By Zephyria 
Kim Si-baek’s eyes widened, and Tae-un let out a sound of amusement. Seo Gae-un quickly provided a further explanation.
“I didn’t ask with any other intention, but since I came out into the field with you today, Mentor, I got a feeling. I’m telling you this so you can be careful, as there might be others besides me who notice in the future.”
“What made you think that?”
“You seem to be quite proficient in combat, not just against a single magical beast, but against swarms of them.”
Awakened are few, and among them, hunters capable of engaging in direct combat to hunt magical beasts are even fewer. Since their numbers are significantly lower than those of the magical beasts, hunters are accustomed to hunting in parties.
Even S-class hunters, for whom hunting alone is not difficult, rarely form a team of one. One never knows when a massive assault of magical beasts, like the Great Cataclysm, might occur, and no matter how strong an S-class is, the power of a single human is absurdly meager.
“During the Great Cataclysm, not a single person survived among those who rushed out of the shelters, claiming they didn’t see why they should look after people weaker than themselves. Since then, the education and training of guilds have focused on team play.”
“…….”
“So, honestly, I was a bit worried when I heard I’d be heading into the field with you. The situation is different from when you temporarily joined us for the giant vine incident, so I thought you might step forward and try to sweep everything away on your own.”
If a National Intelligence Service agent who was an Awakened had operated secretly overseas, they would have performed missions such as counter-terrorism or counter-intelligence; naturally, they would have had little experience hunting magical beasts as part of an attack squad. Even if they had experience during the Great Cataclysm, it would have faded significantly over time.
However, even without specific instructions from Seo Gae-un, he supported the other hunters in accordance with her overall command. His proficiency in spotting gaps in the formation and providing support in the right place at the right time was not something achieved through a day or two of training.
Kim Si-baek had a wide combat field of vision and was not swept away by the desire for glory or hot-bloodedness during battle. His efficient support, which focused on increasing the overall efficiency of the team rather than proving his own superiority, gave a completely different impression from that of an NIS agent.
“You’re just like a training instructor.”
Kim Si-baek was impressed by her keen insight. It was true that after the religious sect had reached a certain level of stability, he had supported them as an apostle—a priest—rather than engaging in direct combat, and it was also true that he had trained the holy knights. My student is so smart.
When he responded with a silent, awkward smile, Seo Gae-un did not press him further. To avoid suspicion from others in the future, he decided he should pretend to be a bit more assertive, as long as it didn’t disrupt the formation.
As more people began to linger, curious about what urgent conversation they were having, Tae-un intentionally raised his voice to change the subject.
“Hyung, as an S-class hunter providing backup, how do you evaluate the 2nd Attack Squad?”
“They are all wonderful hunters; there’s no reason for me to evaluate them.”
Kim Si-baek was humble, but Seo Gae-un also waited for his answer.
“Opportunities to receive an objective evaluation from an outsider are rare.”
Only after hearing that did Kim Si-baek set aside his hesitation and speak. While Seo Gae-un’s command was flawless, there were subtle inconsistencies in the individual capabilities of the hunters. For instance, bad habits or unconscious patterns.
One hunter, who had been listening intently with pricked ears, couldn’t resist and chimed in.
“Ah, can you see things like that clearly?”
It was the hunter Kim Si-baek had saved from a magical beast’s attack by grabbing her waist earlier.
“Um, excuse me… Mentor? May I call you Mentor too?”
“Call me whatever you’re comfortable with.”
“By any chance, did you see any bad habits ingrained in my movements?”
“You suffered a serious injury to your left leg in the past, didn’t you?”
“Gasp! How did you know?”
“It was probably unconscious, but your leg flinched when you landed. It felt as though you were hesitant to put weight on your left leg.”
Therefore, gaps were bound to open up.
“If the injury has completely healed, try to be conscious of it during training from now on. It will become much smoother.”
“Oh, ohhh…”
Her eyes sparkled, feeling as though she had received guidance from a master. The other guild members, who had already been casting glances of curiosity and admiration, began to edge closer.
“Hunter—no, Mentor! What about me? How about me?”
“Hello, Mentor. Could I ask for a sparring session when you have time?”
