Chapter 42 – One Extra (Part 2)

Editor: Cherish

— What? — Kang Seon Soo was thrown off by how readily Kang Yu agreed to hunt together.

'This isn't how it's supposed to be.' He'd been waiting for the guy to react in a completely different manner. Seon Soo dropped his act and turned serious.

For some reason, Kang Yu didn't get mad at all.

He definitely didn't seem like a psycho on sedatives. Does he always react so calmly to people he doesn't know?

'In front of journalists, his reaction should have been more aggressive.' He recalled the order of his own sponsor, the man named Kim Yeong Hoon.

As soon as Kim Yeong Hoon had caught wind of the news that the Player sponsored by Chae Young-ju had appeared near the gate, he immediately called Seon Soo and ordered him to publicly humiliate Kang Yu.

Mir Guild and Red Rose Guild were always at odds with each other. The plan was to provoke Kang Yu into fighting Seon Soo in front of the media to make the headlines say the Player sponsored by Mir Guild was much stronger.

Chae Young-ju didn't seem to know much about this newcomer. She needs help to see just how weak and useless he is.

'After all, this is the kind of dirt that, once it's there, can't be washed away for the rest of your life.'

Because Kang Yu is still just a newcomer, if he was publicly humiliated, the labels attached to him would never disappear.

It doesn't matter how good he becomes in the future. Everyone would always think he's weaker than Seon Soo after today.

Reputation is very important.

'But if I start a fight now, I'll look pathetic,' Sung Su thought as he noticed Kang Yu's oddly wide smile.

'Аh?' When he saw his smile, a chill ran through his body and there was an unpleasant feeling. 'What's he smiling for?'

Seon Soo, overcome by the sudden feeling of anxiety, began to think of a way to get out of this situation.

The sound of his pounding heartbeat was so loud, he could barely hear himself breathe.

No matter how hard he thought, nothing came to mind.

If he backs out from Kang Yu's offer, he'd put the image of his guild at the bottom.

Seon Soo's hands were tied.

If only Kang Yu had ignored his jokes from the start, he wouldn't be in such a conflicting position.

'Bastard.' Seon Soo turned his head sharply to glare at Kang Yu.

Kang Yu didn't seem to realize what they were here for, so he must have agreed to hunt together because he was genuinely scared of the unknown monster.

'Well, if that's the case, then we can handle this quickly.'

Seon Soo didn't know why Red Rose chose to sponsor this guy, but if he's this cowardly, he wouldn't be a problem at all.

— Well… Let's go,— he said to his teammates, staring directly into Kang Yu's eyes.

They all followed Seon Soo into the gate.

— Woah! Look, the Mir Guild and Red Rose have teamed up!

— Oh, that's great. Two of the great guilds, united, are entering the gate to capture the unknown monster!

For the media, Kang Yu and Seon Soo joining together as one party was a great headline. They watched the people entering the gate with anticipation in their eyes.

***

When they entered the gate, they found themselves in the stone labyrinth, where Minotaurs usually lived.

The labyrinth even had a stone ceiling. It seemed that they arrived straight in the monster's den.

As soon as Kang Yu arrived, he gestured to the maze and spoke with a shining smile:

— Well, shall we team up and try to capture the unknown monster?

Kang Yu's question was so simple and natural that Seon Soo was in disbelief.

When Seon Soo fell to the floor, he said:

— Don't you have any pride at all?

— What?

— Huh, you're either pretending not to know what I mean or you really are stupid…

— Seon Soo, just ignore him. We expected a lot from him because he was chosen personally by Chae Young-ju, but he's just a fool, — said a girl wearing a blue dress, heaving a sigh.

— I think that Chae Young-ju must be fooling around. They say she came to him personally and offered to sponsor him… As expected, our Deputy Guild Commander Kim Yeong Hoon is the best.

— That's right. Not only did he successfully inherit his family business, he's also a handsome man.

— As they say, 'the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.' He's just as amazing as his father. He's on his way to the World Ranker list now.

— Ha-ha. There's no guild like ours. He's the only rich man who decided to become a Player and create a guild.

They had started praising their own guild as if they'd forgotten Kang Yu was there… or maybe they were just ignoring him.

Guild Commander of Mir, Kim Yeong Hoon, and Chairman of the largest corporate organization, Mir Electronics.

Five years ago, when the Gates had suddenly appeared, he decided to become a Player and quickly became powerful thanks to the financial strength of his company.

That's how the Mir Guild was created.

'A guild created by a corporate organization.' Kang Yu's eyes were sparkling as he gazed at the party members. 'They've got a strong financial backing.'

