The S-Rank Character Is My Alt

Chapter 15: Welcome to the Sacred Battlefield (4)

[“I wanted to… believe Hunter Kang Ihyun’s words. That is why I applied to the guild. That is all. Thank you.”]

Clack! One of the Four Great Guilds defending Korea’s central region. The icon of Pangyo, the icon of holiness.

The moment Sanctuary’s guild master Kang Sujin heard Lude’s motivation for applying, she ripped out her earphones and slammed them onto the desk. The secretary who had just entered with tea flinched in shock.

“Ah! I am sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. You may leave now. Thank you for the tea.”

She apologized to her secretary, who bowed and left with an understanding look. Sujin leaned back deep into her chair and covered her face with both hands. A long sigh escaped her lips.

Once the office door was closed and she confirmed she was alone, Kang Sujin kicked her legs wildly into the empty air.

“Eheheheehehehe… heheh… heh…”

Strange sounds kept spilling from her mouth. Then she sprang to her feet, threw her arms high into the air, and shouted like an excited child.

“Yay! World’s rank one belongs to our guild now!”

When Ihyun had suddenly brought in Lude’s recommendation letter, the shock had been enormous. Sanctuary’s HR department had gone into full alert.

Handling a rank one Hunter was a problem on its own, but understanding why Lude wanted to join was just as important.

A Hunter who had played solo for six years was suddenly applying to a guild. That alone was suspicious. More than that, Lude’s nature did not seem to match Sanctuary Guild at all.

Every workplace had its own culture. The Four Great Guilds were no different.

The Sanctuary of the central region embodied virtue. White Night leaned toward evil. Mago of the southernmost region sought enlightenment. Wargod, which guarded the front lines, was built on responsibility.

Hunters did not always join guilds strictly by temperament, but synergy and secondary goals often made alignment important. If a guild matched a Hunter’s nature, that was usually where they went.

So everyone believed Lude that with his dark tendencies, he would join White Night. Sujin even knew that White Night’s guild master had secretly reserved him a spot.

Given his public image, Sanctuary had held days of meetings discussing whether Lude might be using Ihyun or exploiting the guild.

Though of course, Kang Ihyun had insisted, “Lude is a good person.”

But Ihyun was the sort who would say a blade of grass by the roadside had a kind heart. One couldn't take such a golden retriever of lawful good at face value. In the end, they had decided to listen to Lude’s own motivation before making any judgment.

“Ihyun… you did it! You precious child, I knew you would pull off something big someday.”

As a D-rank awakener who had sat as a guild master of one of the Four Great Guilds for ten years, Kang Sujin had an eye for people. To her ears, Lude’s words had been sincere. That arrogant Hunter truly had been moved by Kang Ihyun, enough to join Sanctuary.

Sujin remembered the fortune her friend had once read for Ihyun.

‘Ihyun is the type to carry a lunchbox and chase after someone stronger than him until he scores. He’ll never be the one in control of a relationship. Still, I wouldn’t worry too much. He has incredible luck with people, so he won’t meet anyone bad.’

“That ‘stronger person’ really turned out to be physically strong.”

In any case, today was a day of celebration. Sujin immediately picked up the direct line within Sanctuary. When the HR manager answered, she drew a deep breath and spoke.

“Send Lude an acceptance email right now. Later, tell him about the mock battle instructions too. Wait, no, tell him right now. Clear every schedule. Make sure he can come as soon as he is free!”

Hearing “Understood” from the receiver, Sujin ended the call at once. She then called another team.

She had heard Lude’s sincerity. That was all she needed. The rest would be swift and decisive.

‘We must secure him before he even thinks about applying anywhere else!’

Kang Sujin’s determination burned bright. What she needed now was speed. The sprint to bring Lude into Sanctuary had begun.

* * *

“I-Is this really alright…?”

Lude looked around nervously as he filled in “mock battle” for his visit purpose. The lobby of Sanctuary, the nation’s top guild, gleamed with luxury.

Golden light from chandeliers reflected on the marble floor. The sound of beans grinding came from the in-house café. Lude stood in place, staring blankly at his surroundings.

‘Unbelievable.’

[The Lord of Chaos sticks out its tongue, impressed at how spotless everything is.]

‘So this is the world they live in huh.’

He had not understood why Sanctuary’s members were so proud, but seeing it firsthand, he finally grasped it. Feeling the gazes of guild members on him, Lude quickly walked toward the elevator.

“The mock battle room is…”

The third floor. He entered the elevator and pressed the button. With a ding, it rose.

[Isn’t it too soon for a mock battle? Shouldn’t you prepare a little first…? The Lord of Chaos gives you a worried look.]

The day before, they had emailed him to set the mock battle for whenever he wished. Without a second thought, Lude had chosen the very next day. He smirked and replied.

