The SS-Rank Observer
A woman whose identity I could more or less guess.
A detection ability sharp enough to pierce my Stealth and approach undetected.
A Stealth ability so flawless that I wouldn't notice her until she stepped into my territory.
Even facing her directly, it was hard to gauge her rank at a glance.
How many such opponents could there be in the entire world?
And above all, she'd been all over the TV lately—I couldn't not recognize her.
Leysha Barrett.
The current chairwoman of the World Hunter Federation, one of only two remaining SS-rank hunters.
I never imagined I'd run into her while out strolling with the kids.
They said she went missing after the emergency council meeting... Who would've thought she'd slipped into the country.
What could be the reason?
Someone as busy as her wouldn't come here without cause...
The first thing that came to mind amid my rising curiosity was Jeong Soo-ah.
Even Jeong Soo-ah might struggle to dig up dirt on Leysha.
Jeong Soo-ah might rule the underworld, but that was limited to Korea.
Exerting influence worldwide like Leysha? Even she wouldn't find it easy.
That leaves No Gwan-sik... and maybe White Rose.
Recalling my last memory with White Rose, she must have known Leysha was coming.
That's why she dropped that cryptic line at the end.
She'd said I'd come looking for her first, right?
White Rose could probably spill on Leysha's purpose—and all sorts of other intel...
But remembering that smug attitude at the end killed any urge to seek her out.
So that left Hunter Association President No Gwan-sik.
Still, that old man's a hard pass.
His endless chatter, that slippery fox-talk—same as White Rose, no desire to go crawling to him.
I'm heading back to the labyrinth soon anyway.
Whatever brought Leysha here, it probably had nothing to do with me.
Telling Jeong Soo-ah to stay sharp should cover it.
Lee Chan-gol and Toda would be back soon, loaded with gifts—no need to worry.
The only real concern was our lack of raw muscle without a single SA-rank, but Snow had that handled.
She said she'd take Song Jae-ha as a subordinate, right?
She'd taken a liking to him before, but after shopping with her brother last time, she seemed set.
I hadn't heard the details, but apparently they'd run into some small fry during the outing, and Song Jae-ha had coincidentally helped out.
From his perspective, it was probably more like reining in Snow, whom he'd pegged as a suspected SS-rank hunter, to avoid trouble.
Either way, Snow was hustling to recruit him as a subordinate.
Mind control on an SA-rank like Song Jae-ha wasn't a cakewalk, so she was laying groundwork bit by bit—but it wouldn't take long.
Snow was dead serious about it.
With the prep she'd seeded beforehand, a week at most.
Once Song Jae-ha was under mind control, we'd head back to the labyrinth.
I wonder how the lizardmen are holding up.
The outside food was great, but I missed the raw taste of those eggs from the white bird flock.
More than that, this outside trip—meant to be short—had dragged on, and I worried about those I'd left behind.
Snow and I had tidied up the area before leaving, and their ranks weren't pushover level, but the Snow Mountain Zone was brutal. Hard to relax.
Wise Scale and the triplets better have it covered...
All I could do was hope Snow wrapped things up quick.
A luxury hotel in the bustling labyrinth district.
People began filing into one of its conference rooms.
Not a huge crowd, but from young men and women to elderly folks—men and women of all ages gathered.
Different ages, genders, but one thing in common: the aura radiating from each was anything but ordinary.
Veterans who'd survived countless crises. High-rank hunters, every one.
Galaxy, Seongho, North Star, Dawn.
Including the absent Ssangryong, Korea's top five guilds that dominated the hunter world.
Their top brass, overseeing major and minor affairs, had assembled.
"Looks like everyone's here. Shall we get started?"
North Star Guild Master, SA-rank hunter Park Han, spoke first.
As the other hunters nodded one by one, Seongho's guild master quietly raised a hand.
"Yes, Choi Sang-hyeok hunter? Something to say?"
"Where's our esteemed 'observer'? This is the final briefing before departure."
The tone was polite, but the sarcasm and displeasure were obvious to all present.
As a few hunters subtly frowned, Park Han replied calmly.
"Chairwoman Leysha is just an 'observer.' She's here for contingencies and won't directly intervene in the subjugation."
"...Quite the observer indeed. Hope she doesn't swoop in later for the sweet rewards."
Choi Sang-hyeok flashed a sour smile and crossed his arms.
His bristling attitude chilled the room instantly.
No one dared speak amid the tension when a short hmph snort broke the silence.
"Isn't that a bit much for someone gracious enough to clear her busy schedule? Feeling some inferiority complex?"
Gazes turned as one to the source—a voice as prickly as Choi's.
Kwon Je-na, representing Galaxy in place of their ailing master, glared coldly at Choi Sang-hyeok.
Yoon Myung-ho, standing quietly behind her, fidgeted, glancing nervously around.
"...Kwon Je-na hunter. That aimed at me?"
"Who else? Personality rotten, zero tact."
"...You insolent bitch!"
"Insolent? That's you, barking without a clue. Know your place before raising your voice?!"
Kwon Je-na fired back without flinching, and a savage aura erupted from Choi Sang-hyeok.
She matched it, unleashing her own.
The two SA-ranks' clash roiled the surrounding mana.
"Vice-guild master... please stop."
As they seemed ready to lunge, Yoon Myung-ho rushed to restrain Kwon Je-na from behind.
They'd always been at odds, but a public spat like this? Unthinkable.
The guild master had warned her sternly, yet this blockhead ignored it.
Yoon Myung-ho sighed inwardly as Kwon Je-na, still glaring at Choi, spoke up.
"That jerk keeps pissing me off."
"Please hold it in. Guild master finds out, she'll blow a fuse! Just this once."
