Chapter 124
Chapter 124
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 124
Chapter Title: Off to Steal Again Today
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Whirr...
The hum of the capsule. Nothing else could be heard.
In the quiet silence, two men and women—no, a man and a woman—faced each other.
One was serious.
The other gazed at her with wide-eyed surprise.
They had simply been a part-timer and a customer.
But this chance might change that relationship.
At the very least, Bora had steeled herself for that as she stood before Seokwoo.
The problem was how he would take it.
So she waited quietly for his response.
The choice was his to make.
Whatever the outcome, she would accept it calmly.
That was what Bora thought.
Yet why was her heart trembling like this?
She was so tense she couldn't even tell what expression she was making.
She simply stared at Seokwoo's mouth with shaking eyes.
That was when it happened.
"......What do you mean, what?"
Finally, Seokwoo's mouth opened.
Thump thump.
A tense moment.
His answer would come soon.
The thought made her heart pound even harder.
Yes. Now she would...
"Of course it's true."
True.
Wait, true?
"Huh?"
"You little punk, daring to toy with an innocent single guy's feelings?"
"No, wait a sec. Did you actually hear what I just said...?"
"Yeah, I heard every word loud and clear. You trying to mess with a solo's heart. But what can you do? I'm already fully immune to that stuff!"
Seokwoo's eyes blazed as he lunged forward.
A grin splitting his face.
His middle finger bent over his thumb.
The target: Bora's pale forehead.
A hand cocked like a vicious demon, ready to flick.
"Choi Bora, flick incoming!"
"Ugh, seriously!"
In that instant.
Bora shoved Seokwoo away in irritation.
"Hey now, where do you think you're running?"
"Ugh, just get lost already. You only ever joke around at the worst times."
And with that, she spun back behind the counter.
"Man, some people are just clueless. Like they've chowed down on dozens of sweet potatoes. Seriously, I shouldn't have said anything..."
He grumbled, face full of dissatisfaction.
Paradoxically, it was Seokwoo who felt flustered by the scene.
Scratching his head, he cautiously spoke up.
"Hey, you mad?"
Zing!
Bora whipped her head around at his words.
A chilling sensation washed over him.
Her knife-sharp glare made his body twitch involuntarily.
"I'm not mad."
"C'mon, you seem mad..."
"Not. Mad. Got. It?"
In that moment, Seokwoo felt killing intent for the first time in his life.
He could die.
And it was coming from Bora.
He shouldn't push any further.
His instincts screamed it.
"O-okay? Then I'm heading into the game?"
"Do whatever you want."
With that, Seokwoo fled into his dedicated capsule.
"......"
Silence hung in the capsule room.
Left alone, Bora stared at his capsule before letting out a deep sigh.
A sigh laced with tangled emotions.
Meanwhile, Seokwoo logged into Agas.
Luke opened his eyes again in the Dimensional Fortress where he'd logged out before.
"Pokopoko!"
The first to greet him was, as always, Poko.
Luke gazed at Poko before flopping onto the sofa.
The playfulness from earlier was long gone.
Instead, he stared at the ceiling with serious eyes.
Scenes filled his mind.
What had just happened replayed.
'What if I am interested?'
Those serious eyes.
That unwavering voice.
It wasn't a joke.
He'd known it the moment their eyes met, but he'd pretended not to notice and brushed it off.
Of course, he didn't dislike her.
No, it wasn't even about like or dislike.
Luke himself was flustered.
So he'd dodged the answer for now.
'Bora likes me?'
Honestly, it was completely unexpected.
Until now, he'd only seen her as a close little sister.
That made it even more shocking.
Someone he'd treated casually.
For her to suddenly say she was interested—it left him rattled.
'Damn, this is awkward. Why would she like a capsule room deadbeat like me?'
It didn't make sense.
But he didn't need to force understanding.
It had already happened.
Liking someone was purely that person's heart.
The real issue was how he would take it.
'Dating, huh.'
A guy glued to the capsule room playing games nonstop—dating?
To Luke, these emotions were utterly foreign.
Him dating?
With Bora, the capsule room part-timer, no less?
'Hmm.'
He couldn't picture it.
Never even considered it before.
'Bora... well, she's plenty attractive.'
Her straightforward, frank personality.
That haughty cat-like vibe.
Bora was attractive to anyone who saw her.
And she actually had quite a few admirers.
He'd occasionally witnessed guys asking for her number.
Of course, she shut them down cold every time.
Luke sat on the sofa, pondering deeply for a while.
But no conclusion came.
Soon, he frowned and shot to his feet.
"Ah, whatever. Time to test out those things I got last time."
Just one day until the promotion exam.
