Twenty-Five Master Marks

Kang Minji had been freed from every last worry.

Now she was toddling around America as a tourist, without a care in the world. And I was getting the live broadcast — from Korea, on the opposite side of the planet.

The next stop, too.

And the stop after that.

P-please, enough...

I'd finally escaped phone hell...

And now a brand-new phone hell had begun. Why was I this exhausted? I wasn't even walking around with her. I wasn't even carrying her bags.

Do women never get tired of talking on the phone like this?

I had a superhuman body no different from hers. Where was Minji even getting this kind of stamina?

Cheaper to buy it abroad? First I'd heard of that.

The moment I sounded interested, Kang Minji lit up. She started chattering away, thrilled.

Now that sounded good. Nothing in the world was more annoying than shopping for clothes. And she was going to pick them out for me? Luxury brands, no less.

Ah. So she wasn't just handling it herself.

That was twenty thousand dollars, wasn't it? So how much was that? Almost thirty million won?

Even if it was a gift, that was way too expensive!

The salesperson visible in the corner of the video call ignored me completely and wrapped it up at lightning speed. The corners of her mouth were trying to climb up to her ears.

These women, I swear!

After the soul-draining remote shopping session finally ended.

What exactly had she figured out?

And the very next day, Kang Minji burst into the office.

"Ta-da! I'm here!"

"Huh, you're already back?"

"You said you missed me, so I came right away!"

"I did?"

Had I said that?

Director Jeong was there too, standing beside her.

"Haha. Our nation's strongest hunter has come home after all that hardship. Of course I had to come greet her."

"But what brings you here?"

"Does a disciple need a reason to pay respects to his master? Even coming once a day to bow wouldn't be enough."

He'd also come to pay his respects to Uncle Paldeok while he was at it.

"Are you sure that's alright?"

Director Jeong was originally from Jingyeok. But he was a public official now. If Director Jeong funneled support funds to Jingyeok Guild — even if it was perfectly legitimate — people would find something to pick at. That was why most people kept their original guild quiet. They'd still look after them behind the scenes, of course.

But Director Jeong's conduct was blatant.

"How could I possibly ignore this place? This is where my entire life changed."

Oh. That was a pretty romantic answer.

"You're really sure it's fine?"

"In my case, it doesn't actually mean much."

"Hm?"

"Your story has become far too well-known, Hyeonseok."

"Ah."

Among every public official in the hunter world, Director Jeong was the only SS-Rank hunter on the planet. People were obsessed with hunters. Naturally, they'd taken an interest in the Director as well. Which guild had he trained with? How had he become SS-Rank? By now, it had become an extremely famous story.

"Especially after you recently became famous over the Yeonhwa incident. That only made it more so."

And it would be even more so now. I'd just blown things wide open in America. On top of that, Director Jeong was already a real power player, being SS-Rank. He had more than enough clout to weather a little criticism.

"In fact, I intend to push 'disciple of Jingyeok's advisor' as my political identity."

"Wow. That's a complete reversal."

"It's all thanks to your accomplishments. Haha."

Originally, the Director had been my backer. Now it was more like I'd become his.

"I really ought to be the one repaying the favor, and yet I keep riding my master's coattails."

His lip service was always top-tier, I had to give him that. The living embodiment of a seasoned professional.

"Hyeonseok, look at the clothes!"

"Oh, the clothes can wait..."

"Really? Then would you like to try the snack souvenirs I brought?"

"Oh."

Not bad. But they still couldn't beat the cookies Minji baked herself.

"Hah? Really? Wow, I'll go make some right now!"

"Yes!"

Those were going to be good.

With the three of us gathered, the conversation naturally drifted to the America situation.

"Now that you know the strategy, if you do it yourself you'll get an SS-Rank."

"What!? Really?"

"Of course."

The deadly 57th Floor. The difficulty itself was only a little harder than the 56th. It was just a matter of type matchups. The current 50s floors were over-specced compared to modern hunters' level.

They'd climbed too fast because of the early international competition, or so I'd heard.

Everyone had been clearing the 50s with cheese strats. Using Tracking to seize a type advantage, they'd been clearing them almost for free. But then they ran into the Dark Emperor, and the Tracking exploit got shut down. Only now were they facing the actual intended difficulty.

But Kang Minji was a legitimate SS-Rank clearer. She'd just been cautious this time. If she went again, it'd be easy.

