The Ultimate Reward... for an Office Assistant?
"I don't know why you're looking for an office job, but if you join our Blast Guild, I promise you the ultimate reward!"
Taejun, having witnessed his miraculous power, shouted that he could absolutely never let him go to anyone else. Yunjae, with a deadpan expression, asked, "Does that, by any chance, mean the ultimate reward for an office assistant?"
Why on earth was he so obsessed with office work?!
"Slender Forearms says he's sick and tired of hunting and doesn't want to do it anymore. He absolutely won't do anything unless it's an office job."
At Akemi's advice—having already dealt with him—a look of profound confusion crossed Taejun's eyes.
With power like that, why on earth?!
It almost made him wonder if Yunjae's power was so overwhelmingly absolute that he had lost all interest in using it. But whatever the reason, he had to recruit him first.
"Very well. If you're fine with being an office assistant..."
Taejun judged that if the office job fell through, Yunjae would obviously refuse to cooperate with the Blast Guild. Hearing this, Yunjae rejoiced.
"Ah! I was so worried a full-time position would mean working overtime! But as an office assistant, I can leave right on the dot! I'm so relieved, Mari!"
"What do you mean, relieved, you absolute dummy! If you're going to do it, you should go for a full-time job!"
He didn't care about overtime or salary; he just wanted to have a little office romance with an OL. At his passionate exclamation, Mari couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"And Mari is super close with Slender Forearms. If you want to recruit him, you'll definitely need Mari."
The only person this absolute epitome of introverted shyness felt comfortable around was Mari. When Akemi pointed out that they had to bring her along too, Taejun nodded. Even to his eyes, the anger Yunjae had displayed moments ago was clearly on Mari's behalf.
"I would like to apologize on Gyojin's behalf for his thoughtless words. Would you mind having a brief chat with me?"
At those words, Mari stared at Taejun. Before Gyojin had made his move, the two of them had exchanged glances. Perhaps Taejun was the one who had ordered the whole thing. No, it was almost certainly him.
I've got a bad feeling about this guy.
Though she knew he was an incredibly powerful ability user, she felt an inexplicable sense of unease. "Is there really anything for a C-class like me to discuss?" she asked.
Taejun smiled, masking his true intentions. "You won't regret it."
"Is Mari being hired as an office assistant too? Ah! I'd feel so bad if I was the only one who got the job!"
"Why on earth would you feel bad about that?! It's just a dime-a-dozen assistant job!"
"Ah! But still!"
As Yunjae, eager to work alongside her, uncharacteristically chimed in with his questions, Taejun stared at him with a lingering look of bewilderment. What on earth was this guy's deal? He went by the ridiculous name of Slender Forearms, yet he had utterly decimated Gyojin with a single flick of his finger! And why was he so incredibly obsessed with office work?!
"If that is what you wish..."
"Let's have a brief chat, Mari Rose. Im Yunjae, please wait here with Akemi."
"Ah, is it a salary negotiation? Do your best, Mari!"
Was this really a salary negotiation? Yunjae looked utterly thrilled, but life was never that simple.
"You dummy. Don't get ahead of yourself. Just wait here quietly."
Mari knew intuitively that Taejun, the leader of the Blast Guild, wanted something from her, and that it was deeply connected to Yunjae. She spoke with a wry smile.
"Ah, yes! I'll think carefully too!"
Unlike her, Yunjae seemed entirely focused on the fact that he had secured an office assistant job. "About how I can make sure I don't cause any trouble!"
Watching him look as bright and innocent as a child who had just been handed a new toy, Mari couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle. "...Honestly."
"This way, please."
Taejun smiled, guiding Mari to his office while quietly observing her. Just as Akemi had said, the two of them indeed seemed incredibly close.
It feels like he's leaning on her emotionally.
For some reason, Yunjae, despite possessing such overwhelming power, seemed highly dependent on Mari, who was a mere C-class hunter. Perhaps, despite his tremendous abilities, he suffered from some kind of emotional deficit, much like other awakened individuals?
Either way, if I want to secure him, this woman is absolutely essential.
Given his personality and complete lack of interest in hunter work, they wouldn't be able to utilize Yunjae immediately. However, if Mari, who shared such a deep bond with him, stepped forward to persuade him, they could eventually deploy him as the Blast Guild's ultimate weapon in the long run.
Subduing Gyojin that easily makes absolutely no sense. No other ability user could ever pull that off.
Furthermore, Yunjae had even healed Gyojin mid-fight out of fear that he might die. Though the mechanics behind it were a mystery, the healing ability he displayed was an immense asset in its own right. Peerless physical prowess combined with healing magic! Considering he hadn't even unleashed his true power yet, didn't he possess the absolute perfect qualifications for a guild member?
