A Chance Encounter and Crimson Gems
Pushing through the chilly wind, Mu-hyuk arrived at the convenience store.
Ding.
He opened the door and stepped inside, where his mother scanned the shelf lined with tofu packs.
Artisan's Hand Tofu? Or was it Artisan's Touch?
As he glanced over them, Mu-hyuk's eyes locked onto one.
Found it.
He picked up the tofu and headed to the counter.
"2,100 won."
"Here."
After paying with his check card, he slipped the tofu into a black plastic bag and left the store.
On the way out, he bumped shoulders with an incoming customer.
The hood hid their face.
"Ah, sorry, you okay?"
Her voice revealed she was a woman—that was all.
Swoosh.
But as she looked up slightly at Mu-hyuk, she let out a sudden gasp.
Mu-hyuk eyed her closely in return. Her nose and mouth were covered, yet her beauty shone through inexplicably.
Perhaps that's why she'd pulled the hood so low.
Anyway, Mu-hyuk recognized her instantly.
"Yura?"
"Ah, uh, that is..."
"You live around here?"
"Y-yeah."
"What a coincidence. My parents live nearby too."
"Oh..."
They stared at each other for a moment.
Thump.
His heart raced for no reason.
Mu-hyuk shook his head, trying to deny it.
"Well, anyway, nice seeing you."
There wasn't much else to say.
He brushed past her.
"Um, excuse me!"
But Yura called out to him.
He turned slowly.
"Sorry about last time."
"Pardon?"
"I-I wasn't trying to interrogate you or anything. It's just... my personality gets the better of me sometimes."
The way she poked at the floor with her toe, head bowed, was oddly endearing.
Then, as if steeling herself, she clenched her fist tight and looked up.
Meeting his eyes, she declared firmly.
"As an apology, let me buy you a meal!"
"A meal...?"
"Yeah, that's okay, right?"
Mu-hyuk nodded before he realized it.
*
After dinner at his parents' house, Mu-hyuk returned home and logged straight into Illusion.
Sung Min-woo was already there, waiting.
"You made it."
"Yeah, you must've been waiting a while."
"Duh. Can't do jack alone."
"Sorry."
"Whatever. So what happened?"
"Dad caught me, but I talked my way out of it."
"For real?"
"Yeah."
"He gave you permission? Your dad?"
Mu-hyuk nodded.
"Whoa, lucky. I gotta tell mine eventually, but no clue how that'll go."
"Just show results."
"Results, huh."
"If I hadn't rolled up in the BMW, I'd probably be in deeper shit."
Sung Min-woo's eyes lit up at that.
"Right, results."
If you're having fun, making bank doing what you love—who's gonna complain?
Just prove it.
Sung Min-woo pumped himself up and hurried forward.
Swish.
A familiar presence approached.
He'd felt it before—he knew what was coming.
Here it comes.
Sure enough, the monster appeared: a humanoid Sword Demon gripping a single blade.
Two level 75 Sword Demons, boasting insane attack power, closed in.
He'd fought them a few times already, but they never failed to ramp up the tension.
Sung Min-woo advanced with his four spirits to take on one, while Mu-hyuk sent Enhanced Bone and Bone Sword to harass the other.
The rear Mage and Bone Archers peppered it with attacks, but the Sword Demon dodged arrows with frightening agility.
That wasn't the problem, though.
-Bone Sword knocked back!
Just two strikes.
No time to block with the shield, sure—but reverse summon after only two hits?
Insane attack power.
Kirrik, kiririk!
Enhanced Bone 1 charged from the rear. It shielded its body, but the Sword Demon swung indifferently.
Clang, claaang!
Enhanced Bone 1's charge halted.
He quickly checked its status.
You take 210 damage.
You take 212 damage.
You take 209 damage.
You take 211 damage.
HP plummeting at terrifying speed.
Even with the shield absorbing over 60%, each hit shaved off 200 HP—meaning the Sword Demon's attacks dealt around 550 damage raw.
Small mercy: no special skills.
Though that damage alone was special enough.
Blessing of the Dead.
He healed it, then ordered Enhanced Bone 2 to charge too.
It handled the remaining Sword Demon.
When HP dropped over 1,000, he pulled it back and sent Bone Sword forward.
'Bone Sword 7' has been reverse summoned.
This time, it withstood three strikes.
Whoosh.
Right after Bone Sword 7 vanished, Spirit Wind grabbed the Sword Demon's shoulder and shot skyward.
The demon stabbed upward wildly; Wind couldn't hold and released it.
"Earth!"
A stone wall erupted from the ground, smashing the Sword Demon.
Thud.
Skeleton Mage's spell followed as it staggered up.
Kabooom!
It flew back, rolling across the ground.
Yet it sprang up instantly—impressive.
But as if anticipating, Mu-hyuk appeared behind it and swung.
