Meanwhile, with Seong-jun’s appearance, not only Choi Sangmin, Choi Sanghyeok, and Choi Sangsu—the direct brothers—but even the collateral cousins began to buzz.
Not only that, but the dignitaries from all walks of life who had been invited by them also seemed shocked by Seong-jun’s arrival.
“Wow! That’s really Kim Seong-jun! He looks exactly like he does on the news!”
“This is insane. I can’t believe I get to see the Saint Kim Seong-jun in person this close.”
“I’m really glad I came to this gathering today. To think I’d see Kim Seong-jun the Healer here, someone you couldn’t meet even if you wanted to.”
The gazes of everyone gathered here were fixed solely on Seong-jun.
Perhaps that’s why Choi Sangsu, who believed himself to be the main character of today’s banquet, couldn’t help but look bewildered.
“Wha—what? Is it really Kim Seong-jun? No, why is Kim Seong-jun here…?”
Seeing Choi Sangsu like that, Choi Sanghyeok smirked.
“What do we do now? The main character of today has changed from you, Sangsu, to hyung Sangjin. No matter how great the Dungeon Management Bureau Director is, can he compare to Healer Kim Seong-jun? Even if the Association President came in person, they wouldn’t dare to match Healer Kim Seong-jun, right? Our Sangsu. Your stomach must be hurting so much you won’t sleep a wink tonight.”
“Heh!”
At Choi Sanghyeok’s taunt, Choi Sangsu could only bite his lip.
In blunt terms, no matter who you brought from Korea through connections, there was no one who could overpower Seong-jun in the current situation.
“Anyway, hyung Sangjin really has good skills. Healer Kim Seong-jun, whom even business circles couldn’t meet no matter how they tried to line up—how on earth did he manage to win him over?”
At that, the eldest son Choi Sangmin stepped forward and spoke.
“How he was won over isn’t important. What matters now is that Healer Kim Seong-jun is right before our eyes. The only person in Korea who can solo clear an A-rank Dungeon. That person has attended our Shinhwa’s banquet. Sangjin has really pulled off something big.”
Since Choi Sangmin had already created an overwhelming gap between himself and his other brothers to the point of being mentioned as the next successor, rather than being wary of Choi Sangjin’s advancement, he actually praised him for bringing Seong-jun to this gathering.
With that, Choi Sangmin headed toward where Seong-jun was.
“I’d better go too. He’s the hottest person in Korea right now, so I should pay my respects up close.”
Choi Sanghyeok followed suit.
Then Choi Sangsu, left alone, reluctantly moved as well.
*
Meanwhile, as Chairman Choi Kanghoon approached, Seong-jun lightly bowed his head.
“Hello. I am Kim Seong-jun. It’s an honor to meet a great figure of the business world who leads Korea’s economy.”
Seong-jun also showed Choi Kanghoon the utmost courtesy.
“Haha! The Saint of Korea, the hero of the Republic—hearing you say that makes me the honored one instead. Ah! I recently heard the news that you succeeded in solo clearing an A-rank Dungeon with only your team members. You’ve achieved an incredible feat that’s hard to find anywhere in the world, let alone Korea.”
Top-tier guilds around the world could solo clear A-rank Dungeons.
But that was by mobilizing at least a hundred, sometimes hundreds, in large-scale expeditions.
There was no precedent anywhere in the world of just four people clearing an A-rank Dungeon like Seong-jun.
“You flatter me. It’s not something worth calling history.”
Seeing Seong-jun’s humility, Choi Kanghoon cautiously asked.
“Then, do you plan to continue clearing A-rank Dungeons on a regular basis?”
He needed to know whether this was a one-time event or if Seong-jun would steadily clear A-rank Dungeons in the future to decide the stance on A-rank monster carcasses and Mana Stones.
At Choi Kanghoon’s question, Seong-jun smiled and said.
“Of course. I know there are still many regions suffering damage from A-rank Dungeons across the country. They appear in city centers or major administrative hubs, causing difficult situations. It’ll be tough to clear one every week, but I plan to start with those places and slowly take them down.”
Indeed, there were still many places nationwide where A-rank Dungeons had spawned in extremely inconvenient locations.
From city centers, city halls, military bases, and near nuclear power plants—places that obstructed citizens’ movement—to various key facilities, causing disruptions in operations.
Seong-jun intended to rank them by location and clear the most urgent ones first.
“I see. Thanks to Healer Kim Seong-jun, Korean companies will now be able to receive regular supplies of A-rank monster carcasses and Mana Stones.”
At Choi Kanghoon’s words, Seong-jun looked at Sangjin with an expression as if he remembered something.
