Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Joining Nexus Guild
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Nexus Guild headquarters, located in Seoul.
From the crack of dawn, the place was in an uproar.
All because of an utterly unexpected VVIP guest.
Because of that, not only the Nexus Guild Master but also the vice guild master, Nexus Academy Director Kim Su-ae, and all the other key executives of the guild had been summoned.
As they waited at the front gate,
Vroom!
The roar of a supercar engine echoed from afar.
Along with it, a bright red Ferrari that stood out even from a distance pulled up in front of the guild's main entrance.
It was Red Hare, one of Jo Jin-hwi's prized collection of beloved cars.
“……Is this the best you’ve got?”
“Haha, yes. Sorry about that.”
“No helping it…… Still, I’ll gratefully borrow it.”
That was the reason he ended up riding in it.
Soon after the car came to a stop, Su-ho stepped out, and the Nexus executives hurriedly greeted him.
“Oh, you’ve arrived. Hunter An Su-ho.”
“To think you’d grace us with your presence first thing in the morning. Ha ha, what an honor.”
The identity of the VVIP guest.
None other than Su-ho.
Just as he had told Jo Jin-hwi, Su-ho had come here today to join the Nexus Guild.
In response to their enthusiastic welcome, Su-ho replied in kind.
“Yes, nice to meet you. Guild Master Bae Dong-hyeok. But where should I park?”
“Someone here, help park the hunter’s car. Hunter, just hand over the keys for valet and come with us right away.”
“Shall I? Then I’ll leave it to you.”
After handing over the car keys, they began moving together.
Surprisingly, the meeting was held in the top-floor conference room right next to the representative’s office in the Nexus building.
Su-ho looked out the window at the expansive view and said,
“The company view is really nice.”
“Haha, of course. We didn’t choose this building for nothing. But anyway……”
A glance.
Before starting the meeting, they all exchanged looks with one another.
To confirm if what Kim Su-ae had relayed to them was true.
That was why Kim Su-ae, as the representative, asked the question.
“Um…… Su-ho, about what you mentioned on the phone today. Is it really true?”
“That I’ll join Nexus?”
“Yes.”
“Yes, it’s true.”
“……!”
At those words, Guild Master Bae Dong-hyeok, Vice Guild Master Yoon Du-won, Academy Director Kim Su-ae, and Chief of Staff Kim I-gang all silently bit their lips, clenched their fists, and cheered inwardly.
And rightly so, because Su-ho was currently the hottest—no, the greatest rising star in the country.
Was that why?
Kim Su-ae felt the greatest relief.
‘A few days ago, he grew ridiculously strong, so I hadn’t even dared to hope……!’
It was exactly as she said.
Su-ho’s track record was not just flashy but downright historic.
Before even becoming a hunter, he had solo-cleared the sudden gate at Sindorim Station.
He took first place in this year’s notoriously difficult hunter exam.
On top of that, he solo-cleared the Tower of Challenge, something no one had even dreamed of attempting.
To make matters worse, during the Tower of Challenge clear, a PBS article suddenly broke about him wanting to become a civil servant hunter, so they had practically given up.
Then, out of the blue, this morning’s call came.
That he would join Nexus Guild if the conditions were right.
‘Yeah. Who’d want to be a civil servant hunter? With that level of skill, not just our country but others would be dying to recruit him.’
Was that why?
When Su-ho contacted her, Kim Su-ae had thought the civil servant hunter article was just publicity hype.
There were occasionally people who pumped up their own value that way.
Su-ho continued,
“But as I mentioned on the phone beforehand, I’ll only join if the conditions match.”
Guild Master Bae Dong-hyeok quickly responded.
“Please, name them. No place can match what we at Nexus can offer you, Hunter.”
“With the guild master saying that, I feel at ease. Then I’ll speak freely. But before I do, I assume everyone here has seen the PBS article about me.”
“You mean the PBS interview where you said your dream is to be a civil servant hunter?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Yes, we saw it, but……”
Guild Master Bae Dong-hyeok held back.
He didn’t know what preamble this was leading to.
From his long years of experience in society, he could guess something like……
‘I originally wanted to be a civil servant, but since I’m joining a private guild, you’ll have to pay me more to make up for it……’
He could predict that much.
However, what Su-ho said next shocked not just Bae Dong-hyeok but everyone in the room.
“Though I’m here today to join Nexus Guild, my goal remains unchanged. I plan to enter the National Hunter Association and become a civil servant hunter.”
“Pardon?”
“What does that……?”
Is he crazy?
Then why come here?
But no one could voice such thoughts, so a silence fell, and as they exchanged glances, Guild Master Bae Dong-hyeok spoke on everyone’s behalf.
“Then, even with that goal in mind, may I ask why you still want to join a private guild?”
