"What, what did you say?"
"Look away."
"…?"
What the hell was this asshole talking about? I stared at Kang Yoo-hyun in disbelief, then glanced at the Valkyrie mbers again.
Was he telling not to look at them too much? Why? Was he jealous because of the heroine? Honestly, the protagonist’s possessiveness…
I was just looking—it wasn’t like it would hurt anyone. Still, I didn’t want to provoke him, so I clicked my tongue inwardly and turned my head away.
“Guildmaster Park Yoon-sung! It's been a while since I saw you."
A tall man, laughing loudly, approached Park Yoon-sung.
With his short, bleach-blonde sports hairstyle and a muscular body that the suit couldn't conceal, he gave off the unmistakable aura of an S-rank.
Could he be Cha Kang-tae, the Guildmaster of the Thor Guild? I watched him with curiosity.
"Yes, it's been a while, Guildmaster Cha Kang-tae."
"….!"
Just as I thought, it was Cha Kang-tae. I glanced over as Park Yoon-sung spoke softly and shook hands with him.
Cha Kang-tae’s presence was truly overwhelming. They said the Thor Guild would be the number one guild in Korea if its mbers, including the guildmaster, were judged purely by raw strength and physical stats.
The guild mbers behind him exuded the sa vibe as him. It was like a head trainer leading a group of trainers lined up behind him.
The comparison might seem a bit strange, but it’s the best way I can describe it right now. It felt as if they’d all been cloned to resemble Cha Kang-tae.
“…”
“…?”
I locked eyes with the man standing right behind Cha Kang-tae. He was as tall and well-built as Cha Kang-tae, but for so reason, his gaze was intense. Instinctively, I took a small step back. Then he closed the distance with his eyes never leaving mine.
"Hello."
"Ah… hello?"
I greeted him absentmindedly, then looked up at the man. He was much taller than , probably about the sa height as Kang Yoo-hyun standing next to . ʀÀŊօ𝖇ĚＳ
Wait, is he taller than Kang Yoo-hyun? As I stared at him in astonishnt, the man continued speaking.
“I’m Yeo Min-jun, the vice-guildmaster of the Thor Guild.”
“Yes, I’m—”
“You’re Hunter Han Yi-jin, right?”
“…!”
He must have approached because he knew who I was—Yeo Min-jun, the vice-guildmaster of the Thor Guild.
A character ntioned in the novel, he was strong and tough, perfectly suited for the tanker role in dungeon raids. An S-rank hunter with good compatibility with Kang Yoo-hyun, he’d been a great help in the dungeon. Alongside the guildmaster, Cha Kang-tae, he was a key player in the Thor Guild.
"That's right."
"It’s an honor to et you."
Yeo Min-jun, after saying sothing awkward, extended his hand toward . I assud he was offering a handshake, so I reached out my hand without giving it much thought.
Tak.
“…?”
A strong arm suddenly blocked my way. Surprised, I turned to the side to find Kang Yoo-hyun staring at Yeo Min-jun with an icy glare.
"Don't grab his hand recklessly."
"What?"
At the sa ti, his words were directed at , and I was left confused. What was his problem now? If it were the Valkyrie, I’d understand, but why Yeo Min-jun all of a sudden? As I frowned, Kang Yoo-hyun turned to speak to Yeo Min-jun.
"Apologies, Hunter Yeo Min-jun. Due to so unpleasant incidents, please refrain from direct contact with Han Yi-jin."
"Ah…"
Is he talking about the ti I was nearly kidnapped by the Laufey Guild? At Kang Yoo-hyun's words, Yeo Min-jun let out a low groan. His face remained expressionless, but his voice carried a hint of guilt as he spoke.
"I apologize. I didn't think it through."
“Ah, it’s fine.”
I understood why Kang Yoo-hyun was acting this way, given the past event… But if that's the case, why bring here? I'd rather stay in the accommodation. If he's not even going to let shake hands, what's the point? I sighed inwardly as I glanced at Yeo Min-jun.
"Thank you for your understanding. Let's just consider it as if we've shaken hands."
"Understood."
"…"
Co to think of it, Yeo Min-jun had been a professional soldier before becoming a hunter. Maybe that’s why every movent of his felt so disciplined.
Though his expression was stiff, unlike Seo Ha-joon, he didn’t seem to dislike , so I didn’t feel uncomfortable. In fact, those fiery eyes reminded of soone.
