Eventually, after coming out of the Privilege Dungeon, Seong-jun washed his face roughly and came out to the hideout.
Since it was already past 7 AM, going back to sleep seemed pointless, so he just came out early.
And a little after 9, the party members all gathered at the hideout.
“I have something to tell everyone. It’s about the Guardian Authority. Although it’s only a difference of about 2 minutes, the cooldown has become shorter than the duration, so there’s no need to wait an hour anymore. If we time it right, it seems we can maintain it continuously.”
Since they said a gap of 1 hour had disappeared in just one day, everyone looked puzzled.
“Huh? What does that mean? Just yesterday there was a 1-hour gap, and you’re saying it disappeared in just one day?”
“I had a stroke of luck. It’s hard to explain in detail, but with the Guardian Authority level rising to level 6, several changes occurred. First, the cooldown became 2 minutes shorter than the duration. Second, I can now use one skill from someone who has been registered as a Guardian more than 10 times. And third, once a day, I can instantly summon a registered Guardian to my side.”
Since there was nothing to hide, Seong-jun revealed all the changes that came with the Guardian Authority reaching level 6.
Gwang-taek, Yuseon, and Chang-su had all already reached Reliability 100.
Of course, even they would keep secrets when needed, but he judged this level of information was enough to share.
“Wow! Level 6? Well, you said it’s hard to explain, so I won’t ask, but is that even possible? Yesterday it was level 2, so that means it went up 4 levels in one night?”
“But we could use our skills before too. What’s the difference between that and this?”
When Reliability reached 100 and Absolute Trust was formed, they could borrow the target’s skill twice a day.
The party members were well aware of this.
So they were curious about the difference.
“Yeah, before I could borrow skills twice a day. But this time, I register them and use them, so there’s no limit on the number of times. It’s like using them as my own skills. So for now, I’m thinking of registering Chain of Light from Gwang-taek hyung’s skills and Wind Snipe from Yuseon’s skills. Oh! Of course, if you’re not comfortable with it, I won’t force it.”
At Seong-jun’s words, Gwang-taek and Yuseon chuckled.
“What’s there not to be comfortable with? Anyway, if you get stronger, we get stronger. If there’s anything you can use, just take it all.”
“That’s right. If it weren’t for Seong-jun oppa, I would never have made it this far. I’d probably still be hopping from party to party as an F-rank mercenary. So don’t say that, just use it freely.”
To them, Seong-jun was literally a benefactor who transformed their lives.
Because it was Seong-jun who lifted them from the bottom to the top class where no one could treat them carelessly.
So whatever Seong-jun did, they blindly agreed.
“Haha, thanks for saying that. Then I’ll register as soon as conditions are met. Ah! But Chang-su, how about you? Is it okay?”
“Aish, hyung-nim, really. Asking something so obvious. If hyung-nim does it, I just do it.”
At least Gwang-taek and Yuseon sometimes expressed their opinions, but Chang-su was an outright yes to whatever Seong-jun suggested.
“Is that so? But I don’t really know your skills. I need to know what skills you have to decide what to register. Can you tell me?”
Normally, asking about someone’s skills is a big breach of etiquette.
But among them, because Absolute Trust of Reliability 100 was formed, they weren’t bound by that.
“Of course. First, passives…”
Chang-su started from passives and explained each skill he possessed.
He also tried to explain the S-rank skills created when appointed as Guardian, but since Seong-jun had no intention of registering those, he told him to skip them.
Having heard all of Chang-su’s skills, Seong-jun.
“Anyway, we have enough attack skills, so exclude those. Critical-related skills are covered by Holy Weapon Enchant, so exclude those too. A passive or mobility skill seems good? Crisis Detection passive, or Ghost Step mobility skill. You can choose between the two.”
The Crisis Detection passive was a warning skill that instantly gave an unsettling feeling when someone directed killing intent toward him or a threatening being approached.
And the mobility skill Ghost Step was a movement skill reminiscent of teleportation, moving at extreme speed while leaving afterimages to a designated location.
If used together with Blink from the newly acquired Ermia Jelin’s Holy Bracelet, it seemed good for confusing enemies or as an escape tool in crisis.
Seong-jun planned to think slowly about which of the two to choose until conditions were met.
