Chapter 37
Chapter 37
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Spoils of War
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Yu-jin wasn't directly injured like you. It seems the problem was the spear that horse-head was swinging around. Mr. Jade said it had some kind of curse… Thankfully, since the source of the curse—the horse-head—is dead, the curse itself has mostly lifted. I guess it’s the result of that, combined with the accumulated fatigue and everything else? He said she’ll be fine with some rest, so you don't have to worry too much. By the way, you were cursed too, and for the same reason, it's gone now, so don't you worry either.”
It was a torrent of words, but the gist was simple.
Both Seong Yu-jin and Kang-seok would be fine with some rest.
Letting out a sigh of relief, Kang-seok gestured to Choi Yu-ra with his eyes.
“And you?”
“You ask so quickly, it's a bit hurtful. As you can see, I'm perfectly fine.”
After striking a bodybuilder's pose as if showing off non-existent biceps, Choi Yu-ra quickly fixed her expression. She pursed her lips a few times before speaking in a calm voice.
“That three-person party that split off from Mr. Baek Gi-hyeong's group… it seems they were wiped out. But thankfully, on our side, no Players died. Mr. Oliver lost his right arm, but what's a fantasy world for, right? He said they can regenerate it at a major temple if he spends some money.”
“What about the priests?”
The fight against the Demonic Beast Cimeries had been short. But that didn't mean there were no casualties.
The priests of Gawain, who had been torn to shreds by a single blow from Cimeries.
Choi Yu-ra bit her lip slightly.
“Six of them. There was nothing we could do.”
“Right. I’m just glad you and Yu-jin are safe. And that I’m alive.”
Kang-seok composed himself. It was clearly a tragedy, but dwelling on it wouldn't do any good.
“Hey, anyway, why don't you check your rewards?”
Choi Yu-ra said, forcing a bright expression. Kang-seok, playing along, chuckled.
“Is it a big haul?”
“Don't ask, see for yourself.”
Following her playful banter, Kang-seok moved his fingers. Luminous text appeared before his eyes.
[Kron Acquired: 12,000 Kron]
[Title Acquired: Demonic Beast Slayer (Party)]
[Title Acquired: Rat Scavenger Slayer]
[Title Enhanced: Giant Slayer]
[Title Acquired: Knight of Gawain]
[Promoted from Intermediate Fighter to Advanced Fighter]
Many lines followed one after another, but only one caught Kang-seok's eye.
“T-Twelve thousand?”
12,000 Kron. An amount that could purchase roughly 120 days of survival time.
Considering the MVP Kron had been around 4,000 until now, this was three times that.
But that wasn't all. Choi Yu-ra spoke joyfully, as if it were her own achievement.
“The Kron we earned just from fighting should be huge, too.”
And indeed, it was. The number of monsters the party had defeated while holding off seven waves was truly immense.
The Kron from each one was small, but when gathered, the total was substantial.
The Kron Kang-seok had originally saved up.
The new Kron earned from killing monsters.
And finally, the 12,000 Kron from the VP bonus.
All combined, it was well over 20,000 Kron.
A new message of light appeared.
[The maximum purchasable remaining survival time is 8,640 hours.]
[* Time purchased beyond 8,640 hours will be automatically forfeited.]
[* Kron expires after 8,640 hours. Kron that is 8,640 hours past its acquisition time will be automatically forfeited.]
Bewilderment and understanding.
Two emotions rose at once.
It was impossible to purchase more than 360 days of remaining survival time.
Kron expired after 360 days.
With a little thought, the intention behind the rules became clear.
It prevented players from buying years of time with a large sum of Kron and living leisurely.
It forced a life of continuously earning Kron.
‘And one more thing, it makes you spend Kron on things other than buying time.’
The first thing that came to mind was trading between Players.
Right now, just buying survival time with Kron was a struggle, so they couldn't even think of trading, but there was no telling how things might change later.
“What are you thinking about?”
Choi Yu-ra asked, tilting her head. Kang-seok dismissed the luminous text and shook his head.
“No, let's talk about it later when Yu-jin wakes up too.”
“Hmm?”
“It’s just easier to talk when you're both awake. It's not urgent anyway.”
“Well, if you say so.”
Though she backed down gracefully, a hint of dissatisfaction lingered on her face. Kang-seok deliberately ignored her expression and said.
“By the way, you mentioned the spear earlier and it got me thinking. Could you help me up?”
“Sure thing. You were a big help this time, so I'll forgive you for getting a little handsy.”
