Returnee's S-Rank Management Guide

First Filming (1)

"Looks like the news spread even to Upstream, huh?"

I had already appeared on TV several times, and as Shin Ah-yeon's manager, I had also been in contact with other management agencies several times. Naturally, if we were talking about major management agencies, they would have already finished looking into me to a certain degree.

However, in response to my reaction, Yeon-ji's face turned sullen.

"You're not even surprised. That's no fun."

"Honestly, I'd be more surprised if you hadn't looked into me at all."

The rift incident three years ago was an event that rocked the country for a while.

No one died, and only one person went missing, but it was a huge incident that could have become a national disaster.

On top of that, since it led to the downfall of Shin Ah-yeon, who was both an S-rank Hunter and widely considered the country's top mage, it would not have been hard for anyone to dig up information about me.

"If you search Naver, you can see right away who went missing back then."

To be precise, I showed up as Manager Park from Grand Nova.

Of course, other management agencies wouldn't have investigated me through Naver News, but it was obvious that most of them knew I was the one who had gone missing.

"Still, has no one tried to approach you all this time?"

"I've been contacted before, but it wasn't from the management side."

Naturally, after returning to this world, I had to report my survival.

So, I'd been in and out of government offices several times, and received quite a few calls as well.

"I don't remember anything after getting sucked into the rift."

That one line neatly closed out most matters.

The government wanted to make it public that I was the first survivor of the rift and let everyone know, but I refused.

I just didn't want to be bothered by something like that at the time.

Honestly, I still prefer not to become famous by such means.

Still, as long as I was in this industry, it was inevitable that word would get out someday.

"To avoid getting bothered then, I need a strong fence."

That was one of the reasons I had first sought out Shin Ah-yeon.

Being the manager of an S-rank awakener was a business card no one could meddle with recklessly.

On top of that, now that Soo-ah was around me too, people would be even less likely to try anything against me.

"And there's Ji Yeon-hwa, no, Yeon-ji too."

She hadn't yet realized her full potential, but I wondered if she would be able to achieve great growth.

In Yeon-ji's case, her situation was so unique that even I couldn't guess how far she might go. With some luck, she might reach a similar level as Ah-yeon or Soo-ah, but she could also end up as just an ordinary S-rank.

Well, in truth, just reaching S-rank was already far from ordinary.

"But you actually believe information like that? Most people don't."

I hadn't gone around blabbing about being a returnee, but even if I let it slip, most would pass it off as a joke.

By contrast, Yeon-ji seemed almost certain.

"Of course, I don't believe everything, but if it wasn't that kind of case, there's no way you'd know things like this, right?"

As a mage, Yeon-ji seemed to immediately sense that what I had taught her wasn't just something one person could come up with—it was knowledge steeped in a long history.

After all, circle magic and dark magic far surpassed modern magic.

"But aren't you being a little careless, telling me things like that? Even if you put a shackle on me, you haven't done that with others, right?"

"Honestly, I hadn't planned on putting any special measures on you either."

"... Thanks, even if it's just lip service. Not that I like you."

The ones I taught my knowledge to kept it to themselves.

Neither Ah-yeon nor Soo-ah would ever recklessly share what I taught them.

And Yeon-ji—meaning, Ji Yeon-hwa—was the same, though the reason was a bit different.

"For me, it's easier if there's a shackle."

Yeon-ji touched the choker around her white neck, hidden under her hoodie.

It looked like an ordinary accessory, but it was, in fact, the shackle placed on her.

It wasn't simply a metaphorical collar—it was a magical contract that "Ji Yeon-hwa" had personally set on herself.

"I just can't trust myself anymore."

Yeon-ji's gaze was still fixed on the passing scenery outside the car window, so I couldn't see her expression.

But I could see her small hand, gripping the seatbelt tightly as if it were a lifeline, trembling.

What happened during Super Hunter K's third mission had also left a deep scar on 'Ji Yeon-hwa'.

She had lost control of herself, and it had nearly led to disaster.

