Vol 1 Ch 13

Even after the two of them left, I kept the door wide open, not closing it. It was for ventilation. I was being more careful because someone had complained about the smell in the office yesterday.

 

Having made a deal, I left work in a good mood and drank some beer. For a snack, I bought a pack of squid crackers, three for 2,000 won from the supermarket, and opened it. The connector lay on the coffee table.

 

‘Should I log in for a bit?’

 

Recalling what happened earlier that day, I had a hunch that ShutUp would be spending time with that tenant.

 

I decided to log in briefly just to check my level and then log out, emptying the remaining crackers into my mouth. After linking with ShutUp through sex, I strangely didn’t want to log in, but I thought now might be the time. I hadn’t added Moment as a friend, nor was he my partner, so there was no way he would know I logged in.

 

<<Welcome to Blood Planet.>>

 

<<Moving to your last login point.>>

 

Upon logging in, I was back in that cabin. It was a structure built in a quiet field, nothing special. As I stood there, my body flickered about five times.

 

“Level 47, is it?”

 

It seemed ShutUp had hunted quite a bit while I was gone. This gave me hope that I could reach level 50 with just one more session of being offline.

 

‘This is better than I thought.’

 

Since I didn’t know where I was, I took out a village return scroll to use, but then I felt a sudden emptiness below and looked down.

 

‘I almost went to the village like this…’

 

Seeing that I was not wearing pants, I found a low-level pair from my inventory and put them on. I had intended to sell them as junk items, but I never thought they would be so useful. After confirming I was fully dressed, I used the return scroll.

 

<<Moving to ‘Adventurer’s Village’.>>

 

The screen instantly changed, and I entered the Adventurer’s Village, where I had been surrounded by ShutUp and others for the first time. In the village square, ShutUp’s and my banners were still hanging. Even though I covered my face, my name floating above my head wasn’t hidden, so I moved around comfortably.

 

Then, I immediately went to the shop. I intended to sell the items Moment had given me, but they weren’t worth much.

 

“Should I sell all of these through direct trade?”

 

I opened the market price window and searched for each item one by one. They were materials for making weapons. Among them, [Eligor’s Poison] was an essential material for crafting assassination weapons. It seemed to be rare, so it was quite expensive.

 

I approached the village auction NPC and opened the window. The items were automatically listed at their recent selling prices. As soon as I pressed the [Start Auction] button, they sold instantly, and the amount, minus the fees, was added to my inventory.

 

Meanwhile, a whisper popped up in the upper left corner.

 

[Human: Gentle hyung. Long time no see. You’ve caught Eligor and leveled up quite a bit.]

 

[GentleTouch: No, Moment caught it for me.]

 

“Moment? Isn’t that the guy who fought with ShutUp recently? Wow. Just a while ago, you were running around the village in just your underwear, and now you’re getting boosted by rankers. Gentle hyung, you’ve really made it.”

 

As I was about to send a whisper back, Human’s voice suddenly came from behind me. I quickly turned around, and he was waving at me. For a moment, I wondered if ShutUp had also logged in, so I checked my partner window, but it was [OFF].

 

“Gentle hyung. What brings you here when ShutUp isn’t even online?”

 

“Ah, just… Well, take care.”

 

Since Human said he was ShutUp’s real-life friend, I figured it was best not to run into him and decided to go elsewhere. As I walked towards the portal, he followed me.

 

“I sent a message to Jun, but he hasn’t replied. If you don’t have anyone to hunt with today, shall I go with you?”

 

“Ah, no. It’s okay.”

 

“I’m quite high level too. Not as high as Jun, but still.”

 

It wasn’t about the level. If he was Jun’s real-life friend, I suspected Human might be one of ‘those’ people too. If so, he might pester me to link after hunting. I didn’t want that, especially with level 50 so close…

 

‘Wait. Could I reach level 50 by hunting with him? Then I could transfer servers immediately.’

 

I was contemplating whether to take the risk and leave this place as soon as possible or wait. It wasn’t often that ShutUp wasn’t online.

 

“As long as you relax during the hunt, you don’t have to link. Don’t feel pressured, let’s go.”

 

“Oh? Really?”

 

There was no reason to refuse. As I checked where we should hunt, someone approached us from a corner of the village. They looked like a beginner, clearly.

 

“Um… high-level players. Can I join you too?”

 

Seeing them holding a shabby wooden staff, they seemed to be a guide like me. Human said it didn’t matter if it was one or two people since he was going to boost them anyway, so we could go together. I felt a connection to them, as I had been in a similar situation not too long ago.

 

“Let’s go together. I’m low level too.”

 

“Oh, really! Thank you.”

