Chapter 3

During this era, potions were only effective at healing external injuries, a far cry from the elixirs of his previous life that had evolved to the point where simply pouring one over a wound could cure everything from sub-C-Rank poisoning to severe internal organ damage.

The realization that he had truly returned to the past hit him with fresh clarity.

Choi Kanghyeon looked at Nam Shin-hoo and let out a heavy sigh. “Understood. If you change your mind, tell me immediately. The same goes if there’s anything else bothering you. Don’t just suffer in silence.”

“I’ll tell you right away, so don’t worry about it.”

Nam Shin-hoo spun the lie without batting an eye. The moment he realized he had returned to the past, he had made a firm resolution to tell no one about the apocalyptic future he had experienced.

In his past life, Choi Kanghyeon had died standing right in front of him with eyes wide open, and he wasn’t the only one. Every single person had sacrificed themselves for Nam Shin-hoo.

He refused to burden people who had already died for him once with such crushing weight. The impending doom was a problem Nam Shin-hoo had to solve alone, and this time, he swore he would actually succeed. Besides…

It’s not like I’m completely without clues to clear the quest.

The moment he heard the words “true savior,” a specific person flashed into Nam Shin-hoo’s mind: someone prophesied by Han Woo-yeon, an S-Rank Hunter from his past life who went by the moniker “Divine Brother.”

You want to know about the fucking future? Just give up. It’s already completely screwed. We’re all going to thrash around like pathetic idiots and then die, and that’s it. That’s the absolute end. A solution? Where the hell would we find that? The only Hunter capable of matching the apocalypse already kicked the bucket a long time ago.

Despite his lofty title, Han Woo-yeon was a boisterous, larger-than-life personality who seemed like the kind of man who wouldn’t flinch no matter what happened. Yet, after delivering that devastating prophecy, he had done nothing but drown himself in alcohol before ultimately taking his own life.

When Nam Shin-hoo first heard that prophecy in his past life, he had outright rejected it, arrogantly believing that if they just tried hard enough, a new path would surely open up and that he alone was capable of protecting the world.

However, the Divine Brother’s prophecy had been fulfilled to the letter. Humanity was left with nothing but absolute despair, and their cities were reduced to desolate, colossal graves.

The “true savior” mentioned by the quest was highly likely to be the exact same person Han Woo-yeon had spoken of. If that was the case, he needed to find a Hunter who had died early in his past life, someone strong enough to go toe-to-toe with the Nuckelavee.

As the clues aligned, one specific face crystallized in Nam Shin-hoo’s mind: an S-Rank Hunter who had died in his previous life but was still very much alive right now.

“If you’re still not feeling well, it might be best to cancel today’s scheduled meeting.”

At Choi Kanghyeon’s suggestion, Nam Shin-hoo checked the calendar, digging through his memories to verify the schedule jotted down for today’s date.

Talk about perfect timing.

Nam Shin-hoo confirmed the name written on the calendar. Today happened to be the day he was scheduled to meet him; back in his youth, he had frequently bumped into and held meetings with this particular bastard, and today’s appointment was just one of many.

“I have to go. I need to see his face anyway.”

“…You’re not going to fight with him again, are you?”

“Come on. I’m not a child.”

Regrettably, Nam Shin-hoo and the Hunter pinpointed by the prophecy had a terrible relationship. If they managed to part ways after a mere verbal sparring match, it was considered a good day; they were complete opposites who clashed on absolutely everything from A to Z.

“Thinking about seeing him after all this time actually makes me a bit glad.”

“…”

“Don’t worry. This time, we’re really just going to talk and then leave.”

Choi Kanghyeon narrowed his eyes. Though he couldn’t openly contradict Nam Shin-hoo, who was both his friend and his boss, his expression practically screamed that he had a lot he wanted to say.

“Come to think of it, what about the tasks I assigned this morning?”

“I’ve issued the orders. I’ll report back as soon as the intelligence comes in.”

“Good.”

Nodding at the dependable response, Nam Shin-hoo headed straight for the Hunter Association where the meeting room was located.

Standing at the entrance of the building, which was flanked by a massive stone statue symbolizing harmony, Nam Shin-hoo tilted his head back to look at the structure. It had been a very long time since he last visited the Hunter Association, or more accurately, since he had seen it in one piece.

This impressive building, clad entirely in glass, had also been brutally pulverized until nothing but traces remained, and when the statue at the main gate collapsed, it had caused a massive number of casualties in the surrounding area.

“Hunter Nam Shin-hoo. You’ve arrived?”

An Association employee who had been waiting on standby at the entrance jogged over the moment he spotted Nam Shin-hoo. “You’re here quite early. I’ll escort you to the meeting room.”

Scanning his surroundings, Nam Shin-hoo noticed the parking lot looked unusually empty; while civilian access was typically restricted before a meeting, it felt exceptionally quiet today. Furthermore, the vehicle belonging to the opposing party scheduled for the meeting was nowhere to be seen.

“I assume the Epic Guild hasn’t arrived yet.”

