Against the Clock: The Team Leader’s Pursuit of Glory

Chapter 79 - I Have a Favor to Ask

Just as Han Byung-Gu's anger began to subside, someone knocked on the door of the waiting room.

Knock, knock!

"Huh? Is it that late already? Mr. President, it seems they've come to escort us to the conference room. We should hurry."

Expecting staff from the guild to have arrived, the President's secretary opened the door. However, the faces that greeted her were completely unexpected.

Not the Japanese staff who organized the event, but two foreigners dressed in dapper suits. One was blond, and the other had surprisingly white hair. Just by the aura emanating from them, anyone could tell they were not ordinary men.

For a moment, tension filled the air as the nearby security personnel, all of them being Hunters, sensed the dangerous vibe from the two men.

"We're not here to fight," a voice like rolling pearls sounded from behind the two men.

They stepped aside, revealing a slender silhouette clad in a robe.

'A woman? Who is she?'

The secretary was even more on edge now, although the woman's face was still concealed. Her mere presence was overwhelming, even more so than Han Byung-Gu.

"Everyone, leave us."

"But President---"

"I know them. Have a seat. It's been a long time; we can't discuss things standing."

At Han Byung-Gu's nod, his aides reluctantly left the room.

As soon as the door closed, the robed figure sketched an intricate geometric pattern in the air with her hand. A luminous rune traced her movements.

Only after the completed symbol was integrated into the door did the woman remove her robe, revealing her face.

"This is the Tranquil Garden spell. Sound won't leak outside."

"It's been a while, Aila. I thought we'd never cross paths again in this lifetime."

"Perhaps, Han Byung-Gu. But I always thought we'd meet at least once, even if it had to be at a funeral."

"Still as sharp-tongued as ever. Would the guild even send you to a funeral? They'd be too busy keeping you under wraps."

"And yet, here I am."

"What brings such a high and mighty elf out of her forest?"

The woman called Aila had elongated ears, emerald hair reminiscent of a fresh summer forest, and eyes like azure autumn skies---a being straight out of folklore.

"I had a good reason to come out, Mr. Han."

At that moment, a blond middle-aged man chimed in with a smile.

"What's this? Picked up Korean as a hobby, Alex?"

"A lot has changed in the guild while you were stuck in Korea. It's an item imbued with a translation skill."

Alex tapped his tie pin lightly.

"Did you make it? Impressive technology, embedding skills into items. Though I'm not thrilled that the guild has a monopoly on it."

"You're not in a position to complain, considering you refused to rejoin the guild," interjected the white-haired man.

"Who's this brat?"

"What? A brat?"

"Quiet, Raven."

"Tch!"

"Raven? What a strange name to go by."

"Don't let the name fool you. He's quite skilled."

"Regardless, I have a meeting to get to, so get to the point."

"The afternoon meeting is likely canceled, Mr. Han Byung-Gu."

At Aila's words, Han Byung-Gu sensed something amiss.

"Canceled?"

"More like rescheduled. It's now a social gathering for representatives of various countries' Hunter organizations to chat informally. Attendance is, of course, voluntary."

"Ha, so they've basically given the big players permission to conspire behind closed doors."

"You don't usually like such events anyway."

"There's a difference between me choosing not to go and being prevented from going."

"I apologize for that."

"There's no need for you, Aila, to apologize. Anyway, countries like China, Japan, and Russia would prefer to exclude Korea."

"Alex! That's because of you guys, isn't it?!"

Han Byung-Gu was visibly angered. Bad memories related to the guild surfaced.

"During the Great War, my comrades were at the front lines. They saved the world and died doing it. And what did we get in return? Exclusion? Wasn't it you who completely isolated Korean Hunters?"

"That was because of the surrounding countries being scared of the potential of Korean Hunters."

"Did the alliance not encourage that?"

The atmosphere grew tense as if a fight was about to break out. Both locked eyes, and even Raven, who was standing by, raised his energy as if to intervene.

Aila intervened just in time.

"Alex. Raven. Step back."

"I'm sorry."

Her voice, which had always been soft, turned cold as ice. Alex bowed his head and retreated a few steps. Raven did the same.

"Mr. Han Byung-Gu. This meeting was arranged to meet you."

"What do you mean?"

"The meeting was originally supposed to take place in Glasgow, England. But the alliance deliberately changed it to Tokyo, nearer to Korea. They need your help to enter Korea without drawing attention."

"Damn it! I wondered why the meeting was again in Japan like two years ago. I thought the Japanese lobbied for it. Why not have it in Korea then?"

"We wanted to come sooner, but we're using the meeting to avoid drawing attention. If it were held in Korea, wouldn't that make the surrounding countries noisy?"

"Heh! Can't argue with facts. But why do you want to come to Korea?"

Aila gestured to Alex, who handed over a large envelope to Han Byung-Gu.

Opening it, Han Byung-Gu took out the documents inside. The first thing he noticed was the English title, followed by a Korean one.

<North Pocheon Goblin Queen Raid Report>

"What is this..."

