Chapter 60

Around the time Ha-chan started sword training with the iron sword Seo-ho had saved for him somewhere, a woman sitting by the third-floor window was staring intently at the trainees practicing below.

The woman, who seemed to have just woken up, was none other than Josia, the Imoogi.

She began tapping her cheek with her index finger while gazing out the window. It was a habit she had when lost in thought.

The reason she had come to the academy was because, out of nowhere, Seo-ho had become a temporary instructor there.

Lately, rumors had been swirling that he was planning to challenge the Tower of Apocalypse. He had been so active in opening dimensional gates that it almost seemed believable.

“So, I was speeding up my pace too.”

When he announced his intention to challenge the Tower of Apocalypse, she, as his rival, couldn’t just sit back and also sped up her own preparations. But one day, Seo-ho’s frequency of entering dimensional gates naturally decreased.

In today’s society, where information floods in daily, Seo-ho never officially announced his plans to enter the Tower of Apocalypse. After he terminated his contract with JMC, the rumors about the tower completely vanished.

Instead, rumors became more dominant that JMC, which had been receiving bad press lately, had made unreasonable demands on Seo-ho as he was leaving the company. It was even said that JMC had spread the rumor that Seo-ho was planning to enter the Tower of Apocalypse just to use him.

In that situation, he suddenly came to the Hunter Training Academy.

“Of course, I thought there must be something here.”

She stopped tapping her cheek. The reason JMC was beginning to collapse.

She had vaguely heard through back channels that the World Returner Association was involved.

“Though I don’t know how much of it is true.”

JMC had fallen out with the World Returner Association and was suffering significant humiliation as a result. It was said that the company was being torn apart from the inside.

Just from that, it was easy to deduce that Seo-ho had become involved with Returners.

“Returners, Returners.”

Following the threads forming in her mind, Josia soon shook her head. Right now, the reason Seo-ho had come to the academy was more important.

At first, she suspected Eun-namu, but it seemed he had no connection with Seo-ho. Though skilled and impressive, Eun-namu didn’t seem like someone Seo-ho would be interested in.

The other trainees were essentially the same. But there was one exception.

F-class Hunter Kang Ha-chan.

A lightning ability user. Average looks, height, and build. Honestly, nothing stood out.

However, there was one thing that made her evaluate him differently: the blackout incident three days ago.

The massive high-energy output that made even her, an S-class Hunter, feel her hair stand on end.

It was an overwhelming output she had never experienced in her life.

The sensation was definitely lightning-based. And among the current trainees, there was only one lightning ability user.

Kang Ha-chan.

“He’s hiding his rank.”

He was deliberately lowering his rank.

“With that output, he’s definitely S-class.”

Not only that. After noticing Ha-chan’s suspicious behavior and investigating, she found out that he was an employee at Rodri Company and was in charge of Seo-ho’s younger sister, Ha Si-ho.

And, to top it off, Seo-ho, the Seollsan Iri, was now at the academy assisting him.

“I smell something. I smell it!”

A new S-class Hunter had appeared, and Seo-ho was trying to recruit him without letting others know?

If so, then the preparations for the Tower of Apocalypse were real, and Ha-chan might be the card for that.

“Our Seollsan Iri dislikes those Alters bastards.”

Alters, the organization to which most of the world’s S-class Hunters belong. Though a secret among ordinary people, all high-rank Hunters know about it.

Alters has been managing the entry rights to the Tower of Apocalypse behind the scenes for a long time, and unless you’re an Alters member, they block your challenge. An Alters member residing like a gatekeeper on one floor of the Tower would destroy and expel any non-Alters Hunter who tried to challenge it.

Yet, no one could speak out because Alters, with most S-class Hunters as members, was that powerful. They had the power to control the media and even impose private sanctions behind the scenes.

But there was one exception they wouldn’t touch.

“The World Returner Association.”

S-class Hunters are strong, but S-class Returners are even stronger. When a Returner challenges the Tower of Apocalypse, Alters steps aside as if nothing happened.

There’s no point in provoking a lion’s whiskers. That’s why Returners don’t bother with Alters either.

They’re not allies, but they’re not enemies either.

“And they’re not friends.”

Josia slowly listed the information.

