Chapter 51: Human-Faced Spider (2)
Skypiercing Mountain.
It would’ve taken ages to get there on foot. So I hired a carriage and hopped in.
[The special mission field within the gate has opened!]
[You can now travel to Skypiercing Mountain!]
A message popped up.
‘Works, huh.’
Travel within the gate wasn’t unlimited in range.
If you went beyond the designated area, it all turned into a gray fog zone.
‘Step in, and you’re done for.’
Out of curiosity, I’d tried it a few times. An endless passage with no exit.
Starved to death in the end.
Anyway.
There were limits to the travel range, and they expanded as the gate’s rank increased.
‘Skypiercing Mountain was originally off-limits.’
Even by carriage, it took a week.
And it was in the exact opposite direction from where the Dragon-Phoenix Conference was held.
So I’d figured it would be blocked. To have every nook and cranny open, you’d need at least A+ rank.
But if you triggered a special gimmick like accepting a mission?
The fog zones cleared.
That’s how I headed to Skypiercing Mountain, stopping every six hours to rest and resupply.
Seo Yerim looked at Kim Minwoo.
“Your skeleton guy. Mind if we spar?”
“You mean Cedric?”
“Yeah. Him.”
“Sure.”
I summoned Cedric.
As Seo Yerim and Cedric began their spar,
I glanced at Jang Sam, huddled in the corner reading a martial arts manual.
“Jang Sam. Memorized it?”
“Kinda, yeah?”
“Recite the key phrases.”
Jang Sam mumbled a few lines, his voice shrinking to an ant’s whisper.
“No good. Time for a beating.”
“… Huh?”
“If your head won’t work, use your body.”
I threw a punch.
Crack!
Sure enough.
Jang Sam’s face caved in under my fist.
Blood streamed from his nose as he shot me a wronged look.
“Hey, hitting me out of nowhere like that…!”
“You could’ve dodged with Ghost Kill Step.”
“… Young Master? It’s only been six hours since you gave me the book?”
“I know. If you’d trained in that time, you’d be living well somewhere decent.”
“But why…”
“No time. Shortcuts only. Here.”
I pulled a decent sword from my inventory and tossed it to him.
“Th-this…”
“It’s yours. Just stab me with it.”
“Huh? You, Young Master?”
“Yeah. Won’t hit anyway, so don’t worry.”
Soon, pig-slaughtering squeals echoed. Jang Sam getting pummeled like a dog. Hard enough to awaken survival instincts.
‘He’ll pick it up eventually.’
That’s how martial arts worked.
Made for fighting in the first place. Real combat was the fastest way to learn. At least up to a certain level.
I tossed a potion at the limp Jang Sam.
“This…”
“Down it in one go.”
Gulp!
Jang Sam’s body recovered in an instant.
“Feeling fresh?”
“Yes! Thought I was dying a minute ago, but now I’m good as new! Thank you, Young Master!”
“No big deal. Round two.”
“…?”
Squeeeal!
* * *
Nearly a week.
Hands-on training really worked. Day one, he crumpled without resistance. Now, he could even counter a bit.
‘Not a total dunce.’
Thought he was just a slacker, but he had some grit.
Decent stamina too.
Overall talent?
‘Mid-to-upper tier?’
Late start, but if he grinded mid-level arts from now, he could go far.
“Usable now.”
“Heh heh, I scrapped in the alleys as a kid. Was a street boss.”
“Good. Won’t die in some roadside inn now. Head down the mountain.”
“… Huh?”
“Down the mountain.”
“Down… the mountain?”
Jang Sam’s eyes trembled.
“With your skills, Heavenly Peak Mountain means death.”
“… Then I wait here?”
“Dragon-Phoenix Conference? Still death.”
“I-I can wait. Stay in the Demonic Alliance…”
“Stay there? Death.”
“…”
“Sam.”
“… Yes, Young Master.”
“Saw the warning on the door. Harm us, your three generations get wiped.”
“Yeah.”
“So no one’s made a move yet. This is your only window to slip out safe.”
“… B-but…”
“At best, an elder watches from afar. Don’t worry. They’ll let you go.”
Clearing the Human-Faced Spider was crucial for the Alliance Leader.
They’d tail for contingencies, obviously.
Probably elder-level at minimum.
Would that elder kill our loyalist over some B-rank arts?
Anyone with foresight would let him live.
Not S or A-rank where leaks are taboo.
No way they’d risk future superstars over one servant.
