Chapter 31: The Weight of a Hunter’s Resolve

A week flew by.

With less than a week remaining until the re-evaluation of his rank, Shin Ji-ho diligently prepared for it while also managing the guild’s affairs with palpable tension.

Lately, instead of reporting to the guild office, he started his days at the training grounds, focusing on skill practice.

To be precise, Shin Ji-ho merely cast [Star’s Blessing] on Heo So-ri and Yang Ho-jin. The subsequent training was entirely up to So-ri and Ho-jin.

To skillfully wield power far greater than their usual strength, they first needed to grow accustomed to operating under the effects of [Star’s Blessing].

The [Star’s Blessing] itself offered nothing to actively train. This was the distinct advantage of a support-type hunter, as combat-oriented hunters had to exert far more effort to master their skills.

Nevertheless, as skills possessed levels, Shin Ji-ho consistently cast the blessing, hoping to achieve a level-up. Despite his efforts, there was no indication of an impending advancement.

Concurrently, he steadily processed an endless stream of documents. With an overwhelming amount of tasks, filling personnel positions as quickly as possible was crucial. There was a desperate need not only for Awakened individuals but also for general administrative staff.

‘I also need to look into relocating the guild.’

The current training ground they utilized was a rented facility, constructed near Cheonggyesan.

While the guild at Bangbae Station did possess a training area, it was merely an expansion of the original building using materials sourced from dungeons. Since it couldn’t withstand the power of B-rank or higher individuals, renting was their only option.

However, if the guild were to expand and seriously prepare for dungeon raids, high-grade training rooms would become an absolute necessity.

Of course, this wasn’t something that could be arranged overnight; even if they moved, it would take several months, and the desired level of personnel recruitment would only follow. First, any available hunters needed to be secured as a top priority, so he had to carefully consider the sequence of tasks.

The more he thought, the more monumental the list of tasks appeared.

“Guildmaster, one more time!”

At Heo So-ri’s voice, Shin Ji-ho lifted his head from where it had been buried in documents. Despite her cheerful shout, an undeniable weariness etched itself onto So-ri’s face.

Instead of casting the skill, Shin Ji-ho checked his watch and rose from his seat.

“It’s already four o’clock. You should head home now.”

“It’s not even quitting time yet, though? Just one more.”

“You’ve been here since eight this morning. And you shouldn’t push yourself too hard; you need to conserve your energy. This isn’t just for today; there’s always tomorrow.”

“That’s true, I suppose.”

At Shin Ji-ho’s persuasion, So-ri grinned. Becoming stronger as a hunter was appealing, but as an employee, an early dismissal was equally precious.

“Alright then, I’ll head in! I’ll shower before I leave.”

“Need a ride?”

“No, I brought my bike. You go on ahead, Guildmaster.”

So-ri smiled brightly, waved, and then disappeared towards the women’s shower room. Just then, Yang Ho-jin, who had been standing silently until now, slowly approached Shin Ji-ho’s side.

“Guildmaster…”

“Yes?”

“Could you… give me a ride? I live near the guild…”

“Ah, of course, I can give you a ride.”

Shin Ji-ho smiled broadly.

Over the past few days, Yang Ho-jin had consistently seemed to find Shin Ji-ho intimidating, maintaining a certain distance, yet at other times, he would approach with surprising familiarity.

From the Guildmaster’s perspective, Yang Ho-jin was a valuable healer. Shin Ji-ho’s goal was to foster a friendly relationship, even personally, to ensure Ho-jin remained a fixture in the guild. Shin Ji-ho had always been quite confident in his ability to get along with others.

‘Back when I didn’t know any better, I’d get close to anyone.’

He used to be quite good at striking up conversations with strangers, too. Although he didn’t have many friends despite that, he never considered interacting with people difficult.

However, after becoming a national laughingstock for a period, he couldn’t help but feel a little deflated.

How could he not be bothered? There was even a time when “Ji-ho-ing” became an internet meme, used as a byword for a con artist. It seemed to have fallen out of use lately, though.

They both got into the car, and the engine rumbled to life. Before Shin Ji-ho could attempt small talk with the typically quiet Ho-jin, Ho-jin spoke first.

