Chapter 22
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Don't Get the Wrong Idea
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"Hmm."
I turned the red crystal in my hand this way and that.
[Karma Crystal]
A lump of karma accumulated by the Hailon pack from Stage 1-1 as they hunted humans.
The description said it 'enhances or mutates the effects of skill cards.'
A sort of random gacha pull.
But given the material, my gut told me it wouldn't end up like some basic enhancement scroll from a two-bit game.
'Worst case, I break even.'
I pulled a skill card from my bag.
[Mud Bog Creation]
The most useless normal card dropped by the Corrupted Amalgamation, the Stage 1-1 boss.
'Of course, it depends on how you use it.'
Still, it was just a normal-grade card.
I figured nothing worse than this could come out.
"Let's see if we strike gold or step in shit."
I set the card down and smashed the crystal right on top without hesitation.
Tsssseee—
Fragments from the shattered crystal flowed onto the card's surface, sizzling like a hot iron branding flesh.
At the same time, the air grew chillingly heavy, and the damp humidity of the swamp began swirling toward my hand.
"O-oh, Big Brother...? What's that?"
Park Yumin, watching from the side, flinched and took a step back.
It wasn't just glowing.
Dark red currents burst from the crystal, coiling around the card like chains, and it started emitting horrific screams.
- Die! Die, you rat bastards!
- Kraaaack!
Not hallucinations.
The dying cries of the Hailons I'd killed in the last stage, mixed with the vengeful wails of their countless victims, drilled into my eardrums.
"Ugh..."
Lee Seo-ah's face went pale, and Yuriel turned ashen, clamping her hands over her ears and collapsing.
For her especially, hearing her former master's voice in this moment must have been pure trauma.
But I didn't bat an eye.
If anything, I liked this ominous energy.
'This could turn into one hell of an attack skill.'
Bang!
Moments later, a red flash engulfed my vision before fading.
There had been a drab brown card on the ground before.
Now, a black-bordered card illustrated with blood-red thorny vines lay there.
[Blood-Drinking Blackthorn (Unique)]
- Bow-only skill.
- Grants arrows an absolute penetration effect that ignores 20% of the target's physical and magical defense. (Effect increases with target's Karma value.)
- On hit, black thorns explode, binding the target in absolute restraint for 2 seconds and sealing mobility and evasion skills.
- Warning! Skill activation consumes 5% of caster's max HP. (However, 50% of consumed HP is recovered if the bound target dies.)
"...Ha."
A sigh slipped out.
The joy of pulling a Unique lasted a moment; the more I read the options, the tighter my brow furrowed.
'What a mixed bag.'
For a Unique, it felt oddly underwhelming.
20% defense ignore? Better than nothing, but not overwhelming.
And the 5% HP cost risk. That's death after just 20 shots. Even recovering on kills leaves a 2.5% loss.
But the biggest issue was.
'Bow-only.'
I couldn't use it.
For someone who lived by close-quarters combat and speed, a bow was just cumbersome junk.
'Options scream PvP though.'
Mobility seal and absolute bind.
Perfect for pinning down slippery bastards and beating them senseless.
Especially since the effect scaled with Karma.
Could be a one-shot on mass murderers.
But.
'Who do I give this to? Her?'
I turned to the elf still huddled on the ground, frozen in terror.
To this coward who shook at eye contact, let alone killing?
"...".
[‘?????’ takes interest in your creation.]
[‘?????’ begins observing your actions.]
'Question marks?'
Who the hell keeps popping up like this without revealing themselves?
Infuriating as hell, pouring oil on the fire.
"Tch. Shitty luck on the first gacha."
A Unique I couldn't use, but too good to toss.
Only one option left.
"Yuriel. Get up."
"Y-yes, Master...!"
She dragged herself up, eyes brimming with tears.
I tossed the freshly made Unique card at her.
"Take it. It's yours."
"...Huh?"
Her eyes went wide.
A dumbstruck look, like she couldn't process it.
Tongue clicking in frustration, I rummaged in my bag for the items I'd saved.
The tutorial hidden reward [Forgotten Marksman's Leather Gloves (Magic)].
And the [Windbone Bow (Rare)] and quiver from the ones who'd tried to kill me in Stage 1-1.
"Wh-what...?"
