True Sincerity
"Choo choo, mic test. We sincerely welcome everyone who has come to our Monster Amusement Park today. Shall we begin with the first course? Everyone, please double-check your safety belts and wave your hands with all your might as we depaaaart!"
Depaaaaart!!
At the children's enthusiastic shouts, Park Su-bin smiled softly and clapped along. The safety belts in the shape of an X tightened around the orbs carrying the kids, lifting them gently into the sky.
The orbs floated and drifted slowly around him.
"Whoa!! We're flying! It's flying!"
"Mom, I'm flying!!"
"Waaaaah!"
But getting excited over just this was far too early!
A flash of magical light crossed Park Su-bin's eyes, and the orbs immediately began moving up and down in unison.
The children squealed with delight as they flipped and spun. Adults watching from the windows waved at the kids with warm smiles.
If other Hunters saw this scene, they would probably faint on the spot.
Transforming combat techniques into non-combat ones was by no means easy. Yet here he was, not only creating X-shaped safety belts but also delicately adjusting speed and movement according to each child's age to prevent dizziness.
It was the pinnacle of multitasking and magic power control. A scene worthy of the title genius.
But unfortunately for them, it would be unfair to judge Park Su-bin's talent by this alone.
By the time the children's racing heart rates had returned to normal, Park Su-bin licked his lips and raised his voice again.
"In a moment, we will proceed to the second course. Count with me to three!"
One!
Two!
Three!
The moment the children shouted three, the orbs bounced slightly, launching the kids into the air. In that instant, magical light flashed in Park Su-bin's eyes.
Transformation.
Manipulation.
Manifestation.
A trampoline made of magical power had already formed in midair to catch the children.
Bounce, bounce~ Boing, boing~
"We're jumping!"
"Whoa!"
It was completely insane. This had gone beyond technique into the realm of artistry.
How many Hunters in the entire league could perform such feats? Definitely not even ten. It was far easier to find those who wielded high-powered destructive magic than someone with this level of delicate magic control.
This was the domain of pure talent, not training. In fact, it had taken Park Su-bin only a single day to learn this "DIY Monster Amusement Park" technique. And since he had only heard about today's event from Lee Shin that morning, strictly speaking it had taken him half a day.
A talent truly deserving of the title monster.
Yet strangely enough, even while performing these impossible feats, Park Su-bin felt a twinge of regret.
If only I had one more day to prepare, I could have made it even more impressive.
While he prepared for the third course, something equally bizarre was unfolding in another room...
"......"
Baek Yeon-woo's sky-blue eyes stared intently at the girl. She swallowed nervously. If Park Su-bin was entertaining preschoolers, this side had slightly older children.
Perhaps that was why the girl's face flushed slightly as she held his hand.
"......You."
"Yes...?"
"You should study hard."
"Ehh, study...?"
"You seem smart. No, you are smart. You have talent and gentle hands. I think you should do something that helps others."
The one-day fortune-telling booth set up at Lee Shin's suggestion!
Cheon-an
The Heavenly Eye was undeniably a miracle-type trait. An SSS-rank miracle-type trait, at that.
It couldn't see the future like a saint, nor chase after beneficial futures like the King's Super Intuition, but when it came to seeing through others' talents, it was every bit as powerful.
The girl bowed politely and stood up. This time another girl approached. Baek Yeon-woo offered an awkward but kind smile he wasn't yet used to giving.
"Hello."
"Hello."
"My name is Baek Yeon-woo. What's yours?"
"Um, Cha So-hee."
"Do you have any questions?"
"Not really... Oh! Why didn't you and the other kids from Lee Shin's team join the raid? Did you need rest? Or were you injured? Wait, is this schedule stuff supposed to be secret?"
At the bold question, Baek Yeon-woo's eyes widened before softening gently.
"No injuries. Just rest. The Flame Emperor and the Captain joined Team 2."