“Guildmaster, do your skills have any penalties?”

“Penalties? Hmm… Not really.”

Shin Ji-ho answered casually. Of course, in the case of [Sphere of Absorption], there was a minor side effect of pain and collapse if he absorbed too much, but since it could be controlled, it hardly counted as a penalty.

“That’s a relief.”

“Right. So, how has guild life been for you lately?”

“It’s unsettling, with so many people about to be let go… I find it more peaceful to come to the training grounds.”

“…”

From Yang Ho-jin’s perspective, perhaps the mass turnover of guild members felt uncomfortable?

Upon reflection, it made sense. He hadn’t been with the guild long, and with all the other members about to be replaced, he might be worried about job instability.

As a C-rank healer, Yang Ho-jin would undoubtedly find employment anywhere, but there were plenty of people who disliked moving between guilds.

Shin Ji-ho’s eyes darted around before he idly tapped the steering wheel with his fingertips.

“It’s less about ‘kicking them out’ and more about their contract periods ending. We’re terminating contracts with those who demanded unreasonable terms for renewal… The next guild members who join will stay for a long time, if they wish.”

“I see.”

“Hunter Yang Ho-jin, your contract was for one year, too, wasn’t it? Unless your demands are unreasonable, we’ll adjust the terms more favorably during the next renewal. So, there’s no need to worry too much.”

“The terms… aren’t that important to me.”

“Is that so? But Hunter Yang Ho-jin, as you build your skills and gain more ability within our guild, you deserve appropriate compensation. In fact, seeing what you do now, we probably should have offered a higher signing bonus.”

These weren’t mere pleasantries; he genuinely meant it. For a C-rank, Yang Ho-jin possessed excellent stats and, more importantly, a remarkable intuition. He moved smoothly and proactively without needing explicit instructions, already appearing like a seasoned combat hunter.

“No… I joined the guild to see Guildmaster Shin Ji-ho, after all.”

Shin Ji-ho was so startled that he nearly made a driving error. With hunter-like reflexes, he narrowly averted the crisis, then instinctively glanced back at Yang Ho-jin. For someone who had just made such a frank statement, his expression was remarkably serene.

“Hunter Yang Ho-jin…”

“Yes? What is it?”

“Are you, by any chance, a reporter?”

There had been several Awakened reporters who had infiltrated under false pretenses, claiming to expose Shin Ji-ho’s corruption.

“No, that’s not it, so you don’t need to be wary…”

Ho-jin’s voice trailed off, as hesitant as usual. However, once suspicion took root, everything about him, from beginning to end, suddenly seemed dubious.

The timing of his arrival, walking in on his own when no new guild members could be found, his quiet adherence to Shin Ji-ho’s side without even attempting to socialize with others, and even the slight upward curve of his eyes, perpetually seeming to smile—all now appeared suspicious.

Under Shin Ji-ho’s suspicious gaze, Ho-jin began to sweat profusely as he offered an explanation.

“It’s truly not that… I was just curious. Because you’re the very first hunter.”

“…There are people like that sometimes, but I’m really nothing special.”

Many people before him had also been intrigued by the title of “the first,” just like Ho-jin. Of course, most of them had dropped away after Shin Ji-ho’s rank was determined to be B.

“That was… the story until now, wasn’t it?”

“…”

“But it’s not anymore.”

Ho-jin spoke with an unusual firmness.

Having personally experienced the power Shin Ji-ho now wielded, Ho-jin understood it well.

Moreover, like most hunters, he also knew that Shin Ji-ho likely hadn’t revealed the full extent of his skills, keeping some power in reserve.

“So, what is your objective, Hunter Yang Ho-jin?”

“Oh, I truly don’t have an objective. I was curious, yes, but the contract terms at Noname were simply the best among the guilds I could join…”

“And so, has your curiosity been satisfied?”

When Shin Ji-ho asked somewhat provocatively, Yang Ho-jin’s eyes widened slightly. But then, he softened into a gentle smile. Though he was handsome, he usually gave off a somewhat frivolous impression, yet in this moment, he exuded a strange sense of trustworthiness.

