EP.8 Level 2 - Do It For Me (4)
Surprisingly, Jeong-ah obeyed me quite obediently. Unless it was a day when I was farming EXP by fucking her, she waited patiently—and sometimes it even seemed like she enjoyed being neglected. So lately, I'd been giving her simple rewards here and there.
Though I have no idea why she sees this as a reward.
Right now, her perception had been altered so she believed she wasn't wearing any clothes. Others might not notice, but I could clearly see how wet she was from reveling in that sensation. This girl is totally insane.
"Manager, want some coffee?"
"I'm good."
Myo Seola had already brought me some earlier. You just keep enjoying your reward.... Even if you thrust out your chest like that's something to be proud of, I can still see your clothes.
"I need to start thinking about leveling up soon."
The EXP itself was almost full, so that wasn't an issue. If I kept tormenting Jeong-ah, it would probably go up eventually.
The real problem comes after leveling up.
From my tests, I could already apply traits to B-rank hunters with my current mana. The issue was that it wasn't enough to torment them persistently.
The mana consumption is way too high.
I'd probably need to hit level 3 to see a real path forward. Even then, I couldn't use mana so lavishly like when playing with Jeong-ah.
"The seniors aren't bullying you lately, are they?"
"Yurim unnie gives me grief sometimes. Honestly, it's kinda lacking...."
Hearing that just makes your senior sound pitiful.... So Yeo Yurim was still bullying her, huh?
I was planning to bury her in work so she couldn't.
No matter how much I blocked, there were limits. Wasn't there a long-term raid dungeon opening somewhere?
"So I'm doing my best to monopolize it all."
"Good job."
If Jeong-ah monopolized the bullying, Myo Seola would be off the hook. By the way, their mock training scores lately were getting suspiciously high.
"But your scores have been good lately? Why's your efficiency up so much?"
"Who knows? Maybe 'cause I'm relieving stress well?"
She used to vent by secretly bullying Myo Seola, but now with more varied fun things to do, she could focus better during practice, she said. But did that even make sense? Sure, stress was the root of all evil, but this much improvement?
"You're bullshitting."
I clutched my head watching her recent practice footage. She was tackling difficulties way beyond her level. I'd have told her not to push it, but after seeing her climax from the pain, I realized why.
"Hehe, I've gotten hooked on high difficulties during training lately...."
"You crazy bitch...."
It was just a case of feeding her masochism and accidentally improving her skills. At least it was a positive side effect. She'd racked up a lot of EXP too, so her trait level would rise soon.
"Okay, get out. Tell Myo Seola to come in."
"Sure."
Now I got why Jeong-ah's growth was so broad. But what about Myo Seola's rapid progress? I needed to figure that out to request maximum support.
"Hold on...."
The access logs were weird as hell. What the fuck?
"You called?"
"Myo Seola, aren't you resting?"
"Huh?"
"No, the training ground logs...."
She'd basically been living there lately. Even more than Jeong-ah, who went just to satisfy her lust. She was even staying past closing for overtime practice every day.
"You'll wreck your body like that."
"Ahaha, most of it's ability control, so it's not taxing."
"Even ability practice is too much."
Myo Seola's ability took the form of special magic. You could tell from her average breast size—it consumed special costs, not just mana. But like all hunters, producing those costs required mana, so prep time was long.
She has to prepare the 'magic tools' as costs in advance.
Once she predefined the tools' mechanisms and manifested them with mana, she could use them without further mana cost. Just look at Yoo Chaerin with her wings—special cost hunters had high burst firepower as a major advantage. The downside was the time sink to stockpile those costs.
"Can I check your recent footage?"
"Which one?"
"Yesterday's."
"Should be fine."
The state-run hunter training grounds had top-tier mana facilities up to low A-rank. Set the difficulty, fight virtual monsters accordingly. It guaranteed some safety, but failing higher difficulties too often could harm your health. If Myo Seola was overdoing it, I'd have to stop her as her manager.
"What the...."
Her combat style had completely changed from when she first hit C-rank. The magic-tool stuff that screamed 'magic' now looked like ordinary objects, blending in mysteriously.
At a glance, like a basic elemental hunter....
But magic tools were interspersed as attack sources. Considering the top C-rank difficulty she cleared flawlessly, she was basically out of C-rank already.
"Clean, no mistakes. Solid firepower too."
I recalled her trait level hadn't risen yet, but she'd grown this much just by changing style?
