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

The Bomb Spore Flower was classified as a plant-type monster but it was a parasite which fed on living beings, not soil or water---and it could move at will.

Actually, the reason it was classified as a plant-type monster was simply because it looked like a flower. The problem was that it had an animal-like maternal instinct, which was unusual for a plant.

As per monster scholars, its maternal instinct drove it to spread its seeds, using an explosive burst of dust to eliminate predators and get the seeds moving. Most maternal creatures(except humans) don't interfere once their offspring are independent, yet this monster was different. It personally moved to help its seeds if they were starving.

"The mother is coming down."

The jellyfish-shaped mother floating in the sky slowly started coming down to the ground. One could only see two mothers from the county office, but given the number of seeds scattered across the area, there were likely dozens.

"This moved to phase 2 way too quickly."

"It's because we responded so fast."

"It would've been better to finish this before moving to the next stage..."

"We need to gather the Hunters, Guild Leader."

Kang Mu-hyuk nodded in agreement with No Song-rin's suggestion. He was on the same page. They didn't have enough time to go after the mothers all over the area, while dealing with each seed's attacks one by one. They needed to prepare for the next stage.

They had to gather the Hunters at any cost, and fast.

"If we reach phase 3, it'll be a raid then. Can we handle that given the situation? Without a proper raid team?"

"Under normal circumstances, it'd be difficult."

Kang Mu-hyuk looked at No Song-rin, then at the ground, then at the ceiling.

"But luckily, we've got three high-rankers to keep things under control, don't we? And a liaison to coordinate with the veterans here."

Behind him were all the four members of the Demonic Realm Exploration Party, including Lee Sookyoung. Conveniently enough, they were specialists in tanking, dealing damage, and recon.

If Lee Sookyoung were to bridge the gap with the unaffiliated Hunters here, things could go smoothly.

"No Song-rin, join Hunters Hyun Junggeon and Hwang Dongsu in the strike team to eliminate the mothers near the office."

"Yes, I'll handle it right away."

"And you, civil servant!"

"Yes? Yes, sir."

"I have to relay an order to the Hunters through the emergency broadcast service. Please draft it up right away."

The civil servant looked a bit uneasy.

"But... wh-what about the chain of command here...? Even in a small county office, there's still a clear system..."

Civil servants were really touchy about responsibility. Kang Mu-hyuk was well aware of this since he'd dealt with them plenty from the time the Titan Guild was just a local guild. So, one had to make sure they didn't feel too burdened when one was working with them.

"Is the county governor around?"

"He left earlier for an appointment... And we haven't been able to reach him."

He was probably dead.

"What about the deputy governor?"

"He went with him as well..."

"If both of them are gone, then in a monster emergency, the head of the safety management department is the one responsible, right?"

Kang Mu-hyuk turned to a middle-aged man sitting at the head of the situation room. Despite a stranger walking in and giving orders, he stayed silent. Maybe No Song-rin's rough face kept him from stepping up, or maybe he was just panicking in the crisis.

Kang Mu-hyuk asked him again, trying to snap him out of it.

"Sir, I get it---dealing with a monster invasion isn't exactly something you're used to."

Who would be, besides Hunters?

Even for Hunters, such large-scale events happened rarely unless they were a part of a big guild raid team. Managing this at a city or county level would need someone with raid leader experience to be in charge.

"Under Article 9 of the Guild Relations Act, a person-in-charge from a prominent guild can take over command in case of emergencies. Do you agree to let the Iron Will Guild take control of this situation?"

A 'person-in-charge from a prominent guild' usually refers to someone from a big A-rank or higher guild. The leadership positions included are Guild Master, Vice Guild Master, Expedition Leader, or Raid Leader.

As a Guild Leader, Kang Mu-hyuk technically didn't fall into this category. The law didn't officially recognize his role yet. But, as per past cases, a Guild Leader could be considered equivalent to a Vice Guild Master.

Plus, the definition of a "large guild" was pretty vague. The clause was based on social consensus, considering factors like size, revenue, and influence.

Was Iron Will a large guild?

In terms of Hunters, size, achievements, and revenue, the answer would be 'No.'

But influence?

'A large corporation guild, Guild Master Ju Se-ah, and being based in North Pocheon, our guild is definitely the talk of the town these days.'

