Chapter 34
Gi Da-in’s eyes widened at my proposal.
From the moment I saw the system explanation that factions were necessary in this dungeon, I had abandoned the idea of surviving independently. Besides, I had no intention of letting go of a good talent like an A-rank hunter.
Especially after our brief battle earlier, I could tell that Gi Da-in and I worked well together.
“Y-Yes, I’d love to!”
Gi Da-in accepted as I had expected. As if the change in her eyes during the battle was all a lie, she smiled happily again.
“Then what should we name our faction?”
“How about ‘Love and Peace’?”
The excited Gi Da-in suggested. Who would name a faction like that? I tried to make a serious expression but forced myself to relax.
Then suddenly, my gaze turned to the sword at my waist.
“…..”
Looking at the gleaming sword, I was reminded of the scattered S-ranks and Mungchi.
“Then, how about ‘Friendship and Peace’…?”
I wondered if they could hold out well on their own. As I was thinking this, Gi Da-in, who apparently hadn’t given up on naming the faction, muttered beside me.
A laugh suddenly burst out.
‘Right, I’m not alone.’
So, until we meet again, you all better be doing well.
[SYSTEM] Faction name set to ‘White Moon.’
[SYSTEM] You have been granted faction leader authority. Engrave a symbol representing the faction leader on one part of your body. If the symbol is destroyed, you will lose your faction leader authority. Choose wisely.
‘Forehead.’
As soon as the guidance to choose wisely appeared, I decided without hesitation. A golden symbol settled on my forehead and then disappeared.
The reason was simple. It’s easy to protect.
‘It’s hard not to block what’s right in front of your eyes.’
I threw a comment to Gi Da-in.
“For now, let’s not fight other factions and focus on understanding the dungeon. Is that okay?”
Gi Da-in nodded with a face that said this was what she wanted to hear. Yeah, I expected that reaction too.
Just as I was smirking, I heard some murmuring voices from outside the door.
‘…People?’
Whether it was because this was a secluded place, or because everyone had already found their factions, people weren’t very visible inside this dungeon.
Wondering if there might be some wanderers, I opened the faction door and poked my upper body out.
Thump!
Something solid hit my shoulder.
“Ugh…”
“Sh*t…”
A voice full of annoyance echoed in my ear.
I’m the one who got shoulder-checked while standing still, so why are you annoyed? As I turned my head, a bald man was glaring at me. What’s his problem?
The man’s eyes, full of irritation, stared intently at my face before gradually softening.
“This face is quite pretty…”
What? Before I could even be surprised, someone shouted.
“Oh? Hey, it’s her! Yoo Yi-joo!”
It was another man next to the bald one. They seemed to be together.
‘They know me.’
It seems Gi Da-in wasn’t wrong when she said she had watched me, or more precisely, watched the S-ranks in the previous dungeon.
Now, the two men who seemed unimportant beyond shoulder-checking me, leaned their faces towards me.
“Oh, you’re right. But why is she alone?”
“Could it be…”
One of the men grinned.
“Did you get abandoned by those S-rank guys?”
What…?
“Da-in-ssi.”
“Y-Yes!”
“Cancel that thing about not fighting.”
I don’t refuse fights that others start first.
💎
Bam!
An earthquake occurred in Gi Da-in’s pupils.
This sound, similar to a watermelon being split by bare hands,
“Urgh!”
“Say it again. What did you say?”
“I, I—Argh!”
“Again.”
It was the sound coming from Yoo Yi-joo’s one-sided beating.
It was a strength that one would never expect from such white, thin arms.
She was perfectly pinning down the leader, who was a head taller than her. Yoo Yi-joo raised her head and stared into space for a moment.
[SYSTEM] Using unique skill, ‘What’s Yours is Mine (-)’.
[SYSTEM] Activating the skill ‘Fierce Strike (B)’ of the target, ‘Baek Doha (S)’.
Then she lowered her gaze again to look at the two men sprawled under her fist.
[Using skill ‘Peek (S)’.]
[Name: Lee Seung-chul
Rank: C
Faction: Prepare, We Have Arrived (Ranking 5th)
Title: None
Trait: None
Skills: Fierce Charge (C), Head Butt (D), Superhuman Strength (D), Shield (E).]
‘5th in faction ranking…’
No wonder they were so territorial, they had something to rely on. Through her flowing hair, black pupils sent an emotionless gaze.
“It’s late today… so, tomorrow.”
Yoo Yi-joo, dusting off her hands, continued speaking.
“Tomorrow, guide me to your faction leader.”
