Cheonmang Guild's Lee Sehyuk 1
"Hmm, leather armor with the defensive power of S-rank plate armor..."
Lee Sehyuk fell into brief thought after receiving the report from his guild members. When he heard Hespera was coming, the leatherworkers had turned red-eyed, begging to participate in the competition. He'd permitted it amid their atmosphere of lying down in protest if refused, though he hadn't liked it one bit.
Lee Sehyuk knew exactly who Hespera was. And how incredible her armor was. But that was it. Participating in the competition didn't mean forging ties with her, nor getting armor from her. No matter how he thought about it, it was a waste of time—that was his view. So he hadn't paid the event any mind.
He was already swamped preparing for an SS-rank dungeon raid anyway. But even this raid had ended in failure. It wasn't aimed at success from the start, so there was no great disappointment. He was just annoyed at being blocked again by that same monster that had stopped them before.
Afterward, the guild master and many hunters went into an S-rank dungeon to blow off steam, while Lee Sehyuk and some others returned to the guild for cleanup. He never imagined receiving a report like this right upon return.
To think one of Korea's leatherworkers was a master craftsman on Hespera's level.
"This is really out of left field."
The corner of Lee Sehyuk's mouth curled up slyly. The competition had ended days ago, so he felt urgency and immediately pressed a button on his phone, issuing orders.
"Get the basic info on Kim Suho from everyone who went to the leather armor competition, and dig up everything on him."
After giving the directive, Lee Sehyuk called someone right away.
"What's up?"
A gruff voice came through the phone. No need for pleasantries with someone who cut straight to business—Lee Sehyuk got to the point.
"Convene an emergency meeting of the five great guilds in the name of Cheonmang Guild."
The other side went silent for a moment before the gruff voice replied.
"Only guild masters or vice-masters can request an emergency meeting."
Lee Sehyuk's brow furrowed at the nitpicky rule-mongering. He took a short breath to swallow his rising anger before speaking again.
"It says anyone in the guild's top 10 can request if the master and vice are absent. For reference, Cheonmang's master and vice are in a dungeon raid right now."
Another pause, then the response.
"Elision Guild accepts Cheonmang Guild's request. Send the location and time via official notice."
The call ended there, and only then did Lee Sehyuk mutter into the phone.
"Stuffy bastard. No wonder I can't stand the guy. Can't stand him."
After venting about his recent interlocutor, Lee Sehyuk made another call. He repeated the same spiel. In the end, he made four calls before stopping.
"Ah! The more I think about it, the more regrettable it is. If there hadn't been all those eyes, it would've been perfect."
Lee Sehyuk lamented having to share this leatherworker with the other top five guilds, but there was no choice. Too many people had seen him. He had to settle for locking him within the top five guilds' framework like this.
But things didn't unfold as Lee Sehyuk expected.
"That fucker Park Chan-yeol, I'm gonna kill him. I swear I'll kill him!"
Bang.Bang.
His office echoed with rage-filled shouts and the sound of furniture shattering. The commotion dragged on until nothing remained intact, and only then did Lee Sehyuk slump into his chair. But his anger hadn't subsided—he was still fuming.
"Fine, Park Chan-yeol's one thing, but what about the rest? I explained it all, and in that situation, they side with him? Fucking idiots with heads full of shit."
Lee Sehyuk recalled the top five guilds' meeting he'd just left. He'd strained his neck veins persuading the others to contain the leatherworker within their framework. But Elision Guild's Park Chan-yeol opposed every point, dooming it to failure.
Park argued there was no need to bind him to the top five since only a few guilds ran S-rank dungeons anyway, making procurement easy. Lee countered that while he only made S-rank leather armor now, his skills might advance to SS-rank anytime—they needed to stake a claim early.
But Park opposed again, saying SS-rank monsters were only catchable by top five guilds anyway, so no need. Every time Lee spoke, Park shot him down. In the end, the others sided with Park, ignoring Lee Sehyuk's agenda.
This wasn't the first or second plan Park had ruined. But Lee had been dead certain this one would succeed. When it too was dismissed, his irritation boiled over.
Though bound as top five, power hierarchies existed within. Overwhelming first-place Elision Guild, followed by second and third Royal Blood Guild and Myth Guild. Fourth was Emperor Guild, and fifth was Cheonmang Guild.
So when opinions split, they often backed Elision—and Lee Sehyuk ended up opposing them most.
"Idiots. It's a treasure in my hands. In someone else's, it's a weapon. One that could even strike at me."
His anger didn't cool easily. But then a flash of insight hit, instantly calming him.
"Wait. This is an opportunity."
On second thought, it was perfect. With rivals voluntarily bowing out, this was prime time. No hands dirtied, nose picked clean.