“But oppa. If we can use Guardian Authority continuously, wouldn’t it be okay to try an A-rank dungeon instead of B-rank?”
At that, Yuseon suggested trying to clear an A-rank dungeon.
“Not a bad idea. I thought about that too. Facing stronger monsters ahead of the fight with the Grand Overlord could be more helpful in terms of skill application. But right now, this is not the application stage, it’s the adaptation stage. In my opinion, the best course now is to adapt to the skills by facing as many monsters as possible.”
To use skills properly, first you need to adapt to them, and after adaptation is complete, you move to the application stage of properly combining or linking skills.
If they had finished adapting to some extent, training to apply skills against A-rank monsters would be the better judgment, but now they haven’t even properly adapted to the new skills.
So he judged that prioritizing rapid adaptation by facing as many monsters as possible was the way.
“That makes sense. Besides, there’s no guarantee we can clear an A-rank dungeon within four days if we open one now. In that case, it’s better to adapt to skills with a sure B-rank.”
Even from Gwang-taek’s perspective, Seong-jun’s judgment seemed right.
Above all, they had never cleared an A-rank dungeon on their own, so they could exceed four days if something went wrong.
“Then let’s do that. I’ll summon a dungeon right now.”
Seong-jun immediately selected and summoned a B-rank darkness-type dungeon, and soon the party entered the dungeon.
Incheon International Airport, the third day since Seong-jun’s party began full-scale adaptation training.
“Welcome. We welcome Chairman Daniel Vasmann’s visit to Korea.”
Choi Sangjin, Kang Ji-sang, and other key figures of Shinwha Electronics were greeting VIPs at Incheon Airport.
They were none other than the chairman of a Swiss luxury watch company OOO, his daughter, and executives.
“Haha, thank you for such hospitality. We have great expectations for this project. I hope we can have smooth discussions where both sides can win-win.”
“Shinwha Electronics also has high expectations for this matter. We believe that the luxury-ization of wearable devices is a very appropriate business that aligns with the ideals both sides pursue. But I see this is your daughter.”
When Choi Sangjin asked, looking at the early-twenties woman next to Daniel Vasmann, the chairman smiled and said.
“Haha, that’s right. She wanted to come to Korea so much that her share in deciding to come to Korea this time is considerable. Ella, say hello.”
At the chairman’s words, the woman next to him extended her hand and said.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Marie Vasmann.”
Choi Sangjin also took her hand and said.
“Welcome to Korea.”
After shaking hands with Marie Vasmann, Choi Sangjin soon looked at Chairman Daniel Vasmann and said.
“You must be tired from the long flight. I’ll take you to the accommodation first. Let’s go.”
“Let’s.”
Thus, Choi Sangjin and Daniel Vasmann led the way, and the rest followed.
They exited the crowded airport and boarded a vehicle.
Naturally, Choi Sangjin and Daniel Vasmann rode together, and Kang Ji-sang took the wheel.
Once they were alone, Daniel Vasmann subtly frowned and looked at Choi Sangjin.
“But the work is not very clean. Not only did you fail to eliminate the target, but you also let the device fall into someone else’s hands. How can I trust you with work like this?”
As soon as they boarded the vehicle, they were no longer Choi Sangjin, representative of Shinwha Electronics, and Daniel Vasmann, chairman of the luxury watch company, but Grand Overlord Alexander and Korean Branch Chief Pascal.
“I’m sorry. It was something I could handle sufficiently on my end, and I intended to do so, but somehow I ended up troubling Lord Alexander.”
“So. Is that Kim Seongjun guy such a dangerous figure? To the extent that I, the Grand Overlord, have to step in personally?”
Although he came to Korea because it was decided at the Grand Overlord meeting, Alexander still wondered if that guy was really such a great figure that even he had to step in.
At Alexander’s question, Kang Ji-sang, who was driving, said.
“Originally, Branch Chief Pascal tried to retrieve the device even by giving up his stake, but I stopped him. That Kim Seongjun will be a big obstacle to our future plans, and above all, he’s getting stronger over time as if he’s growing. I judged it’s better to eliminate him now before he gets stronger.”
At Kang Ji-sang’s words, Alexander looked puzzled.
