Chapter 045
< I Must Invite Him No Matter What >
45
Yu Jin-hyuk’s rehabilitation room.
Yu Jin-hyuk was receiving a precision examination surrounded by various cutting-edge medical equipment.
The medical staff were busy analyzing data while shining mana scanners on Yu Jin-hyuk’s shoulder.
“Hunter, your body condition has improved much. But the residue of the curse remaining on your shoulder is still······.”
“I know.”
Yu Jin-hyuk cut off the medical team leader's words softly.
A dark red curse mark still remained on his shoulder.
It couldn't be called a perfect recovery.
The 3-year-old curse couldn't possibly vanish as if washed away by just a few carrots.
But the important thing was that S-Rank potions or healing magic, which previously hadn't worked at all, were now starting to show effects little by little.
Certainly, Gorani Man 12's crops were the starting point of every change.
“Hunter Yu Jin-hyuk, did the examination go well?”
Shin Seung-ah entered, dismissed the medical staff, and sat by Yu Jin-hyuk’s side.
And she admired Yu Jin-hyuk’s face inwardly.
Because the previous sharpness and vitality had returned.
‘As expected, it was good to trade.’
In the moment she was satisfied.
“Executive Shin. I will participate in the Okinawa great Rift special dispatch team.”
“······Pardon? With that body? It's true you've improved, but it's absolutely not at the level of full recovery.”
Yu Jin-hyuk said an unexpected thing.
An unknown disaster where even S-Rank Hunters could not guarantee their lives.
She couldn't send Yu Jin-hyuk, who still had an injury, to such a place.
“I want to stop you.”
“I know it's a reckless act. But there will absolutely be no damage to MK.”
“While knowing it's reckless?”
“This is my personal decision regardless of the guild. Even if an unfortunate incident occurs, I can make it so no damage occurs.”
“······.”
Shin Seung-ah was puzzled.
Because Yu Jin-hyuk was normally a person more cautious and rational than anyone.
Actually, it had been quite a while since Yu Jin-hyuk failed to participate in a large Rift support mission.
He had been declining every mission that would be a burden to the guild after perceiving his own body state.
But why suddenly.
“······I know better than anyone that you're not the type to overdo it like this. May I ask why you made such a mind?”
“Because faith was created.”
“Faith?”
“Yes. Faith given to me by Gorani Man 12-nim's crops.”
“······Pardon?”
Yu Jin-hyuk said with a serious face.
“I was puzzled at first. Why he told me to eat only one root a day over ten days. But while chewing carrots during those ten days, I had time to look back at myself. And I realized.”
“What was it?”
“During the last 3 years, the thing that truly tormented me was not the shoulder curse. It was the despair that I was finished······ the fear that I could never return to the previous state. My heart was trapped in the illness.”
Shin Seung-ah knew Yu Jin-hyuk’s pain better than anyone.
Because she had watched from right next to him for the last 3 years as the person who was revered as South Korea's strongest hero collapsed while suffering from nightmares every night.
“Perhaps the reason treatment was impossible with any elixir over the last 3 years······ might have been exactly because of that illness of the heart. But Gorani Man 12-nim's crops healed not only my physical body but even that sick heart.”
“The heart······?”
“Yes. Especially when I finished all ten days' worth of carrots and drank the clear water he sent. I felt as if the dark resentment in my heart was being washed away along with the purification of my entire body.”
And he stared at all sorts of gifts and piles of letters stacked in a corner next to the hospital room.
Even during the 3 years he was sluggish, the citizens didn't forget him and were waiting for the Heart of Steel to return.
“Even just to repay their hearts, I can no longer stay hidden. I must go to block this danger.”
Shin Seung-ah stared into Yu Jin-hyuk’s unshakable eyes.
Eyes where a shadow of despair was not seen.
They were eyes where only the firm will to stand up again for the numerous people who believed in and cheered for him and for the benefactor whose face he didn't even know stood out.
“Gorani Man······ that person is my benefactor. This new life received from him, I must now use it in the place that needs me.”
“If you put it that way······.”
Shin Seung-ah could no longer stop such a Yu Jin-hyuk.
She quietly nodded.
For 3 years.
The time she guarded Yu Jin-hyuk’s side as a business partner and as his fan.
Shin Seung-ah decided to believe and support Yu Jin-hyuk’s decision.
“I will go put in the participation application.”
* * *
Sangam-dong, Seoul, Valhalla Guild Tower.
Yu Seo-jin pressed the trade complete button on Dang-geun-tap (Tower Market) with a satisfied smile.
She successfully put this week's portion of [Tomato of Vitality] into her hand.
