Chapter 75
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: The Black Dragon and the Shaman
[The last time we were connected, you were sparring with Mr. Curios. I’m not sure about now.]
“When was the last time you were connected?”
[Thirty minutes ago.]
At Iris's response, Choi Yu-ra pursed her lips and gathered her thoughts.
Lately, Kang-seok had been focusing more on sparring with adventurers like Curios and Abigail than on fighting monsters.
It was a way to get used to fighting opponents who used technique rather than relying solely on strength and speed, and also to absorb their fighting styles.
‘He called it… the flow of battle, right?’
Players fought primarily using skills.
It was something Choi Yu-ra herself had come to realize recently. While that tendency was slowly diminishing as she fought more, there was still a long way to go.
‘If he sparred with Curios, he’s probably with Mr. Abigail now. So he’ll be back late in the afternoon, just like he said?’
Besides, he hadn't visited Ahen today just for sparring. He had other business, which made it even more likely he would be late.
[Ah.]
Iris suddenly made a strange sound. Startled, Choi Yu-ra looked up.
“Iris?”
[Please wait a moment. I am currently speaking with Mr. Choi Kang-seok.]
Unless it was something special, Iris could only communicate with the party when a quest occurred.
Imagining a telephone operator picking up two receivers at once, Choi Yu-ra bit her lip and waited for Iris’s response.
Seong Yu-jin, who had been looking after the group, must have received the notification as well, as she approached Choi Yu-ra.
[He says he will be returning right away. He’s almost finished with his business in Ahen, so he should be back soon.]
Kang-seok's real reason for visiting Ahen today.
Seong Yu-jin’s voice was more excited than usual as she asked into the air.
“Did the airship arrive?”
Today was the day they were supposed to receive the airship they had ordered through Hunt. The anticipation was immense, as it would become the party's flagship and second home.
Iris, who also seemed to be in a good mood, replied warmly.
[Mr. Choi Kang-seok is inspecting it himself right now. That’s why I was able to connect with him. Congratulations on clearing the Acquire an Airship quest.]
[Quest Cleared]
[Quest: Acquire an Airship.]
[*This is one of the achievement quests.]
Luminous text appeared, but Choi Yu-ra didn't even finish reading it before waving her hand to dismiss it.
“More importantly, how’s the airship? Is it as cool as it was in the catalog? What does it look like? Describe it for me.”
Choi Yu-ra pressed Iris. Hearing the voices of Seong Yu-jin and Choi Yu-ra, Yang Jun-gyu and the others gathered around.
As if to tease her, Iris remained silent for a moment before speaking.
[More importantly, I have a message from Mr. Choi Kang-seok. He says he will return immediately on the airship and asks that you all prepare for battle and wait at the ‘dock’.]
“Prepare for battle?”
It made sense to gather at the dock Antonio Choi had built for this day. It was where the airship needed to land. But why the sudden talk of preparing for battle?
[He says it’s to test a new guild member candidate. The airship has just departed from Ahen. I must disconnect now. I will see you all again later.]
“Iris? Hey! Iris!”
Choi Yu-ra shouted, but the connection was already cut. Seong Yu-jin blinked.
“A new guild member candidate?”
Could she be talking about Mr. Hunt, who must have brought the airship?
‘No, we wouldn’t need to prepare for battle then.’
Answering her own question, Seong Yu-jin shook her head.
It was already known that Hunt possessed no significant combat abilities. The fact that the test involved combat meant they were recruiting a new combat member, not a non-combat one like Hunt, Antonio Choi, or Yang Jun-gyu.
Who could it be, then?
Seong Yu-jin and Choi Yu-ra looked at each other.
* * *
A few minutes before Iris delivered the news to Seong Yu-jin and Choi Yu-ra.
A jet-black airship that seemed to melt into the darkness landed on the ground.
It had the basic form of a sailing ship, but its hull was narrower and longer than that of a typical airship.
Unlike most airships, it had almost no ornamentation, and its exterior was reinforced with armor plating for increased defense.
The bow of the airship, however, was exceptionally unique.
It wasn't just a simple dragon figurehead; the armor itself was shaped so that the bow looked like a dragon's head.
Combined with its pitch-black sails, it was incredibly impressive.
“Uh… this certainly seems to be your style.”
Abigail said, scratching his cheek. He hadn't seen many airships, but he had never seen one so obsessed with the color black.
“I just asked for it to be black…”
Even Kang-seok hadn't imagined they would make the sails black as well. Moreover, he had never ordered a dragon-shaped bow.
‘Still, it does look pretty cool.’
The all-black design gave it the feel of a luxury sedan, and the dragon-shaped bow was quite impressive. Letting out a slight cough, Kang-seok approached the landed airship.
A folding staircase descended from the side of the airship, welcoming Kang-seok, Abigail, and Curios.
“This is the Black Dragon. Are you pleased with it?”
Hunt, a broad smile on his face, welcomed Kang-seok from the deck. He had said he was a car dealer in his old world, and it certainly felt like his true calling.
Kang-seok gave the airship a quick look-over and replied.
“I am… but it seems a little different from what I ordered.”
