The Master of Hunters

"The text is all garbled."

Unlike Seoya, Go Heejae—who could see the System messages filtered—frowned at them.

"Looks like you need qualifications to read it."

"Qualifications?"

"Like world rank 0th or something."

Seoya quickly answered before Go Heejae could start suspecting again. Still, he seemed unable to shake off his doubts.

"Anyway, this dungeon... it feels kinda..."

At that moment, Jeong Sira raised her hand slightly, trying to join their conversation. Seoya instinctively knew she had to stop her. Having watched this dungeon's story from the beginning with Seoya, Sira must have noticed something suspicious about the 'story' it was trying to tell.

"Hold on, I know what you're gonna say... but talk to me about it first, later."

"Seoya-ssi?"

Seoya approached Jeong Sira, who looked awkward and unsure, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠then awkwardly stuck out her pinky.

"Promise me. Don't tell anyone else until we've talked about this dungeon first."

"Pardon? Of course I'll follow your lead, Seoya-ssi, but..."

Jeong Sira hooked her pinky with Seoya's in surprise and made the promise.

"...Thanks, Sira-unnie."

Seoya replied, having built some bond with Jeong Sira during their time in the dungeon. At first it had been super awkward, but after hearing Sira's tales of being an unemployed humanities major, Seoya felt like she'd unintentionally glimpsed deep into her inner world. Plus, Seoya needed to stay on good terms with her to keep the secret for a while.

"Seoya-ssi...!"

Unaware of Seoya's inner thoughts, Jeong Sira covered her mouth with both hands, as if moved.

"Just call me Seoya casually. Drop the honorifics. You're Gayeon-unnie's friend."

"I-I'll get used to it once I adjust a bit...!"

Even so, Jeong Sira looked thrilled. For Seoya, this distracted her from the dungeon and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sealed her lips, so she could relax.

Phew, if Ibin-unnie saw this, she'd praise me for finally thinking deeply.

Feeling proud of her handling, Seoya grinned brightly under her cloak.

"Seoya, is that the reward?"

"Oh."

At Lee Gayeon's words, Seoya clicked the reward window and looked down at the paper now in her hand. It was rolled up tight, so she couldn't see what was written inside, but she could guess well enough.

Contribution reward: Formula to Fix the World.

The formula for calculating coordinates must be inside.

Thankfully, the reward window was visible only to the recipient, so the others didn't know its name.

"I'll check it and show you later."

"Got it."

Seoya had expected prying questions, but Lee Gayeon and Park Haejun accepted it without a hint of suspicion. Stunned by their lack of interest in the obviously shady paper, Seoya blinked.

Don't they trust me too much...?

It worked out for her, though.

Ibin-unnie made this dungeon to lure me in and give me this reward. And by showing Toda's story inside, she wanted to remind me of Toda's situation... right?

There were some things to ponder about the 'story' the dungeon showed, but she could think on those slowly.

Rumble—

The world began to shake as the dungeon finally started to shatter.

"Seoya, after the dungeon breaks, can we talk briefly?"

Go Heejae, now beside her, asked with unreadable black eyes. Seoya nodded.

"Sure, I promised."

Dreading whatever nonsense would come next, Seoya swiped the chat window away and turned to the man sitting before her.

"Go Heejae, so what did you want to say?"

Go Heejae sipped coffee in front of her, at the top floor of the Neverending Guild building—the same spot where Na Seonghyeon had sat before.

"Is that tasty?"

"...Probably bitter for you."

"Then why drink it?"

"Adults get used to bitter tastes..."

"Ugh, cut the boomer talk! How do you even come up with that crap?"

Unable to stomach Go Heejae's words, Baek Yena glared and yelled. Having rushed to the guild upon hearing about Seoya, she seemed unable to bear that everything was over and Seoya had gotten help from Go Heejae.

Park Haejun, typing away at his keyboard, suddenly shoved his coffee mug far away upon hearing it, as if offended by his own drinking habit.

Ignoring them, Go Heejae spoke.

"...I wanted to talk because you're now the strongest in this world, so you need to know everything."

"Know what?"

"First, I've spoken to the top world hunters. Told them you're no threat to the world, warned them of the risks of messing with you. We talked it out and agreed to respect you."

"Talk and compromise, my ass~."

Baek Yena snickered from behind, but Go Heejae ignored her.

"You've seen it this time too—without fear, you can't control humans."

"Oh..."

Seoya's mouth hung open at the unexpected words.

I've felt it since last time, but... he's really resolute.

"Being the world's strongest means always staying neutral. Tons of people will try pulling you to their side. The moment you pick one, it'll be seen as declaring war."

"Uh, yeah..."

"To avoid getting dragged into fights among the weak, stay neutral always. Like how I'm not in any guild."

"I see..."

Seoya replied tonelessly.

"And maintaining that neutrality is the hardest part. To do it, you need overwhelming strength that makes everyone respect your will. And you have to show that strength to make people fear you."

"Teaching a kid some real gems, huh?"

"Go Heejae Hunter, from my view, those aren't great for Seoya's mental health."

Essentially telling her to rule by fear, Baek Yena and Park Haejun waved their hands in horror one after another.

Go Heejae, treating them as invisible, continued.

"Earthlings don't know how ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠strong you are yet. Be more ruthless. Demand stricter standards, be pickier, don't tolerate anyone outside your rules. Become world-famous."

"Next he'll say conquer other countries."

"Compared to Go Heejae Hunter, Baek Yena Hunter seems normal..."

"I get what you're saying."

Ignoring the others' reactions, Seoya answered calmly.

"I'm too meek now, so act more violently, right?"

"Exactly."

"This won't do."

Park Haejun shot up from his seat with uncharacteristic resolve. With Lee Gayeon away searching for bonus dungeon data, Seoya matters were fully his responsibility.

"Go Heejae Hunter, violent remarks are forbidden in front of Seoya. Please leave now."

"Oppa, hold on. I'll handle it."

Seoya waved a hand to calm Park Haejun, then stared straight at Go Heejae.

"Don't meddle."

Everyone froze and looked at her in shock. Baek Yena glaring at Go Heejae, Park Haejun about to pull him up, and Go Heejae himself.

Unlike the biting words, Seoya's voice ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠never wavered from start to finish.

"Like you said, I'm world rank 0th. Everything's beneath me."

She was sick of it. Kwon Yooseok warned her about hunters, So Eunsu and So Euneung about the public, Na Seonghyeon about controlling all humans.

But this world was Ibin's gift to her. It was hers.

"So I'll decide how to rule my world."

Like a true world ruler, Seoya declared arrogantly.