Potion War 1

Finally, all the guild creation members had gathered. Taeju, Taehee, Jeonghun, Yeji, Bang Taegeuk, and Ha Geonmin. Seeing these six hunters assembled together filled him with a solid sense of security.

"Taehee noona, Taeju hyung, Jeonghun, Yeji, Mr. Bang Taegeuk, Ms. Ha Geonmin. Thank you all."

He knew they each had their own desires and reasons for joining, but that didn't make his gratitude any less real, so Kim Suho expressed it openly.

"As you all know, let's do quick self-introductions. I'm Kim Suho, guild master of Support Guild."

After much discussion on the guild name, they'd settled on Support Guild to match his abilities. It felt too simple compared to the time invested brainstorming, but everyone agreed it wasn't bad, so that's what they went with.

Starting with him, they went around the room with brief introductions.

"From now on, Jeonghun, Yeji, and Mr. Bang Taegeuk will keep raiding dungeons. Taeju hyung and Ms. Ha Geonmin can tag along as needed for herb gathering or butchering work."

"Three dragons as my escorts? Man, Suho's treating me like royalty."

Taeju's words earned him an immediate rebuke from Taehee.

"Call him Guild Master in official settings from now on, you rude punk."

"It's fine. Call me whatever feels natural. A title won't change who I am. If you all start treating me differently, that would feel awkward to me."

Taeju chimed in agreement.

"See? He doesn't mind. Why are you making a fuss, noona?"

As Taehee geared up to retort, a deep, resonant voice cut in.

"No. It's fine in private, but ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in official settings, we must show proper respect to the Guild Master. Absolutely."

It was Bang Taegeuk. His forceful tone, backed by gravitas, shut Taeju down just like Taehee's scolding would have, settling the matter instantly.

"I agree. Call him whatever, it won't stop him from being Suho hyung. Hyung, just accept it now—Guild Master."

The tense atmosphere thawed thanks to Jeonghun, returning to its prior warmth.

"Alright, we'll do that. But keep it casual in private. Now, before we dive into real work, those who haven't gotten their gifts yet should receive them. And for those who've used theirs, the next ones."

Those who knew what he meant eyed him expectantly. Ha Geonmin and Bang Taegeuk, clueless about the quests, just looked puzzled.

As expected, once the quests triggered, Bang Taegeuk and Ha Geonmin were left dazed for a moment.

After a brief pause,

"I am deeply grateful for the Guild Master's immense grace. Man of iron, Bang Taegeuk, vows to repay the trust you've placed in me."

Bang Taegeuk rose from his chair, bowing deeply.

"Guild Master, I'll do anything from now on! Just please don't abandon me."

Ha Geonmin blurted out words that still raised doubts about her sanity.

Yeah, this is right. If you're gonna trust them, do it fully.

He'd hesitated briefly at first. With no real trust built yet for Bang Taegeuk and Ha Geonmin, should he give them quests too?

But the doubt didn't linger. These were people he'd chosen to bring along personally. He couldn't discriminate just because trust was thin. If problems arose, he'd deal with them ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠then. Denying them a chance felt wrong, no matter how he turned it over.

And seeing their reactions now confirmed he'd made the right call.

"Looking forward to working with you all."

"Jeonghun's strength is already up 30. Nice. He's growing well."

"Yeji's stuck in place because she's hitting low-level dungeons. She'll really start climbing once Jeonghun grows enough for higher ranks. At least the quest gives her some progress."

"Already made five? Faster than I thought. As expected ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠from an Emperor Guild potion crafter."

"No wonder he bragged about being top three. Insane for a non-combat class. Gotta ask him to teach me the herbs I don't know yet."

"Whoa, a top-tier hunter's info window is stunning right off the bat. Strength over 1,000—the wall of nightmares—proves just how strong Bang Taegeuk is."

"No wonder Yeji's attacks bounce right off."

Hooking the Iron Dragon felt like a divine move, no matter how he looked at it.

"No joke? Dexterity over 400? I thought she was just a crazy chick, but damn. Even beats Taeju hyung."

Left alone again, Kim Suho marveled at his guildmates' info and quests.

Jeonghun's stats lagged behind Yeji's due to his three-year hiatus, but Suho trusted him. Jeonghun had risen to the Five Dragons on potential, not current power—he'd catch up fast.

Taehee and Taeju were swamped relocating Origin Potion Workshop, while Ha Geonmin tagged along with the Three Dragons for her quest.

Alone, he tanned leather prepped for class.

"Mana's way too unstable."

Imported U.S. hides performed worse than Ha Geonmin's butchered ones. Even infusing his mana during tanning yielded subpar results.

"Wasting mana on this."

No amount of practice here would unlock leather shop menus. Better to brew potions instead.

"I'll get quest-reward corpses anyway, so potions till then. If time left, bug Taeju hyung for herb lessons."

His leisurely time shattered as the typhoon hit.

BAM.

"Those damn bastards!"

The president slammed his desk in the Blue House office, unable to contain his rage. Lee Musin, face flushed red, spat fury too.

"A ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠thousand? You call that reasonable? They're not even joking."

"Sigh. Never saw the U.S. and China teaming up. All my fault. I'm throwing our people to the wolves. How can I atone..."

The president's face turned ashen, his voice thick with resentment and self-loathing.

"No, how could it be your fault, Mr. President?"

Lee Musin tried consoling him, but the president's expression stayed grim.

"No, it is. I overlooked the possibility of them allying. My judgment failed utterly. Haah... what now?"

A defeated sigh escaped the president.

Damn it, is there really no way?

Lee Musin racked his brain, but nothing emerged.

U.S. and China joining forces? Pre-cataclysm superpowers, they'd widened the gap post-gate era.

China mass-produced hunters like factory goods via land and population. Early chaos let them seize disputed territories, sweeping dungeons for rapid growth.

America mirrored it: annexing Canada-Mexico borders, "restoring world police" by occupying conflict zones as "non-war areas." They poached hunters with endless funds.

Too late by the time others noticed. Wealth couldn't compete. Founding the World Hunter Association and Hunter Laws legitimized it all.

Countless hunters chased the American Dream abroad; nations watched helplessly.

Pre-cataclysm G20/G7 spawned "G2" for U.S.-China. Now, G meant God—their lead was divine.

With both squeezing Korea, no answers appeared. The president could only despair.

Meet him. Talk straight. Only way left.

Kim Suho wasn't the patriotic type to appeal to. Amateurish nationalism might push him abroad.

Yet he didn't scorn civilians as lesser races like others.

That thoughtful pause over patient potions? Plenty of potential there.

Kim Suho's different from typical hunters. Not just irregular. Fundamentally so.

Decade as Hunter Management Bureau chief, he'd seen hordes. Good, bad, weird—all had one trait: time awakened deepened the hunter/non-hunter divide, regardless of personality.

He himself saw non-hunters as another species. The split? Pity/protect them, or disdain/abuse them.

Kim Suho felt... off. Fundamentally distinct. His seasoned gut screamed it.

That's why he chose this.

"Mr. President, I'll meet the NPC myself."

The president startled.

"Won't idle talk upset him? If things sour..."

He feared greedily gutting the golden goose.

"No repeats of mistakes. Just honest talk. The codename NPC feels different from others. No need to worry about that."

"Then I trust you alone, Director."

The president gripped his hand, pleading earnestly. Lee Musin prayed too.

Find a way through this crisis.

To be continued next chapter...