“Are you saying you will simply give me money? Enough money to live in leisure for the rest of my life? Without needing to work at all?”
Park Hyungjin nodded.
“That is correct.”
“Why are you willing to go that far?”
Choi Kanghyuk asked even though he already knew.
‘If I disappear, Dark Knights will continue to dominate.’
The balance would remain.
Eight S-rank hunters. Only one S-rank tank.
However, Park Hyungjin did not answer truthfully.
Instead, he gave a vague answer.
“It is because of our relationship with HK Guild. If an excellent person like Hunter Choi Kanghyuk were to join a competing company, it would naturally be a loss for us, would it not? Hahahaha.”
That laugh was extremely familiar.
‘Are these the kind of guild bastards Member Kim Jicheol was talking about?’
The hypocrites of the righteous faction who pretended to be good on the surface while engaging in underhanded schemes behind the scenes.
Their behavior naturally came to mind.
One might ask why urging someone to retire while offering a huge sum of money was hypocrisy, but that was the nature of the hunter profession.
For the moment, everyone was focused on money, but ultimately, hunters fought monsters inside gates.
And if hunters failed to clear them, the monsters would cross through the gates.
In particular, other gates aside, A-rank gates and S-rank gates were truly dangerous.
‘That Sandworm was only a gatekeeper in an A-rank gate. I think they said it was almost an ordinary monster in an S-rank gate.’
What if dozens of monsters like that poured into the middle of Seoul all at once?
There could be no greater disaster.
For the safety of civilians, the more high-ranking hunters there were, the better.
And yet, they were urging someone who might become an S-rank hunter to retire.
It meant their own interests came first. They did not care what happened to civilians.
Choi Kanghyuk was not a perfect saint without a speck of dust upon him.
Nor did he possess such a fierce sense of justice that he would burn away this body and die for righteousness.
Despite having come from Shaolin.
Conversely, because he had come from Shaolin, he possessed at least a minimum sense of justice.
He had no intention of living while causing harm to innocent people.
At the very least, within the reach of his hands, he intended not to create innocent victims.
Rather than ideal justice, perhaps it could be called justice that had compromised with reality to a reasonable degree.
Even by the standards of such a lax sense of justice, Dark Knights’ methods were quite displeasing.
“Hmm.”
Choi Kanghyuk, who seemed to ponder for a moment, opened his mouth.
“I am sorry. In truth, I have already finished speaking with Representative Joo Hyungyeong, so I do not think I can accept Dark Knights’ offer.”
It was truly regrettable.
‘This is why hypocrites are a problem. If they were openly bad bastards, I could simply beat them up, but with bastards like these, I have to wait until they make the first move.’
If they had been a villain group operating openly, he would have cracked their skulls whenever he saw them.
Like that villain who had come to the gym last time.
***
The next morning.
The top floor of the Dark Knights Guild headquarters located in Gangnam.
Inside a room with a nameplate reading [CEO].
Director Park Hyungjin, who had visited the gym the previous night, bowed deeply and spoke.
“I am sorry, Representative.”
Regardless of whether Director Park Hyungjin was bowing or not, the representative was looking at the monitor on the table with indifferent eyes.
Two different windows were open on the dual monitors.
One was a fresh news article that had just been posted that morning.
[Rising Star. A-rank Hunter Choi Kanghyuk Makes Sudden Move to HK Guild.]
And on the other screen, a post from some private online community was open.
- I guarantee it, Barbarian is definitely reaching S-rank within this year.
Posts praising the abilities of Choi Kanghyuk, who was called Barbarian.
After looking through them for a moment, the representative let out a snort of laughter, then belatedly looked at Director Park Hyungjin.
“It is fine. How could that possibly be your fault, Director? It must be the fault of an idiot who cannot take an opportunity even when it is handed to him.”
At that moment. An irritated voice came from the sofa beside the representative’s office.
“Is this really something you can just laugh off and let slide? What the hell are you planning to do from now on?”
He casually spoke informally to a representative who looked at least ten years older than him and was even the head of the guild.
However, the representative showed no sign of displeasure.
Instead, he turned his head with a faint smile.
The man sitting on the sofa.
