Against the Clock: The Team Leader’s Pursuit of Glory

"Right, I almost neglected the procedures. I won't make this long. Did you send an assassin group to Korea?"

"To Joseon, you mean? Surely not. In such peaceful times, who would engage in such actions?"

"You're still calling it Joseon. What era are you living in, still using such outdated terms? Tch tch! That's why Northeast Asia is always in chaos. You look down on your neighbors."

"I think it's you who are unaware of the times. Japan is no longer the nation that is weak in Hunter power and once trembled before the military might of the USA or its neighbors. We live in an era where strength dominates. Strength turns into money and power. There's no rule saying we must forever remain stuck in this archipelago, constantly battered by earthquakes and typhoons."

Yoshimura barely suppressed a sigh that threatened to burst forth on its own.

He too wished for Japan's glory, but his vision differed from that of the expansionist members of the Alliance.

He dreamed of a world where monsters could no longer harm humans, a world where people helped each other progress.

'Though the Great War was dismal, we fought with the hope that such a world would come...'

But as soon as the war ended, people took a frightening turn.

As soon as the powerful Korean Hunters sacrificed themselves to lay the groundwork for victory, the power hungry rushed to fill the power vacuum left behind. Japan was among those.

Yoshimura regretted those times to this day. He was ashamed of his foolishness for following his nation like a sheep rather than his own dream.

That was why he established the GAA, to control the forces without a purpose, but before he knew it, the alliance was swallowed up by the power hungry.

'I went into seclusion because I couldn't stand to watch it all. But now, it has reached a point where I can't just leave it be. I was negligent.'

Yoshimura sat on the sofa, arms crossed, glaring at Sasaki across from him. Sasaki felt intimidated by his gaze.

It was understandable, given that Yoshimura was rated among the very top of A+ rank Hunters for his combat strength, whereas Sasaki wasn't a strong enough Hunter to withstand Yoshimura's aura.

He secured the position as alliance leader more through political maneuvering than actual strength, so he couldn't handle Yoshimura.

"So, you're saying you didn't send them?"

"Ugh, y-you're being too much. I mean, I'm the leader of this Guild Alliance. If you pressure me like this..."

"Oh my, I got too carried away. My apologies."

While Yoshimura reined in his intimidation and even offered an apology, his eyes continued to exert silent pressure.

Sasaki let out a pained sound and spoke with a hint of displeasure.

"Do I have any right to meddle in the zone leaders' affairs? Even now, you're the only one pressuring me here."

"So you mean another zone leader took this action independently."

"...I'm sorry, but I cannot say any more."

"I don't need to hear it from you to know who it is. Sorry for bothering you when you're busy with my silliness."

Yoshimura rose from his seat and left the office.

Left alone, Sasaki sank into the sofa and vented his frustration.

"If this is how it was going to be, it would have been better to have one of the zone leaders here. Acting like a big shot giving orders from his mansion... Hah! Now I see why no one stays in this position for long."

In a tranquil temple on the outskirts of Tokyo, as the bell's gentle echo resonated, a visitor exuding a menacing aura arrived at the temple.

"Stop, Mister Yoshimura."

Yoshimura's path was blocked by a monk sweeping the floor.

"I guess even Hunters like cosplaying as monks these days."

"I apologize for obstructing your visit. It's just that the elder ordered not to let anyone in."

"Haha, has that young man become old enough to be called an elder? Time sure flies. So, did he also say he wouldn't meet me?"

"How could I, sir?"

A middle-aged man pounced on Yoshimura with an answer.

A man with half-white long hair tied back, wearing a white uniform, slowly came up to Yoshimura.

Yoshimura greeted him with a sarcastic tone.

"You came all the way out here to greet me, elder. I don't know how to react, Kishin-kun."

"Han-san got in touch with you, right? You're right. I sent them."

Yoshimura frowned. He couldn't believe he confessed so readily as soon as they met as if he was waiting for this.

"You're not even trying to hide it."

"Why do I need to hide it? You're an honored serviceperson of the Japanese Hunter community. I should be seeking your understanding and advice instead."

"You want to seek advice from me? I can't believe what I'm seeing. To think I'd see the day when a S ranker treats me this well."

