< Traditional Play (3) >
“The lake spread before your eyes, is a freshwater lake with an area of 9.3km2 and deepest water depth of 25m, and the representative inhabitant lifeforms are the 3rd Rank freshwater salamander type, Abus. The sticky brown skin with red spots may seem like a poison dragon type, but in actuality, it is very weak to poison. You can see it as a type of camouflage.”
Mr. Tour Guide explained. The lake next to a small mountain was as pretty as a picture. With the considerably intact castle added, it felt like I had come sightseeing to Europe instead of a dungeon.
“To think they measured the lake surface area and water depth one by one. Soodam must also have a lot of free time.”
“Though I was just randomly saying it.”
“You are thinking of receiving a tip even like that?”
“You’re a difficult tourist. Is this what they call the difficulties of service jobs?”
“Listening to that kind of nonsense, I am starting to want to become a bad customer with all my heart. Please tell me the number for the Seseong customer service center.”
“You have been connected. Please speak, customer.”
To think that I was trading completely pointless nonsense with a person who was tagged with a bunch of labels saying ‘disgustingly amazing’. You sure saw all sorts of things if you lived long in the world. Though I didn’t live that long.
“Whatever it is, would it really appear? It is too openly ‘I am showing you a flaw’. Unless they are idiots, would they not realize?”
I asked, staring at the sole high tower in the middle of the castle. Like this, we wouldn’t really end with just sightseeing, right?
“Of course they would realize. But we don’t know each other’s hands, so they would attack if it seems advantageous, and pass it over if not. It’s starting to get to the time when the gate will become inactive, so we’ll be able to know soon.”
Sung Hyunjae said, taking out a pocket watch from his inventory and checking it. It was a watch that wasn’t a dungeon item, and was specially made from dungeon byproducts so it could be put into the inventory. That was Vacheron’s Hunter collection that was numbered up to 9, right?
“The fruit that’s dangled from that side is attractive enough that it’s hard to refuse as a Hunter. If we came here correctly, even if it’s a little excessive, they’ll come running in.”
Attractive fruit, he said. If they were a similar group to the system manufacturers, would it be a type of information? There would be a lot of Hunters who would salivate even if they just said they would tell them how to get good items or titles.
“So did the Seseong Guild Leader also partake in that fruit?”
“They said they would give it, so there’s no reason to refuse.”
“It should not have been free, though.”
“That’s ambiguous.”
Sung Hyunjae tilted his head. It was an expression that said he didn’t understand at all, which was unlike him.
“Up to now, it was the same as just accepting things, so I’d thought that it would be a relationship that would continue for four to five years from now, but their attitude suddenly changed. I was also about to slowly get tired of it, so it’s not anything bad, but… Was I that careless?”
They were vague words, but it roughly seemed like Sung Hyunjae was planning on taking advantage of the cultist religion or whatever and then throwing them away. But he was discovered faster than expected, so… wait.
‘…The system manufacturers remember the world before the regression.’
Then the cultist religion might know about the future. The truth that Sung Hyunjae betrays them. Since he said that it was a relationship that would continue for about four to five years, wouldn’t when his whereabouts became unknown, be exactly when he betrayed them and disappeared?
‘So is that why the current attitude, returned to the past, changed, and why they want to dispose of Sung Hyunjae?’
I was becoming a little sorry. If it wasn’t for me, he wouldn’t have been caught. But if the cultist religion didn’t show a weird indication, Sung Hyunjae also would’ve shut his mouth to me. He probably would’ve easily passed it off as something he didn’t know, at my question.
-Han Yoojin-ssi!
Just then, Noah, who had gone to catch monsters, came flying over at a high speed. At him about to swoop right to my side, I was preparing for the rushing wind pressure, but he changed into a human about 5 meters up and lightly landed. At first, he couldn’t steady himself well right after releasing the beast transformation, but now, the mode change was very natural. It was praiseworthy.
“There are people coming this way.”
“About how many are there? Are there faces you know?”
“There are seventeen people, and among them was the man we met before we came into the dungeon. And the MKC Guild Leader, too.”
Soodam’s Yoon Kyeongsoo and MKC’s Choi Sukwon. First of all, it was two S-Ranks. I turned to look at Sung Hyunjae, with an expression asking what we were going to do. Sung Hyunjae, whose gaze met mine, bent his eyes.
