Against the Clock: The Team Leader’s Pursuit of Glory
Ch. 38 - The More Friends, The Merrier

Ju Se-ah walked into the courtyard, her hands each holding a massive horn. Drenched in a bluish fluid, her walking figure was so eerie it sent chills down one's spine.

Yet, some found her appearance beautiful.

Like a Goddess of War. With the trophies of her victories in her hands, Ju Se-ah walked as proudly as a 'queen' rather than a witch.

The horns she dragged along the sports field drew two solid lines. The Hunters observing her were tense, filled with a mix of emotions pertaining to shock, fear, and awe.

Having fought with dozens of Watusi snakes, she returned without a single injury, making her seem hardly a human.

Kang Mu-hyuk came out to meet her, having seen her through the control room window.

"You've done well."

Ju Se-ah threw the horns to her sides. The thud alone conveyed their substantial weight.

"I eliminated seventeen. Lost about four as they scattered in all directions. Send the disassembly team to collect the horns and hide. Oh, and don't touch these horns. They're still full of poison since I ripped them off as they were. Use heavy machinery to box them with a seal."

"I'll pass it along."

Ju Se-ah brushed off the hair stuck to her face as she added, "So, have you given any thought to the current situation? From my experience, all I could think of was the King Cobra."

"Let's talk after you've cleaned up."

"Hmm, seems like it's not the King Cobra then. It did feel a bit strange. Alright, I'll take a shower. Prepare the briefing for me."

Kang Mu-hyuk seized a classroom and summoned the A-rank Hunters and above. In addition to them, even the team leader of the Strategy and Tactics team and his staff were called. They were the real force behind the guild.

As Ju Se-ah entered after the shower, Kang Mu-hyuk stood in front of the chalkboard with chalk in hand.

He wrote 'Goblin' on the board. 

And then, with a swift flourish of arrows, he filled in the rest.

Goblin -> Goblin Soldier -> Goblin Warrior -> Goblin General -> Hobgoblin -> Goblin Chieftain -> Goblin Warhead

"As you all know, this is the evolution order of Goblins."

"So, what of it?" Expedition Team Team Leader Do Gyeong-hoon asked in a gruff tone.

His faction of young Hunters had been charmed by Kang Mu-hyuk's persuasive talk, which had not sat well with him.

Kang Mu-hyuk ignored his attitude and continued his explanation, "Fundamentally, Goblins are a patriarchal society."

"Patriarchal? Monsters have such things?"

"In North America, they study these creatures' ecology and habits in a field called 'Monsterology.' In Korea, it's still considered a fringe study, but in advanced Hunter nations, research in this area is actively underway. According to it, most humanoid monsters are known to have a patriarchal societal structure."

During his time in Titan Guild, Kang Mu-hyuk accepted the world's Hunter theories faster than anyone else in the country.

The international trend of treating monsters not merely as prey but as subjects of academic study intrigued Kang Mu-hyuk, who was keen to adopt this perspective. If he hadn't been regularly using foreign research forums, he would have found it difficult to detect the odd undercurrent running through the present situation.

"Now, back to the main point. There are instances where the patriarchal society of goblins suddenly transitions to a matriarchal one," Kang Mu-hyuk explained.

He erased 'Goblin Warhead'---indicating the chief---and replaced it with the word 'Matriarch.'

"It happens when the position of the chief is taken over by a female, not a male."

"A female?"

"In Monsterology, they call such a creature a 'Godmother' or 'Mother Guardian.' In our language, it would roughly translate to 'Matriarch.'"

Matriarch.

Seven years ago, it was first discovered in Brazil. At that time, an A-ranked guild engaging in goblin extermination lost half of its power and retreated. At Kang Mu-hyuk's brief explanation, the guild members blanched.

If an A-ranked guild was forced to retreat, it was something the Iron Will Guild wouldn't be able to handle.

"Of course, the case of Brazil could be attributed to the Amazon, a tropical forest where they were able to proliferate freely. But I suspect the situation in North Pocheon, with its considerably smaller area, will be somewhat different."

Monsters that had grown covertly in the vast jungles of the Amazon were on a completely different scale, both in terms of evolution and numbers.

It was speculated that countless undiscovered species and tribes of monsters still lurked in the wilds of the Amazon and Africa.

"So, what does this 'Matriarch' goblin have to do with our current situation?" Ju Se-ah asked the question, to which Kang Mu-hyuk didn't immediately respond.

Instead, he pointed to one species written on the blackboard.

"The only known caster-type among goblins is the Hobgoblin. However, this Matriarch has also been confirmed as a caster-type. The difference is that instead of offensive magic, she can use extensive mind magic."

"Do you mean that the goblin controlled the Watusi Snakes?"

"It's not just the Watusi, the Grey Squirrels are also being suspected."

"Couldn't it be a coincidence?" Do Gyeong-hoon interrupted again, in a somewhat confrontational tone.

This time, Kang Mu-hyuk didn't answer immediately. Instead, he began to sketch the rough terrain of North Pocheon on the blackboard.

