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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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Chapter 107: Ah, So This Is What a Declaration of War Is (2)
As Shin Joonseok finished his introduction, Yoojin stepped onto the stage and surveyed the room.
The atmosphere was frozen, a stark contrast to the buzzing excitement of just moments before.
Reporters, industry insiders, everyone was focused on him.
‘Of course. That's how it should be.’
He was used to being the center of attention.
Yoojin chuckled inwardly.
Just then, a reporter raised his hand.
"Lee Jungsik from the Alliance News. Isn't Black Company the group that recently had a run-in with the Rakshasa Guild?"
‘I like this reporter. Good. That's the kind of question that makes this fun. Should I give him an exclusive interview later?’
Yoojin smiled broadly as he replied.
"That's right."
"Rumors have been flying, but no concrete information has been released."
"After this press conference, you'll know quite a bit more about the company."
Yoojin chuckled lightly, and the audience joined in.
‘Alright. Where should I start? Gotta make a strong impression.’
He mentally reviewed the points he'd prepared, then slowly began to speak.
"The clash between the Rakshasa Guild and Black Company. You've heard about it, I presume."
"Yes. But could you explain why it happened in the border region, and what exactly the conflict with the Rakshasa Guild was about?"
"I've invited someone specifically to answer those questions."
Snap—!
At Yoojin's signal, Fafnir and a woman who had been waiting in the wings walked onto the stage.
Mad Dog Kim Mijeong.
The most unexpected person to be present stood next to Yoojin with a scowl on her face.
"Why is Mad Dog here?"
"She's restrained."
"Is it related to the press conference?"
"Wait. Mad Dog was recently…."
Shock.
Fear.
And Suspicion.
The unexpected appearance sent a wave of emotions rippling through the room.
〔Look at these little humans panicking. It's hard to find someone with any guts.〕
'It's like having a knife to your throat. It'd be weirder if they weren't on edge.'
Kim Mijeong was a peak 6 Star Hunter.
While her stats were focused on agility, she wasn't lacking in strength either.
Her fighting style was about unleashing explosive damage in a short period. She needed a decent amount of power to inflict real damage.
〔You’re talking as if this little human is some kind of pleasure-seeking killer.〕
‘You’re about half right.’
Yoojin added—
‘This woman… She might seem calm now, but I wouldn’t be surprised if adrenaline was pumping through his veins instead of blood. The moment something piques her interest, she’ll throw herself at it without a second thought—even at the cost of her own safety. It’s only natural to be on edge.’
〔Your earlier statement contradicts itself.〕
‘Because she surrendered, saying she didn’t want to die?’
〔Indeed. Explain further.〕
'This woman… She's taken an interest in either Fafnir or me. She didn’t surrender for no reason. Knowing her personality, I figured if there was someone she found interesting, she'd surrender without hesitation to stay close to them. Which means—for now, at least—there was nothing to worry about.’
〔Even with regression, this isn’t something one could simply deduce.〕
‘It’s just insight.’
〔Kuhaha! The ability to read another’s thoughts is also a trait of a hero. Just this once, I shall acknowledge it.〕
‘Jeez. The criteria for heroism that this constellation insists on are becoming increasingly bizarre.’
"I'm Kim Mijeong."
"Thanks for the introduction. You're affiliated with the Rakshasa Guild, right?"
"I owe their guild leader a favor. I agreed to work for them for three years."
"So, you're currently with Rakshasa."
"That's right."
"Then can you tell me why you attacked me?"
"The Arhan Guild commissioned me to kill you. They're Rakshasa's sponsors."
Kim Mijeong dropped this bombshell as casually as if she were mentioning a discount at the convenience store down the street.
The people in the room listened without much thought at first, but then…
"Huh?"
"Rakshasa and Arhan are... WHAT?!"
"A scoop!"
They belatedly realized the implications of Kim Mijeong's words and the hall erupted in chaos.
＊ ＊ ＊
Before the demonstration, Yoojin presented a condition.
