Gathering Squad 2: The Secret Grove
Crackling wood groaned—wooddrdrdrdr! Roots burst through the cold concrete floor, writhing like snakes as they twisted around each other, weaving and tangling into a sturdy form in an instant.
"Oppa? No... hyungnim! What the...!" Harina's eyes widened in shock. U Jeong just stared in awe at the spectacle.
The roots intertwined with exquisite precision, forming the shape of a bed, and soft moss sprouted on top, creating a plush mattress. The Ancient Druid Wood Ring was a monster-grade item that turned my imagination into reality. I'd practiced by shaping thorny vines into detailed figures. Wooddrdrdrdr! Mochi bounced around excitedly, fascinated by the furniture being crafted from mana.
Shelves grew on the walls, and in the center of the room, a handsome solid-wood table and three chairs materialized in a flash. The musty room transformed in an instant into a cozy cabin deep in the woods.
"Whoa... this is insane!" U Jeong gaped, her mouth hanging open as she tentatively touched the moss bed. Her face lit up with admiration at the unexpectedly soft, cushy texture.
"What is this? You had... this kind of power?"
"Hyu... hyungnim...?"
Before using the Ancient Druid Wood Ring, I'd downed the Golden Goblin's Advanced Elixir. Thanks to that, my stamina was endless, constantly swapping with mana via Mana Stamina. Even after boosting my max mana by 20% and giving some to Mochi, I still had plenty left over.
"Hold on. I'll make the rooms now."
I used the moss bed as a base and erected partition walls. As the small, cozy rooms took shape, U Jeong clasped her hands in delight.
"It's like a beautiful room from a fairy tale!"
I flashed a satisfied smile and sank into one of the freshly made chairs. "Now this is somewhere you can actually rest."
Right then, three pairs of round eyes peeked through the open door crack. Cha Gi-tae, Park Byung-woo, and Sukok.
"Th-that... is it magic?" Cha Gi-tae stammered.
I beckoned them over. "Come in. Don't just stand there gawking."
The three shuffled inside hesitantly, their eyes bulging as they scanned the bizarre furniture.
"D-did Hadojin make all this? This isn't just woodworking... it's practically creation magic..." Park Byung-woo muttered in awe.
Sukok said nothing, his gaze glued to the plush-looking moss bed. "Grrr... so... soft-looking."
"Go ahead and sit."
At my permission, Sukok perched gingerly on the edge of the bed—his massive frame somehow moving with surprising delicacy. He let out a low groan of rapture.
"Grr... good..."
Cha Gi-tae eyed Sukok enviously, then prostrated himself before me. "Hadojin-nim! Please bestow this great miracle upon my room too! I won't forget this grace for the rest of my life!"
Harina clicked her tongue at his dramatics. "Hey, you. Hyungnim's tired."
"It's fine." I stood up. The first investment to make these guys mine wasn't a waste. I crafted beds and basic furniture in Cha Gi-tae's, Park Byung-woo's, and Sukok's rooms too. Their barren spaces turned into cozy nests in a flash.
The three were beside themselves with gratitude. "Hadojin-nim... no, can I call you hyungnim from now on?" Cha Gi-tae asked, eyes sparkling.
I nodded. From that day on, the hierarchy among the gathering squad newbies was perfectly sorted. And at the center was me, with my overwhelming power.
...
Deep into the night. The corridor on the fifth basement floor of the west wing was as silent as the River of Forgetfulness. The time when all the world's noise and eyes had fallen asleep. Only the occasional thudding snore from Sukok faintly proved that time still flowed in this forgotten space.
U Jeong lay awake in the darkness, holding her breath. Every nerve in her body was on edge, tracking the faint presence beyond the door. It was time for her master to come. Just that thought sent electric tingles racing from her toes to the crown of her head.
She was already in perfect maid attire, kneeling beside the bed. This wasn't an obligation. It was her chosen ritual of waiting.
The academy's rules, her friendship with Harina, the roles society demanded of her as a woman—all those shells stripped away, leaving only the most primal bond of him and her. This secret time was her one salvation, her liberation.
Creeeak— At last, the door opened soundlessly. A silhouette darker than the shadows slipped inside. It was Hadojin.
"Master, I knew you'd come, so I was waiting."
U Jeong's voice trembled like a candle flame, but it held unwavering certainty. Hadojin approached slowly through the dark without a word. His footsteps were silent, but his presence crushed the air in the room.
"How'd you know?" His low voice made her smile faintly.
"I hear your footsteps... with my heart."
He stopped before her and gently lifted her kneeling chin with his hand. Even in the darkness, his eyes shone like stars. They held not just desire, but possessive confirmation of what was his—and a sharp insight that pierced to her deepest core.
"Tonight, we'll create a new world that only you and I can enter."
"Whatever world it is, this U Jeong will gladly step into it."
A faint smile curved his lips at her reply. "Even without knowing what it is?"
"Because I trust you, Master."
