Chapter 18: Sparks Before the Storm

Crash!

The vase flung to the living room floor shattered into pieces.

That wasn’t all.

The TV, picture frames, gaming console, robot vacuum, ashtray, various liquor bottles in the living room.

Countless household items were smashed to bits.

A house turned into a complete wasteland.

In the middle of it stood Noh Youngjin.

“Uwaaaaaaaa!”

Even after destroying every piece of furniture in the spacious living room, Noh Youngjin’s anger didn’t subside.

It couldn’t be helped.

The root cause hadn’t been resolved.

“Fuck! Why am I on dispatch suspension!”

Noh Youngjin roared with a flushed face.

Recently, he had been disciplined by Myth Guild. A full month-long dispatch suspension.

“Ha, fuck…”

Noh Youngjin clutched his head and sat on the sofa.

The sofa slashed here and there with cotton spilling out.

Sitting there, Noh Youngjin swallowed his rage.

Life is really fucking unfair.

Noh Youngjin’s life had been twisting nonstop lately.

He had clearly tried to do something.

Even if a bit of showing off was mixed in, ultimately he had tried to do well.

Touching the Killer Bee nest was to gain a lot of experience, and charging at the Fire Bear was to elevate Myth Guild’s prestige.

Why does everything fail!

But the results were a complete mess.

In the Killer Bee gate, an unexpected number of enemies appeared, putting them on the brink of annihilation, and with the Fire Bear, he caused trouble for other guilds and got beaten up.

Because of that, he even received discipline.

Why!

Why was it.

Why did everything he tried to do well end up ruined.

Noh Youngjin couldn’t understand.

Until now, he had lived reasonably well doing things this way.

Rising to deputy team leader was proof.

Yeah, it’s because of that bastard Seo Juwon.

Noh Youngjin’s thoughts led to Seo Juwon.

Yes.

Thinking calmly, life started twisting the moment that guy entered Myth Guild.

A guy with no skill but insanely good luck, always reaping rewards through flukes—after he joined, Noh Youngjin’s life became like eating sweet potatoes without water.

I want to get rid of that guy.

Noh Youngjin wanted to remove Seo Juwon, the eyesore, from Gaon Team.

No, not just Gaon Team, but kick him out of Myth Guild entirely.

But he had no authority for that.

Overwhelming him inside a gate would likely complicate things further due to past mistakes like before.

Above all, he couldn’t participate in gate raids because of the discipline.

Then what should he do.

What exactly must he do to eliminate Seo Juwon.

Noh Youngjin clutched his hair and fell into thought.

“Yeah! That’s it!”

In the midst of that, Noh Youngjin clapped his hands.

A brilliant idea had come to him.

A way to retire Seo Juwon, no, force him into retirement without even going on gate raids.

“Request a spar!”

Sparring between guild members.

It was an encouraged act within Myth Guild.

Myth Guild was a martial group, and in such a group, guild members competing in skill was something to be promoted.

“In there, I just need to cripple one of Seo Juwon’s arms or legs. Without anyone noticing.”

Of course, murder was prohibited in sparring.

But since force was used, unavoidable acts weren’t punished.

Inflicting serious injury on an opponent during sparring wasn’t punished if there was no intent.

And Noh Youngjin planned to exploit that point.

If he used the loophole in the rules to inflict a fatal injury on Seo Juwon, he would retire from the hunter world.

“Arrogant punk, daring to mention my past? You’re dead, Seo Juwon.”

Noh Youngjin, whose hidden shame had been exposed to Seo Juwon.

He planned to unleash all this rage in the spar.

And after that spar ended, Seo Juwon would never be able to live as a hunter again.

***  

A while ago, Eunbyeol decided to become a professional composer.

Though it was a 6-month contract, Eunbyeol became a composer at Daphne Entertainment, the top entertainment agency in the country.

After going to the Daphne Entertainment building and completing various contracts, Eunbyeol and I went to the A&R team.