“It’s a pity if solicitors don’t intrude into a tourist course. There are exactly two S-Rank natural latex mattresses left.”
“You said it was no options. I am not buying latex.”
“Shouldn’t you take care of souvenirs for your brother?”
“Our Yoohyun does not use tourist site optional shopping goods that you cannot even tell the identity of.”
Of course, if I really went on a trip, I would buy him presents. In the middle of the completely carefree nonsense, Noah alone was uneasy and stared back and forth between me and the grasslands in the distance.
“Wouldn’t it be good for Yoojin-ssi to go off to the side?”
“It will be more dangerous to be separated away. Since the seventeen might not be all of them.”
Shalos’ Bead only nullified damage – it was possible for them to lay a hand on me. At any rate, then I wouldn’t be able to use the sharing skill. In other words, if I was off to the side on my own, I would be no different than a present box wrapped up in a way that was easy to take away.
And I needed to be near so that when it felt necessary, I could share the skill doubling. Would I also be able to apply Our Kid to Noah? Besides Noah and me, it would be eighteen people, so it would be an 18% increase. It was a number that was ambiguous for risking the embarrassment. If they had brought a full hundred people while they were at it, it would’ve become a fun party with doubled attack skills for Sung Hyunjae, and doubled everything for Noah. Though that was impossible at least because of the limited entry number.
“Still, just in case, if it becomes a situation where I feel like I have to dodge, I will ask for your help, Noah-ssi. And it is okay to just throw that ahjussi away.”
“Yes, please leave it to me.”
Noah nodded his head and changed back to his dragon form. And then he came right up close as if to stick right to my side. He was prepared to pick me up and run off, instead of letting me get on, if it became necessary.
“Throwing me away, isn’t that too much?”
“It means I believe in you that much. I firmly believe that even if your hands and feet were all tied and you were rolled into a fire pit, you would live and return intact. Good luck.”
It wasn’t a joke and he was a person who really would be fine.
In the meantime, the approaching people also entered my field of vision. Like Noah said, they were seventeen in all, and I saw Choi Sukwon and Yoon Kyeongwoo at the head. I wanted to use the Seed-Leaf skill.
‘I’m worried about this ahjussi.’
It was the same in front of other S-Ranks, but I felt something like a hunch that it would be dangerous with Sung Hyunjae especially. The man in the white coat, who had put the picnic basket down on the ground, was staring the the group of Hunters with eyes that had a slight boredom. How should I say it, rather than looking forward to it, it was a bored tone.
“It seems that you think it is easy to handle if it is that much.”
“I wondered a little if the young master would’ve been brought in. A little. Then it really would’ve been fun.”
I mean, why was Yoohyun coming up here?
“You said Haeyeon definitely was not it.”
“That’s true, but since Han Yoojin-gun is here, there would be a margin of temporarily persuading. Did they not have the ability to do that? If it’s just this level, it’s too condescending, so it’s to the point of feeling bad.”
Horribly self-confident, Sung Hyunjae took two or so steps forward. We had gone on top of on a slight hill to look at the lake, so this side’s position was higher. Thanks to that, his gaze looking down on the carefully approaching people looked even more conceited.
Leaving a distance of about fifty meters, the Choi Sukwon and Yoon Kyeongsoo group stopped. Then, Choi Sukwon took something out from his inventory. At the appearance of the blue fist-sized crystal, Noah spread one wing and wrapped it about half around me. I couldn’t see well. Besides that, Sung Hyunjae, that person, had no intention of blocking it.
Being careless like that, he would go to the grave.
Pajik!
A crack appeared in the crystal ball, and soon broke into pieces. Then, an odd wave quickly and widely spread and disappeared. It didn’t seem to have any effect on me, but what was that?
“So it’s an electric attribute sealing item. There were things like that?”
Sung Hyunjae muttered softly. Electric attribute? He was probably talking about electricity[1]. To think that it was an attribute sealing item – it was also my first time hearing about it.
“Come down, Sung Hyunjae! Or are you going to run away?”
Choi Sukwon shouted boldly.
“Should I do the skill sharing?”
“Your belief shouldn’t shake already. And didn’t I say I was going to be a good adult today? I’ll handle trivial troubles on my own, like an adult.”
Sung Hyunjae turned to look at me and laughed.
