The Red Moon's Horde
Ma Dong-cheol nodded, agreeing with Jang Su-ho's words. He smacked his lips and glanced at Yoo Ji-sung.
"Our leader's right. It was an entertaining story, but the Tower's still hell. Even if it's changed, that won't. You might be different from us, but you'd best not let your guard down."
"Oppa’s both right. Still, I think you could handle up to the twentieth floor without much trouble, Ji-sung oppa. What good are barriers and tricks when one spell from you would turn every monster that was protecting them into enemies hunting them down instead?" Jeong A-reum said, her lips pursed in a pout.
She had been listening intently to Ma Dong-cheol's tale alongside Yoo Ji-sung, and the sudden break in the story left her disappointed. Yoo Ji-sung merely smiled at their words. Ma Dong-cheol nodded vigorously at Jeong A-reum's remark.
"I was thinking the same thing! The story was just so well spun because you're that strong! Whether you let your guard down or not, you'd grind everything to dust anyway!"
Kid. He's just trying to worm his way back into the conversation. Still, he's got an eye for talent. Thought his head was all muscle, but maybe not.
Ma Dong-cheol's quick glance at Jang Su-ho made his intentions obvious. Yet there was genuine admiration in his words, and even if it was partly an excuse, it felt good. Yoo Ji-sung shook his head, still smiling.
"No, I'm still far from ready. Since my life depends on it, I can't afford to be careless. I need to keep preparing."
"Good mindset. Carelessness in the Tower means death. Remember that."
"I'll keep it close to heart."
Jang Su-ho nodded, satisfied. Ma Dong-cheol let out an awkward cough at the sight.
"Well… if you stuck with us, you wouldn't need to worry about that. I'd be feeding you fresh experience every day—boom, boom! As a veteran, I could really help you out. Are you seriously not thinking about it?"
"Not yet. The more I grow, the greedier I get. I'm curious how far I can go on my own."
"Hngh… I suppose someone like you would think that way. A rare magic class, maybe even a unique job. No, it has to be unique. Your growth rate is abnormal. Once A-reum catches up in levels, no one would stand a chance against you."
Figured I couldn't hide it forever.
Master of the Tower. That title described both Yoo Ji-sung and his current class. Unlike rare jobs anyone could obtain through effort, the Master of the Tower was a unique job only one person in the entire Tower could hold. Among unique jobs, it ranked at the very top—the Tower class.
He didn't just guess unique job from the growth difference alone. My skills resemble magic and spirit arts but follow a different path, so he assumed it was unique. Jang Su-ho probably thinks the same.
Jeong A-reum tilted her head, still uncertain, but soon wore the same expression as the others. Yoo Ji-sung only shrugged and offered no explanation. Revealing that his job was Master of the Tower could turn the three of them—and eventually every Conqueror—into his enemies.
"Um… I'm grateful you think so highly of my job. But while I'm growing, so are the rest of you. Saying no one could stand against me feels like an exaggeration."
"Even so, they'll only close the gap. They won't overtake you. Right?"
"Who knows?"
"Hahaha! Your mouth says maybe, but your eyes say yes!"
Ma Dong-cheol laughed heartily. Yoo Ji-sung neither confirmed nor denied it. Jeong A-reum muttered, genuinely disappointed.
"Honestly, I thought if it was you, Ji-sung oppa, you could climb the Tower alone. I figured you'd need time to reach the twentieth floor, though… traveling together would be hard, wouldn't it?"
"That's enough, both of you. You're putting Ji-sung in a difficult spot."
Jang Su-ho stepped in. The other two shot him reproachful looks, but he simply sipped the tea he'd brewed over the campfire, set the cup aside, and turned to Yoo Ji-sung.
"You had first watch tonight. Can you manage? If you're too tired—"
"No, I've got enough stamina left for watch duty."
"If you say so. You know your own condition best. Let's get some rest. You two, apologize to him. We don't know when we'll meet again, but there'll be plenty of chances to climb together. Besides, we agreed to travel together until the eleventh floor. No point burdening him when we don't even know how far we'll go."
At Jang Su-ho's words, Ma Dong-cheol and Jeong A-reum looked sheepish. They had grown close to Yoo Ji-sung, and the thought of him leaving soon stung. Their earlier remarks, born of that reluctance, had clearly put pressure on him. Yoo Ji-sung answered their apologies with a smile and watched as the three lay down to sleep.
Once their snoring filled the air, Yoo Ji-sung let out a quiet sigh.
Parties really are a hassle sometimes.
He had joined them to accelerate his growth. That goal had been partially met, yet it still wasn't enough. Their synergy made it hard to discard them even now. They would become the weapons he needed to take revenge on Markrun.
Once we reach the eleventh floor, I'll be free again.
After ten years alone, he had forgotten what it meant to form a party and climb together. Different people with different goals required constant adjustment. It was entertaining, but the discomfort from those ten years outweighed the fun.
Tch. Guess this really doesn't suit me.
