The banquet hall of the OO Hotel, a little past 6:00 PM.
The hall was already bustling with many people.
The key figures from Korea’s Top 10 Domestic Guilds, the entire Kal Team from Holy Emperor’s Korean branch, and of course, Seong-jun’s party were all in attendance.
If you asked whether Ookami and Kato Asumi’s influence was so great that they could move the entire Top 10 Domestic Guilds in Korea, the answer would be no.
After all, the Top 10 Domestic Guilds active in Korea had little reason to be mindful of Ookami or Kato Asumi, who were active in Japan.
Nevertheless, they all attended because of Seong-jun.
“Oh! Mr. Seong-jun! They say clothes make the man, and you really do look completely different!”
As Yu Se-hyeon of Path of Glory approached with a wine glass in hand, Seong-jun greeted him with a smile.
“Guild Master Yu Se-hyeon. I was actually planning to visit you soon, and here we meet. Thank you again for saving my uncle and aunt.”
“Ah, as I said back then, I just did what anyone should have done. But if you ever visit the guild, you’ll always be welcome.”
Truth be told, even if Lee Seon-jae and Yu Mi-ran hadn’t been there, Yu Se-hyeon would have rescued the people without hesitation.
Of course, since those two were there, he had escorted the people to a temporary shelter as a bonus.
“Haha, of course I’ll visit. But separately from that, I’d like to show my gratitude. By any chance, are you planning to raid an A-rank Dungeon? If so, my party and I would like to actively participate.”
Even with an S-rank, A-rank Dungeons were notoriously difficult to raid.
Moreover, guilds without an S-rank, no matter if they were among the Top 10 Domestic Guilds, couldn’t even consider raiding an A-rank Dungeon.
In that situation, Seong-jun was the one who first brought up raiding an A-rank Dungeon.
“Huh! An A-rank Dungeon? Are you serious?”
It was already a famous story that Seong-jun had raided an A-rank Dungeon with Changcheon.
Of course, Path of Glory wasn’t on the same level as Changcheon, but with Seong-jun’s help, it wouldn’t be impossible.
“I was thinking about what I could give in return for your kindness, and nothing else came to mind. If you’re thinking of raiding an A-rank Dungeon, please let me know. As long as you have a decent number of skilled B-grades, it should be quite possible.”
Seong-jun expressed strong confidence in raiding an A-rank Dungeon.
Upon reaching S-rank, the increase in his buffs had grown significantly, he had gained new buffs, and above all, he had a sufficient supply of Debuff Potions.
He judged he could handle most situations without using Debuff Potions, but even if a situation arose where he had to use them, it wouldn’t be a waste to use them for Yu Se-hyeon and the Path of Glory guild, who had saved his uncle and aunt.
“Really? Haha! Looks like I’ll be busy starting tomorrow. I’ll discuss it with the guild executives first and contact you as soon as possible.”
“You can take your time contacting me. Please discuss it thoroughly.”
Even with Seong-jun’s help, deciding to raid an A-rank Dungeon was no simple matter.
After all, there was a significant power gap between Changcheon, which had an S-rank and five A-ranks, and Path of Glory, which had only three A-ranks and relied on B-ranks as its main force, even though both were among the Top 10 Domestic Guilds.
Furthermore, if they decided to raid an A-rank Dungeon, it was also important to decide which one to tackle, and they had to thoroughly review whether casualties could be avoided during the raid.
Meanwhile, someone who had been listening to Seong-jun and Yu Se-hyeon’s conversation nearby hurriedly approached.
“Ahem, nice to see you. You remember me, right? Choi Tae-seok from Paehwang. Ah! Now that you’re S-rank, should I not speak casually?”
Just like when they first met, it was Choi Tae-seok from Paehwang, still sticking to informal speech.
However, despite the informality, his tone, though somewhat rough, didn’t feel dismissive or disrespectful.
When asked if he should be more polite now that Seong-jun was S-rank, Seong-jun chuckled.
“No. Please feel free to speak casually. You’re much older than me, after all.”
Choi Tae-seok from Paehwang was in his mid-thirties, about ten years older than Seong-jun.
