S-Rank Healer Gets Kidnapped First Chapter 20

Tap, tap.

Guild Association President Park Won-joo pressed his lips tightly together as he tapped his fingertips against the desk.

It was a bad sign that appeared whenever things failed to go the way he wanted.

The atmosphere in the meeting room, which consisted entirely of people who knew this well, was far from pleasant.

“Wasn’t she kidnapped?”

Park Won-joo finally spoke, but no one answered his question.

When no answer came, Park Won-joo shouted irritably.

“I said, wasn’t Moon Yeon-hee kidnapped?!”

Bang!

His fist slammed down on the desk as though he intended to smash it apart.

Crack. The sound of the desk splitting sent a chill through the room.

Although he had been pushed out of the active field for a generation, an S-Rank was still an S-Rank. His strength remained formidable.

The secretary standing in front of Park Won-joo was terrified.

‘How can he even be human? Hunters are monsters…’

But it wasn’t merely because of Park Won-joo’s actions. What was even more frightening was that the Rank 1 team members around him didn’t even flinch when the desk was destroyed right before their eyes.

They hadn’t even blinked at such an absurd sight.

Does that mean something like this isn’t even threatening to them because they’re so used to it?

As if smashing the desk wasn’t enough to vent his anger, Park Won-joo’s murderous gaze turned toward Do Joo-yeon.

He spoke in an angry, reprimanding tone.

“I sent you after her during the press conference, and you came back injured instead? And you call yourself S-Rank? You call yourself S-Rank?!”

“…I have no excuse.”

“Do you know how much money we had to spend calming down the citizens and retrieving the CCTV footage because you ignored my orders and acted on your own?! Over something this trivial!”

“I apologize.”

Do Joo-yeon obediently apologized.

Park Won-joo looked at him.

At the time, he had been covered in blood, but now he only had a bandage around his head. He had recovered considerably.

The moment Do Joo-yeon had returned looking like a complete mess after being sent to bring back the healer was still vivid in Park Won-joo’s mind.

Of course, he already knew from the reports that the opposing side had an S-Rank Hunter of equal rank, along with an A-Rank and a B-Rank Hunter.

But still!

Hadn’t Do Joo-yeon grown under the full financial support of the Association?

The Association had spared no expense in providing him with the best facilities, training methods, and supplements available.

And yet, he had been utterly defeated by a few Hunters belonging to a guild.

It was an outcome Park Won-joo couldn’t believe.

He had considered Do Joo-yeon the strongest person in the Association after himself.

And this was the result he had brought back?

“I really don’t like this.”

Park Won-joo muttered the words without making it clear whom he was referring to.

The secretary swallowed nervously as the atmosphere grew heavier.

To him, Park Won-joo looked no different from a wild beast.

It was simply too much for the only ordinary person in the meeting room to handle.

In truth, even the Rank 1 team members found Park Won-joo’s glare difficult to endure.

Whenever things didn’t go his way, Park Won-joo became merciless under the pretext of “mental training.”

A person who was willing to use any means necessary was capable of doing anything.

In a world where strength had become law, an experienced S-Rank was practically an absolute authority.

“You know why you failed, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“It was your first mistake, so I’ll let it slide this time. But…”

Park Won-joo’s eyes narrowed sharply.

“Don’t expect there to be a next time. Use that useless head of yours however you can and inflict even the smallest amount of damage on Baekyang. Do you understand me?!”

Park Won-joo’s anger, which seemed to have finally subsided, flared up again.

He picked up a pen from the desk and threw it.

Do Joo-yeon read the trajectory but didn’t dodge.

Whack!

The pen, empowered by a Hunter’s strength, struck Do Joo-yeon’s wound directly.

A little blood slowly seeped into the white bandage.

“Do Joo-yeon…!”

Park Ji-won was the only one who reacted to his wound and called his name.

Do Joo-yeon hurriedly stopped her as she tried to leave her seat to treat him.

“Hah! At least you seem to care about your team.”

“……”

“I was worried because I thought you were a traitor.”

“…!”

Do Joo-yeon, who had silently been listening, flinched.

Perhaps the blood had rushed to his head, because the bandage was quickly becoming soaked.

Watching the scene from the side, Kang Si-hyeon clenched his hands behind his back.

‘Damn it. She should’ve just come back on her own. Why is she sticking with Baekyang when she has nowhere else to go?’

He couldn’t understand the situation at all.

Moon Yeon-hee was the one who had done something wrong, so why were they the ones having to endure the Association President’s anger?

Despite the intimidating glare, Kang Si-hyeon raised one hand.

“I have something to say.”

“What?”

