Madman!!!
“Y-You…… madman!!!”
“Long time no see, and you greet me like thunder. Quiet down a bit.”
Chan-ho's booming shout drew stares from people all over the capsule room.
“Hey, you think greetings are the issue right now?”
“For real? You're the player who just smashed Rerto Karen, the guy blowing up the community boards?”
Jin-su clamped a hand over Chan-ho's mouth amid the commotion, lowering his voice under the prying eyes.
“Seriously…… speechless. Kim Do-hyun. You always find new ways to shock people.”
Jin-su shook his head at my response.
“But is this the place to talk? Shouldn't we head to a café for this?”
He glanced around, then whispered even softer.
I smirked at him.
The player protection zones under the safety laws were indeed the most secure spots for secrets, backed by flawless security.
“It's fine.”
I assured Jin-su, whose face was tense.
Before leaving Obela, I'd logged out of Dimension World and called them over right away. I needed to check on the Hwanrok Altar raid progress too.
Isabel Silver must've told Nam-gung Yun about me. Time to sync up with these two—and ideally pull Nam-gung Yun over too.
Too bad I couldn't keep the Hidden Eater around after Pharhum's Tomb. As a Veil Successor, she had her own quests to chase.
She'd seemed regretful about leaving Norpa Jeran behind, but even her renewed pitch in Obela got the same refusal.
If I can ally with the Veil, the elves, and even the Fairy Kingdom through Isabel Silver, that'd be ideal—but fat chance she'll agree easily.
With chances to meet the Hidden Eater again slim, Nam-gung Yun might be my only inroad.
“Speaking of, Yun should be here soon.”
“……Yun?”
Jin-su checked his watch and scanned the room.
I frowned slightly at the casual nickname.
“Don't tell me your 'Yun' is Nam-gung Yun?”
“Who else? Kid's got a good vibe. Called him since we're raiding dungeons together. Lucky he doesn't live far.”
I couldn't help a dry chuckle at Jin-su's words.
Wanted to meet him, but not like this.
Reading my mind, Chan-ho flashed a thumbs-up and grinned.
“Nailed it, right? Big bro here's got the touch—spotted potential and reeled him in.”
“Reeled him in? We wouldn't have hunted together if he wasn't sharp.”
Jin-su shot back, exasperated.
“How's he do?”
“Explorer class, bit weak in straight fights, but damn good instincts. Turning explorer buffs into combat edges ain't easy—he pulls it off.”
Worth grinding him in the White Swamp.
I nodded at Jin-su's assessment.
“Long time, huh? Skipping the game in a capsule joint for chit-chat—must be something juicy.”
That's when it hit. I snatched the incoming sugar ball mid-air, knowing my wait was over.
“Hyun-woo hyung.”
He boomed a laugh and waved. His once-bronze skin looked a shade lighter than before.
And his face seems worn……
Relief washed over me more than worry.
“Hitting the game hard lately? Skin's paling up. Stuck inside, missing sunlight?”
“Kekeke, yeah. Too much on the plate. Gotta squeeze in workouts, but it's sticky as hell.”
His muscles rippled as he rolled his shoulders, but he bantered on.
“You're one to talk—those dark circles are fading, huh?”
“Haha, I'll pass……”
“Me too……”
Jin-su and Chan-ho popped their sugar balls and slipped away at Nam Hyun-woo's entrance.
His gaze had shifted from capsule room owner to Geom-san of the Muak Clan.
Been a while. Missed that look since retirement killed the arena runs.
I met his eyes.
“We were just swapping fun stories.”
“Oh yeah?”
Nam Hyun-woo perked up like he'd been waiting.
“Community's lit with posts. Why's melee-heavy Muak Clan holing up in podunk Frispel?”
“Haha, what can ya do? Big cities are carved up by the Eight Clans already.”
“Maybe rephrase: What're Muak's vets scheming in Frispel?”
“Nah, nothing big. You know us—old fogeys before vets. Just geezers gaming casual.”
He waved it off with feigned disbelief, but every move probed my reaction.
I saw right through it.
“That so? Boring. I was hoping for more.”
I pressed him.
“Ah…… should I ask Geom-san of Muak, not the clan? The rest might be geezers, but you're different.”
“……”
“Met Frispel's heretic or something?”
His eyes sharpened instantly.
A keen glint beat awkward lies—I preferred it.
“Haha, no clue what you mean.”
“Sure?”
Crunch. I bit down on the sugar ball as he answered.
Eating it meant heading in. Our chat ended there.
“Oh yeah, hyung—just in case, check the outskirts well for Hendrix's plague tome.”
I slammed the lid shut after that.
Then—
Bang!!
Nam Hyun-woo's hand caught the lid before it sealed.
Weee-ooo! Wee-ooo!!
The red emergency siren blared, stirring chaos as eyes turned.
Hiss……!!
He pried the door open, lips twitching.
“Ha, haha…… Wanna keep talking? Free extension on the pod.”
I grinned back.
“One dedicated line.”
“……Deal.”
“……Sneaky bastard.”
The sudden alarm halted the pods amid the uproar. Nam Hyun-woo sighed on the rooftop, cig in mouth as I leaned on the railing.
