A Favor for a Friend
Once word got out that the raid with Core's B-team was a massive success, the guild collaborations ground to a halt.
Ah, it wasn't because anything went wrong.
It was simply because everyone realized my skills far exceeded their expectations, and there was no longer any need to 'test' me with their second-stringers.
Nexus, Hyeonmu, Taegeuk, and Baekya—all of them requested that I raid the highest floors they were currently targeting, not with their B-teams, but with their main teams.
I had no reason to refuse.
However, wanting to be thoroughly prepared, I asked for some time.
"They all said they're willing to wait indefinitely," Go Juhee reported.
It was practically a blank-check situation.
Since most domestic guilds were stuck in a rut on the highest floors, they were ready to bow down to whatever demands I made.
They even showered the Typhoon Guild with all kinds of support, saying it would be even better if I leveled up first.
Among them, the Baekya Guild was in a league of its own. Despite not having recruited me, they went so far as to offer to set up a dedicated team just to help me level up.
Of course, I turned it down.
Sure, it would have been convenient.
But raising my level wasn't the only thing that mattered; I also needed to level up my teammates.
Collaborating with other guilds was merely a side gig.
What truly mattered were my teammates and my guild.
"He doesn't want money, he doesn't want support... Then what on earth does he want?"
"Probably nothing."
"Seriously, the guy is something else. I really should have brought him into our guild..."
"There isn't a single person in this room who isn't thinking the exact same thing."
Inside the Hunter Administration Office, the guild leaders gathered, Lee Taepyeong's name constantly on their lips.
"Even if we succeed in clearing the highest floors we're currently stuck on, it's still a problem."
"Because once we succeed, we'll have no choice but to rely on Lee Taepyeong for the next floors too."
"Still, I suppose we should be glad he's open to collaboration..."
"He's different from Choi Muryeong. Rather than acting out of a sense of duty, he climbs the tower simply because he finds it fun..."
"And that makes it even more troublesome."
"Because we have no idea what he actually wants."
Sighs echoed through the room as if on cue.
"Should we call it incredible business acumen, or..."
"According to Core, the quality of the materials he brings out of the tower is beyond imagination."
"Did you see that Dire Wolf pelt? I've never seen one in such perfect condition."
"I heard he only stabbed it three times. And since two of those were through the eyes, there wasn't a single scratch on the hide."
"If it goes to auction, the price will skyrocket. Though it seems Core plans to use it themselves."
"It looks like his supply of materials is already tied to the GR Group..."
"Well, Go Juhee of the GR Group did take over as the representative of his guild."
"How on earth did she scout him so early..."
Another collective, heavy sigh followed.
"Seeing how quickly he set up his own guild, he clearly knows how the board is played."
"We shouldn't underestimate him just because he's young. You've all heard about the GR Guild, right?"
"You mean how Lee Taepyeong practically dismantled it?"
"Exactly. They've been faltering lately, but considering the weight of the GR name, they shouldn't have collapsed so easily. Yet, seeing how things turned out..."
"Just looking at how the Typhoon Guild took over their spot in the blink of an eye shows how capable he is."
Even after a sigh heavy enough to bring down the building, the conversation about Lee Taepyeong continued without end.
Today was the day to fill the contribution points quota promised to the Administration Office.
In the morning, I quickly ran the 40th floor with my team and returned.
It was everyone's first time dealing with beastmen and beasts, but perhaps because our teamwork was so solid, we cleared it without a hitch.
In particular, Baek Harim's skills were improving by the day. At this rate, I was almost worried Choi Muryeong's team might try to steal him away.
"Should we all go to a cafe together?" Woo Jumin suggested.
"Ah, I have an appointment, so I'll head out first," I said.
"Hyung! That's not fair!"
"Sorry, sorry."
After finishing lunch with the team, I went straight to meet Kang Mina.
"Hunter Lee! How have you been?" Kang Mina greeted me with her usual bright smile.
"I've been doing well."
"I heard you've been incredibly busy lately!"
"Well, I basically have a job of my own now."
"Oh~ Then you must finally understand the struggles of an office worker! Early mornings, late nights, and all the stress from bosses, colleagues, and subordinates!"
"...Well, I show up late, leave early, and have no boss, colleagues, or subordinates, so it might still be hard for me to relate."
"I-I'm so jealous...!!!"
Kang Mina writhed in pure envy.
"Anyway, what brings you here today..."
"Ah, the matter you requested before has been wrapped up nicely."
Kang Mina handed over a document.
It was a temporary permit for Woo Jumin, who was still a minor.
Since he was climbing the tower under the Administration Office's jurisdiction, he needed this official authorization to join a guild.
"Thank you. Honestly, I thought it might not go through..."
"Hunter Woo Jumin's own determination was very strong as well."
"Haha, Jumin can be like that."
Anyway, it was a relief.
If the Administration Office had decided to say no, there wouldn't have been much I could do.
Of course, they didn't do this purely out of the goodness of their hearts. They must have calculated that letting Woo Jumin join my guild would ultimately benefit the Administration Office more.
I would just have to prove their judgment right by steadily clearing the tower and racking up contribution points.
"I'm glad it worked out. Thanks to you, Miss Mina..."
"Wait a moment!"
Sensing that I was about to wrap up and leave, Kang Mina hastily stopped me.
Hmm?
"Actually, the reason I asked to meet today is..."
She hesitated, her words trailing off.
What could it be to make her hesitate like this?
