Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Victor's Rights
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Three days had passed since the massive gate incident. Korea had been turned completely upside down.
The damage from the large-scale gate that erupted right in the heart of Gangnam—at a university hospital packed with civilians—was catastrophic.
Roads were destroyed, and countless casualties piled up.
Grieving families wailed in front of collapsed building rubble, while survivors shuddered under traumas they'd carry for life.
Despair blanketed the city.
But amid that thick darkness, a single ray of light was born.
The Hunter Association didn't miss this dramatic narrative.
They quickly distributed press releases, loudly proclaiming the birth of a hero.
[Perennial F-rank porter awakens to S-rank to protect his daughter]
It was a story more dramatic than any drama: soaring from rock bottom to the pinnacle.
The public went wild.
In chaotic times, heroes are essential.
Choi Min-seok became the icon of hope blooming from despair.
And naturally, that blaze spread to his agency, Miracle Management.
"Han Siwoo again?"
"Wow, Lee Jia and now Choi Min-seok too? What does that guy see in them?"
Not content with scouting the first re-awakener Lee Jia and raising her to A-rank, this time it was an S-rank.
Once it came out that Han Siwoo had personally casted him right off the street again, public opinion was floored.
No one could dismiss it as mere luck anymore.
Eye of God, Hand of Midas. Those were Han Siwoo's new nicknames.
Love calls poured in for Choi Min-seok, who had set Korea ablaze.
Top domestic guilds arrived waving blank checks, while agency reps and journalists hungry for scoops camped out in front of the hospital and Miracle's office.
But Choi Min-seok's stance was firm.
"I'm currently under Miracle Management. I've entrusted all decisions about my future to CEO Han Siwoo. I won't entertain any offers."
He drew the line bluntly.
Hundreds of billions in signing bonuses, luxury villas—none could sway him.
Faced with his resolve, the hyenas could only lick their chops and back off.
The next morning, in front of Miracle Management's office.
Employees heading to work had to rub their eyes.
A familiar man stood rigidly at the automatic doors.
Choi Min-seok, clad in a black security uniform emblazoned with Miracle Management's logo, earpiece in place, stood at attention.
It was a bizarre sight: an S-rank hunter—treated as a national strategic asset—manning the office door like a mere guard.
Especially since Choi Min-seok looked utterly transformed.
The baggy security uniform that had flapped around him just days ago now clung tightly to his explosively swollen muscles.
His broad shoulders and thick chest evoked a massive fortress wall.
His once-hunched back was ramrod straight, and his downcast eyes now gleamed sharply, scanning the surroundings.
The sheer pressure he exuded overwhelmed passersby.
Just standing there, he dominated the space with his presence.
There wasn't a hint of complaint on his face.
If anything, it was filled with pride in his position and fierce resolve to protect this place.
Meanwhile, inside the office, Han Siwoo was swamped, barely able to catch his breath.
The phone rang nonstop, and his smartphone buzzed relentlessly with messages.
"Whew."
Siwoo sighed, glared at his phone, silenced it, and pocketed it.
He straightened his clothes and stepped out of the CEO's office.
Seeing Choi Min-seok at the entrance, Siwoo gave a light nod.
"Min-seok. You could relax inside now. Still standing out here?"
"I'm fine, CEO. That's the contract we signed, right? I'm Miracle's security staff."
"Haha, an S-rank security guard. The world's priciest doorman."
"To me, this spot is more precious than any guild master position."
Min-seok was dead serious. Siwoo gave a wry smile and nodded.
"Got it. Then I'll trust you and step out. Hold down the fort."
"Yes sir! Safe travels!"
With Min-seok's booming send-off, Siwoo hurried out of the office.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ A short while later.
Siwoo sat in the Hunter Association headquarters' deepest conference room.
The air was heavy, silence hanging thick.
At the head sat the association's power broker, the executive director.
Beside him, the on-site team leader who'd clashed with Siwoo at the gate cowered like a criminal, head bowed.
Siwoo lounged across from them, leg crossed, casually lifting his teacup.
