The Hidden Ace and the Pierrot's Stage
"Wait, benefactor. This is a little different from what we talked about, isn't it?"
The expression on Seo Ian’s face as she said this wasn't one of anger.
If anything, she looked so incredibly hurt that I started feeling guilty myself.
Room 303 of the Association.
Inside the temporary 'Outlaw Guild Office' provided by Team Leader Oh Wontaek.
We had decided to meet here before entering the special floor to head in together.
The reason was simple.
Just as Team Leader Oh Wontaek had worried yesterday, I was also concerned that Seo Ian and Hong Jehun would bicker and ruin the guild's image.
Think about it.
If the guild's image hits rock bottom?
It would naturally lead to a decrease in new applicants.
And if the number of new recruits drops?
I’d have to go out and break my back scouting for new members all over again.
That must never happen.
Absolutely not!
I’m on the lazy side.
I hate being tired.
Therefore, I could be more diligent than anyone else if it meant avoiding even greater fatigue.
Ironically enough.
"No, seriously, what does he have that I don't?"
"That's what she says."
Hong Jehun looked at me and smiled faintly.
His eyes held a subtle confidence, as if saying, 'There’s no one else fit for the job but me, is there?'
And he was right.
No. Even if I were to hand it to someone else, it would absolutely not be Seo Ian, who was standing right in front of me.
"I can do that stuff well too! Like being a sub-leader!"
I’m telling you, it’s not you, Ian.
"Hold on a second."
I took her by the arm and slipped out to the back door of the temporary guild office.
"Can't you just make Park Siwoo do it? That sub-leader thing."
If I told her no, she’d pout immediately. It seemed the problem wasn't that she wasn't the sub-leader, but that it was Hong Jehun who was.
The real show was about to start; I couldn't let her condition be ruined.
"Ian, do you remember the student body president from when you were in school?"
"I remember, they were pretty."
"What about the vice president?"
"I remember, they were handsome."
Ha, that’s not it.
But all roads lead to Rome, right? I didn't panic and kept talking.
"Ian, do you know what an agent is?"
"An agent?"
She didn't say anything else, so I assumed she didn't know.
In that case.
"You know Tom Cruise, right?"
"I do, he's handsome. I’ve seen all the Mission Impossible movies."
This Seo Ian, I swear.
Between the student president thing earlier and this, is she a total sucker for good looks? Anyway, it was a good start.
"Right. In those movies, does Brother Tom go around bragging that he’s a special agent?"
"No, he doesn't, right?"
"Exactly! Why? Because he can't let others find out! And you, you’re like that kind of agent. The biggest hidden card must always be kept hidden until the very last moment. Understand?"
"Hmm?"
Did she buy it?
"So, Hong Jehun is just pretending to be the person in charge for the public. If that's the case, who would be the most important hidden leader and the strike commander?"
"...Me?"
Seo Ian pointed at herself and asked back.
"That's it! You’re the real power behind the scenes, pulling all the strings while Hong Jehun hides in the front."
"That actually sounds pretty cool."
She bought it!
"Yeah, yeah. It’s cool, right? But remember what I said about special agents?"
"That others shouldn't know?"
"Exactly. So don't go bragging about it anywhere. Got it?"
"Sure~! My lips are sealed, you know!"
Yeah, they’re sealed alright.
The problem is that you make up such weird rumors when you try to cover things up. Regardless, inflating Seo Ian's ego was a success.
"Alright, shall we head back in? It’s not good to be away for too long."
"Okay!"
When we returned to the office, Im Hyunjin was there.
Park Siwoo, Hong Jehun, and Im Hyunjin were gathered together, chatting away.
It was a nice sight to see.
"Ah! Guild Master! Hello!"
Im Hyunjin’s uniquely bright, sunshine-like voice filled the quiet space.
"But who is the person next to you..."
Hyunjin’s gaze naturally drifted to Seo Ian, who was standing beside me.
Seo Ian thumped her chest and grinned.
"If you’re asking about me, I’m the one who works in the shadows... Ugh!"
Oh, you idiot.
I covered Seo Ian’s mouth with my hand and glanced at the clock.
We were running much later than I’d thought.
The entry time for the special floor was almost here.
I should have introduced them, but now wasn't the time.
