Kiss (1)
Another week slipped by. It wasn't particularly meaningful. I hadn't entered Babel at all, just wasted time training.
"Guess it's time to head into the tower and make some money."
With about a week left, I needed to get in there quick and farm some items.
"Yeah? Good luck then. Don't get too bummed out!"
Why was Master acting like this, as if she didn't care if I paid off the debt? I needed to knock her down a peg.
I headed straight for Babel floor 16.
You do not meet the entry requirements for Floor 16.
But right as I tried to enter Babel, some message window popped up and blocked me.
"What the hell!"
Entry requirements not met? What kind of ridiculous bullshit was this?
It was so absurd I couldn't even get mad—just stood there dumbfounded.
Condition: You must form a party of at least 5 members.
The tea party of Floor 16's ruler, Count Lanitello, cannot be held without at least 5 people gathered.
Now it made sense why I couldn't enter—I hadn't formed a party.
I've cleared everything solo so far. And now they want me to make a party?
Just thinking about it made me want to puke. For someone like me with social anxiety vibes, the idea alone churned my stomach.
What now? I'd teamed up once before to test the waters, but never since.
"What? Why're you back already?"
I trudged back empty-handed, and Master greeted me with a shit-eating grin.
"You know exactly what happened."
"Of course. Gotta be the floor 16 entry condition, right? Tough break. That's the one loners can't get into."
Damn it! She knew this was coming. Master chuckled like she found my misery adorable, then ruffled my hair mercilessly.
"I won't say it's hard to find a party right away, since you know that already. But disciple... you've only got a week left? You can pay it off in that time, right? If not, I'll have to collect fairly per the contract."
"Urk!"
"No helping it."
This wasn't just about the contract—it was a matter of trust between people.
If I kept dodging the debt repayment, stalling with my body as payment... what would she think of me? If I were her, I'd see myself as less than animal scum.
That thought snapped me awake.
"Fiiiine... I'll pay it off somehow, even if I have to grind other floors!"
"Good luck~"
I dove straight back into Babel and beat down every elf and goblin in sight.
"Not people, huh..."
I raided a goblin village, mowing down the horde, and scored a few items.
Just a bunch of junk dropped! I could've sworn good stuff came out before.
No. There's still time left.
I upped the difficulty and challenged the Elf Forest Ruins.
"Urgh... don't make me look bad— just die already."
"That's the plan anyway!"
Fighting elves was easier than before. I'd beaten them once already.
No EXP, but... my skills are sharpening.
My level was too high now—no EXP from clearing floors—but I could feel my actual prowess improving.
Basic stamina first off. A sword's just a hunk of metal weighing a couple kilos, but swinging it without technique? Impossible.
That's why in medieval Europe, skilled swordsmen were rare. No wonder regular infantry stuck to spears.
...No real gains amid all that.
"Why the hell do elves even have goblin crap?!"
"Hmph, goblins are forest critters too!"
"Bullshit!"
My skills had improved, sure. But the problem? No worthwhile items.
I wasn't even dreaming of Unique—just a Rare to sell for cash.
[You shall not return alive!]
After facing the floor 15 boss, I sliced it down way faster than before. That massive bear whose hide shrugged off my strikes? Easy pickings now.
And what did I get...?
"What kinda goblin hauls around this much bling!?"
The worst. My head spun. Farming had gone great before—why now...?
Did Master secretly curse me? Nah, I knew she wouldn't, but this was too bad.
Head back for now.
One day wasted, but six left. I'd snag a Rare and sell it in that time...
Ryu Ga-eul smirked at her sweat-drenched disciple shuffling back.
He's trying so hard. Adorably futile.
To the Sword Saint, everything this tasty little shit did was pointless flailing.
Once you'd cleared a floor, good items dropping again? Near-miraculous.
If that worked, why bother climbing higher? Players would just squat on floor 40 and farm like bots.
Babel's constellations thrived on players' struggles. They didn't want stagnation or repetition—they craved unique stories to entertain them.
Stick around one spot? Get nothing.
His rapid growth backfired. Lower level, and he might've scored something decent.
Park Hyunwoo's level was freakish after soloing to floor 15. Monstrous kill count, hogging all that EXP.
All per Ryu Ga-eul's design.
Heh, thinks I loaned those items carelessly? Dumbass.
Explosive growth to corner him with no escape. Beautiful cycle...
She couldn't hide her excitement.
But faster than I figured.
One curveball: his growth was insanely quick. Two months to level 15, floor 16.
Took me six months for 15—even with a master. This is ridiculous.
No worries, though. Higher floors meant tougher mobs; his explosive gains would stall.
"Disciple, you look glum."
"Urgh..."
"No loot? Happens to everyone. You probably don't know, but players make bank sometimes—other times, they come back empty-handed. Par for the course."
The Sword Saint sidled up under pretense of comfort.
Thick sweat stench hit her nose. Dizzying for a sec, but she gripped her sanity and pressed on.
Driving me nuts... Getting harder to hold back.
Incubus set's effects made Park Hyunwoo's body reek of pure sex appeal, growing stronger.
Clueless, Ryu mistook it for her patience fraying—teasing her cute disciple barely held her at bay.
Could make an excuse and devour him if I wanted... Haaa, no. Kills the mood.
If that was the play, she'd have done it from the start. But it'd be no different from buying a guy in the red-light district.
Knowing that, she hadn't bedded Park Hyunwoo.
"M-Master, I'll get the money soon. Just a bit more time...!"
"Only six days left."
"Th-That's six whole days! Plenty of time for an Epic to drop!"
"Told you before—selling items takes time."
"Ah!"
Not six days left—six days max.
Park Hyunwoo finally grasped how screwed he was.
Two weeks minimum to sell. Means I need items two weeks ago...
Fail that? No cash to pay up.
"Ah!"
"Six days left. Till our first kiss."
"..."
"Can't wait."
She murmured, arousal plain as day.