“It’s pretty big, so if you feel overwhelmed, I don’t mind if you are the one who penetrates me. Actually, that might even be better. It would be undeniable proof that you are fully aroused and hard for me, right? Wow, the more I think about it, the more I like that idea. Hyung, do you want to fuck me?”
“……”
“I have never been on the receiving end before, so I do not know for sure, but I imagine my ass would be pretty tight…”
“Let’s keep it down. There’s a minor here, okay?”
“The youngest here is Lee Sarang, and she is twenty-one. So technically, there are no minors.”
Tae Woon swept his gaze across the Hunters standing ahead.
“If anyone here is younger than Lee Sarang, raise your hand.”
His voice was light, but it carried a certain deadly promise—as if he would gladly erase anyone who raised their hand on the spot. No one moved. Feeling triumphant, Tae Woon turned toward Kim Sibaek, only to find himself face-to-face with the one actual minor present.
In Kim Sibaek’s hand was a person—or rather, a creature—Lord Biendeoé.
“Right here. A minor.”
“Is she not incredibly old?”
“Mentally, she is still a minor.”
Usually, whenever Kim Sibaek treated her like a child, Lord Biendeoé would get sulky, like a kid eager to be treated as an adult. But this time was different. Tae Woon’s nonstop sex talk was just as unbearable for her. She leaned into it, playing up the role, trying her best to look young and cute.
[Death and Beauty pours her entire soul into making her eyes glisten adorably.]
Of course, given her inherently monstrous appearance as a terrifying crow, the effect was marginal at best. But it was enough to finally shut Tae Woon up. The Strike Team was finally able to focus on hunting tentacles and searching for survivors without enduring constant verbal sexual harassment, all while thinking: Anyone who holds up a pet bird and insists it’s a minor is clearly not normal.
But Kim Sibaek could not concentrate.
…This is driving me insane.
Now that Tae Woon had finally gone quiet, his earlier words hovered in the air like an oppressive fog. The kid had said it had been a long time since he last had sex. Maybe that pent-up frustration was making him blurt out such wildly inappropriate—no, no. Focus. There are more important things right now.
His head spun with tangled thoughts, but he could not afford to dwell on any of them. Kim Sibaek gripped his sword tightly, forcing himself to stay focused.
If we do not hunt the Giantvine within the time limit, the world ends. If we do not hunt the Giantvine within the time limit, the world ends. If we do not hunt the Giantvine within the time limit, the world ends. I need to have sex with Hyung. Within the time limit, I need to have sex with Hyung… Damn it.
Irritated, Kim Sibaek stomped on a tentacle that had shot up from beneath a corridor planter, yanked it up, and viciously tore apart the flower.
In front of the emergency staircase leading up to Basement Level 1, Seo Gaeun unfolded the floor plan of the Manastone Exchange. They had found neither survivors nor corpses on Basement Level 2.
“Unlike Basement Level 2, which was open because it was all parking, Basement Level 1 is divided into the parking area, the cafeteria, and the Information Management Office. We will split the Strike Team into two groups accordingly.”
Seo Gaeun divided them into the 7777 Guild, the Gabyeolcho Guild, and the Jeongmyeong Guild. This left the 7777 Guild with three S-rank Hunters, heavily skewing the firepower balance, but she quickly resolved it.
“The Guildmaster will search the parking area together with the Seven Guild for full-range response. Mentor, you will join the Gabyeolcho and Jeongmyeong Guilds.”
“What?”
Tae Woon raised an eyebrow at her attempt to separate him from Kim Sibaek, but Seo Gaeun had a perfectly valid reason.
“The Guildmaster personally declared he is useless in the field and delegated command authority to me, remember?”
“……”
“As you know, our guild’s motto is: ‘We do not listen to anyone weaker than us.’ You yourself insisted I am stronger than you. If you have a problem, feel free to challenge me. Prove your usefulness in the field, and I will gladly acknowledge it.”
For the record, it was Tae Woon himself who had created that guild motto.
Having fallen into his own trap, Tae Woon glared sharply at Seo Gaeun, then signaled with a tilt of his chin toward Yang Eunho.
“You join them.”
“Hmm? We are not short on ranged dealers over there.”
“What the hell are you talking about? Write up a list of every bastard who tries to hit on Sibaek Hyung. Leave no one out… mmph.”
“Haha, no need. Chief Secretary, please watch over him.”
