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

Ju Se-ah's hair whipped around in the biting wind, so she quickly tied it back with the beard of 'Little Mizuchi,' by using it as a makeshift hair tie. It was a creature she'd caught in the past.

"Should've brought a hat. The wind's no joke by the river."

Her ponytail swayed wildly, but at least it kept the hair out of her face, which was better than nothing. Recently, she had gotten into the habit of walking along the banks of the Yalu River every morning and evening. The freezing midwinter wind was in full swing, but it wasn't a problem for a Hunter like her.

Watching her stroll through the desolate landscape, with nothing eye-catching but the river's flow, Gam Wooyoung looked puzzled. Having been her mentor for so long during their Slayer days, Gam Wooyoung knew Ju Se-ah's habits well.

"I thought for you a walk meant slaying mobs after lunch. If you were sightseeing at a Red Gate or something, that'd make more sense to me. Are you feeling down because you haven't killed anything recently? Why are you acting so out of character?"

Everyone who knew Ju Se-ah agreed with Gam Wooyoung. Some shrugged it off, thinking maybe she'd changed a bit since becoming a Guild Master. But in reality, she was out there every day for a different reason.

It was because of a man walking on the opposite side of the river, over a kilometer away, who was always there, making eye contact as they walked in sync.

"Pil Mungun. So, the big fish finally shows up, huh?"

In Korean, Pil Mungun, and in Chinese, Bi Wen Jun. He was the Vice Guild Master of the Yellow Dragon Guild and an S-ranker. Seeing him strolling with his hands behind his back across the Yalu River every day had pushed Ju Se-ah to start these unusual walks herself.

"What's he up to? Is he planning to cross over if things go sideways?"

This was the scenario Ju Se-ah feared the most. As an S-ranker herself, she knew exactly how dangerous another S-ranker could be. They were capable of things far beyond the imagination of ordinary people or even Hunters.

It'd be understandable even if monsters themselves were to call them monsters. That was how dangerous S-rankers were. Plus, Bi Wen Jun was a renowned magic swordsman from China.

'I'm not scared of magic, but I have to admit it's pretty damn effective.'

Magic had the power to cause mass destruction and slaughter. Battling a mage wasn't usually tough for Ju Se-ah, but she had to give credit where it was due. If an S-rank mage decided to unleash their power on Sinuiju, the city might as well brace for total annihilation.

'Until now, he was hiding under a cloak, just giving off a vague hint of his presence, so I wasn't certain. But today, he's openly showing his face and letting his energy flow freely, not caring who notices. I should warn Guild Leader Kang when he arrives. We don't know what kind of factor he could become.'

As she was keeping an eye on the opposite bank, her phone suddenly rang.

Tatata tata tatatata

"Hello?"

"It's me, Guild Master."

"Why are you calling? You said you'd be back after sending out the exploration team. Hurry up. There's someone really nasty over here."

"Nasty?"

"The 'Black Dragon' is in Dandong."

"Black Dragon? You mean Bi Wen Jun?"

"Yeah, that guy with a nickname straight out of a cheesy martial arts novel. My anti-magic resistance really can't stand hearing all this talk about Black Dragons and Two Emperors, Five Sovereigns, and the Four Heavenly Kings. The Chinese are really into that stuff."

"Eh, they're not huge fans of witches or calamities either..."

"Tsk! Do you have a death wish?"

"..."

Kang Mu-hyuk on the other end went quiet, not because Ju Se-ah's threat scared him, but because the mention of Bi Wen Jun, the Black Dragon, got him thinking.

Ju Se-ah waited patiently.

'He'll come up with some plan again, right?'

She wasn't afraid of Bi Wen Jun. She had a natural advantage against magic, so if anything, he should be the one fearing her. That didn't mean she wanted to pick a fight, though.

They saw this with Tyrant Igor. S-rankers were basically walking weapons of mass destruction. When two nukes went at it, there was nothing left but rubble. Hunters spilling blood over monsters didn't make sense---that was Ju Se-ah and Kang Mu-hyuk's philosophy.

"Not that I'd shy away if a fight came to me, though."

Ju Se-ah figured Mu-hyuk would lay out a strategy, but what he said next was unexpected.

"The Tumen River line is now under a war-level mission. Actually, it's a national-level mission."

"A national... what? That sounds like a full-scale war. What's going on over there? It's not even on the guild app yet."

"The government's probably keeping things under wraps until they have a plan. The app's down for maintenance, after all."

Ju Se-ah checked the guild app on her phone. Sure enough, Mu-hyuk was right.

"So, what's the situation?"

"Wushan's fallen, and Hoeryong's hanging by a thread. In Daehongdan, a raid's about to start."

"If it's serious enough for a raid, did some boss-level mob show up?"

"Not quite a Gate boss, but the bomb spore flower has entered its final phase."

"Ugh! That jellyfish-looking flower? Those things were the worst back in the Minor War..."

"Even if we handle the spore flowers, the Daehongdan front won't be secure. That's why I've put the guild on standby with my authority. The warm-up protocols should be kicking in now."

"Good move. So, should I head over there, then?"

"We were planning to call you in for the Agora Magus near Wushan."

"Agora Magus is easy pickings for me."

"But after hearing about the news on Black Dragon, even that's looking tough now."

"Why? Worried he might cross over to Sinuiju? That's why I'm on patrol, but would he really do that? Though, considering guys like the Tyrant, we can't just leave them be..."

"I suspect this whole Tumen River situation is something the Chinese cooked up."

As Mu-hyuk spoke with such certainty, Ju Se-ah's expression tightened.

