Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Exchange Meeting #3
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Exchange Meeting.
A gathering of licensed hunters decked out with all sorts of flashy conditions.
Since the government actively promoted it, in their society, an exchange meeting was...
Once you learned the true meaning hidden within, you could no longer look forward to it with any anticipation.
"It's just a pissing contest."
"A pissing contest?"
Do-yoon raised a question at Ji-hyeok's curt explanation.
Jo Ha-rin, sipping her Americano on the side, added with a sour expression,
"Do-yoon, how much do you know about our country's hunter industry?"
"Uh... That it's a bit behind other countries?"
"Spot on."
Hunters in Korea wielded somewhat less influence than those in other nations.
The reason was simple.
They lagged the most in tower climbs, and the rewards from Korea's towers were...
Pathetic and meager—until the freak known as Do-yoon came along.
"You're the weird one, Do-yoon."
"Me?"
"Yeah. Who the hell pulls hidden pieces like they're eating rice every day? Oh, right."
Ji-hyeok, speaking in a mix of lament and expectation, suddenly looked at Do-yoon as if something had just occurred to him.
"Don't ever mention hidden pieces or anything like that in front of those guys."
Hunters, regardless of nationality, were always eyeing each other's rewards.
What if they laid eyes on the golden goose that laid eggs?
Would they just sit back and watch it peacefully prosper?
No—they'd try to sabotage it somehow, throwing up every obstacle they could.
This wasn't just their seasoned instincts; there were actual precedents.
"And right now, he's retired and working in a government production role."
"What's that place do?"
"It's basically an institution for injured hunters or ones who quit to rehabilitate."
It didn't sound all that appealing at first glance.
In short, it wasn't just the wars inside the tower—
hunters had to brace for the silent wars between them too.
📰 Breaking News Just blow up a Gate Break and steamroll 'em all if you want lolololol 💬 Comments — Anonymous Do we really have to put up with this shit? — Anonymous These idiots clearly have no clue what a real crisis is lol; Just sweep 'em once and make sure they can't even squeak— (Blocked account.) — Newbie ↳ Reply Block newbie's ears and eyes ↳ Reply This guy's crossing the line ↳ Reply Is this like eating chicken in front of a chick? ↳ Reply What a shitty analogy lololol ⭐ Top Comment — Aged Wine is...* Hueee...! The vicious Boss Gallery bully tormenting our dear newbie has been dealt with personally...! — Paper Enthusiast* Been a while since I did some mod work lol; "..."
Do-yoon eyed the gallery with a sour look.
The reactions weren't great, naturally.
They were already busy climbing the tower, fulfilling the boss mobs' wishes and clearing graduations.
In a situation where they could barely afford to unite their strength, these guys were splitting into factions and playing petty games of checkmate.
Still, a Gate Break was something that absolutely could not be allowed to happen.
📰 Breaking News I get you're desperate for graduation, folks, — My Post But watch what you say about ejections or Gate Breaks... I need you guys anyway, and you need me to graduate easy, so let's not make this awkward, yeah...? — Anonymous Wine Lord took care of the troll shitposter, so relax! — My Post Yeah... — Anonymous Newbie, don't sweat trash posts like that. If ejection hits, we're all screwed anyway — Anonymous I really, really wanna live... and recover some past memories too — Anonymous Didn't the 5th floor group boss graduate thanks to newbie Do? coming through? — Anonymous Yeah, true — Anonymous So jealous ;; 📰 Breaking News So when's this exchange meeting thing anyway? — Paper Enthusiast* Human civilization stuff—we don't deal with it here, so I'm kinda curious — My Post Not long now. Next week maybe? — Paper Enthusiast* For real? That's soon — Short-Eared Goblin* Hng~ If there are some quality hunters there, I'd love to snag one as catalyst fodder~ — Anonymous Gasp — Anonymous Hunter meaaaaat — Anonymous Oh right, we're the boss mobs — Anonymous Talking to newbie sometimes makes me forget who I am lol — Anonymous Lol for real lololol 📰 Breaking News Hueee...! Newbie dear, trust in Boss's teachings and charge forward...! — Aged Wine is...* You absolutely cannot get sweet-talked...! Being underestimated means exposing your weaknesses! First strike wins! Attack before you get attacked...! — Anonymous This sounds way too much like boss mob talk, right? — Anonymous Fact) Wine Lord is a monster among monsters, top of the top among boss mobs — Anonymous Seriously though, any teachings Wine Lord gave newbie? — Anonymous Hey hey heyyy — Anonymous Gasp — Paper Enthusiast* lol; Do-yoon pondered for a moment.
