Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Solo Party Play (3)
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[Morning, the pantry of a certain company in Seoul.]
"Yeo-eun, tough break with the team falling apart."
"Nah, it's fine."
A group of men and women had gathered in small clusters in the pantry of a company a fair distance from some officetel, chatting away.
"We survived without becoming duck eggs in the Nakdong River thanks to you, Section Chief. Much obliged."
"Calling me Section Chief feels off somehow. If that jerk hadn't bolted, I wouldn't even be up for promotion."
"Hey, Section Chief. You gotta name names properly. One person left, but two animals bailed."
"Oh, right? Haha."
The burly-looking man scratched his head at the female office worker's words.
"Animals... Yeah, the manager and section chief were real beasts. One's an old fogey who turns into a dog when he drinks, and the other's the type who pockets 40 million won in lottery winnings from a junior and quits without even buying beef."
"That was really 40 million won?"
"Huh?"
"Maybe the 40 million was a smokescreen. Could be an excuse to hide awakening as a hunter?"
"...Yeah, you think so too?"
In a typical company, when someone quits, the gossip lasts a few days with everyone badmouthing them. But these quitters' cases were special, so the talk kept coming up.
"Say one quit out of shame for not managing his team properly, and the other bailed after getting screwed over by his superiors... Tch, man, what a waste."
"What is?"
"That guy was the real deal."
The section chief sipped his instant coffee mix, smacking his lips regretfully.
"Honestly, watching him work, I thought, 'This kid could go pro as a full-time streamer.'"
"Streamer?"
"Yeah. Mask suits him fine, so if he showed his face and showed off his skills, it'd be perfect."
The section chief pointed toward the office.
"Seriously, such a shame. Every time a new game dropped and I needed someone to check the high-difficulty content, he helped out big time."
"For real?"
"Yeah. That high score in Deep Beta? His data. Right, Yeo-eun?"
"Uh... um."
The woman who had once been on a team with that young man cautiously raised her hand.
"Assistant Manager, I've never seen you play games on company time outside of work...?"
"You wouldn't know, Yeo-eun. The guy's a gaming beast. Obviously, he wouldn't play other companies' games during work hours. He'd do it after clocking out or binge on weekends."
"He did mention something about gaming full-time after quitting..."
"See? Man, a star vanishes from the pro scene before it even shines. Just a no-hit clear video of the latest boss with a base 4-star character at level 1 would skyrocket him to pro status. Hey, maybe I should scout him? My little sister's an editor; she makes killer videos. Yeo-eun, you got his number?"
"W-well."
The woman made a troubled face.
"Either he blocked me when he quit, or changed it, but it says the number doesn't exist starting from his last day."
"Doesn't exist?"
"Yeah. Tried looking it up, but nothing. Like the guy's vanished off the face of the earth."
"...What if he awakened with powers, hooked up with another country, and erased his citizenship? ...Hahaha! You know, wild stuff like that."
The man burst into exaggerated laughter, downed the rest of his coffee from the paper cup, and left.
"I wanna quit too and just game at home. Sigh, if I had his skills, I'd ditch this job and go pro..."
"......."
Like any company.
"Oh, right. Heard the news? Government's gathering all S-Rank Hunters at the Blue House. Probably prepping an official raid on an S-Rank Tower."
Talk of quitters doesn't make waves unless they caused a huge scandal; it's just fleeting pantry gossip amid countless other chats.
Later, if it hits the news or internet, there might be an "Oh!" moment, but until then, no one knows if they're dead or alive.
For those living day-to-day, surviving without dying and collecting a paycheck is what matters.
"Assistant Manager..."
The woman pulled out her wallet and fished out a lottery ticket from a plastic bag.
"You're not just gaming at home for real, are you...?"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 💬 Raid Chat — [총공격을 시작하지!!] — [프린세스 어태애애애액!!] — [이상하오.] — [응, 나, 고수....] While Elaine and Kiharu headed to Ganghwa Island, I squeezed in some time to play various games on split screens and finished my 'homework.'
Homework.
Completing daily quests every day, converting stamina into cultivation resources via stage clears as it fills up, finishing bond stories or main story missions.
'Quitting's made this so much easier.'
After work, it was a tight 3-hour routine, but now post-quit, I can play at a leisurely pace.
Of course, most of that time went to Elaine.
Using a sub-account, I honed my control against in-game bosses with her at minimum specs, and gained some confidence.
But I couldn't just stick to Elaine's world forever.
'Gotta check on Kiharu too.'
I rarely delved in or actively tackled it before, but now that I've summoned Kiharu, I need to dig into this world's lore.
Especially the community.
💬 Community — Guys, doesn't 'this one' seem off? — This one's suspicious. Name screams 'betrays protagonist.' — Water Kkeluk summon. — ??? : Impersonator of the Saintess's name. Die. "......."
Why didn't I notice when searching for Kiharu info before?
I had no choice but to miss it.
'Buried.'
Views at just 39, likes at a measly 2.
I'd posted a decently long analysis on potential foreshadowing, but not even analysis bait comments.
