"You've got to be kidding me, Jinwoo."
Jinwoo just smiled awkwardly at me as I glared down at the large collection of mediocre hunters stationed outside the C-Rank dungeon gate slated for Jinwoo and his new companion, Yoo Jinho.
The same kid that I refused to sell armor and weapons to a few weeks ago because he is not a proper Hunter yet.
And lo and behold, he now appears in front of me again after successfully convincing Jinwoo to start a guild with him.
The universe really likes messing with me, doesn't it?
Putting aside my personal bias, I cannot fault the underhanded means by which this son of a conglomerate secured so many slots to clear C-Rank gates so that he could become a Guild Master.
If there is one thing I've learned in my travels across Lordran, it is the fact that there is no such thing as fairness and equality.
Kindness and compassion are the luxury of the strong, and so is the concept of fairness.
The only truth of life for the weak is that if they are not cheating, they are not trying hard enough.
However, right now, what I am peeved about is how blatantly Jinwoo is showing off his power for everyone to see.
I admit, with the existence of an outside-context-problem like the system, he really does have the right to be a little arrogant, but right now, I think his power is going to his head, and he is starting to lose his cautiousness.
Maybe I should arrange for a spar between us and show him exactly what happens when someone becomes too arrogant.
"Well, you already know how strong I am, Uncle. So, I thought this would be much faster than leading a proper team for Yoo Jinho to attain his license."
"And you did not stop to think what would happen when those greedy guild masters and their teams learn of this development? I am already having trouble keeping those corrupt people in the Association from finding out about your sudden increase in strength, and now you've added to my workload even more?"
"Personally, I think that Hyung should be recognized for his strength instead of hiding!"
I turned to glare at the kid who had brought this mess to Jinwoo in the first place, but Yoo Jinho did not turn away from me and met my glare with a determined stare, even while his body was shaking with fear.
….Interesting. Looks like this kid has finally found a fraction of his Hunter potential. But courage alone is of no use if you don't have the power to back it up.
Then again, he did manage to bring in Jinwoo to back him up, and borrowed or not, strength is strength, so I can only applaud this kid for using his brain more than his brawn, given his lack of physical strength.
"…Fine, do what you want. But you will keep me posted on what goes on. I will not have you getting into trouble again. Do you hear me?"
Jinwoo just nodded at my words, knowing that I was serious about my threat.
Ever since our heart-to-heart some time ago, I felt like my relationship with these siblings had become much closer than before, if something like that was even possible, given how we were already a family before everything about my past came to light.
However, there was something odd that I noticed about Jinwoo and Jinah's actions these days.
Jinwoo had been throwing himself into his training and raiding dungeons nonstop, as if he were desperate to achieve strength and do something that I didn't know about, while Jinah had also opted to have her brother train her.
My best guess is that the girl is trying to see if she can awaken as a Hunter as well, something that I am very much opposed to, but my protests were easily overruled by the siblings, much to my chagrin.
Unfortunately, I don't have much time to make sure that these two idiots don't do something dangerous since I've been called to the USA by the International Hunters Association to attend a trial.
The reason is something that I've been expecting and preparing for since I decided to end all threats towards my family in the cradle.
The disappearance of Hwang Dongsoo.
Of course, this trial is nothing more than a farce since no matter what country or association, the value of a National-rank hunter, even if 'unbloodied' as they say, is higher than an S-Rank hunter, one amongst many that the United States has within its ranks.
The real reason has to be so that these guys can try to gauge my power and see if they can lure me away from Korea.
Shaking my head to get rid of those thoughts, I turned back to stare at Jinwoo seriously.
"Have you made sure to store away certain items that you received from me? We can't have you experience those events again, especially since that place is extremely dangerous for most people."
The meaning behind my words was easy to understand for Jinwoo, who just nodded his head.
I do not want my nephew to experience the horrors that I went through, especially the monstrous being that called Lordran home.
"Good. Then, I guess I'll get going. My flight is in an hour, and I need to get there before boarding begins."
"Ah!? Mr. James! Why not take a private jet to wherever you are going? I can arrange one for you right way-Ow!"
Jinwoo smacked the head of Yoo Jinho and gave him a light glare with a shake of his head, telling him to shut up.
Good. At least the kid remembered that I am not comfortable with doing things like that.
Being a National-rank hunter, I am allowed a lot of privileges, and the sheer amount of money I make from my work as a Blacksmith is also nothing to scoff at.
However, I like living a simple life, with little in the way of luxury.
Call it muscle memory or trauma, but I have gotten used to living such a frugal life after spending countless years throughout my loops in Lordran. Even now, I cannot get myself to feel comfortable using luxurious things.
There is also the fact that I don't like being alone for extended periods.
It is the reason why I avoid using private modes of transportation such as private jets, cars driven by chaperons where I am left alone with my thoughts, or even special trains that only Hunters are allowed to use.
The desolate lands of Lordran, where the only living beings that I ever knew were either Undead, drakes, primordial serpents, or monsters, had made me yearn to see and interact with actual people in the initial days. While I had overcome such problems and even called some of these beings my closest friends, some part of me is still afraid of being alone.
Because I feel like I am back in those empty lands where everything is trying to kill me.
That is why I love moving within the crowds at train stations, waiting in traffic, or sitting in the crowded economy class of an airliner. It reminds me that I had left behind that nightmarish world and now live in a world where life is thriving.
"Well, I'll get going. Remember, keep me updated."
"Alright! I understand! Go already!"
Jinwoo could not hold back anymore, and the serious persona he had been maintaining ever since that double dungeon incident broke a little, showing the courageous boy that I had raised with my own hands.
I laughed at his fuming look, knowing that it was all an act to hide his embarrassment at my hovering over him like a helicopter parent.
Once again, I am reminded of the fact that my actions were worth it.
So what if I have to dirty my hands once again with blood?
As long as my family is safe, I don't mind dirtying my hollow soul with a sea of blood and sins.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Author Notes: Read 5 chapters ahead on Patreon: patreon.com/Ruijard1