How Cowardly
The Yusra Kingdom was developing in real time, its reconstruction progressing at a speed that defied common sense. Above all, the sheer amount of money being poured in was staggering.
After the cataclysm, non-combat class players—whose opportunities had inevitably shrunk—finally saw smiles return to their faces as the kingdom's rebuilding kicked into high gear.
"Is this finally the day production classes hit the jackpot?"
"It was a long, long era of mockery and hardship. In rifts, we were no better than civilians. But now, in my lifetime as a player, I'll finally make some real money!"
"Hey, Kim. Quit yapping and haul those bricks."
The first Arcana nation to manifest in reality. The capital flowing into the Yusra Kingdom was beyond imagination. Major guilds rivaling corporations were jumping in, and even Gaon and Berserker's investments alone were nothing to sneeze at.
"Gaon and Berserker's aggressive investments—what do the experts think?"
"A wise judgment foreseeing the future. That's how I'd sum it up. And it's not even that far off. Right now, Gaon and Berserker are expanding their influence in the kingdom."
"Not a penny of that investment feels wasted?"
"Exactly."
In fact, even excluding Gaon and Berserker, guilds, players, and even nations had flocked to the kingdom with massive funds. China was particularly aggressive.
"We seek a close partnership with the Yusra Kingdom. As a great nation's guild, Cheonha Tongil can be a sturdier pillar for the kingdom than Gaon or Berserker."
Along with such proposals came token gestures of sincerity. But King Hakuna of Yusra—who was he? He knew the terror of greed better than anyone, especially after his enlightenment watching Hoyeol.
Hakuna coldly rejected every enticing offer.
"My resolve remains unchanged."
Only Hoyeol could sway that determination. Besides, the Yusra Kingdom—once known as a legendary treasure island—could cover reconstruction costs just by selling mined ore. And no one knew that better than those directly involved.
Scratch scratch—Leoni scratched her head.
"Ughhhh."
A wail escaped her. The guild members, who had been quiet, whispered among themselves.
"Sis, what's her deal now?"
"Obvious. She's overthinking some bullshit again."
"Ah, thinking about that guy?"
Even their snide remarks didn't register. Leoni's heart was a tangled mess of complexity.
How to put it?
'...Things are going way too smoothly.'
Why did it feel like debt was piling up in real time? Not material debt, but a debt of the heart.
Yeah, just like her guildmates said—it was because of Hoyeol.
"Why? What the hell? Ughhhh."
It was too much reward for such simple favors. What she received far outweighed what she'd given.
Leoni gnawed at her nails.
'What's his deal? This isn't like him. For real?'
She couldn't let herself get too comfortable yet. Leoni pressed her lips together and nodded firmly.
Naturally, memories of her first meeting with Hoyeol surfaced.
'Right. Right. With that petty personality.'
That stingy bastard who wouldn't even share a cup of tea.
No way he'd offer such favors without strings attached. Leoni yanked at her hair.
'...But what does he want in return?'
What could she possibly offer that Hoyeol lacked...?
No matter how she racked her brain, nothing came to mind. A sudden suspicion crept in.
Pause—Leoni's hand stopped tormenting her hair.
'...No way, seriously?'
...Was that tea that precious? So precious he couldn't spare a single cup?
No, that couldn't be.
'How amazing is that tea, anyway?'
Leoni shook her head vigorously, then whipped around and yelled.
"Fuck, this is all your fault!!"
"...The hell? Outta nowhere?"
"Sis, chill. Hysterical much?"
Leaving her baffled guildmates behind, Leoni sank back into torment.
"...How am I supposed to pay this off? Or keep mooching?"
"Mooching? What? Oh, that tea from before?"
"Shut it."
"Sis, why not just buy some?"
"It's not the same as buying it! What do you idiots know?!"
"...Whoever's sis she is, total pain in the ass."
"Bro, what do you think?"
Nam Taemin asked his brother, Nam Cheolmin. Brothers didn't need many words to understand each other.
"What to think? Just how to repay him. That's it."
Arcana's official homepage. The freshly updated guild rankings. The brothers checked the list again.
GUILD RANKINGS
──────
1. Shining (-)
2. Cheonha Tongil (-)
3. Gaon (+2)
4. Bohemian (-1)
5. Inazuma (-1)
…
──────
A whopping two-spot climb in the rankings. Surpassing Inazuma to claim third place. They should be dancing for joy, but the brothers remained composed.
"Let's see it as a call to do even better."
After all, they hadn't earned that rise—Hoyeol had.
Even thinking back made their heads spin. Without their connection to Hoyeol...
'Not only this, but bro wouldn't even be here.'
From the beginning until now, it felt like they'd only received from him.
How to repay it? The thought made everything blur, but Nam Taemin steeled his resolve.
"Let's nail the Yusra Kingdom reconstruction he entrusted us with first. Bro!"
But Nam Cheolmin's expression was grave. His eyes fixed on the monitor. Wondering what was up, Nam Taemin peered in—and scowled.
"...These assholes. Starting their crap again?"
Relentless media manipulation. Not their first rodeo. Everyone knew Shinwa Guild was deeply tied to politics.
It was so blatant even netizens caught on.
From petty insults to serious questions.
Nam Cheolmin, reading alongside, spoke up.
"They're crossing the line this time."
"100%. But I just don't get it."
"What?"
"How the hell does Shinwa have those old geezers wrapped around their finger? Rumors of shady shit from way back, sure... but lately it's blatant."
"Huh, you're right."
Nam Cheolmin nodded at his brother's point. Politicians obsessed with image? Even for money, their recent behavior was baffling. Public backlash was obvious from the furious comments.
