Chapter 110

[Translator - Hestia]

[Proofreader - Kaya]

Chapter 110: Catching a Breath

Park Haneul's dedication was proven thanks to the data Yoojin had gathered.

That being said—

Not everything was over yet.

"I'm sorry to say this, but could you wait just a little longer until we get the paperwork approved?"

【You can contact Master’s phone later if needed.】

"The thing is… there's never been a case where someone who was declared dead actually came back."

The Hunter Association was a state-supported public enterprise.

Maybe not as rigid as government offices, but still a bureaucratic powerhouse that followed procedures to the letter.

A case like Fafnir’s was unprecedented, and even the higher-ups were at a loss.

"Administration, huh…"

Yoojin let out a hollow laugh.

He hadn’t expected bureaucracy to be the thing slowing them down.

Even after coming back to life, Fafnir remained trapped in a paperwork nightmare—filing documents, including his own death confirmation.

【Signing off on proof of my own death… what a bizarre experience.】

"Usually, that’s something the family takes care of. Just think of it as a rare opportunity thanks to me."

【Hmm. Master, you don’t have any family either.】

"Wow. That was an uncalled-for low blow."

The two exchanged pointless banter.

Without these kinds of conversations, the boredom would have been unbearable.

"Mr. Yang, can’t we just leave the paperwork to Fafnir?"

"As I said, this is the first time someone has come back from the dead. He requires a legal guardian."

【You heard that, Guardian?】

"Agh…"

Yoojin ruffled his hair in frustration.

There was already so much to do, and now he was getting dragged into this mess.

But then—

‘Wait a second.’

Yoojin, who had been glancing over Fafnir’s documents, suddenly widened his eyes.

"Why does your resident registration number start with a 2?"

【Why are you even asking?】

"No, I mean… A number starting with 2 means… you're female."

【Hah. Master, you seriously didn’t know?】

"What the—"

Yoojin was confused.

‘Holy shit!! This is real?!!!! B-Bro— no, Sis?! What the hell is going on here?!‘

Yoojin pressed his lips together with all his might.

If he didn’t, he was sure the scream rising in his throat would burst out.

‘This makes no sense.’

〔Kahahaha!!! Now this is entertaining!〕

‘Shut up, you bastard!!!’

〔All that knowledge from your precious regression, and you didn’t know this?〕

‘I was so sure he was a guy.’

His back was damp with sweat.

‘Park Haneul… was a woman?’

He really didn’t know.

〔You’ve already crossed paths with your great warrior twice, and yet you truly had no idea?〕

‘In my past life, I barely paid attention to things like that.’

The Park Haneul from his previous life had been a very reserved undead.

A vengeful spirit, bound to the earth by sheer resentment.

Most of her emotions had faded away, and she avoided talking about herself at all costs.

Hah.

For once, he didn’t miss that version of Park Haneul one bit.

〔This is truly a masterpiece.〕

‘Easy for you to say when it’s not your problem.’

Ugh.

His head throbbed.

Yoojin pressed his fingers against his temples.

Even after that little… incident, there was still a mountain of paperwork to get through.

By the time everything was finally processed, the sun had already disappeared beyond the horizon.

"No compensation, huh."

Yoojin grumbled under his breath.

Since Park Haneul was officially dead, she wasn’t eligible for any rewards, even if her contributions were acknowledged.

If she had family, it might’ve been different—but like Yoojin, she was an orphan with no relatives to claim it.

【It’s fine. Just being thanked is enough.】

"Seriously?"

【I’m already dead. What would I even do with money for the afterlife?】

"I was thinking of putting up a memorial or something. Here lies Park Haneul, the hero who stopped a Monster Wave!"

【Th-There’s no need to go that far!!!】

Yoojin snickered, satisfied with Fafnir’s flustered reaction.

‘Heh. Now that felt good. A proper comeback after getting caught off guard!’

〔From where I stand, it seems like this was just your own misunderstanding.〕

‘Shut up.’

Yoojin pushed Kronos’s voice out of his mind.

That was just cheap.

Hitting someone with cold, hard facts like that.

With a bitter smile tugging at his lips, he stepped out of the Hunter Association’s headquarters.

＊ ＊ ＊

The Next Day

Yoojin met up with the Little Runts team.

"Hyung-nim, we’ve completed the mercenary guild registration."

"That’s surprising. They approved it in just a day?"

"The official in charge must’ve already seen the articles about Black Company. The approval went through instantly."

Meanwhile, someone had spent an entire day buried in a mountain of paperwork.

Yoojin felt a twinge of envy.

"It’s all thanks to your name value, hyung-nim. We skipped all the hassle because of you."

"Good job. I see you didn’t hesitate to sell my name."

"Haha, thank you!"

"Oppa, I don’t think that was a compliment."

"Nah, feel free to drop my name whenever it helps."

