The Time-Limited Leader Makes the Raid a Success - Chapter 87



Only Noblemtl

Episode 88

88. Why do you think it’s so quiet these days?

“I didn’t know there was such a thing as mana addiction? You can see mana?”

Joo Seah snorted uncomfortably.

Kang Mu-hyeok read the guild leader’s displeasure and quickly apologized.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you in advance.”

“Do you know what you did wrong and are apologizing for it?”

“Yes. The report was too late. However, there was no way to explain the undiscovered phenomenon in the midst of the existence and risk factors that I had never seen before. So I thought I would tell you after I figured it out.”

“No, that’s not it… Phew!”

Joo Se Ah cut off her words with a sigh. She didn’t like it at all.

‘Oh my, you don’t even think about what will happen to your own body.’

Somehow, she felt that Kang Mu-hyeok, who was as hard as ice, was annoying. Joo Se-ah said, giving up the thought of hitting him.

“The monster I saw that day, whatever it was, wasn’t something I could do anything about right away. I kept it a secret so that others wouldn’t feel anxious, but in truth, it was a memory I also wanted to forget, so I tried to pretend not to know. The last time I felt so helpless, unable to put up a proper fight, was more than 10 years ago.”

“It would certainly be a disaster if it appeared anywhere in the world.”

“What I mean is, you don’t have to handle it alone, Captain. No one can do it alone. You can report it to the Captain when you need to. As always. However, issues related to mana addiction are directly related to your health, which in turn is connected to the safety of the guild. It’s something I’ll always be aware of.”

“There will be no problem with your health. It is not completely cured, but it is under control so that it does not cause problems in performing your duties as the director.”

“It wasn’t completely cured?”

“… … .”

Kang Moo-hyuk thought, “Oh no. How could I have made such a mistake?” He had anticipated and prepared for this situation when he had talked about the aftereffects of mana addiction, but Joo Se-ah’s reaction was subtly different from what he had expected, and he ended up letting his guard down.

‘To show such a weakness. I still have a long way to go.’

Kang Moo-hyuk reflected on his mistakes and felt relieved that he still had a human side even though his emotions were dulling.

“Ha~ Let’s move on from that for now. So is there anything else I need to know? Like how you’re managing your illness.”

“I am taking medication regularly. There are also injections.”

“I heard there is no cure. Where did you get the medicine?”

“My father… My father studied physiology and bacteriology in the field of gate bio. My uncle worked in gate mechanical engineering. The two of them are working together to develop a cure.”

“Considering the results from treating diseases that were known to be incurable, I guess both of you are famous in the field of gated science?”

“Not many people know me. I haven’t been involved in any external activities for quite some time. It’s been about 15 years.”

Joo Se Ah was momentarily shaken by the word ’15 years’ that Kang Moo Hyuk casually blurted out.

Kang Moo-hyuk tilted his head and asked as Joo Se-ah’s face darkened.

“What’s wrong? You don’t look well.”

“No. I just remember something old. Something bad… .”

It was enough to make the best hunter in Korea look pale. It didn’t seem like it was just a bad thing.

Kang Moo-hyuk wanted to ask something more, but he had to postpone it because of a phone call that came in at that moment.

“Answer the phone. If it’s a direct line, it must be urgent. And let’s keep this conversation for now and talk about it later when you have more free time.”

Joo Se Ah poked the air with her finger as if to tell me not to even think about avoiding it, then went to sit on the sofa.

‘I think I’ve said everything I wanted to say.’

Kang Moo-hyuk answered the phone, deep in thought about what else he needed to say in this conversation.

“This is Kang Mu-hyeok.”

-This is Kim Myeong-jun, Manager Kang.

At the same time, a cheerful voice rang out from the receiver.

Click!

“What is it? Why are you hanging up?”

“This is a wrong number.”

“No, who is calling that number… … .”

“I guess it’s spam.”

Ring ring ring! Ring ring ring!