"Time is tighter than I thought. Shall we get going first?"
I finished my sentence and looked at Park Siwoo.
I had asked him for a favor in advance.
"As you instructed, Guild Master, I’ve finished hammering everyone’s gear."
Whoa. You could get cut just looking at that edge!
As expected, his work is as sharp as a blade.
For reference, 'hammering' refers to the act of fully restoring the durability of equipment.
And this is something people surprisingly often forget.
What happens if your durability drops during a raid?
You lose DPS. Your contribution points get slashed.
Can't have that. Absolutely not.
"Did you do yours, Guild Master?"
I had finished it during my last intrusion last night.
It would look a bit weird if I told others to do it but didn't do it myself.
"Of course."
Park Siwoo, satisfied with my answer, turned his gaze to Seo Ian.
"Ian, you did yours separately yesterday... right?"
"Of course! Who do you take me for!"
"Aack, Rabbit! Sell me a hammer!"
"You little...!"
To the loud-mouthed Ian, Siwoo recited a post she had written on a community site in the past, word for word, like he was reading from a textbook.
Her eyes flashed with ferocity for a moment, and Park Siwoo chuckled, his eyes crinkling with amusement.
-Clap clap!
"Alright, alright, let’s go now!"
I clapped my hands to get everyone’s attention.
Man. Look at how chaotic this is from the start.
Today... we’ll be able to do well, right, guys...?
Inside the giant red tent.
Several lights were illuminating the interior, but it still gave off a strangely eerie vibe.
'What is this? Is it the temperature?'
I felt a nasty chill and was rubbing my arms with my palms to warm up when—
[Awakened Kim Uju! Can you hear me well!]
Team Leader Oh Wontaek’s voice came through the wireless earphone I had in one ear.
For reference, I currently had both the call with Team Leader Oh Wontaek and the guild member group call active at the same time.
"Yes."
[Please prepare well for the next 2 minutes before entering!]
"Yes."
A special floor that only opens for 10 minutes.
2 minutes are for preparation, and the actual time available for the raid is 8 minutes.
And unless it’s a 'Labyrinth' map, the boss appears naturally after 2 minutes, so there’s no need to go searching for it.
Hwang Gyubeom had told me before.
[It seems like a Pierrot will appear as the boss this time. You need to manage the 'Watcher' well. If the Watcher changes, the boss teleports to the new Watcher, which increases the distance and causes a loss in DPS!]
"Ugh."
I should have answered with 'Yes' or 'I understand'.
But a sigh escaped my lips first.
Ugh, what do I do about this?
"It feels like it’s going to jump around between Seo Ian and Hong Jehun a lot, doesn't it?"
My inner thoughts slipped out.
[That is correct!]
I wish he would have at least pretended to deny it.
[That is why Korea always lingers in the bottom tier on special floors where Pierrots appear!]
Damn it.
I have to maintain a ranking on a special floor where Korea is notoriously weak?
And I have to be the one to take the lead?!
Should I give up this time?
Just push it to next month?
...But the 15 percent reward was juicy.
For someone like me, who can enter the Tower infinitely as long as I have the stamina and time, it was a figure that hit home even harder.
Besides, I have to disband the TF team once to get my tick exchange rate...
"Still, I have to do it!"
Having made my decision, I clenched my fist and answered.
This was both an answer and a vow.
I couldn't just stand by and watch that 15 percent honey pot disappear.
There’s something called the 'Loss Aversion Effect'.
A theory that people feel the pain of a loss more intensely than the joy of a gain of the same size.
Just as much as I’d tasted the honey of the 15 percent intrusion contribution reward, I would be hit hard by the feeling of having it given and then taken away.
It means my heart would be torn apart.
After that, I called out to the two people who were most likely to cause aggro ping-pong—the top 1 and 2 in Korea, Hong Jehun and Seo Ian.
I asked them as if I were asking, 'Who wants to be the group leader?'
"Who wants to tank?"
In the early days of the Tower's appearance.
There was a brief period when party play was the mainstream.
Back then, the phrase 'Who wants to tank?' carried the negative connotation of 'Looking for a slave who is in danger, has a hard time, and has to worry about everything.'
"Me."
"I will do it."
The answers burst out simultaneously.