"What are you doing?"

"A pour-over!"

Kang Minji, who'd always been as good at brewing tea as she was at baking cookies, rummaged around and started setting something up. Coffee?

"Mmm!"

"Oh, the tea was great, but this is good too."

"Hehe. America had some really nice beans. David recommended— ah!"

Kang Minji froze, realizing something.

"Oh my god! I left without even saying goodbye to the Emergency Response Committee people!"

"That's not great. At least give them a call later. They'll be hurt."

"I know. Look at me. I must have been too excited."

A peaceful tea time. This was nice.

"But aren't you disappointed your America trip ended so short?"

"Not at all! I missed my mom, and I missed you, and I'm completely sick of America now."

She was thoroughly fed up. It had been an intense experience, that was for sure.

"The haters over there are even worse than the ones in Korea, you know?"

"Ah, right."

I looked at Director Jeong.

"About those comments..."

He explained it for me.

"A smear campaign!?"

"Yes. China and Japan."

Kang Minji went ballistic. She was furious.

"Those bastards! Even if they beg me to help with the 57th Floor, I am never going!"

"They were shameless even at the international press conference."

I found it pretty damn infuriating myself. They dared to mess with my disciple?

"I won't help those two either."

"Thank you! Honestly, even if I refused, it wouldn't mean anything if you helped them. You're the real deal, after all."

Japan should be hitting the 57th Floor soon, right? I wasn't even sure they'd clear the 56th properly.

"By the way, did you get a new sofa?"

"Yeah, where'd this come from? It's so comfortable!"

Heh heh.

"Well, actually, this sofa..."

I showed off a little.

"What!? Comfort-enchanted leather!?"

"Nightingale crocodile hide, and the cushions are Cloud Sheep wool."

"Th-that's an absurd set of specs. You used materials that rare on a sofa?"

"America gave it to me."

"I beg your pardon!?"

Director Jeong looked like he was about to flip over backward from the shock. Then he started trembling.

"Th-those insolent— they're already trying to stake their claim...!"

"Pardon?"

He seemed angry about something. Why the sudden reaction?

"I've just remembered some urgent business. I'll be taking my leave."

"Uh, you haven't finished your coffee?"

"Farewell!"

And he was gone. Just like that. Even with the America situation over, he was still busy, I guess.

"Slurp. Leaving coffee this good behind."

"Shall I brew another cup later to go with the cookies?"

"Oh, I'd appreciate that."

I'd have to eat them in front of Jo Youchan. Alone. Just to mess with him.

"Wow! It's been so long since we last raided the Tower!"

"I've been way too busy lately."

Rangi and Yeohwa were bounding around, delighted. They looked like puppies let loose on a nature walk.

"Kiddo, hit me with a serious buff. Let's run for the first time in a while!"

"Yes, you punk!"

The two of them were fired up and in sync. Lightning wrapped around Jo Youchan, and he took off.

Crackle!

"Try and keep up, Master!"

"You're going to show off ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠when you've got a skill and a buff stacked?"

"Those are nothing but a loser's excuses!"

CRACKLE-CRACKLE!

Wow. He really was fast.

Fine. Keep running.

I grinned.

Any second now, a jangseung totem would drop from the sky. Right in front of Jo Youchan.

BOOM!

"Hm? Wha—!"

Jo Youchan slammed hard into the jangseung's body.

CRASH!

Listen to that sound.

That had to hurt.

"GRAAAAH! What the hell are these things!?"

Jo Youchan unleashed a Heavenly Exploding Strike.

THUD—

"...Huh?"

The jangseung tanked the damage.

"W-why is this thing so hard?"

"Move."

I leaped in front of him and drew my fist back.

"Rangi."

"Grrrah!"

"Please wait, Master!"

The fire power Rangi lent me flowed through my meridians. Lightning and flame coiled around my arm.

"These things are ridiculously tough! If you get your feet stuck here and take a magic barrage, you're do—"

KRA-KOOOOOM—!

The jangseung shattered into pieces.

The other two were the same.

KRA-KOOOOM!

I'd cleaned them all up with swings thrown before I even landed. Finally, my feet touched the ground.

"If you get it, start running."

"......Huh?"

"What are you doing?"

"Y-yes, sir!"

After that, it was simple.

Alright. Reward time—

Ding!

"Huh?"

