The Negotiation Is Off

The office of the Advance Guild Master.

For all its classic interior, a soju party was in full swing inside.

Do Hyeoncheol poured and grumbled at Jo Paldeok.

"Why didn't you just order fried chicken? Spicy shrimp crackers? What are we, broke college kids?"

"Try sitting in the Guild Master's chair. Order fried chicken alone in your office and people call you pathetic. And nothing goes with soju like spicy shrimp crackers."

"Do I have to start worrying about that kind of thing now too?"

The two of them had been cracking soju and snacks since midday, trying to drown a heavy gloom.

"Khh~ That's sweet, Paldeok. Sweet. Reality's so bitter, the booze tastes sweet!"

"A guy with All-Poison Immunity putting on a drunk act."

"The next raid. Think we can do it?"

"No."

Jo Paldeok knocked back his glass.

"Pwah..."

"It's not like you absolutely need Tracking to clear that floor."

"Right. There's no way it was designed like that."

Tracking was not the proper path. The proper path was to break through with the specs Floor 54 had actually intended a team to have. If Do Hyeoncheol had still been in his prime, that would have been possible.

"But the last raid taught me something. Even if Zhang Xuan's Tracking had been working perfectly, our team's specs just aren't enough. We wouldn't have cleared it."

"So even if we somehow got China's help, we'd still be in trouble. We'd just hit a wall on every floor after that."

"Exactly."

The truth was, most countries these days were in the same boat as Korea. Unable to handle the floors' difficulty, they just kept inventing workarounds like Tracking. And so they lived, clinging to the edge, eight months at a time.

"Humanity went the wrong direction. We never should have been clearing floors so recklessly at the start."

In the early days after the Tower appeared, every nation had raced up it, competing for hegemony. They climbed wildly, never waiting out the eight-month deadline. Back then, no one knew the danger of Tower Collapse.

Someone had shouted that they needed to observe the collapse risk. But eight months was too long to wait. In that time, rival nations would be pioneering new floors.

The Tower was a treasure trove that poured forth new materials and items, Mana Stones among them. It was also a cradle of power that grew Hunters stronger. At least, until Collapse was observed.

"Hey. You voted for that president four times, didn't you? The one who tore through the Tower just to keep up with the developed countries."

"Why are you bringing that up now?"

"I'm just saying a nation only ever rises to the level of its people."

"I know you're not drunk. Shut up and drink."

Jo Paldeok snatched up a shrimp cracker and ate it with a vengeance.

"Aigoo... We never should have done it. And now we're headed for the economic-vassal-state ending."

"...We don't know that yet."

Jo Paldeok had not let go of hope.

"We'll have to give up on Floor 54. But the next floor, or the one after that — if the kids coming up now climb well, we can take the initiative back."

"Until then we just live eating other countries' shit, huh."

"...We endure. We made this present, after all."

"Well if it isn't the irresponsible Guild Master."

"Shut it, has-been. Fill the glass."

Hyeonseok, especially. If it was him, he would surely give the Korean Hunter world its future back. The achievement of being Master was worth that much.

"Have another drink and buck up, Jo Paldeok. Guild management's about to get a lot harder, isn't it?"

"After putting on a display like this..."

The top-floor raid team did not just have the Advance Guild Master on it. Three of the seven members were guild masters of the top-ten guilds.

And Zhang Xuan, this time, was personnel Jo Paldeok had brought in. The management responsibility sat with Advance.

"It's because I don't have enough personal virtue."

"Tsk. Of all the people to get stuck with, it had to be a piece of work like that."

Finding a holder of Tracking at all had been the good part.

"If he'd just used his skill properly, the entire 50th-floor range would have been Advance's achievement."

"Who knew it'd come back as a headwind."

Sweeping up the credit for the entire 50s. That alone might have been a chance to reclaim their former glory.

"We got greedy."

"Drink."

They tipped their glasses. And in the middle of that, the office door slammed open with a crash.

"Guild Master!"

It was Kang Minji. Her cheeks were flushed with excitement — then she flinched and pinched her nose.

"Ugh, it reeks of booze. What are you two doing drinking in the middle of the day?"

"Hey. Did I teach you to barge in without knocking?"

"That's not the issue right now!"

"What did I just say! Character comes before the Tower collapsing tomorrow—"

Do Hyeoncheol's words died in his throat. Jo Paldeok froze with his glass halfway to his mouth.

Even with both of them struck dumb, Kang Minji kept bubbling over.

