The vice guild master’s eyes widened as he read the report.
“An A-rank clear?”
Yoo Chae-young, who usually maintained a calm demeanor, found it hard to hide her smile today.
An A-rank clear?
That was nothing but a small detail.
The real story lay with the man she had found.
A Perfect Clear Awakened—an S-rank Word Mage, none other than him!
“Not just an A-rank clear, but a dungeon-clear above the standard, completed with only three players?”
“Yes, as the report states, the knowledge of this man named Kang Hyun…”
“A rookie A-rank, they say? He doesn’t seem like a rookie at all! Haha!”
The response was missing the mark, and Yoo Chae-young’s expression soured.
“You mentioned Aden, didn’t you? Haha! At this rate, she might even be listed as an S-rank candidate in the future!”
The vice guild master’s face lit up with laughter. Not the reaction Yoo Chae-young was aiming for.
‘No helping it.’
She had condensed the report, as per his request.
This reaction was only natural.
‘This isn’t about glory.’
Skills would inevitably come to light. What mattered now was securing him for Seonghwa.
“Vice Guild Master, please review this as well.”
She handed over a proposal for a lifetime contract.
“A lifetime contract, you say? Of course, we must. Aden absolutely needs… Hmm?”
The deputy guild leader hesitated just as he was about to stamp his approval.
“Why are there two contracts?”
“One for Awakened Aden and the other for Awakened Kang Hyun.”
“Hmm…”
He stamped only one contract.
Yoo Chae-young flinched.
“This one is rejected.”
“Why!?”
Her voice rose slightly.
The vice guild master looked puzzled by her reaction.
“You’re unusually emotional, Team Leader Yoo.”
“He is a critical talent for Seonghwa. Why deny this?”
The vice guild master was unimpressed.
“Why, you ask? Does E-rank make any sense?”
“He is essential to Seonghwa. Without his knowledge, everyone in that dungeon-clear would have died!”
Though she omitted the part about his mastery of magic and word magic, she credited his expertise in gate studies.
“Well… It’s hard to say he contributed decisively.”
A reasonable thought.
“It feels like the report might have been exaggerated.”
“What?”
“Ah, I’m not doubting you, Team Leader Yoo. But given Aden’s incredible performance, Kang Hyun’s contributions may have been overstated by association.”
Though the deputy guild leader’s explanation was long-winded, it boiled down to his belief that the report was inflated.
Still, Yoo Chae-young’s frustration was short-lived. She found herself begrudgingly agreeing.
‘It does sound implausible…’
Kang Hyun’s decisions were on a level hard to believe, even for a mercenary who had traversed all of Terra.
“A dungeon above the standard, and a high-grade one at that. No expert could perform as described in the report.”
He had a point.
“Not to mention, he doesn’t even hold a doctorate. How could he possess such knowledge?”
She had no answer to that.
‘Exactly.’
How on earth did that man know all he did?
Yet, she had witnessed his brilliance firsthand.
That made it all the more frustrating.
“I’ll acknowledge his contributions since you insist. But the lifetime contract is out of the question.”
“…I’ve dedicated myself to this guild. Won’t you trust me on this?”
“…Team Leader Yoo, this behavior is unlike you.”
Unlike her?
No.
‘This is precisely what I would do for Seonghwa.’
Her plea wasn’t for personal gain but for the guild’s future.
“If you insist so strongly…”
“Ah!”
“…No, I’m sorry. It’s still not possible.”
“Why not?”
She had swallowed her pride, after all.
Frankly, was a lifetime contract such a risky proposition?
“Rumors about favoritism have already spread.”
“Ah…”
“The guild’s atmosphere is already tense.”
Once again, she had no retort.
Just recently, she had shared the same concerns.
“Moreover, someone with a doctorate would likely be placed in the Support Team.”
Which was outside her jurisdiction, making it a problem of overreach.
“…”
“If it weren’t you making this request, I’d have already dismissed it. Approving this could cause a major controversy.”
The vice guild master closed the folder.
“I’m sorry. I can’t risk upsetting the internal balance of the guild.”
“…Understood.”
“Still, since you speak so highly of Kang Hyun, I’ll keep an eye on him. Let that suffice.”
But Yoo Chae-young was desperate. What if someone else snatched him away?
Enticing offers from other nations.
Destiny, the 1st-ranked guild.
(TLN: Not exactly sure if author changed ‘Lord’ to ‘Destiny’ as the 1st ranked guild or if it’s global ranking.)
Could Seonghwa truly secure him before others did?
“Proceed with Aden’s lifetime contract.”
