Chapter 87: Finally truly S-Ranks
Jinwoo and Po strode into the sleek, modern office of the Yoojin Guild, where Jinho had requested their presence. The younger man, seated behind a polished mahogany desk, perked up the moment they entered.
"Hyung-nims! You're here!" Jinho beamed, standing up excitedly. He gestured for them to take a seat.
Po leaned against the back of the couch lazily, while Jinwoo took a seat with a raised brow. "You sounded like you had something important to say," Jinwoo remarked.
Jinho nodded, his expression turning serious. "I do." He took a deep breath, then declared, "I want you both to join my Guild!"
Silence.
Po and Jinwoo glanced at each other, then, in perfect synchronization, they began, "I'm—"
Cut to the Hunters Guild.
Choi Jong-In listened intently as his subordinate, a seasoned A-Rank Hunter, recounted the events of the latest dungeon raid. The man's hands were still trembling as he spoke.
"They weren't just strong, sir. They were… monsters." His voice was laced with disbelief. "Sung Jinwoo and Po wiped out an entire A-Rank Dungeon's army—no, they didn't just wipe it out. They massacred it. And their armies—one of them raises the dead, and the other creates beasts from their corpses! I've never seen anything like it."
Choi Jong-In frowned. "Even for S-Ranks, that's…"
The subordinate hesitated before asking, "Sir… if it were you, could you solo-clear that A-Rank Dungeon?"
Choi Jong-In went silent.
His status as The Ultimate Hunter suddenly felt like a joke.
The Next Day – The Hunters Association Headquarters
The flashing of cameras and the excited murmur of the press filled the air outside the Association building. At the center of it all sat Lee Minsung, reclining smugly inside a luxury car with tinted windows. His agent stood outside, preparing for his big moment.
"It's time, Minsung-ssi. Everyone's waiting for your statement."
Minsung smirked. Of course they were. He was the biggest thing in the Hunter world—no, in South Korea. The press loved him.
But as he stepped out of his car and basked in the camera flashes, the murmur of excitement suddenly shifted. The crowd began turning their heads… away from him.
Minsung frowned. "What the hell is going on?"
From behind the sea of reporters, two figures pushed forward effortlessly, parting the crowd like waves.
Sung Jinwoo and Po.
They barely acknowledged the chaos around them, casually strolling toward the Hunters Association entrance, brushing past flashing cameras and stunned security.
A guard stepped in their way. "Sirs, you can't—"
Before he could finish, an imposing presence washed over the crowd, sending shivers down their spines. The doors to the Association opened, and an unexpected figure stepped out.
Chairman Go Gunhee.
But something was different.
The elderly man, known for his frail condition, now sported jet-black hair and a physique that didn't belong to a man in his seventies. His mere presence was enough to silence the entire crowd.
Gunhee's sharp gaze landed on the security. "They're with me."
The guards quickly stepped aside.
As Po and Jinwoo entered the building, Minsung—still standing in the spotlight—felt an unfamiliar sensation.
Irrelevance.
Inside the Association
The massive re-evaluation room was more of a colosseum than a test chamber. Choi Jong-In, Baek Yoonho, and a protocol officer stood at one end, while Jinwoo and Po stood in the center.
"Let's not waste time," Gunhee stated, his arms crossed. "Show us what you've got."
Jinwoo sighed and lifted a hand. A shadow rose from the ground—a single soldier.
Gunhee narrowed his eyes. "That's not everything, is it?"
Jinwoo groaned, "Of course not," but complied nonetheless.
With a mere thought, the ground rippled as over a hundred Shadows emerged in perfect formation.
A cold chill ran down the spines of both Baek and Choi.
"Damn…" Baek muttered. "This alone might be enough to beat us."
Before they could recover from the shock, Po casually snapped his fingers. A massive Shadow-Light Dragon materialized beside him, exuding a divine yet menacing aura.
"This is just one," Po stated nonchalantly. "I can summon more. Or pour all of their power into just one. Or mix and match. Plenty of combos."
Choi Jong-In and Baek Yoonho exchanged nervous glances.
For the first time, they truly understood.
These two weren't just strong.
They were monsters.
"Ah—wait! Don't go through that—"
Choi's warning came a little too late.
As Jinwoo and Po stepped through the exit, a blinding barrage of camera flashes hit them like a tidal wave.
The media had been waiting.
"THE 10TH AND 11TH S-RANK HUNTERS OF KOREA—PO (10th)AND SUNG JINWOO(11th)!"
The news spread everywhere. Television broadcasts, online articles, social media—everyone was talking about the new S-Ranks, one of whom was rumored to have made Chairman Go Gunhee young again.
At home, Jin-Ah stared at the screen in shock. "Oppa…?"
Song-Yi's jaw nearly hit the floor.
And Lee Minsung?
Still standing outside, watching in disbelief as the press ignored him completely.
His fame had been snatched away in an instant.
Scene Shift
"Did you manage to recruit them?"
Jinho's father, Yoo Myung-Han, sat behind his desk, his sharp gaze focused on his son.
Jinho hesitated before shaking his head. "No, Father. They declined."
His father leaned back, contemplating. "Do you know why I created Yoojin Guild, Jinho?"
Jinho swallowed. "For business?"
"No. For protection. To protect our family." Myung-Han's voice was firm. "Hunters exist who can topple nations. In some parts of the world, they rule like kings. The strongest Hunters don't work for money—they choose their own paths. They are known as Natinal Ranked Hunters."
Jinho clenched his fists. "I know that."
"That's why I want you to lead the Yoojin Guild and expand it. You've built strong relationships. It's time to—"
Jinho suddenly stood up.
"No, Father." He took a deep breath. "I'm not going to lead Yoojin Guild. I'm going to join them."
Yoo Myung-Han's eyes widened.
For the first time, his son wasn't just following in his footsteps.
He was choosing his own path.
Back to the Association
The press still flooded the Association entrance, bombarding Po and Jinwoo with questions.
Baek Yoonho sighed. "Want us to help you get out?"
Po and Jinwoo exchanged glances.
Then, with a smirk, they disappeared.
A blur of motion—faster than any human eye could track—and they were gone.
Baek and Choi Jong-In were left standing there, stunned.
Baek let out a hollow chuckle. "I think I just lost another rank in the Hunter hierarchy."
Choi Jong-In didn't respond.
Because he had just realized something far more terrifying.
Jinwoo and Po weren't Re-Awakened Hunters.
They were growing.
And in this world, where Hunters had fixed limits…
That shouldn't be possible.