“Ah! Speaking of which, I prepared a gift for you, Mr. Sangjin. I think it’s about time it arrived.”
Then Sangjin looked puzzled.
“A gift? Haha, you didn’t need to bring anything just by coming…”
Just then, Choi Sangjin’s phone rang.
Ring ring ring~
“Huh? Why is the company calling all of a sudden?”
He had clearly told them he would be here today, so unless it was something really important, they wouldn’t contact him.
Yet the company calling meant something significant enough to interrupt the representative’s important time.
“Yes? What’s going on?”
A flustered voice came from the other end of the phone.
“R-Representative! A large truck loaded with the carcasses and Mana Stones of 2,570 A-rank normal monsters, along with elite and boss carcasses and Mana Stones, has arrived at the headquarters entrance, claiming to be a gift from Healer Kim Seong-jun! W-what should we do? Should we move them to the logistics warehouse first?”
The gift Seong-jun had prepared had finally arrived.
Caught off guard, Choi Sangjin looked taken aback.
“Cough! W-what? 2,570 A-rank normal monster carcasses and Mana Stones, plus elite and boss carcasses and Mana Stones?”
“Yes! This is our first time dealing with something like this, and everyone is panicking about what to do!”
Choi Sangjin stared at Seong-jun in disbelief.
“T-this is…”
Seong-jun smiled and said.
“It’s a gift for the help you’ve given me and as a token of gratitude for future cooperation. How do you like it?”
Seeing Seong-jun speaking so casually, Choi Sangjin was at a loss for words.
No, everyone present except Seong-jun wore expressions of disbelief.
What did he just say?
How many A-rank monster carcasses and Mana Stones?
Ha!
This is unbelievable…
Choi Kanghoon was dumbfounded.
Until now, obtaining A-rank monster carcasses and Mana Stones in Korea often took several months, sometimes over a year of waiting, and even then, you’d be lucky to secure about 30 to 40 units through fierce competition.
Recently, thanks to Seong-jun, the number of A-rank Dungeons cleared had increased, boosting supply, but it was still insufficient.
Yet now, nearly 2,600 A-rank monster carcasses had arrived all at once.
And that included elites and bosses—essentially an entire dungeon.
Choi Sanghyeok, who had been blank for a moment, approached Seong-jun and said.
“U-um, Healer Kim Seong-jun! Could you possibly allocate some of that, even a small portion, to our Shinhwa Construction side?”
With the direct brother Choi Sanghyeok opening the floodgates, everyone who needed monster carcasses and Mana Stones crowded around Seong-jun.
“I’m Choi Guk-hyeon, CEO of Shinhwa Bio! Could you allocate some to the bio division as well?”
“I’m from Shinhwa Semiconductor…”
“I’m…”
Thousands of A-rank monster carcasses and Mana Stones had come in at once.
Since even getting a fraction of them would instantly solve their chronic shortages, they were desperate to secure at least some.
Seeing this, Seong-jun smiled and looked at Sangjin.
“Haha, as I already said, that is a gift I gave to Mr. Sangjin. It has already left my hands, so how to dispose of it is entirely up to Mr. Sangjin to decide.”
If you give a gift, that’s the end of it.
The authority over the A-rank monster carcasses and Mana Stones prepared by Seong-jun belonged to Choi Sangjin, the recipient.
“S-Sangjin hyung! Haha, surely you won’t ignore your younger brother, right?”
“Sangjin hyung! It’s me, Guk-hyeon. We used to play together when we were young.”
With those words from Seong-jun, their targets shifted to Sangjin.
Sangjin, calming his startled heart, spoke with a stern expression.
“Enough. Although Seong-jun gave this to me as a gift, I cannot handle it on my own. I will decide after discussing it with Father, so let’s leave it at that. What are you all doing, neglecting the guests?”
Securing thousands of A-rank monster carcasses and Mana Stones was good.
But Sangjin couldn’t monopolize them alone.
If he did, it would only provoke more jealousy and envy from his brothers, and in the end, he might become the target of their focused attacks.
So he had to distribute them appropriately, but even that could invite gossip, so he brought in the group’s highest decision-maker—his father.
Since the decision would be made after consultation with the Shinhwa Group Chairman, who would dare object?
“Haha, right. As Sangjin says, this isn’t the right place to discuss it now. I will confer with Sangjin and distribute them properly, so let’s stop here. Isn’t this embarrassing for the guests?”
When Choi Kanghoon stepped in to settle things, everyone backed off.
Just then, Choi Sangsu, who had been pushed out of the spotlight, cautiously spoke up.