So, it was open to interpretation.

"Yes...I'll leave it to you."

Of course, the mid-level civil servant was panicking in the middle of this mess, and didn't have the presence of mind to argue.

Kang Mu-hyuk quickly wrapped up the formalities and sat the civil servant in front of the computer.

"I'll dictate; just send the message as soon as you're done."

The civil servant was practically nudged into the chair. He stared blankly at Kang Mu-hyuk, waiting.

"Effective immediately, at 1:17 PM. All Hunters in Daehongdan County, except those with the Tumen River Defense Force."

"...Except for the Tumen River Defense Force. All Hunters in Daehongdan County..."

The civil servant mumbled while he typed.

"Are temporarily transferred under the Iron Will Guild."

"Temporarily... transferred... under the Iron Will Guild."

"The current situation is classified as a war-rank raid."

"The current situation... classified..."

"So we shall form the Daehongdan Strike Force."

"...Strike Force."

"Assembly point is the county office. Assembly time is 2 PM. All Hunters are to bring every strategic asset and tactical gear they have. That's all."

"...That's all."

"Sender: Iron Will Guild Guild Leader, Kang Mu-hyuk."

Freelance Hunter Wang Gicheol came to the Kaema Plateau in search of work, and had stopped by in Daehongdan after hearing that the area near the Demonic Realm was pretty much a  goldmine.

It didn't take him long to put together a party and just as they were about to enter the Demonic Realm, everything blew up. Bombs started raining down from all directions. In the chaos, Mr. Kim, who he'd just exchanged introductions with, was killed. Wang didn't even know him long enough to remember his name.

When the explosions stopped, he thought he could finally catch his breath, but then tiny plant monsters started charging at him. They weren't hard to handle individually, but there were just way too many of them. He had a strong feeling that if he ignored them and they clung to him, he'd be screwed, so he went all out to take them down.

As he kept fighting, he noticed his party members weren't around anymore. He could feel his stamina and mana draining fast. He needed someplace to get ready for combat.

That was when he spotted a convenience store. He went inside to rest, locking the door behind him, and found a terrified part-time worker trembling under the counter. He told the worker he was a Hunter and managed to calm him down.

While he hid and grabbed a quick bite, he noticed something odd: the monsters couldn't get inside the store. They couldn't even break the glass. So, Wang Gicheol decided to stay put, hoping that the guild forces or the defense units would handle the rest. When he realized he would protect him, the part-timer treated him like a king.

Then, a text message arrived.

"What the hell? A raid? Are they nuts? Do they expect me to go there and get killed? And this isn't even a proper raid team... Wait, Iron Will? Kang Mu-hyuk?"

Freelancer or not, there wasn't a single Hunter in Korea who didn't know that guild and that name. Especially after the Hunter Village opened up---they became even more famous. Even Wang Gicheol tried to get in when the reservation site opened, clicking like crazy.

Even his lightning-fast Hunter reflexes couldn't get him in there, which just shows how fierce the competition was. That was how famous they were.

"What's Kang Mu-hyuk doing here? Shouldn't he be in North Pocheon?"

That was a natural thing to think about.

"Kang Mu-hyuk? Isn't he from Ju Se-ah's guild? That's the guy who's a Guild Leader even though he's not a Hunter."

The part-time worker was clearly into Hunter stuff, so he chimed in on Wang Gicheol's muttering and started talking.

"He's the real deal, though. I mean, Ju Se-ah wouldn't make him leader if he wasn't special."

"Did you see the video? The one where they took down the orc tribe? Who would've thought we'd see a water battle strategy in action like that? Using water to hunt monsters? That was genius."

"I read somewhere that he led the wolf rider project as well. It caught the attention of Hunters abroad, and they were blown away when he fortified the area with the Slayer Guild. You know guilds are full of industrial spies these days. After all, having strong backing really helps."

After going on and on about Kang Mu-hyuk, the part-timer finally asked, "But why is he here?"

Wang Gicheol thought about the same question earlier.

Then the part-timer voiced a reasonable doubt.

"Could it be fake? Maybe they're using his name to get people to cooperate in this emergency. Public servants might be bluffing."

