The Outlaw Guild
"Something like a commander? I feel like I'm leading the team 'from above'."
I emphasized the word "above" on purpose.
I was harboring a hope that if he had any desire for power, he might be willing to wear the armband without pay.
"That kind of position is… I think there would be a better candidate for it."
Either Hong Jehun has no desire for power, or he just hates dealing with bothersome things.
Either way, it was clear I wouldn't be getting him to take the lead for free.
But I couldn't give up on making him the sub-leader.
Think about it. No matter what happened, Seo Ian would be on our team.
She was like a BlackWarGreymon!
And naturally, she wouldn't listen to orders from someone weaker than her.
If that were the case, shouldn't I, the one she seemed to follow at least a little, be the one giving the orders?
Do I just watch people in the special floors and play around? I need to rack up some contribution points, too!
And when I checked earlier, once the phase shifted, the harvestable zones started activating.
I was interested in that, too.
So, that meant I was busy.
Adding another reason why I was pushing for Hong Jehun as sub-leader: he was a ranged dealer and even had aerial movement skills.
That meant he could utilize a wider field of view than me, a ranged dealer who was stuck to the ground.
Plus, his calm temperament made him perfect for coordinating the team members.
In many ways, he was the right person for the job.
Still, no matter how desperate I was, I couldn't exactly make Seo Ian the sub-leader!
For the record, I had intended to do this from the start.
So, I decided to push my opinion a bit more aggressively.
"Do you really think I'd ask for a favor without offering anything in return?"
I flashed a very cunning smile.
I didn't mean to, but that's just how my expression turned out.
"I'll make sure you get a permanent 10% discount whenever you purchase items from the Wandering Merchant Rabbit."
It was a percentage that could be considered big or small depending on how you looked at it.
But it adds up.
I could afford to concede that much.
If he would take all my annoyance and hassle off my hands!
"……Is something like that even possible?"
"The Wandering Merchant says it's possible. They did say there were some restrictions, though."
Setting restrictions to prevent reckless, indiscriminate discounting.
Now, all I needed was for him to join. If only Hong Jehun would come in, it would be perfect.
"Ah, by the way, is there anyone among the team members I might already know?"
Hmm.
Should I make a list for this?
It's a question I get asked quite often.
And I have a feeling I'll be hearing it even more often.
A few days later.
The so-called "Secret Room" of the Association.
It refers to the place you have to take a private elevator to reach.
Today, I was sipping an iced cafe mocha I'd bought, while Team Leader Oh Wontaek and Yoon Jinki were discussing the current status.
Then, suddenly! Yoon Jinki brought up the topic of the guild name.
"Outlaw?"
"Doesn't it sound sophisticated, easy to pronounce, and strong?"
Outlaw. Meaning someone outside the law.
His eyes began to sparkle as if this were a name he'd agonized over and finally pulled out.
Since it was better than "Universe Guild," "Tower Addict," or "One-Shot to the Lord's Side," I adopted it immediately.
"It's good. Let's go with that for the guild name."
"Then we'll refer to it as that as well."
For the record, what's our current official team name?
It's the "Special Strategy TF Team Dedicated to Special Floor Response Management."
Of course, as you might expect, no one actually calls it by its full, formal name.
"By the way, have you managed to gather the team members?"
Team Leader Oh Wontaek, whose scary aura had turned into a sense of familiarity now that I saw him so often, asked.
"For now, Seo Ian, Hong Jehun, and the enchanter Park Siwoo."
Park Siwoo was the first to be successfully added.
I didn't need to talk to him for long.
Perhaps because he had already somewhat expected it once I revealed I was the Rabbit, he accepted it easily.
We also managed to work out contract terms that weren't bad.
I agreed to prioritize finding the materials he needed, and in exchange, he agreed to prioritize my requests.
"…Eh?"
It was Team Leader Oh Wontaek who froze, letting out a dazed sound after hearing the names I listed.
"Wow. The lineup is insane, isn't it?"
It was Yoon Jinki whose eyes sparkled as he burst into admiration.
"Pretty good, right?"
They're all named players, after all. There shouldn't be any weak links.
"It's not just 'pretty good'..."
"This is a total Avengers team, brother!"
I felt good because they were happy!
I smiled along with them, as if drawn in.
"It looks like everyone who needs to be here is here, right? Don't you think so, Team Leader?"
"It's perfect!"
"What's perfect about it?"
A 3-person guild feels a bit thin to call perfect.
Then, a 3-person TF team?
If you consider it a small elite group…….
Still, does it make sense?
"As I said before, on the special floors, a few people who deal heavy damage lead the flow!"
I remember.
Team Leader Oh Wontaek nodded and picked up the conversation.
"And haven't you already recruited the two top players in South Korea? And not just one, but two of them."
There was a reason for everything.
South Korea doesn't have one overwhelming #1.
Hong Jehun, Seo Ian. A two-top system.
Let's say I only recruited one.
What if their opinions clashed inside the special floor?
Firepower dispersion.
Just like how the Association has mainstream and non-mainstream factions.
The rest of the Awakened would be confused about which side to follow.
