Chapter 109 – Revealed Circumstances

‘Walking this way.’

He could tell without looking back.

Which direction someone was walking from and how close they were getting.

The presence detection trait made this possible.

As expected, a person appeared.

“Do-jun?”

“Teacher.”

The approaching person was none other than Hwang Ui-chul.

“What brings you to our home?”

“You weren’t answering your phone.”

“Ah, I leave my phone at home when I go exercise…”

Seeing Hwang Ui-chul in training clothes, it seemed he really had been exercising.

“Sorry. Made you come all this way.”

“It’s fine.”

“But really, what brings you here? You didn’t come just because you were worried about me. Something urgent to discuss?”

“Yes.”

“Well, let’s go inside first. We can talk…”

“This isn’t something to discuss at home.”

“Ah, is that so? Then wait a bit. I’ll grab my phone.”

“Alright.”

Hwang Ui-chul went inside and came back shortly after changing clothes.

“Let’s go. There’s a good café nearby for talking.”

While following Hwang Ui-chul, Min Do-jun gave instructions to his wolf.

‘Ghost wolf, check if anyone’s following us.’

[Woof! Woof!]

The wolf that had been running through the air appeared again shortly after.

‘Bark once if there’s someone following, twice if not.’

[Woof! Woof!]

Questions arose on Min Do-jun’s face at that response.

‘No one following like the Black Sea Guild member said. Did they really withdraw because the operation succeeded?’

But for the operation to have succeeded, Hwang Ui-chul was completely unharmed.

According to the wolf, no suspicious person had approached either.

“Here it is.”

Setting aside his questions for now, Min Do-jun followed Hwang Ui-chul into the café.

After ordering coffee and sitting at a table, Hwang Ui-chul asked with an expression that couldn’t hold back any longer.

“So. What brings you all the way here? Let’s hear it now.”

“Teacher.”

Min Do-jun asked directly.

“You have a legendary sword, don’t you?”

“…”

Though trying to appear nonchalant outwardly, Hwang Ui-chul was quite shocked.

‘H-how…?’

Since receiving the sword from the Association President, he hadn’t taken it out of his inventory even once.

How did Min Do-jun know about it?

Though trying hard to hide his expression, Hwang Ui-chul was too shocked to continue speaking.

Seeing this, Min Do-jun was certain.

‘So it’s true.’

That he really had a legendary sword.

“Teacher.”

“Yes?”

“No need to hide it from me.”

“Wh-what do you mean?”

“The legendary sword. You have it.”

“…”

This wasn’t just guessing.

He was bringing up the sword because he had definite information.

“Sigh… Yes, you’re right. I have it.”

Hwang Ui-chul finally admitted.

“But how do you know, Do-jun? Did the Association President tell you?”

“Association President? Is he involved too?”

“Ah… Not the Association President? Then how did you…”

“You’re in danger right now because of that item.”

“What?”

Min Do-jun explained step by step.

How he found followers by chance while visiting Teacher’s home, and got information by threatening them when the opportunity arose.

Though he added some lies, it was true about getting information by threatening the followers.

“There were followers? What did you do with them? You didn’t kill…”

“That’s not what’s important right now. The problem is that a group called Black Sea Guild is targeting you, and it’s all because of the sword.”

“…”

“How did you get that item anyway?”

“Well… about that…”

Hwang Ui-chul finally revealed how he came to possess the sword.

“The Association President asked you to keep it?”

“Yes… Seems they didn’t have a suitable place to store the sword because of a sudden bombing terror. I was apparently the safest person they could entrust it to.”

“But still, to accept such a potentially dangerous item so readily?”

“As you know, the Association President and I go way back. I also owe him a debt of gratitude.”

“Where did the Association President get the sword?”

“About that… This part I don’t understand either…”

Min Do-jun showed a surprised expression at Hwang Ui-chul’s explanation.

“Justin Walker?”

“Yes. For some reason, he secretly entrusted the sword to the Association President.”

Justin Walker was the world’s #1 ranked S-class hunter.

He certainly had the ability to kill S-rank bosses and obtain legendary swords.

‘Such a hunter entrusted the sword to the Association President under the pretext of asset division?’

As Hwang Ui-chul said, it seemed there was some ulterior motive.

‘Something smells fishy…’

Though Min Do-jun had met Justin Walker several times before regression, they weren’t good memories.

‘He was an arrogant and cold man. Even when I was Korea’s #1 ranked, he looked at me dismissively…’

To the point where Min Do-jun wondered if he was being discriminated against for being Asian.

‘For such a person to entrust a sword saying he was glad to meet a Korean…’

His true intentions were highly suspicious.

