Office Chaos and the Master Clear
Many office workers, especially new hires, share common worries.
Particularly, resolving conflicts with their superiors.
Some even consider quitting because of it.
It was a serious stress factor.
How should I act so as not to get scolded?
How should I speak so it sounds better?
How can I make up for my mistakes?
But I was a NEET.
Until now, I had just thought, "there's such a world, it must be tough."
But I was worrying about this problem to the point of breaking my head.
'I'm not even starting work yet, so tired...'
I shuffled out of the entrance.
Yesterday, I was happy for a moment about conquering the tower.
I stayed up all night worrying about going to work.
'First, don't reveal my abilities and the fact that I climbed the tower.'
I know my abilities are different.
And I have excessive value.
It's a skill to raise others.
Where would I be dragged to, bound by restraints, becoming a hunter factory? That's fortunate.
'I have to hide the "ability" until I become strong enough.'
Strong people are always watched.
It was a lesson I learned from seeing my father.
And one more reason.
'Father shouldn't know about it.'
I decided not to climb the tower for 6 months.
I agreed because I sympathized with the dangers of the tower.
But when I actually tried, what?
It's too easy.
How am I supposed to endure this.
'Today I have to clear floor 2.'
For now, climb secretly without my father knowing.
Don't tell anyone.
I don't know where it will flow out and enter my father's ears.
'First, focus on the immediate task.'
I passed the company's entry exam, the big one.
The conclusion I reached after much deliberation was very simple.
'Apologize, get scolded, work hard.'
This is the basic mindset for new hires.
Where would a new hire be so brazen as to give coaching?
Once you loosen up, the company seems like home.
With the determination to handle all the team's chores, I'll work like my life depends on it.
If I work silently, eventually it will be compensated.
'When I enter the office, I should bow from the waist immediately.'
But the situation that unfolded was different from my expectations.
"Team leader. Yesterday I made a mistake-"
"Ah, Hyeonseok-ssi, good morning. Let's talk about that later!"
"Team leader, team leaders, please come to the conference room early!"
The office was very noisy.
"What? It's only 20 minutes until work time, and they're already calling us in!"
"It's the world's first time, right? We have to move fast."
"I don't know what happened! No matter how urgent, this is too much..."
"The vice guild master is already in the conference room."
"Argh!"
The team leader dashed out.
What happened?
"Senior, um, yesterday I was careless-"
"I said I'm in a meeting!"
The senior also left abruptly.
But his hair wasn't brushed? Did he sleep here?
'Everyone seems really busy... This is what working in an office is like.'
Other team members also hurriedly left their seats.
In the end, the office was left empty.
'This isn't the time.'
I should clean anyway.
If there's nothing to do, I'll make some.
'New hire mindset!'
Even though I already made a mistake, I will never make my father ashamed.
So, putting on a mask, I took out the full set of cleaning tools.
First, the vacuum on the floor.
Whoosh-
"... Hyeonseok-ssi. Do Hyeonseok! Over here!"
"Yes?"
I turned off the vacuum.
And the moment I turned around, my body stiffened.
Jo Youchan was standing in front of the office with a dumbfounded expression as if he was me.
"Cleaning now?"
"Y, yes."
"Really?"
"Eh?"
"Really a new employee?"
Why was he so surprised, he was looking back and forth between the vacuum and me.
"You really are a normal person?"
Then the meeting room.
Most teams of Advance Guild gathered.
The meeting was proceeding with materials hastily made in the morning.
The vice guild master started.
"Anyone who didn't see the news?"
A few raised hands.
"Last night, the 1st floor of the tower was 'Master Clear'."
The ones who raised hands didn't understand immediately.
"Support team leader. Sorry, but I don't understand."
"A new clear rank has appeared."
"Clear ranks are in alphabetical order, right?"
"It's a completely new rank above SS rank."
"Eh?"
Did such a thing exist?
The tower has been around for decades.
But now a new rank?
That means, someone reached an area that countless masters in history couldn't.
"Last night around 22:00, surprisingly, the tower broadcast nationwide."
"Nationwide announcement?"
"I saw it with my own eyes."
"Has there ever been such a precedent?"
"No way."
Hunters who enter the tower see messages.
A semi-transparent window in the void.
It guides floor trials, clear status, etc.
"Going back, I mean, a notice limited to Korea."
"Scope doesn't matter. The news has already spread worldwide."
"What? It's only been a day."
The vice guild master frowned.
"Since it's the opposite side of the Earth, it was daytime then."
It's definitely not good news.
"Tsk, those scout bastards without any morals will flock here."
"Can't be helped."
The support team leader glanced at the head table.
The head table has three seats.
But two seats besides the vice guild master are vacant.
The guild master's and the fallen legend Do Hyeoncheol's seat.
"Support team leader, do you have something to say?"
"No."
I met eyes with the vice guild master and quickly lowered my head.
This time, the son of Do Hyeoncheol who entered.
He was worrying me, so my eyes naturally went to the empty seat.
The guild master is currently challenging the new floor, so he's absent.
Do Hyeoncheol lost his speaking rights long ago since the vice guild master retired him from this position.
