CH 179 Realisation

If you haven't noticed yet then let me inform you the Harem chapter is out and I already uploaded the pics so go there and give some likes.

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Today's anime meme is here. [ ]

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"We have more than enough money right now. You think I'll try something that could put us at odds with other large Guilds just for the sake of chasing after a couple more bucks?"

Was he trying to imply that money wasn't all the reason?

Yoo Jin-Ho's eyes widened.

"But, if not that, then….?"

Yoo Myung-Hwan carefully put the pen down.

"It's in order to protect ourselves."

Yoo Myung-Hwan's serious, dignified eyes caused Yoo Jin-Ho to swallow his dry saliva in nervousness.

"Hunters are growing in power every day. And it's not uncommon to see a single person possessing enough power to rival a country's military might."

For instance, the world's most powerful Hunters, seen as already on the level of exercising power equal to that of a country's government.

Yoo Myung-Hwan was talking about those people.

"I hear that some Hunters already rule smaller nations like kings. How long do you think that the rule of law and governmental authority will keep us safe under the current situation?"

Yoo Myung-Hwan's voice was getting heavier.

However, as Yoo Jin-Ho was listening to this explanation, it suddenly dawned on him that he was actually feeling happy at the moment.

Why was that?

'….Ah.'

That was because his father included him too and said 'We', instead.

Indeed, Yoo Jin-Ho felt happy because he thought he got to glimpse for the first time another side of his father.

Yoo Myung-Hwan's explanation continued on.

"I wished to establish a Guild and gather trustworthy Hunters to our side. Not because I needed more money or that I am searching for talented individuals, but it's all to find those Hunters who we can trust as fellow human beings, as well as for us to rely on their strength."

And then, a nearly imperceptible smile formed on Yoo Myung-Hwan's face again.

"Looks like you already found someone like that, haven't you?"

"Yes, Father."

Yoo Jin-Ho replied right away. It was a bit hard to tell where his father was going with this, but well, it was true regardless that Yoo Jin-Ho could trust and rely on his Hyung-nim.

Yoo Myung-Hwan nodded his head.

"Very good."

"Yes?"

"You pass."

What did he pass just now? Yoo Jin-Ho belatedly raised his bowed head.

"I shall entrust the Yujin Guild to you."

"Pardon me?"

"Do your best to develop the Yujin Guild. Make those trustworthy and reliable Hunters 'your' people. In the future, they will no doubt become even more valuable assets than any form of wealth."

Yoo Myung-Hwan spoke with abundant certainty in his voice. And, just as his certainty was great, so was Yoo Jin-Ho's delight.

Would this be the first time since his birth that Yoo Jin-Ho was acknowledged by his father?

"Thank you very much, Father!"

With an ample smile blooming on his face, Yo Jin-Ho bent his back forward 90 degrees. Yoo Myung-Hwan looked on at that sight with a content expression.

Unfortunately, what Yoo Jin-Ho said next went completely against Yoo Myung-Hwan's expectations.

"However, Father, I don't think I can accept your offer."

"Mm?"

Yoo Myung-Hwan's brows quivered slightly.

The financial wherewithal of the Yujin Construction was more than enough to put the soon-to-be-established Yujin Guild on the fast track.

Already, talks with a few rank S Hunters had advanced into a more concrete stage, as well.

The Yujin Guild becoming South Korea's best, biggest Guild was already a foregone conclusion.

Yoo Jin-Ho must've known this, too.

'That's why my son wanted to become the Master, wasn't it?'

However, now that he was about to hand the Guild over, why was his boy declining it? Did he get scared in the meantime?

Yoo Myung-Hwan did his best to suppress his disappointment and rage towards Yoo Jin-Ho, and managed to say something.

"….What is your reason?"

Yoo Jin-Ho raised his head at that prompt, and while still carrying a happy-looking face, he spoke without holding anything back.

"I've decided to work for hyung-nim's Guild."

*****

Finding themselves surrounded by a big thick wall of reporters, Jin became quite enticed.

Wondering if Rhee Min-Seong was standing behind him, he took a quick glance, but he could only see Baek Yun-Ho and Choi Jong-In there.

It was then, his thigh began vibrating.

Vrrrr…. Vrrrr….

It was his mobile phone inside the pocket.

'How did she call me in the middle of her class?'

As soon as he tapped on the 'Answer' icon, his little sister's urgent voice exploded out from the speaker.

– "Oppa! Oppa, you're on TV!! And you not only Unni is also on tv and why are you holding her hand so tight"

But, that was obvious. Just how many TV cameras were present here? You would still get roughly the same picture regardless of which TV station you tuned into.

He got momentarily tense after his sister, who was supposed to be still in school, suddenly called him up but was able to breathe a sigh in relief.

"Mm…. So, nothing in particular happened, right?"

– "Nothing in particular?? How can you even say that?! What's this about Re-Awakening? And this rank S thing, too???"

