Chapter 124

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 124

Chapter Title: I'm an 8, Though?

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For the time being, we decided to keep Kang Hana's ability under wraps.

"Congratulations, Hana."

"Congratulations."

"Thank you... everyone..."

"With all you big moms blessing her like this, our Gongji will grow up well too, right?"

"...Can you not talk like that? It makes me wanna puke."

"It's Lee Sua's way of talking."

"..."

"..."

In the midst of that awkward yet sincere congratulations, I tossed Kang Hana's words over to Lee Sua, who laughed through her mouth while digging into my side with her fingers.

"Ow!"

"Flame Daddy, that's just for when it's the four of us, right?"

Kang Hana, who'd been defeated by Talulla twice just yesterday and today, covered her mouth and quickly tried to smooth things over.

"But come to think of it, calling it Gongji does feel a bit weird, even if it rolls off the tongue nicely. Our skills are basically like our kids anyway... haha..."

"Yeah, yeah."

Now that all three of them here had SSS-grade abilities, they could relax and chat freely about nursing their hangovers from yesterday, swapping stories among themselves.

What's your ability like? Mine's this. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠What effects do the skills have?

"I hope Hana levels up to SSS-grade skills soon and becomes double SSS."

"Right? She should just go public already."

"...I'm not hiding it because I'm not double SSS—it's because I don't want to get tangled up with this jerk of an oppa... Even without going public, I'm thrilled as is."

"Fair enough... Hana's situation is kinda complicated."

While the three of them bonded like yesterday, I picked up the incoming call.

I'd lived a life where unknown numbers were 100% voice phishing or loan sharks, so I never answered them. But this one was the officially verified "Hunter Association" number, so I took it.

"Hello. Guild Master Kang Jik? This is the Hunter Association Seoul Branch."

"Yes, what's up?"

Listening to the polite, pleasant female voice, it boiled down to them wanting me at the Hunter Association.

"You ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠applied for a mercenary guild under the Hunter Association, right? It's been approved, so we need to provide some orientation and info, and also... two double SSS-grade hunters joined your guild. Is this... really legit?"

"...What, you think I used hypnosis apps to sneak them in or something?"

"No, no. Of course not. But just so you know, Hunter Law requires Association mediation for unfair contracts involving SSS-grade hunters. So it'd be great if you could come in person with the contracts and have the hunters confirm directly..."

"Who decides what's unfair?"

"Oh, no need to worry. If the hunters themselves agreed to and acknowledged the terms, there's no issue. It's just that if they raise a problem later after initial review, it falls under the standard Hunter Association contract guidelines by rank..."

I got the gist and tuned out the rest.

"I'll head over today, then."

"Thank you."

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. To make a living off hunters in the hunter world, follow hunter guild laws.

To outsiders, I was just a lucky normie running a guild with two double SSS-grade hunters and soon an S-grade one.

They'd wonder a thousand times a day how a guy like me pulled it off, but no one would conclude it was because I was that great.

So play along.

Keep it low-key, do what they say.

When trouble brews, shove the invincible shields Im Hyeji and Lee Sua out front.

"If you're done eating, get ready to go. The Hunter Association wants all of us."

"Huh? Why?"

"Us?"

"...Me too?"

"Hana, your contract's already void anyway. Might as well wrap it up while we're there. Hate going twice."

"..."

In the end, Kang Hana would join Kang Jik Guild too.

This morning after giving birth to her ability yesterday, she'd unfollowed everyone else except me, just as I'd told her.

It felt childish, but leaving traces on SNS that these women I'd impregnated one by one were now mine? It hit like I got why idols risk secret signals among themselves.

Thrilling.

And so, the four of us finished eating and headed to the Hunter Association.

@

Kim Gap-su was the team leader of the Hunter Management Team at the Hunter Association.

Even on a weekend, he'd come in after a call from the Guild Management Team and headed to the conference room.

"Im Hyeji and Lee Sua joined Kang Jik Guild? Both at the same time?"

"Yes, they're coming today, and on top of that, Semi Guild's S-grade hunter Kang Hana's joining too."

"..."

Hunter transfers at SS-grade and above were rare.

From the moment their awakening and rank were public via the Association, guilds showered them with offers. They chose carefully amid all that.

Sure, some regretted it, invoked Association mediation to break contracts, and jumped ship—but rarely.

Once settled, guilds pulled out all stops to keep SS+ hunters unless it was a massive scandal.

Money and guild size were comparable anyway. SS+ hunters picked based on raid profit splits and whether the guild had enough firepower for comfy dungeon clears.

Those two factors made this case wildly unusual.

A brand-new guild snagging Semi Guild's SSS- and S-grade hunters, plus a freshly awakened double SSS?

Anyone would blink. Kim ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Gap-su wondered if there was a honey pot there.

"No issues, right?"

Kim Gap-su was an ace.

That's how a "young" 44-year-old wielded massive power as head of the Hunter Management Team, overseeing all hunters—the real powerhouse of the Korean Hunter Association.

Sure, there were directors and vice directors above, but the team reported straight to the top brass as an independent unit, with full authority and responsibility.

So he didn't jump to conclusions.

Something's up.

Suspicious, but he waited, curious about this Kang Jik Guild and its master. Maybe it'd reveal the truth behind those circulating rumors.

Soon the conference room door opened, and four people—two men, two women—entered.

"Hello."

"Greetings."

Guild Management Team, Hunter Management Team leader and staff—over a dozen already seated.

"Whoa, why so many people...?"

Average-looking Kang Jik scanned the room, chuckled dryly, and sat.

The three women trailing him lit up the room like a hallucination.

"Wow..."

Someone gasped involuntarily, manners be damned.

No one called them out.

Everyone felt it.

Casual home clothes, yet their skin gleamed smooth, pale, flawless.

That saying about clean skin making you look young and pretty? These three proved it.

Two could pass for minors at a glance; Lee Sua, famous as she was, had everyone thinking early twenties in real life.

Naturally, curiosity spiked about the guy with them, Kang Jik.

The guild team lead started with prepared questions.

His mind had blanked the instant he saw Lee Sua, Im Hyeji, and Kang Hana, but thank god for the scripted list—and routine questions.

"Please confirm the contracts with your affiliated hunters and that they joined willingly."

Kang Jik asked ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠back, genuinely puzzled.

"Even if I threatened them into it—two double SSS-grades—but you're asking that with me right here?"

"...Ah, it's just procedure. No suspicion at all. Otherwise, we'd have contacted the hunters separately."

"Oh, right?"

"Yes, I joined willingly."

"I asked to join myself."

"Me too."

The three women confirmed it themselves.

For the contracts, he pulled three A4 sheets from his bag.

"Here."

"...This is the contract?"

"Yes."

"What the..."

The identical terms on the paper, with solemn seals, looked like some back-alley loan shark contract.

"Any issues?"

"..."

No issues, technically.

Contracts were just paper promises to uphold terms—written fancy, verbal, whatever—as long as both acknowledged it, third parties couldn't complain.

But the moment trouble hit, the Association would shred this without a second thought.

"Um... did you... all review and sign these contracts yourselves?"

The guild team lead, unable to stand it, cautiously asked the three women.