Chapter 31: Founding a Guild (3)
To create a guild, three members are required.
Hyun Suho, Nova, and Bipo.
In other words, it's like playing all the roles by himself.
Nova and Bipo are essentially controlling the body created using the Mechanical Manufacturing skill.
Normally, Nova only appeared as a hologram visible to Hyun Suho, but now, she had a real body.
After checking the receptionist's name tag, Nova lightly ran her fingernail across the desk.
"Your name is... Ms. Kim Soon-jung?"
"Yes?! Oh, yes!"
"Our guild will start operating in Wonsan from today. So, please take good care of us."
When Nova winked with one eye, the receptionist's face turned bright red, and she didn't know what to do.
Nova seemed to wonder if the receptionist had such preferences, but there was a photo of her with a man, presumably her boyfriend, prominently placed on the desk.
She was quite pretty, so it was likely there to ward off advances from hunters.
In short, Nova had the kind of charm that could make even the same sex question their sexual identity.
When Nova extended her hand for a handshake, the receptionist shook it as if she had just met a longtime idol.
When Hyun Suho watched this scene in disbelief, Nova scoffed.
[Now that she's on our side, things will be easier.]
‘...Does a battle AI from the Eos spaceship really need this kind of ability? Did they even use seduction tactics on space monsters?’
[Of course. I can project a perfect ideal type using holograms or even mimic pheromones used during mating with chemical formulas.]
Hyun Suho was joking, but it seemed that Nova really had such functions.
The Eos guys are terrifying.
[In any case, hasn’t this reduced your worries, Master?]
‘Worries? What worries?’
[You were concerned that people might discover the truth about Bippo and me.]
‘Oh… that.’
Nova and Bippo were created by combining the Mechanical Manufacturing skill with the biotechnology and nanotechnology from the planet Eos.
Most of the materials were from monster parts, and the circuits were made from mana stones.
Because they were made with biological materials, or perhaps due to Nova’s advanced technology, they were indistinguishable from humans, both visually and by touch.
According to Nova, even if they were X-rayed, it wouldn't be noticeable.
After getting a real body, Nova seemed so happy that she ran around like a dog off its leash during a walk.
When the receptionist, Kim Soon-jung, didn't seem to be recovering from her daze after some time, Hyun Suho finally spoke up, urging her.
"Does it take a long time to create a guild?"
"Oh! J-just a moment."
Startled by his words, Kim Soon-jung snapped back to reality and began to move hurriedly.
She pulled out a device that looked like the barcode scanner used in stores and handed it over.
"Please hold your Hunter terminal here."
Even as she spoke, Kim Soon-jung kept sneaking glances at Nova.
Nova was obviously aware of it and seemed to be enjoying it.
Hyun Suho, resigned, handed over his terminal.
Beep!
Kim Soon-jung, who had been completely enamored with Nova until that moment, habitually checked the information on the terminal.
Then, she was startled and shouted in surprise.
"Level 7 Mech Soldier? Light Bringer?!"
Level 8 is considered to be on the ranker level.
It's a rare and exceptional level, with only about a thousand people worldwide reaching it.
Even though South Korea is considered a Hunter powerhouse, boasting three high-ranking rankers, there are only 15 rankers in total.
All of them are either government-affiliated or part of large guilds, and naturally, they are concentrated in the capital area.
In cities outside the capital, it’s rare to find even one or two Level 7 hunters.
Attracting powerful hunters to a city is one of the key tasks for local governments. No matter how well-protected a city is, it cannot fend off every monster threat.
The named monster Siren, Golden Tail, is a prime example of this.
To attract as many hunters as possible, cities offer various benefits, such as tax breaks and conveniences.
In this situation, a Level 7 Hunter had voluntarily appeared.
Even though it’s embarrassing to admit, Hyun Suho had recently been in the spotlight for his exploits.
Though not on the level of Silver Knight, people frequently mentioned the name Light Bringer.
Of course, this attention will die down with time...
Nevertheless, for Wonsan, which had recently suffered significant damage from monsters, it was as if a treasure had fallen into their lap.
It was more than the receptionist could handle.
"J-just a moment! Please wait here! I'll contact the branch manager."
Kim Soon-jung tried to make a phone call but, when the branch manager didn’t answer, she apologized to the group and quickly ran off somewhere.
"This is why reputation matters."
"It was a good idea to raise it to Level 7, right?"
"It would’ve been stranger if Light Bringer, who defeated a Bone Dragon, were only Level 5 or 6."
"Beep beep! Bippo!"
"You're right."
Bippo had never said anything wrong.
From the stunningly beautiful Nova to the flustered Kim Soon-jung who had run out in a panic.