Kim Sibaek promptly cut him off, shoving Lord Biendeoé’s rear into Tae Woon’s mouth. Forced into a deep kiss with the crow’s rump, Tae Woon grimaced in utter disgust, but thankfully, his distorted expression was hidden behind the fluffy tail feathers.
[Death and Beauty endures for the sake of everyone’s mental health and auditory peace.]
Thus, the Strike Team was spared—at least temporarily—from Tae Woon’s filthy flirting.
Separated from Kim Sibaek, Tae Woon behaved exactly as Seo Gaeun had expected. Rubbing the back of his neck as if annoyed, he took the lead.
“Search everything within thirty minutes.”
Even as vicious crashing noises erupted from the direction of the parking lot—loud enough to make one wonder if he was simply demolishing the building—the Gabyeolcho and Jeongmyeong Guilds continued their search for survivors with steady, methodical precision.
“Shall we head to the kitchen next?”
At Hwang Suho’s suggestion, Lee Sarang nodded nervously. The basement was pitch-black with the wiring destroyed, so they activated small magitech lights to illuminate their path. The kitchen interior glowed faintly under the artificial light—eerily quiet.
Which only made it feel more suspicious.
[Remaining Time: 8 hours 47 minutes]
Standing behind the Strike Team as they prepared to move forward, Kim Sibaek glanced at the timer, doing mental calculations. They had spent more time than expected searching for survivors while conserving Divine Power, but overall, the pace was still acceptable.
Still, since the system’s issuing quests tied to the situation, it would be nice if it gave some useful conditions too, he thought. Something that could help with the search for survivors, for example.
But perhaps he was expecting too much from a system that had carelessly thrown out a “save the world or it ends” ultimatum without providing a single clue.
“I-I’m opening the door now…!”
Separated from Tae Woon and tense all over again, Lee Sarang shouted with a voice that trembled slightly. Her role was critical—without her, the Strike Team would be vulnerable to the Giantvine’s tentacles, which absorbed anything they touched, human or monster alike.
BANG!
Lee Sarang transformed her skin into metallic armor and slammed into the kitchen door, smashing it down with brute force. Crash! Crack! The windows shattered, the walls split open, and Giantvine tentacles burst through, flinging kitchen equipment in all directions.
The Giantvine had sprouted that afternoon, right when dinner preparations were underway. Which meant—
“Jesus! Was it seaweed soup for dinner tonight?!”
“Argh! My eyes! Damn it, red pepper flakes!”
“A tentacle just slapped me with kimchi!”
“I’m allergic to pollack roe, you bastards!”
The cheap but nutritious dinner that was supposed to feed everyone had exploded into a spectacular disaster.
[Death and Beauty classifies this situation as complete chaos.]
“The food’s innocent, though…”
Dodging the endless strands of bloated seaweed, Kim Sibaek first checked if the gas supply had been shut off. Fortunately, the magitech safety device that automatically cut off explosive gases when monsters spawned was working properly. Only after confirming that did he begin slashing at the tentacles.
The Hunters battled furiously, slipping on seaweed, drenched in kimchi broth, and barely keeping their footing, but eventually, they succeeded in driving the Giantvine out of the kitchen.
“I smell like food waste…”
“Don’t say trash, you’re making me feel like I’ve become garbage too!”
Among the thoroughly exhausted Hunters, Lee Sarang panted, stealing a quick glance behind her.
I thought the rear line would be more exposed without Uncle Tae Woon…
But contrary to her concerns, the rear was perfectly secured, just like when Tae Woon had been there. Thanks to that, the Hunters had been able to fully concentrate on fighting the tentacles head-on.
Is he a magic swordsman? They say mixing magic and weapons is usually inefficient, but I guess S-ranks are different…
Curiosity sparked inside her—next time, she wanted to watch how he handled his sword up close. Just then, Kim Sibaek passed by her side.
“Where are you going?”
“I am going to check if there are any survivors deeper inside. Please rest here.”
“No! I’m the team leader, so I should go too!”
Clenching her trembling fists, Lee Sarang stood up firmly. It was quite the brave declaration, but Kim Sibaek hesitated for a moment, debating whether to point out the strip of dried radish stuck in her hair.
As they walked toward the dining area connected to the kitchen, neither held much hope of finding anyone alive. The Giantvine devoured people to nourish itself. What they were more likely to find were the gruesome remains of its victims.
Lee Sarang swallowed nervously, her dry throat clicking.
Just as they passed what used to be the nutritionist’s station, a system window suddenly flickered before Kim Sibaek’s eyes, displaying a new message.