“Growing? Well, ranks are fixed, but levels go up, so isn’t it natural to grow? What’s strange about that? When a level-headed person like you makes such a judgment, there must be some basis, right?”
To that, Kang Ji-sang immediately answered.
“It’s not simply a matter of leveling up. It’s an enormous growth that can’t be explained by that. Actually, he was A-class but recently rose to S-class. Unlike other predictable individuals, he is an utterly unpredictable person. Above all, looking at his recent actions, he showed power clearly different from ordinary S-ranks. My judgment is that two or three ordinary S-ranks can’t guarantee his elimination.”
“Well, if Roberto judged it that way, it must be somewhat correct. At least among the Lords, few can make as level-headed judgments as you, Roberto. But I assume you have sufficient information about him?”
As soon as the words ended, Choi Sangjin handed over a document.
“This is recent investigation of his activities over the past few days, and approximate information estimated based on him during the Dungeon Breaks that occurred in Korea and Taiwan.”
Taking the document, Alexander began to briefly look it over.
“Hmm, quite detailed information more than I thought. I’ll look it over slowly at the accommodation.”
“Then when do you plan to move?”
When Choi Sangjin asked when he would move, Alexander spoke as if it were nothing.
“I need to finish quickly and spend some time with my daughter. Let’s just handle it tomorrow without dragging it out.”
As Choi Sangjin expected, Alexander intended to move tomorrow.
Not only because he didn’t want to drag it out, but also because he somewhat looked down on Seong-jun.
“Yes, then I’ll prepare in advance.”
Choi Sangjin smiled meaningfully.
A little past 8 PM.
whoosh whoosh whoosh
Seong-jun and the party came through the portal into the hideout.
“Uwaa! Finally over! Clearing three B-rank dungeons in four days. Really crazy. Crazy.”
“I don’t need anything else, I just want to go home and shower. My body is sticky with sweat, I can’t stand it.”
Having cleared three B-rank dungeons in four days, not to mention not getting proper sleep, they naturally couldn’t wash and practically lived in the dungeons.
Of course, they briefly came out to the hideout to open the next dungeon after clearing one, but that was literally a moment, and they immediately entered the second and third dungeons without rest, so it was safe to say they were directly in the dungeons for four days.
“Good work. Still, it seems everyone has adapted to some extent. If we finish this Grand Overlord business well, we might upgrade to A-rank dungeons from next time.”
While clearing three B-rank dungeons, Gwang-taek, Yuseon, and Chang-su showed considerable adaptation to S-rank skills.
He judged that at this level, the probability of fumbling or making mistakes in the fight against the Grand Overlord was low.
However, there was slight lack in application, but that couldn’t be helped immediately.
He judged that this level was sufficient for now.
“But will that Grand Overlord guy really move tomorrow?”
At Yuseon’s question, Seong-jun shrugged.
“I don’t know. Choi Sangjin seemed to think it’s highly likely, but I won’t know until tomorrow, right? If he moves tomorrow, he’ll send me a message somehow.”
Seong-jun couldn’t be sure whether he would move immediately tomorrow or take his time.
He didn’t have foresight ability, so how could he know?
But since Choi Sangjin said the probability was high, he judged they needed to be sufficiently prepared for that.
“Where did you decide on the location? We can’t fight here. If that Grand Overlord is truly a transcendent beyond S-rank, the moment we fight, the whole area could become a mess.”
Gwang-taek asked if he had thought about where to fight.
Frankly, if a battle occurred, an enormous shock incomparable to ordinary Hunter fights would envelop the surroundings.
So he thought finding a place that could withstand such a situation was a priority.
“Of course. I found a suitable place on the outskirts of Gyeonggi-do. It’s a three-story building halfway up a mountain, but now it’s completely ruined. It’s quite far from the nearest village, so almost no one passes by. It’s the perfect place for a noisy fight.”
“Oh! There was such a place? How did you find such a place in that short time?”
“How would I have found such a place? Of course, Gyu-taek hyung-nim found it.”
Running a detective agency, he gets to go all sorts of places.
So naturally, he also kept track of such locations.
When Seong-jun asked if there was a place to fight noisily without drawing attention, Gyu-taek immediately thought of that place, and thus the location to fight the Grand Overlord was decided.
