Chapter 112
Chapter 112
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 112
Chapter Title: Nayeo-ju Saves the World
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“Kwak Ho-young!”
Jang Su-ho exploded in anger.
His eyes reddened, and his shoulders heaved with ragged breaths.
Just like when he faced a monster inside a dungeon.
Yoo Jin-rok, the former guild master of Taesan Guild, had believed in Jang Su-ho until the very end.
In the past, Jang Su-ho had fallen for Kwak Ho-young's coaxing—promising to help him keep his sanity so they could raid a dungeon together—and joined the assault.
But in the end, he hadn't been able to get help from anyone. He went berserk, injuring his guildmates, and nearly got kicked out of the guild.
At the time, Kwak Ho-young had spat out callous words like, “You can help a person, but you can't help a beast,” and successfully turned the furious guild members to his side with his scheming.
Yet Yoo Jin-rok had tried every way he could to keep Jang Su-ho in Taesan Guild.
Even to the point of losing his own guild master position to Kwak Ho-young.
So I fully understood Jang Su-ho's rage.
But if he couldn't hold back his boiling anger right now and caused a scene, it would only play right into Kwak Ho-young's hands.
I grabbed Jang Su-ho's shoulder and activated my skill.
And at the same time as me, someone else placed a hand on Jang Su-ho's shoulder.
“Su-ho, you okay?”
It was Yoo Jin-rok.
Confirming that Jang Su-ho was gradually calming down thanks to my skill, Yoo Jin-rok patted the young man's shoulder gratefully before turning to Kwak Ho-young.
“Fine. Do as you decide. But don't forget that a guild master is, above all, someone who takes responsibility.”
Even with Yoo Jin-rok's sincere advice, all Kwak Ho-young did was snort derisively.
“I'll handle it all.”
While Yoo Jin-rok dealt with Kwak Ho-young, I took care of Jang Su-ho.
“Hey, you alright now?”
“...Yeah. Damn it, I knew I shouldn't lose it in front of him.”
Jang Su-ho muttered as he roughly ruffled his hair.
He seemed embarrassed that he'd nearly lost control in front of Kwak Ho-young.
Just then, Yoo Jin-rok approached and led us out of the conference room.
“Su-ho, you've been training hard, huh? You held it together well.”
He brushed off the insult he'd just received as if it were nothing and focused on Jang Su-ho first. He looked utterly exhausted.
This clearly wasn't the first time something like this had happened.
Sensing that, Jang Su-ho cautiously asked,
“Guild Master, why'd you come back to Taesan Guild?”
“Oh? Ah, well.”
Yoo Jin-rok gave a wry smile and continued.
“Ga-young's been a bit sick.”
“Ga-young? Your daughter?”
“You remember her. She's been having these random seizures since last year, but we still haven't found the cause.”
“So she's still hospitalized?”
“Yeah. But the wavelength scan showed an awakener reaction, so she can't go to a regular hospital...”
Regular hospitals are strictly for 'normals.'
So when I first collapsed after arriving in this world, they transferred me straight to an awakener hospital because of the wavelength reaction.
And the crappy part is, awakener hospitals are way more expensive than regular ones.
The government's insurance coverage is limited, so there's no helping it.
That's why Yoo Jin-rok, needing money, had returned to Taesan Guild, where he still had connections, to work.
“Anyway, that's the story. Swing by to see Ga-young sometime when you're free. She's grown a ton. You might not even recognize her.”
Talking about his daughter brought a smile to Yoo Jin-rok's face.
'Awakener hospital.'
I thought for a moment before speaking up.
“Mind if I tag along sometime? I have reasons to visit awakener hospitals occasionally.”
“Oh, sure!”
Thankfully, Yoo Jin-rok brightened at my suggestion.
“Ga-young's actually a big Justice Guild fan. She'd love it if you came.”
At least I had the guardian's permission now.
As I pondered what to bring as a get-well gift, a voice called from inside the conference room for me and Jang Su-ho.
“Guess the meeting's starting up again. Let's head in.”
Yoo Jin-rok opened the door ahead of us.
His shoulders looked heavy as he stepped back into the darkened room.
Seeing that helpless smile from moments ago made my heart ache.
