101. Be Careful.
Kang Moo-hyuk requested the use of the World Hunter Federation's intelligence network.
"Are you really asking me to look into that?"
"If we can't get permission to use Thousand Eyes, then there's nothing we can do."
"We could investigate this without Thousand Eyes. The Federation's intel isn't limited to just that. But this could be tricky for... other reasons."
"I trust you know you're not in a position to refuse my request."
"Haa. Fine. I'll look into it and get back to you."
"Thank you."
After ending the call with Alex, Kang Moo-hyuk immediately left the Char Guild headquarters.
"Lend me a car."
Anton, who had followed him out, handed over his car keys without complaint.
He didn't know the motive behind such treachery, but the result was that he'd been played by Makar's sweet talk.
Not only had it embarrassed him, but there might be some plan lurking that could threaten the guild's very existence.
He felt both shame and gratitude toward Kang Moo-hyuk for uncovering it.
Kang Moo-hyuk emphasized Makar's danger once more.
"The fact that he revealed his identity without a single excuse suggests there's more to it. It can't be a plan just to inconvenience the Tyrant. Ultimately, it might even be aimed at clashing with Char Guild."
"Meaning there are other conspirators inside the guild. I'll check it out."
As he saw Kang Moo-hyuk off, Anton felt indebted. Knowing the road ahead was dangerous, he couldn't help but meddle one last time.
"You're really going? If Igor's already on the move, it might be too late."
"Our guild master isn't the type to go down easily. More importantly, please handle the interrogation of Makar Boronin properly."
"That's our specialty."
"Not pointless torture. A proper interrogation, if you please."
"He did backstab us, but he was family. We won't go too hard on him. But do you really not need backup? I can send a few guys if it's urgent."
It was a question he'd asked once before, but Anton repeated it.
As he'd sensed earlier, this Korean seemed to have nine lives. Heading into a potential encounter with Russia's top delinquent S-rank hunter with just one other person was suicide.
"I appreciate the offer, but I'll pass. Minimal escort is enough. Anything more might get misinterpreted as an attack and make things dangerous."
Kang Moo-hyuk politely declined Anton's offer, gesturing toward No Song-rin.
Even though they were heading into the lion's den, his expression wasn't the least bit dark. Instead, No Song-rin, who had to play that minimal escort role, looked like he was heading to his funeral.
But unlike Anton's worries, Kang Moo-hyuk had his reasons for confidence.
'They captured Team Leader Pyo and Team Leader Yeom without killing them. That means they don't intend to shed blood right away. Sending Kozlov off unharmed might have been to signal that intent. If my guess is right, negotiation could be possible...'
Of course, there was a sliver of unease that it might just be a whim. The Tyrant hunter was known for being arbitrary and mood-driven, after all.
In the parking lot, pressing the car key made a red sports car honk.
As Kang Moo-hyuk reached for the driver's door, No Song-rin stopped him.
"You planning to drive yourself? We're in a hurry, right? Let me."
Kang Moo-hyuk handed him the keys. If they needed to speed, No Song-rin was the better choice. With a hunter's reaction speed, he'd drive safer than Kang Moo-hyuk, a regular human, even flooring the accelerator.
"Guild Leader Kang! I'm coming too!"
Kozlov came running up a beat late.
"I'm better than navigation. I grew up here—know every alley. I'll guide you the fastest way."
"It's dangerous."
"I owe Pyo Beom-hee and Yeom Soo-hyung. A Russian man can't stand by and let them be."
Kang Moo-hyuk silently pushed the passenger seat forward and climbed into the back.
"Fine. Let's go. Fastest route."
Joo Se-ah swam in the direction the boat had vanished.
It was the end of the year.
Around this time, Vladivostok's average temperature was minus 12 degrees Celsius, dipping to minus 16 at the lowest. Sea temperature hovered around 2 degrees. An environment no human could endure bare-skinned.
Even for superhuman hunters, prolonged exposure to such extremes meant hypothermia and stamina drain.