"It's been a while since Hye-jung and the Mountain King went together, huh? Too bad. I wanted to see it. Why can only adults watch the competition matches? That's why I need to become a Hunter quickly."
"You seem very interested in our guild?"
"I decided today. I'm going to join Mir Guild. You don't have to thank me. I've never seen my mom this happy before."
"Really? You want to become a Hunter?"
"It's not that I want to. I will."
"That's cool. Then, can I see your hand?"
"If it's a senior's request, of course."
The bold girl already calling him senior.
She had a bit of a quirky fourth-dimensional vibe, but to Baek Yeon-woo who had learned from Lee Shin, this actually felt more familiar.
So he smiled brightly and took the girl's hand, but...
"Hmm? Oh? Hmm......"
"What is it?"
"It's not showing clearly?"
Of course it wasn't. Even as the girl said she hadn't expected much, Baek Yeon-woo's eyes remained fixed on her.
"I'll see better for you next time."
"It's okay. You're the first senior who's really listened to my story. Thank you."
Baek Yeon-woo watched with a serious expression as the girl stood up coolly, then noticed the boy sitting in the empty seat and smiled at him again.
"Hello? I'm Baek Yeon-woo. What are you curious about?"
In this way, Park Su-bin gave happiness, and Baek Yeon-woo gave information.
It was undoubtedly a meaningful time. For the children, it would surely be an unforgettable one.
However, compared to the super president of fans, Yu Ri-ra, it was still a bit lacking.
Her sincerity was on a completely different level. She was playing at eye level with them.
Exactly the same.
"What?! Yeon-u Yeon-u is a cat?!"
"He's not a fox!!"
Crackle!
Look at the sparks flying between Yu Ri-ra and the girl.
You could feel the sincerity crackling in the air.
A ten-year veteran of fandom who had been through it all! Against a senior she looked up to like the sky! The devoted eolppa, Yu Ri-ra (21 years old).
Two years of fandom experience. Age is just a number! Even if she's young, her passion is incredible! The rising eolppa, Bang Yu-mi (11 years old).
The great cat-fox war.
The fox-cat war.
It had begun!
"Where do you see a cat? Look at this photo. His eyes are sharp, that sleek, piercing gaze. Cats need to have some roundness to them."
"Unnie, it's about the feel. The vibe! Look at this photo. When he smiles, from his eyes to those fangs, it's obviously a cat! You can practically hear him meowing!"
"Fangs are a fox's signature feature! And you said it well. Look here at the philtrum. The difference between fox-face and cat-face is the length of the philtrum. Yeon-u Yeon-u's philtrum isn't that prominent."
"That's such an old way to judge it. It's about the feel! If we're going by that, look at this cute nose! That's a cat feature!"
Yu Ri-ra raising her voice with veins popping out to beat a girl ten years younger than her, and Bang Yu-mi turning red in the face but refusing to yield a single word to the ten-years-older unnie.
A fierce battle where neither would retreat an inch.
"Ha, you feisty little thing!"
"I won't lose!"
"......But that photo turned out really well. Where did you get it?"
"Ah, I was just thinking the same thing. I got it from the official fan cafe admin unnie."
......Even in the middle of their fight, the heartwarming moment where they acknowledged each other's photos.
Ladies and gentlemen, the future of Korean fandom is looking this bright.
Meanwhile, the shy eolppas who had been listening quietly began to sneak into the conversation.
As expected, for girls this age, handsomeness was supreme. The children united under the power of good looks.
Then Agent No. 5, who had been checking blood pressure, slyly threw in new bait with "Don't you think Su-bin is cuter?"
Mothers who had been waiting for the right moment to join in agreed that a child like Su-bin was the real deal and cast their votes for Park Su-bin. In the blink of an eye, the battlefield had expanded.
"Yeon-u, what are you doing stuck against the wall?"
"Shh...... Why?"
"Oh, the kids said to give this to Ri-ra noona."
"Later."
"Huh? Why? What are you doing over there?"
"Shut up and don't come over if I tell you not to."
