Chapter 007
[Chapter 007]
< Hierarchy Reorganization >
7
Seoul, Gangnam Teheran-ro.
MK Group Tower 50th floor, conference room.
Hunter Guild MK Sphere operated by MK Group, which ranks in the top 10 of the business hierarchy in South Korea.
It was a high-ranking guild shining at 3rd in the guild rankings.
“So, are you saying you failed this time too?”
A conference room where silence flows.
The voice of Lee Jin-seong, Chairman of MK Group and Guild Master of MK Sphere, was low and cold.
Instead of bursting into anger, his voice, which had subsided coldly, dropped the temperature of the conference room by a few more degrees.
The S-Rank Hunter specialized medical team leader standing before him gulped and lowered his head.
“I’m sorry, Chairman. The Elixir Potion we procured this time... had no effect on Hunter Yu Jin-hyuk’s injury at all.”
“100 billion won for 1 liter. It was an expenditure without result.”
Chairman Lee Jin-seong slowly tapped the table with his finger.
Tap, tap, tap.
Every time his finger tapped the table, the medical team leader's heart fell to the floor.
Lee Jin-seong was a gambler who bet hundreds of billions casually, but he was a person who also coldly held one responsible for failure.
“I received a report that the mana at the wound site is pushing away all recovery magic, what is the cause?”
“...I’m sorry. We haven't identified it clearly yet.”
Yu Jin-hyuk.
Belonging to MK Sphere and one of only five S-Rank Hunters in South Korea.
Breaking through the 60s floors of the Tower alone, he was the currently strongest Tanker in South Korea called the "Heart of Steel".
He was the symbol of MK Sphere, the national power of South Korea, and the hope of all citizens.
“Is not being able to fix an injury from 3 years ago our guild's current state?”
The shoulder injury inflicted by the named monster Demon Dragon met on the Tower's 48th floor 3 years ago was fatal.
Since then, Yu Jin-hyuk’s Tower raid had been sluggish at the 63rd floor.
As if the reputation of S-Rank was colorless, he struggled even against A-Rank monsters, causing the group's stock price to plummet and the disappointment of the citizens to grow.
“It’s a mana curse.”
Just then, a woman sitting at the end of the conference table quietly opened her mouth.
An intelligent atmosphere highlighted by sharp short hair and square titanium glasses.
That cold impression was forming a bizarre contrast with the vivid red lipstick.
It was the youngest executive in charge of Hunter scouting and management for MK Group, Executive Shin Seung-ah.
“Mana curse?”
“The higher you go in the Tower, the worse the mana pollution becomes. Hunter Yu Jin-hyuk’s injury is a state where that polluted mana has permanently stuck to the nerves. Neither with modern medicine nor any existing potion or healing skill will you be able to wash away this mana curse.”
“So, the solution?”
“...As far as I know, there is none.”
The moment Shin Seung-ah’s answer fell, Chairman Lee Jin-seong’s gentle expression changed terrifyingly for a split second.
However, he controlled his emotions by the second and returned to the face of a cold and cool-headed businessman as if nothing had happened.
“Whew.”
Then he stood up and walked to the window.
He spoke in a low but audible voice to everyone.
“If Yu Jin-hyuk stops, our guild also stops. All of South Korea will fall behind in the Tower raid competition. I believe everyone here knows well what the result of that is.”
He continued his words while looking at the faces of the executives reflected in the window.
“1st Valhalla, 2nd Phantom. While those guilds hold two S-Rank Hunters each and are striking out at the 70s floors, we have been staying at the 60s floors for 3 years. If it wasn't for Yu Jin-hyuk, we would have already been pushed out of the top 5.”
He looked at the executives' faces and spoke.
“I have no intention of being satisfied with 3rd. I will raise this MK Sphere to the top of South Korea. For that, Yu Jin-hyuk must return in a perfect state.”
The executives in the conference room felt their spines grow cold at Lee Jin-seong’s calm voice.
