270 - Murim Login

Chapter 270 Ding. - You have successfully [logged out]. With the system notification, I blinked my eyes open. Instead of the familiar ceiling, I was met with two pairs of eyes, staring down at me in surprise. "Aah!" "Oh my gosh!" With ear-piercing screams, the two of them fell back on their bottoms. I yawned as if I had just woken up from a deep sleep and looked at my mom and Ha-yeon. "Why are you so startled?" "Gasp... Gasp." "Huff... Huff..." They looked as if they had seen a ghost. As the two sat catching their breath, they finally shouted in unison. "I almost had a heart attack!" "You little rascal! You little rascal!" Smack! Smack! Ha-yeon glared at me, and mom came at me, smacking my back mercilessly. Somehow, a slap from a housewife in her fifties felt more painful than a punch from a martial artist. 'Is this the Intermediate Fighting Technique?' Body and soul seemed to remember my mother's special hits. It was only after taking a solid beating that the slapping finally stopped. Of course, getting hit a few times didn't resolve everything. "Son." The weight in my mother's voice made me swallow nervously. As expected, the mood was not good. "Y-Yes, mother." "Do you know that you slept for two whole days?" Ha-yeon added a detail. "To be precise, forty-two hours." "Yeah. You wouldn't wake up, so we almost called an ambulance." Forty-two hours. I slept a lot. I guess spending over a year in the martial arts realm made that much sense. Honestly, I didn't expect it to last that long. "Do you have narcolepsy or something? How do you sleep so long without responding even when shaken?" Facing Ha-yeon's incredulous expression, I crafted a smooth lie. "What are you talking about? I woke up once or twice in between." "No way. Every time mom and I checked, you were asleep…" "How would you know if I woke up at dawn?" "Huh?" "Every time I woke up, it was dawn. I was too tired, so I just kept sleeping." "Is that even possible?" Of course, it's not. But dealing with this distrustful sister was something I had mastered long ago. "Hey, Jin Ha-yeon." Feigning seriousness, I called her name, and she paused. "Uh, yeah?" "Do you not remember how your brother was in high school?" "I- I don't." "I slept straight from the first class to the seventh without eating, and then again during study hours." "That's all?" "You think that's it?" "Is there more?" "Of course. What do you think I did after sleeping at school and coming home?" "Could it be…?" "Yeah. I came home and slept again. That's the kind of person I am." "Incredible." Ha-yeon nodded with a solemn look, and mom, who had been listening quietly, spoke with a heartbroken expression. "Son, that's not something to be proud of..." Sorry, mom. But it's better to set a precedent now just in case it happens again later. Though it's a terrible thing to do to mom. ‘This is how I keep stacking up my unfilial acts.’ I awkwardly avoided mom's gaze. After all, being bad at studying wasn't something new. Fortunately, the topic of narcolepsy and such was dropped. Before Ha-yeon could say anything further, I changed the subject. "Oh, right. The massage chair. Weren't we planning to go buy a massage chair?" Ha-yeon replied with a look of disdain. "We already bought it, you dimwit." "Oh, really?" "Yeah, picked the most expensive one. It’s worth every penny. I almost drifted off to paradise lying on it for a bit." "You’ll be on a fast track to hell when you die. But how did you pay for it?" "What do you mean, it's all your money. Here, I used your card." "…Okay, well done." When did she manage to swipe my card again? But given the guilt I was feeling, I couldn't really complain. I wondered just how expensive the item she bought was. I should have saved some of the earnings from the last raid monster sale, maybe? As I was contemplating and accepting the card back, the doorbell rang. Ding dong. Both mom and Ha-yeon perked up their ears at the doorbell sound. "Could it be him?" "Yes, he's here!" What could have come? I asked, puzzled. "Is someone supposed to come over?" "Yes! The delivery person." Ha-yeon responded enthusiastically and dashed out of the room. However, the voice that came with the sound of the front door opening was not that of the delivery person Ha-yeon expected. "Excuse me. Is Jin Tae-kyung here?" "Who… Are you a reporter?" "No." A gentle, low voice continued. "I'm the