The Hunter of the Other World Who Is Being Misunderstood – Chapter 40

Ch 40: Guild Scout（1）

‘I happened to overhear it, so I’m not sure if I should be saying this, but well, you didn’t tell me to keep it a secret.’

He freely shared the information he knew without hesitation.

But the problem was, this information was quite distorted.

Because An Yunseung wasn’t directly at the scene of the incident……

It was from a phone call between Kim Giryeo and Jeong Haseong.

Moreover, he had only heard Kim Giryeo’s one-sided account.

This A-rank hunter begins a confident fabrication based on absolute faith in the person involved in the incident.

“Older Brother said he had no choice but to use force to save Jeong Haseong!”

The EX-rank gate Jeong Haseong was caught in had a rule that forced the sacrifice of one of the three matched individuals.

So usually, they would fight while trying to pass the sacrificial role to each other.

“But Older Brother was the opposite. Hunter Kim Giryeo stopped the other person to take the sacrificial role instead of Jeong Haseong.”

Yunseung continued, his eyes sparkling with respect for Giryeo.

“I even heard the two of them talking myself. Giryeo-hyung told Jeong Haseong that he was worried about his health and that’s why he stopped him so urgently. I saw him apologizing.”

How could Older Brother be such a magnanimous person!

In An Yunseung’s mind, the F-rank had already soared to an untouchable saint.

But Seon Uyeon, who heard this, paled and stiffened.

‘Oh my god.’

Whether it was malicious or not, what does it matter?

The most important thing is that he knocked out the Rank 1 of Korea as he pleased.

‘Is he even human?’

Seon Uyeon tried to ignore the cold sweat running down her back.

Her goal wasn’t to find out Kim Giryeo’s abilities.

“Anyway.”

Rustle.

She lightly crumpled the wrapper of the sandwich she had finished eating, ending the conversation.

“I’ve heard the story well. It’s a very understandable explanation.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I don’t think we need to treat Giryeo-ssi as a potential criminal anymore.”

Of course, it doesn’t mean he’s not a person who’s hiding his rank, but that’s not going to change.

What can a mere Association employee do?

Unless she could prove the deception with the latest measuring equipment, there was nothing she could do.

Seon Uyeon decided to put aside her unnecessary suspicions.

‘I didn’t have any certainty, but even I could see that he wasn’t just a bad person.’

A brief afterimage flashes through her mind.

Kim Giryeo’s back as he carefully collected the carcass of a wild animal that everyone had avoided and left.

Why did that memory come to mind at this moment?

“Thinking about it now.”

Seon Uyeon opened her mouth as she neatly arranged the plates of the lunch menu she had finished.

“Actually, as someone affiliated with the Association, it’s not bad that Hunter Kim Giryeo is hiding his skills. It’s rather fortunate.”

An Yunseung raised his eyebrows at those words.

Fortunate? In what way?

“Well, if Kim Giryeo Hunter’s real awakening power is revealed, the guilds won’t stay still.”

“Even now, he must be getting a lot of scout offers?”

“No matter how precious appraisers are, they can’t be compared to elite members who can clear high-rank gates.”

Seon Uyeon uttered such a sentence and briefly turned her gaze to the window.

She was conflicted.

“Right now, Korea is maintaining a balance between three groups.”

The 『Hunter Association』, which has a small number of high-level members but is connected to the political world and barely controls the awakened ones.

The 『Korean Magic Tower』 Guild, where high-quality awakened ones gather, centered around the charisma of the S-rank hunter Esther.

And 『Neo Sisters』, which has an absolute number of guild members based on the capital and business acumen of a large corporation.

They were in a precarious cooperative relationship without any one side dominating.

“The reason the Association has been able to maintain its voice in this gap between large guilds is thanks to the S-ranks each doing their own thing.”

But……

“But what if a hidden third S-rank appeared at this time?”

If Kim Giryeo joined a specific guild, the situation would change.

Since the existence of an S-rank can even change a country’s military power evaluation, if a person comparable to this belongs to a private company, a group with unique power will be created.

There is a possibility that the industry will get caught up in a power struggle aimed at vested interests.

“Moreover, what if that S-rank joins the forces of another S-rank hunter?”

It would be fortunate if Kim Giryeo took the side of the Association in this situation, but……

“It might be an exaggeration to think of him as an S-rank, but you never know what might happen with people.”

He is someone who doesn’t even properly respond to the rank test, so how much help can we really expect?

The power that the mysterious hunter possesses was enough to create a rift in peace.

‘There might even be a situation where the Association loses its power of restraint.’

Seon Uyeon said with conviction.

“So, I hope Giryeo-ssi will just pretend to be an F-rank and remain unaffiliated.”

“Ah, I see.”

“It’s just from the Association’s point of view. We have to control the situation.”

They want to avoid a situation where S-ranks unite.

An Yunseung, who had been listening quietly to those words, nodded with a bright face.

“If that’s the reason, don’t worry. Older Brother didn’t seem to have any intention of joining a guild.”

“Really?”

“He was even lukewarm to the Magic Tower’s offer.”

To turn down a contract from a leading major guild, that’s a bit unexpected.

“If that’s the case, it’s a relief, but……”

Well, no guild would desperately try to scout someone who is only an F-rank to the public.

Seon Uyeon got up from her seat with a much relieved face.

Of course, they couldn’t have known.

That at this very moment, the situation they were worried about was already happening.

◈◈◈

A few days ago.

