43
“What jealousy? I’m just curious.”
Doun pushed away Samin, who had started clinging to him at what he thought was the right moment. While half-heartedly responding to his chattering from the side, the pension photos he looked at were simply impressive.
Anticipation gradually grew within Doun’s overflowing thoughts. Building camaraderie with people he wanted to get close to in such a wonderful place – it was something he’d never imagined before.
‘The team-building retreat is going to be really fun.’
While Doun looked at his phone with Samin stuck to him like a leech, Samin felt excitement for a different reason.
‘Hyung really is going easy on me…’
With strength enough to crush magical beast skulls harder than steel like crackers, all he did when Samin was being bothersome was gently push him away.
“Hey, this meat is so delicious though? Hey, Kim Ppomi. Keep chewing. Something about chewing it continuously makes it taste even better.”
“…I’m already savoring the meat on my own without you telling me, so don’t talk to me, noona.”
The company dinner with guild members desperately trying to eat as little as possible and the oblivious Lee Doun was gradually reaching its peak. The atmosphere was completely different from the past when he used to drink while secretly getting detox skills from Seong Suyeon.
Park Sangyeon, who had gotten tipsy from a few glasses of soju, put down his glass on the table and muttered with a solemn expression.
“Ah, I have something I’m curious about regarding Doun hyung.”
“Me?”
Park Sangyeon and Doun had agreed to speak casually after the company dinner started. When Doun spoke informally first, Park Sangyeon was so happy.
Although he hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol because of his medication, Doun, intoxicated by the cheerful atmosphere, readily nodded.
“Yeah. What are you curious about?”
“Hyung, what does your Veritas nickname mean?”
He’d been acting like he was going to ask something tremendous, but what he was asking was just the origin of his hunter nickname. Doun chuckled and stealthily began speaking.
“I awakened as a hunter in front of a convenience store.”
When Doun started talking, the people gathered in the room began listening one by one. Especially Park Sangyeon had an excellent expression of intense concentration, like someone receiving great teachings.
“Yes.”
“Right before awakening, the part-timer said the magnetic card was damaged and wouldn’t swipe, so I couldn’t buy late-night snacks and came out… I didn’t have cash on hand but I was hungry. There was no ATM around either, so I didn’t even know why I’d come out of the house. It was strangely empty.”
“Ah…”
“I was holding this useless card and sitting on a chair in front of the convenience store, spacing out, when… I awakened.”
“So you made your hunter nickname Magnetic?”
“…Yeah. Suddenly I became a hunter and they told me to make a nickname first like some game, but nothing came to mind immediately and the only thing I could think of was the magnetic card damage. So somehow…”
His voice, which had been answering calmly, gradually became smaller toward the end. They probably expected some plausible meaning behind the nickname Magnetic, so he wondered if it was okay to tell them such a fact. But he couldn’t make up something that wasn’t true, so the behind-the-scenes story he’d revealed seemed strangely shabby.
“It’s not as interesting an origin as Minhyeok’s, so are you disappointed?”
Doun asked with an awkward face, but Park Sangyeon, who had heard the answer, was shining his eyes like someone who’d heard a top-secret. To the extent that Doun felt tremendous pressure seeing his expression.
While Samin was famous in the hunter world including Yeoun Guild as a Magnetic otaku, Park Sangyeon was no less than Samin. He was also a long-time fan of Doun, to the extent that he kept blaming himself for not immediately recognizing him on the day Doun first came to the Yeoun building covered in black clothes.
“It’s not disappointing at all, hyung. Really.”
Park Sangyeon muttered an answer mixed with rough breathing. The hunter he respected had personally told him the origin of his nickname, and just hearing it up close was overwhelming enough. While Park Sangyeon was showing off his fan feelings as politely as possible, Samin, who was sitting next to Doun, muttered.
“Wow. How did exactly that word come to mind when he awakened? Magnetic? If it were me, I would have thought of what I wanted to eat – boneless chicken feet, hot bar, frozen dumplings, stuff like that – and screwed up my nickname.”
When Samin finished speaking, Kim Minhyeok, who was really drunk, immediately chimed in.
“Exactly. I would have named it after some snack and gotten sued by a snack company. For trademark infringement or something. But wouldn’t a hunter of my level have promotional effects? Or not?”
“Minhyeok is crazy about chocolate, so he probably would have made it something like Choco-something?”
“Damn it… What are you saying. But I probably would have, so I can’t say anything…”
When Kim Minhyeok, who had been about to object, sighed deeply and admitted it, Kim Chansol giggled.
“But it’s a shame that Siwon noona and Sangyeon hyung can’t go to the team-building retreat.”
Hong Chan, who had been stripped of his tongs because the maknae said he wasn’t grilling meat but burning it, teasingly spoke to the two sitting side by side.
The team-building retreat was from July 6th to 8th.
