Chapter 55
“You’re holding up better these days.”
“I feel like I’ve just been beaten up nonstop…”
Training ended again today without either of them noticing time passing.
Hyun-su and Juhyuk, now comfortable enough to speak casually with each other, entered a nearby gukbap restaurant for dinner.
“But seriously, aren’t you overworking yourself lately?”
Even under normal circumstances, Juhyuk’s daily training was already at a level people would find shocking.
Yet recently, he had increased his usual regimen by one and a half times.
“Even you look worn out. Overtraining is dangerous.”
High-intensity training might accelerate growth—but it could also lead to injuries and reduced physical ability.
A guy who already trains every day with no days off, 24/7… and adds even more on top? Could that possibly be efficient?
Of course, no one doubted the guy who had climbed from F-rank to near S-rank with his own self-made training plan.
Still, watching from the sidelines, Hyun-su couldn’t help but worry.
“Did something happen recently?”
“No. I just wanted to increase my training a bit for now.”
“You were already doing plenty. Take a break… Seeing how much you sweat these days, I’m afraid you’ll collapse.”
“Alright.”
He nodded absentmindedly, clearly only half listening.
In truth, there was a reason he had increased his training volume.
‘I need to get as strong as possible before entering the Garisto estate.’
Only three weeks remained.
He had hoped to gather as many magic stones as possible after returning from the gate, but at his current percentage, he still couldn’t enter the Room of Training.
‘I’ll probably fill it the week after next… but I won’t have time to go in then.’
Entering the Room of Training with only one week left before the inspection was too risky.
He had only managed to leave the Room in a week a handful of times.
And this time, with the artifact contaminated by the Dreamshade herb, the enemies would be stronger than ever—it would take longer.
‘Since I can’t enter the Room of Training, I have no choice but to increase my external training.’
He had no idea what would happen inside the Garisto mansion, so he needed to boost his physical capabilities as much as possible.
Of course, he planned to take a solid three days of rest right before going in.
Juhyuk was operating under the most optimized plan possible in the current circumstances.
“Here’s your food~”
“Thank you.”
Steam rose from the freshly served sundae-guk.
He took a spoonful of broth to taste it.
‘Hm. Bland.’
The broth was milder than expected.
He picked up the shrimp paste container to add a spoonful and season the broth.
Adjusting the seasoning of sundae-guk was a sacred ritual—something not to be interrupted.
Holding the container with one hand, he carefully scooped a bit of shrimp—
“Nice to meet you.”
“Ah.”
A voice from beside him startled him, and he spilled the shrimp paste.
The pile of shrimp paste dropped straight into his bowl, turning the broth dark and salty.
“….”
A sacred moment ruined beyond repair.
As he stared in hollow despair at the now-ruined broth, the stranger spoke again.
“You’re Hunter Jung Juhyuk, correct?”
“…Yes.”
Being called “Hunter-nim” made it clear the man had come for some bothersome request.
Not even a dog should be disturbed while eating, and yet this guy treated him worse than a dog.
Juhyuk turned to see who it was.
A white guy?
His appearance was obviously foreign, though his Korean was fluent.
Next to him stood a huge Black man who looked like a bodyguard—completely out of place in a sundae-guk restaurant.
“And you are?”
“We’re from the Bluebird Guild’s scouting team.”
Bluebird?
Of course he had heard of them.
A top-ten guild in the world.
He had heard their headquarters were somewhere in New York or LA—but didn’t know the details.
“What’s a scouting team who should be in America doing here?”
He already had a good idea why they were here—but he asked out of courtesy.
The scout sat down and spoke.
“A scouting team only comes for one reason.”
His eyes shone with confidence.
Juhyuk could guess exactly what he would say three seconds later.
“Bluebird has a very strong interest in recruiting you.”
“I see.”
As expected.
Nothing surprising.
‘An F-rank cleared an A-rank dungeon. Of course they’d be interested.’
Any international guild would be curious.
Even though F-rank normally had limitations, anyone who could clear an A-rank dungeon was good enough for global recruitment.
‘Still, this is the first time an international guild came to me directly.’
Bluebird had begun the recruitment war early.
Unfortunately for them, no matter how much they bragged about facilities or opportunities, none of it mattered to Juhyuk.
He had only one answer.
“I’m not joining.”
A firm rejection.
The scout’s confident expression twisted.
“…What?”
“I said I’m not joining.”
The scout definitely heard it the first time, but Juhyuk repeated it again.
