The contract was signed.

    With other formalities and instructions scheduled for the next day, Suho and Jo Jin-hwi left the guild. It was getting late, and Jo Jin-hwi seemed too exhausted to continue the conversation, so they decided to head back to the Kaiser Cheongdam.

    As Jo Jin-hwi moved to take the wheel again, Suho spoke up.

    “I’ll drive this time.”

    “No, I’ll do it.”

    “But you’re not my manager, and I can’t keep relying on you to drive me everywhere.”

    “I actually am your manager, you know?”

    “What?”

    “Well, kind of, don’t you think? You’re giving me these exclusive scoops so regularly; I figure the least I can do is act as your manager. Besides, I’m really fine with it. Switching from a Ferrari to a sedan is pretty comfortable for a change. Maybe I’ll just stick to a sedan from now on.”

    Suho chuckled at that.

    “I have to admit, the sedan is more comfortable. But didn’t you miss work today? Won’t they mind?”

    “Don’t worry about that. With the exclusives I’ve landed just today, no one’s going to say a word.”

    “Fair enough.”

    It was a satisfying situation. After all, this was the kind of arrangement Suho had envisioned.

    Then, as he drove, Jo Jin-hwi broached the topic cautiously.

    “So, I think I’ll lead with the Sealed Gate clearance for the article. Technically, the Nexus contract should come first, but there’s no telling how long the government embargo will last.”

    “Do what’s best. Go ahead.”

    “Looks like I’ll be heading back to the office right after I drop you off... By the way, Suho.”

    “Yes?”

    “I’ve been wanting to ask—how were you so confident about tackling the Nameless Sword Gate?”

    “Ah, that?”

    Jo Jin-hwi had been holding back that question, but since Suho had answered the Nexus Guild head with just a vague “I killed it,” he thought he should give Jin-hwi a bit more detail.

    ‘The details I tell him will go directly into the article. Might as well flesh it out a bit.’

    Suho began, “Inside the Nameless Sword Gate is the Sword Emperor, right?”

    “Yes, the Nameless Swordsman.”

    “I knew his reputation well. His skill forces everyone to engage him in sword-to-sword combat, which has led to many deaths, particularly among sword-wielding players. That’s why I was confident.”

    “Confident? How?”

    “In a sword fight under those conditions, I knew I’d win. You know I’m technically a healer, but my primary skill is swordsmanship.”

    “That’s... that’s your whole reason?”

    “What other reason do I need?”

    “But... that Swordsman killed over 200 people, including high-ranked players. You didn’t feel even a little fear?”

    “So what if they were high-ranking? The Sword Emperor’s skill duplicates physical stats, so everything is equalized in that respect. The key to beating him lies purely in swordsmanship—no reliance on items or skills. I trusted my skill and prepared for that.”

    “Do you have sword skills?”

    “Of course. S-rank. It’s a creation skill, so I’m the only one who has it.”

    - "Maybe the government gave him a special pass after the Tower of Trials?"

    - "Let’s ask the KHA."

    - "On it!"

    The general reaction was positive, which was to be expected. He hadn’t yet drawn any serious criticism or the kind of “anti” sentiment that often comes with fame.

    ‘But if I’ve got fans, critics won’t be far behind.’

    Turning his primary phone back on, he was immediately hit with a barrage of missed calls. Scrolling through them, he noticed one name that had called especially frequently: Park Pyeong-sik, the headhunter from Prime, the top-ranked guild.

    ‘This guy really doesn’t give up.’

    From the recruiter’s perspective, he had likely spotted Suho’s potential early on, trying to recruit him with a “best possible offer for a rookie.” Suho could imagine how much the man was kicking himself now.

    ‘He’s good, but maybe we’ll work together some other time.’

    Switching off his phone again, Suho’s secondary phone rang. He recognized the number immediately, a welcome call.

    Answering, he spoke, “Hey, how’ve you been?”

    - "You sound pretty relaxed."

    The voice belonged to none other than Gu Yeon-hwa, leader of the Banshee faction. She had called him immediately after reading about his success.

    “So, what’s your answer?”

    - "How about we meet in person?"

    “Is that necessary? I just need a yes or no.”

    He wasn’t keen on meeting her in person repeatedly. Allowing her to dictate the terms would give her the impression that she had control, which was far from what Suho wanted.

    He was confident. With his abilities proven, it was clear who needed whom more.

    Gu Yeon-hwa replied, - "Confident, aren’t you? You know we haven’t accepted your proposal yet, right?"

    “If you don’t want to, then forget it.”

    - "What?"

    “I

    don’t need you that badly. Say no if you want.”

    - "Why so sudden...?"

    “But you should consider this—will making an enemy of me really benefit you? I could take you all down whenever I wanted.”

    There was silence on the other end. Then, with a sigh, Gu Yeon-hwa responded.

    - "Fine... So, what do you need us to do?"

    Suho smiled, satisfied that the hierarchy had been firmly established.

    “Let’s meet tomorrow. Around lunchtime, at the Nexus Academy in Paju. How’s that?”

    - "All of us?"

    “Of course.”

    - "That’s difficult. Two of our team members have jobs, and I have classes."

    “If your current lives matter more than revenge, then keep living that way. Maybe I misjudged your desperation.”

    - "...Fine. See you tomorrow at the Nexus Academy at noon.”

    “Good.”

    Suho chuckled as he ended the call, feeling thoroughly prepared for what lay ahead.