Guerrilla Strikes
“More importantly, you didn’t die?”
(Uh, I’m still alive.)
“Where are you?”
(I was gonna head to the Empire or Kingdom, but it’s a bit far, so I came to a village. Dademv or something.)
“Ah, Dademv Village.”
(Whew, but what now?)
Sung Min-woo’s voice carried a note of worry.
(This is harder than I thought.)
“Of course it is. Don’t worry too much. Worst case, we can hole up in a hunting ground they can’t reach and just grind levels.”
(Sigh, yeah. But what about you?)
“Me? I’ve got Stealth.”
(Oh, right.)
“Anyway, come out for a bit.”
(See you?)
“Yeah, let’s talk.”
It didn’t seem like they could just charge in recklessly.
They needed a more detailed plan.
(Okay, meet at the park entrance.)
“Got it.”
He hung up and logged back into the Illusion homepage. The post Mu-hyuk had uploaded already had hundreds of comments. Checking his messages and emails, only two users had sent screenshots offering to sell skulls.
Well, for now.
Replies came almost immediately.
Both opted for the auction house.
No need to meet in person.
That was settled.
Next, he checked the information board.
Mu-hyuk’s numerous posts.
Just seeing the view counts filled him with pride.
Average of 50,000 views each.
His fame had grown so much that each post now gained about 300 views per day. With over 70 posts up, that added up to 21,000 daily views.
In cash terms, that was 2.1 million won, and Mu-hyuk’s 40% cut came to 840,000 won.
Earning nearly a million won a day. A steady stream of massive income.
He’d been steadily buying Illusion stock too, so money wasn’t an issue anymore.
Confidence surged.
With a satisfied smile, he shut down the laptop.
Quite some time had passed.
Time to head out.
He drove to the park and waited three minutes before Sung Min-woo arrived.
“Where to?”
“Let’s grab some simple food and talk.”
“Okay, follow me then.”
“Sure.”
Sung Min-woo took the lead in his car.
A short while later.
The two sat at a restaurant, eating and chatting.
“First, when we log in, let’s shake them up a bit.”
“And then?”
“Then we bail.”
Sung Min-woo tilted his head.
“Bail?”
“Yeah, they’ll go berserk trying to find us, right?”
“Probably.”
“That’s when we grind levels in a hunting ground. Once our infamy drops, we swing by their spots, wipe them out. That’ll rattle their guild members, don’t you think?”
Sung Min-woo grinned wickedly.
“They’ll be pissed.”
“No looting items—just kill. Preemptive strike if needed. Infamy goes up, we grind till it drops again. Rinse and repeat on their hunting grounds.”
“What if they tail us?”
“Won’t happen. We’ve got warhorses.”
“Hmm.”
“No other way. Can’t keep raiding their grounds non-stop like last time.”
“Okay, I’m in.”
“And fights are summons only. We stay way back, hidden.”
“Got it.”
They talked more details after that.
It’d take time, but this was the best plan for now.
“Alright, let’s go all the way.”
They clinked glasses and downed the soju.
“Kuh.”
And a bite of side dish.
They passed the time waiting to log back in.
The next day.
Checking messages and emails, three users offered plain skulls with no traits, while two had the ones Mu-hyuk wanted.
He sent rejections to the plain skull sellers and confirmations to the others.
After a few exchanges, they agreed on auction house trades.
Time passed.
Done!
Penalty time finally over.
He lay in the capsule immediately.
Welcome to Illusion.
He activated a skill right away.
Stealth
Inside the temple. A Hayaku Guild member who’d glanced away whipped his head around.
“What’s up?”
“Something flashed just now?”
“Huh? No one’s here.”
“That bastard has Stealth. Be careful.”
“Oh yeah. He’s not here now, right?”
“Hmm, time’s up, but…”
“Better check just in case.”
“Tch, annoying.”
Still, they moved diligently, waving arms up, down, left, right, scanning around. Mu-hyuk suppressed his pounding heart, dodging their arms as he darted about.
“Hmm, doesn’t seem like he’s here?”
“Yeah.”
“Let’s keep watch.”
Then the temple door opened.
It was a Hayaku Guild executive.
“Anything?”
“No, sir. Nothing yet.”
“Good. Stay sharp.”
“Yes, sir.”
As he opened the door to leave.
Creeeak.