“They are the ones that told me to pick the time. What do I need to prepare for? Do you think anyone here can keep up with me?”

The Lord of Chaos sent another anxious message to the overly confident Lude.  

[Nari, what you said just now is a red flag... The Lord of Chaos sighs heavily.]

“Ugh, just shut up!”

With another ding, the elevator opened on the third floor. Following the signs, Lude reached the mock battle room. At the desk, a tired-looking employee was waiting.

“Hello, you are Lude, correct? Please come this way. Before entering, place your phone and all communication devices in this basket.”

“Ah, okay…”

Lude hesitated as he dropped his phone and earbuds into the basket. The atmosphere was different from what he expected, giving him a bad feeling.

‘They say this place has great work-life balance… Was that a lie? What if they actually work overtime all the time?’

[The Lord of Chaos tilts its head, saying Hun Planet’s rating was only 3.8.]

Lude had no idea that the HR team had pulled an all-nighter to prepare because of the schedule he had forced. Gripping the door handle, he listened as the weary employee spoke again.

“Once you enter, the mock battle will begin. It is a virtual gate, so your life will not be in danger, but you may still be injured. The time limit is thirty minutes. Please do your best.”

“Alright.”

[Something feels wrong… Nari, don’t get overconfident. Be careful, the Lord of Chaos warns nervously.]

‘Twenty minutes? As long as it is not staged in levels, I can clear it in five.’

Ignoring the warnings of the nervous Lord of Chaos, Lude opened the door wide, only to freeze.

[User verified. Entry authorized.]

[Participants: 2]

“H-Hello...”

“Eh?!”

Inside the vast battle chamber stood Kang Ihyun, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. He was already clad in white armor and a holy sword made of divine power, fully prepared.

“I am fighting you?!”

“N-No! It’s not that. This time you are paired with me for the mock battle. That is why I am here.”

“Paired…?”

“Yep! This test is a two-person team, clearing a gate together. And somehow, everyone unanimously recommended me. Sorry. I couldn't contact you much yesterday, since leaking test info would cause problems...”

Ihyun held up two fingers to match his words. That explained why he had been out of touch since yesterday.

“But why in pairs…?”

“I’m not sure. That is for the HR team to know, right? Anyway, it is about to start, so please get ready!”

Before Lude could even wonder if this was how Sanctuary always ran mock battles, the chamber shifted.

Whoosh! The white room expanded into a field. A flat rock rose under their feet, surrounded by bubbling lava. Panels stood around them, substitutes for survivors.

With a rumble, a red dragon rose from the molten pool, magma streaming down its body.

[Groooar…]

The heat brushed against their skin. It was so realistic, Lude almost forgot it was virtual. The system’s technology rivaled even his illusions.

He had heard the mock battles were impressive, but he couldn't imagine how much money had gone into this setup.

A system window appeared before them, just like a real gate.

[Simulation: Implementing class 2 Field Dungeon, “Breath of the Red Dragon.”]

[Survivors: 20]

[Rescue all survivors and clear the gate within the time limit.]

“Class 2?!”

Lude shouted. To throw a class 2 gate at him in a mock battle? In this avatar, he could only handle class 3. Unlike the time at Migeum Station, he was not alone here.

‘What do I do if I fail? What if they find out Lude is just my alt? And if I fail this test?’ A storm of thoughts hit him at once.

“Lude!”

[Paladin-exclusive high-tier skill :: Wall of Divinity]

Boom! While Lude was lost in thought, the dragon’s blast of magma struck a golden shield radiating from Ihyun’s arm.

Snapping to attention, Lude looked at him. Ihyun smiled and raised his free hand to his lips.

“Last time, you left me behind so I couldn’t show it to you…”

Crunch. Ihyun bit down hard on his thumb. Blood dripped from his finger, splattering onto the ground where it turned into golden flame.

[Trait :: Unquenchable Flame activated!]

Whoosh! A whirlwind of holy fire rose, swallowing the magma breath.

[Priest-exclusive high skill :: Sacred Flame Control]

Crash! Ihyun’s holy fire rode the stream of magma and struck the dragon square in the eyes. The beast roared and stumbled back. Ihyun spun and grinned confidently at Lude.

“See?! I am strong! This time I will really support you! So do whatever you want!”

The holy fire and magma clashed in chaos, and before it all, stood Kang Ihyun with his sword raised.

Lude, momentarily stunned by his skills, came back to himself. Right. This was not solo. It was cooperation. He might be able to pull this off without dropping the disguise. No, it was definitely doable.

“Okay, you are not half bad.”

From his inventory, Lude pulled out the black half-scissors. Dark energy swirled violently around the blades. His usual arrogant expression returned.

“Then let’s do this. Together.”