Chapter 42
What should I do when a companion I’ve been looking for suddenly pops out of the 2nd rank faction and covers my mouth?
I slowly considered a few possibilities.
‘First, Lim Yuchan joined the 2nd rank faction. Second, Lim Yuchan is trying to steal the 2nd rank faction leader’s mark. Third, Lim Yuchan… is actually the 2nd rank faction leader?’
“Whatever you’re thinking, it’s all wrong.”
At that moment, a voice interrupted my thoughts.
Hmm. After pondering for a moment, I tapped the back of his hand covering my mouth. I can’t breathe. Seeing this, Lim Yuchan finally removed his hand.
Phew. As I exhaled, I asked in a small voice.
“Why are you here?”
“To monitor.”
The answer came immediately. Monitor?
“I know at least that you’ve become the 1st rank faction leader.”
“How?”
“It’s all over. The system alarm about rank changes.”
Ah. I didn’t know.
“Then why did you come here? Why not come straight to me?”
“Their movements were suspicious.”
“Huh?”
“So I followed just in case…”
He glanced at the door where the faction leader would be and clicked his tongue.
“From the looks of it, they’re planning to take your mark.”
“Ah…”
“Don’t go.”
It’s not that I hadn’t expected this at all. I couldn’t fully trust them just because they requested a 1:1 conversation, as they were still an unknown entity. Especially since they stopped Baek Doha earlier, it felt off. But…
‘I can’t not go in like this.’
In this dungeon where factions are more important than anything, ranks need to be clearly established.
Since the existing structure has been shattered anyway, it seems like there might be a conflict with the 2nd rank faction at some point…
If conflict is unavoidable, isn’t it better to end it early on?
“Just wait here for now. I’ll be back.”
Ignoring his frown, I let go of his hand and moved forward first.
And I opened the door.
The person inside the massive door immediately greeted me. He stood up from his seat and smiled brightly at me.
“We’ve been waiting, 1st rank faction leader.”
💎
The conversation progressed surprisingly smoothly.
“We originally had a temporary alliance with the former 1st rank faction, so we’d like to do the same with the new 1st rank faction. Thank you for accepting our invitation.”
“It’s nothing. How shall we proceed with the oath?”
“We’ve already prepared the oath document on our side. You can read it, adjust if needed, and just sign it right away.”
… No, it was too smooth.
I took the oath document handed to me and looked it over from the top. So…
- The 1st and 2nd rank factions cannot harm each other.
- In case of conflict between faction members, the faction leaders will agree on how to handle it.
- A fight between faction leaders is considered a full-scale fight with the opposing faction.
- If skills or weapons are used against the opposing faction, the offending faction, including the faction leader, will be subject to a ‘movement reduction (C)’ penalty for 1 hour.
- The faction leader of the attacked side can decide whether to break the oath.
That’s about how it can be summarized.
The oath document was so clean it was suspicious, and I kept rereading it wondering if I had read it correctly, but yes, it was perfectly fine.
“… I’m sorry, but can I check something?”
“By all means.”
He nodded willingly, as if there was nothing to hide. I know it’s rude, but it’s so suspicious that I have to do this much.
[Skill, ‘What’s Yours is Mine (-)’ is used!]
[Successfully stole the skill ‘Hacking (A)’ from the target ‘Shin Sawol (A)’!]
[Skill, ‘Hacking (A)’ is used!]
As expected. As I thought, hacking could be used on objects too.
[Scanning]
Blue lines went back and forth several times over the oath document given by the 2nd rank faction leader.
Finally, ding!
[Scan results are in.]
[A-rank oath document. Can apply one skill or penalty. An object with the penalty ‘Attack Power Reduction’ applied.]
I looked at the words appearing in the system and inwardly let out a hollow laugh.
‘It’s not that I don’t trust Lim Yuchan’s words, but there’s nothing wrong here.’
At least the oath document was clean. I slowly looked it over one last time and smiled slightly.
“It looks good. No need for changes. I’ll sign it.”
“Oh my. I’m glad you like it. Thank you.”
He politely handed me a pen until the end.
After I signed briefly and passed the document back, he also signed at the bottom with the pen he was holding.
Thud. As he put down the oath document with both signatures on the table, the parts where we had signed glowed red and then disappeared.
“Is that all?”
“Yes, thank you for your hard work.”
He stood up and bowed deeply. After quietly watching him, I also stood up and bowed my head.
“Well then.”
I should do one last check.
[Using skill ‘Peek (S)’!]