"Centered around Sanjeong Lake, in the north there is Myeongseong Mountain, and above that is Cheorwon. To the east is Mangbong Mountain, to the south are Sahyang Mountain and Gwaneum Mountain, and to the west lies the plain leading to Yeongbuk. According to testimonies from previous freelancers, the goblin territory was only centered around Sanjeong Lake, and the rest, like the Watusi Snakes and the Grey Squirrels, were scattered across this large area. Particularly in the case of the Watusi snakes, a few were even spotted in the southern part of Cheorwon, which we confirmed through the Guild Cooperation Division."

"By any chance, are there no Watusi Snakes in Cheorwon now?"

"Yes. Since about two years ago."

At Kang Mu-hyuk's definitive answer, Ju Se-ah's lips tightened. Considering the food chain, it was odd to have so many Watusi snakes in such a narrow area. However, it was also unnatural for creatures that usually lived in burrows and only emerged to hunt to swarm out in droves.

However, the appearance of a monster that had only once been recorded in history was an unexpected variable.

For the experienced Hunter, this kind of uncertainty was not a good thing.

"I've been saying it's strange from the start. Does it make sense that Watusi Snakes and Grey Squirrels were driven out of their habitats by mere goblins?" Baek Hyeonggyu, the only neutral faction Hunter who attended the meeting, muttered.

Kang Mu-hyuk picked up on his words and continued, "The Illandria are the same. Monsters that prey on goblins wouldn't have a reason to avoid them. We should have been suspicious from there. This is entirely my fault for planning this operation."

"Hmph! Why did you push the plan so hastily...." Do Gyeong-hoon, who intended to blame Kang Mu-hyuk, closed his mouth at the sharp glance of Jang Deuk-goo.

Ju Se-ah asked, "Do you have a countermeasure?"

"I believe I should first apologize for this matter."

"Do you mean that the subjugation will be difficult?"

"Of course it's difficult. When is hunting ever easy? However, what I am apologizing for is that we have to withdraw the original plan."

"The plan..."

"We'll go all-out hunting from now on. And Guild Master..."

"Yes, go ahead."

Ju Se-ah's eyes lit up as Kang Mu-hyuk called her name.

"Please prepare with full armaments. I intend to throw all the top-ranking Hunters of the guild into battle."

While preparing for the full-scale battle, Kang Mu-hyuk entrusted the base camp to Ju Se-ah and went down to South Pocheon.

He borrowed a conference room from Pocheon City Hall with their permission to meet a guest.

"I am Kang Mu-hyuk, the Guild Leader of the Iron Will Guild."

"I am Oh Jung-su, the director of Hanju Hotel and Resort."

No matter how much one looked at him, he was in his late thirties.

A man far too young to hold a director position at a large company.

Kang Mu-hyuk paid attention to the man's surname, Oh, and scanned through the personal information he had researched about the key figures in the Hanju Group.

"By any chance, your father is..."

"Yes. Correct. My father is the chairman of the Group."

"I didn't expect the owner to come personally."

"Originally, the head of the resort development department was supposed to take over this task. However, I volunteered and asked to be assigned to the resort. Not long ago, I was in the chemical division."

Kang Mu-hyuk tilted his head.

Oh Jung-su, the second son of the Hanju Group Chairman. He couldn't help but wonder why he willingly left the thriving chemical subsidiary to join the declining hotel subsidiary, even coming to Pocheon in secret without any attendants.

'Did he lose out in a power struggle for succession? It's hard to say without knowing the internal situation. Surely he's not here to claim rights to Sanjeong Lake Resort?'

Seeing Kang Mu-hyuk's suspicious gaze, Oh Jung-su spoke up before a misunderstanding could form.

"I have no intention of claiming that Hanju Resort belongs to our company. We have already given up. Besides, the Iron Will Guild hasn't even acquired it yet, right?"

"That sounds like your mind might change after we've obtained it."

"Among Hunters, they call snatching an item a 'jack,' right? Our company is not so brazen as to 'jack' the spoils fought for in blood by others. Rather, it'd be more accurate to say that I've personally come because I am interested in you, Guild Leader."

"Me?"

"I'm a fan of yours. Since your days in Titan."

Oh Jung-su blushed as if embarrassed, then continued speaking.

"I am embarrassed to admit this, but my childhood dream was to become a Hunter. Thankfully or unfortunately, I never Awakened, so I became a businessman. However, you became a Strategy and Tactics Team Leader despite not being a Hunter, even dramatically transforming your guild into an A-ranked guild through your exploits in various raids."

Many people misunderstood Kang Mu-hyuk, both ordinary people and Hunters.

Most thought of him as the Strategy and Tactics Team Leader of an A-rank guild, but in reality, he, as the Strategy and Tactics Team Leader, was the one who made Titan an A-rank guild.

The difference in perception was vast as if comparing the heavens to the earth.

Thanks to this, there were many who saw him as a lucky nobody, which made it easier for him to play his cards close to his chest. This was why Kang Mu-hyuk did not intentionally highlight his achievements.

Oh Jung-su was accurately speaking to Kang Mu-hyuk's career trajectory.

