Seongjun and his party had a very busy schedule for a week.
First, they conquered the Path of Glory and an A-rank dungeon.
After that, with the Association’s approval, they attempted an A-rank dungeon with just their party members.
Since they still couldn’t gauge whether they could take down the boss, the Hideout hadn’t bothered to challenge an A-rank dungeon.
Then, five days after they began tackling an A-rank dungeon with only their party—
“Krrrrrrrrrrr……”
Kuwung!
Finally, they managed to defeat the A-rank dungeon boss with just their party.
“We did it!”
“Whoa! As expected, A-rank is A-rank. The boss raid alone took a full 6 hours.”
When hunting with other guilds, it would wrap up in about 2 to 3 hours.
Why?
Naturally, because the guild members contributed firepower.
With at least 80 to 120 B-grade hunters receiving Seongjun’s buffs and dealing massive damage, the boss raid time was cut down.
But now they were taking down the boss with only their party, so it inevitably took longer.
“Still, it’s impressive we caught it. Especially Seongjun and Changsu’s shadow clones—they really pulled their weight.”
The shadow clone copied from Daniel Vasman.
It summoned a shadow clone possessing 70 percent of the caster’s stats, and once summoned, the buffs applied to it as well.
When Daniel Vasman summoned it, debuffs had been applied at the same time, drastically reducing the clone’s abilities.
On the flip side, if buffs were applied to the summoned shadow clone, those also took effect.
In other words, if the caster’s stats were inflated by various buffs before summoning, the clone would retain 70 percent of those inflated stats, and then additional buffs could further raise its capabilities.
That made the shadow clone’s effective stats approach 90 percent of the caster’s.
“Too bad the duration is 30 minutes with a cooldown of 1 hour 30 minutes, but its performance is definitely solid.”
Even with all cooldown reduction gear, the shadow clone’s cooldown was 1 hour 30 minutes.
Duration was 30 minutes.
So once the duration ended, they had to wait an hour to use it again.
That was a bit disappointing, but at least for 30 minutes, it rivaled or exceeded S-rank abilities, making it a huge help.
“By the way, managing to conquer an A-rank dungeon with just us—that’s insane, right? Does this mean the Hideout can now tackle A-rank dungeons too?”
“Probably. Plus, summoning one from the Hideout gives the first entry benefit, so experience and rewards will be substantial. We’re almost guaranteed at least an SS-rank item, so we can quickly upgrade our equipment.”
The A-rank dungeons that spawned outside had already lost their first entry bonuses, so there were no extra experience or reward boosts.
But dungeons summoned from the Hideout still granted those bonuses.
That meant they could obtain far more experience and higher rewards.
At Seongjun’s words, Yuseon spoke up as if something occurred to her.
“Ah! Now that you mention it, closed dungeons come with additional bonuses. Of course, you have to meet the closure conditions, but the experience seems to increase a lot, and you get two extra reward boxes. Why not consider a closed dungeon this time?”
If you enter a closed dungeon and fulfill the conditions, the dungeon closes.
You can’t leave until you completely clear it, but in return, you get substantial bonuses in experience and rewards.
Yuseon was suggesting that adding the closure benefit to the first entry bonus would lead to even faster growth and more loot.
At that, Seongjun looked thoughtful.
“Hmm, a closed dungeon. That’s not a bad idea. Given that Revolution might make a move any time, we need to use every means available to grow as fast as possible. But that would mean staying inside the dungeon for at least 4 to 5 days, which introduces quite a few variables. We wouldn’t be able to respond if something happens outside.”
A closed dungeon would certainly help Seongjun grow, but the problem was that during the time they were trapped inside, they’d be completely unaware of any outside events.
If another simultaneous dungeon break occurred, or various incidents happened, they’d have no way to react.
“Hmm, is that so?”
“Still, it’s not a bad idea. I think it’s worth considering.”
Although there were risks, Seongjun judged it was worth pondering.
Since they didn’t know when or where Revolution would strike, they had to consider every avenue to grow faster.
“Ah! And the stuff we hunted today—I have a personal use for it. I’ve already informed the Association, and I’ll cover your shares with my own money.”
When Seongjun said he wanted to use the A-rank monster carcasses and mana stones for himself, everyone looked puzzled.
“Huh? Those? What for?”