“Don't spare any means or methods. Even if it’s a medicine that doesn't exist in the world, create it. I’m saying find even the legendary herb that is said to bring the dead back to life. If only Yu Jin-hyuk can be fixed, I will even give up half of the guild's shares.”
After the meeting ended in a heavy atmosphere, the executives left the conference room one by one.
Executive Lee Jeong-hoon of the Strategic Planning Office, walking side by side in the hallway, loosened his tie and let out a sigh.
“Executive Shin, did you hear? Half of all assets. Even if he looks like that, it seems he’s completely lost his reason.”
“It’s a rational judgment.”
“What?”
“Because Hunter Yu Jin-hyuk’s value is more than half of the Chairman's total assets. The future of the group is at stake, so he should bet at least that much.”
“No, even so, how do you find a medicine that isn't in the world? Does he think the legendary herb comes out if you dig the ground?”
“That’s why.”
Shin Seung-ah adjusted her glasses and turned her body toward Lee Jeong-hoon.
“Since it’s proven that the existing method won't give an answer, we should also look for another way, Executive Lee.”
“...There you go again, Shin Seung-ah.”
Lee Jeong-hoon said while pressing his throbbing temple.
“That 'another way' of yours, in nine cases out of ten, it’s something absurd. Have you forgotten how much I suffered cleaning up after you since we were entry-level colleagues?”
“That’s why I succeeded every time.”
Shin Seung-ah countered while only slightly raising the corners of her mouth.
“Annoying as always... So, what do you mean by another way?”
“You know, the Chairman's personality. He’s a person who ruthlessly cuts what he thinks is unnecessary.”
“I know, that’s why it’s scary.”
“Even if he seems to speak calmly, right now he’s in a state where anger has reached the top of his head. If we stay with our hands off like this, the necks of fly-like executives like us will fly first, but shouldn't we do something to preserve our positions?”
Lee Jeong-hoon inadvertently peeked at the screen turned on the tablet PC Shin Seung-ah was holding.
“...Wait, isn't this Bureau data? How did you get such internal information?”
“There are many ways.”
On the screen, the profile of Hunter Lee Seok-ju, who became a hot topic recently, was displayed.
The 40th floor break-through record along with detailed information on current physical state, mana amount change, etc., which corresponds to top secret information.
“Lee Seok-ju? Ah, you mean the ranker who appeared after a long time from the Bureau. B-Rank top 20s isn't such a great record, why do you keep an eye on such a thing?”
“It’s worth keeping an eye on. If you knew what state that Hunter was in just a few days ago, that is.”
Shin Seung-ah swept the screen to the side.
A photo of Lee Seok-ju when he was injured by the Poison Mist Wyvern.
And a hospital medical certificate where a judgment was made that recovery was impossible for at least 2 weeks.
“Wow, you sure are diligent. When did you gather all this?”
Shin Seung-ah said while tapping the screen.
“This, there’s clearly something.”
* * *
A peaceful rural corner.
In that place lately, there was a creature experiencing chaotic days.
Flap flap!
The large ears fluttered in the wind catching every sound of the forest, and the well-developed hind legs could jump over an ordinary hill at once.
His name was Gorani.
From the beginning, it wasn't an ordinary herbivore.
Perhaps thanks to the mysterious energy contained in the ground of this area, it was a mutant individual that grew huge and fierce enough to rival an average medium-sized monster.
Until just a few days ago, this area was clearly this Gorani’s territory.
“Pe-e-e-e-e-ck-!”
A magical scream that steals the soul of the listener.
With one shot of that cry, ordinary beasts were busy running away in fear even before trying to fight.
Adding to that, sharp fangs and a sturdy body.
There was nothing to fear for this Gorani.
Humans were also nothing more than opponents this Gorani could face and smash.
But.
“Muryong, I told you not to eat the soil.”
The day this existence appeared, everything changed.
The day it bled and was wounded by a piece of old iron.
[Obey.]
An uncontrollable instinct dominated the Gorani’s entire body.
Like a brand engraved directly on the brain.
