Just Sleep Comfortably.
Kang Moo-hyuk, who had only recently returned to the Iron Will Guild headquarters in North Pocheon, raised a questioning eyebrow at the unexpected report.
“Non-returnees?”
After the goblin tribe raid, they had given the hunters rotational vacations for some much-needed rest.
He had anticipated that some of the more lax hunters—especially the younger ones—might indulge a bit too much in nightlife during their long-overdue break and come back late.
There was no reason for Pyo Beom-hee to bring it up with such a grave expression.
“Who hasn't come back?”
“It's not just one or two. Half the ones who went on leave haven't returned.”
Only then did Kang Moo-hyuk grasp the severity. Half? Something was definitely wrong.
“There were twenty-seven on vacation this time, right?”
“Fourteen are missing.”
“What about the emergency contact network?”
“All of them are off the grid. Smells fishy, doesn't it? Maybe they got hit by someone. The wolf kennel alone is worth that much, like you said.”
“Even if someone's greedy, they wouldn't pull something so flashy right when we're under the spotlight.”
Kang Moo-hyuk shook his head at Pyo Beom-hee's speculation, though he didn't outright dismiss the possibility of an attack.
It might not be violence.
Even before Kang Moo-hyuk joined, Iron Will had a rocky relationship with Slayer Guild thanks to Joo Se-ah. Reviving the leader position had elevated them to a public enemy in the industry.
Anyone could hold a grudge.
But things changed after the rider wolf announcement. The industry view shifted: cooperating with Iron Will was more beneficial than antagonizing them.
No clear motive for sabotage anymore.
“What do we do? Want me to head out and poke around?”
Kang Moo-hyuk stopped Pyo Beom-hee as she started rising from her chair, ready to bolt for Seoul.
“No. Team Leader Pyo, you guard the guild. I've got someone else in mind.”
“Who?”
“Hunter No Song-rin. He's perfect for this.”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Gangnam's infamous club Hexagram.
No Song-rin took a deep drag on the cigarette dangling from his lips, staring at the endless line snaking out into the Friday night heat. His superhuman hunter lungs burned it down to the filter in one go. Ash crumbled to the ground as he spat the butt.
It landed square on the toe of a guard at the entrance. Sparks danced across the polished leather.
The guard furrowed his brow but held his tongue. Occupational hazard.
Never act rashly until you ID the target.
In the hunter era, especially if you brushed shoulders with the shadier side, caution was survival.
The guard wasn't a criminal, but the job drew endless trouble. One slip against a hunter, and you'd be crippled—or worse. Not some distant fairy tale.
No Song-rin ignored the line and strode to the door.
“Sir, if you want in, please join the queue.”
“Tae-woo Kim's here, right? VIP.”
“We can't disclose customer information...”
“Who asked you to? Just say if he's here or not.”
“That's not my call.”
“Fine, I'll check myself.”
As No Song-rin pushed forward, the guard blocked him.
“If you wanna go in, get in line...”
“What'd you say?”
The guard staggered. It was just a light shoulder tap, but it felt like a burly brute had shoved him with all his might.
Hunter, alright.
Before the fallen guard could react, others rushed in, unaware, to bar No Song-rin's path.
“I'm just looking for Tae-woo. Kim Tae-woo from Iron Will. Heard he's a regular here.”
Only after “guild” dropped did they clock him as a hunter.
Their eyes flicked behind them. A man emerged from the shadows in the corner—the entrance manager.
His title screamed made-up, but if he was a hunter, it carried weight. He had pull.
No Song-rin sized him up and snorted.
“C-rank at best. A C-rank wasting time on people instead of monsters? In a bar, no less?”
“...”
“You ran from a gate, didn't you?”
The mocking tone hit hard.
The man flinched. Nailing his rank on sight meant the stranger outranked him.
He'd seen plenty of high-ranks at Gangnam's hottest club, nothing surprising. But this guy was digging at his sore spot—rage boiled up.
Gate deserter.
A loser too scared to hunt.
Facts hurt to admit.
“Watch your mouth. Rank ain't a badge of honor. I don't know how hotshot you are, but you're not my boss—gah!”
No Song-rin's hand whipped out, grazing the man's right ear. The sharp flick tore the lobe. Blood beaded with a sting.
His wrist hooked like a claw, yanking the man's hair back. No Song-rin pulled his head forward while stomping his ankle.
The man's body twisted mid-air and flew. No recovery roll. The slick leg sweep sent him tumbling pathetically across the floor.
No physical damage, but the mental blow landed heavy.
Onlookers, dismissing it as Friday scuffle, startled at the sudden violence. A big guy ragdolled like that? Rare sight.
Club regulars knew the manager was an ex-hunter—shock doubled.
Some pulled phones to film, but No Song-rin's backward glare, laced with killing intent, froze their thumbs.
Humiliation dazed the man as he lifted his head. No Song-rin loomed.
He flinched.
Cold. No—indifferent eyes. Like he didn't exist. His spirit crumbled; he looked away.
“For hunters, rank is the badge. That's why trash like you ends up here.”
Gulp.
The area fell silent from the abrupt violence. Only the man's dry swallow echoed. No Song-rin turned to a nearby guard.