'Still, he was someone we always looked up to.'
Probably, the blow was that he dropped his son as a parachute.
The vice guild master flipped through the report and his eyes sparkled.
"Nickname 'Master'?"
"Yes."
"Anonymous. What's the intention."
Most hunters input real names with nicknames.
Of course, it's much more advantageous for revealing floor numbers and increasing value.
"Even after achieving such an achievement and hiding identity..."
"It must have a special intention."
A modern-day reclusive master.
"Moreover, achieving Master Clear and saying 'Master'. That's meaningful."
"This is clearly an expression of confidence."
"It sounds like a martial arts debut, cool, right?"
The vice guild master focused on other points.
"Next floor also has the confidence to clear with Master. Could interpret that way."
"No way. Even SS clear cases are rare in the world."
"Um... now that I hear it."
The world's first existence of the 'Master' clear rank was revealed.
Even the world's top hunters, those who have at least one SS clear record are rare.
But it's impossible for the upper rank Master Clear to be possible continuously.
It must be an achievement painstakingly prepared over a very long time.
Of course, it doesn't diminish Master's value.
He is the seed to become the undisputed strongest hunter.
The vice guild master spoke.
"We must bring Master to Advance."
"We have to find Master."
Then back to Jo Youchan.
Jo Youchan was dumbfounded.
"Really a normal person."
For a moment, he thought he was a huge master.
Even thought about that.
The Master Clear hunter who appeared at exactly this timing.
Was it the Master himself?
But seeing the naive face wearing apron and mask while cleaning, that thought vanished.
It was unmistakably the appearance of a normal person.
Masters are 'different'.
The hardships of the past, martial insights hardened like calluses, eyes full of certainty, etc.
Hyeonseok's appearance was nothing like that.
'Then what was that advice?'
Was it coincidence?
No way.
Jo Youchan's interest in Hyeonseok didn't fade.
Hyeonseok spoke first.
"... Sorry about that."
Seeing him apologize normally, Jo Youchan's expression soured.
Why did anger suddenly rise so much?
Is he a master or a normal person?
"Huu... Finish cleaning and come to meeting room 3 at 9 o'clock."
"Okay."
Jo Youchan left with heavy footsteps.
Every time he stepped, electricity lingered on the floor.
And 10 minutes before the appointment time.
Jo Youchan was pacing in meeting room 3 and stopped.
"What am I doing. Why am I waiting."
Originally, Jo Youchan, who arrives 15 minutes late for appointments with juniors, was his way of asserting dominance.
But when he came to his senses, he was the one waiting first.
Jo Youchan was startled by his own surprise.
He was about to leave to come later, but stopped again.
If the meeting is delayed 25 minutes.
That's too late.
The desire to quickly know the secret of that advice was holding him back.
It was Jo Youchan unconsciously negating his own feelings.
Just as he was hesitating.
Hyeonseok entered.
Jo Youchan startled again as he was about to leave.
"Where are you going?"
"Why, why so late? I was about to go look for you!"
"Eh? It's only 10 minutes before."
"... My watch must have broken."
Hyeonseok checked Jo Youchan's wrist.
No watch seemed to be there.
"Sit."
"Okay."
Hyeonseok was very tense.
What would he scold for.
Won't he hit me, right?
"How did you do it."
"Eh?"
"Yesterday's advice you mentioned. How did you pierce my wall with just one look?"
It was still unbelievable.
"You're not a normal person?"
"Ah."
Hyeonseok remembered then.
'Right, a message appeared saying I achieved success with my advice.'
Thanks to that, I got Heavenly Exploding Strike.
But how to explain this.
Did I awaken my game ability?
'No.'
I can't reveal the ability.
"Advice, how did you do it."
So, the answer that came to mind.
"Just... I knew."
"What?"
"When I saw you training, I saw the problem points."
Eh, did I speak too arrogantly.
Sure enough, a vein bulged on Jo Youchan's jaw.
"Does that make sense? You're not a normal person?"
"I'm a normal person."
"But how does a normal person instantly understand martial arts. Are you a genius?"
If I ask that, there's nothing to say.
Truly, I just saw and a solution appeared in the void.
"Hey, then try this too."
He flicked his finger in the air near the ceiling and snapped his fingers.
"Tang, taang-"
With a sharp sound, electricity discharged.
"Different from Thunder Finger, this technique, that is..."
"Heavenly Exploding Strike?"
"Heavenly Exploding Strike? You named it?"
Silence.
Can't answer that it's from the game.
"What... not bad. Anyway, this Heavenly Exploding Strike, unlike Thunder Finger, puts a lot of burden on the finger joints. This seems to be a problem caused by resonating the sound vibration-"
That's not it.
Hyeonseok had already seen the answer in the air since Jo Youchan flicked his fingers.
"Mana must be used."
"What?"
"Convert the sound vibration coming up from the feet quickly into mana, and when striking, convert back to vibration."
The advice flowed out naturally like water.
Jo Youchan forgot to object and listened.
It sounded plausible and he had confidence.
