Episode 25: Management Contract (2)
Thanks to President Jeon Myeong-il, a meeting with Son Tae-ha was scheduled immediately.
‘Even so, a meeting set within a day? Is he that serious, or just free?’
Don’t company heads have packed schedules?
Is Jeon’s influence that strong, or is my value that high? Hard to tell.
The meeting was set at Ascend Management’s office.
I considered a nearby café, but that wasn’t practical for a few reasons.
- Hey, it’s that guy from YouTube!
Yesterday, a convenience store clerk recognized me.
They say top adventurers are bigger than celebrities, but experiencing it firsthand was… something.
My SNS, barely a week old, was already flooded with followers and DMs, so I turned off notifications.
Meeting in public was out of the question with the media tracking my every move.
So, I headed to Ascend Management’s office, curious about the company bold enough to offer such a contract.
***
Ascend Management occupied the second and third floors of a Seoul building.
Newly established, but backed by Taepyeong Group, it seemed well-funded.
In the visitor lounge, I asked a staff member:
“Excuse me, I’m here to see CEO Son Tae-ha.”
“Oh, you’re the one! Just a moment, I’ll take you to him.”
The staff clearly recognized me.
Not needing to explain myself was starting to feel convenient.
Knock knock.
“Yes?”
“CEO, your guest is here.”
“Oh! Come in!”
I opened the door to the CEO’s office and saw a familiar figure.
About my height, youthful face, round glasses, and an overly relaxed vibe.
There was an overwhelming, almost burdensome friendliness in his demeanor.
“You must’ve had a long trip. I should’ve come to you.”
“No trouble at all.”
As I sat, Son Tae-ha stared at me intensely.
“…Is something on my face?”
“No, it’s just… you’re really here. In the flesh.”
‘Should I back out now?’
This guy being the CEO made me a bit uneasy.
“Haha, so, can I ask about the contract?”
“Of course! Ask anything!”
“First, you might want to review the contract. It’s… unusual.”
Son Tae-ha grabbed a tablet to check the document.
“Is something missing? Let me know what you’d like to add.”
“Not missing, exactly… it’s practically handing over the company.”
Yeah, who’d be crazy enough to offer that?
A rich heir giving away their company to a stranger? Not even in dramas.
“Oh! Yes, that’s correct.”
“So it’s… wait, what?”
“I intend to entrust Ascend Management to you, Adventurer Oh Hyun-woo.”
He was that crazy person.
“…You’re saying the contract I saw is your actual offer? Not a mistake?”
Son Tae-ha blinked his big eyes and nodded.
“Yes, it’s correct.”
“Why would you…?”
“I figured sticking by you might get me some scraps.”
“Excuse me?”
“It’s an absurd contract, I know. But I’m serious. This is my ‘last train.’ My final chance to connect with you.”
That’s why he offered it.
His eyes burned with fervent ambition.
“Ascend is a new agency, and it’s tough to climb the ranks in Korea. But I’m greedy to grow this company.”
“Greedy, huh…”
“What’s the key to quickly scaling an agency in this industry?”
The answer was obvious.
“An adventurer.”
“Exactly. But not just any adventurer—there are plenty of those. To grow, we need a star.”
And he saw me as that star.
He’d clearly done his cost-benefit analysis.
“I’m certain you, Oh Hyun-woo, will be that star. So, are the contract terms to your liking?”
“Yes, I’m satisfied.”
“Then we proceed as is, and if adjustments are needed later, we can discuss. Sound good?”
“…”
This CEO of Ascend Management was a gambler.
As an investor, I wouldn’t have trusted him.
But…
‘He’s got an eye for people.’
His “last train” metaphor was spot-on.
As he said, my value’s at its lowest now, whether by luck or skill.
Someone willing to bet on me like this was worth partnering with.
Plus, the contract was so favorable I’d be hard-pressed to find better.
But I had one question first.
“Alright. One question, though?”
“Yes! Go ahead!”
“I heard you frequent the adventurer headquarters…”
“Oh! Yes, I saw some fascinating strategies right after the Cataclysm.”
