Test (2)
A little rest. This commission had drained me mentally and physically.
So now was the time to recharge. Besides, I couldn't take any more jobs anyway—my custom sword wouldn't be ready for another three days, and I was dying to get my hands on it.
I spent the time with my girls, worn out from training Yvonah. First, I summoned Cream.
Then Choi Rin, followed by Kang Nabi, in that order.
Why hasn't the summon duration increased?
My mana capacity had grown, but the summon time hadn't budged. Gram's summon duration had lengthened, but Fate Summon stayed the same.
So it doesn't scale with mana amount, then?
There must be some other mechanism at play. Whatever—putting that aside, I enjoyed some long-overdue dates.
I hit up gourmet spots with Cream, who loves food. Then went mall-hopping with Choi Rin, who's gotten hooked on shopping lately.
Sorry, I'm broke!
I couldn't splurge on anything pricey. Choi Rin said it was fine and comforted me, but it still bruised my male pride a bit.
Moments like this made me itch to rank up fast, but it was too soon. Getting caught in the new guy hazing could be dicey—I might not survive it yet.
At least I need to sort out my mana capacity first.
Once I could swing Gram without worrying about uptime, I'd rank up worry-free. I hadn't hit that point yet, so I decided to lay low for now.
With Kang Nabi, we just did a stay-at-home date. She hates going out, so we holed up inside.
Ordered food, fucked nonstop during summon time. Kang Nabi, grumbling all the while but never skipping sex.
This was addiction-level stuff.
"Is this your world, Master?"
Yvonah, visiting my dimension for the first time. She was fascinated by modern life and spent ages gawking outside.
We capped it off with sex—the classic date flow. Then Yvonah headed back to her dimension.
Dating the girls flew by those three days.
"Oh… you're here?"
Park Ayun looked exhausted, like she'd burned herself out bone-dry, greeting me with that spent expression.
"Hold on."
She ducked into the back of the shop.
"Here, your sword."
She came back with it.
Shing—!
I drew the blade. The grip molded perfectly to my hand.
A sword with a pitch-black edge. The moment I held it, I knew.
This was my sword. Forged exclusively for me.
"The pay." "Nah, forget it."
Park Ayun waved off the commission fee.
"My ability leveled up thanks to you, so we're square."
Most blacksmiths have specialized abilities that amp up with better gear forged.
"Where'd you source those materials? Never seen anything like 'em."
Park Ayun lit a cigarette and asked, but it felt more like musing to herself—she didn't even look my way.
Wanna swing this thing already.
I felt that same thrill as when I got the Sun God's flame.
"I'm beat—head out."
She shooed me away, saying she needed rest. I was dying to test this sword right now, but no dungeon handy.
Despair hit at the thought of four days without swinging it.
Eh, nothing for it.
Just had to wait it out.
"Oh, right."
Park Ayun followed me out.
"That sword's name is 'Gram'."
I froze. Gram. Same as my ability.
"Gram info."
She handed me a single sheet of paper detailing Gram.
Resistance to curses, evil, and fire attributes is increased to the extreme.
Effects of sun-related abilities are enhanced.
What the hell?
It specifically called out the sun. Park Ayun didn't know my ability, so it wasn't her doing.
I turned to ask her, but…
She probably doesn't know either.
If she did, she'd have said something. I had two guesses.
One: Shimbu Rumkun meddled. Only he and I knew my ability.
So he was suspect number one. Two: the World Tree branch.
World Tree—maybe tied to the sun?
Personally, leaning toward the second…
Either way, my path was set. Sun attribute.
To master Gram, I'd walk the solar road.
**
Four days passed. This time, no summoning the girls—just solo time.
The usually noisy surroundings felt eerily quiet.
This isn't half bad either.
No need to watch my back. No yielding to others.
Purely my time. Gotta carve out moments like this now and then to dodge burnout.
My hands itched to swing Gram, but I held out. Then, Jujak Guild commission day.
I showed up at the rendezvous grinning ear to ear. Guild members already there.
Looks like I was last.
"Ah, Park Kiyong?"
A guy who seemed like the team lead approached.
"Jujak Guild Team 4 Lead, Kang Yongwon."
He offered a handshake. I took it and introduced myself.
"Yeah, nice to meet you. Park Kiyong."
Greetings exchanged, then Kang Yongwon introduced his team.
Tank, mage, archer. Next up.
A familiar face.
"Hehe! Hi, oppa!"
Park Hayul. Standard party now: tank, mage, archer, swordsman.
(Fyi, team lead Park Kiyong was the buffer.) Laughter and chit-chat flowed.
What's with that guy?
One outsider: the porter.
Porter dude couldn't join the vibe, scowling. Kang Yongwon tried lightening it with a smile, but.
"Ehe! Our Park-ssi! Why the sour face?"
Team lead approached first, but porter stayed grumpy.
"How could I be happy? With a parachute like that…"
Loud as hell. The sudden beef hardened my expression too.
"Park-ssi!"
I opened my mouth to snap back, but Hayul beat me to it.
"What's your problem calling oppa a parachute?"
Hayul's anger twisted porter's face further.
"Ha! Bringing a noob who just awakened into our team—ain't that a parachute?"
Everyone here was high-rank. Lowest was Park Hayul—B-rank. Nuff said.
Elite team pride?
I eyed the "Park-ssi" guy. Mid-50s look.
Balding. Textbook ajusshi.
Huh? He was bickering with Hayul, but his rage was all aimed at me.
Normally it'd split between interloper and target.
But pure venom at me. Jealousy?
Plus another vibe I read off women usually.
Ah, got it.
Sweet young pretty. Bit old for "young pretty," but.
That vibe anyway.
Heard weird rumors and flipping out. Park Hayul parachuted a young guy in.
Rumor probably: she's banging the newbie or something. Obvious red flag on a whim.
Hayul's B-rank—solid hunter, but not pull for parachutes. Fine for mid guilds, impossible in mega like Jujak.
Normal thinker wouldn't target Hayul.
Before it escalated, Kang Yongwon stepped in.
"Park-ssi, enough. Parachute, you say?"
His tone iced over.
"That's insulting Jujak Guild… Guild Master Joo Hwayeon."
"S-sorry."
Porter finally clocked his screw-up, bowing apology to Hayul and Yongwon.
"Apologize to oppa too!"
Hayul demanded; he grumbled one out.
"Sorry about that."
No sincerity.
"Yeah, sure."
I didn't say it was cool. He half-assed it and turned away.
His eyes screamed bad vibes.
Trouble brewing? Always been good at reading people.
My gut screamed: that sweet young pretty's plotting something.
Fucking dungeon run's gonna suck.
Contract signed—couldn't bail. Had to follow them in.
**
"Everyone briefed?"
Pre-dungeon briefing for Team 4. Positions first, then dungeon deets.
"Advance by positions."
Standard party, standard formation.
Tank frontline, swordsman Hayul at 1.5 line. Me: free role.
Held formation, progressed smooth—high-rank hunters.
"Boss room."
Huge door ahead.
"Boss info recap."
Team lead for double-check. Simple: fire-resistant monster "Asura." Melee-focused, so tank/swordsman key.
"Park-ssi, fire resist pots."
Team lead's order; porter passed them out. Blank face to others, smirk at me.
What a creep.
Suspicious, but drank anyway. Public setting—low odds of tampering.
Huh?
Potions taste like nothing? Forums said bitter or whatever.
Glanced around—team blank-faced, downed theirs.
Just internet BS, then.
Doubt cleared.
"Alright, in we go!"
Team lead's call. We entered the boss room.