💎
“Are you really going to the rank 5th faction?”
As I was putting on the bulletproof vest and belt I had left loose at dawn, Gi Da-in asked.
“Yes, we have to.”
“Just the two of us?”
“Yes.”
I answered without a moment’s hesitation. I know it’s dangerous for just the two of us to go to the 5th ranked faction, but…
‘It’s better than staying here doing nothing.’
We can’t survive here with just the information Gi Da-in provided. Even to understand this dungeon, it was better to go to the 5th-ranked faction.
“Will just the two of us be enough? It’s the 5th ranked faction after all…”
It wasn’t hard to guess what Gi Da-in was worried about with this choice.
“They won’t kill us right away.”
They won’t bother to kill us because the two of us aren’t much of a threat to them. Though they might kill us if we irritate them.
“Don’t worry. If they attack, we can just run away.”
“Run away?”
Just as Gi Da-in was about to ask if that was really the right choice, there was a knock at the door.
“Um… I’ve come to escort you!”
At the loud voice, I, who had even put on fingerless gloves as if I’d been waiting for this, opened the door. Gi Da-in hurriedly followed behind me.
As I opened the door, the two faction members I had fought with yesterday were waiting for us, sweating profusely.
I looked at the bald man with an awkward expression among them and reached for his shoulder. He flinched greatly.
“W-Why-“
“Why are you so scared? I’m just dusting you off.”
Anyone watching would think I had killed him.
I smirked as I saw their swollen faces and then started walking.
“Let’s go.”
💎
5th ranked, [Prepare, We Have Arrived] faction.
“You’ve brought new guests?”
I am currently facing the leader of that faction.
“As for joining the faction…”
The man with white hair and a neat appearance shrugged his shoulders after looking at his two faction members with swollen faces.
“It doesn’t seem like that’s the case.”
He knows well.
“May I ask why you’ve come?”
The man approached us with a light smile.
I looked at him and then surveyed the surroundings.
Walls with a soft blue glow, a large chandelier that seemed to soften the cold atmosphere, and a red carpet leading to the second-floor stairs.
After briefly taking in the sights, I turned back to the man and said,
“I’ve come to get some information about this dungeon. By the way, I only fought back because your side picked the fight first.”
“…They picked a fight?”
“T-That’s! They threw the first punch! We just talked a little…”
“Sigh…”
He sighed as if he had a headache.
Is the faction leader quite reasonable? I tilted my head. Well, that’s good for me.
“If you want these two people back, I’d like you to answer all the questions I ask. How about it?”
The faction leader raised his head. His expression seemed to harden somewhat. Suddenly, his eyes turned blue.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t answer all your questions-“
[SYSTEM] The other party has used the skill ‘Hacking (A)’ on you!
Zap! Sparks flew between the man and me.
[SYSTEM] Something external protects your information from the skill ‘Hacking (A)’!
[SYSTEM] The hacking of the other party has been canceled!
“Oh?”
…Huh?
I blinked blankly, not fully grasping what had just happened. The faction leader, looking equally confused, stepped closer.
“This is a first for me.”
He leaned in close to my face and asked,
“What are you?”
What just happened?
‘Something external?’
What is that? Was I able to block skills too?
“What’s wrong…? Did something happen?”
It was Gi Da-in beside me who snapped me out of my daze. She was looking at me with concern. Seeing her face, I finally came to my senses and used my Peek skill.
[Name: Shin Shawol
Rank: A
Faction: Prepare, We Have Arrived (Ranking: 5th / Faction Leader)
Title: False Hacker
Trait: Exceptional Senses
Skills: Hacking (A), Information Distortion (B), Prey Tracking (B), Fatigue Recovery (F).]
…So, hacking skills are used to view the other party’s information.
“Hey, I asked what you are.”
After checking the status window completely, I raised my head. Unlike before, Shin Shawol, now wary, approached me.
‘Ah…’
This has become troublesome.
I quietly looked at him and slowly opened my mouth.
“If you’re curious about that, why don’t we start with a conversation first?”
I have a mountain of questions too, right now.
Shin Shawol slightly opened his lips and then closed them. Then he let out a deep sigh and turned around.
“We have guests. Today’s schedule is cancelled, so get up quickly and inform the rest of the faction members.”
Shin Shawol gave a look to his two faction members I had brought, telling them to get lost. They looked at me once, then at Shin Shawol, before hurriedly leaving.
Watching them scurry away, I followed Shin Shawol.
It’s time to get some information.
💎
Thank you for reading! ♡