"You'll hit B-rank soon...."
"Really?"
"Yeah, you're not overdoing it. Insane growth rate."
Of course, endurance mattered for promotion exams, but recycling tools earlier suggested she'd manage. If these two hit B-rank fast, it'd rub it in the seniors' faces.
Took them way longer.
Average overall, sure. But direct juniors rocketing up would invite comparisons.
"Next promotion exam when? Should I apply?"
"No, I need more time."
Unexpected. Thought she'd rush B-rank to dodge bullying. More cautious than I figured?
"Oh, right. Manager."
"Yeah?"
"Free this weekend?"
Suddenly? While I pondered her intent, she noticed my confusion and explained.
"Thanks for the help last time, so dinner on me. And help picking gear if you can."
"Ah."
Yeah, with her growth, gear was timely. And I usually assisted with purchases anyway.
Almost misunderstood as interest in me.
"Problem is, prior commitment this weekend. Let's do a weekday next week."
"That's okay?"
This weekend was with Jeong-ah. Probably EXP farming at her place....
But gear first with her growth.
Jeong-ah getting stronger boosted my farming efficiency—a virtuous cycle. Priorities straight.
"Fine if you file reports right. And no need for dinner—expense it."
"But I want to, to say thanks...."
"Nah, seniors won't even eat with me. Dining with someone like you is reward enough."
How could someone be this nice? The hunters I'd met before....
"Then let me pick the spot."
"Sure. We never do team dinners anyway, so fancy's fine."
If the job nickel-and-dimed there too, I'd have quit. Serving hunters meant generous support for them and their managers.
"Huh?"
"What's up?"
"One sec. New official notice. Probably a dungeon."
Chiaksan Dungeon from before. Wasn't it closed for raiding?
"Ah, additional recruitment."
B-rank+ physical enhancement melee hunter. First-come, first-served due to urgency.
"Next week."
Sudden dropout from the team, probably. Yeo Yurim's schedule would free up—perfect.
Opportunity.
Shove her in, Min Ayoung's left solo. She'd bitch about the suddenness, but double performance pay shut her up. Myo Seola was training nonstop anyway, no issue. Her trait needed little mana; worst case, apply and hide it.
"Application done."
Min Ayoung, you're fucked now.
F F F, this is driving me nuts. Why trouble here of all places?
"Still not leveled?"
"Yeah."
Jeong-ah approached, reeking of sweat from the training ground. No shower there?
"I stink?"
"Think you don't?"
"I do. Good."
"Ah, fuck."
I felt like I'd properly ruined this girl. Probably sniffing herself, anticipating others' reactions for kicks. Not right in the head.
"That's a nuisance, you know."
"Really? Yurim unnie just glared like I was a bug on her way to the dungeon. Felt great."
"Now I pity Yeo Yurim."
Fair, I had no right to say that. I awakened her masochistic nature. But her fast growth was nationally beneficial? Nah....
"Anyway, big problem. You gotta start soon."
"Yeah, time-sensitive."
Planned intense weekend fucking for level up, even delaying gear shopping....
"Why stuck at 99%?"
"Happens. Mine's stuck at 99% from last week."
"You're level 6."
I'm barely 2, hitting a wall already? Ridiculous.
"Everyone hits walls at different levels."
"True, but I've never heard of it at level 2."
Wall. When trait EXP is full but no level up. Requires special insight or conditions—headache city.
No one can tell you how.
Traits similar but never identical, even same name. Same for walls—find your own way over.
"Right, Manager."
"What."
"Reward time."
"What now."
"You said you could briefly perception-shift Ayoung unnie, right?"
"Yeah. Too short though."
Long-term torment or training needed time. Current sustain couldn't hack it.
But why ask suddenly?
"Can you make Ayoung unnie see me as a guy briefly?"
"Why."
"I'll pick a fight."
You're fucking nuts. She hates men—provoke her as one?
"She's sweet to fellow hunters, never bullies. Imagine her blasting me with that fierce fire—bliss."
"Lord...."
First send me to hell for creating this monster. Mercy, please?
"That unnie's coming. Now?"
"Yes."
"Jeong-ah's a woman, but Am I the Only One Uncomfortable?—she should feel you as male, right?"
Mana drained sharply as the trait hit Min Ayoung. Jeong-ah bolted to her and yelled.
"Hey, pussy bitch!"
Fuck?