Chapter 7 ….
Southern Branch of the Hunter Association
“Ten on the first floor, seven on the second, right?”
I glanced around.
Soldiers patrolled, guns in hand.
It was common knowledge that modern weapons didn’t work on monsters.
That meant these guns were meant to deal with humans—other hunters.
“Is that area a blind spot? What’s its purpose?”
“Hello. Are you a hunter?”
Did I look suspicious while looking around? A security officer approached and spoke.
“Yes, I’m a hunter.”
“I’d like to check your hunter license.”
I handed over my license. The officer compared the photo to my face and scanned the barcode.
Beep.
“Verified. Please enter, and on the right, put on the Awakening Suppression Bracelet first.”
“Understood. Thank you.”
“And within the Association, don’t act suspiciously. You’ll become a target otherwise.”
“…Yes.”
Following the officer’s directions, I arrived at a desk where another staff member asked to see my license and scanned it as well.
“Hunter Kwanghwi. This is your first time at the Southern Branch. Are you familiar with the rules?”
“No, I’m not.”
“Then please read the orientation first.”
The guidelines explained what hunters must and must not do.
For example: remove the awakening suppression bracelet deliberately, and you will be shot without warning.
Commit a major crime within the Association, and you will be executed without mercy.
Commit a minor crime within the Association, and you will be executed without leniency.
“….”
Harsh, but reasonable.
In Mexico, S-rank magic stones had been stolen by hunters smuggling machine guns and bombs into the Association.
In Russia, a staff member was killed for being disrespectful.
In China, a staff member once stole over a thousand S-rank magic stones.
The warning was clear: do not act suspiciously.
“You cannot use your inventory inside, and your hunter license must be carried on your person at all times.”
“…Yes.”
Apparently, many hunters had entered with licenses in their inventory instead of carrying them, so this was emphasized multiple times.
After taping my phone camera lens and signing to borrow the suppression bracelets, two bluish bracelets were handed to me.
“Wear one on each wrist. At first, your strength will be suppressed, and you may feel weak.”
Click.
Click.
These bracelets incorporated the latest magic stone technology.
Originally intended to forcibly awaken non-awakened individuals, they inadvertently became awakening suppression devices.
Absurdly, the scientist who invented them won the Nobel Peace Prize, not the Nobel Physics Prize.
…but something seemed off.
“…This feels strange.”
“You feel a little weird, right? It happens to everyone at first. Some high-ranking hunters even collapse suddenly.”
“No, it’s not that. I think it’s broken.”
My body still glowed yellow.
I could see Orga.
“Oh, if you’re F-rank, that’s probably why. To ordinary people, it’s just a bracelet.”
Apparently, she assumed I couldn’t feel a difference because my strength was similar to an average person.
Her serious expression suggested she wasn’t mocking me.
“…Really?”
“If you suspect it’s broken, do you want to try opening your inventory?”
“Yes, just a moment.”
Inventory.
Huh?
It didn’t open.
Inventory.
“….”
“You can’t open it, right?”
“No…”
“Then it’s working perfectly fine.”
‘Then why can I see it? Is it related to Orga?’
“Wait, let’s try once more.”
“Yes?”
Recently, I had learned from Ruse how to use Orga.
Always think of Orga—while cutting, chopping, even eating.
Exhale.
Focus, think of Orga. Inventory!
!!
‘…It opened.’
Wow…
“Hahaha. No matter what you do, it won’t open.”
It did open. The female staff member laughed at my concentration with closed eyes.
I chuckled as well.
**
International law regarding magic stones:
All magic stones must be traded directly through the Hunter Association of each country.
Illegal trade bypassing the Association labels you a villain and warrants execution.
This law was established by the first S-rank hunter and inaugural president of the World Hunter Association to curb the power of monopolies.
There was even an incident where the head of a major corporation trading magic stones illegally was executed as a warning.
Additionally, the Association promotes the guild system, protects low-rank hunters, suppresses unregistered awakeners’ personal activities, prevents tax evasion and black market trading, and manages magic stone distribution.
Only hunters in guilds can enter D-rank or higher dungeons.
**
“I’m here to establish a guild.”
“Your hunter license, please.”
“Here.”
Beep.
“Did you bring a proxy authorization?”
“No? Is that required?”
“Yes. Without it, the hunter who will be the guild master must come in person.”
“Oh… I am going to be the guild master.”
“Excuse me?”
The staff member looked at me in disbelief, as if seeing something impossible.
“…You’re joking, right?”