"I’d really like to receive Hunter Han Yi-jin’s auxiliary skill as well."
"Ah… haha."
It seed this person was also interested in my auxiliary skill. He probably wanted to see just how impressive an S-grade auxiliary skill really was.
After all, the Laufey Guild had been desperate enough to kidnap for it. In fact, that incident seed to have made even more famous.
"If the opportunity arises, we might be able to enter the sa dungeon."
"I'll do my best."
Yeo Min-jun replied in an overly serious tone. Just as his intense gaze began to feel a bit overwhelming, a clear voice echoed from the podium.
[All hunters from each guild, please take your seats.]
Na Ye-rim glanced around the hall with a tense expression. Yeo Min-jun gave a slight nod before returning to his seat, and I followed suit, sitting in my assigned spot.
When all the hunters were seated, I had a clearer view of the hall. Around my area, which was the Odin Guild’s section, hunters from major dostic guilds had taken their seats in order. Across from us sat the foreign hunters—likely guilds from the World Alliance.
I wasn’t particularly interested in them, but my gaze inexplicably drifted toward them. Then, I caught the eye of one of them.
“…!”
Dark blonde hair and blue eyes. No, one eye was blue, and the other was black. As far as I knew, there was only one foreign hunter with heterochromatic eyes.
Could it be Liam White? The heir to White Corporation, the young master Liam?
Liam White, one of the top two most popular male characters in the novel, alongside the protagonist, Kang Yoo-hyun.
Seeing him in person, he was incredibly handso. I found myself staring at Liam, oblivious to the ominous atmosphere around . And Liam, too, was staring at intently. He flashed a brief smile.
“…!”
He smiled…!
The power of the blond, blue-eyed young man’s smile was overwhelming. If I were a woman, I would have lost my soul. But as a man, I wasn’t particularly affected—though I couldn’t deny I was still surprised.
Could Liam White be interested in my auxiliary skill too? Given that his character in the novel was described as curious, it made sense he’d be intrigued. I smiled awkwardly at Liam White and quickly turned my head away.
[Hello. I am Na Ye-rim, the director of the Seoul branch of the Korea Hunters Association.]
Na Ye-rim stood at the podium and continued speaking into the microphone.
[First, on behalf of the Association, I would like to thank all the hunters from each guild who successfully handled the dungeon rating anomaly in Korea. Thank you for your hard work.]
Na Ye-rim’s calm voice echoed throughout the hall. Though she was expressing gratitude, her tone was so businesslike that even I, who had been through countless dungeons, felt unexpectedly solemn. I suppose that's a talent in itself.
[This event was organized to celebrate your efforts and warmly welco new mbers. We hope it will serve as a aningful occasion for unity and cooperation.]
Unity and cooperation, huh? Achieving true unity and cooperation will definitely be a difficult path. With an indifferent expression, I picked up the champagne glass in front of .
[Before we begin the official welco ceremony, we’d like to show our gratitude by presenting a modest reward to the hunters who made significant contributions in stopping the dungeon rating anomaly at the request of their respective guilds. Those called, please co up to the podium.]
Ah, this is it. It's like picking the MVP in sports! Since Kang Yoo-hyun would be the one called, I casually brought the champagne glass to my lips. Just as I took a sip of the fruit-flavored champagne—
[Hunter Han Yi-jin, please co up to the podium.]
"Cough…!”
In my shock, the champagne spilled from my mouth as I coughed, making everyone around glance in my direction.
"Hyung, are you okay?"
"Yi-jin-a, are you alright?"
"Han Yi-jin."
“Cough, cough.”
I pressed the handkerchief to my mouth, unsure who had handed it to . If they were going to give a handkerchief, they could have at least patted my back too. But no one did. Despite the slight disappointnt, my mind was racing in confusion.
Why? Why was I receiving the reward that should have gone to Kang Yoo-hyun? Even though my S-grade auxiliary skill contributed to the dungeon raid, it was Kang Yoo-hyun who had used it to defeat the boss monsters.
There was no way the original story could have changed this much…
Still lost in thought, I looked up and t Park Yoon-sung's gaze. I was startled but he spoke to gently.
"Once you've cald down, please head up to the podium, Hunter Han Yi-jin."
"But I…"
"You've more than earned it. The other guilds have unanimously agreed on this.”
"…"
His words left feeling unsettled, and simultaneously, a surprisingly loud round of applause broke out around .
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