“Are you feeling alright?”
“Thanks to you. Don’t just stand there like a statue. Why don’t you have a seat?”
Mr. Kaldoma looked better than expected.
During the recent Villain terror incident, he had been ambushed and lost his right arm.
Using my Inventory Skill, I had managed to save the groggy Kaldoma.
Well, thanks to that, I was able to use his Ability Skill to easily suppress that Sieg fellow.
It might have been difficult otherwise.
The problem started after that.
[Skill Copy complete.]
[Muyongsi LV2]
Kaldoma’s Ability had been engraved into my skill list. I had acquired a Porter skill in the middle of battle, but the name was peculiar.
Skill Copy.
I tried it out just in case, and it was literal. I can use the skills of people I’ve stored in my Inventory.
However, while that was originally temporary, things had changed. I could now use others’ skills.
“I should start by saying thank you for saving me.”
“It’s a bit disappointing if you’re only going to use words.”
Contrary to the rumors, Mr. Kaldoma didn’t seem that prickly. During the actual Villain terror incident, he had fought alone to save his comrades.
“It’s disappointing for you to say that after taking my livelihood skill.”
After his defeat, videos of me engaging the Villains had already spread everywhere. He also knew that I had become able to use Muyongsi.
“I should get some alimony.”
Since it was literally an invisible arrow, it was effective for surprise or irregular attacks.
Above all, once I became proficient, I could use quite a few arrows and even fire them in rapid succession. There was only one drawback.
“It consumes more Magic Power than I thought.”
“Right? It’s actually quite tough. That’s why I unintentionally smoke.”
He shook a cigarette that had a Magic Power recovery function. Smoking that didn’t actually provide a significant effect.
Rather, it was closer to a Stimulant.
It was about scraping together even the dregs of one’s Magic Power.
Whether it was a regular cigarette or a Mana Cigarette, it was equally bad for the body.
“Looking at the video, you used it incredibly well. I was surprised. I think I trained under a waterfall for one year to master that. Oh, do you know? Nigeria Falls is truly the worst. It’s cold, there are many bugs, and there are no women.”
Mr. Kaldoma chuckled and put a cigarette to his lips.
“Alimony. I prepared this for now, though I don’t know if you’ll like it.”
“What is it?”
What he handed over was a USB. It was a USB that could be linked to a Power Suit.
“It’s a manual of sorts, and it’ll be helpful. Since you’re using it anyway, use it well. I can’t use Muyongsi anymore, regardless.”
He laughed while pointing at his empty arm.
“I heard you’re getting an arm transplant soon.”
“What, you knew? Damn, that’s no fun.”
After muttering that, Mr. Kaldoma put on a truly indifferent face. What is this man doing at his age?
“Of course, I didn’t call you here to stage a small protest. You, well. That.”
Mr. Kaldoma put the cigarette he was smoking into a Paper Cup.
“That power of yours.”
“…?”
“The Inventory Skill. Uh, it was more cozy than I expected.”
What, he acted like he had something important to say, and it was that? But cozy? Does he personally perceive what went in there?
“That power. Inventory. That thing.”
Mr. Kaldoma hesitated to speak. He put a cigarette in his mouth again. I lit it for him and then opened my mouth.
“Do you remember what happened when you were inside the Inventory?”
“….”
There had been no such person until now.
They simply felt as if the flow of time had been briefly interrupted.
However, it felt as if this man had seen something. Mr. Kaldoma smiled slowly.
The tips of his fingers holding the cigarette began to tremble.
What was this?
“I saw the space you created. I saw the dimension.”
‘This is interesting.’
Mr. Kaldoma took a long drag and continued. This free-spirited foreign S-rank Hunter now had a fearful look in his eyes.
For the first time. He hadn’t even made this expression when he was surrounded by Villains.
“There were many people inside.”
“Many people?”
That was strange. Aside from corpses, Mr. Kaldoma was the only living person in there.
“Yes, like zombies. Things that were neither alive nor dead. They were there.”
I didn’t know what he was talking about. What was in there? Did he mistake the corpses for something else?
“No. They weren’t corpses. Because their hollow eyes were clearly watching me.”
Mr. Kaldoma trembled.
“They said… to give them everything I had.”