In the end…….
It would be a mess.
A total disaster was bound to unfold.
I summarized the thoughts above in one sentence.
"I couldn't risk it by bringing only one."
At that, Team Leader Oh Wontaek and Yoon Jinki nodded solemnly.
They understood exactly what I meant.
"That's right. In such cases, Hong Jehun usually tends to accommodate Seo Ian, but……."
At Yoon Jinki's words, Team Leader Oh Wontaek shook his head and added.
"Sigh. Once both of them start being stubborn, it's truly impossible to handle."
Following that, I heard an example.
They said there was a special floor where the boss's shield would break immediately if you destroyed four pillars first.
At that time, Hong Jehun said to hit the pillars first, while Seo Ian vehemently disagreed and only attacked the boss.
Both had plausible reasons.
Hong Jehun thought it was more efficient to break the pillars and then hit the boss.
Seo Ian thought it was more efficient to hit the boss directly to break the shield during that short 10-minute window.
Hitting the pillars didn't increase contribution points.
She was aiming for the fact that hitting the shield directly did increase contribution points.
And the result.
They ended up with a result that was neither here nor there, outside the rankings.
Naturally, firepower dispersion was the cause.
And since this lineup prevented such a situation from occurring again….
That must be why there's a "genuine smile" on those two people's faces right now.
"For now, I understand. I'll do my best."
Ah, but.
While talking about Seo Ian, something suddenly crossed my mind.
"But about that car. Could I try driving it for a bit and then switch to something else?"
"What model do you have in mind?"
Oh Wontaek answered readily.
"A sturdy one. One that would be fine even if it collided with a dump truck."
And I decided to contact him separately to let him know once I thought of a model I wanted to ride.
Since Oh Wontaek had cheerfully laughed and handed me a paper with car models that would be fine even if they collided with a dump truck, which included absurd vehicles like military tanks, I needed a lot of time to think.
28th Floor.
A cool jungle where the sound of insects pleasantly pierces the ears, and the scent of grass and earth refreshes the nose.
At least the weather gamble was a success.
"Hello! I'm the Wandering Merchant Rabbit!"
The Tower owner was Im Hyunjin.
She was an A-rank Awakened with light brown hair and a cute face, and she was an A-rank Awakened recommended by Hong Jehun.
He said she would definitely be a help to the team, and since he personally vouched for her, I decided to look her up.
But an A-rank doing repeat clears on the 28th floor.
For an early-generation Awakened, her floor level was on the low side.
Considering that the average floor level for early-generation A-rank Awakened is in the mid-30s.
"Wow! It's a rabbit!"
She greeted me with a smile as bright as sunshine.
"I'm seeing one for the first time! It wasn't just a ghost story, it really existed!"
Like a teenage fan meeting her idol, she jumped up and down in place with her hands clasped together.
But I couldn't exactly give her fan service like an idol.
"Um, could I possibly get an autograph?"
"…I can do that much."
It wasn't a difficult request, so I granted it for now.
Thinking of it as building rapport with a new guild member.
"Thank you!"
A clear, transparent voice rang out in the jungle.
Like sunlight filtering through the trees, it felt like there was a sparkle in every word she spoke.
Someone I got to know through Hong Jehun's recommendation.
So at first, I thought she would have a calm and composed personality like him, but not at all.
If Hong Jehun was like a cold autumn breeze, Im Hyunjin was the opposite—like spring sunshine.
The kind of feeling where no dark corners would remain wherever she shone.
"But today, can you be the Mercenary Rabbit instead of the Wandering Merchant Rabbit?"
She smiled brightly.
"It doesn't matter, but can't you clear it just fine on your own, Awakened Im Hyunjin?"
It's a repeat clear, not a first-time clear, right?
There's no way she couldn't clear it?
"I can clear it! But I want to ride the bus, too!"
I was momentarily speechless at her sparkling eyes.
I heard she had gone through a dark phase at one point.
Now, it seemed I was being treated as nothing more than a bus driver.
"The mercenary hiring fee is 500 Ticks, right?"
She held out 500 Ticks as if it were obvious.
"Why do you think that?"
Let's hear the reason.
"They said the Mercenary Rabbit's commission fee is 500 Ticks!"
A tone full of conviction.
……Crazy.
A market price had formed without me even knowing.
But isn't 500 Ticks way too cheap…?
It might look easy, but it's hard labor that makes my finger joints scream, you know?
"Is it not possible?"
"……It's possible."
In the end, I accepted.
It wasn't a difficult request, and since it's a repeat clear, aiming for auxiliary damage effects is better for me than aiming for encouragement effects.
"Then I'm counting on you!"
…….
I thought I only had to catch the boss.
Not beat up all these small fry, too!
A swarm of monkeys rushing in endlessly.
They fly around on vines, making a racket with their "Eek! Kak!" noises.
"Ugh… it's not like this is an all-you-can-eat buffet, why are there so many monkeys coming out endlessly?"
I had thought I wanted a "cool and powerful one-shot skill," but my thoughts changed a bit today.
I thought a "wide-range area-of-effect skill" would be nice, too.
That's right.
