Dawn's Pervert and the Storm of Obedience
Mu-hyuk woke up at 5 a.m. and checked the Illusion homepage.
Well, not bad yet.
The paid information board hadn't racked up many views. Still, the post he'd uploaded on the first day had already surpassed 200 views, which was a promising sign.
"Up we go."
He shut down his laptop and got out of bed.
Throwing on some clothes haphazardly, Mu-hyuk headed to the gym, only to get snagged by the female trainer who greeted him.
"Hello!"
"Oh, hi."
"You're out early again today, huh?"
"Yeah, I've got a workout and some stuff to do after."
"Stuff? Like what?"
"Eh, you know. Illusion's been pretty popular lately."
"Oh, Illusion. I play it too, but..."
"Cool."
"Since we're connected like this, mind if I add you as a friend later?"
"Sure, whatever."
Mu-hyuk answered while glancing toward the changing room every few seconds.
What's up with her today?
She finally let him go.
"Ah, go change and come back out."
Change first?
Is she gonna corner me with more chat if I come out? With a vague unease, he slipped into the changing room and donned his training gear.
When he emerged to start warming up, sure enough, the trainer approached just as expected.
"I've noticed your warm-ups have been kinda sloppy lately."
"Me?"
"Yeah. You just go by feel each day, no set routine."
"Ah, true."
"Warm-ups are the most important part. Let me show you—memorize the order and stick to it."
"Thanks."
"No problem at all."
The trainer smiled and began the warm-up routine.
Oh, damn...
Mu-hyuk's pupils shook. Her sports bra and skin-tight training pants left him clueless where to look.
But instinct was instinct for a guy. Before he knew it, her figure filled his vision—stimulating as hell.
A slim waist, long sleek legs, and hips that looked ready to burst.
"Okay, watch me!"
"Ah, yeah..."
He settled on staring into her eyes.
This is...
Finally, he fixed his gaze on empty air.
The female trainer laughed at the sight.
"You're fun."
"Huh? What?"
"Nothing. Okay, again!"
"Ah, yeah."
The awkward time dragged on.
6:20 a.m.
After showering, he headed home and logged into Illusion.
Welcome to Illusion.
He opened his eyes and rose.
Swoosh.
Looking around, most users were still asleep. It was eerie, really. Apprentice knights and knights at least shifted in their sleep, but users were frozen solid, utterly motionless.
Then he spotted something odd. Amid the rigid users, one was twitching.
Focusing, he confirmed it.
Logged in, but...
What the hell's he doing?
He watched intently.
--------!
Mu-hyuk's eyes widened in an instant.
Hah, what the fuck...
The twitching user was a man, groping a frozen female user's body like dough.
Sure, she was rigid, but the sensation was real, and with no reaction, he was going wild molesting her.
Mu-hyuk started to rise, then paused.
Better safe...
Illusion always demanded caution.
So he recorded it.
About a minute.
That should do.
Stopping the recording, he stood and approached the still-fondling creep.
No face he recognized.
Made sense—no interest even if they'd shared space.
No hesitation, then.
Wind Step
Using the skill, he brushed past the man, drawing his sword.
"Wh-what the!"
Too late for the guy's reaction.
Mu-hyuk was already distant, loosing an arrow at him.
Bang!
The arrow struck his chest.
-240 HP
Not massive damage.
No skills used.
This was bait.
Bait hoping he'd bite.
"You bastard! With that puny damage!"
He took the bait, as expected.
"I'll kill you if I catch you!"
Mu-hyuk used Wind Step again, widening the gap.
Storm. Powerful Arrow Shot.
Aiming as the distance closed.
"You're done..."
The man drew his sword for a skill—then the arrow flew.
He raised his shield in panic, but the impact shoved him back.
-184 HP
-360 Additional Damage
The man's eyes bulged.
Blocked with a shield, yet that damage?
Worse than the chest shot. But still manageable. Close the gap, land a skill, turn the tide.
That's when he looked up.
"Wha-what...!"
His eyes widened to extremes.
Over 30 skeletons had surrounded Mu-hyuk.
*
The man never attacked.
Seeing the skeletons, he realized too late Mu-hyuk was the Centurion Captain.
The rumors had spread.
Attack the Centurion Captain, knights drag you to jail. Jail means trial, long sentence. Rock-solid source.
A shame, but whatever.
Mu-hyuk shook it off.
Users began waking one by one.
Vice Captain Kirk approached.
"Breakfast by 8, then we move out."
He left those words and departed.
Users clustered in groups. Mu-hyuk, with Sung Min-woo who'd just logged in, sat and whipped up simple food.