Mu-hyuk, waiting by the door, slipped out easily behind him.
The moment he emerged, Mu-hyuk’s brow furrowed. Hayaku Guild members blanketed the temple area—about 100, all on high alert.
Without Stealth, he might’ve had to quit the game for real.
A bit later, with the executive and vice-guild master away, complaints erupted from the players.
“Sigh, fuck. How long we gotta do this?”
“Driving me nuts. Can’t even hunt.”
“So goddamn annoying.”
The more they griped, the more relaxed Mu-hyuk felt. Then, in the distance, the executive, vice-guild master, and Miyamoto approached. The chatting guild members shut up. Miyamoto, arriving at the temple front, asked.
“That bastard?”
“Doesn’t seem logged in yet.”
“Kill him on sight. Wait till then.”
“Yes, sir…”
Miyamoto, blinded by rage, ignored his guild’s morale.
Suits me fine.
Nothing more to see.
Whoosh.
He slipped away carefully. Mounted his warhorse, headed to another village’s warp gate, then to Sung Min-woo in Dademv Village.
“You’re here.”
“Yeah, let’s swap gear first.”
“Okay.”
“Then hunt.”
“Hunt? Not shaking them up?”
“Yeah, changed plans. Guild members seem pretty pissed off. Gonna make ’em camp there another day or two.”
“Heh, that’ll be fun.”
Of course, one thing first.
“Ah, hold on.”
“Yeah.”
He entered the auction system and searched for skulls.
Four showed up.
10 gold each.
Would you like to purchase ‘Skull’?
[Yes/No]
10 gold spent.
He bought the next skull right away.
Buy, buy, buy.
All four acquired, 40 gold spent.
“I handled the skull trades.”
“Whoa, nice.”
“Gonna evolve some skeletons and be back.”
“Sure.”
At the inn, he swapped the skulls immediately.
‘Bone Sword 1’ begins evolution.
Progress: 5%……
Progress shot up fast.
HP increase per level rises from 5 to 10.
‘Attack Power (25)’ increases…
Messages flooded in.
Four times in a row.
The eight Enhanced Bones became twelve.
Meanwhile.
As time dragged without Mu-hyuk logging in, Miyamoto’s scowl deepened.
“Why, why isn’t he coming?!”
His body trembled with rage.
Wasting time waiting to kill Mu-hyuk personally—three days now, no sign.
Maybe he Stealthed out already? But it was too quiet for that.
No reports from guild watchers in other empires, kingdoms, villages. No damage at occupied hunting grounds.
“Weird, so weird.”
He couldn’t forget those eyes.
That expression saying let’s fight to the end.
No way he’d give up or run so easily. If he’d Stealthed out, he’d have hit their hunting grounds at least. But with this much time, doubts crept in.
Did he run?
“That fucker…”
The thought only fueled his anger.
All this wasted time.
“Guild master.”
“What?”
“How long do we wait…?”
“One more day.”
“Understood…”
He ignored the guild member’s frustrated face.
Damn it.
He cursed inwardly.
*
After leveling up once via hunting, Mu-hyuk and Sung Min-woo visited a Hayaku Guild-occupied hunting ground. They scouted carefully, counting heads.
37.
A lot, but no issue.
Level 60 hunting ground.
“Let’s start.”
“Okay.”
Summons and spirits deployed, they fell back far.
Then he commanded the summons.
Kiririk.
Hayaku Guild members, startled by the sudden skeletons, paled at the familiar Enhanced Bones and four spirits.
“Th-this…”
“Fuck, we’re screwed.”
They bolted desperately, but too late.
Kiaaaak!
Burtan’s Ki Wave swept them.
About half dodged and fled, but no pursuit needed. Ranged was fine.
Mage spells and bone arrows nailed the runners, instant-killing around 15.
Meanwhile, Enhanced Bones, Bone Swords, two cavalry, and Burtan encircled the Ki Wave stragglers. Four spirits held the rear.
No escape.
Attack.
Summons charged on command.
“You fucking…!”
The Hayaku Guild players spat curses as they faded.
+Infamy
+Infamy
Infamy spiked near 200 in seconds.
Stop.
Mu-hyuk halted the attack, then with Sung Min-woo, headed to a safe hunting ground unreachable by them.
Level 120 monsters, Kakan’s habitat.