Rejecting the Dragon's Poison Pill

After leaving the chicken joint where I'd spotted the poison clauses, I headed with my companion to a private bar near Hongdae. The document envelope handed over by Choi Hyeonseok, the scout dispatched from Cheongryong Guild, felt heavy in my hands. In the quiet lounge near Hongdae, the five letters spelling out "Exclusive Contract" gleamed under the lights on the table.

The shocked faces of Park Jincheol and Lee Minsu—who'd just been mocking me as a mere porter—and Choi Hyunwoo, who acted like some big-shot prospect—were still fresh in my mind. But right now, I felt like I was standing before a trap that was far more dangerous, yet sweeter.

"A signing bonus of 500 million won. Annual salary to be negotiated separately, and upon further growth, guaranteed entry into Cheongryong Guild's headquarters raid team. The stats you showed at the Association re-measurement are unprecedented, even in our analysis department."

Choi Hyeonseok's voice was polite, but laced with the confidence that I wouldn't refuse. He pulled out a tablet PC and displayed my freshly acquired measurement logs.

"Level 12 with Intelligence 36. And Luck 10. Especially that growth rate—jumping 11 levels in a week is borderline miraculous. You could join a D-rank gate as a supporter right now. Plus, distributing all your stats into Intelligence? That's some terribly extreme luck. But Hunter Kim Jihoon, statistically speaking, this freakish stat distribution won't continue forever. Without Cheongryong's systematic management, that luck-fueled explosive growth could stall out."

He continued with a smug expression.

"First off, we'll help with top-grade item rentals for gate entries at just 50% of the standard fee—a perk reserved only for our highest-rated guild members. And for rapid growth, we'll assign dedicated porters and a supporter team for your gate runs. What do you say?"

I listened silently, flipping through the contract pages one by one without a word. His offer was overly generous for a level 12 like me. But as I turned the pages, I spotted a few poison clauses tucked in.

A chill ran through my fingertips. Renewing the ID card weekly and precise mana tracking on every level-up? That meant real-time surveillance and dissection of my Status Window secret. Handing over every detail—how my stats were allocated, any special circumstances on level-up—to Cheongryong's analysis team. It was a slave contract, plain and simple.

I dropped the contract with a thud and stared straight at Choi Hyeonseok.

"The terms are pretty groundbreaking. Porters and supporters? Wow."

He beamed at my response. "Yes, these conditions are because Hunter Kim Jihoon is so exceptional..."

"But Scout, aren't Articles 24 and 31 a bit much? They're not about helping my growth—they're about stripping me bare for research."

He flinched at being interrupted, but quickly recovered with a professional smile. "That's to analyze and support your abnormal growth curve. From the guild's perspective, investing 500 million means we need to track your progress closely to turn you into stable firepower."

I swallowed a bitter laugh and shot back. "Analyze me, you say? Is this really for support?"

Choi Hyeonseok nodded without a 0.1-second hesitation, even looking impressed by my suspicion. "Of course. Your Intelligence stat and skill evolution phenomena are rare enough for academic study. Only by accumulating and analyzing data at the guild level can we assign you a dedicated mage and gear tailored perfectly to you. This is an investment in you, Hunter Kim Jihoon."

Dissection disguised as investment. That was the real price of their 500 million.

I flicked the 500-million-won contract across ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the table. His eyes wavered.

"500 million, huh. You're undervaluing me big time."

"...Pardon? What did you just say?"

"Trying to tie me down with these poison clauses under the excuse of 'analysis'? It's just buying my potential on the cheap to control me forever to Cheongryong's tastes. My freedom isn't worth a measly 500 million. Consider this contract void."

I stood up without a second thought. Choi Hyeonseok's face flushed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠red then pale in an instant. He'd never dreamed a plain level 12 Awakener would flat-out reject an offer from one of Korea's top three guilds.

But he masked his anger with a twisted smile. "Hunter Kim Jihoon, you're just level 12. 500 million is huge for an unproven hunter. You think your luck will hold forever?"

"And if it does?"

