Tae-gyu sighed and took a reluctant step back.
At that moment, the door of the testing room swung open and an old man entered.
Scars ran all over his body, contrasting sharply with his kind eyes.
Even at an age past eighty, his tailored suit could not conceal the muscular frame underneath.
The moment the people in the room recognized the old man, they bowed deep and without hesitation.
Even Siwoo offered a respectful bow from where he stood, recognizing the legendary figure at a glance.
Go Gunhee nodded to the room as everyone straightened their backs.
He walked directly toward the silver-haired boy.
“That was some impressive magic I sensed, even from outside the room,” the old man praised kindly.
Siwoo offered a sheepish smile and rubbed the back of his head.
Go Gunhee extended his hand, which the boy shook firmly before they both started walking out of the testing room.
Siwoo had been informed that the chairman wished to speak with him in private, so they made their way toward the chairman’s office, with Woo Jinchul trailing silently behind them.
“I must commend you for your impressive swordmanship and footwork,” Jinchul commented the moment they entered the quiet office.
“And from what my old eyes can tell, there is much more you are capable of doing.
Though, I will not pry into your secrets,” Go Gunhee added.
He gestured for Siwoo to take a seat before sitting down across from him.
“I appreciate that, Chairman,” Siwoo nodded.
The old man took a brief breath before getting directly to the point.
He explained that the Hunter’s Association functioned primarily as a deterrent force, a necessary entity to keep the massive guilds and freelance hunters in check.
At present, the five largest guilds in Korea stood on a relatively equal footing.
If Siwoo were to join any single one of them, that delicate balance of power would immediately tilt in their direction.
“Chairman, the Hunters Guild already has two S-ranks.
I don’t think things are quite as balanced as they may appear on the surface,” Siwoo pointed out gently.
Go Gunhee nodded, letting out a hearty laugh.
“You are right about that, son.
And luckily, Choi Jong-In and Cha Hae-In are trustworthy individuals.” The chairman conceded the point, but it did not mean his underlying logic was wrong.
In appearance, the major guilds were still perceived to be in balance, and in the world politics, appearances mattered immensely.
All three men in the room understood this truth, meaning the core issue still remained.
Siwoo had a monumental decision to make.
Jinchul had spent a significant amount of his time after first meeting Siwoo researching the boy’s background.
When he shared his findings with the chairman, they had both come to the definitive conclusion that money alone would never sway this young man.
That left principles, morals, and personal beliefs.
However, they had not spent enough time around Siwoo to truly grasp the core of his personality.
This was precisely why Go Gunhee was laying everything out bare, ensuring the boy could make the best possible choice with all the available facts in front of him.
“Chairman, I will start by stating that I believe I will be of much more use to the largest amount of people by being inside the dungeons, instead of acting as a political deterrent,” Siwoo started, raising a finger to emphasize his point.
Go Gunhee was not at all disheartened by the statement.
On the contrary, he could feel his heart beating like a war drum in sudden excitement.
“Though, simply joining a guild would also restrict me, as I imagine they have their own complicated internal politics,” Siwoo added, resting his chin thoughtfully on his hand.
“I do have an alternative idea, though I doubt it would actually work,” he whispered to himself, giving a small shake of his head.
“Voice it, son.
I’ll see what I can do to make it happen,” Go Gunhee encouraged.
“I was thinking I could officially join the Hunter’s Association as an independent hunter.
From there, you could send me to the Hunters Guild as an external aid to assist them in clearing high-ranking gates.” Siwoo emphasized the word aid clearly.
“That arrangement would keep me insulated from their internal guild politics, and you can make sure that I am actively deployed in the field at all times.” Siwoo explained his plan, though even to his own ears, it sounded a bit like wish fulfillment.
“With the cooperation of the Hunters Guild and by twisting a few arms in the right places, this might actually be possible,” Go Gunhee considered aloud.
Then, he shook his head and looked at Siwoo with genuine worry evident in his eyes.
“But why do you want to place this much pressure on your own shoulders?” “Because I know I can handle it.
And if a situation arises in the future where I have to eat my words, I will come right back to your office and ask for a brief vacation,” Siwoo said.
He delivered the last part with a mischievous glint in his eye, aiming to lighten the mood and because he wouldn’t seem like he was overestimating his own capabilities.
A sudden chuckle escaped the chairman’s lips.
The sound reverberated through the spacious office before exploding into full-blown laughter.
Go Gunhee threw his head back, resting a hand against his chest as he laughed.
“Oh, how I truly wish I was younger.
I would have loved to go on raids with a young man such as yourself,” Go Gunhee said warmly once his laughter finally died down.
He then stood up from his chair, and Siwoo followed his lead.
“I will discuss this arrangement with Choi Jong-In immediately.” He held out his hand for a handshake, which Siwoo accepted with a wide grin.
The boy then gave Jinchul a respectful nod as he exited the office.
“Your official hunter’s license will be ready by tomorrow morning,” Jinchul’s voice echoed out just as Siwoo stepped into the hallway.
The Association had gone to great lengths to ensure the absolute minimum number of people knew about Siwoo registering as an S-rank.
However, with the boy receiving an official license, they would legally have to register his status in the government database.
Once that happened, it would become completely impossible to stop the news from leaking to the public.
Siwoo was pondering these future complications when he rounded the corner and spotted the leaders of the top guilds standing near the main entrance of the Association building.
“Hello there.
I hope everything went smoothly inside?” Choi Jong-In was the first to approach, greeting him with an amiable smile and an extended hand.
“It did.
The chairman wishes to see you, though,” Siwoo replied, nodding his thumb back toward the corridor he had just walked down.
That piece of information immediately caught the attention of the other guild masters.
They exchanged quick looks before turning their eyes toward Jong-In with deep curiosity.
The redhead tilted his head slightly, raising a finger to push his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.
“I better not keep the chairman waiting then,” Jong-In muttered.
He gave Cha Hae-In a meaningful look before turning on his heel to walk back toward Go Gunhee’s office.
Cha Hae-In gulped slightly and took a deliberate step toward Siwoo, stepping up to ask the exact question Jong-In had intended to pose.
“Will you be joining the Association permanently, or do you already have a specific guild in mind, Hunter Kang?” she asked softly.
The remaining guild representatives leaned in closer, desperate to catch Siwoo’s answer.
They had gathered here today solely to recruit him, after all.
“I am still weighing my options, Hunter Cha.
Rest assured, I will be keeping all of your respective guilds in mind when I make my final decision,” Siwoo lied smoothly, maintaining an amiable expression.
He tilted his head slightly when he noticed that Cha Hae-In had lowered her handkerchief from her nose.
She was now standing much closer to him, a distinctly confused look washing over her features.
‘Do I not smell bad to her?’ Siwoo thought to himself.
Judging by her calm reaction, it seemed he didn’t trigger her usual condition at all, which seemed to have surprised and confused her.
“Thank you for your time, everyone.
Have a pleasant day,” Siwoo concluded, effectively ending the conversation.
He walked past them and headed home.
Even though the gathered guild masters wanted to push their offers, they stilled their tongues because they did not wish to appear rude or overly aggressive to a new S-rank.
Right around that time, Choi Jong-In exited the chairman’s room.
Hae-In ran up to meet him the moment she saw him walk out, her burning question written all over her face.
“What a fascinating young man,” she heard Jong-In mutter to himself, a deeply impressed expression on his face.
“You can say that again,” she agreed quietly, earning a raised eyebrow from the redhead.
“He did not smell bad,” she answered his silent question.
A/n: Please leave your thoughts on the story so far.
Every comment helps and give me motivation.