He needed to finish testing the skills and items from the Night King before then.
'Plus stuff I bought separately at the auction house.'
Preparations aside from the Night King's power.
Any decent Agas player would know about them.
They'd be a huge help for a single-jobber like him going forward.
With that thought, Luke called to Poko lying on the floor nearby.
"Pokoya, walk time."
"Poko?"
"Yeah, let's head to the garden and run around for once."
Garden.
The vast yard outside the mansion.
The enclosed garden alone was village-sized.
Perfect for testing skills and items comfortably inside the Dimensional Fortress.
"Pokopoko!"
Of course, with Poko's walk too.
The next day.
The Expert's Gate was already buzzing with players.
Promotion exam day.
Gathered early to spectate.
Probably the mid-tier area opposite was packed too.
Including guild scouts.
To watch and recruit Iron Mask Man and the other rookies.
"Man, this is gonna be hype."
"Right? Exam order random?"
"Probably."
"Hmm, so Iron Mask could pop up first match?"
"Gotta wait and see."
Sequential single-elimination duels.
Matchups fully random.
Iron Mask Man could appear from round one.
Players eyed the floating message with that in mind.
All participants enter.
Spectator mode would open soon.
They'd warp to the arena via this message then.
With spectator seats prepared inside.
"Whoa, here they come!"
One player pointed at the bridge to the gate.
Figures crossing one by one.
The promotion exam participants.
First: a woman in red robes.
Long black hair. Gentle eyes.
Yellow insignia of the flame school.
Epitaph Petra.
The mage player at rookie rank 2.
"Goddess Tra sis is here!"
"She said in that interview she'd beat Iron Mask."
"If they match up, it'd be insane."
"Nah, enemies only for peak hype!"
The crowd buzzed.
Already speculating on matchups.
Petra especially hyped next to Iron Mask.
Such reactions were natural.
As Petra crossed first.
Next: lightly armored man.
Blue greatsword bigger than himself.
A warrior standing out with his massive blade.
Rookie rank 4: Flack.
Famous in his guild as a berserker.
Another spotlight rookie for the exam.
"That's a Unique-grade greatsword, right?"
"Damn, the aura's nuts."
"Whoa, more rookies behind!"
"Someone's face covered too?"
Participants streaming in after them.
Minimum level 100.
Jobs, gear all varied.
Even their abilities.
Diverse players.
Hype bigger than last exam.
Not top tiers yet, but mid-ranks felt the buzz.
Total 24 entrants.
Originally more, but many dropped out after big rookies joined.
Only the strongest remained.
But.
"Where's Iron Mask Man?"
"Exam's starting soon."
For some reason, the biggest star was missing.
'Hmm.'
The Iron Mask Man players awaited eagerly.
Unfortunately, Luke was already inside the exam arena.
Precisely, the Dimensional Fortress.
Peering outside via the portal.
'Everyone but two gathered.'
Players around the central exam stele.
All promotion exam participants.
With him, 23 total.
Curious about the last one, but exam time neared.
Swish.
Iron mask covering his face.
Then adventurer's robe on, prep done.
Just step out of the fortress.
First, he approached Poko wagging its tail.
"Guard the house well."
"Poko!"
"Yeah yeah."
A few head pats.
Satisfied, Luke stood.
'Alright, let's go.'
Turned and stepped forward.
The scenery shifted.
Temple center stele.
Guarding priest.
Waiting players for the exam.
"Ah, you've arrived, adventurer."
The arena-guarding priest NPC spotted Luke first.
"......!"
Heads turning one by one.
Players' gazes locked on Luke instantly.
"Iron Mask."
"Mm......"
"It's really Iron Mask Man!"
Varied reactions.
But one common thread.
Wary eyes.
No one ignored him.
A tense undercurrent in the air.
Sinister mind games before the exam even started.
Unclear who foes or allies would be.
So this probing was inevitable.
Of course.
'Hah, me taking a promotion exam among these scrubs. Good times are over, for real!'
Luke just lamented his lot.
How much time passed?
"Then we'll begin entry. Participants, please gather at the exam stele."
The exam priest finally called them.
Time had come.
The impending promotion exam.
Players hurried to the stele.
And.
"The arena opens."
With the priest's words, the black stele glowed.
The participants' forms were sucked into the stele.
"......"
Only the exam priest remained.
"May the arena's blessing be upon you."
She closed her eyes and prayed for the adventurers.
That was when.
"Huff, huff. Wait!"
Another adventurer rushed into the temple.
The final 24th participant.
Startled, the priest turned.
Thankfully, the stele's entrance still held.
The adventurer sighed in relief and approached.
"......Iron Mask!"
Muttering one name.