Chapter 45
The immediate material compensation offered was not bad either.
"I'll give you 5 billion won in cash just for participating in the Raid Gate. And if you place in the top 3 inside the Raid Gate, I'll pay an additional 10 billion won."
Oh Kyung-hyun's face was brimming with confidence as he spoke.
And for good reason - he had offered compensation on par with what top A-rank Hunters receive, without any restrictions or conditions, just for participating.
Plus an additional 10 billion won for placing in the top 3.
This was equivalent to paying out an S-rank Hunter's annual salary in one lump sum - truly an unprecedented offer.
'It's a bit of a loss from our White Tiger Guild's perspective, but...'
Even for one of the top 5 guilds like White Tiger, this was an excessive condition to offer a B-rank Hunter.
However, if it could defend their stock price, it was a loss they could sufficiently endure.
No, it could even be considered profitable.
That's why they needed to recruit Lee Sung-joon, a skilled Hunter capable of placing at least in the middle ranks, into the White Tiger Guild, even if it meant making such an excessive offer.
"What do you think? It seems like quite an excellent proposal to me."
Lee Sung-joon nodded slowly.
"...It's certainly not bad."
Under the pretext of joint affiliation, he would be able to use the name of White Tiger along with the Association.
Not to mention the immediate cash payment of 5 billion won - based on his current annual salary, it would take 2 years and 6 months to earn that much.
Indeed, in a capitalist society, large sums of money can accomplish many things.
However, in the current world, there were also things that couldn't be obtained with money alone.
And what Lee Sung-joon desired now was one of those things.
Something that couldn't be acquired solely with money!
That's why he needed to use the names of Oh Kyung-hyun and the White Tiger Guild.
Lee Sung-joon hardened his expression and asked a question.
"An additional 10 billion for placing in the top 3... Then what can you offer if I take first place?"
Oh Kyung-hyun burst into laughter.
"What? First place? Hahaha! I didn't know you could make jokes like that!"
Given his earlier explanation about this being a competition among the top 5 guilds, he thought it was just a joke.
But there wasn't even a flicker of hesitation in Lee Sung-joon's eyes as he asked the question.
There wasn't a hint of jest in his words.
"...You can't be serious?"
"I said I don't like beating around the bush. What can you offer if I take first place?"
Oh Kyung-hyun's naturally smiling expression began to harden.
"I know you're exceptional, but you're dreaming an impossible dream."
Although Lee Sung-joon had shown remarkably rapid growth and demonstrated the ability to defeat the Shadow Brothers alone, one-on-one combat and monster hunting were fundamentally different.
In fact, the top 5 guilds had established optimal strategies for each monster and shared this knowledge with their affiliated hunters.
As a result, the rookies from each guild participating in this raid had received thorough education on hunting methods for various monsters, ranging from several months to several years. They were even fully armed with artifacts that could maximize their abilities.
However, given the sudden nature of this proposal, it was impossible for Lee Sung-joon to have made such preparations.
'Moreover, all the participants are rookies representing each guild.'
They were all hunters with outstanding talent, called prodigies.
'...It's impossible to bridge this gap.'
That's why the 3rd place ranking he had proposed earlier was more of a hope, a condition set to boost Lee Sung-joon's motivation.
Realistically, they were aiming for 4th place. Even surpassing Hwanseong would be a satisfactory result.
Yet here was Lee Sung-joon, daring to talk about 1st place.
"I understand that excessive self-confidence is a characteristic of returnees, but if possible, it would be better for you to face reality coolly."
In this raid, the talented rookies from the top 5 guilds had been meticulously preparing for a long time.
Therefore, no matter how talented Lee Sung-joon was, it would be difficult to aim for anything above 3rd place.
However, contrary to Oh Kyung-hyun's thoughts, there was still not a hint of wavering in Lee Sung-joon's eyes.
Finally, Oh Kyung-hyun sighed and spoke again.
"Haah... I didn't want to say this from the start because I didn't want to dampen your spirits, but in this raid, there's a monster-like guy directly trained by Yoon Min-soo..."
Although Oh Kyung-hyun tried his best to make him recognize reality, Lee Sung-joon cut him off and asked bluntly.
"It doesn't matter who's participating. Just tell me what you can offer if I take first place."
Realizing that Lee Sung-joon's questions wouldn't stop until he got an answer, Oh Kyung-hyun responded seriously.
"Anything. If you really take first place in this Raid Gate, I'll give you anything, staking my name Oh Kyung-hyun and the name of the White Tiger Guild."
"You must keep that promise."
"Don't worry. I, Oh Kyung-hyun, am not someone who speaks with two tongues."
Finally satisfied with the answer, a smile appeared on Lee Sung-joon's lips.
"Please send the Raid Gate conquest date and report to my phone. And lastly, when can we draw up the contract?"
"If you're free, how about we do it now? While we're at it, let's add the part about first place that you proposed as a special clause."
"Sounds good."
