Extending a Hand
“I know you’re watching, so come out.”
Ahn Humin’s gaze remained fixed on a single point until the darkness at the end of his line of sight finally rippled. A man emerged, his identity concealed beneath an oversized robe, and stood before him.
“I thought I’d suppressed my presence as much as possible… You have far sharper senses than I expected.”
“Doesn’t matter. You came to take that guy back, right? Give it up and go home. I’ll personally hand that bastard over to the Management Bureau myself.”
“I understand how you feel, but let’s wrap this up cleanly here. It would be better for both of us.”
“Why? Because you’re from the White Dragon Guild?”
“……”
The robed man offered no reply. Instead, he turned and approached the fallen Lee Dong-hoon, as if Ahn Humin’s warning held no value whatsoever.
In that instant—
Swish!
The robed man leapt backward in a hurry, putting distance between himself and Lee Dong-hoon. The hem of his robe fluttered down right in front of his nose. Had his reaction been even a fraction slower, it wouldn’t have been the fabric that tore—it would have been his chest.
The robed man glared at the goblin who now stood between him and Lee Dong-hoon, his eyes sharp. The goblin wore resplendent golden armor, his inverted sword planted in the ground, both hands resting neatly atop the pommel in a familiar stance.
Goblius regarded the man with a solemn expression and issued a heavy warning.
“Be grateful for my lord’s mercy. Had it not been for his consideration, your head would have already flown from your shoulders on the first strike.”
“……”
The robed man knew Goblius wasn’t joking. It wasn’t that he had skillfully dodged the goblin’s ambush—had the blade gone even slightly deeper, the outcome would have been dire. Of course, he wouldn’t have gone down without a fight, but…
What was certain was that the goblin before him was on an entirely different level from the boss monster he had encountered on the tenth floor. The difference in strength was like heaven and earth.
‘What the hell? Why is Goblius here…? Don’t tell me this guy tamed him? No, taming a boss monster is absolutely impossible. Besides, isn’t this guy a bare-handed martial artist who took down Lee Dong-hoon? That doesn’t make any sense! Then again, an E-class martial artist knocking out an S-class like Lee Dong-hoon with his bare hands didn’t make sense to begin with.’
One incomprehensible situation after another unfolded before the robed man’s eyes. Still, he pushed aside his tangled thoughts and focused on his mission.
His task was to secure evidence and clean up the mess if Lee Dong-hoon caused trouble. That way, the White Dragon Guild would suffer no damage. The cleanup was turning out differently than planned, but the objective itself hadn’t changed.
“Must we really go this far?”
“That’s what I’d like to ask you. Why are you so desperate to take him back? You saw what happened. You know exactly what that bastard tried to do to me.”
“He’s already received sufficient retribution. I intend to retrieve him. If you continue to act as you please, both sides will find themselves in an awkward position. No, let me be honest. We’ll have a minor headache at worst, but you won’t be able to handle the consequences. I’m warning you in advance—you’ll regret it.”
Pfft.
“All these guys who think they’re strong just because they’ve got power… Guilds and clans are no different.”
“…What did you say?”
Whoosh.
In that moment, Ahn Humin’s figure vanished, only to reappear right in front of the robed man. The man’s eyes widened in shock.
“Bite down hard.”
The robed man was an A-class Level 63 assassin, a seasoned veteran and elite operative even within the White Dragon Guild. Yet all he could manage was to barely guard against a punch thrown by someone who was supposedly only E-class. Even that would have been impossible without the warning.
Crash!
Crack!
“Kuh…!!”
He flew in a straight line, slammed into a thick tree, and only after hitting the ground could he finally cough out the stifling breath in his lungs. Blood mixed with the cough, and the arms he had raised to guard were broken beyond recognition.
‘Th-this is really an E-class?’
Was his head spinning from the pain, or had fear paralyzed his reason? Maybe both…
In the end, the robed man glared at Ahn Humin and uttered words he should never have spoken.
“You bastard… Are you really declaring war on the White Dragon Guild?!”
Grin.
At that moment, a smile bloomed on Ahn Humin’s lips. The robed man realized his mistake the instant he saw it, but it was already too late.
A Shadow Slime that had approached Ahn Humin stretched its body upward and handed him his smartphone.
“Let’s see.”
[You bastard… Are you really declaring war on the White Dragon Guild?!]
“Oh, it recorded perfectly. The audio’s clear too. Good job.”
The praised Shadow Slime wiggled its body in delight.
Unlike the goblins, Ahn Humin kept his Shadow Slimes summoned at all times. They were far easier to hide and far less conspicuous than the eye-catching goblins. That was why he assigned them to guard his family and kept two with him for his own convenience.
Of course, the future Jang Gi-jun had been poisoned by someone close to him precisely because no one could detect poison mixed into food. But that was beside the point.