1. The recent rumors of Ha Seo-ho challenging the Tower of Apocalypse.

2. Ha Seo-ho dislikes Alters and has now left.

3. Ha Seo-ho recently made contact with the World Returner Association.

4. His departure from JMC and the existence of Rodri Company, a new company presumably set up by the World Returner Association.

5. Kang Ha-chan, the presumed S-class Hunter in charge of his younger sister, who is deliberately hiding his power.

Combining all the information, Josia’s eyes slowly opened.

“Ha Seo-ho, are you planning to form a team to counter Alters?”

That was her conclusion.

Seo-ho is now joining hands with the World Returner Association to create a team capable of standing up to Alters’ tyranny. To that end, he came to the academy to back up Kang Ha-chan, an S-class Hunter, so he wouldn’t be caught by Alters.

“Bingo.”

Her purple eyes drew a line as if asking for the answer.

“How dare you leave me out and try to have all the fun alone?”

She began to smirk. Just wait, Ha Seo-ho. I won’t let you do this alone.

With deep conviction in her thoughts, she quickly started running down the hallway. Of course, everything she thought was a complete misunderstanding.

—

Lunchtime. While eating, I couldn’t help but notice a woman sitting in front of me.

As soon as I sat down with my tray, she appeared out of nowhere and sat across from me, smiling brightly without caring about the stares.

Imoogi Josia.

She had come to the academy because of Seo-ho, and it seemed she had figured out that Seo-ho had come because of me. Otherwise, there was no reason for her to focus on me instead of Eun-namu.

Even though her eyes were closed, her gaze was incredibly burdensome. Finally, unable to take it anymore, I put down my chopsticks and looked at her.

“Do you need something? You’re staring so hard I can’t tell if the rice is going up my nose or into my mouth.”

“Ah, was I bothering you?”

“Who wouldn’t be bothered by this?”

Of course, anyone would be bothered by this. She was shameless.

“I was just curious when Trainee Kang Ha-chan would open his mouth.”

What a strange thing to be curious about.

“What are you so curious about?”

“Want to hear a guess of mine?”

I nodded with a half-resigned expression.

“Trainee Kang Ha-chan, are you planning to join the new team Ha Seo-ho is forming with the World Returner Association?”

What kind of nonsense is this?

Seeing my dumbfounded expression, Josia seemed to think she had hit the mark.

“I know everything. You can’t stand Alters’ tyranny, right?”

What’s Alters?

“It’s an S-class Hunter organization. High-rank Hunters all know about it, right?”

Once again, Baeksan had done me a favor. I thanked him silently.

“So, what do you want?”

I didn’t know why she thought that, but I knew she was misunderstanding. I had no intention of clearing up the misunderstanding, so I decided to hear her out.

“Let me join the team.”

And then came an unexpected request.

“Isn’t Josia also a member of Alters?”

If Alters is an S-class Hunter organization, then she, being an S-class Hunter, must also be a member. If her speculation was correct, Seo-ho was opposing Alters, so why would she ask to join the team?

“Right. Seo-ho was originally a member of Alters too. So if I leave and join, it’s fine, right?”

She answered as if it were a simple matter. Watching her, I had a few doubts.

No matter how I looked at it, her current plan seemed too naive.

“Is it okay for me to hear this?”

At that moment, Eun-namu, who had been eating with her spoon in her mouth, blinked.

Of course, it’s okay.

It’s all nonsense anyway.

“Alright. Think about it. Next question, what’s your relationship with Ha Seo-ho? Even if you’re on the same team, you seem too close. I’ve never seen Seo-ho act like this before.”

Is it my lucky day?

Why am I getting so much attention from women around me?

With Eun-namu’s words still lingering in my mind, I held my throbbing forehead and answered.

“We have no relationship.”

“Let me tell you something first. I went to high school with Seollsan Iri and even sat next to him. We’ve been on the same team a few times at the Hunter Training Academy too.”

Was she bragging about how close she was with Seo-ho?

As I looked at her, Josia put her hand on her chin in a V shape.

“Even if it doesn’t look like it, I’m the closest to him among Hunters.”

Seo-ho seemed quite annoyed by Josia, but she didn’t seem to notice.

“With that, do you think I wouldn’t notice the subtle atmosphere between you two? I see everything.”

“Do you really see?”

“Are you doubting my eyes now?”

No, it’s just that your eyes are closed, so I thought you couldn’t see.