I was Kicked Out of the Hunter’s Guild

The types of requests given to the Black Hunters could be largely divided into two categories –

To keep, and to take away.

What needed to be kept could range from money or goods to areas or territories. In some cases, it involved protecting a person or handling security missions.

On the other hand, taking away involved stealing money or goods, reclaiming territories occupied by other powers, or even taking lives.

Either way, battles were inevitable. Such missions required the hiring of elite combat personnel, hunters, and the suppression of enemies. In many cases, this extended even to murder.

And among those missions—

The ones I chose were mostly related to keeping.

The reason for this choice was simple, yet significant.

‘No matter what, I don’t like being the one to strike first…’

Even in situations where bloody battles were likely, the idea of firing the first shot bothered me.

Of course, in battle, preemptive strikes and taking the first move are fundamental. I preferred and planned strategies based on that principle—

But that only applied when the opponents were monsters like the Abyss.

When dealing with people, I couldn’t help but prefer defensive operations, where we could at least claim the respectable justification of self-defense.

‘Still… there really are so many places looking to hire hunters. Most of the jobs are overseas rather than domestic, though…’

Even though Korea bordered the Abyss and was effectively in a wartime situation,

the domestic security situation remained relatively stable.

No, perhaps it was the opposite.

Since Korea faced the threat of the Abyss right at its doorstep, it might be even stricter than other countries in terms of security.

‘Well… in the first place, Korea was never a place where criminal organizations held much power. There’s no reason to keep an eye on this place when groups like the South American drug cartels and European mafia are running wild alongside the Abyss.’

With that thought in mind, I began filtering out requests with the help of Iare and Glass.

Of course, our goal was simple: accept good requests, earn money, and benefit the company.

“How about this one? Museum security work in Florence, Italy.”

“The pay is decent, but Italy is pretty risky. If you misfire a gun in the city, the compensation for damages can easily exceed the commission fee.”

“Didn’t a hunter company almost go bankrupt recently after damaging the Trevi Fountain sculpture during a skirmish in Rome?”

“Exactly. Italy is extremely sensitive when it comes to cultural property damage. With so many fragile artifacts even on the streets, it’s best to avoid these kinds of requests. The cost of damages often ends up being greater than the payout.”

“Ah… really? Then… how about this one? A multinational conference security mission in Spain.”

“The request itself isn’t bad… but the commission fee is a bit too low. If the risk isn’t that high, they wouldn’t need hunters with our level of skill.”

“In other words, the math doesn’t add up for us to take that job.”

“Mm…”

As requests that seemed promising were repeatedly rejected for valid reasons, I couldn’t help but feel a growing sense of regret.

Whenever A-class hunters accepted a request, I had to accompany them under the pretense of management.

Of course, I could refuse if the risks were too high. However, unlike battles with the Abyss—where I could provide real-time observation and command through surveillance satellites—my role in these situations would be extremely limited.

Naturally, that would mean forfeiting any incentives.

And I had no intention of shirking my responsibilities like that.

At the very least, if I was going to head out into the field, it was better to accompany the team and earn my keep. In principle, that was simply how things worked.

With that in mind, I decided to use this opportunity to go overseas—something I had been wanting to do for a while. I focused on selecting places that seemed safe and ideal for sightseeing.

Unfortunately, almost all of my suggestions were rejected due to the issues we had discussed earlier.

“How about this? A mission to defend oil facilities from the ISSS in the Middle East. I don’t know about anything else, but they’re offering a lot of money.”

“…Umm… but that’s a bit…”

“There’s also a mission to subdue rebels in Africa. What do you think, Aide? This one seems to offer a hefty payout too.”

“Hey… let’s avoid large-scale human battlefields whenever possible. No matter how much we call it war, devising a bloodless and tearless strategy against other humans isn’t like dealing with the Abyss. It’ll be a logistical nightmare.”

“Hmm… but this désordre sounds like a juicy opportunity…”

Glass spoke with genuine regret.

Contrary to her usual laid-back personality, her passionate side seemed to be surfacing again.

And so, we found ourselves locked in a tug-of-war, weighing the difficulty of the missions, the pay, and the ethical concerns.

In the end, the list of remaining quests was narrowed down to three.

What they all had in common was simple:

The base pay was good.

All three were personal security requests rather than large-scale battlefields.

And… the last thing they had in common—

All three requests came from people attending the same event for the same reasons.

“In the end, it turns out all three of them are related to this.”

“You mean the large-scale art exhibition being held in Paris, France? I heard wealthy people from all over the world are gathering there. Well, I suppose these types would be willing to spend a little extra to have an A-class hunter as their bodyguard.”

While reviewing the remaining requests,

I began to pull up information from the back of my mind about this “art exhibition”—something I had only vaguely heard about.

The Paris Art Exhibition.

It originally began as a large-scale art exhibition in Paris, the capital of France. Masters of the art world from various countries came together with the intention of reviving the art scene, which had stagnated due to the ongoing war between humanity and the Abyss. The event also served as a prayer for humanity’s victory.

However, at some point, the nature and purpose of the exhibition—held annually—began to change.

While the participating artists still showcased their works to the public, the event gradually took on the characteristics of a marketplace, where these pieces could also be sold.

In that sense, the Paris Art Fair had become nothing short of a massive marketplace—an opportunity for artists, from renowned masters to unknown newcomers, to sell their works.

This commercial aspect soon caught the attention of the wealthy and powerful, further shifting the event’s character.

Masterpieces by renowned artists.

The hidden remains of deceased artists.

Bold new attempts by emerging talents.

Competition among the elite—those eager to acquire these coveted pieces, regardless of cost—intensified year after year.

As time passed, the exhibition transformed from a pure celebration of art and humanity’s resilience into a battleground of influence, where the powerful flaunted their wealth and authority.

And naturally—

Where power and influence gathered in such abundance, hidden from the public eye,

It wasn’t uncommon for dirty, armed forces to be mobilized.

This wasn’t just a battle of pride or prestige. There were frequent attempts to eliminate competitors who had exposed themselves publicly by participating in the event.

And, of course, in these situations—

Whether it was the one targeting a person for assassination or the one providing protection—

Black Hunters were often involved.

Beings with power beyond that of ordinary humans.

‘Hunters, created to fight the Abyss, getting involved in an art exhibition born from the chaos caused by the Abyss…’

With that thought lingering in my mind, I turned my attention back to the information about the three potential clients before me.

At that moment—

Kwonsoon, who had been showing little interest until now,

Shifted her gaze slightly in my direction, seemingly without realizing it.