Of course, true to his petty, grudge-holding nature, Yunjae had pointedly refused to heal Gyojin a second time after delivering that final, critical blow to his forehead.
"Anyway, if you have something to say, please don't beat around the bush. I've been around the block enough to read the room."
True to her straightforward nature, Mari spoke up the moment they stepped into the office. If the Blast Guild was hiring her as an office assistant under these circumstances, it was purely because of Yunjae. And if Taejun had something to say, it was also because of Yunjae. Just as Gyojin had said, she was merely a low-ranking hunter, a literal mayfly living day-to-day with no guarantee of a tomorrow. Therefore, if Taejun, the leader of the Blast Guild, wanted something from her, it was undoubtedly to persuade Yunjae.
"It seems best to get straight to the point, then."
"Yes, please. I prefer keeping deals simple."
Mari sank into a chair and crossed her legs. She wasn't trying to be provocative; as an American, it was just a natural habit. Taejun didn't mind either. He was actually a Korean-American himself. Besides, her legs were far too long to just sit normally.
...Not bad.
Though she wore absolutely no makeup, her ash-blonde hair, green eyes, and tall, slender, model-like build gave her a peculiar charm. She looked like a tomboy now, but if she actually dressed up, wouldn't she be quite the stunning blonde beauty? Was that perhaps why Yunjae was so smitten with her?
With that thought in mind, Taejun spoke.
"As you wish, I'll keep it brief. Persuade Im Yunjae to become an active guild member instead of an office worker."
It was incredibly direct. Caught slightly off guard, Mari let out a dry laugh, then shook her head.
"That might be impossible. That dummy is so sick of hunting, he has absolutely no intention of doing anything like that."
Taejun chuckled softly at her response. "People's minds can always change. Yesterday's progressive activist can easily become today's conservative ruling class."
Leaning back in his chair, he looked directly at Mari. "If you do this for us, we will accept you, Mari Rose, as an official member of the Blast Guild. We will support you in every way possible, both materially and spiritually, so that you can act as Im Yunjae's exclusive partner."
"Wait, what...?"
Mari's eyes widened. She had expected him to ask her to persuade Yunjae. But she had never imagined he would offer to bring her into the Blast Guild as his official partner.
"But I'm just..."
"For a non-awakened hunter, rank is ultimately just a matter of equipment. We possess state-of-the-art nanotechnology that can elevate you to at least an A-class hunter. We maintain a close partnership with the Phantom Research Institute, the leading authority on nanotech."
Taejun was clearly desperate to secure Yunjae.
"The Phantom Research Institute..."
"As you know, injecting nano-machines can turn even an ordinary human into a superhuman. It's a method unique ability users often employ to compensate for their relatively lacking physical stats, and it costs an astronomical sum. But we can easily provide that level of support. Not to mention the latest weaponry."
Taejun smiled, gesturing toward Mari's worn-out pistol, Cindy.
"Nano-machines..."
"What do you think?"
If you can persuade Yunjae to join the guild, we'll make you an A-class hunter! We can't grant you an awakened ability, but we will implant nano-machines that make you just as strong!
It was impossible for Mari not to be swayed by such an offer.
"But... I don't know if Yunjae will listen to me."
"Of course, I'm not asking you to change Im Yunjae's mind by tomorrow. You can take your time. I'm not that unreasonable."
Even now, the Blast Guild was the strongest in the world. But the problem was that if Im Yunjae went elsewhere, even the smallest minor guild could instantly rise to become the world's strongest. Furthermore, hadn't Demian visited just a few hours ago and dropped that highly suggestive name, the Nemesis Guild?
But in the end, all humans are drawn to money and rewards! It's only a matter of time before his mind changes! He'll definitely convert within a year!
No matter how much Yunjae wanted an office job, the difference in rewards was simply too astronomical. Once he experienced that gap firsthand, greed would inevitably kick in. And even if Yunjae's mind never changed, as long as they kept Mari Rose here as a member of the Blast Guild, Yunjae would never leave either.
"...It's certainly an attractive offer," she murmured.
Seeing that she was deeply tempted by his proposal, Taejun spoke. "I won't force you to make a decision right now. Take some time to think about it, and just give me the word whenever you're ready. Whether it's the nano-machines or the latest equipment, we'll have it prepared."
"Ta-da! Do you like it, Slender Forearms?"
"Ah! This is..."
While Mari was talking with Taejun, Yunjae had been invited to Akemi's room inside the Blast Guild headquarters.
"It's a PS 10! And I have a huge collection of games! Pretty cool, right?"
To anyone looking, he was the perfect game character! Blessed with pale, beautiful forearms and a highly unique charm, Akemi was eager to get closer to him. But as she proudly showed off her gaming setup, Yunjae's face fell into a deeply gloomy expression.
"No..."
"Eee~? Why not?!"