Unlike those early days, both of them knew the current formula: 'Tanking = 1st place in contribution'.
"Doesn't the contribution difference not matter that much if you just control your DPS well, even if you don't tank?"
Why are they both trying to walk such a difficult path?
The difference in rewards shouldn't be that big, right?
"That’s because the 1st place loot box is overwhelming!"
Seo Ian replied.
Once someone has tasted the honey pot, they can't easily forget the taste.
Just as I couldn't forget the 15 percent additional intrusion reward, they couldn't forget the 1st place contribution reward on special floors.
'Ah, damn. What do I do?'
I rolled my eyes aimlessly, my brain working at full capacity.
I can't let them do aggro ping-pong.
Should I grab one of them and force them to lower their DPS?
They’d probably follow my lead.
But there’s a high chance it would cause trust issues.
In that case...
"Both of you, just attack comfortably. But at the beginning... you really need to put your heart and soul into your attacks. Got it?"
"Okay!"
"Yes."
Seo Ian and Hong Jehun made eye contact as they answered me.
Seo Ian frowned slightly, and Hong Jehun just smiled calmly.
"Guild Master! Get used to it! They’re like that every time!"
Park Siwoo giggled as he walked past.
His job was supply and equipment maintenance.
That was already finished yesterday.
Seo Ian and Hong Jehun’s job was to pump out DPS.
Even if I told them not to, the two of them, blinded by contribution points, would take care of it themselves.
All that was left was Im Hyunjin.
I quietly called her aside.
"Can you only cast the buff on one person?"
"I can cast it on multiple, but the percentage each person receives decreases! It’s like contribution points!"
Like contribution points.
I understood immediately.
"If you want, I can concentrate it on one specific person, but each person must receive at least 10 percent! So, if it’s two people, the maximum is 90 percent, and if it’s three, it’s 80 percent!"
"I understand. Today, please cast it on all guild members at the same ratio. So there’s no talk behind our backs."
Buffing one person but not another just to get a stronger effect? That’s a recipe for disaster.
If you’re going to give it, give it to everyone; if not, don't give it to anyone.
The way of the world is that even if you give it to someone, you’ll still get cursed at if you don't give it to everyone.
"Yes, Guild Master!"
Im Hyunjin smiled brightly.
"And, by any chance, that tree vine thing. Are there any duration or restriction issues with that?"
My only hope for stopping the aggro ping-pong.
"It lasts for 1 minute and the cooldown is 24 hours! It breaks if the phase changes or if the boss has a status ailment resistance skill!"
I was momentarily stunned by the terrible cost-effectiveness of the duration and cooldown, but there was no time to be surprised.
"Bind it as soon as it appears."
"Yes! I’m happy I can be of help!"
She smiled particularly brilliantly.
A reality where she has a skill that helps others, but is forced to play solo for her own safety.
She looked relieved, as if she had broken free from the shackles of that reality.
"Guild Master! Doping!"
Park Siwoo shouted from a distance.
It seemed the 2 minutes were already almost up.
I downed two bottles of every elixir I had, applied the skill weakening effect, and stuck a capsule recovery potion between my teeth.
Finally, I took out my weapon and turned off the 'Mist' option.
The mercenary rabbit’s trademarks are the rabbit mask, the crossbow, and the DoT-dealing mist.
Someday, the fact that I’m the rabbit might be revealed to the whole world...
But not today.
It’s a bit too early for that.
Anyway.
"Dump all your skills at the start!"
That was the last order I gave.
We have to get through the phase within the 1 minute the boss is bound.
What if the aggro jumps and we can't even get through the phase?
We might end up with a worse result than last time.
Either way, the goal is to secure a ranking.
Finish the TF team’s goal,
And while I’m at it, extend the 15 percent additional reward period.
Plus, today?
It’s the first day of the Outlaw Guild’s activity.
If we do worse than last time, that would be embarrassing!
-Kee-kee-kik-kik-kee!
Soon, the stage went dark along with a bizarre laughter from somewhere.
Following that, a beam of light shot up from the center of the floor, and at the same time, the floor split open, revealing the boss, Pierrot.
The face painted on the mask was smiling, but it gave off a strange vibe.
And.
-Thwack! Thwack!
A giant green vine shot up, piercing the floor in a flash.
