The Female Lead Saves the World - Chapter 280

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Yeo Joo Saves the World
Part 2, Episode 101

An inter-guild tournament?
What does that even mean?
It seemed that Kang Han and Shin Se Hee were equally confused by Association Director Ji Jung Hwi’s words.
Shin Se Hee, breathing heavily as if she might charge at Kang Han at any moment, sheathed her sword and asked.
“An inter-guild tournament?”
“Is the Awakeners Association planning to host it?”
“That’s the idea. Let’s move somewhere more private and discuss this properly.”
Association Director Ji Jung Hwi tapped Kang Han’s shoulder lightly with the suggestion.
It seemed there was something important to discuss.
On the way back to the Association Chairman’s Office, I couldn’t contain my impatience and whispered to Kang Han.
“If the Awakeners Association is hosting it, the prize must be substantial, right?”
“We haven’t even decided whether to participate yet, and you’re already thinking about prizes?”
“We need to hear what the prizes are before deciding whether to participate!”
“That’s a fair point.”
Kang Han leaned toward me and answered playfully.
“If each guild sends one representative to fight, that would be nice. Then the guild master would just win everything.”
“Me?”
“Of course. You’re the strongest.”
“Is that your roundabout way of telling me to train harder? That’s harsh.”
As we exchanged banter, we arrived at the Association Chairman’s Office.
“Let’s have some tea first.”
After dropping such an enormous bombshell about an inter-guild tournament, they wanted to leisurely sip tea!
But regardless, the tea that Association Director Ji Jung Hwi brewed himself was delicious, so I held back my complaints.
“About the inter-guild tournament—are both the Justice Guild and Muwoon Guild interested?”
“Of course.”
Shin Se Hee answered immediately, as if she’d been waiting for the question.
But Kang Han and I remained silent.
We wanted to ask a few things before committing to anything.
“Why are you suddenly opening an inter-guild tournament?”
“The purpose is for the top guilds to gather and demonstrate the strength of Korean hunters.”
“Top guilds, you say…”
“We’re planning to start with sixteen guilds.”
Excluding non-combat guilds like Maestro, this meant participation eligibility was roughly for guilds ranked around 18th to 19th place.
While the Muwoon Guild, which fluctuates within the top ten, could manage it, the Justice Guild, still barely clinging to thirtieth place, didn’t qualify.
But why are they asking us about this?
Seeing my bewildered expression, Association Director Ji Jung Hwi chuckled and tapped the armrest of the sofa.
“How could the Justice Guild be absent from a showcase of South Korea’s hunters?”
“Is that so?”
“We’ll select the top fourteen guilds based on guild rankings, and the remaining two guilds will be chosen by my authority as Association Director. A sort of wildcard, if you will.”
It wasn’t a bad proposal.
I didn’t know how the tournament would proceed, but in any case, the opportunity to demonstrate the Justice Guild’s capabilities to the public was quite appealing.
“Our country’s circumstances haven’t been favorable lately. The increased frequency of Gate appearances is troublesome enough, and it’s only natural that Double Dungeons are opening exclusively in Korea—but the psychological and economic repercussions are bound to be substantial.”
At Association Director Ji Jung Hwi’s words, the three of us, myself included, nodded in agreement.
The number of hunters a nation possessed and stable Gate management had long become the measure of a country’s national strength.
Korea, which managed an unusually high number of high-rank hunters relative to its size at a civil servant level, had long become a recognized superpower because of this.
Moreover, the Gate prediction system created by Jung Je Hwa was being rented out by countries worldwide at astronomical costs, making it even more so.
However, the Double Dungeons appearing recently were shaking Korea’s standing.
Public sentiment was equally anxious.
Fortunately, there hadn’t been any casualties so far, but the existence of Double Dungeons that required several S-rank hunters working together just to resolve them made everyone tense.
“We need something to reassure the people. That’s why we’re going to show them. That our country has hunters this strong, and that Korea, protected by them, is unshakeable.”
The intention was sound.
Especially since the Justice Guild’s overseas supporters have been increasing lately.
Besides.
‘Opportunities for guilds to interact with each other aren’t common.’
Even setting aside the division into the Gong Gil Yeon Alliance and the Jung Dong Alliance, guilds are fundamentally very closed organizations.
They not only control outside access within the guild but also share only basic strategies even during alliance raids.
But a future where guilds must work together regardless of affiliation wasn’t far off.
So taking this opportunity to assess each other’s capabilities would be a great help.
“Guild Master, should we participate as well?”
At my words, Kang Han turned a quiet gaze toward me.
“As the Association Director said, the Justice Guild can’t be absent from showcasing Korean hunters’ abilities, can we?”
“…Very well.”
Kang Han nodded, then looked at Association Director Ji Jung Hwi and spoke.
“The Justice Guild will participate.”