“What did the Association President think?”

“He just said he wanted to establish connections with the world’s #1 ranked… honestly, I don’t understand it.”

“You’re in danger now because of that item.”

“I know. I somewhat expected this might happen.”

“Then why…”

“The human heart is quite fickle. When the Association President assured me not to worry, I rationalized it thinking ‘it’ll be fine, surely nothing will happen.'”

“…”

“Spending time leisurely with family made me even more complacent. Followers? Honestly, I wasn’t even thinking about it. Nothing had happened for a while. I didn’t expect there would really be followers…”

Hwang Ui-chul sighed self-reproachfully.

“Sorry for hiding it from you, Do-jun. I didn’t want to involve you in something potentially dangerous.”

“…So that’s why you’ve been skipping dungeons and staying home, using the Association President’s authority?”

“Yes.”

“What did you tell your family?”

“Just that I got special leave. No one knows about the sword. Except you.”

‘Wait, I only found out because of Black Sea Guild?’

Black Sea Guild had known about the sword’s existence early on.

‘Where did they get the information? Could the Association President be a traitor?’

That couldn’t be.

There was nothing for the Association President to gain from orchestrating such a complicated incident.

‘Think simply. Black Sea Guild got information about the sword being at the Association and planned an operation to steal it… Ah!’

Something occurred to Min Do-jun and he asked Hwang Ui-chul:

“You mentioned there was a terrorist who tried to steal the sword from the Association? Who also disguised their identity under a different name?”

“Yes. I don’t remember the name though.”

‘Lee Cheon-sik. It must be him.’

Lee Cheon-sik was the only Association spy Min Do-jun knew of.

‘He was using the alias Kim Hyun-jun.’

He was the one who had followed Min Do-jun, suspecting him of impersonating Black Sea Guild.

He was also a Black Sea Guild member.

‘I wondered why the guy who followed me daily suddenly disappeared… so he died in the terror attack…’

Min Do-jun finally understood all the circumstances.

“That person must have been Black Sea Guild.”

“Huh? Who?”

“The terrorist. He deliberately caused chaos and self-destructed to steal the sword. Since it wouldn’t be easy to get through the Association’s security and civil servant hunters.”

“Then…”

“It wasn’t an individual action out of desire for the sword, but Black Sea Guild’s operation. That’s why they followed you after you were called to the Association, thinking you might have the sword. Though they were just guessing at that point.”

“They caused the terror attack knowing it would be moved outside…?”

Hwang Ui-chul nodded as he connected the thoughts.

It certainly made sense.

Otherwise, Black Sea Guild had no reason to follow him.

“So they’re just guessing? They’re not certain I have the sword.”

“Yes. But if you were the only hunter called to the Association, they’re probably almost certain you have it.”

“Sigh… How did it come to this…”

Hwang Ui-chul held his forehead.

By accepting the Association President’s request, he had become an unexpected target.

“If I’d known this would happen, I should have firmly refused then…”

“They probably would have followed you anyway. The moment you were called to the Association, you became a suspect for having the sword.”

“Sigh…”

Hwang Ui-chul sighed deeply.

Though all circumstances seemed revealed, one question remained.

‘If they’re after the legendary sword, they should have subdued and kidnapped Teacher. But why has there been no movement yet?’

They even suddenly withdrew their surveillance.

They said it was because the operation succeeded, but Teacher was clearly fine.

“Tomorrow is Da-yeon’s birthday, yet this happens…”

At Hwang Ui-chul’s muttering, Min Do-jun’s eyes flashed.

‘Could Black Sea Guild’s target not be Teacher but…?’

Min Do-jun spoke urgently.

“Teacher! Where is Da-yeon now?”

“At school.”

“Call her quickly.”

Seeing Min Do-jun’s hardened expression, Hwang Ui-chul grew worried and made the call.

*ring ring ring*

Despite the long ring, there was no answer.

“Is she not answering because she’s in class?”

“Try once more.”

They called again but still only got ringing with no answer.

“Why isn’t she answering when she usually picks up right away for dad? This is worrying…”

As concern deepened on Hwang Ui-chul’s face.

Instead, a call came in.

The caller was Hwang Da-yeon.

“Oh, Da-yeon! Why are you calling only now? You made dad worry!”

-You’ll have to keep worrying.

Hwang Ui-chul’s expression instantly hardened at the unfamiliar male voice.

“Who… are you?”

-Have you already forgotten my voice? Ui-chul? I’m hurt.

“…I asked who you are.”

-It’s me. Ahn Kwang-hyun. Your old colleague.