A Different League
Moon Cheol-ho greeted them with a genuinely kind smile, nothing like the sleazy higher-ups from somewhere that made his skin crawl.
He's supposed to have been Seol-hee's colleague just a few years ago.
It wasn't hard to believe if they'd survived the ten years of the Great Cataclysm together.
"Skip the greetings. Sit down first."
Seol-hee welcomed them in her usual laid-back posture. Hyun-seong, familiar with her, sat on the prepared sofa as instructed. Hyun-ji followed suit, caught off guard.
"So, what do you need help with?"
"You get the situation, right?"
Hyun-seong nodded.
"Good. Just tell the truth to the reporters' questions at the joint press conference with Cheol-ho Uncle later. Same for you, Hyun-ji."
"Simple enough."
"Yep."
This was a press conference in name only—a hearing tilted toward White Magnolia. The balance was struck by Association President Moon Cheol-ho and Hyun-seong and Hyun-ji, who would expose White Magnolia's schemes without a hint of falsehood. Public opinion was obviously on their side.
"Ryu Jin-yong's inferiority complex has always been..."
"His greed went too far this time."
Cheol-ho nodded in agreement.
"You know him?"
Seol-hee nodded. "Most guild masters of major guilds, or people in high positions in hunter-related fields—we've all crossed paths. After what we've been through."
"But why target you guys?"
"Things are getting good for us. He wants to be king. He'd go after White Tiger Guild or Red Dragon Guild too, not just us."
He didn't know the details, but guilds had subtle rankings and hierarchies. The Hunters app grouped them under "major guilds," but whispers ranked them Red Dragon, White Tiger, Silver Eagle, White Magnolia. They seemed indifferent among themselves, but White Magnolia clearly wasn't.
"This'll ruin them. They might even lose their spot to up-and-comers."
Hyun-seong inwardly nodded, considering the impact.
They're guilty of crimes, plus fabricating facts to manipulate opinion.
Netizens would feel betrayed, like chopping their own foot with a trusted axe.
"Anyway, if you hadn't reached out, we'd have been in trouble too."
Seol-hee spoke gratefully. Hyun-seong brushed it off.
"Buy me a meal later."
"As many as you want. Money's the one thing I have plenty of."
Watching their exchange, Moon Cheol-ho smiled warmly before butting in.
"I've never seen you so at ease with anyone but me. Quite the intriguing relationship."
"Uncle, I told you. He's my one remaining bro. I could strip naked and hit the sauna with him, and it'd be zero sparks."
"Seol-hee..."
With two close people around, her casualness hit rock bottom. Cheol-ho rubbed his forehead. Hyun-ji covered her face, embarrassed on her behalf.
"What? Hyun-ji's still a baby. Blushing at this?"
"I-I'm twenty-two, Hunter Seol-hee..."
"What?! Won't call me sis?! I'm mad!"
"Really?"
"Duh, you're that gorilla's little sis. Of course you're my sis. 'Hunter-nim'? We're not strangers."
"Y-yes, sis..."
Seol-hee looked ready to devour the flustered Hyun-ji. They killed time with small talk until word came that White Magnolia's Ryu Jin-yong had arrived at the Association, signaling press conference prep.
The press conference kicked off successfully. News of Association President Moon Cheol-ho attending as observer spread like wildfire, igniting coverage of the two major guilds' feud in real time.
Camera flashes popped, typewriters clacked, reactions sharpened.
"We have the parties involved, Hunters Choi Hyun-seong and Choi Hyun-ji."
Seol-hee introduced them as Hyun-seong and Hyun-ji entered. Flashes exploded fiercely—enough to squint anyone—but they kept neutral expressions, taking seats at the mics.
Seol-hee wrapped her intro, opening for questions. Hands shot up.
"From Donghwa Daily. Photos with Silver Eagle's Min Seol-hee stirred controversy. What was said?"
The first question hung, provocative enough for silence. But Hyun-seong had no reason to dodge.
"The one taken outside the dungeon?"
Hyun-seong paused, pointing at Seol-hee.
"She shoved a sword at me, asking if we're still friends after that. We had a little friend spat."