“Choi Sangjin is holding a banquet with just his family and a few acquaintances. He asked me to come and help show off his connections. As you know, I need his help to keep getting intel on Revolution. He wants to flaunt his network, so I figured I’d give him a real display this time.”
The gift Seongjun was giving to Choi Sangjin.
That was the A-rank monster carcasses and mana stones.
A whopping 2,570 normal monsters’ carcasses and mana stones, plus the elites’ and boss’s.
Thanks to Seongjun recently teaming up with multiple guilds to conquer A-rank dungeons, the supply of A-rank monster carcasses and mana stones had improved a bit, but they were still rare.
In the first place, it was hard to obtain A-rank monster carcasses and mana stones.
Even the ones distributed to companies through the Association amounted to only about 200 to 300 carcasses, and that was a recent increase; before, they barely received 50.
In this situation, giving away an entire A-rank dungeon as a gift?
Regardless of anything else, it would be a perfect way to show off connections.
“Ah! Choi Sangjin. Right, for Revolution to enter Korea, they’d have to go through him. If we just know when someone’s coming, like last time, we can prepare accordingly.”
As Seongjun said, dealing with Revolution meant that Korean Branch Chief Pascal Choi Sangjin was a card they couldn’t afford to lose.
“But will the Association just sit still? As far as I know, carcasses and mana stones going to companies must go through the Association. Of course, private trading isn’t illegal, but the Association won’t be happy about it.”
As Yuseon said, it was an unspoken rule that bulk trades of monster carcasses and mana stones went through the Association.
Even big corporations avoided offending the Association, because it would cause supply issues, so they had no choice but to deal with the Association.
In this situation, handing over thousands of A-rank monster carcasses and mana stones to a company?
The Association wouldn’t like it at all.
“Don’t worry. I’ve already talked to the Association President about it. I told him it’s not a recurring thing, just a one-time gift, and he gave the go-ahead.”
For the Association, Seongjun was the most important person.
He was called the Saint of Korea and was the most influential hunter in the country, but also because whenever the Association found itself in a tough spot, Seongjun was the one who resolved it.
So the Association and its President had no choice but to grant Seongjun’s requests unless they were truly unreasonable.
“Oh! You already talked to the Association? Then no problem.”
If the Association had already agreed, neither Seongjun giving nor Choi Sangjin receiving would be a burden.
“And like I said earlier, I’ll cover the shares with my own money, so don’t worry.”
When Seongjun said he’d pay out of pocket, Gwang-taek waved his hand dismissively.
“Don’t bother with me. How much money do I make every month thanks to you? Consider my share an investment against Revolution. Give it to the others.”
At Gwang-taek’s words, Yuseon also waved her hand.
“What are you talking about? Same for me. I’d take Association money, but I can’t take money out of big brother’s pocket. I’ll consider it an investment too.”
“Haha, big brother. I’m already overflowing just from getting these crazy skills. I don’t need my share either.”
Even now, they were making tens of billions every week.
Once they seriously started conquering A-rank dungeons, their income would increase at least 7 to 8 times, maybe even 10 times.
There was no need to take a cut from this.
“Really? Then I’ll tell Choi Sangjin that it’s a gift from all of us, not just me.”
Seongjun didn’t refuse their goodwill.
“Alright, let’s check the rewards and head out.”
With that, Seongjun’s party successfully finished the A-rank dungeon conquest and exited.
—
Seongjun’s party’s A-rank dungeon conquest was shocking in many ways.
They hadn’t allied with other guilds, nor had over a hundred people entered.
Just four people had taken down the boss and cleared an A-rank dungeon in a mere five days.
Perhaps because of this, the Association called a meeting.
“Everyone must have heard that Kim Seongjun’s healer party successfully conquered an A-rank dungeon on their own. This is the issue we need to discuss.”
At the Association President’s words, the executives spoke up one by one.
“This is truly an amazing achievement. A party of only four people conquering an A-rank dungeon…”
“Kim Seongjun healer goes without saying, but his party members are also incredible. As far as I know, everyone except Kim Seongjun healer is B-grade. Even with buffs, to conquer an A-rank dungeon with that grade and number… They all seem to have something special that sets them apart from ordinary hunters.”
“Anyway, this means A-rank dungeons will start being conquered in earnest. Won’t that ease the supply of A-rank monster carcasses and mana stones? The Association’s revenue will increase significantly.”
