Chapter 54
"Huh..."
A sound that could be either a sigh or a groan escaped from Yoon Min-soo's mouth.
Who was his disciple, Song Seung-jun?
He had skills that could rival even the upper-middle tier S+ rank hunters.
Yet this Song Seung-jun had said he might need to use 90 percent of his full power.
Yoon Min-soo spoke with surprise.
"Are you saying that Hunter Lee Sung-jun, who has only been back on Earth for two months, has already reached S+ rank?"
"Yes, I can be certain because I saw it with my own eyes."
A dry laugh escaped from Yoon Min-soo's mouth.
"Heh heh..."
Although returnees were known to grow quickly, this speed was far beyond common sense.
"It seems... a new wind is blowing."
For nearly 10 years, there hadn't been an event big enough to change the rankings of the guilds.
Given that a considerable amount of time had passed since the hunter profession emerged, he thought some level of stagnation had set in, but now it seemed it had just been the calm before the storm.
However, there was no need for unnecessary worry.
'World Tree has my disciple, Seung-jun.'
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Song Seung-jun's currently visible skills were just the tip of the iceberg.
Of course, he wasn't overestimating him just because he was his disciple.
Song Seung-jun was truly a 'genius' worthy of the name.
'A real genius with talent that surpasses even me, who's called the Sword Master.'
Although Lee Sung-jun's growth rate was beyond common sense, due to the characteristics of returnees, he would eventually face the same limits he encountered in the other world.
'...Even I, who am hailed as the strongest, am in that state.'
But his disciple, Song Seung-jun, was different. He would surely keep moving forward endlessly.
'And in the end, he will reach the legendary level of Grand Sword Master that I couldn't reach.'
That's why he could be certain.
'In the end, it will be our World Tree that takes first place.'
Having finished his thoughts, a confident smile spread across Yoon Min-soo's face.
* * *
At the same time, Oh Kyung-hyun's excited voice was echoing inside the conference room of the White Tiger Guild.
"Hahaha!"
It was natural.
As they had taken first place in the raid gate, beneficial articles were pouring out, and the name White Tiger was striking South Korea.
Thanks to this, White Tiger Guild's stock price was skyrocketing.
But above all, what was making Oh Kyung-hyun happy was something else.
"Kim Dong-hyun, to think that snake-like bastard would make such a mistake!"
The moment Lee Dong-ju's death was revealed, he showed intense emotional turmoil.
Because of that, he couldn't maintain his usual calmness and crossed the line with his words and actions, ending up bowing his head and apologizing officially in front of reporters.
It meant that at an event he had attended with high expectations of finally avoiding last place, he couldn't even save face properly.
Just imagining Kim Dong-hyun fuming alone in anger made the corners of Oh Kyung-hyun's mouth rise to the sky.
"Hunter Lee Sung-jun... I wondered why Ko Tae-hyun cherished him so much, but there was a reason after all."
Having taken first place over World Tree's Song Seung-jun, his ability as a hunter didn't need to be mentioned.
But it wasn't just his combat ability that was outstanding.
His political skills and eloquence were also considerable.
He not only created justification by appropriately using his position and situation, but also accurately pointed out Radiant Star's Kim Dong-hyun's rudeness and used it as leverage to apply pressure.
"A treasure, a real incredible treasure."
Although they had made contact and proceeded with the contract earlier than others by chance, they couldn't afford to be complacent.
'Before others stick their spoons in, we need to build rapport and strengthen our relationship as quickly as possible.'
Naturally, Oh Kyung-hyun's gaze turned to Park Seung-min, the head of White Tiger Guild's finance department, who was sitting nearby.
"Have you looked into the sale of the Spirit's Tear that Hunter Lee Sung-jun requested?"
"Yes, I have looked into it, but..."
"Is there a problem?"
"The seller wants to receive the full payment of 300 billion in cash, specifically in dollars."
300 billion was a large sum, but considering White Tiger Guild's financial power, it wasn't a price they couldn't afford.
However, paying in cash was a different story.
Even for business entities of large corporations with flexible fund management, it wasn't an easy task to use 300 billion worth of cash in a lump sum.
Especially for White Tiger Guild, which could be considered a private enterprise that needed constant capital circulation, if their cash holdings decreased, it was clear that various headaches would arise.
Oh Kyung-hyun frowned and spoke.
"Are there no other items for sale?"
"As you know, it's used as a treatment for mana syndrome and is extremely difficult to obtain. The volume distributed in the market is so small that it's nearly impossible to find an alternative. The sellers are also being stubborn knowing this. So, I wanted to ask..."
Park Seung-min, watching Oh Kyung-hyun's reaction carefully, cautiously opened his mouth.
"If it's alright... could you ask Hunter Lee Sung-jun if he could request a different item?"
Despite having given a thorough explanation beforehand, Oh Kyung-hyun's response was utterly cold.
"Are you telling me to become a small-time crook who can't keep his word?"
"But... if 300 billion in cash assets leaves at once, our White Tiger will have to suffer from financial difficulties throughout this year."
