Chapter 124
While exclamations of admiration were naturally bursting out everywhere, not everyone was thinking the same thing.
Some reporters were narrowing their eyes and expressing doubts.
"He conquered a Red Gate alone in less than an hour?"
"Didn't he just finish off what Yoon Min-su had already wounded?"
Just as the heated atmosphere was rapidly cooling down due to the reporters' doubtful words, as if cold water had been poured on it:
Thud. Thud.
Yoon Min-su approached Lee Seong-jun.
Naturally, all eyes in the area turned to Yoon Min-su, and they began to pour out their doubts.
"You clearly stated that Kabilo of the Red Gate was a monster that couldn't be hunted alone, so what do you think about Hunter Lee Seong-jun's solo conquest?"
"When you mentioned in a previous interview about landing a final blow, do you think Kabilo was also severely injured, and you came here personally to confirm that?"
"You've reigned as the strongest for a long time, but has the position of new strongest been taken by Hunter Lee Seong-jun?"
Yoon Min-su scanned the reporters who were pouring out questions and spoke softly.
"As I mentioned in the previous interview, Kabilo was more powerful than any monster I've ever faced. Even I, with power equivalent to the so-called ranker-class hunters, was an existence beyond standard that absolutely could not be defeated alone."
Yoon Min-su's brow furrowed at the sight of the reporters with their eyes sparkling.
The intentions behind the reporters' questions were clearly visible.
'They want to create conflict by getting the answer they want by scratching at my pride, divide people into factions, and create a topic of public conversation.'
For their own benefit, they were trying to deny and tarnish the achievements of another person, Hunter Lee Seong-jun.
Of course, he had no intention of dancing to the reporters' tune.
In the first place, there was no meaning in trying to maintain the position of strongest through such petty methods.
'The strongest is meaningful because they are the strongest.'
He, no longer the strongest, should not covet that position.
"However, Hunter Lee Seong-jun has succeeded spectacularly. This means that Hunter Lee Seong-jun's current power has surpassed that of ordinary rankers."
The reporters' eyes widened.
From what Yoon Min-su had just said, they could already guess what was coming next.
"Are you saying...?"
Yoon Min-su declared to the reporters who were cautiously asking questions:
"It means that Hunter Lee Seong-jun has rightfully ascended to the position of the strongest."
Yoon Min-su, who had held the position of strongest for a long time, declared his own defeat.
No more doubt was necessary.
Fierce glares were directed at those who had momentarily cast doubts.
As it was a situation where they couldn't help but feel ashamed, they quickly left their seats with reddened faces.
All that remained now were cheers.
"A new strongest has been born!"
"Long live Hunter Lee Seong-jun! Long live Korea!"
Hunter Association staff, reporters, hunters who had come after hearing the news, and even ordinary citizens.
The cheers erupting from the people gathered at the gate entrance enveloped the entire area.
Wooaah-!
It literally became a crucible of enthusiasm.
* * *
Yoon Min-su's interview, in which he gave up his position as the strongest, was worthy of everyone's attention.
But Yoon Min-su's bombshell declaration didn't end there.
A few days later, Yoon Min-su once again gathered reporters and made a shocking announcement with a confident demeanor.
[I, Yoon Min-su, and the Cosmos Guild will walk together with Hunter Lee Seong-jun.]
He didn't mention it directly.
However, as it contained a clear intention, it wasn't difficult to catch the meaning behind Yoon Min-su's words.
Lee Seong-jun and Yoon Min-su had joined hands, meaning they would now run towards a single goal as comrades rather than competitors.
Korea, which had always been busy dividing into factions and fighting, had become one.
The impact of this was considerable.
First, foreign investment companies eagerly jumped into Korea, causing the economy to boom significantly.
Moreover, neighboring countries that had shown arrogant attitudes until now began to watch Korea's reactions and return the rights they had forcibly taken.
In the public eye, it was expressed as a giant dragon taking flight, ready to sweep across Asia.
Given the enormous impact it created, news about Lee Seong-jun spread to all parts of the world.
It was impossible for James Garner, the vice master of the Neuro Guild, who always kept a watchful eye on world trends, to miss this.
"When I first heard the story of South Korea achieving the miracle of becoming a developed country from a developing country between 1953 and 2021, I thought it was an unbelievable fiction, but it seems that wasn't the case."
Seeing James chuckling, Mylo, the head of human resources at the Neuro Guild, shook his head.
"Didn't I tell you several times before? Korea is a country that can take off anytime if given the opportunity, so we should maintain friendly relations."
"Yes, because of your insistence, we maintained friendly relations with a country that had nothing particularly outstanding. Us, Neuro, who are favored even by the United States, the country that holds the world's number one position."
"I know you've put in a lot of effort all this time, Vice Master. But when Lee Seong-jun actually started to stand out, you were quite skeptical about joining hands with him."
"I couldn't help it. No matter how great he was, Lee Seong-jun was still a returnee in the end."
