High School Reunion
The Bone Swords scattered in all directions with a clatter.
Kirrik, kiririk!
Was it thanks to their heightened Wisdom?
Even though the commands had been quite complex, the summons understood them remarkably well.
Thanks to that, they were able to spread out naturally, just like a group of players moving in perfect sync.
Of course, there were still some awkward moments here and there, but those would smooth out over time as their Wisdom increased.
For now, though, it was more than satisfactory.
Good.
He had drawn a fairly large circle, ensuring Gibra had no escape.
Bone Swords and Mages were positioned at intervals around it, while two Enhanced Bones were sent straight for Gibra's main body.
"You handle the clone."
"Okay!"
Sung Min-woo's spirit attacked the clone, while the two Enhanced Bones pressured the main body.
When the clone approached to shield the main body with its shield, he predicted its landing spot and unleashed a volley of bone arrows.
Of course, the main body blocked them well with its shield, but the relentless arrows, combined with the occasional barrage of spells, left it disoriented.
Chiririk!
Even with the clone's help, as it desperately tried to dodge this way and that, the Bone Swords moved in groups every time, preventing it from breaking free of the massive circle.
In the end, the frustrated Gibra attempted an attack, but it couldn't inflict any real damage on Mu-hyuk or Sung Min-woo.
This was partly because their physical abilities were in no way inferior to the monster's, and also because they continuously received support from the surrounding summons.
Gibra was known to be extremely tricky for regular players, but it was no match for Mu-hyuk and Sung Min-woo.
Monsters that overwhelmed with raw power or destructive force were actually more troublesome.
Against those, a few hits could shatter the summons.
That's why Gibra, which relied on clone tricks and control to wear down its foes, was actually an easy opponent for Mu-hyuk and Sung Min-woo.
A natural counter, so to speak.
"Fire!"
The fire spirit in the form of a wolf tore into its neck.
Kwajik.
Unable to hold out any longer, Gibra collapsed, drained of strength.
Experience has increased.
Mu-hyuk approached Gibra and performed Corpse Dissection.
Corpse dissection completed.
Acquired 'Gibra's Bone (x1)'.
He immediately checked the bone's information.
Gibra's bone had the Agility trait.
Hmm.
Agility was great if high, but replacing bones risked lowering Strength or Stamina.
What to prioritize?
Bone Archers needed Strength.
Bone Swords required a balance of Strength, Agility, and Stamina.
Theirs were currently low on Agility.
After some thought, he decided to prioritize Bone Swords with especially low Agility.
Bone Sword 7, forward.
He extracted its bone.
'Bone Sword 7's' Stamina (0.16) has decreased.
He inserted Gibra's bone in its place.
'Bone Sword 7's' Agility (0.44) has increased.
It rose higher than expected.
Definitely bigger gains since Agility was so low.
Satisfied, he prepared to resume hunting.
"By the way, what are you doing tomorrow?"
Sung Min-woo struck up a conversation.
"Tomorrow?"
"Yeah."
"What else? Hunting."
"Let's take tomorrow off."
"Got plans? I'll hunt solo, so log in whenever."
"No, not that."
"Then?"
"Tomorrow's the high school reunion."
Mu-hyuk tilted his head at that.
"Didn't it already pass?"
"It got postponed. To tomorrow."
"Oh, really? Not really interested."
"Come on, don't be like that. Let's go once. I heard almost everyone's playing Illusion now."
"Hmm..."
Mu-hyuk wasn't thrilled.
Why?
After pondering, he realized it was just a hassle.
In the old days, he might have felt awkward about it. Back when he was timid and overly self-conscious, he surely would have.
But now, it was simply annoying. His half-hearted attitude only spurred Sung Min-woo on.
"It's not like you can't go, right?"
"Well, that's true, but..."
"Playing Illusion all the time will drive you nuts."
"..."
"Gotta meet people, get some fresh air now and then. Done. Tomorrow at 5 PM. Hunt till then, log out at 4, get ready together, meet up, and head out."
Sung Min-woo wrapped it up decisively.
The next day.
He continued hunting Gibra from morning.
Perhaps because he needed to clear his evening schedule.
Even though he pushed much harder than usual, Sung Min-woo didn't complain once.
Just hold out till 4.
"Break time over."
"Ugh."
Thanks to that, he acquired plenty of bones.
He used Bone Assembly every time.
'Bone Sword 12's' Strength (0.16) has decreased.
'Bone Sword 12's' Agility (0.34) has increased.
He ate lunch midway.
Logged back in after 30 minutes and hunted again.
As Mu-hyuk, who had been resting, started to rise.
"Wait!"
"What?"
"It's 4 o'clock now!"
"Already?"
"Yeah, 4 o'clock! 4 o'clock!"
"Time flies."
"Flies? I nearly died out there!"
Mu-hyuk shrugged.
"Anyway, logging out. Got it?"
"Yeah."
Sung Min-woo's figure faded and vanished.
Mu-hyuk logged out too.
Returning to reality, the first thing he saw was the capsule's ceiling.
He pressed the button, and the capsule hissed open.
Chiiik.
He sat up and stepped out.
"Hooah."
After some light stretching, he slipped into a white tee and brown chinos.
He threw on a crisp jacket over that and checked himself in the full-length mirror.
Hmm, well...
Not bad at all.
He put on his shoes, left the house, and got into the BMW 520d parked in the lot.
He turned the key.
