Mana Stone energy was currently being discussed as one of the eco-friendly energy sources.
The whole world was cutting fossil fuel use to curb global warming, but solar, wind, and hydroelectric power alone couldn't cover all electricity needs.
The alternative raised there was precisely the Mana Stone.
Using technology transferred from another dimension, they had begun converting the mana energy of Mana Stones into electricity.
With advances in the technology, even an F-rank Mana Stone could now secure a large amount of power.
On top of that, as new weapons powered by mana energy were developed, demand for Mana Stones had risen sharply.
So much so that supply couldn't keep up.
The Mana Stones the Hunter Association bought up were all turned over to the national treasury.
The purchase budget came from national funds in the first place.
"Arbon."
"Yes, understood."
Arbon called the bus driver again and canceled the freight truck rental.
A short while later, the Hunter Association sent over a mobile number.
When Kang-hyeok texted the detailed address to it, a reply arrived:
[They say they'll be on-site in thirty minutes. Please wait a little longer.]
"Send the detailed address to the bus drivers too. Tell them the area's safe, so it's fine to come in."
"Yes, understood."
And so the Homunculi sat atop the Mana Stones they'd piled up near the villa and rested for thirty minutes.
About twenty-seven minutes later, the freight trucks rolled into the street.
Kang-hyeok raised his right hand toward them.
A staffer from the Hunter Association's Sejong City branch, riding in the passenger seat, stepped out.
"Hunter Park Kang-hyeok?"
"Yes, that's right."
"The Mana Stones are......"
"Over there."
The staffer looked in the direction Kang-hyeok indicated.
"Goodness...... there really are a lot."
A small crane that had followed behind the trucks moved toward the Mana Stones.
While the stones were loaded onto the trucks, the Homunculi spread out and took up guard positions.
Every one of them had reached the level of highest-grade Expert.
Arbon had become a mid-grade Sword Master, now a match for an S2-rank Hunter.
"Payment for the Mana Stones will be deposited within a week. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us."
"Yes, understood."
"Well then, we'll take our leave......"
After the trucks and crane left the scene, four small buses pulled up to the villa.
"Board the buses!"
The Homunculi climbed aboard one after another.
And so the GH Guild members all returned safely, without a single casualty.
Back at GH Guild's First and Second Headquarters, the Homunculi all prepared to apply for naturalization.
"For place of origin...... just say you came over from another dimension. Saying you fled a dimension ruled by demihumans works too. The reason for defecting is clear enough."
"Yes, we'll look into the other dimensions."
"Good, keep it up."
Arbon and the others fabricated documents — their places of origin, past records, and the like.
Then, one by one, they submitted naturalization applications and sat the Hunter certification and Korean-language exams.
Perhaps because every one of them possessed abilities of A-rank Hunter or above?
Their naturalization permits, resident registration cards, and Korean Hunter licenses were all issued in short order.
Kang-hyeok then officially established GH Guild with himself as its representative and took in every one of the naturalized Homunculi as members.
The Association took note of the newly risen GH Guild with some suspicion.
"Every one of the newly naturalized Hunters...... joined the GH Guild that Hunter Park Kang-hyeok founded?"
"Yes, that's right. They say they met Hunter Park Kang-hyeok while hunting monsters in Wanju County. For reference, apparently, beyond the otherworlders who naturalized this time, many others have crossed over into Jeolla and are living in hiding."
"Hmm......"
"The issue is that a few days ago, four small buses were seen entering and leaving Wanju County with Hunter Park Kang-hyeok. Hunter Park Kang-hyeok says he was accompanied by Hunters he'd befriended during his porter days, but......"
"Whether Hunter Park Kang-hyeok is himself an otherworlder......"
"That's unlikely. His records are properly documented. His parents are alive and well, too."
"......For now, look into the GH Guild. And keep watching Hunter Park Kang-hyeok's movements."
"Yes, understood."
After overseeing Arbon's naturalization, Kang-hyeok spread his wings and flew straight to Geochang County in Gyeongsang Province.
The naturalization process had been simpler than he'd expected.
'Better to raise the Homunculi first and get them naturalized.'
It beat having them live in hiding like a criminal organization.
Kang-hyeok reached Geochang County in just an hour.
Like Wanju County, the town center lay desolate from the monster attacks.
The mana cost to summon a single Homunculus was 10.
Which meant he could summon 24,749,316 Homunculi in a single stroke.
Excluding those already summoned, he could call forth up to about eighteen million more......
He could summon them all at once, then.
Of course, he had no intention of summoning them all.
He summoned five hundred thousand in Gyeongsang and five hundred thousand in Jeolla, and reinforced only a portion of them, keeping those close at hand.
The million summoned Homunculi were organized into twenty Legions, beneath which Divisions and Brigades were formed.
Kang-hyeok appointed those who had grown into highest-grade Experts as officers.
"Don't move hastily. Slowly...... you must strengthen your abilities."
"Yes, understood."
"The First Legion Commander will serve as Supreme Commander in my stead. And each Legion Commander is to take the Inner Cores stored in the boxes. Starting today, rank-and-file soldiers receive LV.2 Inner Cores, and officers take LV.3 Inner Cores."