“If I see you coming back, I guess it’s not spam?”

When Kang Mu-hyeok showed no intention of answering, Joo Se-ah approached him and picked up the phone.

“hello.”

-I heard your voice, it’s Lady Gilma Joo Se-ah. I’m Kim Myeong-ju…

Click!

“It’s voice phishing.”

“It’s scary. Voice phishing… Even just the sound of a voice can be harmful. I guess I should change my number.”

The phone kept ringing. Kang Moo-hyuk tried to pull out the phone line, but he couldn’t just block it. The direct line was made for emergencies, so he had no choice but to call.

“This is Kang Mu-hyeok.”

-Hey, Manager Kang. Let’s talk. Let’s talk.

“How did you know this number?”

-I have that kind of ability.

Kang Mu-hyeok noticed that Noh Song-rin had told him.

“Didn’t we say that we should live without getting entangled with each other?”

-How do people in the same industry survive without getting involved in this narrow space?

“So what’s your business?”

-Let’s meet and talk.

“Why?”

-Look, your life is at stake.

“barely?”

Kim Myung-jun was slightly embarrassed when Kang Mu-hyeok came out as if nothing was wrong.

‘Usually when someone says something like that, shouldn’t you at least pretend to be surprised?’

He thought he was being ridiculous, but since Kang Moo-hyuk spoke so calmly, Kim Myung-jun made a puzzled expression. Then he realized that this wasn’t what the other person wanted. He interpreted it as him asking for the information to be made clear.

-Foreign interference in the Korean hunter community. Is this something worth seeing?

“Now we can finally have a conversation. Are you from Japan?”

Kim Myeong-jun barely managed to hold back his swear words from spilling out at Kang Mu-hyeok, who was acting annoyingly.

-Have you heard about the Japanese Guild Union’s assassination squad?

“Okay, let’s meet. I might be able to give you what you need.”

This time, Kim Myeong-jun, who was trying to bounce back, gave up on trying to get revenge on Kang Mu-hyeok’s last words.

‘Oh my, you’re really picking people up and putting them down. I guess I can spread out a mat somewhere.’

Contrary to his admirable feelings, Kim Myeong-jun answered calmly.

-You probably don’t like it when I decide anyway. Just decide on a place and time and let me know.

* * *

“Even if I choose a place, why… … .”

On the outskirts of Nampocheon, in a deserted village where no one lives anymore due to the population decline, Kim Myung-jun encountered Kang Mu-hyeok. Next to him, Joo Se-ah was glaring. Her legs were tingling, perhaps because she had been badly beaten once.

‘Did you come alone for no reason?’

Even if I bring my subordinates, they won’t be able to stop Joo Se Ah. At best, they’ll be like meat shields?

Since I couldn’t stop it anyway, I thought it would be better to meet her alone to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.

Kim Myeong-jun shook off his tension and opened his mouth.

“Congratulations on your victory in the Orc Tribe Raid.”

“It’s nothing to celebrate.”

“Well, it’s more of a worry than a congratulation. You have a great talent for public relations. You’ve barely managed to gain the reputation of a guild of the same tier as an orc. As expected, you’re good at business. You’ll probably get a lot of hate from people here and there.”

“Please tell me what you want to do.”

I tried to shake it before talking, but Kim Myeong-jun licked his lips as if he was disappointed.

‘It doesn’t work after all? You seem to know the general situation.’

Kang Moo-hyuk knew that fame that was too great for his abilities was poisonous. He could not have fallen for Kim Myung-jun’s provocation.

Kim Myeong-jun said.

“Have you heard of the Japanese ‘Gildanryeon’?”

“The Guild Federation. Right?”

“It is commonly called the Japan Guild Union. It is not an official organization.”

“Even if it is unofficial, if a dangerous force gathers together, it is no different from a recognized organization.”

“That’s right. It’s a place that is protected by the Japanese political circles, and it’s not a place that is powerless just because it doesn’t have a sign. In fact, it has considerable influence in Korea, whether you know it or not.”

