Lee Shin served coffee to the surprised Lee Hye-jeong and Park Jeong-seok, then sat down in front of them.
“‘Fighting’ might be a bit much—let’s call it competition. Competition.”
“……”
“……”
“Are you that surprised? That I offered you both the position of vice-commander?”
The two exchanged glances before cautiously speaking.
“A little… no, quite a lot.”
“Still, it’s the vice-commander position, but you’re being so casual about it…”
“Well, I made the decision on my own, but I think it’s actually a pretty good one.”
-Sip.
After rinsing his mouth with coffee, Lee Shin smiled gently and continued.
“The position of vice-commander is… quite ambiguous.”
It’s commonly said that the vice-commander’s role is to assist the raid leader.
They listen closely to the raid team’s difficulties, boost morale when it’s low, and help relax the team if things get too intense.
“As an intermediary link, it’s important—but as with any second-in-command, the level of authority varies wildly depending on the environment and circumstances.”
For example, if the director, coach, or manager holds strong authority, the second-in-command’s influence becomes meaningless.
Authority depends on who’s above you and on scarcity—but once there are three or more people in that upper tier, the title becomes almost meaningless.
Similarly, in a guild where the system is fully established, the vice-commander’s role shrinks.
Since the position isn’t one that explicitly says “Do this!”, discretion and initiative become important—but a perfect system, by nature, limits personal discretion (positively speaking, focuses it; negatively speaking, restricts it).
“But, you see… if the role can shrink that much, then conversely, depending on the environment, conditions, and situation, the vice-commander’s authority could become greater than anyone expects.”
Like in our Mir Guild, for example.
“As you know, the first thing I did when I became head of the Mir Guild was tear everything apart. Starting with a personnel overhaul, dismantling the defeatist mindset, breaking down the rigid hierarchy, and getting rid of all those useless suppliers. I’m still reorganizing things even now.
And do you know what I reorganized first? That’s right—the raid team.”
No one would deny that the raid team is the heart of the guild.
That’s why, on his very first day, Lee Shin replaced the entire raid team, including Yang-whatever-his-name-was. Without changing the raid team, the guild itself could not change.
The current raid team, after this overhaul, could be called completely new.
“There’s nothing. No proper managers like a director or coach, no special system or rules.
All we have is our dignified, benevolent, and great Mountain King, and one chatty guild leader—me. Now that I say it out loud, there’s really nothing, huh?”
A perfect blank slate.
What gets drawn on it will be decided from now on.
“Any organization treasures its founding members—even if they’re just part-timers because they leave their mark. Which means, conversely, that the founding members have the chance to leave a huge mark on the future that will be built.
And fortunately, our dignified, benevolent, and great Mountain King isn’t even authoritarian! My goodness, can you believe it?”
A completely blank slate, a non-authoritarian superior, and performance soaring to new heights.
“Oh, I almost forgot. There will be incentives. Modest ones, like this.”
Though, in truth, the incentives were anything but modest—they were enough to make eyes go wide.
“Do you understand? The opportunity before you is this kind of opportunity.”
There was nothing else like it.
Was this a golden rope, or a diamond one?
A chill ran down Lee Hye-jeong’s spine. Sweat formed in Park Jeong-seok’s palms.
This was absolutely a “Go.” Backing out here would mean you weren’t even a hunter.
The two were already the most outstanding figures in the guild. Naturally, they had become rivals. Even excluding Park Su-bin, who was too young, neither of them could bear to lose to the other.
‘That stingy brat as vice-commander? Over my dead body.’
‘That crazy woman as vice-commander? For the sake of the raid team, it has to be me.’
Lee Hye-jeong glared at Park Jeong-seok and spoke. He stared right back and opened his mouth.
“What do we have to fight over?”
“How do we become vice-commander?”
Satisfied with what he saw, Lee Shin nodded.
Finally, the look he wanted—predatory eyes fighting over the top position.
“First, let’s set a condition. This one’s non-negotiable.”
“Is it a new record race?”
“Or maintaining the record?”
“Excellent. This is why I like sharp people.”
The condition: they had to finish the new record race to make the competition valid. And that competition…
Lee Shin held up four fingers.
“Let’s keep it simple. Whoever wins the League 4 Overall MVP takes the position.”
“……!!”
“……!!”
Year-end awards. In reality, it was certain that the Mir Guild would take almost every League 4 award.
All or nothing.
Whoever took the crown jewel, the League MVP, would have it all.
“Do you agree?”
Still glaring at each other, they both nodded.
“I accept.”
“Understood.”
Stirring up rivalry between the two—
This was Lee Shin’s answer to the condition problem.
________________________________________
And once again, Lee Shin’s answer was close to perfect.
— “Unbelievable! What is that?!”
— “Using the slope of his shield to deflect the werewolf’s attack, immediately disabling his opponent with a joint lock, then using him as a shield to block an incoming strike. In the process, Hunter Park Jeong-seok pulls off his signature sidestep to preempt an attack from his blind spot, secures a superior position, switches back to Taesan mode, waits for an opening, and—bam!—a sharp kick! Shaking the enemy formation and opening space for allies to advance…!”
— “Someone call an ambulance! The commentator’s about to pass out!!”
•
•
— “Woooow?!!”
— “Hunter Lee Hye-jeong blinds the enemy with poison smoke and then uses near-supernatural evasive maneuvers to break out of the encirclement! Nearly 300 werewolves turned into fools in an instant!”
