- "...So, you''re telling me he cleared the Sealed Gate?"

    "Yes, that''s correct."

    - "The Swamp of Despair? The one I think it is?"

    "Yes, that very Swamp of Despair."

    - "The one said to be even more dangerous than the Nameless Sword Gate?"

    "Yes, that''s exactly it."

    - "Ha..."

    Baedonghyuk, the Nexus Guild leader, couldn’t help but let out a disbelieving laugh as he listened to the report from Park Guwan, the head of public relations.

    Taking the phone from his ear for a moment, he leaned back in his chair and muttered to himself.

    "This is... beyond incredible."

    Ahn Suho.

    He’d always known he was an impressive individual, but this was beyond his imagination... no, this was beyond anything imaginable.

    Baedonghyuk finally gave up all resistance after seeing the verification photos Park Guwan sent him.

    It suddenly occurred to him that this man might just be far too monumental for even his Nexus Guild to contain.

    Park Guwan’s voice echoed from the speaker.

    - "What should we do?"

    Taking a moment to steady his breath, Baedonghyuk answered.

    "Compile all the materials and keep them on standby. I''ll give orders myself when the timing’s right."

    - "Understood, sir."

    Once the call ended, Kim I-gang, the operations director, entered the office.

    "Sir, did you hear?"

    "If it’s about Hunter Ahn Suho''s success in the Swamp of Despair, yes, I just heard."

    "Yes, because of that, I rushed here to discuss something with you."

    "A discussion? What kind of discussion?"

    Kim I-gang seemed almost breathless with excitement.

    Having risen to the top of Nexus’s operational ladder at a young age, he was the guild’s most brilliant strategist, and he couldn’t afford to let go of an opportunity—no, a chance as rare as Ahn Suho.

    After all, Ahn Suho was, for all intents and purposes, a temporary presence in their guild until the year-end recruitment closed.

    With a gleam in his eye, Kim I-gang spoke up.

    “Hunter Ahn Suho isn’t going to be around by year’s end, right? Let’s make the most out of him while we still can.”

    "Make the most of him?"

    "You know the upcoming events we had scheduled? Let''s push them forward and have him participate before he leaves. And let’s start producing some merchandise, too."

    "Merchandise? So soon?"

    "Take a look at this, and you’ll understand."

    Kim I-gang showed him Nexus’s official social media accounts.

    The posts were brimming with comments and direct messages.

    - "When are we getting Sword God merch?"

    - "Make some Ahn Suho products already, damn it!"

    - "I want an Ahn Suho photocard!"

    - "Make a Sword God keychain!"

    - "Nexus, are you even working?!"

    - "Make hay while the sun shines!"

    - "This is why you need to have a good agency..."

    - "Give us figures too!"

    Seeing the reactions, Baedonghyuk couldn’t help but exclaim.

    “What in the world...?”

    "This is the current public opinion surrounding Hunter Ahn Suho. Not long ago, people were criticizing him for joining Nexus, but now that he’s tackled his second Sealed Gate, they’re turning into fans. And with his latest success at the Swamp of Despair, we’re looking at a stable, unwavering fan base. A ‘concrete’ fanbase, if you will."

    "A steadfast fanbase... So, finally, our Nexus...?"

    "Yes, we’ve finally got our ‘star player,’ something Hexagon and Prime had but we didn’t."

    “...!”

    Baedonghyuk’s eyes widened in realization as he took in Kim I-gang’s confident words.

    A star player!

    As the world settled after the advent of the Awakened, people had come to admire players even more than athletes or celebrities.

    With their rarity, abilities, and thrilling visuals, players provided spectacles more captivating than sports or games.

    ---

    On his way back to Seoul after clearing the Swamp of Despair, Suho received a call from Baedonghyuk.

    “Yes, yes, understood. I’ll do that.”

    As he ended the call, his driver, Jo Jinhwi, asked.

    “Is something up?”

    “The Association president wants to meet with our guild leader.”

    “President Jang Kyunghwan? Ah, it figures. Being a former politician, he’s certainly proactive.”

    “Yes. They’re meeting over dinner tonight, and our leader wants me to join.”

    Knowing the context, Jo Jinhwi understood immediately without further explanation.

    A sudden thought crossed Jo Jinhwi’s mind, and he tilted his head, curious.

    “But wasn’t that Baedonghyuk’s number just now?”

    “Yes, why?”

    “I’m just surprised. Given Nexus’s position in relation to the Association, I wouldn’t have expected the guild leader to request your presence, even if he’s meeting in a subordinate position.”

    Hmm.

    It did seem a bit unusual.

    People generally didn’t like showing vulnerability to others, especially someone they valued.

    Suho chuckled at Jo Jinhwi’s remark.

    “Well, our leader isn’t the head of the third-largest guild for nothing. I’m sure he’s got his reasons for wanting me there.”

    “I see... I’m curious about what will be discussed. Shouldn’t you also have a plan prepared for this kind of meeting?”

    “Actually, I do have something in mind. I’ll tell you more afterward, and I’ll make sure to clarify which parts you can use in your articles.”

    “As expected, Suho, you’re so thorough. But don’t you think you’re going a bit overboard?”

    “You’re driving and helping out, so this much is the least I can do. Speaking of which, can I change the GPS location? Given the timing, I think we should head straight to the restaurant.”

    “Oh, of course. But where is the dinner?”

    “A place called Damhwa, a Korean restaurant in Apgujeong.”

    “Ah, Damhwa’s great. If you get a chance, try their specialty, the grilled pork. It’s my personal recommendation.”

    “Sounds good. I’ll keep it in mind.”

    “We should have a meal together sometime, too. We live together, yet our schedules never seem to line up.”

    “Haha, well, finding time for a

    meal is easy enough. Let’s do it soon.”

    “Absolutely. You know I run a blog with food reviews, right? I’d love to take you to some of my favorite spots.”

    “Haha, looking forward to it.”

    The two continued chatting about food as they made their way to Damhwa.

    Finally, as they arrived in front of Damhwa.

    “Suho, we’re here.”

    “Thank you. Are you heading to the station now?”

    “Yes, I’ll standby with the article on the Swamp of Despair until the green light to publish it. I’ll coordinate with Nexus beforehand, of course.”

    “Of course. See you later, and let’s definitely have that meal soon.”

    “Absolutely. Take care!”

    With a hum, Jo Jinhwi’s car smoothly pulled away from Damhwa.

    Once Jo Jinhwi was out of sight, Suho quietly smirked as he looked at the Ring of Emotions.

    ‘So much energy from him.’

    The constant conversation on the way here served one purpose.

    To gather positive energy, the White emotion, from Jo Jinhwi.

    Thankfully, Jo Jinhwi’s positivity was so genuine that their talk had maximized Suho’s White energy levels.

    ‘Now, let’s get going.’

    With that, Suho entered Damhwa.