"Screw that. When have I ever held back?"
"Aigoo, please... For my sake. If vice-guild master goes off here, what am I supposed to do? See that hunter behind their guild master? SA-rank."
"Cha Won-taek? You can't take him?"
"Still S-rank. How?"
"Grow faster. Tired of you stuck at S."
"I'm fast already! You're the freak."
"What? Freak? You done?"
"Aigoo... please..."
While Yoon Myung-ho soothed Kwon Je-na, Seongho's side worked to calm Choi.
"They seem done fighting. Let's call it, guild master."
"...Ordering me, Cha Won-taek?"
Choi Sang-hyeok, who'd been glaring at Kwon Je-na, shifted to Cha Won-taek behind him.
Cha Won-taek, another SA-rank hunter.
Once beneath him, now grown to SA and threatening his position in the guild.
Nominally here as support, but everyone knew it was to check him.
"An order? Just advice. Your call, guild master. But fighting here might put you in a spot."
Cha Won-taek glanced around; Choi followed suit.
Everyone in the room eyed him unkindly.
"...Damn it."
Choi Sang-hyeok clicked his tongue, retracting his aura.
Satisfied, Cha Won-taek smiled faintly and stepped back.
Choi tsked wordlessly.
With Choi relenting first, Kwon Je-na withdrew her aura too.
Yoon Myung-ho and the others sighed in relief.
"Glad it ended well. Was torn on who to side with. Truly fortunate."
Hong Jun-yeol, new Dawn guild master replacing their missing predecessor from the last subjugation, chuckled amiably.
Kwon Je-na gave a wry smile and a slight bow.
"Sorry for the disturbance."
Hong waved it off hastily.
"Aigoo, no. I knew you two were rivals. Nice to witness the rumors firsthand."
"...Glad you think so."
Kwon Je-na eyed the ever-amiable Hong briefly, then looked away with a wry smile.
With the mood settled, Park Han, who'd observed quietly, spoke.
"May we resume?"
"Fine."
"Heh heh. Been waiting."
"......"
The representatives voiced assent variably; Park Han nodded lightly.
"Then, briefing on subjugating the Lava Zone area boss, codenamed Magma Wyvern."
Park Han led as the four guilds' pre-expedition final briefing began.
"Expedition departure?"
"Soon as the observer's ready."
"Hmph. Some observer. We bend to her schedule?"
"Leysha's hot stuff, sure. But that rude? How deep's the inferiority?"
"You bootlicking—!"
"Wanna taste my fist? Don't worry 'bout injuries—I'll heal ya before we ship out."
"...Save fights for after briefing?"
"Heh heh heh. Entertaining."
Despite Kwon Je-na and Choi Sang-hyeok's mid-briefing clashes, the joint subjugation briefing wrapped peacefully enough.
Not long after the four guilds' briefing.
The joint subjugation team—with four of Korea's top five guilds—finally set out.
No fanfare, no media; departure kept quiet, known only to a select few.
Nyx, visiting the association president by chance, learned of it late.
"...What the hell?"
"Hm? You look shocked. Well, first SS-rank monster here in a decade since Seong Jae-myeong—not surprising. But you, of all people... odd."
"Cut the crap. Finish your story."
The creeping killing intent tightened; even No Gwan-sik flinched.
Nyx's eyes gleamed red as he glared.
"...As I said. Subjugation team for the SS-rank area boss in Lava Zone, Magma Wyvern. Left a few days ago."
"...Scale?"
"Four guilds excluding Ssangryong. Five SA-ranks. Over half our domestic SA forces."
"...And Leysha Barrett. She's in too."
"How'd you—?!"
No Gwan-sik startled at Nyx knowing of Leysha.
Her entry was top-secret, known to few. How?
Even as underworld ruler, he shouldn't know easily.
Ignoring No Gwan-sik's doubt, Nyx stayed grimly silent.
"...Spit it, No Gwan-sik. Did her 'Jägers' enter too?"
"Dunno how you know about the chairwoman, but can't answer. All classified."
No Gwan-sik shook his head firmly; Nyx unleashed his restrained aura again.
Even under blatant pressure, No Gwan-sik clamped his mouth shut.
"I'm not joking, No Gwan-sik. Cough up everything on Leysha. Now."
"Nor am I. Won't breathe a word on this."
"Even if it costs your life?"
"Take my life here, Hunter Association's heart? Think you can?"
"Nothing stopping me."
"Heh heh. Old man or not, I can hold you till reinforcements. Then what? Live hiding your face. Can you handle that?"
No Gwan-sik smiled slyly, aura unflinching.
Nyx stared, unyielding.
"Handle it? I wanna ask you that. Can you handle me?"
Thicker killing intent surged, mana roiling beyond the office.
Waiting outside, Hwang Seok-ho burst in—then fainted under Nyx's ferocious aura.
No Gwan-sik groaned amid the brutal pressure.
Forgot amid normal reactions. This man's a beast.
Just fattened and tame—before him stood a savage predator.
"...Won't talk. Kill me if you want."
No Gwan-sik closed his eyes; Nyx scowled.
A stance backed by conviction.
Mind control tempting, but tricky—and a waste of time, gaining nothing.
After scowling in thought, Nyx rose quietly.
The raging aura vanished cleanly.
No Gwan-sik opened his eyes.
"Giving up?"
"...Plenty others to ask besides you."
Nyx murmured lowly and vanished like wind.
As Nyx's presence fully erased from sight and sense, No Gwan-sik exhaled heavily, long-held.
"...Whew. Thought I was dead."
Sighing deeply, No Gwan-sik muttered.
"...Cooperation's off the table now."
Bitterly murmuring, he casually tended to the fainted Hwang Seok-ho.