“Gonna make me wait longer?”
“Y-yes?”
“Kim Tae-woo. Iron Will. Probably in a room. Take me.”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
“Drink up! My treat tonight! Hahaha!”
Kim Tae-woo, eyes glassy, chugged booze. Half down his throat, half spilling. Even low-rank hunters didn't get drunk easy, but tonight he was soaked.
His acquaintances sprawled along the U-shaped table, raising glasses in toast. Half-baked, dazed faces cheering him on.
“You really transferring to Titan Guild?”
“Some penalty fee, sure, but my contract rank's low, so it's peanuts. Titan's covering it anyway.”
“Ah, gotcha!”
A familiar-yet-strange voice made Kim Tae-woo turn.
The room door had opened unnoticed. The face peering in drained his color white.
“No... No Song-rin...”
“Am I your buddy? Wanna die?”
Gulp! “N-no, sir!”
Kim Tae-woo's slack eyes snapped sharp.
How'd this guy get here?
No Song-rin unnerved even guildmates. Not just his Ujungdo past. That aura, raw menace—no one approached easy. Even Kim Tae-woo from another faction tensed.
Once leashed by Kang Moo-hyuk, he became guild enforcer. Perfect for the role everyone feared.
Before, avoidance worked. Now policing behavior? Nightmare.
No wonder Kim Tae-woo's buzz vanished.
Yet his eyes slackened again.
Spotting the dazed reaction, No Song-rin scanned the table.
Red powder scattered everywhere caught his eye.
He brushed some onto his fingertip like dust, sniffed. Sharp sting hit his nose, followed by sickly sweet.
“Dream moth powder. Not illegal, but a hunter? Self-control much? What A-rank guild wants junkies?”
Dream moth powder mimicked monster skills as hallucinogen.
Unlike drugs, minimal harm beyond numbness—for civilians.
Hunters dulled senses long-term. Fatal in razor-edge fights with monsters. Worse than booze.
No decent guild allowed it.
No Song-rin smirked, stepping into the U-bench. Kim Tae-woo flinched back, sofa arm trapping him.
“Tae-woo, off to Titan? Congrats.”
“C-congrats?”
“Yeah. A-rank. Could tier up anytime. Worth celebrating.”
He'd braced for hell leaving intact. Congrats? From No Song-rin?
“But wonder if they'll take a dream moth junkie.”
Hope crushed.
Kim Tae-woo sweated bullets, pleading.
“Th-that's... Leader No. You won't tell Titan, right? Please...”
“We ate guild rice together. Snitching feels cold. But silence for free? Nah. Instead, just sleep easy.”
“Wh-what do you mean?”
“Why no return? Titan? Spill details.”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
“Titan? Got it. Good work.”
“Titan out of nowhere?”
Joo Se-ah prodded as soon as Kang Moo-hyuk hung up with No Song-rin.
“The non-returnees got transfer offers from Titan.”
“All of them?”
“The ones who didn't come back, yeah.”
“Holy shit. Ballsy. Titan or not, poaching without formal request to the guild? And these idiots jumping ship? Desertion and penalties? No basics at all!”
Joo Se-ah gnashed her teeth. Crunch—like molars cracking—echoed in the office.
Not mad at transfers. Poaching happened.
Guilds hiked penalties or clauses sky-high to protect stars.
But even in betrayal central, rules existed. Show respect to the home guild on offers.
Higher prestige guilds prioritized honor over cash. Get ignored, you're done.
Titan and the AWOLs broke taboo.
“Iron Will's spots are way below Titan. No pride, no loyalty. We're reforming, seeing results, but that's our spot still.”
“So we let it slide?”
Her scowl deepened; Kang Moo-hyuk hurried to clarify.
“Guild Master. Don't go Slayer-style on Titan.”
“What, wreck shop?”
“Yeah.”
“Think I cause trouble daily? They don't poke, I don't bite.”
“Who'd poke you... Oh.”
Kang Moo-hyuk nodded, recalling Titan-Slayer gap.
Slayer had hunters/parties to tangle with her. Titan didn't.
Top-ranks could try, but it'd end messy. Win or lose, headaches.
She'd want them to start it, but best: zero contact.
“Favoring your old guild?”
“Not favoritism. Advice, since their game's unclear. Don't get dragged in.”
“Game?”
Kang Moo-hyuk rubbed his chin, organizing thoughts. His calm settled the room. Silence fell; Joo Se-ah sensed gravity, waited.
“From Titan's view, these vacationers are low-tier hunters. Why poach them?”
“Yeah... why? Doesn't add up. Sucks admitting our spot.”
“And why antagonize us now?”
His “now” meant rider wolf buzz.
Tier hopefuls and A-ranks clamored for wolves. Picking on Iron Will made no sense.
Kang Moo-hyuk wasn't Titan, but no grudge. Old ties gave head start for alliance.
“Figure that first. Then see their line, counter right.”
“Got sources? Titan buddies?”
“Internal intel? Obvious sans top brass. Guild first, even if close. Won't spill easy; big moves like this? Tough.”
“So how?”
“Got a spot for this. Owed a job recently—time to meet.”