“Haha, alright. Then I’ll speak comfortably. But I overheard you talking with Yu Se-hyeon here, about helping with an A-rank Dungeon raid? By any chance… could you help our Paehwang too?”
Before Choi Tae-seok’s words even finished, the guild master from another guild approached.
“I wondered what you were talking about, and it was about raiding an A-rank Dungeon? Then our Garion can’t be left out. Mr. Seong-jun. Actually, the reason I came here today was to meet you. You already have experience raiding an A-rank Dungeon with Changcheon, so why not team up with us this time?”
Following Paehwang, now Garion.
In truth, the reason the Top 10 Domestic Guilds had bothered to attend this banquet was precisely to meet Seong-jun and discuss raiding an A-rank Dungeon.
Even as an A-rank, he had raided an A-rank Dungeon with Changcheon, and now he had risen to S-rank.
It was clear he could raid an A-rank Dungeon much more easily than before.
The probability of success had increased dramatically.
That meant fewer casualties, and since Seong-jun was attending this banquet hosted by Ookami, they thought it was the perfect opportunity and came.
Then, Ju So-jeong from Genesis approached.
“Who dares to cut in line? Healer Kim Seongjun. You haven’t forgotten your promise to me, have you? You said if I found an A-rank Dungeon eligible for the First Entry Benefit, you would help Genesis with a solo raid.”
At Ju So-jeong’s words, Seong-jun nodded.
“Of course. As long as you find a dungeon that meets the conditions, I’ll lend a hand to Genesis’s solo raid anytime. Of course, you must also keep your promise to offer better terms than what Changcheon presented. But have you found a dungeon?”
When asked if she had found a suitable dungeon, Ju So-jeong subtly frowned.
“Sigh, I couldn’t find one domestically for now. Instead, I found one dungeon in Taiwan that meets the conditions. The problem is that the first person to enter it was an F-rank mercenary, so we have to enter with that mercenary, and on top of that, it’s a Drake Dungeon, which features aerial monsters. That’s the issue, if it is one.”
When the words ‘Drake Dungeon’ came from Ju So-jeong’s mouth, Seong-jun’s eyes widened.
“Did you just say Drake Dungeon?”
To that, Ju So-jeong nodded and said.
“Yes. A Drake Dungeon. It’s already an A-rank Dungeon, and on top of that, it’s a troublesome aerial monster dungeon. I was considering looking for another dungeon.”
Naturally, Ju So-jeong had her doubts.
Raiding an A-rank Dungeon was difficult enough, but for it to be a dungeon featuring Drakes, aerial monsters…
She thought it might be better to look around a bit more and find another dungeon.
“How much time is left until the First Entry Benefit for that dungeon ends?”
“Fortunately, the benefit period is on the longer side, about ten days. I believe it was discovered two days ago, so there’s about a week left now.”
* The First Entry Benefit period varied slightly from dungeon to dungeon.
Usually, one week was about average, but it could range from a minimum of three to four days to a maximum of two weeks.
And fortunately, the Drake Dungeon discovered in Taiwan had a ten-day period.
‘If it was discovered two days ago, a total of three days have passed including today, leaving about a week. Even if I complete all my schedule with Ookami, I’ll have three days left. But there’s no need to stick to Ookami’s schedule until the last day. If I leave a day early, I could have up to four days of leeway. If things go well, we might be able to clear it within the period.’
After organizing his thoughts, Seong-jun immediately looked at Ju So-jeong and spoke.
“A Drake Dungeon. Let’s go. Would it be okay if we depart in three days? To clear the dungeon within the First Entry Benefit period, I think we need to leave by then at the latest.”
Seeing Seong-jun show interest in the Drake Dungeon, Ju So-jeong’s eyes also sparkled.
The fact that it featured aerial monsters was somewhat concerning, but it was a newly appeared A-rank Dungeon like this, and it was rare for an individual, not a guild, to hold the First Entry Benefit.
“Are you really sure? The opponents are A-rank aerial monsters, Drakes. They’re incomparably stronger than B-ranks like Harpies.”
Ju So-jeong asked as if confirming.
