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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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There was no need for surprise or bewilderment.
Raid Gates didn’t produce Dimensional Cores even upon the first clear, making permanent closure impossible.
Therefore, they would reappear at specific locations, anywhere from three months to a year later.
Thus, the important thing wasn’t the appearance of the Raid Gate itself.
“What’s the rank?”
“Green.”
Raid Gate ranks were classified as follows: A-rank Green, S-rank Blue, SS-rank Yellow, SSS-rank Red, and Unmeasurable Black.
In other words, the Raid Gate that appeared in Seodaemun District was the lowest rank in terms of danger.
Considering the power of the Baekho Guild, one of the Five Great Guilds, it was a level they could easily conquer.
Naturally, Lee Seong-joon tilted his head.
“I don’t think you need my help.”
“It’s not a simple Raid like you think. Every two years, ostensibly to prepare for national emergencies and foster unity among the Five Great Guilds, we clear a Raid Gate together, building camaraderie and teamwork. But in reality, it’s the opposite. It’s more of a competition.”
After confirming Lee Seong-joon’s slow nod, Oh Kyung-hyun continued.
“The media outlets write articles about the future of each guild based on the Raid results…and those articles change the future value and reputation of the guilds, so as a Guild Master, I have to pay close attention to it.”
A dark shadow fell over Oh Kyung-hyun’s face as he spoke.
“But the rookie who was supposed to represent our Baekho Guild recently suffered a serious injury while hunting in a Gate.”
Lee Seong-joon’s eyes narrowed as he listened.
“That’s unexpected.”
Baekho was skilled enough to be one of the Five Great Guilds representing South Korea.
Moreover, as they were preparing for the Raid Gate, they would have been hunting with utmost caution, yet an injury occurred.
“I also found it suspicious, so I looked into the details, but I couldn’t find any concrete evidence. I think Hwanseong must have had a hand in it, but since there’s no clear evidence I can present, I was just getting frustrated…”
A smile suddenly appeared on Oh Kyung-hyun’s lips.
“And then, Vice President ko Tae-hyun, that man seems to value you quite a bit. He used the Shadow Brothers incident as leverage and showed Hwanseong what’s what. Hahaha!”
Oh Kyung-hyun burst into laughter, then quickly shook his head and composed himself.
“I got too excited and made a mistake. I shouldn’t be chatting like this with someone who’s busy. Let’s get back to the main topic. As I said before, the point is that the rookie who was originally supposed to participate in the Raid Gate is seriously injured.”
Even if a talented rookie was injured, Baekho Guild’s known power consisted of over 20 S-rank Hunters and two SS-rank Hunters.
They had enough power to participate in the competition among the Five Great Guilds.
Yet, they were asking for help.
Lee Seong-joon, frowning, slowly opened his mouth.
“…There must be a restriction on Hunter rank.”
“A straightforward personality, but also sharp enough to grasp the core… Now I understand why ko Tae-hyun values you so much. Hahaha!”
Oh Kyung-hyun burst into hearty laughter and nodded.
“Your guess is correct. Since it’s a competition among the Five Great Guilds, in the case of the Green rank, there’s a tacit agreement that only Hunters below S-rank can participate.”
“I know Baekho has many competent Hunters.”
His doubts still lingered.
As one of the Five Great Guilds representing South Korea, Baekho Guild must have dozens of Hunters between A-rank and below S-rank.
There was no reason to entrust the task to an outsider like him, Lee Seong-joon.
“We need someone who can wield power that transcends their rank, like you, not just someone with a high rank.”
Wielding power beyond one’s rank wasn’t a privilege exclusive to Lee Seong-joon.
Although there were only five to ten such cases a year in South Korea, Hunters who could demonstrate power beyond their rank did appear.
It was an extremely small number, but since the Raid Gate ranking affected the guild’s future value and reputation, the Five Great Guilds invested a lot of time and effort in recruiting and nurturing such talented Hunters.
So, to send an ordinary Hunter to compete with these rookies?
They would surely be compared to other guilds, and negative articles about Baekho Guild would endlessly pour out.
On the other hand, if they broke the unspoken rule and sent a Hunter above S-rank, they would be criticized by the media, and rumors of lacking talent would spread, similarly damaging the guild’s reputation and value.
Either way, Baekho Guild would be embroiled in controversy.
Since guilds could be considered a type of corporation, they would inevitably suffer significant damage from the fluctuations in value and stock prices caused by such controversies.
