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

North Pocheon Gate No.6.

Of the seven gateways on the railroad fence separating the north and south sides of Pocheon, this is the gate with access to Route 387, which led to Sangjeong Lake.

Normally, it was so quiet that only spider webs and weeds thrived, but today was different.

It was bustling with more people than it had since the time North Pocheon citizens had to evacuate south. At the risk of a bit of exaggeration, it was even livelier than when Sanjeong Lake was a popular tourist spot.

"Wow! This is a special operations area? It looks like an entrance to an amusement park."

Amidst the noisy crowd, freelance Hunter Seo Suji looked around in surprise.

Although she had visited this place several times during her rookie years, back then, it was almost treated like an abandoned hunting ground. At best, it served as a place for beginners to get a feel or at most for potential guild members to coordinate their movements during orientation.

But today, the area around the Gate was overflowing with Hunters, not just that, but also a lot of civilians. Everyone was busy taking commemorative photos with the gate entrance as a backdrop.

On both sides of the Gate, there were stalls for simple snacks and stands selling souvenirs. The shops were packed with a sea of people.

What impressed Seo Suji the most here was a massive billboard towering behind the gate's fence.

<Veteran Hunters' excellent choice, 'Hanul'. Hongik Workshop.>

<For the optimized cocktail potion, it's always Hanju. Hanju Chemical.>

<The guild knows. Hunters know. Why 'Taesung' gear is the best.>

"Wow, did the hunting industry go through a ceremony of capitalism as well?"

"When has the Hunter scene not been driven by money?"

"Mr. Taejin!"

Seo Suji greeted the middle-aged man who had joined in the conversation.

"Why are you so late?"

"There was more traffic than I expected. It's my first time seeing this much traffic in Pocheon."

"That's why I told you to be quick. Even if we can't scout the place, we should at least get here early and get a feel for the atmosphere."

"We can't even enter before it opens anyway. Get a feel for the atmosphere? Come on. It's not like we're allying with another party."

"You're always so laid-back. What about Cheoljin?"

"I don't know. When I talked to him last night, he seemed to be running around a lot. Hunters don't pass out from drinking either. Shouldn't he be here by now?"

"These people, seriously! Drinking before a hunt... Ah, let's not even talk about it. If it weren't for our connection at Gangbyeon Expressway, I would've switched to a different party a long time ago."

Seo Suji recalled when this party was first formed.

At that time, there were two other people besides the current members. One was part of a solid mid-tier guild, so unfortunately, we couldn't be together, and the other was not a Hunter.

'Kang Muyhuk, the Team Leader. No, he's a Guild Leader now, right? I wonder how he's doing. Well, he's probably doing better than me. He's the hottest celebrity these days.'

Back then, even though he was the Strategy Team Leader of the A-rank guild Titan, she wasn't envious of him even when she was down.

Why?

Because he wasn't a Hunter. She believed there was a limit to how far a non-Hunter could rise in this field. She believed even his team leader position was the result of sheer luck.

Surprised by the sudden gate outbreak, she quickly followed his orders, but inwardly, she felt humiliated to be a non-Hunter.

'That non-Hunter is now the biggest hotshot. Haha...'

After the Gangbyeon Expressway incident, Kang Mu-hyuk became the Guild Leader of the guild where Ju Se-ah was the Guild Master, and his guild succeeded in even war-level raids, becoming the hottest guild in South Korea recently.

Seo Suji also took notice of Iron Will. Naturally, she became interested in the special area in North Pocheon, and since they were starting an unheard-of hunting ground service called "Hunter Village," she couldn't help but come and see.

"Alright, it's almost time for our reservation time. Let's go catch the shuttle bus."

"By the way, what would happen if I hadn't made the reservation? You said you would do it but almost forgot. I registered just before the deadline, or we would have been sucking our thumbs. Lucky it wasn't first-come-first-serve but a lottery system."

"Wait till you're my age. You start forgetting things you never used to forget."

"What is this? Like your vitamins that you forget to take?"

The two chatted about different things that happened during the end-of-year break as they headed to the station.

