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

Choi Mi-ran had decided to give Kang Mu-hyuk a piece of her mind.

Honk honk!

“What now?!”

“Mi-ran, move your car.”

“I was wondering who was making a racket. Seong-hyun, was it you?”

The foreign car parked behind Choi Mi-ran’s belonged to Kim Seong-hyun, a member of her party.

She decided to park first.

Suddenly, fearing she might lose sight of Kang Mu-hyuk, she swiftly brought her palm to her mouth and blew. Hoo—

The cluster of light produced by her mana fluttered like a butterfly and flew, landing on the collar of Kang Mu-hyuk, who was about to board an elevator.

“Okay.”

At that instant, Kang Mu-hyuk turned around. He glanced at his collar and then looked at Choi Mi-ran.

‘What the? Did he notice? No way. There’s no chance a non-Hunter would notice that, right?’

Despite feeling certain that she wouldn’t be caught using her skills, Choi Mi-ran winced at Kang Mu-hyuk's gaze and avoided eye contact.

Honk! Honk!

“Sis!”

“Yeah, yeah, got it. Why are you in such a hurry?”

Urged by Kim Seong-hyun, Choi Mi-ran avoided Kang Mu-hyuk's gaze and parked her car in the empty spot.

After parking, she looked at the elevator and Kang Mu-hyuk was gone. She let out a sigh of relief without realizing.

‘Huh? Me? Why? What was I so nervous about?’

Kim Seong-hyun had parked opposite her. As he got out of the car, he started a conversation with Choi Mi-ran.

“Who was that guy just now? Why did you even use a tracking skill on him? He seemed like a non-Hunter.”

“I have some business with him later.”

“Did you fall for him at first sight?”

“No, not at all.”

“Do whatever you want, but don’t get caught using skills on non-Hunters. I don’t want to receive any more penalties. The fines are too heavy.”

“Have we had any other penalties besides being expelled? I can't think of any.”

“That’s why I don’t want to be kicked out. We have nowhere else to go.”

“Hey, we have connections, don't we?”

Despite Choi Mi-ran's reassurance, Kim Seong-hyun shook his head.

“Connections are one thing, but the witch is still a witch. I’m surprised our Guild Master has held her temper for so long. She's nothing like the rumors say. It’s scary, not knowing when she’ll explode.”

“That's an exaggeration. We're all guild members now, do you think she would act like she did before?"

“I don’t know. Do you think being a Guild Master changes a person's nature? Haven’t you heard the rumors? About her causing a scene at the Slayer’s Guild lobby. Do you really think such a person could remain calm? She’s definitely waiting for the right moment. Just wait for someone to slip up.”

Choi Mi-ran started to recall the nicknames given to Ju Se-ah.

Witch, Calamity, Killer.

A combination of those ominous words.

The rumors that followed were also vicious.

Breaking the backbones of seventeen villains, ripping the neck of a Twin-headed Ogre—unbelievable tales.

The problem was that most of these rumors were true.

And not a single one was an exaggeration.

There were even talks of some incidents being toned down or covered up because they were too brutal.

She had forgotten about these rumors since Ju Se-ah had been relatively calm since becoming the Guild Master of Taesung Guild.

When Kim Seong-hyun reminded her, Choi Mi-ran felt goosebumps crawl up her arms.

“Ah, as long as we don’t get caught it’s fine. He's just a non-Hunter. My tracking skill is as stealthy as an A-rank, anyway. Unless one's a pretty high-ranking Hunter, they wouldn't notice it, right?”

“Is a lowly C-ranker even able to compare to an A-rank?”

“I’m a solid C+!”

'Annoying thing attached itself to me.'

As he got out of the elevator, Kang Mu-hyuk shook his collar.

He couldn't see it, but he could sense it.

The traces of mana.

A skill had been used.

'The act of marking someone like this usually indicates a tracking-type skill...'

He wasn't a Hunter, but he had been around guilds for 10 years. He was tired of seeing people use skills criminally. He even had the experience of handling issues caused by his affiliated Hunters.

