When they heard those words, a barrage of questions erupted.
“Are you saying you’re going to create a management team?”
“A new management team…?”
“Is Taeseong really going to form a management team himself?”
“You? How?”
It was only natural for them to react this way, as the idea made no logical sense.
At best, Lee Taeseong was a Delta-ranked manager in paper. His title was merely a senior employee. To put it bluntly, he was at the very bottom of the hierarchy. Yet, he was now claiming he would create his own management team—something unprecedented in the history of Tree and something no one had ever thought possible.
But that precedent was about to be shattered—by Lee Taeseong.
“The name of the newly established management team will be Management Team 0, also known as the Special Management Team. I will be the team leader.”
As everyone sat there dumbfounded, Eunha, who remained relatively composed, asked,
“So, a Delta-ranked manager like you is forming a Special Management Team?”
“That’s correct.”
“Well, considering your abilities, ranking you as Delta or Gamma never really made sense. And from the way you’re speaking with such confidence, I assume you’ve already discussed this with the higher-ups?”
Taeseong nodded.
“That’s correct. This was personally approved by the Korean Branch Director. Therefore, the Special Management Team, which I will lead, will not be part of the Management Department but will report directly to the Korean Branch Director.”
“A direct-report team under the Branch Director…? And you’re saying the Branch Director actually agreed to something so absurd?”
Taeseong replied nonchalantly,
“They had to, if they wanted me to stay in Korea.”
“That makes sense.” Eunha muttered under her breath before continuing with more questions.
“So, I understand that you’ve somehow managed to create this unheard-of team, but what exactly does a Special Management Team do?”
“Simply put, we will operate independently in managing special cases. Since we are not under the Management Department, we won’t be bound by daily assigned tasks. In essence, we will be specialists who can handle managerial duties with greater autonomy. Within certain limits, the authority granted to me as team leader will hold influence equivalent to that of the Branch Director. You can think of us as a kind of elite special operations unit.”
The more they heard, the more absurd it sounded. No matter how much of an irregular Taeseong was, the idea of giving him near-directorial authority and letting him form his own team was beyond belief.
Put simply, it meant he could act as he pleased. And the upper management had actually agreed to this madness.
As far as Eunha knew, nothing like this had ever happened in the history of the Korean branch.
“Considering the value Taeseong brings, maybe it’s not so strange… but still, this is way too extreme.”
Taeseong continued.
“As I mentioned, Management Team 0 will operate with significant freedom. We could be suddenly assigned to containment duties, participate in subjugation operations, or even be deployed on special assignments. However, all of this will be under my sole authority as team leader.”
“So, basically… it’s an independent team made specifically for you.”
“That’s not entirely incorrect.”
Of course, while Taeseong phrased it that way, true complete freedom was impossible as long as he remained under Tree. Though his team would be relatively independent compared to the standard management teams, if there were staff shortages elsewhere or unexpected crises like the Aokigahara Forest incident, Management Team 0 would likely be the first to be deployed.
Go Young-hee, hesitant but intrigued, carefully spoke up.
“It sounds like… a group of fixers… That’s so cool….”
Her mind was filled with countless manga and novels. Among them, “fixers” were always portrayed as overwhelmingly cool characters.
“Laid-back and carefree most of the time, but when things get truly dangerous, they appear and resolve everything—just like those characters!”
A curly-haired swordsman with a wooden blade flashed through her mind. Even though he was just a fictional character, he was someone she deeply admired.
( TL : Is she referring to Sakata Gintoki from Gintama? )
“If only I had transmigrated into that world instead…”
Despite being transported into a novel, Young-hee remained a devoted lover of subcultures.
“Because that’s what makes life enjoyable.”
A wildcard, appearing in moments of crisis to turn the tide in an instant. That was the image of a fixer in Young-hee’s mind.
“Well, it’s similar.” Taeseong acknowledged.
“Anyway, the reason I brought this up is because I have a proposal for all of you.”
Everyone turned their eager eyes toward him. They all had an idea of what he was about to say.
“Become stronger.”
…Huh?
What he said was completely different from what they had expected. But Taeseong remained calm as he continued.
“I intend to make Management Team 0 the strongest force in Tree. And I plan to climb as high as possible. Of course, depending on how things go, I might end up leaving the organization altogether. But for now, that’s my plan. To achieve my goal, I can’t do it with my strength alone.”
As Taeseong dug deeper into his parents’ deaths, he would inevitably clash with Ilseong Group, a colossal corporate entity. To stand against them, he needed not only personal power but also influence.
There were limits to what he could do alone. Maybe he could ensure his own survival. But protecting the people he cared about? For that, he needed the backing of the Tree.
That’s the nature of a battle between an individual and an organization. No matter how powerful he was, Taeseong had only one body.
Of course, if he reached the level where he could single-handedly destroy an entire organization, it would be a different story. But Taeseong didn’t yet consider himself that strong.
Perhaps, one day, their goals would diverge, and he might end up in direct conflict with Tree. But that was a problem for the future.
Until then, he would use them as much as he could. After all, no other profession was better suited for recovering his lost memories than being a manager.