"I just cleared it! A two-person clear with Hwayeon! And we even got an SS-Rank!"

Jo Paldeok ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠finished his drink. Do Hyeoncheol grabbed a fistful of shrimp crackers and shoved them into his mouth.

"She been day-drinking too? Jo Paldeok, you not managing your guild members?"

"Why are you blaming me for something you taught her wrong?"

"I'm telling the truth! If you don't believe me, go in and check yourself! Floor 55 is open, I'm telling you! Try entering Floor 55!"

Do Hyeoncheol waved a hand like he was swatting a fly.

"You come into the sacred Guild Master's office and start spinning lies? Fine! 'Enter Floor 55'! See? Nothing happ—"

Whoosh.

Do Hyeoncheol vanished. Jo Paldeok saw it and choked on his soju.

"Hack— hack!"

"See? See?!"

"Wh-what? Where'd that bastard—"

Whoosh.

Do Hyeoncheol came back, looking every bit as stunned as Jo Paldeok.

"...Hey. What the hell is this?"

"Do Hyeoncheol. Did you just actually enter Floor 55?"

"I said what the hell is this!"

But Kang Minji only grinned. The two old men's faces were clearly the most entertaining thing she had seen all day. Jo Paldeok could not wait another second.

"Enter Floor 55."

Whoosh. And then he was back again.

"...Good God."

"Would somebody tell me what's going on!"

Do Hyeoncheol reached out to grab Kang Minji. She vanished. Whoosh.

"Ta-da!"

She was standing behind him. Jo Paldeok's eyes flew wide.

"You... you didn't have a skill like that a second ago."

"Pretty fast, right? I cleared it with this skill!"

Jo Paldeok's eyes narrowed. A high-level skill like that, overnight? Which meant...

"You little brat — you think you can dodge just because you climbed a few floors?! An adult is asking you a question!"

"That's what I want to ask you."

"What?"

What was this girl even talking about?

"Just how did you raise your son? What kind of monster did you create?!"

"Huh? You talking about Hyeonseok? Why's my boy coming up?"

"Well, you see..."

Kang Minji's mouth ran on and on, sparkling with excitement. The two of them forgot how to speak and simply listened, until the shrimp crackers went stale.

"Warriors?"

Guess I would have to walk around and find them this time. With the archers I had not even needed to take a single step. That had been nice. Shame.

I walked slowly and let my thoughts settle.

I wonder how Kang Minji will do. I hope the next raid goes well.

Two weeks from now, was it?

It'll take a while before we see results.

That was when an elf burst out of the ground.

"Whoa—!"

They were camouflaging now, too.

"KYAAAAH—!"

The sword came around, but I was already behind him. The blade cut empty air, and a lightning-wrapped fist drove into the back of the elf's skull.

KRA-KOOM—!

I started walking again, still thinking.

She's got Shunpo. She'll be fine.

No point worrying. Hm. The occasional stroll was not so bad. It felt like my head was clearing.

"KYAAAAAAH!"

If only the elves would stop bursting out of the ground.

"Yeesh."

Whoosh—

KRA-KOOM!

Were these guys' swords a little slow, though? The higher I climbed, the slower the arrows had started to look, too. Was that my physical stats going up?

What if I try one without Shunpo?

Right on cue, an elf surged up from the earth. I slipped past his sluggish blade and stepped in. His solar plexus opened up, and I drove a Heavenly Explosive Strike straight into it.

KRA-KOOM!

After that I kept going without Shunpo, just for practice.

Not bad as a light workout. Like a walk in the park.

I left the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Tower feeling refreshed.

Jeong Sangguk was on a video conference, barely restraining the urge to tear his own hair out.

"There is no time for negotiation. The People's Republic of China intends to proceed immediately with the next floor's conquest. We only have one Tracking holder ourselves, you understand. If this drags on any longer, we will be unable to send you our proud Hunter Feng Yuxiang."

"Korea cannot accept the current terms."

"Then that is unfortunate."

"Korea currently possesses the world's finest roster of Low Floor Hunters. If they mature well in the years to come, China will surely benefit—"

"That is a matter for then!"

A tendon stood out along Jeong Sangguk's jaw.

This bastard's only a deputy director and he's sitting there throwing his weight around...

He was a breath away from flipping the whole table when—

Ding!

He flinched at the notice blooming in front of his eyes.

...That's right. We hold on until the next generation comes up. Don't go weak now.

Right now, they were thoroughly the weaker party. He steeled himself and kept every trace of displeasure off his face.

