The Third Raid Annihilated
In a bustling downtown area of Seoul, between towering skyscrapers.
A young man who appeared to be in his late twenties gazed quietly at the scenery outside the window.
Knock knock.
"Guild master. May I come in?"
The young man, addressed as guild master, responded indifferently to the polite question from beyond the door. "Come in."
Soon, a middle-aged man with a neatly trimmed beard entered quietly.
It was Song Myung-sin, the A-rank hunter and vice guild master of Hwarang Guild.
Unlike his appearance, he was well over sixty.
Turning from the window at Song Myung-sin's quiet entrance was Song Jae-ha, the S-rank hunter and current guild master of Hwarang Guild.
He too looked younger than his actual age, though not as much as his uncle.
Without waiting for an invitation from the room's owner, Song Myung-sin naturally settled onto the guest sofa.
Song Jae-ha said nothing about it and sat opposite him just as casually.
"What brings you here at this hour, Uncle?"
Glancing around to ensure no one else was watching, Song Jae-ha spoke casually to Song Myung-sin.
The two weren't just boss and subordinate—they were close relatives.
"What, can't I visit? Just came to see my nephew's face."
"...You don't drop by that often. Hiding from Aunt again?"
"Ahem...! What are you saying, kid?! Do I look like the type to cower from his wife? I'm Song Myung-sin! The man who built Hwarang up alongside your father!"
Song Jae-ha let out a quiet sigh at his uncle thumping his chest dramatically.
It was a familiar routine.
"That great man has been tiptoeing around Aunt for forty years of marriage."
"Agh... Ahem! Your aunt's no ordinary woman. Not even a hunter, but the power she wields..."
"Don't say that in front of her."
"...I know. Nearly got beaten to death last time I mentioned it in passing."
"...Hang in there."
A brief, heartwarming exchange passed between uncle and nephew.
But it didn't last. As the familiar rambling dragged on endlessly, Song Jae-ha, feeling his sanity slipping, quickly changed the subject.
"Anyway, Uncle. How's the expedition going? The third raid team you put together before announcing your retirement."
"Oh, that? Your aunt was saying... Wait, yeah, no issues there. The raid leader's a sharp one. Ambitious, sure, but he's got potential. The others I slotted in are solid too. Won't hurt the guild's reputation."
"Good to hear. It's important for the guild's position."
"Hey, even if I want to retire, you think I'd half-ass guild matters? I've got it handled!"
"...Maybe reflect on your usual behavior."
Song Jae-ha muttered and shook his head.
His uncle was undeniably competent, but he turned into a total rascal in private moments like this.
Of course, his aunt called it part of his charm...
To me, he's just a foolish uncle.
Song Jae-ha sighed again but didn't worry much, trusting his uncle's words.
The man was flighty, but he delivered when it counted.
That's why his strict father had placed him as vice guild master, family or not.
And Song Jae-ha himself hadn't left everything to his uncle out of concern for the guild's image.
He'd already provided all the support he could.
Now, it was just a matter of waiting for news.
Their lively (one-sided) uncle-nephew chat was cut short by a secretary bursting into the guild master's office.
For that moment, at least, Song Jae-ha was relieved.
But the relief didn't last long.
"...What did you just say?"
"Th-that's... We, we said total wipeout."
"......"
The warm atmosphere in the guild master's office turned ice-cold.
Song Myung-sin, who had been cheerfully spinning tales, and Song Jae-ha, listening with reluctant amusement—both hardened their faces at the secretary's report.
"...Damn it... So, total wipeout, you said?"
"Y-yes, yes! That's right!"
"You mean actual annihilation, dictionary definition—not some tactical retreat. Completely wiped out."
"Yes! Exactly!"
Whoosh...
A heavy sigh laden with meaning escaped Song Jae-ha's lips.
With it came an overwhelming pressure that drained the color from the secretary's face.
A civilian like her couldn't withstand an S-rank hunter's aura.
"Calm down."
"Calm down?! How am I supposed to calm down?! Total wipeout... annihilation!"
Song Myung-sin slowly shook his head at Song Jae-ha's outburst, unable to contain his rage.
He glanced at the secretary.
Only then did Song Jae-ha notice her presence, exhaling sharply and retracting his aura.
The secretary gasped out the breath she'd been holding.
"...You can go. Compile everything on this and send it over."
"Y-yes, Guild Master!"
"...Sorry."
She barely acknowledged the apology before fleeing the office.
Bang!
As the door shut, Song Jae-ha sighed and rubbed his forehead.
His aura began to creep back.
Song Myung-sin spoke up.
"Control yourself. Even I'm struggling here. At my age, do I have to watch out for you too?"
"...Can you blame me? The situation's a mess."
"It's done. Focus on damage control now."
Song Jae-ha sighed again, pressing his throbbing forehead as he spoke quietly.
"How far has it spread?"
"All the major guilds know by now. The ones on bad terms with us? Obviously. They'll leak it, and the press will catch on soon."
"...Shit. Soon the whole world will know. Hwarang Guild's expedition failed."
