Reunion Revelations
They started with everyday chit-chat.
"What've you been up to?"
"Me? Well..."
"I finally landed a job at a company, but..."
Casual check-ins.
Rants about the grind of social life.
All sorts of stories.
"These days, I'm living off Illusion. For real."
"Same here. Back in the day, the department head wouldn't leave till 8 p.m., so I'd fake overtime just to avoid the side-eye. But now? No more of that. Heads and deputies are all glued to Illusion, so the second 5 p.m. hits, they're out. We've been clocking out sharp ever since."
"Didn't know it had perks like that."
"Heh heh heh."
From there, the conversation naturally shifted to Illusion.
Once Illusion came up, Hwang In-gyu remembered something from the entrance and asked,
"Oh yeah, what was that about making money off Illusion?"
"Ah, I was job-hunting forever, then started grinding Illusion with this guy and making cash."
"With Mu-hyuk?"
"Yeah."
"What's your level?"
"I'm 64, he's 66."
"Whoa? 66?"
"Yeah, pretty high, right?"
"High? That's insane. Like top 0.1 percent, isn't it?"
"That much?"
0.1 percent didn't quite click for him.
The other two tilted their heads.
"What rank is that?"
"Roughly top million rankers?"
"A million?"
"Yeah."
"And that's 0.1 percent?"
"Man, Illusion's huge. A million at 0.1 percent..."
That's when Bae Su-hwan asked cautiously,
"Can I ask something like this?"
"Shoot."
"At that level, how much do you make a month?"
Sung Min-woo answered based on his own earnings.
Mu-hyuk was a bit of an outlier.
"Hmm, last month I pulled about 200, this month around 1,100?"
Thanks to the Shield of Joy he'd crafted this month.
No usage restrictions meant he could sell it for 700 gold.
"Whoa, 11 million won this month?"
"Yeah, jackpot, right?"
Plus, he'd cleared the Red Tower just the other day, netting an item worth about 300 gold.
That would've made it 14 million, but he hadn't sold it yet, so he left it out.
"Jackpot? That's way beyond."
"Ten million won..."
"No wonder."
"Those rankers on broadcasts must rake in fortunes."
Honestly, even Sung Min-woo had no clue about top rankers' earnings.
Just one thing.
"Way more than we can imagine."
He could only guess.
That's when a loud voice erupted from a nearby table.
"For real?"
"That's nuts!"
Every eye in the place turned that way.
Mu-hyuk was no exception.
Swoosh.
His brow furrowed slightly at the same time.
Heo Young-chan was at that table.
"Guys, huge news!"
"What?"
"Heo Young-chan's Illusion level is 60!"
A few people shot up from their seats.
"60?"
"No way that's true!"
Heo Young-chan smirked smugly.
"Hey, the level's legit. Why would I lie about that?"
"Dude, no one here hits that, right?"
"Nah, someone's gotta."
"No way..."
"Anyway, at that level, his guild's gotta be top-tier?"
"Obviously. His current one's meh, but they're pushing him hard. He's getting scouts from a few of Forma Continent's top 10 guilds."
Of course, no way to verify.
Probably pure bluff.
"Ugh, jealous."
Yoo Han-yeol, Hwang In-gyu, and Bae Su-hwan muttered.
"Guy's the same as always."
"Bragging his ass off?"
"Heh, you felt it too?"
"Who hasn't?"
"Everyone knows."
"He's been like that since senior year. Still, 60's impressive."
They glanced at Mu-hyuk and Sung Min-woo.
"Not as high as you two, though."
"He'd die of shame if he knew someone here outleveled him."
Bae Su-hwan muttered low.
"Should we tell him?"
"Nah, dude. Don't bother."
"Still, he should know."
"Drop it. Let's keep talking among ourselves."
Sung Min-woo shook his head firmly.
"Fine, if you say so."
They switched topics, picking up their own chat.
"Anyway, like I was saying..."
"In Illusion, I..."
Mu-hyuk mostly listened.
But they wouldn't let him sit quiet.
At first, figuring the highest-level guy had the most experience, they asked a few basics.
His smooth answers ramped up the questions' depth.
Mu-hyuk only shared safe, non-critical info.
Even that must've blown their minds.
Questions poured nonstop.
"Heard this rumor—is it true?"
"Normal dungeons: 100 people. Special: 50. Unique: 30. Once that many clear it, poof—gone."
"Whoa, so dungeons really work like that."
"Towers too."
"Saw that on the site. Clears from one party make 'em vanish?"
"Yep."
Yoo Han-yeol jumped in.
"Know anything about boss monsters?"
"A bit."
"Damn, you're a walking wiki."
"Not everything."
"Patterns, then?"
"A few."
He explained patterns too.
"Simplest: Kill a set number of local monsters."
"Huh? Weird, right?"
Thousands, tens of thousands died daily in those zones.
"If that number's millions or tens of millions, not weird at all."
"Oh..."
"Or wipe every monster around the boss's habitat. Or all users nearby gotta be women—or men only."
