What Does "Chaos" Mean to an NPC? 2

There wasn't much for me to do alone in the building. After brewing potions, I had to spend the next two hours just staring blankly into space.

"If I'd known it would be like this, I should've advanced the leatherworking schedule."

With nothing else to occupy me, I decided to take a stroll through my own building(?)—a walk that only the building owner could enjoy.

"It's pretty spacious."

Not long ago, I'd been scraping by in a dingy basement studio apartment. Now, I was the world's one and only NPC commanding one of the Five Dragons.

It filled me with a sense of pride, but at the same time, a heavy burden weighed on me. It didn't feel like pure coincidence that I'd gained this power.

"I feel like I'm missing something... what was it?"

"Guild master, we've confirmed the location. Room 701."

"Good. Five of you stand by outside for any contingencies. And five more, guard the 7th-floor hallway and the stairwell entrance. You stay here and track his movements if he slips out."

Yi Sang-sik issued simple orders before traversing the tightrope connecting the buildings to the Cheongho Building.

"Do I really have to hold out like this for three more days? This is way more boring than I thought."

I was newly realizing just how excruciating boredom could be when you had nothing to do. Up until now, I'd been too busy surviving, and even after becoming a hunter, I'd been buried in herb processing and potion brewing with no room for idle time.

But not even three full days had passed since quitting the Origin Potion Workshop, and my hands were already itching. Back during my job-hunting days, I'd been so bored I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠couldn't remember how I'd even gotten through a single day.

I was spacing out, waiting for my mana to recharge, when a text popped up on my phone.

"What the hell? Some new spam?"

It was from an unknown number, and the content was bizarre. If I'd ever crossed someone enough to warrant this, I might've been suspicious. But since I hadn't, I just figured it was a wrong number.

Then, suddenly, a faint vibration rumbled from the rooftop.

Thud.

At that moment, I realized the sender—whatever—whoever they were, was warning me of danger.

Now grasping that the text wasn't a joke, I bolted for the door—but I was one step too late.

Bang!

A deafening crash shattered the door as a gang of masked intruders burst in.

I scrambled back from the entrance, and the leader of the pack who smashed it open spoke up.

"You Kim Suho?"

His voice dripped with killing intent, sending chills down my spine. Anyone with half a brain could tell these weren't friendly visitors.

In that instant, my nerves sharpened, and my mind cooled to ice.

'What... is this sensation?'

I didn't know what it was, but it wiped away my tension, letting me calmly assess the situation.

"Who the hell are you? I sure as hell didn't invite anyone I don't recognize."

The boss-looking guy smirked coldly at my retort.

"Hah, you little shit. Crazy like the dog raised by the Mad Dragon? You're dead anyway, but if you wanna go easy, watch your mouth."

That confirmed it. They'd come to kill me.

I had no idea why they thought I was Jeonghun's underling, but their target was clear: me.

'Damn it! Should've boosted my strength stat. No, no time for regrets. At least buying this seven-story building was a smart move. Jump out the window.'

There was a high chance of more goons downstairs, but more escape routes than here. Plus, whoever sent that text might alert someone to my danger.

Even if they called for backup, staying put felt like a death sentence.

With my plan set, it all came down to timing.

I could chug a potion mid-jump; the issue was reaching the window.

They'd made Jeonghun an enemy—that was secondary. Obviously, their stats outclassed mine at a glance.

A sloppy rush would get me grabbed before I hit the glass.

"Pfft! Who told you that crap? That I'm under Jeonghun? What the fuck has that bastard been blabbing outside? Should I just kill you all?"

Feigning casual trash-talk about Jeonghun, I caught the intruders off-guard and dove for the window.

Crash!

I hurled myself at the glass while buying and gulping a strength potion.

As the window shattered and my body soared into the sky, I thought the plan had worked.

Until something wrapped around my ankle.

Whoosh.

Thud.

My plummeting body snagged on a rope, dangling mid-air before being yanked up faster than I'd fallen.

Dragged back inside, a burly brute gripped the line, reeling me in.

"Heh. Not bad brains for a rat. Cowardly bastard. I'll just rough you up a bit. Finish him."