 

Their voice sounded quite young. Listening to it, I realized how slow I was. ShutUp’s voice and Seomun Jun’s real voice were very similar. Although it sounded a bit thinner through the microphone output, the tone and timbre were definitely the same.

 

Thinking about that, the [Sunshine Angel] who approached us now was clearly a young friend. Seeing more people in the Adventurer’s Village than before, I was suddenly reminded of those ‘Sorry’ guys.

 

“You must not have run into the ‘Sorry’ guys when you created your character and came out.”

 

“Huh? Gentle-nim, you were targeted too? I thought you had created your character a long time ago, looking at your weapon.”

 

What I had now was a guide weapon from the [Silence] guild warehouse, which had been left almost abandoned. All guild members were over level 50, so weapons of this level were usually sold, but I kept this one because it had an effect.

 

When I held it, hearts would occasionally pop out like soap bubbles and fly around. Honestly, I wasn’t a big fan of such effects, but I had brought it because it was all I had. Still, it was better than a staff that looked like a rotten twig lying around in a field.

 

“How did you make it to the village? You must be quite agile.”

 

“No. I gave up after dying once, but… a very cool Psychic user helped me defeat those ‘Sorry’ guys instead…”

 

Sunshine Angel continued speaking in a shy tone, as if it was embarrassing to say.

 

“Actually, I wasn’t planning on leveling up a guide because I thought it was not very good… But seeing that Psychic, I wanted to meet someone like that and play seriously.”

 

“Whoever it was, they sound really cool. Right, Human?”

 

“Yeah. I don’t know any Psychic users with such good character around me.”

 

I opened the warehouse, wondering if there was anything useful for Sunshine Angel among the items other users had left on the ground.

 

Coincidentally, there was a level 20 staff, so I handed it over. It had no effects, but it looked sturdy after being reinforced three times. And while I was at it, I also took out a beginner’s robe I wasn’t wearing. Human, watching from the side, praised me, “Gentle hyung, you’re truly dajeong (kind).”

 

“So, where are we going now?”

 

“There won’t be any bosses spawning at this hour. Let’s go to a time-limited dungeon.”

 

However, I had never been to a time-limited dungeon before. Human explained that it was similar to a regular dungeon but had to be cleared within a time limit, and you just had to defeat a few mid-boss-level monsters. He added that upon reaching the goal, you would receive experience points and some loot.

 

“The ‘Dream Forest’ should be fine, right?”

 

“Really? Then let’s go.”

 

“You can use the map to find the portal.”

 

<<Moving to ‘Dream Forest Outskirts’.>>

 

We immediately moved to the ‘Dream Forest Outskirts’. There were many parties at the entrance of the forest.

 

However, among them, I spotted a familiar red hair. It was Moment, whom I really wanted to avoid.

 

“Oh? Gentle-ah!”

 

“……”

 

Moment, who was talking to another party, ran over as soon as he saw me. I could see Human suppressing his laughter beside me. The connector helmet rendered even subtle expressions perfectly.

 

“Party of three? Let me join too.”

 

Moment immediately touched his hand in the air a few times, and someone yelled, “Traitor from behind!” as if he had been in a party with someone.

 

However, Sunshine Angel showed no reaction to seeing Moment. Even as they instantly equipped weapons and armor, their entire body engulfed in flames, they didn’t seem surprised at all. Seeing that reaction, I realized I was the only one estimating their level based on their shabby attire.

 

“Then, let’s go as a party of four.”

 

Human accepted Moment, saying that even though something had happened with ShutUp recently, hunting was hunting.

 

<Dream Forest> is a time-limited dungeon, and its difficulty is determined by the average level of the party members. Even if the lowest level is low, if many mobs spawn, it can be a bit cumbersome for Human to clear alone. Among the party members, only I wore a troubled expression. Moment, still grinning, moved closer to me.

 

“Ahhh. If only that last hit had landed properly, we would have been playing the game together, Gentle.”

 

“So, ShutUp won?”

 

“No. ShutUp died at the same time, so it was a draw.”

 

That seemed to be the result. I hadn’t become Moment’s guide, and he still held the Fire Ring in his hand. Moment spun it on his palm, looking regretful.

 

Honestly, partying with Moment made me a bit uneasy. I didn’t know if he would demand kisses until I fainted, like last time.

 

However, with two guides now, I felt less pressure than before. And when I searched the bulletin board, I found out that some players leave the party before linking to get free boosts, so I had that method in mind as a last resort, though it was a bit cowardly.

 

Even though the match with ShutUp was a draw, looking at Moment’s appearance, he didn’t seem to have lost anything. So, I watched him closely, and Moment approached me, bringing his lips close to my ear.