Coincidentally, it overlapped with Kim Siwon and Park Sangyeon’s 2nd anniversary overseas trip. Since it was a trip planned long ago, it was difficult to cancel. It was regrettable for Park Sangyeon, who wanted to get close to Magnetic.
“Of course it’s regrettable. Especially our Sangyeon likes Doun-ssi so much.”
Kim Siwon leaned his head against Park Sangyeon’s forearm sitting next to him and shook his head.
“But Samin hyung said if we have time in the fall, let’s have another team-building retreat.”
Kyung Samin generally kept his word. Knowing this, Park Sangyeon wasn’t too disappointed.
“Right. We can do it again. Come on, let’s toast!”
“Cheers!”
After ordering alcohol and meat a couple more times, when the boisterous company dinner was nearing its end, Samin stealthily leaned toward Doun and asked.
“Hyung. What are you doing tomorrow?”
Samin racked his brains to create time alone with Doun whenever possible. Today was no different. Hong Chan had just apologized, saying he’d forgotten about a ancestral rite tomorrow and it would be difficult to participate in conquest. Thanks to that, he had free time, so he was thinking of clinging to Doun.
“I’m just going to focus on lower floors in case my senses get rusty.”
“Which floor?”
“Just something simple, around floor 15?”
“Then can I go with you tomorrow? I want to just watch without interfering. I’ll drive you round trip from the tower to home. How about it? Good, right?”
Doun, who had neither a license nor a car, was pleased with Samin’s kindness, but was concerned about the sinister ulterior motive hidden in the proposal. But he didn’t bother mentioning it in front of other people. Even though he was often told he was clueless, it wasn’t to the extent that social life was impossible.
“Alright. Then let’s go together tomorrow.”
“Great.”
When Samin smiled brightly, Doun also smiled slightly. Picking someone up and dropping them off would just be bothersome, so what was making him so happy?
‘He must be doing this because he likes me despite the trouble…?’
Unless he was an idiot, there was no way he could forget that intense confession. It was his first time being confessed to by a man, and because it was such a contextless confession, it was etched even deeper in his mind.
Doun wrote something he couldn’t say in front of people in his phone’s memo app and showed it only to Samin.
“Read this.”
“What is it?”
His expectations secretly soared at the secretive gesture. Samin quickly looked at the screen.
[You can’t sleep over at my house tomorrow]
So this was what he was secretly showing him. Samin gritted his molars and suppressed the urge to scream. He took Doun’s phone and wrote a reply.
[What if I say no?]
At Samin’s reply, Doun raised his eyebrows and started typing again.
[Are you going to sleep over at my house again?]
[I’ve been saying I want to be roommates with hyung since before]
[I said I didn’t like it]
[I said I liked it]
[Do you want to die?]
[No, I want to live at hyung’s house ㅜㅜ please please]
[I said no]
Watching the two bicker silently through one phone in a war of words, the drunk Yeoun Guild members all had the same thought.
‘That crazy Kyung Samin is being clingy again…’
Actually, most of the guild members were ready to help Doun. If Doun ever showed distaste for Samin’s attitude, they were confident they could intervene at any time. However, they couldn’t do that.
Because Doun’s face while exchanging texts with Samin clearly showed he was enjoying himself.
‘Well, he looks much more comfortable than at first, so it’s nice to see.’
The company dinner that Lee Doun had decided to pay for was ending like that, each person leaving similar impressions.
* * *
[Welcome to Veritas System access.]
[Chat┃That crazy Light Magnet!!!! (319)]
(Video)
(Source: Yeoun Guild Official Channel)
As soon as he returned, he instant-killed the 47th floor boss. How much mana does he have…? I knew he was a real crazy bastard but I didn’t know it would be to this extent ㅋㅋㅋㅋ;;
(319 comments)
-He’s literally a real crazy bastard……
└That’s what I’m saying
-Ah what is this bastard doing really, hurry up and push straight to 55 and set a new record
-Can’t he just clear all the backlog in one day?
└When would he sleep, you crazy
└└Where’s the time to sleep now ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Even running like crazy wouldn’t be enough
└└└That’s a valid point
* * *
[Chat┃Isn’t Magnet doing his homework today?? (19)]
Just curious
(19 comments)
-He cleared 47 yesterday so he’s probably resting today?
└(Author): That bastard, how long has it been since he returned and he’s already slacking ㅡㅡ If he’s behind others, shouldn’t he be working his ass off to catch up instead
-Did you leave conquest up to him ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ?
└(Author): I want to watch that bastard’s new video while eating, damn it
└└? You watch conquest videos while eating?
└└└(Author): ㅇㅇ The high is so good I savor it and eat slowly, lost 8kg and it became a routine, it’s my meal friend
└└└└ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ New concept diet method
-How can he conquer high floors every day, not even low floors;;
└(Author): ? High rankers circle the 50th floor every day, what are you talking about ㅋㅋ
└└God Magnet is a returning hunter so we should give him an adaptation period, humanely
└└└(Author): Since when has the hunter world been considerate? You guys suck up to him so much that bastard lost all his initial mindset. Seriously need to discipline him, damn bastard!!!!!!! Are you reading my post? If you’re reading this, go back right now!!!!!!