Yet they kept defending Shinwa. Nam Taemin clenched his fist.
"Fucking nobodies being a pain. Seriously."
In Arcana, he'd just declare guild war. Himself.
"I'd smash 'em to bits!"
Whoosh whoosh—fists swinging at air. Nam Taemin smacked his lips in regret, but only briefly. Nam Cheolmin shrugged.
"Whatever. One thing's clear."
"Huh? What?"
"Keep the backlash from splashing on Hoyeol."
"Duh, obviously! But it's ridiculous. For real?"
Nam Taemin chuckled.
"They totally misread it. Shinwa, politicians—whatever. In the end, Hoyeol took down the great evil. We just rode his coattails."
"Yeah. That's what's frustrating me too, Taemin."
The great evil, incarnation of Gluttony at Lv.650. Hoyeol had overwhelmed it. But the world didn't know the truth that day.
It was maddening—they wanted to shove Hoyeol's battle footage in everyone's faces.
"At first, I worried if his patterns got analyzed... but nah. No worries. Even staring at it, you can't figure it out. Never seen skills used like that."
Even ace analyst Nam Cheolmin couldn't decipher the skills Hoyeol used to hunt the great evil.
Leak that footage, and the world would flip again.
But.
"Hoyeol's will comes first."
"Right. Speaking of—should we text him?"
"Text? We'll see him face-to-face, why?"
Hoyeol was swamped anyway. Even in Yusra Kingdom, spotting him was rare. Nam Cheolmin ticked off his schedule on his fingers.
"Quest in the Mage Tower first, right? Mornings gone. Afternoons in Yusra... wait. Come to think of it, he's been hanging with Harcon a lot lately?"
Harcon Kingsguard, Lion Heart knight captain. Nam Taemin asked suspiciously.
"...Another quest? Nah, no way. No connection. Hoyeol's a mage, Harcon's a knight."
"Dunno. Let's hustle, Taemin."
"Argh! Not you too, bro?!"
Nam Taemin wailed too. Chasing storks and ripping their pants...
*
Couldn't quantify growth like a skill. But seeing it firsthand told the tale.
Hummm—his sword aura, noticeably sharper.
Worth every ounce of those grueling days. I sank into a brief, stoic recollection.
'It was literally life-or-death... for real.'
Rediscovering the value of natural enemy.
Life-and-death battles with Lv.300 monsters. Couldn't show it, but it was no joke.
"Unbelievable growth speed, Sir Hoyeol!"
Harcon exclaimed purely in awe.
"Impossible..."
Not just him—Jessica Bright and Enoch Loren, sword aura users themselves, were stunned too.
Yeah, they never imagined I'd elevate that faint aura to their level.
'If only they knew my suffering.'
Sword aura thickens on life-or-death battlefields. What did that mean here?
This Yusra Kingdom was my battlefield of life and death. Minimum Lv.300, up to 400!
Every roaming monster was a top-tier foe for me.
'No thrashing like mine...'
Topple them without natural enemy active? Pure swordsmanship?
Even emitting aura, impossible. Without strength, agility, or even stamina to back it...
'Later maybe, but now? No chance.'
Stamina drained the instant aura flared—that was reality!
So I'd thrashed with emerging magic too.
'Pathetic, really.'
Of course, I'd never admit it aloud.
Clink—I sheathed my sword and said calmly.
"Excellent instruction, Sir Harcon."
Learned all there was. At my brazen claim, Harcon slowly shook his head.
"What did I teach? I merely provided the spark for your latent sword reverence. Jessica, Enoch—did you see?"
Harcon turned to his knights, launching into a tirade. Pure mentalism.
"Even Sir Hoyeol, with such talent, honed his aura through mortal combat. What does that mean? Environment matters not. Mindset is key...!"
No wonder we clicked.
'Both old-school boomers.'
One on formality, one on spirit. Any longer, and I'd zone out. Time to clock out anyway.
Heading to the portal, my smartphone buzzed.
'Nam Taemin?'
Gaon's guild master. About to check his text—
"Hello! Excuse me, you're Lee Hoyeol, right? Republic News, Jeong Manseok. Sorry to bother, but just one quick question!"
As I said—formality-obsessed boomer. His greeting soured my mood instantly.
Genuine curiosity: why repeat mistakes after correction?
"As a fellow Korean citizen... and since you were there the day Yusra Kingdom appeared. One question for Lee Hoyeol: what are your thoughts on the growing criticism against Gaon...?"
Jeong Manseok trembled as he fired off questions.
Yeah, unlike average players, my prickly demeanor kept press at bay.
He knew that, yet approached anyway, steeling his nerves.
'I get the angle.'
Criticism of Gaon. Like other outlets, Republic News was Shinwa's puppet.
Not some obscure tabloid.
'Blatant shilling.'
Obvious from headlines and comments.
I eyed Jeong Manseok. Fear shadowed his pupils.
'I know that feeling.'
Orders from above—bash or bust. Salaryman's plight.
So I spoke.
"Relay this exactly."
Not pity. Unforgivable.
Shinwa or whoever—scheming from shadows, manipulating people and media for gain.
My lofty pride wouldn't stand it.
"Whoever you are, doesn't matter. Want something from Yusra Kingdom? Don't hide like cowards. Drop the pathetic schemes."
Such behavior opposed noble conduct entirely.
I said coldly.
"Stand before me with dignity."
"...Pardon?"
"All authority on this rests with me."
"...Paaaardon?!"
For offending my dignity—triple groveling wouldn't suffice.
Hours later, the world flipped again.
"...F-For real? This video?!"
Just as Nam Taemin said.