“Alright, let’s get going.”
I casually placed my hand on Seomun Ye-jin’s lower back. Dressed in simple denim shorts and a light shirt, she looked every bit the practical hunter, ready for battle at a moment’s notice.
Visually, however, her outfit struck a perfect balance between elegance and allure—a seamless blend of purity and sensuality.
As if it were the most natural thing in the world, she smiled contentedly when my hand rested on her back, leaning her head against me with a delighted expression.
“Hehe~ It’ll be busy for a while, but I’m glad I get to move around with you, dear.”
“Same here, my love.”
I now called Seomun Ye-jin “dear,” not just “miss.” As we were acting together as a married couple, it was fitting to publicly acknowledge her as my wife.
Of course, this was also something Seomun Ye-jin herself had wanted.
“Yes, dear. Hehe~”
Seeing her joyfully call me “dear” in return only reinforced that using this affectionate term was the right choice for us as a couple.
“Then, we’ll be off, Ramisa,” I said, preparing to activate a portal.
Ramisa nodded, acknowledging my words.
“Go ahead. I’ll finish watching this broadcast,” she said, her attention still fixated on the TV program in front of her.
Leaving Ramisa behind, engrossed in her show, Seomun Ye-jin and I stepped into the portal I had created and moved beyond its shimmering surface.
***
Kangin Academy.
This was both a cradle for nurturing exceptional hunters and a proving ground for selecting the heir to the Kangin Guild.
The latter purpose, however, was now irrelevant.
Because, starting this year, the true heir had already been decided.
“So, you’re saying you want to take on the role of the Academy’s president?”
“Yes. Wouldn’t that be the best option?”
The one who was to become the heir—Baek Seo-jun—had requested the position of president at Kangin Academy.
“And I’ll be his secretary!” Seomun Ye-jin added cheerfully from beside him.
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“Fair enough. You two are officially SSS-rank hunters, so it’s not an unreasonable request.”
If an ordinary person with no qualifications were appointed as the Academy’s president, even Choi Kang-in—who wielded absolute power in Korea—would face public backlash.
However, if the candidate were an SSS-rank hunter, no matter how young, there would be no opposition.
In fact, having two SSS-rank hunters affiliated with Kangin Academy would only elevate its prestige. In many countries, SSS-rank hunters were treated as assets equivalent to strategic weapons.
“As long as you don’t interfere with the core structure, you can leave the existing operations as they are,” Baek Seo-jun said casually.
Until now, the president of Kangin Academy had been a nominal position held by Choi Kang-in himself, the guild master of the Kangin Guild.
While the day-to-day management was handled by subordinates, Choi Kang-in’s name had always been listed as the Academy’s president.
Changing the name from Choi Kang-in to Baek Seo-jun would not disrupt the institution’s operations in any way.
“What about your name? Will you continue to go by Kim Ho-jun?”
“For the time being, yes.”
It seemed Seo-jun wasn’t ready to reveal his true identity yet.
“But it won’t be for much longer. Soon, I’ll reveal my real name to the world.”
Choi Kang-in was curious about when that moment would come but chose not to press further.
Whatever plans Seo-jun had, they weren’t likely to harm the world.
Even if the Baekho Guild disappeared, it wouldn’t be a significant loss. While it was unfortunate to lose someone with Baek Seo-jin’s potential, compared to Baek Seo-jun, he was of little value to the world.
A thousand people like Baek Seo-jin wouldn’t be worth even one Baek Seo-jun.
“Haha, I see. But do you intend to remain classified as an SSS-rank hunter?”
Baek Seo-jun’s strength had long since surpassed even Choi Kang-in’s.
His power was beyond the scope of national classifications like EX-rank or state-level authority. The safety of the entire world rested solely in his hands.
Only Seo-jun could defend the world from what foreign entities—the so-called "external invaders"—might bring. Conversely, if he chose to, he could destroy the world in an instant.
It was by his mercy and his dedication that the world continued to exist.
In Choi Kang-in’s eyes, categorizing him as merely SSS-rank was an understatement, an insult.
“I don’t plan to undergo reclassification yet,” Seo-jun replied.
It was clear he had his reasons for holding off on a reevaluation, as though he was waiting for the right moment.
“Alright. I’ll leave it to your judgment. For now, we’ll officially register the president’s name as Kim Ho-jun, but we’ll keep your real name, Baek Seo-jun, in the records. Rest assured, your true identity won’t be revealed unless you wish it.”