And so, one more small daily routine was added to Kim Si-baek’s life. Watching him surrounded by guild members from a step behind, a meaningful glint appeared in Tae-un’s eyes. As if he had intended for Kim Si-baek to blend into a normal daily routine.
Kim Si-baek’s reputation grew in various ways within the guild, but not everyone trusted him.
The 7777 Guild was centered around people from the Seoul refugees, including Guild Master Tae-un and most of the raid leaders of the Strategy Department, the flower of the guild.
Since all the S-class hunters among them were also from the Seoul refugees, Na Jeong-woo, an A-class hunter of the 1st Attack Squad, was brimming with one particular expectation. If he became the first non-Seoul refugee to become an S-class in the 7777 Guild, wouldn’t that be proof of his superiority?
In reality, Na Jeong-woo was an outstanding hunter. He had even been shortlisted as a candidate for a new S-class hunter in the 7777 Guild, leading to expectations that he would be next.
However, Na Jeong-woo’s ambition, which targeted the grade review next year, collapsed futilely. The “first” title he had aimed for was snatched away by a cultist who appeared out of nowhere. Moreover, it caused an unprecedented and biased stir, as he was approved as S-class simultaneously with his hunter registration.
Indeed, it was naturally a biased approval. To reflect achievements from a time as a secret agent that weren’t even left in official records—wasn’t that a ridiculous excuse?
While some others harbored similar doubts, the objections vanished once the footage of the Id Portal raid at the MA Department Store was released. However, Na Jeong-woo stubbornly refused to let go of his suspicion. Rather, he grew more convinced that Tae-un had lobbied for him. The prejudice of him being a cultist further fueled the suspicion.
There was no way Pi Min-hyeong wouldn’t notice that vibe.
“Hey. I don’t know if Hyung-nim is a cultist or not, but his skills are real. Do you think I was just standing around with my hands behind my back watching at the Id Portal?”
“Yes. Well, I’m sure you were.”
Blinded by anger and jealousy that his goal had been thwarted by a mere cultist, Na Jeong-woo responded crookedly even to the raid leader, who was usually obedient. Pi Min-hyeong was as close to Tae-un as a brother. Naturally, he would take his side. Since they were both men, he didn’t even know what to call their relationship—brother-in-law? Brother? Dammit. Anyway, he’d take his side.
Seeing Na Jeong-woo’s face full of distrust, Pi Min-hyeong scratched the back of his head vigorously.
“If you’re that dissatisfied, why don’t you just do it according to our guild’s motto?”
The motto of the 7777 Guild.
I do not listen to those weaker than me.
Thus, Na Jeong-woo visited Kim Si-baek with a confident stride and demanded:
“Let’s have a sparring match.”
He didn’t have the presence of mind to notice Tae-un’s eyes narrowing with interest as he ate the tangerines Kim Si-baek was peeling for him.
Na Jeong-woo boldly suggested that the sparring process could be live-streamed on the guild’s YouTube account.
“If you spar with Si-baek hyung and win, I’ll increase your annual salary fivefold.”
At Tae-un’s proposal, Na Jeong-woo’s bravado burned even hotter. If Pi Min-hyeong, who felt sorry for his future, hadn’t stopped him, it really would have been broadcast live. Fortunately for Na Jeong-woo, the sparring match proceeded with only Tae-un and the 1st Attack Squad observing.
Na Jeong-woo was certain. He would prove that he, and not some cultist, was the hunter with the skills worthy of the reputation of an S-class.
The sparring proceeded exactly as he expected.
The cultist, who had done nothing more than get a good sword from the armory, couldn’t even respond properly to his attacks. Avoiding every single blow—it was the kind of sneakiness typical of a cultist.
The exchange of blows, where it felt like he could cut him but couldn’t even touch a single strand of hair, continued in a boring and irritating manner. Just as the other spectators—excluding Tae-un, who was watching Kim Si-baek with a grin as if admiring a pictorial—were starting to feel bored, Pi Min-hyeong sighed.
“Hyung-nim, you can just crush him.”
“Ah… he’s likely a hunter who has contributed to the guild for a long time, while I’m just a newcomer…”
Even as this conversation took place, Na Jeong-woo failed to grasp the reality, but the following word from Tae-un decided the victory or defeat.