Fortunately, Lee Cheoljin also arrived on time. He was placing his luggage at the end of a line of suitcases in front of the bus. He waved when he saw Seo Suji and Yu Taejin.

"Seriously, when are you ever early? Why are you only coming now?"

"I was already here first. My luggage is up front."

"Mine is there too."

"Haha, am I the last one then? Sorry, sorry. But I made it just in time, didn't I?"

"I was thinking we could meet early and grab a meal... What is this smell? Ugh, you reek of alcohol. How much did you drink that you still reek of alcohol? Don't tell me you're planning to hunt while drunk? Even if you're a Hunter, this is too much. Your liver must be rotting. Didn't I tell you to restrain yourself before a hunt? Ah, you damn pain in the neck!"

Seo Suji scolded as she hit Lee Cheoljin on the back, causing him to stiffen up.

"Ouch! What kinda woman hits so hard?!"

"Oh, you dare block it? Oh? You're using skills now?"

"You hit me for real. Just without using mana. You'd break a normal person's spine. Don't use the strength you use to draw a bow on me."

"You got hit because you deserve it."

"Yeah, yeah, did I drink because I wanted to? You know it's the off-season at the end of the year. But this year, since I had to start activity right after Christmas, I had to cancel all my plans. That's why I had to even drink ahead at the alumni meeting."

"Look at you, Mr. Popular. Attending all those drinking plans?"

"You know how important connections are in this field. You need to show your face to secure more hunting trips. Need to have one or two people ready in case someone in the party drops out."

"How much more can you meet people? Going on about networking, huh? Just take care of the connections you already have. Before the damn party disbands."

"Now, now. The married couple. Stop your spat and load the bags onto the bus. At this rate, they'll leave without us."

Yu Taejin intervened to stop the argument. Both shouted at him, not pleased with his remark.

"Who are you calling a couple?!"

"She's not my type, bro."

"You think you're my type?"

"Ouch! Hey, don't pinch with the hand you use for the bowstring. Your grip is like a gorilla's."

"Gorilla? Want to see what it's like to be torn apart by a gorilla, huh?"

And the argument continued.

Yu Taejin shook his head in disbelief and left them to take care of their luggage.

As soon as the luggage was loaded, people crowded towards the bus doors. Iron Will guild staff stood in front of the buses shouting loudly.

"We will check your ID and reservation. For civilians, please show your ID or driver's license; for Hunters, just the Hunter's license. Please have them ready for a smooth check-in."

The boarding process was strict. Entry to North Pocheon was by reservation only. Reservations had to be made under real names, and if in a party, could be registered under the party leader's name.

Seo Suji and her group also lined up in the queue. Just then--

"What the-?"

Someone cut in line by bumping shoulders with her.

Seo Suji furrowed.

Given the soreness in her shoulder from the contact, this person was clearly not a civilian. But then again, no one would dare cut in line in a place full of Hunters.

And a fellow Hunter cutting the line? That meant they were looking down on her.

Seo Suji grabbed that person's shoulder and held them around. A pretty but grimy face was revealed under the hood she wore.

'Huh? Looks like she hasn't washed in days. Did she come back from hunting?'

The dirty appearance was enough to frown upon, but the smell was even worse.

Seo Suji, hiding her shock, confronted the person.

"Hey, get in the line."

"S-Sorry, I was in a hurry."

"Why are you speaking like-... Are you from the North?"

"That's... Anyway, sorry for cutting in line."

The woman quickly ended the conversation and moved away. And she, Seo Suji, who had been angry, felt awkward and scratched the back of her head.

"She just left? Makes me feel embarrassed for getting angry."

"What a thing to see. Why is a North Korean here?"

Watching the woman who spoke with a northern accent walk away, Yu Taejin tilted his head.

Seo Suji glanced at him and said, "Anyone could tell from a mile you're old.What do you mean, a North Korean? We've been unified for a while now. You know that's a discriminatory remark?"

"It's not discrimination; it's just how the adults spoke when I was young."

"If someone heard you, they'd think there's a few decades of age difference between you and me."

"When I was young, everyone referred to North Korea as North Korea. You are from the generation after Gates, so you wouldn't know."

Seo Suji agreed with Yu Taejin.

