The Midas Touch
They were supposed to be the main mage-centric guild in Pandemonium Online, so shouldn't mages find this tempting?
However, some guild members were skeptical. This was especially true for those who had split off from the Guild Alliance.
"No, I mean, you're not wrong... but we might just end up playing into Kim Tae-hyun's hands again. That bastard is a literal demon when it comes to manipulating people."
"And honestly, I don't even want to get involved with him... Aren't we just helping him for no reason?"
They hadn't been part of the Guild Alliance for nothing. The memory was engraved deep into their very bones!
Attack Tae-hyun -> It ends up helping Tae-hyun.
Obstruct Tae-hyun -> It ends up helping Tae-hyun.
Even if you just leave Tae-hyun alone -> Kim Tae-hyun still finds a way to profit on his own!
'Even if we quit the game, that bastard would probably find a way to profit off our accounts!'
The rankers who weren't from the Guild Alliance, but rather from guilds originating in the Erangs Kingdom, reacted as if this was utter nonsense.
"Come on, how does us joining his quest and taking the rewards first help him?"
A perfectly logical point! Statistically and logically speaking, how could that possibly help him?
"No... I mean... it's just... Argh! I'm telling you, it just happens!"
The former Guild Alliance members beat their chests in frustration. You had to experience it to understand! You really had to get burned by him to get it!
"It makes zero sense, but seriously, as you're doing it, you go, 'Huh? Wait, what?' and suddenly everything is flowing in a direction that benefits him!"
"...Are you guys insane?"
"Well, when you put it like that... actually, they do sound kind of crazy."
"We're not crazy, you idiots!"
But it was already too late. The other mages were already whispering among themselves.
"Was that rumor true? The one about Su Ning going mad because of Kim Tae-hyun?"
"Yeah, I heard that one too..."
"I heard a party official lost all the investment money and got dragged off by the Public Security Bureau."
"Now that sounds plausible."
Ominous rumors! The kind of rumors that would make Su Ning faint if he heard them. Even if we're a Chinese guild, aren't these rumors a bit too wild?!
"Look, we have our own reputation to consider. If you're just telling us not to do it without a proper reason, we can't accept that."
"Ugh... Urrrgh...!"
The former Guild Alliance members groaned in agony. They couldn't refute it!
Ultimately, the decision was made by majority vote. The Midas Guild would participate in the quest!
"Huh? The Midas Guild announced they're participating in the quest?"
The Midas Guild was already beyond a large guild; they were one of the few mega-guilds in Pandemonium Online. Within minutes of their announcement, the forums were flooded with reactions.
"Them? Why? If they're from the Guild Alliance, shouldn't they hold a grudge against me?"
Tae-hyun was puzzled. Why were they going out of their way to help him?
"……."
"...Tae-hyun. They're doing this to get in your way..."
The rest of the party stared at Tae-hyun in sheer disbelief. It was a reaction they truly hadn't anticipated!
"Ah. Right. They must be trying to keep me in check."
"……."
"How petty. If it were me, I would've just marched over and assassinated them."
"N-No. It's not necessarily just to get in your way. A quest like this offers astronomical rewards to whoever completes it first, so they're probably just eyeing the profits..."
Crawford explained in a flustered voice. Is your only setting 'kill or be killed'?!
"Well... it's a bit sudden, but it's not a bad thing."
"Seriously?!"
Alcott was shocked. He had expected Tae-hyun to immediately shout, 'Alright! Let's go assassinate the Midas executives and burn down their territory!'
"I mean, competing for a quest is fair game."
"I-I suppose so."
Why did hearing those words from Tae-hyun sound so incredibly unnatural?
"And honestly, Nevuchadnezzar looks way too strong, so I want to drag in as many people as possible."
This was his true motive!
'Of course.'
Alcott let out a sigh of relief. For a second, he had thought Tae-hyun had actually lost his mind.
"Midas will bring a whole army of mages, so they'll definitely be useful."
"Tae-hyun. It looks like the Midas Guild is targeting the Magic Tower as well."
"What do you mean by that?"
"They're promoting themselves to prepare for the quest, and no matter how I look at it, they're aiming for the Magic Tower's mages."
After announcing their participation, the Midas Guild was actively recruiting players on a massive scale.