“Is it okay to accept such a large quantity of carcasses and Mana Stones like this without going through the Association? What if there are repercussions later…?”
Although not legally mandated, there was an unspoken rule that monster carcasses and Mana Stones should be handled through the Association.
But this was a special case—an individual Hunter, Seong-jun, giving a gift directly without going through the Association.
He was questioning whether this would become a problem later.
The answer came from Jeong Jin-bae, the Dungeon Management Bureau Director.
“Haha, I had already heard from the Association President about this. He said Healer Kim Seong-jun intended to gift the entire dungeon he last cleared to someone. I was wondering who that was, and it turns out to be Representative Choi Sangjin. Since the Association President has already approved it, you need not worry about that part. Healer Kim Seong-jun is a very important person to the Association; of course, we had to grant such a request.”
Since the Association President had already approved, what more could be said?
“Ah, haha, I-I see. Well then, I suppose…”
In the end, Choi Sangsu had no choice but to step back.
“By the way, I haven’t eaten anything before coming here, so I’m a bit hungry. Would it be okay if we talked while eating something?”
When Seong-jun said he was hungry, Choi Kanghoon started in surprise.
“Oh my! I’ve been remiss in hosting such a distinguished guest. Sangjin, why aren’t you escorting the guest?”
In his heart, Choi Kanghoon wanted to stick by Seong-jun’s side himself, but considering his age and the fact that it might make Seong-jun uncomfortable, he left it to Choi Sangjin, who had invited him.
He planned to join them later once the atmosphere relaxed.
*
Seong-jun and Choi Sangjin each held a glass of wine and were eating the prepared food.
Meanwhile, all eyes at the banquet were fixed on Seong-jun and Choi Sangjin.
But no one dared to approach recklessly; they only observed from a distance to gauge the mood.
If they clumsily got close, they might leave a bad impression, so they were waiting for the right opportunity.
Thanks to that, Seong-jun and Choi Sangjin could talk quietly.
“I was truly shocked. Gifting an entire A-rank Dungeon. Isn’t the scale of this gift a bit too huge?”
“You said it was a place to flaunt connections. If you’re going to show off, you have to do it properly. Only with something like this would your face, Mr. Sangjin, who invited such a connection here, be properly saved, right?”
Although Seong-jun sold an entire B-rank Dungeon every week and planned to clear one A-rank Dungeon weekly starting now, gifting an entire A-rank Dungeon was still a burden.
Moreover, he couldn’t completely ignore the Association, so he had to consider their position to some extent.
Yet he prepared this gift to clearly demonstrate his influence.
Specifically to Choi Sangjin.
“Haa, my face is indeed thoroughly saved. But it’s so saved that it’s burdensome.”
“Ah! And the device. I’ll give you that as well. Tell the Revolution Headquarters that Mr. Sangjin secured it by even giving up equity. That should raise your standing within the Revolution a bit, right?”
Since there was no one around and they were speaking in low voices, no one could eavesdrop on their conversation.
That’s why they openly brought up the Revolution.
“Oh? Are you sure that’s okay?”
“New toys are coming in soon, anyway. Speaking of which, hasn’t the Revolution Headquarters said anything?”
Choi Sangjin had reported to the Revolution Headquarters that Grand Overlord Alexander and Monarch Roberto seemed to have been dealt with by Seong-jun.
But the headquarters had not yet given any word.
“They only said they’d contact me. No concrete instructions have come down yet. But once a decision is made, they’ll give me a heads-up. Whatever it is, they’ll need my support to operate freely in Korea.”
Even though no clear directives had come down yet, once a decision was made, Choi Sangjin would be contacted.
Because to operate in Korea, his support was essential.
“Hmm… At least there’s still some leeway for now. Anyway, if they contact you or if any unexpected variables arise, you must notify me immediately.”
“Of course. After all, we’re already in the same boat.”
Although Sangjin said they were in the same boat, Seong-jun didn’t take that at face value.
Choi Sangjin’s current position was straddling both sides.
Depending on the situation, he could cut ties with either side at any time.
How could one fully trust a person in such a state?
But since Choi Sangjin’s presence was a great help in the current situation, Seong-jun intended to maintain this precarious relationship for now.
Mirae Group Chairman’s office.
*
Upon receiving an unexpected report from the chief secretary, Chairman Lee Seongtak’s expression turned surprised.
“Huh? So, all the carcasses and Mana Stones from the A-rank Dungeon Kim Seong-jun cleared were given as a gift to Choi Sangjin, the representative of Shinhwa Electronics?”
“Yes, it’s practically gifting an entire dungeon. But that’s not the important part.”
