Chapter 94: Always Prepared

“Why? Can’t I come along?”

“No, no. What, you want to go fishing or something? No way. It’s my wife’s birthday today. She’s already making a fuss. She’s been asking if I have to go out today.”

“Don’t worry,” Go Geonho said with a smile. “I have business inland, so we’ll be traveling together.”

Two hours later, at a pier along the coast of Incheon, Captain Lee Yongsu dropped us off, muttering, “My wife’s going to kill me,” and vanished like the wind.

Squeak.

Soon after, two black vans pulled up to the pier. From the driver’s seat of one of them emerged…

“Sister Yeonhwa!”

It was Seo Yeon-hwa, the Representative of Cheongyeon.

Yoo Se-rin recognized her immediately and dashed forward.

“Good work, Serine,” Seo Yeon-hwa said with a warm smile, hugging her before turning her attention to us. She offered me a casual nod. Finally, she bowed deeply to the figure behind me and declared, “Greetings, Lord of the Nine Heavens.”

“Hmm. No need for such rigid formalities straight out of a wuxia drama,” he replied.

“I trust you’ve been well,” Seo Yeon-hwa said.

“Oh, come on. There’s really no need for such formality,” Go Geonho replied, looking somewhat awkward. He finally relented and glanced around. “Is there anyone else with you?”

“Yes, just me and a knight to escort the Lord of the Nine Heavens.”

“That’s a relief. I didn’t want to be swarmed by the media the moment I arrived.”

“I anticipated that and took every precaution to remain discreet,” Seo Yeon-hwa said.

“There really was no need for you to come all the way here yourself.”

“Still, how could we send just one knight to escort the Cataclysmic Hero?” Seo Yeon-hwa replied firmly.

She was more than just professional; she deeply valued proper etiquette between people.

It seemed Seo Yeon-hwa already had a personal connection with Go Geonho. Sending just a single knight to escort him was simply not her style.

“Then we’ll head back to the Guild now,” Seo Yeon-hwa said, placing her hand on Yoo Se-rin’s shoulder. “I need to check on Serine’s condition as soon as possible.”

“Huh? Unni, I’m perfectly fine!” Yoo Se-rin blinked, startled.

Representative Cheongyeon smiled faintly. “Don’t worry, Serine.”

“Huh?”

“I won’t ask how you suddenly ran out of Mana, why there are traces of you handling Undead Summons, or what exactly happened on Daehwa Island.”

”…”

Yoo Se-rin was as silent as someone who had swallowed honey.

She knew that the events on Daehwa Island hadn’t been leaked to the outside world, which was probably why she had tried so hard to hide them from Seo Yeon-hwa.

But Yeon-hwa, with her profound understanding of Mana, couldn’t be fooled.

“When we get back to the Guild, you’re going straight to the Mana Recovery Room.”

“U-Unni, I’m really fine. I’ll recover quickly just by scrolling through my phone and lazing around in bed.”

“Answer.”

“Yes.”

Yoo Se-rin’s shoulders slumped, her expression downcast.

But not for long.

After a brief glance at me, she tugged on Seo Yeon-hwa’s sleeve and whispered something in her ear.

“Just a minute.”

Then Seo Yeon-hwa turned and walked toward the van, leaving Yoo Se-rin behind.

Just then, Go Geonho, who had been standing beside me, lightly tapped my shoulder.

“I’ll go have a quick word with Guild Leader Cheongyeon too.”

“Ah, then I’ll wait in the van.”

“No, you stay here.”

”?”

Stay here?

Go Geonho moved away with surprising speed, considering his reliance on his cane.

Leaving me standing there, utterly confused, Yoo Se-rin approached.

“Oppa Taejun.”

“Um, I know I might seem overly formal, but…”

“I know. You said we should address each other as ‘Hunter-nim’ and ‘Rookie’ since we weren’t close enough to call each other ‘oppa’ and ‘dongsaeng’ back then.”

”…”

“But I think we’re close enough now. At least, I want to call you ‘oppa’.”

Yoo Se-rin continued, her eyes calm and steady.

“Actually, I remember everything.”

“What do you mean?”

“What happened in my room two nights ago, before Oppa Taejun and the Lord of the Nine Heavens left.”

This came as a bit of a shock.

She had been awake when the ravenous Azazel tried to make her his sacrifice.

Azazel, possessing Go Geonho’s body, had been moments away from devouring her completely.

If that terrifying memory was truly etched in her mind, it wouldn’t be surprising if she were plagued by lifelong trauma.

“Didn’t you say it was just a bad dream back then?”

“I chose to dismiss it as a bad dream. And I still do.”

Yoo Se-rin smiled faintly.

“I’ve decided to think of it as just a nightmare where some nasty spirit possessed the Lord of the Nine Heavens and targeted me.”

“I see,” I said, nodding.

Then I spoke softly, wanting to reassure Yoo Se-rin further, even though she had handled the situation well.