Although there was only a small age difference between her, in her mid-twenties, and Yu Taejin, in his late thirties, they were indeed from completely different generations.

Yu Taejin, who was born towards the end of the Gate Wars and saw the collapse of North Korea during his childhood, belonged to the generation that faintly remembered the times before the unification of the Korean peninsula.

"But what about a Hunter from the North? What's so surprising about that?"

"Have you ever seen a Hunter from the old North Korea?"

"Well, maybe a few times during the Yalu River defense battle?"

"Not in the north. I mean down south."

"Hmm... now that I think about it, I strangely don't remember any. Why is that?"

"Why? After the Great War, the North Korean Hunters rose up once. They got crushed then. Since then, they hardly come down south of Pyeongyang. Well, there aren't many North Korean Hunters left, except for the newly awakened ones."

"Ah? I heard about it in Hunter History class during regular training. The ones from the north went over to China, right?"

Lee Cheoljin chimed in, pretending to know, and Yu Taejin added, "The situation in Korea was a mess after the Great War, so a lot of people changed their nationality. It was not a big deal. But it was different for the North Koreans. It was almost like an asylum."

"Why would they seek asylum? Our country is such a good place to live."

"They have committed crimes, haven't they? They tried to overthrow the government and failed, so they had to flee. Those who stayed have to live cautiously."

"Is that still the case, even after all this time?"

"Countries like ours, with a lot of historical ups and downs, are not forgiving of attempts to overthrow the regime. And back then, you'd wake up to find several countries had collapsed, so it was a sensitive time. Once you're labeled, it's hard to shake it off. Naturally, the scrutiny was harsh, but more than anything, the government discriminated against North Korean Hunters. The skilled North Korean Hunters couldn't take it since they were treated like potential criminals."

"Ah, whatever. I barely passed the Hunter History class. I really hate complicated stuff."

"If you're going to be a Hunter, at least stuff your head with this basic knowledge."

Lee Cheoljin clicked his tongue. Seo Suji shuddered at the headache-inducing conversation and covered her ears.

As their conversation continued, it was Seo Suji's party's turn.

They checked their IDs and boarded the bus. Not long after, they felt the engine vibrations. It was a heavy rumble, different from ordinary buses.

While civilians excitedly looked out the windows, the Hunters felt discomfort.

"I tell you, these mana cartridge buses have terrible ride quality."

"Is this the time to complain about ride quality? We should be grateful to be riding a bus in a special operations zone. In Mount Jiri, we'd have to rely solely on our legs."

"That's why I hate special operations zones. You have to pack all your gear when you enter, and even if you score some loot, you have to carry it out on your back. I need to rank up and join a decent official raid team, where at least you have the luxury of hiring porters."

Seo Suji turned her gaze out the bus window as Lee Cheoljin's kept nagging.

Traffic officers controlled the road filled with tourists. Soon, the gate opened and the bus entered the special operations zones.

It felt as if they were heading into an unknown world. Seo Suji, who had been employed by the Green Gate Raid guild, felt a strange excitement similar to the first time she entered a gate.

Not long after the bus picked up speed, she spotted something following close by.

"A Monster!"

Seo Suji's bounced in her seat.

It was called a 'Saw-Beak Ostrich.' It was a bird-like monster resembling an ostrich, but it had a beak shaped like a saw blade.

It wasn't difficult to handle, but it's fast legs and saw-like beak were quite threatening.

"Is it going to slash the bus? Shouldn't we go out and deal with it?"

Worried, Seo Suji got a reassuring pat on the shoulder from Yu Taejin, who then pointed behind the ostrich.

"Look over there."

His finger pointed towards a dense thicket. From between the bushes, two shadows emerged and quickly caught up to the Saw-Beak Ostrich.

"Wolves...? Is someone riding them?"

"Those must be the Iron Will's Rider Wolves. They look more impressive than I thought."

The civilians on the bus were eager to capture the scene on their smartphones, but unfortunately, devices did not work inside the special operations zones, it would only work due to the Anti-Mana Zone in the Hunters' Village.

As they expressed their disappointment, one of the Rider Wolves leaped and slammed into the rear of the Saw-Beak Ostrich.

