The Assassin Hunter Stops Time
“Is that... a bit too much, don't you think?”
The master’s office where Dojin had gone.
Ha Seonggwang asked Hyejin.
Hyejin shook her head.
“No, ten billion won is still a pretty good deal.”
“Ten billion won is a pretty good deal? Honestly, it might be a lie that he awakened this year.”
“That’s right. But did he forget the dungeon he couldn’t conquer when he first entered?”
“...Huh?”
“The restriction condition is ten levels with six people. That’s ten levels more than usual.”
Normally, it takes a month or less for an awakened hunter to reach ten levels.
If they receive heavy support, they can clear it in two weeks, but...
“Kim Cheolsu, how many days ago did he conquer that Black Rolling Dungeon?”
“January 4th.”
On January 4th he conquered the ten-level restricted Black Rolling Dungeon.
“Today he’s conquering the Orc Dungeon. What’s the date today?”
“January... 29th.”
Only twenty-five days.
Whether he awakened this time or not wasn’t important.
“In just twenty-five days he’s crushed Black Rolling and then Orc. How can we explain this?”
That meant he had reached at least level 40 from level 10 in only twenty-five days.
And with enormous leeway, at that.
“Setting aside Kang Seungho’s grade and all that... This kind of terrifying growth rate for the first time since that person. So is it worth investing?”
“Hearing you say it like that makes my body feel it clearly.”
“That’s right?”
Hyejin gave a small smile at Seonggwang’s words.
Then Seonggwang asked.
“Should we secretly attach someone?”
“No.”
Hyejin said firmly.
There was no need to ruin their relationship with some weird prank. It was just...
“If help is needed, I’ll talk to him first and wait.”
“...Yes.”
Hyejin stood up and quietly stared at Dojin’s back outside the window.
* * *
“Status window.”
Name: Ha Dojin
Level: 53
Strength: 104 Agility: 273 + 7
Health: 100 Mana: 98 + 2
Bonus Stats: 0
Dojin calmly assessed his current status.
For about a month he had been level 53, but in terms of stats he could say he had surpassed level 100.
“...This is debt.”
Dojin looked at the glove on his hand.
Even though he had to take off his hands because of the Red Circle threat...
‘Still, thanks to that the start was good.’
If he hadn’t registered with the Hunter Association to hide his identity, the disadvantages would have been substantial, but...
He had managed to meet the basic conditions faster than he thought.
The remaining time was about two months.
The Yongin Dungeon Break that had happened in March...
It wasn’t a normal dungeon break.
Normally, after the dungeon was created, the break phenomenon occurred thirty days later.
During that time they tried to clear as much as possible, and if they couldn’t clear it, they prepared for the break.
But...
‘The break happened in just fifteen days.’
Abnormal Dungeon Break.
It was a new term after the Yongin Dungeon Break in March.
The formula that had never broken until then was the first one to be broken.
‘No one knew that Red Circle had intentionally caused the Dungeon Break.’
Thud.
In that memory Dojin clenched his fist tightly. But now was the time to calm down.
First...
‘I need someone to reliably back me.’
More minimum conditions had been met than he thought.
So now it was time to fully destroy Red Circle’s foundation.
Of course, that was impossible with Dojin’s current abilities.
The moment friction arose with them, everyone related to Dojin would be in danger.
Right now his parents, and everyone he would bring in the future as well.
That’s why he had already thought of something.
The ace up his sleeve he had thought of after the Firebird Guild.
‘Slightly earlier than expected... but...
There was no reason to delay it.
“Here?”
Dojin looked up.
Even when he raised his head all the way to the top, there was no ceiling in sight. A building of dizzying height.
South Korea’s number one hunter weapon manufacturing company.
SW Technology.
It had changed to SW Technology after the old Shinhwa Steel company began manufacturing and distributing hunter weapons.
It was apparently in need of a global name or something...
Anyway, Dojin walked into the first-floor lobby of SW Technology.
“Welcome, this is SW Technology. What business can I help you with today?”
“I came to see Chairman Gu Jinmo.”
“Chairman?”
The employee at the desk showed a slightly surprised expression.
“Have you made an appointment?”
“Just deliver this to him. That’s all.”
“...Please wait a moment.”
Something felt off.
The desk employee immediately contacted the secretary’s office to report the current situation.
Just ignoring it wasn’t an option because Dojin’s atmosphere was different from that of ordinary customers.
Soon after, men in neat suits emerged from the elevator.
“What’s going on?”
“Ah, Secretary General. This gentleman said he wanted to deliver this letter to the chairman.”
“...?”
The man at the front of the group received the letter.
Rustle.
He opened the letter and checked the content. His eyebrows twitched. Then his expression slightly twisted.
“You’re making a move that’s hard to handle.”
Crinkle.
The man crumpled the letter and said.
“Can you take responsibility?”
“Of course.”
At Dojin’s reply the man turned with a sharp expression.
“Follow me.”
Beneath his voice was even a faint killing intent.
‘...Minimum B-class. No, maybe A-class.’
Well, as the secretary general of Chairman Gu Jinmo, that was only natural.
Dojin followed the secretary general into the elevator.
In front of him was the secretary general.
Behind him two secretaries pressed Dojin.
Wiiiiiiing.
