Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Nayeo-ju Saves the World
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The atmosphere, restless at the word 'capture', flipped in an instant.
The guild leaders straightened their backs, leaning in to catch Seong Rosa's next words.
"Of course, the choice of S-grade item will go to the guild that succeeds."
"Then, surely..."
The Ragna Guild leader, drawing on his years of experience, caught on first.
"Yes, exactly. We're opening Fantasia Guild's item warehouse. Pick any one you like."
The top four guilds earned that status for a reason.
Beyond the association's rankings, it took real scale, power, and wealth to back it up.
Yet here was Fantasia Guild, opening its item warehouse.
No—letting them walk in and take one S-grade item of their choice.
The summoned Ragna, Hwacheon, and Magma Guilds were solid mid-tier operations with strong foundations.
For them, an S-grade item could shatter the mid-tier ceiling, securing upper-mid stability—or maybe even more.
A gleam entered their eyes as they pictured their guild's future: Seong Yona captured, S-grade item in hand, massive cash windfall.
Everyone except me and Kang Han.
'Seong Rosa must be getting desperate.'
She was playing it cool now, but her insides were probably churning.
Ever since Seong Yona was last spotted, public opinion had tanked hard.
Fantasia Guild, home to the 'murderer Seong Yona'.
Seong Rosa, blood relative of the 'murderer Seong Yona'.
People trashed Fantasia Guild left and right, while the media hammered them for letting a killer roam free without accountability.
They'd even slapped a huge bounty on her head, but it hadn't panned out—so now they were out here recruiting guilds on foot.
"Just so you know, only one guild gets the commission reward."
It was a clear play to spark competition between them—no alliances allowed.
"The method... it doesn't matter?"
A Hwacheon Guild member ventured the question cautiously.
Seong Yona: Seong Rosa's sister, an A-grade spatial manipulation specialist.
They wanted to know how rough they could get.
"Doesn't matter. As long as I can confirm the captured person is Seong Yona the hunter."
She wasn't mincing words: bring her in, dead or alive.
"Take some time to discuss among yourselves."
With that, Seong Rosa vanished as abruptly as she'd appeared, leaving the murmuring crowd behind.
"Guild leader, we absolutely can't pass this up..."
"What S-grades does Fantasia Guild even have..."
"Ten billion plus an S-grade..."
Even Yang Hwa-yeon from Magma Guild was already hooked. That's when Kang Han tapped the back of my hand.
"Let's step out and talk."
Yeah.
I'd been wondering why our protagonist was sitting so quietly for once.
"I don't want to take this commission."
This was Kang Han—the guy who'd greenlit everything I'd proposed since I barged in offering to buy Justice Guild outright.
But not this time. His stance was ironclad.
"Why?"
"No matter how you dress it up, it's hunting a person."
"But Seong Yona's the one accused of killing multiple 'people'."
"Nothing confirmed."
"No confirmation means it's wrong?"
"That's right."
Kang Han didn't dodge my unwavering gaze.
"An S-grade item and ten billion—that's huge for Justice Guild."
"And?"
"But we can climb back up without doing something wrong."
"Hmm."
I smiled to myself.
Because it made me proud.
The old Kang Han—broke, hounded by debts—might've at least considered it.
And no matter his choice, he'd have loathed himself for even entertaining 'wrong'.
Just like back in the illegal fight pits, scrapping for cash.
But the eyes he fixed on me now were purely righteous.
He had faith in our strength—no need to ditch his principles, or Justice Guild's.
"Perfect."
This was Kang Han.
A man who chased what he believed right over quick gains.
This was him.
Had he said, "S-grade looks good—let's take it," I'd have been a little disappointed.
"But we have to take this one."
"Nayeo-ju-ssi."
"Hear me out first."
I cut him off and scanned the surroundings.
The dim hallway was empty—just us.
"No one else around, right?"
"...None."
Kang Han confirmed it with his S-grade senses.
"Okay, listen. I think I've met Seong Yona before. Our underground training ground—the spatial ability user who built it? Pretty sure that's her. No, it is."
"How could you..."
"The community boards blew up with her sketch. Anyway, the Seong Yona I met didn't strike me as a killer. Her face doesn't scream murderer."
"Her face?"
Kang Han shot me the same look he gave Jang Su-ho when he spouted nonsense.
Hey, just listen.
"Like you said, guild leader—her supposedly killing the dungeon party? Just rumors."
And those rumors had Seong Rosa—their own blood—hunting her down with hired help.
"True, but."
"So let's confirm it ourselves. What really went down in that gate. We decide then. Whether she's a killer who slaughtered a bunch and bolted, or an innocent caught in some unavoidable mess."
"And if she's innocent?"
"We help her."
No hesitation in my answer.
An A-grade getting chased for nothing?
I couldn't stand by.
Top recruitment pick.
"Which means we find her first."
Convinced by my speech, Kang Han signed the commission form.
I figured we'd wrapped up quick, but by the time we returned to the conference room, everyone else had bailed.
They were all that desperate.
No spatial teleporter like the other guilds, so we trudged back down the same hillside path we'd climbed.
As we descended the silent Gwanak Mountain night trail, I checked the contract.
"Strict confidentiality. Holds until individual notice."
A magic-bound deal, no less.
"Guess they don't want word getting out that they're hiring outsiders to hunt Seong Yona."
A guild's lifeline was its strength and image.
As the one steering Justice Guild, I got Fantasia's damage control—sort of.
"Still, word was they were tight. Right?"
"Seong Rosa and Seong Yona?"
"Yeah. What about in school?"
"Seong Rosa's a special awakener—no joint training. But I saw Seong Yona around."
Kang Han dredged up old memories.
"...She was proud of her big sis, the Fantasia Guild leader."
Her words from moments ago echoed back.
"Doesn't matter. As long as I can confirm the captured person is Seong Yona the hunter."
How did sisters end up like that?
I was a reader transmigrated into this world, but the incident had been glossed over in a few lines—I didn't know the full story.
One thing I did know.
'Seong Yona dies here.'
And her death's injustice only comes out way later.
That's what tanks Fantasia Guild's rep.
Truth hits, Seong Rosa snaps, loses most of her powers.
But that's the timeline without me meddling.
"Ahh, beautiful moonlight."
I stretched, mulling it over.
Ten billion cash stung a bit.
But an A-grade spatial manipulator beat any S-grade item. Hands down.