The people inside the Hunter branch were curious, glancing their way, but no one dared to approach.
Soon enough, Kim Soon-jung came running back, catching her breath as she spoke.
“Huff, huff! The branch manager... huff! ...asked you to come up.”
“Should we take these stairs?”
“Yes... huff, huff.”
“Thank you.”
She's quite the enthusiastic young lady.
Following her directions, they soon arrived at a room marked "Branch Manager's Office."
Knock, knock!
“Come in!”
Creak!
The branch manager was an unusual type, trusting only in paper records rather than digital ones.
Hyun Suho didn’t want to form any preconceptions, but he couldn't stop his mind from imagining a particular image.
A paranoid, strict, old-fashioned man who is stubborn and stuck in his ways.
An old-school guy who follows his own path, no matter what others say.
However, the branch manager's appearance was enough to make Hyun Suho's imagination seem laughable.
"...A weirdo?"
He was a towering figure, easily over 2 meters tall, with muscles that rippled even with the slightest movement of his fingers.
It wasn’t his physical build that was the problem.
The issue was that aside from a leather loincloth barely covering his palm and a necklace made of bones, he was completely naked.
The tattoos painted on his body with what looked like red dye stood out even more.
The huge double-edged axe hanging on the wall behind him seemed to complement his image perfectly.
The branch manager, apparently used to such reactions, spread his arms wide and spoke.
“Welcome! Light Bringer. I’ve been following your exploits closely. Truly impressive.”
It wasn’t the tone of someone who had just heard about him through the media or other hunters.
“Were you at that battlefield?”
“It’s only natural for the branch manager to be dispatched to such a large-scale event.”
The role of a Hunter branch manager is both simple and incredibly challenging.
It involves managing and keeping in line the hunters, who are often involved in various incidents and accidents.
There are many hunters who live with an inflated sense of their own importance. If they start going off the rails, it can cause serious social issues.
Hyun Suho, having worked as a porter for a long time, knew this all too well.
To handle these hunters as if they were obedient kindergarteners, one needed overwhelming power and charisma.
That’s why, typically, the position of Hunter branch manager is held by famous and strong hunters, whether active or retired.
They also tend to be of a certain age.
It’s particularly known that port cities have a lot of rowdy hunters.
For someone to unite such individuals and manage quests, they must be far from ordinary.
[Level 7, A-rank Barbarian, Kwon Cheol-jung. Age 52. Nickname: Berserker X.]
As expected, he wasn’t an ordinary man.
Learning his profession, Hyun Suho could understand why he was dressed this way.
‘It’s probably a job that doesn’t allow for the use of armor.’
This is a characteristic of the Barbarian profession.
To be precise, it’s not that they can’t wear armor, but rather, wearing it would likely impose some sort of penalty.
Not being able to wear protective gear is an extreme penalty, but there must be some significant advantage to compensate for it.
‘But still, there's no need to dress like this when there's no battle happening, right?’
Sensing Hyun Suho’s gaze, Kwon Cheol-jung chuckled and said,
“You never know when something might happen at a Hunter branch. Naturally, I need to be ready at all times.”
If he wasn't a pervert, he must have some sort of conviction.
Fortunately, Kwon Cheol-jung seemed to be the latter.
“And wouldn’t it be a shame to hide these magnificent muscles under something like clothes?”
I take that back.
He’s the former.
Either way, Hyun Suho had no intention of causing friction over the branch manager’s preferences.
“I’ve heard a lot about your reputation, Branch Manager Kwon Cheol-jung.”
“Hmm? You know about me?”
“Of course. I grew up hearing stories of Berserker X’s exploits.”
Of course, that was a lie.
He was just repeating the information Nova had whispered to him from the side.
Fortunately, Kwon Cheol-jung seemed pleased with the comment.
“Is that so! Haha!”
He laughed, pounding his hand on the desk... It looked like the desk might break.
Even a solid wooden desk wouldn’t stand a chance against a Hunter’s strength.
The creaking sound suggested it wouldn’t last much longer.
After laughing for a while, Kwon Cheol-jung leaned forward and asked,
“So... you want to create a Hunter guild here in Wonsan?”
“Yes.”
“Why? Wouldn't it be better for someone like Light Bringer to go to a big city rather than a place like this backwater?”
"Of course, no matter where you establish a guild, you can make a name for yourself elsewhere as well.
You can also receive quests.
However, there's a saying that people naturally favor their own. Hunter branches tend to take care of hunters from their own area.
For instance, if a dimensional dungeon or an instance dungeon appears near a city, they'll first contact the local guild.
So, deciding on a base is important.
Kwon Cheol-jung understood this very well.