“Ahem… Besides, I’ve already hyped things up with the reporters, saying that our Baekho will achieve a high ranking in this Raid Gate.”
As the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place, he understood everything, from why Oh Kyung-hyun, the Master of Baekho Guild, had personally come to him, to the offer itself.
‘A Hunter below S-rank who can wield power beyond their rank and can be recruited immediately.’
Within South Korea, that would be him, Lee Seong-joon.
“So, I want you to participate in this Raid Gate as a representative of our Baekho Guild.”
“This isn’t just a single job. It seems I have to become affiliated with Baekho.”
“Of course, that’s how it should be.”
It was as if their feet were on fire, trying to scout him for Baekho Guild. They would likely offer him the best compensation and treatment in the industry.
However, as he had repeatedly stated, there was no need to chase immediate gains.
Rather, the Association’s authority and ability to handle matters like monopolizing hunting grounds through Gate inspections and providing secret protection were more valuable.
“I’m sorry, but I’m not planning to leave the Association yet.”
Lee Seong-joon’s firm refusal, but Oh Kyung-hyun’s expression didn’t waver in the slightest.
“It seems there’s a misunderstanding. I’m not asking you to terminate your contract with the Association.”
“…?”
As Lee Seong-joon tilted his head in confusion, Oh Kyung-hyun spoke again.
“Have you heard of dual affiliation?”
It wasn’t completely unfamiliar.
He had heard the names of a few Hunters who had dual affiliations in the past.
They were individuals who were called geniuses, beyond simply being competent. Those who were too big for a single guild had activities with dual affiliations.
However, as the power of guilds and alliances grew stronger, even those who were called geniuses in the past could be fully accommodated within a single guild, so the term “dual affiliation” was gradually fading into history.
Yet, such a proposal for dual affiliation was coming from Oh Kyung-hyun, the Master of Baekho, one of the Five Great Guilds.
“To put it simply… you could be considered a mercenary. You’d participate in the Raid Gate under the name of Baekho Guild, but your contract with the Association would remain intact.”
“I’d like to hear the detailed terms.”
He had to carefully consider the conditions, as he could be taken advantage of if he blindly accepted a seemingly attractive offer.
But Baekho Guild, Oh Kyung-hyun, was impeccably prepared, even in these supplementary aspects.
“Don’t worry about the other details. I swear on my name, Oh Kyung-hyun, that after the Raid Gate, Baekho will never impose any special restrictions or demands on you.”
Indeed, judging by the content alone, it was a very attractive offer.
However, Lee Seong-joon still shook his head.
“I’ll discuss it with the Association first and then think about it.”
“Don’t worry about ko Tae-hyun. I’ve already talked to him beforehand. He said it’s fine as long as you’re okay with it.”
As if he had come prepared, Oh Kyung-hyun had been very thorough in his preparations.
But unfortunately, Lee Seong-joon’s current concern wasn’t simply his relationship with the Association.
“…”
Lee Seong-joon, postponing his answer with silence, rested his chin on his hand and continued to think.
‘If I participate in the Raid, it will be difficult for the Association to conceal my information any longer.’
It was a competition among the Five Great Guilds.
Not only active Hunters, but everyone involved in the industry would be paying attention.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that his name would become known throughout South Korea.
‘And the Five Great Guilds wouldn’t have to worry about the Association’s eyes anymore.’
Since he would be revealed, they would contact him more directly without worrying about the Association.
Of course, simple contact wouldn’t be a problem.
But what if they harbored malicious intent like Hwanseong?
‘It would cause a lot of trouble.’
Therefore, paradoxically, he liked the dual affiliation offer from Oh Kyung-hyun.
‘…My identity will be revealed sooner or later anyway.’
No, it had already been revealed to some guilds and alliances with excellent information networks.
But if he continued to build his career and grow like this?
Even small and medium-sized guilds with less developed information networks would figure out his identity and approach him.
And when that time came, there was no guarantee that a second or third Hwanseong wouldn’t appear.
In the worst case, countless malicious entities could target him and his family.
‘But if I’m under the name of Baekho…’
They would be unlikely to even approach him, let alone harbor any ill will.
The possibility of trouble itself would disappear.
‘And I can even maintain my contract with the Association.’
He could enjoy all the benefits of using his existing authority while also preventing trouble by having the prestige of Baekho Guild behind him.
‘If I have connections with both the Association and Baekho…it would be even more difficult for those like Hwanseong to make a move.’
In the end, Oh Kyung-hyun’s dual affiliation offer meant he could gain significant benefits without losing anything.
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