Choi Yu-ra extended her hand, and Kang-seok, with a wry smile, took it. Enduring the pain in his waist, he managed to sit up and then stood, leaning on her shoulder.
“Wouldn't it be better to just rest more?”
“No, it's bearable.”
“Well, I don't mind a tough guy.”
Guided by Choi Yu-ra, Kang-seok slowly took a step forward.
Cold sweat trickled down his face from the pain, but as he had said himself, it wasn't unbearable.
But just as they were passing the bed where Seong Yu-jin lay.
“Worried about leaving her?”
“A little.”
The people of Gawain's temple and the Players were all comrades who had fought with their lives on the line.
But he couldn't help feeling a special connection to Seong Yu-jin and Choi Yu-ra.
Leaving the defenseless Seong Yu-jin alone in the sickroom.
A flicker of anxiety held Kang-seok's feet in place.
Choi Yu-ra let out a long sigh and suddenly put strength into her arms.
With the characteristic strength of a Player, she instantly swept Kang-seok up in a princess carry and strode over to the bed he had just left, setting him down.
“Yu-ra?”
“Stop, just stop. Just lie here. I have a good idea where you were trying to go anyway.”
The place Kang-seok had wanted to go, even asking for support.
Kang-seok gave an awkward smile.
“Just in case, not everything was taken, right?”
The various items the Demonic Beast Cimeries must have had.
Just from a glance, there was a spear, a shield, and armor. There might have been rings or necklaces with special abilities too.
They had fought together, risking their lives, but coldly speaking, the other Players and Kang-seok's party were complete strangers.
He couldn't help but worry about the items.
Choi Yu-ra giggled. She tilted her head slightly, looking down at Kang-seok.
“Wow, so human. So very human. You're just overflowing with humanity.”
“Yu-ra?”
“Don't worry. Actually, everyone was eagerly waiting for you to wake up.”
“Huh?”
“The items, it turns out it’s not finders keepers.”
Choi Yu-ra winked, and Kang-seok understood.
MVP Choi Yu-ra.
VP Choi Kang-seok, Oh Su-jeong.
Two of the three Players whose names were specifically mentioned were in Kang-seok's party.
It wouldn't be strange if they were guaranteed some say in the item distribution.
“Well then, will you wait here, boss? I'll go gather the concerned parties.”
“Please do.”
“Roger.”
With a light salute, Choi Yu-ra spun around and walked away.
Kang-seok watched her back for a moment before turning his gaze back to Seong Yu-jin.
He smiled warmly at her peaceful sleeping face, then closed his eyes.
It seemed Choi Yu-ra would be back soon, but the temptation of sleep was too strong.
Kang-seok opened his eyes again thirty minutes later.
* * *
“Oh, you’re safe after all. I’m so glad. Truly glad.”
The treatment room where Kang-seok and Seong Yu-jin lay was a spacious area, large enough for ten beds.
Thanks to that, it didn't feel cramped even with all ten Players gathered.
The ‘Temple Defense’ itself had been such a chaotic battle that many Players had sustained minor injuries.
But the only ones with noticeable injuries were Kang-seok and Oliver.
Oliver, who had bantered as soon as he saw the awakened Kang-seok, laughed heartily and thumped his chest with his remaining left hand. He winked at Kang-seok's concerned face and said.
“Don't worry about my right arm. Priest Jade said he'd write me a letter of introduction to a great temple. I'll probably have a brand-spanking-new one soon enough.”
He even waved what little remained of his right arm, which had been severed clean below the shoulder.
Even having heard it could be regenerated, his cheerfulness was truly admirable.
Choi Yu-ra, who had taken a seat at the head of Kang-seok's bed, glanced over at the still-sleeping Seong Yu-jin and lowered her voice.
“Alright, alright, we've got a room full of patients, so let's not get too worked up. Let's keep it quiet.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
The one who answered was Oh Su-min. Everyone was standing in a circle around Kang-seok's bed, and Oh Su-min had positioned himself right next to Choi Yu-ra. Kang-seok thought it was a coincidence, but seeing his beaming face, it seemed he had deliberately stood beside her.
“Aww, you're cute.”
Perhaps they had bonded as fellow ranged dealers, or maybe they had gotten close while Kang-seok was asleep, but Choi Yu-ra gently pinched Oh Su-min's cheek.
It was a show of affection most boys would dislike, but Oh Su-min's cheeks turned pink, and he couldn't hide his delight.