— “Watch closely, everyone—countless details just flashed by in moments. That poison smoke? Not for damage, but targeting the werewolves’ weakness: their sense of smell. And that evasive maneuver? It was as if we were watching a perfect ‘Changing Shape to Confuse the Enemy.’”
— “Yesterday it was Hunter Park Jeong-seok, today it’s Hunter Lee Hye-jeong! What’s going on with Mir Guild?!”
Thanks to their stellar performances, the Mir Guild pushed ahead again.
The mere three-minute margin they had barely maintained in the last round now seemed laughable.
The change wasn’t just in battle.
If they were flawless carry machines in the raid, outside the gate they showed leadership in their own ways.
For example, Park Jeong-seok—who looked like a by-the-book guy but actually enjoyed casual conversation and looking out for others—didn’t scold the tank-line juniors for trying to sneak off to a club. Instead, he coaxed them.
“The league’s almost over. Just hold off until then and come train with me. When it’s over, I’ll take you anywhere you want. Don’t trust me?”
In contrast, Lee Hye-jeong—who seemed easygoing and jokey but was actually an extreme “T”—didn’t try to talk nicely. She simply worked her juniors to exhaustion so they wouldn’t even have the energy to go out.
“Okay, break’s over! Let’s go three-on-three again. Where’s Minsu and Hee-chul? Hee-chul? What? He ran?
Call him right now. Tell him if he doesn’t get here immediately, his big sister’s going to kill him.”
And you couldn’t leave out Lee Shin’s earnest coaching.
“Hmm, Hee-chul, your problem isn’t a lack of mana—it’s your physical balance. Focus on strength training for now and you’ll see results. But… what’s with your eyes?
Sigh, who told you that having mana means you shouldn’t build muscle? That strength training isn’t good for survival? Who? I swear I’m gonna rip those damn YouTubers’ mouths off! Oh—I wasn’t mad at you, Hunter. Really. Dong-ha, cut the internet! Now!”
Lee Hye-jeong’s greed for money.
Park Jeong-seok’s hunger for power.
Lee Shin’s desire for points and rewards.
Three ambitions combined into a trinity force.
Kim Jong-pil put it this way:
“Heh, they say when three people gather, they can create a tiger that wasn’t there. Well, when three ambitions gather, they can create the desperation that was lost.”
The greatest motivation for newcomers, and a power only they can possess—Desperation.
The rookie raid members seemed to have regained the desperation they’d lost amid their overwhelming results.
“Of course, that’s not all. By making Lee Hye-jeong and Park Jeong-seok compete, he injected energy into the entire raid team. That Lee Shin kid—he’s got a wickedly sharp mind.”
Just as Kim Jong-pil said.
Simple motivation could only restore lost form to its original state but Lee Shin didn’t settle for that.
Even if they reached their maximum, it was still just going from minus to zero—and the record could still be broken.
So he made sure the two alphas competed, and as a result, their form went beyond zero into the positive—showing a far more overwhelming performance than before.
[ Mir Guild, Round 35: Record Race Maintained! ]
[ “You can’t stop this!!” Commentators shocked, fans roaring. ]
•
•
[ Round 36, Gate “Satan’s Conscripts” — Mir Guild twists Satan’s neck. ]
[ “No talent? Then what about Mir Guild?” Industry insider delivers a jab on social media. ]
•
•
[ Mir Guild fan club “Dragon Bros Era” launches billboard ads in Seomyeon and other major city centers. ]
[ Fan club president: “If I didn’t do something like this, as a Busan citizen and a Dragon Bro, I wouldn’t be able to bear my pride.” ]
•
•
[ Finally, Round 38 begins. Will we witness a legend? ]
________________________________________
When he opened his eyes, a familiar ceiling came into view.
“Uuuhhh.”
Yawning, Lee Shin stretched on the bed.
He looked at the clock. Nine o’clock. He had slept for five whole hours for the first time in a while. He could faintly see notifications that read “+999.” Without a doubt, it was from Chae Dong-ha, who had stayed up all night on standby beside the broadcasting team.
“I told him to just sleep, tsk.”
Always making a fuss.
After a quick shower, he entered the dressing room, where a forest of suits revealed itself.
“Might be a bit chilly.”
Scratching his butt inside his underwear with one hand, Lee Shin took a step forward, and clothes began to be put onto his body—
Shirt, pants, suit, watch. When he came out through the other door of the dressing room, Lee Shin draped the coat hanging on the side hanger over his shoulders.
Messing up his still-damp hair, he got off the elevator, and the security guards bowed. Lee Shin bowed back, as always.
“Good luck today.”
“I’m a fan. I’m always cheering for you.”
“Haha, yes, yes.”
The congratulations from the security guards had begun.
As soon as he left the apartment’s common entrance, everyone he passed greeted Lee Shin with congratulations as if it had been prearranged.
“Good luck until the very end!”
“I’m looking forward to today as well!”
“I’m Yongbung-i. Thanks to you, Mr. Shin-God, this season has been the happiest one ever.”
Lee Shin made eye contact with each person and bowed.
“Thank you. Thank you. I’ll wrap things up well. And you, Mr. Yongbung-i over there, come here for a moment—yes, you, little lady. You moved me. Here, take this.”
After giving plenty of fan service, Lee Shin boarded the Rollinie.(Rolls Royce)
“Has it started?”
At Lee Shin’s question, his secretary met his eyes through the rearview mirror and nodded.
“They say they’ve just entered.”
League 4, Round 38—the conclusion of the grand journey.
That last boss battle was just about to begin.
