Sorting Spoils and Staging the Savior

"Hng."

The weapon sorting was over in no time. Honestly, it wasn't even worth calling it "sorting."

"Hng."

Yeonwoo made the same noise again. It wasn't exactly satisfying, but staring at the sorted pile brought that subtle throat rumble anyway.

"Yeah, no helping it, huh?"

Because the donors were all Tier I hunters. So naturally, one side of the pile was heaped with iron weapons.

Iron daggers. Iron swords. Iron spears, and so on.

The newbie hunters from the support program. It was only natural.

"Same boat and all."

Yeonwoo let out a hollow laugh, brushing back her hair. Either way, these were leftovers they'd handed over after picking their own gear.

"So I'll take 'em all."

No need to give any back. Even basic iron series stuff could fetch a few bucks if sold.

Yeonwoo stuffed all the iron weapons into her Bag and eyed the rest. Without the iron pile, not much remained.

Sorted into three categories. Three on the left. Two in the middle. Three on the right.

The criteria were simple. Useful weapons. Kinda useful if you had 'em. And weapons you absolutely shouldn't use.

Yeonwoo started picking up the left-side ones first.

These three were decent.

"Can't use lightning enhancement yet, but having it ain't bad."

Low-tier meant just a 10% boost, but it'd pair fine with any future lightning weapons.

"Ain't using it on purpose—that'd be nuts—but it's helpful anyway."

"Shy" avenger meant about 20% efficiency up. But tanking hits on purpose? Nah.

"No clue why this counts as a weapon, but it hurts a bit less when you get hit..."

As the name said, you had to curl up for it to work.

Anyway, good buddies to have around for someday.

Yeonwoo fused them into her weapons right away.

"Next up."

Second category: a sickle and a tiny dagger.

"Essential for farmer hunters."

Literally as named, and advanced grade to boot. Nice to have a new sickle form, even if she'd probably never use it.

"What the hell even is this?"

The knife had a switch on its side. Like a light switch.

Click. Click. Click.

Pretty snappy sound. Perfect for fidgeting when bored—looked straight-up neurotic.

"Jeez."

Flicking it nonstop drew a dry chuckle. Gate ecosystems were pure chaos.

Yeonwoo fused these too. The switch mattered more than you'd think.

"..."

Yeonwoo raised a sword hilt to face level. The new [Switch] option had sprouted one right there, bold as brass.

Click. Click. Click.

The exact same switch. Super snappy.

"Figured as much."

Yeonwoo eyed the last pile. She'd fused the fidget knife first for these exact reasons.

The no-mix trio right here.

Click. Click. Fused options couldn't be undone. The hilt switch proved it.

So fusing these rashly would yield...

'A hot, glowing weapon that spits soap bubbles on swings.'

Hard pass, even in death. She already had that "Gold Discipline Girl" nonsense—using this would spawn some nightmare nickname.

Fuse blindly, and you might end ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠up stuck with cursed options forever.

"So why do these even exist?"

And these three weren't all. She had the corrosion dagger and cursed sword from the tent "cooperation" too.

Click. Click. One switch was plenty now.

"This thing."

Flicking nonstop was kinda fun. But if it was a switch...

"Would it do its job?"

If it toggled on/off like a light, maybe options too?

"...No need to test now."

Adventure was great, but failure meant disaster. Even testing on low-risk sparkle or bubbles—combat with that mess? No thanks.

'Save it for when I desperately need those effects.'

That dire moment came? Test then.

"Good enough for now."

Yeonwoo grinned, checking Binding Gratitude again. Just looking made her chuckle.

Normally it'd just be fancy looks, but she was the one hunter who could wield its power freely.

'Options exploded overnight.'

Ghosts. Or spectral monsters. Nightmares for weapon-swinging hunters.

Needed special gear or a blessing/attribute buddy. Otherwise, forget it.

But Yeonwoo's Weapon Stigma? Peak performance in any form.

'Mansion.' One name that popped up. A gate with a liberator in about a year.

"Eh, handle what's in front first."

Veteran hunter lesson: 'Don't sweat the distant future.'

Yeonwoo slipped on the Eden coat. Twisting in the changing room mirror.

"Yeah. Hunters need coats."

Satisfied. Anything looked good on her, but black coat hit different. Plus, it could flap open to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠shield the body when needed.

"Like this."

Ziiiip— She tried zipping up.

"...Ugh."

Or not. The coat tightened, squeezing her chest mounds together softly, blocking the zipper path.

"Wh-what kinda tiny-ass coat is this...!"