It was because of that man that Dark Knights had been able to rise to its current position.
The Republic of Korea’s only S-rank tank. Kang Taeseok.
The media had established him as possessing a chic image, but in reality, that was not the case.
“Are you saying we should just sit back and watch those HK bastards have their way?”
The hysteria was plainly evident in his tone.
However, the representative did not pay it much mind.
Kang Taeseok was the jewel he had discovered and his finest wild horse.
And it had already been several years since he began working with Kang Taeseok.
The representative had already mastered the art of taming a wild horse, and he also knew extremely well how to soothe one.
“Well, for now, let us watch slowly. It is not as though going from A-rank to S-rank is easy. Those HK bastards might simply have wasted their money like fools.”
“And what if that bastard really does rise all the way to S-rank?”
“Hahahaha. Naturally, such a thing must not happen.”
The representative turned his head and looked at the monitor.
“So, for now, we should watch, should we not? Whether this bastard is someone who will remain at A-rank or someone who will rise all the way to S-rank.”
If he was someone who would remain at A-rank, they could simply leave him alone.
Representative Joo Hyungyeong would merely have wasted her money.
And if he was someone who would rise to S-rank.
“Who knows? He might push himself too hard trying to reach S-rank and suffer an accident. Taeseok, you know better than anyone, do you not? Just how dangerous being a tank is.”
At that, a smile appeared even on Kang Taeseok’s face, which had been filled with irritation.
“Well. Being a tank is dangerous. Dangerous enough that it would not be strange to die in an accident inside a gate at any time.”
***
11 a.m.
After finishing his outside business and returning to the gym, Choi Kanghyuk tilted his head.
“What are you two doing over there?”
In front of the locked gym entrance.
Kim Jicheol and Park Gyuchul were standing there.
It was not for a lesson.
After all, all PT sessions were now being conducted at the Association.
At Choi Kanghyuk’s question, Kim Jicheol made a somewhat complicated expression, then took out his phone.
He brought up an article on the phone screen and held it out.
“Is this true, Director?”
The article showed a photograph of Choi Kanghyuk.
Together with Joo Hyungyeong, representative of HK Guild.
“Wow. That has already been posted as an article?”
Was it said that one should strike while the iron was hot?
Choi Kanghyuk had just returned from the HK Guild headquarters.
To write the contract.
For some reason, Joo Hyungyeong had brought a reporter along and had the scene captured on camera.
As though athletes were taking photographs after transferring to a new team.
“Yes. We talked it over, and the conditions were good, so I decided to accept for now.”
At Choi Kanghyuk’s calm answer, Kim Jicheol and Park Gyuchul’s expressions darkened.
Then Kim Jicheol scratched his head and spoke.
“Well, it is not as though we can tell you what to do about your own affairs, Director. Still, it is regrettable. Since we will no longer be able to enter gates together.”
Realizing what they were worried about, Choi Kanghyuk let out a small laugh.
“Did I not tell you? I accepted because the contract conditions were extremely good. I did become a member of HK Guild, but there was no condition saying I had to enter gates with their hunters.”
“What? HK did not impose a condition like that?”
“Yes. Aside from that, they also said they would not interfere at all with Association work or my personal affairs.”
“Major guilds are completely business-minded places, and they accepted all of those conditions?”
They looked as though they found it extremely difficult to believe.
However, he could not tell them everything about the relationship between Dark Knights and HK or the circumstances of the S-rank hunters.
So Choi Kanghyuk gave them only a brief explanation.
“They said they were investing in me. If I become an S-rank hunter, they want me to clear S-rank gates together with them whenever one opens.”
“Aaaah. Well, considering the speed at which you are growing, Director Choi, that would certainly be tempting.”
“Exactly. S-rank gates only open occasionally, but once they are cleared, the by-products are enormous, are they not?”
Only then did Park Gyuchul and Kim Jicheol both appear convinced.
Immediately afterward, Kim Jicheol suddenly bowed deeply.
“I am sorry, Director. We tried to interfere unnecessarily in your private affairs.”
Then Kim Jicheol raised his head and added with an awkward expression.
