“Guild Master!!!”

A desperate and pleading voice echoed through the hall.

“Why… Why is this happening?”

Lee Soo-ah’s face was a mask of disbelief as she trembled uncontrollably.

“Soo-ah…”

One of the nearby executives tried to calm her down.

“I need to speak with the Guild Master directly.”

Lee Soo-ah was resolute. Her position, which had been unshakable for years, was suddenly in jeopardy.

For years, she had maintained her status as the top S-Rank Hunter, the undeniable face of the Blue Guild. But now, in an instant, her position was slipping away.

“Why… Why are we reorganizing around Ji-hoon?”

“Soo-ah, our Blue Guild has seen no significant progress for quite some time. I believe you’re aware of that,” the Guild Master responded calmly, continuing his explanation.

“For several years, issues with our S-Rank Hunters have led to a near standstill. Meanwhile, there are still many dungeons that humanity needs to address. I believe it’s time for us to swiftly resolve the delays and start making real progress.”

The Guild Master’s tone was firm. It was clear that no matter how much Lee Soo-ah protested, he had no intention of changing his mind.

In the past, when Lee Soo-ah held an overwhelming position of power, the executive meetings often sided with her. But now, the atmosphere had shifted.

“Soo-ah, the Hunter market is rapidly changing.”

Another executive showed her several documents.

“You need to understand that other guilds are now moving aggressively to target Baek Ji-hoon.”

Lee Soo-ah was visibly shaken by the revelation.

‘What… What is this…? Everyone…?’

It seemed that every guild had been thrown into a state of panic after watching the news. Of course, it was understandable.

The Hunter industry had been stagnant for a long time. But now, a new force, Baek Ji-hoon, had emerged.

“In my opinion…”

The Guild Master spoke with a heavy voice.

“Lee Soo-ah, I don’t think the A-Team leader position is what’s most important right now.”

“Then…?”

“You should be focusing on protecting Baek Ji-hoon and keeping him close, shouldn’t you?”

Lee Soo-ah’s face filled with sudden anxiety.

“The future of the Hunter industry will revolve around a ‘Baek Ji-hoon war.’ I’m certain of it. Our Blue Guild will have to defend him at all costs. I know this is disappointing and upsetting, but reality is harsh. We have no choice. Please understand that there is no ill will toward you, Lee Soo-ah.”

He ended his statement with a gentle, yet firm, tone.

“Sigh…”

Lee Soo-ah let out a deep, heavy sigh as if the ground had just crumbled beneath her.

The words she had just heard… She couldn’t argue against them.

Moreover, the documents presented during the executive meeting—the reports gathered by spies in other guilds—all pointed toward Baek Ji-hoon.

It was clear that other Hunters were already making coordinated moves to get closer to Baek Ji-hoon.

‘Damn it… What the hell, Ji-hoon… I didn’t see this coming. If I had known, I would have treated you better last week…’

Her face twisted into an expression of regret and self-reproach.

“Oh, Soo-ah, there you are.”

“Yes…”

“We’ll be seeing each other more often.”

“Why…”

“I’m going to be Ji-hoon hyung’s secretary. I just got transferred from HR.”

Park Hyung-seok spoke cheerfully, catching Lee Soo-ah as she walked by.

“What??? Secretary…?”

“Yes, a secretary.”

“Sigh…”

Lee Soo-ah’s confusion deepened, and her expression became one of sheer distress.

“Why do you look so down? Did you fail to train him?”

“Sigh… It’s not even about failing or not. It just seems impossible…”

Lee Soo-ah looked utterly dejected.

“Why?”

“I think I’ve made a huge mistake… What should I do…”

“Hmm…”

Park Hyung-seok and Lee Soo-ah began to engage in a deep conversation.

‘So, Hyung-seok is the secretary… What about Chief Cha?’

Chief Cha was looking at me with eyes full of anticipation, as if expecting a new position to be handed to him.

I was in the midst of completely overhauling the A-Team.

“Hrm, Ji-hoon~~ You know~ I don’t expect much~~”

He said in a tone that clearly indicated he was hoping for something significant.

“Hrm~ I really want to help you out. You know I’ve been supporting you diligently since last week, right?”

“Yes, I suppose so.”

I was contemplating how to completely reorganize the department.

While the system of Hunters 1 through 6 that Lee Soo-ah had managed wasn’t bad, I thought it was insufficient for properly advancing Hunter activities.

The current Hunter world had become too passive. After most S-Rank Hunters had fallen into a state of decline, the industry had shifted toward a more defensive stance.