He had predicted that, like most returnees, Lee Seong-jun would soon hit a limit and stop growing, or suddenly join the Returnee Alliance.
But Lee Seong-jun was spectacularly breaking both of these precedents.
As it was such a rare case, even Mylo couldn't push James any further.
"I clearly understand what you're saying. I can even accept it. But given the clear results right before our eyes, I hope you will show a consistently positive attitude from now on."
"Don't worry, I may not be as perceptive as you, but I'm quite a good judge of character myself."
James took a sip of the tea in front of him, smiling slightly.
After wetting his throat, James looked at Mylo in front of him and moved his lips.
"Speaking of which, let's clearly summarize about Lee Seong-jun... The boss monster he defeated this time, Kabilo, was a Harpy Queen specimen, right?"
"Yes, that's correct."
Considerable admiration gleamed in James' eyes as he slowly nodded his head.
"Indeed... he's quite an amazing piece."
The Neuro Guild was one of the most powerful guilds even within the United States, which was called the world's number one.
This meant they had eliminated numerous gates and hunted countless monsters, and among them were Harpy Queen specimens like Kabilo, the boss monster of the Red Gate that appeared in Korea this time.
Therefore, the Neuro Guild and James were well aware of the fearsome nature of Harpy Queen specimens like Kabilo.
'Flight and bombardment were completely damn abilities.'
It was quite tricky just with their free flight and bombardment, but due to the speed coming from their excellent physical abilities, it was impossible to even hit them with ordinary attacks.
'More than half of those who are boasting about being rankers now wouldn't be able to hunt Kabilo alone.'
This meant that it was quite remarkable to have hunted Kabilo alone.
However, the Red Gate that Lee Seong-jun conquered this time was not an ordinary one.
'A Frenzy Gate.'
All the magical power measurements that flowed out of the Red Gate came from a single creature, the boss monster Kabilo.
'This means that the Kabilo that appeared in Korea this time was a much more powerful specimen than the Harpy Queens we've hunted before.'
Although he hadn't fought directly, he could quickly calculate based on the measured magical power and the data accumulated as the vice master of the Neuro Guild.
'Even at the lowest estimate... it would have been a difficulty level that only a top-tier ranker in the top 10 could solo conquer.'
This meant that Hunter Lee Seong-jun's current power was equal to or greater than that of a top-tier ranker.
A returnee who had been back on Earth for less than a year had acquired top-tier ranker level skills.
'This alone makes him an incredibly attractive talent, but...'
Lee Seong-jun was also uniting Korea's large guilds, creating a force with immense power and influence.
'He has tremendous charisma that can subdue everyone, and his ability to act is also impeccably excellent.'
It felt like seeing the footsteps of Victor Wiseman, the master of the Neuro Guild.
It meant he was showing the path of an emperor.
Seeing the greedy curve that appeared on James' lips, Mylo opened his mouth.
"It seems my words are starting to resonate with you now."
There was no agreement.
But from the answer alone, it was clear what James was thinking.
"...Immediately organize a search team to find the master's whereabouts in the gate."
Clearly, before departing for the gate, the master, Victor Wiseman, had warned that no one should interfere.
Disobeying orders was an act that should never be shown to Victor Wiseman, who had absolute authority and a straightforward temperament.
'He'll be furiously angry.'
But it wouldn't last long.
Victor Wiseman was a man with as much greed and ambition as his innate abilities.
'No matter how annoyed he is... if he hears about Korea and Lee Seong-jun, he'll surely agree.'
Lee Seong-jun was a figure with that much charm and value.
Naturally, a gleam appeared in James' eyes.
"From today, the main task of the HR team and the analysis team is to find ways to establish exchanges with Hunter Lee Seong-jun and the Infinity Guild. You know what I mean, right?"
"Yes, I'll do my best to find ways to win Hunter Lee Seong-jun's heart."
A bright smile appeared on Mylo's lips as he answered.
This was because there was no longer any need to wait anxiously for the master, Victor Wiseman.
It meant that before long, the entire Neuro Guild would clearly show goodwill towards Lee Seong-jun and be able to approach him.
* * *
The union leaders leading the Chinese and Japanese returnees gathered in one place.
Amidst the heavy air settling in the conference room, Sakai Masato, the leader of the Japanese Returnee Union, quietly opened his mouth.
"Even though his growth rate was remarkable, I thought he would eventually fade away as a citizen of a small country in the East, but my calculations were completely off."
Zhou Yilong, the leader of the Chinese Returnee Union, nodded his head.
Like Yoon Min-su who had appeared earlier, they thought he would be like a sudden shower that fiercely pours down but quickly subsides.
However, Lee Seong-jun was no mere shower.
He was a typhoon, and a very large and powerful one capable of sweeping across the world.
Of course, Sakai and Zhou Yilong hadn't met to reflect on the gloomy situation.
"What on earth is the Korean Returnee Union and that Tae Sang-cheon doing?"