A Reward Worth 12 Billion Won (3)

Do-hwa liked her master. At first, he'd seemed terrifying, like a dragon straight out of legend. But after becoming his loyal familiar, everything felt like bliss. He fed her delicious treats. He petted her often and cooed over how cute she was. Do-hwa didn't want to lose such a gentle master.

"Kyiiiing… Kaeng!! Kaeng kaeng!!!"

She desperately tried to stop him. That thing's unbeatable. It wasn't even supposed to be here in the first place. Just looking at it made her fur stand on end—an out-of-spec monster. If he went after it, he'd die.

She wailed in sorrow, but…

"I told you to hide, right?"

"…Kaeeeeeng!!!?"

Her master's gaze, pinned to the wall like a nail. The moment it turned toward her, Do-hwa knew instinctively. Her master was out-of-spec too. Beyond anything she could comprehend… maybe even more than that orc.

"Kaeng!!"

"D-Do-hwa!?"

"Kaeng kaeng!!!"

Do-hwa immediately bit Luca's clothes and dragged her along. Their target: the corner of the boss floor. Do-hwa was stronger than your average orc, so Luca couldn't resist and followed.

"O-Oppa…."

"Don't worry."

Watching them, Hwi-min just smiled kindly.

"Oppa, she's pretty tough… ahem!!"

'What the hell, flexing in front of the kid.'

Then—whoosh!!

Hwi-min thrust his hand forward. The ring on his index finger gleamed.

And just like that, Hwi-min's world transformed. The movements of the awakening Orc Lord. Every attack it would unleash. All trajectories lingered in the air like afterimages.

There were hundreds of them. A normal person would just blink in confusion, unable to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠comprehend. But Hwi-min was different. He now understood just how broken his traits were.

"Trait enhancement swap: Sword God."

He extended his hand ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠again.

'It clicks so perfectly.'

He could see exactly how the enemy would move. What counters they'd use against his plays, and how he'd respond in turn. Every possibility optimized and laid out before him.

The enhanced Orc Lord's patterns. It was as good as having the perfect Strategy guide.

'This is the stuff…'

"Won't even take three minutes."

A grin spread across Hwi-min's face. A ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠smile brimming with absolute confidence, like a dragon's own.

His grip tightened on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his sword.

"Hey, pig. Stay put."

"……."

"I'll end it… in one shot!!"

Thud—!!!

Hwi-min kicked off the ground and leaped. The bloodlust of his thrill-seeking nature, hidden beneath his easygoing facade, erupted.

-Pop.

"…Groooaaargh!!!?"

The Orc Lord, known never to move before a surprise attack, snapped its eyes wide in shock. It had never felt a presence so overwhelmingly superior.

Who could make its spine crawl like this? Its gaze swept the air, searching.

Hwi-min's sword was aimed right at those eyes.

'Thought it'd be a freebie, but it's waking up. Take out the vision first.'

"Hup!!"

Screeech—!!

The Rare-grade sword sliced through the air. Mana gathered at its tip scattered, forming a crescent blade aura that shot forward.

-Slash!

"Gyaaaaaaaagh!!!"

The strike cut precisely across its eye sockets. The Orc Lord clutched its face with both hands. Crimson blood and sticky, gel-like vitreous humor oozed between its fingers.

The blinded giant thrashed in agony and lurched to its feet.

"…Okay."

'Now dash.'

Hwi-min didn't charge in. Instead, he used the recoil from the blade aura to widen the distance. That choice proved spot-on less than a second later.

"Groooooaaargh!!!!!"

Whoosh—!!!

The Orc Lord's arm swept wildly around it. A panicked flail born of fear. Yet its momentum was still vicious. Rush in carelessly now, and those limbs would've pulverized every bone in his body.

No way Hwi-min would fall for a blind swing like that.

'Next target… ankle!'

Thud—!!

He landed lightly and immediately kicked off again, lunging forward. The Orc Lord vaguely sensed the swift assault.

"Kyaaaaaaaagh!!!!"

It shrieked shrilly, stomping the ground with its feet. A desperate resistance from its blinded state. Child's play for Hwi-min.

'Trait enhancement swap: Dragon Eye.'

A quick hand thrust forward. Then his figure blurred past the orc.

With the trait, attacks broke down frame-by-frame—no dodging required. He even slipped past a flying pebble with a casual head tilt.

At the end of his path: an ankle thick as a log.

'One down!'

Shlick—!!

The Rare-grade sword drew a silver line horizontally. Its keen edge sliced through tough hide and muscle like tofu. Even the bone beyond.

Thanks to his other trait, the All-Cutting Sword that severed anything.

"Grkiiiik…"

"Oh."

'Weaker than I thought? Title effect maybe?'

The Orc Lord's body crumbled beneath its severed ankle. Hwi-min let out a small exclamation.

Then—shlick—!!!

This time, the other ankle flew off.

'Just in case, lop off the arms too.'

Thud— He retreated. The Orc Lord's back came into full view. In extreme pain, it had forgotten to swing its arms—easy prey.

"Hya."

