Hidden Bomb (3)
“Honestly, I was half-doubting it.”
Back in the office of the Genesis Guild Leader, where he had once visited before.
As soon as he saw Sehan, Park Sung-hyuk expressed his feelings.
He was still scrutinizing Sehan, but was noticeably less guarded than before.
The reason was simple.
There really was a mithril vein.
‘How did he come to know about that?’
Park Sung-hyuk cautiously observed the man in front of him.
His face was hidden under a black bandana and a scarf.
The only visible part was his eyes, but even those were obscured by the shadows of the bandana.
‘I wonder what position he has in the Direside Guild.’
He didn’t think the person was merely a low-ranking member.
It didn’t seem plausible that the lower echelons of a guild would have the skills to overpower Hong Ga-eun, the so-called ‘Sword of Genesis’. Truthfully, he didn’t want to believe it either.
“I understand.”
“Thank you for saying so.”
Feeling a sense of relief from his stiff tone, Park Sung-hyuk inwardly sighed.
He had been concerned that the other party might claim ownership over the mithril vein.
Mithril was no ordinary metal.
Although not unheard of, discoveries of mithril were extremely rare.
It was usually found as a reward for quests, or in very rare dungeons, but a ‘vein’ of mithril had never been reported before.
‘If he willingly gave up mithril, does that mean he has something more valuable?’
No metal superior to mithril had appeared yet.
At most, there was Baelun Pure Steel, considered to be on par with it.
He had wondered if maybe the other party didn’t understand the value of mithril and thus had handed it over, but he dismissed the thought.
After all, this was the guild that knew dungeons were related to constellations, and they had the skills to infiltrate Genesis’ headquarters and take down Hong Ga-eun, so there was no way they were ignorant of the value of mithril.
‘Come to think of it, Ms. Ga-eun mentioned that all her weapons were broken.’
Currently, Genesis was in the process of nurturing a blacksmith player who could craft weapons at full power.
Most of the weapons Hong Ga-eun wielded were prototypes from that effort.
Even so, they were far superior in quality to anything that could be purchased from a store.
The fact that they were broken as easily as toothpicks meant the attacker either obtained extraordinary equipment in a dungeon, or they had smithed their own gear using refined metals like mithril.
He hoped for the former, but given the uniqueness of the weapon used at that time, it likely was a custom-made weapon.
Unlike Park Sung-hyuk, who was caught up in complicated thoughts, Sehan didn’t say much.
To Sehan, the mithril vein he had given away was not of great value.
‘Because there are more mithril veins besides that.’
That had already been imprinted by Sehan for a long time.
There were two mithril veins, and he also claimed one that had Baelun Pure Steel buried in it.
To Sehan, giving up one was no big deal.
“I understand.”
Once he had organized his thoughts to some extent, Park Sung-hyuk slowly began to speak.
“I won’t ask how you came to know these things.”
Park Sung-hyuk was astute. Rather than prying into matters, he focused on the truly important issues.
Sehan had sought help from Genesis, not from Awe Rising or Pian Hwa, for exactly this reason.
The other two guilds would have attacked without listening to what Sehan had to say.
Park Sung-hyuk glanced over the eighteen dungeon locations marked on the map and said.
“If there’s an entity under the dungeons capable of flipping Seoul upside down, then it’s critical to deal with it first.”
“That’s right, so I’d like you to keep monitoring the dungeons for a while.”
“Shouldn’t you talk to the other guilds, too?”
“Do you think they would listen?”
“Uh…”
Park Sung-hyuk’s face twisted slightly.
He likely realized the other guilds certainly wouldn’t proceed that way.
The hot-headed Awe Rising, to say nothing of, and Pian Hwa which was a fanatical group that gathered under Lee Ah-young.
If they thought there was something in the dungeon threatening her, they were likely to charge in recklessly.
They could also assume that Genesis was trying to monopolize something and enter as well.
Park Sung-hyuk hesitated to continue speaking but eventually sighed and slowly opened his mouth.
“And I have something to ask.”
“What is it?”
It should have been the first question he asked, but the timing had slipped away.
“Did you foresee us controlling the dungeons this way?”
“Generally, yes. If you hadn’t handled it this way, I would have used another method.”
Although Sehan hadn’t predicted the exact outcome perfectly, he’d anticipated it to some extent.
‘Since ancient times, controlling hunting grounds is common in online games.’
Not just in online games, but people in general have a strong tendency to monopolize things that benefit them. If there’s interference, they hope to remove it quickly.