"Ah! The truth is, I don't like video games at all! And I never want to see one of those again!"
"Eh?"
At the beautiful Japanese girl's startled reaction, his expression remained thoroughly dejected.
"I actually won it in a random raffle, but since I didn't care for games, I spent a long time debating whether to sell it on Joonggonara..."
"And?"
"But there are so many scammers on secondhand sites, and the thought of meeting a stranger in person to trade made me too anxious. So I figured I'd just keep it as a hobby and play for maybe thirty minutes a day whenever I felt like it..."
"Uh-huh!"
"But then, I don't know if it was a dimensional rift or what, but there was a sudden shock and I lost consciousness. When I woke up, I had literally become the game character I created!"
"Eh? Is that even possible?"
At Akemi's question, Yunjae nodded gloomily.
"I don't know how, but that's what happened. And after that, I ended up playing for five hundred thousand hours. I don't even like watching other people play games, and yet I had to play for five hundred thousand hours!"
As he choked up mid-sentence, his voice rising in sheer, sorrowful indignation, Akemi couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"But you're so cute!"
"Ah! I'm not cute, Akemi! I don't even like games, yet I was forced to play one for fifty-seven years, and I even got turned into a game character!"
Faced with his tragic and deeply unfair life story, Akemi's face fell this time. "But I thought you'd be happy if I showed you..."
"Ah! I'm so sorry! I'm just terrified that I might somehow get sucked back into a game again!"
Startled by her disappointment, Yunjae shook his head frantically, desperately trying to reassure her.
"Eee~? There's no way that'll happen! I play for hours every single day!"
"Ah, but you must be careful! I ended up like this the very first time I tried playing!"
Hearing the tragic tale of this max-level player who had been forced to do something he hated for fifty-seven years, Akemi nodded in understanding.
"I see. So, what did you do before, Slender Forearms?"
"Pardon?"
"Before you became a game character, I mean."
At her question, Yunjae cast his mind back to the incredibly distant past.
"I was..."
It was at that exact moment.
"Excuse me..."
"Eee~? Suyeon?"
Suyeon, one of the strongest members of the Blast Guild who normally kept entirely to herself, peeked through the cracked door. She stood there, her hands clasped tightly together as was her habit to control her problematic power.
"...You're very beautiful."
Though she couldn't quite compare to Aunt Rosa, she was still a striking beauty. Looking at her, Yunjae offered his very first compliment.
"Eee~?! You never said I was beautiful!"
"Ah! That's because you're more on the cute side, Akemi!"
"But I want to go for a sexy vibe!"
"Ah! How could you?!"
While Akemi in her Gothic Lolita fashion was a beautiful girl, Yunjae was an equally stunning pretty boy.
They look good together.
With a face so delicate it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him beautiful, Yunjae looked like a lovely girl himself. Suyeon, who had already internally labeled him as cute, let out a faint smile as she watched the two of them bicker like a pair of chirping chicks.
"But what brings you here? I can't believe Suyeon actually came to find someone else first!"
Akemi asked, her voice laced with genuine surprise. Suyeon harbored deep trauma due to her uncontrollable ability, and as a result, she avoided physical contact and social interaction with extreme caution. She only occasionally worked with Akemi because Akemi's teleportation made them a decent match, but even that was entirely due to the highly sociable Akemi constantly reaching out to her. For Suyeon—who would never move unless someone else took the initiative—to seek someone out on her own was unprecedented!
"Eee~? Did you fall for Slender Forearms or something?"
"Ah, Akemi! My name is Im Yunjae! And I'm just slender overall, it's not like only my forearms are thin!"
"But your forearms really are so pale and pretty!"
"Ah!"
At her insistence that they weren't just thin but actually beautiful, Yunjae's face flushed bright red.
"Pfft..."
As Suyeon let out another soft chuckle, both Yunjae and Akemi turned to look at her simultaneously.
"But seriously, what's up?"
"Well..."
When Akemi, still curious, pressed for an answer, Suyeon hesitated before speaking. "I saw you use... healing magic..."
Suyeon was just as socially anxious as Yunjae. Unable to meet her gaze, Yunjae looked away and replied, "Ah. Yes... It was a necessity to hunt alone..."
"Oh..."
Watching the two of them overflow with awkwardness, unable to even look each other in the eye, Akemi grew impatient. She darted her gaze back and forth between them. "Eee~? Why aren't either of you looking at each other?"
"Ah! Because it's too embarrassing!"
"Yeah..."
The two of them seemed to share almost identical personalities.
"Anyway, Suyeon, do you have some kind of injury?"
Unable to stand the awkward silence, Akemi asked on her behalf. Suyeon slowly lifted her head.
"Yes."
"Ah! Are you hurt somewhere?"
Yunjae lifted his head as well, only to gasp.
"Ah!"
"Oh!"