He looked like a person who had witnessed something he didn’t want to see.
“They grabbed me. And they fumbled over every inch of me. Do you know? It’s like sleep paralysis — your body won’t move. But you feel everything. That horrible emotion.”
Without finishing the cigarette, Mr. Kaldoma crushed it into the Paper Cup to extinguish it.
“What on earth have you put in there?”
“I don’t know since it’s the first time I’m hearing this. I’ll try to deduce it once I gather more witness testimonies.”
At my words, Mr. Kaldoma chuckled low. Just then, a knock was heard at the door.
“Kal….”
The people who arrived were the Hunters of the Shinwa Guild.
Three members of the 6th Team, who had survived thanks to Mr. Kaldoma, had mustered the courage to visit the hospital room.
“I have many guests today. I’d prefer if they were women, though.”
“I hope the surgery goes well.”
“Of course. Did you guys buy the bananas I like? Don’t even think about coming in if you don’t have bananas.”
The members of the 6th Team sheepishly showed the bananas filling a packaged fruit basket.
Seeing that, Mr. Kaldoma burst into a hearty laugh and gestured for them to enter.
Since members of the same Guild would have things to discuss, I left the hospital room.
As soon as I stepped out, someone was standing right at the Entrance.
Looking at his face, he was familiar. Of course, I didn’t have a personal connection with him, but I had seen him a lot on TV.
It was Yomje Hwang Jaeyeon, who shone as Korea’s number one ranker. Arrogant and famous for his sharp tongue, he was here for some reason. He was even holding a bunch of bananas, which didn’t suit him at all.
“Is it Hanul?”
‘If it’s not Hanul, who would it be?’
I laughed inwardly. This was interesting. Should I push his buttons a bit?
“If I had been there, I would have settled the situation in an instant.”
“Talk to me when you actually show up at the scene next time.”
At my words, Hwang Jae-yeon looked at me with a sour expression. Why? I was right.
Hwang Jae-yeon certainly deserved the rumors of being a sociopath.
From what I heard, he and Mr. Kaldoma were on quite bad terms. But it seemed that wasn’t entirely the case.
An unfortunate Hunter who couldn’t even make the rankings because he was a foreign mercenary Hunter.
I left the hospital, wishing for Mr. Kaldoma’s recovery.
The USB Mr. Kaldoma gave me contained methods for utilizing Muyongsi. It could be considered a textbook.
Usually, arrows are loaded with Magic Power.
However, it was said that high energy could be fired by overlapping them. I should try practicing that later.
Normally, my main technique is swordsmanship.
Since I prioritize close combat, my mid-range and long-range attacks are somewhat weak.
At most, I only used a Dagger for harassment. I don’t know what kind of Villain might appear in the future.
Therefore, it was better to learn mid-range and long-range attacks too.
Coming home, I thought about what Mr. Kaldoma had said.
He claimed to have seen something in my Inventory, in that space of the unconscious. I opened the Inventory.
As expected, there was nothing inside. Except for the weapons and emergency rations I had put in earlier.
‘There’s something even I don’t know about in the space I use?’
It was a spooky thought when I considered it. I thought Mr. Kaldoma might have seen something wrong due to the shock of his arm being severed, but he had looked surprisingly calm.
Above all, an S-rank Hunter, famous for being fearless, had eyes filled with terror.
I couldn’t even enter it myself.
What makes an S-rank different from other grades? Should I tempt Seohyeonji and put her in? Just tell her to go in and come out for a moment.
Thinking about it, it seemed like a good plan. Seohyeonji would be coming to the house later anyway.
Today was the housewarming day. Since a new slave — no, a comrade with nowhere to go — had joined, I needed to move to a larger place. The place I moved to this time was a detached house with a front yard and two stories.
Actually, there was a reason why I welcomed the slave — no, the three foreign brothers. A full-scale fight with Villains would begin from now on. Those guys could do all sorts of things.
Karin.
Threats might come for Karin. So it was better to have those three stuck by her side. If nothing else, they would be incredibly good at protecting their Master.
“Coach, I ordered all the food.”
Karin was beaming after using a delivery app for the first time in a while. A Noble who was this happy after ordering delivery food.
No.