Half-truth, half-bluff. Seol-hee's face screamed you didn't. Cheol-ho, Ryu Jin-yong, even Hyun-ji gaped. Reporters froze; cameras halted. Only breaths filled the room.
"Why the awkward vibe? Not the answer you wanted?"
Cameras reignited, keyboards flew—faster than before. Hands rose quicker, hotter.
"From Korea Daily. You're admitting ties to Min Seol-hee and joining Silver Eagle against White Magnolia?"
"No. Totally separate issues. Wrong order too. This isn't the first time I've dealt with White Magnolia hunters' crimes."
"So there were prior incidents?"
"Yeah. He acted like killing in a dungeon was no big deal 'cause he's White Magnolia. Gave him a lesson. Name was Eun Seong-jin? Victim was my sister, a porter then."
He pointed at Hyun-ji. She leaned into her mic.
"Correct. White Magnolia covers up dungeon crimes."
Straight facts this time. Then Ryu Jin-yong interjected foolishly.
"What is this? We need truth in a joint conference, not bashing the other guild. Against the spirit, and unverified."
Flashes popped.
"The spirit was flawed from the start. Smearing Silver Eagle with lies to sink them—that's why this conference."
Hyun-seong and Hyun-ji fiercely shielding Silver Eagle? Simple.
If I'm helping a friend in a pinch, might as well go all in.
"Absurd. We're here for hunter society's peace and public right to know."
"What right does a single guild have? Acting like kings. Us small hunters fear getting crushed in big fights."
Aggressive, but reporters sided with Hyun-seong—prior bombshells overshadowed the guilds' drama.
Hyun-seong landed the kill shot on Ryu Jin-yong.
"Without Seol-hee putting us here, we couldn't hunter anymore. Online backlash is brutal."
Praising Silver Eagle sealed it. Ryu Jin-yong managed expressions throughout; reporters fact-checked. Hyun-seong gave curt truths.
"This concludes the press conference."
Peak hype fading perfectly. Cheol-ho, as observer and president, halted it. Reporters clamored, but Association staff ushered them out.
Post-conference, communities exploded. Hyun-ji fired up the Hunters app for live reactions...
Worried, Hyun-ji tapped the last post.
Most agreed Silver Eagle and Min Seol-hee meant Hyun-seong was safe. Hyun-ji pretended otherwise and commented.
Reactions piled up; she snapped her phone shut fast.
"Whatcha doing?"
"Huh? N-nothing."
She hid her phone behind her back at Hyun-seong's question.
"Let's go. Gotta apply for review."
"Yeah."
They headed to the counter for C-rank review.
Promotion review was simpler than expected. Meet requirements, apply anytime; processed same day or next at latest.
Review: Conquer a dungeon with an Association hunter observer, assessing overall ability.
"Ready to go now?"
"Sure."
Hyun-ji nodded; they followed the reviewer. The dungeon wasn't reservable via app—one owned outright, typically by guilds for utility or Association.
E-rank, despite C-review. E-to-D used total stats; solo D-rank clears risky for average D-hunters.
Of course, exceptions applied. Hyun-seong and Hyun-ji could solo D-ranks. No complaints—easier the better.
"Here."
Near Association. Monsters: zombies. Undead tenacity, corpse poison deadly, but slow—E/D hunters tackled often.
Neither had cleared it. Precisely, Hyun-ji hadn't.
I've seen plenty in the otherworld.
Hyun-ji probably binged vids online, but Hyun-seong didn't dwell.
Pre-dungeon briefing from reviewer.
"As said, one at a time. I observe only, no interference. Signal quit, I'll step in. B-rank, so safe. Give it your best."
They nodded; pause.
"Who first?"
"What do you think?"
"You first, oppa. It'll be quick anyway."
"Alright."
Hyun-seong relayed; reviewer said,
"Hunter Choi Hyun-seong, enter."
Reviewer followed with list. Hyun-seong stepped through without hesitation.
Zombie Extermination
📍 Content: Zombies Defeated 0/30
🎁 Reward: Escape, Small EXP
Hyun-seong checked routinely.
"Let's go."
He led confidently, utterly at ease. Soon, zombies appeared—the reviewer's shock inevitable.
He's in a different league.