"And now you have become the first non-Hunter guild leader. As your big fan, I had to get involved. So, even at this age, I asked my father to let me come here directly."

Kang Mu-hyuk examined Oh Jung-su's eyes carefully.

'It doesn't seem like he's lying... But it doesn't feel like he's telling the entire story either.'

Perhaps due to his heightened senses after contracting mana addiction, he could read the ambition and desire in his opponent's eyes.

Kang Mu-hyuk took a stab in the dark based on his own intuition.

"I heard Hanju has disbanded its guild. Are you planning to establish it again?"

"..."

"And you, Director Oh Jung-su, are planning to sit in the position of the guild master, or rather the guild leader's seat."

"Haha, as expected... Did I reveal my hand too much?"

As Oh Jung-su readily admitted, Kang Mu-hyuk was able to understand why he had come to this meeting in person.

"Are you interested in learning how to run a guild?"

"I guess there's nothing I can hide from you. Yes, that's correct. I intend to sign an MOU between the Iron Will Guild and the future Hanju Group Guild regarding guild establishment and operation."

"Do you really need to do that with us? As the Hanju Group, you should have ways to secure a fairly decent guild as a sponsor."

"That would be because I'm your..."

"Not because you're a 'big fan.'"

"...The barriers between guilds have gotten higher. They all seem to be wary. I had no idea that the guild leader system would be such a threatening system to the existing guilds. It's not easy to maintain a mutually equal cooperative relationship."

Seeing the bitter smile on Oh Jung-su's face, it seemed he had already contacted several places. The neglect and oppression faced by corporate guilds were probably more than he had imagined.

When had the Chairman's son ever been treated in such a manner?

Even considering the Titan, known as the prospective tier-ed guild, it would have been difficult to receive decent treatment unless one was a top three chaebol in Korea.

"A strategic alliance. That's not impossible. But we don't really need to carry Hanju on our backs."

"I'm not suggesting you carry us, but rather form a tripartite relationship."

"In which aspect?"

"Not the boundary of South Pocheon, but Sanjeong Lake. I've heard you're aiming to set up your guild headquarters at the resort."

Kang Mu-hyuk gnawed at the flesh inside his cheek with his molars.

There were no eternal secrets, but this one had leaked too quickly.

Externally, it was a simple monster eradication operation. In order to hide the conversion of the resort into a headquarters, they had even stacked construction materials in a single closed golf course in South Pocheon after consulting with Pocheon City.

But the fact that rumors had already spread...

'Was it from the Guild Cooperation Division?'

As the matter began in earnest, it would have been hard to maintain secrecy as several government departments would be involved. If a large corporation knew, then the tier-ed guilds would have known about it as well.

While Kang Mu-hyuk was processing the complex situation in his head, Oh Jung-su continued speaking.

"If you are planning to use the resort as your headquarters, you'll need a lot of materials and equipment in the future. As you know, our Hanju has a strong footing in the fields of life science and chemistry, such as potions and ampules. We're also involved in various sectors related to the Gate business. Wouldn't various collaborations be possible in this regard?"

"The same applies to the Taesung Group."

"It might be a bit forward to say this, but I know that the chairman of the Taesung Group doesn't think highly of the Iron Will Guild. The fact that you're connected to the Guild Master is hardly a secret in our world."

The wealthy had their own communities, and there were rumors that circulated only in their world.

A league exclusive to them, whose details could not be casually mentioned by others. Rumors within the sturdy fence where public secrets became non-public.

Oh Jung-su, a member of this circle, was talking about the relationship between Ju Se-ah and Chairman Tae Jin-sung.

This was as much as saying, "Let's not beat around the bush anymore and reveal our intentions."

'Although I may not be able to completely secure cooperation from Taesung, there's no need to unnecessarily expand their influence. But could Hanju be the alternative?'

Kang Mu-hyuk, who had been weighing the pros and cons in various aspects, said, "As Director, you're right that the way guilds look at us isn't too favorable. They would not be pleased about the entry of a conglomerate into the guild industry under a non-Hunter leadership. It could turn into a relationship with more losses than gains."

"We also don't plan to establish a guild right away. We will proceed after accumulating enough know-how. However, our intention is to build a trustworthy relationship starting with Iron Will before moving to other guilds and corporations."

Kang Mu-hyuk caught a peculiar nuance in Oh Jung-su's remarks for a moment. Initially, he had approached it with the intention of realizing the dream of establishing a guild as a private fan, but now he prioritized the company's perspective.

'And his last tone suggested he wasn't the main player.'

That meant there was an intent from someone higher up. It was obvious who would be higher than Oh Jung-su, the son of the chairman.

'It would be the chairman or the eldest son. If the successor has not yet been decided, it would be the chairman. Unless he's to listen to the son who will be his rival.'

The second son steps up according to the chairman's intentions?

Setting up a guild was already not an easy task, but considering a non-Hunter under a non-Hunter guild leader system, this wouldn't be an ordinary project even for the entire group.

'The more vulnerable the power, the better it would be for Iron Will.'

With a slight smile, Kang Mu-hyuk said, "Come to think of it, it seems the more friends we have, the better."