✦ You too can participate in a Legendary Quest! We promise this in the name of the Midas Guild!
✦ Top-tier Midas instructors will guide mage players! Just attend our lectures, and you too will become a respectable mage!
✦ An opportunity to stand alongside prominent mage rankers!
✦ Join us right now!
The Midas Guild was far cleverer than the Guild Alliance. Instead of trying to solve everything with brute force like the Guild Alliance did, they knew how to play the media.
In a game like Pandemonium Online, which was played by people all over the world, image was everything! The Guild Alliance had relied solely on their power and scale, acting as they pleased, which ultimately branded them as tyrants and villains and led to their downfall.
No matter how well Tae-hyun had instigated the masses, if players worldwide hadn't resonated with the cause, it never would have escalated to that point.
The Midas Guild had learned their lesson from that.
A powerful yet peaceful guild!
A guild that doesn't go around beating people up with brute force!
A guild where you can gain a lot just by joining!
They had worked hard to cultivate this exact image. And in reality, it was proving quite effective.
"Ah, so they're trying to take the Magic Tower players with them?"
"Since their numbers are quite substantial."
"Well... it's not like we can stop them by force anyway. If they want to go to the Midas Guild and learn, we should let them."
"We have to stop them!"
Crawford flared up.
"We went through so much trouble to bring them here, and you're just going to let those bastards snatch them away?! Kim Tae-hyun! That is so not like you!"
"...?"
Tae-hyun looked puzzled. He leaned over and whispered to Lee Da-bi.
"Da-bi. Who is this guy to tell me what is or isn't like me? Did I meet him back in Pan-On 1?"
"Probably not. I think he's just getting swept up in the mood."
"What a weird guy. Then again, he hangs out with Alcott, so he can't be entirely sane."
"……."
"Anyway, what do you want me to do? There's no way to stop them. If there was a way, I'd block it, but clinging to something when there's no solution is just pathetic. We should just do what we can..."
"There is a way!"
"?"
"You're close with Lee Se-yeon, so you can just call her! Honestly, if even Lee Se-yeon comes here, everyone will flock to our side!"
"……."
Tae-hyun nodded slowly.
At that moment, Cain and Alcott grabbed Crawford by both arms.
"W-What? What are you doing?"
"I'm sorry, Crawford. I have to make a living too."
"Crawford. You were Alcott's friend, but you were a truly good guy."
Cain turned his head away as if he couldn't bear to watch. Crawford gasped in horror. What on earth were they planning to do to him?
"W-What did I even say?! I was clearly speaking sense... Let go! Let me go!"
"Sister... please snap out of it..."
"Ugh... Urrrgh..."
"I know you're not actually sick!"
"My heart is sick, okay?!"
Kim Hyun-ah snatched the wet towel resting on Lee Se-yeon's forehead and threw it aside. As expected, she didn't have even a trace of a fever.
"For you to not log into the game for over twelve hours... this is a major crisis. Everyone is worried sick."
"Hyun-ah... I'm not really one to talk, but for normal people, that's called a regular day..."
It was weirder that they came looking for her just because she hadn't logged in for twelve hours!
'How on earth did he defeat it?'
She had already heard the news that Lalgrgal had disappeared. Apparently, Kim Tae-hyun was currently roaming around the Erangs Kingdom in high spirits.
How did he defeat it?! No matter how much she thought about it, that boss monster was not something that could be defeated at this stage...
"Fine. I'll just log in."
"Yes! Let's just ignore that Kim Tae-hyun guy... Oh."
"...What is it now?"
"Ah, it's nothing..."
"Hyun-ah. Hand it over, quick. I saw everything."
Kim Hyun-ah hesitantly handed over her phone.
"A new Legendary Quest? We can just do it, what's the big deal?"
"Well, that's..."
"...The Resurrection of Nevuchadnezzar?"
"Yes."
Kim Hyun-ah bowed her head. No matter how they looked at it, this was a quest that Lee Se-yeon was bound to be entangled in!
Lee Se-yeon's class was the Successor of the Necronomicon. It was a class that directly descended from the necromancers of the Ancient Empire.
"Let's log in first. Maybe we aren't involved."
"R-Right!"
Five minutes later.