She knew from experience that staying in the water too long was a bad idea.
'Come to think of it, it's been ages since I fell in the water.'
Joo Se-ah recalled a gate raid against the aquatic serpent monster 'naga.'
Back then, the sea had been more trouble than the monster. Water resistance hampered movement, and everything from body temperature and stamina to supplies and the expedition's advance or retreat was an issue.
Hunters, being superhumans, had underestimated water at first, but even they were disadvantaged once submerged.
Recalling that, Joo Se-ah checked her current status.
'I can swim. Circulate mana to maintain body temp. Stamina's fine. Gear's light since the guild leader took most of it ahead. Lost my sword, but good thing it wasn't Order Made. The problem is...'
Whether things would end once she reached land.
'If it were me, I wouldn't settle for just dumping her in the water.'
They'd surely prepared traps.
But landing elsewhere was tough in this cloudy night with no stars for navigation.
'They lit those lights and moved the boat on purpose, daring me to follow.'
Like, come get some if you dare.
"Guys who strut so openly are fun to smack down hard. You're gonna regret this."
Steeling herself, Joo Se-ah swam for two hours before her feet touched land.
Defying the northward current along Russia's coast at inhuman speed.
It drained her stamina more, but she leaped onto the high breakwater at the pier without a single ragged breath.
Dripping wet like a drowned rat, barefoot, but her eyes burned with a beast's ferocity.
A massive searchlight beamed toward the direction Joo Se-ah glared.
Spotlit like she was on stage, she lowered her eyes and steadied her breathing.
'Here they come.'
She sensed numerous hunters. Minimum B-rank, maximum below A+. Some radiated auras even a fresh Joo Se-ah couldn't ignore easily.
A do-or-die crisis, but she grinned instead.
Her hair stood on end. Spine chilled. Toes tingled.
Euphoria.
Something inside her awakening.
'This is it. This is how you get stronger.'
She knew it herself—her skills had plateaued.
A battle-hardened type who grew through tough fights, but since leaving Slayer, no proper raids.
Progress stalled.
Praised as near-S-rank by all, but she grew anxious, unable to climb higher.
That wall she'd felt started cracking during the goblin queen fight recently.
Precisely, because of the 'unknown entity' the queen summoned.
'Nearly died. First time in ages I thought I might. No, first time I truly feared total annihilation.'
Overcoming that terror, she'd stood to protect Kang Moo-hyuk from the unknown.
Everything changed after.
She didn't know what, but something had shifted.
The Federation elf Aila had noticed the change she herself couldn't grasp.
'Time to confirm if I really broke through that wall.'
The moment Joo Se-ah stepped toward the enemies' glares—
"!!"
The hunters hiding behind the lights, encircling her, suddenly retreated.
Then, a shadow approached slowly along the breakwater.
Casual steps like a midnight stroll, but more intimidating than the dozens before.
Finally close enough to see his face, the shadow asked:
"You Joo Se-ah?"
"Who the hell are you?"
"Igor Dudnik."
"Ha? Boss rush from the start?"
Any hunter should tremble at the Tyrant's name.
But Joo Se-ah's reaction was nonchalant.
Igor grinned, pleased.
"Sucks I have to skip the small fry for levels. Sorry the boss came first."
"No need to apologize. Gotta have that handicap for coming all the way to Russia."
To the confident Joo Se-ah, Igor spoke with genuine regret.
"Too bad I found out late. Didn't know my guys were planning something fun. If I'd known sooner, I wouldn't have rolled out the red carpet like this."
"What, pick me up in a yacht?"
"Could've seen Korea's top hunter in her prime. Wanted to fight when you're fresh."
Tension spiked with every word.
Igor's killing intent dominated the space, prodding Joo Se-ah everywhere.
She ignored each jab, focusing all her concentration on his throat. Imagining slicing it dozens of times with refined intent.
"Heard you were top-tier in the Great War. Koreans are fun, huh?"
Igor noticed her aim, rubbed his neck, and smirked.
That instant, Joo Se-ah charged.