“The sails and the figurehead are a complimentary service from Mr. Loxley. I’m glad you like them.”
It seemed that, like Galahad and Edward, the name Dark Destiny Lord sounded quite impressive to the natives of this world.
Feeling that the more he said, the more embarrassing it would get, Kang-seok changed the subject.
“Mr. Hunt, have you thought about joining the guild?”
The guild Adamas, founded by Kang-seok.
Since he had already earmarked Hunt as a member from the beginning, he had extended the offer a few more times while they were in contact about the airship.
Hunt was necessary to Kang-seok for two reasons.
First, he was a trustworthy person. Second, he could demonstrate exceptional skill in transactions with the natives of this world, just as he had with this airship deal.
He would essentially be the guild's head of foreign trade.
The inhabitants of this world weren't NPCs in a game.
They were individuals living with their own free will, and they vastly outnumbered the Players. Moreover, among them were powerful individuals like six- or seven-star adventurers, so they couldn't be treated lightly.
Considering the high probability of future dealings with other Players, an asset like Hunt was essential.
Hunt’s shoulders slumped as if in surrender.
“Since you ask so persistently, I have no way of refusing. Very well. If you’ll have me as an external guild member based in Rosel-burg, I will join.”
“Thank you.”
Kang-seok didn't just shake his hand; he pulled Hunt into a hug. Since Hunt's main role would be dealing with the Keeman Merchants, staying in Rosel-burg wasn't a major issue.
“Ah, and I have one more piece of news. You mentioned before that you were looking for a healer or a buffer, correct?”
Hunt said quickly as soon as the hug ended. Kang-seok’s eyes lit up.
“Did you find a suitable candidate?”
Choi Yu-ra wasn't the only one who felt the pressing need for a dedicated healer or buffer.
They couldn't just accept anyone in a hurry, so they hadn't posted any recruitment notices. Instead, they had asked for introductions through their connections, like Abigail and Hunt.
The first World Quest, ‘Raum's Tower,’ was now less than a month away. Time was too short to wait for a healer or buffer bound by a special connection, like the other guild members, to just appear.
Hunt smiled pleasantly.
“Yes, an individual worth recommending in many respects. I brought them along, so why don't you meet them? They’re waiting in the cabin right now. You can test them immediately if you wish.”
There was no need for further deliberation. Kang-seok nodded readily.
“I’d like to meet them.”
* * *
Beyond the secret entrance to Andras’s lair, on the mid-slope of the Sauerland Mountains, stood the fake guild hideout that Antonio Choi had crudely constructed.
Calling it a guild hideout was generous; it was just two rather large cabins standing side by side.
Since it was the barren land of the Sauerland Mountains, no one would bother coming all the way to a fake hideout on the mountainside, so the inside was completely empty.
The Adamas guild members, excluding Kang-seok, gathered at the airship dock built next to the fake hideout.
It was a flat area Antonio Choi had carved out of the mountain, finished to look like a helipad.
As all the guild members stared blankly at the sky towards Ahen, Choi Yu-ra suddenly spoke.
“It’s a healer. It has to be a healer.”
The guild candidate Kang-seok was bringing.
Come to think of it, there was no way Kang-seok hadn’t felt the need for a healer or buffer. He had probably asked Abigail or Curios to look for a suitable candidate.
Not just Choi Yu-ra, but Seong Yu-jin and the other guild members thought the same.
They already had Seong Yu-jin and Kim Kang-san as tankers, and Kang-seok, Choi Yu-ra, and the vital-point-striking Park Han-yeong as damage dealers.
What they needed now was a healer or a buffer, not another melee warrior.
“Ugh, I’m excited about the airship, but a new member too? My heart is going to explode.”
Yang Jun-gyu said, stomping his feet.
A guild-exclusive airship meant it was an airship that Yang Jun-gyu would be piloting in the future.
Just the thought of steering a massive airship made his heart pound, and now a new guild member was coming along as well. His heart was truly racing.
Choi Yu-ra glanced at Yang Jun-gyu and spoke to no one in particular.
“If it’s a healer or buffer, it’s probably a girl, right? Su-jeong was a girl, too.”
“You mean that girl, Oh Su-jeong?”
Yang Jun-gyu, who had only heard stories of the fight with the Demonic Beast Cimeries, immediately took the bait. Choi Yu-ra spoke quickly.
“Not just a girl. A really pretty girl. That’s right, the healer coming this time must be a pretty girl too. Maybe she’s even your age, Jun-gyu.”
“Kh!”
As if the mere thought was dizzying, Yang Jun-gyu clutched his left chest and bent over.
Kang-seok had Seong Yu-jin and Choi Yu-ra, while Kim Kang-san and Park Han-yeong were practically a couple, even if he wouldn't admit it.
They were surrounded by a garden of flowers, yet Antonio Choi and Yang Jun-gyu were the only single ones. How could they not feel lonely?
Choi Yu-ra began whispering all sorts of sweet nothings into the ear of Yang Jun-gyu, whose imagination was starting to run wild.
Unable to watch any longer, Seong Yu-jin pulled Choi Yu-ra’s arm and whispered quietly in her ear.