Since the first trade at U-Hwa-Ryeong, Yu Seo-jin was luckily able to become Gorani Man 12's regular customer.
Of course, she couldn't get a large supply as she wanted.
Taking the small amount of crops Gorani Man 12 put out every week with a thankful heart was everything.
Although she was the chief researcher of the No. 1 guild in South Korea, in this trade alone she was a complete underdog.
But she had not a single complaint about that fact.
‘Gorani Man 12.’
The more she knew, the more he was a mysterious figure.
A man who seemed to have no great interest in money or fame.
Yu Seo-jin was feeling a personal curiosity to become a bit closer with him.
“To further advance the relationship, what should I do.”
Yu Seo-jin muttered quietly.
In her life, such a worry was the first.
Normally it was common for the other party to strive to win Yu Seo-jin’s favor.
But this Gorani Man, his inner thoughts couldn't be known at all.
So she was approaching cautiously, very slowly.
It had already been a month since the trades continued.
She steadily built trust every week.
Now, couldn't she try making a different offer?
[Genie: Gorani Man-nim. If it's okay, won't you visit our Valhalla R&D Center once? Every one of our guild members is a fervent fan of your crops. We want to express our gratitude.]
This place was the sanctuary of South Korean technology, never revealed to outsiders.
It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to directly see the cutting-edge technology and unreleased artifacts Valhalla possessed.
[Gorani Man 12: It's okay. Such things are bothersome.]
“······Hee-hee.”
As expected, he's not an ordinary person.
But, when Yu Seo-jin was contemplating the next move.
An unexpected message flew in.
[Gorani Man 12: By any chance······ does Valhalla also accept resumes?]
‘Resume?’
[Genie: Valhalla rarely conducts new recruitment, but what kind of person is it?]
Entering Valhalla had to be seen as harder than plucking a star from the sky.
Fitting the majesty of the No. 1 guild, not only were there no TOs, but there were practically no vacancies at all.
Once entered, it was a place where almost no one left on their own feet until retirement.
Because Valhalla was exactly the "god's workplace" every hunter in South Korea dreamed of.
Even if a vacancy arose, it was a place where only the top 0.1% of elites were gathered and recruited after meticulous screening, so "new recruitment" itself was almost non-existent.
[Gorani Man 12: There is one person I know, and their skill is certain. I was wondering if a recommendation is possible.]
A talent recommended by Gorani Man 12.
She was interested.
‘But······.’
There was no vacancy for a new recruit to enter Valhalla right now.
No matter how much of a request from Gorani Man 12 it was, there was no way to create a non-existent position.
She intended to first take the name and then refuse politely.
[Genie: If it's not rude, what is that person's name?]
[Gorani Man 12: No Tae-seop. Former National Hunter Management Bureau equipment management team leader (Old Man No).]
“······Huh?”
Yu Seo-jin showed a smile involuntarily.
And she stood up, typing a message politely.
[Genie: I will review it positively.]
[Genie: However, because Valhalla has recruitment standards, may I ask if it's okay for our staff to visit the residence to conduct a brief interview? Of course, the recommended person might be sensitive, so you may refuse if it's an unreasonable request.]
[Gorani Man 12: It's okay if you notify in advance.]
“As expected, is everything Gorani Man-nim gives good? Hee-hee.”
A researcher next to her looked at Yu Seo-jin with a questioning look.
“What's the matter?”
“It's work, work. I’ll have to go get one Valhalla recruitment TO approval.”
“Pardon? That would be······.”
Getting a new TO approval directly from the Guild Master.
That was something not easy even for Yu Seo-jin, a founding member of Valhalla and the head of the R&D center, a very picky task.
But for Gorani Man, such a thing felt like no problem at all to Yu Seo-jin.
“Set an appointment with Old Man No right now. For the residence interview date. Go and see directly what kind of person he is. I’ll personally proceed with the main contract after that.”
“T-Team Leader, you personally?”
“Yeah. It's a talent personally recommended by Gorani Man-nim, of course I should personally step forward and show the highest courtesy.”
Yu Seo-jin, the chief researcher of Valhalla and a mentioned next leader.
Her personally stepping forward to recruit a single new recruit.
It was an unprecedented move since the guild's foundation.
It was a part where one could know just how importantly Yu Seo-jin regarded the relationship with Gorani Man.
The researcher asked cautiously.
“Team Leader, but by any chance······ if we keep an eye on this Old Man No, couldn't we also find out about Gorani Man 12's identity?”
In an instant.
Yu Seo-jin’s expression froze coldly.
“······Im Eun-kyung.”
“Ye-yes?”
“Let's snap to our senses. Thanks to whom are we receiving these tomatoes right now?”