Given that large guilds already earn a lot, it was scary to imagine how much money the Mir Guild gets from their Player earnings and the electronics business combined.

'What if I start a war between these two guilds?' If he did that, Kang Yu would definitely benefit from both of the guilds.

— Hmm… — While Kang Yu thought about it, he tilted his head.

'But I'd feel guilty doing that to Young-ju.' She'd given him so much that it would be dishonorable to start a war between her guild and Mir Guild. 'And it's better to remain allies with Red Rose in case I ever need their help in the future.'

Betraying Young-ju for instant gain was like killing a chicken that lays golden eggs to eat its meat.

— Where is that unknown monster? — Seon Soo excitedly asked, wandering through the maze.

Trailing slowly behind him, Kang Yu answered calmly:

— First, we just have to keep exploring.

— Do you think I'm asking you? You're so stupid, how could any idea from you be useful?

— Ha-ha-ha. I'm sorry. — Kang Yu feigned a smile, playing the part of a fool, and turned his eyes to the party members.

'Seon Soo…' Although he had a smile plastered on his face, Kang Yu was raging with anger. His pride was hurt. 'Seon Soo, are you this confident in your abilities?'

Lazily following him, Kang Yu used the Observer's power to figure out the location of the Boer.

He felt the Boer's presence not so far from them.

'It seems he hasn't satisfied his hunger yet.'

The monster was on a rampage hunting for food.

[Power of Temptation]

Applying the Power, a scent that could attract Boer to them wafted through the air.

— What the? Do you smell that?

— I can smell it. And something's drooling incessantly…

Seon Soo and his teammates, smelling the scent, started looking around.

'It's coming.' Kang Yu could sense the excited Boer rushing towards them, breaking through the walls.

Kang Yu took a few steps back, waiting for the monster to approach Seon Soo and his posse.

There was a roar.

— Wha… what the…?

— I think something's coming!

— Get ready to fight! — Seon Soo shouted, sensing an unknown monster approaching. — And you stay silent. Don't even think about telling people we caught it together. —

Kang Yu looked at Seon Soo, who hadn't forgotten to throw in a nasty remark even in this situation, and smiled.

'You can say goodbye to your life.' Kang Yu didn't think that Seon Soo and his party stood a chance against the Boer.

A hungry Boer was so strong that even the creatures in the Third Thousandth Circle of Hell could not fight against it.

Even if Yeon Ho, with 7th rank, tried to fight it off, it's hard to say if he could even win.

Accordingly, Seon Soo, who only became a Player just over three months ago, would never be able to fight it.

— He's coming! — Seon Soo took out his spear and prepared to attack.

'He's like a monster himself.' Seon Soo was the Player who, after attaining a Class A special ability in Rank 1, rose to Rank 5 in three months.

It was hard to find 'monsters' like Baek Kang Hyun and Chae Young-ju who reached even higher levels in three months.

So, of course, Seon Soo was confident in his abilities.

— It's people like you who die first.

Kang Yu and Seon Soo had switched roles.

— What? — Seon Soo faced Kang Yu's direction with a panicked look on his face.

Seon Soo almost thought there was someone else talking. It didn't sound like Kang Yu at all.

When Seon Soo turned around, Kang Yu was smiling again, his arms crossed over his chest.

But this time, the smile didn't make him look airheaded at all. This time, his smile was full of anger.

— This crazy guy…

— Seon Soo!

— What?

— What are you doing? This is a grave situation, and you still have time for small talk?!

— What… — The moment Seon Soo had turned his back on the monster to look at Kang Yu, the wall was broken down by the Boer and his group was attacked.

Both the Players and their shields were being swung away in all directions.

— What the… — Seon Soo's eyes widened. He hadn't expected the unknown monster to be so strong.

The Boer, charged at the Players who had flown away, its mouth wide open.

The monster easily bit through their armor, and dark blood poured out of their bodies.

Seon Soo, who was no longer interested in fighting Kang Yu, stepped forward and gripped his spear tighter.

— Ahh! — He focused Maryok at the end of his spear and a blue light came out of his tip.

Seon Soo swung his spear once he felt the timing was right.

— The power of Light!

The spear, covered with sharp thorns, flew straight to the monster's head.

Confident in his own power, Seon Soo stepped forward after throwing his spear to attack.

But the Boer easily caught and munched on the weapon.

Seon Soo, terrified by such a powerful foe, fell backwards.

— Ah…? Huh? — Seon Soo looked up and down at the Boer in bewilderment.

He was shrouded in the feeling that perhaps, something had gone wrong after all.