The Vice Guild Master's Orders
The Vice Guild Master was smiling from morning till night.
"Put a word in for the support team. Tell them to fix the special training room as soon as possible."
"Yes."
"We need to prepare the environment quickly so that our Youchan can recover his senses."
From yesterday, the guild has been lively.
Jo Youchan's long dormant period has ended.
Moreover, he's become much stronger than before.
"I don't know what this is! Did he suddenly gain enlightenment?"
I need to meet Jo Youchan later and hear the detailed story.
Following the Vice Guild Master's command, his subordinate Park Seongmin nodded and left.
But the moment the door closed, Park Seongmin's expression twisted.
'Fuck.'
What kind of bolt from the blue is this.
Jo Youchan returning.
Park Seongmin knew the Vice Guild Master's way.
He selects a capable long-term piece and pushes it all out.
That's how the Vice Guild Master runs the guild.
But when a piece becomes useless, he discards it ruthlessly.
The fallen legend Do Hyeoncheol is an example.
Jo Youchan was right before that.
It was just because he was the guild master's son, so it took longer.
'If Jo Youchan leaves, it would have been my turn to receive support!'
He had endured it while looking at that.
Accommodating that sinister bastard.
But it all fell apart.
'Just a little more!'
Why now.
Jo Youchan was enviable and resentful.
'...No. I can't give up.'
Park Seongmin made a decision.
'I'll use that.'
Park Seongmin's ability is poison.
Among them, the blend he hasn't told anyone about yet.
It's the poison that damages the target's mana meridians.
'I've simulated it several times. It won't be detected.'
This poison shows effects slowly over a long time.
Meaning, it's hard to specify the intake timing.
Moreover, the ingredients will disappear from the body later.
With these characteristics, it was a very difficult thing to find the culprit.
'Still, if it becomes completely mana disabled, it could cause trouble and suspicion...'
No need to go too far.
Just to the point where he can't conquer the next floor.
Why, since repeating lower floors is enough to live comfortably.
'This much isn't a vicious act. Not killing, not disabling. Everyone lives selfishly to this extent.'
Humans are like that originally.
It's human to want to go higher, to higher floors.
Park Seongmin was as eager as Jo Youchan.
'The next flag hunter in the vanguard must be me.'
Park Seongmin resolved.
***
"Master Clear was like that?"
"Yes."
Yesterday, after I revealed to Jo Youchan that I am Master.
We talked in the data room.
'Somehow, climbing was too easy.'
Yeah, since I started from floor 1 with a skill that requires at least 20 floors.
"...So, you want me to take you as a disciple?"
"I will regard you as my master."
Jo Youchan bowed deeply.
Why this?
A sudden acceleration that is burdensome.
But after hearing the value of Master Clear, it made sense.
Moreover, since Jo Youchan benefited greatly from my abilities.
He wouldn't want to miss it.
"Ah, please address me casually."
First, I decided to drop the honorific.
Since he's younger than me.
"Don't use honorifics only with me, but treat the support team members respectfully."
"...What do you think I am. I'm already using honorifics."
"Is that so? Unexpected."
"I used honorifics when I first met Master."
Ah, right.
Unlike the delinquent image, he seems to be polite to people.
'I became a back-seat gamer because of that incident, demoted from a person to a backseat gamer, and switched to casual speech.'
Hah.
It was only casual with me.
My mistake.
"Um, disciple."
"Please take care!"
"Um..."
Calling me disciple is burdensome.
I enjoy giving advice, but the master-disciple relationship is different.
Backseat gamers don't take responsibility.
It's just that I can't hold back my backseat desire, so I drop a line occasionally.
Those who enjoy irresponsible pleasure.
That was the essence of backseat gamers.
So, not a true disciple.
"I can't be the one to take responsibility for raising someone."
"As expected, you're humble."
And originally.
"I don't know martial arts well either."
"What? You're too humble."
This is hard to explain.
'The suggestion itself isn't bad.'
If Jo Youchan grows, I can share the achievement.
For now, keeping some distance while nurturing his growth.
"The master-disciple relationship is a bit like that, but I can occasionally give a few backseat gaming tips."
"Thank you, Master!"
"No, it's not a master-disciple relationship..."
"I understand, Master!"
He's pushing hard.
The will to never let go was evident.
Yeah, do as you like.
Fun meal time.
Today's male restaurant menu?
"Chajangmyeon, fried rice, and tangsuyuk."
Whoa!
'Missed...'
I don't digest Chinese food well.
It's too oily.
From the expression, the auntie asked.
"Would you like the special menu, clam bibimbap?"
"Oh! I'll take that."
"Yes~ Two egg frys, right?"
