Chapter 29
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: First Expedition (1)
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Crack!!
A forged lump of iron, about 60cm long and weighing just over 1kg, sliced through the air. The blunt blade tip plunged deep into the log upright in the ground.
The hand gripping the sword's hilt belonged to Park Jungwoo. He was soaked from head to toe, like someone drenched in the rain without cover.
A target-like circle was drawn on the log. His grip tightened on the embedded sword.
His arm muscles, swollen to their limit, trembled faintly. Realizing one hand wasn't enough, he grabbed the short hilt with both, twisting it side to side to wrench it free by force.
"Ugh..."
"Stop."
Chae Seoah's calm voice made him release his tension, and his grip slackened instantly. Park Jungwoo fell flat on his butt, like someone who'd let go of a tug-of-war rope too soon.
In Yang Jihee's backyard. Park Jungwoo sat before the log stuck in the grass, hurriedly rubbing his aching arm.
"Did it work?"
"No..."
To wash away the metallic taste in his mouth even a little, Park Jungwoo shook his head while gulping fresh air. Regret dripped from his eyes as he looked up at the small sword embedded in the log.
"Hm..."
Chae Seoah's brow furrowed more than usual. A small sigh escaped her lips, making Park Jungwoo's shoulders twitch visibly. Noticing this, she spoke in a softer tone, like belated comfort.
"Still, it's good you got a Basic Swordsmanship skill within the deadline."
"It's only D-rank, though..."
"It's fine, Mr. Park. As I said at the start, the best thing is..."
"To avoid situations where you have to swing a sword. I remember."
Park Jungwoo stood, flashing a composed smile.
For the past week, his routine had been swinging the sword from sunrise to sunset, then receiving 'care' from the other clan members before bed.
That's why he couldn't show any fatigue. He knew full well how hard the others were working on expedition prep while he spent his time like this.
"Exactly. Your main weapon is always a gun, after all."
"But bullets can run out anytime, you might drop the gun, or a monster could charge while reloading. Right?"
"...Yes. You remember well."
Chae Seoah nodded.
"Still, we hit the initial goal somehow... got Swordsmanship. That's something."
"True, but if you'd gotten Targeting Weak Points too, it'd be even more helpful..."
She suddenly fell silent. The image of Park Jungwoo staring at the sword, slumped in regret, flashed in her mind.
"Expedition's tomorrow. I'll head in first, wash up."
With a limp shout of effort, Park Jungwoo yanked the sword from the log. Using it as a cane, he shuffled unsteadily toward the house.
Chae Seoah's eyes were shadowed. Her gaze held as much lingering regret as his.
"If only we had a bit more time..."
Every day, from waking to sleeping, he'd swung the sword through boredom and muscle pain. Anyone watching would cheer him on instinctively. Her regret was only natural.
She turned to the garden log.
Multiple overlapping target circles were drawn on the log, rotated daily. Over time, the blade marks clearly converged toward the center.
Today's side had only one big gash.
A queasy churn like someone shoving my navel passed, and I opened my closed eyes.
Near the gate stretched a vast plain lined with tents.
The orange sky at dusk. The fading sunlight tinged the green grass orange, bowing toward the faint horizon far away.
A small forest in the distance. The branches swayed together in the cool breeze, almost like beckoning us over.
A deep breath filled my lungs with crisp air hard to find in the city. Amid the muffled chatter from the tents, the pleasant rustle of grass seeped in.
Feeling cold sweat cool in the breeze, I looked around.
Tents stamped with guild or personal logos and names stood in rows—a sight in itself.
As I suppressed the urge to peek into one and see real hunters like on the news, a man in Yongdam Clan-marked clothes walked over briskly.
"Hello. Three adult women and one man... Hwajeon Clan, right?"
Still gawking around, I felt Chae Seoah's elbow jab my side.
"Yes! Hwajeon Clan leader, Park Jungwoo."
I spat out the line we'd rehearsed last night and on the way. Yang Jihee gave me an amused, pleased look.
"Confirmed. This way."
I reslung my bag and followed him with quick steps.
"We should be careful on this expedition."
"Wh-why...?"
Rub rub
"Hm... It's near overload, but the area's too quiet. Kinda weird."
"R-right... Ung..."
Rub rub rub
"Y-yeah. Usually they're swarming, but none around nearby..."
"Right? And they're not gathered somewhere either."
"Y-yes... C-rank gate monsters shouldn't be that smart..."
Rub rub rub rub
"Exactly. The monsters here vary a lot. Hayeon knows that too, huh?"
"N-no, I just... uh..."
"Um, ex-cuse... Ah!"
"No need to be shy. About a year in? I knew nothing back then."
Rub rub rub rub rub
"Uh, um, just happened..."