By gifting an entire dungeon, Shinhwa Electronics—or rather, the Shinhwa Group—would have no trouble with A-rank monster carcasses and Mana Stones for a while.
That alone put them in a more advantageous position than other companies.
Of course, Mirae Group also purchased large quantities of B-rank monster carcasses and Mana Stones every week through backroom deals, so they weren’t at a loss, but A-rank monsters were a different story.
Yet the chief secretary said that wasn’t the important part.
“Not the important part?”
“Yes, just four people perfectly cleared an entire A-rank Dungeon in just five days without any casualties. What does that mean? It means that for them, clearing one B-rank Dungeon every week is nothing.”
At the chief secretary’s words, the chairman’s eyes gleamed.
“Oh? So you’re saying the one behind Choi Gyu-taek might be Kim Seong-jun?”
Choi Gyu-taek supplied B-rank monster carcasses and Mana Stones every week.
They had wondered who was behind him, but they had stayed quiet, afraid that poking around might ruin the deal itself.
But the chief secretary was saying that Seong-jun might be the one behind him.
“In my view, it’s possible.”
“But Kim Seong-jun and his party don’t clear dungeons that often, do they? To trade that much volume every week, there should be some trace left, but no trace exists. That’s the problem.”
If you clear one B-rank Dungeon every week, records or traces should naturally exist.
But so far, no trace had been found.
“I’ve been continuously monitoring the movements of the top 10 guilds. Due to their size, many people pay attention to their actions, and clearing an entire dungeon requires large-scale movement, which naturally draws eyes. To avoid leaving traces, you first must not draw people’s attention, and for that, moving in small groups is best.”
The chairman nodded at the chief secretary’s words.
“Hmm. The only force capable of clearing an entire dungeon in a short time while moving small is indeed Kim Seong-jun’s party. The problem is that there are many eyes watching their movements. How did they evade observation?”
“I’m not sure either, but there must be something we don’t know. However, if my guess is correct up to that point, there’s a high chance the trade goods will be upgraded from B-rank to A-rank soon. If Choi Gyu-taek says he’ll raise the goods to A-rank…”
When the chief secretary trailed off, the chairman nodded and said.
“You mean, as you guessed, Kim Seong-jun is behind Choi Gyu-taek. The moment A-rank Dungeon clearing becomes possible, the trade goods change to A-rank.”
It was well known among those in the know that Seong-jun’s team of only four swept through B-rank Dungeons.
And now they could even clear A-rank Dungeons.
If they can clear A-rank, there’s no reason to stick with B-rank.
If the chief secretary’s guess was correct and Seong-jun was behind Choi Gyu-taek, it was clear he would soon propose upgrading the trade goods from B to A.
Even if not, Seong-jun was still the most likely candidate behind Choi Gyu-taek in the current situation.
“The problem is that Kim Seong-jun gifted an entire A-rank Dungeon to Shinhwa Electronics’ representative Choi Sangjin, showing a special relationship. If Choi Gyu-taek’s backer is indeed Kim Seong-jun, he might switch the trade partner from Mirae to Shinhwa, don’t you think?”
At the chief secretary’s words, Chairman Lee Seongtak abruptly stood up.
Thump!
“That cannot happen! This deal must be preserved by any means!”
Thanks to the large volume of carcasses and Mana Stones purchased through backroom deals, they had achieved significant results in many areas.
It was also a great benefit financially, and they could freely consume high-grade monster carcasses.
But if that deal moved to Shinhwa? That had to be prevented at all costs.
“Nothing is certain yet, so we need to observe more. Even if my guess is correct, we can’t act rashly. Moving clumsily could backfire. The best course is to pretend not to know and just watch, but if you want to do something, you must approach with extreme caution and care.”
Unlike the Shinhwa Group, which had a special relationship with Seong-jun, offending Seong-jun by clumsy moves could cause him to openly change the trade partner.
Therefore, the chief secretary advised that acting ignorant was best, but if they were to do anything, it should be done as cautiously as possible.
I Became an EX-Class All-Round Priest Chapter 131
E-book publication date: 2025.11.14
Author: Kim Hyeon-jun
Published by: Heo Heung-beom, Park Geon-won
Publisher: Poten
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Phone: 02-6320-8500
Fax: 02-6320-8585
ISBN 9791175302167
Price: 100 won
© Kim Hyeon-jun 2025
This e-book is a copyrighted work protected by copyright law.
This e-book has been published under contract with the author, and unauthorized reproduction, duplication, distribution, or sharing of this e-book without written consent from both parties is prohibited.
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