“According to the Rank 2 team, who arrived late to the recent dungeon raid, Moon Yeon-hee appears to have betrayed us. If that’s the case, perhaps Moon Yeon-hee wasn’t actually kidnapped that day. Perhaps she deliberately carried out a planned betrayal.”

“What?”

“I suspect that Moon Yeon-hee had been in contact with Baekyang for some time.”

“Betrayal?”

“Considering Hunter Do Joo-yeon’s condition, the Baekyang side must have suffered similar injuries. If Moon Yeon-hee really had been kidnapped, she could have used that opportunity to heal herself and escape. But she didn’t.”

“There is no explanation other than betrayal.”

“Ahahaha!”

Park Won-joo burst into hearty laughter.

It was such a refreshing laugh that anyone hearing it might instinctively let out an awkward chuckle.

But no one joined him.

“You said betrayal? Moon Yeon-hee? Moon Yeon-hee?”

“…According to what I’ve heard, not only did Han Sung-woo protect Moon Yeon-hee, but when the Rank 2 team asked her to return to the Association with them, she refused while using a strange shield.”

Crunch.

Blood welled up along Park Won-joo’s lips.

“So that’s how it is…”

That little thing actually betrayed us…

“If she won’t come willingly, we’ll have no choice but to drag her back by force.”

“Kang Si-hyeon Hunter. Jang Jeong-in Hunter.”

“…Yes.”

“Yes.”

Kang Si-hyeon’s expression automatically turned displeased when he heard his name.

He wouldn’t even have realized he’d made that expression if Jang Jeong-in beside him hadn’t given him a meaningful look.

“It’s now certain that Moon Yeon-hee is with Baekyang. Then our objective is the Baekyang Guild. This time, there will be two S-Rank Hunters. We should be able to succeed, right?”

“Leave it to us.”

Jang Jeong-in quickly answered after assessing the situation.

“…We can do it.”

Kang Si-hyeon’s answer came half a beat late.

The difference was so subtle that it would be difficult to notice without paying attention.

But Park Won-joo had been the Association President for twenty years.

It wasn’t difficult for him to read Kang Si-hyeon’s dissatisfaction.

“Kang Si-hyeon Hunter, I understand that my niece has already had plenty of time to rest since she returned. I heard that you did nothing but hover around her like a dog chasing its master, while dumping your own duties on other Hunters. Did you really think I wouldn’t know?”

“…!”

“It’s good that you care about my niece, but you should be faithful to your own duties first. Don’t wander off to irrelevant places. Your master is me, after all.”

He exposed Kang Si-hyeon’s thoughts without hesitation.

Having been hit exactly where it hurt, Kang Si-hyeon’s cheeks reddened with humiliation as he bit his lip.

‘Damn it. To suffer this kind of humiliation over a mere B-Rank healer…’

Once again, the blame had been redirected toward the wrong person.

Kang Si-hyeon was also a coward who couldn’t show hostility toward someone stronger than himself.

“You knew there were no replacement healers, yet you kept submitting requests to replace yours. Even though it wasn’t exactly appropriate, I kindly granted your requests. And this is how you repay me—with neglecting your duties? Isn’t that right, Kang Si-hyeon Hunter?”

As though he had forgotten how he himself had treated the healers, Park Won-joo shifted all the blame onto Kang Si-hyeon.

“Let’s do this properly. Properly. You think you’re in Rank 1 just because you’re capable? No. We’re all here because we’re also good at reading the situation, aren’t we?”

“Yes.”

“If you understand, Kang Si-hyeon Hunter and Jang Jeong-in Hunter, start planning the operation immediately. And one more thing: this time, don’t hesitate to use any means necessary.”

“Yes.”

Only now did Kang Si-hyeon answer immediately.

Park Won-joo smiled in satisfaction.

His oppressive demeanor disappeared completely, replaced by the expression of an owner looking fondly at a well-trained hunting dog.

 

***

“Hm. This is difficult.”

Na Ye-ri rubbed her chin.

“It’s great that an S-Rank showed up, but whether we should announce it or keep it secret…”

I looked at Cha Seo-hae, Na Ye-ri, and Han Sung-woo, who were all seriously pondering the matter, and spoke.

“I think I want to reveal my rank.”

I honestly told them what I wanted.

‘There isn’t a clause in my contract regarding whether I can reveal my rank.’

To me, I wasn’t even sure this was something worth discussing.

But apparently I was the only one thinking that simply.

An unexpected silence followed.

“You really mean that? You want to reveal it?”

Han Sung-woo spoke first.

Then Na Ye-ri, who had been resting her chin on her hand while staring at me, spoke.

“Yeon-hee.”

“Hmm?”

“Are you crazy?”

Both of them reacted as though revealing it wasn’t even an option.

I hadn’t expected such a negative reaction, so I protested in confusion.

