42
During the brief rest period that occurred while collecting magic stones from the magical beast that Doun had sent flying with pure arm strength, Samin was lost in thought, fidgeting with his ear. After learning that Doun could send magical beasts flying with pure physical strength alone, his tangled thoughts began flowing in a different direction.
‘Right now, hyung is practically the only main dealer, but today feels much more stable than when the existing conquest team moved… Does this even make sense?’
He didn’t want to admit it, but he had no choice but to acknowledge it. He was even becoming convinced that putting Magnetic at the front and using the rest as backup was more rational and the best choice, rather than composing over half the conquest team with attack-type hunters.
“We’ve collected all the magic stones!”
“Let’s move again.”
Even after the conquest resumed, two egos fiercely battled within Samin’s mind.
When guild master Slope whispered that they should reorganize the conquest team even if it meant putting Magnetic at the front and the rest as backup, human Kyung Samin argued back that they should give Lee Doun, who had been overworked all this time, a taste of hot camaraderie and let him fight at a similar eye level.
‘This is driving me crazy. Really…’
The internal conflict was reaching its peak. However, Samin didn’t let it show. Instead, he properly supported Doun, who was blooming with smiles as he freely roamed the tower to his heart’s content.
‘What should I do?’
As if representing his complicated feelings, a more violent poison fog than usual spread low around Samin. This was his skill ‘Night Fog Sediment,’ which continuously reduced the movement speed and stamina of opponents touched by the pitch-black fog. If certain conditions were met, it could instantly melt the flesh of magical beasts touched by the fog, so Samin often used it.
As soon as Samin confirmed the fog had spread and quickly retreated, the front line of the yeti pack guarding the floor boss fell into complete disarray. Following that, Do Hyeonwoo’s staff, having finished casting his skill, struck the ground.
Scorching flames poured down over the wide area he had designated. The smell of burning fur, hide, and flesh began to spread thickly in all directions. It was truly a scene reminiscent of hell.
Kieeeeek!
The floor boss ‘Frigid Yeti Ruler,’ who had been watching from behind the chaos of magical beasts writhing in pain, finally slowly raised its massive body.
A snowy field swept by blizzards. With the appearance of the white yeti that ruled over all magical beasts dwelling in that place, a notification window appeared before the hunters who had entered the 47th floor.
[Notice: 47th Floor Boss ‘Frigid Yeti Ruler’ has appeared.]
The notification window glowed red as if foretelling danger. Reading the text, Doun’s eyes turned bright blue.
Although this boss had once claimed the lives of many hunters, it wasn’t threatening to Doun. His skill calculations were complete based on his still-abundant mana. All that remained was execution.
Doun walked toward the area where flames were still pouring down. Even though the fireballs falling from sky to ground were dangerous enough to melt flesh upon contact, there was no hesitation in his forward steps.
[Notice: ‘Frigid Yeti Ruler’ regards you as an ‘enemy.’]
The monstrous creature that recognized Doun as an enemy threateningly stomped its leg down. With a thud and the sound of the ground shaking, an enormous amount of snow scattered in all directions.
Swoooosh.
A pitch-black sphere shot through the blurry pile of snow obscuring their vision like lightning. Samin, recognizing the sphere’s identity, grimaced in shock.
‘Could that be…?’
And shortly after, the ground shook with the thunderous sound of a corpse collapsing. Just as the hunters steadying themselves turned their gazes toward Doun’s back.
[Your alliance has successfully conquered the 47th floor.]
[Time elapsed after entry: 2 hours 44 minutes 8 seconds.]
[Notice: This record is a new record for the 47th floor of Veritas Tower in South Korea.]
[The Veritas System will arrange in order of highest calculated contribution.]
[Loading information…]
[Calculation complete.]
[1. Magnetic]
[2. Bright Sol]
[3. Rain Work]
.
.
Magnetic, who had instantly killed the 47th floor boss and claimed his usual 1st place in contribution, muttered.
“Oh, a new record…”
Doun read the notification window several times with a dazed expression, then unable to contain his overwhelming emotions, asked his companions.
“Anyone want to go eat with me after we finish collecting, to commemorate…?”
Who could possibly refuse when he asked with such a bright smile? Samin and the other guild members were busy nodding their heads.
* * *
Somehow, a company dinner for Yeoun Guild was being held at a high-end Korean beef barbecue restaurant to commemorate breaking the 47th floor national record.
The guild members gathered in a private room slowly placed meat on the grill.
“Meat really tastes best when you leisurely grill it piece by piece.”
“Hyung knows how to eat. If you grill it hastily, it doesn’t properly absorb the charcoal flavor.”
“Right. Then there’s no point in grilling over charcoal.”
Normally they would have filled the grill with meat without gaps and cooked it all at once, regardless of fire taste or whatever, but today an overflowing leisureliness prevailed. This was because Doun had decided to pay for today’s meal.
In front of the restaurant, Doun had suddenly declared that ‘since he took 1st place in contribution today, he would pay for the meal.’ Samin, who was listening, was horrified and tried to stop him, but Doun was also stubborn and didn’t back down easily.
The fierce rock-paper-scissors battle between Lee Doun, who insisted on buying beef, and Kyung Samin, who tried to dissuade him, had just ended a moment ago. Though they couldn’t openly show it, all the guild members had desperately prayed in their hearts for Samin to win.
