Chapter 52: The Passive Income of a Guild Master

“Hello. I am Kang Wooju.”

A young man entered the interview room with a polite bow.

He had shaggy hair, deep dark circles under his eyes, and a lanky frame.

Perhaps it was because the Blue Dragon Guild siblings had warned him beforehand, but Lee Taeseong’s first impression of the man wasn’t great.

However, unlike his appearance, his attitude wasn’t bad.

Kang Wooju stared intently at Lee Taeseong.

“Are you Hunter Lee Taeseong?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm. Are you really that strong?”

At Kang Wooju’s blunt question, Taeseong shrugged his shoulders.

“I wouldn’t go that far. The media has exaggerated things recently.”

“Still, I heard you received more than ten consecutive perfect ranks. If that’s true, it’s not an exaggeration. I want to learn alongside the best hunter.”

“Then wouldn’t the Blue Dragon Guild be a good fit for you?”

The Blue Dragon Guild siblings were the leaders of a massive guild and were among the top hunters in Korea.

“That’s why I’ve been with the Blue Dragon Guild until now, but then I heard stories about Hunter Lee Taeseong. I came because I was curious.”

“Well, fine. There’s no need for a long conversation; let’s start the interview.”

“How will the interview be conducted?”

“With a Party Mission.”

“Sounds good. I’m ready to go right now.”

“Then let’s do that.”

Taeseong nodded.

There was no need to exchange a hundred words to figure out what kind of person Kang Wooju was.

He could just enter a mission with him, observe his attitude and skill, and then decide whether to continue the interview.

Since there were other people to interview afterward, he needed to handle this quickly.

“Enter Party Mission,” Taeseong muttered.

— Ding!

**[You have joined a Party Mission]**

His vision shifted instantly.

***

— Ding!

**[Starting Party Mission. The difficulty will be adjusted based on the average status of the party members.]**

Party missions were determined by the average level of the participating hunters.

For example, since Taeseong had completed about fifteen missions and Kang Wooju had completed about twenty, it meant the difficulty would be decided somewhere in the middle.

However, that middle ground was closer to the level of lower-ranked hunters.

**[Mission: Defeat the Giant Rock Turtle.]**

**[The Giant Rock Turtle has awakened. The hungry Giant Rock Turtle will head to the nearest village and leave it in ruins. Defeat the Giant Rock Turtle before that happens.]**

**[TIP: The Giant Rock Turtle’s entire body is covered in rock, making it extremely durable. The ruby gemstone on the back of its neck is its only weakness, so aim for that spot.]**

**[Mission Reward: 10,500 SC]**

The setting for the mission was a desert.

Sand swirled in the wind, and in the distance, he could see the Giant Rock Turtle approaching.

It was a massive, turtle-shaped monster with large rocks encrusting its body.

It looked slow and dull, but given its size and weight, it was likely a creature with powerful destructive force.

“Hehe. This is far too advantageous for me,” Kang Wooju said with a laugh.

He read the mission details and the tip, a smirk spreading across his face.

‘It’s been a while since I got a perfect rank.’

At a glance, the Giant Rock Turtle wasn’t something meant to be handled in a head-on confrontation.

How could anyone defeat such a massive beast?

Instead, it had a weakness.

The ruby on the back of its neck was its weak point, fragile like a dragon’s reverse scale and prone to shattering with a single touch.

*Vrrr—*

Kang Wooju used his **[Weakness Discernment]** skill to analyze the Giant Rock Turtle.

This was an assassination mission that required approaching stealthily to kill the target, a perfect match for someone of the Assassin class like him.

He might lose elsewhere, but he couldn’t possibly lose here.

‘I’ll move in with Shadow Walking, use Stealth, grab onto its leg, and climb up. That’ll be the end of it.’

The weak point was small, and the non-vulnerable parts seemed incredibly sturdy.

Through his **[Weakness Discernment]** skill, the monster’s entire body appeared bright red.

It wouldn’t be easy to even tickle the thing with an ordinary attack.

Just as Kang Wooju was contemplating how to approach and finish the job…

“I’m going first.”

Lee Taeseong kicked off the ground and sprinted forward.

He used Secret Fire Steps to dash across the sand in an instant.

Kang Wooju was stunned by the sheer speed.

Taeseong arrived in front of the Giant Rock Turtle in a flash and leaped high into the air.

The turtle didn’t even react, as if it were wondering what kind of gnat was buzzing around it, but Taeseong unleashed a strike of **[Heavenly Net Flame Water]** at its neck.

— Boom!

“Groaaaarrr—!!”

The hard rock exploded, and a crater-like dent formed in the creature’s neck.

Taeseong was surprised.

‘It endured that?’

It really was as sturdy as they said.

The creature didn’t collapse even after being hit by **[Heavenly Net Flame Water]**.

He had never failed to pierce through something with that skill until now, but the creature only wailed in pain with murderous eyes.

Taeseong naturally drew his sword.

He didn’t have a skill like Weakness Discernment, but he had a feeling where the ruby gemstone was.

‘Probably the dead center of the back of its neck.’

As he fell from the air due to gravity, he lunged with his sword like a bolt of lightning.

**[Seven Red Cloud Styles — Swift Sword Style]**

The sword, extending like a lightning strike, pierced the center of the monster’s neck.

The rocks that should have protected the neck had all been shattered by the **[Heavenly Net Flame Water]**, allowing for an easy penetration.

The ruby gemstone shattered with a crisp sound, and the Giant Rock Turtle’s eyes rolled back as it collapsed.

Taeseong landed lightly on top of its body.

— Ding!

**[You have defeated the Giant Rock Turtle.]**

**[Mission Success!]**

**[As this is a Party Mission, the success reward will be divided.]**

**[You have obtained 5,250 SC]**

Party missions really weren’t great.

