Chapter 85

Alone Leveling: Ragnarok Chapter 84

Suhwo nodded.

"We need two more people."

"Yeah. It might be a bit tricky to find them. Even your brother had the same problem. We need to find hunters who can just fill the numbers without actually engaging in real hunting activities."

Euginho seemed to miss this kind of conversation very much.

'This kid probably plans to clear dungeons alone with just his Shadow Soldiers, just like his brother.'

"I'd like to join myself, but if I do, the reporters will come after me with a vengeance."

Euginho himself had awakened as a D-rank Hunter.

Of course, after awakening, he once expressed a desire to enter a dungeon, but he was repeatedly scolded by his employees and felt discouraged.

Perhaps he was trying to satisfy his suppressed desire by featuring Hunters in a new game.

Suddenly, a suitable person came to Suhwo's mind.

"We have one person already."

"Who is it?"

"A demon named Esil."

"A demon, you say?"

"No, a real demon."

"……Can we trust a demon?"

Euginho hesitated for a moment at Suhwo's answer.

Vael responded to his question.

[You can count on me. Esil was the second subordinate who always followed the Lord, just like you.]

"That's impossible."

Euginho countered with a very serious look.

"There can't be another brother like me to the Lord."

[……Don't compete over such things.]

Anyway, unlike Gray, the descendant of the Fang Lord, Esil was a free entity not bound by the system.

However, he was also the one who feared the Shadow Lord the most.

He had witnessed firsthand how Seong Jin-woo thoroughly exterminated all demons except for Esil's clan.

In fact, the reason Esil had survived until now was that he had betrayed the demon world early on and sided with Seong Jin-woo.

"Anyway, since he's not human, we need to get him an ID before registering him as a Hunter. I'll take care of the necessary procedures."

Euginho wrote 'foreign worker' in his notebook and circled it.

Then he looked at Suhwo and asked,

"Then who's the other one?"

Just then, Suhwo's phone rang.

Buzz.

News of his appearance had caused a lot of people to contact him.

But when he saw the caller's name, Suhwo smiled strangely and answered,

"I think I've found the other one."

[Assistant Im]

Im Do-kyun, the teaching assistant at Korea University's Department of Conversation.

He worked as a teaching assistant at his university and, on weekends, as a freelance E-rank Hunter, taking on excavation jobs.

- Hey, hey! Suho! Are you okay? Are you really alive?!

As soon as Suhwo pressed the call button, a rapid-fire voice came from the other end of the phone.

- I just saw the news, what the hell is going on? Why did you follow them into such a dangerous place? I told you, a Hunter must live a long and cautious life……!

As the endless nagging from Assistant Im continued, Suhwo couldn't help but smile.

'The person who runs away first when it's dangerous is always the one who worries the most after the fact.'

No matter what, Assistant Im was just a terrible coward.

He was afraid of his own death and the death of others.

Perhaps it was because of this personality that he was still alive and well as an E-rank Hunter.

How serious must he be about running away to have a top-tier running skill despite being an E-rank Hunter?

'So, it's even better.'

What Suhwo needed now was not a comrade but a quick porter.

And when the battle started, the ability to quickly move to the back without getting in the way was also important.

- Anyway, that's why I'm saying.

After a long lecture, Assistant Im got to the point.

- You must have become a lot more valuable because of this incident. The guilds must have made a lot of contract offers, right?

"Yes, it's been chaotic since this morning."

- What? Already? You mustn't sign any contract without thinking!

The nagging didn't stop.

- Do you know how many Hunters suffer because they joined the wrong guild? You must check all the guilds and contract terms with my brother before signing! Got it?

"……"

As he listened to the nagging, the corners of Suhwo's mouth slowly turned up.

Sure enough, who would have thought that a school senior would be so nagging, but his concern was evident in the endless nagging.

- And if you get any weird offers, just reject them all! I'll find you a better guild. I've been collecting a lot of business cards lately.

"Really? Is Assistant Im joining a guild?"

- Yeah. After this incident, I realized that being a freelancer is just too dangerous. Plus, these days, guilds are starting to hire E-rank Hunters like me as regular employees.

"……"

As he listened to Assistant Im, Suhwo felt a strange feeling.

What a coincidence.

This trend was certainly due to the recent events he had experienced.

With Hunters dying frequently lately, guilds were facing sudden manpower shortages, leading to a new trend of directly managing even lower-ranked Hunters.

