Forgotten Ones' Tomb (1)
"Is everyone ready?"
Tiriya spoke in a stiff tone unlike her usual gentle, warm voice. The guild members, having finished their preparations, nodded in response.
Three weeks had passed since Yeong-sik's duel with Cheon Tae-hwang. The Salvatore Guild members had completed all preparations for the raid on the Forgotten Ones' Tomb, proposed by Leviathan Guild.
"Before we head to Leviathan Guild HQ, I have something to say to all of you."
Tiriya gazed quietly at the eleven guild members lined up before her, one by one.
"As you all know, I recently lost my entire family."
A few guild members' faces stiffened at her matter-of-fact words. She continued in as calm a voice as she could manage.
"I never want to go through that kind of heartbreak again."
She placed her faintly trembling hand over her chest.
"So please, no one get hurt. Don't die. That's an order from your Salvatore Guild Master."
She finished with her characteristic kind smile. Genuine sincerity in her words brought soft smiles to the guild members' lips.
"Eek, Yuna unnie! This is bad!"
At that moment, a girl's voice shattered the warm atmosphere. It was Lee Chae-rin, the guild's youngest who played the role of the maknae.
Clutching Yuna's sleeve, she cried out in a frantic voice as if on the verge of tears.
"W-what? What's going on?"
Yuna whipped her head around at Chae-rin's sudden outburst.
Chae-rin buried her face in Yuna's clothes and pointed at Tiriya with her little finger.
"Tiriya unnie just set up a super massive death flag!"
Yuna's expression hardened slightly at Chae-rin's follow-up shout. Hearing it, Tiriya opened her mouth with a restless look.
"D-death flag? Is that some kind of curse magic?"
"Yeah! The worst kind—like 'If I survive this fight, I'll marry her' level curse magic! How could you say something so brutal so casually?!"
"I... I don't really get what you're saying..."
"Unnie's totally the type to cluelessly ask 'Did we beat it?' after taking down the boss... Ow!"
Before Chae-rin could finish, Yuna's fist flew like lightning. A crisp smack echoed from the girl's head.
"Ow! Why'd you hit me, Yuna unnie?!"
"...Because you've been spouting such ridiculous nonsense."
Laughter erupted among the guild members at her spot-on remark.
"W-what on earth are you talking about? Tell me too."
Tiriya, the only one not understanding the situation, looked around anxiously. Watching her, Bae Han-seong clutched his forehead as if his head ached.
What kind of send-off was this for a sacred expedition? Always strict about manners and decorum, he let out a deep sigh at how the pre-raid atmosphere—potentially more dangerous than assaulting the royal palace, in collaboration with one of the East's top guilds, Leviathan—had turned into chaos in an instant.
"...Well, this is pretty much Salvatore Guild's vibe."
"Tch, that brat's always the problem."
Yeong-sik, standing beside Han-seong with a smirk, shrugged and spoke. Yu-jin, behind him, clicked his tongue and glared at Chae-rin.
"Then shall we get going, Guild Master?"
"Y-Yeong-sik? What's this death flag magic that's making everyone laugh?"
"I'll explain slowly on the way."
Yeong-sik stepped forward to Tiriya's side as he said it.
* * *
When Yeong-sik and the Salvatore Guild members arrived at Leviathan Guild HQ, a blue-haired woman approached them.
"Thank you again for joining us on this dungeon raid."
Park Sia extended her hand politely in her characteristic cold voice. Behind her stood about thirty Leviathan Guild members in formation.
"We're the ones grateful for the fine accommodations. We've spent the last three weeks in peace."
Tiriya clasped Park Sia's hand with a gentle smile. After the handshake, she tilted her head slightly and eyed the guild members lined up behind her with a puzzled expression.
"Are all the Leviathan members joining this expedition the ones here?"
Leviathan was a massive guild with over a thousand members. It was only natural for Tiriya to look surprised at the mere thirty behind Park Sia.
"Yes. Since the route to the Forgotten Ones' Tomb was already secured from the previous expedition, I didn't see the need for unnecessary numbers inside the dungeon."
"I see."
Tiriya nodded at her words. Salvatore Guild had run large-scale dungeon explorations a few times in the past, so she easily understood the reasoning.
Open fields were one thing, but dungeons made operating large groups impossible. In the confined space of a dungeon, crowds led to chaos from hidden traps and monster ambushes.
In such tight quarters, that chaos often resulted in friendly fire. Control became impossible, morale plummeted, and in the worst cases, mutiny could erupt.
