Dispatch to the Number One Guild
“Huh.”
The Gu-guk Guild's office was located in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu. I'd stopped by once before when visiting the Hunter Association, but even now, it was brimming with wonders. Towering skyscrapers that forced you to crane your neck skyward just to catch a glimpse of the top, avant-garde sculptures exuding an artistic vibe everywhere.
Amid that urban landscape, the Gu-guk Guild's office was surprisingly modest in size. Like a kid awkwardly squeezed among adults.
The exterior looks all shiny and new, though.
Why stick to such a small footprint? If Sujin saw this place, she'd have a quip ready. Something like rebuilding it three times bigger and renting out the extra space.
“Ugh.”
Living with my little sister must've rubbed off on me—my head's starting to work the same way. Valuing everything by its price tag.
Bzzz.
The large automatic doors slid open, and my eyes met those of a woman who'd been pacing in the first-floor lobby.
“Park Soo-hyeok?”
“Ah, yes. That's me.”
She must've been tipped off in advance; she was out here greeting me ten minutes early.
A woman in a suit with horn-rimmed glasses and her hair tied back. The picture of a typical office worker.
She's an awakener.
She looked like an ordinary salarywoman, but I could sense a thick residue of mana around her. And she wasn't the only one. From the people lightly nodding greetings as they passed her, to everyone moving through the building—mana lingered on them all.
No wonder it's the guild run by the top-ranked hunter.
“Nice to meet you. I'm Section Chief Kim Ji-seon, in charge of guiding you today.”
Kim Ji-seon, the one who'd come to greet me. Her mana residue suggested she was highly capable.
In situations like this, I should probably state my title too, but...
“Yep. Uh... Park Soo-hyeok, dispatched here.”
Our new guild didn't have official titles yet. Since Sujin was the guild master, maybe I could call myself vice president or something. I'd have to ask her later to hook me up with a proper one.
“Is President Lee Shin-yul in today?”
“Yes. As we mentioned in contact, the president has a schedule today, so we won't be able to meet. Instead, I'll show you around the office briefly and introduce you to the team you'll be working with.”
“Sure.”
Kim Ji-seon bowed lightly once more and led the way.
True to a guild run by the number one ranker, the interior decor gleamed with top-tier polish.
“Whoa...”
As I followed her down the hall, my eyes caught rows of photos lining the corridor walls.
“These represent the path Gu-guk Guild has walked over the past twenty years.”
“I see.”
It was practically a museum. Trophies from slain dungeon masters hung impressively here and there.
We arrived at the in-house café. I'd seen this corporate café culture once before during my tour of the Cheonma Bio Center, so it felt familiar.
“Coffee?”
“I'll have a sweet caramel macchiato.”
I wasn't big on coffee, but of all the options, caramel macchiato suited my taste best. Sweet, with that caramel aroma—easiest to stomach.
Twenty years ago, you'd get flak for hitting up a café like this.
How times change. Even back then, in our Korea, any decent-sized company now boasts a café in its building.
After a short wait, the barista handed over two cups. Even as a guest, I figured I should at least pretend to pay, so I fumbled for my wallet.
“I'll cover mine...”
“Oh, no need. In-house cafés are free.”
“Ah.”
At Cheonma Group, everyone paid. Is this what number one status gets you?
Shoving aside the awkwardness, I slurped my coffee while tailing Kim Ji-seon. Tasted even better for free.
At the elevator next to the café, she spoke up again.
“Did you review the materials on the target dungeon we sent?”
“Yes. Masinjeon Dungeon, right?”
Masinjeon Dungeon. It had appeared early 2022.
Dungeon type: Abyss.
Abyss—literally, the abyss. Even the mighty Gu-guk Guild hadn't cleared it after over a year. Whether they couldn't or just hadn't, it was an S-rank behemoth, one of the deadliest.
Its main monsters were A-rank and A+ monsters. I'd heard even the druid that gave A-rank Sujin trouble was baseline A to A+. And they swarmed in hordes. Terrifying, no matter how you sliced it.
Makes sense they'd call in outsiders for a dungeon like that.
Hell, they didn't even know the dungeon master's identity. For lower-rank dungeons, you usually scouted it beforehand—from field stage through named monster hunts. By the time it dungeonized, you'd have intel to pinpoint the master without entering the room.
But once you're in, no coming out.
S-rank and above changed the game. A-rank mobs made proper scouting near impossible. Most watched helplessly as fields teeming with A-ranks turned into dungeons. Starting from a massive disadvantage.
That's what made Gu-guk impressive. Storming an unknown master's room, slaying it, clearing the dungeon.
But why invite me?
A nagging doubt crept in. For an unknown powerhouse foe, you'd want trusted, proven elites. Me? No solid record in twenty years, and my mana test clocked zero. Objectively, not someone Lee Shin-yul would eye.