“No, I’m serious.”
I stood up.
“…Wait a moment.”
The staff member approached a bald middle-aged man sitting by the window, clearly irritated.
They spoke quietly, but because the bracelets didn’t suppress Orga’s power, I could hear everything clearly.
“Deputy Director.”
“Yes?”
“A client here to establish a guild is F-rank.”
“A client? You mean a hunter. F-rank isn’t even a proper hunter, right?”
“…This F-rank hunter says they will establish a guild and be the guild master themselves.”
“…What?”
“What should we do?”
Sigh “Who is this idiot… I’m too busy. Who is this fool?”
A guild master: a hunter who commands in dungeons and leads guild members. A symbol of pride and respect.
Guild masters are mostly S-rank, or comparable A-rank hunters.
An F-rank like me doesn’t belong.
“You really want to create a guild?”
The bald middle-aged man sat across from me, with the slightly annoyed staff member standing beside him.
2 vs 1.
“Yes. Is there a problem?”
“Problem….”
The Association has no rule forbidding low-rank hunters from being guild masters.
Technically, there’s no problem.
“Frankly, no hunter will join a guild led by an F-rank.”
“That’s fine. I plan to run it as a one-person guild anyway.”
Well, Ruse and I make two, but… no, one person, one dragon.
“…The guild registration fee is 500 million, you know? It costs a lot to start.”
“Yes, I’m aware.”
“And you know that you could still enter E-rank dungeons without forming a guild, right?”
“Yes. But I want to enter a D-rank dungeon.”
“Ah… I see. But entering a D-rank dungeon alone is extremely dangerous. The restrictions exist to protect hunters’ lives.”
The staff member spoke kindly, seemingly concerned for my safety.
About 30 years ago, a D-rank hunter tried creating a guild and became its master.
Three days later, they entered a dungeon and were wiped out by monsters with their guild members.
Later, an A-rank hunter’s diary revealed they killed the D-rank guild master for daring to bear the title.
Most hunters agreed, and this became an unspoken rule:
“F-rank, and you dare call yourself a guild master? Do you want to die?”
The staff could not say it openly.
“You’re right; it could be dangerous.”
“Yes, very dangerous.”
“But… I don’t care. If I die once or twice, so be it. I’ll die doing what I want.”
“….”
“Excuse me, is it illegal for an F-rank hunter to create a guild? If it’s illegal, I won’t do it.”
“….”
“Is it legal?”
**
Hunter Community
Title: Is it acceptable for an F-rank hunter to be a guild master?
Hunter_2212: Went to the Southern Branch for guild business yesterday. An F-rank hunter came to create a guild. They want to be the guild master. They had an awakening suppression bracelet on, and the staff tried to persuade them not to, but they insisted. Truly ridiculous.
└ F-rank guild master? Hahaha, that’s hilarious.
└ So much fake news on the boards lately.
└ Who would make a guild if they’re F-rank?
└ Mom, I want to be an S-rank guild member.
└ Not fake. Checked today’s new guild list: an F-rank hunter is the guild master. (Link attached.)
└ OMG, shocking. Crazy.
└ …
└ …
└ …
└ What’s the guild’s name?
└ Or Or.
└ Are they serious?
└ Who dares smear a hunter’s name?
└ That F-rank hunter… isn’t it Senior K.H. from the Hunter Academy?
└ K.H.?
└ K.H. senior?
└ Yes, K.H. senior… how did they become F-rank?
**
[Create the guild and enter the higher-rank dungeon.]
I created the guild as instructed.
At home, I laughed while browsing the chaotic community reactions.
“How can an F-rank hunter make a guild?”
My pride swelled, and their mockery was entertaining.
Though judged F-rank by society, I actually possessed EX-rank skill Or.
Not only that, the divine proxy dragon was beside me.
[You’re hungry, Kwanghwi. Today, let’s eat beef tripe.]
“Ruse, we don’t have any money right now.”
[What? Where did it all go? Luxury is bad, Kwanghwi.]
After selling the corpses of F-rank monsters, I had just over 500 million, enough to register the guild.
[So no beef tripe…? No trips either?]
“Don’t worry, Ruse. We’re going into a D-rank dungeon now.”
[We? Me too?]
“Yes, we’ll eat well, move, buy a car, and set up a guild office.”
We were going to be rich.
**
Click click.
Click click.
“Hunter Kwanghwi! You’re the world’s first F-rank guild master. How do you feel?”
“I heard you were expelled from the Hunter Gifted School. Is that true?”