“You make it sound as though you have many ways to deal with us.”
“Leave it to your imagination.”
“Is this arrogance or…”
Park Sung-hyuk said so, but the expression on his face didn’t seem too upset.
After all, Genesis had secured the mithril dungeon, there wasn’t much that could sour their mood.
Of course, due to the current agreement among the three major guilds, they couldn’t claim it fully yet, but very few guilds would compete for a level 7 dungeon. Once the pact ended, they could simply take possession.
“Lastly, if there truly is a calamity beneath Seoul that could overturn it, wouldn’t you find it difficult to handle alone? Wouldn’t it be better to ask all guilds for help?”
“If we did that, many players would die.”
“Such sentiment makes you seem quite considerate.”
“Something like that.”
Considering the damage that could result from this situation, Sehan’s answer was only natural.
“Weak players would die just by breathing.”
If the scorpion’s egg were to hatch and they had to fight it, ordinary players would unfortunately meet their end instantly.
At best, someone like Hong Ga-eun, merely a sub-guild leader, could put up a good fight.
“Alright, I understand. I’ve seen your skills, so I’ll trust you. If you’re unable to stop it with your level of ability, it will be beyond us as well.”
“Good.”
“If by any chance you need help, feel free to tell us. We’ll definitely repay our debt for the mithril vein.”
“Understood.”
Sehan replied as bluntly as he could.
The purpose was to conceal his identity as much as possible.
“Then it seems our conversation is at an end, so I’ll take my leave.”
“Ah, I’ll escort you out.”
“No need.”
The moment those words were heard, Sehan’s figure had already vanished from sight.
Park Sung-hyuk widened his eyes at the sudden disappearance, having no clue how it was done.
‘It would be horrific to be ambushed by someone like him.’
No matter the defense, survival would be uncertain.
In reality, Sehan had simply used a shadow dash to escape, but Park Sung-hyuk had no way of knowing that.
“Direside…”
He had the vague premonition that if one were to mention the leading guild of Seoul in the future, it would be not the three major guilds, but Direside.
***
Having returned to Direside’s headquarters, I began my preparations in earnest.
Undoubtedly, they are dangerous creatures, but they are no Sentries. If we prepare properly, there shouldn’t be anything we can’t handle.
‘As long as we’re prepared, that is.’
I narrowed my eyes and looked at the object in my hand.
It was a gas mask made of mithril and various other materials.
“Hyung, what do you think? I made it just as you asked.”
Siwoo, with sweat streaking down his forehead, plopped down next to me.
Unlike the rest of the guild members who were resting, now that the dungeons were being controlled, Siwoo had no time for a break.
“That should be enough. How many did you make?”
“I made five for now.”
The gas mask contained materials I had collected from dungeons, a bit of cash item, and high-quality specifications due to the mithril. It might not seem like much, but I spared no expense on this mask.
==
True Silver Gas Mask (B)
A special gas mask made by combining precious mithril with eight other materials.
It allows you to breathe fresh air even in the most poisonous fumes.
==
A simple item description.
But the mask’s efficacy was exceptional. When it comes to item descriptions, the simpler they are, the better the performance tends to be.
The effect of this gas mask is complete nullification of toxins.
The reason for such an effect was undeniably the power of mithril.
There’s a good reason why mithril is considered a precious metal.
Even if Baelun Pure Steel might be harder when it comes to pure strength, in terms of additional effects, mithril is far superior.
It is a gas mask thoroughly infused with mithril’s ability to thwart all kinds of harmful effects.
“Thanks, Siwoo. If there’s anything you want, just let me know. Is there anything you want?”
“No, Hyung. I just like making these things. After all, you were the one who gave me this whole forge.”
Siwoo proudly said with a smirk.
“Then, that’s settled.”
I couldn’t help but feel pricked by his words.
Ultimately, the better the forge, the more I benefit. The better the equipment it can produce.
The most points were spent on Siwoo’s forge in the entire guild building.
It was slathered in all sorts of cash items to make it the best facility around, unmatched by any other forge.
The ability to refine mithril to make such equipment was also due to these circumstances.
‘I should prepare a big gift for him later.’
I’d have to consult with Changwoo about what kind of gift to give.
“By the way, Hyung, are you happy with the clothes and equipment I made for you before?”
“They’re fantastic. They’re better than any other armor out there.”
“Heh, you don’t need to exaggerate. But, I can’t deny it feels good to hear that.”
