The moment I pushed open the heavy door and stepped into the guild master’s office.
The interior, decorated with dark-toned solid wood, immediately caught my eye.
In the overwhelmingly spacious room, countless plaques and trophies filled the shelves.
And at the very back wall, beneath the emblem of Myth Guild, sat a man.
“You must be Hunter Seo Juwon. Pleasure to meet you.”
The man rose from his chair and slowly walked over.
He had the impression of an aged tiger, exuding an overwhelming presence.
This was Shin Daeho.
The number one ranked hunter in South Korea, the guild master of Myth Guild, and the man who had conquered the Korean hunter world with nothing but a single sword.
“I am Shin Daeho, guild master of Myth Guild.”
Shin Daeho approached and extended a thick hand.
I stood there dazed, blinking stupidly, before hurriedly grasping it.
“Ah, yes! I’m S… Seo Juwon!”
“Hahaha, this fellow is completely nervous. Relax. Do I look like I’m going to eat you or something?”
“N-no, sir! It’s not that… it’s just that meeting the guild master in person makes me tremble so much…!”
It wasn’t flattery.
I was genuinely shaking.
My body was trembling as if I were suffering from chills.
Standing before the leader of the guild I belonged to, the number one ranked man in the country, the man said to make even flying birds fall, the man before whom even the president bowed his head—I was truly terrified.
“Heh heh, there’s no need to go that far. I didn’t call you here to punish you, so why so nervous? Anyway, sit. Let’s talk while seated.”
“Yes, Guild Master!”
Guided by Shin Daeho, I sat on the sofa.
Sitting on the luxurious leather sofa, I was as stiff as a private in the army.
The fact that I was alone in the same room as Shin Daeho made me tremble too much.
After Shin Daeho took the head seat and the secretary brought tea, the real conversation finally began.
“Hunter Seo Juwon, I’ve heard a lot about you. You’ve been quite active.”
“Ah, no, sir. I haven’t really done anything.”
“Nothing, you say? Starting with conquering a Red Gate, then the Killer Bee Gate, the Harpy Gate, the recent golem… and you even received the Courageous Citizen Award.”
Honestly, I was a little surprised.
That Shin Daeho knew the achievements of a lowly guild member like me.
“Thank you. Thanks to you, Hunter Seo Juwon, the prestige of our Myth Guild has risen even higher. I must be a truly blessed guild master to have a guild member like you.”
“You honor me too much, Guild Master. And thank you.”
“Heh heh, alright. Ah, I heard you’re a father. Is that right?”
“Yes, sir. I’m raising a five-year-old daughter.”
“Oh, is that so? I only have daughters too—three of them.”
“Really?”
I asked with a shocked face.
“Heh heh, yes. It’s a well-known fact to the public. You didn’t know?”
“I’m sorry. I lived as an unawakened until I was thirty, so I wasn’t aware.”
“There’s nothing to apologize for. Anyway, I’m raising one college student, one high schooler, and one middle schooler.”
“I see. I’m envious. Since they’re all grown, you must have no worries left.”
Talking about daughters must have eased something.
The near-terror tension subsided a little.
For some reason, I also felt a strange sense of closeness to Shin Daeho.
“Well, that’s true. Still, sending all three off to marry is still far away.”
“Even so, I’m jealous. My daughter is only in kindergarten, so it’s a long way off.”
“That is true. Still, enjoy that time. I’ve raised three myself, so I know—children are the prettiest at that age.”
“I’ll keep that in mind, Guild Master.”
I smiled.
After that, Shin Daeho and I talked about all sorts of things.
Stories of raising daughters.
The history of Myth Guild.
Life as a guild master.
The current state of the hunter world.
And even everyday topics.
“Hmm, I feel like I’ve been rambling too much. My apologies.”
Shin Daeho said as he set down his teacup.
“Not at all, Guild Master. They were truly valuable stories.”
“Heh heh, flattery again. So, don’t you have anything you’re curious about from me? I’d like to hear about you now.”
“Of course I have many questions, but there’s one thing I’m most curious about right now.”
“What is it? Go ahead and ask.”
Shin Daeho stared at me with eyes like a tiger’s.
I swallowed dryly and asked the question I truly wanted to know.
“May I know why you’re taking me to the Night of Transcendents event?”
“Why, is there a reason I shouldn’t take you?”
“No, sir. I’m grateful, of course. I just don’t understand the reason. If I were the guild master, I would have taken a Diamond raid member…”
The Night of Transcendents event.
I heard executives aren’t allowed to attend.
In other words, a regular guild member has to be brought.
In that situation, everyone would think to bring a Diamond raid member.
That would be the perfectly rational choice.
Yet why.
Why me instead of those amazing people?
I was incredibly curious.
“Well, it’s a natural reaction from your perspective. In fact, the vice guild master strongly opposed it too.”
“Yes, exactly. Even my team members found it hard to understand…”
“Yes, if we’re talking pure practicality, bringing one of the Diamond raid members would be correct. The Diamond raid members of our Myth Guild are strong enough to overwhelm most guild masters.”
I nodded.
He was right.
Myth Guild, the number one ranked guild in Korea.
Its Diamond raid members were powerful enough to overpower ordinary guild masters with pure force.
That only deepened my confusion.
Shin Daeho continued speaking to that confusion.
“But I saw your potential.”
“My… potential…?”
“Yes, I made that judgment after seeing your potential. Not your present, but your future value.”
What did that mean?
Unable to understand, I tilted my head.
“You look like you don’t understand.”