“What are you up to over there?”

“Did I tell you about the assassination squad belonging to the Union?”

“You came to Korea. What is your purpose?”

“It’s an organization called Igajo.”

Kim Myeong-jun changed the subject in a grumpy tone. Kang Mu-hyeok listened without getting impatient.

‘Tch, not fun.’

When the other person did not respond, Kim Myeong-jun frowned and continued speaking.

“There are several assassination squads like this in the Union. Iga, Fuma, Koga, Saika, Suppa, etc. They are all named after ninja groups. Anyway, Japanese kids have some kind of fantasy about ninjas, so they all give them names like this.”

“So.”

“These guys are called the elite among the elite. They came to Korea this time to eliminate Team Leader Kang Moo-hyuk.”

This time, I didn’t drag my feet and got to the point.

I expected him to be shocked, as it was shocking news that an elite assassination squad from the Japanese hunter community was targeting him, but Kang Moo-hyuk still had a blank expression.

Kang Moo-hyuk looked back at Joo Se-ah, who was standing next to him with her arms crossed like a totem pole, and said.

“What would you do by killing me? If you were the guild leader, wouldn’t you know?”

“Is this the first time a captain has asked me to take care of his own road? Why don’t you just give me the address?”

“That’s a good idea, Guild Leader.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Aren’t you going to set a trap? With the guild leader’s skills, we have a good chance of winning.”

“Hey, let me say something.”

Joo Se Ah shut her mouth when she realized that he was serious and not joking.

Kim Myeong-jun gave additional explanations to try to clear up this awkward atmosphere.

“Anyway, that’s what they are. If I had to give a reason for wanting to kill Captain Kang, it would be to stop Joo Se-ah Gilma from growing up.”

“It’s already big enough. Why did you come all the way across the water to stop me?”

“Whether or not the main guild master’s rank is S-rank, it’s to make it so that he can’t do anything on his own. It’s a way to seal the main guild master without having to fight.”

“how?”

“There are many enemies, including Slayers. Individual strength only shines in raids. Those raids are prepared at the guild level. Even if you are S-ranked, what good is it if you can’t participate in raids at all?”

“You took on the role of the saboteur, right?”

“… … .”

Kim Myung-jun was quite surprised that it was Joo Se-ah, not Kang Mu-hyeok, who hit the nail on the head.

‘Did Kang Mu-hyeok make a promise? Or… … .’

Is Joo Se Ah changing?

While looking for an excuse to defend himself against the sharp criticism, Kang Mu-hyeok said.

“I knew the assassination squad had come. The reason you’re telling us this… is obvious. In the Japanese hunter world where purebloodism is rampant, Korean hunters are just outsiders and won’t be trusted. If you don’t want to be thrown out, you shouldn’t kill your prey. No, to climb up the ladder, do you have to make your prey more aggressive? Then your master will feed you plenty and tell you to fight.”

“As expected, it’s easy to talk to Director Kang. He’s so clear that there’s no need for a separate explanation.”

“What do you want?”

“What the captain said earlier.”

“A trap? Get rid of Igajo?”

When Kang Mu-hyeok showed signs of doubt, Kim Myeong-jun immediately told him the reason.

“It’s not that I’m setting a trap in reverse. Since the Slayer has noticed Igajo, my position is in an awkward position. Whether the assassination of Captain Kang succeeds or fails, if I’m not careful, I’ll be exposed. Is there anyone in Korea who would be caught by the Slayer and survive? If I ran away to Japan and settled down, would they welcome me there? The answer is to just maintain the status quo.”

“In the meantime, if we use the guild leader as an excuse to receive more support from Gildanryun, it would be the icing on the cake, right?”

“You can think of that as my performance bonus.”

Kang Mu-hyeok nodded without asking any more questions.

“I’ll get my thoughts together and contact you.”