Fame, connections—whatever was available should be leveraged.

Knowing how to use what’s in your hands was a skill in itself.

The same applied to money.

Even if you had a fortune, just letting it sit in a bank account would only earn you pathetic interest.

You had to reinvest it.

Move it around.

Buy real estate, or find some other way to make it grow.

Otherwise, it was as good as dead.

"Oppa, I heard something shocking today."

"What is it?"

"Apparently… you’re 23 years old."

"Did I never mention that?"

"Uhh… so that means I’m actually older than you?"

"Want me to start calling you noona?"

At Yoojin’s cynical remark, Kang Minyeong shrank back.

"N-No, I think I’d die of embarrassment if you did."

"If it bothers you that much, you can just drop the formalities too."

"Uhh… I’ll politely decline. I’m comfortable like this, oppa."

Her speech was already wavering back and forth, though.

Beside her, Lee Seongmin was desperately holding back laughter—until Minyeong pinched his side.

"GAH!!"

"Seongmin, you’re getting cocky, huh?"

"W-Wait, let’s be clear, I’ve always been taller than—GAH!!"

The group burst into noisy chatter.

Meanwhile, Kim Mijeong, who had been assigned to the Little Runts team, made no effort to hide her displeasure.

"I said I’d stick with you, but babysitting brats wasn’t part of the deal."

"If you don’t like it, go join the Rakshasa Guild."

"Hey. I’m a 6 Star Hunter, you know. I can pull my weight—just take me to the battlefield already."

Kim Mijeong…

If anyone was doing the babysitting here, it was the Little Runts team.

With more people in the group, the level of chaos naturally increased.

〔Wouldn’t it be better to just send that little human off to some harsh battlefield?〕

‘If she’s out of sight, she’ll just cause trouble elsewhere.’

The only thing that could tether Kim Mijeong was interest.

If he wanted to make use of Mad Dog, he needed to keep feeding her something she found entertaining.

〔Then why did you stick the Mad Dog with the Little Runts team?〕

‘Because once she sees their true potential, she’ll definitely be interested.’

The only reason they hadn’t drawn attention yet was that Yoojin overshadowed them.

But in reality, the Little Runts team’s growth speed far surpassed that of an average Hunter.

Kang Minho, the team leader, was already wielding mana as if it were an extension of his own body.

‘Once he meets the level requirement, he’ll break past the wall to 4 Star without even feeling it.’

The same went for Kang Minyeong and Lee Seongmin.

Thanks to Yoojin’s guidance, they had unlocked the full potential of their unique traits.

Day by day, they were pushing against their limits.

‘Even if they don’t realize it themselves.’

〔Can one break through a wall in advance?〕

‘That’s just a way of putting it.’

The "wall" that existed from 4 Star onward was ultimately a term used to describe the realization of how to properly wield mana.

In rare cases, some had already grasped the ability to imbue their mana with intent before reaching 4 Star, allowing them to advance the moment their level met the requirement.

‘Zhang Wufei, the head of Cheonmu Clan, is a prime example.’

A hunter who represented China.

And the leader of Cheonmu Clan, a powerhouse that stood shoulder to shoulder with the Romanov clan among the Seven Great Clans.

〔Didn’t your great warrior also learn to imbue intent even before breaking past the wall?〕

Ah.

Fafnir, a warrior who had reached the heights of 6 Star in life.

Even after taking on a weakened Draconian corpse due to the [The Ancient Trial Grounds], she could still wield her Dark Aura without issue.

‘Still not used to this.’

Even after decades, learning about Fafnir was still a shock.

A full day had passed, but the disbelief remained.

Yoojin shook his head, trying to rid himself of lingering thoughts.

"Seongmin, did you post the mercenary recruitment ad on HunterNet?"

"Yes, hyung-nim. But I’m not expecting much."

"Well, we’ll see about that."

Little Runts Mercenary Corps.

The name of their newly registered hunter company, and the mercenary group under Black Company.

Some had pointed out that the name sounded too unimpressive for a mercenary group.

To which Lee Seongmin had given a blunt reply—

"It’s still better than Black Company."

…And Yoojin had nothing to say to that.

‘Tsk. What is so bad about Black Company anyway?’

〔It seems that in this era, people call companies that treat employees like livestock "Black Companies."〕

‘Ugh. When the hell did you adapt to modern culture, Kronos?! At this rate, you’ll be using a smartphone soon.‘

The Little Runts Mercenary Corps recruitment event was being held at the same hotel seminar room where yesterday’s demonstration had taken place.

A table had been set up for the interviewers.

Yoojin sat in the center, with the Little Runts Team lined up on either side.

"Tell me my eyes are playing tricks on me."

"Rookie, you’re seeing it right."

"The number of applicants is insane, hyung-nim."

The crowd easily numbered in the hundreds.