Especially now that I knew why a man who'd once led a guild was sticking around Taesan despite the mistreatment.
“Awakener hospital.”
One more place I needed to visit soon.
“If you've changed your mind, feel free to say so even now.”
Kwak Ho-young's opening line as soon as the meeting resumed.
“I get that underwater dungeons are tricky to clear.”
To sum up his long-winded speech: Bail if you're scared.
“No change.”
Kang Han replied curtly.
“Hmm. Alright. I like the guts, at least.”
Kwak Ho-young shrugged.
“Usually, you pick a second-choice dungeon in case you don't win the bid on your first. But I doubt we'll need to this time, right?”
Obviously.
Underwater dungeons were something everyone avoided.
They'd only force them on major guilds when a dungeon break was imminent.
“But...”
Kwak Ho-young's amused gaze swept over his guild members.
“Even for a C-rank mid-sized dungeon, bidding on an underwater one will run about 200 million won. Since it's a joint raid, Justice Guild covers half. You sure that's okay?”
Who does he think he's talking to?
Sure, we were broke right now and didn't have that kind of cash.
But it rubbed me the wrong way that he assumed we didn't.
I deliberately mimicked Kwak Ho-young's smug smile and said,
“We'll see on auction day.”
Money has a way of walking in on its own two feet when you least expect it.
It was one of those late summer days when the heat was finally starting to let up.
Park, the CEO of Nice Sports Inc.—a small-to-medium enterprise—arrived at Jonggak Station with his PR manager in tow.
“Whew, it's scorching.”
Park wiped his sweat with a handkerchief and asked Manager Jeong from PR,
“You got the taxi receipt?”
“Yes, sir.”
He'd boldly quit a big corporation with his buddies to start the company, but tight finances were an unavoidable reality.
“Things have gotta turn around today.”
He was confident in the quality of their products, especially the sneakers, but getting the word out was no easy feat.
They'd tried Insta—er, whatever the local equivalent was—and even splurged on a fashion magazine ad recently, but no dice.
So their last Hail Mary was the hunters.
But man, their rates were insane.
Even top celebrities paled in comparison; it made his tongue hang out.
That's when his PR manager beside him recommended a small guild called Justice Guild.
“So, it used to be a big deal back in the day?”
“You haven't heard, sir? They were super famous.”
“Rings a vague bell.”
Park was an expert on celebs and idols but a total newbie when it came to guilds and hunters. He responded halfheartedly.
“It's the first guild founded in our country. They hit a rough patch with all sorts of issues for a while, but they're rising again now. Fanbase is growing steadily too. They even climbed to 135th in the guild rankings a few days ago.”
“Oh, really?”
Park pocketed his sweat-soaked handkerchief, perking up.
Image was everything in PR.
And they had a comeback story like that?
“Still, it's all recent buzz, so their rates should be lower than more established famous guilds relative to name recognition. If they keep growing, they might not even meet with us later.”
“Exactly why we snag 'em now.”
According to the quick scan he'd done in the taxi, they didn't even have a proper sponsor yet.
Negotiations should be a breeze.
As if they'd even know their real worth.
“Haggle 'em down hard.”
“Yes, sir.”
Today was do-or-die.
That was Park's plan.
Until they arrived at Justice Guild.
“Wh-what the hell is this?”
“Looks like we go through that door...?”
The moment they passed through the entrance, dozens of doors floated in a bizarre space, and one subtly creaked open.
“Y-yeah, probably.”
Park hesitated, pulling out his handkerchief again to wipe his sweat.
He'd visited a few guilds for meetings before, but nothing like this.
Was this the hunter world?
He couldn't help shrinking before the unfamiliar sight.
“Sh-should we go in?”
“Yeah, let's.”
Escaping the mind-bending space, they entered what looked like a slightly rundown building interior.
The sense of returning to reality brought a brief sigh of relief—until they spotted a lone woman standing in the central hallway.
“From Nice Sports, right?”
She seemed ordinary, if a bit pretty.
“She's Nayeo-ju, the guild manager and healer,” Manager Jeong whispered beside him.
But the words didn't reach Park's ears.
His instincts, honed from years in big-corp sales, were screaming.
'This woman's no ordinary one.'
Park swallowed dryly, tucking away his handkerchief.