His face twisted further, but I turned and said over my shoulder, "Kidding. I just don't want ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to join anywhere yet. Thanks for the offer, but no thanks."

Caught off guard by the rejection, he shouted after me as I left. "Hunter! Wait! You might regret this. Offers like this won't..."

I ignored his yells, exiting the bar and heading home. Right now, protecting my Status Window secret mattered more than a nine-figure bonus. And 500 million seemed big now, but once I grew further, I'd rake that in easy. No need to sell my talent for pocket change.

Cheongryong Guild headquarters, HR manager's office.

"Are you insane, Choi Hyeonseok? You just let him go?"

HR Manager Kang Cheoljung's roar filled the room. An A-rank hunter veteran, he hurled the report from his desk at Choi Hyeonseok's chest. Sweating bullets under the man's aura, Choi bowed his head.

"Manager, the guy's too arrogant. He treated 500 million like chump change, claiming he'd grow even more soon. And the second he spotted the precise analysis clauses, his attitude flipped. He definitely didn't want us uncovering some secret in his stats."

"That's exactly why you should've dragged his ass to our lab! Intelligence 36, four skills, and + marks proving skill reinforcement! Cracking that mechanism could've upgraded our mage unit a whole tier!"

Kang Cheoljung jammed a cigarette into his mouth in frustration. Choi pressed on obsequiously. "Judge it coldly. That damage output is just a 'Luck 10' miracle. High Intelligence means nothing without Vitality and Agility—upper gates would one-shot him. If he proves himself later, we can throw more money then. For now... just add him to the watchlist."

Kang exhaled smoke with a huff. Vitality 2 was a death sentence for a mage, no matter the luck. A glass cannon that dies to a graze is a nightmare to deploy.

"Fine. Watch him. But if word gets out he's solo-clearing upper gates? Your scouting career ends that day."

The next dawn, I stood before the Hunter Association kiosk. Choi Hyeonseok's words from yesterday echoed: "You could join a D-rank gate as a supporter right now." From a major guild scout, that was the most objective gauge.

Even with my current stats, I've got firepower for D-rank gates...

After some thought, I grabbed a reception number and headed to the counter.

"Any E-rank gates I can solo?"

"Pardon? Hunter Kim Jihoon? An E-rank gate?!"

Receptionist Lee Sua panicked but continued. "If your ID isn't glitched, maybe... but you're only level 12. That spec's risky."

"Ah, just hunting near the entrance for practice."

"You said that last time too!!!"

She yelled in exasperation, urging me to reconsider, but I kept refusing. Sighing, she handed over the E-rank dungeon list. I scanned it and picked Gray Wolf Habitat.

"Be careful. Get out if it's dangerous."

"Got it."

After reassuring her, I approached the gate. The mana density—worlds apart from F-rank—pressed down on me. Back as a porter, this entrance was hell's threshold. Lugging massive packs, chasing hunters' heels, terrified of wolf bites. One roar used to buckle my knees; hunters mocked me.

"Hey, porter! Don't wanna die? Hunker in the corner and guard the gear!"

That terror lingered in my DNA, fingers trembling faintly. But I stared at the Status Window floating in my vision's corner.

No need to fear. I'm strong now...

I took a deep breath and plunged into the swirling gate.

The moment I entered, chilling killing intent prickled from all sides. Mana density on another level from F-rank. In the darkness, dozens of golden eyes gleamed. Gray Wolves—the mere sight of which was a death sentence back in my porter days.

"Grrrrrr."

The biggest one scraped the ground and charged. Back then, I'd have screamed and lost my neck. But those fangs halted before me.

Crunch!

The reinforced shield thoroughly blocked the wolf's fangs from touching me. With Intelligence 36 backing it, the shield felt more reliable than ever. The Gray Wolf that terrorized me as a porter was now floundering like a puppy against one of my skills.

"Not a big deal after all..."

I shoved my finger into the gaping maw of the mutt before me.

"Mana Bullet."

A eardrum-shattering explosion, and the wolf's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠head shattered. The predator that once filled me with dread as a porter was now mere fodder for my growth.