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Chapter 8
Mir Guild Headquarters, Guild Master’s Office
“What do you mean! No reinforcement for our lineup?!”
Raid Captain Yang Pan-seok slammed his hand on the desk.
Promotion had failed by a hair. Naturally, he expected reinforcements to follow, yet the reply he received was just that—rejection with no negotiation.
Yang Pan-seok’s handsome face shattered like broken glass.
Opposite him, the other man shrank back like a crushed can.
“Uh, th-there’s nothing we can d-do. Recruiting this year is impossible…”
Even though he said it was impossible, he kept fidgeting nervously.
Small in stature, unusually thick glasses, looking more like an elementary school vice principal than a guild master—this man’s name was Jeong Soon-dong.
He was the master of Mir Guild.
“Our, our finances are already in the red. At this rate…”
“Where did the season ticket revenue go? We went all the way to the finals; there must have been a lot of broadcast fees!”
“The season ticket revenue was u-used for last year’s facility expansion… and th-the broadcast fees went to guild debt repayment…”
“What about performance? Have you thought about that?”
“W-we were thinking we could c-consider that together.”
“…Hmph.”
Conflicts between the guild master and raid captain were frequent.
The master, responsible for finances, wanted to save every penny; the raid captain, responsible for strengthening the team, needed funds. If the guild functioned properly, such clashes could even be considered healthy.
Thus, the balance between these two was crucial. But Mir Guild was seriously lacking in this regard.
“I, I think—”
“Excuse me, Master. Could you stop stuttering for once?”
“I- I’m sorry.”
Their personalities simply didn’t match.
Yang Pan-seok’s highly driven nature could not adjust to Jeong Soon-dong’s desperately weak temperament, making their conversations inevitably one-sided.
“Why would a professional guild even think about giving up the league? A guild can never give up the league.”
“This year’s expenses were too severe. Most of the costs from failing promotion became debt… b-but! Of course! Don’t misunderstand. I’m not blaming you. It’s just… that’s all.”
“For the sake of the fans, we absolutely cannot give up. Trust me, we’ll give it everything we’ve got. This year is really different!”
“…Isn’t it okay to take a year off? We’ve been running at full speed. Fans would understand a year…”
“What are you saying? Are we even talking about the same thing?”
“I- I’m sorry.”
“Hmph, please stop apologizing. You’re the one who called for this meeting.”
“Sorry…”
“Master!”
They couldn’t even hold a proper discussion.
Unable to bear the frustration, Yang Pan-seok eventually took control of the meeting according to his own plan.
“Master, please listen to me first. This meeting is meaningless. A new representative is coming anyway.”
“I know. I- Lee Shin. He’s a tyrant. The front office staff are already uneasy because of him…”
“I don’t care if he’s a tyrant. What matters is that behind him is the LeeDo Group.”
What kind of group was the LeeDo Group? The best company, to the point where people joked about the “LeeDo Republic.”
Watching the guild master offer unhelpful ideas like “financial prudence” while this powerhouse investment was about to arrive was infuriating.
“Instead of worrying about useless things like a merchandise store, it’s a hundred times better to actively strengthen the team and achieve results.”
“We already h-have too much debt.”
“The banks know already. They know who’s backing us, and right now they’re probably waiting by the phone to give us more loans.”
“Th-then financial prudence…”
“Financial prudence! Financial prudence! How many times do I have to say it!! It’s LeeDo. Once they start spending, this debt? It’s nothing!!”
He wasn’t wrong. The LeeDo Group was notorious for extravagant spending.
Moreover, they were the ones offering first. It was trustworthy.
Yang Pan-seok shouted with conviction.
“Hmph… Master, forget everything else. Let’s focus on strengthening the team. Following my plan has never failed.”
“W-wait, Pan-seok…”
“I’m saying this for your own sake too. What kind of representative hopes for a year off during their first acquisition? Promotion is absolutely essential. In the worst case, if we fail, everyone can be fired, and we wouldn’t have a word to complain.”
“…”
“Right now, nothing else matters. Remember this: performance. Only performance.”
Exiting the office, Yang Pan-seok sighed in self-reproach.
Other guilds had masters attending to every detail of their raid teams, but how long would he have to keep teaching here?
‘This can’t continue.’
For the future of the guild.
For his own future.
________________________________________
A few days later, at Mir Guild’s main gate.
Lee Shin’s Rolls-Royce had stopped, and a thunderous welcome erupted as he stepped out.
““Welcome!””
Lining both sides of the main gate were people, among them the loudest voices—Yang Pan-seok and the raid team.
Escorted by Yang Pan-seok, Lee Shin paused, taking in the guild’s scenery with a reflective glance before smiling with the famed charm that was the talk of the town.
“Haha, this is embarrassing. You really don’t have to go to such lengths. Anyway, nice to meet you. I’m Lee Shin.”
“You’re the new representative, so of course we should greet you. I’m Yang Pan-seok. Nice to meet you.”
“Oh! So you’re the famous Hunter Yang Pan-seok! Wow, the profile picture didn’t do you justice. You look too young in real life. Can I shake your hand?”
“Haha, of course. Not at all, though. I’m past my prime now.”
