Chapter 731

Step.

A glossy dress shoe pressed into the carpet.

The man had finally turned to face us, and one thought came to mind.

He looks like a crow.

Dressed in black from head to toe, he looked like a European gentleman who had wandered in from the nineteenth century. His suit didn’t have a wrinkle in it, his coat collar stood high, and he wore a silk hat that had gone out of fashion a hundred years ago.

He was unmistakably Black, but his eyes, visible through a clear monocle, were a mysterious gold.

He studied us for a moment, then touched the brim of his hat in greeting.

“Pleased to meet you both.”

His Korean came through smoothly, courtesy of translation Magic.

He was an uninvited guest who had appeared without an appointment, but we couldn’t openly snub a messenger from Odin Guild. Besides, anyone carrying this much mana…

He’s no ordinary messenger.

I gave the stranger a small nod, and Team Leader Choi offered him a seat.

“Please, sit down.”

The three of us sat facing one another across a solid wood table. An odd silence settled over us before our guest broke it.

“I should introduce myself. I am Huginn of Odin Guild.”

“The crow?”

I hadn’t meant to say it aloud. Huginn gave a faint smile.

“Ah. I do have a real name, of course, but I have been called Huginn since I entered the Guild Master’s service. You may call me that as well.”

Once a Hunter made a name for himself, people often used an epithet based on his abilities more than his actual name. But no matter how hard I searched my memory, I couldn’t place Huginn.

One of Odin’s Guild Master’s hidden right-hand men, maybe?

Even Korea’s major Guilds kept plenty of secrets. I worked on the front lines; I could hardly expect to know the inner workings of a foreign Guild.

Especially Odin Guild.

There had been a time when Ares Guild was considered the best in the world. But a little over twenty years ago, Cheon Taemin vanished from the public eye without a trace.

People wondered what had happened. Lee Jungryong became Ares Guild’s new captain, but no amount of skill could fill the void Cheon Taemin had left.

One year passed. Then five. Then ten.

Countless devoted followers of Cheon Taemin still called Ares Guild the best. Those who knew the reality—Hunters in particular—saw things differently.

To put it bluntly, Ares Guild had been a setting sun for the past ten years.

Odin Guild, meanwhile, was the rising sun.

Based in Europe, they had rapidly expanded their influence while Ares Guild was faltering. Along the way, they acquired and merged with several major Guilds, rising into a giant that no one could deny.

A giant powerful enough to send a mere messenger to Ares Guild’s new master.

“I’ve come today to convey the Guild Master’s congratulations.”

At Huginn’s words, Team Leader Choi calmly opened his mouth.

“Is that so?”

“Yes. He is delighted to see a capable young man with all the right qualifications take charge of Ares Guild.”

It sounded like praise. It wasn’t.

I ran my tongue over my lips.

Well, look at these bastards…

Some things showed through no matter how much wrapping you piled on. Huginn’s courteous tone and manner couldn’t hide what lay beneath them.

Looking down on us from the start.

I felt as if we were receiving an envoy from an overlord state. Team Leader Choi wasn’t too stupid to notice, or rash enough to show his displeasure openly.

“That is rather high praise while my maternal grandfather is still with us, but I’m grateful nonetheless. Grateful enough to want to thank him in person.”

Huginn kept smiling despite the barb.

“Ah, he was very sorry he could not come himself.”

“The Guild Master must be busy. I’d heard he had withdrawn from public life several years ago… but it seems you can’t trust rumors.”

The higher someone rose, the harder it became to get them out of their seat. That was an eternal truth. Cheon Taemin, who had reportedly vanished altogether, was simply an extreme case.

Most major Guild Masters limited their contact with the outside world. Odin’s Guild Master was no different.

“Even so, he is someone I have always respected, so I would like to visit him and pay my respects. What do you think?”

“Haha. Well…”

Huginn laughed aloud and laced his fingers together.

“I’m sorry, but he has been so busy lately that I doubt it would be possible.”

“It sounds as though something has happened.”

“Yes. A minor matter, though quite troublesome in its way. He seems to be giving a great deal of thought to how he should handle it. The others are, too.”

“The others?”

“Acquaintances he has known for many years. The person he is meeting today is from Kronos… Ah, my apologies. I shouldn’t have said that.”

The name of another major Guild—one of the world’s Ten Great Guilds alongside Ares—had slipped out.

Team Leader Choi spoke quietly. “Kronos Guild.”

“I would appreciate it if you could forget you heard that. I make mistakes like this from time to time, and the Guild Master calls me in for a reprimand.”

The troubled look on Huginn’s face made me let out a short laugh.

“What mistake?”

“Pardon?”

“Mr. Crow, drop the half-assed acting. Let’s talk honestly.”

Hmm. Maybe I should have just kept watching.

But listening to him felt like choking down a hundred sweet potatoes without a drop of dongchimi broth to wash them down.¹ I couldn’t take it anymore.

I leaned back into the plush sofa.

“To put it bluntly, you came because of the Mana Cultivation Method that’s about to be released, right? Stop at a reasonable point. If you go any further, this won’t be fun. We can join hands with another major Guild like Kronos and bury you, so don’t get cocky. That’s what you wanted to say, isn’t it?”

“……”

“Fuck’s sake. We all know what this is about, so why give ourselves headaches talking in circles? We’re not recording you. Say what you came to say and go. Right?”

Huginn listened to the whole torrent without a word, then turned to Team Leader Choi.