"And that we sent our second-stringers on a reckless run and lost good hunters. Which is true."
"Hwarang Guild Expedition Disaster. Raid Team Annihilated... I can already see the headlines. Damn it...!"
Frustrated, Song Jae-ha slammed the armrest.
The S-rank fury shattered it effortlessly.
Song Myung-sin eyed the debris calmly, closed his eyes briefly, then spoke.
"I'll take responsibility."
"...What? Uncle, what do you mean?"
"I'll handle it all. As the former guild master's brother and your uncle, it'll quiet things down if I step up."
"...Uncle."
"No need for that look. I set this up, so it's on me. Perfect time to retire too."
Song Jae-ha couldn't laugh at the joking tone.
His uncle was volunteering to soil his own name.
The man who built Hwarang alongside the former guild master—a legendary figure despite his A-rank.
Stepping forward to shoulder all the backlash alone.
For someone who lived on the pride of raising Hwarang, the disgrace would hurt deeply.
Understanding that, Song Jae-ha couldn't tell him to stop.
It was the best option available.
As guild master first, nephew second, he couldn't meet his uncle's eyes.
Perhaps sensing that, Song Myung-sin—knowing full well what awaited—laughed heartily.
"Don't worry, kid. This is nothing. For Hwarang, for your late father. I'd do anything for you."
"Uncle..."
"So quit fretting. I'll sort it out."
Song Myung-sin stood abruptly. Song Jae-ha watched silently.
"Gotta assess the scene first. I'll poke around the labyrinth casually. Nothing left probably, but optics matter."
"...Take the first and second raid teams."
"No need for both. Second team's enough. Pulling too much force now would look suspicious."
Song Jae-ha nodded slowly.
He'd wanted them for protection, but his uncle was right—couldn't strip the guild bare now.
"...Then take Ji-woo."
"The first raid's vice leader?"
"Grooming him for first raid leader. He's sharp; he'll assist you well."
"Just say bodyguard, you punk."
"...Fine, bodyguard. Take him. Pull others if needed..."
"Nah. Not going far—just our old stomping grounds. Second team's overkill already. It'll be a stroll."
Sensing his uncle's light tone meant no swaying him, Song Jae-ha nodded reluctantly.
As guild master, he couldn't order the guild's elder statesman anyway.
"Alright then, I'm off. Prep a statement for interviews. Make it clean for when I return."
"Yes, Uncle. I'll handle everything here. Be careful."
Song Myung-sin shrugged casually and left.
Bidding him farewell, Song Jae-ha pondered next steps.
Not once did he worry his uncle wouldn't return.
Far too naively.
This was their final meeting.
I've arrived at the 36th floor.
As expected from a lower floor, plenty of hunters around.
The hot topic among them is the recent annihilation of some guild's raid team on expedition.
Ran into a strong monster, probably.
Common enough in the labyrinth—not a big deal.
More importantly, gotta offload this new gear.
Since it belonged to someone else, can't sell through normal channels.
Once out, hit the black market.
Unfortunately, as a porter back then, I lack connections, so it won't be easy.
Back in the desert zone after so long, greeted by the usual undead.
These guys I fought endlessly before now cling to me just as persistently.
Undead.
Immortals that won't die.
The name sounds intimidating, but they're surprisingly underwhelming.
The lowest, skeletons, are G or F-rank monsters. Zombies above them are just gross-looking.
Not tough opponents.
Cheap holy water from hunter markets neutralizes them easily.
But higher variants are tricky.
True "immortals" that live up to the name.
When I first entered the desert zone, they were my second-biggest headache after the weather.
Endless vitality.
Powerful curses affecting surroundings.
Intense hatred for the living, rivaling hunters' enmity toward them.
All that makes them formidable foes for hunters and monsters alike.
Of course, now they're just food for me.
The 36th floor boss, [Dullahan], and its undead legion lie pathetically defeated.
Frozen solid by cold or burned to ash in flames.
Regrettably, poison magic did little against undead.
A horizon in the desert filled with undead corpses.
I kinda went overboard without thinking when they swarmed.
The left head annoyed me, so I vented with some spells, and they dropped like flies.
The Dullahan legion that once seemed so distant is now just light exercise.
I've grown again.
I've gotten so much stronger.
Leaving them like this, nearby hunters will see and cause a fuss.
Should eat them to destroy evidence?
I've devoured undead plenty before, so I know their taste.
Though back then, swallowing whole meant no real savoring.
They boosted my stagnant Poison Resistance rank big time.
Was it Deadly Poison?
Nearly killed me once, but now it's just a memory.
With that in mind, wanna try one, Right?
Right, who'd never refused food before, rejected for the first time.
Surprising.
Since Right refused, all these undead bodies are mine.
Undead taste stale.
Definitely never again.
Skeletons at least I could've crunched like snacks...
Left snickered.
No, we're one body— if you eat, it's like I ate too...
Don't eat weird shit, it hissed, clamping my throat dramatically.
I miss Suli and Snow fiercely.
And To Soon-i too.