Kim Ki-Rok explained the power of the World Tree, a sacred tree that purifies the mana of the Demon Realm and grants blessings to all life within its domain.
"Now, I'll explain in detail the power of the World Tree I mentioned in the first half of the conference. Miss Ji-Ah."
At Kim Ki-Rok's request, the DG Guild staff member who had paused the video turned the beam projector back on.
As a list appeared on-screen, Kim Ki-Rok continued "The World Tree enhances experience gain, boosts overall stats, and weakens both monsters and the corrupted mana of the Demon Realm. It also increases resistance to magical interference... and for those with Elementalist potential, it can even trigger Emergence."
He paused to let that sink in before adding, "The reward for clearing the Gate was a seed of the World Tree, one that can be planted here on Earth to grant all five of these blessings. That's why we had no choice but to keep it secret."
Gasps rippled through the room, leaving those familiar with the Hunter world speechless.
"Oh, and one more thing." He turned to look at the foreign Hunters and their interpreters. "The World Tree seed has already sprouted. It not only weakens monsters and the mana of the Demon Realm, it also weakens anyone who approaches with ill intent."
Some of the foreign Hunters flinched, guilt visible on their faces.
"Well, you can't just uproot and take it. I'm letting you know in advance, just in case someone gets any ideas. If you still want to try... be my guest."
It wasn't just the foreign Hunters, everyone stared at Kim Ki-Rok in shock.
"Just remember, you'd be risking your life. And if your identity is exposed, your country will be disqualified from receiving the second reward granted to South Korea."
The second reward? The seed of the World Tree alone was a monumental gift. No wonder the Gate clear had been carried out in secret.
"By the way, the World Tree's blessing only lasts for a set duration. Anyone who wants to receive it simply needs to step into the World Tree's territory in South Korea."
Everyone understood his message: there was no need to be greedy, since they intended to share the blessing.
A female reporter suddenly raised her hand. "I'm Lee Bo-Ram from K Daily! I'd like to hear about the second reward!"
"Ah, yes. Reporter Lee Bo-Ram, I'm sure you're curious since I mentioned there was a second reward. That reward is a Permanent Gate."
Some reporters, unfamiliar with the term, tilted their heads. But the sharp ones widened their eyes in shock.
"The second reward, selected by us South Koreans, is a high-difficulty Gate with a minimum entry level of 80. It's a Gate where you can meet elves at any time."
—A Gate where you can meet elves at any time.
Just like that, Kim Ki-Rok shifted from speaking on behalf of the DG Guild to representing South Korea as a whole, delivering a major announcement.
As a highly pragmatic man, President Kim Tae-Hoo wasn't particularly displeased with the way it had been handled. Regardless of who delivered the news, he knew the achievement would be credited to South Korea and the current administration.
"Shall I contact Guildmaster Kim Ki-Rok?" asked one of his aides.
"No, let him be. There was nothing wrong with what Guildmaster Kim Ki-Rok said."
*** Updates are released by novel·fire.net
Ji Seok-Hyun of the Phoenix Guild suddenly stood up with a clatter, staring at the monitor.
The blessing of the World Tree and the establishment of a Permanent Gate?
They said the rewards would be shared with the world, but surely these weren't the only ones they'd received. He could tell just by looking at the gear of the people who had attended the conference. Lee Yeon-Hwa's sword, Baek Min-Hyuk's bracelet, and Jang Baek-San's gloves had all changed.
If the World Tree truly repelled those with hostile intent, then those who participated in the Gate clear must have received even greater blessings. And even if the Permanent Gate was open to everyone, access to the elves would almost certainly be limited.
Ji Seok-Hyun hadn't been able to take part in the Gate clear because he had neglected his guild members and distanced himself from the DG Guild. It was a ridiculous situation.
Although the DG conference had ended, the attendees didn't head straight back to their workplaces or homes. Some stayed behind to watch unreleased footage, others joined a bingo game to win prizes, and many went to see the World Tree, said to be planted behind the building.
Kang Seok-Hyun was no exception, choosing to film the newly sprouted World Tree instead of returning to work.
"Wow. The DG Guild had been quiet for a while. Then they suddenly drop a bomb ," Lee Bo-Ram remarked.
Kang Seok-Hyun nodded. "And not just any bomb, a nuclear one."
Lee Bo-Ram, a reporter from K Daily's Hunter Department, was in the same situation as Kang Seok-Hyun. She had wanted to stay and watch the unreleased footage and join the bingo game, but under orders from her superiors, she too had to head out to film the World Tree.
"Seok-Hyun, what do you think the World Tree looks like?"
"Didn't you see the video they played during the break?"
Kang Seok-Hyun shook his head and quickened his pace toward the tree. "Nope. I was picking out snacks at the convenience store."
Behind the building, in a small clearing about the size of a Jokgu[1] court, a tree had been planted.
He noticed that Kim Ji-Hee was there too. As she crouched and extended her hand, a branch of the young tree moved, gently brushing the tip of her finger as if to shake hands.
A camera clicked, snapping Kang Seok-Hyun out of the moment.
"Oh! That turned out nicely," said Lee Bo-Ram, grinning down at her photo.
He raised his own camera, only to sigh as Kim Ji-Hee had already turned toward the reporters. He had hoped to capture the moment she and the mysterious World Tree seemed to be communicating, but the moment had already passed.
Kim Ji-Hee bowed down next to the World Tree. "Hello. My name is Kim Ji-Hee."
Lee Bo-Ram ran toward Kim Ji-Hee and squatted down to match her eye level. "Hello, Ji-Hee?"
Lee Bo-Ram trembled with excitement. "Kyah! She called me unnie!"
