Ch. 32 - It's Been Only Three Years

Forty Hunters sat at ten round tables.Surveying the larger-than-expected crowd, Kang Mu-hyuk spoke.

"I feel we haven't had enough opportunities to interact with each other. Today, while enjoying our lunch, please feel free to share anything you want to say, any questions you might've had, anything you'd like me to know, and I promise to respond sincerely."

As soon as he finished speaking, Kang Mu-hyuk took a bite of sweet and sour pork.

Despite the inviting food spread lavishly throughout the reserved high-end Chinese restaurant, none of the Hunters made a move to eat, simply looking around uneasily.

"The jjamppong [A type of spicy noodle dish] here is killer. Let's eat and talk."

With Choi Mi-ran slurping up jjamppong with her chopsticks in the heavy atmosphere, a few other Hunters began to touch their food as well.

In no time, Choi Mi-ran had consumed half a bowl of jjamppong, and raised her hand.

"Guild Leader, do we need to raise our hands to speak?"

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"Why are we going to Pocheon?"

At her question, the eating once again came to a halt.

The most burning question.

While the sudden reason for the guild's relocation was puzzling, the choice of Pocheon as a destination was equally mystifying.

"The main reason is the growth of our guild. We thought it wouldn't be easy for the Taesung Guild to compete in Seoul, which is crowded with large, medium, and small guilds."

"If we relocate and the Hunters quit, the guild's size will shrink even more."

A young Hunter tucked in a corner entered the conversation as if he had been waiting for his chance.

Kang Mu-hyuk turned to look at the young Hunter straight in the eyes. Under his impassive gaze, the younger Hunter averted his eyes slightly.

"Is the guild moving a bit too far into the countryside?"

Kang Mu-hyuk threw in a light joke, but nobody laughed. It wasn't really a joke made to induce laughter. When Kang Mu-hyuk, who usually maintained a straight face, made a joke, there were few people who would play along, regardless of their relationship with him.

He didn't seem to mind and continued talking.

"I am well aware that being part of a Seoul-based guild is a significant condition for young Hunters. It was one of the reasons why the Titan Guild could grow when I was the Strategy and Tactics Team Leader. But the Titan Guild wasn't originally based in Seoul. It was rather a guild based in Chungcheong, outside the metropolitan area. Then how could Titan enter Seoul? Why did Seoul, which poses high barriers to entry for provincial guilds, make room for a guild from Chungcheong, not even in the metropolitan area? That has a lot to do with the growth of young Hunters like you."

"Do you mean ranking up?"

Kim Seong-hyun, who had taken the initiative to contact his colleagues and prepare the gathering, asked eagerly.

"I mean all stats in tactical evaluation, including ranking up. More precisely, it should be called 'step up.'"

"'Step up?'"

Kang Mu-hyuk started to explain.

"Young Hunters, after awakening, acquire the basics through a year-long regular course organized by the nation and the association. After that, they are trained through individual activities or guild activities. However, for freelancers, all they can do is learn through real-life experiences, and many guilds do not have a system to pass on solid know-how. Perhaps if a guild has a lot of practical experience, this gap can be filled to some extent, but Taesung Guild is one that's lacking quite a lot of practical experience."

"So much so that we practically have none."

Someone grumbled, and the Hunters around him nodded in agreement.

There weren't just a few gates secured, but even expeditions to blocked areas were non-existent. It was also common to give up even good spots during the winter northern defense because they couldn't be distributed.

The only hunting experience they had was when monsters occasionally appeared in the Gangwon Province area or when they went hunting individually.

Standing from his seat, Kang Mu-hyuk spoke to the Hunters.

"While operating in the provinces, Titan standardized individual combat, party tactics, and raid operations, and trained young Hunters to internalize these standards. The Hunters who grew during that time are now the main forces of the current Titan. Now, I want to present a vision of growth to all of you. North Pocheon is the toughest area outside the metropolitan area. Gates don't spawn, but monsters respawn steadily. Gate resources can be found from time to time, and you can also obtain medicinal herbs that help Hunters grow. And the most important point is--"

Just as Kang Mu-hyuk was about to speak, the door of the Chinese restaurant opened.

"Ah? Am I a little late?"

The person who uttered this question was Ju Se-ah.

Following behind her was Jang Deuk-goo.

"We were just about to start eating, Guild Master. What would you like to eat?"