"Expose the connection between the Arhan Guild and Rakshasa Guild."
"What? How did you know about that?"
"How isn't important. Just decide whether or not you'll do it."
"What if I refuse?"
"You'll die once and then serve me."
He pointed at Song Myeongseok, and blue flames erupted violently in his empty eye sockets.
【So, I'm finally getting a successor!】
"It's good that at least one person is welcoming you."
Yoojin thought—
‘Ah, since he's already dead, calling him a "person" might be inappropriate.’
Kim Mijeong let out a long sigh.
"I wouldn't mind experiencing being resurrected once, but this is a bit much."
"So, what will you do?"
"I'll do as you say. But I have a condition."
"Let's hear it."
"If I spill the beans about that, I'll be breaking my contract too. My life will be in danger."
‘She is spouting nonsense so calmly.’
If she testified about the two guilds' collusion, a huge bounty would be placed on her head.
However…
Mad Dog Kim Mijeong wasn't someone who would be taken down so easily.
"Stop beating around the bush and get to the point."
"You're no fun."
After a light grumble, Kim Mijeong pointed at Yoojin with her right hand.
"You. Hire me."
"I don't have a taste for keeping mad dogs on a leash."
"You might change your mind when you hear my terms?"
…….
This was the reason Kim Mijeong exposed the secret agreement between the Rakshasa and Arhan Guild.
"Do you have any proof?"
"The Arhan Guild was in charge of supplies for the border region. I'll give you the coordinates, so you can check it out."
"How are we supposed to get into the border region?"
"That's your problem. Am I supposed to wipe your ass for you too?"
The reporter who asked the question turned pale at her harsh words.
A bombshell had gone off at the potion demonstration.
The clatter of typewriters and the voices of people making phone calls could be heard from all directions.
【Master, isn't this a bit much?】
Fafnir modulated his mental projection so that only Yoojin could hear it.
- Why? Wouldn't you like to speed up the time for revenge?
【I'm worried that if you provoke the Arhan Guild too much, they might try to harm you.】
- We've already worsened the situation as much as it can get, after defeating Rakshasa's forces.
Mad Dog's testimony.
The words of a peak 6 Star Hunter carry significant weight, but not enough to shake the top guild in the country.
It was highly likely that this would end up being a mere happening.
Nevertheless.
The reason Yoojin used the press conference to reveal Arhan's secret was because of other schemes.
- They'll be busy for a while.
【You mean Arhan?】
- Rakshasa Guild as well.
The suspicions of a secret relationship between the Arhan Guild and Rakshasa Guild.
It will be difficult to prove the collusion between the two guilds with just Kim Mijeong's statements.
The problem is that it will take quite some time to clarify the suspicions themselves.
- And it will be difficult to lay a hand on the person who raised the suspicions.
【Rakshasa Guild is an underworld organization. They probably won't care about public opinion or appearances, will they?】
- They just got their forces trashed. They'll need time to mobilize hunters again.
【You won't be able to keep Arhan tied up for long. That guy Baek Seonghyeon is quite capable.】
‘Don't worry. I've experienced his way of handling things to the point of disgust, even before the regression. The only regrettable thing is that no one from the Arhan Guild participated in the demonstration. Things would have gotten much more heated then.’
—Yoojin thought.
- Fafnir, watch how I avenge you.
The venue became noisy due to Kim Mijeong's explosive statements.
Yoojin, having set his trap, patiently waited for the chaos to reach its peak.
＊ ＊ ＊
The demonstration venue was in chaos, like a marketplace.
Yoojin, waiting for the right moment, tapped the microphone.
Tap— Tap—
A heavy sound echoed through the room.
Those who were trying to determine whether the two guilds had a secret alliance all looked towards the stage.
"It seems we've cleared up what happened in the border region."
The Arhan Guild had lost face due to the Double Dungeon incident.
Song Myeongseok, in whom they had invested a huge sum of money, had died during the raid.
Not only had someone who was even called Arhan's supernova died so anticlimactically, but the other raid members were also all outstanding talents.
