Chapter 172: Episode 172

“Why the hell do you get to decide that?”

At the Association President’s objection, Frost bowed his head.

“Not at all. I wouldn’t dare. I simply believe it would be best for the top guilds, who can clear the dungeon the fastest, to form the assault team.”

“The defense team is more important, you moron.” Her response was sharp. “Let me make this clear. Don’t you dare try to pull some petty scheme to screw over the smaller guilds and monopolize the assault team.”

“…That’s an overstatement, madam.”

“Hey, Jeong Hajin.” Her golden eyes flashed. “You were so damn pathetic during the Labyrinth Dungeon. Why are you so passionate all of a sudden?”

Frost cleared his throat. “Ms. President, we’re in a public setting…”

“Yeah, shove it, you son of a bitch. You think he’s the only one? You’re all the same, you bastards! This isn’t a business deal, it’s a Disaster created to annihilate humanity!”

A dead silence fell over the room at her outburst. She propped her chin on her hand and gave a grim smile.

“And you all keep treating me like a fool. You think I don’t know that a massive haul of relics poured out of the Immortal dungeon?”

Frost’s eyebrow twitched.

“…That’s—!”

“Now, now, everyone, please calm down.”

As the president personally intervened, Frost bowed respectfully and sat down. The president then turned to Hong Yul.

“President Hong.”

“What?”

Her tone was pure acid. But Park spoke with patience.

“Unix is a corporation that has contributed greatly to our nation. They did so during the Labyrinth Dungeon, and they are investing a great deal in this Disaster as well. The same goes for the other guilds and management companies here. So, a guaranteed dungeon or two…”

“You mean investing in your back pockets, not in Korea.”

At those words, the president’s face turned beet red.

“Th-that remark is a grave insult!”

“Yeah, yeah. Stop covering for them because of your kickbacks, and let’s think logically for a second. If all these bastards go off to hunt for relics, who’s going to protect the people? Are you planning to use the rank-4s and 5s from smaller guilds and the provisionally licensed kids again?”

“Ms. President! We would, of course, establish defense measures first and then”

“Hey.”

She cut off the guild master, her voice cold.

“I’m putting my foot down. There will be no guaranteed dungeons.”

The guild masters were stunned into silence.

“Each guild will prepare exactly one assault party and report to me. And if I don’t approve of the party composition, I’ll reject it. The rest of you are on city defense.”

At those words, even the guild masters who had remained silent immediately stood up in protest.

“Please reconsider! All other interests aside, it is wiser to put more power into the assault team!”

“City defense alone won’t end this Disaster! There are fourteen defense points. If all ten top guilds commit their full strength, we can clear ten dungeons in a short time! We can then join the defense for the remaining four and entrust the assault to mid-sized guilds. It would be perfectly fair!”

“The assault team is the key! Investing our best forces in it is the obvious choice!”

The guild masters spouted all sorts of fancy justifications for why the top guilds deserved to be on the assault team, but to Hong Yul, it was just the sound of well-fed pigs squealing. How disgusting. They had sucked this country dry.

“To be blunt, if the Top 10 guilds, who invest the most manpower and resources for Korea, aren’t even guaranteed an exclusive dungeon, then it’s simply not profitable for us!”

They built their guilds by poaching this country’s talent. They bloated their ranks by swallowing this country’s taxes like hippos. They monopolized the dungeons and hunting grounds that appeared in this country.

“Without the merit of an exclusive dungeon, I see no reason for my guild to participate in this disaster. I’m even considering pulling out right now.”

Why won’t they fight to protect their own country?

“Hey.” The association president smiled faintly. “You’re really pushing it today, aren’t you?”

’Rumble!’

An immense pressure radiated from her body. The faces of everyone in the room went pale.

“Did your brains turn to shit after you became guild masters? Have you lost all common sense? I’ve been too lenient with you lately, haven’t I?” She grinned. “Want me to handle this like the old days?”

In the face of her vicious killing intent, even the great Top 10 guild masters froze like mice before a snake. Some were sweating profusely, gripped by terror. Just meeting her gaze felt like a knife at their throats.

“Hey! Ms. President! Do you know where you are? Calm down!” the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff shouted urgently. The expression on President Park, sitting beside him, was grim. Only then did she withdraw her killing intent.

“This is an order, you pieces of trash.” She glared at the guild masters, grinding her teeth. “Every representative here will first draft a plan for the forces you’ll deploy for city defense and report to me in person. That will determine the size of your assault teams. And let me warn you, your slots are limited. Some of you will definitely not make the cut.”

At those words, the guild masters’ expressions hardened.

“I’m leaving, you bastards.”

With that, she was gone. The room erupted in bewildered murmurs. Jeong Hajin’s face was a mask of indifference, while President Park’s was flushed to its limit, utterly humiliated.

“Haah.” And so, another wrinkle formed on the brow of Im Namjin, the Head of the Enforcement Bureau.

* * *

“So, Garam was assigned to defend the Gyeongnam region!”