“Ahem. I suppose I became greedy without realizing it. I had that thought after we defeated the Sandworm this time. That if I continued working with you, Director, I could grow stronger as well.”
Perhaps he might even be able to reach S-rank? He had begun to hold such expectations.
However, if Choi Kanghyuk joined HK Guild, this relationship would end.
He would no longer be able to receive PT from Choi Kanghyuk.
That was what Kim Jicheol had thought.
At that moment, Park Gyuchul, who had been quietly listening beside them, cautiously joined the conversation.
“Um, Director.”
“Yes. Member.”
“Could I also become stronger if I received additional PT like Brother Jicheol?”
After watching Kim Jicheol’s growth, Park Gyuchul had become somewhat ambitious as well.
“Of course it is possible, Member! You can become stronger as well as long as you build muscle!”
Today as well, Choi Kanghyuk brought out his theory of muscular omnipotence.
“Your weapon is a bow, Member Park Gyuchul, is it not? Furthermore, you can accurately shoot vital points!”
“Th-that is right?”
“What do you think would happen if muscle were added to that? Instead of merely using an arrow to show where the vital point is, you would become able to pierce straight through the vital point in a single shot!”
Choi Kanghyuk’s eyes shone.
“First, since we need to increase the power of the bow, naturally the arms are the key, including the biceps, triceps, and forearm muscles. Naturally, the shoulders and chest are also important. Ah! But if you build up only the upper body too much, your balance will collapse.......”
Like a mad scientist pondering how to remodel Park Gyuchul’s body.
***
A short while later. After Kim Jicheol and Park Gyuchul left with a promise of future PT.
Choi Kanghyuk entered the office gate with light steps.
Near the gate entrance.
Beside the bed, the hatchling dragon was yawning until its mouth stretched wide.
“Yongbaek!!”
At Choi Kanghyuk’s call, Yongbaek rose to its feet and immediately charged toward him.
“Heave-ho!”
As he lifted Yongbaek, which had run over to him, Choi Kanghyuk thought.
‘As expected, it was weak because it was hungry.’
After consistently feeding it protein for about two days, its condition had clearly improved.
At that moment. Yongbaek, held in Choi Kanghyuk’s arms, pressed its mouth against his forearm.
It was a habit from when it was young.
It bit its mother dragon’s body.
It could be considered teething, or it could be considered a kind of affection.
However, even a hatchling dragon was still a dragon.
An astonishing bite force capable of shattering stone.
Teeth sharp enough to pierce steel.
At that intense display of affection, Choi Kanghyuk showed an interested expression.
“Oh. That feels refreshing?”
A good idea came to mind.
As his mastery of the Jade Vajra Art had increased, ordinary weapons could no longer provide him with even the slightest stimulation.
That was why he had always been forced to use his own hands to massage his own body.
However, it seemed he would no longer need to do that.
‘I can leave it to Yongbaek, can I not?’
Then he realized one extremely important problem.
‘Wait, if I simply leave this alone, it might bite other people as a form of affection when it meets them later, might it not?’
Education was extremely important when raising a companion animal.
If one indulged it simply because it looked cute in one’s own eyes, accidents were bound to happen.
Were there not occasional incidents where dogs without muzzles or leashes bit people on the street?
Furthermore, Yongbaek was a dragon. It could lead to a massive accident that could not even be compared to a dog-bite incident.
‘Hmm. But if I stop it from biting entirely, I will not be able to train the Jade Vajra Art?’
Then a reasonably useful method occurred to him.
Right. Animals depended on how they were trained!
“Yongbaek!”
Ppyaaa?
“Never! You must never bite anyone else. Understood?”
At that, Yongbaek, which had been biting Choi Kanghyuk’s body, quietly released its mouth.
It looked somewhat dejected.
Choi Kanghyuk stroked Yongbaek’s head and spoke.
“Instead, you may bite during playtime. No one else, only me.”
Ppyaaaa?
“And from now on, it is playtime. Understood?”
Choi Kanghyuk held out his left forearm toward Yongbaek, which wore a puzzled expression.
“Here! Bite!”
Choi Kanghyuk was treating his own body like some kind of dog chew or frisbee.