- Anyway, I'm looking for a guild these days, and when I find the best one, I'll let you know……

"Assistant Im, that's not necessary."

Suhwo interrupted him and spoke directly.

"There's a better guild here. Would you like to come over now?"

-……What? Where is it?

* * *

"Huh……!"

A moment later, Assistant Im arrived at Ajin Soft and was left breathless.

"Y, Y, Yuginho President?!"

"Hehe. Nice to see you."

G, G, G, Goodness gracious.

What on earth is going on here!

Seeing Yuginho extending his hand with a kind smile, Assistant Im froze like a broken toy.

He was shaking hands with the president of Ajin Soft, whom he usually only saw in game news.

"A, hello! I, I am……!"

"I've already heard from Suho. You're a close friend of his, right?"

"Huh."

He called him 'our Suho.'

"I'm here as Suho's uncle, not as the president of Ajin Soft, so don't be too nervous."

"……!"

Even though he was told not to be nervous, Assistant Im froze even more.

He had already received a rough hint from Suho on the way, but the shock was doubled when Yuginho confirmed it himself.

Suhwo handed him a contract.

"I made the contract while you were on your way."

To be precise, it was Yuginho's secretary who made the contract.

As Suhwo unfolded the contract, Yuginho explained the contents himself.

"As you heard on the way, the guild you'll be joining is completely unrelated to Ajin Soft. It will be a guild funded entirely by my personal funds. By the way, your salary is set at the highest in the industry for E-rank Hunters, so don't worry."

"Wha?! Thank you!"

At that, Assistant Im bowed deeply.

Yuginho waved his hand.

"Thank Suho, not me. It seems he really thinks highly of you."

"Kuh. Suho……!"

With a deeply moved expression, Assistant Im looked at Suhwo.

Yuginho continued explaining to him.

"Don't get your hopes up too much. I can't spend too much money due to tax issues. I just plan to rent a small building for the guild office free of charge."

"Free building?!"

At that, Assistant Im's eyes nearly popped out.

"Hehe. In the old days, I would have just given you the building. But since Suho is my relative, it would cause inheritance and other issues. So, I'm helping within legal limits."

Yuginho smacked his lips, regretting that he couldn't help more.

But then,

'Huh? Wait. Suho is a relative, so he can't give him a building? What……'

Assistant Im suddenly noticed something strange in Yuginho's words and turned his head with an uneasy look.

He looked at the calm Suhwo drinking coffee and then back at President Yuginho.

"President, the guild leader of the guild you're setting up, by any chance……"

"Oh, you haven't heard that yet? Of course, it's……"

[Our little Lord.]

Suddenly!

Assistant Im froze like a stone at the meaningful smile of Vael, who suddenly leaned in.

'Ah, that's why the conditions were too good.'

Assistant Im, who had rushed over upon receiving the call, only now heard the most important part.

If Suho, who had just awakened a month ago, was the guild leader, who would the guild members be?

Even with Yuginho's support, this was something he had to clarify.

"Suho, can I ask one thing before signing the contract?"

"What is it?"

"How many other guild members……"

"Guild members? A lot."

"Really? A lot?"

At that, Assistant Im's face lit up instantly.

But it turned pale just as quickly.

"Stand up."

"……?!"

Whoosh!

Suddenly, black shadows rose from the floor and surrounded Assistant Im.

[Kyaah!]

[Keeheeaa!]

"……"

The Black Mummies, with their black smoke, surrounded Assistant Im, greeting him with eerie screams.

But they were just one-day part-timers, and the only full-time member, 'Quai,' approached Assistant Im with a menacing face and threatened him.

[Always remember. The Master's first subordinate is me. You are second.]

"……"

No, don't compete over such things……

Assistant Im, who had been sitting, now had a deadpan expression.

He managed to ask Suhwo,

"Besides these, are there any humans?"

"Ah, there are only the two of us. And it will always be that way."

"……I see. I see. That's how it is."

Assistant Im, with a dejected look, pondered Suhwo's answer.

But despite the shock, he had already seen Suho in action.

Logically, it could be a good thing.

No office maintenance costs, and even savings on salaries.

"Well, the Association does recognize the number of summons as the minimum number of members in a party. But Suho, you know that a guild needs at least three humans to be established, right?"

"Yes, I know."

Suhwo answered with a meaningful smile.

"That's why I've recruited one more person who looks human."

"Looks human……?"

It was ominous.