team leader. From Peace Guild." There was only one Peace Guild team leader that I knew. As I headed to the living room, I saw a man in a black coat over Ha-yeon’s shoulder. "Team Leader." Team Leader Choi nodded slightly in greeting. "Have you rested well?" "…More or less." Having spent over a year in the martial arts realm, my mental fatigue was no joke. Although it had been a while since I’d seen his face, my unease outweighed any feelings of welcome. The fact that he’d come all the way to my house made the purpose of the visit obvious. "I’m glad to hear you’ve rested well." "I didn’t say that I’d rested well, so what brings you here, anyway? I’m pretty sure I’m clear of any broadcast media schedules for a while." "Of course. You're not a celebrity, after all." "Then what is it?" "We have a workshop for the new guild recruits today." "A workshop?" "Yes." If it were just a workshop, that’s manageable. I’m also curious about the new guild members, and a brief visit wouldn't hurt. "When does the workshop end?" "It's scheduled for about six nights and seven days." "What? Who has a workshop that lasts a week… Are we going to Pyeongchang or Gapyeong?" "No, think bigger in scale." "Then, could it be… a Southeast Asian resort?" "Hmm." "Phuket, it's Phuket, isn't it!" Team Leader Choi smiled brightly and replied. "We reserved an A-grade Gate." “Ah.” "We’re fostering team spirit while catching monsters." "......" A workshop with monsters, that's truly something. * * * Boom. Thud! A massive creature, standing at a height of 5 meters, shook the ground with every step it took. From head to toe, its body was made of hard rock, with patches of moss clinging here and there, giving it a damp appearance. A red light flickered from the rock at the top, trailing vines like hair. The eyes of the golem. Lifeless eyes of a magical being made someone mutter in a low voice. "Golem..." A formidable A-grade monster. The newly graduated rookie B-grade hunters shivered just at the sight of the golem. "How are we supposed to take that down..." "Just one hit from that thing and I'm done for." As about twenty new guild members nervously watched the golem slowly amble about from a distance, a calming voice cut through their anxiety. "There's no need to be scared. While Stone Golems coming this way have strong destructive power and durability, they move slowly." This reassurance came from a young team leader who seemed like he'd just walked out of a fashion magazine, causing the female hunters to nod dreamily. "He said it's slow." "If Team Leader Minwoo Choi says it's slow, then it is." In that instant, the stone golem's head turned slowly in their direction. After a brief silence, the stone legs picked up the pace. With each step, a distance of 3 meters was quickly covered. Boom, boom, boom, boom! "…It's awfully fast though?" "Darn it, I should have been a dealer instead of a tanker." "Are dealers just lazy people who do nothing?" "Then can you pick up a shield and protect us instead?" "No, thanks." The dark cloud settling over the faces of the rookie guild members dissipated at the sound of a crisp voice that followed. "The wind is with us. Haste!" "The power to break through rock. Strength!" "Revitalizing the weary body, Healing!" Shooosh. As cries resonated through the air, beams of light descended upon the rookie guild members along with a refreshing breeze. Experiencing the significantly enhanced physical prowess, people exchanged looks of surprise. 'What’s going on? It feels so different.' 'Aren't we the same B-grade healers? How is her effect so powerful?' 'Wow. Just as expected from someone from the Ares Guild.' Receiving all the attention, Song Song-yi furrowed her flawless brow. "What are you all doing, standing around? Want to have a workshop in heaven instead?" Snapped out of their daze by the exceptional buff magic that was almost on par with an A-grade healer's prowess, and her beauty, the rookies now turned serious. Boom, boom, boom, boom! - Groooaar! The stone golem had closed the distance to 20 meters and swung its arm. Whoosh! With an immense sound, a giant tree that had been deeply rooted in the ground hurtled toward them like a missile. "S-Shield!" With a cry that was almost a scream, multiple mana-infused tower shields sprang up to shield them. But could these shields really stop a massive tree propelled with such force? Everyone