"Please at least consider public sentiment. Everything else aside, ceding the disputed territorial waters and a complete surrender of all rights to the Mount Baekdu region is truly difficult."

"Those conditions are the heart of this deal! Don't try to haggle them down! It's land that'll be ownerless once it collapses anyway — what's the harm in handing a little over!"

"Public sentiment..."

"And what of MY sentiment, twisting as we speak? How can you be so high-handed!"

Jeong Sangguk squeezed his eyes shut. This argument was meaningless anyway. He decided to play along with the other side's hidden intent.

"...I will visit in person to explain."

"Hmph. You should have done that from the start. All that stiff-necked pride."

"..."

China's goal from the beginning had been to break in the new Bureau Director of Conquest Planning. An SS-Rank, inaugurated under the eyes of the world.

The bureaucrats of China's Hunter Management Ministry in particular were a twisted breed. Ordinary civil servants with a taste for using political power to press down on superhuman Hunters.

Something about inheriting history in interstate relations. If he went, he would almost certainly have to get on his knees.

Jeong Sangguk forced his mouth open through the humiliation.

"......I'll arrange a date through the Ministry of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Foreign Affairs. At your convenience—"

"S-senior — I mean, Director."

Yoon Seongcheol, Department Head of Conquest Planning, who had been sitting in on the meeting, called to him in a rush. Yoon Seongcheol's eyes were locked on his phone.

"What is it, Department Head?"

"You need to see this..."

"Hm? What is it? I'll look after the meeting."

"You need to look now. It's the Advance Guild Master."

"Advance?"

Why would he be contacting them? Jeong Sangguk looked down at the phone being held out to him. A moment later—

"...Enter."

Whoosh.

"Wh-what is the meaning of this? Did you just enter the Tower? Right in front of me?"

"If you would wait a moment."

"What kind of insult is this! Does Korea truly wish to witness the Tower Collapse? If these negotiations fall apart, the responsibility will fall entirely on the Bureau Director!"

And then, whoosh. Jeong Sangguk came back. He drew a breath and closed his eyes. Then he tipped his chair all the way back and let the air out of his lungs.

"Hoooo......"

"What is this insolence in the middle of a meeting! Bureau Director of Conquest Planning, you will—"

"I beg your pardon?"

Jeong Sangguk had been steeped in exhaustion. The sharpness came back into his eyes.

"...Did you eat something funny, my friend?"

"'My friend'? Watch your language, Deputy Director of Climbing Promotion. By protocol, I outrank you."

The Chinese Deputy Director of Climbing Promotion, who had been sputtering in confusion, finally sensed that something was wrong and shut his mouth.

"Furthermore, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be filing a formal protest regarding the Deputy Director's recorded discourtesies today. Consider yourself informed."

"An explanation is required. Why this sudden change?"

"The articles will be out shortly. Look them up yourself."

And without so much as a closing courtesy, Jeong Sangguk ended the video conference.

"Senior, did you actually just go into Floor 55?"

Jeong Sangguk dragged a hand down his face. The mouth that showed between his fingers was smiling hard.

"Ha... I can't believe this. How many times am I going to owe that man?"

"That man?"

"Seongcheol."

"Yes, sir."

"A master's grace is as vast as the heavens."

"Sir?"

"And it only keeps climbing higher!"

Jeong Sangguk sprang out of his chair as if it had ejected him.

"Call a press conference."

"Hunter Zhang Xuan is holding his second press conference right now."

"What?"

That junkie? The one who had used his monopoly on Tracking to run wild. Who had thrown his weight around against his own team and the public. Who was now useless?

Jeong Sangguk's mouth crooked.

"Should I just crash his press conference?"

Clocking out!

Honestly, just from teaching Kang Minji, I figured I had earned a full month's salary. The Guild Master would have to agree, right?

The single best thing about being recognized as an official Hunter: my clock-out time was now whatever I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wanted.

Yep. The unemployed life really suits me.

Farewell, honest working life!

Not that other Hunters had it this easy. Jo Youchan, for one, had been pulling all-nighters left and right.

Go to the guild building and train in the specialized facilities. Sit through briefings on the next floor's strategy. Sync up with your teammates. They had a mountain of work.

But I did not have any of that. Just a whoosh, a bang, and the floor was cleared.

I stretched out comfortably on my bed and pulled up NewTube. Nothing said unemployed life like NewTube.

Hm? What's this video?

A clip at the top of the page snatched my eyes and would not let go. It had shot straight to the number one trending spot.