An absolute order that could not be resisted nor questioned.
It was a definitive fate declaration that this existence is now your everything.
“Gorani?”
“Kkiiing....”
Normally it would have answered with a terrible decibel, but it was different now.
As lovely and gentle as possible.
It was a puppy-like whimper containing a heart that wanted to look good to the master.
“Gorani, eat this.”
“Kkiyot!”
The Master has bestowed food!
With a humble and thankful heart, the Gorani lowered its head as politely as possible and ate the leaves the master threw.
Well-shaken of soil, the leaves shining with dew.
Accepting what the leader ate first and left over was an absolute ritual signifying obedience and loyalty.
But what is this.
The Gorani looked down at the leaves.
They didn't look delicious at all.
However, since the absolute Master gave them, it had to accept them thankfully.
No matter what they were.
Crunch crunch.
It chewed while mulling over the leaves.
And.
“...?”
Cool and sweet juice burst out in the mouth.
A taste that couldn't be compared with any young shoots or fruits eaten so far.
The moment it swallowed the leaves, a warm and refreshing energy spread through the whole body.
“How is it, delicious?”
The taste was of course, but a mysterious feeling that couldn't be expressed came over.
A feeling as if the wound was being healed from deep inside the body.
A few years ago, a scar on the side caused by being gored by a wild boar's canine during a territory fight.
The feeling of the chronic wound site, which tormented it with throbbing on rainy days, being softly loosened as if melting in warm sunlight.
Thump, thump!
The Gorani, who felt good, began to perform stunts by stamping its front feet in front of the master.
Master is the best!
Master is awesome!
It was shouting with its whole body.
As if meeting this great person was the best luck of its life.
“Does Muryong want to eat too?”
-Hmyoot!
To such a Gorani, there was one slightly bothersome existence.
Precisely the white dust ball.
Muryong was eating the lettuce leaf delivered to it while chewing it on the palm of the master.
Seeing that, the Gorani snorted inwardly.
What does such a small thing know.
However, since the master seemed to cherish that dust ball, it couldn't dare to touch it while the master was watching.
So.
After checking that darkness arrived and the master had fallen into deep sleep, the Gorani quietly raised its body.
It waddled toward Muryong, who was curled up and sleeping on the veranda.
It would clearly let it know who the existence next to the master was.
At the very moment the Gorani lowered its giant head to blow it away with its breath.
“......?”
Muryong, who had been sleeping, slowly opened its eyes.
And it stared intently at the approaching Gorani.
“!”
Inside those pupils.
The Gorani instantly felt its mind becoming distant.
The small creature before its eyes suddenly became blurred, and all sounds of the world drifted away.
-!
There was a pitch-black darkness as if the abyss itself had been moved there.
Before even the concepts of time and space existed, it was a gaze as if the primordial being that created and destroyed the world was looking down at the world.
[Kneel, trivial creature.]
A voice as if echoing directly in the brain.
A declaration of the law that shakes the very root of existence.
“...!”
The Gorani’s body froze with instinctive fear. Its front feet stopped in mid-air, and its legs began to tremble.
A giant shadow covered the Gorani’s pupils and for a moment the world turned black.
In that afterimage, the illusion of the primordial Dragon (Yong) looking down at itself like a bug was seen.
Thud.
The Gorani’s heavy body slumped as it was.
The existence great next to the master.
The sense of intimidation as if facing the world itself, not power or rank, that it could not dare to oppose.
The Gorani carefully lowered its front feet and bowed its head before it.
It was a sign of absolute obedience.
* * *
That night.
Breathe··· breathe···.
The body of the Gorani, curled up and sleeping next to the shed, was quietly but surely becoming stronger.
Luster began to flow in the coarse fur and the muscles were filled more solidly.
In the breath exhaled while sleeping, the energy of the earth rose and disappeared repeatedly.
On this ground, and from what grows and lives in the field, pure life force is emitting from the whole body.
A pure power accumulated without it even knowing.
That power was rising strongly.
< Hierarchy Reorganization > END