"And what makes you think that?"

"The Demonic Realm Gate. The series of incidents involving the Chinese guild and Sinuiju didn't come together overnight. The bigger the plan, the more it has to work like a finely tuned machine. And the Yellow Dragon Guild is known for its persistence. But with Sinuiju disrupted, they'll need to turn another cog in the machine until things are fixed. I think this incident is that other cog."

"Got any proof?"

"No, just circumstantial evidence and gut feelings. But think about it---right when the monster army hit the Tumen River line, the Black Dragon popped up in Dandong? That's too obvious to be a coincidence. It's almost like they don't care if they're caught."

"True, S-rankers are famous for staying put. No way they'd come to some backwater for no reason."

"The Black Dragon is known for being a deep strategist. Who knows what he's planning? Guild Master, keep a close watch on him in Sinuiju. If necessary, you can disclose your rank to Seong Seonjae, but only if he swears to keep it secret."

"Really? To Seong Seonjae? That seems riskier than the Black Dragon."

"The government will soon call for backup from the top-tier guilds. We can't have Slayer leaving Sinuiju. If word gets out about the Black Dragon, they might use that as an excuse to pull out of Sinuiju. Even a Slayer team could take heavy damage against an S-ranker."

Ju Se-ah thought of Seong Seonjae, a meticulous man who hated losing more than anything. She was confident that the Slayer Guild's Expedition force could hold their own globally. But fighting against an S-ranker was a different story. It was a harsh reality, but an S-ranker was worth more than even the top forces of a Tier-ed guild.

If push came to shove, Seong Seonjae wouldn't hesitate to abandon Sinuiju.

Ju Se-ah knew exactly what needed to be done.

"So, Guild Leader Kang, what you need now is full authority over the guild."

"Guild command authority was laid out in our contract."

"No, I'm also talking about the power to completely mobilize the guild. No sense in splitting our forces when we need everything focused up north. I bet you've considered that once or twice."

"I won't deny it. That's what I was thinking in a worst-case scenario."

"Stop testing the waters and just do it. Move all Hunters north, except for the admin staff. I'm handing over all command to you, and I'll move on my own."

Click!

"You recorded that, didn't you?"

"It's better to be sure."

"As if I'd go back on my word."

"In this business, you never know. They say you can't even trust your own family."

"Fair point."

"Alright, I'll pull out of North Pocheon. Oh, and one more thing---what you meant by moving on your own."

"Keeping him in check."

"Huh?"

"The Black Dragon. You wanted me to keep an eye on him, right? Well, I'm not exactly the patient type. I like to take more... proactive approach."

"Don't tell me... Guild Master. Whatever you're planning, please put an end to it..."

"Yeah. I'll put an end to it. To The Black Dragon."

"Guild Master?!"

Ju Se-ah ended the call and sprang into action, kicking off the ground with a powerful leap. She soared hundreds of meters, landing on a sediment bank in the middle of the river, then took another jump to cross the Yalu River.

Bi Wen Jun watched as Ju Se-ah landed in front of him. He carefully assessed her with his dull gray eyes, peeking out from beneath what looked like layers of pitch-black hair. At first glance, his eyes appeared sleepy, but they also seemed like eyes that had seen beyond the ordinary considering his reputation as the 'Black Dragon.'

His dark blue armor coat glinted with a metallic shine. Ju Se-ah approached him slowly, stopping just three steps away.

"Looks like you're all geared up for a fight, huh? Seeing how you're taking a leisurely walk in full battle attire."

"You know Chinese?"

"Obviously, I've got fancy gear with it. Why bother learning about our Chinese guests when I can speak perfectly good Korean? The only Chinese I know is for ordering jjajangmyeon."

"Jjajangmyeon isn't even our food."

"That's why I said Chinese guests. I only use the language when I'm ordering from a Chinese place, you see."

"I don't understand you. Am I not good enough at Chinese, or is there something wrong with the translation item?"

"Who knows? But you'll understand this much, right?"

"..."

"Oi, did you guys mess up the Tumen River?"

Bi Wen Jun's lips slowly curved into a smile. And in the next moment, the remaining light of the sunset split apart.

Winds whipped around them, stirring up sand from the riverbank and forcing the river water to flow backward. The water surged against its natural course, and a delayed boom, like the sound of tearing space, echoed around them.

Ju Se-ah looked down at the crimson blade protruding from her left forearm, then turned her gaze back to Bi Wen Jun.

"So, you really are an S-ranker. Ju Se-ah."

"Well, that's quite the grand answer, huh? So, is it a yes or a no?"

"What about you? Yes? No?"

"You'll find out when my fist meets your face."

"Good, straightforward. The truth is decided by the winner, after all."

Ju Se-ah's fist and Bi Wen Jun's sword clashed again, sparks flying in every direction.

"Did the Guild Master hang up on you?"

 No Song-rin asked cautiously, seeing Kang Mu-hyuk scowling at the phone. Kang Mu-hyuk sighed and placed the receiver down as if to brush off any lingering doubt.

"The Guild Master will manage things herself."

"Not sure what that means, but you sound like you're hoping she can handle them more than trusting her."

"She'll handle it. Let's keep our focus on what we need to do."

Kang Mu-hyuk ignored No Song-rin's comment and steered the conversation back.

"Are we all set?"

"There's not much to prepare. We've evacuated the locals near the ambush spot, knocked down any buildings in the way to clear the line of sight, and that's it. Hunters may not be builders, but they sure know how to tear things down, right? All units are in place."

Kang Mu-hyuk nodded and issued a new command--

"Alright, let's start the second raid."