"O-okay......"
"Bokchi, you have to be good to me."
"R-right. I'll be good. Ah, but the kids want to see you! You can rest if you're tired......"
"Weren't you just playing with those little kids? Let's go. How tired could it possibly make you?"
Baek Yeon-woo, who had been underestimating the children, ended up having his soul completely drained by the energizer kids. Park Su-bin's Monster Land only closed after its second and third reopenings.
Of course, the fierce cat-fox war had to end in a ceasefire without reaching a conclusion.
After the sponsorship event ended, on the way back to the guild.
Lee Shin was looking at the sunset through the car window. Perhaps because he had faced his past self after so long, the setting sun looked like someone's face.
That face that used to nag so much.
That's right. Anyone could say things with words.
Treasure your fans. The enormous wealth you take comes from your fans' pockets, and the fame you enjoy exists because of your fans. So let's treat them well.
But in reality, many guilds simply saw fans as wallets.
If even the guilds were like that, how could the Hunters be any different? Some Hunters mistakenly believed that keeping distance from fans preserved their superiority.
Just look at the current situation. Whether it was the competition matches or whatever, the important thing to them was that they were in trouble. There wasn't a single guild comforting disappointed and struggling fans.
Lee Shin refused to be compared to such pathetic people.
Weren't the people who loved what he loved together with him also lovable?
To Lee Shin, the league, the Hunters, this world, everything was simply something to be grateful for.
This was Lee Shin's true sincerity.
So he moved his body as he had been taught.
"......"
At the very least, he wanted to show those children through action that this world was an incredibly lovable place. To Park Su-bin, Baek Yeon-woo, and Yu Ri-ra who were dozing off in the back seat.
"Noona, take a slow lap around before heading back."
"Yes."
"The sunset is beautiful."
The Rolls-Royce carrying Lee Shin only entered the guild after the setting sun had completely disappeared.
Meanwhile, despite grabbing the association president by the collar, the guilds' situations showed no signs of improving.
The Hunters were struggling under competition and pressure they had never felt before. And this naturally led to stamina issues, tightening the noose around the guild leaders' necks.
"Director, the raid leader has officially requested rotations. The main members are having a harder time than expected."
"They want rest, incentives be damned. It goes against the plan? Why should we care about that? Aren't you the one who makes the guild plans, Director?"
Hunters knocking on the director's office door demanding work-life balance.
The guild plans set at the beginning of the year had already gone out the window long ago. They had only just passed the early stages of the league. If it was already this bad, how horrific would it become later?
The guild directors had to come up with something. Yes, if they didn't want to follow the already-failed association president.
They twisted their bodies to redirect the arrows of criticism toward the Bureau, but...
The Bureau simply scoffed.
And to the question about the final battlefield, instead of any clear answer, they put the league's original name on the banner.
The name of this league.
War.
This league was always a war. You were the ones who had been complacent.
With the Bureau's strong stance, Lee Shin's statement was once again brought into the spotlight.
While other guilds were gasping for air due to various problems, Mir Guild made no comments whatsoever about the Bureau.
And at this exact timing, a post went up on the community.
It was the story of Lee Shin visiting the children's ward with the guild members. A long post written by a father with a sick child moved the entire community to tears.
While other guilds were busy complaining about their tight schedules and stamina issues, Mir Guild, the league's number one, was smoothly handling their schedule and even doing good deeds?
The guilds that had been complaining instantly looked pathetic.
Under the barrage of such criticism, the complaining guilds all shut their mouths at once.
On the other hand, Mir Guild's value skyrocketed to the point where the President officially mentioned on record that other guilds should learn from them. Naturally, their stock rose through the roof.
But then it happened.
Right when praise and admiration for Mir Guild was sweeping across Korea, a bombshell statement exploded at the perfect timing, as if it had been waiting for this moment.
"We have completely analyzed Mir Guild's patterns."
The next opposing match opponent, Royal Sword Guild, had thrown down the gauntlet.