He wasn't sure why this had been attached to him, but the fact that a Hunter's skill was used on a non-Hunter like him was far from pleasant.

'Should I be thankful that they didn't use a curse skill? Still, using a skill on a non-Hunter? For a large corporate guild that survives on corporate image, there sure are a lot of crazy people.'

After developing Mana Addiction, Kang Mu-hyuk had become sensitive to mana.

The aftermath of his disease allowed him to immediately notice when a Hunter had used a skill.

That didn't mean he could awaken as a Hunter or use mana. His body couldn't accept mana.

Fortunately, he did not suffer a seizure due to mana discharge as he had during the previous outbreak.

Thanks to the treatment developed by his father.

'It's not a cure, but at least it's not affecting my body.'

Ding!

-1st floor.

Kang Mu-hyuk, who got off at the first floor, found the lobby information desk. After the second floor, one needed a security card or a pass.

"What brings you here?"

An information desk with an atmosphere completely different from those large corporations that boasted beautiful employees as the face of the company.

Young men, who were well-proportioned and dressed in black suits, welcomed Kang Mu-hyuk.

"I am Kang Mu-hyuk. The Guild Master said she had informed you in advance."

"Yes. We were waiting for your arrival as we had been instructed before. To confirm your identity, please look at the camera for a face scan."

It was a standard security procedure that he had not gone through during the interview because an employee had met him.

It was a matter of course for a mid-sized guild or larger, but Kang Mu-hyuk was a little surprised, having had prejudice against the rootless Taesung Guild.

"I was the one who changed that too."

Hearing Ju Se-ah's voice from behind, Kang Mu-hyuk turned around.

The guards and the passing employees bowed their heads towards her.

It was an exaggerated greeting, as if welcoming the CEO of a large corporation.

Kang Mu-hyuk was able to get a glimpse of the rigid guild culture, something hard to find in other guilds.

"It seems there's still a lot to change."

"That's right. That's why we hired you, Mr. Kang Mu-hyuk."

"At least it'll certainly be better than it is now."

"Right, then. We have to proceed with the signing of the contract?"

Just as Ju Se-ah was about to walk away, she paused and suddenly reached out towards the back of Kang Mu-hyuk's head.

With a sensation as if being shocked with static electricity, the mana mark that had clung to Kang Mu-hyuk disappeared.

"What's this? Where did you get it from? There are all kinds of annoying skills."

"It's a Hunter's work."

"You've been marked already? Even before joining?"

"That Hunter was targeting me. My first impression of the guild was quite exciting."

"Ah~ I'm sorry. I really need to turn this place upside down, seriously."

"I'll do that for you."

"What, what?"

"The overturning. I'll do it on your behalf."

"..."

Cold sweat trickled down Ju Se-ah's forehead.

In an instant, she had a bad premonition about how far Kang Mu-hyuk would go.

…

24th floor of the Taesung Guild.

Ju Se-ah spread her arms wide, welcoming the sunlight streaming through the large window.

"This is your office, Mr. Kang Mu-hyuk. This was the previous Vice Guild Master's place. We had to prepare it in a hurry, so the interior is as it was, but we've changed all the furnishings because a new person will be joining. Right above is my office. If you need anything else, just ask the secretary outside."

There wasn’t anything else he needed.

Kang Mu-hyuk was astonished by the appearance of the office. The spacious area and luxurious interior, filled with high-quality furniture, rivaled any Guild Master's room he'd seen.

'I'm treated quite well. The contract conditions and salary is generous. Yet the fact that both the person recommended by Vice Guild Master Ma Taesu and the previous overseas-trained successors all quit means the problem here wasn't easily solvable.'

From what Kang Mu-hyuk had learned, Ma Taesu's recommendation had lasted two months, and the overseas-trained one had lasted four months.

Although the Vice Guild Master before them had a lot of experience and was a capable Hunter, the most recent one, who had studied abroad, was a talent that had attracted attention from renowned guilds in the US.

