Chapter 82
'There's no way White Tiger or the Association wouldn't know that. Yet they allowed Hunter Lee Seong-jun to enter free agency.'
Moreover, Lee Ye-jin, the president of another guild who heard the news, is also interested in Lee Seong-jun who has entered the market.
Everyone realized something from this recent treasure gate incident:
'Hunter Lee Seong-jun has sufficient qualifications to be the first in Korea to secure a triple contract.'
In other words, the future Lee Seong-jun would be a figure standing shoulder to shoulder with the Guardians.
'Of course, that's assuming he survives until then...'
In a way, contracting with Lee Seong-jun was a somewhat high-risk investment.
But what in the hunter industry didn't involve risk?
There wasn't much time to deliberate in the first place.
"How is Hunter Lee Seong-jun accepting contract proposals?"
"Vice Chairman Go Tae-hyun is personally acting as his manager."
"Of all people, that inflexible old man... What's the timeframe for accepting contract proposals?"
"He says he'll wrap it up within a month."
One month!
It could be considered a long time, but it wasn't enough to calmly assess the surrounding situation.
Lee Ye-rin's brow furrowed.
"Are there any priority conditions he's set?"
"Yes. He wants no restrictions on his actions under any circumstances."
A cynical laugh escaped Lee Ye-rin's lips at the words from Choi Chang-woo's mouth.
"So he wants to belong to a company but not take orders. He's just looking out for his own interests. Isn't that going too far? Hah!"
Lee Ye-jin clicked her tongue but soon nodded with a wry smile.
"What can we do? The one who likes him first has to give in. Let's try to create conditions that won't lose out to other guilds. Starting today, the legal team and analysis team are in full operation for a month. Don't think about going home either."
"Of course. Let's give it our all."
A smile also appeared on Choi Chang-woo's lips as he answered.
The biggest tuna—no, whale—in Korean history has entered the market.
It was only natural for anyone to want to acquire him.
* * *
California, USA.
Ring ring! Ring ring!
The smartphone placed on the bedside shelf vibrated and emitted a loud noise.
"Ugh..."
Milo Ventimiglia's face contorted as he let out a faint groan.
'I'm pretty sure I told them not to contact me during my vacation...'
Of course, this was realistically very difficult. After all, Milo was the Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO) of Neuro, considered the top guild in California.
All HR matters related to Neuro would ultimately have to go through Milo's hands.
Knowing this fact, Milo had worked for 20 hours straight without sleep before leaving for vacation, processing as much work as possible.
'But they contact me before even a day has passed?'
If they had called for something trivial, he would use his powerful authority as CHRO to teach them a bitter lesson in society as soon as his vacation ended!
With that determination, Milo pressed the call button on his smartphone with an annoyed gesture and slid it to the side.
"Hello?"
"...I'm sorry for contacting you suddenly while you're on vacation."
"Janet?"
The ace among the HR team leaders, known for her outstanding work performance.
She wasn't someone who would call for unimportant matters.
Milo, who had been answering the phone in a somewhat dazed state, quickly sat up and shook himself awake.
"What is it? Did something happen?"
"First, I'd like you to check the article I sent via message."
"Article? Alright, give me a moment."
Milo took the smartphone away from his ear and immediately began reading the message.
After about a minute, Milo couldn't close his gaping mouth.
"Jesus Christ."
The world record set by Sandra Block's party, hailed as the Grand Sorcerer, had been broken after 10 years.
And it was broken by a hunter who entered alone, not as part of a party.
Even as he read it with his own eyes, Milo couldn't believe it and a cynical laugh escaped his lips.
"Huh... Do other guilds know about this news too?"
"Yes, since it's spread through media outlets, I believe everyone has seen it."
"How are they reacting?"
"Our top priority targets, Legion and Oakley, haven't shown any movement. Most of the other major guilds aren't showing much interest either."
"So they don't believe the article at all."
But this was just the surface situation.
'They're probably busy investigating data behind the scenes.'
It couldn't be helped.
Most guilds had precedents of wasting effort due to false articles flowing in from overseas.
'They wouldn't easily believe that someone broke the record of Sandra Block's party, who was a Grand Sorcerer, all alone.'
Moreover, the article stated that Lee Seong-jun had only started working as a hunter 3 months ago.
'The most realistic explanation is that Korea, which is always at a diplomatic disadvantage due to lack of capable hunters, is playing a trick in collusion with the media...'
But there was one nagging point that made it difficult to dismiss it as a complete lie.
'The original purpose of lying is to deceive the other party.'