* * *

The atmosphere in the elevator heading to the parking lot after the meeting was better than expected.
It was because Shin Se Hee had bowed respectfully and apologized.
“Kang Han Guild Master, and Yeo Joo the healer—I was rude and reckless just now. I apologize.”
It was a clean apology without any excuses about being excited from the sparring match.
“These things happen.”
I didn’t say “it’s fine” either.
I had genuinely been displeased.
But that didn’t mean I had to reject her apology.
Kang Han nodded as well.
Once we accepted her apology, Shin Se Hee’s expression brightened considerably, and she extended her hand for a handshake with Kang Han.
“I’m not sure how the tournament will proceed, but let’s have a proper match.”
“I look forward to it. And.”
Kang Han grasped her hand respectfully as he spoke.
“What I said in the sparring hall was sincere. Don’t assume that rank is your limit.”
It wasn’t an easy thing to accept.
Most people believed that rank directly reflected their abilities.
Shin Se Hee, who seemed lost in thought at Kang Han’s words, silently bowed and walked toward her vehicle.
Click.
The moment our car door closed, I patted Kang Han’s shoulder.
“You did well.”
Kang Han glanced down at my hand resting on his shoulder before asking back.
“What do you mean?”
“The advice you gave to Shin Se Hee. It’s something you always tell our guild members too—that rank isn’t a limit. Now that you’ve faced her directly, what do you think? Shin Se Hee is strong, isn’t she?”
“Her fundamentals felt solid. She seemed to have plenty of sparring experience as well. However…”
“However?”
“It seems Shin Se Hee has made quite an impression on you?”
“Hmm.”
I pondered over this person called Shin Se Hee for quite a while, and only managed to answer once Kang Han started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot.
“Her personality seems a bit rough, but I like her. Besides, she’s pretty.”
“You do have a weakness for appearances, Yeo Joo. And?”
“And she’s honest about her feelings. That’s far better than someone who hides everything and keeps you guessing.”
“‘Honesty is good,’ then.”
The sound of Kang Han tapping his fingers against the steering wheel echoed quietly in the car.
“That’s useful information.”
“Oh, right. Let’s talk for a bit once we get to the guild.”
I began hastily organizing the ideas filling my mind into my phone’s memo app.
“I think we can use the inter-guild tournament for more than just participating.”

* * *

Hunter Supporters – [ Free Discussion Board ]
Guild Tournament Announced!!
NanBang Kitten | Views: 58776

(Article Link)

Summary
: Association Chairman Cup Guild Tournament starts in 2 weeks
16-team bracket tournament format
Justice Guild, Mage Guild -> participating via Association Chairman wildcard
Draw ceremony + opponent selection held at Gocheok one week from now
Match details announced on draw day

Things have been pretty rough lately
Suddenly feeling pumped lol

Comments
Comment 1: Pumped up 222222
Comment 2: They’re streaming it on YouTube?!
Comment 3: That way other countries can watch too??? National pride!!!
Comment 4: Wait, so all the S-rank hunters gather in one place for the draw?!
Comment 5: Master should be excluded
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Comment 335: (Link) Someone already made a hypothetical bracket lol

Hunter Supporters – [ Free Discussion Board ]
Association Chairman Cup Guild Tournament is going to be insanely fun
Hyun Mo Yang Cho | Views: 114330

(Post Link)
Personally, I want to see Justice Guild win
By the way, I’m an underdog fan

Comments
Comment 1: Sa Ma vs Justice Guild—I’m already salivating lol
Comment 2: Dongbaek vs Fantasia—are you insane lmaooo
Comment 3: I want to see Yoo Myung Hwa and Sung Ro Sa fight though? What’s the problem?
That4 I’m cheering you on by wearing all the Cheongun goods I’ve collected so far ㅠㅠ
Comment 5: Muwoon, fighting!!! Show us Busan’s power!!
That6 Hwarang Guild is a shame ㅠㅠ I can’t participate because I’m in 20th place ㅠㅠ
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Comment 111: But they haven’t announced the championship prize?
Comment 112: Guess they’ll reveal it at Gocheok
Comment 113: But if S-rank and A-rank hunters go at each other’s throats, wouldn’t the earth split in half?
Comment 114: They’ll prepare properly lol
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Comment 365: Wait, Maestro’s on the sponsor list?
Comment 367: Wtf is Master opening his treasure vault?

* * *

The public reaction was as heated as I’d anticipated.
Even the media outlets that had been doom-saying about Korea’s future rushed to release their predictions about the Guild Cup.
It felt like the entire nation had suddenly come alive.
And the Justice Guild, which had been in the midst of training for the Guild Cup, was now in an uproar over a sudden barrage of packages.
“What is all this?”
Christmas, when gift boxes would pile up beneath a tree, had long passed, yet faced with a scene as if Santa himself had just visited, I stood bewildered until Lee Yu Chan, who had been examining the packages intently, suddenly cried out.
“The sender’s name says Maestro?!”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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