The Hunter's Shadow Meets the Guild Master

For days, Burning Red had dominated every news headline, its scandals plastered across screens and billboards like an open wound. Then, suddenly, the public couldn't get enough of the guild's filth. The timing was perfect—right when the hunter world exploded with its biggest scandal yet. The dirty secret life of a purple-card Epic-rank awakened hunter who had been riding the fast track to glory came crashing down. Everyone pointed fingers, spit curses, and tore into him. Just a few short days later, the Burning Red story had vanished from the front pages as if it had never existed.

Tap. Tap.

SW Technology's first-floor lobby.

As a man walked in through the entrance, the info-desk staff stepped forward with practiced grace.

"Welcome. SW Technology. How may we assist you?"

The moment he crossed the threshold, his presence hit like a quiet storm. A deep navy ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠suit. Crisp all-back hair. Sunglasses that hid eyes sharp enough to cut glass. The staff member swallowed hard without realizing it.

The man asked.

"I'm here to see Chairman Gu Jinmo."

"Chairman Gu? Did you... make an appointment?"

"Just tell them Red Circle sent me."

Polite words, but ice-cold tone. The staff hurried to contact the secretary's office.

Soon, the chairman's direct assistants descended from the elevator.

The eyes of Kim Gyeongtaek in the center flickered for a split second.

"This way, please."

The man followed him toward the chairman's office.

"...I feel like I've seen him somewhere before."

The lobby staff tried to recall, then horror flashed across his face as he looked in the same direction the man had gone.

Chirp. Chirp.

"Nice scent in the car."

"Hah hah, you know cars?"

"When you run a business, you end up learning things you don't want to."

Seated opposite Chairman Gu, the man lifted his teacup and sipped the fragrant brew. Behind the delicate floral aroma came a sharp, lingering aftertaste that stood out.

Gu Jinmo's expression shifted in an odd way—lips curved in a smile, but his eyes remained cold.

He asked.

"The master of Red Circle, one of Korea's top five, comes to my company. Now would be a good time to state your business."

Kang Seungho.

Master of Red Circle and one of the rare 200-level hunters in the country.

He removed his sunglasses and met Gu Jinmo's gaze.

"Impressive. You look comfortable."

Kang Seungho fixed his eyes on the chairman while draining his cup of hot tea in one go. He set the cup down.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"That's all for now. If you try anything more here, consider it a declaration of war."

The gaze was calm, yet carried a chill that sliced the air.

Gu Jinmo chuckled softly.

"Hah, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Then keep thinking."

The smile vanished from Seungho's face. Gu Jinmo nodded.

"I can't say I understand every word, but I know what you're trying to say. Fine, I'll play along."

Gu Jinmo stepped back a pace.

Although SW Technology was larger by corporate scale, one could not ignore the physical power of hunters in this world.

If Seungho started rampaging right here, no one could stop him.

A 200-level hunter's abilities alone put them on a completely different scale from ordinary hunters.

Moreover, Seungho had no class mark yet—effectively an S-rank hunter.

Kang Seungho rose from his seat, slipped his sunglasses back on, and looked at Gu Jinmo.

"I'll take my leave as promised."

"You won't go far. Take care."

As Seungho exited the chairman's office, the door closed behind him.

"Are you all right?"

"Hah, the pressure of an A-class hunter is too much for a regular guy like me."

Gu Jinmo wiped his damp palms with a handkerchief and let out a long sigh.

Even if he had been only five years younger, he would have handled it easily.

"Age can't beat him."

But it was over.

'For now, time has been bought.'

With so many incidents already, Red Circle would need time to clean up.

Originally, Gu Jinmo should have gone to Seungho to check the situation.

Buying time until Dojin grew stronger.

That was exactly what Dojin had asked for.

"Lucky that I didn't force my way in and just handled it."

Still, no one could say exactly how long the time would last.

'And...'

If Red Circle's mess was fully resolved, those bastards would pull out their knives again.

One reason they had grown so fast was because they left no hostile forces behind.

They hadn't openly declared enmity, but the day would come when the relationship between Dojin, SW Technology, and the guild would be laid bare.

'A needle in the bag...'

The thorn hidden in the pocket was bound to poke out sooner or later.

How much Dojin would change in this time remained unknown.

'When the time comes, the situation will be vastly different. We should prepare.'

'Understood.'

Gu Jinmo stood and hurried out.

* * *

Boom!

The sound of impact echoed.

The strange part was that the one who got hit stood firm, while the attacker staggered backward.

"Kyaaaaaaaah!"

The Flame Orc that had just attacked roared loudly.

It knew how embarrassing it looked.

But facing it was So-hee, who was catching her breath and watching the beasts.

Seven Flame Orcs.

At first, they had surrounded her in a panic, but...

Swish.

She shoved them aside and planted her back against a large boulder, changing the situation.

'Attackable positions are only three anyway.'

But with the Orcs' size, at most two could hit her at once.

She refused frontal attacks and deflected them appropriately.

Timing the bounces just right let her deal damage too.

It was the epitome of shield mastery.

The only problem was...

"Hey, how much longer..."

They had already beaten her for over thirty minutes.

Even the attackers were tiring, their blows no longer as fierce...

So-hee gripped her shield tighter.

Her consciousness was so focused that her grip might loosen without it.

"Hey, where did it go!"

So-hee shouted.

Dojin, who had suddenly disappeared, reappeared.

And...

"...Is this getting to its limit?"

A short distance away, on a high boulder, Dojin muttered.

He had been watching So-hee the whole time.

'Unexpectedly...'

No, she was far better than expected.

'She wasn't just trained. She was born for this.'

One could tell just by watching.

That this person possessed a natural talent for battle.

Of course, the training from SW Technology had helped, but even that wasn't enough to explain it.

So-hee's talent was real.

'That's why Seungho treasured her so much.'

Flashback of her past life.

Dojin recalled So-hee's appearance and smirked as he stood.

He didn't want to pull it out too long and risk more than just a few harsh words.

"From uncle to little punk."

With that contribution, So-hee's value had risen significantly.

Fwoosh!

Dojin charged at the Flame Orc.

Clang!

"Aaaah!"

The shield shook violently; So-hee screamed.

She had nearly dropped it at the last second.

She turned the shield and faced the Orc, whose club now pointed straight at the sky.

'Above—danger...!'

This was serious.

So-hee extended her arm desperately.

No time to shift the shield, so she would push with her arm.

It would hurt, but it was the best she could do.

Then...

"Good call."

"...?!"

A voice rang from above, and...

"...Huh?"

Her body felt heavy, as if something was wrapping around her entire frame and pulling.

In that instant.

Splat! Slash! Chop!

Something whipped ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠past at blinding speed. The Flame Orcs in front of her collapsed one after another.

'How can a person...'

Move that fast?

It looked impossible even with her own eyes.

In the blink of an eye, seven Orcs died.