Wow, she remembers.
I haven't eaten here many times yet.
The large guild's restaurant auntie is different.
"Thank you!"
"Enjoy your meal~"
When I sat down, someone quickly sat in front of me.
"What?"
"Let's eat together, Master."
Was this character like that originally?
The image was a cheeky delinquent, but from yesterday, he suddenly became a puppy.
"...Don't call me that outside, Hunter Jo Youchan."
"Still, some honorifics. Let's go with the 'hyung' younger brother feeling."
Yeah, like a hyung younger brother.
"Every time I eat, I feel like the vanguard restaurant is really delicious."
"Yeah? I like the food here better than home cooking too."
It's not the flashy menu like 'Big Company Welfare Class' in the community.
But rather, it's plain and good.
"Join a little earlier. The last thing was this week's doenjang kimchi."
"What!?"
"It's real art."
The doenjang kimchi the auntie makes here?
It's unfortunate I couldn't eat it.
We ate bibimbap while talking.
"I'll challenge floor 20 soon. To be sure, I'll request data again from the support team."
"Keep it light. With just Heavenly Exploding Strike, you can break through up to 30 floors easily."
"Oh oh...! I see!"
The backseat gamer couldn't hold back.
Jo Youchan's eyes sparkled.
"As expected, I caught a good one. With a skilled advisor, my mind is much more at ease."
"That one line, what..."
I stopped talking.
Yeah, he was stagnant for 2 years.
It must be a heavy burden.
The conversation changed topics.
"But why haven't you registered as a hunter? The notice said you cleared up to floor 6."
"......Due to circumstances."
I don't want to get beaten by my dad.
How to say that.
I'm a grown adult, embarrassed.
"But Master. When is the next lesson?"
"Why are you burning alone like that."
"I want to train harder quickly!"
Jo Youchan quickly finished his bibimbap.
He seems really eager.
"Let's go to the training room!"
"You already broke it all."
"Ah."
"They said it's a very expensive thing. Team leader cried."
"Haha."
Let me see, advice.
'If I ask, what should I show.'
It's not something that appears anytime.
'Ah, right.'
Then, I haven't been able to use the evolved Hunter Management ability.
The function added by collecting 5 Master badges.
'Where...'
I opened Jo Youchan's status window.
But.
Ding!
The advice options appeared.
Diagnosis unlocked. The following advice is available:
1. Addicted to micro-poison. It's a poison that slowly damages the mana meridians, so refrain from using mana and slow down the progress.
2. Attacked by cultivation-style poison technique. The culprit likely has the Park family name or learned poison technique from the Munwon Gongpa. Find them, take revenge, and find out the antidote method.
3. Addicted to a special poison that acts on the mana meridians. Since it's flowing in the meridians, you can burn the poison by operating your innate thunder energy in a special way.
"Why are you addicted to micro-poison."
"What?"
"Looking at it, it's Munwon Gongpa's Hamyang-style poison technique. Is there anyone around the Park family name who handles poison?"
Jo Youchan's expression showed surprise.
"Poison!?"
Did I bring up the topic too suddenly?
Jo Youchan was just bewildered, unable to accept it.
"Poison... If that's the case, you're too fine. Your appetite is the same, food tastes good. Did I misread?"
That was strange too.
What is micro-poison? Weak poison?
"It's not a misread. It's definite."
"How did you know? Did I get a rash on my body?"
Counterargument comes.
Backseat gamer's first law.
Don't argue.
But this is a matter that affects Jo Youchan's future.
I can't back down.
I didn't persuade either.
"Just by looking, you know."
"Where does that come from. Anyway, since there's something visible, you distinguished it?"
Don't argue.
Instead, show the result.
I left the company and headed straight to the hospital.
The doctor nailed it.
"You're addicted."
"What!?"
"It's a poison not reported as discovered in the tower... Could you have been involved in a hunter crime? Should I call the police?"
"I'll come back later."
The doctor even suspected hunter crime.
It matched exactly what I said.
Jo Youchan was dazed by the fact that he was addicted.
And then, startled, he looked at me.
"This... No, how did you know, Master?"
"Just by looking."
It's not a lie.
Actually, 'by looking'.
"Munwon Gongpa's Hamyang-style poison technique. Let's use this as a clue to find the culprit."
Jo Youchan's eyes looking at me changed again.
A lot of awe.
"Thunder skill, poison skill... To what extent have you mastered martial arts?"
"From now on, just know that I am who I am."
"Ah, I understand."
"So, is there a Park family member around who uses poison?"
Jo Youchan was startled.
There is one.
Soon his expression twisted in anger.
"Park Seongmin...!"