The F-Rank Guild Master Has Too Much Money Chapter 80

 

When I raised my head to look at Choi Tae-hyuk, he nodded.

 

“Hello?”

 

—You didn’t come out to greet me.

 

“I didn’t think we were close enough for that.”

 

—Oh, that’s too bad. I even brought the Heart of Arcana as a gift.

 

At the mention of a “gift,” a flicker of regret almost surfaced, but then I remembered what Choi Tae-hyuk had said:

 

“Yeon Do-jin is a psychopath.”

 

That had to be bait. Sweet on the surface, but surely laced with poison.

 

And yet…it looked incredibly tempting.

 

I had been trying to keep my distance, as Choi Tae-hyuk advised—so why did he have to bring up the Arcana now?

 

“I’ll buy it, no matter the price.”

 

—I’m not planning to sell it for money.

 

“Then?”

 

—Hmm. I’ll think about it a little longer.

 

The call ended abruptly, and I let out a sigh.

 

“What did he say?”

 

“He said he’d think about selling it.”

 

Tarejisang and Arcana were monsters that barely ever respawned.

 

That’s why they were so hard to obtain. And since Yeon Do-jin was ridiculously wealthy, money alone wouldn’t sway him.

 

“Let’s just watch for now. He might change his mind.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Tarejisang only appeared in SS-rank dungeons anyway… Maybe next time one shows up, I should just jump in without hesitation.

 

“Guild Master!”

 

With a flash of light at the far end of the living room, Gumiho appeared. She hurried over and handed me a sheet of paper.

 

“The Heart of Arcana has been listed as a Guild Battle reward!”

 

* * *

 

Beneath a tower that seemed to reach the heavens, numerous guilds, reporters, and broadcasting staff had gathered.

 

“Hello, this is reporter Lee So-yoon from MVM, reporting live from the Tower of Abel.”

 

“The Tower of Abel was formed when dungeons first began to appear…”

 

“…With the Heart of Arcana announced as a reward, this promises to be an unprecedented Guild Battle.”

 

Leaving the reporters briefing the cameras behind, we entered the building adjacent to the Tower of Abel.

 

“Wow… the stares are intense.”

 

As Gumiho had said, the moment we stepped inside, all the hunters in the hall turned to look at me.

 

“Are you alright?”

 

“Their stares can’t actually kill me. It just means our guild has grown that much.”

 

If we were a small or mid-tier guild, we would have been ignored—but our guild centered on S-rank Choi Tae-hyuk, along with S-rank Seo-ho, A-rank Jeon Hae-eun, and numerous A- and B-rank hunters.

 

On top of that, though not yet fully active, there was Ji Yun-Seo, the youngest S-rank awakener, and Kwon Beom-gaun, an SS-rank blacksmith.

 

Even though our guild was less than a year old, we had already grown to nearly mid-sized status—enough to make others wary.

 

☆ Humans has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

There are seriously so many. Even in a small country, why are so many people swarming here?

 

☆ What Matters Is Humans has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

No, that’s not it. The important thing is that Aether is participating in the Guild Battle!!

 

☆ Guild Battle!! has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

Finally, the Guild Battle I’ve been dreaming of! I really want to bless Yeon Do-jin. Seriously, really!!

 

‘Why are they blessing Yeon Do-jin when I’m the one participating?’

 

“Guild Master Ji Yeon-woo?”

 

Turning toward the clear voice, I saw a woman in a dress that clung uncomfortably to her body, her heels clicking as she approached.

 

“She is Jin Se-in, Guild Master of the Sprite Guild.”

 

Gumiho whispered.

 

I put on my public smile and extended my hand.

 

“Thank you for last time.”

 

Jin Se-in glanced at my hand, smirked, and shook it.

 

“You’re quite friendly.”

 

“I suppose I am.”

 

I may be a Guild Master now, but back then I was an orphan busy just trying to survive, having done every kind of part-time job. I had already mastered the art of dealing with people—so this was nothing.

 

“Did it go well back then?”

 

“Yes. Our Potion Hunter loved it.”

 

It was Park Young-jun, who normally stayed holed up in the workshop—but just for Glowgrass, he had run out in excitement.

