So, Who Is It?
Kim Myeong-jun kicked the desk. The desk flew into the air, blocking Joo Se-ah's view as it hurtled toward her.
Joo Se-ah didn't flinch and threw her fist straight ahead. From the opposite side, a kick shattered the desk and came flying in.
The clash of fist and foot produced an unbelievable noise that grated on the ears. Kang Moo-hyuk frowned and took a few steps back.
In the meantime, Kim Myeong-jun retreated while yanking off his belt. The leather looked anything but ordinary at first glance. It gleamed faintly green under the fluorescent lights.
Kang Moo-hyuk recognized the material and shouted a warning.
"Ironclad crocodile scales!"
"I know!"
Joo Se-ah yelled back as she pulled on her gloves. Kim Myeong-jun whipped the belt like a lash. The limp leather stiffened rigidly, undulating like a chain sword.
The green glow around the blade vanished, replaced by a red-hot blaze like heated iron.
He swung it in an X across the air, sending sparks flying to floor and ceiling. The path of the blade melted away. The chain sword, radiating furnace-like heat, targeted Joo Se-ah.
Kang Moo-hyuk realized it was a skill converting mana to thermal energy. Fire-related skills were threatening against monsters or hunters alike.
Joo Se-ah grasped the skill's principle and responded by erecting a wall of mana around herself. With her elemental resistance trait, that was enough.
"Even the great Joo Se-ah finds this a bit dangerous, huh?"
"My clothes are burning. This is my new custom uniform, you know. Do you have any idea how expensive armor coats are?"
"...Are you mocking me right now?"
"Mocking? I'll hold off on that till I see more. But scary? Nah."
Kim Myeong-jun's face twisted at Joo Se-ah's nonchalant response.
Facing the Indomitable Witch in person, whom he'd only known from rumors and data, her pressure was no joke. His foot still throbbed from their first clash.
Kim Myeong-jun hid the lingering ache in his instep. Now he understood why everyone made such a fuss over Joo Se-ah.
"Haha, unbelievable. Facing me with no weapons, just defense gloves? Overconfidence much?"
"Everyone says that till they get punched. Funny how they don't realize it's about them."
As Joo Se-ah approached, flexing her fists, Kim Myeong-jun let out a shout and moved.
"Hyah!"
"Huh?"
Crash!
Kim Myeong-jun, who seemed ready to charge, hurled himself toward the window instead.
Joo Se-ah's face went blank with disbelief.
"Tch! That slimy bastard."
Joo Se-ah kicked aside the shattered, dangling blinds and peered out the window.
It was the third floor, but no height for an A-rank hunter. As Kim Myeong-jun landed, his guards lounging nearby swarmed over.
"Guild master, we should take her down here to wrap it up clean."
"Don't worry. I never let prey escape once I've marked it."
Joo Se-ah leaped after Kim Myeong-jun.
Without looking back, Kim Myeong-jun ordered his guards.
"Block that bitch. Buy as much time as you can."
The guards recognized Joo Se-ah instantly but obeyed without fear.
Kim Myeong-jun headed to a nearby parked car and popped the trunk. Not a full gate kit, but he pulled out his favored weapon and a rust-red armor coat.
"You're not seriously thinking numbers alone will do it, right?"
Joo Se-ah muttered in exasperation as she plunged into the attacking hunters.
She recalled Kang Moo-hyuk's warning while throwing punches.
'Go easy—no killing. This isn't a gate. Even scumbags like these, offing them needlessly just means headaches.'
From the broken window, Kang Moo-hyuk watched Joo Se-ah fend off the hunters charging with weapons and pondered.
'Can't eliminate Kim Myeong-jun completely here. Outside a gate, evidence always lingers. We'd reignite hostility with Slayer Guild, who's been playing nice. No matter the reason, they'd hate that I've sniffed out Hanseong Enterprise.'
On the flip side, Kim Myeong-jun couldn't tattle to Slayer about Joo Se-ah's rampage either.