I was at a cafe, listening to CEO Shin Nara. It sounded like an incredibly tense meeting.

“That must have been rough.”

Shin Nara scooped up some strawberry smoothie with a spoon and popped it into her mouth.

“Mmm.” She hummed in appreciation.

“I just kept my mouth shut. Though I almost foamed at the mouth when the Association President started unleashing her killing intent,” I told her.

“…Haha.”

From what I’d heard, both the Association President and the guild masters had clear positions. As the head of the Association, her top priority was protecting the people. She also seemed to have a personal sense of duty regarding human life. Guilds, on the other hand, were businesses, and a business’s primary goal is profit. They paid exorbitant fees to recruit hunters and clear dungeons to make money. It was only natural for their interests to clash. Still, the guilds had crossed a line by focusing on relics during a life-threatening Disaster, and Hong Yul hadn’t been particularly wise to just crush all opposition with force. Mending the rift between them would not be easy.

“Hunter Kim Yusin!”

“Ah, yes!”

Shin Nara’s voice snapped me back to the present. “You’ll be participating in this disaster too, right?”

“Of course. This time, I’m bringing everyone.”

“Oh! The whole team? I’m looking forward to it!”

The internal situation was unstable, but I just had to do my part. The time had finally come to reveal the true power of the Magic Tower.

* * *

Unix Guild Headquarters, Gangnam.

’Crash!’

Frost smashed a wine glass against the floor. A torn curtain, spilled drinks—the room was a testament to his rampage.

“Huff! Haah! Huff!” He pressed his forehead against the windowpane, trying to calm his boiling rage.

“Are you alright, sir?” a man in a butler’s uniform asked politely. He watched impassively, as if this were a common occurrence.

“…I tried to avoid this line of work precisely because I didn’t want to deal with this kind of shit!” Head still against the glass, Frost’s eyes blazed. “Why do I have to bow and scrape and take insults from a woman from some no-name family? Why me? What am I lacking?”

His anger still not abated, he kicked an expensive watch lying on the floor. The luxury item, worth a fortune, shattered the window and flew out. He panted raggedly, then whipped his head around.

“Secretary Ahn.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Request a meeting with the guild masters of Blackguard, Tartanos, and NIX. Tell them I want to see them.”

“Understood.” Secretary Ahn took out a notepad and quickly jotted it down. “Also, a guest has just arrived. What are your instructions?”

“A guest? Who?”

“The Youngest Master.”

“Ah. Right. Send him in.”

“Shall I move you to another room?”

“No, it’s fine. Just send him in.”

After Secretary Ahn left, a polite knock sounded a moment later.

“The Youngest Master is here.”

“Let him in.”

The door opened, and a man with a neat appearance and horn-rimmed glasses entered. Frost, sitting on the sofa with a wine glass, grinned.

“It’s been a while, Seojin.”

Jeong Seojin entered and glanced around the wrecked room, but he paid it no mind.

“Why did you call me, Mr. Jeong?”

“Come now, isn’t that a bit cold for family? I’d prefer if you called me hyung like you used to.”

“If you have no business with me, I’ll be leaving.”

“Alright, alright. Still no fun, I see.” Frost gestured with his finger for him to sit. Seojin sat in the chair opposite him.

“Want a drink?”

“Just state your business.”

“Right, right. Hmm.”

Frost gently swirled the wine in his glass. “First of all, congratulations on becoming a certified hunter, little brother.”

Jeong Seojin remained silent.

“The family didn’t say anything because we thought you’d finally learned your place.” He shrugged. “You’ve given up on your business ambitions, right?”

Seojin didn’t answer.

“Yes, being a hunter is fine. The lowly work of a butcher, killing monsters and selling their corpses to make a living. It’s tough, but in this twisted world, someone has to do it. And these days, hunters are treated like stars and the pay is decent, so I’m glad you’re not opposed to the profession.” Frost smirked. “So, are you finally ready to be a dog?”

“Isn’t that the same for you, Mr. Jeong?”

“Me? Ah, I’m not a hunter. I’m a merchant,” Frost corrected. “I became a certified rank-2 out of necessity. The position of guild master requires a certain amount of power these days. A professional manager would be completely ignored in this industry. To put it crudely… yes, I suppose I’m a dog handler. It’s not as honorable as the work of our older brother and sister. Hehe, I’ll admit that.”

Jeong Seojin didn’t reply, sitting silently as if to let him finish his spiel.

“It’s commendable that you’ve resolved to become a dog… but I hear you’ve been preparing a little gift for our family?”

“…A gift?”

“Hey now, don’t play dumb. You’ve been hanging around Kim Yusin lately.”

For a moment, a flicker of agitation crossed Jeong Seojin’s eyes.

“You’re preparing another secret gift, aren’t you? Hah, how did you know our family was eyeing potions? When are you going to deliver? The IT business went to our eldest sister, so you’ll give this one to me, your big brother, right? Right?”

For the first time since arriving, Jeong Seojin smiled.

“You crazy bastard,” Hajin muttered.

* * *

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