Expelled Hero Is Too Strong

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Chapter 1. Exile

“Leave the party?”

“Yeah.”

Yoo Ji-han felt his heart drop at the cold words thrown out by his comrade.

In an era of chaos where numerous plants and animals from Earth had transformed into monsters and invaders from another world ran rampant.

To combat this, heroes with special powers gathered into groups known as guilds.

A guild is made up of one or more parties, and Yoo Ji-han was a member of Kim Hyun-tae’s party, which had always held the top rank in the rapidly growing guild ‘Keroes’ over the past few years.

But suddenly, he was being told to leave the party.

“What’s the reason?”

“The reason? Are you asking because you don’t know, or do you want to confirm what you already know?”

“I’m asking because I don’t know.”

“Ha, seriously….”

Kim Hyun-tae, the party leader who ordered Yoo Ji-han’s exile, frowned.

His expression was as if he were looking at an insignificant little ant.

It was very different from the exemplary image of him often portrayed in the media.

‘Here we go again.’

But it wasn’t unfamiliar to Yoo Ji-han.

Kim Hyun-tae often showed him that kind of expression.

“Yoo Ji-han. You really are stupid to the very end.”

“Stop insulting me and just tell me the reason.”

“The reason? Obviously, it’s because you’re useless.”

“Useless? I at least do my role.”

“Your role? Just a porter?”

“I also play as a sub-tanker and lure enemies. I support you all in many ways.”

Standing by and listening, the burly tanker Hwang Joon-ho shook his head in disbelief.

“Sub-tanker? Sure, you’re just a ‘sub’ tanker that flitters around beside me! But it’s too much to claim you’ve done your part with just that, isn’t it?”

“That’s the role I have in the party.”

Even with Hwang Joon-ho’s mockery, Yoo Ji-han’s response was calm.

A supportive hero, backing up the main party members like tankers and dealers.

It wasn’t an official title, but it was commonly referred to as a Supporter.

And Yoo Ji-han believed he had performed that role exceptionally well for over seven years.

If it came to achievements, he was confident that anyone brought into the same position wouldn’t compare poorly.

“And hey, Kim Hyun-tae, you’re always telling me not to step forward.”

When Yoo Ji-han attempted to take initiative beyond his role as a supporter, it was none other than party leader Kim Hyun-tae who blocked him.

Yoo Ji-han accepted his leader’s wishes and remained faithful to his original role.

But now being told he was useless, that he did nothing, felt a bit absurd to him as the person involved.

“What if something goes wrong and we assigned you something, you with no attack skills?”

“We’ve worked together for several years now; have you ever given me a chance to see if I can handle anything…?”

“Besides, you weren’t even an official party member.”

“…….”

Yoo Ji-han couldn’t bear to retort to the last statement.

In reality, he was an unofficial party member.

He was certainly affiliated with the guild, but not listed on the official roster of the party.

He earned far less money than the other party members for the same work, and his name was not known to the media.

On days when he was invited to external events, he had to wait far from where Kim Hyun-tae’s party was drawing attention.

“Let me add one more thing. You complain too much during battle despite doing nothing at all.”

“I actually do more than you think, and I’m not whining; I’m stating my opinions.”

“Do you know the Snowball Guild? Their top party has a porter serving as the tank, but they’re more famous than the party leader. And they’re even good-looking. But you’ve got nothing.”

“I can’t speak for my looks, but I don’t think I’ve been worse than that person so far.”

“That’s your opinion.”

“Lim Si-yeon! Do you know how many times I’ve saved your life on the battlefield?”

“I don’t really keep track…”

The mage Lim Si-yeon dismissed Yoo Ji-han’s words with one ear in and one ear out.

In response, Yoo Ji-han fell silent.

No matter what he said, it wouldn’t reach someone who tightly closed their ears.

“Newcomers these days might do just as well if you teach them a bit.”

“If you still have any conscience left, why not just leave?”

From the leader Kim Hyun-tae to the mage Lim Si-yeon, and tanker Hwang Joon-ho, they all wanted Yoo Ji-han to leave the party.