It was Im Hyunjin’s 1-minute binding skill, 'Tree Vine'.
-Kee-kee-kee?!
The Pierrot’s already strange laughter twisted even more bizarrely.
"Is that an item?"
"I’ve never seen an item like that. Could it be a skill?"
"I’ve never seen a skill like that?"
There were people who were particularly noisy.
While everyone else was too busy trying to get contribution points to care about trees or flowers.
"Foreign friends. Make sure to get good footage."
Park Siwoo said, casually adding a comment to them while shooting his gun.
"Even if you know what it is, you won't be able to copy it anyway."
"No, what does that..."
They tried to act like they didn't know, but they couldn't fool a veteran like Park Siwoo.
"Anyway, this is the problem with special floors, isn't it? Even people from some random, mediocre countries can sneak in to watch."
"Listen here! Random and mediocre, what is that..."
Park Siwoo ignored the red-haired young man who was getting worked up, as if he wasn't worth listening to, and continued.
"Still, it seems Korea has made it big. There hasn't been a single case of foreigners entering a Korean special floor until now... but today, there are quite a few people who look like foreigners at a glance."
"...What is that?"
The man with the impressive red hair pointed at the tree vine with his finger and asked.
"Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you, but honestly, I don't really know either. It’s probably our Guild Master’s arrangement."
Park Siwoo shrugged lightly as he reloaded.
After that, he aimed his muzzle at the Pierrot again, but he couldn't bring himself to pull the trigger.
Because the creature was hidden in a cloud of dust that had risen up.
- Dump all your skills at the start!
From Uju’s perspective, Hong Jehun might look calmer and more reliable than Seo Ian, but in Park Siwoo’s eyes, they were both the same.
It felt like the calm Seo Ian was Hong Jehun, and the violent Hong Jehun was Seo Ian.
"Stop scraping the floor!!"
Park Siwoo shouted.
In special floors, it’s common for people to extend their attacks to scrape the floor.
It was a subtle way of raising dust to block others' vision and hinder them from getting contribution points.
A floor that is considered impossible to clear anyway.
That perception fueled individual contribution over cooperation.
If they do that even when the opponent is moving, how much more so now that it’s bound by the tree vine?
They were having a blast. A total blast.
"Hong Jehun!"
Park Siwoo called Hong Jehun’s name with clear pronunciation.
His trait was likely 'Freezing'.
He knew this from his long life as an enchanter.
Therefore, he judged that if Hong Jehun melted the ice to make water and sprayed it, he could settle the dust to some extent.
"Visibility is poor. If it stays like this, I can't shoot with you. I’m worried I might hit the melee dealers."
Park Siwoo’s finger was still on the frame next to the trigger.
But there was no answer.
Instead, the dust only became thicker than before.
"Guild Master."
Park Siwoo called Uju over the wireless earphone.
Kim Uju uses a light crossbow.
A weapon for long-range shooting.
Park Siwoo thought that Uju, like himself, couldn't shoot because he was worried about hitting innocent people.
He thought he was probably restless, losing contribution points every second just like him.
However.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Park Siwoo’s eyes widened in an instant.
Did he give up on everything and just go for speed?
Kim Uju was firing only one type of skill into the dust at an incredible speed.
'Does he think that since there are only A-rank or higher Awakened here, they can dodge stray arrows flying from behind on their own?'
His thought changed before long.
The arrows Uju fired.
They looked like he was shooting them randomly, but all of their trajectories were bending and soaring upward.
It even felt like the trajectories were constantly overlapping.
Park Siwoo glanced at the DPS meter.
His eyes couldn't help but widen even further.
◈ 1st: Kim Uju (??%)
◈ 2nd: Seo Ian (??%)
◈ 3rd: Hong Jehun (??%)
'So he wasn't just shooting blind arrows into the air?'
Park Siwoo’s lips curled upward, drawing a natural arc.
His eyes shone sharply with curiosity, and he tried to call Kim Uju once more, but he couldn't.
-Kik-kee! You dull human fools!
A new line suddenly burst out.
-Crackle.
The green tree vine burst like ash and scattered into the air.
-I will show you arrogant fools the taste of hell, kee-kee!
We got through the phase.
Now, no one knew what kind of changes would occur.