Even when he tried to blend in as a party member, they felt like tools. He felt no genuine attachment—only calculations on how best to use them efficiently. His initial effort to get close had been nothing more than a means to make them easier to exploit later.
Something inside him was broken. He was certain of it, yet it didn't matter.
They were never meant to match me anyway. Too kind. Too naive.
They truly didn't fit with him. There had been a time when he himself was kind and naive. Yoo Ji-sung tried to recall when that had been.
Even when my sister was hospitalized with an incurable disease and we racked up enormous debt, I still had hope. Even when my parents died paying it off, even when I worked under loan sharks to cover the bills and her hospital fees…
But life wasn't a drama or movie that ended in a happy ending. In the end, his sister died too, and Yoo Ji-sung could no longer bear the spiraling debt. From that moment on, he had to change. If he wanted to survive.
What a dreary story.
Yoo Ji-sung shrugged and opened the eleventh-floor display. Not far from their location, Lee Jin-ho was swinging his sword in training.
One or two days away? That party would suit him better. Though that damn personality of his needs fixing first.
A picture formed in Yoo Ji-sung's mind: the four of them traveling together. Adding Lee Jin-ho's offensive power to the defensive trio would create perfect balance. If he himself joined, it would be flawless—but first, a prerequisite had to be met. At the very least, when Lee Jin-ho hit his limit, the trio needed to be on the same floor.
That depends on how I lead them. For now, getting them to know each other is the priority. At least if they recognize one another, it'll be easier to bring them together later.
"Roa."
Yoo Ji-sung called out to Roa with cold eyes. To exact revenge on Markrun, he began turning the gears in his mind once more, weaving new plans.
* * *
"Buddy! Monsters seem especially scarce today."
"They do. It looks like they've all moved somewhere."
"Tch. I already gave up on levels, but nothing beats hunting for raising skill proficiency. If we're thinking about the future, we need to grind that up. Plus, without magic stones, how are we supposed to buy food and supplies? This is a real problem if we want to keep climbing!"
"Honestly, I'm more worried about something else."
Jeong A-reum looked at Ma Dong-cheol, who was resting against a tree. He met her gaze, puzzled. She sighed.
"You're such a simpleton."
"Well, give me a hint so I can at least try to guess! You say you're worried about something else, but how am I supposed to know what it is?"
"Shut up."
Jeong A-reum frowned at the sight of Ma Dong-cheol's reddening face. His already rough features looked even more menacing when flushed, but she merely rubbed her ears as if she'd seen this countless times before. She sighed again and continued.
"Honestly, no village has as many monsters gathered as Marin. If that guy who cleared the tutorial first and the other parties in Marin weren't strong, we would've had to abandon the village and run right away."
"You mean they've combined their forces."
"As expected of Ji-sung oppa!"
Jeong A-reum clapped, looking relieved. Ma Dong-cheol tilted his head.
"Didn't they just run away because we slaughtered so many of them?"
"Even after reading the quest, that's what you think? Of course not. The number of villages they'll attack hasn't decreased—if anything, it's increased."
"While we're resting here, other parties somewhere are probably fighting an enormous number of monsters. Way more than we can imagine."
"Exactly."
Jeong A-reum nodded. Only then did Ma Dong-cheol's expression turn serious. He stroked his chin, deep in thought, then spoke up.
"If A-reum's right, we've got a problem. Su-ho hyung! See anything from up there?"
"Wait."
At Ma Dong-cheol's shout, Jang Su-ho's voice drifted down from above. He had climbed a tree to scout and was now pulling a telescope from his inventory. He peered through it in one direction.
"A monster horde. Roughly five hundred."
"Damn it. We might need to find another party and hunt together."
"And I see one Conqueror."
"W-what?!"
"Oppa?!"
Ma Dong-cheol and Jeong A-reum cried out in shock. Jang Su-ho stowed the telescope and leaped down from the tree.
"A man holding a sword. He was fighting the monsters."
"We have to help! A-reum! Buddy!"
"I'm ready!"
"I'm prepared too. Shall we go?"
Yoo Ji-sung tightened his gloves, signaling he was ready. Five hundred against one. It was an absurd fight they now had to join. Yet Yoo Ji-sung showed no trace of anxiety—only calm confidence. The trio couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. As veterans, they felt pathetic for appearing more shaken than their junior. Jang Su-ho's eyes, once faintly conflicted, cooled into resolve. At the same moment, Ma Dong-cheol and Jeong A-reum's gazes sharpened as well.
"Let's move."
"Good. Let's hurry!"
"I'm with you!"
Yoo Ji-sung watched the trio charge ahead with interest. They were rushing straight into what was clearly a death trap. Though they had wavered for a moment, they quickly regained their composure. A faint smile tugged at his lips.
These guys… they'll definitely be useful.
That was what he needed when fighting Markrun. Markrun possessed overwhelming power, so words alone wouldn't suffice. Only those strong in both body and mind could endure a battle against him. In Yoo Ji-sung's eyes, they would prove invaluable against such foes.