However, the background of this person named Lee Seong-jun written in the articles he just saw was too outlandish to be considered something written to deceive someone.
'This is what's bothering me...'
As his contemplation deepened and his brow furrowed, Janet's cautious question came through the receiver.
"...How should we respond?"
Milo didn't open his mouth immediately. Instead, he took out a cigarette from the shelf and lit it.
"Sss."
The nicotine, filling deep into his lungs, awakened his nerve cells.
"Phew..."
Along with the hazy exhaled cigarette smoke, he blew away the slight drowsiness that remained into the air.
Finally, as his mind fully returned, Milo began to organize the current situation while rotating his head busily.
'If competitive guilds like Legion and Oakley aren't reacting, we don't necessarily need to make a move.'
They could maintain their top position just by staying vigilant like now.
But that wasn't a reason to pull out either.
'...Rather, this could be seen as an opportunity.'
The Neuro guild didn't intend to remain just the best in California.
They wanted to advance to become the top guild in America, and beyond.
Of course, this required appropriate preparation and strength.
Therefore, this hunter named Lee Seong-jun featured in the recent article was exactly the kind of talent Neuro guild desperately needed.
'Even if the information about Lee Seong-jun turns out to be false, we, Neuro, have nothing to lose.'
Since it's related to a world record, the World Hunter Association will conduct a thorough investigation.
They could collect residual magic in the vicinity and send it to gate scholars to read the internal information, or they could use artifacts that detect lies.
If it turns out to be a lie, it will be exposed before long.
Even if we've already signed a contract, we can find grounds to terminate it.
No, by utilizing world hunter laws, we could even make them pay a penalty fee.
'The only potential downsides are wasting effort on a wild goose chase, and possibly wasting valuable manpower and time on tedious legal disputes.'
But what if it's true that this hunter Lee Seong-jun broke Sandra Block's party's record alone?
After Sandra Block, the unchanging membership of the Guardians for many years would change.
'This could be the master key to achieve Neuro's leap forward.'
Of course, there were some issues to consider.
'...Currently, on Earth, the strength of hunters affiliated with a country directly translates to national power.'
Although being affiliated with a guild doesn't mean being affiliated with a country, it would inevitably create uncomfortable diplomatic situations.
From the perspective of the Korean government and Association pursuing national interests, they wouldn't stand idly by while a foreign power contracts with Lee Seong-jun.
"By the way, has Korea made any announcements? Have they allowed foreign guilds to participate in the free agent market?"
"Yes. It seems they had some deal with our US Hunter Association."
The only problematic aspect I had considered disappeared.
There was no reason to hesitate anymore.
Finally, after finishing all calculations, Milo's lips moved.
"We're going to recruit Hunter Lee Seong-jun. Even if we have to match or exceed the best conditions in the industry, make sure he becomes part of our Neuro."
* * *
The news that Lee Seong-jun had entered the free agent market spread rapidly.
Naturally, it was mentioned in various media outlets and articles were written.
Not just in Korea.
Global media outlets also covered stories about Lee Seong-jun.
This was because he had declared a triple affiliation, no less.
The meaning behind the contract was too intense to ignore.
[Beyond Korea to the world... Which guild will be Lee Seong-jun's next stage?]
[NHK, Japan Hunter Association states, 'We will do our best to recruit Lee Seong-jun.']
[CNN, Lee Seong-jun expected to be active in the American continent... What will be his next move?]
Lee Seong-jun's expression was utterly indifferent as he watched the reactions to the articles pouring in from countries around the world via the internet.
'As expected.'
From the beginning, Lee Seong-jun hadn't entered the free agent market without reason.
'With this level of reaction... I should be able to lay the groundwork.'
Authority and prestige alone weren't enough to walk the path of a ruler, the Imperial Way. The power of a suitable force was necessary.
Although he had already contracted with the Association and White Tiger guild, this wasn't enough.
To walk the perfect path of a ruler as he envisioned, he needed the power of an even larger force.
Of course, just because he needed the power of a large force didn't mean he intended to be swayed by their will.
'I'll take the initiative and become the center of the force.'
The Association and White Tiger, with their exceptionally intelligent personnel, would have fully read Lee Seong-jun's intentions.
Yet they didn't resist.
Both forces had acknowledged that they couldn't contain an existence like Lee Seong-jun with their current capacity.
'...A shrewd move.'
As mentioned earlier, the Association and White Tiger accepted Lee Seong-jun's opinion without any resistance.
But that didn't mean they didn't receive any compensation.
To be precise, the Association was preparing to secure definite compensation.