Yoshimura forced a laugh, dumbfounded by the whole situation.

Unaffected, Kishin continued, "There's a limit to how many things we can let slide. We can't stand idly when Ju Se-ah's trying to spread her wings."

"You're too obsessed with a mere A+ rank Hunter. The rank difference between you and her is only one, but the gap differential is huge."

"With her talent, Ju Se-ah has great potential to reach the S rank. And the moment she becomes S rank, she'll be a disaster for us. We must obstruct her in any way we can."

Kishin's voice was calm, yet the determination in his voice was clear.

Yoshimura realized that Kishin would not back down from his stance regardless of what he said to him. Rather, he anticipated this even before he came there.

He only came here hoping to somewhat lower the tension after Han Byung-gu's warning. But in the face of those eyes shimmering with madness, Yoshimura felt the futility of his efforts.

"So, who are you planning to kill? Surely you're not targeting Ju Se-ah again after all this time?"

"She has already become a Hunter too formidable for anyone but myself to take down. Not to mention, it's impossible to sneak into the Korean peninsula undetected by the South Korean government."

"Then, who?"

Kishin replied with a smile.

"When the general is strong, you gotta aim for the horse first. Isn't that the basic principle of combat?"

"A Japanese assassination group has entered the country, you say?"

-Publicly, they'll deny it. It's more of an unofficial infiltration.

"So, essentially, you're saying any unofficial incident on Korean soil is of no concern to you."

-On the other hand, it's also a declaration that we're prepared to do whatever it takes.

Han Byung-gu gritted his teeth as he spoke.

Kang Mu-hyuk, asked a question to see if he could get more information.

"Do you know who the target might be?"

-There could be several. It might be Guild Master Ju Se-ah, or some other guild. It might even be my granddaughter. As you've probably noticed, she has a very promising future.

"Whatever the case, as long as Go Eul-ji is here, there's no way she'll run into the assassins."

-I'm glad she ran away considering the situation. I'll handle the matter in my own way. I'm entrusting my granddaughter to you for the time being.

"We'll also try taking action in various directions."

-It's probably best for you to stay put, as much as possible.

"These people could be targeting our guild too. Sitting back and just watching isn't exactly in my nature, you see."

-Do whatever you want. It's not like you or the Guild Master is the type to sit quietly and take orders from others. I'll hang up now.

When he ended the call with Han Byung-gu, Kang Mu-hyuk was surrounded by four Hunters.

Ju Se-ah, Jang Deuk-goo, Lee Jin-joo, Noh Song-rin.

The Iron Will Guild's strongest members were briefed by Kang Mu-hyuk on the whole story and were on standby just in case.

"Now, even if we strike at the Iga Clan, we've created an escape route for ourselves."

"So leaking information to the old man wasn't just a ploy to get the association to move?"

"That's also an option. The most crucial part was handling this situation while drawing boundaries to ensure there's no other attack. With Chairman Han Byung-gu starting to keep Japan in check, at the very least, they won't blatantly send more assassins."

"I don't mind if they come again."

Ju Se-ah smiled faintly, with only her upper teeth showing, which seemed creepy from certain angles.

"Not everyone is as strong as you, Guild Master. Someone could get hurt too. Repeated damage inflicted to us is one problem, but constantly having our time wasted on Japanese forces is even worse."

"So let's make sure this ends here. Do we have to join hands with the Slayer Guild and go after that Iga clan, or whatever it's called?"

Lee Jin-joo spoke with a hint of excitement, her cheeks flushed.

Although she wasn't pleased about conflict among Hunters, if it involved Japanese Hunters, the story was different. The animosity between Korean and Japanese Hunters ran deep.

Kang Mu-hyuk waved his hands dismissively.

"The Slayer Guild isn't in such a disadvantageous position to be begging us to join hands with them, especially not after the orc incident. Because of that we've already taken on the image of a guild of justice, a guardian guild. If we also get the title of having defended the Korean Hunter community from Japanese malice on top of that, it would be a blow to the Slayer Guild's pride."

"Who knows we're going after the assassins?"

"That's a separate issue, Lee Jin-joo. We can't underestimate the other Tier guilds."

"Other Tier guilds?"

