Chapter 181 – Yoo Jun-ho

Episode 181

“First, we’re planning to give the participant who wins first place a set of Saavedra’s top-grade equipment.”

“Oh!”

“Sounds good.”

“That’s a great reward.”

All the team leaders expressed their agreement.

‘Saavedra’ was the brand name for weapons developed by the Triunfo Clan.

As expected of weapons produced by a Major Clan, their performance was excellent, and their price was equally high.

‘…Not really a good reward, though.’

‘If you receive a reward directly from the Master, you won’t be able to use other equipment for a while, right?’

However, the team leaders were all secretly thinking negatively.

This was because there were many Major Clan products that were far superior to Saavedra.

Wasn’t the sword Francisco used in actual combat one of the ‘Taegeuk Sword’ series produced by the Korean Clan?

‘If you’re used to using superior equipment, using a Saavedra sword might actually decrease your combat power…’

Francisco thought to himself, glancing at Master Esteban.

Needless to say, it was a secret that Francisco used the Taegeuk Sword in actual combat, a secret that Master Esteban was unaware of.

“And we’re also planning to give a reward to the team that wins first place, in addition to the individual reward.”

Esteban continued.

“I thought about what kind of reward would be appropriate. But as expected, the most fitting reward for hunters is something related to dungeons, right?

So, we’re going to give them priority in choosing the dungeon for the next official clan raid.”

“……!”

Everyone’s eyes widened.

Their reaction was completely different from when they had heard about the individual reward.

“…You mean a demon world dungeon, Master?”

Francisco even asked again, just to be sure.

Esteban nodded.

“Don’t you think this is a good enough reward to make you all more invested in the third round?”

“Well…”

He was right.

The problem was that the reward was so extraordinary that he was worried they might get too overly invested.

‘This means Team 6 could take the Crystal Cave demon world dungeon from us!’

If they were asked which dungeon they would choose if they won first place, all ten team leaders would choose the ‘Crystal Cave’, a level 28 demon world dungeon.

This was because it was the dungeon where they could acquire the most Mana stones among all dungeons below level 30.

Who would be foolish enough to choose anything other than a dungeon that guaranteed low risk and high return, where they could gain immense profits with minimal effort?

Team 1 had monopolized this dungeon until now. They had never lost first place in any competition, including the newbie showdown.

But now, they were in danger of losing that privilege.

‘Damn it! How did the Crystal Cave dungeon and the subcontracted clan selection rights end up being at stake in this insignificant newbie showdown?’

Of course, Francisco had been the one who suggested the subcontracted clan selection. He hadn’t imagined that Alopsky would perform this well.

But even setting that aside, he felt it was a bit excessive for the dungeon selection rights to be on the line in a mere newbie showdown.

However, that was just his personal opinion.

“I agree with the Master.”

“This will certainly make us more invested in watching today’s match!”

“Considering the viewership of this newbie showdown, I think that level of reward is appropriate.”

Ricardo, the leader of Team 6, who was aiming for first place, along with the leaders of Teams 2, 3, and 4, all expressed their enthusiastic agreement with bright smiles.

Esteban even nodded with a ‘I knew it’ expression, looking at them.

“I’ve already told Sergio to inform the participants about this before coming here. They should all know by now.”

Francisco felt a slight sense of relief at Esteban’s words.

‘If Juan knows, he’ll risk his life to win the third round.’

He had emphasized the importance of the third round to Juan yesterday, using both carrot and stick.

Judging by Juan’s determined expression when he left, he would be even more motivated now that he knew about the dungeon selection rights.

* * *

Francisco’s prediction was accurate.

“Haa…”

Juan paced back and forth, sighing deeply.

He had already lost count of how many times he had sighed.

Anyone could tell he was incredibly nervous, but he was in no state to care about appearances.

‘Damn it! Why are the subcontracted clan and dungeon selection rights at stake in a newbie showdown?!’

It felt as if a giant ogre from the New Continent had climbed onto each of his shoulders.

If he didn’t win first place in the third round, Team 1 would lose too much.

‘I have to win first place. If I want to aim for the top spot in the Triunfo Clan, I can’t afford to be branded a loser in a trivial competition like this.’

His ultimate goal was to surpass Francisco, who felt like an insurmountable wall, and become the representative hunter of the Triunfo Clan.

He couldn’t accept being branded a loser, especially not in an event match against these insignificant newbies.

‘The only good news is that the third round arena is practically my home ground.’

He had been overjoyed when he heard from the Team 1 leader yesterday about the location of the third round.

In that arena, making a comeback and finishing the showdown in first place wasn’t a pipe dream.

‘And it’s also good news that I’m not the only one who’s nervous.’

He looked around.

Luca, Gian, Dante, and the other potential contenders for first place were all just as tense as he was.

“What are you looking at?”

Luca even snapped at him, noticing his gaze.

But Juan ignored him and looked away.

‘…Why doesn’t Alopsky seem nervous at all?’