“Yes. We received word that they will be slightly delayed. Um…” The employee trailed off, speaking cautiously as he nervously gauged Nam Shin-hoo’s reaction. “They said an issue suddenly arose at a dungeon under their jurisdiction. They are unavoidably delayed due to a sudden Crack, so…”

The corners of the employee’s eyes trembled with anxiety in the typical reaction of someone fully aware of the toxic relationship between Nam Shin-hoo and the Epic Guild.

During this era, the relationship between the two Guilds sat at an absolute nadir; they preferred to communicate entirely in writing if possible and would concoct all sorts of excuses just to avoid crossing paths. This very meeting had only been arranged with great difficulty following a direct request from the Hunter Association President.

It was entirely to be expected. The Saint Guild held the undisputed number one spot in the country, while the Epic Guild was a newly emerged powerhouse rapidly closing the gap, making a cordial dynamic practically impossible.

“S-so, how… would you like to proceed?”

The employee’s voice gradually shrank, and when Nam Shin-hoo didn’t immediately reply, the man bowed his head deeply. “If it displeases you, we can reschedule. I know you’re a busy man, Hunter Nam Shin-hoo, so I imagine waiting would be difficult?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Excuse me?”

“If they’re just clearing up a Crack, it should be done within an hour. Rescheduling when we’re both this busy is more of a hassle, so I’ll wait.”

“Th-thank you very much. Please, come this way.”

Terrified that Nam Shin-hoo might change his mind, the employee ushered him toward the meeting room, a bright, relieved smile blooming across his face.

Was I really that terrifying of a person?

Nam Shin-hoo turned his head, locking eyes with Choi Kanghyeon, who was standing right behind him.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Nothing. It’s just unexpected…”

“Did you think I’d demand we head back immediately?”

“Honestly? Yes.”

The Nam Shin-hoo of the past was indeed the type of person who would have declared “Good riddance” and scrapped the meeting the moment he was told to wait for the Epic Guild. The forty-something version had been selfish, but his twenty-something self was on an entirely different level.

Having built the nation’s top Guild with his own two hands, Nam Shin-hoo possessed a twisted set of values and a personality that ruthlessly pursued absolute efficiency. Consequently, he judged the world by dividing it into two stark categories: the necessary and the unnecessary, considering the waste of time and energy on useless things to be the most deplorable act in existence.

That was exactly why he had done it. When the weak offered to sacrifice themselves, he had readily agreed.

They’re people who would die anyway without the protection of the strong, he had rationalized. Convincing himself that a minor sacrifice was unavoidable, he had ruthlessly executed a plan built on blood.

Like a total fool, he hadn’t realized that his selfish mindset would ultimately rob him of absolutely everything.

His shoulders involuntarily stiffened as the memories of his past life surged forward, a profound sense of self-loathing and heavy regret crushing down on his back.

“We have arrived. Please wait inside the meeting room. What kind of tea should I prepare for you?”

“I’m fine. I’d like to be alone for a moment.”

Waving his hand dismissively, Nam Shin-hoo entered the meeting room alone and took a seat while Choi Kanghyeon waited outside as always. Left alone in the empty room, Nam Shin-hoo organized his chaotic thoughts and focused on the man he was about to face: Kwon Haeju, the Guild Master of the Epic Guild.

Kwon Haeju. An S-Rank Hunter just like Nam Shin-hoo, four years younger, meaning he would currently be twenty-four years old.

The desperate cries of the people he had heard countless times in his past life echoed in his ears.

If only Hunter Kwon Haeju were still alive, would things be different?

If we just had Hunter Kwon Haeju, we wouldn’t have been crushed this easily.

When the people were drowning in despair, Kwon Haeju was the Hunter they invoked the most alongside Nam Shin-hoo. Even five years after his death, he was universally evaluated as the strongest Hunter in history.

When a man of that caliber died, the entire world had been thrown into chaos. People had been horrified by the sudden, tragic news, vehemently denying reality right up until the moment his funeral ended.

And Nam Shin-hoo had been the only one traumatized by an entirely different truth, because the actual cause of death, a secret hidden from the rest of the world, was…

“I apologize for the delay.”

A man forcefully threw the door open and strode in.

It was Kwon Haeju, his wavy bangs disheveled and his shirt sleeves casually rolled up in a highly uncharacteristic look for a man who always maintained an immaculate appearance. But that wasn’t the only thing different from his usual self. His gray suit pants and white shirt were speckled with blood splatters from some recent battle, and a couple of buttons at his collar were undone. It was painfully obvious that he had rushed over immediately after clearing the scene without even taking the time to change his clothes.

However, his distinctive, confident posture, so commanding that even his messy state didn’t seem awkward, and his strikingly handsome face were exactly as Nam Shin-hoo remembered them.

Kwon Haeju’s ability to build widespread recognition and rapidly expand his Guild in such a short period was largely attributed to his overwhelming combat prowess. Yet there was also a vocal faction asserting that his flawless face had played a massive role in the Guild’s growth. After all, even when saying the exact same thing as anyone else, Kwon Haeju’s words always managed to command far more public attention.