"Yes. They won't step forward as actively as the Slayer Guild due to fear about how things might turn out, but you should assume they're always watching and listening. The more eyes and ears there are, the more mouths there are, and with more mouths, word tends to get out. The top guild competitors and power players are especially sensitive to such rumors. They're all gonna have their ears up. And things like that stack up and become your image."

Ju Se-ah answered on behalf of Lee Jin-joo.

She had firsthand experience with the nature of Tier-ed guilds. They keep up their appearance of being dignified, prioritizing honor, but they were always the first to act calculative for their own benefit.

While the Slayer Guild at least upheld the cause of protecting the Korean Hunter community, the rest of the Tier guilds were extremely chicken-hearted in matters concerning Japan.

"Exactly. Rumors eventually become reputation, and reputation, in turn, allows you to exert influence. Basically, the Slayer Guild didn't become the best in South Korea just because they're strong or wealthy."

Lee Jin-joo mulled over Kang Mu-hyuk's added comment. She considered his every single action and word as lessons on becoming a true leader of an expedition.

This time, Ju Se-ah asked Kang Mu-hyuk, "So, what should we do?"

Kang Mu-hyuk replied while picking up his phone, "First, we have to put the Slayer Guild in a disadvantageous position."

Just as Sung Seonjae was about to step out of the car, his smartphone rang.

He tried ignoring it for prioritizing the task at hand, but the timing of the call felt icky to him. Not to mention, the displayed number bothered him.

'Guild Cooperation Agency?'

Ultimately, he couldn't ignore it and answered the call.

"Hello, this is Sung Seonjae."

-Kang Mu-hyuk speaking.

Sung Seonjae's expression soured at those words.

"You've really got great timing. This doesn't seem like a coincidence. Did you know already before calling me?"

-You're going after the Iga Clan.

"I wonder how you found out. I thought our security was tight."

-They're targeting me. Naturally, I had to track them down as well. And so, I just ended up crossing paths with the Slayer Guild."

Sung Seonjae's eyes widened in surprise at Kang Mu-hyuk's explanation, but then he was convinced after he realized why the assassins were targeting Kang Mu-hyuk.

"Do you get it now? Being next to Guild Master Ju Se-ah naturally attracts danger to you. Since the Japanese can't target her directly, they're trying to hit those around her. We'll handle it this time, but you're gonna need to be more careful in the future."

-That's okay. We're handling it better than the Slayer Guild.

"Better than us? Ha, well, I guess it's harder to assassinate someone holed up in North Pocheon."

-I meant that we don't get fooled by false information.

"False information?"

-Do you actually think the Iga Clan is hiding there?

Sung Seonjae momentarily pulled the smartphone away from his ear. Through the car window, the dim outline of a factory site was visible. It was an industrial park on the outskirts of Seoul whose construction had halted midway. With the development in the surrounding area also being stopped, it was an ideal hiding spot.

He put the phone back to his ear and responded, "Are you saying we've been fooled?"

-It's not so much that you've been fooled as it is that the Iga Clan was just that thoroughly prepared.

Sung Seonjae couldn't confirm or deny it. The moment he heard Kang Mu-hyuk's words, he instinctively felt something was off, but as the brain of South Korea's top guild, he couldn't just retreat based on the words of a C-tier guild's Team Leader.

At this point, it was a matter of pride. Even if this was a trap, he had to check it out.

'Damn, just one sentence from Kang Mu-hyuk, and I turn into an idiot who can't tell crap apart from chocolate.'

Sung Seonjae chuckled bitterly and then spoke.

"So, do you have the real information?"

-I can share it with you if you want.

Sung Seonjae's expression turned cold.

"Look, Team Leader Kang. You're being too obvious. Trying to eat stuff raw will give you a stomachache. Didn't you learn that at Titan?"

[TN: (Meaning trying to "free stuff"i.e. "That doesn't require any effort or cost" will give you a stomachache i.e. get you in trouble) ]

-Guild Master Lee Cheoljung indeed loves sushi.

"Are you really going to act like this? You're going way too far with the joke."

-So, do you not need it?

Sung Seonjae scratched his forehead, lost in thought for a moment, then finally spoke.

"Give me 10 minutes. Let's talk again in exactly 10 minutes."

-Understood. I'll be waiting.