Indeed, dungeon raids were the most common downfall for mid-to-large guilds with big numbers. What seemed a strength turned into poison.
"They're all elites over level 80, so our forces should suffice."
Park Sia spoke with evident pride.
"Heh, looks solid."
Tiriya let out a light laugh and glanced back at her own guild members. Compared to Leviathan, they were still relatively lacking, but these summoners were powerful enough to make most of the Six Great Guilds back down without a fight.
"We won't just tag along either."
Tiriya declared confidently. Park Sia gave a faint smile at her assured tone.
"If you were that kind of guild, I'd have asked only you for help."
Though small in number, every Salvatore member could easily claim an officer position in any guild. Considering elite squads were standard for dungeon runs, few—even among the Six Greats—could match their strength.
"Huh? That weirdo's joining too?"
Kang Ha-rin, standing right behind Tiriya, eyed Yeong-sik with displeasure. To her, who took immense pride in Cheon Tae-hwang, the man who beat him with bizarre weapons and skills was an eyesore.
"...Ha-rin. Stop embarrassing yourself."
"Ugh..."
Kang Ha-rin glared at Yeong-sik grudgingly.
"You! Next time, my Tae-hwang will win, so don't get cocky!"
She snapped at him sharply. Yeong-sik smirked and replied coolly.
"It's such a textbook loser's line, I don't even feel like responding."
"You bastard! What'd you say?!"
Infuriated by his needling words, Kang Ha-rin lunged toward him.
"Ha-rin. You wouldn't dream of tarnishing my face before the expedition starts, would you?"
Park Sia's icy voice halted her. Kang Ha-rin bit her lip hard and spun away from Yeong-sik.
An awkward silence settled between the Salvatore and Leviathan members. Amid it, Yeong-sik felt hot gazes directed his way—from both sides. One was familiar.
Cheon Tae-hwang.
Cheon Tae-hwang, who had collapsed after using Sword Unity, stared at him with burning eyes. Not resentment over defeat, but fierce determination to beat him somehow.
Yeong-sik looked exasperated. Gazing into those purely battle-hungry eyes left him feeling oddly hollow.
Is he some battle race from outer space or what?
Like the warrior race from that comic collecting seven orbs, Cheon Tae-hwang seemed to live for nothing but fighting. Yeong-sik sighed inwardly.
Well, must be nice not overcomplicating life.
Having no interests beyond battling the strong might be the most carefree way to live, he mused, turning to the second source of intense stares.
"Hey, you're the new guy from Salvatore Guild, right?"
The gaze belonged to a seductive woman with wavy black hair. Draped in revealing clothes that highlighted her ample curves, she approached Yeong-sik with a sultry air.
"Jeong Da-yeon..."
Bae Han-seong murmured her name. Jeong Da-yeon—not as famed as White Sword Kang Ha-rin or Warlock Park Sang-jun, but well-known in Leviathan.
Her fame came not just from near-ranker power, but something else.
"Heh. Saw you had quite the impressive package back then..."
She licked her lips like a predator eyeing prey and caressed Yeong-sik's cheek. Her voluptuous figure teased through the thin fabric.
"How about it? Wanna have some fun with your big sis?"
Smack.
Before Yeong-sik could respond, Seo A-ra appeared and slapped away Jeong Da-yeon's hand.
"I don't know who you are, but that's pretty rude."
"Hmm? And who're you? His girlfriend?"
"Girlfriend or not, what's it to you?"
A-ra glared sharply. A thick smile spread across Jeong Da-yeon's lips.
"Heh. Why so uptight? It's not like it'll wear out..."
"Jeong Da-yeon. As Salvatore Guild Master, I can't tolerate further rudeness."
Tiriya stepped up next, her voice chillingly cold—unimaginable from her usual self.
"Oh dear, sorry, Salvatore Guild Master. Didn't expect the newbie to be so popular."
Giggling as the two women shielded Yeong-sik like guardians, Jeong Da-yeon turned and returned to her guild's formation.
"...Yeong-sik's popularity is no joke."
Kim Gil-su, watching, nudged Hwang-hyeon beside him.
"Heh. Even the Guild Master now... Wonder what his secret is."
"Has to be that, right?"
"...Yeah, that's the key."
The two eyed Yeong-sik up and down, swallowing hard.
"That arm's gotta be it..."
"Old men, quit drooling and let's head out."
Yuna, overhearing, narrowed her eyes disdainfully. Hwang-hyeon and Gil-su flinched.