The Perfect Care Bargain

"Is this the place?"

Hyun Jisu asked the question, then took a slow look around. He could feel every gaze in the room locking onto his face.

Looks like they all showed up for the spectacle.

He shelved the idle thought and surveyed his surroundings with care. The first thing that caught his eye were the faces he'd seen at the original summons. He still wasn't entirely sure who was who, but they were familiar enough. Off to one side stood Examination Center Director Kim Heeyeon — the woman he'd signed a contract with. And the woman standing beside her—

"..."

Eyes sharp enough to crush him where he stood. Hold that gaze too long, and it felt like his whole body would burn to ash. Snow-white skin. A face more beautiful than anyone else's in the room. A faint, smoldering sensuality at the corners of her tightly pressed lips. A chest so overwhelmingly full he didn't know where to look. Her black pencil skirt looked ready to split from the sheer width of her hips.

Jisu had seen all kinds of women in his life, but he had never encountered one so overflowing with feminine allure.

Damn. She's gorgeous.

Even for someone who didn't particularly obsess over women, he couldn't deny it. She was that stunning. He was still staring, transfixed, when he entered their field of vision in turn.

"So that's him..."

"That's right. The SS-rank Hunter who just signed a new contract with our Hunter Association. Hyun Jisu."

At Heeyeon's words, Yoo Chaerin looked at him again. His physique was decent enough, but honestly, he didn't look strong at all. To put it bluntly, she had a hard time believing this man was really SS-rank. His appearance was utterly ordinary. And according to Heeyeon, his stats kept fluctuating — he'd even hit SSS-rank once — a story that didn't land in the slightest. Whatever lay beyond that unremarkable exterior, Chaerin couldn't read a scrap of it.

If Kim Heeyeon is right, the man in that video is this guy. But he doesn't look powerful. What the hell is he hiding?

Chaerin had seen the video that was making the rounds, too. The overwhelming power it displayed, and the massive penalty that came with matching it. She'd wanted to meet him at least once. Wanted to see whether he might be someone she needed. But based on first impressions, he didn't look like he'd be any help at all.

Well. No need to judge everything by appearances.

From the moment she'd awakened as a hunter and been taken in off the streets by that person, she had met an extraordinary range of people. She knew better than anyone that a first impression decided nothing.

"You're here? Jisu! Over here!"

Jeong Siyun, who had worn a blank expression from the moment she'd arrived, greeted Jisu with an impossibly bright smile. Cheon Woohyeok beside her glared at him and let out a scoff.

"Figured you'd tuck tail and run so fast your ass would fall off. Color me surprised you actually showed."

"Well. Figured I ought to come."

"That so? Looking pretty relaxed. I don't know how much you're looking down on me, but I'll make you regret not running for the rest of your life."

Woohyeok's glare bored into him as he spoke. Honestly, Jisu had no idea why the man hated him this much. What the hell did I even do to this guy? Still, one thing his days as a laborer had taught him: when some loudmouth started running his mouth, you smacked him down.

"Well, I don't really think I'll lose — but I'll give it my all."

"What? You little fucker—"

Woohyeok wound up to throw a punch along with the curse, then froze mid-motion. He spat on the floor.

"Ptooey. Nah. I kill him here, I'm the one who gets fucked, right? Better if he dies in an 'accident' ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠during the match. Don't you think? Public humiliation on top of it — even better."

Heh heh heh—

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Even as Woohyeok walked toward the arena with that vile grin, Jisu didn't feel particularly threatened. The guy seemed to think he was talking a big game, but compared to the curses the old-timers used to hurl at bosses who stiffed them on wages, this was child's play.

Public humiliation, huh?

Jisu looked around, and sure enough, several massive cameras of the kind you'd only see at a broadcasting station were already in place. Judging by the self-important types sitting nearby, some network big shots had come to observe the match in person.

Ah. So this is getting broadcast. Maybe I should've told Mom the truth before I left.

He was worrying about things like that — with zero concern for the fight itself — when someone spoke to him.

Siyun's bombshell made Jisu jump. It was the first intense reaction he'd shown since setting foot in this place.

"What? Out of nowhere? There was never a condition like that."

For Jisu, this was the kind of thing that could make him refuse the match depending on how it played out. But whether he liked it or not, Siyun simply kept reciting what she wanted to say.

"Of course, I'm not asking for nothing. If you win, you can use Seongwolhoe's Perfect Care system without joining the guild."

"Perfect Care?"

Seeing the look on his face — like he already had an idea what that meant — Siyun grinned.

"That's right. Hospital access. Not just for you — your family can use it too. Completely free. How about it? Even within Seongwolhoe, not many people get this level of service."

"..."

For a man who had been seriously considering joining a guild because of the hospital, there was no juicier bait than this.

I don't want to go to Seongwolhoe. The fact that she said come alone means she won't take Seyeon... so it's just me. Wait. What am I even worrying about? I'm going to win anyway.

Jisu nodded and looked at Siyun.

"Alright. I'll do it."

"Wow! Really? You mean it? No take-backs?"

Siyun's face lit up as she turned to Woohyeok.

"Woohyeok. Just in case — you cannot lose. I figure you'll win anyway, but you know what happens if you don't, right?"

For a moment, Woohyeok barely swallowed the chill that ran through his entire body. Her eyes were smiling. Her voice wasn't threatening. Looking at the situation alone, there was nothing particularly wrong — but Woohyeok knew better than anyone what kind of person she was. How she'd lived. How she'd climbed to this position as a hunter.

"Don't worry. If I don't put any restrictions on my abilities—"

Woohyeok clenched one fist.

"There's no way I lose. You know that."

"..."

Siyun turned her gaze from Woohyeok to Hyunji. Hyunji understood her intent at once and began shouting at the top of her lungs.

The space spread out as wide as a basketball court. In the center of the hall, with every spectator watching, a message appeared before the eyes of every hunter present.

"It's about to start, Association President."

"..."

Chaerin and Seo Ayeon watched the match with bated breath. This was Seongwolhoe's home turf. Siyun was putting on a show of fairness, but they needed to keep watching closely.

Whew. Completely enemy territory.

Having moved to his position, Jisu looked around again. Familiar faces, sure — but honestly, he only knew their faces. The only person he'd actually spoken with was Heeyeon, and even that had been nothing more than signing a contract. They hadn't talked since. He felt like an away team at a championship game. An away team at least had fans who'd come to the stadium. Here, Jisu didn't seem to have a single person on his side.

"Ah — Seyeon?"

A voice that felt uniquely welcome in this situation. It was Operator Jeong Seyeon.

"Ah, right. That makes sense, now that I think about it."

That's right. Even the away team had at least one fan who'd shown up. Leaving her newly reassuring voice behind him, Jisu started turning the gears in his head.

Alright. What's the play? I don't even know how the coins I invested in are doing, so I can't start putting a strategy together... and I can't check my phone right now. Any good ideas?

Jisu's ability had a major drawback. Namely, it was nearly impossible to check coin prices during combat. If he could read the market in real time, he could accurately gauge his current stats and act accordingly — but constantly looking at a smartphone in the middle of a fight was, frankly, not feasible. And if he kept repeating such unnatural behavior, the people around him might figure out his ability.

Hmm. Should I just trade punches and see?

As he was thinking that, Seyeon's voice came through again.

"Huh? Ah — well, I do have something I'm thinking about."

That was the moment. As Jisu answered Seyeon's voice without much thought, a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠single idea ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠flashed through his mind like lightning.

Wait.