ETVC C22

Chapter 22

“Your younger brother is accomplishing quite a feat.”

Indeed, it was as he said. In this very interlude, the guild that surged upward with dreadful momentum was none other than Baek Soohyuk’s. They sought out those guilds infamous for their ill repute, dismantled them without hesitation, and turned away from no battle that came their way. And, with each clash ending in certain victory, their renown—already considerable—swelled yet greater. That their scale would expand further required no words.

In the original tale, was it truly to this extent?

I wondered for a fleeting moment whether I had provoked such change, then shook my head.

“He parades himself as a champion of justice.”

I was not so much a fool as to miss the sarcasm woven between Kang Gwonhoo’s words.

“Baek Soohyuk possesses his own philosophy. He truly believes in guiding the world toward order and toward the side of good.”

Those were words that befitted him well—the hero, the protagonist.

“The side of good… ah, that is indeed the key.”

He laid weight upon the word good. I had thought it an ordinary expression, yet his intuition was sharp indeed.

“Then why not tell him yourself? He believes you despise him, you know.”

A single day would not suffice to recount the long, tangled history of Baek Woojin and Baek Soohyuk. And, of course, it was troublesome to explain my present situation.

“There are matters one cannot bend to one’s will.”

Kang Gwonhoo shrugged his shoulders.

“For my part, it is rather amusing that the two of you remain at such a distance.”

Beep—

The quest window shrilled with sudden urgency. Kang Gwonhoo, too, revealed the same notification, and I knew that the long-awaited event had at last arrived.

“It does spoil the mood.”

With a careless wave of his hand, he summoned his status window.

[First Guild War Side Quest: The bearer of the mark, along with no more than two guild members, must gather at the designated location.]
[* Failure to participate in the side quest shall be deemed surrender.
The location assigned to the “Chronos” guild is Hapjeong Station.]

At last, it had begun.

“I shall fetch Jun and Jisoo.”

Both were most uncomfortable in Kang Gwonhoo’s presence. Each day, Ryu Jisoo arrived precisely on the hour, exchanged but a few words with me, and descended into the basement to train her strength. Kim Jun, for his part, sequestered himself within a room, studying his poison. At times he would slip out to linger near me, only to retreat swiftly when Kang Gwonhoo’s gaze fell upon him.

“No need. I am already here.”

Ryu Jisoo, deciding that however uneasy she felt, she must discuss this side quest, came up from below. Kim Jun, too, peered shyly from his door.

“Then let us first decide who shall go.”

“So it cannot be resolved simply by hiding, after all.”

Ryu Jisoo sighed deeply. Such side quests were devised by the system to draw out the half-hearted. Many guilds, like ours, lay hidden in safe places; hence, those that had neither absorbed nor fought were clustered ignobly at the bottom.

The message is plain: if you chose to participate, then do not cower in hiding. I had foreseen this, but for those who joined unwittingly, it must have come as a shock.

It was a most demanding quest. Even when I had played the game, such strict quests grew more frequent as the tale advanced, earning curses from players as naught but chaos-inducing traps.

“Let Jun remain here, and the three of us shall go forth.”

“Why? I wish to come as well!”

Perhaps out of rivalry with Ryu Jisoo—both having awakened as hunters around the same time—Jun pouted and muttered.

“Poison is a dangerous power. If wielded carelessly, it may place you in grave peril. Until you awaken another skill, or fully master detoxification, it is best you abstain.”

The next skill Jun was on the verge of awakening was detoxification. For now, it remained incomplete, and should he employ his poison beyond his limit, he might well be undone by his own venom. Poison and curses alike were ever double-edged swords. And though I cloaked it in reason, the truth was simpler: I could not bear to drag a child into such danger.

“But still…”

“Let us decide thus, hm?”

To bring along Kang Gwonhoo—the very image of a time-bomb, liable to explode at any moment—was hardly desirable, yet taking Jun was a choice far worse.

“Stay with Meow.”

“Mrrrow.”