The scout then pulled something from his pocket.
“You must be mistaken—we really are Bluebird.”
He showed a rectangular business card.
Clean font, Bluebird insignia printed in the top-left.
Not that it mattered. No one would be stupid enough to impersonate Bluebird.
Whether he was real or fake didn’t matter to Juhyuk anyway.
“I’m not planning to join any guild right now.”
“…May I ask why?”
The scout hadn’t even considered being rejected.
He stared, stunned.
Juhyuk scooped up his now-too-salty broth as he replied.
“I’m planning to start a guild, so I won’t be joining another.”
“….”
Silence fell.
“I didn’t think that rumor was actually true.”
“It is.”
The scout seemed half aware of it from the articles he’d read.
Still, many guilds assumed it was nonsense—some rookie dreaming in the clouds—and brushed it off.
Bluebird apparently had been one of those.
The scout stared at him in disbelief.
“Starting a guild isn’t something you can just do on a whim.”
“I know. But thank you for the concern.”
“N-No, that’s not what I meant…”
The conversation was going in a completely unexpected direction, and the scout was losing his composure.
Juhyuk ignored him, focusing on eating his ruined sundae-guk.
The scout grew increasingly flustered.
After thinking for a moment, he spoke seriously.
“If you’re trying to increase your value before negotiating, this is not the way to do it.”
He assumed Juhyuk was bluffing to strengthen his bargaining position.
“Bluebird rates your potential very highly, and we are willing to match any reasonable offer.”
Juhyuk already had near A-rank ability.
Rumors even claimed he could stand against S-rankers.
“We intend to give you the best possible treatment. But if you take this attitude, negotiations will only get more difficult.”
He even issued a warning.
But—
“There’s no need for any negotiations.”
Juhyuk didn’t blink.
“Thank you for coming all the way here, but unfortunately, Bluebird is not one of my options.”
“….”
The scout was at a loss for words.
After a moment, he let out a bitter laugh.
“…puta madre…”
He muttered something in a foreign language and shook his head.
Hyun-su, who had been quietly listening, shot to his feet.
“What did you just say?”
“It was just to myself.”
Hyun-su looked furious—more angry than Juhyuk himself.
He spat out mockingly,
“You must be a scout—you speak Spanish well.”
“….”
The scout went silent, clearly caught.
He thought no one would understand Spanish, but Hyun-su had grown up fluent in English, Spanish, and Chinese.
Curious now, Juhyuk asked,
“What did he say?”
“‘Puta madre.’ He basically called you a f***ing bastard.”
“…Huh.”
Not only did he ruin the holy seasoning ritual, he even insulted him in another language.
It was laughably pathetic.
But while Juhyuk was merely exasperated, Hyun-su reacted like he had been insulted.
“Apologize. Now.”
“I never said such a thing. You’re misunderstanding.”
“Misunderstanding my ass.”
Voices rose, drawing the restaurant’s attention.
At that moment—
“Back off.”
The bodyguard gave Hyun-su a harsh shove.
Hyun-su shoved him right back.
“Back off? F*** you!”
The bodyguard remained expressionless, but his hand suddenly shot forward toward Hyun-su.
A swift, clean movement—at least A-rank speed.
Hyun-su, a B-rank, had no chance of blocking that.
But Juhyuk moved first.
“Stop.”
“…!”
He grabbed the man’s wrist.
The bodyguard tried to pull free—
but Juhyuk’s grip didn’t budge.
“Urgh…”
No amount of strength could free him.
After letting him struggle pointlessly for a few seconds, Juhyuk pushed him away.
The bodyguard staggered back, clutching his wrist.
“Don’t cause trouble in someone else’s shop. Leave quietly.”
“You fuckin’—”
His eyes flashed, ready to charge.
The tension spiked—
until the scout spoke.
“The ones causing trouble here were your people first.”
“The issue started because you made an inappropriate remark.”
“I already told you that was a misunderstanding.”
With a polite but arrogant tone, he added,
“If you wish to make Bluebird your enemy, go ahead.”
“Ha.”
What an irritating person.
He had tried to keep things calm, but if they insisted on escalating… fine.
Juhyuk glanced between the furious bodyguard and the scout.
“That bodyguard of yours seems disappointed. Almost like he wants another chance.”
He had insulted them, attempted a strike, and caused a scene.
Consequences were necessary—a warning for future troublemakers.
“Should we do this properly?”
Juhyuk looked at the bodyguard and raised the corner of his mouth.
