My Catastrophic‑Level Summon Devours Gates - Chapter 53
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 53
“5 billion would be difficult.”
“I fully understand your position.”
President Baek continued speaking without showing any sign of disappointment.
“An unknown one-person agency versus the Domestic Big Five – even setting aside the signing bonus, the latter makes more sense.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
“It’s fine. I knew this probably wouldn’t work out when I made this request, so I’ve just been putting pressure on Hunter Park.”
“I only want to receive 1 billion.”
“Excuse me?”
Until I met President Baek.
I really thought about it a lot.
If I stamp the contract, I’d get 20 billion.
How could I resist that?
“But even if I suddenly got 20 billion, I realized I had nowhere to spend it.”
Arm myself with Rare+ Items?
If you join the Domestic Big Five, item support is standard.
Even the Hwarang Guild Hunters I met at the E-rank Gate were like that.
As for buying Unique+ Items.
20 billion wouldn’t even buy a few pieces of armament, so it would be meaningless.
“I also looked into Boss’s retirement plan.”
I thought about buying a building and having my parents manage and run it.
It didn’t appeal to me.
A comfortable and easy life was guaranteed, so why wasn’t I tempted?
“I want to become stronger.”
I spent 5 years as an E-rank.
I went in and out of Gates more diligently than other E-rank Hunters.
I earned money accordingly, but invested it all in Undead Modification and repairs.
At first, I just wanted to advance to D-rank.
But as this lifestyle continued, my ambition grew even stronger.
I guess you could say I became obsessed.
Now I’ve become someone who can’t be satisfied with just D-rank.
“Receiving systematic support from a major guild might be better.”
“Shouldn’t you be trying to persuade me?”
“This is objective advice.”
“But if they provide support, they also demand a lot in return.”
Moving as a team unit.
Or being mobilized for specific Gate raids.
There are also considerable restrictions on personal activities.
You have to be mindful of competition with other Domestic Big Five and even Gate entries.
You gain a lot, but you also lose quite a bit.
“After working as a D-rank, I found that it pays pretty well.”
President Baek had said.
That there’s no Hunter who earns like me.
He said it was abnormal since I clear higher grades frequently and take all the income for myself.
Then.
When I become C-rank, or even B-rank.
How much money could I make?
“Won’t there come a day when 20 billion feels like pocket change?”
“With Hunter Park’s potential, that day will come soon.”
Wow.
Even if it’s just flattery, it feels good.
“That’s why I only want to take 1 billion.”
President Baek’s capabilities.
Working together for a week, I felt it clearly.
Before, there were too many things to worry about before and after Gate raids.
Sorting monster byproducts.
In that process, having to dispose of valuable items one by one.
And signing documents here and there.
Since President Baek handles all these troublesome processes that require attention.
I can now focus solely on hunting.
Why this person, starting as a non-awakened regular employee, could quickly rise to an executive position in such a large guild.
After experiencing it, I could really feel it.
“Please use the remaining 4 billion to set up the agency.”
“Are you sure about this?”
“I’m doing this for my own benefit. It’s advantageous if your work efficiency improves.”
So you can focus entirely on supporting me.
It’s like making a reverse investment.
It’s funny considering the 5 billion signing bonus was President Baek’s money to begin with.
“How is it? My investment plan.”
I looked directly into President Baek’s eyes.
Since I’ve shown this much consideration.
You’ll have to work even harder for me, President.
Gulp— Gulp—
President Baek downed the cold water in one go and slammed the glass down hard on the table with a thunk.
“I will repay your trust.”
What’s with the repaying trust and all.
Just continue doing what you’ve been doing well.
“Are you going to formally employ those guys too?”
“Yes. If I want them to follow Hunter Park, I’ll have to push them much harder.”
That conclusion seems a bit strange, doesn’t it?
Five question marks floated above my head.
“If you want to be able to support the Hunter when he goes to higher-grade Gates, shouldn’t we match the grades?”
“Ah.”
“It would be difficult to match them up to B-rank, but I’ll somehow get them to C-rank.”
Uh.
Hmm.
Right.
If they’re okay with it, then it doesn’t matter.
I’ll pray for your souls, guys.
“Would it be alright to release an article about the contract?”
“Well, is there a need for that?”
“We need to make Hunter Park’s position clear so the guilds will give up too.”
There might be restraint coming immediately, but once I establish my position, they won’t be able to touch me.
“So they do restraint too.”
“The Domestic Big Five don’t want the current power structure to be overturned.”
“It seems like an overstatement that the board would change because of just me.”
“It will change. Definitely.”
Sparks flickered in President Baek’s eyes.
Yikes.
I’ll have to work harder not to disappoint that man.
I also modified several items in the contract content.
“Let’s raise the minimum hourly wage a bit.”
Scratch scratch—
“And make the commission fee 5%. What are you trying to do, boil grass roots to eat?”
Scratch—
“No performance bonus?”
…
The contract President Baek made saying he would show passion.
Passion pay is a bit much, you know.
As I fixed things one by one, I belatedly noticed that the most important thing was missing.
“The company name is blank.”
“Ah. When I was making the contract, I couldn’t think of a name so I left it empty.”
President Baek picked up his pen and placed the tip against the empty field.
—Seungcheon Agency
“Seungcheon?”
“When you look at Hunter Park, isn’t he the perfect case of a dragon rising from a stream? That’s what made me think of it.”
It was an incredibly grand name.
It felt more like interpreting a dream than the dream itself.
However.
“I like it.”
It was a word that rolled off the tongue perfectly.
* * *
[Guui-dong Necromancer reveals his destination as a one-person support agency.]
