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“It’s the Artemis Guild.”

Yerim said, fixing her messy hair before getting off the plane.

“Amaterasu, not Artemis.” Yoojin corrected her.

“Well, whatever. Why did they name the guild after a foreign god anyway? It’s even one that I’ve never heard of before. Plus, aren’t there many more famous gods like Zeus, Athena, Apollo, Odin, Thor, and such to choose from?”

“Perhaps all the names of those famous gods have already been taken. And don’t bring them up for no reason, Yerim. It’s best to just stay quiet about it when you don’t know any better.” Yoojin said.

English-sounding names like that could be convenient for international exchanges. And naming the guild is ultimately up to the guild leader, after all.

“Amaterasu is a Japanese god.”

A guide who was standing nearby said. A Japanese god? Yoojin had thought that it was a Greek god. But why does its name sound like that, then? Yoojin wondered. Judging from Yerim’s expression, she was also surprised.

“Amaterasu is the sun god who was said to be the ancestor of the Japanese royal family. So, at one point after the guild adopted that name, many people criticized them for their arrogance...”

The guide lowered his voice slightly.

“Right now, the Amaterasu Guild is practically the king of Japan. On the surface, they assume the role of protecting Japan and its royal family, but regardless of whether it is the emperor or the prime minister, before the Amaterasu Guild leader, neither of them could even speak.”

Oh, wow. So, it was a good decision to have come as a group after all. While Japan may seem to be carrying out its national duties competently, it’s always possible that there’s more going on than meets the eye. At least with this many S-class hunters travelling together, they wouldn’t dare to make any foolish moves.

“By the way, the Amaterasu guild leader’s real name is kept a secret. But, he goes by the name... ‘Shishiou,’ ahem.”

The guide explained, but for some reason, he was embarrassed while saying that name. What does that word even mean? The accuracy of the translation item was so spot-on that it didn’t translate words that are the name of a place or a person. Sometimes, Yoojin wonders about the mechanism behind the item.

“Hyung, let’s talk for a bit.”

Yoohyun said and led Yoojin into the sleeping quarters. The room would be well soundproofed after closing its doors which effectively sealed the room.

“It’s not that I don’t trust you, hyung. But since we’re away and overseas, you need to be more careful.”

“You don’t need to worry about me. I’ve told you many times that I won’t go anywhere alone. I’ll try to keep Peace and Velare by my side always.”

There are others who may be in possession of items that can change one’s appearance like Myeongwoo’s glasses. Hence why Yoojin decided to have Peace and Velare stick close to him. He would be accompanied by an S-class beast and another one possessing an A-rank poison skill. As long as S-class hunters are not targeting both of them at the same time, then there shouldn’t be any issues.

“You must never reveal your skills, especially the one where you share your abilities. I’ve said this before, but doing so would be really dangerous.”

Yoohyun must have meant the skill that shares the doubling effect on the potency of an attack.

“I know that too. I won’t use it or even talk about it unless I’m with someone I trust.”

“It’s fine if it’s with me or the Sesung guild leader. As for Hunter Noah, since he’s a support type, and his influence won’t really be felt, he should be alright too. And for Chief Song Taewon... Well, he’s a special case. But other than those people, every other hunter is off-limits.”

Yoohyun said seriously.

“If a hunter is already considered one of the strongest, then it’s natural for them to still be able to exercise some restraint. But for hunters that aren’t, especially those mediocre combat-types, a skill that would instantly propel them to the top is bound to be tempting to them.”

Yoojin wondered if Yoohyun meant that the doubling skill was more appealing to those who are slightly inferior to geniuses. But it’s true that compared to a gold medalists, it’s the silver medalists and the people who barely rank at the top that are the more desperate to improve their skills.

“I know this is the kind of skill that would make people’s eyes pop out just thinking about it.”

No matter how one looks at the skill, it was definitely an impressive one. Different scenarios began popping up in Yoojin’s head, ‘Suppose I were to share that skill with someone, and double up their grades then... Oh, then that would be a little scary. It would be like a student who barely ranked in the 50th percentile of a college entrance exam suddenly achieving a perfect score. I’d like to apply it on Yerim. Not only will she be an S-class hunter, but she’d also achieve a perfect score on the college entrance exam. It’s not too late for Yoohyun too.’

“I will be careful, really.” Yoojin said.

Was there really no way to extract the skill and make it into an item? It’s such a shame just thinking about it, Yoojin thought.

“We’re all set to disembark!”

