S-Rank is My Side Character (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 15

[I started wanting to believe Hunter Kang I Hyeon’s words… just a little. So, I applied to Seongjeon. Thank you. That’s all.]

Bang! One of the four great guilds protecting central Korea. The icon of Pangyo—and the icon of holiness.

Guild Master of Seongjeon, Kang Su Jin, slammed the earphones she’d been listening to onto her desk the moment she heard Rude’s stated reason for applying. Her secretary, who was just bringing in tea, flinched in surprise.

“Oh! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—I’ll take my leave now. Thank you for the tea.”

Soo Jin apologized to her secretary, who bowed slightly and quietly retreated as if nothing was wrong. Then, leaning deep into her chair, Soo Jin covered her face with both hands and let out a long sigh.

After confirming the door to the Guild Master’s office was closed and she was alone, Kang Su Jin kicked her legs wildly into the air.

“Uhhhhhhhhhhhh… Hehehe… Hehe…”

Suspicious sounds spilled uncontrollably from her mouth. Suddenly, Su Jin shot up from her seat, raised both arms high, and let out a childish cheer.

“Yes! World Rank #1 is joining our guild!”

When Lee Hyeon had suddenly brought Rude’s job recommendation letter, the shock Su Jin experienced had been enormous. Seongjeon’s HR department had gone into emergency mode.

It was already a problem handling the world’s #1-ranked hunter, but it was even more critical to figure out why Rude wanted to join Seongjeon in the first place.

After all, it was suspicious enough that a hunter who’d solo-played for six years would suddenly want to join a guild—but more importantly, Rude didn’t match Seongjeon’s ethos.

Every workplace has its own organizational culture, and the four great guilds were no exception—each had its distinct values and inclinations.

For example, Seongjeon in the central region stood for Good; Baekya represented Evil; Mago in the far south valued Enlightenment; and Gunshin, stationed at the frontlines, emphasized Responsibility.

Hunters didn’t always join a guild that perfectly matched their alignment, but most chose one that fit their disposition for synergy and other practical benefits.

Thus, everyone expected Rude—whose Constellation clearly leaned toward Evil—to join Baekya, and Su Jin even knew that Baekya’s Guild Master had secretly reserved a spot for him.

Given Rude’s usual image, Seongjeon had held internal meetings for days debating whether he might be using Lee Hyeon or Seongjeon for ulterior motives.

Kang I Hyeon kept saying, “Mr. Rude is a good person.”

“But that guy claims even roadside weeds have kind hearts.”

You couldn’t take a genuinely lawful-good golden retriever at face value. So they’d concluded, “Let’s see his stated motivation. Let’s at least hear why he wants to join before making a judgment.”

“Lee Hyeon… You did it! You clever little thing—I knew you’d pull off something big someday.”

Kang Su Jin, a D-rank Awakener who’d held the position of Guild Master for a decade at one of the four great guilds, was exceptionally skilled at reading people. To her ears, Rude’s words rang true—he really had been inspired by Kang I Hyeon and genuinely wanted to join Seongjeon.

Su Jin recalled the fortune-telling reading a friend had once done for Kang I Hyeon, years ago.

“Lee Hyeon’s destiny is to chase after someone stronger than him, lunchbox in hand, until he finally catches up. He’ll never be the dominant one in relationships. Still, don’t worry too much—his luck in people is so exceptional he’ll never meet anyone truly bad.”

“I never thought that ‘stronger person’ would be physically strong.”

Anyway, today was a cause for celebration. Su Jin immediately dialed the internal direct line to Seongjeon’s headquarters. When the HR team leader answered, Su Jin took a deep breath and said,

“Send Mr. Rude an acceptance email for the interview right now. Also, schedule his simulation combat test. Actually—no, I mean right now. Clear your entire schedule. Get everything ready so Mr. Rude can come the moment he’s available!”

As soon as she heard “Understood” through the receiver, Su Jin hung up and immediately made another internal call to a different team.

She now knew Rude’s sincerity—and that was all she needed. Now it was time for lightning-fast action.

“We have to secure him here before he applies to any other guild!”

Su Jin’s enthusiasm blazed fiercely. What did she need now? Speed—that was the only thing that mattered! The ultra-sprint to get Rude into Seongjeon had begun.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Um… Is this really how it’s done…?”

Rude, who’d listed his visit purpose as “simulation combat,” looked around. The lobby of Seongjeon—the nation’s top guild—was spacious and gleamed brightly.

Light from the chandeliers reflected off the marble floor in golden hues. The sound of coffee beans being ground came from the in-house café. Rude stood frozen in the lobby, staring blankly around.

“Wow…”

[Even the Ruler of Chaos clicks his tongue in admiration at the dust-free, sparkling interior.]

“So this is where he used to go…”

He hadn’t fully grasped why Seongjeon members’ pride was said to be beyond imagination—but now that he was here in person, he understood completely. Feeling guild members eyeing him curiously, Rude hurried toward the elevator.

“The simulation combat room is…”

On the third floor. He stepped into the elevator and immediately pressed “3.” With a soft ding, the elevator began ascending.

[Aren’t you rushing into this simulation combat? Shouldn’t you prepare at least a little…? The Ruler of Chaos casts you a worried glance.]

Yesterday, upon receiving an email saying the simulation could be scheduled at Rude’s convenience, he’d immediately picked the next day without a second thought. Rude gave a short laugh and replied,

“What do you mean? They told me to pick the time myself. Besides, what do I need to prepare for combat? Do you really think anyone here can keep up with me?”