As they shook hands with cheerful expressions, applause burst out spontaneously.
Could a new representative really be this welcome? It was almost excessive.
“Are you alone? The master should be here.”
“The master isn’t feeling well and didn’t come in today.”
Lee Shin’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
“Hmm… just one question. Did you not know I was coming today?”
“…”
Everyone avoided the answer, and Lee Shin lightly remarked, “That’s convenient,” before returning to his bright expression.
“The ones who aren’t here just miss out. Let’s have fun ourselves.”
“An honor. You’ve come from far away, so what about a meal…”
“I’m fine. I just had a quick breakfast. Could I get some coffee?”
“Of course.”
“Ice Americano, two extra shots, please. And for this beautiful secretary here…”
“…”
“Just do as you see fit. She doesn’t talk much, as you can see.”
“Understood.”
“Team leader, you go directly.”
At Yang Pan-seok’s sharp nod, the hefty team leader quickly disappeared, despite his size.
“Before heading to the office, I’d like to take a quick tour. Could you guide me?”
“Of course. Naturally, I’ll take you. This way…”
Mir Guild was impressive overall.
A spacious headquarters and dining hall, and especially an open grassy field.
While other guilds were trending toward taller buildings, Mir Guild’s three-story layout with a wide floor plan was reminiscent of old-school style.
The age of the building was visible in certain areas.
“Hmm? What’s that building?”
“It’s a building. A dormitory exclusively for hunters.”
“A dormitory?”
Lee Shin tilted his head.
“Am I wrong? I thought lower league teams usually didn’t have separate dorms.”
Not entirely wrong. Using a dorm implied people came from far away, but who would visit a 4th division guild?
Yang Pan-seok calmly explained the reason.
“For organizational cohesion, the raid team agreed to live together in the dorm during the league. The dorm was built for that purpose.”
“Oh…!”
“The guild’s backbone is the hunters, and to improve their skills, investment cannot be spared. That’s our Mir Guild motto.”
“Ah… ‘investment’…”
Then came a sharply probing question.
“Does the master think the same?”
“…Of course.”
Lee Shin stared straight into Yang Pan-seok’s eyes.
For a moment.
Chills!
Was it just his imagination? Goosebumps rose on Yang Pan-seok’s arms.
The eyes were clear, yet they reflected an incomprehensible madness.
But like a lie, Lee Shin’s gaze softened again into a friendly, gentle expression.
“Well, if it’s an investment, I’m sure you handled it properly.”
“…Thank you. Shall we move on?”
“Let’s go.”
After that, they passed through the warehouse, the main building’s cafeteria, and various other places, finally crossing the athletic field to arrive at the training ground.
Each of them held the iced Americanos they had ordered earlier as they stepped into the training area.
“This is the Team 1 training ground.”
“Hmm, it’s much better inside than it looks from the outside. Isn’t that a new-type sparring court? Resistant even to magic usage.”
Contrary to its somewhat shabby exterior, the interior was packed with luxurious equipment and facilities: a lounge, a physical therapy room, precision magic massage kits, and recovery-promoting warm pools.
“These must also be part of the investments you mentioned earlier.”
“Of course. If I had to pick the thing we shouldn’t spare at all, it’s the training facilities.”
“Impressive. Team 1 has been with the raid leader all this time, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct. They’re comrades like family.”
“Ah~ like ‘family’.”
Barely had the word ‘family’ come out when Yang Pan-seok introduced each of the raid members who had been trailing behind like ducklings following their mother.
Here’s their specialty, and this one’s skill is…, that one used to be famous even in Busan…
Blah blah, bang bang.
Though it seemed a bit overzealous at first glance, thinking of them as family-like comrades made the scene quite heartwarming.
As they spent time laughing and chatting,
“Oh, already this late?”
“There’s plenty of time. How about we check out the rest of the facilities tomorrow and start with a meal first?”
“Excellent suggestion.”
“If you’re in Busan, you have to try pork soup. I’ll take you there.”
“Wow, my mouth is already watering.”
So the day went smoothly, even peacefully.
Amid the exceptionally warm and friendly atmosphere, a welcome party combined with a gathering took place.
Ha ha ha.
Ho ho ho.
First round, second round, third round.
One drink after another.
As the glasses passed cheerfully, Lee Shin’s face began to flush, and only then did Yang Pan-seok finally relax.
‘Alright.’
Though there had been a tinge of anxiety, everything went well.
If he could build a good relationship with Lee Shin like this and only the troublesome guild master stepped aside, the previously precarious guild would find its way again and sail smoothly.
‘All under my lead, Yang Pan-seok.’
Perfect.
Finally, Yang Pan-seok could genuinely smile.
Without having imagined what would unfold immediately after.
[Dong-ha hyung]: I succeeded.
Seeing the message, Lee Shin grinned, tapped his beer glass with chopsticks to gather everyone’s attention, and said:
“Attention. Please pay attention for a moment. I have good news!”
Everyone turned their curious eyes toward Lee Shin.
He smiled broadly and, holding a soju-and-beer glass for a toast, spoke sincerely toward Yang Pan-seok and the raid members:
“Congratulations on your transfer!!”
???
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…What’s this??