The Korean Magic Tower Headquarters, President’s Office.

“You want me to scout this hunter?”

At the time when the investigation into the missing person case was in full swing.

Gwak Byeonggi, the team leader of the personnel department in charge of recruiting and promotion evaluations at the Korean Magic Tower Guild, was given an unusual task.

“An F-rank? Me, personally?”

It would be different if it was a super rookie like an A-rank.

He was being asked to bow his head and bring in a trash awakened one with an awakening power of only 14.

“I know that hunter is an analysis type. But with that awakening power, wouldn’t his mana run out after a skill or two?”

The Magic Tower was a guild known for its elitism in selecting awakened ones.

As proof, there were no guild members below C-rank here.

“President, you know the average rank of our analysis team, right? If it’s a trash appraiser, it’s obvious that we won’t be able to handle the workload, so why……”

Team Leader Gwak Byeonggi tapped the file he was holding and advised.

“Besides, what’s up with this ridiculous contract fee?”

“……..”

“Please tell me. This person isn’t an ordinary appraiser, right? I need to know some information to negotiate.”

The woman by the window, who had been listening quietly to these words, slowly turned her chair.

“Stop your yapping.”

Esther, the leader of the Magic Tower, said bluntly, blinking her thick eyelashes.

“Do you know how fierce the hunter society is? Sometimes, information carelessly leaked can come back as a big weakness.”

“Yes?”

“That’s why some awakened ones are reluctant to reveal their abilities.”

“Is that related to this case?”

“Of course. Kim Giryeo could be that type.”

Esther spoke casually to the personnel team leader, who looked much older than her.

“I’ve been thinking about it, and it’s better for you not to know that hunter’s secret.”

“Is that so?”

“Just know that he’s not a simple F-rank. If you poke around more than that, you’ll only earn his resentment.”

Since there was no detailed explanation, it only stimulated his imagination.

Just what kind of secret does this unknown hunter have that the leader of a guild would pay so much attention to him?

“I’ve temporarily drafted the contract, but if it seems like it will cost more than that, just ask for it.”

“Yes?”

“I’m even prepared to write a blank check.”

It was an unprecedented offer.

Gwak Byeonggi’s eyes widened.

“Does that hunter have that much value?”

Value, value indeed.

The S-rank awakened one with curly hair couldn’t answer that question easily.

Because the person named Kim Giryeo was not someone she was trying to recruit simply for profit.

“Well, I don’t know. In fact, all we can confirm right now is that his record is clean.”

Esther continued, recalling the cold atmosphere that the awakened one had exuded.

“I’m going to try keeping him by my side for now.”

The sensors installed at the entrance of the Korean Magic Tower headquarters check whether visitors have any items.

It was a measure to prevent the introduction of explosives.

So, they found out that Kim Giryeo didn’t have any belongings other than a mana absorbing material that day.

Nevertheless, the F-rank had escaped the maze she had prepared.

Moreover, he easily brushed off an S-rank’s curse.

“It’s a shame to let him fall into someone else’s hands.”

It was certainly frightening that her abilities didn’t work on him, but in other words, wasn’t this an opportunity?

‘If he can ignore an S-rank status ailment… whether it’s due to a skill or his awakening power. He’s definitely not ordinary.’

A chance encounter with a powerful individual who hasn’t been exposed anywhere.

If she could bring him to her side, she could do so much more.

Even if that awakened one was a typical villain, it wouldn’t hurt to know his true colors before anyone else.

“Don’t just stand there, contact Hunter Kim Giryeo right now!”

Esther said she would wait for good news and saw Gwak Byeonggi off with a bright smile.

Gwak Byeonggi tilted his head but had no choice but to follow his superior’s orders.

And a few days later.

‘Giving an F-rank this kind of treatment is too much, hmm, is he a disguised registrant whose actual rank is different? It’s definitely an uncomfortable topic to mention.’

Gwak Byeonggi managed to make an appointment with Kim Giryeo with great difficulty.

As a result of a polite inquiry with the heart of doing everything possible.

『I’ll be free this Saturday after I finish the work I’m in charge of. Let’s meet then.』

Finally, he received a positive reply.

“Hunter Kim Giryeo-nim?”

“Hello. Perhaps……”

“Yes, yes! I’m Section Chief Gwak Byeonggi who contacted you.”

Kim Giryeo, who had arrived at the coffee shop in advance, shook hands while thinking this.

‘Did the ghosts who died because they couldn’t drink coffee possess the Magic Tower guild members?’

Why did they have to meet at a place like this?

Giryeo was currently very dissatisfied, but he couldn’t show it.

Because the leader of the Korean Magic Tower was a curse attribute magician.

‘D*mn it, I can’t openly mistreat him and leave behind unnecessary resentment.’

He couldn’t avoid contact due to unavoidable circumstances.

Gwak Byeonggi, who had no way of knowing this, rummaged through the documents he had prepared and thought.

‘Whether this hunter has a secret or not. At the end of the day, scouting is a matter of money.’

There are no restrictions on the contract fee he can offer, so how hard can it be to recruit just one awakened one?

In this day and age, with enough money, you can even change someone’s name.

So, even up to this point, he expected today’s work to end easily.

“I’m sure you must have already turned down the scout offer.”

But after about five minutes.

When Kim Giryeo, with his eyes darkly sunken, stared at him and said this.

“Are you saying that you want me to ‘go to work’ at your company……?”

Gwak Byeonggi realized that something was wrong.