It seemed Siwoo thought I was just trying to flatter him as he waved his hands dismissively.
‘I’m not exaggerating.’
The equipment I was currently wearing was made by combining the cloak of darkness and the leather of Archeron.
It was an A-rank item.
A-rank equipment remains a rare item even far into the future when the quests have largely advanced.
==
Wicked Cloak of Darkness (A)
Durability: A
Defense: A+
Magic Resistance: A
Special Ability: Shadow Dash (B+), Wings of Archeron (B)
==
As you can see, it’s an eye-catching setup.
An all A-grade spec with no shortcomings, including the special ability ‘Wings of Archeron’.
Although it’s B-rank, its effect is extremely simple.
It allows the creation of jet-black wings from the cloak of darkness.
It enables flight, and the speed of flight varies depending on the player’s agility.
The wings can’t be summoned continuously, with a maximum duration of one hour per day.
‘An overwhelmingly excellent piece of equipment.’
Compared to it, other players’ gear was nothing but rough sacks.
“Now that the most important part is ready…”
I checked the other pieces of gear.
Each and every one was coated with mithril.
“But if we’re talking about hardness, Baelun Pure Steel is better. Why bother coating the weapons with mithril? I understand the gas mask, but it seems unnecessary to coat Baelun Pure Steel weapons with mithril.”
“That’s because of the properties of mithril.”
“Mithril’s properties…”
Siwoo mumbled to himself and slowly nodded.
Being more knowledgeable about metals than I am, he would probably understand the reason.
‘I won’t need to use the variable orichalcum this time.’
The variable orichalcum was stored in a pauldron worn on my arm.
When I pulled out the blade from the pauldron, it automatically coated with orichalcum.
“Are you going by yourself, Hyung?”
“No, even if I wanted to, I couldn’t.”
“Why’s that?”
“There’s not enough time.”
I stood up as soon as I finished checking all the equipment.
Outside, Jisoo, Luke, and Changwoo were already waiting for me.
‘Since the system could intervene at any moment, there’s no time to rest.’
If the system suddenly stimulated the scorpion’s egg to hatch, it would be uncontrollable.
Moreover, Genesis might stall for time by sweet-talking the other two guilds, but that wouldn’t last long.
There’s always the risk of some lunatic rushing in.
Hidden Bomb (3)
“Honestly, I was half-doubting it.”
Back in the office of the Genesis Guild Leader, where he had once visited before.
As soon as he saw Sehan, Park Sung-hyuk expressed his feelings.
He was still scrutinizing Sehan, but was noticeably less guarded than before.
The reason was simple.
There really was a mithril vein.
‘How did he come to know about that?’
Park Sung-hyuk cautiously observed the man in front of him.
His face was hidden under a black bandana and a scarf.
The only visible part was his eyes, but even those were obscured by the shadows of the bandana.
‘I wonder what position he has in the Direside Guild.’
He didn’t think the person was merely a low-ranking member.
It didn’t seem plausible that the lower echelons of a guild would have the skills to overpower Hong Ga-eun, the so-called ‘Sword of Genesis’. Truthfully, he didn’t want to believe it either.
“I understand.”
“Thank you for saying so.”
Feeling a sense of relief from his stiff tone, Park Sung-hyuk inwardly sighed.
He had been concerned that the other party might claim ownership over the mithril vein.
Mithril was no ordinary metal.
Although not unheard of, discoveries of mithril were extremely rare.
It was usually found as a reward for quests, or in very rare dungeons, but a ‘vein’ of mithril had never been reported before.
‘If he willingly gave up mithril, does that mean he has something more valuable?’
No metal superior to mithril had appeared yet.
At most, there was Baelun Pure Steel, considered to be on par with it.
He had wondered if maybe the other party didn’t understand the value of mithril and thus had handed it over, but he dismissed the thought.
After all, this was the guild that knew dungeons were related to constellations, and they had the skills to infiltrate Genesis’ headquarters and take down Hong Ga-eun, so there was no way they were ignorant of the value of mithril.
‘Come to think of it, Ms. Ga-eun mentioned that all her weapons were broken.’
Currently, Genesis was in the process of nurturing a blacksmith player who could craft weapons at full power.
Most of the weapons Hong Ga-eun wielded were prototypes from that effort.
Even so, they were far superior in quality to anything that could be purchased from a store.
The fact that they were broken as easily as toothpicks meant the attacker either obtained extraordinary equipment in a dungeon, or they had smithed their own gear using refined metals like mithril.