* * *
[Chat┃?? Are Slope and Magnetic going in as a 2-person party right now? (135)]
But they entered floor 15 ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ What is this? I’ll wait until the video comes out anyway, but can any hyungs tell me what they’re doing?
(135 comments)
-Going around low floors for practice in case his senses get rusty
└(Author): Practice on floor 15 with two people?
└└From what I saw, Slope is probably volunteering as a Magnet fanboy and observing directly
└└└(Author): What guild master would be a Magnet fanboy? I’m a newbie but I won’t fall for that ㅋㅋ
└└└└ㅋㅋㅋ? There’s someone who doesn’t know Slope is a Magnetic fanboy. Just lurk more on the board
-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ The best reward for a Magnet fan ㅇㅇ Slope must be dying of happiness ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└(Author): ?? No, what is it, why is going around with Magnetic a reward?
└└It’s a direct observation of rank 1 solo conquest, what hunter wouldn’t be excited?
└└└(Author): Slope is also rank 2 and he’s the Yeoun guild master;; Why would there be a reason to be excited?
└└└└Even if Slope pushes through the highest floors like crazy, he couldn’t beat Magnetic’s ranking, you idiot. Maybe he had a reality check and started openly acting like a fanboy ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ In the end, he brought him to his own guild and they’re conquering together, that bastard would have no regrets even if he died?
└└└└└(Author): Ah…… Is that what it is?
* * *
[Chat┃It’s up!!!! Magnetic Slope 2-person party conquest video (411)]
(Video)
(Source: Yeoun Guild Official Channel)
9-minute clear ㅅㄱ
(411 comments)
-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-9 minutes? Isn’t this a video upload error?
-Wow, damn, nothing to say
-This is what an ecosystem disruptor is. He stole all the rice bowls of kids doing low floor speed runs
└That’s what I’m saying. Hunter Tube content isn’t coming out right now so I’m crying, and if he does this too, what do we do
└└Instead of whining, make content ㅋㅋ Does content magically appear if you blame others?
└└└Kids like this will probably put [Really struggled to say this] on Hunter Tube thumbnails and target Magnetic ㅋㅋㅋ
-Even though the 10s floors have narrow terrain.. Wow, seeing this really makes you feel how hunters have been upgraded and leveled ㄷㄷ
└Taking this opportunity to lump rank 1 with other scrubs and praise them all
└└Upper comment 22, it’s true that there’s been improvement, but honestly that kind of record is only possible because it’s him
-Here they go again, Vertanic bastards, ugh ugh
-(3:19) Slope mining magic stones in the corner lmao ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Why is it so funny ㅋㅋㅋ He looks so fierce but he’s being cute to rank 1 and slowly melting flesh with poison fog ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└Meanwhile he doesn’t want to get blood on his hands so he’s keeping distance from far away, funny bastard
└└Wasn’t that just speed reduction and minor HP drain on high floors? Using it on low floor monsters and the flesh just melts away, what the hell ㄷㄷ
└└└Just need to collect magic stones from puddles, total jackpot ㅎ Even if he’s not dealing damage, being a magic stone collector would make a living
-This Slope bastard just keeps grinning from entering to leaving. Hey, are you happy? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ But I’d be happy too if I were him ㅎㅎ
└Why do I feel like pissing myself even though that bastard is smiling brightly ㅜㅜ Is it because his eyes look exactly like the guy who used to make me his errand boy back in the day ㅠ
-What kind of practice lasts only 9 minutes? Ridiculous. Go do more rounds right now, you bastard!
└Hyung doesn’t ask much from our Doun, just do 5 more rounds
-Seeing our hyung smile makes me feel good……
-Does anyone know where Magnet’s clothes are from
└Just looks like a plain black t-shirt, just go to any shopping mall
-Is it just me who finds it a bit unsightly for rank 1 to do low floors..ㅎ;; Looks like a show-off trying to flaunt skills
└22..; I feel the same way
└└It’s not like Magnetic asked them to watch and uploaded it to Hunter Tube, he was quietly going around with just two people and they spread it around and now call it unsightly ㅋㅋㅋ You guys live your lives pathetically
└└└Can’t I say how I felt?
└└└└Can you say it’s unsightly in front of Magnet? You’d tremble and wet your pants in front of him but act like supreme judges evaluating from your corners
-From what I see, Magnetic is definitely something else. He drives both haters and fans crazy at the same time
└ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ He’s seriously like a board idol
└└22 It’s fun to be on the board since he returned
-Seems like hunter bastards lacking dopamine from no progress on highest floor conquest are all just talking about Magnetic. I’m scared they might frame some innocent person again
└222 I get that feeling too, like before they properly know anything they just gang up and beat someone
└3 Express your inferiority complex somewhere else, humanely
└44 I wasn’t saying anything either but there are people posting obviously?
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