"You said you know how to shoot a bow, right? I believe you."
"I-I do... b-but all this to me...?"
Her hands trembled like aspen leaves.
A master arming a slave. With Magic, Rare, and now even a Unique skill card.
Impossible in her worldview.
"Th-thank you...".
Her face was ghostly white.
Gratitude? No, pure terror.
The weight of holding items more precious than her own life.
Fear of what punishment awaited any mistake or failure to meet expectations shook her eyes.
"M-Master... I'm not a combat slave though..."
She couldn't even grip the bow properly.
"What, too heavy?"
"N-no! It's just... am I worthy of this? If I lose it or break it..."
"Then pay with your life. Simple, right?"
"...!?"
She flinched, clutching the bow to her chest.
That was the right reaction.
Slaves needed clear fear of failure, not misplaced thanks. That's what made them cling desperately.
"Don't get the wrong idea."
Her body stiffened at my low growl.
"I'm not handing this out of pity."
I looked down coldly and continued.
"I don't need dead weight in my party. Gotta earn your keep to eat, right? So prove yourself if you wanna live."
"Ah..."
She equipped the gear with shaking hands and registered the skill card.
Still pale. The terror of being discarded for any slip-up crushed her.
'Yeah, that's the face.'
I stepped closer.
Time to burn it in: who this power was for, and where to use it.
"Hey. Yuriel."
"Y-yes, Master!"
I leaned down to her ear.
Whispering low enough that the others couldn't hear, chillingly cold.
"So."
"...?"
"If I'm in danger, spam that skill till you're drained dry and withered. Save me."
"...!"
"Got it? That's an order."
Her body froze like stone.
Not just kill enemies.
A ruthless command to burn herself as a disposable shield for her master.
But slaves had no say.
Lips quivering, eyes mixing terror and absolute obedience, she nodded.
"...Yes. I'll keep it in mind."
"Good."
I finally straightened, satisfied.
The Blood Oath Stone bound her life, but nothing beat this direct indoctrination for safety.
I turned to Lee Seo-ah and Park Yumin.
"...".
Both stared tensely.
They hadn't heard the last part, but they'd seen how I handled Yuriel—and what happened to those who didn't earn their keep.
No need for words.
My gaze was warning enough.
'They'll figure it out.'
I turned and led the way without lingering.
"Time to move."
The forest air grew strangely heavy.
The three women's gazes intertwined on one spot, but none voiced their thoughts.
Lee Seo-ah gripped her shield tighter.
Her knuckles whitened, mirroring her turmoil.
'A Unique skill...'
She bit her lip.
300 million. The fortune she'd poured out to survive this hell.
'I'm a partner.'
That's how she wanted to see herself.
Not baggage, but a comrade deserving fair treatment.
Yet the party's key firepower went to some unproven, ragged otherworld slave.
'Dangerous. What if that elf turns on us? And why should I get treated worse than a slave?'
Wrapped in rational doubt, but rooted in plain jealousy and insecurity.
But she couldn't speak up.
Han Yujin's ruthlessness in the tutorial was absolute. Questioning him meant instant exile from the group—a fear that smothered reason.
Meanwhile.
'This is bad.'
Park Yumin sensed crisis on instinct.
She might seem airheaded, but her survival instincts were feral-sharp.
Until now, her role was the party's 'sole ranged DPS' and 'cute little sister.'
Han Yujin tolerated her quirks and kept her around, securing her survival.
But that elf.
Ditching rags for proper gear drew the eye.
Mysterious silver hair, fragile build stirring protectiveness.
Now with a Unique skill, snatching the main dealer spot.
'My place... could vanish. Getting dumped here...'
Her eyes flashed.
She switched to her sunniest, most innocent face.
"Wow! So cool! Congrats for real!"
She bounded to Yuriel with exaggerated flair.
"Our party's gonna be unstoppable now! You look just like an elf from the movies!"
"Uh... um? M-Miss Mage...?"
No time for Yuriel to retreat.
Park Yumin hugged her tight.
Poof.
"Hngh?!"
A stifled groan escaped Yuriel.
Not from suffocation.
Park Yumin had deliberately pressed her ample chest against her.
Over just a thin robe, the overwhelming volume was blatant.
