The world was in a frenzy over the judgment of the great evil known as the Management Bureau, showering praise upon the heroes who had achieved the monumental feat.

Such was the anticipation for the new era they would forge that the media’s attention was entirely fixated on this general assembly meeting.

However, the truth of worldly affairs always differed from appearances.

To the heroes actually sitting in the conference room, justice and righteous causes were secondary concerns at best.

“Now this is a juicy gathering.”

A venue to divide the spoils of war.

In other words, a place to carve up the vested interests once held by the Management Bureau.

To the guild owners in attendance, that was the true meaning of this general assembly.

In the center of the conference room sat a massive round table.

And somewhere around it sat a middle-aged man with bronzed skin, slouched like a black panther.

Park Tae-woon, owner of the Black Moon guild.

The man who had been South Korea’s third S-Rank.

Despite his flashy attire—a high-end designer suit and a wristwatch worth hundreds of millions—his inherent presence never faded. He grinned, directing a sneer across the table.

“Our old man here must be exhausted from lugging his heavy hips all the way to Busan and back. How did he manage to drag himself all the way here? He should have rested. It’s not like this is elder abuse or something.”

The target of his remark was Ha Kwon-seung of the Cheonhwa guild.

The elderly man in the white overcoat was the second to achieve S-Rank following the First Bureau Chief Chun Jun-ho, making him the longest-active S-Rank hunter to date.

“You traveled a long way yourself. To a neighborhood with such lackluster entertainment, despite your fondness for it.”

“Gwangju is fine. I guess you’re just a Seoul country bumpkin who thinks only Seoul has anything to offer.”

“I’d rather not believe it. The fact that there are places across the country where a tasteless man like yourself can carouse is truly tragic.”

The sharp antagonism between the two caused the atmosphere in the room to freeze over.

Sure, everyone gathered here belonged to a major guild, but until Athens caught up to them, hadn’t the Korean hunter guild scene been completely divided between Cheonhwa and Black Moon?

With those two growling at each other, there was no way the others could easily lighten the mood, no matter how much this was supposed to be a gathering of major guilds.

That was when a woman stepped in to mediate.

“Please, both of you, stop. We didn’t come here to fight.”

Fair skin and pitch-black hair. That contrast caught the eye first, and her slender frame with long limbs gave off a refreshing impression.

Tapping away at her smartphone with eyes so devoid of emotion they seemed almost vacant was Jin Hae-seo.

She was the Chairperson of Athens, one of the Three Great Guilds, and the face of Korea’s next generation, widely regarded as the youngest S-Rank Awakener in name and fact.

However, her mediation wasn’t particularly effective either.

That was because a provocation came from elsewhere.

“She talks like she’s the main character.”

Baek Geun-ho of the Maram guild.

At his sarcastic remark, Tae-woon let out a ‘puheup!’ laugh.

Hae-seo’s brow furrowed slightly.

What followed was a voice that sounded crystal clear despite clearly carrying a hint of annoyance.

“Still better than someone who only knows how to raise his voice.”

“Yeah, application rejected.”

“Yes, deficit guild.”

“Yay, Goddess of the gate~”

“Yes, Gangster Mutt.”

There was no one here who didn’t know that Geun-ho, generally amicable toward others, turned aggressive only when it came to Jin Hae-seo.

Why did the two growl at each other the moment their faces met?

To explain the reason, one would have to dig up the ugly past of these two adults, who once engaged in a keyboard battle under the nicknames ‘Lonely Wolf Baek Geun-ho’ and ‘Strongest in Gangbuk’ on a hunter community forum until they ended up suing each other. So, let’s just bury that here.

Whatever the case, thanks to that, the atmosphere grew even more murderous.

The guild leaders from other regions seated there were desperately hoping someone would put an end to this uncomfortable tension.

That was when it happened.

Ppok…!

The Teddy Bear on the podium made a sound.

Despite its comical appearance, it was a monster said to rival an S-Rank hunter all on its own.

It appeared to be a safety measure placed there by Hunter Shin Jung-woo to mediate the mood before the meeting began.

The Teddy Bear flipped the signboard it was holding, revealing the text on the back to them.

『Please do not fight in the conference room!』

Geun-ho scratched his head vigorously.

Even in that moment, it was impressive how he showed the artistry to scratch along the grain so as not to ruin his slicked-back, oiled hair.

“Tsk, it’s a request from Jung-woo ham, so I can’t exactly refuse.”

“You’re at least seven years older than Hunter Shin Jung-woo.”

“If he’s stronger than me, he’s ham.”

“Then I’d be your hyung-nim too, wouldn’t I?”

“Pouting and grumbling just because your application was rejected.”

“Are you done talking…”

Another verbal spat.

