Cheonmang Guild's Lee Sehyuk 3

Arriving at Taehee's workshop on the third basement level, I was struck by the sheer number of tools I'd never seen before.

This is a real potion maker's workshop.

It felt strangely wondrous. Taehee pulled a box from under the neatly organized desk, opened it, and took out a sheet of vellum.

In common parlance, vellum referred to high-grade parchment made from sheepskin, but in the hunter world, it was different. It was what enchanters—mages who inscribed magic patterns onto monster hides or armor—called their specially crafted parchment.

The vellum Taehee pulled out already had a magic pattern drawn on it. Curious about what it was, I asked her.

"Sis, what's that?"

"Oh, this? It's your first time seeing one, Guild Master. It's a summoning magic pattern."

I jumped at the words "summoning magic pattern."

"For real? What does it summon? And enchanters can draw summoning patterns too?"

Enchanters were one of the rarest classes among hunters, with so few of them that they exchanged information freely among themselves—but almost none of it leaked outside. Even what kinds of magic patterns they could create was largely unknown. Only the most common restoration ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠patterns and a few famous ones inscribed on armor were public knowledge.

"Well, I don't know if they can do other summoning patterns. But this one..."

As she spoke, Taehee infused the vellum with mana and tore it apart. A scarecrow materialized right in front of us.

"It's a scarecrow summoning magic pattern."

"Wait, why the hell a scarecrow?"

I blurted out in shock, and Taehee explained why she'd summoned it.

"It was originally for hunters to test their attack skills. But one hunter accidentally spilled a healing potion on it during a test, and the scarecrow reacted to the potion—its wounds healed right up."

That's how its new property was discovered, and now potion-making hunters bought them often for testing, she added.

"Alright, let's run the experiment right away. First, we need to wound its arm. Could you handle that, Guild Master?"

I summoned a mana blade and slashed the scarecrow's arm. Taehee poured potions onto the wound to begin the test.

We started with my basic potions, moved through the ones she'd made before, and tested the two new ones from quests. Finally, we got to my advanced healing potion.

Taehee stared at the results, mouth agape.

"H-how is a healing potion this effective?"

Healing potions were always supplementary, not replacements for healers. They healed less than healer skills and applied slower. Even the new one Taehee had made, comparable to those from Medic—our country's top potion maker—fell short of a healer's advanced skills.

They beat basic heals, sure, but not advanced ones. Plus, chugging a potion mid-fight left you wide open, and plenty of hunters had died that way.

Yet healers were always in short supply, focusing on tanks, so other hunters relied on potions.

My advanced healing potion shattered all that. It matched advanced healer skills in output and speed—perfect across the board.

"Yeah, it's pretty good, huh."

The effect exceeded even my expectations, filling me with satisfaction and relief. I'd hoped completing advanced healing might unlock an even higher grade, but nothing new appeared—it seemed this was the pinnacle. Knowing that made its power all the more reassuring.

While we tested the advanced healing potion, the leather armor tests wrapped up, and the guild members gathered again.

* * *

"Whoa! I had no idea it'd be this good. Iron Dragon had to use a skill just to scratch the leather armor... And..."

"Guild Master's leather armor is a masterpiece that rewrites armor history. It surpasses SS-rank plate armor..."

Jeonghun, fresh from the leather armor test, gushed endlessly. Even the usually taciturn Taegeuk praised it effusively. Yeji's eyes sparkled with hearts at the armor, while Geonmin muttered to herself, lost in a daze.

"Not human. This can't be human work."

I shared the potion test results with the still-dazed group. As they absorbed the armor shock, then the potion news, they all stared at me like some monster. Geonmin finally snapped.

"Arrrgh! Who the hell are you? Tell me straight! You're not human, right? No human could do this. Who are you?!"

* * *

The storm of excitement had passed, leaving an oppressive silence.

It stemmed from the quests I'd given Taegeuk, Jeonghun, and Yeji.

This was the first quest demanding S-rank monsters—unlike before. Taking just three into an S-rank dungeon without a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠healer felt impossible, so I voiced my concern to Taegeuk.

"Iron Dragon, even I think this one's a stretch. How about delaying until we get a healer?"

Taegeuk pondered briefly before replying.

"No. It's doable. Yesterday, impossible—but now, my judgment says yes."

He explained why they could hunt.

"First, the S-rank leather armor means we won't die to early- and mid-dungeon monsters, even undefended. And the advanced healing potion replaces a healer, not just supplements."

With survival secured, his buffs would make hunting feasible. As someone who'd tanked dozens of S-rank clears, I trusted his call.

A day passed. Taegeuk, Jeonghun, and Yeji entered the S-rank dungeon—and Lee Sehyuk returned.

"Have a day of thought changed your mind?"

His arrogance was unchanged after just twenty-four hours.

"I'll say it again: no change. I'm not joining another guild."

I swallowed my rising irritation.

"Was a day not enough? Or has Kim Suho lost touch with reality? Don't you grasp what full Cheonmang backing means? Riffraff like them die and respawn..."