His irritated expression vanished in an instant. Just then, someone knocked.
"Report on Kim Suho here."
Perfect timing—the report arrived. Lee Sehyuk scanned it immediately.
"Support Guild? What a name. Seven members total, guild master included? Classic small guild."
Reading meticulously, his eyes widened in shock.
"What? Bang Taegeuk? Ha Yeji? What kind of lineup is this? And the rest? Puhahaha! Slum shelter? Gathered all the strays with nowhere to go."
He burst into laughter at the roster, unable to hold it. Every member had issues.
Bang Taegeuk was top-tier by ability alone. Beyond S-rank dungeons, he could sub-tank in SS-rank. But stubborn personality and obsession with Ha Yeji caused problems, leading to guild exit and wandering.
Seo Taehee once shone as a potion maker in Emperor Guild but left after clashing with the master. No one took her after defying Emperor's head; she half-retired from hunting.
Seo Taeju was too free-spirited for guild life by nature. Ha Yeji's severe shyness made communication impossible, hindering normal guild ops.
Ha Geonmin was a maniac even fellow leatherworkers shook their heads at. Kang Jeonghun had lost then regained his hunter powers recently.
All six were defective in one or two ways.
"This makes things easier than expected."
Finishing the report, Lee Sehyuk felt heaven-sent luck. With rivals gone and a guild master dragging six rejects, he'd never refuse the offer.
Feeling things finally going his way, he smiled broadly and ordered.
"Prepare the car immediately."
He planned to snag Kim Suho before the other top guilds changed minds.
The day after the post-competition chaos, hunters still visited through the next day, but no actual buyers. At best, a few who seemed S-rank capable learned purchase terms, adding future prospects.
On the second day's end, the first buyer appeared: from mid-30s-ranked Sheffield Guild, handing over 30 S-rank monster corpses for armor.
Orders trickled in after, totaling four sets over two days. A-rank leather was prepped with surplus, no issue. But new S-rank hides consumed all time in processing.
Finishing that, I immediately asked Taeju to help with new herb trimming. Needed to raise lacking Intelligence by 6 for S-rank leather armor purchases.
I also resolved to master upper healing potions and mana recovery speed potions perfectly this time. Couldn't leave them incomplete forever—finish when opportunity struck.
Taeju had prepped unlearned herbs as requested, and trimming began.
"Feels fresh teaching herbs again after so long. Back then, you reeked of green newbie."
Taeju teased with a playful grin; I shot back likewise.
"Yeah. Didn't peg you as this flighty back then, bro. Heh."
"What? Flighty? Me? The man among men, Seo Taeju? Guess your herb master needs to school you properly after ages."
He feigned sternness, voice dropping low. But one word from me defused it.
"Taehee sis."
"Gah! No, I didn't do anything!"
Taeju whipped around, excusing frantically, then sheepishly noted no one there.
"Whoa... Kim Suho. You've gotten sly."
After brief laughter and banter, serious herb trimming started.
Taeju, lighthearted moments ago, gripped a herb with utmost seriousness, explaining.
"This is delphinium. Trim the purple petals like so..."
Following his demo, I dove in. Despite the hiatus, my hands moved without hitch. No—grown Dexterity and Focus stats shone true.
'Still got it. Looks like a pro herbalist; guy's a wonder.'
Taeju started with easier herbs since Suho's break. "Easier" relative to remaining stock—not truly simple. A step harder than prior learns.
Yet Suho trimmed swiftly, astonishingly.
'What? Faster now? What the hell? Monster.'
But that was warmup. Speed and precision ramped up, as if declaring so. If unaware of his time away, you'd swear nonstop herb work—mastery level.
Despite the long break, herb trimming felt natural—no awkwardness. Like I'd never stopped.
Soon after starting delphinium, I sensed flow state entry. Same sensation as before.
How much time passed? Something snapped me out.
Class NPC effect activated.
Understood herb ‘delphinium’.
Herb ‘delphinium’ added to materials. Reward granted.
Intelligence +3.
Mana +5.
What? How much time passed?
Not shocked by content, but the alerts themselves. No prior single-session herb mastery post-flow.
I checked time, stunned again.
What the—? Only 5 hours? And already understood?
No prior potion gains noted, but 5 hours to mastery was wild. First herbs took 5 days per. Now, 5 hours.
Prior Focus/flow descriptions resurfaced.
[Higher ‘Focus’ stat increases the probability of entering the flow state (no-self) and its duration.]
[In the flow state (no-self), comprehension of the task increases rapidly.]
Now I truly felt "rapid rise." And Focus's underrated power.
This'll speed herb work way up.
I grabbed Taeju for next herb; flow hit soon after start. Again, 5-hour mastery to next.
To be continued in the next chapter... The Hunter Who Awakened as an NPC