His gaze landed on Alopsky, who was calmly checking his equipment, as if nothing fazed him.

He had been the same since the first round. He was like this even after hearing about the additional reward from Sergio.

‘He’s the problem. I have to get rid of him somehow…’

Juan’s eyes narrowed as he recalled the plan he had devised yesterday.

As he was scheming,

“Director! Director!”

A hunter came running towards Sergio from afar, calling out to him urgently.

Sergio looked at him with a puzzled expression, sensing his desperation.

“What’s going on?”

“You need to come to the exit.”

“Why?”

“Come here…”

The hunter whispered something into Sergio’s ear.

Sergio’s eyes widened.

“…Where is he?”

“He’s waiting at the exit.”

Sergio hesitated for a moment after hearing the hunter’s reply, then said to the nearby evaluation team members,

“I’ll be back before the match starts.”

“Yes, Director.”

He started running towards the exit, following the hunter.

He arrived at the exit surprisingly quickly, perhaps because he had been running with all his might due to the unexpected news.

“Ah, you’re here.”

A familiar Korean man was waiting for him.

Sergio recognized him as Hong Yeonseok, the leader of Team 1 of the Korean Clan, and greeted him.

“Team Leader Hong, isn’t it?”

“Nice to meet you, Team Leader Sergio. Please, greet our Vice Master first.”

Hong Yeonseok stepped aside, gesturing towards the person standing behind him.

Sergio’s eyes widened as he saw the Vice Master, and he approached him to greet him.

“I’m Sergio, a team leader from the Triunfo Clan. Yoo Jun-ho… is that you?”

“That’s right. Nice to meet you, Sergio.”

Yoo Jun-ho smiled and shook Sergio’s hand.

The man who was called the greatest genius in Korean history.

The one who had achieved S-rank in the shortest time and entered the New Continent at the youngest age.

The one who had surpassed all his seniors and become the Vice Master of the Korean Clan just two years after entering the New Continent.

The undisputed strongest hunter in Korea, whose appointment to the position had been met with no objections.

He, one of the most prominent rankers in the New Continent, had suddenly appeared at the exit of the arena where the newbie showdown was about to take place, just 30 minutes before the third round.

“What brings you here?”

Sergio asked, his face full of curiosity.

It was understandable. The Korean Clan and the Triunfo Clan had never had any interactions before.

They were neither allies nor enemies, just two clans who knew of each other’s existence.

And now, Yoo Jun-ho, the core of the Korean Clan, had suddenly appeared 30 minutes before the third round of the newbie showdown.

“I’m here to see Alopsky.”

Sergio’s eyes widened even further at Yoo Jun-ho’s answer.

“Alopsky, the newbie from Team 6?”

“Yes. Would it be possible to have a private interview with him after the match?”

“An interview…?”

“Yes. It won’t take long. If you’re concerned, you can send an observer with us.”

Sergio’s confusion only grew.

“…I can’t make that decision on my own. I’ll have to contact my superiors.”

“Sure. I’ll wait.”

Sergio tore his gaze away from Yoo Jun-ho, who had readily agreed, and quickly took out his smartphone, searching for the Team 1 leader’s number.

* * *

The news quickly reached everyone in the executive meeting room.

“Yoo Jun-ho?”

Esteban, the Master, was the most surprised.

“He wants to have a private interview with Alopsky?”

“Yes, that’s what I was told.”

“But why…?”

That was the question on everyone’s mind, including Esteban.

Why?

“Is he trying to poach Alopsky for the Korean Clan…?”

“That’s not it.”

Esteban firmly denied Tian, the Vice Master’s, words.

“The Korean Clan is a clan that operates solely with Koreans. They’ve never accepted a foreigner before.”

“Hmm…”

“And the Korean Clan isn’t so unethical as to openly poach a promising prospect. They’re not like those PCC bastards…”

Tian couldn’t refute that.

If it had been the PCC, their eternal rivals from Brazil, they would have definitely tried to poach Alopsky.

But the Korean Clan, which had no connection to the Triunfo Clan, wouldn’t do something so blatant.

More importantly, the fact that the Korean Clan was run entirely by Koreans was the biggest factor.

– We are a clan that represents Korea. Therefore, only Koreans can apply to join.

The motto the Korean Clan had established when they entered the New Continent was still upheld to this day.

“…I don’t understand, but it’s hard to refuse if he just wants an interview.”

Esteban had no intention of making enemies with the Korean Clan over such a trivial matter.

He had to admit, the Korean Clan was currently much stronger than the Triunfo Clan.

“Let’s allow it. But make sure to send a team leader as an observer. I think the leader of Team 6, Alopsky’s team, would be the best choice.”

“As you wish, Master.”

As Ricardo replied respectfully,

[Ladies and gentlemen, the wait is finally over! We’re about to begin the final round, the third round of the newbie showdown!]

The caster’s loud voice echoed through the meeting room, reaching everyone present.