If it had been a solo mission, he would have taken all the points…

‘Wait? A Party Mission?’

Taeseong flinched.

‘I shouldn’t have just killed it like that…!’

What was the reason they entered a Party Mission in the first place?

It was to verify Kang Wooju’s skills.

However, upon seeing the large monster and the reward of over ten thousand points, Taeseong had momentarily forgotten and defeated it alone.

If the battle had lasted longer, he might have remembered in the middle and stepped back, but it ended so quickly he didn’t even have time to think.

Taeseong looked back with an awkward expression, only to find Kang Wooju standing far away with his mouth hanging wide open.

‘…What was that?’

Kang Wooju’s eyes were wide enough to tear.

He couldn’t understand if what he had just seen was real.

His pupils shook uncontrollably.

‘That’s a part you’re not supposed to attack…?’

**[Weakness Discernment]** had explicitly told him.

It warned him to avoid everything except the area near the ruby.

But Lee Taeseong had smashed through the front and even pierced the ruby.

He never imagined such a thing was possible.

‘I thought he said he’d only done twelve or so missions…?’

Taeseong had completed fewer missions than him, yet the difference in skill was nonsensical.

Could hunters called veterans even defeat a Giant Rock Turtle that easily?

While ignoring the tips that were supposed to be the strategy?

Those classified as high-level hunters or rankers could probably do it.

But that was only possible because those people had built up their skills by participating in missions for a long time.

‘So that’s… what talent looks like…’

The thought naturally occurred to Kang Wooju.

He felt as if the world he lived in—where he considered himself a genius—was shattering into pieces.

He hadn’t felt this way when looking at Korea’s high-level hunters or those classified as rankers.

They were certainly strong, but they had simply awakened earlier than him; he was confident he could reach that position once time passed.

But Lee Taeseong was different.

He had awakened later and had a shorter record of participating in missions.

Showing such overwhelming power despite that could only be attributed to a difference in talent.

A true genius.

‘If there’s this much of a gap now… just how far will he go later?’

Kang Wooju felt a powerful attraction.

He wanted to see, feel, and learn even a glimpse of the massive power Lee Taeseong possessed.

**[Mission Success!]**

**[Returning to Earth.]**

With an additional notification, the two of them returned to the interview room at the National Hunter Association.

***

“Please accept me as your subordinate!!”

As soon as they returned to Earth, Kang Wooju bowed deeply at the waist.

“I want to learn under you! I’m confident I can give it my all, and I’ll work hard at whatever you tell me to do, even if it’s illegal! As I said before, I don’t even need to be paid!”

“No… what do you mean illegal? I won’t make you do anything like that.”

“You can! I’m quite confident in things like stealth and assassination! I won’t even get caught by CCTV! I’ve tested it!”

He tested it?

Taeseong almost asked exactly what kind of test he had done and how, but he just shook his head.

“I told you, I won’t make you do that. And you don’t have to be so formal. This is a small guild; we can just get along comfortably. You can call me ‘Brother’ if you want.”

“Oh, no! How could I dare do that! This is more comfortable for me!”

Taeseong tried to dissuade him, but Kang Wooju insisted on that attitude, saying it was more comfortable for him.

The Blue Dragon siblings, watching from the side, were impressed.

“Wow. How did you do it?”

“I’ve never seen Wooju act like that before.”

Kang Wooju was the type of person who would openly say in front of the Blue Dragon siblings—leaders of a large guild and famous Korean hunters—that he was confident he would surpass them one day.

They had even followed along because they were worried he might offend Lee Taeseong during the interview, but they never imagined he would act like this.

‘Just how strong is Hunter Lee Taeseong?’

‘Hmph… Should I have tried harder to scout him for our guild?’

They found themselves desiring Lee Taeseong all over again!

***

As a result, Kang Wooju became the first hunter to join the Taeseong Guild, excluding Lee Taeseong himself.

Since he was practically begging to be accepted and offered to work without pay, there was no reason to refuse.

However, Taeseong decided to properly assess his skills.

Because Taeseong had accidentally cleared the first party mission alone due to “unavoidable circumstances,” the two of them went on one more mission.

This time, Taeseong stayed still while Kang Wooju moved alone.

It was an ordinary mission, but Kang Wooju moved through the shadows and took down several monsters known as Chiha.

He killed the enemies swiftly and secretly. It was easy to see why he was confident in his assassination skills.

Even Taeseong couldn’t help but think that facing him as an enemy would be troublesome.

— Ding!

**[Mission Success!]**

**[As this is a Party Mission, the success reward will be divided.]**

**[You have obtained 4,600 SC]**

‘This is the nice thing about party missions.’

Taeseong smiled slightly at the score coming in even though he had done nothing.

Kang Wooju probably felt this way during the Giant Rock Turtle mission.

“Your assassination skills are incredible.”

“Oh, please. It’s nothing compared to you, Guild Master.”

“Me? I’ve never assassinated anyone.”

“You killed it faster than me, an assassin. If that’s not assassination, what is?”

Is that how it works?

The two of them returned to the Association once more.

“Guild Master! What should we buy first?”

Since he was now part of the Taeseong Guild, Kang Wooju had to help process the orders the guild had received.

“You can take your time with the purchases.”

“Oh, no. I need to contribute to the guild quickly. Please, just tell me.”

“In that case…”

Taeseong had purchased the items from the list provided by Manager Song Sang-yeop, and Kang Wooju began to purchase those items one by one.

At that moment, a notification appeared before Taeseong’s eyes.

— Ding!

**[A subordinate guild member has purchased items from the Score Shop.]**

**[The skill ‘Dream’ is being activated.]**

**[From now on, 0.1% of the score spent by subordinate guild members will be credited as exclusive scores for the Dream Shop.]**

“!!?”