[Name: Kim Ha-neul
Rank: A
Faction: Cheongwoon (Ranking: 2nd / Faction Leader)
Title: Excellent Leader.]
There was nothing else, no characteristics or skills involving ‘deception’.
‘It’s so peaceful it’s unsettling.’
Amused by my own feelings, I forced myself to take steps still full of suspicion.
One step, two steps. There was no sound of following or movement behind me.
Maybe I was being too sensitive after all. Sighing, I reached for the doorknob.
Just as my hand was about to touch the luxurious-looking doorknob.
Whoosh!
I ducked my head as a hand reached over my shoulder.
Turning around, I saw the 2nd rank faction leader, Kim Ha-neul, glaring at me with fierce eyes.
‘I knew it.’
After dodging his hand reaching out again, I grabbed a thick dictionary from the nearby bookshelf and threw it.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
As the thick book hit his stomach, Kim Ha-neul groaned in pain and clutched his left side with his right hand. At that moment, I drew my sword and held it to his neck.
‘Got him.’
Seeing the sharp blade pressed against his neck, I finally caught my breath.
“Since you broke the oath first, let’s pretend this never happened.”
“Haha.”
He let out a small laugh. What’s so funny? As I stared at the madman, I briefly turned my head.
Looking at the clock on the wall, I saw that 10 minutes had already passed.
‘Baek Doha… should I send him back first?’
[SYSTEM] Sending a message to faction member ‘Baek Doha’.
[Go ahead first. Don’t worry, I met Lim Yuchan.]
With this, Baek Doha would verify the truth and return to the faction.
“This isn’t the time to be so carefree.”
Just as I was about to close the message window, I heard a voice. What are you saying? As I frowned.
“The oath hasn’t been broken yet.”
What?
Before I could ask, he suddenly reached out his hand. And thud!
“What…?!”
He pressed the sword I had been pointing at him into his own shoulder. Startled by the blood spurting from his shoulder, I tried to pull the sword out.
[You have broken the oath.]
[Oath penalty will be applied!]
System windows popped up in front of my eyes.
[Your movement is drastically reduced!]
My actions became frustratingly slow.
It felt like I was carrying a 10-ton rock on my body.
Ah.
‘Come to think of it, I didn’t check the ‘pen’.’
He and I used different ‘pens’ to sign the oath. I should have been suspicious of that.
It was too late for regrets now. In the blink of an eye, he struck the back of my neck, and dragged my immobile body outside.
“Faction leader, should we take them ‘there’?”
A 2nd rank faction member grabbed my other arm and started dragging me somewhere. Wait, this can’t happen. As my vision kept blurring, something suddenly caught my eye.
‘Lim Yuchan.’
I could feel Lim Yuchan, hidden somewhere in the space, looking at me. As our eyes met, he mouthed something.
What?
I couldn’t understand what he was saying. Only as I was losing consciousness and replaying it in my mind did I finally realize what he wanted to say.
‘I’ll come to rescue you.’
[SYSTEM] Sub Quest-4 [Emergency! Survive the Kidnapping] has arrived.
💎
When I opened my eyes, the first thing that greeted me was a ceiling made of solid stone. Looking to the side, there were iron bars like any prison, and blinking once more, what I saw was…
[SYSTEM] Sub Quest-4 [Emergency! Survive the Kidnapping]
▸Emergency! The 2nd-ranked faction has kidnaped you. Escape from the kidnapping!
It was the sub-quest system window.
So I’ve been kidnapped. As I let out an involuntary sigh, I suddenly recalled the lip movements I had seen just before losing consciousness.
‘I’ll come to rescue you, huh…’
An awkward sentence, one I thought that man would never utter. I absently scratched the back of my neck.
So he’s coming to rescue me.
Remembering Lim Yuchan who had stared blankly whether I was being dragged away by the Kraken or not, it felt even stranger.
But, for now, the important thing is…
‘There’s no need to waste time here. I should just break out and leave.’
I had enough mana, and there was no reason I couldn’t use ‘What’s Yours is Mine (-)’. Just as I was about to draw the long sword at my waist and activate the skill.
“It’s useless.”
“……!”
That’s when I heard a deep male voice from behind me.
Whoosh, as I turned around, the first thing that caught my eye was long, silky hair.
From his face to his clothes and overall atmosphere, the man who looked like he had stepped out of a historical drama was leaning against the corner of the prison, looking at me with indecipherable eyes.
“There’s a unique skill cast on these iron bars.”
“Huh…?”
No, more importantly…
“Who are you?”
💎
Thank you for reading! ♡