"I don't think it's a lie. Public servants wouldn't throw around the name of an ordinary person, especially someone with no raid experience. If they were bluffing, they'd be more likely to use Slayer Guild's Sung Seonjae."

"So, is it really him?"

"Who knows... But this is an emergency message, right? This is a system for local governments to send texts like this. But the county office would have to be pretty bold to pull off something like this. And from what I know, Kang Mu-hyuk is no regular guy."

"He's definitely something else."

"Yeah, but in Hunter circles, the opposite of 'ordinary' is 'crazy.' Kang Mu-hyuk is no ordinary crazy guy, especially since he's not even a Hunter."

The part-time worker didn't fully understand what Wang Gicheol meant by 'crazy.' They both thought of the word at completely different levels.

'But he's the good kind of crazy...'

For Hunters, the line between good and bad depends on how many Hunters die and whether the hunt was a success. Kang Mu-hyuk took down the Goblin tribe in North Pocheon and the Orc tribe in Cheorwon, and no one ever said he got a lot of Hunters killed.

And that was despite both being war-rank missions.

'Calling this a 'war-level raid' means things could really escalate. So, going solo could get you killed. Sticking together is usually the smart move in combat. But then again... that's not always the case. Um, sitting around for too long might end up totally screwing me. This is tricky, huh?'

He couldn't ignore the name "Kang Mu-hyuk" that kept nagging at him. Normally, the person-in-charge's name wouldn't be on a message like this. It was a subtle way of pressuring others, "Get the dang message and show up."

When that thought crossed his mind, Wang Gicheol felt a sudden restlessness. He may have been a freelancer, but he had five years of experience under his belt. He wasn't just experienced; his instincts were razor-sharp.

Sure, his old teammates used to call his instincts an arrowhead. Because it always flew away into the distance. But this time, he had a gut feeling. He knew he had to go. If Kang Mu-hyuk was leading this raid, there was a good chance of success. This might be his golden ticket to getting on Kang Mu-hyuk's radar.

Maybe, just maybe, he could land a spot in Iron Will if things went his way.

'Is it okay to get my hopes up a little?'

Wang Gicheol jumped up from his seat.

"Hey, kid. Make sure you lock up this place."

"Huh?"

"I'm heading out for a raid."

"So, the front lines near the Tumen River in Daehongdan are secure?"

"Yes, as per the news from the military commander there."

Kang Mu-hyuk drew a blue line on the situation room map with a marker. It was a symbol that the Tumen River frontline was holding.

"Has Central Command said anything? They should be aware of what's happening here by now."

"They sent an emergency ops unit from the Kaema Plateau and asked nearby guilds for support... but it sounds like their first priority is Hoeryeong City..."

"They won't make it in time there either. Guilds will only move once they've assessed the situation."

"Yes. If you're right, Hoeryeong City will be in chaos too."

Kang Mu-hyuk drew a red line toward Hoeryeong City, about 80 kilometers northeast of Daehongdan.

"Hoeryeong is a pretty big northern city, so it'll take significant damage, but there are plenty of guild headquarters and Hunters there. They should be able to handle it somehow. The real issue is making sure no other battlefronts fall... but let's focus on the monsters already inside Daehongdan since that hasn't happened yet."

"Are you sure we don't need to call for the Defense Force?"

"If we pull the Defense Force and the frontlines collapse, defending here will be pointless. Unaffiliated Hunters and guild Hunters are supposed to defend the region in an emergency. It's standard procedure to conscript them first."

"But they're Hunters... I don't think they'll willingly follow orders..."

The civil servant hesitated, daunted by No Song-rin's intimidating presence. He was too scared to openly criticize the Hunters.

"I get it, Hunters tend to do their own thing. Most of them are probably too busy looking out for themselves. But not all of them. Some are locals, and there must be some who still care about their duties as Hunters. Others might have their own motives. But so what? Their intentions don't matter. It's all about how we use them. And if they don't show up, it's our job to find another way." Kang Mu-hyuk said this partly to steady himself. Inside, he was really worried about what would happen if no one showed up.

And that worry became a reality.

"This is it? No way."

Only three Hunters stood before Kang Mu-hyuk.

One of them was Wang Gicheol.

'Damn it. Damn my arrowhead intuition!'