Swish, shlick—!!

Splatter—!!!

Hwi-min danced his sword dance. The Orc Lord's limbs lost function one by one. Under his elegant bladework, it devolved into a limbless trunk.

Exactly two minutes.

"Grurgh…"

"What? Way weaker than I expected."

Hwi-min relaxed his grip, his momentum fading. He'd thought a level gap of dozens would make it a worthy foe, but this? No real fight. More like butchery.

The orc gasped raggedly, bereft of limbs. Looking down at it, even Hwi-min's killing intent had vanished.

'Mobs were too weak to gauge… so this is my level? Got it.'

"Bosses from now on, Normal Tower it is."

Swish—

He swung indifferently. The Orc Lord at the arc's end met its…

-Flash.

"Grraaaaaaaaagh!!!!!!"

As death loomed, the Orc Lord's eyes snapped open. Its mangled, blood-soaked orbs—vitreous oozing—fixed on Hwi-min. The grudges of the spirits it had absorbed erupted as a curse.

"Kaeng!?"

"O-Oppa!!!!"

Do-hwa and Luca, peeking out, recoiled in horror. What was that horrific aura? Even Hwi-min couldn't handle it.

He'd dominated throughout, but he was just a swordsman at heart. That's why Do-hwa lunged forward and Luca bit her tongue to end it…

"……Huh?"

"Kaeng?"

But only for a moment. They froze, dumbfounded.

Because Hwi-min looked… totally fine.

'This punk's got halitosis.'

Swish—

Hwi-min's sword crossed the Orc Lord's nape. Its thick neck would've resisted even a sharp blade in one go. But he'd already swapped the ring's enhancement.

The range-extended All-Cutting Sword+ severed the head clean off.

'Die.'

Crunch—!!

Not just the orc—the stone floor bore sword scars too.

"Gruuuugh…"

Its crushed eyes stared at Hwi-min, then crumbled to dust.

The second-floor enhanced boss, unconquered by any, fell for the first time.

'A breeze.'

"Do-hwa~ All do—"

Hwi-min finally turned around.

…Locking eyes with the overwhelmed Do-hwa and Luca.

"What're you two doing?"

"Kyiiiing…"

"O-Oppa. How the…?"

"Told ya. Three minutes tops."

Hwi-min beamed. Behind him, pure light poured forth—the proof of boss clear, portal to the next floor.

"Wait long? Let's head home."

"Uh…."

"You first."

"……."

Luca hesitated, then stepped forward.

Step, step.

Small footsteps echoed.

'This feels off…'

It was awkward. She'd never been here before, yet it felt like hundreds, thousands of visits. And yet, this situation was new.

'Was that really… death?'

The dissonance peaked passing the boss monster—now ashes—Orc Lord.

Memories that didn't exist churned in Luca's mind.

'And I've been here… so many times…'

On the scarred stone floor, her reflection overlapped.

Biting her tongue, writhing in agony as she collapsed. Choking on her own blood, eyes begging for death. Thrusting a dagger into her heart, eyes squeezed shut.

Hundreds, thousands of deaths. All firsts.

Firsts, yet familiar. Vivid as lived experiences.

'But…'

Her gaze shifted forward. Hwi-min's bright smile. The glowing portal behind.

In all that familiarity, that alone felt alien.

And then…

[Luca~.]

"……Huh?"

A familiar voice echoed from beyond. Not just the voice.

Luca's vision shifted entirely.

'This place.'

Golden wheat fields. Ears brushed her arms with every step. Fragrant sunlight filled her nose—nothing like the prison.

Her fearful steps turned to a sprint.

-Swish.

'No way.'

Her feet moved on their own. Days ago? Millennia? She never forgot the path home.

'Home!!'

"Oppa, thank youuuuuu!!!"

She didn't forget gratitude. Even if Hwi-min was gone.

She shouted loud anyway. Home, once distant, was now close.

"Luca~? Oh dear, where'd she run off to? Bread's all baked."

"Probably playing. She'll be back soon."

Familiar voices murmured beyond the door. Savory scents wafted.

Smiling, she reached out and yelled.

"I'm ho—."

Then—flash—!!!

Pure light illuminated everything.

Hwi-min watched, thinking it was light as pure as Luca herself.

'Damn, what a cutscene.'

…Truth was, he saw no wheat fields. Just Luca suddenly dashing, reaching for the portal. Her body dissolving into light, scattering like butterflies.

The light swarm fluttered upward like countless butterflies.

"Do-hwa, looks like she's off to a good place, huh?"

"Kaeng?"

"Dunno for sure, but hope so."

Hwi-min looked up. His view filled with glowing butterflies passing through the ceiling.

Luca wasn't returning to the 11th floor prison. She headed somewhere higher in the tower.

Hwi-min's lips curved softly.

'12 billion's nice, but this might be too.'

Luca's joyful thanks just now. A reward worth 12 billion won.

He meant it sincerely. Having seen that, he wanted nothing more…

-Pause.

"……Huh?"

As he basked in warmth.

"…Whoa."

'Insane.'