A mutual relationship of exploitation—That was how Taeseong viewed his connection with Tree.
“As you all know, I am the team leader of Management Team 0. That means I have the authority to choose my team members. So, I would like to invite all of you to join my team. Your salary will be three times what you currently earn. You will receive every possible employee benefit. And if there is anything else you desire, I will do my best to accommodate it.”
It was a groundbreaking offer.
Everyone fell into deep thought. Eunha was no exception.
“I have to take this opportunity!”
The proposed benefits were already captivating, but there was an even more fundamental reason she needed to seize this chance—Lee Taeseong himself.
Eunha had bet on Taeseong long ago. And just as she predicted, he had continued to prove his worth. Now, he was even declaring himself the leader of a special team with unprecedented authority.
His potential was limitless.
If she aligned herself with him now, her career in Tree would flourish. And more importantly, she could achieve her own goals.
Coincidentally, she wasn’t the only one thinking this way. Everyone present was equally eager to become part of his team, each for their own reasons.
“However, there’s one condition.”
“Condition?”
“Didn’t I tell you before to become stronger?”
“You did.”
“As you are now… you fall far short of my standards.”
At those words, the managers’ expressions stiffened. No one would feel good hearing such a remark from someone who was still technically their subordinate.
“However, I do recognize your potential. I’ve seen what you’re capable of. So, prove your worth.”
“How, specifically?”
“You have one month. Team Leader Taesan, you must reach Beta rank. Deputy Manager Eunha, Gamma rank. Senior Managers Young-hee and Haeyoung, you must also advance to Gamma rank.”
“……”
“If you succeed in your promotion, I will accept you as members of my team. Of course, my younger sister, Sooah, is an exception. I’ll be training her separately.”
Blood is thicker than water.
The managers were once again reminded that blood ties were stronger than school ties, regional ties, or even smoking companionships.
The first to speak was Taesan. With a good-natured smile, he clapped Taeseong on the shoulder.
“Haha! Thought you were a wolf cub, but turns out you’re a tiger cub. Knew I had an eye for talent. Never expected to hear this from a subordinate, but… when else in life would I get such a bold proposal? I’ll show you myself, Lee Taeseong. No—Team Leader Lee Taeseong.”
“If you’re going to call me ‘Team Leader,’ could you at least add ‘sir’ to it?”
“……”
“I’m joking.”
Taeseong shifted his gaze to the others.
“What will you do? If you choose to refuse, I won’t force you. The choice is yours.”
After some deliberation, Haeyoung shouted energetically.
“I’ll do it! Gamma rank! It’s always been just a dream, but if you’re saying this, Taeseong, that must mean I have the potential, right? I’ll make it happen!”
Taeseong nodded in satisfaction.
Young-hee, looking annoyed, muttered,
“Fixer… I want to be one.”
The last was Eunha.
“…I’ll do it.”
“I can’t hear you.”
“Ugh, I said I’ll do it! I just have to get promoted to Gamma rank, right?!”
“Good.”
Taeseong and his team boarded the helicopter sent by Tree and headed back to the Korea Branch.
On the way, Taeseong shared his thoughts on how they should train.
“Team Leader, you need to practice controlling your internal energy.”
“Internal energy?”
“Yes. Your martial arts are too heavily reliant on external techniques. You’ve obtained a body as strong as Vajra’s Indestructible Body, but because of that, your limits are too clear. Frankly speaking, you’re not even tough enough to withstand my sword strikes, and you know it.”
Taesan nodded gravely.
“That’s why you should start training in internal energy control to utilize your body more effectively. If you can wield defensive qi atop your Vajra physique, you’ll be able to reach even greater heights.” *Vajra physique is something like Diamond Body
“Much appreciated.”
Sooah spoke up.
“What about me, oppa?”
“You need to focus on completely controlling your strength. Even if Ignost’s power has weakened, you naturally have a high synchronization rate. To avoid losing control again like last time, you have to fully dominate the power within you. You probably don’t have a solid grasp on it yet. I’ll teach you bit by bit.”
“Okay!”
By the time he had finished explaining the training plans for the others as well, they had arrived at the Korea Branch.
As they stepped off the helicopter, Choi Harin came out to greet them, waving. True to her chain-smoking habits, a cigarette was still in her mouth.
After a brief exchange of greetings with the other managers, she turned to Taeseong.
“It’s been a while, Taeseong.”
“Indeed. You seem to have put on some weight—looks like you’ve been resting well.”
“Resting well? What nonsense! And what do you mean I put on weight? I’ve gained, at most, a single kilogram!”
“So, you did gain weight.”
Harin sighed, then grabbed Taeseong’s wrist.
“Haah… Enough with the useless talk. Come with me. The Branch Director wants to see you.”
Tree’s Korea Branch Director, Park Woo-man.
Rank: Alpha.
‘Finally, I get to see that face.’
Taeseong was ready to judge for himself just how impressive this man truly was.
TL : Nah, they need to stop disrespecting my boi by saying mere delta rank. Taeseong legit packed 2 Alpha rank entities within two chapters. At most he could fight with 3 Alpha rank and come out even stronger
