Against the Clock: The Team Leader’s Pursuit of Glory

Kang Mu-hyuk, who had just returned to the Guild headquarters in North Pocheon, was taken aback by the unexpected report.

In the wake of the Goblin Tribe Raid, the Hunters had been given staggered vacations for rest. As this was a long-awaited break, some of the carefree Hunters, especially the younger ones, were expected to indulge in pleasures and return late.

It wasn't an issue that should have been mentioned with such a serious face by Pyo Beom-hee.

"Who hasn't returned?"

"It's not just anyone. Half of the people who went on vacation haven't come back."

Only then did Kang Mu-hyuk realize the severity of the situation. Not one or two, but half of them. Something seemed to have gone wrong.

"The number of vacationers this time was twenty-seven, right?"

"Thirteen of them are missing."

"What about the emergency contacts?"

"They're all turned off. Smells fishy, doesn't it? They might have been attacked. After all, the Wolf Ranch is worth that much."

"Even if they're tempted, they won't use such noisy methods at this point when we're in the spotlight."

Kang Mu-hyuk shook his head at Pyo Beom-hee's opinion, but he didn't deny the possibility of an attack.

'It could be a different method other than violence.'

Even before Kang Mu-hyuk joined, Iron Will hadn't been on good terms with the Slayer Guild, thanks to Ju Se-ah. Since reviving the role of Guild Leader, they had been in a prominent position within the industry.

Anyone could harbor resentment.

But the situation changed right after the announcement of the Rider Wolf. Rather than being hostile, the industry's view was that collaboration would benefit the guild.

There was no longer a valid reason to sabotage.

"What should we do? Should I go and check it out?"

As Pyo Beom-hee was about to head toward Seoul, Kang Mu-hyuk stopped her.

"No, Team Leader Pyo, you stay and guard the guild. We have someone else to check."

"Who?"

"Hunter Noh Song-rin. He's perfect for this kind of thing."

...

Hexagram, a famous club in Gangnam.

Noh Song-rin sucked hard on the cigarette between his lips, gazing at the long queue to enter on a bustling Friday night. His superhuman lung capacity burned the cigarette down almost to the filter. The ash broke off and fell to the ground. He spat out the butt.

It landed on the shoe of a guard at the club entrance. Sparks flew over the smoothly polished leather.

The guard furrowed his brow but did not show anger. It was a professional habit.

Not to act rashly before identifying the other party.

People living in the age of Hunters, especially those involved in the darker side of things, needed to be more careful.

While the club guard was no criminal, his job did often put him in conflicts. A wrong move against a Hunter could cripple him, and it was not a far-fetched possibility.

Noh Song-rin headed for the entrance, ignoring the line.

"Sir, please join the queue if you wish to enter."

"Is Taekwoo here? Kim Taekwoo. He's a VIP here, isn't he?"

"I can't disclose the customer's personal information..."

"Who told you to announce it? Just tell me if he came or not."

"That's not within my authority."

"If you don't know, I'll go and check."

As Noh Song-rin stepped inside, a guard blocked his path.

"If you want to enter, stand in line..."

"What did you say?"

The guard's body wobbled for a moment. The man had merely tapped him on the shoulder, but it felt as if a robust man had thrust him away with force.

'He must be a Hunter.'

Before the guard, who had fallen to the ground, could respond, other guards who hadn't grasped the situation yet blocked Noh Song-rin's way.

"Just find Taekwoo. Kim Taekwoo of Iron Will Guild. I heard he's a regular here."

Only after the word 'guild' was mentioned did they all realize that their opponent was a Hunter.

The guards' eyes trailed behind him. A man emerged from a corner. He was the club's entrance manager.

Though his job title seemed contrived, it was a different matter if the man was a Hunter. Though responsible for admissions, he held some real power.

Noh Song-rin scanned him up and down before snorting.

"You must be at least C-rank. A fellow of C-rank dealing with people instead of monsters? And in a bar?"

"..."

"You ran away from the Gate, didn't you?"

The words were clearly tinged with mockery.

The man flinched. The fact that his rank had been instantly recognized meant that his opponent was of higher rank.

Being the entrance manager of Gangnam's most popular club, it was no surprise that he'd seen many high-ranking Hunters, but his opponent was rubbing his wounds, and anger surged within him.

A runaway from the Gate.

A loser too afraid to enter the Gate and hunt monsters.

Even if it was true, it wasn't an easy thing to admit.

"You're talking big. Rank isn't some noble title. I don't know how great a Hunter you are, but who are you to boast when it's none of your busin— ack!"

