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CHAPTER 21: I Became the Successor of a Constellation.
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21
Gwanghwamun, Seoul.
The crimson light emanating from the red Tower was staining the night sky.
A location facing that Tower.
The upper floors of the Iron-Blooded Legion Guild headquarters.
Taehun's private office was luxurious, yet the atmosphere was cold.
A black leather sofa, a marble table, and walls filled with taxidermied monsters.
All of them were his own personal kills.
Taehun stood by the window, gazing at the red Tower. A glass of whiskey was in one hand.
*Knock, knock.*
“Come in.”
The door opened and a man in a suit entered.
From the Intelligence Team. Choi Jinwoo.
“Director, I have something to report.”
“Is it about him?”
“Yes.”
Jinwoo continued, looking at his tablet.
“Regarding the incident a week ago when Taehyun was taken to the hospital. We’ve investigated the cause.”
Taehun’s expression subtly hardened. He placed the whiskey glass on the table.
“Continue.”
“We confirmed with the hospital that he has severe fractures and bruises all over his body and requires absolute rest for the time being.
Meanwhile, Taehyun himself remains silent about why he was injured.”
“Silent?”
“Yes. It seems a confidentiality contract was signed. A magical restraint… so we can’t force him to talk.”
Taehun scoffed.
“What has that idiot done now?”
His voice held not a shred of affection for his younger brother.
Jinwoo manipulated the tablet and handed it to Taehun.
A photo of a man appeared on the screen.
“However, based on the circumstances, we believe it’s related to this individual.”
Taehun peered at the screen. A man with an ordinary appearance. A face that seemed unremarkable.
“Who is this?”
“Kang Minho. 28 years old. A former firefighter.”
“A firefighter?”
Taehun’s eyebrow rose.
“Yes. He was a firefighter with five years of experience but was discharged three years ago. Afterward, he received an F-Rank designation in the Hunter aptitude test and is currently working at the Dungeon cleaning company ‘Cleanup’…”
“Wait, wait. A firefighter from three years ago,”
Taehun’s gaze sharpened. He narrowed his brow as if remembering something, then asked in a low voice.
“Is he connected to that incident I’m thinking of?”
“……After checking, he is indeed a related individual.”
Taehun looked at the photo once more. Seeing his superior’s piercing gaze for the first time in a while, Jinwoo quickly added an explanation.
“We’ve confirmed that Taehyun met with this individual on at least two occasions.
Furthermore, the time Taehyun was taken to the hospital matches the time of their last contact.”
Taehun crossed his arms. His expression was a mixture of anger and intrigue.
“So you’re telling me an F-Rank sent a C-Rank Hunter to the hospital?”
“…The probability is high.”
“Any signs of equipment or drug use?”
Jinwoo shook his head.
“None have been confirmed. However… this Kang Minho has a record of entering the Hunter Management Department a few days ago.”
“An F-Rank at the Hunter Management Department?”
“Yes. Multiple times, in fact. He’s been visiting frequently as of late.”
Taehun habitually stroked his chin. Something wasn’t adding up.
A Dungeon cleaner frequently visits the Hunter Management Department. And around that same time, he runs into the son of the Iron-Blooded Legion’s Guild Master and injures him.
On top of that, he’s the person involved in that incident from three years ago.
“Could all of this be a coincidence?”
“Director, would you perhaps like to confirm with Taehyun directly?”
“It’s useless asking that moron. You said he’s bound by a confidentiality contract.”
“Then…”
“It seems I’ll have to meet with that cleaner myself.”
Taehun said, looking out the window again. The red Tower pulsed like a heartbeat in the darkness.
“He may be lacking, but he’s still our father’s son. The child of the Iron-Blooded Legion’s Guild Master.
What do you think would happen if a rumor got out that he was taught a lesson by an F-Rank? This isn’t just about his reputation.”
“It would tarnish the guild’s honor as well.”
“It doesn’t sit right with me in many ways, so I can’t just let it go.”
Taehun looked at Jinwoo.
“Arrange a meeting with that F-Rank soon. Discreetly. Not officially. Personally.”
“Understood.”
“And dig deeper into his background. Family, finances, friends—all of it. Uncover anything he might be hiding.”
“It will likely take a few days.”
“I don’t care. Be thorough.”
Jinwoo bowed his head.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
After he left, silence once again filled the office.
Taehun looked at Minho’s photo again. An ordinary-looking face.
But now, he felt like there was something hidden behind it.
“We’ll be meeting soon.”
Taehun downed his whiskey in one gulp.
Outside the window, the red Tower was still glowing.
As if it were watching everything.
***
“We’ve been seeing a lot of each other lately.”
As Minho opened the door and entered, Junhyeok lifted his head from behind a mountain of documents piled on his desk.
“You sound like you have a lot of complaints, Investigator Lee Junhyeok?”
“Hey, of course I’m happy to see you often.”
Junhyeok waved his hands dismissively and laughed.
“But you really do look busy.”
“Busy" is an understatement. Ever since I was assigned as a working-level manager for this project, the office has basically become my home.”
Several days had passed since the Zero Hunter project was approved.
During that time, Junhyeok and Dai had been assigned as the core managers for the project and were, quite literally, being worked to death.
He already had a heavy workload, but after taking on this top-secret project, his days were now filled with nothing but work and sleep.
‘When will my peaceful, anime-filled life return…?’
These days, personal time is nowhere to be found.
“But you don’t regret it, do you?”
But as hard as it was, it was also rewarding.
“Of course not. To be able to work with a Zero Hunter like you, Hunter minho… it’s truly amazing.”
Junhyeok's voice was filled with sincere earnestness.
