hunters, famous for his massive build.
Why would someone like that want to see me?
'Is there a problem with my rank?'
As Jae-jun pondered, he noticed someone behind Hwang Dong-su.
The female staffer from reception.
"Choi Jae-jun-ssi!"
She stormed over irritably.
"Did you already do the re-exam?"
"...?"
"No. Why'd you go ahead on your own? Your receipt changed, so do it again! Typical F-rank nonsense."
Hwang Dong-su's expression, standing in front of Jae-jun, twisted ever so slightly.
Oblivious, the woman kept muttering to herself.
She planned to vent her frustration on Jae-jun for making her walk all this way.
"You have no idea how much trouble hunters like you cause the Association? Obviously another F this time. Tsk."
Someone blocked her path as she spun to leave.
The man who'd been grinning at Jae-jun from behind Hwang Dong-su.
"What?"
"Looks like you need to come with me for a bit."
"Why the hell would I go anywhere with you?"
The woman snapped irritably.
"Come on, don't ruin the good vibes. Let's head out."
The man pulled something from his belt and showed it to her.
"Ah, n-no. Why is Surveillance here?"
"Let's just go for now."
The man dragged the protesting woman away like a sack.
"My apologies."
"No problem. Anyway, shall we go see the president?"
Jae-jun accepted amiably.
"Thank you."
Hwang Dong-su bowed his head once more in gratitude.