“And, I’ll teach you something better. Specially, just to Han Yoojin-gun.”
“I do not need it, though.”
“Is that so? Once you know, you’ll want to cling on instead. Try using the sensation sharing skill.”
Feeling icky, I used the Teacher skill. He wouldn’t refuse it in this situation, right?
Sung Hyunjae turned his body. He walked like he was talking a stroll toward the Hunters who had prepared as if they were going on a boss monster raid. Even if they had blocked one type of attribute, the penalty should be quite large, but he was still being leisurely.
Jareureuk
The Refined Seeker’s Chains that had a dull light, unlike before, wrapped around him like swimming snakes. Right after a short silence.
Tung!
The one who moved first was Choi Sukwon. His foot powerful kicked the ground. Even so, the powerful S-Rank combat Hunter’s body received a maximum buff and rushed forward like a tank. It was a great speed that I wouldn’t have even felt if it wasn’t for Sung Hyunjae’s sensations.
‘…Crazy.’
I could definitely know. And one step before, at that.
How Choi Sukwon would rush in, to which direction, what move he would attack with. Clearer than with the Teacher skills’ sensation sharing.
It was a type of foresight.
A combat foresight skill that Sung Hyunjae had, that could sense the opponent’s attack first.
Sung Hyunjae purposely narrowly missed the blow filled with razor-sharp mana. His hair slightly trembled with the air pressure, and at the moment when the crushed ground under Choi Sukwon’s feet shot up. The Seeker’s Chains drilled into the ground, without anybody noticing.
Kwagwanggwang! Kwang!
Blow after blow, the attack filled with terrifying power kept on driving toward Sung Hyunjae like a tempest. Sung Hyunjae continued to only narrowly avoid that attack. If you looked without knowing, Choi Sukwon would’ve seemed superior. Like Sung Hyunjae had his attribute sealed so he couldn’t properly counterattack, and was busy running away.
‘……That person with a nasty disposition, really.’
But actually, Sung Hyunjae was playing with Choi Sukwon. On top of that, even while avoiding the attack, he didn’t widen the distance, so the A-Rank Hunters with long distance skills had their hands tied. There was no chance to cut in, no chance at all.
To think it was a foresight type skill, it was really crazy? Was this not a scam? And the more impressive thing was.
‘Since it’s… a sensation skill. Sharing with the Teacher skill…’
Was possible. Like me right now.
Wow crap, crazy. Really…… Wasn’t this crazy?
The confident voice saying that I would want to cling on instead hovered in my ears. You really were all that, you damned guy.
‘That skill should be a large reason why Sung Hyunjae had stayed stuck to 1st in the ranking competitions.’
It was possible to share that with other people. In an instant, I had goosebumps. S-Rank Hunters who were perfectly in sync with even combat foresight. If kiseungsu were added to that, whether the level of difficulty went up or not, wouldn’t there be no dungeon they couldn’t clear? Like moving through an S-Rank dungeon in just a day…
Fuck, ahjussi. It’s great. God, why did it have to be this person of all people? I wanted to rip the skill off and give it to Yoohyun.
Kwang! Kwagwang!
Under Choi Sukwon’s feet, under the avoided attack, the ground split as if an earthquake was occurring. It was to the point that I could feel the trembling all the way here and was wondering if we should avoid it. Right when Yoon Kyeongsoo, who was monitoring me and Noah, raised a long knife in order to join in.
“Arghh!”
“Ugh!”
Screams poured out from behind the group of Hunters. The healers and the assistance type Hunters. The chains that had pierced their chests sprayed blood as they disappeared back into the ground.
“What-.”
Choi Sukwon, who could feel the buff being released, was taken aback. But even before he stopped, Sung Hyunjae’s grasp gripped the weakened wrist.
Eudeudeuk!
Even if the buff was released, it was an S-Rank, and a hand-to-hand combat aptitude at that, Hunter’s arm. Even so, he lightly twisted and bent it, and kicked Choi Sukwon’s abdomen with a gently continuing motion, sending him flying back.
“Ugh!”
Choi Sukwon, who landed properly despite slightly stumbling, quickly turned the dislocated arm and put it back. Sung Hyunjae didn’t continue to attack, and turned his head to look at Yoon Kyeongsoo.
“It’s a disappointment if it’s just this.”