Anyway, the moment Ahn Humin confirmed that the uninvited guest was Lee Dong-hoon, he had discreetly ordered the Shadow Slimes to record everything from that point onward. A Shadow Slime that could film silently and secretly in the darkness without leaving a trace was, in a way, the perfect cameraman.
“Goblius. Bring that guy over.”
“Yes, my lord. What shall we do with the human?”
“Bring him. With both evidence and a witness, it’ll be perfect.”
Ahn Humin turned his back on the robed man without a second glance. The man gritted his teeth, but there was nothing he could do. Both his arms were broken; even returning home in one piece would be difficult, let alone attempting an ambush.
“The guild… The guild will never let this slide!”
“Do whatever you want.”
Thud!
With Lee Dong-hoon and the robed man slung over his shoulders, Goblius followed his master and vanished into the darkness.
＊＊＊
“What? That’s true?! Understood. I’m heading there right now. Escort Hunter Ahn Humin to the Director’s office and treat him with the utmost respect. No mistakes, no matter what. Got it?!”
Deep in the night, Lee Won-hyung answered a call that rarely rang at such an hour. The urgent report from his subordinate jolted him wide awake.
“Hmm… Honey, is something wrong? Did another gate appear?”
His wife, also roused from sleep, rubbed her drowsy eyes and looked at him with concern. Lee Won-hyung, already changing clothes in a hurry, offered her an apology.
“Ah, sorry, dear. Something urgent came up at work. I probably won’t be back until morning, so don’t bother making breakfast. Just get some rest.”
After kissing his wife’s forehead and tucking her back in, Lee Won-hyung rushed to his car and headed for the Management Bureau.
When he arrived at the Director’s office, Ahn Humin was already seated comfortably, sipping tea.
“I apologize, Hunter Ahn Humin. I kept you waiting quite a while, didn’t I?”
“Not at all, Director. By the way, why did you want to see me? If it’s about the proposal from last time……”
“There’s something I must say first.”
Lee Won-hyung bowed deeply to Ahn Humin, his expression grave.
“I’m sorry, Hunter Ahn Humin. I sincerely ask for your forgiveness regarding my previous discourtesy.”
“D-Director?! What’s with the sudden……”
Startled by the abrupt gesture, Ahn Humin fidgeted in his seat. Lee Won-hyung straightened and met his eyes.
“Last time, we were so desperate to keep you here that the government made an improper proposal without proper coordination. I have no excuse for that. But please don’t misunderstand—this only shows how sincerely and desperately we need you.”
“Director……”
“From now on, the Management Bureau and the government will provide every possible support so that you and your family can live comfortably and happily in this country. No conditions, no restrictions. Hunter Ahn Humin, simply do what you wish to do, what you must do. That is what we hope for.”
“The previous conditions were already quite generous… Why are you going this far for me?”
Ahn Humin’s sincere question received an equally sincere answer.
“There is only one thing the Management Bureau and the government desire: the peace and stability of this nation. If our efforts lead you and your family to think of this country as a good place to live—one you never want to leave—that would be the greatest reward we could ask for.”
Lee Won-hyung’s uncalculated honesty moved even Ahn Humin this time. Stripped of the formal language, it was simply a mutual exchange.
‘If I and my family stay in this country, then when something happens, I’ll have no choice but to step in, whether I like it or not.’
Before, even that would have felt burdensome. There were plenty of others who could handle such matters. But now it was different. Everything had changed.
Just as the Management Bureau and the government had changed their stance, Ahn Humin’s own thoughts and convictions had shifted.
The safety of his family wasn’t something he could entrust to others. If he handed it over just because it felt awkward, he would only face irreversible regret later.
Even a powerless nation would look back on that moment with bitter regret. And he possessed far greater strength and potential than most.
To hold such power yet make the same mistake as the powerless? That would make him the biggest fool and idiot the world had ever seen—someone who deserved every curse imaginable.
He would protect his family with his own hands.
Even if he pushed himself to the limit and still ended up regretting it, it would be too late only after he had tried everything. Staining his hands with blood to protect them meant nothing.
If it meant his grandfather, his sister, his brother-in-law, and the nephew yet to be born could live with smiles on their faces, he could throw himself into the fire a thousand, ten thousand times over.
“I see. In that case, I look forward to working with you, Director. I promise to do my best within my capabilities.”
“……!!”
Lee Won-hyung stared at him with wide, startled eyes before carefully clasping Ahn Humin’s offered hand with both of his own.
“A noble and honorable decision. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. As promised, the Management Bureau and the government will spare no effort in supporting you and your family.”
“Thank you, Director.”
The very next day, Ahn Humin understood exactly what it meant for the Management Bureau to stand unconditionally on his side……
EX-class—without knowing it, he had been kicked out of the guild.