This 28th-floor jungle.
There are seriously too many small fry.
My fingertips are numb from repeating the rapid fire.
It was a truly disgusting number.
Ugh, this is something. I can't just wipe my mouth clean since I've already received payment.
Eventually, my finger joints declared a strike.
I was forcibly loosening my creaking fingers by clenching and unclenching them when Im Hyunjin asked with worried eyes.
"Mr. Rabbit! Are you okay?"
I'm not okay.
But a pro doesn't show that they're struggling.
"There are just a few, no, quite a lot. And they're fast."
'Fast'.
What this means.
It meant it was the optimal environment for me to get exhausted even faster.
Skill 'Tracking'.
If I shoot, it hits for sure.
Even if the target is slightly off, the projectile bends and hits accurately.
But the prerequisite is that it must be in my eyes.
In other words, the target must be within my field of view.
If it slips out of my field of view?
It's all for nothing.
And currently, my field of view is already narrowed because of the rabbit mask.
Chasing the movements of the nimble monkeys was no easy task.
"Should I catch the boss by myself?"
"…Let's catch it together. No refunds. But before that, let me catch my breath."
"But do NPCs get tired, too?"
Eyes filled with pure curiosity.
I also fell into thought for a moment.
'Does Rackcho get tired, too?'
I don't know.
But I do know that she gets sulky.
I once managed to soothe her with a toy Hong Jehun recommended.
"NPCs, well. It's a system restriction."
I passed the question I couldn't give a definitive answer to with a cheat key.
So, what happened to the boss, you ask?
It was an instant kill.
The moment Im Hyunjin's skill 'Tree Vine' bound the boss's ankles, I comfortably poured explosive damage into its weak point.
A clean finish, neither difficult nor dangerous.
The entire jungle, which had been making a racket with "Eek! Kak!" noises until just a moment ago, became silent as if it were a lie.
"Wow, Mr. Rabbit! Thanks to you, I set a new record!!"
"Congratulations."
Of course.
How much of my fingers did I grind down for that.
How much effort did I put in to drastically reduce the clear time!
According to Rackcho, the maximum contribution a hidden party member can get is 50%.
I was absolutely certain I had filled that 50%.
I mean, I caught not only the boss but all the small fry, too.
And if that happens?
It means the remaining 50% of the contribution goes to Im Hyunjin.
That's why I had to make the clear time much faster than the time she usually took for repeat clears.
Because the event where she receives fewer rewards than usual must never happen.
'Huh? Why are the rewards like this? It's like we partied up and split the contribution points?'
'…HOXY, is the NPC Rabbit a party member?!'
Suspicions like this must never spread!
I didn't even tell Seo Ian, who knows of my existence, that I'm applied as a hidden party member.
Because I figured that once she found out I was taking a huge spoonful from her bowl, there wouldn't be anyone left who would welcome me when I appeared in the Tower.
"But with Awakened Im Hyunjin's abilities, couldn't you join a party and go to higher floors? I don't think anyone would refuse."
It was something I felt and realized after experiencing it myself.
Im Hyunjin's trait is in the buffer line that strengthens team members.
Just before hitting the boss, a text suddenly appeared before my eyes: [Im Hyunjin wishes to bestow 'Blessing of the Fluffy Kubel' upon you!], forcing me to choose between accept or decline.
Once I accepted, my damage output skyrocketed in an instant.
That's why I could notice she had a buffer-type trait.
'This must be why Hong Jehun recommended her.'
Even the special floors are forced party play.
Her trait will shine even more, and its potential for utilization will be endless.
Therefore, I had to bring her in, no matter what…….
"Ah, thank you for thinking highly of me, Mr. Rabbit! But how should I put it, other Awakened seem to be reluctant to party up… Hehe."
She turned her gaze slightly, looking embarrassed as she laughed.
I couldn't understand it at all.
The reason people are reluctant to party up?
Because they have to split the contribution points.
But what if a guaranteed clear becomes possible and you can even reduce the clear time?
Total amount of rewards received increases → Even if contribution points are cut, the actual rewards received increase.
Plus, in the Tower, level is king.
Passing floors quickly is more profitable.
And yet, they are reluctant to party up with her?
Exactly one hypothesis came to mind.
"Awakened Im Hyunjin. You know Awakened Hong Jehun, right?"
"Yes, of course!"
She smiled brightly when I brought up his name.
"It seems you're reluctant to reveal your trait because you're afraid of being threatened by other Awakened, but did you not reveal it to him either?"
Hong Jehun seemed to have noticed her trait.
That must be why he recommended Im Hyunjin to me.
But she herself seemed to have kept her trait tightly hidden from him, without even knowing that fact.
'If Hong Jehun, who seems to have ambition for climbing the Tower, is leaving such a supporter alone and climbing the Tower by himself… isn't it possible he hasn't proposed a party yet out of consideration for Im Hyunjin?'
"That……."
She hesitated for a moment, but then, as if she had made up her mind, she clenched her fists and continued.
"Mr. Jehun knows. And it was Mr. Jehun who told me to hide my trait."
Oh? This is a bit unexpected?