From her voice, it was quite obvious that the girl was feeling really shocked at the moment. Unfortunately, his current circumstances meant that he couldn't explain everything to her in detail.

"Right now, I'm a bit occupied so…. Okay, I'll tell you everything once you get back home."

– "Oppa?! Oppa!"

Despite his sister's anxious voice calling out to him, Jin ended the call.

Click.

And at the same time, he got to figure out how the current situation came to be.

'….There was a message, huh.'

The Hunters Association used a dedicated app to deliver important information in real time. Most of the time, the app alerted the users to the locations of rank A or higher dungeons, or where dungeon breaks were about to occur, but it was a different story today.

After confirming the contents of the message, Jin quickly accessed the Association's website. And sure enough….

The ink on his and Esdeath's rank S Hunter licence wasn't even dry yet, but the list of the highest ranking Hunters in South Korea had been updated already.

[Sung Jin-Woo, the enigmatic rank S, renowned for his mystical prowess as the Machine Mage]

[Esdeath, the illustrious rank S, revered as the Ice Empress in the world."]

It was as it was written on his licence.

'It appears that meticulous planning went into this, with preparations dating back quite some time, and it's evident they've Just updated it.'

Shoving the phone back in his pocket, Jin redirected his gaze back to the front. On the while Esdeath was just smiling for the cameras.

"Mister Sung Jin-Woo! Are you really the rank E Hunter once affiliated with the Association?"

"You are now a very rare Re-Awakened!! How are you feeling right now?"

"Are you two Lovers?"

"Why did you create that catastrophic sphere of ice above the city of Seoul?"

"Are you playing God?"

"What do you love about Mister Sung Jin-Woo"

"Ms. Esdeath where did you came from"

"Are you from Japan"

Reporters writhed and struggled desperately in order to capture a bit more of Jin's or Esdeath's face or his voice or their reactions to the questions with their cameras. However, not Jin and Esdeath found their explosive attention towards them and especially their relationship simply too annoying.

'let's gotta get out of this place I had much to do.'

'let's gotta get out of this place I had much to do.'

'Let's make the escape from this locale; I've got a substantial list of tasks awaiting my attention'

They both had same thoughts

Asking them politely to make way wouldn't going to work.

"Over here! Mister Sung Jin-Woo and Mrs Esdeath, please look over this way!"

"Mister Sung Jin-Woo! The whole country is watching, so how about a smile for the viewers?"

While the camera lenses and mics were gradually inching closer, Jin spent the next two seconds earnestly pondering whether he should just leave or Esdeath seems to be enjoying when they call her Mrs implying their close relationship.

Meanwhile, behind Jin…

Choi Jong-In looked at Jin's back as the youth stood there, unable to go anywhere thanks to the cordon of reporters blocking his way.

He approached Baek Yun-Ho and spoke.

"Looks like my new recruit's Hunter-nim's is feeling a bit troubled from the excessive attention, no?"

"And just who gave you the permission to call Sung Jin-Woo Hunter-nim Mrs. Esdeath Hunter-nim 'your' new recruits now?"

"Can't I even make a joke? It's just a joke."

Two men began their war of nerves once more. In the end, though, Choi Jong-In took a step back first. He sighed before speaking up again.

"In any case, it'd be the same thing as giving other Guilds a chance if we waste any more time here."

Baek Yun-Ho agreed with that assessment. Not just the Reapers Guild's Master Im Tae-Gyu, who just so coincidentally was present here today because of Rhee Min-Seong, but the other remaining super-large Guilds would be desperately trying to get in touch with Hunter Sung Jin-Woo or Hunter Esdeath right about now.

Baek Yun-Ho scanned the crowd of reporters.

"So, Chairman Choi, what you're suggesting is…."

"Before flies come rushing in from the smell, let us escort Sung Jin-Woo and Mrs. Esdeath Hunter-nim to their residence. While we have a chat with them regarding this and that."

Meaning, the two of them should pool their resources first, and prevent more potential rivals from appearing.

Didn't matter what kind of abilities Hunter Sung Jin-Woo or Hunter Esdeath possessed, he'd still need a Guild's aid if he were to attack high-ranking dungeons. So, if they played their cards right, then either the White Tiger or the Hunters Guild could find themselves with two S-rakers in the roster.

Choi Jong-In was utterly confident of the Guild he led, the Hunters, and….

"Alright."

….Baek Yun-Ho too didn't feel that this was a bad suggestion, either.

The White Tiger might not have been as big as the Hunters, but it still was a Guild with great future prospects.

'Besides, our Section Chief Ahn and Deputy Hyun are familiar with Mister Sung Jin-Woo from a while ago, too.'

At a bare minimum, he knew for sure that they had a closer relationship than the Hunters Guild.

And so, the interests of these two men lined up rather nicely. They exchanged a few suspicious gazes at each other, before turning around to approach Jin.

The first one to engage the young man in conversation was Baek Yun-Ho.