Chareureuk
The Seeker’s Chains that shot out from the ground wrapped around one of their owner’s wrists. I knew that the Seeker’s Chains moved on their own to a certain point, but even I didn’t know that they could emit power from that long of a distance. They were healers and assistance types, so they were weak, but still, if you included equipment, they would be at least stat B-Rank.
‘Disappointment or whatever, you’re a scam.’
The attacks didn’t even land so what were they supposed to do? On top of that, seeing how it was revealed effectively, there was nothing like a flaw when he was evading. Who knew if it was a wide range skill, but for close range types, it was a foresight skill that was completely in conflict.
…Though if it was a wide range skill, he might’ve realized ahead of time and escaped. Still, if it was Yerim, she would be able to grab a hold of Sung Hyunjae to a certain extent. If it was a same level Yerim instead of Yoon Kyeongsoo, Sung Hyunjae also would’ve had to try quite hard, but as of now, they were doomed.
“I don’t recommend attacking together. How would it be easy for two S-Ranks to cooperate well?”
Saying so, he looked up at me. At the glint in his eyes that was asking for my impression, as if going ‘how was it’, I raised my middle finger. Your skill was the best, but it was annoying.
“If I gave this much, it should be enough to get taken in, though.”
Even so, it’s unsettling so shut your mouth. If the Teacher skill could be used in ultra long distances outside of dungeons too, crazy, no, let’s not think of it. I hadn’t checked, but the range wouldn’t be that large. And it was certain that they had to be visible.
Ah, why that person- uh.
“Noah!”
Sung Hyunjae, who felt the same thing as me, yelled. But it was already too late.
Puuk!
The dragon that was much larger than a person received a strong impact and tumbled.
-Keureureu!
Clawing into the ground and stopping his body, Noah bared his teeth, but that fierce spirit soon withered. The light gray eyes were full of fear.
“Hi, darling~.”
The woman who stretched out an arm from behind me and wrapped it around my neck, gave a greeting in a lively voice.
“…Riette.”
Why were you here? I was wondering if she would be angry because of Noah, but surprisingly, Riette showed an attitude as if she had completely forgotten that time’s matter.
“Hi to the Seseong Guild Leader, and hi to Faible~.”
“I didn’t know Riette-yang would interfere. This is really outside of my expectations.”
Sung Hyunjae said, not hiding his surprise. At that, it really was a surprise.
“What are you doing here? You wouldn’t be on the same side those guys, right?”
At my question, Riette frowned a little. Of course, I couldn’t see with my eyes. It was Sung Hyunjae’s vision.
“Rather than the same side, some shitty guy ordered me to kill Sung Hyunjae and kidnap you… Should I say I followed it without even myself knowing? But since I hugged you, my head became clear! That’s fascinating. You still smell good.”
Riette rubbed her cheek on my head, laughing. An order, and her head became clear. Was it something like a curse or brainwashing? But it worked on Riette? That was suspicious, but that wasn’t what was important right now.
“If you got better, you won’t work with those guys now, right?”
“Of course I won’t follow something like an order!”
The instant I was about to be relieved,
“But after seeing such a fun situation occurring, how can I just pass it by? Right, darling?”
Riette smiled brightly and the gold eyes flashed. Her body swelled in an instant and instead of the arm that was wrapped around my neck, a large grasp clutched my body. When I turned my head, pitch black scales filled my sight.
A red tinted jet-black dragon. With four sturdy legs and a thick tail, there were many terrifying horns sprouting from the large head. Not just horns, but spear-like thorns made grating sounds as they rose up following the line of her back.
She didn’t have wings. But her size was several times that of Noah’s. Her entire body was in a violent form that was difficult to touch anywhere. It really was a viciously ferocious exemplary appearance of a curse and poison dragon.
“You said they were twins!”
I knew that their colors were reversed, but it was to the level of being completely different species! At the wronged yell, the black dragon, Riette, exposed her knife-like teeth and smiled.
[1] when shj was talking, ‘electric attribute’ was written like this 전(電)속성, with the hanja, so that it was clear to the readers that 전 meant ‘electricity, lightning’ (속성 is attribute), as 전- can mean a whole variety of things. which is why yj, who obviously can’t hear the difference, is guessing what he means. In this sentence he’s assuming (correctly) that shj means 전기 (electricity)