“Pardon? G-Gorani Man-nim, of course!”
At that answer, Yu Seo-jin pointed to the empty basket on the table as if frustrated.
It was the basket that held the special tomatoes until a moment ago.
“Are you tired of tomatoes?”
“N-no way, ma'am!”
She widened her eyes at Yu Seo-jin’s words and waved her hand.
Tired of tomatoes?
Not other tomatoes, but Gorani Man-nim's tomatoes?
That could never be.
Now a life without Gorani Man 12's tomatoes couldn't even be imagined.
“Right, Eun-kyung. It's none other than Gorani Man-nim. We should protect him, shouldn't we?”
“M-ma'am! We should protect him!”
She quickly chimed in and bowed her head deeply.
“Truly, I am sorry! Gorani Man-nim!”
* * *
Im Eun-kyung tightly held the steering wheel of the company SUV for the field work.
The unpaved road, which was all bumps and dips as if paving never existed, continued endlessly.
‘A person really lives in such a place.’
The car bounced vigorously as it hit a rock the size of a wheel.
A residence interview was truly a long time since there were almost no recruitments at Valhalla.
“Hee-hee, I brought this~”
She opened the lunch box she kept preciously in the passenger seat.
One red and enticing tomato was sliced inside.
It was the precious tomato bestowed by Gorani Man 12-nim, the best welfare of Valhalla lately.
“As expected, it's delicious!”
In the moment she took a bite, the refreshing juice felt as if fatigue were vanishing.
‘Come to think of it, Team Leader Yu Seo-jin seems to have become a bit softer lately.’
Is it because of the tomato? Or is it the influence of Gorani Man 12-nim who shares those tomatoes.
Having such trivial thoughts, she focused on driving again.
It was exactly that moment.
Cr-crack!
A sound of a giant tree breaking was heard from the forest side, and a heavy something blocked the middle of the road.
A giant red shadow was revealed by the car headlights.
“Gasp.”
Im Eun-kyung’s breath stopped.
A giant bear that looked to be 4 meters, no, 5 meters easily.
The entire body was covered with hair red as blood. That monster seen only in manuals.
“Red bear of the Northern Desert Empire? Although it's the lowest individual, it's still B-Rank······!”
It wasn't a rank Im Eun-kyung, a C-Rank Hunter, could face alone.
It felt as if blood was being sucked from the hand holding the steering wheel.
GR-R-R-O-O-O-A-R-!
The bear roared and raised its front paws.
Sharp teeth seen between the torn mouth, and giant claws that seemed like they’d smash the car glass in one go.
‘Am I······ dying? Without even dating once, in a place like this?’
In the moment she thought everything was over.
Exactly the moment the bear's giant head was about to fill her vision.
Thud-!
A dull, heavy sound.
“······?”
She couldn't even scream.
The red bear that had been rushing to tear her to death just a moment ago slumped like a doll without any resistance.
Thump-!
The giant body fell while shaking the ground.
And behind it, a very small shadow revealed its form.
“······No way, a Hellhound?”
It was clearly a Hellhound.
But it was too different from the appearance Im Eun-kyung knew.
The Hellhound seen in manuals was a giant and ferocious wolf appearance.
But that thing before her eyes just looked like a cute black puppy.
‘Did this Hellhound just process that bear in one blow······?’
Step, step.
While Im Eun-kyung was losing her senses, a man walked out calmly from the forest.
In his hand, an ordinary dog leash connected to the Hellhound was held.
“!”
It was Old Man No, the person she came to find.
‘That Hellhound that just took down that giant bear in one go······ so calmly?’
It was common sense that a Hellhound is stronger than a red bear.
But such an overwhelming gap?
It was true a Hellhound is a much higher-ranking individual, but this was a nonsensical level of difference that broke existing common sense.
Of course, what was more bizarre was Old Man No’s appearance as if he were out for a walk while handling such a level of Hellhound as a pet.
‘······D-Druid? Tamer? No, those classes were all wiped out? No, before that, a hunter can tame a Hellhound of that level?’
Im Eun-kyung stared at Old Man No, who was throwing a dog chew to the Hellhound, with a dazed look.
Only one thought was surfacing right now.
The thought that she must bring Old Man No to Valhalla at all costs!
By any means necessary!
Meanwhile, Im Eun-kyung also had such a curiosity.
Wondering just how stupid and incompetent the Bureau's power-holders must be to have missed such a person.
‘Are there only fools in the Bureau?’
It was a question that surfaced naturally upon seeing Old Man No.
And she was certain.
That a person like this would unconditionally bring profit to Valhalla.
< I Must Invite Him No Matter What > END