“The Being that tried to harm Hunter Serine in that ‘dream’ was definitely not the Lord of the Nine Heavens. And it no longer exists in this world.”

“Yes,” she replied, smiling up at me.

“Anyway… you saved me even in that ‘dream.’ Plus, we worked together so well on Daehwa Island and when dealing with that strange tree… I guess that means we’ve grown much closer emotionally than before. I mean…”

The girl continued, glancing up at me hesitantly. “Could… could I at least call you oppa?”

”…”

I studied her face for a moment, lost in thought. Dark circles hollowed her eyes, remnants of the Mana Overload. Her hair was disheveled, her skin pale and bloodless. On her wrist, purplish-black veins bulged, a consequence of wielding Dark Attribute Mana. These were the marks of her desperate struggle against countless demonic beasts and Heavenly Bloodwood trees on Daehwa Island.

Seeing her up close, I understood why Seo Yeon-hwa had rushed to care for her. Yes, Yoo Se-rin had done remarkably well—far beyond what I had initially expected.

Finally, I spoke. “Come to think of it, this is the second time.”

“Huh?”

“Us talking face-to-face like this.”

“Ah.”

Cheongyeon Rookie’s face flushed crimson at my words.

She asked in a voice barely above a whisper, “Could I… go first?”

Before the B-rank assessment began, Yoo Se-rin had approached me, proposing we team up. She had been somewhat forceful, her expression radiating unwavering confidence that I would naturally accept.

That’s right. Back then, she had seemed like an oblivious, self-centered child, completely naive to the world’s realities—a stark contrast to the person she was now.

After the assessment, for reasons I couldn’t quite fathom, Yoo Se-rin had completely transformed. This conversation on Daehwa Island served as further proof of that change.

Well, then.

Perhaps continuing our connection wouldn’t be so bad after all.

“Call me that,” I replied.

“Back then, I was so clueless…”

“You can call me whatever you’re comfortable with.”

Yoo Se-rin, who had been mumbling hesitantly, widened her eyes. “Can I call you ‘Oppa’?”

“Just refrain from doing so in formal settings.”

“Ah, yes! Of course! Thank you, Oppa Taejun!”

She still wasn’t used to it. Even though Lee Seonah was younger than me, she had never once called me “Oppa” since our days as classmates at Hunters Den.

But I, Lee Taejun, despite being a 27-year-old virgin, wasn’t inflexible about everything.

“And… dropping the honorifics with me would be difficult, wouldn’t it?”

“It would be.”

Of course, I was also a man who understood the importance of separating personal and professional matters.

“Is the story over?” Go Geonho asked as I returned to the van, where he had been waiting patiently.

“It’s finished,” I replied.

The Nine Heavens Bone King nodded once and turned to Seo Yeon-hwa. “Guild Leader Seo Yeon-hwa, thank you again. Setting up this ‘stage’ for us must have been quite a hassle.”

“Not at all. It was an honor,” she replied.

After a brief pause, Go Geonho quietly added, “And regarding your request… we’re still exploring possibilities.”

A fleeting shadow crossed Seo Yeon-hwa’s face, but it vanished almost instantly. She quickly regained her composure and said, “Thank you. We’ll be taking our leave now. See you later, Hunter Taejun.”

“Drive safely, Lord of the Nine Heavens! Goodbye, Oppa Taejun!” Yoo Se-rin called out, her cheeks slightly flushed as she climbed into the van.

Seo Yeon-hwa expertly maneuvered the van out of the dockyard. Only one van remained.

“Ready, Hunter Taejun?” Go Geonho asked. “Ready to become the main character?”

I grinned. “I’m always ready.”

Millennium Bloom Hall, third floor of the Millennium Seoul Hilton Hotel in Seodaemun, Seoul.

Kim Daegi sat nervously at a table beneath the chandelier, swallowing hard.

Suddenly, a woman in her late thirties sat down beside him.

“Reporter Kim, long time no see.”

“Ah, Senior.”

“Why are you so tense? It’s just a press conference.”

Kim Daegi stared wide-eyed at the press badge around her neck.

Hong Sujin, Huntertime.

The nation’s leading media organization covering all things Hunter-related, with a presence spanning YouTube, online platforms, television, and beyond.

“This might be routine for you, Senior, but it’s a huge opportunity for me.”

“Haha, just teasing. It’s been a while since I’ve covered a press conference with this much public attention too.”

Hong Sujin gazed at the packed hall of reporters and whistled softly.

“The main event hasn’t even started yet, and the atmosphere is already electric. It’s even more intense than when Lee Seonah nominated her A-Rank sparring partner.”

“That was quite a scene too, though.”

But the excitement here far surpassed that previous event.

Kim Daegi stared at the banner behind the press conference podium:

The banner’s simple design featured only one phrase, but that single line was enough to captivate the world’s attention.