“I guess it’s time to completely overhaul everything.”

“Is this even possible?”

“What do you mean?”

The members of Hunter Team 6 were chatting amongst themselves.

“Ji-hoon was a rookie just last week…? At the bottom of our team? And now he’s our boss?”

“It is strange, but didn’t he already overpower Lee Soo-ah last week?”

“That’s true.”

“What about me?”

One of the junior employees who had been happy to have a new team member now looked upset.

“But I like it.”

“Why?”

“Since Baek Ji-hoon joined, Lee Soo-ah hasn’t been able to do anything, our pay has increased, Hunter Team 6 has become the main team… We haven’t lost anything, have we?”

“Oh… That’s true. When I think about it, everything has turned out great.”

“Who cares who’s above us? As long as we do our jobs well and make money, that’s all that matters.”

“You’re right. Manager Jang is right.”

They clapped and celebrated amongst themselves.

“Ji-hoon… or should I call you Team Leader now?”

The leaders of Hunter Teams 1 through 5 looked visibly unsettled.

“Is this for real? Are we really supposed to accept this reorganization? And what even is this?”

They all had puzzled expressions as they looked at the new organizational chart.

“So, you’re saying you want to establish new positions above us, right? Is that it?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

I had decided to maintain the existing 1 through 6 team structure, but with a new layer of managers above it.

“So, are we getting promoted?”

“No.”

“Then who’s filling these positions?”

“S-Rank Hunters.”

There were some chuckles.

“Uh, Baek Ji-hoon, you’re new to this, having just joined as a rookie last week and suddenly becoming an S-Rank. You might not know, but wouldn’t you need at least six S-Rank Hunters for that? Even with Lee Soo-ah and Yoo Hana, you’d still need four more. Do you really think Lee Soo-ah and Yoo Hana would settle for just manager positions? They’d be furious and probably try to switch teams.”

The leaders of Teams 1 through 5 were clearly skeptical, while Hunter Team 6 seemed to be placing their trust in me.

‘Well, let’s show them and see if they quiet down.’

“Could someone call Yoo Hana and Lee Soo-ah?”

“You called for me, Ji-hoon?”

Yoo Hana responded like a puppy wagging its tail.

“What’s going on…?”

In contrast, Lee Soo-ah looked like the protagonist of a tragic story, utterly drained and despondent.

“This is what I want to try.”

“Yes.”

“Hunter Lee Soo-ah, I’d like you to take on the role of Manager 1, and Hunter Yoo Hana, I’d like you to be Manager 2.”

The leaders of Teams 1 through 5 looked at me with disbelief, as if what I was saying was impossible. They didn’t think Yoo Hana and Lee Soo-ah would agree to this.

“Yes!!!”

“Yes… okay.”

Naturally, Yoo Hana and Lee Soo-ah accepted without any resistance.

“Wha-what???”

The leaders of Teams 1 through 5 seemed completely shocked, clearly unaware of the dynamics between me, Yoo Hana, and Lee Soo-ah.

“Wait… Yoo Hana as a manager? What…?”

“Why… Why is Hunter Lee Soo-ah…?”

They were all thrown into a state of confusion.

It was only natural to be surprised when S-Rank Hunters, who typically held high-ranking positions, were suddenly assigned to manager roles.

“Well, that’s settled then. I’ll work on filling positions for Managers 3 through 6.”

I planned to gather more S-Rank Hunters and place them in those positions. With me leading from above, it would create a perfect structure.

While the leaders of Teams 1 through 5 seemed to be in a state of mild rebellion, they quickly fell silent after seeing how Yoo Hana and Lee Soo-ah responded.

“Sigh… What should I do…?”

Lee Soo-ah sat helplessly in her newly assigned office.

Knock, knock.

“Uh… Hunter Lee Soo-ah…?”

“Yes…”

It was the leader of Team 1.

“Sigh… Is this really okay? This seems like too sudden a change in atmosphere. Shouldn’t you do something about it?”

He seemed to be suggesting a coup, hoping to incite Lee Soo-ah, the former A-Team leader, into action.

“I’m fine with it…”

“It doesn’t seem like you’re fine with it. This reorganization is unacceptable. A rookie suddenly taking over as the A-Team leader makes no sense, does it?”

“I’m… fine… Reorganizations happen.”

Lee Soo-ah didn’t seem particularly concerned about the reorganization itself. What was weighing heavily on her was Baek Ji-hoon.

Because of the poor foundation of their relationship, she was now unsure how to resolve the situation. Her worries and frustrations only deepened.