The ostrich tumbled to the ground, and a Hunter's sword flashed atop the pursuing wolf.

The ostrich's head flew into the air as it tried to regain balance.

And that was that.

It all happened in a flash.

The ordinary passengers on the bus cheered in admiration, while the Hunters internally sighed.

"Wow, wiped out in an instant..."

"Is this what it feels like to have reality hit you? They didn't even cut it with a mana sword. Just slashed by the speed of the running Rider Wolf."

"I don't know its rank, but it's clear that the Rider Wolves are awesome."

The reactions of other Hunters were similar to Seo Suji's party.

After dealing with the monster, the Rider Wolves moved alongside the bus, waving coolly before gradually falling back. Then, another party of Rider Wolves relayed forward to escort the bus.

"These people are supposed to be C-rankers? I'd believe it if you told me they were A-rankers."

The perception among the Hunters that Iron Will was merely a C-rank guild was gradually fading in light of the Rider Wolves' prowess.

"Approval for the poison well's rental has been granted. Aila made an effort for you. Director, you just need to send us the usage data of the poison well every month."

"Thank you. I will start sending the data from the end of next month."

After ending the call with Alex, Kang Mu-hyuk turned his head towards the window. He saw a middle-aged man with gold-rimmed glasses and a hooked nose holding a teacup and looking out the window.

"I'm sorry, Commissioner. It was difficult to postpone the call with the Alliance."

"Not at all. Relations with the Alliance are important not only for Iron Will but also for the government. You did the right thing to handle it immediately."

Guild Cooperation Agency Commissioner Cha Giljoo, who usually talked by phone, was at the Iron Will guild headquarters today, as there was a serious matter at hand.

Kang Mu-hyuk anticipated the reason for his visit.

'Is it about the Russia issue?'

He deliberately changed the subject.

"I was actually planning to invite you, Commissioner. With the business model I proposed at our first meeting is finally taking shape, we haven't had the chance until now. Since you're here, why don't you take a look around Hunters' Village?"

"I'll postpone that for later. I have to check on something more important."

"A matter serious enough for you to come in person, huh... What is it?"

"It's about the progress report related to Vladivostok. There were some gaps there."

"Really? Were there?"

Kang Mu-hyuk looked puzzled, but Cha Giljoo didn't let it go.

"I'm talking about the part where Guild Master Ju Se-ah was attacked during smuggling. There's a gap until you join up with her at the port."

"Joining at the port and then moving by vehicle. What's strange about that?"

"We also have informants in Russia, not as good as before, but still. I know that two Hunters who were captured by the Tyrant Guild during the Oopoomangbawoo raid joined you. Tyrant Guild wouldn't have just released them without a reason. It implies you must have negotiated with the Tyrant Guild between the time of the raid and the attack on Guild Master Ju Se-ah... But there's no mention of that."

Kang Muhyuk realized the point where Cha Giljoo's suspicions had started.

"It seems that the matter I requested you for has indeed sparked your curiosity, Commissioner. Considering that you even involved the National Intelligence Service to check on everything in Vladivostok."

"That matters about the Demonic Realm as well. We always keep an eye on it every year due to the northern defensive battles. But when you suddenly told me to pay attention to the Russian line, I naturally had to associate it with this incident in Russia."

"As I've mentioned before, the reason I asked you to pay attention to the Demonic Realm is because of the Tyrant Guild. Our relations with them have become strained because of this incident. I don't know about Vice Guild Master Darden, but the Tyrant is quite emotional and unpredictable. If they were to cause trouble, it would most likely happen along the border areas adjacent to our country. I'm merely trying to prevent such a situation in advance."

"That's exactly the problem. Normally, I would have turned a blind eye, even if you didn't say anything. Since we have benefited a lot, unless it was something that could harm the nation, I wouldn't have delved into it."

Kang Mu-hyuk understood the implications of Cha Giljoo's words and his expression hardened.

"You mean the situation is not normal."

"Yes. Hunters from China and Russia are flocking to the Demonic Realm in unusually large numbers this year. Whether this has something to do with the potential situation you mentioned, or if it's just a coincidence, I intend to find out."