"……."
"……."
Lee Se-yeon buried her face in her hands.
Oh, seriously!
The Resurrection of Nevuchadnezzar
As ominous portents multiply and malevolent entities continue to covet the continent, the Dark Magic Master, Chesia, foresees the resurrection of Nevuchadnezzar!
You are the true successor who has inherited the direct lineage of the Ancient Empire's necromancers. You are the true enemy and nemesis of Nevuchadnezzar!
Inherit the legacy of your ancestors and stop Nevuchadnezzar!
While the quest details differed slightly from Tae-hyun's, it was undeniable that Lee Se-yeon was deeply entangled in this quest.
Tae-hyun was the successor of the Magic Tower's Dark Magic School. Se-yeon was the successor of the ancient necromancers.
Neither of them could escape being involved!
'It hasn't even been a month since I told him to come find me if he needed help...'
The embarrassment was of historic proportions! If Se-yeon had to be the one to go find him first, she would be kicking her blankets in regret for a whole month.
Seeing Se-yeon writhe in agony, Kim Hyun-ah clenched her fists tightly.
"Sister. I'll help you."
"Ugh... Huh? You?"
Normally, she would find her sister's support reassuring, but why did she feel so incredibly anxious right now?
"Yes! I'll go and make peace between you two."
"...You??"
Kim Hyun-ah was certainly a capable ranker, but she was the furthest thing from a peacemaker.
"I'll be right back!"
"W-Wait! Hyun-ah!"
"The sinner Crawford has spoken insolently without knowing his place, and is hereby sentenced to the Archisus Punishment!"
"W-Wait! You're not actually going to swing that, right? This is a joke, right?!"
"...?"
Arriving at the Magic Tower where Tae-hyun's party was gathered, Kim Hyun-ah flinched. Are they executing a criminal or something?
"Oh. Miss Kim Hyun-ah?"
Yu Ji-soo recognized Kim Hyun-ah and spoke up.
'Is she the younger sister of that kind but strange Se-yeon?'
In Yu Ji-soo's mind, Kim Hyun-ah had been categorized as a 'kind but strange person'!
Oblivious to this, Kim Hyun-ah pulled out a box of potions she had brought along.
"Ah, hello. This is a gift."
"???"
As if handing over a box of casual drinks, Kim Hyun-ah presented a box of top-grade potions!
"Th... Thank you?"
"I'm really not that strange of a person."
"...Pardon...?"
Kim Hyun-ah's image was only growing stranger by the second!
While everyone's attention was focused on Hyun-ah, Crawford barely managed to escape his bindings. He rubbed his neck, letting out a sigh of relief.
'But what on earth is the Archisus Punishment anyway?'
"Huh? Did Lee Se-yeon come too?"
Tae-hyun flinched when he recognized Kim Hyun-ah. Why was Lee Se-yeon here?
"My sister didn't come. I came in her stead. I have something to say."
"Hmm..."
Tae-hyun nodded. Then, he asked quietly, "This isn't a trap, is it?"
"Probably not?"
"She even gave us a gift."
"I can hear you both, you know?!"
Kim Hyun-ah snapped, her temper flaring.
"You want us to do the quest together?"
Tae-hyun asked, his voice laced with surprise.
Even when Crawford had suggested, "Do it with Lee Se-yeon!", Tae-hyun had dismissed it as utter nonsense.
Because Lee Se-yeon was bound to be absolutely furious!
And Tae-hyun hadn't even gone to apologize to her afterward. He had just gone ahead and sealed Lalgrgal away.
Lee Se-yeon's anger was probably doubled or tripled by now.
Carbanog estimates her anger is closer to quadruple.
'That's actually a bit terrifying.'
In truth, Lee Se-yeon was just feeling embarrassed and mortified, but Tae-hyun was completely misunderstanding her.
She must be absolutely livid by now!
"Did Lee Se-yeon actually agree to this?"
"I'll convince her."
"Hey, hey. If you do that, she might actually kill you."
"...?"
Kim Hyun-ah was puzzled by Tae-hyun's reaction. This guy doesn't actually seem to mind the idea of doing the quest together, does he?
"So you don't mind doing the quest together?"
"For me, the more firepower the better, so I don't care."
"!"