“It’s truly puzzling,” Hong Sujin said. “There were plenty of retired Great Cataclysm Heroes rumored to be considering a comeback. But to choose the Nine Heavens Bone King over all of them…”

“Do you think he’ll resume his activities as a Hunter?” Kim Daegi asked.

“I doubt it,” Hong Sujin replied. “He’s getting on in years, and he doesn’t strike me as the type to steal opportunities from younger Hunters.”

“Ah.”

“He’s not an attention-seeker like Ma Daechun or Ju Yeongok. Absolutely not. This is the first time the Nine Heavens Bone King has held a press conference under his own name since his retirement announcement. Of course, this time it’s technically being held through Seo Yeon-hwa.”

“Then…”

“It must be support. The kind that requires him to publicly reveal his name.”

Unlike Hong Sujin, a seasoned veteran in the industry, Kim Daegi looked genuinely puzzled. “Is there any kind of support that would specifically require the Nine Heavens Bone King’s name to be used?”

“There is,” Hong Sujin replied, her eyes gleaming. But before she could elaborate—

Bang!

The front door of the press conference hall burst open.

“It’s Go Geonho!”

“Cameras ready! Quick!”

The man who strode in was Go Geonho, a middle-aged man in a sharp business suit.

The press conference hall erupted into chaos in an instant.

Click! Click!

The reporters scrambled, and flashes erupted haphazardly. Go Geonho had arrived earlier than scheduled.

Hong Sujin hastily raised her camera, pulled up a chair, and began filming Go Geonho as he sat down.

As the Hwarang Commander’s image filled her camera screen, arms crossed and face stern, another figure entered the press conference hall.

“Huh? Who’s that?”

“Lee Taejun! It’s Lee Taejun!”

“What the hell? Did Lee Taejun come with the Nine Heavens Bone King too?”

“That’s strange. I didn’t see Lee Taejun enter the hotel with Go Geonho earlier…”

Kim Daegi kept his camera raised, aiming the lens toward the entrance.

A young man stood there, dressed casually in a light black T-shirt and jeans. Judging by his face, he looked to be in his mid-twenties, about the same age as Kim Daegi himself.

“He looks ordinary, but…”

Hong Sujin pouted.

Kim Daegi chuckled wryly. He doesn’t exactly seem ordinary.

Though Taejun’s attire was unremarkable, Daegi could sense something special about him—the aura of a Talented Person, perhaps.

His private musings were cut short.

With a soft click, Lee Taejun settled into his assigned seat.

“First, please put down your cameras,” Go Geonho said calmly. “We’ll allocate separate time for questions later.”

”…”

The reporters obediently set down their cameras and took their seats. The vast conference hall fell into sudden silence.

“As you likely heard from Guild Leader Cheongyeon, I’ve decided to reverse my retirement of three years ago and return to active duty.”

Go Geonho spoke again.

“Of course, I’m not saying I’ll be venturing into Gates or dungeons as a Hunter again. I have no intention of taking over the Hwiryung Guild again either.”

Hong Sujin nodded, and several other reporters followed suit.

“What I want to focus on now is nurturing the next generation. Specifically, nurturing the sole successor to my Blood Magic in this country. And as you might have already guessed, that successor is…”

Go Geonho fixed his gaze on Taejun and continued, ”…Hunter Lee Taejun here.”

“Ah.”

Only then did Kim Daegi understand what he meant by “the support that requires revealing the name of the Nine Heavens Bone King.”

Blood Magic was a Skill category that could only be practiced by individuals officially recognized by the International Headquarters.

Furthermore, Go Geonho is the sole practitioner of Blood Magic in Korea. Therefore, anyone wishing to legally wield this magic must seek his assistance.

A murmur rippled through the press conference venue at Go Geonho’s announcement. Yet some reporters wore expressions of anticipation, as if they had foreseen this development.

“Well, ever since Hunter Taejun joined Hwiryong, some of us suspected something like this might happen,” one journalist remarked. Hong Sujin was among those who shared this sentiment.

Lee Taejun.

His name was the hottest topic in the Korean Hunter Community, both online and offline. He had shattered all records during his B-rank assessment, surpassing previous benchmarks in viewership, AGMS scores, and dungeon clear times.

Even with a rigged exam whose difficulty had been artificially cranked up to extreme levels.

It was later revealed that Taejun had been a D-Rank at the time and had taken the B-Rank test through a special assessment.

Furthermore, after joining Hwiryong, he single-handedly resolved an unprecedented disaster: a 1.5-tier Mana Overload in a 5th-Tier Dungeon.

“So, only someone like Lee Taejun qualifies for support under the Nine Heavens Bone King’s name? He really was incredibly strict.”

“Indeed.”

Well, so far, the scenario was unfolding exactly as I had anticipated.

Hong Sujin reached for her laptop on the table.

But her fingers, which had been moving busily to draft the article, froze at Go Geonho’s next words:

“And there’s one more matter I wish to publicly declare in my name.”