The executives praised Seongjun’s party while being buoyed by the prospect of the Association’s finances growing as A-rank dungeons were cleared.
But the Association President was concerned about a different aspect.
“It is indeed impressive. However, the problem is that currently, only Kim Seongjun healer’s party can conquer A-rank dungeons. Of course, other guilds could team up, but that would involve considerable casualties. To clear without losses, Kim Seongjun healer’s participation is essential. In other words, he effectively has a monopoly on domestic A-rank dungeons.”
A monopoly on A-rank dungeons.
In any field, when one party monopolizes, problems arise.
Dungeons were no different.
Seongjun’s party would monopolize A-rank monsters and their carcasses, and the Association would have no choice but to be led by him.
Of course, even now, they were making many concessions to Seongjun.
“Hmm, a monopoly. That could indeed happen. But isn’t the relationship between Kim Seongjun healer and the Association very close? We may have to concede somewhat on the purchase price of carcasses and mana stones, but I doubt it will exceed reasonable bounds.”
“It’s not just about the purchase price. The problem is that the Association is already making many concessions to Kim Seongjun healer. If this continues, we might end up completely at his mercy.”
Seongjun’s influence on the Association was beyond imagination.
Of course, he had done a lot for the Association as well, but in their relationship, the Association always had to give ground.
If he now monopolized A-rank dungeons, they might have to give ground not just one step but three or four.
In other words, the Association could be completely swayed by Seongjun’s words.
“So what do you propose? Are you suggesting we ostracize Kim Seongjun healer now? Or block him from conquering A-rank dungeons? If we did that, we’d face a huge backlash. As you know, Kim Seongjun healer currently enjoys nationwide support.”
Even in this situation, the Association couldn’t touch Seongjun because his influence was immense.
“I agree with that. Although public opinion has softened compared to before, there are still many who view the Association unfavorably. If we pick a fight with Kim Seongjun healer in this climate, everything we’ve built could collapse overnight.”
It was true that the Association’s image had improved due to its consistent support for Seongjun and the Japan incident.
But negative public opinion still existed, and if they clashed with Seongjun, all their progress might crumble.
The Association President nodded in agreement, recognizing this reality.
“Indeed. If we fall out with Kim Seongjun healer, and he decides to rally public opinion, the situation could become catastrophic. So of course we must not oppose him. But we can’t just sit idly. Kim Seongjun healer told me that he intends to give away all the carcasses and mana stones from the A-rank dungeon he conquered as a gift to someone. I agreed because it was a one-time condition, but as long as he monopolizes A-rank dungeons, there’s no guarantee this kind of thing won’t happen again. We need to prepare countermeasures.”
It was unclear who exactly was receiving such a huge number of carcasses and mana stones, but the key point was that a massive amount of A-rank materials was flowing somewhere.
And if they flowed into a company instead of an individual?
The unspoken rules that had persisted until now could be shaken.
That was exactly what the Association President worried about.
“Then why not sign a supply contract with Kim Seongjun healer? Looking at his track record so far, he won’t make unreasonable demands. Even if we take a slight loss, binding him with a contract would prevent the concerning scenario.”
Another executive raised a counterargument to the suggestion of tying him down with a separate supply contract.
“But if Kim Seongjun healer effectively monopolizes A-rank dungeons, why would he sign such a contract? He already has the upper hand.”
“Still, we should try.”
“I’m not saying we shouldn’t try. I’m saying we also need a contingency plan in case he refuses. Unless we offer terms he can’t refuse, he has no reason to sign. There’s no law requiring all monster carcasses and mana stones to be traded through the Association, and the Association can’t apply pressure to him.”
The executives continued the meeting, each voicing their opinions.
At that moment, the director of the Awakener Management Bureau cautiously spoke up.
“How about this? Allow Kim Seongjun healer to freely use 20 to 30 percent of the hunted monster carcasses and mana stones, and have him supply the remaining 70 to 80 percent to the Association.”
The Association President showed interest.
“Oh, so you’re suggesting we grant him autonomy within a certain scope?”