“Thank you.”
Choi Kang-in gazed at the man before him, no longer a boy but a young man in every sense. He genuinely wished for Seo-jun to inherit the Kangin Guild.
Only then could Choi Kang-in feel some satisfaction in knowing he had contributed to the world’s safety.
That was all he hoped for.
“Well then, I suppose it’s time for me to lend a hand. Is approaching Baek Seo-jin the best course of action?”
“Yes, please. He’s bound to take the bait.”
***
“Seo-jin, aren’t you nervous about tomorrow’s entrance exam for Kangin Academy?”
“Seo-jin, as long as you do your best, that’s all that matters to us. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself, just give it your all,” Baek Hyung-won and Kim Yoo-jung reassured their son about the entrance exam taking place the next day, Monday, February 19.
The academic year officially began on March 5, and with 1,000 incoming students, the exam period stretched from February 19 to February 23, lasting five days in total.
Unfortunately, Baek Seo-jin’s test was scheduled for the first day, and his exam number was 23, placing him near the front of the queue.
“I’m fine, Dad, Mom. The test content is the same no matter when you take it,” Seo-jin replied confidently.
Although the Kangin Academy included a written exam, it wasn’t tied to a specific date in February. The purpose of the written portion was merely to evaluate candidates’ knowledge of monsters, dungeons, and villains, and it didn’t carry much weight in the admissions process.
No matter how academically capable someone might be, a hunter’s true worth ultimately lay in their strength.
While several SS-rank hunters working together, armed with expensive artifacts, might stand a chance at defeating a newly promoted SSS-rank villain, a solo SSS-rank hunter could handle the same opponent with ease.
Thus, the practical exam was the most critical part of the Kangin Academy admissions process.
Hunters from around the world aspired to join Kangin Academy, and among them, only 2,000 had qualified to take the test.
2,000.
It sounded like a lot, but on a global scale, it was not. And from these candidates, only 1,000 would be admitted—half of them would be eliminated.
The selection criteria were strength, abilities, and conduct.
In all these areas, Baek Seo-jin was confident he would pass.
In fact, he was aiming to be the top scorer.
However, as he glanced at his phone, his expression soured.
“Seo-jin, what’s wrong?” Baek Hyung-won asked, noticing his son’s displeased look.
“Dad, take a look at this. Kim Ho-jun—that despicable guy—has been appointed as Kangin Academy’s president!” Seo-jin exclaimed, holding out his phone.
“What?!”
Baek Hyung-won, visibly shocked, took the phone and scowled at the news.
"Damn it. That guy is the Academy’s president? What kind of scheme is this?"
The revelation that Kim Ho-jun had been appointed as president of Kangin Academy was a bitter pill for Baek Seo-jin to swallow.
What on earth was Choi Kang-in thinking, giving such an important position to someone like that?
As far as Seo-jin knew, Kim Ho-jun was an independent hunter with no guild affiliations.
Sure, Kim Ho-jun was famous for openly taking down countless villains, resolving dungeons, and saving lives worldwide.
But entrusting a person like him with the role of Kangin Academy’s president? It was incomprehensible.
"If only I could meet Choi Kang-in directly!"
If he could just speak to Choi Kang-in, he’d expose how vile and cruel Kim Ho-jun truly was.
Perhaps he could even convince him to annul Seomun Ye-jin’s forced marriage to Kim Ho-jun.
But even as the heir of the Baekho Guild, arranging a meeting with Choi Kang-in was no easy feat. In fact, Seo-jin had no idea how to make it happen.
"If only I could bump into him by chance on the street..."
With such thoughts weighing him down, Seo-jin spent the night before the exam in a gloomy mood.
The next morning, however, a miracle occurred.
The practical exam was scheduled for later that day, so Seo-jin had gone to Gae-seong City early to stretch and prepare.
He headed into the mountains near the city to train lightly, ensuring no one else would be affected.
“Well, well, looks like I’ve stumbled upon a fellow traveler.”
Seo-jin froze at the sound of a voice. Despite not sensing any presence, someone had approached him without him noticing.
Startled at first, he quickly recognized the voice and turned pale in shock.
“C-Choi Kang-in?”
The guild master of Kangin Guild, the man who effectively controlled every guild in South Korea and held the country’s ultimate authority—Choi Kang-in himself—stood before him.
By some miracle, Baek Seo-jin had encountered him.