The overwhelming power he had displayed against a B-Rank Hunter.
Naturally, for Junhyeok, Minho and this project had become a beacon of hope that would bring about a new change.
“For the bright future ahead of you, Hunter minho, I’ll give it my all…!”
Junhyeok playfully brought a fist to his chest.
Laughter was shared between them.
In just a few days, he'd met Minho—whom he already considered an older brother in his heart—so often that they could joke around like this.
That, at least, was a silver lining amidst his murderous workload.
Just then, the conference room door opened.
“You’re here early.”
“It’s been a while, Team Leader Kim.”
A thick file was in Dai’s hands.
She was dressed in her usual neat suit, but the darker circles under her eyes spoke of her condition.
“You must be having a hard time too, Team Leader.”
“Our entire team is burning the midnight oil. I heard you’ve gotten quite close with Investigator Lee?”
“Did Investigator Lee say that?”
“This guy became a huge fan of yours, Minho, ever since you put Team Leader Oh in his place.”
“Hey, a fan? I’m simply working day and night for Hunter Kang’s safe return.”
The warm atmosphere wasn’t bad at all.
Dai spread the documents on the table.
“Alright, let’s get down to business. Today is D-Day for entering the Zero Floor.”
The mood instantly turned serious.
Junhyeok straightened his posture, and Minho’s smile vanished.
“First, please take this. It’s a communication device that connects the Tower to the outside.”
Minho picked up the bracelet. It was lighter than he expected.
“It can track your vitals, senior.”
Junhyeok added, then quickly corrected himself.
After confirming the connection, Dai carefully placed a black case on the table.
When she opened the case, a small crystal resting on red velvet was revealed.
“What’s this?”
“It’s the access pass for the Zero Floor. We call it the ‘Zero Key’. It’s a special item issued only to those approved as Zero Hunters.”
Junhyeok added.
“You need this to access the Zero Floor. It’s a kind of authentication device.”
He picked up the crystal.
It looked even more mystical up close. A red light seemed to be slowly rotating inside it.
“How do I use it?”
“Just hold it in your hand. The Zero Key will automatically connect with the Tower and open the gate for you.”
A cold sensation traveled up from his palm. At the same time, he felt a strange vibration.
‘Why does this feel so familiar?’
And then.
A translucent window appeared before his eyes.
[You have met the conditions to enter the Hidden Stage]
[Would you like to move to the Hidden Stage?]
[Yes / No]
It was a system message.
Minho’s eyes widened at the sight of the status window, which hadn't appeared in a long time.
“Hunter Minho? Are you alright?”
Dai noticed the change in Minho’s expression.
“Ah, didn’t you say a gate would open separately?”
“That’s right. It takes a little time for it to open.”
‘Am I the only one seeing this status window?’
Minho calmly raised his hand and touched the ‘Yes’ floating in the air.
The moment he did, light burst from the Zero Key.
A red light flooded the entire conference room.
“Wha-what?”
The light began to swirl around Minho.
“Minho!!”
Dai shouted.
But it was too late.
The light grew more and more intense, then—
*Flash!*
In an instant, the light exploded and swallowed Minho whole.
And then he was gone.
In the conference room, only Dai and Junhyeok were left, staring blankly at the spot where Minho had been.
The tumultuous red light and Minho himself had vanished without a trace.
“What just happened?”
Ignoring Junhyeok’s question, Dai hastily pulled out her terminal.
After checking the screen, she let out a sigh of relief.
“His vitals are confirmed. He’s entered the Zero Floor.”
“So suddenly?”
“Yes. This is…”
Dai stared intently at the terminal.
“This pattern is completely different from past cases.”
***
“Have a seat. It looks like we’ll be waiting for a long time.”
“How long will it take?”
“Who knows. It was different for everyone. No one has ever passed.”
“Fewer than five people have even made it to the entrance, right?”
Dai rummaged through the documents and pointed to a record.
“The one who lasted the longest was this person. A-Rank Hunter Han Sujin. Even then, she only managed an hour.”
Junhyeok took a deep breath.
“Whew, do you think… he can do it?”
“We’ll find out if we wait.”
After that, the two of them watched the bio-signals on the terminal in silence.
10 minutes passed.
“He’s still okay,” Junhyuk said.
20 minutes.
“Hunter Minho… he’s doing okay, right?”
30 minutes.
“I think he might be in danger…”
“Just be quiet! Don’t be so distracting…”
It was then that a light erupted from the center of the conference room again.
It was the same red light that had swallowed Minho.
The two of them shot up from their seats simultaneously.
The light grew more and more intense, then…
*Fwaat!*
Minho appeared.
“Hyung minho!”
“Minho!”
Minho’s face and clothes were immaculate.
He was wearing a strange wooden bead necklace, but there wasn’t a speck of dirt or a drop of blood on him.
He looked exactly as he had before, not even breaking a sweat.
‘He failed.’
The same thought crossed both Junhyuk’s and Dai’s minds.
That he’d been ejected without even getting into the Zero Floor.
That’s why he was so clean.
“Hunter Kang….”
Dai forced a smile as she approached him.
“It’s okay. It was your first time, and it was so sudden. You’ll do better next time.”
“That’s right, Hunter Minho. It didn’t work out this time, but next time, you’ll definitely…”
“Huh?”
Minho looked back and forth between the two of them and tilted his head.
“What are you talking about?”
“Well, um, you failed.”
Dai said cautiously.
“You came out without even getting to enter the Zero Floor…”
“No.”
Minho shook his head.
“I went in, though?”
“…What?”
Dai and Junhyuk reacted at the same time.
“What did you say?”
Only then did Minho break into a grin and answer.
“The Zero Floor, I passed it.”
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