Park Seung-min tried his best to persuade, but there wasn't the slightest change in Oh Kyung-hyun's expression.
Of course, that didn't mean he was blindly pushing the matter.
"Don't worry about that part and proceed. Since it's a contract I made independently, I'll cover it all with my personal funds."
"...Will that be alright?"
A huge sum of 300 billion - even for Oh Kyung-hyun, an SS+ rank hunter, it was a considerable expenditure.
It could potentially cause some problems in maintaining his basic lifestyle.
However, for the sake of the future, he had to purchase and hand over the Spirit's Tear.
'Hunter Lee Sung-jun will become the one and only existence that can overturn the power dynamics of the country of South Korea.'
The intuition of a businessman leading a guild and an SS+ rank hunter was screaming.
Some might dismiss it as a mere hunch.
But Oh Kyung-hyun had been able to gain countless benefits thanks to his intuition from when he started his life as a hunter until after he founded the White Tiger Guild.
Therefore, he would definitely prove his trust by handing over the Spirit's Tear and strengthen his relationship with Hunter Lee Sung-jun.
"I'm fine, so just proceed."
Despite Oh Kyung-hyun's resolute words, Park Seung-min didn't immediately jump up from his seat, but still spoke with a cautious expression.
Or rather, what Park Seung-min was worried about wasn't Oh Kyung-hyun's financial situation in the first place.
"I think if your wife finds out, she definitely won't let it slide."
"..."
Oh Kyung-hyun's expression, which was always full of confidence, turned pale.
"Two years ago, when you gave 100 billion won worth of artifacts as gifts from your personal funds to encourage guild members after they completed a gate conquest, you ended up sleeping at the front door..."
Park Seung-min's words were digging up a terrible memory from the past.
However, Oh Kyung-hyun wasn't someone who would take back his words.
No, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that this matter couldn't be carried out if not now.
"Director Park, I believe... you got married around the end of last year."
"That's right."
"As a senior six years into marriage, let me give you some advice. In any matter, forgiveness is faster than permission."
Oh Kyung-hyun sent a fiery man's gaze, and Park Seung-min nodded with a deeply impressed expression.
"Thank you for the precious advice. I'll engrave it deep in my heart."
* * *
As the battle with Eliolus had been quite tough, Lee Sung-jun had to rest at home for three days after returning from the raid gate.
It wasn't a particularly long time, but from Lee Sung-jun's perspective, who had always been hunting and growing, he couldn't help but feel some regret.
'Tsk...'
But fortunately, he could say that he hadn't actually suffered any loss.
To be precise, he had rather gained an enormous benefit.
'My level increased quite a lot in the raid gate.'
[Status]
Name: Lee Sung-jun
Job: Mystic Mage
Title: Low-grade, Survivor
Level: 68
Strength: 19 (+16), Agility: 18 (+17), Vitality: 19 (+16)
Blood Energy: 24 (+24)
Available Bonus Points: 8
From 60 to 68, his level had increased by a whopping eight levels.
'It was an unexpected harvest.'
After the second job advancement, from level 60 onwards, the amount of required experience increased significantly, requiring an enormous amount of time and effort to increase even one level.
In reality, even Yoon Min-soo, who was called the strongest in South Korea, needed at least 2 months, and even rankers who were renowned worldwide needed 1 month to raise one level.
Even for Lee Sung-jun, it was a level that he couldn't have raised even if he had hunted for 10 hours a day for four days in a normal gate.
Therefore, just the level up alone could be said to be a considerable harvest.
However, what gave Lee Sung-jun the greatest satisfaction was something else.
With a smile on his face, Lee Sung-jun unlocked the wooden box placed on his knee.
'Spirit's Tear.'
It was the item he had received in return for giving White Tiger Guild first place, and the cure that could completely heal his mother Kim Ji-young's illness called mana syndrome.
'I finally got it...'
Even though he earned a lot of money, lived in a clean and safe house, and spent happy times, there was always a shadow in one corner of his heart.
It was because his mother's illness, mana syndrome, remained.
Although she tried to live as if nothing was wrong, not wanting to burden her family, it wasn't without discomfort.
Even with regular hospital visits for treatment and management, one of the symptoms of mana syndrome, terrible pain, kept coming.
Moreover, this pain could come at any time, anywhere, and the pain was said to be like the terrible agony of flesh burning.
In fact, not only during his teenage years but even after becoming an adult at 20, he had seen his mother suddenly collapse on the floor in pain.
At that time, there was no good solution, so all he could do was watch with worried eyes, but not anymore.
'I can cure it.'
Lee Sung-jun immediately rushed out of the room and knocked on the door of the master bedroom where his parents were.
Knock- Knock-
"Oh, what is it?"
At 1 PM, it would normally be the time when all family members had gone to work, but since it was the weekend, his parents' voices could be heard and the closed door opened.
"Son, is something wrong?"
As Kim Ji-young tilted her head and asked, Lee Sung-jun, with a bright smile, held out the wooden box he was holding.