"Patterns like that?"
"Just hearsay, not 100 percent."
"Whoa..."
Still, level 66 intel.
Couldn't brush it off.
Then someone approached.
Bae Min-gyu from the next table.
"Hey, what's up, guys?"
"Just talking."
No bad blood with him, so they were glad to see him.
"Everyone headed that way?"
"Ah, Heo Young-chan?"
"Yeah, Illusion talk's blowing up."
The three chuckled.
"What's the laugh?"
"Nothing."
"This spot's better anyway."
"Hmm, alright. Guess I'll join 'em. Later!"
Bae Min-gyu left; the five exchanged looks.
Pfft.
Stifling grins, they resumed chatting.
Meanwhile.
Heo Young-chan kept stealing glances at Mu-hyuk.
No reaction even after he spilled his level.
What's up? Why so chill?
By his logic, anyone over 60 couldn't stay quiet.
Shouldn't they boast they're higher?
So... lower than me?
He bragged louder, even nudging Bae Min-gyu over.
Still no bite.
Hmm, safe to assume...
Pretty much confirmed.
This punk. Scared me back then, all talk!
Irritation bubbled.
"Young-chan, Young-chan?"
"Huh?"
"What're you thinking?"
"Nah. Just, those guys seem isolated."
"Ignore 'em."
"Can't do that."
He stood.
Clomp.
Striding confidently to Mu-hyuk.
"Long time."
Four pairs of eyes locked on him.
Mu-hyuk turned last.
His blank expression chilled.
Heo Young-chan flinched but didn't back down.
"Ahem, figured you guys were chatting solo."
"Yeah, Illusion stuff."
"Cool. Join us over there."
Sung Min-woo forced a smile.
"Too crowded."
"Is it?"
Heo Young-chan plopped right in Mu-hyuk's face.
The whole crowd followed to keep talking.
Total nuisance.
Mu-hyuk stayed put.
Han Seong-ryeol was grinning from across—host would handle it.
"Man, Illusion's wild."
He eyed Heo Young-chan.
"Level 60?"
"Yep."
"Whoa, everyone here play? Anyone higher?"
No answers, but Han Seong-ryeol knew more than expected.
As organizer, he'd gathered gossip everywhere.
Including Mu-hyuk's level.
"Hey, Mu-hyuk."
"Yeah?"
"What's your level?"
"Me...?"
Heo Young-chan cut in.
"Yeah, you started Illusion back then. What's yours now?"
Obvious provocation.
That glare, that smirk.
It needled Mu-hyuk, who'd planned to stay quiet.
"66."
Silence crashed down.
"16?"
"No, sixty-six."
Jaws dropped in shock.
"66..."
Worlds apart from 60.
Time to bridge those 6 levels? Tight: 3 weeks. Loose: over a month.
Heo Young-chan took the hardest hit. He knew Mu-hyuk's old level.
No way...?
Back then, he was 46, Mu-hyuk 31. He hadn't bought the 2-month climb to 31.
Still, it'd humbled him briefly—feared backlash if Mu-hyuk hit ranker status.
Time passed; he figured 15 levels was insurmountable.
That's why he'd checked multiple times before approaching.
Now this bombshell.
"For real...?"
"Yeah. Can log in and show you."
"..."
15-level gap flipped—and then 6 more?
Unbelievable.
Bae Su-hwan's voice cut in.
"He knows tons about dungeon/tower patterns, boss spawns. Monster strats too—nearly passed out hearing mine. Follow those, and leveling skyrockets."
One word stabbed deep.
Strats...?
If he had real strats?
Explains the speed?
Ah...!
Hypothesis formed.
Backed by a massive guild.
Fed strats and support.
Only way it added up.
Damn, what a screw-up!
Heo Young-chan's vibe turned servile.
"Ah, haha. Nice."
Mu-hyuk eyed him blankly.
That indifference crushed him further.
"You're higher than me. Impressive."
His words drowned.
Friends' questions flooded.
"Can I get strats too?"
"Me! My current monster..."
Too cramped.
Han Seong-ryeol clapped.
Clap clap!
Hush fell.
"This crowd's suffocating. Gonna kill someone? Back off and ask one by one."
But questions endless.
A few answers, still no end.
"Sorry, don't know everything."
He stood.
"Bathroom."
"Me too!"
Sung Min-woo slipped out with him.
Sighing at the urinal.
"Whew, those guys."
"It's fine. Means they're into Illusion."
No bad vibes.
Attention felt good, burdens aside.
Mu-hyuk wasn't immune.
"Yeah?"
"Kinda nice, right?"
"Heh, told ya."
Sung Min-woo's flip earned a chuckle.
"Alright. Let's party proper tonight!"
"Why not."
Mu-hyuk decided to unwind today.
Back from the bathroom, after a bottle of soju, his heavy tongue went cotton-candy light.
No risky secrets spilled, but the rest flowed freely.
All eyes on him.
"My turn!"
"Wait, me first!"
Today was undeniably Mu-hyuk's day.