 

“That’s good to hear. If you need more, feel free to take as much as you want.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

I wasn’t sure what he was researching with Glowgrass, but I planned to see if more could be obtained and visit again.

 

‘Since she said we could come anytime, I should send some guild hunters to gather it.’

 

Even after our words were exchanged, Jin Se-in didn’t let go of my hand. She smiled faintly.

 

“What’s so attractive, I wonder?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Never mind. We’ll talk later.”

 

She released my hand and walked back toward her guild, and Gumiho whispered.

 

“Do you think there’s something going on?”

 

“Yes. Please look into it.”

 

Gumiho nodded.

 

By the time we finished speaking, the meeting was almost over, and the auditorium doors closed. An elderly man with white hair, dressed in a black suit, climbed onto the podium.

 

Though his hair was white and his face lined with age, his stature and presence rivaled that of the young.

 

“Hello. I am Shin Seo-chul, Chairman of the Hunter Association.”

 

Shin Seo-chul was Korea’s first hunter—a C-rank—and a pillar of the first generation.

 

He wasn’t exceptionally powerful, but with brilliant strategy and strong connections, he founded the Hunter Association and became its chairman. 

 

“I am truly delighted to see so many guilds participating in the Korean Guild Battle Selection Tournament, and I came here today to express that joy on behalf of the Association.” 

 

As Shin Seo-chul nodded to the side, an association staff member brought out a black box wrapped in cloth.

 

“This time, the Guild Battle prize has been generously donated by Kanghyeon Guild Master Yeon Do-jin. The prize you all know: the Heart of Arcana.”

 

As the black cloth was removed, a heart the size of a basketball was revealed.

 

Even separated from a body, the heart still beat, flames spouting from its tip as if it were breathing.

 

☆ Arcana has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

Why is it spewing fire like that?

 

☆ Isn’t That Like a Phoenix? has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

Seeing flames shooting from the heart, that seems about right.

 

☆ That One has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

It’s probably needed to unseal the younger brother of that blacksmith. Quite fascinating.

 

“I would like to take this moment to thank Kanghyeon Guild Master Yeon Do-jin for making this guild battle even more exciting.”

 

Shin Seo-chul bowed toward the Kanghyeon Guild. Before anyone could notice, Yeon Do-jin was already standing there, nodding.

 

“For those of you participating in a guild battle for the first time, I will explain the rules.”

 

As Shin Seo-chul stepped down from the podium, the projector turned on.

 

The national representative guild battle takes place in each country’s Tower of Abel.

 

Each country’s Tower of Abel opens once every three years, and every floor has the same layout and the same monsters.

 

Guilds begin the dungeon at the same time, and the first guild to clear it becomes that country’s representative guild.

 

Once the representative guild is decided, one of the Towers of Abel in the country will open at random two years later.

 

Being a country’s representative guild comes with government support, preferential treatment, and tax advantages, making guild ownership highly prestigious.

 

Additionally, hunters who participate in the world guild battle gain fame not only domestically but internationally.

 

For hunters, it’s also an opportunity to raise their value through advertising and TV appearances, making guild battles a highly attractive event.

 

“The guild battle seems more complicated than I thought.”

 

“That’s because it isn’t a simple competition with rules set by people, like the Olympics.”

 

Guild battles were created to efficiently clear the dungeon known as the Tower of Abel.

 

The Tower of Abel is usually quiet, but it opens once every three or five years.

 

Guilds are divided into teams with a set number of members and must complete the dungeon within a time limit. Failure to do so causes infinite waves of monsters to pour out.

 

In island nations like Hawaii and Taiwan, insufficient hunters prevented them from clearing the Tower of Abel in time, and both islands became uninhabitable wastelands afterward.

 

Recognizing the danger of the Tower of Abel, countries began organizing guild battles to systematically tackle it.

 

“But there’s also a world guild battle, right?”

 

“Yes. Two years later, the Tower of Cavel will open.”

 

Just when everyone had nearly forgotten about the Tower of Abel, the Tower of Cavel suddenly appeared.

 

Unlike the chimney-shaped Tower of Abel, the Tower of Cavel was eerie, and the screams of monsters could be heard from outside.

 

Only those who cleared the Tower of Abel could enter the Tower of Cavel, which featured far stronger monsters and a shorter time limit—guilds that didn’t finish first couldn’t participate at all.