Even without Vice Guild Master experience, they weren't the kind of Hunters to fall out so quickly.

"I tried to make it comfortable for managing the Hunters. How is it?"

"It's nice. But I think I won't be able to use this."

Knowing Kang Mu-hyuk's straightforward way of speaking, Ju Se-ah guessed his intentions.

"We still don't know what will happen with the guild relocation. But we have to prepare an office for now."

"No, I don't plan to have my office here."

"Is there something wrong with this place?"

"No, I just plan to have my office on the 17th floor."

"The 17th floor?"

Ju Se-ah blinked in surprise.

'The 17th floor... the Strategy and Tactics Team?'

In Taesung, it was essentially a shell of a department, but it was still a core part of the guild.

Kang Mu-hyuk was indicating that he would take direct control of it.

"I just need a desk prepared there. I don't need an office, I'll use an open desk."

"You've set a firm concept from the start. You've even found where to start first."

"And I'm planning to move the Management Team to the 17th floor as well."

"The managers, too?"

"We need to manage the Hunters. We'll start with the basics and establish a system."

Management Team.

A pleasant term would be managers, but more harshly, they were the Hunter wranglers.

'The most extreme job. The department with the highest rate of resignation and job change. Slave team....'

Ju Se-ah immediately thought of the image of the Management Team.

"I'm a Hunter too... But honestly, the majority are stubborn. You've seen Ma Taesu, can you handle it?"

"That's why I'm saying this because I've seen Ma Taesu. Now there's no one above me except the Guild Master, right? There's no one to consider as before, and it's been a long time since I've done this kind of work, so it'll be fun."

"A long time? Have you worked as a manager before?"

"That was my first department."

"You endured it well."

"No matter how hard guild work is, it's nothing compared to the Gate."

The diagnosis that Kang Mu-hyuk made for this mess of a guild was to start fixing the Strategy and Tactics team and the Management team first.

He hadn't disclosed these details to Ju Se-ah.

Despite her pledge for full support, she was a Hunter in the end. She was in a position where she could only think about Kang Mu-hyuk's actions from a Hunter's perspective.

Before he could even start, he couldn't afford a break.

"Alright. I've handed over full authority of guild operations. It's not difficult, we'll settle the office issue like that."

"There's one more thing to add."

"I figured there was more. Tell me."

"It's about guild reform. We need to start by changing the guild's name. Without delay."

"You're rushing in, I didn't think you'd move this quickly. Hmm, I can't think of anything. What should we name it?"

"You don't have to worry about that, Guild Master."

"Do you have something in mind?"

"No."

"Then?"

"We'll hold a contest."

"A contest? Surely...no, it's not like an internal contest, right?"

"We'll place an ad on the portal. Using the well-known name of the Taesung Group, we should be able to increase its recognition."

"Wait, you're crossing the line from the start?"

At Kang Mu-hyuk's words, Ju Se-ah was taken aback.

What was the guild's name?

It was the identity of the guild. Its history and tradition. The pride of the affiliated Hunters.

And they were going to determine it through a contest?

Leaving the affairs of the guild to the public instead of the Hunters was nothing short of disrespecting the affiliated Hunters.

While the general public might not understand, the Hunters would find this so obvious that it would be even more shocking.

"The guild members will definitely oppose this. Besides, using the parent company's name and attaching a totally unrelated name as the guild's name will cause a huge fuss."

'I can imagine them foaming at the mouth. Oh? This sounds enticing.'

Suddenly, Ju Se-ah thought of her siblings, who were frustrated at not being able to devour her. Somehow, she felt that it would be fine.

"If you're surprised at this, it's going to be difficult. There's a mountain of things that require change."

"You have the knack for speaking calmly about matters that would cause a huge stir if people found out. How do you plan to handle all this?"

"Weren't you prepared for this when you accepted my proposal, Guild Master? Compared to the content of our contract, this is minor."

"Ugh, right. That was left."

Recalling the contract, Ju Se-ah groaned.

The real problem was something else.