“Since I’ve awakened as an S-Rank, it means S-Rank healers could potentially emerge from now on. Wouldn’t it be better to secure the title of ‘the first’ before that happens?”

My true intention was that I wanted to annoy the Association that had mistreated me all this time.

But I changed my wording so it wouldn’t look as though I was deliberately putting myself in danger for a personal reason.

In the Hunter world, labels such as “first” and “first-ever” were generally considered positive.

I didn’t even need to look far for an example.

The current Association President himself enjoyed the glory of being the first awakened offensive-class Hunter.

Although it had been quite some time since dungeons and Hunters first appeared, information about them was always lacking.

As a result, those who pioneered unknown territory received recognition befitting their achievements.

‘It shouldn’t look strange if I want the title.’

After all, the prestige of the Baekyang Guild would undoubtedly rise simply by having the first S-Rank healer.

“Is that really the reason?”

At that moment, Cha Seo-hae, who had been quietly watching me, spoke.

“Huh?”

“I thought there wouldn’t be any Hunters who valued honor among those who joined the guild. So it’s surprising.”

“Ah… But there’s nothing wrong with valuing it, is there? If I secure the title of the first S-Rank healer, Baekyang would gain plenty of benefits too.”

“Have you already grown that attached to Baekyang?”

His calm blue eyes held my gaze, as though he wanted to uncover the thoughts I was hiding.

“…Didn’t you all take care of me because you wanted me to adapt to the guild? I naturally became attached after receiving so much attention.”

I was nervous for a moment, but I answered casually.

I wasn’t particularly good at acting, but at least I felt like I’d managed to answer naturally.

Cha Seo-hae leaned against the wall and shifted his posture slightly.

“That may be true, but to me, it looks like you’re conscious of the Association.”

“……”

As expected, deceiving Cha Seo-hae was difficult.

After all, when I’d signed the contract with him, I’d openly said that I wanted revenge.

I had hoped he’d forgotten about it, but apparently he’d remembered.

His words had hit the bull’s-eye, and I missed the chance to answer.

I simply closed my mouth and met his gaze.

“Though I could be wrong.”

Perhaps my expression looked too serious, because surprisingly, Cha Seo-hae backed off without pressing further.

Yet he was smiling faintly, making it seem like he hadn’t intended to put me in an uncomfortable position from the beginning.

“If that’s what you want, I won’t stop you. But if you’re truly doing this for the guild, we’re not in a position where we need to gain anything desperately. So don’t sacrifice yourself unnecessarily.”

“Uh…”

Sacrifice?

The word felt far too grand for me, leaving me speechless.

Baekyang was already at the top when it came to guild achievements.

Even if I revealed that I was S-Rank, perhaps all it would accomplish was making their reputation as the strongest guild slightly more secure.

“The title of ‘first’ is more likely to bring you more danger than benefits.”

“Are you asking if I’m confident I can deal with the consequences?”

“Yes. And unlike a tank or damage dealer with offensive skills, you’re a healer.”

Ultimately, the only means I had of protecting myself was my shield.

They were trying to dissuade me because they were worried about me.

Just as I was rendered speechless by the inherent limitations of my class, Na Ye-ri noticed my troubled expression and spoke soothingly.

“Still, that guy really needs to learn how to explain things better. He’s not saying healers are weak. It’s just that there are plenty of S-Rank Hunters among tanks and damage dealers, but you’re the first S-Rank healer.”

“Yeah.”

“Because you’re literally the first, we can’t perfectly predict how the people around us—the Association or the allied guilds—will react. A guild that’s on our side today could target you and join forces with the Association tomorrow.”

In other words, she meant that the timing wasn’t right to reveal my rank.

Baekyang had only just begun training with the goal of confronting the Association.

“Come on. You’re scaring her too much. You were going to listen to Hostage’s decision anyway.”

“Han Sung-woo.”

Cha Seo-hae called his name as though trying to cut off his nonsense.

“Am I wrong? Anyway, whether Hostage wants to reveal it or not, an S-Rank can’t stay hidden forever. Once more people see her during training, dungeon raids, and guild battles, rumors about her unusual abilities will eventually spread.”

“That’s why we need to make sure the information doesn’t leak from our side.”

“Easier said than done. How are you going to stop the eyes and mouths of ordinary people? People who can’t even fight because they’re non-awakened?”

Han Sung-woo taunted Cha Seo-hae with a mocking grin.

“Your preamble is too long.”

Na Ye-ri cut off the flow of the conversation with an annoyed expression.

As though he’d been waiting for that, Han Sung-woo continued.

“I also think revealing it now would be bad timing. But if we can’t keep it hidden, I’m saying we should reveal it dramatically.”