Her chop struck Igor's throat. He leaned back, barely dodging the knife-hand, then swung a fist at her face.
Joo Se-ah's head snapped around. Her mouth burst, blood splattering the ground. How long since I tasted my own blood?
A beat late, the whoosh of Igor's fist cut empty air.
"Oh! Tough body..."
Before he finished, Igor's jaw rocketed skyward. Joo Se-ah retracted her upward kick, spun, and drove a back kick into his solar plexus.
Igor tumbled dozens of steps back along the breakwater, then stood immediately.
"Better than expected? That stung nice."
"Feet, not hands."
"Whatever. Fights are best bare-handed."
"Feet, I said."
"Tch! Can't even play along."
"Not filming a romance. Why match vibes with you?"
Igor's face flushed with anger. Felt like she was toying with him.
Everywhere he went, hunters feared or admired him.
Yet this hunter from a tiny peninsula treated him like this?
"Guess I need to show you Siberian chill."
"Talky much. Chatty trait? Shut up and come at me, you Siberian husky."
"......"
What? Why a dog breed? Provoking? No clue what it meant.
One thing clear: it pissed him off.
'Whatever. She's baiting a counter when I charge mad. Too obvious.'
Igor saw through her plan. And took the bait.
"You're dead today!"
Alex groaned involuntarily as he read the intel from Federation HQ.
"Ugh, didn't expect it to tangle like this. We were just supposed to proctor the exam..."
They only needed to evaluate Kang Moo-hyuk's membership via the Upu Mangbau hunt. But things had knotted up weirdly, spiraling into chaos.
In that sense, the info Kang requested was key to unraveling it.
Makar Boronin: Nadezhinsky native
Mikhail Gorchakov: Nadezhinsky native
Boris Chekhov: Nadezhinsky native
...
"Nadezhinsky..."
Alex checked on the Nadezhinsky district too.
Nadezhinsky was a pioneer development zone 30 kilometers from Vladivostok. Like a new city in Korea, a massive project planned for 300,000 residents.
'Yeah, planned. It's gone now.'
14 years ago, some incident turned the whole planned city into ruins.
"So Igor Dudnik and Char Guild were tangled in that."
Alex broke into a cold sweat scanning the list of Nadezhinsky natives in Char Guild—hunters and staff.
Entry dates varied, but motive likely the same.
Revenge.
Prepped over a decade for that alone.
'Upu Mangbau was the trigger. Federation exam lit the fuse.'
Bad timing. Walked right into their revenge plot.
Alex's face soured more skimming the past incident.
'Igor didn't target Vladivostok for nothing. No, the Dudnik brothers?'
Alex opened the attached report at the end—Kang's special request. Deep breath, then flipped the cover.
"Ugh, bad feelings never lie. Guild Leader Kang was right. This is the worst."
Letting out hot sighs, Alex grabbed his phone.
"Alex here, Guild Leader Kang. Yes. Looks like your hunch was spot on. Be careful."
"Little bro's always got that problem—goes off solo, excited. That's why I tried handling it quietly."
Tyrun Guild vice-master Darden Dudnik shook his head watching Igor fight on the breakwater.
The breakwater was no longer functioning as one.
Tetra pods built to block waves crumbled like sandcastles.
Each punch or kick deafened ears like a bomb blast.
Darden was impressed.
"That woman's no slouch. Taking bro's punches? Normal folks'd be bloody pulp, human or monster."
"Guild master just going easy 'cause it's a sturdy toy after so long, right?"
A Tyrun member flattered Darden.
But Darden clicked his tongue.
"Take that as a joke? Could you?"
"W-Well..."
"It's past joking. Crossed the line. Getting serious... Hope it ends here."
Darden bristled, as always, at Igor's whims derailing plans.
Then, news from a subordinate.
"Sports car at the entrance? Anton's plate?"
"Yeah. Passengers: Korean and Federation guy."
"Sharp. Our spy must've tripped."
"What now?"
"Bring 'em. Politely. Don't kill."
"Got it."