“You probably know that the Hunter guilds in Wonsan are known for their strong territorial instincts. Most of them were born and raised here in Wonsan. No matter how famous you are, if you suddenly create a guild, the others will constantly try to check your power. Is there really a reason to establish a guild here?”
Kwon Cheol-jung’s first impression gave off the image of a carefree man who might handle things based on his mood that day.
But now, it felt like he was scrutinizing Hyun Suho as if trying to uncover his true intentions.
‘So he didn’t become a branch manager just because of his level, huh?’
After working as a porter for seven years, Hyun Suho was well-versed in dealing with hunters.
He knew exactly how to handle someone like Kwon Cheol-jung.
He had to be completely honest.
“I heard that you're planning to hunt the Golden Tail. And that the participants are restricted to the guilds in Wonsan.”
“Hmmm! Has that rumor already spread?”
“Word travels fast, as they say.”
“I won't deny it. But do you really think I’ll allow you to create a guild just to receive a quest? Do you think I’ll permit that?”
“It’s not just for that reason.”
At first, he was naturally thinking of creating a guild for the sake of the Mir Trading Company's father and daughter.
But Nova had made a suggestion.
[I was planning to advise you to create a guild anyway. It would make it much easier for you to operate.]
[So you want us to really work in Wonsan?]
[Wonsan is currently suffering because of the powerful monster known as the Golden Tail. This has discouraged many hunters from settling here. If you manage to hunt the Golden Tail, the value of this place will skyrocket.]
[So, you're suggesting we seize the opportunity before anyone else?]
[There are plenty of opportunities but few hunters. It’s much better than trying to establish a guild in the capital, where others are already firmly entrenched.]
Hyun Suho relayed all of this to Kwon Cheol-jung.
Hearing it, Kwon Cheol-jung’s eyes lit up with interest.
“If you really manage to hunt the Golden Tail, it will indeed increase the opportunities for guild activities...”
Just because he’s a Barbarian doesn’t mean he’s not smart.
At the very least, he had the insight to analyze what Hyun Suho was saying.
“I hadn’t considered that. It’s true that despite Wonsan’s advantages—its vast land and port city status—it hasn’t developed as much as other places.”
“It’s been even worse recently because of the Golden Tail.”
“It’s a troublesome monster. As you probably know, we’ve tried to hunt it several times before but had to give up.”
In this era of hunters, the Red Zones where monsters roam are much larger than the cities where humans live.
There are places where hunters can hunt monsters easily, but there are also areas inhabited by catastrophic monsters of level 8 or higher.
Sometimes, operations are launched to hunt them down, but most of the time, they are abandoned and left alone.
It’s much cheaper to give up on those areas than to cover the costs of hunting those monsters.
I’ve heard that in countries that were destroyed right after the Great Cataclysm, there are countless such monsters.
Among them, there are probably many monsters that humans have yet to identify...
The Golden Tail, at least, wasn't too hostile toward humans, making coexistence possible. But for some reason, it seems to have changed recently.
Kwon Cheol-jung frowned.
“The new mayor is insisting on sending an official document, but... I'm skeptical about actually hunting the Golden Tail. Although I don't have exact figures, I believe it’s far stronger than the Bone Dragon you defeated.”
The Bone Dragon was a monster that Hyun Suho barely managed to defeat in partnership with the ranked hunter, Nacheonryeo.
A creature that easily withstood a fully charged plasma attack.
Hearing this put things into perspective.
And the Golden Tail operates in the sea, doesn’t it?
Once again, Hyun Suho decided to be honest.
“I’ll just do my best. Even if I fail to hunt it, I’m confident I can escape. We can reassess things then.”
“You're quite calculating for someone called a hero.”
“Am I really called a hero?”
“Otherwise, how would you have earned such a grand title?”
The media loves to exaggerate.
It would be nothing for them to elevate him to the status of a hero alongside the Silver Knight.
‘A hero, huh...’
It’s an embarrassing label, but such a reputation would certainly be helpful for his future activities.
“Well, at any rate, I appreciate your honesty. If you had come to me with some empty dream or idealistic nonsense, I would have refused right away.”
It seems being straightforward was the right move after all.
“I’ll approve the establishment of your guild. I’ll also send out the quest notice for the Golden Tail hunt immediately.”
“Thank you.”
“I hope to see you around this city for a long time.”
“Same here.”
Just as he thought the conversation was ending on a positive note... he heard something chilling.
“If you join my guild, I’ll personally teach you my workout routine. A man shouldn’t be walking around with such a scrawny body, don’t you think? Haha!”
As he said this, Kwon Cheol-jung flexed his biceps.
The way his muscles squirmed made it seem as if another creature was living inside his arm.
...Maybe I should seriously reconsider setting up a guild in this city.