[Where is the new agency Seungcheon?]
[Agency founded by former Chilseong executive. What’s the connection to Chilseong?]
[Chilseong Guild draws clear line, says no relationship with Seungcheon Agency.]
….
News that spread mainly online.
Baek Seong-hyeon used his connections and money to spread the rumors.
Much reduced firepower compared to his days as a Chilseong director.
Nevertheless.
Since the topic of the Guui-dong Necromancer hadn’t cooled down yet, the issue spread rapidly.
Korea’s strongest Hunter.
A figure also called a legend of the Rift Bureau.
Response Director Jung Seung-il looked at the article and smiled broadly.
“Interesting.”
“Did you just smile?”
Response Department Chief Jeon Hye-yeon was startled.
It was extremely rare for her stone-faced superior to smile.
In nearly 10 years of working together, she could count the times she’d seen him smile on one hand!
“Because a D-rank Hunter chose his own path.”
“You haven’t forgotten which organization you belong to, have you?”
Jeon Hye-yeon pointed to the nameplate on the desk.
“Can’t help it, can we? We’re poorly paid.”
“You’re the highest-ranking person in that poorly paid organization, Director.”
Jung Seung-il cleared his throat briefly.
“But is it really true?”
“How can you tell when you cut off the beginning and end?”
“This guy Park Min-ho. The part about Mir offering him 15 billion.”
“Yes.”
The Rift Bureau was also quite serious about ‘information movement.’
Especially Director Jung Seung-il, thanks to his heroic actions, had quite a few people who moved information for him behind the scenes.
Jeon Hye-yeon muttered as if she couldn’t understand.
“That Yong Cheon-woo offering 15 billion.”
The strongest among Korea’s S-rank Hunters.
The only one among the Big Five who built a giant guild from scratch with his bare hands, a success story.
There were many ways to describe Guild Master Yong Cheon-woo.
But those who knew him well told different stories beyond his tremendous reputation.
A narcissist who lived for his own glory.
Perhaps that’s why.
“Mir doesn’t spend money easily.”
“That’s right.”
Saying that talented Hunters would grow on their own without excessive investment.
Among the Big Five guilds, they were the most frugal when it came to recruitment.
The reason they could maintain their position among the Big Five without spending much on talent acquisition.
Was because many Hunters sought guidance from Yong Cheon-woo, the strongest S-rank.
“But why are we.”
The only SS-rank Hunter in the country, surpassing even the strongest S-rank.
Why wasn’t it popular even though Director Jung Seung-il personally trained Hunters?
Jeon Hye-yeon complained lightly.
“I told you earlier. It’s because of the low pay.”
“You don’t need to emphasize it more, you know?”
A sense of duty as a Hunter.
And Jeon Hye-yeon, who joined with the intention of learning from Director Jung Seung-il, sometimes wanted to cry.
Jung Seung-il answered with satisfaction at having gotten one over on her.
“Guild Master Yong Cheon-woo observed Hunter Park’s sparring.”
“He saw it directly and offered 15 billion?”
“Yes.”
“My goodness. A talent that made Yong Cheon-woo himself offer 15 billion.”
Yong Cheon-woo prided himself on having only one person superior to him: Director Jung Seung-il.
What did Min-ho show during the sparring?
What made that incarnation of narcissism offer such an unprecedented amount of 15 billion?
“Did you see it too, Director?”
“I didn’t see him fight directly.”
Jung Seung-il spoke playfully.
“But you must have felt something.”
“The undead he summons was glaring at me from beyond the darkness.”
He recalled when they met at the gopchang restaurant.
The presence lurking in Min-ho’s shadow.
The power itself was weak.
However.
The undead dwelling in the abyss seemed to be sizing him up.
“It must be a mistake.”
Jeon Hye-yeon immediately denied it.
“How could a D-rank Hunter’s familiar observe SS-rank skills?”
“I’m saying that’s how it felt.”
One thing was certain.
Min-ho’s undead familiar was extraordinary.
Jeon Hye-yeon couldn’t agree with that opinion, but she didn’t deny the fact that Min-ho’s potential was remarkable.
“Chilseong offered 10 billion, you said?”
“They raised it to 20 billion.”
“What.”
“Though it’s a meaningless number now that today’s announcement came out.”
The fact that they could obtain each guild’s confidential information relatively easily was also because Min-ho’s independence announcement came out.
“Hunter Park Min-ho. Will he be alright?”
“It won’t be easy for a while.”
He had kicked away all the love calls from the Domestic Big Five and declared independence.
Direct and indirect restraints would certainly come.
“They say the one who orchestrated this whole picture is Baek Seong-hyeon, former director of Chilseong.”
“Ah! Right? That person! I was surprised when he suddenly became the CEO of Seungcheon Agency.”
Director Baek Seong-hyeon of Chilseong Guild.
Though he was now former, he was quite famous in the industry for being a Non-Awakened who had risen to a high position in a guild.
“That person is the one supporting Hunter Park.”
“Aha. So he set up the board in his own way.”
It looked like he was inciting the Big Five to try restraining him.
Normally, one would break under the pressure and restraints.
“Director Baek Seong-hyeon, no. CEO wouldn’t have done this without thinking it through.”
“You’re giving quite a high evaluation.”
“Of whom?”
“Both of them.”
Jeon Hye-yeon replied in a tone that suggested she was jealous.
“Ahem. Department Head Jeon is also a remarkable person.”
“It’s too late to say that now, isn’t it?”
Jeon Hye-yeon snorted as she left.
Director Jung Seung-il, who had been watching her intently, solidified his thoughts.
‘I need to hurry the establishment of the Rangers.’
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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