Bwoooong.
A refined, dignified engine roar filled the air.
A smile crept onto his face.
Damn, it really is nice.
He eased onto the road.
At the neighborhood cafe where he'd agreed to meet Sung Min-woo, he parked and waited a bit. Soon, Sung Min-woo's BMW 320d appeared in the distance.
Not long after Mu-hyuk bought his 520d, Sung Min-woo couldn't resist—he sold his old car used and leased a new one.
Buying from the same dealership meant top-tier perks, plus a deposit that slashed the lease payments.
He'd managed a sweet deal without straining his wallet.
"You beat me here."
"Obviously."
"Kuh, both rocking BMWs."
Sung Min-woo puffed out his chest proudly.
He was always outgoing, but as his real best friend, Mu-hyuk knew the sides others didn't see.
Despite the bravado, he used to shrink in many situations.
Was it over drinks when he confessed? Said his confidence tanked when his wallet got thin.
Now, going all-in on Illusion earned him more than a salaryman, plus dungeon and tower clears gave him solid future prospects.
That must've built his self-esteem.
He looked much better than before.
"This counts as making it."
"Hell yeah!"
And he'd achieve even more success ahead.
Mu-hyuk kept that thought to himself.
Actions would prove it.
"Shall we?"
"Yeah, gotta roll. It's 5 PM."
Sung Min-woo took the lead, Mu-hyuk following.
Two BMWs tore down the road.
Of course, in downtown Seoul, luxury cars were everywhere—no one batted an eye. Still, Mu-hyuk and Sung Min-woo couldn't hide their pride.
Moments later.
They arrived at the high school reunion spot.
A rather upscale Korean restaurant.
As they parked, another car pulled in.
The moment he saw who got out, Sung Min-woo lit up. Mu-hyuk smiled faintly too.
Yoo Han-yeol, Hwang In-gyu, and Bae Su-hwan. They hadn't kept in touch much since graduation, but they crossed his mind now and then.
No bad memories there.
"Hey, Sung Min-woo?"
"Whoa, good to see you!"
"And you're... Kang Mu-hyuk?"
"Yeah, long time."
"Wow, how long's it been?"
"Over 10 years."
"Kuh, time really flies. Wanted to reach out, but no contacts."
"Lived like a ghost, basically."
"Haha, yeah. Anyway, you're here now—let's stay in touch."
Mu-hyuk nodded.
"Alright, let's head in!"
"Uh, but..."
Yoo Han-yeol tilted his head.
"Whose car is this?"
Sung Min-woo burst out laughing at the question.
"Kek, this body's."
"You driving a 5 Series?"
"Nah, that's Mu-hyuk's."
"Holy crap, insane. So you're on the 3 Series?"
"You know it!"
"Not your dad's, right?"
"Hell no!"
"Kuh, BMWs at thirty. You're killing it."
"Killing it? We're game addicts."
"What?"
"We're deep into Illusion."
At the mention of Illusion, the other two's eyes sparkled.
"No way, you mean..."
"Yup. Bought 'em with Illusion cash."
Their jaws dropped.
"What level are you to pull that off?"
"Well..."
Just then, someone emerged from inside.
Han Seong-ryeol, the reunion organizer.
"Hey, you made it?"
"Yeah, everyone here?"
"Mostly. Oh, you..."
"Long time."
"Whoa, really been ages. Kang Mu-hyuk, right?"
"Yeah."
"Three new faces this year. Let's grab seats first."
"Okay, sure!"
As Sung Min-woo walked with Mu-hyuk, he glanced back.
Yoo Han-yeol, Hwang In-gyu, and Bae Su-hwan were there.
"Details inside."
"Yeah."
All three masked their curiosity and entered the restaurant.
At the end of the hallway was a large reserved room. Friends were already seated, chatting noisily.
One person made Mu-hyuk furrow his brow.
Heo Young-chan.
He noticed Mu-hyuk too and scowled before pointedly turning away. Mu-hyuk preferred it that way.
"Alright, looks like almost everyone's here."
At Han Seong-ryeol's words, they scanned around.
"First-timers this year?"
A few flinched.
"Seon-woo, Jin-gu, Mu-hyuk. You three stand up—let's see your faces."
Mu-hyuk stood first.
All eyes turned to him.
"Long time."
"Whoa, Kang Mu-hyuk! Ages!"
Voices rose from all over.
"Should've come sooner!"
"What've you been up to?"
Han Seong-ryeol clapped.
"Okay, stories later. Next, Seon-woo."
The three finished their greetings and sat.
"No need to intro the rest, right?"
"Obviously!"
"Good, let's order."
They all went for the 30,000 won per person sura table set.
"Anyone who's paid dues even once is exempt. Non-payers, 30,000 won! Got the list—no cheating!"
"Ugh, who cheats over that?"
"Han Seong-ryeol, gone soft!"
Han Seong-ryeol chuckled.
Reuniting after so long made everything feel oddly fun, no matter what.
"Finally, a toast!"
They filled their glasses with soju.
"To old friends reunited!"
"Cheers!"
After the drink, they chatted with those nearby.
Spotting familiar faces, they started shifting seats.
One moved, then another, gradually spreading until most had swapped spots at least once.
When Mu-hyuk came to, he and Sung Min-woo were at a table with the three from the entrance.
Thanks to that.
Mu-hyuk finally relaxed and laughed freely for the first time in ages.