braced themselves for the impending impact, gritting their teeth, when suddenly... "Fire Wall." Whoosh! A gigantic wall of fire erupted. The intense heat incinerated the tree’s dried branches and leaves on contact. The trunk, now charred black, crumbled upon touching the tower shields. "Wow..." "What is this?" As the rookie guild members gaped in awe, a voice, deep as if from a coffee commercial, resonated from above. "I blocked it this once, but there won't be a second." It was strange. Despite the polite demeanor and formal conduct, the eyes of the elderly gentleman bore the same harshness as the training instructor who used to torment them in the training grounds. Maybe even more so. "Fire Wall." With a second invocation, another wall of fire erupted. The difference this time was that the barrier formed not in front but behind them. "Ouch, it's hot!" "What the heck is this!" "Guild Master! Guild Master?" Kim Butler, who had blocked the rookie guild members' rear with a fiery barricade, smiled gently. "You cannot grow if you always rely on help within a gate. Fight with everything you have." "Mages, use detection magic to find the core, while tankers protect the healers and draw aggro. Dealers... Well, I trust I don't have to explain further." Soooo. With a flick of Kim Butler's fingers, Team Leader Choi and Song Song-yi floated into the air. Just as the abandoned rookies were about to slip into panic. "Tankers, forward!" Thud! With a mighty shout, a heavily armored brute dug a tower shield into the ground. Some of the rookies grimaced upon recognizing the familiar face. The one who stepped forward had nothing to boast about other than a 20-year record as a middle-aged D-grade hunter. "What are you doing! Snap out of it!" But there was no choice. Their bodies, already sensing the threat of death, instinctively moved toward the frontlines. "Formation!" "Formaaation-!" Crack! With a battle cry that could rend the air, the tower shields assembled into a solid wall. Mages and healers gathered mana, and dealers prepared to unleash their mightiest attacks. From behind a shield, a hardened voice shouted. "Hold your ground!" - Groooar! The stone golem charged toward the shield wall. Boom! "Gasp... Huff…" "Ugh." Heavy breaths and groans emanated from all around. A tanker with a broken arm, mages and healers drained of mana slumped to the ground, and dealers collapsed atop the stone golem's remnants. "Agh, I'm going to die." "Did we really take down the stone golem?" It had been a five-hour-long raid. Despite the sizable group, the ordeal had been exhausting and time-consuming. Yet, the rookie hunters were brimming with pride. "I can't believe I took down an A-grade monster..." "Let's take a group photo later and frame it to hang in the living room." "Who takes down a Stone Golem on their first raid?" "Thanks for your hard work, everyone." While everyone was still basking in the glow of their accomplishment, savoring their hard-earned triumph... - Groooar! - Craaaawww! The faces of the rookie guild members hardened as they spotted the approaching golems, drawing closer with resounding roars. 'What... is that?' Even from a distance, there were over ten of them, and they appeared larger and sturdier than the stone golem. Blinding light flickered every time their massive forms moved energetically. Someone screamed in terror. "Iron! It's an Iron Golem!" "Aaaah!" The appearance of Iron Golems, the highest-ranking among golems, was enough to send everyone into a state of panic. "W-Why are they here now!" "They should be scattered, not gathered like this!" No one had ever heard of golems living in herds or packs. Yet, the sight of them drawing ever closer, and the earth trembling as if experiencing an earthquake, attested that this was indeed reality. There was only one lifeline left for them. "Please help us! We'll all die at this rate!" Their plea was aimed at the sky. Choi, who had been observing from above, watching the situation unfold, smiled faintly. "We have no reason to help." "…What did you say?" Has he lost his mind? Everyone doubted their ears in that moment. Swoosh, slash! With a crimson flash, the torso of the charging Iron Golem was split cleanly from crown to crotch. Boom! Amidst the collapsing heap of iron, one person emerged. "It’s like hitting the jackpot with this hunting spree." Young Jin Tae-kyung grinned broadly.