‘Our Doun-ssi has nothing to fleece except his face. Just staying without leaving the guild is already a blessing, so why does he insist on buying us beef!’
Kim Chansol, who was tempted by the beef that their adorable attention totem would buy, but couldn’t quite welcome it due to having a conscience.
‘I even called Sangyeon today, but if Doun-ssi pays, what does that make me! If Doun-ssi wins, I should drink moderately today without getting detox skills from Suyeon hyung and tactfully leave.’
Even Kim Siwon, who had ended up on pins and needles after bringing his lover, who was a fan of Magnetic, to join the company dinner. Except for those two, all the other guild members also prayed for Kyung Samin’s victory.
They had only wanted to conquer the tower together with Magnetic, not to freeload on meat as well.
But disappointing everyone’s expectations, Kyung Samin lost the single-round rock-paper-scissors match over the dinner bill.
‘Argh! Men usually do best of three!’
Unable to accept defeat, he disgracefully demanded best of three. And he lost to Doun again. It was a complete defeat.
“Are you still sulking?”
Doun asked Samin quietly. Normally by now he would have been busy moving side dishes around, telling him to try this and that. It bothered him that even after the meat came out, Samin was just pouting and staring straight ahead.
“Sulking? I’m not sulking.”
He couldn’t very well interrogate someone who said they weren’t sulking. Doun just quietly placed a well-cooked piece of sirloin on Samin’s plate. As they say, give the annoying kid an extra rice cake – he’d just have to feed him lots of meat. What else could he do?
“This is well-cooked. Eat it quickly.”
Only then did the pouty face that had been expressing disappointment with his whole body melt smoothly. His twitching lips directly represented his inner feelings.
“Oh? A man should know how to accept results gracefully. I already forgot about losing at rock-paper-scissors earlier. Ah, the meat is delicious.”
Samin quickly picked up and ate the sirloin that Doun had ‘personally’ given him. Even though he barely chewed it a few times, not knowing who had given him the meat, it melted softly in his mouth. It was a fantastic taste that made him smile naturally.
As he grinned while chewing the meat Doun gave him, Kim Chansol, who had been mixing beer and soju, began openly mocking him for all to hear.
“The guild master is really funny. Did you hear? He says he accepted the results gracefully. Can someone who accepted results gracefully have such a deathly expression?”
“Leave him alone. How heartbroken must he be, not even being able to play rock-paper-scissors?”
Kim Siwon, who had been chiming in, spotted someone and waved brightly with a smile. Even though it was awkward because the situation had turned strange, he couldn’t help but smile when he saw his beloved’s face.
“Sangyeon! Come quickly. I saved a seat next to me.”
A fierce-looking man was entering the separated private room. It was Park Sangyeon, Kim Siwon’s lover.
“Thank you for including me in the 47th floor record commemoration dinner, Magnetic-nim.”
Despite his rough appearance, Park Sangyeon greeted Doun with very polite gestures. He didn’t forget to give his welcoming lover an affectionate eye greeting either.
“Not at all. Please sit down. We just started grilling the meat.”
When Doun welcomed him with gestures, Park Sangyeon quickly nodded and sat next to Kim Siwon.
Before moving to the barbecue restaurant, Kim Siwon had casually asked Doun about Park Sangyeon joining them. He thought they’d be splitting the bill anyway.
Doun naturally said it was fine. Park Sangyeon was the first hunter to offer a handshake and give him a business card after his disappearance, so he wanted to become friends.
But after Doun declared he would pay for the entire meal, things became strange. It ended up looking like he was inconsiderately bringing someone else along to freeload on beef from someone who had essentially set a 47th floor national record alone.
The actual party involved, Doun, was busy happily pouring drinks for Park Sangyeon and getting him chopsticks without a care.
Around the time the company dinner, which had started in a calmer atmosphere than usual, was becoming increasingly lively, Samin, whose mood had quickly improved after a few pieces of meat from Doun, grinned and drew attention.
“Everyone. You all saw the unity competition notice, right? The number of participants seems roughly decided, so I looked at accommodations. I found a spacious place where it’s fine if more people come.”
“Oh. Do you have photos?”
Kim Minhyeok, who had volunteered to grill the meat, asked. Samin grinned and posted a link in the guild group message room.
“I sent it to the group chat. Check it out.”
“Let me see… Whoa, what? The guild master actually did work for once? It looks really good?”
At Kim Chansol’s rare praise, Samin became proud.
“What do you think, hyung?”
“You rented this whole place?”
“Yes. Someone I know runs it.”
Doun quietly looked at the photo. A pension run by someone he knew.
Come to think of it, Samin knew a lot of people. He was friends with restaurant owners where it was hard to eat without reservations and hunter-turned-photographers, and now he even knew the owner of a large luxury pension.
No matter how they say everyone’s connected within a few degrees, it was a network of relationships that didn’t feel real. It was still peak summer. The date scheduled for the unity competition would be the start of peak season. Even to him, who had never been to such places, it seemed like the accommodation fees would be quite expensive.
“Why do you know so many people?”
When Doun asked in a slightly odd tone, Samin narrowed his eyes and thought.
‘Huh, isn’t the nuance a bit off?’
No matter how he thought about it, it felt a bit jealous. Samin grinned and asked.
“Why? Are you jealous that I know a lot of people?”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