 

The fate of the world rested on the Tower of Abel and the Tower of Cavel, yet humans ironically treated it like a festival.

 

Perhaps it was their way of coping with fear and panic, but from God’s perspective, it was a fascinating phenomenon.

 

“I see.”

 

Gumiho nodded while listening to my explanation, just as the projector turned off.

 

As the auditorium lights came on, Shin Seo-chul appeared again.

 

“This time, the Tower of Abel requires six participants.”

 

Guild battle participation requirements were displayed on a blank stone tablet in the center of the tower before it opened.

 

Based on these requirements, each guild selected representative hunters to enter the waiting room on the first floor, and the Tower of Abel judged success or failure based on them.

 

Successful participants could take part in the guild battle; failed participants were teleported outside.

 

Being teleported outside could hurt a guild’s reputation, so most small- and mid-tier guilds that couldn’t afford to fail usually chose not to participate.

 

“Then, I wish you all good luck.”

 

After Shin Seo-chul finished speaking and left, murmurs spread through the auditorium.

 

Until now, guilds participating in the Tower of Abel had only had three members.

 

For some guilds, the new six-person requirement was burdensome, and others worried about who to include.

 

“Six people…”

 

Me, Choi Tae-hyuk, An Bom, Seo-ho, and Jeon Hae-eun make five. Who should be the sixth?

 

“Let’s go.”

 

“Yes.”

 

As we prepared to leave the auditorium under Choi Tae-hyuk’s lead, a familiar person approached.

 

It was Seo Tae-rim from the Kanghyeon Guild.

 

“Guild Master Ji Yeon-woo. Hello.”

 

“Hello. What brings you here?”

 

“I have business with Vice-Guild Master Choi Tae-hyuk. Vice-Guild Master Choi Tae-hyuk, Guild Master Yeon Do-jin would like to speak with you briefly.”

 

Choi Tae-hyuk frowned slightly.

 

“There’s no reason for me to go—”

 

At that moment, Seo Tae-rim whispered something into Choi Tae-hyuk’s ear. Choi Tae-hyuk sighed, then looked at me.

 

“I’ll be back shortly.”

 

“Yes. Go ahead. I’ll get in the car first—”

 

“No. Please, stay here with Gumiho.”

 

Unable to resist the strong request, I nodded without thinking. Choi Tae-hyuk then went toward Yeon Do-jin with Seo Tae-rim.

 

“I wonder what it’s about?”

 

“I don’t know.”

 

☆ Recently, Choi Tae-hyuk has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

So many secrets. Why is that?

 

☆ Come To Think Of It has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

He even gossiped with Emelyn Kiyo before… and now it’s Yeon Do-jin.

 

Just as I was trying to guess why Choi Tae-hyuk had been called, someone else approached Gumiho.

 

“Hello, Ms. Gumiho.”

 

“Oh! Guild Master Pi Jang-song, hello.”

 

A man with curly, broccoli-like hair extended his hand to Gumiho, who shook it warmly.

 

“You’re personally gathering information, I see.”

 

“For an important event like this, I have to oversee it myself to be at ease.”

 

From Gumiho’s reaction, it was clear that the man called Pi Jang-song belonged to an Information Guild.

 

“I actually had something I wanted to request. Since we’ve met, may I go ahead?”

 

“Normally, no, but if Ms. Gumiho requests it, of course I’ll help. Shall we step over there for a moment?”

 

Gumiho gave me a glance that said she would be back shortly, and she disappeared in the other direction with the Information Guild Master.

 

Since Choi Tae-hyuk and Gumiho both seemed like they wouldn’t be done soon, I leaned my back against the wall.

 

‘Which of the new hunters should I take along…?’

 

I was deep in thought trying to fill the six-person roster when someone approached.

 

“Look who it is. It’s the person from TV.”

 

* * *

 

“I’ve brought him here.”

 

Hearing Seo Tae-rim, Yeon Do-jin looked up and smirked.

 

It was because Choi Tae-hyuk, who had acted like a meek lamb in front of Ji Yeon-woo, was now showing a fierce intensity, as if he wanted to devour Yeon Do-jin on the spot.