Wine Lord might spout some off-the-wall stuff sometimes, but nothing she'd said so far was wrong.
No—some of her advice had actually been helpful.
Engraving her teachings in a corner of his mind, Do-yoon prepared to face the approaching exchange meeting.
"Uh... China says circumstances have delayed their arrival, and no word from Japan yet."
But seeing Manager Choi Geon-woo continue with a troubled look, Do-yoon couldn't help but deflate.
"...Suddenly?"
"...These bastards."
At the sudden radio silence, Ji-hyeok muttered irritably beside him.
"Hyung, what the..."
"Last time they were over a week late, now they're straight-up ghosting us."
"Isn't this too much?"
The other hunters shared the displeasure—Yun-ha furrowed her delicate brows, agreeing with Ji-hyeok's frustration.
"Manager. If they barge in without permission and raid the tower, we won't be able to stop 'em later. We gotta file a formal complaint now..."
Words flew between the hunters and the manager that Do-yoon couldn't fully grasp.
Boiling it down, they were fed up with foreign hunters' quiet bullying and needed to send a warning.
"...I'm painfully aware of that."
"Sigh..."
"So in the end, it's all falling apart?"
Do-yoon asked, watching the situation veer strangely.
"Not likely."
The exchange meeting would happen one way or another.
It was the unreasonable fruit of national-level promises.
In the end, it was shaping up to be a world hunter conference without the hunters from each country.
'Is this for real?'
Do-yoon felt the dark underbelly of the hunter industry firsthand.
Couldn't he just climb the tower?
The thought crossed his mind, but he held back and decided to follow the association's schedule for now.
He couldn't enter the tower.
He had to wait idly at association facilities.
What Do-yoon could do was hit up unmanned cafes or lounges with his pent-up frustration.
Or, failing that,
-Clank!
Summon a fragment of Eira by burning most of his mana and commune with her.
"You missed me?!"
Gazing at the quivering chain that said as much, the image of Eira beyond it naturally came to mind.
"Yeah."
"Heeheehee!"
Eira rubbed the chain's tip against Do-yoon's cheek happily at his ready reply.
'Kinda cute, actually.'
At first, the blood-red mana rippling around it had felt ominous at times—
but now it just felt as familiar as a pet snake.
"Oh right, Oppa."
"Hm?"
"I met a super weird noona!"
As he practiced combat uses for Eira's chain, she suddenly piped up like she'd just remembered.
Do-yoon reacted, and Eira finally spilled the story she'd been holding back.
"...You met the True Ancestor?"
"Yup yup! She's a total meanie noona! Be careful, Oppa...! I'll protect you tight!"
How was that even possible?
He couldn't wrap his head around it from her words alone.
Sure, Eira originated from one of the True Ancestor's past forms.
But how could a being from the tower's topmost floor meet Eira?
And why did the current Eira harbor such resentment toward her?
"...Headache."
"Oppa hurting...?"
"Nah, not that... Did Wine Lord—no, the True Ancestor—say anything?"
"She was all 'I hate it so much...!' So I said I hate meanies like Noona too!"
"...?"
"And when I said I'm close with Oppa, she got all jealous? So I teased her...!"
"Teased her?"
The True Ancestor?
Do-yoon felt dizzy for a second.
She was buddy-buddy and the queen of roleplay in the gallery.
Meeting her in the flesh was a whole different level of danger.
'No incidents so far, so probably no other issues.'
If the True Ancestor meant harm to Eira, trouble would've erupted ages ago.
She must have her own compromise.
And Do-yoon, standing between them, had a rough idea why.
The True Ancestor's dark past.
Eira had saved that past through the object factor.
Maybe Eira's current form was the ideal the True Ancestor yearned for.
'Kinda sad.'
It was presumptuous for a rookie hunter who'd barely cleared floor 5.
Still, he laid bare his honest feelings.
"I did good, right?!"
"..."
"Right?!"
Oblivious to that dark side, Eira just laughed happily in the present, gazing at Do-yoon.
"You did great."
Do-yoon gently stroked that fragment of Eira—
vowing to fully manifest her as soon as possible.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Several days later.
"Japan! We finally got word from Japan...!"
Finally, the long-awaited news arrived as they greeted the sweat-drenched manager who'd rushed in.
Japan's top-tier hunter, the noble one said to handle hundreds alone.
The Shrine Maiden had set foot on Do-yoon's land.