She was still conflicted about whether to carry out the contract as it was.

"And finally, please gather the guild members in the auditorium after lunch."

"Why? Are you giving an inaugural speech?"

"I have to. Formality is important. It will be easier to work in the future if they clearly know the position I hold in this guild along with my face and name."

"Huh?"

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's because you, who live a life of breaking conventions, are talking about formality. It seems out of character."

"To break a convention, you first need to know how to form one. I am someone who has seen the inner workings of a guild through and through, and I think that the parts I don't like should be changed. I didn't have the authority before, but since it's given to me now, I plan to properly break it."

Kang Mu-hyuk spoke casually as if he didn't care, but Ju Se-ah could read his determination.

Caught off guard by his demeanor, she murmured to herself, "He hasn't changed much, has he?"

"Did you say something?"

"No, just talking to myself."

Ju Se-ah took a deep breath, attempting to steady herself.

Throughout the process of reaching an agreement with Kang Mu-Hyuk, she had been somewhat unprepared.

She was worried about the storm of reactions that would follow after announcing his appointment. But, she decided it was time to stop looking back.

"Mr. Kang Mu-Hyuk, no, I suppose it's time we maintain proper formality. I should call you by your official title as written in the contract."

Ju Se-ah extended her hand.

"Let's do our best moving forward, Leader Kang Mu-Hyuk."

Kang Mu-Hyuk stared at her outstretched hand for a moment before shaking it.

"I look forward to working with you, Guild Master Ju Se-ah."

…

"Why are we being summoned so suddenly?"

"I don't know. You said you were going to find that man earlier."

"I have no idea. My skill was cut off. The car is still in the parking lot. He must be an outside contractor attending a meeting in some department. I can't find him anywhere."

Guild members filled the auditorium, which occupied an entire floor.

The number of affiliated Hunters was less than half, but the general staff alone filled half the space.

Choi Mi-ran, who thought she was part of a leisurely guild, was surprised at the number of affiliated guild members.

-Ah, ah! Mic test. Hu-huk!

As Ju Se-ah climbed up onto the stage and picked up the microphone, the previously bustling auditorium suddenly fell quiet.

Although she hadn't fully won over the guild, the charisma that Ju Se-ah herself possessed was something no one within the guild could ignore.

"Eh? That guy! That one, that one......!"

Choi Mi-ran pointed at the man who followed Ju Se-ah onto the stage.

The man was standing behind Ju Se-ah, with his arms crossed, looking down at the guild members.

"Who is he? That man?"

"Huh. It's the guy from the parking lot… Why is he here?"

Without hesitation, Ju Se-ah cut to the chase.

“Today, I called you all here to introduce a new member of the Taesung Guild. He will introduce himself now.”

The guild members began murmuring at the introduction of a new member.

If the Guild Master was introducing him personally, it was clear.

The vacant Vice Guild Master position.

What was strange, however, was that unlike before, the position had been filled without any prior rumors.

Ju Se-ah handed the microphone to the man.

The man leisurely stepped forward, looked around, and slowly brought the microphone to his lips.

His movement was so leisurely it was frustrating.

The guild members had their mouths shut and looked up at the man.

The auditorium was as quiet as a muted TV.

Everyone was focused on the man to an unusual degree.

“Hello. I am Kang Mu-Hyuk, the new Leader of the Taesung Guild.”

It was a normal greeting.

However, that single sentence caused all the guild members to stir.

The calm wave had suddenly turned into a tsunami.

The uproar was such that Kang Mu-Hyuk couldn't continue speaking.

Choi Mi-ran was also greatly excited, her eyes as wide as lamps, and she grabbed the collar of Kim Seong-hyun, who was next to her.

"Leader? Not Vice Guild Master, but Leader? He just said Leader, right?"

"Cough! Cough! Sister, let go of this......."

"Is that the issue right now? He said Leader, didn't he? Isn't he mistaken? Is he really the Leader?!"

"Ye-yes. Cough. He said Leader."

"This, this is crazy!"