“A little…”

“Is there anything else you wish to know?”

“Hmm…”

Ho-jin’s eyes curved softly. He seemed subtly pleased for some reason.

“Guildmaster, you… grew up in quite a privileged environment, didn’t you? And then you… went through some hardship.”

“…That’s right.”

“It must have been quite difficult, so why do you continue working as a hunter? That’s what I was most curious about. I don’t think I could have endured it myself…”

Ho-jin’s question was both unexpected and within the realm of what Shin Ji-ho anticipated.

It was a story many people had been curious about over time. Many had asked directly, their questions mostly driven by curiosity. Shin Ji-ho had never answered the questions of those who merely sought to satisfy their interest by hearing his story.

Yet Ho-jin… didn’t seem to be joking. Although he asked casually, his eyes shone with a serious intensity.

Was there some underlying motive, or was it truly pure curiosity?

The [Star’s Blessing] cast on Yang Ho-jin lasted for about eight hours. For Heo So-ri, it endured for roughly twelve hours, and for Im Seung-ju, four hours. Most hunters he’d just met experienced the effect for about three hours.

[INFORMATION] Star’s Blessing (Lv.1)

Although not explicitly stated, Shin Ji-ho surmised that the [target’s affinity] mentioned in the description influenced the duration of the blessing. Heo So-ri clearly held a significant liking for him, while Im Seung-ju’s affinity was not much different from that of other hunters he had just met.

Considering this, Yang Ho-jin’s affinity seemed quite high. While people could betray others regardless of their affection, Shin Ji-ho wanted to take a chance on trusting him.

It wouldn’t matter even if his questions were meant to dig for information. If he sought to cause harm by prying, Shin Ji-ho would simply cast a bait and catch him; if it was pure curiosity, he would satisfy it.

Shin Ji-ho, for his part, decided to speak honestly.

“There are several reasons. Initially, I wanted to become a hunter because… well, you might not believe it, but I wanted to protect people.”

“To protect people?”

“Yes. As Hunter Yang Ho-jin probably knows, my family is quite wealthy, so money was never my objective. I didn’t particularly need honor either. Though now, after being slandered so much, I suppose I do think it’s necessary…”

Shin Ji-ho’s words trailed off into a chuckle. He had hoped it would sound like a joke, but Ho-jin’s expression remained serious. Shin Ji-ho, too, dropped his smile and continued.

“They say I’m B-rank, right? Of course, there was controversy over my rank, but since I’m considered competent enough, I naturally felt I should help people. While Korea is quite stable, no one knows what the future holds, right? If I can do something, I should do as much as I can. That was my initial thought. Now…”

His voice trembled slightly without his realizing it, so Shin Ji-ho casually cleared his throat.

“It’s also because I felt unjustly treated by all the criticism. It would have been fine if it was just me, but my family also suffered. So, I wanted to change people’s perception. To show that I’m not a hunter stained by corruption, but one who belongs in the right place… Something like that.”

“Didn’t you… come to hate people? You could have wished for everyone’s downfall, couldn’t you?”

“What? Just because I received some criticism, I wouldn’t go that far…”

“It wasn’t just a little, though…”

“I sued the worst offenders. The ones who invaded my privacy or targeted my family.”

He had only filtered and sued for the most severe cases, but still, quite a number of people had been prosecuted. He hadn’t shown any leniency.

After that, the online public opinion quieted down. Of course, people still criticized him, but they were careful not to cross the line.

“But you could still dislike them, couldn’t you? They insulted the Guildmaster… and yet you protect them.”

“No? Not at all. Those are separate issues. Just because they insulted me doesn’t mean they deserve to die, does it? Legal punishment is one thing, and protecting people is another. Operating as a hunter is something I can do, and something I must do. Sometimes it’s annoying, but it’s not something I can pick and choose based on my personal feelings.”

Such was Shin Ji-ho’s philosophy.

Everyone deserved protection, life should be cherished, and those called the chosen ones of this era—the Awakened—had an obligation to their choice.

Of course, as he continued, various social aspects became intertwined with more worldly concerns. Even if he were to manage the guild and calculate profits in the future, the most crucial value would always remain the lives of others.