"There are some leaps in logic, but it's understandable."
"They said they gave Song Myeongseok the Spectrum Sword skill book, right?"
"So, the hunters they invested in all died, and then someone else took the credit."
People from the hunter industry nodded in agreement.
There were some questionable points, but considering that the Rakshasa Guild didn't have a clear reason to attack Yoojin, they didn't raise any doubts at this point.
Above all, no one wanted to get on the bad side of the co-producer of Saint's Tear, which was about to cause a stir in the market.
"Um, Hunter Cheon Yoojin?"
"Reporter Lee Jungsik, please go ahead."
"Ha, haha. Thank you for remembering me. I have one more question."
"Please ask."
"You mentioned Black Company earlier. Could you tell us what kind of company it is?"
‘He's scratching just where I was itching.’
Yoojin spoke—
"Black Company is a consortium of businesses."
"A consortium?"
"It's a group like a large conglomerate that has its hands in many different fields. Specifically, in the hunter-related sector."
Guilds, mercenary work, mining, alchemy, and more.
Black Company's core was to infinitely expand into each field with Yoojin as the central point.
"I'm Ju Seongcheol from Korea Daily. Isn't this business plan too ambitious for a hunter who's only been active for a year?"
"Isn't taking down Mad Dog within a year of becoming a hunter enough?"
"There could be someone behind Hunter Cheon Yoojin."
"Then that would be great. It would be perfect to have someone who'd be willing to take on the Arhan Guild for me."
After giving a sharp reply without losing his smile, the reporter who asked the question couldn't continue.
‘Korea Daily is connected to the Arhan Guild, isn't it?’
—Yoojin thought.
"I'll remember all of you."
"Why did you establish your base in the monster-infested border region?"
"That's because of Black Company's goal."
"Goal?"
"To reconnect our country with the continent."
Korea, which had become like an island since the division, remained the same even after the cataclysmic event known as the Great Cataclysm swept the world.
They failed to properly close the gates that sprang up like mushrooms after rain, and the Kim Dynasty collapsed.
Even after that, due to the chaos caused by various warlords and the numerous infested areas scattered throughout the land, there was no significant difference from before the Great Cataclysm.
"That's audacity beyond what you'd expect from a hunter with only one year of experience."
"I'm just exceptionally talented."
"Do you have any basis for such confidence?"
The reporters stared intently at Yoojin.
He had returned alive from the Double Dungeon incident, a place where even Arhan's rising star had perished.
He also participated in the production of Saint's Tear, a mass-produced mid-grade potion that could affect the hunter industry not only in Korea but also worldwide.
He even captured a peak 6 Star Hunter.
But these achievements were not enough to accomplish the feat of developing the area north of the Korean peninsula.
'Whatever it is, it's a scoop.'
'This is the real story, not Saint's Tear.'
'Black Company? What are they planning to pull off to set up such a big operation?'
The people gathered in the room vaguely sensed that Yoojin had orchestrated this whole thing for this very moment.
And that he needed solid evidence for his bold claims.
〔Contractor. Have you prepared the cards to satisfy these little humans?〕
'Of course.'
〔I'm truly looking forward to it.〕
'Looking forward to what?'
〔Isn't this the moment when you leave a great mark on the world? It's a momentous day.〕
About three months had passed since the regression.
During that time, Yoojin's activities were mostly limited to the vicinity of Paju.
From the moment he announced the establishment of Black Company, he would no longer be able to stay in such a small area.
〔I trust that you're prepared.〕
'Why are you asking such a thing all of a sudden?'
Yoojin muttered, as if it were a silly question.
‘Prepared?’
From the moment he decided to regress, he had been waiting for this situation to arise.
The moment he truly begins to change the future.
Today will be a turning point in history.
After slowly looking around at the people gathered in the convention center, he pulled out the card he had prepared.
"Within two years, I will eliminate the Manhunters in Gaeseong."
A Declaration of War.
Once uttered—this irreversible statement was unleashed upon the public.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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