#281. Let's Borrow a Hand from the In-Laws.
Kang Moo-hyuk gathered the members of Iron Will Guild.
Currently in the United States, excluding himself, there were five: Joo Se-ah, Jang Deok-gu, Go Eul-ji, No Song-rin, and Thomas, who had transferred from the local area.
But six people entered the room.
“Why me...?”
Johanna doubted Kang Moo-hyuk's intentions for summoning her to the Iron Will meeting.
“Even if you say so, I'm not joining Iron Will. I'm just on vacation right now—I'm still with Gloria.”
“I know.”
“Then why did you call me? I don't fit in here.”
She drew a sharp line, as if making it crystal clear. Kang Moo-hyuk didn't flinch; instead, he replied with the expression of someone answering the most obvious question.
“Aren't we comrades who fought together?”
The plain word comrades—without any flowery rhetoric—held real weight among hunters who had bled side by side.
But Johanna didn't buy it easily.
“Fine, I admit we fought together. But that's where it ends. I joined the raid as a hunter to save people, nothing more. Once the chaos dies down and the airport normalizes, I'm off to my next destination. I'm not here because I like this guild.”
“You don't like our guild?”
The response came not from Kang Moo-hyuk, to whom she'd directed her words, but from Joo Se-ah.
With a hurt, cat-like expression, she made Johanna falter.
“N-no, it's not that I hate it. It's just... the vibe is good, but... I already have a guild? It's a famous tier guild in Italy. So your guild, Guild Master... no, I don't mean Iron Will is too small or anything. It's just...”
Watching Johanna fidget anxiously before Joo Se-ah's teary eyes, Kang Moo-hyuk thought to himself.
S-ranks turn everything into a weapon. Neutralizing a high-rank hunter with just an expression. The guild master's destructive power paired with that face—this gap will come in handy often.
Kang Moo-hyuk liked every little thing Johanna did. That's why he was so persistent about recruiting her.
Despite her grumbling, the fact that she—who knew more about carnivorous wasps than anyone—had joined such a dangerous raid as a private individual took tremendous courage.
Especially for a top-tier hunter from a major guild representing her nation like Johanna; she had so much to lose. Risking it all for others wasn't something just anyone could do.
Kang Moo-hyuk admired Johanna the hunter, not because of her status in an Italian major guild, but as an individual. She had a pure side uncommon among hunters.
As he pondered how to convince her, Joo Se-ah shot him a subtle glance. From an angle hidden from Johanna, she gave a thumbs-up.
I've got her hooked for now. You handle the close.
Good job.
Exchanging intentions like telepathy, Kang Moo-hyuk spoke up.
“It's not just because we're comrades that I called you here, Hunter Johanna. You have the right to hear what we'll discuss.”
“The right? To what?”
“The right to hear about the conspiracy behind this battle. Even as people risked their lives fighting, some prioritized their own gain. Of course, I should check your intentions first on this, Hunter Johanna. If it's a burden, you can just leave this room.”
Humans are like that—tell them not to listen, and they want to all the more. Curiosity is a scary thing. Few emotions can make one forget death for even a moment like that.
Johanna was no different. Having come this far, she couldn't resist hearing it.
She casually plopped down in a corner chair.
“Well, since I'm here. Might as well hear it out. I hate getting blindsided without knowing shit.”
“Wise choice. Our guild respects our members' wishes. Full, transparent info sharing without secrets; welfare benefits rivaling major guilds... planned. Highly reliable raid tactics. And above all, a beautiful S-rank guild master leading by example in a guild with deep traditions... planned.”
“I told you I'm not joining. Why do you keep lumping me in?”
Johanna frowned at Kang Moo-hyuk's fine-print guild pitch. Then, a strange feeling washed over her.
Why does this place feel so comfortable?
It wasn't just comfort. Only then did she realize her trauma hadn't triggered even once here.
Come to think of it, why am I fine?
Johanna had shown panic symptoms during hunts due to trauma from a minor war.
Weaker monsters were fine, but facing strong ones above a certain level always brought anxiety, breathing issues.
Yet in this raid, it hadn't happened at all. No near-seizure panic attacks, not even a hint of unease.
I took a sabbatical from the guild using that as an excuse. Why was I perfectly fine this raid?
She consciously realized the reason.
Joo Se-ah...
The S-rank was her pillar. Fighting near her felt not just secure, but peaceful, even in crisis.
No! No, no, no. Getting roped in like this is bullshit. Yeah, maybe I got better. Healing from the trip. Right, I'm cured.
Regardless of Johanna's desperate denial, Kang Moo-hyuk shared the info from Hamilton and his summary of events.
These were members who'd normally rage a hundred times over, but as he spoke calmly in even tones, they quieted too.
“That's the situation. Unrelated to the carnivorous wasp raid, but it could pose extreme danger to our guild and members, so I've disclosed it to everyone.”
The person at the center, Joo Se-ah, summed it up.
“So, Director Kang pulled strings to get me to the US easily, then the US President slapped a departure ban on me? And Japan is behind it?”
“Japan as the puppet master is just speculation.”
“You wouldn't say it without basis.”
“Of course there are reasons, but they're circumstantial—no hard evidence.”
“Tell us those circumstances. I suspect them too, but the president of the world's top hunter nation getting swayed by Japan? Doesn't seem likely.”
Worry laced Joo Se-ah's words.
