Chapter 10: A Hard Person to Travel With
Ma Tae-soo snapped his head up at the curt remark.
"Always so perceptive. Sit down for now."
His expression showed no hint of regret.
Kang Moo-hyuk shelved the agenda he'd prepared for their first meeting, caught off guard by the man's swift pivot.
'Not very vice-guild-master-like. He backed down too easily. I thought he might negotiate over Ma Tae-sik, but that look says it's hopeless.'
He wasn't someone to underestimate just because he'd been overruled by the guild master. If Ma Tae-sik hadn't been such a constant screw-up, Ma Tae-soo might have swallowed Titan Guild whole by now—he had the cunning for it.
It was only because Kang Moo-hyuk and the expedition leader had kept him in check without crossing the line that things hadn't spiraled. The guild master's temperament alone couldn't have handled him.
"So you're really quitting? How's your body holding up?"
"Good enough to move around, considering I nearly died."
"Whatever the case, our maknae put you through hell, so I don't have much to say. Taking leave for aftereffects makes me lose face too."
From Ma Tae-soo's cautious glances, it seemed he knew nothing about the mana addiction. He'd bought the story of lingering injuries from Ma Tae-sik's assault, meaning the guild master had set up minimal safeguards for Ma Tae-soo's actions after Kang Moo-hyuk vanished.
'He left room for a comeback whenever.'
Kang Moo-hyuk read the guild master's intentions and responded accordingly.
"The one feeling guilty asks for leniency for a criminal right off the bat."
"Criminal... You're still as blunt as ever, even after nearly dying."
"......"
"Well, that's probably why you held the team leader spot without being a hunter. Don't know if it's too late to say this, but I opposed your promotion to strategic team leader fiercely."
"I know."
"A total normie leading the hunt team? Desk work, sure, your rep was solid there. But hunters listening to a non-hunter? That worried me."
"It worried me too. I understand."
"But later, the vibe shifted. All those projects, missions, management tasks you'd handled before sitting there—you'd gathered quite a few hunters loyal to you by then."
Kang Moo-hyuk bit his lip hard at that point.
It sounded like praise at first glance, but behind it lay brutal power struggles too vicious to speak of.
And Kang Moo-hyuk had taken the losses.
Most of the people Ma Tae-soo referred to as "his" were no longer with Titan.
They'd left one by one, their spots filled by Ma Tae-soo's crew.
Yet Kang Moo-hyuk hadn't crumbled. He'd even forced Ma Tae-soo's own line to acknowledge his skills.
After that, the overt antagonism faded, but Ma Tae-soo never elevated him or pulled him into his fold.
Kang Moo-hyuk figured the vice-guild master just found him uncomfortable.
"If we'd talked it out nicely, we might've worked well together. I'm a bit sorry about that."
"Mm, no. We could've never been on the same side."
Ma Tae-soo waved it off firmly.
"If you ever thought I was guild-master aligned... well, that's a different story. Let's call it a misunderstanding."
"I don't misunderstand that. Guild-master line? Sure, at first. But watching you, I realized—you'd ally with anyone if it meant killing monsters. If my guild-master bid got in the way of your hunts, you'd have taken me out anytime. Hell, you charged at the guild master once, didn't you? Lucky for you he's a softie. If it'd been me, your head would've rolled."
"Good thing you're not guild master, then."
"Blunt as ever. That's exactly why you, me, and the guild master never meshed."
Ma Tae-soo jabbed a finger lightly, raising his voice.
Kang Moo-hyuk nodded in agreement. Ma Tae-soo looked almost flustered by the easy concession.
"You don't even care."
"Like you said, I just need to kill monsters. Sure, pissing off the boss sucks, but if that boss slays monsters well, it's fine. You're no slouch there—monsters call you a son of a bitch, but you deliver rice."
"Hah? You've got a talent for backhanded insults."
"That was a compliment."
"Call it a joke. Our guild tolerates it; elsewhere, you'd get reamed."
The advisory tone tipped Kang Moo-hyuk off to something off.
'Mentioning "elsewhere"?'
It was a resignation on the surface, but some executives knew it as leave.
The guild master's nuance assumed a return after recovery.
But Ma Tae-soo seemed dead set against it.
It was a veiled threat.
'Not just a hunch. These instincts rarely miss. Something sticky...'
The reason was obvious. Why he'd bowed his head at first. Tied to Ma Tae-sik's fate.
Coming full circle showed just how slippery Ma Tae-soo was.
'Even for a baby brother, why cling this hard? Unusual family bond?'
Kang Moo-hyuk probed gently to gauge his intent.
"But even if I step in, can you spring Hunter Ma Tae-sik? His crime's crystal clear. Solid witnesses too."
"Finally to the point. That's why you're convenient. Bluntly: full exoneration's tough. But we can slash the sentence big-time. If you and that witness help."
"Downgrade it to hunter scuffle, me as collateral damage. His rank's way higher, so mutual fault— I get a settlement, he walks with suspended sentence."