Kang-seok stared at Oh Su-min with a slightly dazed look, while Oh Su-jeong openly scowled.
Amid the slight commotion, Baek Gi-hyeong cleared his throat.
“Ahem. We've brought all the items we obtained from the beast. Ms. Yu-ra and everyone else have confirmed them, so you don't need to be suspicious.”
“Okay.”
In the first place, the MVP of this quest was Choi Yu-ra. It was one thing if she had secretly pocketed an item, but it was nearly impossible for anyone else to do so.
When Kang-seok readily agreed, Baek Gi-hyeong signaled to the other Players with his eyes. They began to place the items, brought in on a small cart, one by one onto the floor.
This time, it was Daniel Kim who stepped forward.
“Depending on our original games, what we can see when appraising items differs a bit. So, several of us took turns appraising… In other words, I'll explain the general specs.”
Among Kang-seok's party, only Seong Yu-jin could appraise items, so they were at a slight disadvantage in this regard, but Kang-seok was currently talking with Players who had risked their lives alongside him, not con artists.
Excessive suspicion would do more harm than good.
Daniel Kim tapped the jet-black armor, the most conspicuous item due to its size, and said.
“Its name is Demonic Armor Arnak. The armor and shield are a set. It's a fantastic piece that changes shape according to the wearer. Based on my old game, ‘Dungeon Jewel,’ it would be a top-tier Stage Two out of five, a Super Rare grade, a very fine suit of armor. It's practically the best item we got this time.”
Perhaps because his race was Dwarf, he looked oddly suited to explaining items.
“First off, its defense is outstanding. Not just physical defense, but its magic defense is high too, making it the perfect equipment for a tanker. Since its form changes to fit the wearer, you don't have to worry about it not fitting. The only problem is its weight.”
“Is it heavy?”
It was literally a lump of iron, so it looked heavy at a glance. Daniel Kim nodded.
“It's heavy. It’s a mystery how that Cimeries thing could run so fast while wearing something like this.”
Players were generally strong. Even the model-thin Choi Yu-ra could carry a heavy sniper rifle without any issue.
But the Demonic Armor Arnak was heavy even by Player standards.
“Anyway, let's continue.”
Daniel Kim proceeded to explain the other items one by one. They had collected items not only from Cimeries but from other monsters as well, so there was quite a lot.
For Kang-seok, it was the first explanation; for the rest of the party, it was a review.
After a lengthy twenty-minute explanation, Daniel Kim stretched his back and let out a sigh.
“Alright, now shall we discuss how to distribute them?”
Not everyone could get the same item.
While it might be different for a speed-type like Kang-seok, the Demonic Armor Arnak was an item that any warrior-class Player would covet.
With many wanting it but only one available, rules for item distribution needed to be established.
Daniel Kim shrugged.
“I don't know how this system figured us out in such detail, but before being a ten-person raid party, we're divided into three smaller parties. And… each of those three parties received points based on their contribution in this battle.”
“Ah, don't tell me…”
As Kang-seok trailed off, Daniel Kim quickly nodded.
“That's right, it seems we get priority in item selection based on those points. The idea is to divide among the parties first, and then let the parties sort it out internally… I think that's how the system works.”
“So, we can't equip them now?”
“You can, but how should I put this… you have to take it off pretty quickly? It seems the system is a bit more flexible and offers protection only during raids involving multiple parties.”
The one who answered was Choi Yu-ra. She placed her hand on the back of Kang-seok's and gave him a slight look, and he quickly understood its meaning.
‘Iris must have told her.’
This was reality, not a game.
It only made sense that one should be able to use equipment dropped by an enemy during battle.
As Choi Yu-ra said, it was likely an auxiliary system to prevent unnecessary disputes between Players.
Daniel Kim spoke again.
“Currently, your party, Kang-seok, has the highest contribution, followed by Mr. Baek Gi-hyeong's party, and finally our party.”
“We take turns picking items in order of contribution. Pretty fair, right?”
Choi Yu-ra chimed in. Seeing her speak so familiarly to Kang-seok, Daniel Kim shook his head.
“Yu-ra insisted we absolutely could not distribute anything until you woke up, so we were all just waiting for you.”
Choi Yu-ra smiled brightly with a cat-like expression that seemed to say, ‘Didn't I do well?’, and Kang-seok returned a pleasant smile.
“I understand. Let's begin the distribution.”
All the Players nodded, their faces taut with tension.