"Kekeke. Got it."

At the boss's order, a gaunt man approached with a sleazy grin, licking his dagger blade.

'That dagger. Snatch it first, cut the rope.'

I wasn't giving up. Hell no, not ever. Even in death, I'd fight to the end.

How far had I come to quit now?

The man juggled his dagger mid-air before stopping in front of me, grinning wickedly.

"Keke. Last guy took 274 cuts to die. Hope you last longer. Kekeke."

His blade sliced toward my thigh. Cold metal bit my skin.

I'd planned to turn my bracelet into a potion-maker's staff, stab his face, and grab the dagger—but things changed.

In the unexpected chaos, I didn't even feel pain.

The moment the knife touched my thigh, time froze.

No—instinct told me it was still flowing, but so slowly it felt stopped.

Before I could process, a notification hijacked my focus.

After devouring every detail, a sword hilt materialized in my hand.

Sensing time would soon normalize, rage toward the hunter before me boiled over.

I channeled mana into the hilt, and as time resumed its flow, a 2-meter Mana Blade erupted, piercing the attacker's face.

He let out a death rattle and dropped dead instantly.

"Wha—gahk!"

Then, something unbelievable happened again.

No illusion, no mistake. My base Strength of 15 nearly doubled, power surging through my body.

Yi Sang-sik's face twisted demonically at Do Seung-tae's sudden death.

"You fucking bastard! Hiding tricks? What are you idiots doing? Kill him now!"

The brute who'd reeled me in kicked off the floor, charging me.

Then, another alert.

Kim Cheol-min, mid-leap, lost balance in the air, staggering wildly. His suddenly weakened grip dropped his sword, exposing his neck.

I didn't hesitate—sliced clean through.

With Do Seung-tae and now Kim Cheol-min gone so pathetically, even an idiot would sense something off. Yi Sang-sik yelled frantically.

"Kill that bastard! Ranged DPS first, then everyone pile on!"

Over twenty Justice Guild members swarmed me.

Minutes ago, I'd have panicked or jumped out the window. But now? Different story.

Watching the charging hunters, a strange sensation washed over me. Rage boiled, yet my mind stayed cooler than ever.

Reason and emotion split apart. Heart hot, head cold. That was the vibe.

"Fireball."

"Ice Spear."

"Lightning."

Spells flew through the melee gaps.

'100% immunity, right?'

As described, their magic did zilch to me.

The mages at least cast spells; archers couldn't even draw their bows.

Melee hunters crumpled under their own gear's weight, tumbling like trash.

Yi Sang-sik gaped and collapsed in shock.

I ignored him, methodically carving through the Chaos hunters.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

They'd come to kill me anyway, and mental immunity erased any guilt or hesitation. Honestly? They didn't even feel human anymore.

I'd never entered a dungeon, but it probably felt like hunting monsters.

The constant stat gain alerts only fueled that vibe.

And it wasn't just stats.

Skills too. After mopping up the downed melee, I Swiftness-dashed into the ranged attackers.

Still clueless mages recast spells; archers ditched bows for daggers.

But 90% nerfed? No match for me, who'd stolen stats from over ten already.

Swiftness plunged me into their center. I dodged flying daggers, swinging my Mana Blade.

Slash.

Heads rolled with each swing. Soon, the ranged squad was wiped.

"H-how? What... what the hell?"

Yi Sang-sik's brain couldn't process it. Just 2-3 minutes ago, I'd been fleeing for my life.

How could he change so fast?

Survival was all he could think. Escape this spot, leverage the connections he'd set up.

Live first.

"S-sorry! I-I didn't know who you were, made a mistake. Th-the Mad Dragon spread rumors you're his underling."

Desperate excuse via Mad Dragon, but as a Chaos player now, I bid farewell and ended him.

"Yeah. Should've let you go when you had the chance."

Yi Sang-sik dead, I opened the door to the hallway.

The guards outside startled at my appearance and charged—straight into Chaos State, becoming my fodder.

Finally checking my phone, missed calls and texts flooded in.

As I read it, my phone rang—Lee Musin calling.

To be continued in the next chapter...