"Then I'll call someone right away."
Oh Kyung-hyun smiled and touched his smartphone, and a White Tiger Guild member who had been waiting nearby rushed over with a contract.
After carefully checking the contents of the contract, moving his eyes busily, Lee Sung-joon finally stamped his seal on the final signature line.
* * *
The next day.
Sitting on the bed in his room, Lee Sung-joon couldn't hide the smile on his face.
And for good reason - immediately after the list of the top 5 guilds for the Raid Gate was announced, the promised amount of 5 billion won was deposited from the White Tiger Guild.
[Web notification: 5,000,000,000 won has been deposited into Lee Sung-joon's account...]
In an instant, the cash assets in his account reached 25 billion won.
'With this much money...'
He could buy houses located in Mapo, Dongjak, Seongdong, or Jung-gu, close to the center of Seoul, Korea's safest area.
It meant he could live in a house with enhanced security.
It was an achievement that seemed unbelievable to have accomplished just two months after returning to Earth. However, Lee Sung-joon had no intention of being satisfied with just this.
'I'll take first place in this Raid Gate conquest...'
It wasn't just to receive the reward promised by Oh Kyung-hyun.
From the start, participating in this Raid Gate conquest meant revealing his identity to the world.
'I'll show my skills decisively.'
He would show it so clearly that even fools blinded by greed would recognize and remember it.
That was the only way to ensure that not only he, Lee Sung-joon, but also his precious family would not be carelessly messed with.
Of course, Lee Sung-joon wasn't showing this confidence without any basis.
[Status]
Name: Lee Sung-joon
Job: Mystic Specialist
Title: Lower, Survivor
Level: 60
Strength: 12, (+10) Agility: 11 (+10), Vitality: 12 (+10)
Blood Energy: 17 (+24)
Available Bonus Points: 19
'I'll use the bonus points to strengthen my lacking physical attributes.'
As mentioned repeatedly, to perform the martial arts of ascension, harmony between mind, energy, and body is necessary.
Therefore, there was no need to agonize over the distribution of status points.
'I'll distribute them evenly to strength, agility, and vitality, all related to the body, to make them equal.'
He gave 6 points each to strength and vitality, and invested all the remaining 7 points in agility.
At that moment, the cells in his body began to squirm, and his physique underwent a change.
In an instant, his muscles became firm, his skin toughened, and he felt his senses expand. A smile appeared on Lee Sung-joon's face as he felt these changes.
'Finally... the preparations are complete.'
He was now ready to promote the growth of the Blood Demon Sutra, which could be called the symbol of the Blood Demon.
The Blood Demon Sutra had abilities that could be called divine techniques, but unfortunately, he hadn't been able to fully utilize these abilities until now.
The reason was simple.
'If I had used the Blood Demon's power right away... my body wouldn't have been able to withstand it.'
With a body that was nothing more than that of an ordinary first-class martial artist, handling the power of the Blood Demon would have been tantamount to suicide.
However, now that he had built up his physical attributes to some extent using bonus points, the story was different.
'There are still some deficiencies, but...'
He was confident he could make up for them with his past experiences and vast knowledge.
There was no reason to hesitate any longer.
Lee Sung-joon immediately assumed a cross-legged position and took a deep breath.
"Heuup..."
At that moment, the blood energy in his body began to spread throughout his body through his blood vessels, as if it had been waiting for this moment.
In an instant, he felt his muscles toughen and his bones harden, surpassing the limits of his physical body.
In that satisfying sensation, Lee Sung-joon recited the next verse of the Blood Demon Sutra that he had been memorizing with his mouth and mind.
'Thousand forms and myriad appearances, even if they have different looks and shapes, they cannot ultimately go against the will of the Blood Demon, the lord and master of blood...'
The blood energy that had been flowing steadily suddenly gathered in his heart.
Thump! Thump!
The violent blood energy, imbued with the power of Asura, unable to control its own strength, pulsated fiercely.
It felt as if someone was hammering his heart.
Gritting his teeth in that dizzying sensation, Lee Sung-joon steeled himself.
'...This is just the beginning.'
The characteristic of the Blood Demon Sutra was the use of blood energy.
No, it wasn't just the Blood Demon Sutra.
Blood sect practitioners could handle not only the energy (ki) seated in their dantian but also the blood in their body like internal energy.
Therefore, controlling one's own heart was the essential element to become a supreme master within the Blood Sect, and the top priority task to reach the 5-star level of the Blood Demon Sutra, the internal energy technique of the Blood Demon.
Of course, this wasn't just fancy talk.
He had to control everything from muscle movements to heartbeat.
'...Only then can I handle blood energy more perfectly.'
The basis of the blood energy handled by Blood Sect practitioners was blood.
Therefore, to skillfully handle blood energy, one had to perfectly control the heart, which receives blood and moves it throughout the body.
Of course, the process wasn't easy.
The heart is the most important organ in the human body. One mistake could lead to terrible pain and death.