"See? Convenient."
"You know the witness is Hunter Joo Se-ah?"
"Painfully so. Tried reaching out a few times; she drew a hard line. That's why I need you to talk to her. No debtor dodges the collector."
"Think she'll listen to me? We've barely met. I owe her big already."
"This squares it."
Ma Tae-soo pulled a file from the side table and handed it over.
Kang Moo-hyuk flipped it open and tilted his head. It held resumes from hunters across various guilds.
He skimmed a few pages and spotted the pattern instantly.
"All nearing contract end. Ten-plus years experience. Led senior parties at minimum."
"Taeseong's got fat corp backing, but weak foundations. Even ace-of-aces struggle for guild master. You know: hunting well ≠ running a guild."
"Vice-guild-master candidates, then. They'd solidify operations."
"Exactly. I'll recommend them; get her interviews. Winning hearts is your thing. She won't ignore it."
Kang Moo-hyuk clocked Taeseong's bind right away.
'Everyone covets vice-guild-master. Even small guilds. Taeseong's a joke in the industry, but big-corp ties and Joo Se-ah change that. Baiting with recommendations? Means hiring's tough... Slayer contract expiry drama?'
He closed the file, thoughts sorted.
"I'll do it."
"Thanks."
"Now convince me why."
"What?"
"I'll handle Joo Se-ah. You explain why I should."
"Thought you got it. Think ahead to your return. You think I'll still be scraping by then?"
"Industry saying: gates change people. Even buddy hunters turn enemies post-raid. Plenty I've seen. And me, not your line—will there even be a spot later?"
The meeting let Kang Moo-hyuk peer into the vice-guild master's depths, confirming long-held gazes and hidden judgments.
His verdict:
'A hard person to travel with.'
Even if miraculously cured, no returning to the guild.
Any advice to the guild master, however brief, would invite instant payback.
'I know this guy. He'd do it 'one hundred percent.' My senses are sharper lately. He'd never leave me be. He's overlooking now for Ma Tae-sik, but post-cleanup, true colors show. Need a minimal safeguard.'
Ma Tae-soo shrugged.
"So? Money solve it?"
"Settlement's baseline."
"What then?"
"One memorandum."
"Memorandum?"
"Hands off my affairs. Include physical/mental harm, given Ma Tae-sik."
"Tricky. Could bite me later."
"I'll concede one thing."
"What?"
"Never return to Titan Guild."
"!!"
* * *
Kang Moo-hyuk wiped ink from his thumb as he left the vice-guild-master's office.
Satisfaction lit Ma Tae-soo's face in farewell.
'Guild master wanted me as last bastion or check on vice. Circumstances forced this deal. Can't protect me forever.'
Even guild-master protection would backfire. Vice-guild master would see it as a threat. Kang Moo-hyuk: the blade poised to return anytime.
Ten people can't guard against one thief—if Ma Tae-soo wanted him gone, it'd happen anytime.
Kang Moo-hyuk planned notary with a lawyer: publicize if killed by anything but illness.
"Titan vice won't sting much, but underlings might rethink... Worthless check if dead, but better than nothing. Hate dying by another's hand."
Outside and alone, he exhaled freely. Chest lightened a bit. That's how tense it'd been.
Might be trivial paper, but leashing Titan's vice-guild master was a win.
Possible only because he pledged no return.
Non-hunter outside guild: nothing to do.
Even strategic-team-leader caliber couldn't thrive elsewhere.
Hunters demoted lose respect; a normie guildie? Impossible.
Starting fresh sans network, wrangling prideful hunters? Near impossible.
Ma Tae-soo banked on his non-hunter limit.
Kang Moo-hyuk headed next for the guild-master's office.
A familiar face from the elevator spotted him and strode straight over.
"Team Leader Kang."
"Party Leader Jang Yi-hyeon. Injuries healed?"
"Yes. Thanks to you."
"Glad to hear."
"How about you?"
"Surviving. Haha."
Quick greetings done, Jang Yi-hyeon straightened and bowed formally. Ex-military turned hunter—disciplined.
"Should've thanked you properly sooner. You rescued our party fast. Truly grateful."
"No need. It's my job. Thanking for the obvious... Desks owe frontline hunters."
"Heard about C Warehouse. Quick call saved us hell. Guild master's stubborn, but bends for you."
Kang Moo-hyuk sensed Jang Yi-hyeon had words. Hesitant, mumbling.
"Here for me?"
"Yes... Met Party Leader Park; said you headed up for vice-guild master."
"About what?"
"Nothing major. Hunter Ma Tae-sik."
"Ma Hunter?"
Kang Moo-hyuk tilted his head.
Jang Yi-hyeon was vice-guild-master aligned. What on Ma Tae-sik? His face said no plea for mercy.
Makes sense—loyalty doesn't abide injustice. Ma Tae-sik's rep soured even his own line.
"Shameless ask, but... if vice-guild master begs you to spring Hunter Ma Tae-sik, please refuse if you can."