But the atmosphere quickly calmed down.

“Enough.”

It was a mediation by Ha Kwon-seung, the oldest among them.

He was simply pointing out the situation.

“This is a negotiation table. Unless you have the vulgar intention of hoping the other party acts on emotion, stop right there.”

As he said, this general guild assembly was created to divide the vested interests of the fallen Management Bureau.

And, beyond who would tear off which piece of the pie, fundamentally…

“A new Management Bureau could be born.”

It was also a place that had to serve as a check on Shin Jung-woo and the Countermeasure Bureau, who stood at the center of all these events.

Today, of all days, they had to avoid situations that would damage their mutual goodwill as much as possible.

The initiative in dividing the interests still lay with the other side, so the guilds were, primarily, in an alliance.

Only Geun-ho, who found this battle of nerves uncomfortable, pouted his lips, but he didn’t object strongly either.

Because there was nothing wrong with what he said.

The atmosphere stiffened again, and Black Moon’s Park Tae-woon spoke up.

“I’m not asking for much. As long as my jurisdiction over the Gangseo area is guaranteed, I’m good. The old man should be satisfied with taking the Seocho-gu interests, right? Hae-seo can keep Gangbuk as usual. And if we just go a little further from there…”

The words he added with a sly smile were enough to draw agreement from the other guild leaders.

“The Third gate management rights. Bringing back what the Management Bureau wielded so arbitrarily by sticking their lackeys in—that’s our common goal, isn’t it?”

It was no exaggeration to say that this was the guilds’ biggest objective.

It was a meeting involving the most significant vested interests related to gates and hunters, which was why they had rushed all the way here in one breath.

Ultimately, there was only one issue.

“How much Mr. Shin Jung-woo, who is set to become the strongest in Korea, will concede. How much we’ll have to throw a tantrum. It seems like this is the place to figure that out…”

The initiative at this table inevitably belonged to the Countermeasure Bureau, which held the cause of justice.

They couldn’t just push their weight around, either.

Jung-woo’s performances so far were already proving enough who would become the undisputed strongest in the hunter world.

The structure would proceed with Jung-woo making a proposal, and the guilds negotiating it down to reach an agreement.

“Let’s do well. Let’s not fight amongst ourselves and lose our rice bowls.”

That was when it happened.

“Looks like he’s coming.”

Ttak.

Ttak.

The sound of dress shoes echoed as if ringing through the silence.

It grew closer and closer.

Tension rose on the faces of the guild leaders.

Immediately after, the door opened with a ‘deureureuk’ sound, and he appeared.

A tall man with a gentle impression, his features shaped in a way that made him look like a handsome man who could easily win people over.

However, at the same time, he was a cunning fox so adept at setting up political landscapes that no one here could be unaware of it.

He spoke.

“I apologize. I wanted to arrive about ten minutes early, but as it turned out, I ended up arriving right on time for the meeting.”

“Oh! Jung-woo ham! It’s been a while!!!”

“Good to see you, Mr. Geun-ho. Ah, Se-gi really loved the shark plushie. Thank you for that.”

“Euheoheo! Don’t mention it!”

Lightly breaking the ice, he walked to the front of the podium.

The Teddy Bear, which had been standing there blankly until then, stepped aside, and Jung-woo tapped the microphone a few times before speaking.

“Then, allow me to introduce myself. I am Hunter Shin Jung-woo, the Abnormal Disaster Countermeasure Bureau, and the general manager of the current emergency disaster situation. I would like to thank all the guild leaders for traveling such a long way here…”

His smile deepened.

“The general assembly meeting will now begin.”

The meeting that would determine the future of the Korean hunter world began just like that.

To the guild leaders, Jung-woo appeared to be a cunning fox who led this gathering without a trace of hesitation.

However, Jung-woo’s inner thoughts, exposed to their gazes, were a bit different.

‘I need to look like I’m not nervous.’

Because he had a goal, he had to be resolute.

So he feigned composure, but before his regression, Jung-woo had merely been a C-Rank exploration team leader for a minor guild.

Despite that, hadn’t he somehow reached a position where he could gather the pinnacle of the Korean hunter world in one place by a stroke of luck?

He wasn’t the kind of pathetic human who would suddenly act stiff just because his position changed without the substance to back it up, so a considerable amount of tension inevitably welled up inside him.

However, the moment he stuttered or fumbled his words, it would be over.

He was finally about to take his first step, so he couldn’t afford to make a mistake at a time like this, could he?

For Se-gi.

For himself, who would live with Se-gi in a better future.

Jung-woo calmed his mind and opened his mouth.

“First of all, I would like to thank you for your cooperation in responding to and investigating the terrorism. The situation has been so chaotic that I haven’t been able to express my gratitude beforehand.”