Now there were three more foreigners, and they were all swallowing hard while waiting for the delivery.
Soon, ding-dong, the bell rang, and the three foreigners — no, four, including the slave owner Noble — had their eyes flashing.
“Team Leader, we’re here! Wahaha, hello Seoyeon!”
Kim Taeyang and Kim Inho arrived first.
“Uh, foreigners?”
Kim Taeyang blinked his eyes upon seeing the three foreign brothers.
“Say hello. They’re the ones joining Team 3 from now on.”
“Nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Rawin politely shook hands with Kim Taeyang and Kim Inho. The expressions of Kim Taeyang and Kim Inho changed instantly upon shaking hands.
The calluses on their hands.
They probably sensed intuitively that they could guess how many times those men had swung a sword.
“Good morning. Glad to meet you. I am Leon.”
“How do you do! Strong and powerful morning! If you ask me, I am Vincent.”
“Uh, is he crazy?”
Kim Taeyang bluntly shared his impression of the foreign brother.
Rawin had adapted quickly and was speaking normally, but the other two were a problem.
Leon was somewhat okay, but Vincent was particularly rough.
Vincent, the youngest of the foreigners, pointed his finger with glistening eyes.
“I see you. I remember your face.”
“What’s the guy who looks like he’ll die first after the tutorial saying right now? Huh?”
Kim Taeyang, perhaps unable to break his old habits, growled at Vincent.
Soon, the delivery food began to arrive one by one. So much had been ordered that I mistakenly thought there was a queue at the door.
“What? You weren’t standing in line?”
Seohyeonji, who arrived late, said indifferently.
I wondered if she was a bit of an idiot.
They were clearly people who came for deliveries; why would she be standing in line there? No, was it originally beyond common sense to order this much food?
Anyway, since plenty of food was arriving, those who were bickering in the corner— wait, why are those crazy guys fighting?
“Huff, huff. See what happens after you eat this. Huff, huff!”
“Huff, huff! You are lucky. Vincent had no strength because he was starving today.”
“I starved for two days.”
“Vincent was confused. I starved for three days.”
“I did a week.”
“I starved for a month.”
The two guys facing each other began to circle around each other, engaging in a probe.
Clang, clang!
I gave both of them a knuckle sandwich at the same time.
“Everyone else is working, and you guys are playing here? Huh?”
“We are not playing. We are distinguishing who is male and who is female.”
“You mean distinguishing right from wrong, you bastard. Your Korean patch is incomplete.”
The two bickering guys quieted down and went inside after seeing my smiling face. It was strange. Whenever I smiled, the kids became well-behaved. I looked in the mirror and smiled.
It looked fine. What was the problem?
“Of course it’s scary when you smile like that.”
Just then, Seohyeonji nitpicked from behind me.
“What I mentioned before.”
At my words, Seohyeonji crossed her arms with a dissatisfied face.
“Aren’t you being too selfish?”
“No. I’m not being selfish.”
Being selfish means acting thoughtlessly on one’s own.
“I thought it was a win-win condition. Wasn’t it?”
It’s good for both of us. Seeing that Seohyeonji, with her temper, didn’t say anything proved it.
I spoke about the Moderate Faction joining us.
Since the Villains had occupied the Agency and carried out terror attacks, the battle between Villains and Hunters had officially begun. Honestly, Villains cannot defeat Hunters in a head-on confrontation.
Villains have no other way but to carry out terror attacks from within the crowds.
However, how long would that be possible? In a land the size of the United States, it might be different, but in the narrow land of Korea, where the Network and resident registration are active, there’s a limit to running away.
I forced a choice upon the Moderate Faction.
The Hardline Faction possesses an elitist mindset and seeks to become the masters of this place themselves.
The Moderate Faction seeks to comply with, adapt to, and live in another world.
The Moderate Faction had already assisted in the operation to retake the Agency based on my previous proposal.
The situation was such that they had no choice but to turn away from the Hardline Faction.
“It’s not something I can decide.”
Of course, it wasn’t something Seohyeonji could decide.
It was something the head of the clan had to decide. I intended to meet the head of the Moderate Faction.
“That’s why he’s here.”
For a moment, I didn’t understand the meaning of Seohyeonji’s words.
“The Overseer.”