Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Beginning
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《Beginning》
01.
"Wow..."
Upon entering Kim Arin's mansion—a place grand enough to truly call a palace—Lee Min-jun's mouth fell open wide, like the jaw of a nutcracker doll.
"It's huge..."
It was the kind of mansion you'd only see on TV or in movies, so his reaction was hardly surprising. Even I had been taken aback by the sheer scale of the interior, far larger than I'd imagined.
"Huh...?"
But Lee Min-jun's already astonished expression froze completely upon spotting Feroll, huddled in the corner of the living room.
"F-Feroll...?!"
He pointed at Feroll with a trembling index finger, as if he'd just seen a tiger in a zoo cage.
He clearly hadn't imagined encountering yet another stage boss here—his eyes were filled with considerable bewilderment.
"Wh-what the hell is that thing doing here...?"
Lee Min-jun shot Kim Arin a look demanding an explanation. But she just shrugged it off nonchalantly.
"Why? It's just Feroll."
She tilted her head as if to say, Have you never seen it before?
No matter that it was a stage boss, her voice held not a trace of fear or awe as she casually named the Sad Clown.
"No way you're scared of Feroll right now...?"
"As if!"
Lee Min-jun cut her off sharply, grinning despite his obvious fluster. He wasn't scared, just caught off guard.
"What player would ever be afraid of that clown...?"
His face flushed bright red, like an elementary school kid vehemently denying a crush on their childhood friend.
"...That must sting."
I glanced at Feroll with an awkward smile after overhearing their exchange. It was a stage boss representing an entire season, after all—wouldn't it hurt its pride to be treated this way by just two players?
"......"
I worried it might grab its scythe and lunge at them any second, but fortunately, Feroll seemed utterly indifferent to their opinions. It just stared blankly out the window.
...After exacting its revenge, nothing else seemed to matter to it anymore.
"That's really Feroll, right...? Someone didn't just customize a skin or something?"
"Yeah, it's the real Feroll."
"No, Arin..."
Meanwhile, Lee Min-jun sighed deeply, calling her name. He slumped his body dramatically, as if he had no idea where to even begin.
"Then why the hell is Feroll here...? This isn't a battlefield or anything—it's your house...? A stage boss...?"
"Oh."
Even if it was constantly mocked by players and ranked as the weakest stage boss, Feroll was still an off-the-charts existence—one whose appearance would set the internet ablaze.
Lee Min-jun's face screamed utter incomprehension at why such a heavyweight monster was squatting in the corner of Kim Arin's house, of all places.
"Two stage bosses have appeared in Korea now—how are you so calm about this?! Did you report it to SPR?!"
"SPR? Nah."
"You didn't report it?! Are you kidding me?!"
Lee Min-jun's face turned even redder at Kim Arin's admission that she hadn't even bothered notifying SPR, the government-player alliance.
"Why wouldn't you report it?! When and where did you even encounter Feroll?! And who the hell brought it here and how...?"
"......"
"Oh."
His barrage of scolding questions toward Kim Arin cut off abruptly as his eyes met my red ones. I stood calmly beside her.
It was less than a second of eye contact, but in that instant, he seemed to piece it all together. The excitement from his Feroll questions settled as he composed himself.
"Lady Selverion..."
His face was a tangle of thoughts as he addressed me. Hesitation over daring to call Selverion by name so casually, despite our short acquaintance. Bewilderment mixed with a flood of unspoken questions.
I ignored his emotions entirely and opened my mouth curtly.
"Yeah, that's right. I brought it."
One simple sentence to douse his immediate doubts.
"I need Feroll for what comes next."
I added as I plopped down on the spacious leather sofa. Lee Min-jun still stood dazed by the entrance, staring at me.
"You need a stage boss—for whatever you're planning next...?"
"Yeah."
"Two stage bosses...?"
What on earth could she be planning that required partnering with yet another stage boss? One alone warranted a national emergency—two conspiring together filled his eyes with anxiety and fear.
