Chapter 50: Human-Faced Spider (1)
“So, what do you think the mission is?”
“Who knows? They’ll give us something we can clear, at least. The Alliance Leader wants to push me up no matter what.”
“…You said you’re aiming for first place. What are you gonna do after grabbing that Ascension thing? I heard you have to offer it up to the higher-ups no matter what.”
“Of course I’m gonna swallow it whole.”
Seo Yerim’s face stiffened slightly.
“…Aren’t you scared of the Alliance Leader? I heard even the Martial Alliance Leader and the Heavenly Demon are gunning for it. They say war’s gonna break out.”
“Even the maids know about that these days?”
“…That blabbermouth Jang Sam spilled it. I overheard while I was waiting.”
Ah, Jang Sam.
That chatterbox would spill everything.
I nodded.
“The Alliance Leader’s pretty strong, yeah. You can’t beat him head-on, that’s for sure. Probably not you either, Yerim. War’s definitely gonna happen.”
“…But you’re still gonna swallow it? The gate’s name is gonna change just looking at it. Something like Heaven’s Net or whatever. Bet it turns into an A-rank gate.”
“Nice. You even know about Heaven’s Net?”
“…Hah. You really think I’m some brainless brute swinging a sword on an empty stomach? I’ve read a few wuxia novels.”
“Well… I can’t say that’s impossible. Actually, now that you mention it, it sounds pretty plausible.”
Heaven’s Net.
The net of heaven and earth.
It basically meant a massive encirclement. If I grabbed the clue to Ascension and bolted, all three factions would flip out and chase me down. A net that tight was very likely.
“You don’t need to worry, Yerim.”
“Why not?”
“The clear condition probably pops up right when the Dragon-Phoenix Tournament ends and rankings are set.”
“Then you just grab Ascension and bolt. But they won’t let something that big slip away so easily, right?”
“That’s why it won’t trigger for me. More precisely, I think the clear only happens if I hand the clue to Ascension over to the Alliance Leader.”
Since offering it up was the rule, the act of offering might be the clear condition.
What if I don’t?
The gate would probably get pissed and upgrade.
Meanwhile, for Seo Yerim?
Second or third place didn’t require offering anything up.
Just eat it and done.
So she’d probably be able to exit the gate after that.
“…So you’re telling me to bail first? While you snag all the glory?”
“Or you could break through Heaven’s Net with me?”
“…Haa. You’re driving me crazy. Kim Minwoo. Let me ask one thing. If Heaven’s Net or whatever really shows up, are you confident you can break through?”
“I can’t say for sure. I might even die.”
“And you’re still doing it?”
“If I’d only taken the easy paths, I’d be the one crying after getting beaten to a pulp by the Fourth Young Master today.”
“…”
“Right now and from now on, I’ll keep challenging myself.”
Seo Yerim, who had been silent, spoke up.
“I don’t know you well. But from the outside, it looked like you were living a satisfying life?”
“Did it?”
Nod.
Seo Yerim nodded and opened her mouth.
“But why go that far? You’re rich, awakened, nothing to envy. Most people would just want to live easy after that.”
“Why do you go that far, Yerim?”
“…What do you mean?”
“With a face like that, pretty enough, your grandpa’s the Sword Sage, you’re already a star copying money skills. Why swing a sword all day?”
“…I just…”
She hemmed and hawed for a long time before speaking.
“Just, that’s my life’s goal. Swinging the sword, I wanted Grandpa’s recognition, so I pedal like a hamster wheel. I don’t even know what I’m saying…”
I smiled faintly at her words.
“I have a goal like yours. Conquest. That’s my life’s goal. Got hooked on it, and now my body itches if I don’t.”
“…Terminal case, huh?”
“You think?”
Seo Yerim stared straight at me. She didn’t know about the rest.
But one thing she could feel.
‘He’s serious.’
His eyes told her so.
At least when it came to that goal of conquest, he was dead serious.