Slurp.
The sipping sound echoed loudly.
The director's eyebrow twitched.
"Ahem, ahem."
The director cleared his throat and spoke heavily.
"Uh... CEO Han?"
"Yes, go ahead. I'm listening."
"Isn't it time to wrap this up nicely? We moved fast to prioritize Choi Min-seok's S-rank certification and packaged it beautifully for the press. 'Birth of a Hero'—pretty catchy title, right?"
The director boasted.
"...Is that so."
Siwoo replied dryly.
"So, how about we bury what happened that day? Think of the association's face. And it wasn't like we delayed on purpose. It was force majeure."
The director grinned slyly, trying to coax him.
Clink.
Siwoo set his cup down.
He met the director's eyes squarely and slowly straightened up.
"Director, that's an odd way to put it."
"Pardon?"
"Prioritizing the S-rank certification—that was for the association's gain, rushing to secure an S-rank hunter and flaunt national power, wasn't it?"
"No, that's not..."
"And the press packaging? You edited it to favor the association, didn't you? The articles were a joke. Swift association response and citizen cooperation shone? Choi Min-seok alone held back that hellish slaughter at the hospital. The association didn't show its face."
Siwoo's tone was calm, but his words were razor-sharp daggers.
"No matter how you slice it, you're twisting it to suit yourselves. How is any of this consideration for us? More like spooning in for credit."
"Tch, that's a bit much."
The director tried to retort but stammered, sweating coldly.
Siwoo's logic was airtight.
Siwoo pressed on, pulling a USB from his pocket and tossing it onto the table.
Thud. Roll.
The light plastic clatter sounded like thunder to the team leader.
"W-what's this?"
"Footage from my car dashcam."
Siwoo's flat reply made the team leader flinch.
"From incident start to your arrival, exactly 28 minutes and 43 seconds. The site was a free-for-all, civilians exposed to monster jaws."
"CEO Han!"
"Want to check it? Dashcams are high-res these days. It'll show vividly how a mere F-rank held the line, vomiting blood. And crucially..."
Siwoo's gaze pinned the bowed team leader.
"Your late arrival, bullying Choi Min-seok on his way to his daughter. All crystal clear, audio included."
"C-CEO, I was wrong. Please..."
The team leader begged, face crumpling.
"Missing the golden hour, then venting on the hunter who saved citizens. The press would love this."
The director paled.
If that footage leaked? The fallout would be massive.
He and even the association president couldn't escape the blame.
The association's credibility would tank.
"CEO Han! Bringing it means you're open to talk, right? You're here to negotiate!"
The director shouted desperately.
"Maybe. My finger slips sometimes—might accidentally email it to reporters. That send button's too easy."
Siwoo grinned back, sending chills down their spines.
No escape. A perfect checkmate.
This man was power-tripping the association flawlessly.
The director rubbed his face dry and sighed deeply.
A veteran who'd clawed to this position.
He saw Siwoo building leverage before the real negotiation.
"What... do you want? Name it—I'll make it happen."
Siwoo inwardly cheered.
He slid a prepared envelope across the table.
"You'll see, but I want three things."
The director shakily pulled out the documents and read.
"First. Commission custom gear for Choi Min-seok. Mobilize your Tech Development Division's top materials and tech. Full association funding."
"Gear's doable... S-rank support budget covers it."
"Not just a shield. A variable weapon."
Siwoo pointed to the blueprint attached.
"Normally a shield absorbing impacts and mana. At critical mass, releases energy and shifts to greatsword form. He's a tank but needs solo-ending firepower. Enable solo play."
The director frowned.
A hybrid weapon with dual mana circuits for defense and offense.
Astronomical difficulty.
High failure risk.
But glancing between Siwoo's eyes and the USB, he gritted his teeth and nodded.
"...Understood. I'll grind the Tech Director into it if needed. Second?"
"Kang Cheol-min from your Legal Team. Assign him as Miracle's dedicated legal advisor."
"Kang Cheol-min?"