He hoped for the former, but given the uniqueness of the weapon used at that time, it likely was a custom-made weapon.
Unlike Park Sung-hyuk, who was caught up in complicated thoughts, Sehan didn’t say much.
To Sehan, the mithril vein he had given away was not of great value.
‘Because there are more mithril veins besides that.’
That had already been imprinted by Sehan for a long time.
There were two mithril veins, and he also claimed one that had Baelun Pure Steel buried in it.
To Sehan, giving up one was no big deal.
“I understand.”
Once he had organized his thoughts to some extent, Park Sung-hyuk slowly began to speak.
“I won’t ask how you came to know these things.”
Park Sung-hyuk was astute. Rather than prying into matters, he focused on the truly important issues.
Sehan had sought help from Genesis, not from Awe Rising or Pian Hwa, for exactly this reason.
The other two guilds would have attacked without listening to what Sehan had to say.
Park Sung-hyuk glanced over the eighteen dungeon locations marked on the map and said.
“If there’s an entity under the dungeons capable of flipping Seoul upside down, then it’s critical to deal with it first.”
“That’s right, so I’d like you to keep monitoring the dungeons for a while.”
“Shouldn’t you talk to the other guilds, too?”
“Do you think they would listen?”
“Uh…”
Park Sung-hyuk’s face twisted slightly.
He likely realized the other guilds certainly wouldn’t proceed that way.
The hot-headed Awe Rising, to say nothing of, and Pian Hwa which was a fanatical group that gathered under Lee Ah-young.
If they thought there was something in the dungeon threatening her, they were likely to charge in recklessly.
They could also assume that Genesis was trying to monopolize something and enter as well.
Park Sung-hyuk hesitated to continue speaking but eventually sighed and slowly opened his mouth.
“And I have something to ask.”
“What is it?”
It should have been the first question he asked, but the timing had slipped away.
“Did you foresee us controlling the dungeons this way?”
“Generally, yes. If you hadn’t handled it this way, I would have used another method.”
Although Sehan hadn’t predicted the exact outcome perfectly, he’d anticipated it to some extent.
‘Since ancient times, controlling hunting grounds is common in online games.’
Not just in online games, but people in general have a strong tendency to monopolize things that benefit them. If there’s interference, they hope to remove it quickly.
“You make it sound as though you have many ways to deal with us.”
“Leave it to your imagination.”
“Is this arrogance or…”
Park Sung-hyuk said so, but the expression on his face didn’t seem too upset.
After all, Genesis had secured the mithril dungeon, there wasn’t much that could sour their mood.
Of course, due to the current agreement among the three major guilds, they couldn’t claim it fully yet, but very few guilds would compete for a level 7 dungeon. Once the pact ended, they could simply take possession.
“Lastly, if there truly is a calamity beneath Seoul that could overturn it, wouldn’t you find it difficult to handle alone? Wouldn’t it be better to ask all guilds for help?”
“If we did that, many players would die.”
“Such sentiment makes you seem quite considerate.”
“Something like that.”
Considering the damage that could result from this situation, Sehan’s answer was only natural.
“Weak players would die just by breathing.”
If the scorpion’s egg were to hatch and they had to fight it, ordinary players would unfortunately meet their end instantly.
At best, someone like Hong Ga-eun, merely a sub-guild leader, could put up a good fight.
“Alright, I understand. I’ve seen your skills, so I’ll trust you. If you’re unable to stop it with your level of ability, it will be beyond us as well.”
“Good.”
“If by any chance you need help, feel free to tell us. We’ll definitely repay our debt for the mithril vein.”
“Understood.”
Sehan replied as bluntly as he could.
The purpose was to conceal his identity as much as possible.
“Then it seems our conversation is at an end, so I’ll take my leave.”
“Ah, I’ll escort you out.”
“No need.”
The moment those words were heard, Sehan’s figure had already vanished from sight.
Park Sung-hyuk widened his eyes at the sudden disappearance, having no clue how it was done.
‘It would be horrific to be ambushed by someone like him.’
No matter the defense, survival would be uncertain.
In reality, Sehan had simply used a shadow dash to escape, but Park Sung-hyuk had no way of knowing that.
“Direside…”
He had the vague premonition that if one were to mention the leading guild of Seoul in the future, it would be not the three major guilds, but Direside.
***
Having returned to Direside’s headquarters, I began my preparations in earnest.
Undoubtedly, they are dangerous creatures, but they are no Sentries. If we prepare properly, there shouldn’t be anything we can’t handle.