412 damage inflicted!
Wind Step made the swing blindingly fast.
Slice.
Luckily, he severed its left arm.
Kieeeek!
It screamed in agony, twisting to thrust—but Mu-hyuk was already gone.
He reappeared behind, targeting the ankle.
Clang!
Mu-hyuk's brow twitched.
Miss.
It blocked without looking back.
Blade flat...!
The demon twisted, released and regripped its sword, shoving Mu-hyuk's blade away with raw power.
The impact sent him reeling; it pursued.
Wind...!
Just before recasting, he took a hit. It ripped his gut at blinding speed.
You take 455 damage.
You take 456 damage.
Desperately, he bashed its head with the shield.
Thud, thump!
As it wobbled, he Wind Stepped back.
"Hoo..."
Just two hits, yet over 900 HP gone in seconds.
Frowning, he stowed sword and shield, drew his bow. Nocked an arrow, held his breath, aimed.
Enhanced Bone 1, charge.
Directing Enhanced Bone and Bone Swords, he pressured the Sword Demon he'd just fought.
Kirrik, kiririk!
A brief hesitation would come.
He waited.
Clashes ensued, but its power was monstrous.
One Bone Sword reverse summoned in a flash; Enhanced Bone 1's charge exploited the gap, sending it tumbling.
Now!
It rose—Mu-hyuk predicted its head's position and fired.
Powerful Arrow Shot.
Pwang!
The arrow sliced air.
He twisted slightly.
Stowed the bow, drew his staff, cast Blessing of the Dead on the other Sword Demon—Sung Min-woo, spirits, and Enhanced Bone 2 were piling on.
Purple light from Mu-hyuk pierced space, enveloping it.
Kieeeeek!
Massive magic damage landed.
First, the arrow hit.
291 damage inflicted!
Blessing of the Dead
780 damage inflicted!
Mu-hyuk stowed the staff, drew his sword again.
Rapid Fire.
To the right-side Sword Demon battling Enhanced Bone 1 and Bone Swords—bone arrows, fire.
Seven arrows flew, then seven more.
Of 14, it blocked 4 with sword, dodged 6 by twisting.
The last 4 struck home.
Pok, thunk.
As it faltered, Enhanced Bone 1 struck.
Papapang!
More bone arrows followed.
Three more embedded.
Almost done.
Armless, its balance crumbled—attacks landed better.
Mu-hyuk pushed to finish.
Mage cooldown up.
"Herd 'em together!"
"Magic?"
"Yeah."
"Got it!"
Sung Min-woo pressured his; Mu-hyuk shoved his leftward.
When both converged, four Mages blasted simultaneously.
Massive explosion, dust cloud. One Sword Demon burst through; the other sprawled dead.
Experience gained.
The fallen one grayed and vanished instantly.
No time for Corpse Dissection anyway—and Sword Demons dropped no materials.
Unlike others, it left an item: a small red gem.
Swoosh.
He picked it up.
"What? Another one?"
Sung Min-woo cheered, finishing his.
Experience gained.
It dropped a gem too.
One each.
"Grr, I'd love to camp here a month!"
"A month?"
"Levels would skyrocket."
"Doubt it."
"Huh? Why?"
"There'll be limits."
"Like what?"
"Say, only three per day or something."
"Ah..."
Leaving Sung Min-woo's disappointed face, Mu-hyuk examined his gem.
A hologram appeared.
◈ Increases Attack Power by 0.1
Overpowered item, but disappointing for Mu-hyuk.
If it'd boosted Strength or Agility like the stat serpents, it'd help summons too. But sub-stat Attack Power only buffed him slightly.
With 25 summons, overall combat power barely budged.
Plus, he'd bought better from the Achievement Shop.
No huge thrill.
Still, extra stats were extra.
No loss.
Max it out.
Mu-hyuk gripped the gem hard.
Crack.
It shattered, magic absorbing into him.
Attack Power increased by 0.1
He glanced at Sung Min-woo, who'd crushed his too.
"Grr, feels good!"
For Sung Min-woo, new to such dungeons, it was thrilling. Mu-hyuk remembered his first time.
"Up 0.8 Attack already since yesterday."
"Nice."
"Let's cap at 2 today."
"Sounds good."
With Sung Min-woo's enthusiasm, they pressed on.
Soon, more Sword Demons appeared.
"Two this time."
Tough, but better than three.
Once three hit at once—nearly forced a log-out.
Without slow poisons and such on the extras, disaster.
"Left's mine!"
Mu-hyuk took right.
"Summon."
Skeletons out, swarm tactics. Stayed tense, no slacking.
One slip, and it'd shatter Bone Swords, close for 1,000+ damage.
Kieeeek!
Tension paid off—no openings given.
Good, finish it!
Mage spell sealed it.
Experience gained.
Another red gem dropped.