The Next Day
Hunter Guild Headquarters
"There are a total of five S-Rank Hunters who will join the raid from South Korea. That's been decided," Choi Jong-In said from behind his desk, his fingers steepled in front of him.
Min-Jae sat across from him, leaning back slightly in his chair. "That's without me?"
"Yes, though the number could still possibly increase." Choi Jong-In adjusted his glasses. "We're keeping the roster flexible until closer to the raid date."
"What about Hunter Sung Jin-Woo? Will he join?"
"There hasn't been any confirmation from his side yet." Choi Jong-In's expression remained neutral, but there was a hint of interest in his eyes. "The Hunter Association is managing communications with him since he hasn't signed with any guild yet."
"I see." Min-Jae crossed his arms. "Nuna will join too, right? And you as well?"
"Yes." Choi Jong-In leaned forward slightly, fixing the frame of his glasses. "The question is, will you join or not?"
Before Min-Jae could answer, a knock sounded at the door.
"Come in," Choi Jong-In called.
The door opened, and Cha Hae-In entered, dressed in her professional work attire—a crisp white blouse and dark blazer, her platinum blonde hair neatly styled. She looked between them with mild curiosity.
"Welcome, Hunter Cha. I was just asking Hunter Min-Jae whether he plans to join the Jeju Island raid," Choi Jong-In said before she could speak.
Min-Jae gave her a small wave. She nodded back and took the seat beside him.
"I asked him the same thing yesterday," Hae-In said, settling into her chair. "But he's only participated in one raid since becoming S-Rank, and not much time has passed since then." She glanced at Min-Jae. "I wouldn't be surprised if you decided not to participate."
"I completely agree," Choi Jong-In added with a nod. "There's no pressure. This is one of the most dangerous dungeon,"
Min-Jae's expression became thoughtful. "How many days until the raid?"
"Five days from today. But starting tomorrow, the Japanese and Korean hunters will begin joint preparations." Choi Jong-In studied him. "Why?"
"Can I give my answer after tomorrow?" Min-Jae asked. "I might be able to gain some experience just by being there during there during their preparation, watching the more experienced hunters."
'And meet Sung Jin-Woo,' he thought. 'Find out if he's joining. That'll help me decide.'
"That's fine," Choi Jong-In said. "There's still plenty of time before the raid begins. More than enough for you to make your decision."
Cha Hae-In nodded her agreement, though Min-Jae noticed the slight concern in her eyes—the protective instinct of an older sister, even if she was trying to be professional about it.
"Good. Then I'll head out," Min-Jae said, standing. "I'll let you two finish your meeting."
"We'll talk later," Hae-In said, and Min-Jae nodded before heading for the door.
---
Min-Jae walked down the hallway toward the elevators, his footsteps quiet on the polished floor. The Hunter Guild headquarters always felt a bit too corporate for his taste—all clean lines and professional atmosphere. He preferred the chaotic energy of dungeons, honestly.
He pressed the down button and waited, watching the floor numbers tick upward on the display.
"Hunter Min-Jae."
He turned to see Han Semi approaching from the opposite hallway, also dressed in her work clothes—practical slacks and a simple blouse, her medical bag slung over one shoulder.
"Han Semi," he greeted with a nod. "Heading out?"
"Yeah, finished my morning briefing." She came to stand beside him, glancing at the elevator display. "You?"
"Same. Just wrapped up a meeting with the guild master."
The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open. They stepped inside together, and Min-Jae pressed the button for the ground floor.
"About the Jeju Island raid," Han Semi said after a moment of comfortable silence. "Are you planning to join?"
Min-Jae glanced at her. "Haven't decided yet. You?"
"Yes, I'm going." Her answer was immediate, matter-of-fact. "They'll need healers, and I'm one of the best the guild has."
There was no arrogance in the statement, just professional assessment. Min-Jae appreciated that about her—she knew her worth without being obnoxious about it.
"Makes sense," he said. "It's going to be dangerous."
"That's why I'm needed." She smiled slightly. "Someone has to keep the fighters alive for fight."
The elevator descended smoothly, the floor numbers counting down. Min-Jae found himself wondering about her motivation—she'd mentioned before having different reasons for being a hunter. Before he could ask, the elevator chimed and the doors opened to the ground floor lobby.
They walked together through the entrance hall, past the reception desk where staff members nodded respectfully at them.
"Do you need a ride?" Min-Jae asked as they pushed through the glass doors into the afternoon sunlight. "I drove here, and I'm heading back toward the city center anyway."
Han Semi hesitated. "That's okay, I was just going to take the subway—"
"It's no trouble," Min-Jae said. "Really. I'm going that direction anyway, and parking's expensive around here. Might as well make use of the car."
She studied him for a moment, as if trying to determine if he was just being polite or actually meant it. Whatever she saw in his expression seemed to satisfy her.
"Alright then. Thank you."
They walked together toward the parking structure, their footsteps echoing slightly under the concrete overhang. Min-Jae pulled out his key fob and clicked it, and his car's lights flashed in response a few rows over.
"Nice car," Han Semi commented as they approached.
"Guild signing bonus," Min-Jae said with a slight grin. "Figured I might as well enjoy it."
They climbed in—Han Semi settling into the passenger seat and placing her medical bag at her feet, Min-Jae adjusting the mirrors and starting the engine. The car hummed to life smoothly.
As they pulled out of the parking structure into the Seoul afternoon traffic, Min-Jae couldn't help but think that this new life was turning out to be more interesting than he'd expected.
And the real challenges hadn't even begun yet.