She'd pretended to be composed this whole time, but that was just a front.

"... I see."

After that, we didn't exchange any more words until we arrived at Unique.

And the next day—

【Breaking news. President Na Ji-hwan of Upstream has allegedly committed massive tax evasion. The Taekyung Group, a major player in the artifact manufacturing industry, is involved as well, and even bigger aftershocks are expected.】

As the tax evasion scandal involving President Na Ji-hwan broke out, Upstream wavered dramatically.

***

The news about Upstream set off huge ripples among management agencies.

It wasn't clear exactly why, but it was obvious that they'd gotten on the wrong side of someone with real power.

"Now that Upstream is faltering, isn't this our chance?"

Grand Nova was far too high up, a league nobody else in the business could even challenge.

But the next tier, the "Big Three" management agencies—Mirae Guild, Upstream, and Moon Halo—were a different story.

They were powerful, but the tier right below them had plenty of competition, and those companies were always watching for a chance to move up.

Among them was the Javelin Guild.

"To think it could be this perfect."

Kang Gi-hun, both President and Guildmaster of Javelin Guild, smirked as he watched the news.

He thought the Javelin Guild should always be among the Big Three.

The oldest management shaped from a Hunter guild.

Their history outstripped not only the Big Three, but also Grand Nova.

"We just missed our timing, that's all."

Yes.

Javelin Guild had missed the turning point, failing to adapt to the culture shift where Hunters became entertainers and managers.

By the time they'd shored up their internal affairs, the gap had widened, and most key talent had already been poached.

"We need to act while those bastards are out of the way."

Though they'd accumulated powerful strength by borrowing from the demon, thanks to a certain 'deal', they couldn't move freely. But lately, there had been signs of trouble among the demon.

"That demon, did they say one went missing?"

Not just any, but one of the titled demons.

Because of that, Sebin—who had been acting in place of the former leader—was rushing around trying to find the reason behind it.

The only information they'd managed to obtain so far was that the demon's last known location was the filming set for the Super Hunter K finals.

If that was true, it meant that someone had defeated a titled demon on the day of the Super Hunter K finals.

"If existing Hunters had done it, there would have been rumors."

You would need several A-rank Hunters to take down such a monster.

For something like that to appear in a hall filled with ordinary people and yet have things remain so quiet—it was odd.

"It makes me feel like the heavens are favoring us."

At the exact moment Upstream was shaken, even the demon was left unable to focus on Javelin Guild. They had to seize this opportunity to bring down Upstream and take their spot among the Big Three.

"But before that, shouldn't we find a raw gem first?"

That remark came from Vice-Guildmaster Shim Chun-hoo, Kang Gi-hun's right-hand man and a top A-rank powerhouse.

"If we can find a raw gem superior to Ji Yeon-hwa, then yes."

"......"

Shim Chun-hoo fell silent at Kang Gi-hun's words.

Just as he said, it was nearly impossible to find a "raw gem" surpassing Ji Yeon-hwa in Korea.

Ju Ji-sang, whom they had set up as a backup candidate, had vanished recently, putting Javelin Guild in a difficult spot.

"... But there's something I have in mind."

"Oh? Have you found an awakened with talent?"

"It's a little different. If talent is what matters, this person has talent unrivaled in Korea."

Curious, Kang Gi-hun turned his gaze to Shim Chun-hoo.

"I mean Shin Ah-yeon. It seems she's lost a lot of her strength since her mana hall was damaged after her prime."

He'd noticed this after watching the leaked video of the fight with Ji Yeon-hwa.

If she'd been at her peak, she and Baek Hojun would not have had such difficulty restraining the rampaging Ji Yeon-hwa.

"Shin Ah-yeon, who's experienced subjugating a Demonic Zone herself, wouldn't be ignorant of the dangers of the ultimate magic stone and the heart, would she?"

"But if she could restore her ruined body, wouldn't the temptation be strong?"

They knew that Shin Ah-yeon's mana hall had been damaged, but not to what extent.