"It's a report submitted to the Association by a Korean guild called Iron Will. We arranged this meeting because of the word 'summon' mentioned in the report."

"Why?"

"It seems deliberately left vague."

"Guilds often omit information for their own benefit. What's so special about this one?"

Despite his casual tone, Han Byung-Gu felt uneasy.

'I've never heard of Aila stepping out of the forest since the Great War. If she's taking action, something's definitely not good.'

As if reading his thoughts, Aila spoke, "After the Great War, there had only been a few instances where I had ventured out. The most recent trip was to the Amazon in Brazil."

"The Amazon?"

"Yes, even there a Goblin Queen appeared."

"Photos are attached to the back of the document."

Upon hearing Alex's words, Han Byung-Gu flipped through the papers. When the printed photographs appeared, he paused, staring intently at the gruesome images before him.

Torn and shredded flesh. Blackened pools of blood. If weapons hadn't been scattered around, it would've been impossible to identify these mangled bodies as Hunters.

"These are scenes I haven't seen since the Great War."

"The A-rank Brazilian guild had tried to subjugate a tribe of evolved goblins in the Amazon. They were wiped out."

"An A-rank guild was wiped out by goblins?"

"Technically, it was because of a creature summoned by the Goblin Queen. If the Brazilian guild hadn't captured the event on film, we wouldn't have been able to understand the full story."

Aila added to Alex's explanation.

"So you're saying that the summoning mentioned here is related to the Goblin Queen in North Pocheon?"

"Possibly."

Han Byung-Gu pondered for a moment before speaking, "So what do you want?"

"Let us meet the person who wrote this report, Kang Mu-hyuk."

Ju Se-ah moved. Lee Jin-joo assisted. Iron Will's expedition followed them, attacking the orcs based on their lead.

The Taegeuk Guild also coordinated their moves. To cover the fewer numbers of Iron Will Hunters, they spread their wings to the sides, encircling the orcs.

The Orcs, who were overwhelmed by just the humans attacking them harshly from the front, were unable to respond at all to the surrounding Hunters of the Taegeuk Guild.

In a single breath, Ju Se-ah crushed the head of a high-ranking orc, clearing the path to the road.

Just as expected, Gam Woo-young blocked their way.

Ju Se-ah transferred the vanguard role to Lee Jin-joo and faced Gam Woo-young.

"Ah, I really don't want to fight with you, Se-ah."

"And yet you look pretty excited about it?"

"Do training and real battles feel the same? Go easy on me."

Gam Woo-young drew his twin swords...

Thwack!

"Ugh!"

"Ah, nice block!"

Gam Woo-young dropped his sword hand and crossed his arms in an X, blocking Ju Se-ah's kick.

"Wait, isn't it a rule not to attack during transformations?"

"Who do you think you are, Sailor Moon? Just transform already."

"I wield swords instead of magic wands!"

Gam Woo-young lunged forward, swinging his arm. Ju Se-ah switched feet and kicked him squarely in the face.

Twisting his body to dodge the attack, Gam Woo-young lowered his stance and hoisted Ju Se-ah's left thigh onto his shoulder.

Ju Se-ah immediately put force into his supporting foot and leaped up. From an unstable position, she twisted her body and landed a flying knee kick to Gam Woo-young's temple.

Thud!

"Blocked it again? You've really improved, especially in close combat."

"I was always average. You were the one who was outrageously good."

Rubbing his tingling arm, Gam Woo-young stepped back.

Ju Se-ah didn't charge this time. She sensed that her opponent was keenly focused on a counter-attack.

"You have a good eye, not falling for it."

"You and I have fought over a thousand rounds, haven't we? Your intentions are too obvious."

With a swift motion, Gam Woo-young drew his sword.

"Transformation complete."

In Ju Se-ah's hand, a sword had also appeared.

"Ah? You're starting with a sword this time?"

"It seems like your skills have improved."

"Not at all. I haven't improved a bit. You can start with fists as usual."

"The skill of a Slayer's swordplay has clearly evolved. You've improved significantly."

"Ah, who do you think you're fooling? If you keep trying your best like that..."

For a moment, a shadow crossed Gam Woo-young's eyes. His voice, jovial just moments before, took on a chilling tone.

"I might actually want to cut you down."

Ju Se-ah raised the corner of her lips at the revelation of Gam Woo-young's true character after a long time.

"When you act uncharacteristically serious, it makes me want to rearrange your face."

The two locked eyes and smiled.

They grinned, showing even their teeth, but to an outsider, their expressions seemed as if they were looking at sworn enemies.

"Since it's come to this, I'll take the title of 'the strongest' from you."

"In your dreams."

Screech!

A sound impossible for a sword to make echoed through the Gate.

Kang Mu-hyuk received an unexpected phone call in his office.

-You're the one picking up.

Instead of replying, Kang Mu-hyuk stared at the phone. It was one of the lines dedicated to Guild Cooperation. These damn bureaucrats! Frustrated, he sighed and put the phone to his ear.

"Disappointed that it's not Cho Chung-hyun, Chairman?"