The director's eyes widened in surprise.
Kang Cheol-min was a prickly hardliner, principle-bound even in the association.
Even directors avoided him for ignoring hierarchy.
Didn't expect him singled out.
"Association employee, but prioritize Miracle duties. Detached duty."
"Ha, taking that thorn? Fine by me. Headache gone. Last one?"
"The key."
Siwoo leaned forward.
His eyes flashed.
"Association guarantee on pre-awakening contracts, and anti-tampering guarantee."
"Pre-awakening?"
"Even contracts before awakening or at low ranks—once the hunter ranks up, fully legally and institutionally back their validity."
The director scoffed in disbelief.
"Come on, CEO Han. Greedy much? Only two re-awakeners in Korea so far. Both yours. Betting on another lottery hit?"
"Prepare for the worst."
"Plus, if a hunter sues later saying it doesn't match their value? Can't stop it. Hunter Rights Law."
"Not asking to block hunter-initiated lawsuits. Managing their hearts is my job."
Siwoo drew a firm line.
"Guarantee against other agencies or guilds tampering with money during contract term. Block poaching outright. If tampering detected, association imposes business suspension or worse on the guild, voids contract breaches institutionally. That's the device needed."
Now the director got it.
Large guilds poaching with cash.
Han Siwoo wanted to preempt that filth with association authority.
'Nothing to lose. Re-awakenings aren't common. Twice already—he's burned his luck for life.'
The director calculated inwardly.
Seemed like flailing to protect prospects.
No loss for the association.
'Won't last long.'
Misjudging Siwoo, the director nodded.
Masking his thoughts, he flashed a business smile.
"Deal. We'll enact a special clause. But as you said, no association liability for hunter suits?"
"Of course. My hunters, my responsibility."
Siwoo smiled satisfied and stood.
"Finalize details via Kang Cheol-min. I'm off."
Siwoo offered a handshake; the director took it grudgingly.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Exiting the association building, Siwoo headed to the parking lot.
The air felt refreshing.
Having secured everything he wanted, his mood soared.
Before starting the car from the driver's seat, he habitually checked his status window.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ 👤 Name: Han Siwoo 📊 Level: 41 🎭 Class: Manager (Unique) ⭐ Rank: B 🔮 Skills: Insight Eye (Active) Growth Synchronization (Passive) Thanks to sharing Lee Jia's dungeon EXP sweeps and Choi Min-seok's dramatic awakening plus troll subjugation EXP from days ago, Siwoo's rank had skyrocketed to B.
Siwoo clenched and unclenched his fist lightly.
Crack. Power surged through his grip with the knuckle pops.
Especially his eyes—deeper, clearer than before.
Hitting B-rank had sharpened Insight Eye's precision.
"Growing too fast, huh. Not that it's bad."
Strength meant survival. No downside to power.
He smirked and hit the ignition.
"Back to the office."
He floored the accelerator out of the lot.
Then.
His smartphone in the passenger seat vibrated heavily.
Bzzz— bzzz—
The buzz was unusually loud.
Siwoo grabbed it absently, then frowned at the caller ID.
Unsaved number.
But the area code was all too familiar.
No one in Korea's hunter industry could miss it—the number symbolizing absolute power.
'02-777-XXXX'
One of Korea's Big Three guilds.
The most aggressive, with the largest martial force.
White Tiger Guild's direct headquarters line.
Siwoo gripped the wheel tighter, lips curling.
What was coming had arrived.
'An S-rank tank emerges—predators won't sit idle.'
He pressed call.
"Hello."
[Nice to meet you, CEO Han Siwoo.]
The voice from the receiver was deep and resonant.
[White Tiger Guild Master, Baek Chang-gi.]
Top-tier S-rank.
Top 3 in Korea's power rankings. A monster.
"...Yes, I know."
Siwoo replied calmly, but a thrill raced down his spine.
[No time to waste, so straight to the point.]
The man didn't beat around the bush.
[Miracle Management. Care to join under White Tiger Guild?]