“Right, lots of posts back then.”
“Yeah, but those were different. Incredibly detailed. I collected everything that person wrote.”
‘So it was you, the archive guy.’
“…Are you selling those?”
Son Tae-ha jumped, vehemently denying it.
“No way I’d sell them! I listed them on an auction once, but only to see if the author would contact me.”
Son Tae-ha’s denial was almost comically intense.
The reason soon became clear.
“I respect adventurers’ intellectual property. Not just that adventurer’s strategies, but yours too, Mr. Oh Hyun-woo. I swear on my life.”
He was worried I’d misunderstand his intentions.
“Alright. Let’s proceed with the contract.”
“…You won’t regret this! I’ll serve you to the best of my ability, Adventurer Oh Hyun-woo!”
“Looking forward to working with you, CEO Son Tae-ha.”
I’d already half-decided before coming.
Unconditional support with no strings attached? Exactly what I needed.
Plus, his eye for recognizing my strategies’ value during the chaotic early Cataclysm days and his bold bet on my potential at my lowest point.
‘He passes.’
I considered revealing I was the archive’s author but held back—his enthusiasm might get too clingy.
I’d save that for later.
***
The contract with Son Tae-ha went smoothly.
After signing, I felt an itch to do something.
Like sitting still would be a loss.
‘Alright. With a sponsor secured, I can start a guild soon.’
Guilds are crucial in Legend Seven.
Exclusive content like the PvP Arena and PvE Forgotten Sanctuary offer special currency to strengthen summons.
My immediate goal is the Forgotten Sanctuary.
But it’s not something you clear solo.
Even someone as skilled as me can’t do it alone… yet.
‘It’s too early with my current roster.’
I need quality guild members.
One candidate came to mind: Go In-su, who recently sold me Temina and Iron.
He’d be my first recruit.
‘Talent but no brains. Perfect for teaching from scratch.’
Still, a guild needs five members.
Even with In-su, two isn’t enough.
‘I’ll scout talent gradually…’
For now, it’s time to resume climbing the Tower.
I need to clear Floor 100 before Episode 8’s update.
***
《Entered Floor 51 of the Tower of Strife: Path of the Blood Pilgrimage》
That was the plan, but…
‘Is the air this heavy?’
I’d been busy with negotiations and contracts, neglecting the Tower for days, but had my senses dulled this much?
Floor 51’s monsters are tough, but this oppressive atmosphere rivaled Floor 50’s hidden route, the audience chamber.
Varg, Floor 50’s true boss, was stronger than Floor 60’s, so this pressure made no sense…
‘Something’s off. The monsters’ movements feel sharper too.’
They seemed more precise, aggressive.
Was I rusty from the break?
Then—
Clang!
《Crimson Pilgrim parries Witch of Apocalypse Hertia’s attack.》
!?
A regular monster parrying Hertia’s attack?
That’s not just rare—it’s unheard of.
Sure, it was a basic attack, but still…
Vrrr!
“Grr, kyaah!”
“Hmph. To withstand that attack. But the next one won’t miss!”
Even Temina’s firepower was being endured.
‘…Confirmed. The monsters are way stronger than expected.’
Not impossible to clear, but these small hitches disrupted my flow, throwing off the clockwork precision of my usual runs.
Then, a strange message caught my eye.
《Defeated Crimson Pilgrim.》
《Rotten Cursed Blood seeps into the Tower of Strife.》
‘Rotten Cursed Blood?’
That’s an item from killing vampires, not their creations.
And ‘seeping into the Tower’? No item drop?
This was new.
Maybe a change tied to Episode 8’s update…
“Caligo.”
“Yes, Sage!”
“Feel anything off? Like the presence of something beyond vampire creations.”
Caligo, who loathes vampires, is more sensitive to them than anyone.
“Nothing distinct yet. Did you sense something?!”
“…If you didn’t, never mind.”
Even Caligo felt nothing.
Was it my imagination?
Either way, I’d need to move more cautiously than usual.