101 - Murim Login

Chapter 101 "What... is this." I was stunned. The unexpected appearance of Butler Kim was surprising enough, but it paled in comparison to what he said to Lim Chunsu. "Chunsu? Is that you?" Did they know each other? Thinking about it, Kim and Lim shared many similarities. They were of a similar age and had long careers as hunters. "Come to think of it, Butler Kim was active as a hunter during the Great Cataclysm too." I had never heard it directly from him, but it was something I had always suspected. Hesitantly alternating my gaze between the two, I asked carefully. "Are you two close?" Lim Chunsu's eyes trembled slightly. When he first received a report on the Peace Guild, Lim Chunsu could hardly believe his eyes. In the photograph in the report was a face he had long hoped to never see again, a face he was certain he would never encounter. "This... Who exactly is this?" "Master Kim Hwa-jong of the Peace Guild. Fifty-five years old. A B-rank hunter." "Kim Hwa-jong? A B-rank hunter?" "Yes. Is there a problem?" "Oh, no. I just mistook him for someone I used to know." Of course not. Lim Chunsu sighed in relief. Though there was a slight resemblance, that's all it was. Besides, that person died over thirty years ago. No matter how bizarre the world has become, the dead can't just come back to life. "Even if that man somehow returned, he wouldn’t be wasting away here as an old B-rank hunter." That day, Lim Chunsu drowned his unease in a solitary glass of soju. He tried to shake off the horrific memories that clung to him even after fifty years. "Oh, to think I'm still like this at this age." Later, when he heard that Kim Hwa-jong's information was under heavy security, a chill ran down his spine. "Could it be? No, it can't be." But... why do foreboding feelings always seem to be right? "Rise. Firewall." As a soft, low chant echoed, a towering wall of flames erupted. Whoosh, crackle! The intensely hot blue flames evaporated the ice spikes, harder than steel, without a trace. And then... "I'm relieved I made it in time. You too, Chunsu." At the sound of the voice he could never forget, even in his dreams, Lim Chunsu recalled the terror that once controlled him. The humiliating submission he endured to survive. "Damn it... I'm screwed." Frozen like a statue, Jin Tae-kyung asked him. "Are you two close?" What? Close? Lim Chunsu swallowed a string of curses rising from deep within and turned around. Before him stood someone he had long thought dead. "Instructor." Butler Kim smiled gently. That devilish smile still etched deeply in Lim Chunsu's memory even now. "28th Regiment, 1st Battalion, 2nd Company. Lim Chunsu. I recognized you at a glance." It was a resonance of the soul. Lim Chunsu's previously hunched back straightened, his feet snapped together at a 45-degree angle, and his gaze fixed 15 degrees above the line of sight. With lightning-fast reflexes, a thundering voice burst forth. "Trainee number one! Lim! Chuuuun! Suuuuu!" After thirty years, his booming military greeting echoed across the mountains. What the team leader found atop the mountain were bloodstains scattered across the bushes and the security team thoroughly bound by magical ropes. "What a sight, really." He clicked his tongue inwardly and drew his sword to sever the binds. Though they were bleeding a bit, none appeared to be severely injured. It seemed Jin Tae-kyung had shown some degree of care. "This must put him at a high B-rank, or maybe even an A-rank hunter." From the team leader's assessment, Jin Tae-kyung's skill seemed to be around that level. The journey down the mountain turned into a hellish experience for some. "Why did you do it? While you might get through with surveillance, today's actions could be attempted murder. Did you consider the consequences?" "I'm... sorry." At the team leader’s words, the security team leader lowered his head deeply. Despite their reckless show of force, they ended up getting thoroughly humiliated by Jin Tae-kyung. He had no excuses, even if he had ten mouths. "The Guild Master is severely disappointed." "So, does that mean...?" "You'll definitely face a disciplinary report and a salary cut. Possibly more." "Dismissal?" "That depends on the Guild Master's decision." "Umm, Team Leader. By any chance..." "Let me make it clear, don't expect me to put in a good word for you. I have no interest in standing up for someone who disgraced the name of the organization I work for. Nor do I intend to oppose the Guild Master's decision." "Sigh." The team leader let out a sigh of frustration, and at that moment, a loud shout resonated from afar. - Trainee number one! Lim! Chuuuun! Suuuu! "...What was that? Am I hearing things?" Both the startled team leader and the security team members, who were already looking miserable, were taken aback. The security team leader recovered first. "Excuse me, Team Leader. Sorry, but I think I heard the Guild Master's voice just now." The team leader, who had been cleaning his ears, widened his eyes in surprise. "...Did you hear it too, Security Team Leader?" "We all heard it." "But I couldn't clearly distinguish if it was the Guild Master's voice or not... It sounded more like a name." "You mean it was a person's name? I thought it was just someone yelling." "Did you? I thought it sounded like a military greeting." The team leader, listening to the security team’s whispers, suddenly turned serious. "Who just spoke? What, a military greeting?" To him, Lim Chunsu was a respected senior and a superior. The idea of a legendary hunter and war hero, who had been active since the Great Cataclysm, shouting a military greeting out of nowhere? It was unimaginable, even beyond the scope of imagination. "Do any of you