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CHAPTER 16: I Became the Successor of a Constellation.
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Chapter 16
“What is a Zero Hunter?”
Minho’s voice was still laced with caution. He couldn't readily trust such a sudden proposal.
But at the same time, he felt a flicker of curiosity. If he'd only intended to refuse, he wouldn't have asked.
Dai had been observing Minho closely throughout their conversation.
She meticulously studied his posture, expression, and the look in his eyes, as if determined not to miss a single detail.
‘He's definitely hiding something. But that isn't necessarily a bad thing.’
His behavior during the Gangdong, Seoul Dungeon collapse, what happened in the Songpa District Dungeon, and all his reactions up to this very moment.
It was all difficult to comprehend for a supposed F-Rank Hunter.
Especially seeing him so unscathed after what he did to Kim Taehyun, no matter the excuse, one could only conclude he possessed a hidden power.
Overpowering a Hunter three ranks higher than yourself wasn't something you could attribute to luck.
‘But why is he trying to hide it? He doesn't seem like the type to do anything illegal.’
Her intuition told her that wasn't the reason. Minho exuded a fundamental goodness, as much as he did an unknown power.
After all, this was a man who hadn't shied away from grueling work for years to protect his younger sister.
He was lying, yes, but it didn't seem to stem from malice.
Dai's expression grew more serious. The preliminary probing was over.
It was time to make her real proposal.
“First, let me explain the Tower entry system.”
As she manipulated the tablet again, a 3D diagram of the Tower materialized.
The massive Tower was divided into several zones, each marked with a different color.
“Currently, the Tower is divided into zones, each overseen by a specific Constellation. Hunters generally start from the 1st floor, but the problem is…”
“To enter the 1st floor, you must belong to a guild that has received the blessing of that floor's Constellation.”
“In the case of the Gwanghwamun Tower in Seoul, it's managed by a Constellation called the ‘God of War’. Only Hunters from the Iron-Blooded Legion can enter because their Guild Master has received that Constellation's blessing.
The Busan Tower is managed by the ‘Scribe of Contracts’, the Jeju Tower by the ‘Princess of the Abyss’… each is managed by a different Constellation like this.”
“So, Hunters without a guild can not enter the Tower.”
“Under the current system, it's practically impossible,” Junhyeok added.
Dai nodded.
“But there is an exception.”
Dai manipulated the screen again. A separately marked space appeared at the very bottom of the Tower.
“The 0th floor, or the so-called Zero Floor.”
The Zero Floor on the screen was distinctly different from the other floors.
It wasn't structured like a typical floor but looked more like a massive hall.
“If you clear the Zero Floor, you can freely enter and exit the Tower, regardless of a Constellation's blessing or guild affiliation.”
“Freely?”
A brief glint appeared in Minho's eyes. A sign that his interest was piqued.
“Yes. You can challenge any Tower, any Constellation's zone, without restriction. Provided you have the skill to back it up, of course.”
Dai looked Minho straight in the eye and continued.
“That's why the Hunter Management Department is unofficially recruiting Hunters to clear the 0th floor.
It's called ‘Project Zero’. The goal is to cultivate independent Hunters who aren't bound to the guild system.”
“Unofficially means…”
“It means we're doing it behind the guilds' backs. If we announced it officially, they'd interfere in every way imaginable.”
If this project were to become known, it would cause a huge stir.
The guilds, whose privileges would be threatened, wouldn't just stand by.
This was a project the Hunter Management Department was approaching with utmost secrecy.
“The guilds are reaping enormous profits from the Tower right now. Magic stones, rare items, even social status. They'd never want to give up those vested interests,” Junhyeok chimed in at the perfect moment.
It was time to get to the heart of the matter. Dai's expression became even more serious.
“I'll be frank with you, Kang Minho. I know you're hiding something.”
***
‘Have I been caught?’
Minho's body tensed instantly. Had it been impossible to fool a professional's eye, no matter how careful he'd been?
‘Should I just play dumb for now?’
“What do you mean…”
“But I'm not going to ask what it is.”
“……Pardon?”
“In fact, having such a secret has its advantages.”
Dai continued in a confident voice.
“We need a Hunter whose skills are proven but who hasn't caught the guilds' attention.
Besides, the gazes of the Constellations don't reach the 1st to 30th floors.
On the surface, you're an ordinary F-Rank Hunter, but in reality, you're far more capable than that, aren't you, Kang Minho?”
It wasn't a question that expected an answer.
‘This woman… she knows I'm hiding something, and she's trying to use it to her advantage?’
“The incident with Hunter Kim Taehyun—no, with that scoundrel—and your actions in the Gangdong, Seoul Dungeon have already proven your judgment and decisiveness.”
Dai placed her elbows on the table and leaned forward.
“I'll protect your secret. In return, please work for the country.”
‘For the country….’
Minho didn't like the sound of that.
He'd heard similar words during his time as a firefighter.
‘For the citizens,’ ‘For the country.’
But in the end, it was that very system that had betrayed him.
Dai didn't miss the change in Minho's expression.
“Ah, I'm not asking for some grand display of patriotism.”
She waved her hand and elaborated.
