"… What did you just say?"
Lim Taegyu, the guild leader of the Reaper Guild, doubted his ears.
"The guys are missing?"
"Yes, Sir. To be exact, they continue to disappear even now."
"Are you sure they're really missing, not just cooling down somewhere after drinking?"
"Yes, Sir. I think they were kidnapped."
"Does it make sense that hunters are kidnapped?"
It was absurd.
It couldn't be that all of the guild members who had been suddenly out of touch for the past few days had been kidnapped.
But, Secretary Oh's expression was serious.
"At first, I had no idea, but I got a CCTV video from the planning office a while ago. Looking at this…"
"…"
As Lim Taegyu received the USB that Secretary Oh had given him and plugged it into his computer, his expression was already hardening.
The fact that something like a video file could be sent via e-mail or online, but it was delivered via USB means it was something very confidential.
Recently, there was only one issue within the guild.
Vice President Lee Minseong, who became a villain and went into hiding.
'Don't tell me…'
Now, because of that one guy, the image of the Reaper Guild in Korea has completely fallen to the ground.
No matter how much they explain saying that they didn't know, people couldn't believe it easily.
The Hunter Association also continued to pressure them, saying that there must be someone Lee Minseong conspired with in the guild.
"Damn it."
When Secretary Oh played the video, Lim Taegyu's expression hardened.
In the video, one of the Reaper Guild members was standing on the street.
Then suddenly, with a swish, someone snatched his body quickly.
Click.
Secretary Oh pressed the spacebar to pause it, but the face of the one who snatched the guild member was faintly visible.
The picture quality was a bit low, but there was no way Lim Taegyu, who had known Lee Minseong for a long time, could not recognize his face.
In an instant, a lump of mixed emotions welled up in his heart.
"Lee Minseong… this bastard is really…!"
Blag!
He slammed his fist and the desk split in two.
Surprised, Secretary Oh hurriedly stepped back.
He assisted Lim Taegyu for a considerable amount of time, but it was the first time he had seen him like that.
To the extent where Lim Taegyu was genuinely angry.
"Ha, Minseong…"
Lim Taegyu let out a deep sigh as he leaned back on the president's chair.
The fluorescent lights on the ceiling flickered.
"Why did you really become like this…"
As President and Vice President, apart from Guild High School and Hunter High School, Lee Minseong was an old friend of his anyway.
He was a friend Lim Taegyu was proud of.
Minseong was someone who always shone ever since he was young.
At one point, Taegyu was really proud to be his friend.
Before the cataclysm.
Even when Taegyu was asked to be his driver.
The reason why he readily accepted the offer was because he enjoyed hanging out with him in the first place.
-Taegyu, be my driver.
-What? All of a sudden?
-We meet and hang out every day anyway. If you get behind the wheel, we can still play together while working, right?
-Well, that's right. Will you pay for my salary then?
-I'll give you more than what the manager receives. Besides, I always pay for our drinks. Might as well just keep your money and buy a house.
The reason why Lee Minseong made Lim Taegyu a driver rather than a manager was that a manager would not have time to hangout because he'd have a lot of work.
After that, everything became really fun.
He followed Lee Minseong, who was a movie star, touring the filming set, and eventually married an actress he met through Minseong's introduction.
At that time, Lee Minseong and himself were truly close friends.
Since when did it get so twisted?
Really… What happened…
No.
'I actually knew.'
'I've been pretending not to know.'
Lim Taegyu remembered that moment clearly.
After the world suddenly changed in a cataclysm.
After he suddenly awakened as an S-Class hunter.
'The day I bought alcohol for the first time.'
With the first money he earned after becoming a hunter.
The moment an enormous amount of money was deposited into his bank account, the first thing he did was to buy a drink to a friend he was grateful for, for buying him a drink and meal every time.
-Hey, I'll pick up the tab today.
-… What?
-I'm sorry that I've been on the receiving end all the time. From now on, I will buy you meals and drinks, too.
-…
There was an awkward expression on Lee Minseong's face at that time.
He still didn't know what the feeling was.
But it was from that day that Lee Minseong began to change gradually.
When Lee Minseong awakened as an A-Class hunter, one level lower than himself, Minseong then really has become like a different person.
As if all of the friendships that had been built over the years were gone, he suddenly began to express a tremendous sense of inferiority.
'Why would he when he still has a lot of things…'
They said the human heart is something you really wouldn't understand.
Lim Taegyu had never once accepted the fact that he had become an S-Class hunter as luck.
Luck and misfortune are the reverse side of the coin.
It was supposed to be a day full of luck.
He was fortunate enough to be gifted with magic and became an S-Class awakener, but his wife, who was by his side, was enveloped in blue mist and turned into Mist Burn.
And… he attacked his only son.
The day of his awakening.
