Tangled Threads (End)

The first place I headed was the Thief Guild. For the past few days, the quest system had been both our territory's greatest cash cow and my biggest headache, and I needed to discuss it with Hermit.

"...I have no excuse, my lord. The only answer I can give you is that raising the territory's rank will also raise the Thief Guild's rank, which will in turn grant somewhat higher-grade quests."

Hermit answered with her head bowed like a criminal. Hmm. That really wasn't necessary.

"I am not here ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to scold you. So raise your head."

No matter how inefficient the quests were, that only applied to people like me, Sora, and Seeun, whose levels were already firmly established. For the other residents, there was no more reliable way to earn experience and gold. A few hours of physical labor netted anywhere from 500 to 1,000 experience plus 100 gold — who in their right mind would turn that down?

The problem was that for me and my companions, even 1,000 experience was a drop in the ocean. It was far more efficient to just round up zombies and monsters and slaughter them wholesale.

The bigger problem was that monsters on the Gangnam side had dwindled to a genuine handful. The place was basically a hollow ghost city at this point.

"Even so... simply being forgiven with words cannot atone for my sins. When you first came to me, I proudly told you only of this quest system's merits. That debt must be repaid..."

Huh? What are you talking about, Hermit?

"Besides... there's no one around right now... so you needn't feel awkward about it, my lord."

What the hell is that supposed to mean? And why are you suddenly pulling down your hood, Hermit?

And why, exactly, are you undoing the front of your robe to put that cleavage on full, shameless display?

It looks incredible, don't get me wrong. A pair of breasts rivaling Kim Seyeon's just appeared right in front of me, and I am thoroughly enjoying the view, buuut!?

"For the crime of causing Lord Jeong Hoon such worry... I thought I might repay it with my body... unless you'd rather not?"

As if I'd ever say no to that!

Except... the timing was catastrophically bad. I mean, sure — right now it was just me and Hermit in the Thief Guild! Even the butler refused to set foot down here, muttering something weird like "It gives me the creeps. Please stay safe"!

B-but I... today... I have to wait for Seo Hyejin, who might arrive in Yeouido before the day is out!?

"Hermit, I well understand thy devotion, but—"

Ah. I felt it in my gut.

If I rejected Hermit right here — if I pushed away the temptation radiating from that body with a volume to rival Kim Seyeon's — I had the distinct feeling I'd be waiting a very long time before I got another shot at tasting that figure(?)

Th-this is...!

...Orderly Good. You're going to take the hint, right? You'll look the other way like before, won't you?

"—Baaah!"

...Ha.

Haaaaaaaaaah...!

...Orderly Good isn't showing up, so now I just... damn it...

In the exact moment I was weighing whether to accept Hermit's seduction, a familiar voice drilled into my ears.

Seeun... you... lately... you really...!

You've got even less situational awareness than Sora. Tch!

"Oppa! Hoonie Oppaaaaaa!"

A voice bellowing at the top of its lungs came through. The soundproofing in here was nonexistent.

No — when this place had still been wrapped in concrete, the structure hadn't been that bad for sound. Had converting it into the Thief Guild made everything more audible? It was timber construction now. I'd heard the vacuum cleaner whirring from time to time, so that had to be it.

"It seems I must be going. As for thy temptations... restrain them where possible, Hermit."

"Mmm... so you weren't entirely opposed, my lord...? Heehee. Then... until next time?"

You little minx...!

I had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠no idea how I'd managed to seduce even an NPC succubus. I already had more than four women at my side — five(?), counting her. At this rate, wasn't I going to get wrung dry all at once?

I left the Thief Guild and hurried back up to ground level. The moment I emerged, I spotted Park Seeun sprinting toward me in a full panic.

Her face was far more desperate than I'd expected.

"Ah! Oppa! Hoonie Oppa! Hah, hahh...!"

"Calm thyself, Seeun."

Seeun coming to find me could only mean Seo Hyejin had arrived in Seoul.

But what was with this genuine, raw urgency?

"Hahh... hahh...! Hyejin unnie's group...! Monsters are... hahh! Chasing them...!"

That was all I needed to hear.

"Hahh...! The main road — they're coming in from the southwest end of the—!"

Seeun's frantic shout hit the back of my head as I was already moving. Hearing that much was plenty.

I ran without a second's hesitation. Past startled people, through the main gate in a blur. Agility 18 was truly superhuman. I tore south along the main road without slowing.

The last time I'd checked, it had been one in the afternoon. Four hours since I'd parted ways with Sora that morning. She'd said they were coming by van. Traveling by car, of course they'd arrived fast.

Huh? But if they came by van, how were monsters chasing them? What kind of monster keeps pace with a car—

"Ah."

The moment two vans came into view in the distance, I understood.

Vrrrooooom!

Two vans were racing side by side at high speed along the main road into Yeouido.

Clack-clack, clack-clack!

Neeeeiiigh!

And flanking them on both sides, four flaming horses galloped as if providing an escort.

Shiiing...!

I didn't hesitate to draw my sword from my bag.

And I waited. Waited for that bizarre procession of vans and horses to enter Yeouido. Waited for them to get close.

The wait lasted less than twenty seconds.

"Sleep...!"

When the vans had closed to roughly fifty meters and the horses were nearly on me, I pointed at one of them and murmured under my breath.

"Neeeiiigh...!"