He still had many things to say, but feeling a sudden sense of futility, Yoo Ji-han let out a long sigh.

“……Do you think so too?”

Yoo Ji-han’s gaze turned to the woman, Lee Mi-a, who was blankly standing there, listening to the conversation.

She looked at him with her usual expressionless face and said,

“You’re weak.”

“See? If even Mi-a says that, it really must be serious.”

The quietest member of the party, but unable to tell lies, Lee Mi-a didn’t want Yoo Ji-han to remain in the party either.

At least, her distinguishing feature was that she didn’t criticize him.

“Yeah. I get it.”

Yoo Ji-han eventually nodded.

They didn’t want him here.

Back when they were all rookie heroes, they had vowed to strive to become the best together someday.

But that was already a distant memory.

“I’m quitting the party as of today.”

*

After parting ways with Kim Hyun-tae’s party, Yoo Ji-han went directly to the Guild Master of Keroes.

He expressed his desire to leave his party and join another party in the guild.

“That’s not possible.”

“Excuse me?”

However, Guild Master Park Joong-seob said he couldn’t allow him to join a party.

“There aren’t any open slots right now.”

“Then how about a new party…?”

“That’s difficult as well. Yoo Ji-han.”

“……But you’re still forming new parties, right?”

“If it gets out that you were in Hyun-tae’s party, how do you think the kids would feel? They might feel the pressure knowing someone from the top party is joining, and if they learn about your skills, they might have unnecessary doubts about the guild.”

Though the guild operated on principles very different from a standard company, it was still a space where many people worked together.

In such a place, rumors about people spread quickly.

But if someone who was part of the unofficial number one party in the guild ended up in a rookie party?

And if his skills weren’t at all exceptional compared to the rookies…?

It could lead to doubts regarding the party rankings within the guild.

‘No matter what, I’m better than the newcomers…’

Yoo Ji-han felt the urge to argue, but he stopped.

His situation made him feel rather pathetic.

“Then what do you expect me to do?”

“I think you should leave the guild.”

“……!”

To be not only exiled from the party but also told to leave the guild.

It was a clear declaration of dismissal.

“Guild Master!”

“I know you’ve worked hard for the guild since its inception. But this is something I cannot help.”

Yoo Ji-han bit his lower lip.

Park Joong-seob in front of him was a man who would never change his mind once made.

No matter how earnestly he pleaded from now on, it would be of no use.

“Then could you write me a recommendation for another guild?”

“Sorry, but I can’t do that.”

“……Not even that?”

“A recommendation needs something to appeal. But as you know, there’s nothing notably shining to write about in your resume till now.”

“The gap in my resume is because I was an unofficial party member, and that’s something you suggested to me, Guild Master.”

“And you agreed to that proposal.”

“No, what….”

What kind of nonsense is this?

Yoo Ji-han couldn’t hide his disappointment in him.

For over seven or eight years since his early twenties, he had toiled for the development of a small guild.

From renting a small office to eventually buying up a whole building, he’d felt proud seeing his guild grow quickly.

But to receive such treatment for his efforts?

‘Surely not.’

Feeling uneasy, he asked Park Joong-seob.

“What about my severance pay…?”

“I calculated it beforehand. Go ahead and check.”

Park Joong-seob pushed some papers that had been on his desk forward.

It was paperwork that had been there even before their conversation.

It indicated that Park Joong-seob had meant to expel Yoo Ji-han from the start.

‘He’s not usually one for fast decisions like this…’

Yoo Ji-han took the papers with a grimace.

The documents included not just a letter of resignation but also details regarding his severance pay.

But……

“What is this?”

“You can tell just by looking at it.”

“My severance pay is only ten million won?”

Unlike regular employees, the severance pay for heroes isn’t legally defined, but it’s an unspoken industry rule to add a bonus for at least a year or two of salary, considering the risks and the special circumstances.

Yet, the severance written in the documents was merely 10 million won.

It was less than a month’s salary for a hero risking their life.

“It was a figure decided after ample discussion with the HR team.”

“This amount is absurd!”

“Don’t misunderstand. I managed to bump up the amount a little from what HR initially set.”