Noh Song-rin's outstretched hand grazed the man's right ear. The sharp hand sliced through his earlobe as blood spurted out with a sharp pain.

Next, his wrist twisted like a hook and he grabbed the back of the man's head, clutching his hair as if tearing it out. Noh Song-rin yanked the head toward himself and kicked the man's ankle.

The man's body spun in mid-air before floating. There was no chance to break his fall. Due to the nimble footwork, the man rolled helplessly on the ground.

There was an absence of physical shock, but the mental blow delivered was great.

People who had paid no mind to a typical Friday night skirmish were taken aback by the sudden violence. Seeing a large man treated in such a way was an uncommon sight.

A few regular club-goers, knowing that the beaten manager was a Hunter, were even more surprised.

Some tried to take out smartphones to film, but when Noh Song-rin glanced over his shoulder and exuded an intimidating aura, they dared not press the button.

Humiliated and in a daze, the man managed to lift his head. Noh Song-rin was looking down at him.

Shudder.

It was a cold, no, an indifferent look. As if he didn't matter at all. Instinctively, the man looked away, his spirit broken.

"Hunters are ranked by their status. You're here acting like this because you don't know that."

"Gulp!"

The surrounding area fell silent at the unexpected violence. Only the sound of a man swallowing his saliva could be heard. Noh Song-rin spoke to the guard beside him.

"Should we wait any longer?"

"Yes, yes?"

"Kim Taekwoo. Iron Will. He's probably playing in a room somewhere. Show him in."

...

"Drink up! Tonight, it's on me! Hahaha!"

With fluttering eyes, Kim Taekwoo gulped down his drink. Half he drank, half he spilled. Even though his rank was low, he was still a Hunter. Normally, he wouldn't get easily drunk, but that day, he acted as if enchanted by the alcohol.

At the U-shaped table, friends seated on either side of Kim Taekwoo raised their glasses and cheered in celebration. They too had somewhat lost their taste, celebrating him with dazed expressions.

"Are you really transferring to the Titan Guild?"

"There might be some penalty fees, but my contract rank is not high, so it won't cost much. Titan has agreed to cover it anyway."

"Aha! So that's how it is."

At a voice that seemed both unfamiliar and familiar, Kim Taekwoo turned his head.

Unnoticed, the door of the room had opened. The moment he saw the face peering in, Kim Taekwoo's face turned pale.

"No, Noh Song-rin…"

"Am I your friend? Do you want to die?"

"Gulp! N-no, sir!"

The relaxed look in Kim Taekwoo's eyes instantly tightened.

'How did that person get here?'

Noh Song-rin was a person avoided even by his guildmates. It wasn't just because he was an elite. His unique aura and fierce demeanor made him untouchable. Even a different faction member like Kim Taekwoo was tense around him.

After Noh Song-rin had been reined in by Kang Mu-hyuk, he became the guild's disciplinary leader. It was a role perfectly suited for a Hunter that everyone found difficult and intimidating.

Before, people kept their distance as if he didn't exist, but recently, since he started to crack down on the guild members' behavior, he had become even more undesirable.

It was only natural for Kim Taekwoo to be fully alert.

Nevertheless, his eyes gradually relaxed again.

Seeing Kim Taekwoo's spaced-out reaction, Noh Song-rin quickly scanned the table.

He noticed the red powder scattered around the table.

Noh Song-rin dabbed the powder as if wiping dust and sniffed it. The sharp sting that shot up his nose, accompanied by a sweet scent, made the back of his neck tingle.

"Mimong moth powder, huh? It's not illegal, but we're not ordinary people. Is it permissible for a Hunter to use this? An A-rank guild with a guy who can't even manage himself properly?"

Mimong moth powder replicated the effects of monster skills and was used as a hallucinogen.

Unlike drugs, it did not cause significant harm to the body except for slight paralysis, but that was only for ordinary people.

In the case of Hunters, it caused a dulling of the senses when ingested. It could have detrimental effects during a close fight with monsters. It was something even more to be avoided than alcohol for a Hunter.

Certainly, in a guild with standards, it would never have been allowed.

Noh Song-rin walked into the inside of the U-shaped table, the corners of his mouth lifted in a smirk. Kim Taekwoo flinched and backed away, but he was blocked by the back of the sofa, and there was no place to escape.

"Taekwoo, you're going to Titan? I'll congratulate you."

"Huh? Th-thank you?"