"Rather than disappointed, it's a shame that things are going as expected."

"I'm not sure what you were expecting, but it's a bit disappointing from my end. I thought you'd trust me with the work here."

"As you age, you grow impatient. So, I find myself occupied with various matters."

Kang Mu-hyuk clenched his teeth.

'You consider toying with human lives a matter of occupation?'

'You'll eventually become just another target to be eliminated.'

Suppressing his anger, Kang Mu-hyuk spoke calmly.

"It's better to carefully test the waters. If you step on a fragile stone, you're likely to fall into the water."

"How dare you advise me?"

"Consider it a friendly reminder."

"You've survived such incidents and yet you speak. Quite reliable, I must say. Still, I wonder if you can pull this off to the end."

"Taking the reins from Guild Master Ju Se-ah is no easy task. It requires persistent and gradual progress."

"So, no definite answer?"

"No one can give a definite answer when it comes to the Guild Master. She's known as a witch in this industry. And the term 'indomitable' precedes that title. Stubborn people need to be persuaded."

"I'm well aware of her stubbornness. I'm talking about my trust in you."

"Didn't you say you trust me?"

"I trust your capability, that's all."

Kang Mu-hyuk felt a cold sweat trickle down his back. It was impossible to gauge the true intentions of this cunning old man. If they were face to face, perhaps he could read his facial expressions, but it was hard to tell over the phone.

"So, what do you want?"

"Is Cho Chung-hyun dead? If he's alive, send him to me."

"..."

"Is that a problem?"

It was then that Kang Mu-hyuk understood what Chairman Tae Jin-sung wanted.

'Cho Chung-hyun means nothing to the Chairman. He wants proof of loyalty. He wants me to submit.'

Or perhaps to rebel.

Kang Mu-hyuk, more than anyone else, despised this kind of betrayal when dealing with the lives of Hunters.

Failing to bring justice to the guilty.

This was a request that struck at his very core.

'From the beginning, the Chairman didn't particularly care about what Cho Chung-hyun was up to, whether he succeeded or failed. If he fails, he must think he could make trouble for me.'

Still, lying about Cho Chung-hyun being dead was not an option. The guild members already knew he was alive. No matter how tight the security, a secret was bound to leak somewhere. And if anyone could find out through the grapevine, it was Chairman Tae Jin-sung.

'The time isn't right. If I oppose the Chairman now, even the slight chance I've gained will be lost. He's a man who's lived by control. He may not trust me, but I have to show that I am under his influence.'

Kang Mu-hyuk decided to bow his head in deference.

"Speak up if you don't like it. I have no intention of making you begrudgingly bring him in," said the voice on the other end of the call.

"No, it's not that I dislike the idea. Why would I defy someone who can offer safety? I was just hesitating because the guy tried to kill me. I am human; I get angry too."

"I understand. When one's life is threatened, one has no choice. All right, consider him sent."

After hanging up, Kang Mu-hyuk stared out of the window for a moment. Below the crumbled waterfall, the water was almost completely drained. A messy parking lot and bent street lamps came into view. The gloomy atmosphere was intensified by the absence of any passersby.

He gathered his thoughts and contacted Pyo Beom-hee.

"Please bring Cho Chung-hyun."

Shortly afterward, Pyo Beom-hee arrived, dragging Cho Chung-hyun, who was bound with ropes made of special materials used for large monsters.

"The Chairman says you're to be released."

Upon hearing this, Cho Chung-hyun, his face swollen and bruised, lifted his head. A hint of color returned to his complexion.

"Heh heh heh! I knew switching sides was the right move."

Contrastingly, Pyo Beom-hee's expression crumbled.

"You're releasing him?!"

"We have no choice."

Pyo Beom-hee was aware he couldn't defy the Chairman at this stage. But it was still infuriating to release the man who had almost fed the entire guild to monsters.

"Call the Chairman to express your gratitude," Kang Mu-hyuk ordered as he had Pyo Beom-hee untie the ropes. Cho Chung-hyun dialed the number with a winner's grin.

"Yes?"

"Chairman, it's Cho Chung-hyun. I owe my safe exit to you. Thank you."

"The loser dares to prattle. If you're that embarrassed, you should've scampered off."

"I---I'm sorry."

Chastised, Cho Chung-hyun bowed his head. But the call had already ended. He carefully set down the phone, flustered.

"Go see the Chairman. I can't provide transportation, so you'll have to manage that yourself."

"So you're just letting me go?"

Pyo Beom-hee was visibly irate, but Kang Mu-hyuk firmly ordered him to release Cho Chung-hyun.

"Go."

As Kang Mu-hyuk personally opened the office door for him, Cho Chung-hyun walked out with a bewildered look.

Watching Cho Chung-hyun leave the building, Kang Mu-hyuk spoke to Pyo Beom-hee, who was visibly bristling with discontent.

"Call Hunter Jang Deuk-goo."

Not long after Pyo Beom-hee left, Jang Deuk-goo entered the office.

"You called for me, Boss?"

"Yes, I have a favor to ask."