still have the luxury to spout such nonsense? Do you really think this is a topic for someone clear-headed to discuss right now?" "S-sorry." "We must have misheard." "Everyone, get your heads straight. Understand?" The team leader was just about to resume walking when it happened again. - No, sirrrr! - I will correct that, sirrrr! It was the soul-bearing cry of a private, and as soon as it resounded, the team leader’s tightly shut mouth opened momentarily. "From now on, we sprint at full speed. Go." "Yes, go!" The people gathered here were all at least C-rank hunters, superhumans who had far surpassed the limits of ordinary people. They charged like a runaway train, arriving at the trail entrance in less than five minutes. "You're slow. Just got here?" "Guild Master!" "Lower your voice, you're going to burst my eardrums." Seeing Lim Chunsu as he always was, the team leader let out a sigh of relief. "I thought something might have happened..." "Happened? Was there something strange?" "No, it's nothing. But where did that Jin Tae-kyung kid go?" "I let him go after a little chat. He turned out to be a pretty decent guy. Why do you ask?" "I wondered if he caused some kind of disturbance." "Oh, are you talking about that fellow who was shouting earlier?" "Yes, that's right. The voice sounded like the Guild Master's, so..." Unable to complete his thought, the team leader trailed off under Lim Chunsu's sharp glare. "My voice?" "Oh, it's nothing." "How ridiculous. Some young ones were playing military games below, so I chased them off. Do they still have that military culture in universities these days?" "Ah, I see." "Really, it was quite a sight. After a few PT exercises, they looked ready to collapse." The team leader felt his lingering doubts clear up completely. 'I must have been crazy. What was I thinking?' As he tendered to his own self-reproach, Lim Chunsu was harshly reprimanding the security team. "Security Team Leader." "Yes, yes!" "Oh, you answer well. Is that why you're still team leader after causing such trouble?" "I'm sorry!" "And the rest of you, keeping your mouths shut? Should I make you dance with swords today?" "We're sorry, Guild Master!" The team leader watched the scene with satisfaction. There were some who spread rumors about Lim Chunsu's difficult personality. But having observed him up close, he saw him as a charismatic superior and an excellent life mentor. 'Guild Master, I will follow you forever.' As the team leader regarded Lim Chunsu's back with immense respect, he suddenly tilted his head in curiosity. '...But why is there dirt on the Guild Master's back?' Perhaps he scolded them a bit roughly. "We've arrived." At Butler Kim's words, I snapped out of my stupor and looked around. Through the window, I could see the entrance to the apartment complex. How did we get here already? "Th-thank you." "Don't mention it." A smile appeared on his distinguished face, reminiscent of a seasoned actor who had dominated an era. 'Really, this man did dominate an era.' Until now, I had merely thought of him as a distant senior hunter, but that was a complete misunderstanding. 'A wizard of his caliber, managing to handle Lim Chunsu like that.' He had forced the former war hero into 100 sets of PT exercises and even scolded him with a soft voice, tapping him lightly with the toe of his shoe. Thinking back on it still sends shivers down my spine. 'Trainee, who uses mana in PT exercises?' Smack! 'Trainee number one, Lim Chunsu, I'm sorry.' 'Does it hurt? Has your voice gotten weaker with age?' 'No, sir!' 'Attention. At ease. Attention. At ease.' Quick, quick, quick! 'Rest backward, rest forward, rest backward, rest backward.' 'Huff.' 'Trainee, did you not hear me say rest backward? Get your mind straight.' 'I will correct it, sir!' 'And why are you bothering your good juniors? Haven't I always emphasized to live by helping each other, senior and junior?' 'I-I'm sorry.' 'Repeat after me. Sitting, save juniors; standing, cherish them. One. Two.' 'Cherish juniors!' 'You are from Class 25, correct?' 'Trainee number one, Lim Chunsu, yes, that's correct.' 'I am from Class 3. If today's incident leaks or happens again, everyone from Class 4 to 24 will be assembled without exception.' 'Why is there no response? Prepare to squat run.' 'Pre-prepared...' He drilled them relentlessly, giving a performance money couldn't buy. If guild members had seen it, the guild might have been closed today. 'Butler Kim, who exactly is this man?' Being from the 3rd batch of the hunter training academy, he could gather all the guild masters in a field and order drills. Not to mention, he was once an instructor. It's not an exaggeration to say that most early Great Cataclysm wizards went through his hands. 'As a wizard, he's at least A-rank.' One only needs to see Lim Chunsu taking such a scolding without complaint to recognize it. Butler Kim surpassed him both in experience and skill. Ice and flame. There might be a matter of magical affinity, but it was Butler Kim who trained Lim Chunsu to his current status. 'But... why would someone of that stature serve as a butler?' I glanced sideways at Butler Kim, meeting his gaze directly. "You seem to have a lot of questions." "To be honest, yes." Curiosity was practically bursting from within me. Seeing my open curiosity, Butler Kim curled the corners of his mouth into a smile. "If I were to tell, it would be a long story." "That's fine. I'm on vacation, so there's plenty of time." "Ah, then I suppose we can also talk about Jin Tae-kyung. There are quite a few things I'm curious about concerning him." "Come to think of it, it's already evening. Tomorrow's the last day of my vacation, and I need to deal with a real estate contract. Hahaha."