The cat, who had until then been asleep, sprang up with its tail raised high, striding toward me with eyes that clearly said, How dare you leave me behind.

“Even when at my side, all you do is slumber and scowl.”

“Mrrroww.”

Meow pressed its head into my hand, rubbing its body against me.

“Deplorable.”

Kang Gwonhoo sneered at the creature, though in truth, he himself was far more deplorable. To scorn such an adorable being was absurd.

“I shall be back soon. Remain with Jun. He shall give you tasty treats.”

Though full of displeasure, Meow at last yielded, padding over to Jun’s side. Familiarity had bred some closeness between them.

“Forgive me, but might you lend Jisoo a weapon or some manner of armament before we depart?”

It was unlikely that poor Ryu Jisoo had purchased proper equipment. As for me, I owned naught but what lay in my inventory. Bold it was to ask, yet Kang Gwonhoo’s house brimmed with gear, so I dared to try.

“If I lend her something, what shall you offer me in return, Woojin-ssi?”

“Why ask him? You would be lending it to me.”

At his miserly words, Ryu Jisoo could only stare in disbelief.

“What could I possibly demand of Jisoo-ssi?”

His gentle tone made it seem a consideration, yet in truth, it was a cutting rebuke: Do you imagine there is aught of worth in you for me to request? Fortunately—or not—Jisoo did not perceive the barb.

“Well… is it not natural for guildmates to aid one another?”

“Hardly. Among guildmates, one must be the more exacting in such matters.”

Had he offered equipment freely, as he had his home, I would have been grateful indeed. Yet Kang Gwonhoo yielded nothing so easily.

“Petty man. Then I shall not borrow it at all.”

She muttered beneath her breath, yet he dismissed her words with ease.

“Then record it as a debt.”

His gaze turned not to her, but to me.

“As you wish.”

I surrendered the contest then and there, unwilling to quarrel further.

Should he demand aught too difficult, I shall simply refuse.

Ten minutes later, Ryu Jisoo donned armor and stepped out the door.

“It moves quite comfortably.”

Though she had vowed not to borrow, she could not help but admire the fine workmanship. Kang Gwonhoo’s equipment was of no lesser grade than A-rank, each piece of exceptional craft.

As for myself, I wore gloves and a dark garment drawn from my inventory. Though not A-rank, the black tunic—resembling a uniform—was strong in both endurance and defense.

This was ever the style most often shown in Baek Woojin’s illustrations.

Kang Gwonhoo, by contrast, made no preparation at all. For such a minor event, he deemed it hardly worth the trouble.

“Let us depart.”

I checked the time. By design, we must resolve matters at Hapjeong Station and still reach Seoul Station before four o’clock, where Baek Soohyuk awaited.

Six guilds had gathered at Hapjeong Station. With our arrival, the protective barrier descended, sealing the area. None might now leave until the event concluded, nor might any attack pass beyond its walls.

The weakness lies in its frailty to outside interference. By right, a place of this size ought to have drawn at least ten guilds. With only six, it must be that war has already run rampant here—or else that participation is scarce. I pray it is the latter.

For battles akin to gladiatorial brawls, experience was the sharper blade.

[Conditions met. The side event at “Hapjeong Station” shall begin in one minute. Within the barrier, both surrender and combat are permitted. The barrier shall dissipate once only two guilds remain. Note: Guilds that surrender shall neither be absorbed nor merged, but simply removed from this quest.]

I checked the clock. It was 2:49. To pursue my greater aim of reconciling with Baek Soohyuk, I must reach Seoul Station by four.

Beep!

With that signal, chaos erupted. Blades flew through the air, flames burst forth—carnage unbridled.

This is madness. I cannot accustom myself to this.

Already my legs trembled, quivering with dread.

“What is this? Woojin-ssi, are you nervous?”

Ryu Jisoo, who had never once fought in earnest, looked not the least unsettled—calm, even confident. Others, displeased with our inaction, rolled their eyes wild with frenzy and charged straight at us. Their madness was so palpable I found myself stumbling back unbidden.