“Yes…”
Even that felt meaningless.
Aden was Kang Hyun’s student.
Naturally, she would follow him wherever he went.
“Stop wasting energy on this. Go push the research team to figure out the effects of that E-rank Blessing. We need to get ahead.”
“…Understood.”
“Instead of someone like a gate studies professor, it’d be even better if you brought in the Perfect Clear Awakened or the S-rank Word Mage.”
It was a joke among colleagues.
But for Yoo Chae-young, who knew the truth—
‘That man is…!’
She almost blurted it out in frustration.
“If you bring those two in, Seonghwa conquering Korea’s #1 rank won’t just be a dream, will it? Haha.”
“…I’ll take my leave.”
Yoo Chae-young did not smile back.
‘I won’t give up.’
The guild that secured Kang Hyun would dominate Korea.
‘I’ll make Seonghwa #1 with my own hands.’
No matter what!
###
At a Korean BBQ restaurant, Aden and Kang Hyun settled in.
“Beef…! Not bulgogi or stir-fried pork, but Hanwoo!”
“Stop looking around like that; you’re embarrassing us…!”
This wasn’t some luxury shop or an Awakened store—it was just a BBQ restaurant.
Yet, Aden was craning her neck everywhere, her excitement evident.
She beamed ear to ear as they sat down, immediately checking the menu for the source of the beef.
“What are you doing?”
“It says here they use domestic beef. It’s Hanwoo for sure!”
“Well, it’s a pricier place.”
Until recently, they had both been poor.
They weren’t exactly food connoisseurs, so they’d picked the place with the logic, “If it’s expensive, it must be good.”
“Isn’t domestic beef and Australian beef the same thing?”
“No way! Hanwoo Grade 2+ is on a completely different level!”
“Where’d you learn that?”
Not that this place was serving Grade 2+ anyway.
It was doubtful Aden even knew what that meant.
“From NewTube Shorts!”
Unable to afford it before, she had been satisfying herself with videos of food.
It was almost enough to bring Kang Hyun to tears.
“Fine… You’ve got some nerve, don’t you?”
“Huh?”
“Order whatever you want—the most expensive thing on the menu.”
“Hooray! Long live Master!”
She promptly ordered four servings of premium ribeye.
Aden, however, began to tremble as she noticed the price.
“M-Master… I think there’s a mistake with the price.”
It was 58,000 won per serving.
Over 200,000 won gone in an instant.
“It is a bit pricey.”
But dungeons practically printed money, so Kang Hyun didn’t care.
Aden, on the other hand, who had thriftiness ingrained in her soul, was visibly shaking.
“M-Maybe we should just run away….”
“…Does the thought of an Awakened running from a BBQ bill even make sense?”
But then the meat arrived.
Chiizzzzz—
The sound of it sizzling, and the first bite—Aden’s eyes filled with tears.
“Kyaah-!”
“Where’s the person who was talking about running away?”
Her chopsticks moved with the speed of an Awakened.
Clearly, push-ups weren’t the only thing she excelled at.
“I’m so glad I’m alive…!”
“Stop it. People are staring…!”
To shut her up, Kang Hyun ordered two more servings.
“You must’ve eaten meat when you were younger, right?”
“That was years ago! And Thean meat can’t compare to Hanwoo Grade 2+.”
“Fair enough.”
Thea’s culinary culture was notoriously lacking.
Even the best steaks from noble households couldn’t hold a candle to Earth’s cuisine.
‘If a noble ends up cooking stew, it says everything.’
Granted, that was because Aden’s family was poor.
But even the traditions and culture on Thea were overly conservative.
Nobles shunned seasonings and avoided elaborate cooking, clinging to traditional methods.
‘Even though things started to change after Earth opened its gates to Thea.’
Aden’s family must have been extremely old-fashioned.
No wonder they cast her out.
“Master.”
“What now?”
“What if I end up alone and encounter a dungeon above standard grade? I’d be terrified.”
“Well… You’ll just have to go into ones I’ve approved for you.”
It would be a bit of a hassle, but high-grade Awakened didn’t enter dungeons that often, so it was manageable.
“Wait, Master, can you tell ahead of time if a dungeon is above standard rank?”
“Yeah. I get a general sense of it.”
Of course, that wasn’t something others could do.
‘After all, I’ve faced legion commanders too many times to count.’
But what was with that dungeon?
What had the Abyss Legion Commander done there?
“I’m so glad you’re my Master.”
“Stop with the nonsense and eat.”
“Yes, Master!”
As they devoured their meal, the server approached with a large bowl.
“Here~ This is on the house!”