"I'll have Jjamppong."

"I'll have fried rice."

The Hunters were tense at the sight of the former guild number one and number two casually ordering their food and sitting down.

Kang Mu-hyuk, not at all looking like someone who had been interrupted during an important conversation, leisurely ordered their food from the waiter, and continued speaking.

"The main point of the guild relocation is that Guild Master Ju Se-ah here will personally train young Hunters."

"!!"

All the Hunters became rigid.

They collectively gasped in silence.

Kang Mu-hyuk's plan elicited a greater response than he could have imagined.

An opportunity for rank-up that young Hunters were most desperate for.

Receiving training doesn't necessarily mean that your rank would increase, but being educated by a high-ranking Hunter meant that the probability of it happening increased.

Moreover, it was Ju Se-ah, who was contending for the position of the strongest in active service!

There had been no proper training sessions in the guild due to internal factional fights until now.

But now, a top-tier instructor suddenly appeared. Where else could they find a more perfect instructor than this?

Kang Mu-hyuk was sure.

'This is a special benefit. They can't not take it.'

There was a noticeable difference in sensation between each rank. There was a significant difference in destructiveness and efficiency in hunting as well.

There were numerous Hunters who stayed in C rank or B rank until retirement. If they wanted to get even close to A rank, they had to grow intensively from a young age.

In that respect, Kang Mu-hyuk's plan had hit the nail on the head in capturing the hearts of the young Hunters.

"If you want to learn, follow me. I'll make sure you level up. Both your rank and combat skills."

As Ju Se-ah drummed the table with her wooden chopsticks and spoke, a quiet cheer resonated throughout the restaurant.

Kang Mu-hyuk quietly added, "Moreover, the practical experience in North Pocheon will have a booster effect in enhancing the guild members' skills."

The gathering that was called for a discussion had subtly turned into a persuasion session, but the Hunters weren't even aware of it.

The plan of Ju Se-ah becoming an instructor was that shocking.

Kang Mu-hyuk, seeing the Hunters visibly shaken, added another nail to the coffin.

"And remember, the obligation to stay in the local area is only for three years."

▶Please decide the new 'Guild Name' and 'Slogan' for Taesung Guild.◀

"We aspire to become a guild that protects our citizens. Please decide on a guild name that symbolizes a new sense and innovation."

"Wow, the prize money is quite substantial? And it's not hard to participate? Should I try?"

"What name did you come up with?"

"Hehe, where are you trying to plagiarize from? Move over, move over."

Those who saw the ad took great interest in the guild naming competition.

Before announcing the competition, the Taesung Guild's publicity team worked to stimulate responses.

On top of that, Ju Se-ah herself agreed to a TV interview.

Her media exposure had been low compared to her high recognition, but agreeing to an in-studio interview on the 9 o'clock news led to an explosion in ratings.

<Host: "I heard that the guild relocation to North Pocheon and the declaration of the local area reflect the opinions of the newly appointed Guild Leader, Kang Mu-hyuk. As the Guild Leader is a civilian, there might be differences in opinion with Guild Master Ju Se-ah who's a Hunter. How do you find working together?">

<Ju Se-ah: "I really like it. I can hand off all the work and take a break." (Panel laughs) "Just kidding. First off, I don't think it makes sense to differentiate between Hunters and civilians in guild work. Guild Leader Kang is a former Strategy and Tactics Team Leader of the Titan Guild. He was the industry's first and only non-Hunter Strategy and Tactics Team Leader. Titan is a big guild worthy of being called a Tier-ed guild, right? Such a significant guild acknowledged Guild Leader Kang. In a way, I have more to learn. I'm a beginner Guild Master, after all. If it were a game, it'd be like 'Bronze?' Haha, I'm good at hunting monsters, but not so good at games. Is the analogy a bit off?">

Kang Mu-hyuk, who was watching TV, alternately looked at Ju Se-ah's interview and his computer monitor and nodded approvingly.

'Good. She did as instructed. Her acting tone is a bit off, but it's endearing because it's appropriately clumsy. Her appearance is definitely appealing. The gap between the image of the strongest Hunter and a normal woman in her mid-twenties brings synergy.'

What he was looking at was the live comments on the news and the posts on the Hunter-related community board.

The community was abuzz with Ju Se-ah's interview.

-So she's the strongest Hunter who's also a beginner Guild Master.

