The Master's Wrath
Mu-hyuk knocked, and a shout came from inside.
"Who is it!"
To him, it sounded downright friendly.
"It's me, Master."
"Hm?"
The door flew open.
"Mu-hyuk, my boy."
"Yes."
"It's been a while. But what's with the guy next to you?"
"He's my friend."
"Is he now? Well, come on in."
"Yes. Let's go."
"Ah, right."
As Mu-hyuk stepped inside with Sung Min-woo following, Valsian suddenly thrust out a hand to block the way.
"No manners at all."
"Pardon?"
"I said come in, and you don't even greet me?"
"Ah, sorry!"
"Eh, for the sake of my one and only disciple, I'll let it slide."
"Th-thank you."
Quite the grumpy old man, Sung Min-woo thought as he took a seat beside Mu-hyuk.
Valsian sat down directly in front of them, eyeing Mu-hyuk with a bored expression.
"So, what brings you here?"
"To say hello... and..."
"And?"
"To ask a favor."
The boredom vanished in an instant.
"A favor?"
"Yes."
His eyes gleamed with interest.
"You, asking me for a favor? This oughta be good. Speak."
"I've got a guild war coming up."
"A guild?"
"Yeah. They tried to force me into their guild. When I refused..."
As Mu-hyuk explained, Valsian's face darkened.
It started as normal skin tone, but now it was flushed red all over.
His eyes narrowed sharply, making even Mu-hyuk flinch mid-sentence.
"S-so, that's why I need the favor..."
"The gall!"
The sudden roar startled both Mu-hyuk and Sung Min-woo.
Is he this pissed...?
Valsian's aura was overwhelming. If he unleashed a skill, even Mu-hyuk might not hold up.
This pressure dwarfed facing a top-tier monster at low levels early on.
"Daring to touch my disciple!"
Thankfully, it wasn't aimed at him.
Mu-hyuk sighed inwardly in relief, waiting for the rage to subside.
"Master, please calm down a bit..."
"Grrrh...!"
He finally closed his eyes and simmered down.
They snapped open again—cold, piercing pupils locking on.
"Fine. How can I help?"
"Hm, if you could send some skilled Gangster Necromancer disciples my way."
"Skilled, eh..."
Valsian nodded.
"Done. I'll send 'em to Column Village by tonight!"
"Thank you."
"How many?"
"The more, the better."
"Got it. Leave that to me."
"Yes. We'll be going then."
As soon as Mu-hyuk and Sung Min-woo left, Valsian stood.
His subsided fury reignited as he stormed to the Mage Guild.
"Welcome...! Wait, Master Valsian?"
"Where's that senile old coot?"
"Pardon? Oh, the Guild Master? On the fifth floor."
"Right!"
Valsian burst into the office on the fifth floor.
"Who the hell—without knocking!"
"It's me, you fool!"
"Hm? What brings you?"
"Got a favor to ask!"
"Asking like you're threatening me!"
"I'm pissed, that's why! Pissed!"
Hemil Empire's Mage Guild Master, Rubenhark, furrowed his brow.
Not in annoyance—how long since he'd seen his old friend this fired up? He was dying to know why.
"Need help with my disciple."
"Disciple?"
"Yeah. Issue an emergency quest to the Gangster Necromancers right now!"
"Fine, but you owe me big."
"Deal!"
"What's the details?"
Valsian spilled it all.
Moments later, a quest popped for every level 130+ Gangster Necromancer user.
Head to Column Village and fight Paradox Guild under Mu-hyuk's command.
Unrefusable—ignore it, and the penalties were brutal.
Word spread like wildfire on Illusion's homepage, igniting the forums.
Mu-hyuk clicked the second post, sighing as he browsed in-game.
Mu-hyuk shook his head at the comments.
"Haa."
Good or bad? Hard to say.
Who'd have thought it'd drop a forced quest?
"I figured you'd just send a few Gangster Necros you know."
"Whatever. Win and we're golden."
Sung Min-woo was right.
Winning came first—save the village.
"Yeah. Gotta win to hold it."
"Exactly."
Things had blown up, but no more losses to mercs now.
Paradox's level 130+ Gangster Necros were probably crumbling mentally; unaffiliated mercs would pay penalties and head to Column Village.
"Gonna be a show with all those Gangster Necros."
"Sure will."
High-level ones would pack a punch visually and in power.
"Speed things up."
"Roger!"
Nearing Column Village, Yerin waited at the entrance.
"Oppa!"
"Ah, waiting?"
"Duh. You vanished without a word—worried sick."
"Sorry. Quick trip to Hemil Empire."
"Hemil?"
"Yeah. Check the homepage?"
As Yerin browsed, they headed to where Doran trained in the village corner. Her eyes widened on arrival.
"Whoa, this blew up..."
"Yeah, got big."
"Big's fine. Helps us."
"Right. Boosts win rate—that's key."
Mu-hyuk smiled at them.
True enough.
Asking Valsian had smoothed it all.
Now just crush them mercilessly.
But first...
"Village chief!"
"Yes?"
"Entrance is chaos. Strangers pouring in..."
"Ah...!"
Gotta induct those Gangster Necros into the guild.
Meanwhile.
Paradox Guild Master Taiken pressed his temples.
"...So, most merc Gangster Necros paid penalties and bailed. Even our guild's level 130+ ones are shaken. End report."
Silence hung.
Executives bowed uncomfortably.
The reporter too.
"Haa."
Finally, Taiken spoke—another sigh.
He stopped rubbing, scanning ahead.
"Never thought it'd be easy, but..."
This unforeseen tactic?
"Guild war tomorrow at 11."
"Yes...!"
"And we're crumbling today. Think we win like this?"
One executive met his gaze.
"Hard to imagine us losing."
"Can't imagine it?"
"Yes."
"Then why do I keep seeing it? Am I crazy?"
"N-no way."
"Guess you're the idiot then."
"......"
"Tch, what's done is done. Prep properly for tomorrow. Got it?"
"Yes!"
"Understood!"
"Dismissed!"
Even ending the meeting, Taiken felt uneasy.
Driving me mad.
Wouldn't ease till he crushed them.
Mu-hyuk personally inducted the first few.
But it took too long, so he ordered Doran to handle the rest.
Meanwhile, he enhanced items till night fell.
"Heading out."
"Good luck!"
Down to the prison, he activated the scroll immediately.
"Ah, you son of a...!"
"Logout block again!"
He chuckled, strolling in.
"Said you weren't logging in?"
"Just in case, asshole!"
"No way you'd come again, you bastard!"
"Please let us go. Fuuuuck!"
"Guild war tomorrow!"
"Dying now means no participation?"
"Uh, y-yeah?"
"Boss! Please!"
Mu-hyuk stifled a laugh.
"Why free you when we're warring?"
"You bast...!"
"Besides, you can't join bound in here."
"What...?"
Shackled prisoners couldn't participate. Not just for stats.
"You'll see tomorrow. Shut up and die."
He drew his dagger, killing them one by one.
Resentment accumulated in the Red Dagger transfers to the character.
Agility (+0.1) increases.
Next one.
"Sadistic prick."
Next.
"Filthy bastard."
Insults flew, but Mu-hyuk felt nothing. They're pissed; he gained stats easily.
"Bye."
Last one down.
140 total.
15 stat points gained.
Back to enhancing till late dawn, then logged out for sleep.
Alarm after 4 hours. Washed up, ate lightly, logged back in.
Two hours to guild war—time to hustle.