“It's simple. You need money for your sister's treatment, and we need a trustworthy Hunter. It's a mutually beneficial deal.”
A deal. Those words sounded more honest. It was better than some hypocritical justification.
“But why me? There must be other skilled individuals besides an F-Rank like me.”
Since she said she wouldn't ask what he was hiding, he decided to be a little more honest himself.
But if they were looking for a Hunter who was hiding their skills and operating independently for whatever reason, why did it have to be him?
Even after hearing her whole story, the reason for choosing him wasn't clear.
Dai hesitated for a moment before speaking, as if she'd made up her mind.
“To be honest, there aren't many trustworthy Hunters these days.”
“…What do you mean?”
“Most existing Hunters are already affiliated with guilds. For them, the guild's interests come first. Before the nation's.”
Dai let out a small sigh and gently rubbed her temples.
The shadow of fatigue seemed to deepen around her eyes.
“And the Hunters who work alone have mostly rejected guilds out of personal greed or for their own safety.
They want to monopolize the profits, which makes them unsuitable for this kind of work.”
Minho nodded as he listened. He had met many such Hunters while working as a Dungeon cleaner.
Hunters who preferred to clear relatively safe Dungeons rather than risk climbing the Tower.
“But you're different. You have a desperate motive. A clear goal: your sister's treatment.”
“Is that the reason you chose me?”
“One more thing. You're hiding something, but you haven't tried to abuse it. Instead, you've used it to help others.”
She seemed to be referring to when he evacuated people from the Gangdong, Seoul Dungeon.
“That's why we can entrust this job to you. Because even if you gain greater power in the future, you won't wield it recklessly.”
‘This woman… her powers of observation are terrifying.’
Dai's analysis was sharp. Minho found himself impressed despite himself.
At the same time, being acknowledged by someone who seemed like she wouldn't bleed if you stabbed her didn't feel half bad.
Dai slid a business card across the table. It read: ‘Kim Dai, Team Leader, Special Investigation Team, Hunter Management Department.’
“So? Can I expect to see you at the Hunter Management Department tomorrow?”
It was a question of acceptance. Minho was lost in thought. One doubt remained unresolved.
“Are you really not going to ask about my secret?”
This was the most crucial part, so he had to confirm it one more time.
He couldn't predict what would happen if his status as the Successor of the Nameless Constellation became known.
Dai spoke with a voice full of conviction.
“I promise. In fact, I believe that secret will make you even more stronger.”
Her eyes held a genuine sincerity. They weren't the eyes of someone who was lying.
“I have a few conditions.”
Dai's expression turned intrigued. He had a feeling he'd be seeing that look a lot in the future.
“First, stay away from my sister. Suyeon must have nothing to do with this.”
“Of course. There's no reason to involve her in the first place. And you understand that you must keep this project a secret, even from your family, right, Minho?”
Dai drove the point home. She was definitely not an easy woman to deal with.
“Of course. Second, don't assign me any missions that I refuse.”
“Those are reasonable conditions. I agree.”
Dai's proposal was certainly appealing. If he succeeded, he could solve the problem of Suyeon's treatment costs.
Besides, he was the Successor of some unknown Constellation anyway.
Climbing the Tower might bring him one step closer to the truth.
‘And she did say the Constellations' eyes don't reach up to the 30th floor.’
Minho nodded and picked up the business card.
“What time should I be there tomorrow?”
***
“Can we really trust this guy? Why would he want to hide his abilities?”
Junhyeok asked Dai, who was in the passenger seat, as he drove.
While Dai was making her proposal to Minho, Junhyeok had mostly just listened to their conversation.
In his view, Minho certainly had a confident and special air about him that was hard to believe for an F-Rank.
But he didn't see enough potential to be sure he was the right person for this project.
“There could be many reasons. He might not want to leave his current life, he could be afraid of being checked by the guilds. Or…”
Dai paused for a moment.
“Or?”
“His ability might be something that can't be explained by the existing system.”
Junhyeok's eyes widened.
“Don't tell me… you mean he's a new type of Awakened.”
“It’s not impossible. Since the Tower appeared, a lot of things have been happening that can’t be explained by common sense.
That’s why we have to approach him first. The 「Iron-Blooded Legion」 has probably caught on by now because of the Kim Taehyun incident.”
Junhyuk nodded.
“But do you really think he can pass Floor Zero? No one has succeeded yet.”
“Well, we’ll find out tomorrow,” Dai answered in a dry voice. But she had a gut feeling.
That Minho could pass Floor Zero. She had recognized there was something special about him the moment she saw him.
Dai closed her eyes, recalling Minho’s appearance.
That mysterious aura she had felt from the moment they first met.
It was as if something unfathomable, like the depths of the ocean, lay dormant within him.
What the status window only she could see had shown her wasn’t a simple number.
[Potential: Unmeasurable]
That phrase, visible only to her eyes. ‘Unmeasurable’ had two meanings.
Either one was too weak to be represented by a number, or so strong the system couldn’t handle it.
A slight smile touched Dai’s lips. She was starting to look forward to tomorrow, wondering what he would show them on Floor Zero.
‘If he really is…’
But she didn’t let the thought finish. It was too absurd a possibility.
For now.
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