Thud! One horse crumpled instantly and crashed onto the asphalt. The others' speed faltered for a split second at their companion's collapse. In that instant, I launched straight up from where I stood.

I executed a standing sergeant jump right there on the spot, displaying superhuman leaping power. Below my feet, the roof of an oncoming van rushed into view.

Tak — I planted my foot and drove forward. Thud-thud-thud — I kicked off the roof for momentum and sprang ahead.

The four flaming horses — no, three now — that had briefly slowed came into clear view.

A Warrior skill. I unleashed the advanced form of Gale Strike, the skill I'd been able to take at level 9.

In an instant, one of the flaming horses was converted into roast horse meat.

Right after, my feet hit the ground. Tak.

I stepped casually into the rear space I'd just put between myself and the three horses — no, two now — as if nothing had happened.

"Neeeiiigh!?"

"Hiiihihing!"

The two survivors shrieked, unable to process the sudden reality. They flapped and stamped like they were hurling curses.

Hooves hammered the earth. The unfortunate part for them was that I had no intention of just standing there while they came at the back of my head — and also—

—the fact that several days of questing had finally let me level up my Mage class.

"Lightning, strike down upon my enemy's head!"

KRA-KOOM!

I pointed a finger at one of the flaming horses, and instantly a blinding light flashed from the clear sky.

"Kiiihihihihing!?"

BZZZZZT-CRACKLE!

A bolt of lightning dropped from the cloudless heavens, and one of the flaming horses became a crackling, thoroughly electrocuted horse.

"Prrrrrngh!"

The last surviving horse flew into an even greater rage and charged me with nothing left to lose.

Enraged.

In a game, that emotional state probably would have boosted every one of the monster's stats. The thing reared up its hooves, intent on stomping me to death.

Grab!

"Hiihing...!?"

Unfortunately for it, my Strength was already 18 — superhuman territory — which meant I could catch a horse's scorching hoof bare-handed just fine. And also—

CRRRACK!

"Hiiihihing!?"

Strength: 19 (97 S+)

—I'd now pushed past mere superhuman into something closer to giant-class strength.

I seized the horse's leg and hoisted the entire animal into the air.

Whoooosh!

Still holding it aloft, I slammed it into the ground with everything I had.

KRA-BOOM!!

A ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠massive crack split the middle of the main road, asphalt fragments spraying in every direction. For the record, the crater was shaped roughly like a horse.

With a single overhead smash, the horse sprayed blood and returned to hell.

"Kiihing!?"

I sent the one that had collapsed asleep to join its friends as well.

"Whew..."

It really had been a while since I'd moved my body this flashily. Lately I'd spent far more time running around fulfilling quest conditions. The last time I'd fought this dynamically was when I killed that troll. These horses weren't particularly strong, but they were agile and on fire, which made them a pain if you fought them the ordinary way.

Alright. Time to go say hello to some old comrades.

I sheathed the iron sword back into my bag and ran back the way I'd come along the main road.

A little farther on, I spotted the two vans parked near Building P. Drawing closer, I found a reunion already in full swing.

"Seyeon unnie! Seeun! Sora! Uwaaah... I missed you guys so much!"

"Seyeon unnieee!"

"Lord Jeong Hoon! Where is our savior, Lord Jeong Hoon!?"

"Thou art a fanatic. Didst thou not just pass him by a moment ago..."

"Ah! How could I commit such blasphemy!"

...I had completely forgotten there was one total lunatic in the group. She's still doing that?

"Ah— J-Jeong Hoon oppaa!"

Han Sora, surrounded by Seo Hyejin's party, spotted me. Nearly twenty familiar faces whipped around in my direction all at once.

"Jeong Hoon-ssi!"

"Jeong Hoon oppa!"

"O Saviouuuuur!"

Ugh, that cultist freak is seriously making this so awkward! Why am I the object of some cult's worship!?

"Jeong Hoon-ssi..."

And then—

For the first time in what felt like forever, I saw that face again.

She looked a little thinner, but her beauty was still striking. No — she looked even better than the last time I'd seen her, which probably meant her level had gone up.

If anything, the fragile air that thinness had given her only added to her alluring charm.

"It's been a long time, Jeong Hoon-ssi..."

Voice trembling as if she'd just reunited with a lover she'd been painfully parted from, Seo Hyejin walked toward me.

"I thank thee for coming all this way, Guildmaster Seo Hyejin. Thy face has grown quite gaunt."

"No — I'm the one who should be thanking you. I'm the one who... for calling me here..."

Ah. This wasn't going to work.

Something bumped softly against my chest. A person's head. Someone whose emotions had finally overflowed pressed her forehead against me.

I felt a faint dampness seeping into my shirt. Was it raining?

No. That wasn't rain falling from the sky.

"Khhn... hhic...!"

Someone who had gritted her teeth and endured and endured — someone who had carried the full weight of leadership — had finally found a place to rest.

Flutter...!

A bolt of lightning crashed down from the clear sky.

And above that bright, cloudless expanse, a single bat took wing.

As if the very concept of being nocturnal could go to hell, it latched upside-down onto a nearby traffic light.

Without so much as a twitch, it stared fixedly at something in the distance.

A group of humans. More than twenty of them. Most of them female.

No — aside from the single male standing silently at the center, every last one was female.

The bat fixed its unblinking gaze on that human male, the one standing in the place of reverence among all those human females, and did not look away.