‘Yu-ra, what if it’s not a girl?’
‘Then it’s not a girl. It’s fun, isn’t it?’
Seong Yu-jin barely managed to swallow the word ‘wicked’ that was on the tip of her tongue.
Choi Yu-ra continued speaking to Yang Jun-gyu.
“A healer, so it must be from an MMORPG, right? Have you ever seen an ugly female character in an MMORPG? Never, right? Ah, I’m so excited to see how pretty she is.”
“S-Sis, stop…”
Yang Jun-gyu’s mouth stretched into a grin, as if he was dying of happiness just from imagining it. Choi Yu-ra giggled.
“Looks like our Jun-gyu is getting a girlfriend. Am I going to be left out in the cold now?”
‘She’s a demon.’
‘A demon.’
‘Please let a really pretty girl come so Jun-gyu isn’t disappointed… A-And no more girls my age or Yu-ra’s age, please…’
While Kim Kang-san and Antonio Choi shuddered, Seong Yu-jin alone prayed for Yang Jun-gyu and for herself.
Park Han-yeong pointed to the sky.
“Kang-san, isn’t that it?”
“Oh, I think you’re right.”
In the distant sky, a jet-black airship cut through the wind. Its hull was longer and slimmer than a typical airship, giving it the impression of a blade slicing through the heavens.
“Looks just like Kang-seok’s ship, doesn’t it?”
“It does.”
Seong Yu-jin replied casually to Choi Yu-ra’s comment, her lips fidgeting like someone on edge. Now that she saw it in person, she felt as impatient as Yang Jun-gyu.
A short while later, the airship landed on the dock.
As soon as the folding stairs descended from the landed airship, the party, led by Yang Jun-gyu, hurried aboard. They climbed so quickly that even Kang-seok, who was opening the cabin door, was surprised.
On behalf of Yang Jun-gyu, whose face was bright red as he gaped like a goldfish, Choi Yu-ra asked.
“Kang-seok, where’s the new guild member? It’s a healer, right? Is it a girl? Is she pretty? Not my age, right?”
After feeding Yang Jun-gyu all those sweet nothings, Choi Yu-ra herself could only think of the new guild candidate as a ‘girl.’
Kang-seok gave Seong Yu-jin a strange look—she had almost the same expression as Choi Yu-ra—and instead of saying anything, he threw the cabin door wide open.
“I’m Go Min-gu.”
“Uh… a healer?”
Facing the ‘giant’ who had appeared on the deck, Choi Yu-ra gave an awkward smile and tilted her head. He was so large that her head, despite her not being short, didn't even reach his chest.
Moreover, he wasn't just a giant.
He wasn't even ‘human.’
A body covered in reddish-brown fur.
A massive upper body with immense muscles, forming a perfect inverted triangle.
His feet, which had sharp claws, were bare.
His head looked like a mix between a tiger and a wolf, and the fangs peeking out from between his lips were those of a predator.
John, whom they had met before, had certainly looked more like a demon than a human.
The same was true for Go Min-gu. Since the race of the character he played wasn't human, there was no way for his real-life appearance to be reflected.
Go Min-gu, his body painted with colorful dyes and his loins covered with a leather cloth like a druid or shaman, placed a massive wooden pillar that looked like a totem pole beside him and spoke.
“To be precise, I’m a shaman. A hybrid of a healer and a buffer.”
Seong Yu-jin, Park Han-yeong, and Kim Kang-san could only blink without a word, while Choi Yu-ra, who was closest, managed to extend a hand for a handshake.
“I’m Choi Yu-ra. Are you from World of Antaria?”
“Yes. I heard most of the Horde players are in the north.”
World of Antaria was a popular online game enjoyed by countless people worldwide. The Horde was the faction that included many non-human races like orcs, beastmen, and the undead.
The northern part of this world was said to be inhabited not only by orcs but also by various demi-human races like centaurs and harpies, so in a way, it was a perfect fit.
Although Go Min-gu looked even more like a monster than John from Park Hyeong-sik's party, the sense of unfamiliarity faded as they talked.
After Choi Yu-ra, Seong Yu-jin, Kim Kang-san, Park Han-yeong, and Antonio Choi introduced themselves, Kang-seok spoke.
“Then, we’ll begin Mr. Go’s recruitment test right away. Is everyone ready… Jun-gyu?”
Yang Jun-gyu, who had been staggering with a dazed look, collapsed on the spot. He was muttering something to himself, looking like he had lost his mind.
Antonio Choi patted Kang-seok’s shoulder.
“I’ll stay and look at the airship with Jun-gyu. You guys go on ahead.”
It was already well past noon. It would be troublesome if the sun set while they were dawdling, so they needed to hurry.
Kang-seok tilted his head and glanced at Yang Jun-gyu, but only for a moment. He turned to Go Min-gu.
“As I mentioned inside the airship, we’ll be heading straight into a real combat situation. Are you alright with that?”
“Leave it to me.”
Go Min-gu answered coolly, hoisting the totem, which was no different from a log, onto his shoulder.
“Then let’s get going.”
Kang-seok led the way.