"Yes. It's an A-class Guild, isn't it? Soon it'll be a Tier-ed, and that's not a strange guild. It's something to be congratulated for."

He thought it was wrong to leave the room decently, but suddenly he was congratulated. And that too, by Noh Song-rin!

"I'm not sure if they'll accept a drug addict who enjoys moth powder though?"

He thought he had found an escape, but he plummeted in an instant.

Kim Taekwoo was sweating profusely as he begged.

"Th-that is... Boss Noh. You won't tell Titan, will you? Please......"

"We've eaten from the same guild, so it’s a little bit disrespectful to tell them. But it's also a shame to just keep my mouth shut. Instead, let’s just relax and tell me."

"What, what are you... talking about?"

"The reason for not returning from vacation. Because of Titan? Tell me more."

...

"Titan, you say? I understand. Thank you for your hard work."

"What’s with the Titan all of a sudden?"

Kang Mu-hyuk hurriedly ended the call with Noh Song-rin, and Ju Se-ah urged.

"The recent non-returnees have received transfer offers from Titan."

"All of them?"

"At least, the Hunters who have not returned, apparently."

"Wow, unbelievable. Even if it's Titan, taking the Hunters without an official request to the affiliated guild? And those who willingly accepted that. Not only abandoning the guild without notice but also willing to pay the penalty? These guys have no basis at all?!"

Ju Se-ah gritted her teeth nervously. Crack, a sound like teeth breaking, resonated through the office.

She was not angry about the Hunters' transfers themselves. In this industry, taking Hunters away was common.

That was why most guilds set high penalties to keep their main Hunters. Or they astronomically raise the funds of the transfer clause.

However, even in an industry where betrayal was commonplace, there were rules to be followed. When a transfer offer came in, the minimum courtesy to the affiliated guild had to be maintained.

The higher the guild's standing, the more often honor had to be prioritized over money. In a world where you were dismissed if ignored, being taken lightly meant the end.

The Titan guild and the non-returnees had touched this taboo.

"Iron Will's position is far below Titan's. A guild with no dignity to cherish or loyalty to keep. We are making gradual progress in guild reform, but that's still our level."

"So you're saying we should just let this go?"

As Ju Se-ah squinted her eyes in displeasure, Kang Mu-hyuk quickly added.

"Guild Master. You must not do as you did in the Slayer guild if you go to Titan."

"What would I do?"

"Make a mess."

"You think I just cause trouble all the time? I'll stay quiet if I’m not provoked."

"Who would provoke the Guild Master... huh?"

Kang Mu-hyuk nodded, recalling the gap between Titan and Slayer.

Certainly, within Slayer, there were Hunters or Parties that could provoke Ju Se-ah, but Titan had none.

Of course, if the top-ranked Hunters in Titan were to join forces, they could probably contend, but it was unlikely to end well. If a quarrel broke out, whether they won or lost, the situation would be burdensome.

From Ju Se-ah's perspective, she might have wished for someone to provoke her first, but the best strategy was to avoid even encountering them face to face.

"Are you hesitating because it's your former guild?" she asked.

"It's not so much hesitation as a word of caution, given that I can't figure out their secret motives. You might inadvertently get entangled and find yourself in a difficult position."

"Secret motives?"

Kang Mu-hyuk rubbed his chin, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. He had a knack for calming those around him. As he paused, Ju Se-ah sensed something unusual and waited patiently.

"By Titan's standards, the Hunters on this vacation are of lower overall skill. But why would they want to recruit them?"

"That's... why indeed? It certainly doesn't make sense. Ah, discussing this makes me feel rather self-conscious."

"And why are they antagonizing us at this particular time?"

Kang Mu-hyuk was referring to the time when the issue with the Rider Wolves had arisen.

At a time when most guilds, especially Tier-ed guilds and A-rank guilds aspiring for higher status, wanted to acquire even one wolf, it was irrational to antagonize Iron Will.

Although Kang Mu-hyuk had changed affiliations, he harbored no ill feelings towards Titan. In fact, as a former guild, it had given him a head start, signifying that a good cooperative relationship could be built.

"We need to find out the reason first. Only then can we understand their moves and respond accordingly."

"Do you have a way to gather information? Do you have any close contacts within Titan?"

"The information that can be obtained from internal sources is obvious, except for the top executives. No matter how close I might have been to them, the guild will always come first. They won't talk easily, and the background of such a large-scale transfer movement will be hard to find out."

"Then how do you plan to approach this?"

"There's a place I use for situations like this. In fact, I've recently tasked them with something, so it seems like a good time to meet."