The elevator rose rapidly.
Finally, the top floor.
“48th floor.”
Impressive.
While he was a little amazed the elevator doors opened.
An entire floor was the chairman’s office.
After stepping out of the elevator they entered the chairman’s office.
“Chairman. A visitor who wants to see the chairman has been brought.”
The secretary general approached Gu Jinmo, who was looking out the window.
Dojin saw him too.
A slightly plump build.
Along with droopy cheeks that gave off a sly vibe, the sharp gaze of an old man who didn’t match his age.
Chairman Gu Jinmo.
He had completely monopolized the hunter equipment market in South Korea, and had further gained global recognition.
Gu Jinmo saw Dojin standing behind the secretary general.
“What reason did the young man have to see an old man like me?”
He gave a characteristic kind smile and said to Dojin.
It was a completely different expression and voice from the stern impression of yesterday.
Dojin looked at Chairman Gu Jinmo and said.
“I can cure my grandson’s illness.”
“...”
For a moment Dojin felt the hairs on his whole body stand on end.
Even an A-class hunter raising killing intent wouldn’t give this feeling.
Dojin, who had come through countless battlefields, knew.
This person had also crossed his own fierce battlefield many times.
It wasn’t just killing with a sword that killed a target.
Each person risked their life to obtain what they wanted, and in that battlefield they had to win, the feeling of a veteran who had crossed countless times.
Gu Jinmo said.
“Young man, if you can’t take responsibility for those words, you must hand over everything you have.”
Including your life, and everything around you.
The sharp blade hidden in his calm words aimed at Dojin’s neck.
But Dojin answered without hesitation.
“Of course.”
“Sit.”
Gu Jinmo sat on the top seat of the sofa.
Dojin sat on the side a little apart from him and watched him.
Jinmo asked.
“So, how do you plan to cure my grandson’s illness?”
Even the world-famous doctors and healer-class hunters hadn’t been able to cure Chairman Gu Jinmo’s grandson’s illness.
But that was only natural.
After all, it wasn’t a disease.
Dojin said.
“First I should see my grandson to know exactly. There are several methods.”
“Several methods?”
Jinmo showed a surprised expression.
Even if there was one method it would be shocking, and there were several?
Jinmo’s gaze grew cold and sank.
He asked.
“So what does the young man want from me?”
“I’ll tell you when I cure my grandson.”
“Huhu hufu hufu, how big a demand is this that he wants to do business without even talking price...
This was like holding up a blank check.
But...
‘Still, it’s an irrefusable deal.’
The day his son and daughter-in-law died.
His only grandson who barely survived.
If he could save this child he could even give up his old life, but he couldn’t do even that.
Every day had been hell.
What use was all this money and fame?
Jinmo nodded his head.
“If you heal my grandson I’ll give you anything in the world. Just remember this. If you’re playing around with an old man like me, you’ll lose everything you have.”
Gu Jinmo’s words were sincere.
Dojin nodded his head.
“Guide this young man to Junsu. And I’ll go with you, so prepare.”
“Understood.”
The secretary general immediately pressed a watch on his wrist and said something.
Soon after, following him, Jinmo and Dojin boarded the elevator and a line of cars was waiting in the underground parking lot.
Then they took Dojin and headed somewhere.
Right to a large university hospital on the outskirts of Seoul.
The very top floor.
There an eight-year-old boy lay on an oxygen respirator with a deathly pale face, like a dead person.
Gu Jinmo’s grandson, Gu Junse.
“It’s been two years like this already.”
Only eight years old.
The day after the accident his mind hadn’t come back, and it had been two years now.
“My lifelong wish is to hear the word ‘grandpa’ from this child.”
He spoke calmly, but Jinmo’s eyes looked like they were about to spill tears at any moment.
He had probably used every means possible up to now.
But since he had the wrong cause from the beginning, every attempt had failed.
‘Even Kang Seungho had figured it out by chance.’
And Kang Seungho had gained enormous background by releasing Junse’s curse.
In the end he had pushed Chairman Gu Jinmo to the brink and completely swallowed SW Technology, but...
‘This matter...
Would steal the most powerful background Red Circle ever gains.’
Together.
‘It was the most important button in the future plan.’
That’s why he had prepared thoroughly.
If there was anything lacking, he could just ask Chairman Gu Jinmo for it.
Now...
‘First, check how much of that curse on the boy is there.’
Dojin immediately entered the intensive care unit.
To check Junse’s condition up close.
As Dojin entered, the secretary general outside said to Chairman Gu Jinmo.
“Chairman, do you really trust this person?”
“Huhu, how could I trust him?”
“Then...”
“I’m just trusting the situation. If this deal fails, he’ll have to hand over everything, too.”
He wasn’t trusting a person, but the situation.
Gu Jinmo’s gaze was colder and more precise toward Dojin than ever.
And in front of Junse, Dojin raised his mana and placed his hand on the boy’s body.
Bam!
When Dojin’s hand touched Junse’s body, a fierce red-black spark shot out.
As expected, a powerful curse was applied.
Since it was confirmed that it wasn’t a disease, now it was time to proceed with removing the curse.
But...
“...Why.”
Dojin muttered.
The moment it was revealed to be a curse...
Whoosh.
Black flames flickered above Junse’s head...