At those words, Black Moon’s Park Tae-woon grinned and spoke.

“We didn’t go there to do free volunteer work, so it’s fine. So, shall we get to the point?”

It was a pointed remark.

It meant that they should present a compensation that both sides would be satisfied with regarding how to divide the vested interests held by the Management Bureau.

He was right.

There was no such thing as unpaid labor.

The world called hunters heroes, but that had now become a business that commodified the heroic image.

They were here for a transaction.

Jung-woo reminded himself of that fact and spoke.

“Yes, let’s get to the point. First, the Countermeasure Bureau has taken over the various projects and existing management systems that the Management Bureau was implementing.”

“The authority to make business decisions, right?”

“Yes, there are various miscellaneous things, but the core of it comes down to two things. The review of mana-related projects. And the selection of guilds to manage Third gates.”

The atmosphere sharpened.

It was to the point where he could physically feel how much they wanted this.

The next moment, Ha Kwon-seung of Cheonhwa immediately spoke up.

“I do not ask for much. The autonomous business rights for the Seocho-gu area, where Cheonhwa’s headquarters is located, will suffice.”

Park Tae-woon also added a word.

“I want the Gangseo-gu area. I don’t know about the other old men, but didn’t we abide by the gate management regulations well even during the Management Bureau’s regime? I think we can demand at least this much.”

A few guild leaders nodded in agreement.

A trend of the atmosphere shifting in their favor began to emerge.

However, let’s ask ourselves a question.

Was it truly beneficial to hand that over as it was?

Could them becoming the new vested interests be called a better future than before?

‘No.’

Jung-woo knew it, and Ho-jong knew it too.

The fact that it was merely the second-best choice, not the optimal one.

Jung-woo spoke.

“Permission denied.”

Jjeojik, the atmosphere froze.

At the words delivered with a bright smile as if stating the most obvious thing, the faces of the guild leaders, who couldn’t immediately grasp the meaning, even showed a look of bewilderment.

Amidst that, the final nail in the coffin popped out of Jung-woo’s mouth.

“There’s no way I’m giving that to you. Who knows what you’ll do with it.”

“Mr. Shin Jung-woo, what do you mean…”

“Sharing the business rights amicably isn’t exactly a pretty picture, is it?”

The atmosphere turned hostile, and Park Tae-woon spoke with a menacing gleam in his eyes and veins bulging on his forehead.

“…Are you picking a fight with us? Is this a kick-the-dog-after-the-hunt situation?”

“That couldn’t be. We will maintain a good relationship with you all going forward. This is the place for that.”

“It doesn’t sound like it.”

Indeed, it could sound that way.

After all, it was all about interests.

Weren’t they people gathered for vested interests?

How would it sound to them to hear there was no compensation?

Even without thinking deeply, it was easy to see that it wouldn’t lead to a good outcome.

Therefore, something that could be given to them as well.

And also beneficial to the Countermeasure Bureau and Jung-woo.

Such a blueprint was needed.

And as luck would have it, Jung-woo had just that.

‘It was tough.’

Fundamentally, they had safely reached the goal of the Management Bureau’s downfall, but the process was different from before the regression.

In the original history, it was close to a solo operation by the Countermeasure Bureau, but now it was a joint front with corporations.

In other words, due to the butterfly effect, the situation had become one where he had to divide those interests with them one way or another.

How to properly balance that and stabilize the power structure.

He had a conclusion drawn from agonizing over it with Ho-jong all along.

Jung-woo asked.

“Are you satisfied with that much?”

“What?”

“A Seoul no bigger than a fingernail. Properly dividing one gate each within it. I’m asking if you’re satisfied with that.”

Park Tae-woon’s brow furrowed.

The others also erased their previous expressions and lifted faces full of curiosity.

“You talk as if you can offer something great. Hunter Shin Jung-woo.”

At Ha Kwon-seung’s question, Jung-woo’s smile deepened.

Of course, he had confidence.

The compensation fitting for these greedy individuals was already present on the Korean Peninsula.

“It wouldn’t be fun if you got our hopes up and it turned out to be nothing special…”

“North Korean land.”

At that moment, deolkeok, the atmosphere froze.

“The ruined land of North Korea. If we reclaim it and divide it up, wouldn’t that be a compensation you’d be fully satisfied with?”

The Three Great Guilds were the first to stare at Jung-woo in dismay with unbelieving eyes.

Then Park Tae-woon asked.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

Jung-woo understood their dismay.

It was only natural.

“We will challenge the hero’s monumental feat.”

The North Korean Erosion Zone.

For that place was the history of irreversible despair that had swallowed the First Bureau Chief Chun Jun-ho, a history this nation could never wash away.