“…Got a plan?”
“I’ve thought of something. Not sure if it’ll work.”
“Assuming it goes well, what’s the survival chance?”
“30%?”
“If it doesn’t?”
“Maybe 1%? Basically dead.”
“If I join?”
“40% if it goes well, 2% if it flops.”
“Fine for the good scenario, but only 1% boost if it fails?”
“If it flops, it’s a total nosedive. Gotta assume the worst. Sorry, but you wouldn’t last 10 minutes against the Alliance Leader.”
“And you?”
“12 minutes?”
“…Stronger than me?”
“Not stronger, just more tools to use.”
Anything could happen inside a gate. Naturally, he’d packed all sorts of sub-space stuff.
Plenty of uses later.
“…Fine. I’ll think about it.”
“You’ll join?”
“I haven’t decided yet.”
“Don’t. Real high chance of death. No joke.”
No matter how much conquest was his life goal, Seo Yerim was someone who’d jumped into hell to save his life.
He had no intention of dragging her into hell again.
“…Already chugging the kimchi soup. I said I haven’t decided.”
“So don’t joi…”
That was when it happened.
Bang!
The door flew open.
“You two, come quick! A mission’s up! A big one!”
Looked like the mission had dropped.
* * *
[Mission (Special)]
[Human-Faced Spider Hunt on Heavenly Peak Mountain]
[Points: 30,000]
[Challengers: Baek So-cheon, Choi Aeng-aeng, Jang Sam]
[Details: Bringing back the Human-Faced Spider’s carapace grants 15,000 points to Baek So-cheon and Choi Aeng-aeng.]
[This mission has been approved by the Elder Council, with the Alliance Leader’s consent.]
[Recipient: Those who interfere with the mission will be torn apart regardless of status, and their families exterminated.]
The warriors buzzed at the mission posters plastered everywhere.
“The Human-Faced Spider of Heavenly Peak Mountain? You mean that monster?”
“Even peak experts go in and come out as corpses…”
“Who the hell are Choi Aeng-aeng and Jang Sam?”
“Jang Sam? That’s the servant, right? Choi Aeng-aeng’s a maid?”
“A maid and servant as challengers? Sending them to die? And the Fifth Young Master…”
“You’re way behind on news, buddy. Didn’t hear? The Fifth Young Master one-shotted the Fourth…”
Right then.
The Fifth Young Master, the maid, and the servant.
Three figures appeared in the distance. The buzzing warriors cleared a path. The three looked at the mission. Of them, only Jang Sam’s face turned ashen.
His hands and feet trembled.
Jang Sam looked their way.
“Wha… Something’s been off since earlier, but why’s my name up there?”
“Jang Sam. You said it yourself earlier. You’re the Young Master’s one loyal servant.”
“No, sis…! That’s different from this!”
“So you’re trying to bail solo?”
“N-No, that’s not…”
Jang Sam felt like he was going insane.
A servant’s prestige follows his master.
The Fifth Young Master had hidden his power!
He’d endured those power-hidden days with tears and hardship.
Finally, after a year, he thought he’d see the light.
‘Human-Faced Spider!’
The Human-Faced Spider of Heavenly Peak Mountain.
A vicious monster known to snap up even peak experts like snacks.
And that wasn’t all?
The mountain was filled with choking poison, sticky webs that peeled skin off your soles in one step.
‘And we’re going to hunt it?’
With just three people?
No, he didn’t count as combat power, so really two.
This was suicide!
Sure, the Fifth Young Master beat the Fourth, but even that Fourth Young Master was questionable if he could touch a hair on the spider. 30,000 points weren’t given lightly!
‘Ahh, so the Alliance Leader’s finally showing his vicious side!’
He’d never even treated the Fifth Young Master like a son. Now he bared his cruel fangs.
Elder Council decisions couldn’t be overturned, not even by the Alliance Leader.
Why? Because the Alliance Leader had to approve the decisions first. He would hardly approve one and then oppose it like a lunatic.