Curious what happened, I checked the post history—
— Wtf, leaked new char from devs is a grandpa? Makes no sense. "...Buried under other bait."
It was a solid take on Kiharu's identity and lore breakdown, but it got overshadowed by some dev leak.
"Gacha game with a grandpa char. Unless it's got that elder swagger, tough sell."
Grandpa or grandma in a gacha game?
In-game performance aside, lore-wise it'd be 1.5 to 2-tier at best.
Otherwise, no reason to release an elderly char.
'And no reason for me to summon one.'
No need to summon an old person.
Even if it's a grandma in a wheelchair who stands on the handles dual-wielding SMGs, still pass.
'80-year-old granny vs. 400-year-old succubus? No contest.'
Or if a Elaine[Succubus] alt drops—
......
"Tch."
I paused the games and stood up.
"No wonder. Elaine's been around these past few days, so I haven't."
That's why my thoughts kept drifting that way.
"Elaine's arrival... still some time left."
Good.
"To refocus the mind, nothing beats that."
In this scattered state, I can't properly support Elaine and Kiharu on an S-Rank Tower.
"Pure mind, clear spirit."
I burned the last of the games' stamina on auto-hunt.
"...As quick as possible."
Quietly, I raised my right hand.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ A short while later.
Near the bridge into Ganghwa Island, a woman in a black suit came to a halt by the park with a 'thud.'
"That's Ganghwa Island's S-Rank Tower, Tower of Storms."
Whoooosh.
Wind from the tower?
Few cars crossed the concrete bridge, and those that did crept along, as if afraid the wind might flip them—like cautious, hesitant steps.
"What do you think, Goddess?"
"Calling me Goddess at a time like this. Amusing."
The cat peeking from the briefcase—Kiharu—slipped out and stretched like a real cat.
"No particular thoughts. It's the same essence as the trials humanity faced back there."
"Same essence?"
"Whatever being imposes it, it's ultimately a transcendent trial on humanity. Power-limited or not... even I struggle to comprehend such higher-dimensional entities."
"......."
"Too much for a mere maid?"
"No. Not at all."
Elaine smiled in response to Kiharu's taunt-laced words.
"Any trial, even beyond my abilities, can be overcome if Master controls me."
"And if impossible?"
"Then..."
Elaine scooped up Kiharu.
"We'll find the strategy with your help—or the next summon's."
"Medieval fantasy girl adapting better to this modern world than me."
"You're not human."
"Learning to be."
Elaine and Kiharu stared at each other briefly.
"...Whatever you're hiding from Master, I'll protect him. That's a servant's role."
"Hiding goes both ways, doesn't it?"
"......."
"In that sense, you seem to hide more. I could play pretend yokai cat, but you—"
"Quiet."
Elaine brought her face close to Kiharu's.
"When the day comes to tell, I'll tell Master myself."
"Doesn't seem like a big deal."
"......."
"Your partner—Master—would worry about something else."
"Something else?"
"Yes. I know the answer, but no need to say... Gyaaang!"
Elaine grabbed Kiharu by the scruff and shook wildly.
"I'll talk! Have mercy!"
"Speak. Or I'll call Master now for permission to deal with you."
"Tsk tsk... Even I'm picking up on it while learning humanity."
"...What have I missed about Master?"
"You're a virgin, right?"
"......!!"
Elaine gripped Kiharu's neck hard for a moment.
"Y-you...!"
"That's why you don't get it. Tsk tsk. Men need their alone time now and then."
"......N-no way. Master looks at me like that...?"
"Never said Master thinks of you that way to relieve himself."
"......."
"Probably thinking of the goddess's beauty... Gyaaaak!!"
Splat.
"This is animal abuse!"
"Sh-shut up."
"Hmph, virgins."
"And you have tons of experience?"
"Wh-what?!"
Kiharu bristled all over, claws out.
"This body is divine incarnate! Only the approved may touch this godly flesh!"
"How many so far? You brag like there are some..."
"......No one has blemished this body's perfect purity yet."
A brief silence.
"...You don't mean."
"......."
Bzzzzt.
Smartphone rang.
"...Yes, Master."
[Where are you? Should be arriving soon.]
"At the bridge into Ganghwa."
[OK. Call when you reach the tower entrance. We're ready here.]
Click.
"......Master speaks with such a clear voice; we shouldn't be bickering like this."
"Mm. Agreed."
"Let's get along, fellow comrades."
"Indeed."
What comrades? Probably battle buddies who fight together.
"No matter who comes after..."
"We won't fight each other first."
An unspoken pact.
"By the way, Elaine. Basis for expecting more?"
"Master currently guards about 8 worlds."
Elaine clenched her fist briefly.
"...But some he guarded in the past, he can no longer."
"Hm?"
"Secret from Master. Checked via his sub-phone accounts. He probably knows I've been searching and investigating to some extent."
"What do you...?"
"I'm not Master's 'first.' Even with full rotations and rerolls."
"......What?"
Elaine looked skyward and sighed deeply.
"I'm not Master's 'favorite.'"