Explaining the fight's cause would expose his other lifeline—ties to Japanese hunters. Slayer would flip and hunt him down.
Kang Moo-hyuk had run the calculations and made his bold play.
As proof, Kim Myeong-jun was activating the barrier around Hanseong Enterprise with his hunters. A pale yellow veil spread from the walls into the air.
Kang Moo-hyuk knew it well: it blocked sound and light from leaking out. Clearly, Kim Myeong-jun didn't want this commotion known.
'Suspected shady Union ties and poked Slayer's offer, but Kim Myeong-jun colluding with Japanese hunters for real? A guy who preaches caution reacts this extreme—guess he knows it's risky.'
Anticipating a massacre, he'd brought Joo Se-ah as backup.
As Kang Moo-hyuk sorted his thoughts, Kim Myeong-jun advanced on Joo Se-ah.
"Jeong Sil-jang!"
A shadow lurking in the darkness lunged at Joo Se-ah on cue.
The surprise attack caught her off guard, but she dodged effortlessly.
"That guy's... involved here too, huh."
Kang Moo-hyuk recognized the figure as Tae Jin-seong's bodyguard chief. No shock—he'd suspected since spotting them at the villa.
Joo Se-ah dusted off her hands, loosening up like the real fight was just starting.
"Two A-ranks? Should've brought more."
Only then did the guards catch their breath and hesitate. Most were already combat-ineffective—thanks to Joo Se-ah's mercy.
Kim Myeong-jun stood beside Jeong Sil-jang, looking defeated.
"Even the ambush fails. What a monster."
"Why not just run? This is a problem for me too. Against Joo Se-ah, of all people."
"I didn't expect her either. That's why I scrapped running. Damn, who lets their guild master get dragged to a dump like this?"
Kim Myeong-jun glared at the third floor resentfully. Kang Moo-hyuk. Who knew he'd be this unconventional? What guild master visits a sleazy spot on a subordinate's word?
Guild master asses weighed a ton. They didn't budge without a fitting seat, sweat be damned.
Sure, small guilds hustled, but no one saw Iron Will—or Joo Se-ah—as some piddling mid-tier leader.
That common bias clouded Kim Myeong-jun's judgment.
'Or did he never drop his guard? Threw full force from the start... Damn, that makes even less sense.'
Slayer-Hanseong-Union security was ironclad—even mighty Slayer was clueless. How the secret leaked was a mystery.
Even as ex-Slayer, Joo Se-ah couldn't know internals without top clearance. She might've overheard gossip, but not beyond ace hunter perks.
'Whatever. Kang Moo-hyuk figured Joo Se-ah was needed to clean this up.'
Thinking of Kang Moo-hyuk sparked a way out in Kim Myeong-jun's mind.
«Hey, you there. Grab the guy poking his head out on the third floor. We'll use him hostage.»
He messaged the rearmost hunter via skill. The hunter nodded and slipped back slyly.
Joo Se-ah noticed but stood still. Kim Myeong-jun prepped a pincer with Jeong Sil-jang to stall if needed, puzzled by her inaction.
Soon he learned why she ignored the hunter heading for Kang Moo-hyuk.
"Gah!"
A scream echoed from the first-floor entrance. A familiar man dragged out the hunter by the nape.
"Kuh! Forgot about Jang Deok-gu."
Kang Moo-hyuk had No Song-rin on standby as a double agent card, but Joo Se-ah, uneasy, brought Jang Deok-gu too. Tight-lipped, skilled, trustworthy—only him.
Kang Moo-hyuk welcomed it, preserving his spy ace.
"Where the needle goes, the thread follows."
All schemes blocked. Kim Myeong-jun and Jeong Sil-jang exchanged glances. Joo Se-ah charged. They rushed to meet her, guards swarming her rear.
Joo Se-ah dodged Kim Myeong-jun's chain sword, grabbed his throat, and kicked Jeong Sil-jang's gut. Rear attackers downed him with his own swing.