Since it wasn’t a ground monster dungeon but a Drake Dungeon, featuring aerial monsters, she seemed to have some unease.
“Upon reaching S-rank this time, I’ve grown stronger in every aspect. It should be much easier than with Changcheon. Moreover, unlike aerial monsters like C-rank Gargoyles, B-rank Harpies, or S-rank Wyverns, I understand Drakes have a limited flight time, right? I think it’s quite possible.”
Unlike other aerial monsters, Drakes were half-baked aerial monsters.
Their actual flight time was relatively short, around thirty minutes.
Of course, even thirty minutes was sufficiently threatening, but compared to other aerial monsters that could fly continuously, it was a manageable level.
“Hmm, alright. Then I’ll arrange to depart in three days and contract with that F-rank mercenary. You won’t go back on your word later, will you?”
“Don’t worry. I’m also very interested in the Drake Dungeon.”
After telling her not to worry, Seong-jun then looked at Yu Se-hyeon.
“By the way, Guild Master Yu Se-hyeon. Let’s schedule the A-rank Dungeon raid for after I return from Taiwan with Genesis. Is that okay?”
At Seong-jun’s words, Yu Se-hyeon smiled and said it was fine.
“Of course. I need to discuss it with the team leaders anyway, and we also need to scout for a suitable dungeon, so it’s better to take sufficient time and approach it slowly. Let’s do that.”
There probably wasn’t a single guild listed among the Top 10 Domestic Guilds that didn’t desire to raid an A-rank Dungeon.
Path of Glory was no different, but since there was a risk of casualties, they wanted to approach it cautiously.
That’s why they intended to have thorough discussions with the team leaders.
—
With Genesis, and now Path of Glory’s A-rank Dungeon raid virtually confirmed, the other guild masters grew even more anxious.
“Then after Genesis and Path of Glory, please raid with our Garion Guild next.”
“Hey! What are you talking about! Of course Paehwang should be first!”
“Tsk, we can’t help it with Path of Glory, but after Changcheon and Genesis, our Poseidon Guild, ranked third domestically, should naturally be next. Let’s go by ranking. By ranking.”
They appealed to Seong-jun in various ways to secure the next spot.
If the Top 10 Domestic Guilds in Korea united, raiding an A-rank Dungeon wasn’t impossible, but it would require at least six or seven guilds to join forces.
Literally, it meant almost all guilds, excluding Changcheon and Genesis which had S-ranks, would have to unite.
And even then, it was clear there would be significant casualties.
But if Seong-jun participated, the story changed.
There was already a precedent with Changcheon where they raided an A-rank Dungeon without a single death, making it incomparably superior in terms of both profit and stability compared to uniting with other guilds.
That’s why everyone hoped to raid an A-rank Dungeon with Seong-jun.
“Haha, for now, since Genesis and Path of Glory are already promised, I’ll prioritize raiding with them. For the others, we can think about it again later. We’ll need to coordinate schedules separately and also match conditions.”
Since the raids with Genesis and Path of Glory were already confirmed, he intended to handle them as soon as possible.
For the other guilds, since there were no promises yet, he planned to take his time and think it over slowly.
He needed to consider schedules, but he also had to see which guild would offer what conditions.
Then.
“Here you all are. The preparations took longer, so I’m a bit late.”
The host of the banquet, the Ookami Guild, entered the banquet hall.
As Kato Asumi approached with a smile and spoke, Seong-jun also smiled and replied.
“I was catching up with some familiar faces I haven’t seen in a while. Ah! You’ve arrived. These are the leaders of Korea’s Top 10 Domestic Guilds.”
“I see. I’m Kato Asumi of Ookami. It’s a pleasure to meet the central figures leading Korea’s hunter community.”
On a global scale, it wasn’t such an incredibly powerful guild, but it was true that this Ookami was stronger than any other guild in Korea at the very least.
Looking at world rankings alone, they held a much higher position than Changcheon, which was ranked 92nd.
Perhaps because of that, while her words were polite, there was a subtle feeling in Kato Asumi’s actions as she exchanged greetings that she was looking down on the others.
But then.
“Haha, we meet again. We exchanged greetings earlier, right? I’m Matsuda Nobuhiro, in charge of administration for the Ookami Guild.”