Someone from the Japanese Hunter Association made an announcement via radio. Yoojin made an effort to pay attention, so everything he heard could sound somewhat Korean. He picked Peace up and placed Chirpie on top of Peace’s body instead of his own head.

‘It’s not like this is a parade of S-class hunters or something.’ Yoojin thought.

Since leaving Korea, Yoojin had been worried that their arrival might be viewed as such, and now those feelings of embarrassment had only intensified. The looks everyone gave them back in Korea were so dazzling that it made Yoojin doubt whether it was even okay for him to be among the others. ‘...Should I wear sunglasses or something?’ He thought.

“Ahjussi, come here!”

Yerim gestured towards Yoojin. ‘No, but you’re the main character, you should be in the front.’ Yoojin silently thought. But still, it might be better to stand between Yerim and Moon Hyuna.

‘For now, I can’t be near Sung Hyunjae.’

The height difference was seriously bad. As Yoojin needlessly stared at Sung Hyunjae, they ended up making eye contact again. Yoojin almost averted his gaze for a second time out of reflex, but he didn’t. ‘Just ignore me if you think that I’m lacking,’ He thought. Yoojin briefly met Sung Hyunjae’s gaze before naturally shifting his eyes away.

It seems that standing beside Myeongwoo and Noah was no easy task either. They’re both tall. Haha. Yoojin just wanted to hide behind the group and pretend to be a flight attendant.

“Ahjussi, what are you doing?”

Yerim couldn’t wait for Yoojin to come to her any longer, so she went and dragged him herself. Yoojin tried to call for Moon Hyuna, but Yoohyun had already taken the spot next to him. Well, he kind of expected that to happen.

‘...What is that?’

Yoojin wondered as soon as he stepped out of the airplane. The first thing that caught his eye was the long assembly of people in formal uniforms. Their uniforms had a mixture of white and red colors, and on one side of the chest area, there was an embedment of a crest-like symbol. The crest resembled those heraldic symbols of Western families and had a lion-like design.

But forget that, what’s more important right now was that Yoojin wanted to get away from the airport.

“Are they also hosting a welcoming event?”

Yerim asked. She seemed to be enjoying herself, she was waving her hands and lightly hopping down the stairs. But as soon as a broadcasting station camera turned to point in her direction, her face froze. Both the Japanese and Korean stations were supposedly broadcasting live.

Further away from the airplane stairs stood a large man with his bodyguards in tow. Yoojin assumed that he was the Amaterasu guild leader.

The Amaterasu guild leader was also dressed in a uniform. The design was similar to those worn by the people standing on either side, except his was much more extravagant... Could that be their guild uniform? Although it’s not uncommon to have guild uniforms, it is still rare in Korea. And it is especially so for uniforms that are designated for ceremonial occasions like these...

The most common ones in Korea are organizational jackets which even small guilds can afford. And if the budget of a guild permits it, the jackets can be even made with the spoils from dungeon raids which allows for great practicality as well as easy storage.

“Welcome to Japan!”

“Hunter Park Yerim, Welcome to Japan!”

A group of teenagers, who seemed to have been carefully selected for their good looks, came forward with big smiles and welcoming greetings. Although they greeted every one of the Korean hunters, it was clear that they were intimidated and a little frightened by the many S-class Awakeners gathered here.

What did they think would happen to the non-awakened individuals if they’re brought this close to the S-class Awakeners? At least let them keep a distance while applauding or cheering if they really must do it. Even if awakeners don’t use any oppression-related skills or items while at the same time also trying to minimize their natural force-like aura, the non-awakeners would still inevitably be affected by their presence to some extent.

As the teenagers stepped back, the Amaterasu guild leader approached. His whole body seemed to exude an aura of arrogance, as if he were truly the King of Japan. Yerim’s neck stiffened as she looked at him.

“Nice to meet you, Hunter Park Yerim. I am Shishiou, the guild leader of Amaterasu, representing Japan.”

“Yes, hello.”

Yerim returned the greeting as if she had just met up with an uncle from her neighborhood.

“...Yerim, you should introduce yourself.”

Yoojin whispered softly. Only then did Yerim realize her brazenness and rephrased her greeting.

“I am Park Yerim, an S-class Hunter of the Haeyeon Guild in Korea. Thank you for welcoming me.”

The leader of Amaterasu guild then set his eyes on Yoojin. Revealing his teeth with a bright smile, he then kept his eyes fixed on Peace, who was being held in Yoojin’s arms, for an unusually long time.