She didn't want to believe the US President was acting on Japanese hunters' orders.
If Japan could move even America, Korea—whose hunter status wasn't yet solid—faced tough times ahead.
Reading her concern, Kang Moo-hyuk shook his head.
“Naturally, Japan can't control the US President at will. In this case, their interests just aligned.”
“What interests?”
“The President dislikes super S-ranks he can't rein in and uncontrollable outliers. Most of his reforms clash with major guilds and high-rank hunters' interests. An S-rank on the same side could rally a new force around them.”
“Even an S-rank alone isn't enough, right?”
“As you say, Guild Master, an S-rank is just the core. But you saw the hunter special forces who came to rescue Director Hamilton. The US government is already moving to create official hunter units.”
“Is that a problem?”
Go Eul-ji, struggling to follow, raised her hand like it was hard to grasp.
“Hunters can't join militaries per UN accords—to prevent them from meddling in human wars against monsters.”
“But tons of countries already use hunters as soldiers.”
“Mostly in anarchic Africa, South America, or religiously tied chaotic Middle East spots. But as the top hunter nation, America must uphold order as police too—they can't openly militarize hunters.”
“Creating a hunter special forces means...”
“The President's will at work. Hamilton confirmed it—highly credible.”
“Japan's gain is kicking me out of Korea, then.”
“Yes. Extension of their past schemes.”
“Okay, we get why America and Japan would team up. But linking to the President? That's national-scale now.”
“His party has long taken Japanese lobby funds like pocket change. Japan's government is tied to gate industries, mostly under Japan Guild Training Association influence. And that's the Japanese clan heads' puppet—so not surprising.”
“Those bastards would do worse.”
Jang Deok-gu muttered with venom. Agreeing, Joo Se-ah added,
“Japan's a problem, but we gotta watch domestic major guilds and politicians cozying up. Hard to believe, but that Park Chung-su from Guild Cooperation Office—didn't expect their reach there.”
“Domestic's unlikely. At most, pawns like Kim Myeong-jun.”
“How are you sure?”
“Even if they see you as a threat, selling out an S-rank to foreigners isn't just treason—it's suicide. Korea's hunter prestige is rising with our first S-rank in ages. Despite some factions' gripes with you, your existence revitalizes the scene.”
“Revitalizes?”
“Once the dam breaks, stagnant waters flow too.”
Korea's hunter world was advancing to the next generation.
Guild A+ hunters trained and hunted following S-rank Joo Se-ah.
Lower high-ranks felt it too; newbies dreamed of becoming the next her.
The industry was growing overall.
“Fine. Japan for now. What's our response?”
“Secure Park Chung-su first. Get his confession.”
“I'll contact Director Cha Gil-ju to grab him.”
“Can't do that.”
Kang Moo-hyuk opposed Joo Se-ah's solution.
“Why?”
“Guild Cooperation Office is civilian-heavy. Approaching him risks tipping them off. He's likely watched.”
“Mr. Jo, then?”
Go Eul-ji suggested abruptly. Kang shook his head.
“Mr. Jo's top-tier ability-wise, but too expensive. Waste for one civilian probe.”
“Hunter Investigation Agency?”
Jang Deok-gu this time.
“They're slow outside villain crimes. You know from experience, Hunter Jang.”
“True. They ignored Japan till you got involved, Guild Master.”
“Kim Myeong-jun stepping up would've been easier to leverage. Headache.”
No Song-rin chimed in but fell silent, no sharp idea.
“So, Director Kang, you have a plan? You're dragging it out 'cause you do.”
Joo Se-ah asked expectantly. His bag of tricks always opened for tough spots.
“No need to overthink. Who in Korea knows Japan best? Hates 'em most too.”
“Slayer?!”
“Let's borrow the guild master's in-laws' hand this time.”
Kang Moo-hyuk flashed his signature sly grin. Everyone pitied Slayer somehow.
* * *
“I figured the US trip wasn't a vacation, but...”
Finishing the call with Kang Moo-hyuk, Seong Seon-je glared at the distant man without hanging up.
“What the hell are you stirring up?”
6th-gen carnivorous wasp raid wasn't enough—now a conspiracy involving America's hegemon president.
When he heard plans to eliminate China's S-rank Sim Wol, he'd thought nothing worse; now he felt foolish.
“Still charging ahead without regard. Even if you joined Slayer, I couldn't handle you.”
He acknowledged Kang's skill, but his extremism outdid even Joo Se-ah's.
Seong Seon-je mulled the proposal.
Japan's moving again. Off our radar. No Japanese hunters entered via airport or port. Means civilians or pre-infiltrated assets.
Japan's moves threatened Slayer too. He monitored constantly, proposal or not.
“Chance to cut off tails we missed?”
Decision made, he called the perfect man for it.
Knock knock.
“Come in.”
“You called, Team Leader?”
“Out on field work, yet quick—Director Lee?”
Lee Kang-san, Slayer Guild intel team Japan domestic section chief.
He'd first sniffed out the Iga clan assassins from Guild Training Association.
“Sit.”
As Lee sat, Seong Seon-je explained—omitting US details, focusing on Guild Cooperation Office's Park Chung-su suspicions.
“Dig into Park Chung-su. Connections will surface. Stay invisible. Cut tails before they hide—harder to catch later.”
“If they cut and run?”
“Keep 'em alive. Key witnesses. Informant wants that too.”
“Got it. Forming TF team now.”