“No one’ll dare interfere, at least.”
Seeing the Fifth Young Master nod calmly with a hum made his blood boil.
“No, Young Master, aren’t you worried at all? This is a death sentence!”
“We’ll see if we live or die when we get there. Let’s go. Lots to prep.”
Kim Minwoo turned casually.
Seo Yerim was the same.
“…Ah, I’m coming too!”
Jang Sam scrambled after them.
No way he could run here.
Either way, he had to follow the two.
* * *
Back at the residence, a familiar face awaited.
The Second Elder.
He handed over a single sword.
[Ghost Sword]
[Grade: Unique]
[Level Limit: 110]
[Effect 1: High chance of inducing hallucinations on hit.]
[Effect 2: Certain chance on swing to summon a wraith to aid in battle.]
[Effect 3: Magic Power +40]
Kim Minwoo whistled at the sight of the sword.
Swords with magic power were rare.
Most didn’t bother making them. Magic users wielding close-range weapons? What for?
No supply, no demand.
Perfect for him, though.
The other two effects were solid too.
Judgment Sword.
He’d crushed a Rare-grade sword to create a Unique one—a miracle.
“Like it?”
“Usable.”
“The Alliance Leader sends it with his regards.”
“Feels like something’s missing.”
“Hoho. Quite the penny-pincher. Here.”
He handed over a martial arts manual.
[Ghost-Slaying Swordsmanship]
Kim Minwoo skimmed through it.
‘Decent enough.’
B-grade martial art.
Something the Alliance Leader could hand out without strain, but not for just anyone.
Exactly that level.
He’d asked for a sword and manual from the Alliance Leader. With both in hand, the deal was done.
“Tell him thanks.”
“Will do.”
The Second Elder nodded, his form blurring.
Seo Yerim, who’d approached unnoticed, eyed it curiously.
“Learning martial arts?”
“Nah, can’t.”
“…With your talent, seems like you could master it in a day if you wanted.”
Nope.
Martial manuals weren’t skillbooks.
More like ‘training guidebooks.’ Follow diligently, and a skill generates eventually.
Timing depended on talent.
With his talent?
He’d die of old age before mastering any.
Didn’t mind.
‘Martial arts frown on learning multiple kinds anyway.’
Even with talent, greed leads to ruin.
Mess up the lineage, and qi deviation hits.
For example.
Learn a Kongtong sect basic, stick to their advanced ones.
To avoid blocks, snag an S-grade top-tier right away.
‘Tough.’
Finding a murim starting stage was issue one.
Getting S-grade there, issue two.
‘Knew it’d be B-grade.’
A or S-grade? Even the Alliance Leader couldn’t hand those out.
Elders would foam at the mouth.
Hunt the Human-Faced Spider to prove worth… maybe then?
‘They won’t give it.’
Hunt it, straight to Dragon-Phoenix Tournament.
How to master high-tier martial arts in days? Better not to.
Better to bribe with first-place prize later.
So no.
Anyway.
This wasn’t for him to learn.
“Jang Sam, come here.”
“You called, sir!”
“Take it.”
“…?”
Jang Sam alternated between the manual and his face.
“You’re giving this to me?”
“Not gonna take it?”
“N-No! I’ll take it! Of course!”
Ghost-Slaying Swordsmanship.
The name alone screamed prestige.
Delivered by an elder personally?
No way it was trash.
All he’d learned was street Taoist breathing and Three Disasters Sword from back alleys.
Basics even mountain village thugs shared!
His eyes spun.
He snatched the manual frantically.
“Ghost-Slaying Heart Method, Ghost-Slaying Steps. Whatever’s in there, memorize it all. We’re heading out to hunt spiders tomorrow. Test starts then. Fail to memorize, you die.”
“Yes, sir! I’ll memorize it!”
Jang Sam shouted boldly.
His one mistake?
Taking “die” too lightly.