That supposedly very lucky day.
Lim Taegyu eventually had to kill his beloved wife, or something that was his "wife," with that power.
The very day he lost everything.
At that time, the only friend who remained by the side was…
Lee Minseong.
"Haa, really, how did it come to this…"
Lim Taegyu pressed his thumb through his throbbing head and gritted his teeth.
Next to the smashed desk, on the other side of the monitor, he stared intently at Lee Minseong's face.
His demon-like expression, clearly visible even in his hazy appearance, had no gleam like before.
"So…"
Secretary Oh shuddered at the cold voice that flowed from Lim Taegyu's mouth.
"What do you think is the reason Lee Minseong kidnapped our guild members?"
"That, well… Could it be revenge? After the incident broke out, we lost Vice President Lee Minseong first…"
"No. If revenge was the purpose, it would be enough to just kill them, there was no reason for a kidnap."
In fact, Lee Minseong was raiding hunters who were not members of the Reaper Guild these days, and they were all killed on the spot.
Come to think of it, there was something like insect wings attached to Lee Minseong's back, which was filmed on CCTV.
According to experts' analysis, its wings are most similar to those of bees among insects…
"Bee…"
Lim Taegyu thought about bees.
Bees are insects that live in groups.
"… Could it be that the purpose of the kidnapping is to increase allies? Getting the same punishment as himself?"
"What? I had never heard of such a skill before."
Secretary Oh shakes his head wide-eyed, saying that it was nonsense.
"Who knows. That greedy guy might have bought a runestone with a mysterious skill for a large sum of money."
"…"
Stand.
Lim Taegyu, who organized his thoughts for a moment, suddenly stood up from his seat.
"Tell the planning team. From now on, find a dungeon where bees can live."
"D-Dungeon?"
"That's right. After all, the only place a villain can hide in this small country is a dungeon."
"Yes, I will immediately relay this… Huh? Where are you going all of a sudden?"
"The weapon room."
Secretary Oh was taken aback by Lim Taegyu's actions as he walked out of the office immediately after giving the order.
Tremendous speculation was welling as he headed toward the weapons room.
The S-Class hunter, engulfed in anger, started moving.
* * *
Meanwhile…
Suho was holding the throat of the last remaining lancer.
"Ackk!"
Fear filled the face of the lancer struggling with his leg as he clung to Suho's hand.
"Let me ask one thing."
Suho looked him straight in the eyes and asked.
"Where is your master?"
"Krrrk…!"
The lancer, who struggled in Suho's hand, fiercely exposed his teeth while breathing heavily.
"If you two meet… Even you won't be safe…"
"That's for me to handle. Where is your master?"
"Krrrk! I don't think I can…!"
"If you don't want to say it, then don't."
Slash!
"…!"
Suho mercilessly cut his neck.
[You have killed a contaminated lancer.]
[Your level increased!]
Thud.
Suho opened his mouth to the corpse of the lancer lying on the floor.
"I can just ask your shadow."
He looked at the black smoke that slowly rose from the corpses of the lancers lying around.
[Shadow release is possible on this target.]
[Shadow release is possible on this target.]
[Shadow release is possible on this target.]
…
Suho stretched out his hand toward the shadows of the lancer and released five shadows.
"Arise."
Kiyaaaah-!
At that moment, screams of pain from the lancers resonated in all directions.
Soon the shadows rose.
Swook!
Their legs began to crawl out of the shadows then pulled themselves up.
Ring!
[Shadow release succeeded.]
[Shadow release succeeded.]
[Shadow release succeeded.]
…
"Great. New allies."
Suho looked at the new shadow soldiers standing in front of him with a satisfied expression.
[Shadow Lancer Lv.1]
General Class
[Shadow Lancer Lv.1]
General Class
"Now, I'm going to ask."
Every single thing!
The five shadow lancers knelt down with utmost respect.
"Where is your former master?"
Every single thing!
They all pointed their spears at the floor.
"Under?"
[Krrrk!]
"Hiding in the basement?"
A small smile appeared on Suho's lips.
Right then…
Slash-!
Just in time, new lancers were flocking over Suho's head.
There are dozens of them.
[Contaminated Lancer]
[Contaminated Lancer]
[Contaminated Lancer]
[Contaminated Lancer]
…
[Ehh! Young Master, these five guys must have been just the first soldiers!]
Beru was making a fuss, but for some reason, the corner of his mouth was going up.
"The more the better."
Suho also smiled faintly and raised his head to look at them.
"Krrrk?!"
On the other hand, the newly arrived lancers couldn't help but panic.
Down there, shadow lancers who looked just like them, but with black steam, stood guarding Suho.
The little ant, Beru, towering over the top of their heads…
[Welcome, my new subordinates.]
He was giggling with the most evil laughter.