Unless he gauged my physical scores and sniffed out my potential.
Or maybe... they just needed a sturdy meat shield.
“...Mr. Park?”
“Ah.”
“Feeling unwell anywhere?”
“No, no. Just lost in thought.”
My random suspicions left a sour taste.
“No need to worry. We've already mapped out everything on Masinjeon.”
“Huh? Then why...”
She smiled faintly at my question.
“Simple shortage of supplies. But that's sorted now.”
Then why me? Ding!
As unease gnawed, the elevator arrived. She gestured inside.
“This way.”
Stepping in, my body floated slightly. It plunged deep underground at high speed.
Bzzz.
Doors opened to vast office spaces lining the hall—way bigger than the ground floor suggested.
Entering one, about twenty people bustled in a heated meeting.
“If Abaddon's patterns match what the president said...”
“Doesn't that mean we need double the healing potions?”
“Inventory check first. Shortages covered by Seondo peaches...”
A massive whiteboard brimmed with Masinjeon schematics, monster breakdowns, even the dungeon master's identity and patterns, papers plastered everywhere.
“This is where the Masinjeon Dungeon raid is being planned.”
“Ah.”
First impression: dead serious. Everyone poured their heart into conquering it.
Dungeons were like that. Did you really need to clear them? Leaving the master be kept the dungeon static. Harvest otherworld crops, snag mana cores and byproducts. Sure, killing the master yielded rare artifacts, but the ongoing gains often outweighed it.
Yet Gu-guk pushed through. Why? Dungeons grew.
Ignore them for short-term profit, and they swelled stronger, vaster. No one knew the endgame. But when they threatened humanity's turf, Gu-guk stepped up.
I kinda respected that.
Honestly? Leaving it be might screw us eventually.
Having spent twenty years trapped in another world, I knew: wipe dungeons out if you can. They were monster hives, after all.
But Earth's humans downplayed the threat. Frogs in boiling water, assuming it'd stay fine like always. Treating monster dens like cash cows.
I wasn't certain, but S-rankers? Clear 'em.
“Huh? Who's this guy? How'd he get in here?”
While peeking at the meeting, a man with a scruffy chin beard tilted his head at me.
Before I could respond, Kim Ji-seon stepped in.
“Park Soo-hyeok, dispatched for the Masinjeon raid.”
“Ah, that A+ guy. Younger than I thought.”
He scratched his nape and offered a handshake.
“Yoon Deok-su here. Handle artifact crafting for the support team.”
“Nice to meet you.”
His grip was thick, callused—raw power. Mana residue matched Kim Ji-seon's: solid A to A+.
Gu-guk's crew was stacked.
“You'll be on raid team, so we won't cross paths much, kid. But holler if you need anything! Big bro'll whip it up in a snap!”
“Ah, support team, got it.”
Gu-guk's raid divided into three: the raid and strategy teams brainstorming here, and support like Yoon Deok-su.
The other two burned midnight oil, but support slacked a bit.
“Hey, got a sec? Wanna peek at my workshop...”
“Ahem. Mr. Deok-su?”
“Huh?”
Kim Ji-seon cleared her throat uncomfortably. His casual slip irked her.
“Whoops! My bad! Haha! Young blood got me sloppy. Sorry, my fault!”
He patted my shoulder, winking.
“Anyway! Since we're here... you look young. Mind if I drop the formalities?”
Hm.
My pre-return looks fooled him solid.
“How old are ya...?”
“Huh? Me? Monkey zodiac! Heh-heh! Kids these days might not get that.”
Visually, mid-forties. 1980 born?
“Not '68, right?”
“Hey now! Cheeky pup! This spry unwed Monkey of '80!”
“I'm Sheep.”
“Oh yeah? '91? Nah, '03? Too mature for that.”
“Heh.”
This type? Mouth went dry after ages.
“...Sigh.”
Kim Ji-seon, watching, whispered in his ear.
“...Huh? F-for real?”
Yoon Deok-su gawked between us. She nodded stone-faced.
“Casual okay?”
“Uh... if it suits you, bro...”
“Cool, Deok-su.”
“Y-yes...”
His own words trapped him silent.
“Mr. Park. Excuse me a moment...”
Kim Ji-seon pointed at her phone, bowing. Lee Shin-yul's name glowed on screen.
Meeting break gave a breather.
“Uh... I gotta bounce, busy...”
Deok-su eyed the exit slyly.
It amused me; time to tease more.
“Deok-su, mind showing that workshop? Got time now.”
“...Huh? Oh, sure, if you want... uh...”
“Just call me hyung. Park-hyung.”
“Y-yes... Park-hyung.”