It was soybean paste stew, but it was packed with beef.
Clearly not a basic side dish but a main course in itself.
“You’re that Aden girl who was on TV, aren’t you?”
“Uh, yes?”
“Eat up and clear those gates! Thank you for coming to our country!”
“T-Thank you…”
Aden was flustered and didn’t know what to do.
As Aden was enjoying the soybean paste stew, another unexpected visitor approached their table.
“Thank you for your service.”
This time, it was a white soldier.
An American, perhaps?
“Uh, ah? Y-Yes?”
“Thanks to Awakeneds like you, we’re safe. Thank you.”
“Uh… y-you’re welcome.”
Aden seemed momentarily flustered by the English, but soon she let out an awkward chuckle.
“Stop grinning like that and focus on your food.”
“Did you see that? Hehe.”
After that, a few more people came to their table, asking for autographs and photos.
By the time it started feeling overwhelming, they had finally finished eating and stepped outside.
“Thank you!”
Bow!
Aden bowed deeply to the staff as they left the restaurant.
“I felt like the food was going straight up my nose from all the excitement, but it was a good experience. And the meat was delicious!”
“Glad to hear you enjoyed it.”
“So this is what fame tastes like… No wonder people on Earth idolize the Seven Heroes so much.”
Still, for the next outing, Kang Hyun thought a private room would be a better idea.
Meals should be eaten in peace.
“I should ask Yoo Chae-young for recommendations on quiet restaurants.”
“Please treat me again next time!”
“If you train hard.”
“Uh, um…”
Aden quieted down.
“You’ll start guild activities tomorrow.”
“I’m looking forward to it!”
“Before you enter any dungeon, make sure to report to me first. Don’t go in recklessly and end up in trouble.”
“Reassuring as always, Master!”
“Well, it’s a rare occurrence anyway. What are the odds of encountering another one?”
Still, the Abyss Legion Commander’s power weighed on Kang Hyun’s mind.
He decided he’d need to investigate a few more of these abnormal dungeons.
###
Meanwhile, Yoo Chae-young answered her phone.
“It’s been a while since I’ve heard from you, Chief Choi.”
<It’s good to hear from you too, Team Leader Yoo. I hope you’ve been well.>
The two exchanged greetings.
They exchanged pleasantries, though each had their own guarded thoughts.
‘Team Leader Yoo… She was slower than me to identify EX, but she ended up securing Kang Hyun. A formidable woman.’
‘The government only sees him as the Perfect Clear Awakened. They have no idea he’s also an S-rank Word Mage. Only Aden and I know that….’
Both concealed their determination.
“You mentioned you had something to discuss?”
<Yes, I did. There’s been a report of an abnormal dungeon occurrence.>
“Yes, I recall.”
<First, my deepest condolences.>
To an Awakened, an abnormal dungeon was akin to a major car accident.
<Were those involved unharmed?>
However, Chief Choi didn’t realize the case involved Kang Hyun.
“Yes, everyone is safe. It’s been resolved.”
Thanks to an S-rank Word Mage, of course.
Yoo Chae-young couldn’t help but feel a bit proud.
<Really?>
Choi sounded surprised.
For everyone to emerge unscathed from an abnormal dungeon was almost unheard of.
<I’m calling to request the related data from that dungeon.>
“Is this an official requisition from the state?”
<Not yet. For now, it’s just a request, but it will soon escalate to a formal requisition.>
For the guild, it was better to cooperate now than resist later.
“Understood.”
Still, she found it peculiar.
Dungeon data was a valuable corporate asset.
For the government to demand it meant the incident posed a significant national security risk.
“Could you tell me more about what’s happening?”
<There have been reports of a sudden increase in abnormal dungeon occurrences.>
“Is it serious?”
<Not yet, but the government is discussing forming an emergency response team. It’s enough to warrant further investigation.>
“Even if it’s still in the early stages, this isn’t something to take lightly.”
To an Awakened, abnormal dungeons were a nightmare.
Having recently experienced one herself, Yoo Chae-young fully grasped their dangers and horrors.
‘If it had been anyone else….’
Could they have survived?
If she ever faced such an ordeal again, could she make it out alive?
The rising frequency of abnormal dungeons wasn’t a trivial matter.
“Thank you for the information.”
<Of course. Your cooperation is much appreciated.>
After ending the call, Yoo Chae-young contemplated the situation.
‘Will this escalate further?’
If so, it wouldn’t remain just a guild-level issue.
‘I’ll need to devise a strategy for the guild.’
At the very least, she had to minimize harm to the guild members.
Her concerns deepened.