Meals for knights were only evenings, so everyone grumbled but didn't push.
"Ah, good eats."
"Same."
"When's this end?"
"The scouting?"
"Yeah."
"Four more weeks, I think."
Mu-hyuk's memory said so.
"Four weeks..."
Sung Min-woo stared at the plains, tilting his head. The stares felt prickly. Glancing around, users kept peeking.
"Why're they like that?"
"What?"
"Look."
Mu-hyuk turned; stares scattered.
"Hmm?"
He faced front again; eyes returned.
"Dunno."
"Doesn't bug you?"
"Nah, got nothing to hide."
"Handy being oblivious sometimes."
"Oblivious?"
As they bickered, the weird vibe lingered.
*
It started with one group.
"Hey, you see that this morning?"
"What?"
"Logged in early. Centurion Captain Mu-hyuk over there—gone?"
"Yeah, I see him."
"He straight-up attacked some user outta nowhere."
"Whoa, attacked?"
"Yeah, around 6:30 maybe? Most not logged in. He stands, uses a skill, blasts this guy."
"For real? Then what?"
"What? Attack the captain, jail time."
"Right."
"Victim just took it. Died in the end."
"Holy shit."
The listener approached a new friend.
"Heard the story?"
"What story?"
"Friend told me..."
The group spread it further. Righteous pervert-slaying twisted to power-abusing tyranny.
"Dude, he just killed him?"
"Gotta be a reason."
"Yeah, like ugly face pissed him off or bad eye contact. Some petty shit."
"Scary."
"Yeah."
"What if he comes for me?"
"Nah, just don't piss him off. Obey, you're good."
"Guess so."
"Kinda funny dying here—wasted effort. Can't fight back without jail."
"Exactly."
"Gotta watch it."
"That's why people crave power."
"Wish I'd make Decurion soon."
"Your buddy did two days ago, right?"
"Yeah, skyrocketing."
"Jealous."
"Anyway, careful around the captain."
"Got it."
An amusing twist.
Most users chose submission over rebellion.
*
Break over, pre-battle.
Mu-hyuk took point as usual.
Glancing back at users, he spoke—Vice Captain Kirk watched from afar, so he faked command.
"Our sector's left side. Got it?"
Normally, silence.
But today:
"Yes!"
"We know!"
Users responded eagerly. Weird.
What's going on...?
Mu-hyuk flustered, cleared his throat, continued.
"Ahem. Anyway, team with good synergy, take down the canoo. No crashing in—restrain."
"Yes! Understood!"
"No crashing!"
Mu-hyuk nodded blankly at the cheers.
"Ah, yeah. Let's go."
"Charge!"
Users rushed the monsters.
Battle began.
He didn't know why, but Mu-hyuk took it positive. No beef, just good responses and obedience.
Good was good.
Clearing his mind, he summoned.
"Summon."
18 Skeleton Warriors.
9 Skeleton Archers.
6 Skeleton Mages.
Total 33.
Over 30 felt like a lot.
Like a class.
His high school had ~10 classes per grade, 30-35 kids each.
Past memories: classes felt huge. 33 skeletons weren't few. He'd grown this far—smile crept on.
Approaching Bone Sword.
Storm. Storm. Storm.
Storm on all Bone Swords except Enhanced Bone—3,200 MP spent. Past self would've struggled to maintain summons.
But Valsian's tattoo ended MP woes. Even with all summoned, it ticked up.
Perfect.
Command time.
Enhanced Bone, Bone Swords—charge.
Armored Archers, Bone Bows—rapid fire.
Mages—magic attack.
18 bone arrows sliced space, followed by exploding spells painting the sky. Below, 18 Skeleton Warriors charged.
Kirrik, kiririk.
A canoo burst through explosions, clawing at Bone Sword 6.
Kwaaang!
Deals 220 additional damage.
Contribution (0.2) increases.
The canoo flinched and roared.
Kraaaah!
It wildly attacked Bone Sword 6, the damage dealer.
Storm. Powerful Arrow Shot.
Aiming at the canoo—sudden AoE magic engulfed it and Bone Sword 6.
'Bone Sword 6' has been unsummoned.
Mu-hyuk furrowed his brow, turning.
Tch.
Too many users—who cast the AoE? One suspect, but...
Nah.
Back to battle.
Advance, advance.
Slaying canoo, pushing forward.
Deals 220 additional damage.
Contribution (0.2) increases.
Then, canoo and Bone Sword 3 clashed head-on.
Fall back...
Retreat order about to drop—
Kwaaang!
Incoming magic hit Bone Sword 3.
"......"
Mu-hyuk's eyes turned ice-cold.