“Well, that guy did poke around a lot. But will they know we’re moving there? Gyu-taek?”
“The other side will have already placed separate surveillance on us. When we move, they’ll follow closely behind and report our route to them.”
To deal with Seong-jun, they naturally had to first determine his location and route.
To do that, they had to put people on it.
“That makes sense.”
“Anyway, get plenty of rest and gather at the hideout around 8 PM tomorrow. If we move separately, we might get picked off one by one, so it’s better to gather at the hideout and move together.”
Unless they received Seong-jun’s Guardian Authority, they were ultimately only B-rank.
If they moved separately and got picked off, it would be disastrous, so he suggested gathering at the hideout and moving together.
That way, even if unexpected variables occurred, they could respond immediately.
“Okay. Anyway, I need to go now. I’m going crazy wanting to shower.”
“Me too. After eating only hunter-style combat rations for days, I want to eat something else. I’ll hurry home and order delivery. While waiting for delivery, I’ll shower.”
At that, Seong-jun chuckled.
“Yeah, then go rest. Seon-hwa noona, you worked hard today too. Get plenty of rest and see you tomorrow.”
The party members with haggard faces hurriedly left the hideout and headed to their respective homes.
And Seon-hwa also went up to the fifth floor and went straight into the bathroom.
The next day, at the halfway point of a mountain on the outskirts of Gyeonggi-do where darkness had fallen.
The abandoned building, worn out and decrepit to the point of being sinister, gave off an atmosphere as if ghosts might appear.
“This is really… That Gyu-taek guy picked a perfect place. Could shoot a horror movie here.”
Since it was several kilometers away from the nearest village, it seemed no one would know if something happened here.
“Let’s go in first.”
As Seong-jun said that and entered the abandoned building first, the party members followed.
The interior of the building exuded a similarly gloomy atmosphere as the exterior.
“Somehow it seems even creepier inside than outside.”
At that moment.
ding
A message arrived on Seong-jun’s phone.
[Grand Overlord Alexander has departed with his secretary. For reference, the secretary Kang Ji-sang is a Lord within Revolution and is S-rank. Take note.]
It was a message saying that the Grand Overlord had departed and was moving with the S-rank Lord Kang Ji-sang.
“The Grand Overlord has moved. But it seems he’s coming with one S-rank Lord.”
At Seong-jun’s words, everyone looked puzzled.
“What? A Lord? Wasn’t the Grand Overlord moving alone?”
Seong-jun chuckled.
“I expected it. We’re moving as a team, so they won’t move alone either. I roughly expected it, but I didn’t know Choi Sangjin’s secretary was a Lord. Anyway, since they’ve moved, there’s no need to leave the watchers alone right? Chang-su. Take care of all the watchers.”
Until now, they had left the watchers alone even though they were bothersome, in order to let them report their route to the other side.
But since the other side had started moving, there was no need to keep the watchers.
“How should I handle them?”
“Don’t kill them, just knock them out and tie them up somewhere far from here.”
Seong-jun’s group wasn’t a group of murderers; they couldn’t just kill people.
So he said to just knock them out and tie them up far away.
After everything was over, they could tell Choi Sangjin to handle it.
“Yes, hyung-nim.”
pop
As Chang-su disappeared in an instant, Seong-jun looked at the remaining party and said.
“Gwang-taek hyung will face the Grand Overlord with me. Seon-hwa noona and Yuseon, quickly subdue the Lord with Chang-su. It’s best to subdue if possible, but if that seems difficult… got it?”
Capturing alive was best if possible, but they couldn’t insist on it if they were in danger of death.
At Seong-jun’s words, the party members also nodded.
I Became an EX-Class All-Round Priest Chapter 121
E-book publication date: 2025.11.14
Author: Kim Hyeon-jun
Publisher: Heo Heung-beom, Park Geon-won
Published by: Poten
Address: [04783] Seoul, Seongdong-gu, Yeonmujang 11-gil 8, 10th Floor
Phone: 02-6320-8500
Fax: 02-6320-8585
ISBN 9791175302167
Price: 100 won
(c) Kim Hyeon-jun 2025
This e-book is a copyrighted work protected by copyright law.
This e-book is published under contract with the author, and any unauthorized reproduction, duplication, or distribution without written consent from both parties is prohibited.