Takahashi Mamoru, disguised as Matsuda Nobuhiro, acted familiar and extended his hand for another handshake.
‘Haha, this blatantly? Well, I can play along as much as you want.’
They had already shaken hands during the first greeting, but he couldn’t ignore a handshake offered again.
Seong-jun nonchalantly took Takahashi Mamoru’s hand.
Snap!
That moment.
‘Got it! Skill Copy!’
Takahashi Mamoru activated Skill Copy again.
‘I see right through your scheme. Nullification!’
Seong-jun activated Nullification, canceling Takahashi Mamoru’s Skill Copy.
[The skill [Nullification] has canceled the skill [Skill Copy]. Since one skill was canceled, Nullification is released.]
Sure enough, as soon as Nullification was activated, a notification sounded that the opponent’s skill had been canceled.
Having failed the Skill Copy for the second time after the first, Takahashi Mamoru’s expression twisted sharply.
Seeing this, Seong-jun asked with a smile.
“Is something wrong? You don’t look too well.”
Then, Takahashi Mamoru hurriedly managed his expression and said.
“No, it’s nothing. Something I ate for lunch might not be sitting well. Sorry for making you worry for no reason.”
Takahashi Mamoru, releasing the handshake, said it was nothing.
‘Another failure. What is it? What keeps canceling my skill? An Artifact? Or a skill? I can’t tell. It works fine on others. No choice. I’ll just have to try again a little later.’
Since the banquet would last at least two to three hours, he had at least two or three more opportunities.
Therefore, Takahashi Mamoru decided to try again in one hour.
“Perhaps Korean food doesn’t agree with you. There are many good Japanese restaurants too, so if Korean food isn’t to your taste, trying a Japanese restaurant wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
‘Try all you want. See if you can copy even one. Kehehe.’
As long as Seong-jun had Nullification, his Skill Copy would never succeed.
Of course, if he let his guard down for a moment, he could be caught off guard, but Seong-jun had no intention of relaxing his vigilance for even a second while moving with the Ookami Guild.
“Ha, haha, I suppose so.”
Since he couldn’t attempt to copy from Seong-jun before an hour passed, Takahashi Mamoru left his spot without much lingering attachment.
Seeing this, Seong-jun let out a soft chuckle and then moved his steps to where the others were.
The banquet itself wasn’t particularly special.
It was just well-prepared food, good drinks, and conversation with people.
Like everyone else, Seong-jun was holding a glass of wine and chatting with people.
Then, Kato Asumi approached him.
“Mr. Seong-jun, you mentioned at the Association earlier, right? That not all Divine Power is the same, and there are specific gods that match one’s Divine Power. That there are Temple Ruins, and only those who possess that god’s Divine Power can enter, and if they enter, they can obtain a special power. Is your case like that?”
After arriving in Korea, during a conversation with the Association, this topic had come up, and Kato Asumi had shown particular interest in it.
Perhaps it was because she was also a healer.
Meanwhile, as Kato Asumi approached and spoke, Seong-jun glanced at his watch.
‘It’s been about fifty minutes since Takahashi Mamoru used Skill Copy. Is it about time for him to make his move? Well, I’ll play along as much as he wants.’
He figured it was about time for Takahashi Mamoru to approach again, so he guessed Kato Asumi was approaching first to distract his attention.
“Yes, I’ve discovered two Temples that matched my Divine Power so far. The first time I discovered one, I obtained a special ability other healers don’t have, and this second time, I rose to S-rank. In a way, you could say I was lucky.”
Seong-jun said that his special abilities, different from other healers, were all obtained from Temples that matched his Divine Power.
There was no reason to tell the truth, and by saying this, who knows?
Maybe she would waste her time running around looking for a Temple that matched her own Divine Power.
‘Kehehe, spend your whole life running dungeons looking for a Temple. See if you can find one like that.’
Of course, it didn’t matter if she didn’t believe his words.
“So, you’re saying those unbelievable, cheat-level skills you use were all obtained from Temples?”
“They were things made possible by coincidences piling up, but yes, thanks to that
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