Parasite Hijack (5): The Kidnapping Commission
After spending the day at Poly Market reorganizing my gear, I set out the next day to fulfill the commission I'd accepted. It was a kidnapping job. The target was a Gold-rank adventurer who apparently visited Layer 3 every weekday to level up and make money. I sent out a squad of skeleton scouts disguised as monsters to search every corner of the labyrinth.
About an hour later, I found her.
"Let's go."
I turned back to the elf sisters, who were in the midst of some heated lesbian play, teasing each other's pussies and breasts with tongues and fingers. Hard to tell if this was a labyrinth or a motel.
The party traveling with the target wasn't weak—all around level 30—but nothing special either, just a standard lineup.
"Still, better safe than sorry..."
I used my summoned skeletons to lure the target and her companions to a remote spot, then collapsed the ceiling with an earthquake spell. Rena and Ray cleared the rubble, and as the enemies crawled out, we sniped them one by one with arrows and magic. In the end, it was easy enough to take out everyone except the target.
"You... what the hell are you?!"
The red-haired girl—the target—stared at me in shock, realizing her attacker was another adventurer.
"Some noble wants you."
At my words, something seemed to click for the red-haired girl.
"What? That bastard Valgenhart...? You think I'll cower because he's pulling this shit? I'd rather bite my tongue off and die than marry that creep!"
Even in this situation, she didn't back down, shouting defiantly. No wonder, whatever the story was. Valgenhart was probably the client—a noble who'd set his sights on her, got rejected flat-out, and now wanted her by force. As she said, all he'd get was a corpse. But he was the client, and it was a pity, so maybe I'd lend a hand.
Oblivion
I raised my staff and cast the black magic spell. The effect was temporary memory loss and status debuff. But repeated casts could make it permanent. I could suggest extra pay to the client later and decide then.
"Ah..."
The red-haired girl's face went blank as she dropped her head. Commission complete, for now.
"Time to head back."
As I reached for a return scroll, footsteps echoed. Soon, a group appeared from the shadows ahead. They looked a bit shady.
This encounter felt too natural—not like we'd just bumped into each other. More like they'd been waiting for this exact moment.
"Hey, you. That girl's our target. Piss off now, and we'll let you live."
Fishermen, then—lurking to swoop in. They'd scouted us: two mages and an archer. Perfect timing when fighting or fleeing was awkward.
I quickly checked their status windows.
Pretty strong. And numbers: 3 to 4. ...No choice, then.
Soul Capture
I thrust my hand forward and murmured. Light burst out, enveloping the men ahead.
"Ugh... what, flash magic?!"
"They wanna fight? C'mon, boys!"
The men drew their weapons—then started stabbing and attacking each other.
"Gah?! What the fuck, you traitor!"
"No! M-my body's moving on its own...!"
"I don't even know who to attack!"
Chaos erupted as party members turned on each other in panic. Soul Capture had inflicted area-wide confusion. Simple, but devastating in the right spot. Your allies suddenly attacking? You'd freak. Plus, the app's powers were detached from this world's standard magic—no cast time, no mana cost, and resistance didn't matter; it hit full force. A scene like this was child's play.
Rena and Ray poured on the attacks in the opening. Result: easy wipe. Levels up, too.
"Talking big in front of Papa? Look at you now."
"Idiot♥ Moron♥ Loser♥"
Rena and Ray giggled as they stomped the fallen men, looking down.
"Enough playing. Loot them. Bags'll be full again. We'll hit Poly Market right after settling the commission."
"Yes, Papa♥"
Wonder if there's anything good for me. I turned to pick up the drops—then spotted a shimmer nearby. Like cloaked enemies in StarCraft.
I'd played too many games like that to miss it. Instinctively, I cast a protective barrier.
Sure enough, the hidden assailant struck.
"Tch... sharp senses."
The attacker clicked her tongue, muttering. As I counterattacked, she deftly parried my staff and leaped back.
"Papa?!"
Rena and Ray whipped around in alarm. The assailant was a silver-haired dark elf in leather armor. I checked her status.
Name: Sylvia. Class: Thief, as expected. Level 68—the highest I'd seen yet.
"Who the hell are you?! Attacking Papa? You think you'll get away with that?!"
"I'll kill you!"
Rena and Ray shouted in fury. Sylvia's lips curled into a grin, then she burst out laughing.
"Ahaha! Elves calling an undead 'Papa'? Pathetic—love it. Stuck-up elves like you deserve to get mind-controlled and turned into limbs."
Elf-dark elf bad blood held true here, too.
"Man, I'm lucky. This is a four-birds-one-stone deal. Slay an evil lich like it's righteous, claim the bounty, grab the loot, sell those pathetic elves for 100k G. I can slack off for months."
Bounty, huh. On me? I recalled the low-level punk who'd picked a fight at the Hunter Guild commission desk. He'd offered 100k G offhand—must be loaded. Him, probably.
"Ugh, hate undead. No emotions on your face. Way more fun slicing terrified prey."
Sylvia crossed her daggers. Gleaming unique-grade at least—maybe legendary. Couldn't let her go.
Curse of Ruin
I cast the curse on Sylvia. No effect.
"Fool. Think magic or black magic works on a dark elf?"
She charged, dagger aimed at my skull. I parried neatly with my staff and counterattacked.
"Ngh...?!"
She seemed shocked a mage could match her speed. She didn't know about Succumea Support boosting my stats. But I was surprised too. One person's buffs weren't enough? Fine—double up.
Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang.
"What the—?! You're no battle mage... how are you this fast and strong?!"
Sylvia barely deflected, yelling in shock. Two sets of stats made it manageable.
"I'll help, Papa!"
"Me too!"
Rena and Ray flanked her. Boosted by my enhanced stats, they punched way above their levels.
"Tch... stronger than they look. Gotta retreat...!"
Sylvia gritted her teeth. Like hell.
Bind
I swung my staff wide, disrupting her stance, then cast. This game's magic scaled with intellect. My overwhelming stats pierced her resistance.
It landed perfectly.
"My body... won't move...!"
Level Drain
Black magic on the immobilized Sylvia. Level Drain—an advanced spell sucking experience points.
"Ha? As if that works on me. Level Drain's for weaklings..."
"You're weak. To me, right now."
She looked incredulous, but as it activated and EXP flowed, horror set in.
"Wh... why...?"
I drained mass EXP, staff aimed at her. By the time Bind wore off, my level surpassed hers.
This was real farming.
"You... stole my levels...! I'll make you pay for this humiliation!"
Sylvia fumbled for a scroll to flee. Before she could activate it—
"Where you going? Inferior breed."
"Black skin doesn't make you talk big."
Rena and Ray closed in, grabbed her, and slammed her down.
"Gah...!"
"Time for a beating first?"
"Sis has a point."
And they gleefully started pummeling her.