Based on her current abilities, they concluded she'd suffered some damage at that time, resulting in her current state.

Just under S-rank, she'd hidden herself away—so they thought.

"Indeed, not a bad idea."

People always want to get back what they lost, no matter the method, even if it's improper.

Especially Shin Ah-yeon, who'd once stood at the top—she would surely want to regain her strength.

"Do we have a way to contact her?"

"We do."

Shim Chun-hoo grinned.

He had just recently learned something about Shin Ah-yeon: she'd been cast in a supporting role in a movie.

***

"Ah, th.is. is. Re.al.ly. da.n.ge.rous~~↗!!"

"......"

A chill filled the empty Unique practice room.

After all her hard work with acting lessons, this was the result when I told her to try once.

"Tch!!"

Thud!!

Ah-yeon flung the script in her hand with force.

Given how red her face had become, she also realized just how amateurish her acting was.

"How about going with a character who just doesn't talk? That's trendy these days."

"You're being mean, you know?"

Ah-yeon puffed out her cheeks.

She clearly didn't like how Jung-woo kept criticizing her.

"I heard you got up to a tolerable level recently."

"I did, but now that it's actually time to film, I'm nervous..."

Maybe because she felt embarrassed, Ah-yeon averted her gaze.

After an altercation with Cha Jae-seok, the director of 'World of Superhumans', the first day of shooting was right before her.

Tomorrow, she'd have to go on set and perform with unfamiliar actors.

Just imagining her giving this kind of performance in front of others made even Jung-woo himself feel secondhand embarrassment.

After all that trouble to gain the upper hand against Cha Jae-seok and win the role, it was starting to look like a misstep.

"Ah-yeon has to do well no matter what."

Even if the creator had made this character with Ah-yeon in mind, the audience wouldn't know that.

If you appear in a movie as an actor, you have to be the best at acting, period.

If not, Ah-yeon would just be someone hogging a role that should've gone to a proper actor.

It was like a comedian or celebrity being cast in a voice acting role for an animation instead of a real voice actor. No matter how accomplished your career, if you couldn't fulfill the role, you'd only ruin your image and get criticized.

"Maybe I should just have her quit now?"

That's how desperate it was.

Even if she just did okay, it would make her the first Hunter to ever appear in a movie—a huge accomplishment—but at this rate, she'd be lucky not to get roasted for it.

"Um... Oppa."

"What?"

"When are you going to tell me about that tattoo you mentioned before?"

The leaked video of the fight with Ji Yeon-hwa.

Though her memory was hazy, there was a brief scene not even she remembered.

The audio wasn't captured, but there was footage of her reaching out and apparently saying something while Ji Yeon-hwa delivered the final blow.

Ah-yeon thought it might be related to the "tattoo on her back"

Jung-woo had mentioned.

Though she didn't actually have a tattoo on her back, she really had felt a sudden pain there.

'But when I mentioned that, Jung-woo oppa's expression completely froze over.'

He definitely knew something.

Yet after that, Jung-woo had avoided the subject.

"Let's not worry about that right now. Focus on tomorrow's filming. I'll tell you once it's certain."

Just like now.

But Ah-yeon didn't press him further.

When Jung-woo acted like this, it usually had something to do with the other world.

'He'll tell me when the time comes, I guess.'

Calmly, Ah-yeon returned to memorizing her script.

At the moment, following Jung-woo's advice and focusing on her acting was more important than the mysterious tattoo.

Although, honestly, she wondered what good it would do to memorize her lines now.

Once she was on set, she'd only get even more nervous, so doing a decent job would be close to impossible.

"Is it really necessary for you to act at all?"

At that moment, Jung-woo muttered as if to himself.

Hearing that, Ah-yeon was dumbfounded.

"Are you telling me to run away while there's still time?"

"No, I mean, if you just try acting now you'll only inconvenience others. Maybe you need to look at this differently."

"...?"

She stared at him, unable to understand, but Jung-woo quickly sorted through his thoughts and grinned.

"There's always a way unique to mages, after all."

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
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