“What do you want?”
“You first.”
“Huh?”
“Why's go-it-alone Muak—never clan-rank obsessed—picking Frispel? Not just curiosity.”
He exhaled smoke, eyeing me.
“Damn, your nose is unreal. Where'd you get that intel?”
“I'm in Obela now. Shadow Market beats kingdom intel nets in spots.”
I shrugged.
“……Free trade city?”
“Yep.”
“Hmph, figured. Makes sense—folks pushing there, far from Deus Union.”
“Even Iron Kingdom reps. Muak just hasn't cleared Frispel's quests yet. Levels seem fine, though. Plus, no desert cross needed—Bilzak's Green Forest below.”
“Pass. Not gutsy enough for green dragon turf.”
“You could.”
“……?”
“Bilzak's hibernating. No fuss near the lair, and lowbies can't push deep anyway. Folks avoid it 'cause of the dragon—prime leveling window.”
He stared, wondering how I knew.
“Told ya—Obela.”
The open city's gold-for-info vibe made a perfect cover, unlike locked kingdoms.
“Fine, your plan?”
“Muak Clan tops Korea. Got a solid Obela source. Costs gold, but accurate—can hook you up if you want.”
“Korea number one…… Means challenging the Eight?”
He frowned slightly.
SL Clan—top Korea, DW1 legend archer Do Ji-wan—were one of the Eight.
“Otherwise, Muak's no use to me. No need for dedicated lines. Keep the tome tip as a gift.”
“Wha—what……”
“Fun game's great, but watching Eight Clans run wild forever?”
“You don't mean……”
“It's gonna get fun.”
Gulp. He swallowed dryly.
“Need reliable allies for that. You once offered me a clan spot. My turn—join under me. Muak Clan, my banner.”
“Ha, haha.”
He barked a disbelieving laugh.
“Muak under you? Knew you were bold, but this? Talk big, watch your back.”
His eyes sharpened.
“Info alone won't cut it if you want us. Say we top Korea—what's in it for you? DW1 proved your chops, but Muak's old-timers won't fold for PK skills alone.”
“I know. Next time, a gift you'll like. Prep till then—winning Frispel's heretic ain't easy.”
Frispel's heretic. Podunk town had the Universal Academy preaching magic freedom, but meh merit.
But in a fortnight, the heretic's debut makes Frispel the hot topic.
Rage Master, Restun. Nam Hyun-woo had his quest for sure—and I needed him for Muak's Frispel grip, as one of Glory's 9.
“A gift we'd buy?”
He tilted his head.
“Rest later.”
“……You talk easy. Crashing SL ain't simple.”
He called as I headed down.
“True. But who in Korea beats Do Ji-wan but Muak's Geom-san? Can't wait to see him beg at the capsule joint again…… Priceless.”
Nam Hyun-woo scratched his head sheepishly.
“Ji-wan's small fry, but SL's solid. Window's now or never.”
Click. Rooftop door swung open.
“Oh, you still talk to him?”
“Who?”
“Y'know. Mad Dog.”
“……Hey, what mess you plotting with him now?”
His face paled.
“He's in the duchy, right?”
“Urgh, probably……”
“Relay for me, or gimme his contact.”
“Sending contact. Count me out—he's a handful. Last time he flipped over nothing…… Whew.”
Uncharacteristic for the musclebound guy, he shook his head in dread.
“He gets jobs done, though.”
“Too done. Unpredictable bounce—problem.”
I chuckled.
“Still……”
Before the stairs, I murmured low.
“Fought him—still small-time.”
“……What?”
No reply—just the door slamming shut.
“……”
Nam Hyun-woo stood frozen before the door.
“……No way.”
Twitch. Not Nam Hyun-woo—Geom-san grinned.
“Kekeke, insane.”
One line, and he knew: I crushed Los Clan.
He yanked out his phone frantically.
“Preparations complete.”
The basement with Norpa Jeran held me and two others.
“Sure you wanna come? Phlia.”
I eyed the unexpected tag-along.
Red Sickle nodded slowly.
He'd ditched the mask for the first time, revealing a face younger than his seasoned killer vibe suggested. Calm eyes and chiseled jaw screamed stubborn resolve.
“Red Cat elites will back her.”
“Hm.”
I'd been surprised when he'd volunteered to join for the duchy run.
“The item for Phlia?”
“Delivered. She was puzzled returning the warehouse goods, but Sculptor Peil explanation clicked.”
“Good.”
I nodded.
The Malfgana Flint from the Night Auction warehouse tied to famed sculptor Peil.
Wanted to farm favor with Peil longer, but finding him was tough—finishing Chil-ya and fixing the compass quest mattered more.
Best desert tracker after Phlia? None.
Delegating to her beat solo hunting.
“Red Sickle, you coming means Red Cats under me?”
“Who knows. Could be my personal greed, not the whole crew.”
“Playing hard to get?”
“But my feats might sway them—like Pharhum, choosing to follow you.”
I studied him. Resolve burned where the mask hid none.
“Face out, tongue loosens.”
I clapped his shoulder and opened the basement door.
“Let's move. To the duchy.”