“Ah, yes. Honestly, I don’t. Just hearing the Guild Master’s words makes it sound like I’ll become a stronger hunter than the Diamond raid members.”
“That’s exactly right.”
“…Pardon?”
“You’re correct. In my eyes, your potential already surpasses the Diamond raid members. I don’t know when, but someday you will become a hunter who surpasses the Diamond raid members.”
At Shin Daeho’s words, I blinked blankly.
“G-Guild Master. Are you serious?”
“I am completely serious.”
“Really… you think I’ll become stronger than those amazing Diamond raid members…?”
Shin Daeho nodded.
My mouth fell half open.
Of all people, Shin Daeho is saying this…
If anyone else had said it, I wouldn’t have believed them.
Even if Cha Jihye had said it, I would have just smiled and let it pass.
But this is Shin Daeho saying it.
The number one ranked man in Korea, the man who understands the hunter world better than anyone.
That’s why I couldn’t just brush it off.
“Of course you won’t understand. No, not just you—nobody would understand right now. But soon everyone will know.”
Shin Daeho continued.
“That Hunter Seo Juwon will become the greatest hunter in South Korea.”
After finishing the conversation with Shin Daeho.
I did not return to the Nova Team office.
I boarded the elevator and headed to the rooftop of Myth Guild headquarters.
Whoooooosh.
A cool wind blew across the rooftop.
Under the blue sky stretching like a ceiling, I looked down at the city.
“It’s high…”
Myth Guild headquarters, the tallest building in Gangnam.
This rooftop was truly high.
High enough that nothing in Seoul could look down on me.
“Will I really climb to a place this high?”
Guild Master Shin Daeho had said it.
Not right now, but someday I would become the strongest hunter in South Korea.
In other words, I would climb to a place as high as this building’s rooftop.
“If someone of the Guild Master’s caliber says it, it can’t possibly be empty words.”
If anyone else had said it, I would have dismissed it as mere encouragement.
But if the tiger-like Shin Daeho said it.
A man so cold, ruthless, and uncompromising.
If he said it, he must have said it with absolute certainty.
“What exactly did the Guild Master see in me? It can’t be just my achievements so far.”
From the Red Gate to subjugating the recent golem.
All of it was impressive for a newcomer.
But if we’re talking purely about difficulty of achievements, there were countless people who had accomplished far greater feats.
No matter how much the Nova Team members praised me, the Diamond and Gold raid teams were filled with people who had achieved far more amazing things than me.
Yet Shin Daeho said I would become the strongest.
Because of potential.
Because of the potential I possess.
Just what is it?
What could it be?
What exactly did Shin Daeho see in me to say I would become the strongest hunter?
Why on earth…
“Wait a second.”
Suddenly, lightning struck my mind.
Because I had a feeling what Shin Daeho had seen.
“Could he have seen the power of EX-grade?”
The skills I possess.
Skeleton Soldier Summon.
Skeleton Mage Summon.
Skeleton Mastery.
And Bone Explosion.
They all had one thing in common.
Their skill grade was EX.
An EX grade that shouldn’t even exist in this world.
Could Shin Daeho have sensed this?
Could he have judged that I possess tremendous potential because he saw the power of it?
“Just what is EX-grade, anyway?”
I thought about the EX grade attached to every skill I have.
What in the world is it?
What could it be that lets someone who is still merely a Silver raid member receive such an overwhelming evaluation?
I couldn’t grasp it at all.
No one could tell me, and no amount of searching revealed anything.
“Well, I’ll find out someday.”
I shook off the question.
Wasting time trying to figure out something unknowable was pointless.
So I decided to believe Shin Daeho’s words.
That someday my potential would explode, I would surpass the Diamond raid members, and I would become the strongest hunter in Korea.
“Eunbyeol, Daddy will work hard. I’ll work really, really hard and become the strongest hunter in Korea, just like the Guild Master said.”
Looking up at the clear sky, I made a promise to Eunbyeol.
That I would do my very best.
That I would do my very best to become a hunter representing South Korea.
Composer Nam Seungha.
The greatest composer in South Korea knocked and entered the room.
“Ah, Teacher Nam. You’re here.”
As he stepped into the spacious office, a dignified man stood up with a smile.
The man warmly welcoming Nam Seungha was named Han Segil.
He was the CEO of Daphne Entertainment.
A former singer who founded an agency and, with outstanding producing skills, became the CEO of Korea’s top entertainment company—a living legend.
“It’s been a while, CEO.”
“Haha, indeed. I don’t know why it’s so hard to see Teacher Nam’s face.”
The two shook hands warmly.
The CEO of Korea’s top entertainment agency and its greatest composer.
They had started their relationship long ago as singer and composer, and continued it as CEO and chief composer.
Seated on the sofa, the two talked about various things.
Recent updates about each other.
The current state of the entertainment industry.
Running Daphne Entertainment.
Even the daily lives and future plans of Daphne’s artists.
“Ah, Teacher Nam. I heard the news. You recently brought a new composer into the A&R team.”
“That’s correct, CEO.”
“Hmm, but I heard it’s a five-year-old child? And you gave her one of the double title tracks for the girl group Daisy.”
“That is true.”
“Hmm. I trust Teacher Nam’s eye, so I didn’t say much, but will it be alright? Entrusting a song to such a young child? Wouldn’t it be better to give it to an existing A&R team member?”
Han Segil continued with a worried expression.
However, Nam Seungha calmly took a sip of tea before replying.
“I fully understand the CEO’s concerns. But there is no need to worry, sir.
Because…”
Nam Seungha continued with a gentle smile.
“That child is the one who will someday feed our entire Daphne Entertainment.”