 

“What? Seeing me after a long time, feeling excited?”

 

“Don’t say that. I’m already overwhelmed with just ShutUp.”

 

Meanwhile, Human was intently looking at Moment’s weapon, touching his chin thoughtfully. Human’s weapon was a long whip, and when swung, long streams of water shot out. And Moment was holding the flaming ring I saw earlier.

 

“Moment and I have extreme elemental affinities, so it’s a bit difficult if we fight up close.”

 

“I’ll make sure to keep my distance.”

 

Water, fire. They were clearly polar opposites. At that moment, Human, the party leader, created the dungeon and pressed the enter button.

 

<<Moving to the ‘Dream Forest’ dungeon in 10 seconds.>>

 

“Then, I’ll go to the very back. Moment, you go first.”

 

Moment replied that he understood and pulled me closer by my shoulder. Sunshine Angel, watching from the side, looked envious.

 

“Moment. Take care of this person, not me. They’re at a lower level than me.”

 

“Hmm…”

 

Moment scanned Sunshine Angel up and down, then turned his head away sharply. For a moment, Sunshine Angel’s expression looked a bit dejected. So, I approached and took care of them.

 

<<You have entered the ‘Dream Forest’ dungeon.>>

 

The 10 seconds passed quickly, and the screen transitioned to a misty forest.

 

I’d sometimes seen on TV traffic reports about dense fog on the road, saying visibility was less than 50 meters and advising drivers to slow down. It was exactly like that. At least Moment’s weapon was blazing with fire, so it was visible enough that I could follow him. Moment occasionally looked back to check if we were keeping up.

 

It was truly a situation like a dream forest, where you never knew what might pop out from anywhere. As the fog thickened, Moment began to scorch flames with every step, just like before.

 

“This seems to be set at a rather high level.”

 

Human said from behind, sounding a bit worried. Just in case, I cast a party member shield. The barrier, which enveloped my body like a soap bubble, disappeared in just a minute, but it was a great comfort when venturing into unknown paths like this.

 

“Wait a moment.”

 

Just then, Moment raised his hand, looking straight ahead, and stopped our movement. Then, he formed a Fireball as large as possible in one hand and shot it in a certain direction. Flames blazed along its path, clearing some of the fog.

 

And then, BOOM! There was a sound of impact, followed by a monstrous roar. Only I and Sunshine Angel were startled by the sound; Moment and Human just looked as if to say, ‘That must be it.’

 

“I’ll go take care of it, Human, you block the surroundings. If you touch that, mobs will come out immediately.”

 

Before the flames from the Fireball had even died down, Moment leaped towards the source. He vanished into the fog in an instant, and far away, intermittent red bursts, like blood, popped sporadically.

 

“You two, this way.”

 

Human led us, who were staring blankly at where Moment had disappeared. He swung his whip back and forth, clearing the fog.

 

“Is it okay to leave him like that? Won’the get lost?”

 

“Him?”

 

To my worried question, Human just laughed, calling it a pointless thought. Looking at Moment’s HP in the party window, which remained unchanged, while his PG steadily increased, I swallowed dryly.

 

Leaving Moment behind, we slowly followed Human.

 

Swish—.

 

Just then, a chilling sound came from somewhere. Simultaneously, the dirt path we had passed was gradually turning black.

 

“An ant swarm.”

 

I reached out to check the ants’ level and thankfully, they were level 30.

 

However, their numbers were immense. It seemed they were coming from all directions, as the sounds originated from the front, back, and sides. We couldn’t escape in any direction and had to stand back-to-back.

 

Whoosh—!

 

Just then, Human struck his whip straight ahead. A wave emanated from the whip, rippling along the path.

 

“This way.”

 

Human moved in front of me and Sunshine Angel, or behind us, continuously generating waves.

 

The sounds from all directions were not false; I could see the ant swarm, black as night, surging from behind. Once surrounded, it was certain death. And the ants were surprisingly as big as my palm, making their sharp, pincer-like mouths stand out more. Above all, looking closely, they felt repulsive, being insects.

 

Before I knew it, the sense of duty to look after Sunshine Angel had vanished, replaced by a primal urge to save myself. Sunshine Angel, whose level was even lower than mine, was slowing down as his SP (Stamina) depleted.

 

“…I, I’m not… huff, wrong, pant…”

 

Human, who had been running ahead, generated a wave and then quickly moved behind Sunshine Angel, grabbing his arm and pulling him.

 

“We just need to go a little further.”

 

I, who had unexpectedly become the frontrunner, looked back. I saw Human supporting Sunshine Angel and sending waves backward. Still, it didn’t look easy to fend off the encroaching ant swarm. Eventually, ants approached from the side and clung to Human’s back. Human summoned a giant water pillar, absorbing all ants within a certain radius.