Yuriel's bony frame contrasted cruelly with Park Yumin's voluptuous curves.
'See, Big Brother?'
Park Yumin peeked at Han Yujin over Yuriel's shoulder.
'I'm not like this stick-figure. So... don't ditch me?'
A show of force.
Desperately flaunting her strongest weapon—femininity—to mark her difference from the elf.
Aware or not of the undercurrent, Han Yujin stared elsewhere, utterly uninterested.
"B-Big Brother?"
"Shh. Save the chit-chat. Gear up. Company’s coming."
Gurgle, blorp.
The mud swamp ahead began bubbling.
Not mere bubbles.
Undulations from something massive crawling at the bottom.
"Kieeeek!"
Mud sprayed as monsters leaped out.
[Mud Swamp Worm]
Less worm, more eel with limbs—grotesque.
Their slimy, mucus-covered skin looked thick enough to deflect most blades.
"Eek! Gross!"
Park Yumin screamed, raising her staff.
Lee Seo-ah hurriedly fronted her shield.
"Tank, what're you waiting for? Charge!"
"R-right!"
Thud! Boom!
A few lead swamp worms slammed into Lee Seo-ah's shield.
She skidded back from the impact but held with pilates-honed core strength.
"Th-these things are too slippery! Sword won't stick!"
Her slash glanced off their mucus skin.
Physical defense specialists.
'Perfect sandbags.'
I barked back.
"Yuriel, test the skill."
"Y-yes, as you command!"
She startled at my shout, nocking an arrow.
Pain twisted her face.
The Blood-Drinking Blackthorn toll.
Dizziness hit like blood draining, HP plummeting, but she didn't waver.
The fear I'd instilled outweighed bodily pain.
Twang—!
One arrow flew.
Mid-flight, dark red blood aura exploded from the tip.
-Fwhoosh!
It struck the cluster's center.
Physics defied.
Crack! Crunch!
Thick mucus skin? Tough muscle?
Meaningless.
Black thorns pierced like paper, gutting them.
20% defense ignore. Absolute penetration power.
"Kieeeek?!"
And it wasn't over.
Thorns inside swelled explosively, becoming living shackles binding their bodies.
Five thrashing swamp worms pinned instantly.
They writhed to burrow, but the thorns held absolute.
'That's absolute bind?'
Unique-grade indeed?
Seemed useful even on mobs.
But with HP penalty, no spamming now. Test over.
"Now! Yumin! Torch 'em!"
"Y-yes!"
Nothing easier than pinned targets.
Park Yumin's fireball engulfed them.
"Burns nice."
I didn't lift a finger; the trio handled the one-sided slaughter.
Red aura rose from thorn-killed worms, flowing back to Yuriel.
Her color returned somewhat.
"I... I did it..."
She lowered the bow, panting.
As I approached, she scanned for mistakes over hoping for praise.
Lee Seo-ah swallowed dryly over her shield.
Park Yumin gripped her staff tighter.
I smirked, thumbs-up to Yuriel.
"Not bad."
Tank, mage, and a sniper piercing defense and binding foes.
Solid party comp.
I scooped the drops, satisfied.
And.
[Party experience distribution rule changed to 'Even Split.']
From contribution priority to even split.
'Now I can chill and level easy?'
Of course, soloing was fastest.
Bussing wasn't my style anyway.
'Still, more options ain't bad.'
Stage 1-2 had hidden routes solo impossible.
Specifically, mid-bosses with escalating difficulties—some I couldn't clear solo no matter how many tries.
'But if they tank beside me...'
Game changer.
Higher difficulty meant exponentially better rewards.
So those top-difficulty hidden bosses I'd failed before.
Hunting them promised above-expectation drops.
'First, minimize risks.'
Not much risk.
Get stronger. More, more, more.
Me and them.
So.
"Let's rush levels first?"
Then.
Yuriel acted off.
Glancing around, ears perked.
"...?"
"What's up?"
"Ah, Master. Um... I've felt a weird presence flickering since earlier."
"Weird presence? Monster?"
"I-I'm not sure. It keeps appearing and vanishing..."
I scanned urgently.
Nothing nearby.
Swamp hiders had all popped out and burned moments ago.
4/4.
Stage 1-2 party count unchanged.
'What the...?'
What could it be?