“I hesitated to mention this for fear of being discourteous, but must Mr. Jin be present?”

“Of course.”

Team Leader Choi’s reply was calm.

“Mr. Jin is that important. And if you wanted to speak with me alone, you should have said so at the outset.”

“Then may I ask to speak with you alone now?”

“I refuse.”

There wasn’t a moment’s hesitation in Team Leader Choi’s answer. Huginn blinked his golden eyes.

“Well… this is awkward.”

“We feel the same. Had you made an appointment, we could have arranged any number of things beforehand.”

“Hm.”

Huginn adjusted his monocle.

“Since I was the first to be rude, I owe you both a formal apology.”

Would you look at him.

I’d thought the crow getup was just a gimmick, but apparently he hadn’t dressed like a gentleman for nothing. Since Huginn was being so courteous, I answered like a gentleman myself.

“You were rude first, so I’m not apologizing.”

“……”

“I already understand how you feel, so don’t stare at me like that. As I said earlier, let’s just have an honest conversation. Okay?”

Huginn sighed and nodded.

“Very well. Since you insist, I shall be direct.”

“Keep it short. Get to the point.”

Huginn’s monocle flashed beneath the office’s lighting Magic. The brief silence ended as he looked from me to Team Leader Choi and spoke.

“Stop the release of the Mana Cultivation Method. If you refuse, there will be consequences.”

It was a single sentence that fulfilled my request to get straight to the point one hundred percent—and made us feel even worse than I had expected.

“Well, I figured that was coming, but… fuck, it’s unpleasant to hear. Don’t you think?”

Team Leader Choi shrugged.

“Isn’t it better than listening to him talk in circles again?”

“That’s true. If he’d done that one more time, I really would’ve…”

“You must control yourself.”

“I was going to, even without you telling me. I don’t want to make this a bigger problem. Though I probably would’ve told him to take off the monocle first.”

Team Leader Choi let out a short laugh. Huginn’s eyes narrowed.

“You are every bit as rude as I was told.”

“You’re being pretty damn unpleasant too. I’d never heard of you, much less seen you.”

“Do you intend to make a show of force here?”

“If I have to. Once you take off that monocle.”

“Listen, Mr. Jin.”

“Yes, hello? Go ahead.”

“Do not lose your temper. This is merely a proposal.”

“Your mouth may be crooked, but you should still speak straight. To my ears, that sounds like a threat, not a proposal.”

“If you choose to hear it as a threat, it may well become one. But your opinion is not what matters to me.”

Huginn answered firmly, then turned toward Team Leader Choi.

“What will you do, Mr. Choi?”

His golden eyes gleamed coldly. A voice filled with force slipped between Huginn’s lips.

“Make the choice yourself.”

Huginn was certain.

He can’t refuse this.

It was an ultimatum in all but name. Anyone with the slightest sense would back down.

Jin Taekyung was unpredictable to the point of being half-mad. But the young Asian man before Huginn, Choi Minwoo, would make a different choice.

Besides…

The Slayer won’t intervene. Master said so. That makes it a fact.

The assurance had come from the one man to whom Huginn gave his absolute loyalty. His Master had never been wrong. Choi Minwoo’s answer was as good as decided.

Perhaps that was why his response, when it came, sounded only natural.

“Since things have come to this, I suppose I have no choice. All right.”

“As expected. You are a wise man, Mr. Choi.”

Huginn felt his composure returning after his exchange with Jin Taekyung. He recovered his smile.

“Then I may take it that tomorrow evening’s release of the Mana Cultivation Method has been canceled entirely?”

“Of course. I’ve changed my mind.”

“Excellent. He will be pleased to hear it.”

Huginn rose and added, “As will the others.”

“I hope so,” Choi Minwoo said.

“They are reasonable people. From now on, we should be able to establish a good relationship in a more amicable atmosphere.”

With that pointed remark, Huginn looked at Jin Taekyung.

Only moments ago, Jin had been spouting vulgarities to his face. Now he was practically lying back on the sofa, fiddling with his smartphone.

Rude to the very end.

But satisfaction outweighed Huginn’s annoyance. He had won.

Before leaving, he adjusted his silk hat like the cultured gentleman he was and offered Jin his hand.

“Mr. Jin, I was discourteous today, though I did not intend to be. I hope we can meet with smiles next time.”

Only a winner had the privilege of mocking the loser with kind words. When Jin refused his hand and gave a curt reply instead, Huginn felt better still.

“You’re in a hurry. It hasn’t even finished uploading.”

“I have an urgent matter to attend to. Good day.”

His business here was done. Huginn gave Choi Minwoo a polite nod, turned, and headed for the door.

Step. Step.

His light footsteps crossed the carpet. But Huginn was forced to stop in front of the door.

He couldn’t ignore what Jin had just said.

“Did you say…?”

Huginn turned back, his words trailing off. He stared at Jin as if he couldn’t believe it.

Jin blinked.

“Hm? Oh, uploading?”

“Uploading…?”

“Yeah. It’s nothing important. You should get going—you look busy.”

Uploading. Uploading. Uploading.

The word throbbed in Huginn’s ears in time with his heartbeat.

“What. Exactly. Did you. Upload?”

And the answer to his clipped question came not from Jin Taekyung, but from Choi Minwoo.

“Didn’t I tell you? I changed my mind.”

“Surely not.”

“The Mana Cultivation Method. We’ve decided to release it today.”

“……!”