 

However, the Dream Forest truly seemed like an infinitely spawning dungeon. I understood why it had a time limit. It seemed to be a way to urge players to escape quickly.

 

Not long after the water pillar was summoned to clear the surroundings, another swish— sound echoed from all directions. Sunshine Angel, who had been walking with heavy breaths, finally collapsed. Human was already chanting a spell to summon another water pillar, and in the meantime, I cast a party member shield. It seemed to be quite effective, as an ant that tried to bite Sunshine Angel bounced off.

 

But the shield, like a soap bubble, disappeared quickly. We could break through if we ran fast, but Sunshine Angel had to sit down to replenish his SP. Human was doing his best to block all the ants approaching from every direction. Amidst this, one or two ants would occasionally dart towards Sunshine Angel.

 

‘Ah, whatever.’

 

I cast [Light Sunset], which had previously drawn the attention of spiders. Instantly, the ants that had been swarming Sunshine Angel all turned their gaze towards me.

 

I was a bit far from Human, so I hurried to get closer to him, but in the meantime, an ant quickly approached and pounced. However, the Heart Staff I possessed had a secondary function of a personal shield, so two ants clinging to me was not a problem.

 

Fwoosh—!

 

Seeing this, Human whipped his water into a frenzy, but the ants only retreated slightly before swarming again. I must have overstepped, foolishly stepping forward when I wasn’t even that high level. The personal shield of the Heart Staff also seemed to be nearing its limit, blinking.

 

How could ants have so many teeth on their mandibles? I shouldn’t be admiring that right now; I wanted to protest to the game developers for making it so detailed. I closed my eyes, thinking they were telling insect-haters like me not to play the game, and extended the Heart Staff as far forward as possible.

 

Pop!

 

Finally, the shield disappeared, and the ants’ large mandibles lunged, about to bite into my body. A yelp of “Eek!” escaped my lips.

 

Sizzle—.

 

Just then, I heard the sound of something burning on the ground.

 

“Is Gentle crying?”

 

As I lay there, blocking with my staff, Moment’s voice echoed from above my head.

 

He split the ground, creating a lava zone. I saw Human and Sunshine Angel entering the area from a distance. The ants, naturally, couldn’t enter the zone and were circling around it. Some ants, unable to withstand the force pushing them from behind, fell directly into the lava and burned.

 

“Using this raises my PG so much. Hurry and get out.”

 

As Moment leaned down to kiss me, I blocked his approaching lips with my hand.

 

“I’ll use Relax for you, wait.”

I brought Human and Moment close together and cast the Relax skill. Human praised me, saying, “Wow, this is great.” Sunshine Angel looked at me with genuine admiration. He asked if I had such a skill. Then he pointed at my face and exclaimed, “Ah!”

 

“ShutUp, partner!”

 

Sunshine Angel recognized me. Well, there was a banner in town, so it was about time he recognized me. I thought he must be a beginner.

 

Beginners, after all, have narrow vision. They’re too busy with their given quests to pay attention to anything else. But now, Sunshine Angel looked a bit dejected.

 

“I made a partner without this skill too. So don’t be discouraged.”

 

“No… No, it’s not like that.”

 

Meanwhile, Moment was licking his lips, regretting it, when Human interjected with a cynical remark.

 

“If you want to fight ShutUp again, just link up.”

 

“There’s no reason I can’t.”

 

Moment retorted, unfazed by Human’s provocation.

 

However, I didn’t want to see the two of them fight again over me. It was already noisy enough; if things escalated further, I might truly be reborn as a ‘charming gay’ within this game.

 

“Stop it, it’s not over yet.”

 

At my plea, they averted their gazes from each other. Sunshine Angel, who had been sitting in the middle of the erupting lava, indicated he had refilled his SP and suggested we move on. Human approached Sunshine Angel as he stood up.

 

“Can you run?”

 

“Yes, I’m okay now.”

 

We stood again in the direction we were heading, and Human sent a wave towards the path we were to run. The ants parted along the water. As soon as a path opened, we quickly escaped through it.

 

“Huh?”

 

As we entered a relatively safe zone, a whisper notification popped up on the top of the screen.

 

“ShutUp seems to have logged in. He’s asking if we’re inside a dungeon. He probably tried to move to my location but couldn’t.”

 

“Tell him I’m with you.”

 

Yes, it seemed fine to say I was with Human, so I sent the whisper back. I thought he wouldn’t log in after disappearing with Bin earlier today, but he’d managed to show up.

 

‘I don’t really feel like linking up.’

 

Either way, it wouldn’t be too late to think about it after finishing the dungeon.