The Ruler of Chaos, hearing Rude’s smug tone, sent another indirect message full of concern.

[Na Ri, that kind of talk is basically a flag… The Ruler of Chaos lets out a deep sigh.]

“Geez! Shut up already!”

Ding—the elevator doors opened to the third floor, and Rude followed the signs to the simulation combat room. A tired-looking staff member waited for him at the reception desk.

“Hello. You’re Mr. Rude, correct? Please go right through here. Before entering, please place all phones and communication devices into this bin…”

“Oh, sure…”

Caught slightly off guard by the employee’s listless tone, Rude placed his phone and earphones into the basket. The atmosphere felt far different from what he’d imagined, giving him a faint sense of unease.

“People said work-life balance here is great… but are they secretly working tons of overtime?”

[Their HunPlanet rating is 3.8 though… The Ruler of Chaos tilts his head in confusion.]

Unaware that his ultra-fast scheduling had forced Seongjeon’s HR team into an all-nighter last night, Rude grasped the combat room’s door handle. The exhausted staff member spoke again.

“Once you enter, the simulation combat will begin. It’s a virtual reality gate designed to ensure no risk to life—but injuries are still possible. The combat duration is 30 minutes. Please do your best.”

“Got it.”

[Something feels off… Na Ri, don’t get overconfident. Be careful. The Ruler of Chaos watches you anxiously.]

‘Twenty minutes? If it’s not a stage-based type, I’ll finish it in five.’

Though the Ruler of Chaos was anxious, Rude paid no mind. But the moment he swung the door open, he froze in place.

[Verified user. Entry granted.] [Entrants: 2]

“Oh, hello there…”

“Huh?!”

Inside the vast simulation combat room, Kang I Hyeon awkwardly scratched the back of his head as he approached Rude. He was already fully equipped in white armor forged from holy power and held the Holy Sword—clearly ready for battle.

“You’re fighting me?!”

“Oh—no! Not at all. Actually, you’ll be doing the simulation combat together with me this time. That’s why I’m here.”

“Together…?”

“Yes! The test is set as a two-person team to clear a gate. Somehow, everyone unanimously recommended me. Sorry—I couldn’t contact you much since yesterday; it’d be a problem if test details got leaked…”

Kang I Hyeon held up two fingers to emphasize the “two-person team.” So that’s why he’d been unreachable since yesterday—they’d been preparing together.

“But why a two-person team…?”

“Beats me. Maybe HR knows? Oh—better get ready! It’s starting soon!”

Before Rude could even wonder if Seongjeon’s simulation combats were always like this, the room’s environment shifted.

Whoosh—the previously white-walled space expanded into an open field. A flat rock rose beneath Rude and I Hyeon’s feet, while lava bubbled and boiled all around. Panels resembling survivors stood nearby, likely substituting for real people in this virtual gate.

Boom—from within the lava, a crimson dragon slowly emerged, head first. Magma dripped from its body in thick, bubbling streams.

[Grrrrrrr…]

Scorching heat brushed against their cheeks. The realism was so intense Rude could hardly believe it was virtual. This level of technology nearly rivaled his own illusions.

He’d heard Seongjeon’s simulations were impressive—but he couldn’t even guess how much money they’d spent to build this system.

Soon, a system window appeared before them, just as if they’d truly entered a gate.

[Simulation – Grade 2 Field Dungeon: “Breath of the Crimson Dragon”] [Survivors: 20] [Rescue all survivors and clear the gate within the time limit.]

“Grade 2?!”

Rude cried out in shock. They were giving him a Grade 2 gate for a simulation? His current avatar could only handle up to Grade 3—and unlike that time alone at Migeum Station, there were others present now.

What if he failed? What if his alt account got exposed? What if he got eliminated in this simulation? Dozens of panicked thoughts raced through Rude’s mind.

“Mr. Rude!!”

[High-tier Paladin Skill: Wall of Sanctity]

Boom!! While Rude was mentally weighing scenarios, magma shot from the dragon collided with a golden shield of holy power that burst from I Hyeon’s right arm.

Rude snapped back to attention and looked at him. I Hyeon gave a small grin and brought his other hand—the one without a shield—to his lips.

“Last time, you left me behind, remember? So I couldn’t show you this…”

Crack—Kang I Hyeon bit his thumb. Blood welled from the wound and dripped slowly to the floor—then transformed into shimmering golden holy flames.

[Trait Activated: “Undying Flame”!]

Whoosh—golden holy flames spiraled from the ground and devoured the dragon’s magma breath.

[High-tier Priest Skill: Holy Flame Control]

Boom!! Riding the magma stream, I Hyeon’s holy flames struck the dragon directly in both eyes. The beast roared in agony and toppled backward. I Hyeon turned toward Rude and flashed a confident smile.

“See?! I’m strong! This time, I’ll support you perfectly! So go ahead—do whatever you want!”

Holy flames and magma swirled together. Before them, Kang I Hyeon stood ready, sword in hand. Rude, who’d been stunned watching his skill, suddenly snapped out of it.

Right—he wasn’t alone. It was a joint assault. Maybe he didn’t even need to reveal his avatar’s full power. No—he knew he could do this.

“Alright… you’re actually worth keeping around.”

Before he knew it, Rude had drawn the Black Half Scissors from his inventory. Dark mental energy violently swirled around the scissors, and his usual arrogant expression returned.

“Then… shall we? Together.”