I felt a twinge of pity for his spiraling imagination, but that was something I'd explain calmly later. I said nothing more.
"Anyway."
One question nagged at me, so I tossed it his way.
"You didn't know I took Feroll?"
The commotion in the Gwangjin-gu safe zone had been massive. No way it hadn't hit the news.
The second stage boss to appear in Korea after Selverion—and they'd even fought. Reporters wouldn't let that slide.
"Yeah, I didn't know you took it—or even that Feroll had shown up in Korea..."
"...Nothing at all?"
"Nope. No mentions on the news anywhere. I really had no idea."
"Hmm..."
But Lee Min-jun shook his head vigorously, claiming it was news to him. I furrowed my brow and tilted my head.
No news coverage? Was that even possible?
It had happened in a busy daytime safe zone—someone had to have seen it.
And attention-hungry media outlets ignoring a scoop like that? Unthinkable.
Unless... the government or SPR slapped an embargo on it to prevent public panic over another stage boss in Korea.
That seemed the most likely for now.
"Yeah, it's true. No Feroll news on here at all."
Kim Arin confirmed it by turning her smartphone screen toward us. Sure enough, searching "Feroll" yielded nothing.
"Looks like SPR put an embargo on it."
She nodded along with the theory. With the national crisis, total media control wasn't out of the question either.
"Embargo..."
...Another stage boss in Korea would rattle them plenty.
They could just hunt a lone Feroll without hesitation, but since I, Selverion, had subdued and brought it, they were probably agonizing over their next move.
"What about the communities...?"
Even with an official media blackout, governments and SPR couldn't fully stifle rumors on SNS or forums.
Lee Min-jun apparently hadn't checked them, but someone must have filmed my fight with Feroll. Communities and social media had to be ablaze.
I'd been too busy yesterday to check, but later I'd surf the web for the general mood.
"That's enough on that..."
Feroll mattered, but it wasn't today's main topic. The real reason I'd called Lee Min-jun: founding a guild.
I pointed to the chair across the sofa.
"Sit. Now we get to the point."
02.
"S-so..."
Lee Min-jun's hand trembled as he held the teacup of black tea Kim Arin had brewed. After hearing the full guild pitch, he looked tense as he spoke to me.
"You're starting with a guild, but ultimately, you want a group made of stage bosses—one that can stand against player alliances...?"
"Right."
"Reasons are twofold. First, to protect stage bosses from players while reining in their rampages."
"Yeah."
"Second, to prevent potential future player abuses like riots or dictatorships..."
"You get it."
I nodded as he recapped each point to confirm his understanding.
"Guess I explained it well enough."
As he'd said, I wanted an organization to counter player excesses or crimes.
One that protected unwilling stage boss transformees while preventing them from slaughtering humans indiscriminately.
Something only Selverion could create—and only possible because of Selverion.
"I'm all for it. Player looting incidents are skyrocketing, and cops and soldiers can't stop them."
"Arin..."
"SPR just pays lip service without real solutions. Someone has to step up."
Kim Arin chimed in from the kitchen, setting down a tray piled with cookies. Her face resolute, she nodded emphatically.
"That sly fox Han Yeon-hwa—who knows what she'll pull later."
"Han Yeon-hwa..."
Han Yeon-hwa.
Lee Min-jun's eyes widened as Kim Arin named the Legend Guild Master—Korea rank 1—and SPR co-chair.
"She acts all prim, but her ambitions are insane. Might even run for president someday."
Arin smirked mockingly, crunching a cookie. Then she pointed at me dramatically like a storybook hero.
"Our country's already like this—what about abroad? Selverion's plan is essential."
Thoroughly on board, the pirate rank 1 grinned ear to ear. Lee Min-jun adjusted his glasses and spoke up.
"...So Arin and I would bridge players and stage bosses too?"
"...Yeah, probably."
I nodded at his question.
As players joining my guild, their roles went beyond padding numbers. They'd smooth communication with other players and civilians.