Yeonwoo panicked, yanking the zipper down. Relief washed over the stuffy feeling, but her real ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mood floated away.

"It's fine, yeah. Open is cooler anyway. Right..."

Desperate self-rationalization as she exited the tent. Fresh after washing up—body and mind refreshed. Peak condition.

'Eleven more to go.'

Clear goal set. Camp vibes good too. Felt like she could do anything.

"I'm telling you, we'll pay!"

"Hmph. How long you think we'll be stuck here?"

"Then what're we supposed to eat and survive on?!"

"I gotta cover that too? Who knows what happens next?"

Chaos everywhere.

"Ah, aah. How'd it come to this."

"Snap out of it! We fought good!"

"No, that was just... ugh. No. I can't fight anymore. How am I supposed to face those things..."

"Don't give up! Fight back, and things'll improve!"

"Th-there's others! I can't..."

Voices rising all over.

"Any more painkillers?! Someone, help!"

"Hey, you! All this is relief supplies!"

"I-I'm getting a cut too! It's all from the guild—I give it free, and I'm stuck footing the whole bill?!"

Camp was a madhouse.

"Whoa."

Total shitshow. In no time flat.

'Par for the course, maybe.'

Crisis averted once, sure. But the massive chains still sealed the gate exit.

No clue when—or if—they'd escape. How long to hold out here?

That anxiety's source loomed smack in camp center. Chaos inevitable.

Yeonwoo glanced skyward.

That system window was the culprit. Unknown, and it wouldn't be this messy. But knowing the condition...

'They cooked up their own answers.'

How long to kill all queen ants? Wild guesses. Supplies holders shut shop. Fear of queens froze folks. Assumed anomaly ends eventually, prioritized self-profit.

'Can't blame 'em.'

She got it. Ant Nest was brutal. Without experience, she'd be cowering too.

Tier I space. No helping it.

But.

"Still gotta do what needs doing."

Understood, but no leaving it like this.

"Ain't living here forever."

Liberation condition clear: eleven queen ants. But hunting 'em smooth? Nah.

Ant swarms needed group coordination. Her one-shot was special circumstance.

'Spawned right next to me.'

Luck helped. Future fights needed swarm-fodder: isolated hunters here.

Plus survival basics. Had to forge ideal cooperation.

Yeonwoo moved with resolve, straight to the noisy crowd center.

Not altruism.

'I'm getting out, period.'

She was a trapped hunter too.

'Gate Liberator title in hand.'

Acting for her gain.

Coat flapping as she strode forward.

"Huh? That's her, right?"

"Dude, another stunner like that? Just ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠clothes changed."

"Whoa, vibe shift though."

"From Eden side?"

All eyes on Yeonwoo, naturally.

"Y-yeah. She got one, right? She'll handle the rest!"

"Might escape sooner than thought..."

Her exploits had spread camp-wide. Fighters paused, staring.

She stopped before the chains. Crowd encircled.

"..."

Yeonwoo scanned them. Heavy gaze ratcheted tension.

'Fucking pressure city.'

She'd been agonizing.

'Go nuts again?'

Nah. Risked "crazy bitch" label forever. Gold Discipline Girl vs. Gold Discipline Psycho? Worlds apart.

'What sells best?'

Veteran life: crises galore. Easiest survival? Follow strong leader.

Styles varied. Overwhelm with competence. Terror-squeeze power.

'Top seller is...'

No real dilemma. Spotlights on, all waiting for her word.

Then, familiar white figure caught eye.

'Oh. Mikael's here.'

Eyes met. Last bit chilly, but he looked worried—front row, hands clasped.

'Got it.'

What to wield now.

"We can't win alone."

Yeonwoo spoke gravely, eyes locked on Mikael.

Soft opener surprised him? Her stare pinned his widening white eyes, insistent.

"No one wins alone."

She hammered it, preaching lines like demands.

"Like, y'know, the character for 'Person'—people leaning on each other to walk. We gotta rely on each other."

Stared him down. It worked.

"Yes. Everyone must help."

Mikael echoed.

"See this?"

Yeonwoo grinned. Crowd lost it in delight at her sunny face.

Only Mikael gaped blankly. Not awe—instinct screamed wrong.

Nailed it.

"Eden will help you all."

Utter bullshit from an Eden-less mouth.

But.

Her drawn weapon. Silvery Binding Gratitude forced the proof.

"Ooooh!"

"Told ya, Eden rep!"

"You're my religion now!"

"Thank you. Grateful for the grace."

Cheers poured. Yeonwoo smirked.

Crowd-heart grabbers in crisis: savior. Religion.

Personal add: shamelessness?