He took her hand and pulled her up. His palm was large and warm, the heat flowing from her cold fingertips straight to her heart. He led her to his room. It looked the same as the cozy space from earlier in the day, but in the night's stillness, it felt like another world.
Hadojin stood before the cold wall etched with dwarven script. He'd told her what it meant:
[Where the sun and moon touch, the harmonious sea they embrace shall open.]
"Master, this script...?"
"An ancient promise. But before fulfilling it, there's something we must do."
He positioned her in the center of the room and met her eyes squarely. "From now on, what I create is for you alone. This space will be cut off from the world, and its only law will be your freedom."
With his declaration, the Ancient Druid Wood Ring on his finger began to glow faintly green. Wooddrdrdrdr! Living trunks burst through the cold concrete floor and walls. U Jeong swallowed hard. The magic he'd performed earlier was unfolding even more intricately now—like a painter's brush on canvas, a beautiful act of creation.
The trunks writhed like snakes, wrapping, weaving, tangling to cover the entire room. "Harina's room..." It sealed off Harina's room and the path to her own perfectly, creating a completely isolated little space. Warm wooden walls enveloped them. Glowing moss sprouted on the ceiling, illuminating the room like soft moonlight. Plush grass carpeted the floor, and in the center, a massive tree grew, its branches forming an elegant bed. Another intimate space had formed within the room. In a flash, a secret forest unknown to the world—their private sanctuary—was complete.
"Whoa..." U Jeong gaped at the dreamlike scene. She reached out tentatively and touched the living wood of the wall. It was warm. Like his heart.
"This place is ours alone now." Hadojin whispered from behind her, his hot breath brushing her ear.
"Beyond these walls, the academy's rules, the world's stares, even your best friend and my little sister Harina—they can't reach us here."
He wrapped his arms gently around her shoulders and turned her to face him. "What if Harina wakes up?"
"She's out cold, so don't worry. And no sounds will leak out. So, U Yu-jeong..." Her real name slipped from his lips. Her heart plummeted with a thud. The masks of "master" and "maid" roleplay fell away, leaving just Hadojin and U Yu-jeong, man and woman facing each other.
"Here... you can scream. Unleash every desire you've held back. I... permit it."
Permit. That single word shattered the last lock on her reason. Tears welled up. This was exactly what she'd craved—absolute trust and permission to reveal her ugliest, most honest self.
With trembling hands, U Jeong untied the knot of her maid apron. The white fabric slipped softly onto the grass. The first shell of societal roles peeled away.
Hadojin just watched. His gaze wasn't greedy. It was reverent, serious—like a priest witnessing a sacred rite.
She undid the buttons of her black dress one by one. Her fingers shook faintly. With each button, her pale skin emerged under the soft glow lighting the secret forest. The last button came undone, and the dress slid off her shoulders. Only her garter belt, stockings, and skimpy panties remained.
She bowed her head in shame. But Hadojin approached and gently lifted her chin. "Beautiful."
At his sincere praise, she closed her eyes. He wasn't lusting after her body. He was celebrating her courage, her liberation.
"Now, undress me."
At his command, she opened her eyes. Her trembling hands reached for his shirt buttons. She felt the hard planes of his chest, the contours of muscle under her fingertips. As she stripped him, she explored his body like an adventurer charting unknown lands.
Finally, nothing remained on Hadojin. As she went to remove her garter belt, panties, and the bra cupping her small breasts—
"No... I like it like this. Let me take these off."
He scooped her up and leaned her slowly against the wall padded with moss and branches. The cool yet plush moss cradled her back.
"Now, it's time to open that door." He pointed to the wall etched with dwarven runes. "With our truest selves, we'll pour our own sea onto that wall. That's the final rite to complete this sanctuary."
U Jeong nodded. No fear lingered in her eyes—only fierce longing to create a new world with him.
Hadojin pressed his body to hers. He didn't thrust in right away. Instead, he began kissing her all over.
Forehead, eyelids, bridge of nose, lips, down to her collarbone... to her pounding heart. As he slowly unclasped her bra and his tongue gently licked her nipple, U Jeong shuddered with electric pleasure.
"Hngh...♥"
She didn't hold back her moan anymore. This was the place for it. Her hands clutched his back, nails raking his muscles.
"Master... no, Dojin oppa...♥"
She called his real name. His movements paused for a moment. He lifted his head to gaze at her face flushed with pleasure.
"Yeah, Yu-jeong. Let me hear your voice like that. Your sounds won't leak out."
His fingers slid between her legs, to her most secret spot. It was already soaked, frothing with her overflowing juices. When he pushed her panties aside and softly caressed her clit, U Jeong arched her back and cried out.
"Haaang!♥ No...! If you do that...!"
Her body bowed like a drawn arrow, hitting her first climax. Hadojin waited for her to calm, then positioned himself at her entrance.
"Ready to make our sea now?"
Tears in her eyes, U Jeong looked up at him and nodded with effort. She spread her legs, ready to take him fully. Her gaze said it all: I offer everything I am to you.