BlackPen's Secret Villa
Seoya, who had made an appointment to meet Kwon Yooseok from BlackPen Guild, prepared to head out from home.
As she opened the front door to go to the guild building alone, Baek Yena—who was staying home today instead of going to work—glanced her way.
"Baby, you said you have a meeting with Kwon Yooseok today, right?"
"Yeah."
"You really planning to go alone? Those BlackPen Guild creeps are all shady as hell."
"I'm stronger anyway."
Baek Yena couldn't argue with that, so she just made a displeased face but didn't stop Seoya.
"He said he'd pick you up in front of the guild building?"
"Yeah."
"Not covering your face?"
"They already seem to know who I am, so whatever."
Seoya, wearing just casual clothes with no items equipped, shrugged it off lightly.
Knowing who she was probably meant they already knew what she looked like. And Kwon Yooseok was way weaker than her anyway, so there was no need to be on guard.
"I'll at least drive you to the guild building. Wait a sec, lemme grab the keys from my room."
"I can go alone."
"Don't talk nonsense."
"Ugh, am I a kid or what?"
She thought she'd gotten used to the overprotectiveness, but moments like this were still a bit much for Seoya.
The distance from this house to the Neverending Guild building was a twenty-five-minute walk—or fifteen minutes at Seoya's pace.
"Fine, how about this. I'll give you a quiz."
Baek Yena suddenly wagged a finger with a serious tone.
"If you answer right, you go alone. If not, I drive you."
"Okay."
Seoya nodded readily. Baek Yena wasn't the type to break a promise anyway.
'Just answer the quiz right.'
"Quiz time. If some big random uncle asks you to help carry his luggage, what do you do?"
"Help him."
Baek Yena's face soured instantly.
"...Baby, I'll drive you. Just wait a bit."
"No, I know that's a classic Earth kidnapping trick, but there's still a chance it's legit. What if his luggage really is heavy? I'm stronger than him anyway, so even if he's a kidnapper, I win."
"I love you, but you're talking nonsense right now...."
In the end, Seoya arrived at the front of the Neverending Guild building with Baek Yena and checked her watch. 11:58 a.m.—two minutes until the appointment.
"I'll meet him alone from here."
"Still makes me uneasy...."
Screech—
The moment Seoya stepped in front of the building, a black sedan that had looked parked nearby sped toward them and stopped precisely in front of her.
A man in sunglasses got out and opened the car door.
Seoya tilted her head and asked curtly.
"BlackPen Guild?"
"Yes, please get in."
So the secretive, info-savvy guild really showed up like a cliché from an Earth movie.
"Hey, roll down the window."
Baek Yena approached the passenger seat and banged on the window hard, like she had a grudge against the car.
"Sis, come on."
"Don't just hop into a stranger's car."
The window finally rolled down, revealing a guy with jet-black hair who waved lazily at Baek Yena.
"Baek Yena Hunter, long time no see."
Jet-black hair, black eyes, piercings dangling from his ears, slitted eyes that somehow looked like he was smiling. He didn't seem much older than Seoya.
Baek Yena smirked and snarked.
"You always show up at the worst times."
"Still got that foul mouth."
Seoya watched Kwon Yooseok the hunter and Baek Yena bicker, then got into the back seat of the car where the man in the black suit held the door.
Best to ignore them at times like this.
"Listen up, Kwon Yooseok."
Confirming Seoya was in the car, Baek Yena scowled and said.
"If you piss off my baby even a little... you're all dead...."
"Why would I mess with someone stronger than me~?"
Kwon Yooseok replied without flinching, a relaxed smile on his face.
Baek Yena shot back, eyes narrowed.
"Dunno, but you're pissing me off right now."
"Haha, don't worry. I know my place perfectly."
Kwon Yooseok waved both hands at Baek Yena and nodded to the driver.
"No plans to tangle with you, national hero. I'd just lose if we fought, right? So I'll back off without ruffling feathers."
"You get one hour. If you're not back after talking... "
Baek Yena glared fiercely at Kwon Yooseok.
"No matter how far, I'll chase you down nonstop. You know that's my specialty...?"
"Of course, duly noted~?"
Finally, their staredown ended, and the car started moving.
In the swaying car, Seoya eyed Kwon Yooseok with a hint of annoyance.
He'd bowed to Baek Yena first, but his attitude showed he wasn't some pushover.
"Sorry for the messy first impression. Our guild doesn't have the best public image.... Lots of clashes."
Before Seoya could speak, Kwon Yooseok glanced at her carefully and started the conversation.
"Didn't expect no cape—my bad on that. Anyway, thrilled to meet you like this."
"How'd you know who I am?"
"Our guild doesn't miss documented info on Earth."
Kwon Yooseok gave a sly smile.
'Similar to what my sisters said.'
Baek Yena and Ji Sein had trashed BlackPen as shady, and while prejudice was bad, he did give off that vibe so far.
"Oh, late intro. I'm Kwon Yooseok, Rank 10 hunter with BlackPen Guild. No leaks here, so don't mind the driver."
"We heading to BlackPen Guild building now?"
"Yeah, our Seoul branch is nearby. How should I call you? Rank 0? Seoya-nim? Baek Seoya-nim?"
"That's not my last name. Just Seoya."
"Ah, another surprise... So the registry was fake after all."
They only had surface-level info from public records, it seemed. Probably didn't know she was from another world.
"Age matches the registry? Seventeen?"
"Yeah."
"Thought you were younger. Seventeen makes us same age."
Seoya gave him a suspicious look.
He did look younger than most guys she'd met. Like a pampered young master type.
But seventeen on Earth seemed young, and she hadn't expected him to hold a top-10 rank at that age.
"Can I speak casually?"
"Do what you want."
"Cool. Let's get along, Seoya."
Kwon Yooseok extended a hand for a shake, so Seoya took it lightly and asked.
"How long you been a hunter?"
"Awakened two years ago, when the System first appeared~."
That meant since fifteen. Definitely started young.
"Top-10 ranks are all first-gen awakeners. We're kinda tight, outsiders call us veterans~?"
"Hm."
"Sick of this old-timer scene, but a newbie like you? Thrilled...."
"So how'd you learn about me?"
"Ah, I'll tell you once we reach the guild."
Kwon Yooseok dodged the question and changed the subject smoothly.
"Anyway, get the gift okay?"
"You made it obvious you knew about me."
"Mission accomplished then. Other guilds probably hit you up too."
Seoya turned to look out the window.
Other top hunters had messaged via System, all polite and tiptoeing around a meeting.
She hadn't replied. But Kwon Yooseok had flaunted knowing her identity, earning her interest.
Screech—
"We're here."
The car stopped, and Kwon Yooseok got out.
As Seoya reached for the door, he opened it first.
"You're absolutely the top dog here, so just take whatever."
"I can open a car door myself."
"It's the gesture~."
Stepping out, Seoya eyed the building ahead.
Unlike Neverending's, this didn't scream "guild." Just a plain old villa.
"Secret passage or something?"
"Haha, nah... This way up."
Seoya followed Kwon Yooseok up the stairs.
The interior looked even more ordinary—like actual residents lived there.
On the third floor, Kwon Yooseok pressed his finger to a fingerprint lock and opened the door.
Seoya let out a small gasp at the unexpected sight.
"Ah."
The room was packed floor-to-ceiling with computers everywhere.
Kwon Yooseok explained.
"Whole building's ours. We hide the location—Seoul branch disguises as a villa."
"Need to hide?"
"We do... a lot of illegal stuff...."
Seoya's gaze turned icy at that.