"Why are you acting so distant? We go back, don't we?"
"...!"
"Don't get me wrong, I don't mean anything weird by it. I just mean we've known each other since the day I first walked into the Administration Office."
"W-we have..."
"I consider us old acquaintances, so there's no need to walk on eggshells around me."
"Hunter Lee...!"
Kang Mina looked at me with a deeply touched expression.
I shrugged and gestured with my chin toward the tablet she was clutching tightly to her chest.
"Whatever it is, show me."
"In that case..."
She carefully handed over the tablet.
"A collaboration request?"
"..."
"If this is about raiding the 66th floor, my level is still a bit..."
"No, it's not that."
"It's not?"
Tap, tap. I checked where she was pointing.
"...A two-man party?"
It was completely different.
It wasn't the 66th floor, nor was it a four-man party.
It was a Level 20 hunter currently climbing the 10s floors.
Their skills seemed decent enough, but...
Why pair me up with someone like this?
"Actually, there's a bit of a problem."
"What is it?"
"They are about to raid the 19th floor. As you know, Goblin Shamans appear on the 19th floor, right?"
"Right."
"They didn't have any issues clearing the previous floors solo, but it seems the 19th floor is proving to be too difficult."
Indeed, the 19th floor, where the Shaman appeared, was notoriously difficult to clear alone.
So it wasn't unusual for solo climbers to look for a party at that point.
But the question was, why ask me?
Kang Mina seemed to anticipate my confusion.
She let out a soft sigh, and the explanation that followed was quite shocking.
"Hunter Park Woojun's trait is Psychopath."
"Psychopath...?"
"Yes. Thanks to that, he feels no fear and makes quick decisions. His skills are also quite decent—though not on your level, of course."
"Then the problem is..."
"Hunter Park Woojun himself is the problem."
Oh, ho.
Now this was something new.
"Apparently, he's had a lot of issues since he was a minor. He became a Babel Tower climber as soon as he turned of age, but of all things, the trait he obtained was Psychopath..."
"Is that why he can't find a party?"
"...Yes. He already caused several incidents early on."
Hearing the details, it was an absolute mess.
He had attacked another human he encountered on a map, claiming he 'didn't realize they were human.'
Even when joining parties to clear the tower, he had repeatedly put other hunters in danger in similar ways.
A month ago, a hunter in a party with Park Woojun was severely injured in an 'accident.'
The victim had been comatose and only woke up a week ago.
However, they couldn't remember what happened at all.
Perhaps the trauma of the event was too severe.
In any case, it was highly likely he had attacked them targeting a gold chest, but because there was no 'evidence,' nothing could be done.
And that was how he had managed to continue working as a hunter until now.
The Administration Office was keeping a close eye on him, but without concrete proof, their hands were tied.
No matter how unhinged he was, he wasn't technically a convicted criminal yet, and climbing the tower still generated contribution points, leaving them with no recourse.
"We can't punish someone based on mere suspicion..."
"And since it happened inside the tower, it's hard to uncover the truth."
"Yes..."
Until now, the Administration Office had been making up various excuses to block his party matchmaking.
"But it seems he's caught on. Since last month, he's been filing complaints like crazy..."
"And that crazy bastard just happens to be under your charge, Miss Mina?"
"Yes..."
With a pitiful whine, Kang Mina slumped face-first onto the table.
I didn't know much about civil service, but I knew that formal complaints were a civil servant's worst nightmare.
"I can't just let unsuspecting people enter the tower with a lunatic like that. Honestly, if I could, I'd go in there myself and just...!!"
"Calm down. Calm down."
"His reason for entering the tower is obvious. It's not for the sake of humanity; he just wants to kill something! That crazy bastard...!"
I flinched slightly.
Hey, I'm not a psychopath. I'm a very humane person.
There was no need for me to feel guilty!
"If we leave him be and he gets matched with someone else, I just know something terrible will happen again..."
"Probably."
"You think so too, right, Hunter Lee? There were several times before where it looked like he was trying to disguise his actions as accidents. Of course, it was all just 'circumstantial,' so we couldn't do anything..."
"He's clever. Most deaths in the tower are blamed on monsters. If he claims it was an accident, there's practically no way to disprove it."
"Yes. And he's getting more and more used to clearing the tower. At this rate..."
Kang Mina's hands trembled.
She must be under immense stress.
"So you want me to take care of him before that happens."
When I hit the nail on the head, Kang Mina hung her head low.
"I'm sorry for asking such a favor..."
"No need. Like I said, we go back."
"Still..."
"Considering how much you've helped me, Miss Mina, this is nothing."
"...!"
Kang Mina's expression brightened instantly.
"Well, if he's still only clearing the 10s floors... I can easily suppress him no matter what happens."
"Then..."
"I'll take care of it. He's a ticking time bomb; there's no telling when or what he'll do."
"...!!!!"
"Once something happens, it'll be too late."
"Hunter Lee!"
Kang Mina sprang up from her seat, her face filled with deep gratitude.
She already looked like someone who had been liberated from the hell of civil complaints.
"However, there's one thing I want to make clear."
"Yes, please, anything!"
"I don't kill people either. You know that, right?"
"...O-of course!"
What was with that subtle pause just now?
I glanced at Kang Mina, then shrugged.
"But you do know that... an unexpected 'accident' might happen, right?"
Gulp.
Kang Mina swallowed hard, her face tense with anticipation.
"Right?"