“How could you do this to me…!”

“You’ve been sitting on the bench for seven years on paper. Considering that, the amount seems about right. And at least with the recommended resignation, you should be able to get unemployment benefits, so all adds up to be sufficient severance, right?”

“……!”

“Oh, by the way, you don’t need to spend time on handovers. Just sign the paperwork and leave; the guild will handle the remaining procedures. And you don’t have anything left in the office, right? A newbie will be moving in starting the day after tomorrow, so…”

As Park Joong-seob’s unabashed words, all while focused on his keyboard, hit Yoo Ji-han, he crumpled the documents in his grip.

Leave the guild immediately.

And there’s nothing we can do for you.

That was the guild’s stance.

“Yeah. Thanks for your hard work till now.”

After signing the resignation paper, Yoo Ji-han saw Park Joong-seob finally extend one hand forward, requesting a farewell handshake.

But instead of accepting the handshake, Yoo Ji-han threw the crumpled document on the desk and walked out of the office.

*

Back at his home, Yoo Ji-han grabbed a cold soda from the fridge.

He cracked open the can and gulped it down, but the carbonation that had always been refreshing felt unusually sharp in his throat today.

After downing about half the can, an uncontrollable sigh escaped his mouth.

‘Where did everything go wrong?’

When Yoo Ji-han had just joined the guild, Guild Master Park Joong-seob had suggested he join a party that was currently being prepared.

Had he been an absolute rookie hero, he would have happily accepted such a regular suggestion.

But what Park Joong-seob proposed was to be an unofficial party member.

His role would mainly be as a supporter to aid other party members, essentially rendering him non-existent in the official party.

‘Back then, I thought it was a good choice.’

After much thought, he accepted the offer.

He could have rejected it and gone to another guild, but he didn’t.

Regardless of being official or unofficial, Yoo Ji-han believed joining the guild would elevate Keroes to a high-status guild.

This wasn’t just idle speculation.

‘Unique Skill: Sampling.’

Yoo Ji-han’s unique skill known only to himself.

Sampling.

A skill that would provide the likelihood or chances of achieving a question or condition presented.

‘Don’t get me wrong, it’s not omnipotent.’

At first glance, it sounded like an amazing ability, but it wasn’t.

This skill didn’t give answers to everything.

For example, it couldn’t answer vague questions like the likelihood of becoming tremendously wealthy or the chance of becoming a Rank 1 hero.

If the same question was asked about different subjects, sometimes he’d get answers, and sometimes he wouldn’t.

In terms of attempts, roughly one in seven would yield a successful response.

He didn’t even know the precise criteria for when he would get an answer from Sampling since the time he first acquired it until now.

<—If I drink this milk, what’s the chance I’ll get a stomachache?>

<98%>

In everyday life, it was handy for spotting spoiled foods from the fridge.

After becoming a hero, it had been quite helpful for making situation judgments.

But if he was asked if it greatly benefited the party, he wouldn’t be able to confidently say it did.

He had kept the skill’s existence thoroughly hidden due to its vagueness.

‘Still, back then, I had no better options.’

When Yoo Ji-han graduated from Hero Academy and had just debuted as a rookie hero.

He’d scoured the guild list of South Korea using Sampling.

<—What’s the probability I can join the Red Hole Guild?>

<—If I join the Warriors Guild, can I become a Rank 1 hero?>

<—What are the chances of becoming wealthy if I join the Dice Guild!?>

Questions about whether he could join prestigious guilds or become an excellent hero were all selfish queries.

Honestly, he hadn’t expected any answers.

Using Sampling, which occasionally provided helpful information, had been Yoo Ji-han’s long-standing habit.

[Keroes]

The Keroes guild that he had just left was one he discovered while browsing the guild list back during his rookie days.

<—Will I be able to join the Keroes Guild?>

<—Yes, you can.>

The first response had come after more than 200 attempts.

Back then, rookie hero Yoo Ji-han had been so astonished that he bombarded the guild with questions.