‘As long as we’re prepared, that is.’
I narrowed my eyes and looked at the object in my hand.
It was a gas mask made of mithril and various other materials.
“Hyung, what do you think? I made it just as you asked.”
Siwoo, with sweat streaking down his forehead, plopped down next to me.
Unlike the rest of the guild members who were resting, now that the dungeons were being controlled, Siwoo had no time for a break.
“That should be enough. How many did you make?”
“I made five for now.”
The gas mask contained materials I had collected from dungeons, a bit of cash item, and high-quality specifications due to the mithril. It might not seem like much, but I spared no expense on this mask.
==
True Silver Gas Mask (B)
A special gas mask made by combining precious mithril with eight other materials.
It allows you to breathe fresh air even in the most poisonous fumes.
==
A simple item description.
But the mask’s efficacy was exceptional. When it comes to item descriptions, the simpler they are, the better the performance tends to be.
The effect of this gas mask is complete nullification of toxins.
The reason for such an effect was undeniably the power of mithril.
There’s a good reason why mithril is considered a precious metal.
Even if Baelun Pure Steel might be harder when it comes to pure strength, in terms of additional effects, mithril is far superior.
It is a gas mask thoroughly infused with mithril’s ability to thwart all kinds of harmful effects.
“Thanks, Siwoo. If there’s anything you want, just let me know. Is there anything you want?”
“No, Hyung. I just like making these things. After all, you were the one who gave me this whole forge.”
Siwoo proudly said with a smirk.
“Then, that’s settled.”
I couldn’t help but feel pricked by his words.
Ultimately, the better the forge, the more I benefit. The better the equipment it can produce.
The most points were spent on Siwoo’s forge in the entire guild building.
It was slathered in all sorts of cash items to make it the best facility around, unmatched by any other forge.
The ability to refine mithril to make such equipment was also due to these circumstances.
‘I should prepare a big gift for him later.’
I’d have to consult with Changwoo about what kind of gift to give.
“By the way, Hyung, are you happy with the clothes and equipment I made for you before?”
“They’re fantastic. They’re better than any other armor out there.”
“Heh, you don’t need to exaggerate. But, I can’t deny it feels good to hear that.”
It seemed Siwoo thought I was just trying to flatter him as he waved his hands dismissively.
‘I’m not exaggerating.’
The equipment I was currently wearing was made by combining the cloak of darkness and the leather of Archeron.
It was an A-rank item.
A-rank equipment remains a rare item even far into the future when the quests have largely advanced.
==
Wicked Cloak of Darkness (A)
Durability: A
Defense: A+
Magic Resistance: A
Special Ability: Shadow Dash (B+), Wings of Archeron (B)
==
As you can see, it’s an eye-catching setup.
An all A-grade spec with no shortcomings, including the special ability ‘Wings of Archeron’.
Although it’s B-rank, its effect is extremely simple.
It allows the creation of jet-black wings from the cloak of darkness.
It enables flight, and the speed of flight varies depending on the player’s agility.
The wings can’t be summoned continuously, with a maximum duration of one hour per day.
‘An overwhelmingly excellent piece of equipment.’
Compared to it, other players’ gear was nothing but rough sacks.
“Now that the most important part is ready…”
I checked the other pieces of gear.
Each and every one was coated with mithril.
“But if we’re talking about hardness, Baelun Pure Steel is better. Why bother coating the weapons with mithril? I understand the gas mask, but it seems unnecessary to coat Baelun Pure Steel weapons with mithril.”
“That’s because of the properties of mithril.”
“Mithril’s properties…”
Siwoo mumbled to himself and slowly nodded.
Being more knowledgeable about metals than I am, he would probably understand the reason.
‘I won’t need to use the variable orichalcum this time.’
The variable orichalcum was stored in a pauldron worn on my arm.
When I pulled out the blade from the pauldron, it automatically coated with orichalcum.
“Are you going by yourself, Hyung?”
“No, even if I wanted to, I couldn’t.”
“Why’s that?”
“There’s not enough time.”
I stood up as soon as I finished checking all the equipment.
Outside, Jisoo, Luke, and Changwoo were already waiting for me.
‘Since the system could intervene at any moment, there’s no time to rest.’
If the system suddenly stimulated the scorpion’s egg to hatch, it would be uncontrollable.
Moreover, Genesis might stall for time by sweet-talking the other two guilds, but that wouldn’t last long.
There’s always the risk of some lunatic rushing in.