-They say her beauty is outshining celebrities. Is she really a Hunter?

└If she's outshining, someone will die.

└Here's the link to the video of her smashing an ogre's head with her bare hands. (link)

└Don't you know about the 17 vs 1 legend?

└She knocked out all the villains!!

-Too pretty for a Hunter. Long live Ju Se-ah.

-I'm a 'Grand Master' for our clueless Guild Master Ju. Give me a call, I may not be able to get you to Diamond, but I can at least get you to Platinum.

└Breaking news. Hunter Ju Se-ah is known as a 'Bronzie.'

└Grand Master? More like Grandma.

└Crossed the line with that joke?

└There's always these people in every game, guys who take it too seriously. Why do they have to fight over every comment?

-What are you doing, Riot Games? Hurry up and make a champion modeled after her!

└Balance breaking imminent.

└Tanker boom incoming.

└Is there any way this game won't get ruined? She'd dominate in Mid or Jungle.

-Our Guild Master Ju, even her jokes are cute.

-But who is this Kang Mu-hyuk guy? A non-Hunter who was a Strategy and Tactics Team Leader and now Guild Leader? Is that impressive?

└If a non-Hunter made it to the Strategy and Tactics Team Leader in Titan, that's saying something.

Kang Mu-hyuk's strategy was a resounding success. Using Ju Se-ah as bait, he significantly raised the guild's profile.

After watching her own interview, Ju Se-ah kicked her blanket in embarrassment.

But media play wasn't the end of Kang Mu-hyuk's job. That was just a small part. The really important part was personnel management.

"We've filled most of the immediately necessary Hunter positions..."

When he first came to the Taesung Guild, Kang Mu-hyuk had intended to sift through the various faction Hunters, but after realizing there were myriad problems that needed immediate solutions, like the goblin tribe lurking in the old location, he changed his plan.

He decided to keep the current force as it was, establish their position, and then slowly replace members or dissolve the factions to bring them under Ju Se-ah's command.

'I've got the Taesung Group faction on board by using the Guild Master's demotion as bait and the Strategy and Tactics Team Leader is cooperating. I've got the Assault Team faction on board by threatening Noh Song-rin. Now all that's left is Do Gyeong-hoon. The time should be ripe for the rumors about convincing the Hunters from the expedition team faction to reach him... When will he come?'

Do Gyeong-hoon gritted his teeth.

"Kang. Mu. Hyuk."

He'd let his guard down. No, he'd underestimated him.

Titan Guild's Strategy and Tactics Team Leader?

The petty squabbles between that guild's Guild Master and Vice Guild Master was common knowledge among insiders.

He had thought that Kang Mu-hyuk was just a lucky guy who managed to secure the team leader position amidst the political strife.

'Politics is not to be taken lightly. The fact that our guys were swayed... This guy is not ordinary.'

Getting Choi Mi-ran to gather the young Hunters was a masterstroke.

Using her, who lacked not only skill but also awareness of such organizational dynamics, was ingenious.

If Choi Mi-ran had been a bit more cunning, she wouldn't have gathered the Hunters at the Guild Leader's suggestion. Or at the very least, she would've reported to him first.

He was annoyed at her stupidity, but he couldn't just rashly dismiss Choi Mi-ran.

Apart from her loyalty, she played a subtle role in setting the atmosphere within the faction.

A case of compensating for a lack of skill with sociability. That was probably another survival instinct.

'In any case, it's like I got hit in the back of the head from an unexpected place. Noh Song-rin declaring his support was one thing, but the Strategy and Tactics Team Leader's easy compliance was suspicious. Even if this wasn't a warning from Jang Deuk-goo, he'd be a tough opponent to deal with words, right?'

Even though he had been cornered and had lost the initiative, Do Gyeong-hoon did not rashly seek to meet with Kang Mu-hyuk.

He believed it would be a certain defeat to face an opponent whose weapons were unknown.

This had been his secret to survival so far as a Hunter in a medium-small guild.

"I guess I can't do this alone. Is it time to meet those guys?"

Do Gyeong-hoon thought of the guild's outsiders he had been reluctant to meet.

Their numbers weren't large, but they maintained a balance as a fourth force.

'Even Guild Leader Kang would probably get a headache trying to deal with those eccentric guys.'

In the meantime, he just needed to secure his own subordinates.

"You thought I'd be easily pushed away? Ha! Let's see who wins this."