Sambangan. An intense gaze where the lower part of the iris doesn't touch the bottom eyelid. In physiognomy, it is often called the eye of an ambitious person, and is said to indicate someone born with a strong drive for success and a fierce desire to win.
However, when you observe that 'man' up close, there's an atmosphere that feels oddly disconnected from the physiognomic conclusion. It's not about winning or losing; he exudes a calmness that suggests he wouldn't even care if a large number of scars suddenly appeared on his face. Although he's an S-rank hunter at the top of the food chain, his mental strength always stands out more than his physical strength.
'A hunter you can't help but respect.'
Actually, if you look at his age alone, there isn't much of a difference, but isn't this industry originally a place where skill is the most important?
Kim Giryeo seemed like someone born for hunting. He didn't bat an eye at most things. And his private life? It was as clean as could be. Except for those ridiculous school violence rumors from the past, there was nothing to catch, no matter how much you tried to dig.
Some might say that his uniqueness was due to the lonely childhood he spent alone, but Ahn Yoonseung didn't think so. From what he had seen up close, Kim Giryeo's abilities were far beyond the influence of such trivial environmental factors.
A truly innate talent. That man was the embodiment of a realm so far beyond reach, no matter how desperately an ordinary person might struggle.
'Strength, strategy, mentality. Honestly, as a Hunter, he doesn't fall short in anything.'
However, the Hunter who had always seemed flawless one day showed an extremely rare behavior. For a brief moment, his hand trembled, and his expression sank—as if he had no time to compose himself. From Ahn Yoonseung's perspective, it was a shocking sight. It felt like watching a well-preserved cultural artifact shatter right in front of him—something deep inside seemed to cave in. There was no need to dig into the distant past; wasn't it this very fourth-ranked S-class who, during the recent [Thornbush Forest] incident, had unhesitatingly taken a hit in place of an acquaintance to protect them?
In fictional works, villains are often portrayed as charismatic figures. But in reality, it is those who uphold ethics that tend to draw people in. Moreover, that Hunter isn't just generous to his acquaintances!
[ Hunternet later."
"They don't accept Hunters there, though?"
Come to think of it, Hunter Baek Jagyeong had mentioned that she received help from Kim Giryeo, who had disguised himself as the 33rd guest at an epic-level auction where she had gone in place of the guild's sharpshooter. That must be why she was making such a heated argument.
"Team leader."
It was the moment when the team leader, usually composed, wore an indifferent expression. As the team leader of Team 3 got lost in her thoughts, Ahn Yoonseung threw a well-intentioned temptation toward him.
"Anyway... that the epic-level item that was supposed to be auctioned off. The crossbow with the unfamiliar design. And the stats are incredible."
"Wild Crossbow?"
"Yes! But weren't you worried last time because the starting bid for that was so high that you weren't sure if you'd be able to win it? Recently, you've even been eating at the company cafeteria because of your equipment replacement work..."
When there's something that must be done, it's a good idea to reflect on whether the resources you've invested have been sufficient.
"Team leader! I will give up my share of the distribution!"
Yoonseung immediately said firmly.
"I'll distribute all the profits that come to me evenly among the team!"
"Huh?"
"Furthermore, I looked into it, and it turns out that [The Hand of the Giant] has a higher chance of dropping cores than [Golden Fragrance]!"
"...!"
"Talking about the distribution money getting wrecked is only relevant if the cores don't drop. But if we reserve multiple dungeons and clear them all at once...?"
The probability of profit is not particularly unstable. That's what averaging is all about. Moreover, the youngest member of the team immediately chimed in after hearing Yoonseung's words.
"Me too! This time, I won't take my share of the settlement!"
"What?"
"I'm really grateful to Hunter Kim for that much. I mean, he once helped me without asking for anything in return, right? But it's not like I can just go and thank someone I don't even have contact details for. If I can show my support in a meaningful way like this, even if it's just through this opportunity..."
"No, really?"
"Yes! Really!"
The declaration of donations from two top-tier hunters was quite something. Then, what about the increase in the percentage of distribution money that the rest of the team would receive? And on a day when the number of cores that drop happens to be higher than usual...
"Ahem."
"Hmm."
The team members, who had been silent until then, suddenly began to clear their throats.
The first to speak up was the healer.
"Aren't these young folks quite thoughtful? It's rare to see such loyalty these days. Ah, considering the sentiment, should we all get together and gather it and give this time...?"
As the older one spoke with a solemn voice, the young male guild member beside him soon expressed his opinion as well.
"I'm fine with it too. Well, our team already has a vacation scheduled, so we might as well give it all and then rest a fewwards, right?"
The team leader, the crossbow shooter, briefly recalls the image of a certain item.
Two weeks later, at the epic-level auction, a new American-made artifact would appear. The elegant silhouette of a certain crossbow felt far more captivating to someone who had chosen hunting as a lifelong profession than a stylish supercar. However, even with her five years of industry experience, she lacked the confidence to claim that crossbow for herself. After all, an epic artifact with offensive capabilities carried an astronomical value.
Power, or safety, and similar concepts. That one item could completely change my life as a hunter. Moreover, the epic weapon that has appeared this time happens to be a crossbow, something that someone like me could wield very well. If I miss this chance, it would undoubtedly be a long time before another opportunity comes around...
Shaking. After a long period of contemplation, the team leader of Team 3 took out her phone with trembling hands.
"Mhm. Mom. It's me. I think I'll be coming home late for the next few days. So, please have dinner first... Make sure to order something really delicious with Dad..."
What followed was a tearful all-nighter domino effect of a typical office worker.