Nam Seungha said.

“Everyone, greet them. This is Miss Seo Eunbyeol I mentioned last time, and her father, Mr. Seo Juwon.”

“Hello!”

At Nam Seungha’s words, the A&R team members greeted with bright faces.

We also formally greeted them.

“Hello! I’m Seo Eunbyeol! Five years old, kindergartener! I’ll work hard from now on!”

“Hello. I’m Eunbyeol’s dad, Seo Juwon. Please take care of us.”

Eunbyeol greeted so brightly, and I bowed politely.

They weren’t on Nam Seungha’s level, but they had impressive education, experience, and skill.

“Oh my, you’re Eunbyeol? Nice to meet you!”

“Wow, really cute. Like a child actor!”

“Eunbyeol, nice to meet you. Listened to your song well. You’re really skilled!”

“Seo Eunbyeol? Let’s get along. If you don’t know something, ask unnie. Got it?”

“Eunbyeol, you haven’t seen the whole building? Want to tour with uncle later?”

“Eunbyeol! So happy to work together! Let’s work hard with unnie from now! Fighting!”

Fortunately, the team members were extremely friendly to our Eunbyeol.

Perhaps because of that.

Eunbyeol, already a social butterfly, quickly became close, calling them unnie and oppa.

She even shook hands one by one with a big smile.

But among them, there was one who didn’t accept Eunbyeol’s handshake.

A man looking down at Eunbyeol expressionlessly, unlike the warm atmosphere.

Seeing his expression, I immediately knew.

That man was the one competing with our Eunbyeol.

“You could at least accept the greeting.”

Nam Seungha said subtly.

Then the man made a displeased expression and barely opened his mouth.

“Kwak Daesu.”

Kwak Daesu said that and abruptly left the conference room, saying he was going to smoke.

Yes.

That’s Kwak Daesu.

After Kwak Daesu left, the team members said to Eunbyeol.

“Eunbyeol, don’t mind him. He’s originally a bit grumpy.”

“Yeah. He’s a bit stubborn but not a bad person, so don’t get hurt. Okay?”

“Sigh, Daesu hyungnim too. The kid is greeting, at least accept properly.”

“Exactly. A bit too much. She’s just a five-year-old kid.”

The team members clicked their tongues while talking about Kwak Daesu.

Still, it was fortunate.

Except for Kwak Daesu, all the other 10 or so team members were friendly to Eunbyeol.

We took our seats in the conference room, and Nam Seungha, seated at the head, started talking.

“Then from now on, Miss Eunbyeol will join and work in our Daphne Entertainment A&R team, so existing team members, help her fit in well.”

“Yes, Teacher!”

“Good. Then before Daesu comes, let’s briefly explain our ongoing projects to Miss Eunbyeol. Miss Eunbyeol, first our A&R team is currently…”

Nam Seungha explained various project details to Eunbyeol.

Eunbyeol also listened attentively to Nam Seungha’s words like a true professional composer.

Meanwhile, I briefly fell into other thoughts.

That Kwak Daesu guy, said to be the second in skill in this team?

From the call with Nam Seungha, I heard that Kwak Daesu was the second-in-command in skill within the A&R team.

Could our Eunbyeol beat that man in composition ability?

Not a rookie composer, but one with considerable experience?

Hmm…!

Lost in worry, I looked at Eunbyeol sitting beside me.

Eunbyeol listening to Nam Seungha’s explanation with sparkling eyes.

Could such a young Eunbyeol beat a seasoned composer.

Somehow, worry deepened.

The first meeting at Daphne Entertainment ended smoothly.

Though Kwak Daesu showed a lukewarm reaction to Eunbyeol, Nam Seungha and the other team members handled it well, so it wasn’t a big issue.

Kwak Daesu, who came back after smoking, didn’t say anything particular to Eunbyeol either.