“Go far. Keep arts low-key, live quiet. Train enough, you’ll rule a region.”
“… Asking you to protect me is too shameless, right?”
“You know it. No faction. Can’t babysit 24/7.”
Gate-met acquaintance or not, Jang Sam had served this rootless Young Master loyally.
Got us info easily.
So.
This was as far as I could go.
Beyond that?
Hinders the clear.
‘Busy surviving myself.’
Dragging him would kill us before mid-zone.
I tossed him a pouch.
“Preserved food, gems inside. Now go.”
“… Thanks for everything, Young Master.”
“Yeah. Good job serving.”
I waved him off while he still knew nothing of the plan. It was the perfect time to let him leave without trouble.
If he learned of sneaking into Ascension?
Couldn’t leave even if he wanted.
Only death frees him.
Better to part amicably. Jang Sam’s figure faded into the distance.
I looked at Seo Yerim.
Past week.
She’d sparred Cedric non-stop en route.
Remembered her taking lots of harsh words.
“Cedric, summon okay?”
“Why ask? Just do it.”
“Didn’t want to bother you.”
“Ha! Not at all.”
“Summoning then.”
“Go ahead.”
I called Cedric.
He eyed her.
―Spar again? Told you, your swordsmanship has no more growth. Shame, but talent’s the divider. Real from fake.
Flinch!
Seo Yerim glared at me.
“… Who you calling scrub. Didn’t summon for me.”
“Yeah. For the Human-Faced Spider. That’s why.”
―Good. Wasting time was annoying.
“…”
Seo Yerim hung her head.
“Hey. Soften up…”
―Blunt’s best now. Or she wastes more time.
“Quiet.”
I smacked his skull.
Cedric kept going.
―Ambition exceeds talent. Seen tons like her. All crumbled. Eaten by bloated egos.
Built-up grudge; his eyes blazed.
He stared at me.
―Master. Not falling for weak comfort. That’s deceit. You know better.
Ah, this jerk.
Really putting me in a spot.
Who doesn’t know?
Already called her trash publicly.
But then and now? Different.
No ties then, and she whined about fails first, so I jabbed.
Now? She’s risking life to help.
‘What now?’
Dismiss him, and it’s just us? Worse.
Icy silence.
Cedric stared at Seo Yerim.
―Advice. Wield sword? Aim no higher. Haste clings to you. Will eat your mind someday.
“Enough. Sword Sage knew too.”
―Sword Sage? Oh, the head guy.
“Yeah. Old man there.”
―He’d say this much. Right?
“…”
She hung her head.
―Get it. Already swordsman, no easy fix. Still, only way I see.
“Got it. Drop it.”
―Fine.
Cedric nodded, relieved, done talking.
Left me screwed.
‘Shit.’
Can we even hunt now?
Awkward as hell.
No weak comfort either.
No answer to it.
‘Job’s set. What to do?’
Five player chars.
Two had job choice: Park Siwoo, Han Sia.
Start screen: ‘Recommended Job’. Pick free since undecided.
Fits sword genius, magic genius: swordsman, mage.
Three-stars up? Jobs fixed from start. Mismatch standard.
Main difficulty spike reason.
Five-star Kim Minwoo.
Unique: zero talent, pure shit luck.
Seo Yerim had talent.
‘Hers is…’
Archery genius.
Bow master.
But job: swordsman.
Silver lining: not Minwoo zero-talent sword level.
Actually high.
Top among Cedric’s ‘fakes’.
‘Aiming higher’s the issue.’
To reach? Drop sword, grab bow.
But job’s swordsman?
Archery possible, but limits galore.
Achievement skills first—all trash now.
Not all?
Future bound skillbooks? Tears every time.
Job-level locked.
No archer skills either.
Why bow for top?
Way exists.
True geniuses create skills sans books.
Han Sia: academy text, magic instant.
Same for her.
No more books, but talent creates.
Practice bow manuals? Becomes skill. Or shoot, skill generates.
Long view: bow for peaks.
But saying now? Hang-ups.
She’s no puppet player.
Full person, ego.
Grandpa’s girl drops sword for bow? Takes well?
No need to stir now, so silent.
‘Planned to someday…’
Achievement points demand it.
Her bow switch? Points flood.
But not this mood.
“Hey.”
“… No comfort. I… know already.”
“No. Not that. Just grab a bow?”
“…?”
“Can’t sword well, so no more hurt. Take up bow.”
Cedric was right.
Weak comfort’s deceit.
Time for straight ball.