Kim Myeong-jun wasn't idle—his blade grazed her arm, but the mana shield vaporized like steam. Tough rebound flung it away. Jeong Sil-jang's dagger missed entirely.
The guards hammered at a boulder, taking damage on rebounds.
Explosions and screams mingled, contained by the barrier.
When the storm cleared, only Joo Se-ah stood unscathed.
Kim Myeong-jun spat blood and collapsed. Jeong Sil-jang wheezed in the corner. Both lived, but internal injuries meant bed rest.
"Unbelievable. Mana backlash from a beating? Cough! Is this why everyone fears Joo Se-ah?"
Kim Myeong-jun muttered dazedly, shock trumping pain. Joo Se-ah looked down.
"Ready to talk now?"
She turned. Situation cleared, Kang Moo-hyuk had descended, Jang Deok-gu guarding him. Even Kim Myeong-jun, eyeing a gap, abandoned it.
"Good work, Captain. Executive Kim Myeong-jun. We had more to discuss. Care to continue?"
Hack, ptui!
Kim Myeong-jun spat bloody phlegm and raised both hands.
"Got it. Can't win by force... I surrender. I'll hear you out."
***
"Notification should've gone out by now."
His smartphone buzzed as he finished.
Kang Moo-hyuk checked the caller.
"Some people just can't help themselves."
"Must be urgent."
Joo Se-ah peered curiously at the screen.
[Ma Tae-soo, Vice Guild Master]
Kang Moo-hyuk paused briefly before answering.
"Kang Moo-hyuk speaking."
-Feeling better now?
"Glad I met expectations. Nice of you to call right away."
-Dunno what magic you pulled, but fine. I admit it—Captain Kang's got skills. Convincing a guy who wanted my head to point it at me instead? Worse than not taking the job.
"Old habit. You know better than anyone, Vice Guild Master."
Rough breaths subsided into a voice.
-Fine. Withdrawing the transfer contract as requested.
"Withdraw? Take them all. We don't need them. Just don't take Do Kyung-hoon."
-Do Kyung-hoon? Ha! An A-rank—discard him that easily? Big hit for Iron Will.
"Cut the rot clean."
-Captain's gotten decisive.
"Tougher, maybe. Learned from you."
-...Deal. Now withdraw Union support for guild master.
"One more thing."
-More demands?
"Delays accrue interest."
-Spit it out.
"Replace penalty fees for our hunters you took with Titan hunters."
-What?!
He could picture Ma Tae-soo's twisted face.
Iron Will vs. Titan hunters? Absurd deal. Same rank, vast quality gap. Evaluations went beyond rank—tactics highlighted talent divides.
Kang Moo-hyuk added before backlash.
"Not one-for-one. Just one person."
-That sounds worse. Not some scrub—you'll pick top talent. Party leader level at least?
"Sharp. Not a leader. From the expedition team."
-Leader or not!
Ma Tae-soo exploded. He'd barely calmed before calling. Now lose an expedition hunter?
After yelling, his clogged chest eased, mind cooling.
He reviewed terms silently, then spoke.
-Too lopsided. I want guild master, but not at guild-weakening cost. Call it off. Opportunity'll come.
"You want something. Like Union backing you again."
-!!
"Balances out."
A gasp.
Ma Tae-soo paused.
-What about guild master? You're tight, right?
"Paid my debts in loyalty and results at Titan. Time to work as Iron Will captain."
-Can you keep that promise?
"Hold shareholders' meeting post-transfer."
Ma Tae-soo conceded one truth: Kang Moo-hyuk kept his word.
Even at Titan, minor losses but promises held. That trust became Titan's foundation—unforeseen then, obvious now.
Accepting wasn't bad—good even. But couldn't give freely. Losing an expedition hunter would tank rep. Need conditions.
-You know transfers need consent for leaders or expedition members.
"If they refuse, I won't force it. I'll get agreement first."
-Fine. If they agree, approved. You'll pay transfer fee? Way more than small-fry penalties.
"To the last won."
-So, who?
"Hunter Lee Jin-joo."