Anyway, in that atmosphere, our father-daughter duo frequented Daphne Entertainment.

In fact, during that time, Eunbyeol was extremely happy.

She was happy to come and go from the top agency Daphne Entertainment, liked working as a formal composer there, and was delighted every time she occasionally saw celebrities.

Unlike me who worried, Eunbyeol was purely bright.

Seeing such Eunbyeol somehow put my mind at ease.

I hoped she’d win the composition showdown with Kwak Daesu, but even if she lost, it seemed okay.

Well, if she loses, she loses.

With that relaxed mindset, I once again diligently worked as a hunter.

Even while worrying about my daughter, I had to fulfill my role as a dad.

“Everyone, good work!”

As soon as we returned to the office, Team Leader Ju Namgyu said.

Ju Namgyu drenched in sweat.

Like him, I and the Gaon team members were also soaked in sweat.

Because we had just returned from a gate raid today as well.

“Seo Juwon, good work today too. Really impressive.”

“Thank you, Team Leader!”

“Yes, keep working harder. Then you’ll surely receive valuable rewards.”

I answered energetically to Ju Namgyu’s words, and the team members praised me one by one.

Saying how the maknae is so strong.

Haha, feels good.

Receiving praise from senior team members, I smiled warmly.

In fact, I had greatly contributed in today’s gate too, and soloed the boss monster.

Though I couldn’t use the new skill ‘Skeleton Mage Summon’ because the timing wasn’t right, I still performed tremendously.

“Anyway, everyone good work, now dismi…”

The moment Ju Namgyu was about to finish speaking, someone entered the office.

And as he entered, everyone’s expressions hardened.

The team members, Ju Namgyu, and even me.

Noh Youngjin

The one who entered the office was none other than Noh Youngjin.

The deputy team leader, and the human who kept picking on me for no reason.

“Why, Team Leader? Did you see a ghost? Why so surprised?”

Noh Youngjin who entered the office said gruffly.

“Ah, because I’m disciplined? No, even if disciplined, I can come to the office, right?”

“Well, that’s true…”

“Yes. So don’t look at me with that expression. It’s not like I came somewhere I shouldn’t.”

“Yeah. By the way, what brings you here? To pick up stuff?”

“No, I came to say something to the team members.”

“To the team members?”

“Yes. Perfect, everyone’s gathered. I’ll say a word. As deputy team leader, that should be fine, right?”

Noh Youngjin said that and stood in the middle of the office.

And between the team members with stiff expressions, he began speaking.

“Everyone, no need to tense up, listen comfortably. Well, I’m going to say something quite interesting.”

Interesting story?

What exactly is he going to say?

I narrowed my brows and listened to Noh Youngjin.

“I’ll skip the intro. I heard a very interesting story recently. Some punk called me a parachute.”

“…!”

“I don’t know who said it, but seems they heard the story of me appearing on TV after catching a Twin-Headed Goblin.”

Noh Youngjin continued with a grin.

“Yeah, I’ll admit it. I’m a parachute. Entered Myth Guild thanks to attention, not skill. I tried to hide it somehow before, but now I’ll admit it.”

“But did I really enter Myth Guild just by attention-seeking? No. If so, I couldn’t have become deputy team leader. Right?”

Honestly, that was true.

Deputy team leader in Myth Guild wasn’t easy to achieve.

After all, Noh Youngjin’s swordsmanship was excellent too.

“But the punk who called me parachute seems unable to accept that. Thinks I’m a real attention-seeker like him? That’s why he picks fights.”

“So as deputy team leader, I’ll show that punk directly. Whether I’m a parachute who entered Myth Guild through attention-seeking, or a hunter proudly recognized for skill within Myth Guild, I’ll show clearly.”

Noh Youngjin speaking in front of the team members.

He slowly turned his head, glared at me, and continued.

“So spar with me, Seo Juwon. I’ll crush you with skill, you ill-mannered punk.”