“As the Dungeon Management Bureau director mentioned earlier, there’s no law requiring all hunted monsters to be handed over to the Association. So we can’t fault Kim Seongjun healer for disposing of them as he pleases. Yet this time he contacted the President and sought prior approval—that shows he values his relationship with the Association. If we guarantee a degree of autonomy, I think he’ll accept for the sake of maintaining that relationship.”
What they feared was that Seongjun, having monopolized A-rank dungeons, might use that leverage to put pressure on the Association, or freely dispose of carcasses and mana stones without going through the Association, shaking the Association’s position.
But if they signed a formal supply contract?
All those problems would be solved at once.
The question was whether Seongjun would agree to such a contract. Given that they guaranteed a certain level of autonomy and offered other benefits, they judged it was possible.
“In the current situation, it’s unavoidable that the Association has to follow Kim Seongjun healer’s lead. His influence is that strong, while the Association’s standing is not great. However, the distribution of A-rank monster carcasses and mana stones must go through the Association by any means necessary. So from now on, let’s discuss in detail what percentage of autonomy we can offer and what benefits we should provide.”
After all, the power dynamic between Seongjun and the Association wasn’t something they could fix immediately.
So while they could think about that slowly, the distribution issue of A-rank monster carcasses and mana stones needed to be resolved right away.
Until now, A-rank monster carcasses and mana stones had been supplied in negligible quantities, like beans in a drought.
But thanks to Seongjun, mass supply became possible.
Therefore, the Association had to ensure, by any means, that it controlled the distribution of A-rank monster carcasses and mana stones.
Only then could the Association’s position remain unshaken.
The problem was that Seongjun held all the decision-making power.
Thus, the Association President and executives began racking their brains to decide what cards to play to get Seongjun to sign the contract willingly.
—
Revolution Headquarters, Switzerland.
Two Grand Overlords faced each other with grim expressions.
“I hear Alexander, who went to Korea, has gone missing. Probably… he failed to eliminate Kim Seongjun.”
“Hah! Alexander failed? And went missing? That means Alexander is dead. This is truly an unexpected variable. And wasn’t Roberto with him?”
Those who received the belated report from Korean Branch Chief Choi Sangjin seemed quite shocked that Grand Overlord Alexander had failed in his mission.
“Judging by the fact that Roberto also went missing along with Alexander, he’s probably dead too. It seems this Kim Seongjun guy is more formidable than we thought. He must have entered the Realm of Transcendence. If Alexander fell to him, that guy must be someone who has entered the Realm of Transcendence. An unexpected variable has occurred.”
“We entered the Realm of Transcendence through the Master’s grace, but can an ordinary hunter enter that realm? As far as I know, there has been no such case.”
The highest known rank was S-rank.
The fact that no hunter had surpassed S-rank supported that belief.
So they thought no one could face a Grand Overlord who had transcended S-rank.
But that faith shattered this time.
“That’s not important. What matters now is whether we commit full force to eliminate him or bury the matter and focus on the plan.”
If they tried to eliminate Seongjun again, given that even Alexander was taken down, at least the two Grand Overlords would have to move together, or one Grand Overlord and a considerable number of Monarchs would need to act simultaneously.
The problem was that would not only disrupt the plan but could also expose the organization Revolution to the outside.
“Hmm. We’ve only just taken the first step of a plan prepared over many years, and already such a problem arises. But we can’t leave a variable like him alone. Since both of us can’t leave our posts at the same time, I’ll go. I’ll head to Korea and eliminate Kim Seongjun.”
“Friedrich? You? Hmm, fine. But all the Monarchs are deployed to various countries. If I give you just five, it will take at least 3 to 4 weeks to get there. So keep that in mind and prepare. Ah! And move as covertly as possible, understand? Our organization must never be exposed.”
This time, it was decided that Grand Overlord Friedrich and five Monarchs of S-rank would move together to Korea.
I Became an EX-Class All-Rounder Priest Chapter 127
e-book publication date: 2025.11.14
Author: Kim Hyeon-jun
Publisher: Heo Heung-beom, Park Geon-won
Published by: Poten
Address: [04783] 10F, 8 Yeonmujang 11-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul
Phone: 02-6320-8500
Fax: 02-6320-8585
ISBN: 9791175302167
Price: 100 won
© Kim Hyeon-jun 2025
This e-book is a work protected by copyright law.
This e-book is published under contract with the author, and unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or sharing without written consent from both parties is prohibited.