"What's wrong?"

This feature was coming out?

Hunter Management had Auto Conquest and Direct Conquest. If you left Auto Conquest on, the characters would fight on their own and clear the floor. Direct Conquest was veteran-only content. With it, the skill ceiling jumped way higher.

In the game, turning on Direct Conquest displayed all kinds of interfaces. Enemy attack ranges. Enemy pattern telegraphs. Hidden special pattern warnings on the map. And that wasn't all. Recovery patterns. Bonus treasure discoveries. Safe zones, and more. You had to see all of it and personally control the hunter to dodge.

If this ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠got implemented in reality, what would happen?

It wasn't like I was going to start puppeteering the kids.

Ding!

Well, I'd figure it out as we climbed. First, let's open the rewards.

It'll just be more rice cakes again, but... huh?

What was this.

Three boxes appeared before my eyes. One of them was different from usual. It was just like when Jo Youchan got Supreme Heavenly Movement — the way the text turned gold when you encountered a special event in a hunter's status window.

"Uh...!"

The TASH Director walked into the beer party — the room that had once been the emergency conference ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠chamber.

"Great news!"

"Did you bring beer?"

"That too, of course."

The Director set a case of beer on the table.

"Ahh, what's gotten into our Director, not nickel-and-diming the budget?"

"That's not what's important right now."

"Then what is?"

He set a document on the table. A magnificent invitation.

"The Vice President wants to invite our raid team to a banquet tonight."

"Why is that good news? I hate formal wear."

"Tonight, a ten-year full tax exemption is going to be announced there."

"Shit! Director, you're the best!"

The Emergency Response Committee people clinked their beer bottles together.

"But why don't I see Hunter Kang Minji? We need to get her a dress."

"Anyone know?"

Joseph, thoroughly drunk on beer, answered.

"Hic! Khh... Our Miss Kang Minji went home!"

"What?"

"Already? Without a word? No way."

"She left in a real hurry, too."

In a hurry?

"Do you know why she left?"

"Hic, what did she say... ah! She said Master told her to come home right away."

"What?"

Master Do told her to come home immediately? Was something going on?

"Hic. Maybe our Director said something that hurt her feelings."

"That can't be... hmm."

Now that he heard it out loud, he couldn't say no with much confidence. He had committed a few discourtesies on first meeting, hadn't he. David, and the video-sharing incident, and so on.

I need to look into this.

He called the Director of Korea's Hunter Management Headquarters.

"This is the TASH Director. The reason I'm calling..."

She'd left early without even saying goodbye. Did he have any idea why? Could he perhaps ask around?

Hearing this, Director Jeong...

Hmph!

These people. They had the nerve to try marking their claim on our treasure with a gift offensive. Shameless beyond belief.

Well... it was true we'd fallen short on our end.

The moment he got back to the office, he issued an order to his subordinate. Submit a report with five plans to support Hyeonseok.

Even so, a treasure like that...

Good lord. A sofa made of comfort-enchanted monster materials. His spirits had been thoroughly crushed. They would have to redouble their efforts.

Still, they were just as infuriating!

And there happened to be another sore point he'd been sitting on. He decided to stick it to them. Let them squirm a little.

Jeong Sangguk smiled thinly.

The TASH Director shot to his feet. The sound of a chair being kicked over carried all the way through Jeong Sangguk's phone.

Serves you right, you bastards.

The TASH Director felt like he'd been hit in the head with a hammer.

Good God...!

America had made a grave mistake. Master Do was extremely furious? Not just angry. Extremely furious?

No!

Master Do cherished his disciples dearly. You only had to look at how he'd cleared America's 57th Floor in three days for Kang Minji's sake. If Master Do turned his back on America like this — then what about the 58th Floor?

Of course they couldn't rely on Master Do alone. But he was essential insurance. How could they gamble with American lives? What if something like the Urgent Life-Shortening Decree triggered on the 58th Floor too? What if another collapse came within a week?

It wouldn't just be a collapse. It would be a colossal political failure for him and the current administration.

Of course, the TASH Director hadn't known. Media operations weren't under his jurisdiction. But the public would remember it as his failure.

I have to make this right, no matter what!

After the call, he summoned the Deputy Director immediately.

"What's go—"

"Start a media campaign for Hunter Kang Minji and Master Do through the press, immediately!"

He would make them both into American heroes.