In negotiations, bringing only stage bosses might intimidate. Having fellow players like them would build trust and persuasion.
Who'd speak up against Selverion, Big Mouth, and Demetation?
Well-known faces like Kim Arin or Lee Min-jun would help immensely—especially him, with his stellar rep among players.
"Hmm..."
Lee Min-jun pondered briefly, then eyed me worriedly.
"I think your intentions are great and I'm on board, but it won't be smooth sailing..."
"What? Not smooth? Wanna die?"
Kim Arin scowled at his litany of concerns. He waved his hands frantically, adding qualifiers.
"N-no, not trying to kill the vibe—just think about it. Selverion's a stage boss, and the public eye..."
"...Even with a guild, the optics won't be great?"
"Yes..."
He nodded gravely at my blunt question.
Public image of Selverion and stage bosses was abysmal.
Brutal, savage fighters—players hated them.
Selverion's cute looks softened it some, but "God of Ruin" evoked cruelty and dread.
Such beings suddenly checking players? No trust—just fear. Maybe even seen as a declaration of war, sparking global raids.
"Fair point."
I leaned back on the sofa, sighing softly.
Poofing in with "Support our new guild~" wouldn't fly.
Ace's annihilation split opinions on me already. Once the embargo lifted, Feroll's killing spree would go public. Launching without groundwork seemed reckless.
Better to plant "Huh, Selverion isn't all bad?" first.
It was all for peace—meaningless if civilians feared us.
Going full dark knight wasn't terrible—ignore stares, do our job quietly.
Still, a performance signaling "No malice here" made sense.
...Then execute rogue players, pressure SPR and global alliances, gather scattered stage bosses.
"Arin."
"Yes! Lady Selverion!"
"...Where's the fiercest fighting in Seoul right now?"
For that performance, swooping in as savior in a crisis was ideal. I asked Kim Arin for Seoul's hottest battlefield—the one needing aid most.
...Gangnam front lines, from what I recalled.
"Hang on..."
"Sure."
"Searching... Ah, Jamsil!"
"Jamsil?"
She tapped her phone and surprised me. At my puzzled tilt, she explained seriously.
"Yes, though Gangnam and Seocho are worst for monster fights, Jamsil's a different breed..."
"Different breed...?"
"See for yourself."
Instead of words, she showed her screen. A breaking news blurb:
[Rogue Player Group Occupies Jamsil Tower.]
"Jamsil Tower occupation...?"
An unknown player group had seized Jamsil Tower—Korea's landmark, over 500m tall.
"Oh, I heard about that."
Lee Min-jun snapped his fingers at my murmur, then spoke gravely with what he knew.
"Some weirdo micro-guild called 'Graveyard' declared themselves kings and took the tower a couple days ago. Right, Arin?"
"Yep."
He double-checked with her; she nodded, so he continued.
"Graveyard—all necromancers, bad rep even in Sio-pan days for nasty stuff. Thought they'd gone quiet after the chaos, but nope..."
He shook his head ruefully. Kim Arin filled in.
"Punks who'd lose 1v1s kidnapped lowbies and civilians to hold the tower. Makes it messy."
"Kidnapped...?"
"Yeah, summoned servants filled the place—it's a full dungeon now, with hostages. They want Jamsil handed over to save them."
"Hmm..."
Everywhere had its crazies. Didn't expect dumber ones than Ace or Sol-sol.
Lowlifes turning Jamsil Tower into their dungeon for a hostage stunt.
"Fortified tower with hostages complicates everything..."
"Got it."
I nodded at her explanation.
"Not bad."
Rescue civilians, wipe rogue players.
Fits our purpose—solid first show for the world.
"Let's go."
Decision made, I stood without hesitation. Enough thinking and watching—time to act.
"G-go where...?"
"Huh? You mean Jamsil?"
Lee Min-jun and Kim Arin stared in surprise.
"......"
Feroll glanced up from its corner.
"Yeah, Jamsil."
I answered calmly.
"Time to start."
The work only Selverion can do.