"It's fine. Makes sense. I mean, you can use magic, so praising you as smart would be weirder."
"Hey!"
Rub… rub rub rub
Eating packed lunch on the grass and returning to the tent felt like a page from my dream hunter life. Everything perfect.
The tent was narrower than expected. Makes sense—they wouldn't give a four-person clan a big fancy one. Tolerable.
More like a large tent than a barracks. The thin floor let through the bumpy dirt feel. The fluffy sleeping bags from Yongdam were a small comfort.
But my butt wasn't feeling the ground's bumps or chill. Instead, only soft, springy flesh—like a meat cushion—pressed against it.
Back to belly, head buried in chest. Sitting on spread knees, my legs splayed wide with no room to fold.
"Wh-why isn't anyone stopping this, ah!"
The teasing hand slipped out from under my underwear.
"Oh. Didn't like it?"
Chae Seoah's voice was infuriatingly calm.
Who'd enjoy 20 minutes of edging without finish?
...Some would. But not me.
While I was toyed with, Moon Hayeon and Chae Seoah chatted casually, fit to burst my gut.
"Huh? Well, Jungwoo and you were busy all week..."
Despite her helpless tone, Moon Hayeon smugly rubbed her lower belly. Chae Seoah's hand on her thigh twitched faintly.
"Right. Not much time."
"Th-that and this, what do they have to do... Eut!"
"Seeding buff's only 5 days left. Renew while we can."
Expedition ends tomorrow.
No chance to argue—Chae Seoah snapped her wrist, rattling my dick over my clothes.
"Ah, ah, why, wh-y, I, I didn't do any-thin... Heek!"
"Hehe, yeah. Oh, mine's down to 6 days too."
Meaning she did it yesterday.
I thrashed to escape her embrace. She stared, then slowly lowered her shaking hand.
Slim fingers gripped my balls tight. Like piano keys, crossing, squeezing lightly, rubbing, pressing firmly.
"Eek, ut, ah...!"
"J-Jungwoo really likes it there..."
Moon Hayeon muttered, pulling a notebook from her pocket to jot something. No idea what, but her pen flew.
"Oh, what's that? Let me see?"
"Y-yes? Mmm..."
Why're you deciding if to show it, not me? No, first—what's in that notebook? Pleasure jolted my hips, but I couldn't stop wondering.
"Sh-should I show you?"
"Hehe, would you?"
The two huddled over the palm-sized notebook. Moon Hayeon whispered notes; Yang Jihee eyed it like a student cramming, licking her lips.
For reference, same time: Chae Seoah milked my crotch in the corner; I flopped like a deflating balloon, prepped helplessly for extraction.
"Ah, uh, ah, re-really, ju-just a mo-ment...!"
Spurt!
"Ah."
My rigid limbs went limp. Chae Seoah stroked my soaked pant front with her fingertip, nodding contentedly.
"Need a change."
"Oh, done already? One sec."
Yang Jihee popped up eagerly, rummaging her carrier. Rustling ensued.
Wait. Changing clothes shouldn't rustle like that.
"Ah, here it is."
With a saintly smile, she turned holding a crisp white diaper.
"No, crazy."
Moon Hayeon watched eagerly, notebook ready.
"D-don't come closer. Don't! Uwaaah!!"
Pants stripped helplessly, I reaffirmed: I'm the only sane one in this tent.
After fleeing the diaper in a frenzy and changing, I was out quite a ways from our tent.
Not fully out of tentville—didn't want to scream-die to a monster.
"If I yell, they'll hear..."
I muttered toward our tent.
"Sigh..."
Sighs more frequent lately, but unavoidable.
Though expelling stuff from my body had spiked way more. I consciously ignored that.
Stretching, I looked skyward. Two moons in a star-sprinkled sky reminded me: not Earth.
Stars in totally different positions from Earth. Sadly, no astronomy knowledge—only thought was pretty.
Suddenly realized my thoughts were silly. Too relaxed mid-expedition? Rubbed my neck, trying to refocus.
"Depart tomorrow..."
Better sleep early. Breezed enough, face cooling.
No way they're still waiting with the diaper. Most anxious about that, but I believed not.
Turning to head back—
"Huh?"
A familiar voice from behind.
Light, clear, like a small bell ringing.
Playful, cheerful tone pierced my eardrum, spine chilling.
Terror froze me. Screaming? Secondary. Stiffly, slowly, I turned.
"Hmm... Thought so, and it is. Meet again, kiddo?"
Rider suit with added armor. Belts wrapping waist and thighs, packed with daggers.
Red gem choker around neck, Vigilante Corps insignia.
"What? Overreacting? Your face is hilarious."
Giggling bell laugh. Night breeze through tents tousled golden hair. Black eyes stared.
Backlit by night sky. Oroji looked down at me intently.