Well, I guess I got lucky... Kang Seok-Hyun thought, letting out a hollow laugh.
This was an opportunity to have a conversation with Kim Ji-Hee.
Just as he was about to step forward, his phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID, sighed, and stepped back to answer. "Yes. Brother Seok-Hyun."
—Seok-Hyun. You're still at the DG Guild, right?
It was Ji Seok-Hyun from the Phoenix Guild. Although they shared the same given name, they had different surnames. That coincidence had once earned Kang Seok-Hyun extra attention and even landed him an interview. Since then, the two had stayed in touch over the occasional drink.
"Yes. There's still a lot to cover."
—Our guild members haven't been able to get through, thanks to the government and the Association. Think you can set up a meeting for us?
"With Guildmaster Kim Ki-Rok?"
—Yeah. We'll make it worth your while.
Setting up a meeting with Kim Ki-Rok, a man currently at the center of the world's attention, was a tall order, like asking for the moon. Kang Seok-Hyun pondered, glancing toward Lee Bo-Ram, beaming with delight, and Kim Ji-Hee, smiling just as brightly.
"It might be possible. But it could take some time," he said.
—That's fine. As long as we get the meeting.
Ji Seok-Hyun, Guildmaster of the Phoenix Guild, had asked Kang Seok-Hyun to arrange a meeting with the Guildmaster of the DG Guild. But the reporter wasn't optimistic about his chances. In just a few days, countless guilds—both domestic and international—would be clamoring to contact the DG Guild.
Even though the Permanent Gate was open to all, and the World Tree's blessing was given without discrimination, ownership and management fell squarely on the DG Guild's shoulders. That made the task difficult. While the Phoenix Guild was one of Korea's top-tier guilds, there were many larger and more internationally renowned ones.
To his surprise, though, the problem resolved itself with unexpected ease.
"Understood. I'll reach out to the Phoenix Guild directly," Kim Ki-Rok said.
"Really? Just like that?" Kang Seok-Hyun asked, surprised.
"I was planning to get in touch with a major guild anyway. Meeting with the Phoenix Guild first is no issue."
"Oh, um... Thank you."
Flustered by how smoothly things had gone, Kang Seok-Hyun looked visibly confused.
Kim Ki-Rok remained smiling and extended his hand. "In return, just give me one business card."
"Oh, the Phoenix Guildmaster's card...?"
"No, yours. Reporter Kang Seok-Hyun."
"Why do you think a reporter's business card would be useful to me?"
Handing over a business card was a small thing, but something about it made Kang Seok-Hyun hesitate. Why did he want it? A vague unease crept in. But in the end, he had no reason to refuse.
Kim Ki-Rok accepted the card and gave a deep, satisfied nod. "I'll be in touch later."
For what? Kang Seok-Hyun wondered. It felt like trouble was brewing.
"Ah, Reporter Lee Bo-Ram," Kim Ki-Rok said.
"May I have one of your cards as well?"
"Oh!" she exclaimed, quickly pulling a card from her wallet and handing it over. "Hm? What's this about?"
As Kim Ki-Rok accepted the card, Lee Bo-Ram tilted her head, puzzled.
Ah, Kang Seok-Hyun thought. Now that I remember...
Back in university, Lee Bo-Ram had an uncanny knack for avoiding misfortune. One day, she'd had a bad feeling and took the bus home instead of the subway. That same evening, the news reported a major subway breakdown that had delayed thousands of commuters for over an hour.
On another occasion, she'd sensed something was off and chose to eat at the school cafeteria instead of her usual restaurant. That evening, those who had dined at her regular spot were hospitalized with food poisoning.
Another time, when a group trip was being planned, Lee Bo-Ram had suggested the mountains instead of the sea, saying she had a bad feeling. Her friends, by then half-convinced she had some kind of sixth sense for avoiding danger, seriously considered her suggestion. They ended up booking a lodge in the mountains instead of a seaside pension.
When they arrived and sat down for dinner at the lodge, the news broke that a Gate had opened under the sea in the area they had originally planned to visit. After it had gone berserk, monsters were released all across the region.
"Guildmaster Kim Ki-Rok."
"Yes, Reporter Lee Bo-Ram."
"Could I have my business card back?"
"Fortune Teller" Lee hadn't made an appearance in a while. Kang Seok-Hyun noted inwardly, turning to gauge Kim Ki-Rok's reaction.
Kim Ki-Rok was staring at Lee Bo-Ram, wide-eyed, as if he were witnessing something truly strange. "Have you, by any chance, been blessed by a god?"
"No," she replied simply.
"Ho ho? How curious."
"I don't consider it a blessing..."
"I'm afraid I can't give your business card back."
"Um... can't you just return it? I didn't even ask for anything, unlike Seok-Hyun..."
Kim Ki-Rok groaned, clearly torn. After a moment of thought, he gave a bright smile and handed her the card. "Here you go."
"Ah, thank you. Wait... why do I still feel uneasy?"
Her smile quickly faded. As she tilted her head, puzzled, Kim Ki-Rok looked at her with a gleam of curiosity.
"Guildmaster Kim Ki-Rok?"
"Yes. Reporter Lee Bo-Ram."
"Uh, what are you planning to do?"
"I was thinking of contacting K Daily and telling them I'd pass along any exclusive news directly to you."
Business card or not, her fate was sealed.
Looking defeated, Lee Bo-Ram silently held out her card again. Kim Ki-Rok accepted it with a mischievous grin, letting out a low, satisfied laugh as he eyed the two cards in his hand.
1. The original Korean text refers to a Korean game, jokgu, that translates to "foot volleyball." Think of it like tennis, but players must kick a soccer ball over the net instead of using racquets. ☜