<—What is the probability Keroes will grow into a massive guild like the number one, Red Hole?>

<—20%.>

<—If I join Keroes, what’s the chance it will grow into a massive guild?>

<—60%.>

With a flurry of responses, Yoo Ji-han couldn’t hide his excitement.

A chance to be part of a guild with immense potential for future growth!

Moreover, it said joining would increase that probability.

So he thought that by stepping in as one of the guild’s early members and establishing his position…

It would open up roads in the future.

“Now it’s all meaningless.”

No longer a rookie but a seven-year veteran, Yoo Ji-han sipped from the remaining soda can.

Now that he had been thrown out of the guild.

What happened to the guild’s future no longer had anything to do with him.

‘The name Keroes sounding like a K-drama from the start was a bad sign.’

By replacing the H in Heroes with K, it means Korea Heroes, Keroes.

Looking back, it was a guild that screamed “amateur” from its name alone.

Yet, Guild Master Park Joong-seob or Kim Hyun-tae— it didn’t seem like they used to be the type to harshly expel comrades.

Did everyone change once they succeeded?

People’s hearts really are unknowable.

‘It’ll be hard to transfer as an experienced applicant.’

It would be hard to receive recognition for a resume filled with seven years of blank spaces.

He would probably have to re-enter as a rookie hero.

But to be frank, he doubted any guild would welcome a near-thirty-year-old veteran hero.

As the years went by, with younger, exceptional heroes increasing, who would want a hero who merely aged without any notable achievements?

‘There are no immediate problems with living.’

Heroes thrive in a guild-centric market.

Without a guild or party, legal monster hunting is impossible, and there are restrictions on most of the benefits that come with being a hero.

Thus, Yoo Ji-han anticipated that this period of unemployment might stretch long.

However, due to the nature of his profession, before becoming unemployed, he had managed to save a considerable amount of money, so financial issues weren’t a concern.

“Just you wait. I swear I’ll succeed again.”

He vowed to make them regret banishing him one day.

Yoo Ji-han made that promise to himself.

‘Shouldn’t I just create my own guild?’

He pulled out another can of soda from the fridge and used Sampling.

<—What’s the chance the guild I establish will grow into a world-class guild?>

<—Less than 2%.>

“……Isn’t this a bit much?”

2%?

Could this be a genuine figure?

He found himself in a position to be ignored even by his skills now.

He couldn’t simply just accept that probability due to pride, but he couldn’t help but feel a hint of discouragement.

“How many guilds were created this year again?”

Curiosity piqued, Yoo Ji-han flipped on his computer and entered the South Korea Hero Department website.

The Hero Department, like the Ministry of Defense, Environment, or Transportation, was an administrative organization overseeing all matters related to heroes.

Upon accessing its official homepage, he found notices displaying the list of newly registered guilds from several months ago.

He downloaded the list file and opened it.

“Only 38 new guilds? That’s quite low.”

This year, only 38 new guilds had registered.

Compared to the past, it was a significant decrease in numbers.

These days, more people preferred to join existing guilds with better treatment rather than establish new ones.

Yoo Ji-han munched on some squid leg while perusing the alphabetically arranged list, never forgetting to use Sampling.

“A guild named ‘Hell Joseon’? Did they really get approved? How could a guild be named Hell Joseon….”

As he chuckled while browsing the list, suddenly, he thought of something.
<—Can I join the Sweet Fun Guild?>
<—You can join.>

A response suddenly came back from the 31st guild name he had questioned.

Yoo Ji-han tilted his head, puzzled, and threw another question.

<—Can Sweet Fun grow into a globally recognized guild?>

<—It can grow.>

<—What are the chances Sweet Fun will become a massive guild in the future?>
<—50%.>

“Impressive….”

The Sweet Fun guild has a whopping 50% chance of evolving into a massive guild.

Getting such a decent probability without any specific conditions when asking about the guild’s future was a first.

Perhaps a remarkable guild might emerge in the not-so-distant future.

And…….

<—If I join the Sweet Fun Guild, what’s the probability it will grow into a massive guild in the future?>
<—99%.>

“What?”

A new opportunity had come to Yoo Ji-han.