“I am Han Yoojin, the director of the Korean Beast Rearing Facility. Thank you for your hospitality”

“I have heard a lot about you, Director Han. It’s really nice to meet you. Is the beast you’re holding the famous Horned Flame Lion?”

“Yes, this is Peace.”

As the Amaterasu guild leader reached out his hand, Peace bared his fangs.

- Keuleuleu.

Despite Peace’s menacing growl, he showed no signs of anger, and instead widened his smile.

“A loyal lion, very good. I like it. It seems that the Haeyeon Guild hasn’t been able to acquire a second Horned Flame Lion cub.”

“Monster offspring are quite rare, after all.”

Since Peace, the dungeon where Horned Flame Lions appear as bosses has been cleared two additional times. However, no cubs were found. If they appeared that easily, there would have been an overflow of domestic requests for S-class beast cubs at the rearing facility.

In Korea, Comet was the only other top-grade monster acquired after Peace. Since then, there hasn’t even been a capture of any monsters at the high-grade level. Low-grade monsters are relatively common, but at that grade, the beasts can just be tamed as adults instead of being raised from infancy.

“We have requested cooperation from the Haeyeon guild to acquire a Horned Flame Lion several times, but not once have we received a positive response. It is rather regrettable.”

The Amaterasu guild leader said as he looked at Yoohyun.

“It appears you look even younger in person, guild leader of Haeyeon.”

“You have to provide adequate terms and conditions before I can consider accepting it.” Yoohyun responded.

A chilly air lingered between the two. A fight is not going to break out as soon as they arrive in the country, right? ‘Yerim, stop enjoying what’s happening. Hyuna-ssi, please don’t smile either.’ Yoojin thought to himself. But fortunately, the Amaterasu guild leader backed off first.

“Even though I have offered you a gift, you are still being rather difficult. I do believe I have shown enough sincerity, so please think about it again.”

Did they offer the robe with such a motive? It’s a bit unpleasant. Are they aiming to obtain a top-grade beast in addition to profiting from farming the slime dungeon? If that’s the case, then they should offer something more.

Moon Hyuna and Noah had also exchanged greetings with the Amaterasu guild leader. It seemed like Moon Hyuna and the guild leader had met once before, she said it was when she had visited Japan. And as for Noah...

“Contact me anytime. I promise you the best treatment.”

The Amaterasu guild leader then handed out his flashy business card. Noah accepted the card hesitantly. A similar exchange happened with Myeongwoo, who also received a business card. The guild leader acted friendly towards Myeongwoo, saying that if he needed any necessary materials, he should let him know.

“I firmly believe that you will be able to create an SS-rank weapon sooner or later.”

He was excessively polite. Myeongwoo was so impressive that even such a guy like that came to him with his head bowed. When the creation of an SS-rank weapon is completed, S-class hunters all over the world would probably become impatient. As there was a possibility of obtaining even more benefits from Myeongwoo, it was wise to bend over to him beforehand.

Lastly, it was Sung Hyunjae’s turn. There was a brief silence between the two before the Amaterasu guild leader spoke first.

“It’s been a while, guild leader of Sesung .”

“It seems you’ve been doing well all this time, guild leader of Amaterasu.”

And then, that was the end of their conversation. After the Amaterasu guild leader mentioned that he’d guide them to the hotel, he turned and led the way. As they walked along the path of a paved road, a crowd of people could be seen gathered beyond the fence.

And at the same time, cheers broke out.

“Hunter Han Yoohyun!”

“Hunter Park Yerim!”

“Sesung guild leader!”

Most of the cheers were for the three of them, but the names of Noah, Moon Hyuna, and even Peace were occasionally called out. Not only were there people screaming, but there were also people crying. What’s going on? Yoojin has heard that they were popular, but it’s not like they’re real celebrities or anything. Did the Amaterasu Guild pay people to have them gathered here? But in a way, those cheers did sound sincere.

Placards were waved around, and even fake dolls of Peace were being lifted high up. Amidst all the mixed-up sounds, it was hard to make out any words clearly.

‘...What’s that over there?’

There were cardboard cutouts of them. Some cutouts had pictures of only their faces, while others had images of half of their bodies in actual size. Ah, really. Yoojin has seen life-sized celebrity cutouts used for advertisements on the street before, except he knew these people... Much to his surprise, Yoojin spotted his own picture there as well, though it was only a picture of his face. Wait a minute. And who’s that doll supposed to be? It’s not a monster, it’s a person. So, Yoohyun, perhaps? In a school uniform...? There was also a Yerim in a school uniform too. Both dolls were being waved in the air together...