“I look forward to your coming to a good conclusion.”

* * *

‘Eulji, you bastard! I’ll negotiate with you today!’

Han Byeong-gu, who returned home grumbling, went up to the second floor and kicked the door to Goeulji’s house.

“You punk, Iron Will is not allowed!”

“Hello, Grandpa.”

“Huh? Oh my, Nari is here. I thought Eulji was here too, haha.”

“Don’t you know etiquette, Grandpa? You just barged into the ladies’ room. Even if you’re an old-fashioned hunter, you should know how to protect what you need to protect. And you have social standing too. Grandpa, you don’t know any common sense at all.”

Han Byeong-gu became angry when he saw Go Eul-ji shrugging her shoulders and shaking her head.

“Etiquette? You have to follow what you have to follow? Sangshiik~? So a guy with common sense joins a guild that was banned just because of idols?”

“Just that? It’s a meal voucher for a BTA fan meeting?”

“That’s exactly right, Grandpa. It’s called BTA.”

“right?”

Go Eul-ji, who gained strength from Kim Na-ri’s support, smiled brightly.

Han Byeong-gu hit his forehead. What did he do wrong? What did he do wrong that his granddaughter fell for those girlish men?

‘No. I did nothing wrong.’

Then we need to find the guy who did wrong.

There was only one conclusion.

“Kang Mu-hyuk, this guy is brainwashing our granddaughter!”

“No, why is Chief Kang there? What crime did that old man commit to get stamped out by grandpa?”

“This guy… is he taking that bastard Kang Mu-hyeok’s side now?”

“What side?”

“Whoa! Kang Mu-hyuk! It’s a federation, it’s a war!”

Goeulji used telekinesis to grab Han Byeong-gu, who turned his back as if he was about to run to Bukpocheon.

As the power of the two top hunters collided, the energy waves spread in all directions.

Clang! Chief Cha!

“Whoa!”

Kim Na-ri screamed as the glass of the room shattered and objects flew everywhere, but she was unharmed. Go Eul-ji protected her.

“Ouch, I did it again. How many pieces of glass in my room do I have to break?”

“Eulji, you punk! Starting today, I’m cutting off your allowance!”

“Yeah. It’s okay. I’m getting paid now. I don’t raid, so it’s only the base salary, but it’s still generous. Since I’m a student, they even waived the requirement to raid while I’m a minor. Getting paid to play around? It’s the best!”

“This. This guy… … .”

“Chief Kang Moo-hyuk said that even if you’re a minor, a hunter can join the guild without the consent of a guardian or guardian. I didn’t know that at all. To be honest, my grandfather was too much. Controlling me with allowances while not allowing me to engage in economic activities. It was a grand conspiracy that deceived me for the past ten years, Mr. Han Byeong-gu.”

At that moment, Go Eul-ji felt as if she heard something snap from Han Byeong-gu.

“I left it alone for a while, so I guess the medicine has worn off?”

“Efficacy?”

“The hawk of love.”

“That’s not medicine, that’s violence… Wow! What kind of world is this that they still use such old-fashioned disciplinary methods? Grandpa’s fists are murder weapons!”

“Nari, I’m sorry, but I think I’ll go home for today. It looks like Eulji is going to be very sick.”

“No. You can sleep over at my house today.”

“Haha, you’re getting sick in front of your friends. Our granddaughter is causing trouble to others.”

“Don’t come here. Don’t step over that doll… Aigo, I said don’t step over it. Grandpa, what are you looking at? Even so, there are no weapons here… Aigo, when did I put that sword away? Anyway, don’t come any further… . Aaaah!”

Kim Na-ri carefully closed the door and went out into the hallway.

After a while, a sound of something breaking was heard.

I opened the door slightly and peeked my head out, and a cool breeze blew my bangs.

Kim Na-ri sighed as she looked at Goeulji’s room with one wall missing.

“It’s been a while. I thought it was quiet these days.”