Of course, the officers had already taken LV.12 Inner Cores over two days, securing 240 mana each.
With their current mana, they couldn't sustain a highest-grade Expert's sword energy for long.
"When every soldier has grown to low-grade Expert or above, send word to me. I'll summon reinforcements."
"Yes, understood."
These forces would later be committed to the conquest of North Korea.
He'd demand about thirty percent of North Korea from the Korean government, and in exchange, cede the remaining North Korean territory to the South.
The Homunculi began their lives securing supplies in the emptied cities of Gyeongsang and Jeolla.
Once GH Guild's income grew, he planned to supply each Legion with vehicles and provisions.
"......I should at least support them with vehicles."
While Kang-hyeok laid the groundwork for founding a nation, Teinen Guild's master, Kim Min-chan, heard the news about GH Guild and let out a dry laugh.
"A newly...... founded guild?"
"Yes, that's right."
Min-chan narrowed his eyes and fell into thought for a moment.
It was no exaggeration to say Korea's Hunter community was ruled by Teinen, Goguryeo, and Hwarang.
Which meant most of the high-tier Dungeon Gates were split three ways.
The Hunter Association only managed the Gates.
The Three Great Guilds held a monopoly on the high-tier Dungeon Gates.
At this rate, they might have to cede some of their territory to GH Guild.
And Teinen Guild's influence would shrink as well.
"If he'd joined another major guild, that would be one thing, but a brand-new guild...... no, if he won't come to Teinen, then it might be better to simply eliminate Hunter Park Kang-hyeok."
Once GH Guild began growing in earnest, it would become a threat to Teinen Guild too.
"At present, GH Guild has S2-rank Hunter Arbon among its members."
"Send him a recruitment offer."
"Yes, understood."
Min-chan quietly closed his eyes.
'Park Kang-hyeok was nothing but an E-rank. Right now, having only just Re-Awakened...... I could eliminate him with my own power.'
Even with that otherworlder Arbon at his side, it was no problem.
Teinen Guild had five S2-rank Hunters, after all.
Teinen held the most S-rank Hunters of the Three Great Guilds.
Min-chan wanted to place Teinen Guild at the pinnacle of Korea.
It was almost time.
The three S3-rank Hunters in Teinen would soon be promoted to S2-rank.
In a few years, Teinen Guild would emerge as the strongest in Korea.
But with Park Kang-hyeok's appearance, the board had begun to shift.
If Goguryeo or Hwarang got their hands on Park Kang-hyeok, all his plans would come to nothing.
"Having to kill a State-Power-Class Hunter with my own hands leaves a bit of a bad taste."
Still, kill Park Kang-hyeok and he'd gain an enormous amount of experience.
"Check GH Guild's schedule at once."
"I've already looked into it. It seems the Association set aside an A-grade dungeon for GH Guild."
"Ha, the arrogant bastards......"
The Hunter Association served as mediator among the guilds, but in practice it couldn't perform that role at all.
Even President Lee Ho-seok was worn ragged dealing with the guild masters — how could the Association's Hunters possibly mediate between guilds?
All the Association could do was ask for the guilds' cooperation.
"If the Hunter Association starts forming a close relationship with GH Guild, it'll become quite a nuisance."
At the Vice Master's remark, Min-chan nodded once.
"Check the A-grade dungeon GH Guild reserved first. And...... summon the S-rank Hunters."
"Even Hunter Lee Su-jin?"
"Leave her out of it."
She had a strong sense of justice.
She'd surely object to assassinating Hunter Park Kang-hyeok.
That said, eliminating her would be too costly for Teinen Guild.
She was an S2-rank Hunter, after all.
"I'll see to it right away."
Teinen Guild checked the Gate GH Guild had reserved, then made contact with the manager and handed over 100 million won in cash.
The manager swallowed hard as he stared at the small box packed with 50,000-won bills.
"If the operation succeeds, we'll pay an additional 200 million won at once. In cash, of course."
"Ah......"
"Just make it as if we were never here. Turn off the CCTV for a while."
"U-Understood."
The Gate manager nodded eagerly.
An S1-rank Hunter, dying in an A-grade dungeon?
Most of the world would probably scoff at the idea.
But for an S1-rank Hunter who had only just Re-Awakened, it was a different matter.
There were plenty of cases of overconfident Hunters losing their lives.
Of course, none of them had been State-Power-Class Hunters......
'I-It'll be fine, right?'
The manager fingered the bills and let a small smile slip.
At that hour, some twenty S-rank Hunters were summoned to the master's office atop Teinen Guild's headquarters.
Among them was S3-rank Hunter Lee Seong-ho.
Hearing out the master, his eyes glinted.
"The rise of a supernova like Park Kang-hyeok will have an adverse effect on our Teinen Guild too. It would've been ideal if he'd joined us...... but I'd feel more at ease eliminating him before he goes to the Association or another guild."
"The mere existence of a State-Power-Class Hunter changes a nation's standing. In particular, to keep China in check, wouldn't Hunter Park Kang-hyeok's existence be necessary......?"
As several Hunters raised objections, Seong-ho's eyes narrowed slightly.
Min-chan listened to his officers' objections with a composed face.
Given the national situation, it was only natural to raise them.