‘...I would like to have those, just a little.’

They then traveled to the hotel by car, amidst the heavy traffic. There have been several incidents of early dungeon breaks in Tokyo, Japan, and the damage was said to be great. The hotel they were heading to was built after the Dungeon Shock phenomenon and was just completed recently. It was also owned by the Amaterasu Guild.

The density of people around the hotel was regulated, so unlike the airport and the road along the way here, it was quiet. It’s good to have quiet.

“Ahjussi, please take my picture!”

Yerim said as she smiled brightly, standing next to a life-sized cutout of Yoojin. Damn it, why would they put something like this here? Yoojin just wanted to go home. He needed a skill to resist this kind of embarrassment. Yoojin felt like he might die, especially since other people were around.

“...Yerim.”

“Shall I ask for it on our way back, then?”

‘No, let’s not do that, please.’ So instead, Moon Hyuna took the picture for Yerim as Yoojin wanted to subtly disappear into the ground. The broadcasting station’s camera was still there filming them. Was he the only one feeling embarrassed? Why was everyone else taking pictures so nonchalantly? ‘And Yoohyun, why are you taking a picture with my cutout too?’ Yoojin cried inwardly. Moon Hyuna smiled brightly as she raised her middle finger at the cutout of the Sesung guild leader. After taking commemorative photos with cutouts of Noah, Myeongwoo, and even Sung Hyunjae, Moon Hyuna settled down.

...Yoojin wanted to take a photo with Peace’s cutout too. As well as with the cutouts of Yoohyun, Yerim, Noah, and Myungwoo. And of course, Moon Hyuna and Sung Hyunjae’s too. Only, he wants to remove his.

“The hotel facilities are available for use at your leisure, and you may choose any room you wish to stay in.”

The hotel staff spoke kindly. Before entering the lobby, the Amaterasu guild leader stopped and grabbed onto Yoojin.

“It would be nice if you could show us the appearance of the Horned Flame Lion in its adult form for the sake of the Japanese citizens. Everyone has high expectations for it.”

He said, pointing at the camera. But it seemed like he was the one who wanted to see it, rather than the citizens. Yoojin was hesitant to refuse him considering it was such a trivial request. However, at that moment, Yoohyun, who stood by his side, spoke up.

“Peace.”

Peace jumped out of Yoojin’s arms at Yoohyun’s beckon. At that instance, its small body swelled up and its red fur fluttered gorgeously. Its sharp horn and rich golden mane gradually turned darker towards the tips. Compared to when it first matured, Peace has now grown slightly larger and its fur is now more lustrous in appearance.

A giant beast that looked like it embodied flames let out a fierce roar. The Amaterasu guild master laughed out loud at the sight.

“Wonderful, this is amazing!”

His face was flooded with intense greed. His eyes were so overtly predatory that Yoojin worried he might try to steal Peace from him right then and there. Although that wouldn’t have been a threat since plenty of allies were by his side, it still concerned him.

After a light turn, Peace shrank back down and nestled itself in Yoojin’s arms again. The Amaterasu guild master, who couldn’t take his eyes off Peace, now shifted his gaze towards Yoohyun.

“It must have been following the commands of the holder of its Master Token. Sure, the slime dungeon is nice, but it should’ve been fine to deal with the beast request as well.”

“If you want to challenge me to a fight for that, I won’t refuse.”

After Yoohyun’s cold remark, he grabbed Yoojin and turned towards the hotel.

“Hyung, I know you hate that I’m making a wager on Peace, but I just want to trample all over him.”

Yoohyun said firmly. He was evidently very annoyed by the Amaterasu guild leader’s shameless attitude. His eyes were dark and cold, but at the same time, they seemed to burn with fervor.

Those eyes looked like they contained a violent urge to tear off the necks of any enemy that tries to invade his territory. Yerim and Moon Hyuna, who were already in the lobby, was looking at Yoohyun.

Even though Yoohyun has been acting like a baby in front of Yoojin lately, he’s still an S-class hunter.

“It might not look good if you insist on wagering on Peace, and it could also set a bad precedent. So instead, you should bait him with either the Horned Flame Lion Dungeon, or another monster cub that will eventually appear.”

Upon hearing Yoojin’s words, Yoohyun’s eyes widened, and he grinned. ‘Are you going to let a guy like that have his way? Just do whatever you think needs to be done.’ Yoojin thought.