Among them, a few exuded the unmistakable aura of Hunters who had surpassed the "wall"—the threshold of mastery over their mana.

“I wonder how many of them are actually worth something.”

【Twelve at 4 Star rank. One at 5 Star.】

“…5 Star?”

Even Yoojin was caught off guard.

The Black Company—the organization backing the Little Runts Mercenary Corps—was currently the hottest topic in the country, dominating public discourse.

He had expected a flood of applicants, but a 5 Star Hunter? That was unexpected.

“Gah! Hyung-nim!”

“What’s got you so worked up?”

“That guy over there! He’s that Hunter from before!”

“…Minho, could you maybe use a subject in your sentence?”

“The Hunter who ran away from your territory! He was with the Black Wolf Mercenaries!”

Oh.

The spineless coward who turned tail and ran?

What the hell was he doing here after fleeing Necropolis?

Did he think he could just waltz in and get a free meal?

“Let’s start the interviews.”

“Yes, hyung-nim.”

They’d find out soon enough.

Yoojin crossed his arms and lazily scanned the waiting Hunters.

“I was drawn to the incredible potential of the Little Runts Mercenary Corps, so I—”

“Next.”

“Hello, my name is Byun Heeyoung. My current rank is—”

“Next.”

Thanks to the pre-submitted resumes, Yoojin already had a good grasp of the applicants' abilities.

He took in those with promise.

The rest?

They didn’t even get a proper conversation before being sent on their way.

“What exactly is your selection criteria?”

“No clue. We don’t even know why he decided to train us in the first place.”

“Must have his own way of evaluating people.”

As they munched on the snacks laid out for the interviewers, the Little Runts Team watched the situation unfold, assuming Yoojin had some deeper plan.

But then—

“…Ah. You.”

“Heh. Fancy seeing you again.”

At the sight of Min Sangjin, the leader of the Black Wolf Mercenaries, the team’s relaxed atmosphere disappeared.

It had only been a few days since their encounter near the border.

They had already noticed his name on the applicant list, but now, seeing him in person, tension spread across their faces.

“So it’s you.”

“You’re the one who controlled those undead, aren’t you?”

“That’s right.”

“Damn. No matter how hard I tried back then, I couldn’t get a look at your face… Guess I finally get to meet you properly now.”

“How do you feel after finally seeing my handsome face?”

“I can see why you play hard to get. Anyway, let me join up.”

Yoojin waved his hand dismissively.

“Think about it. Wouldn’t it be suspicious if a 5 Star Hunter I just fought a few days ago suddenly asked to become my subordinate?”

“It was just a job. That’s how mercenaries work, isn’t it?”

“What’s your reason for wanting to join the Little Runts Mercenary Corps?”

“You’re impressive, but your team’s no joke either. If I get in early with a rising force, I’ll have more to gain in the long run.”

His rough way of speaking aside, his reasoning was sound.

He was acknowledging Yoojin’s potential and making a calculated decision to follow him.

Not to mention, it took guts to bow his head to someone he had fought just days ago.

He could be useful.

“I like your attitude. You’re in.”

“Hyung-nim… are you sure about this?”

“I don’t mind. You guys are the ones leading the mercenary corps, after all.”

“…!”

Kang Minho’s eyes nearly popped out of his skull.

‘A little pressure would push them to grow even faster. The Black Wolves, was it? If those guys were part of the mercenary corps, it would light a fire under the Little Runts Team as well. If they didn’t want to get outclassed, they’d have to get stronger. Sure, it would mean some grueling effort along the way, but that was the price of growth.’

With the new recruits, the total number of mercenaries had risen to 20. Including the Little Runts Team, that made 23.

“Uh, hyung-nim. We set up the mercenary corps like you asked, but…”

“It’s not exactly ready to run yet, is it?”

“No, sir. We don’t have an office or even administrative staff.”

“Talk to Director Im about that. He should’ve set up a basic structure already.”

Yoojin had given him instructions before the [Saint's Tears] demonstration.

By now, most of the groundwork should be in place.

“When did you even—”

“For now, don’t bother putting the new recruits to work. Most of them are just here because of the name value.”

“Understood, hyung-nim.”

“The real operations of the Little Runts Mercenary Corps will begin after all three of you break past the 4 Star wall.”

“…We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us.”

“Just keep doing what you’re doing.”

Yoojin gave Minho a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

“Hyung-nim, we’ll be heading back to the border region now.”

“Yeah, go ahead.”

“You staying behind for something?”

“There’s an experiment I need to run.”

After the war with the Rakshasa Guild, Kronos had given him an idea—

Researching how to create undead priests.

〔If the other Constellations find out, they’ll lose their minds.〕

‘Even better.’

A war with the Seven Great Clans was inevitable anyway.

Pissing off a few Constellations along the way?

Hardly a concern.

Yoojin chuckled.

[Translator - Hestia

[Proofreader - Kaya]