“To put it bluntly, to make entering the National Hunter Association smoother.”
“Pardon?”
“I plan to take the Grade 5 Public Recruitment exam at the end of this year.”
Grade 5.
The highest rank one could enter through exams.
In National Hunter Association terms, it started at least at team leader level.
Could it be……
Bae Dong-hyeok narrowed his eyes and asked,
“You don’t mean the bonus points for service in a major guild, do you?”
Su-ho smiled faintly at that.
Well, sure.
Private guild service did give bonus points.
But for Grade 5, it required at least five years of service.
What meaning would that hold for Su-ho?
Su-ho said with a smile,
“No, not that. It’s more complex, but…… First reason: Have you heard the saying that the other person’s rice cake looks bigger?”
“Yes, but?”
“To put it simply, I plan to use that psychology. I’ll keep rising and becoming a hot topic. Maybe my fame and skills alone will get me into Grade 5 Public Recruitment easily. But as I said in the interview, if I keep showing interest only in the National Hunter Association, they’ll treat me like a fish already hooked.”
Everyone nodded faintly in admiration.
It made sense.
Especially for the National Hunter Association, they were more than capable of that.
“Especially since I know the final interview for Grade 5 is the most crucial, and the association president’s influence there is strong. And he’s a five-term congressman who’s keen on reappointment and other public posts.”
No further explanation was needed; everyone nodded.
If they successfully brought Su-ho from Nexus into the National Hunter Association, the association president would benefit the most among all.
Su-ho continued,
“So, I’m proposing a deal to you now, Guild Master. I’ll use Nexus to enter the National Hunter Association more smoothly, and in return, you maximize this human resource of mine for the next six months.”
The explanation was sufficient.
Su-ho had stated his desire, and Bae Dong-hyeok fully understood.
Now, they just needed to hash out the details.
But before that, Guild Master Bae Dong-hyeok had one question for Su-ho.
“I understand your intent, Hunter. But before we get into the details, may I ask one thing?”
“Yes, ask away.”
“With that reasoning, there’s Hexagon and Prime too—why specifically our Nexus?”
He thought it was a pretty unexpected question.
If it was just that reason, there was Hexagon, called the industry number one, or Prime, called the National Hunter Association’s dog.
But Su-ho’s answer was wholly unanticipated.
“I read the speech you gave when you founded Nexus.”
“A speech?”
“Yes. You said that, at the very least, Nexus would be Korea’s guild that contributes the most to eradicating gates.”
Bae Dong-hyeok’s founding speech.
To others, it might seem like a generic speech, but he had written it with genuine sincerity.
Why?
Simple.
Nexus Guild Master Bae Dong-hyeok had also lost his beloved family to the Gate Shock.
‘And in fact, Nexus did the most relief work for gate-related damages.’
Additionally, even in his previous life, Nexus had shown the most dedication.
At Su-ho’s words, Bae Dong-hyeok looked as if he’d been struck on the back of the head.
“……So what you said in the interview was true. Gate eradication is your ultimate goal.”
“Yes, I didn’t lie in the interview. I attempted the Tower of Challenge for that very reason.”
Bae Dong-hyeok chuckled at Su-ho’s response.
“You make it hard for me to argue. But if that’s the reason, do you really need to join the National Hunter Association? You could contribute to gate eradication just as much from a private guild, right?”
“Well, you could see it that way. But if you truly want to work toward gate eradication, I think you need to challenge places others absolutely won’t. Like special gates the government manages separately because they’re too dangerous…… For example, Sealed Gates.”
“Pardon?”
“Sealed Gates?”
“Are you serious?”
Sealed Gates.
Gates that had seen numerous raid attempts but caused so many casualties that the government sealed and specially managed them.
These were disasters in their own right.
Of course, the true Five Great Catastrophes were separate, but Sealed Gates were just as dangerous.
Hence their nicknames: “Minor Catastrophes” or “Minor Catastrophe-grade Gates.”
But paradoxically, nothing contributed more to humanity’s peace than resolving Sealed Gates.
‘And they’re the easiest place for me to prove my abilities.’
He was confident.
In fact, in his previous life, nearly all domestic Minor Catastrophe-grade gates were cleared in the latter half, and Su-ho’s memories held all the攻略 methods and hidden pieces unique to those places.
So, he planned to make full use of Sealed Gates this time.
Su-ho said,
“In that sense, for the next six months, every Sealed Gate we clear will bear Nexus’s name. Until I apply for the National Hunter Association recruitment, I’ll give my all as a Nexus guild member. And then, in about six months……”
Su-ho scanned the faces swallowing dryly, then smiled.
“The industry landscape might change dramatically. From Nexus at third place to the undisputed number one Nexus.”
Return of the Sword God Civil Servant