"No. My guild members aren't riffraff. Watch your words."

As he sneered at them again, I cut him off firmly. His eyes sharpened, face hardening mid-sentence.

"Interesting. Rejecting Cheonmang for riffraff. Your skills outshine your ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠judgment, Kim Suho. Shame—half that insight with your talent..."

I bit my tongue to avoid snapping back as he droned on.

"But I value talent. Especially yours. It's a waste rotting with riffraff. So, one last chance for you, Kim Suho."

"No thanks. I'm never switching guilds. Please leave."

I couldn't stomach more and turned away—afraid I'd snap if I listened longer. His voice followed.

"One week. Final offer: one week. Change your mind, call this number. Think what benefits you and your riffraff."

He left the workshop. I watched his retreating back.

Nothing changed, but something feels off.

Sehyuk was the same: arrogant, dismissive of my members, greedy for me. Yet today, an inexplicable unease clung to him. Maybe just a hunch, but better safe. I'd prepare countermeasures.

First, talk when the dungeon team returns. Alert Bureau Chief Lee Musin too.

But unbeknownst to me, things were already in motion.

Sehyuk, in his car, made a call.

"Where'd they go?"

"S-rank dungeon."

"S-rank? With which guild?"

He hadn't imagined three entering alone.

"No, just the three of them."

"What? Just three in an S-rank?!"

Shock turned to a sinister grin.

"Heh, serving themselves up. Send the execution squad—keep watch."

He hung up, made another brief call, and chuckled darkly.

"No need to get hands dirty. Idiots. Three in an S-rank? Walking to their deaths. Easier than expected. Heh heh heh."

His laughter echoed in the car.

* * *

The Three Dragons progressed smoothly in the S-rank dungeon, luring and slaying one by one under Taegeuk's lead.

"Hold. Roar of Fury."

Taegeuk aggroed the massive bear monster. Its eyes reddened at his roar, swiping huge paws.

Boom.Boom.

Shield angled, he blocked until aggro locked, then signaled.

"Attack."

Jeonghun and Yeji, waiting behind, downed potions and unleashed. Yeji's powerful arrow pierced the bear's knee; Jeonghun leaped, targeting the same spot with a combo.

"Mad Slash, Wound Aggravation."

Their synced strikes tore the knee deeply. Synced from hunts together, they moved without words—O-Dragon worthy.

But this was S-rank. The bear endured.

"Heavy Strike."

Taegeuk's finisher shattered the knee; the bear toppled. He shouted again.

"Regroup behind me. Steel Skin. Barrier."

The fallen bear roared, flinging claws that shattered into hundreds of shards hurtling at him.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

Prepared, Taegeuk blocked, charged the bear, and re-aggroed.

"Hold. Roar of Fury."

They felled it smoothly.

"S-rank's easier than expected?"

Jeonghun quipped, resting to recover mana.

"No complacency. Fine til mid, but later monsters are brutal."

Taegeuk eyed them trustingly. Their synergy exceeded expectations—no micromanaging needed. Pre-fight briefings sufficed; their ad-libs proved their O-Dragon status. Jeonghun's instincts especially impressed.

As mana recovered, a monster roar echoed—Taegeuk's face hardened.

Rooooar!

"N-no ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠way. That thing here?!"

If memory served, this shouldn't appear here—late-dungeon boss, impossible for three.

"Run to entrance now!"

The roar and his tension spurred Jeonghun and Yeji to bolt, Taegeuk following.

But soon, the source appeared.

Rooooar!

"Stick behind me. Shield Fortify. Barrier."

Sensing danger, Taegeuk overlapped shields into the ground.

Thud. Thud.

Hundreds of needle-like hairs pelted the shields. Without defense, they'd have shredded exposed areas.

"Damn mutant cat bastard."

As expected: Twin Head Black Cat, S-rank's trickiest foe, nightmare of clears. Unbeatable for three.

"Listen: we run full tilt to entrance. Protect heads. I'll tank rear—follow orders. Ready? Three, two, one—go!"

They bolted; Taegeuk blocked and aggroed while herding them. No other hunters for aid. Luck: not far in.

Finally, entrance in sight.

"Entrance! Spam skills and—shit!"

The cat blocked it, licking lips smugly—body fully obscuring the way.

"I'll make opening. Prep—on my signal, rush."

"No! Abandon Iron Dragon?!"

Jeonghun protested.

"Not dying. Guild Master's armor tanks it fine. I'm strongest—I'll buy time."

He could escape, not kill. Armor tests confirmed it'd hold.

"Ready. Three, two... Huh?"

Mid-count, lightning struck the cat—it convulsed, collapsing. A man's voice from behind.

"Which idiot dragged an unkillable kitten here? You, Jeonghun?"

The newcomer knew Jeonghun. Before relief, Jeonghun gaped.

"B-Brain Emperor? How...?"

He'd one-shotted the Twin Head Black Cat near death. Jeonghun called him Brain Emperor.

Iron Dragon startled.

"Th-Thunder Mage?!"

To be continued in the next chapter... The Hunter Who Awakened as an NPC