Hunter's Casino Infiltration (2)
We got into the casino faster than expected. It was because the woman, when lending us the money, had suggested first that since she wouldn't charge interest, how about trying a job at the casino.
Our goal was the casino anyway, so we immediately accepted her proposal. That's why Minji and I are now dressed as bunny girls. It's more uncomfortable to wear than I thought.
"Ugh... I never imagined I'd end up wearing something like this..."
Minji was twisting and turning beside me, checking out her bunny girl outfit. Honestly, I'd never even dreamed of wearing such a lewd getup in my life. And how did that woman prepare outfits that fit us perfectly without knowing our sizes? The fabric feels oddly unique, too. It's like... it's alive or something. I can't quite put it into words.
It fits my chest perfectly, too. Any bigger and it'd spill out; any smaller and it wouldn't go on. A perfect size.
"Sisters~ All dressed? Oh my, you look amazing~ Shall we head to the casino then?"
We followed the woman into the car and headed to the casino. We arrived quicker than expected and went straight to the staff room.
Once there, we saw women dressed in bunny girl outfits.
"Oh? Manager's here? New hires, huh?"
"Yeah~ What do you think? Pretty enough to make it, right?"
"They're gorgeously pretty. Killer figures too. They're gonna succeed for sure."
This woman seems to be called the manager here. But what are they talking about? Make it? Succeed? Unable to hold back her curiosity, Minji spoke up.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Oh~ You'll find out soon enough. This way."
As we went deeper into the staff room, a door that screamed "high-ranking person inside" awaited us. When we opened it and entered, another woman was waiting.
Do all the casino staff happen to be women?Up to this point, aside from the customers, I hadn't seen a single male employee. The curious thing was that this woman sitting ahead of us was also in a bunny girl outfit, just like us. Why would someone high up wear the staff uniform?
"Sis~ I'm here!"
"Come on in, Manager. You brought two newbies?"
"What do you think? Pretty, right?! Enough to pass?"
"It's not just about being pretty, I keep telling you."
"That's 'cause you won't tell us the criteria~ And all the ones who passed were super pretty anyway!"
"Let me check for a sec."
The bunny girl woman approached us, placed her hands on Minji's and my stomachs, and closed her eyes.
"Good. Both of you pass."
"Whoa! Really? Yay~"
"Hey, I can't keep up—what the hell is going on? Can someone explain?"
Frustrated, Minji asked the two women, and the bunny girl replied.
"I'll keep it simple. You're not gonna work like the other girls. You're headed to the VIP casino."
"Pardon?"
"VIPs are pretty picky. So we only take girls who meet the conditions."
I exchanged glances with Minji. Things were moving way too fast. Unnaturally so. But even if it got dangerous, Minji and I could escape anytime with our abilities, so no worries.
"What are the conditions for VIP?"
"Hmm... That's a secret. Like the manager said, being pretty is step one."
The bunny girl woman sat back down and gestured for us to sit too.
"You can go now, Manager. Good work. I'll throw in a fat bonus."
"Sweet~ Got it~ Bye, pretty sisters~ Fighting!"
"Alright, now I'll explain your jobs. You can call me Madam."
The woman called Madam began explaining step by step. First, the bunny girl outfits.
"Don't ever take off these bunny girl outfits in the casino. Think of them as your safety device."
"Safety device?"
"Honestly, VIPs are dangerous. They're all tops in their fields, egomaniacs, and idiots. Lose a game or piss them off, and it's chaos."
Madam picked up a dagger from her desk and, in a flash, thrust it toward her own chest.
The sharp dagger failed to pierce the bunny girl outfit and was stopped cold.
"We can subdue VIPs causing trouble, but not block attacks in that instant. So never take off the outfit. It'll protect you."
"But it barely covers anything—will it really be okay?"
As Minji said, the bunny girl outfit had minimal coverage. It looked better than high-end hunter gear, but only barely covering the upper body limited its utility.
"Don't worry. Watch—hup!"
Mana flowed from the bunny girl outfit, forming a magical barrier that blocked the dagger aimed at her face.
This insane outfit even had that function?
"And it'll protect from sexual harassment too. Officially, they can't touch staff, but few obey that."
She sighed that even half-killing the perverts doesn't stop them.
"Now the most important part: never enter places marked 'No Entry.' Stick to the staff room, restrooms, and gaming areas in the VIP zone. Got it?"
Madam looked at us alternately with a serious expression, hiding a pleading undertone.
"Something happen?"
"Stay in those areas, and you're safe. But honestly? This place is dangerous. The VIP zone is extremely dangerous."
Madam sighed and continued.
"Curious staff who ignore rules and wander off... quite a few go missing."
It's always like this—tell someone not to do something, and they want to. Especially since we came to find out.
"So no funny business, okay?"
We nodded to Madam. Not exactly agreement, though.
After that, we learned the jobs in detail. As newbies, just serving, seating, basic service stuff.
==
Minji and I are in the VIP staff room now. We had a chance to check out the existing staff, and something felt off. Like we were missing something.
What is it? Why do these few staff feel so familiar?Minji felt it too and spoke first.
"The staff here. They're all ability users."
"What? Wait, you mean those people from earlier."
Her words hit me—what I'd overlooked. All the VIP staff are ability users. Some were definitely hunters I'd glimpsed at the Hunter Association.
Why work here? There has to be more.
Preparations done, we entered the VIP area. A massive hall hit us first. Giant chandelier, about 30 people, and bunny girls supporting them.
We worked normally when a man entered the VIP zone.
Kwon Yong-jin the hunter?
The hottest A-rank hunter lately, Kwon Yong-jin, entering a backworld casino VIP zone.
Minji spotted him too and shot me a look. Being in the backworld doesn't make you a villain, but VIP means not a goody-two-shoes. Most here are the worst villains.
As Kwon Yong-jin entered, most villains stood and bowed 90 degrees.
What the hell is Kwon Yong-jin's deal?!
The backworld's worst villains bowing politely to him? Egomaniacs at that?
Black Tree Guild connection? Or solo act?
VIP entry, then Kwon Yong-jin's appearance flooded me with info. Overmind, Kwon Yong-jin hunter, missing bunny girls. No-entry zones too. Gotta piece it together one by one.
As Kwon Yong-jin accepted the greetings and headed for the boldly marked "No Entry" door—
"Haa~hup!"
Time Stop
Everything turned black and white. Nothing but me moved a muscle.
My ability, Time Stop. Looks OP, but conditions make it tricky. First, lasts only as long as I hold my breath. Second, can't interact with anything during it—no moving objects, hitting, nothing. Can't open closed doors or tear paper. Half-baked time stop.
But my body moves freely, so that's a plus.
I held my breath and slipped through the door Kwon Yong-jin had opened. Double-checked him holding it—no mistake, definitely Kwon Yong-jin.
The no-entry area was a normal room, like an office. But a weird door caught my eye. This side faces where I came from—why a door here? Impossible layout.
Probably leads underground. Gotta sneak back later.
I stuck an invisible sticker from Minji's Coordinate Designation on the floor.
Sticker allows teleport anytime. Downside: only one at a time.
With my Time Stop and Minji's, great synergy.
Plan: return at dawn. Breath running out, I quickly exited.
Swoosh... I didn't notice Kwon Yong-jin's eyes move.