Jo Youchan who was doubting was dumbfounded for a moment.
How does he know advanced control like 2-stage mana conversion.
"You... are you really a normal person?"
"Y, yes!"
Jo Youchan was a bit puzzled but let it go.
"But, 2-stage mana conversion? You're joking? It looks too easy to be like that."
Hyeonseok was troubled.
'This.'
Objection comes.
I could just use skills and it worked.
If so, no choice.
"Normal person. What do you know about mana control-"
"My thoughts were wrong."
"Eh?"
"Upon thinking again, it seems Hunter Jo Youchan's opinion is correct."
The first law of coaching.
Never argue.
And thinking about it, it wasn't even my mistake at the first meeting.
You pierced my wall with my advice.
You hit the lightning snap well.
"Then I'll go now."
I have to go home early and clear floor 2.
Leaving Jo Youchan with a dumbfounded face, I stood up.
"Ah and that skill, you can use it without it being a snap, right?"
"..."
"Try it well."
"Hey, what kind of talk is that-"
I left the meeting room.
Finish the cleaning quickly.
Jo Youchan left in the meeting room.
He still didn't understand the strange flow of the conversation.
Still, I couldn't ignore the advice.
Honestly, half-doubting...
If the previous advice wasn't coincidence?
'First...'
Let's try following what he said once.
'Though it's unbelievable talk.'
Maybe there's more.
Since there are records.
I headed to the training room.
Then the part about Heavenly Exploding Strike's recoil problem.
Jo Youchan had lightly asked as if floating, but it was a serious issue.
'With current state, I can't clear 20 floors.'
The night I got Heavenly Exploding Strike.
Couldn't hold back, tried to conquer 20 floors.
And gave up midway.
'Heavenly Exploding Strike... is weird.'
The power is truly excellent.
But continuous use was almost impossible.
Too much burden on the fingers.
I stood in the training room and flicked my fingers.
"Kwaang-!"
Tearing iron plate with thunder sound.
But my fingers hurt a lot.
'It's unstable like the technique is incomplete.'
Can't use it to full power because of recoil.
'Damn.'
First, following advice, try 2-stage mana conversion.
Snapped fingers.
"Taang-"
Not thunder sound, dull sound.
This time, couldn't even tear the iron plate.
I grabbed my fingers.
"Keuk..."
Fingers feel like breaking.
'Still no.'
1st mana conversion works.
Convert vibration coming from legs to mana.
If I operate power in this mana state, no burden on fingers.
But no thunder-like power.
So 2nd conversion needed.
At the end, back to sound from mana.
But failed at 2nd.
'How to do 2nd conversion in this narrow point?'
Such fine mana control should be possible at 50 floors, right?
No matter how I think, this isn't the answer.
Garbage advice.
To avoid bullets, move fast, etc.
To break wall, hit hard, etc.
It's not that easy, who doesn't know.
The hypothesis of normal person gained more strength.
'Somehow, after one objection, he ran away.'
This time, even Hyeonseok himself had no confidence.
And while running, threw strange sounds or something.
'Right. Now that I think, did he say that?'
Heavenly Exploding Strike isn't only used with fingers, right.
Anyway, that would be nonsense too.
Whether with feet, fists, recoil disappears.
But.
'... Ignoring it, it won't leave my head.'
Neatly, just do that much.
And erase Hyeonseok from my head.
I clenched my fist and rolled my feet.
The sound energy rising went through waist, arms-
"Eh?"
I stopped mid-action.
What was that feeling just now?
'Again.'
Inspiration that came fleetingly.
I grabbed it and tried again.
2nd mana conversion.
Sound to mana.
But narrow finger point, 2nd conversion failed-
"Ah!?"
Success.
The widened point of fist enabled it.
Rising thrill.
Even while extending fist, concentration rose as if time slowed.
Just before fist hit iron plate.
Electricity flashed.
"Paaak-"
Flash blinded the vision.
"Kwa kwa kwa aang-!"
Thunder sound shook the whole room.
Huge shockwave.
Fist extended, froze.
Front hair disheveled by shockwave.
"..."
One side wall of special training room flew away.
Insane power.
Moreover, no recoil.
'This... is what I did?'
Immediately, image training.
The 20th floor guardian that existed as wall of grief for 2 years.
This, then that kid...
"..."
Eyebrows trembled with thrill.
"This way, thunder sound here!"
"What happened!"
Soon, people came rushing.
"What is all this? Did something happen?"
"Wait, this is special training room."
"Special training room wall is this destroyed? Is that possible?"
Guild members were buzzing.
At the same time, Jo Youchan standing blankly in front of the accident scene was looked at.
But Jo Youchan's mind was full of other things.
'It was because I followed only one of the two advices. Only when the two advices work together... Yeah, it wasn't wrong.'
The wrong one was me.
I gave two advices.
I had to do both.
I had to follow him.
'It wasn't coincidence.'
This can't be seen as coincidence or whim even if I die and come back.
It's just possible because of perfect insight into this technique.
Most importantly, this is already the second time.
"Youchan!"
Jo Youchan pushed people and ran somewhere.