"Hunter-nim."

Jin looked behind him.

"Yes?"

Choi Jong-In inwardly clicked his tongue after losing the initiative, but since they made a tacit agreement to cooperate, he didn't interfere. Baek Yun-Ho formed the brightest smile he could manage and continued on.

"Are you both feeling lost with all these reporters around? We can safely escort you both back to your house, so how about going with us? We are pretty good at dealing with these sorts of situations, you see."

Although a bit of exaggeration was mixed in there, what he said wasn't an empty promise at all.

This event was something any rank S Hunter would experience at least once. Not only that, these two men also learned how to deal with people's attention while managing their respective large Guilds, too.

Choi Jong-In provided support fire from the side.

"Let's head out together. Also, there is something we'd like to discuss with you, as well."

Too bad for them, Jin simply formed a polite-enough smile to reject them.

"I'll be alright."

"I actually do have a place I need to stop by first."

"Excuse me? But, how will you get out of here, what with all these repor….."

He stood beside her, their fingers entwined, both fully aware of the situation.

Without a word, he turned to Esdeath, her icy blue eyes locking onto his with an unspoken understanding. A sense of urgency gripped them both. His grip tightened on her hand, and the look in his eyes conveyed a plan that needed no words. Esdeath nodded subtly, ready to follow his lead.

As the paparazzi roared, he tugged at Esdeath's hand, prompting her to pivot towards him. The anticipation was etched across his face, and she comprehended the unspoken message—time to act.

With a graceful and synchronized movement, Esdeath leaped into the air, her powerful legs propelling her skyward. And just as gravity began to reclaim her, he was there, a swift and reliable presence, his arms outstretched to catch her.

In the fraction of a second before their bodies connected, their eyes met once more, a mixture of trust and determination passing between them. Then, in a fluid motion, he caught her in his arms, cradling her with strength and precision. Esdeath felt safe and secure in his embrace, her heart racing from love from the exhilaration of their daring maneuver.

He held her like a precious gem, their eyes locked together, and for that fleeting moment, amidst the chaos and camera clicks that surrounded them, they found a profound connection, a shared understanding that transcended words.

It was a silent testament to their unwavering partnership, their unyielding bond, and their willingness to defy the odds, together.

Choi Jong-In couldn't get to continue with the rest of his sentence.

Swish-!!

Because, while holding Esadth in princess carry he turned to face the reporters and then, jumped up tens of metres in the air before landing on the other side of the crowd, that's why.

"Uh, uh???"

Even before the flustered reporters could respond, Jin-Woo blended into the crowd and disappeared from view.

And from the moment he told Choi Jong-In and to the moment he landed all that happened in a fraction of a second. So nobody saw anything nighter anyone able to capture anything.

Choi Jong-In was left speechless. Now that was a movement he couldn't even sense in the time forget about reacting, even though he was a rank S. It was quite obvious that the reporters, who were all regular people, wouldn't be able to follow that with their naked eyes.

Choi Jong-In let out a wry chuckle.

'Is it just me, or has he fully embraced his rank S status, becoming our very own Superman? It's almost as if he's donned the shining armor of a knight, swooping in to rescue the princess from those relentless reports. Or perhaps, in this tale, he's the Empress herself, holding power beyond our wildest imaginations.'

How was he supposed to be a Mage-type with that sort of physical ability? As a fellow Mage-type, it sure riled him up a bit.

But, in that case, how would a rank S melee-type Hunter think of that?

"Just now, he…."

Choi Jong-In turned towards Baek Yun-Ho in order to ask a question, but he flinched and reflexively took a step back.

"Chairman Baek, your eyes??"

He was so surprised that he even forgot to add the honorific title.

"Ah….! M-my apologies."

Baek Yun-Ho hurriedly covered his eyes with his hand and turned around. When he opened his eyes again a short while later, they had reverted back from the monster-like irises to those of a normal human being. However, just because his eyes changed back to normal, that didn't mean his shock had worn off.

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Stones??

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"This situation is thoroughly messed up. Now I understand why fanfiction writers often steer clear of quantifying stats with numbers, especially someone like my favorite author, Akro_Zero. His works are steeped in systems, yet he never delves into the nitty-gritty of numerical stats. Just yesterday, I dedicated a solid two hours to poring over old chapters, meticulously noting down every incremental stat increase, and then subjecting myself to the mental gymnastics of crunching numbers for those two agonizing hours. I've gained a newfound appreciation for how much of a colossal headache it can be.

It's fascinating how other creators handle this issue. Fate, for instance, avoids the numerical route altogether and simply states that a character is 'X times stronger than the average human.' It's a much simpler and cleaner way to convey the same information.

But damn... the intricacies of dealing with these numerical stats can be mind-boggling. It's a headache-inducing endeavor that I wouldn't wish on anyone. From now on, I'll have a deeper respect for how authors choose to navigate this particular aspect of storytelling."