Dark Attribute
'Oh ho. It was Seira, huh.'
The Dark from my memories was truly invincible under the heavens.
I'd been wondering who on earth had dragged a monster like this all the way to the glacier prison, and there she was, right by my side.
"This is thrilling!"
"Yeah, tell me about it."
I stood side by side with Kancho, watching the conversation between Seira and Dark.
It might sound out of place in this tense atmosphere, but if only I had some popcorn, it would have been perfect.
Seira pointed her sword at Dark.
Just as I was thinking I should probably step in,
"Master, this guy's a mad killer. You won't find even a speck of chivalry or justice in him."
'He does look the part.'
If Seira was a steadfast rock walking the righteous path, Dark was a wind unbound by anything.
In terms of personality, too—while Seira was calm water, Dark was blazing fire.
They were polar opposites in every way, so it was no wonder she wouldn't take a liking to him.
"But."
Seira sheathed her sword back into its scabbard.
"As a fighter for the master, he's more than sufficient."
A powerhouse even acknowledged by Seira, the captain of the Black Knights.
It seemed the impression I'd gotten from those memories earlier hadn't been wrong after all.
"Heh heh heh. Let's get along, Captain."
"Don't get the wrong idea. I have no intention of getting along with you."
"Well, can't be helped then."
Dark nodded and slung an arm around Jinhyuk.
"Master, nice to mee—"
Before Dark could even finish his sentence, Seira's sword hovered just below his throat.
"Show some respect to the master."
"You're a prickly one. Even if I'm a thug, my loyalty to the master is absolute. I was just trying to say hello."
Dark shrugged and took a few steps back.
Jinhyuk chuckled and approached Seira.
"It's fine, Seira."
Only after he patted her shoulder did she finally lower her sword.
Dark stuck out his tongue in amazement at the sight.
"We've said our hellos to Master, hey, you over there, the chubby one. What's your name—"
Click!
"Hey, newbie with the black hair! No honorifics?! You wanna fly away?!"
"What is this place? Why does everyone pull a weapon the second you open your mouth?"
"Captain! Can I discipline the newbie a bit?!"
"Go ahead. Just don't cause a scene at the officetel for no reason."
It was best to let them sort out the pecking order among themselves.
Kancho, his face twisted in annoyance, dragged Dark into the glacier prison.
"Hang in there, Vice Captain Kancho."
Jinhyuk swallowed dryly.
For the usually silent Seira to offer such encouragement.
She must really not like Dark.
KABOOM!! Bang bang bang!! Fwoooosh!!!
Rumbling explosions echoed from inside the prison.
He'd said he was just establishing discipline, but he'd gone and unleashed a full barrage of explosive clay.
And shortly after.
"Loyalty!! Yodel Ranger Vice Captain Kancho reporting!"
The cry of Kancho, who had clearly lost the hierarchy battle, rang out.
When the two emerged again, Kancho was perched on Dark's shoulder.
Seira's face openly showed her discomfort.
[You have cleared the 3rd floor of the Myth Tower!]
[You have conquered the impenetrable Glacier Castle!]
[The player's level increases by 2! Current level: 29!]
[Strength, stamina, agility, endurance, and mana stats increase!]
[The captain of the Black Knights who conquered the castle, Seira Kinkaiton, gains 50% experience! Current experience: 91%]
[The Yodel Ranger Vice Captain who handled disruption levels up! Current level: 72. Current experience: 40%]
[Entry condition for the 4th floor of the Myth Tower: Clear the 30th floor of the Despair Tower]
[Exiting the 3rd floor of the Myth Tower!]
A specialized weapons shop located in Gangbuk-gu.
The shop owner, Kim Jaeseok, gazed at the box in front of him with a pleased expression.
The options themselves weren't great, but it was a weapon that changed the user's attack attribute to dark.
He'd heard that the Hunter Agency bought weapons like this at exorbitant prices.
Of course, it was information only a weapons dealer would know, so he'd been able to acquire it cheaply from the player.
"Jackpot."
Humming a tune, Kim Jaeseok maintained the weapon.
He was already grinning at the thought of selling it and expanding the shop.
Ding-a-ling.
"We're closed for the day. Please come back tomorrow."
"Is that so? It won't take long."
A woman with purple bobbed hair walked up to the counter.
"Haha. I've already finished packing up the items for sale."
"Doesn't matter?"
The woman immediately pointed her chin at the counter.
The dark attribute weapon he'd just acquired.
"That's what I came to buy."
Kim Jaeseok shook his head with a troubled look.
"What do we do? It's already promised to someone else."
"Come on, mister."
The woman smirked and leaned in close.
"Why lie? No deal's been made yet. I'll pay more than them. How much do you want?"
"Ahem."
Clearing his throat, Kim Jaeseok eyed the woman.
Truth be told, the buyer didn't have to be the Hunter Agency.
As long as they paid top dollar, anyone would do.
Kim Jaeseok held up five fingers.
"Five thousand?"
"Fifty billion."
"Wow. Is it really that expensive?"
"It's worth that much."
"How much did you buy it for, mister?"
"That's a trade secret. No merchant would ever tell you. If the price doesn't suit you, then this deal ends here."
From her attitude, it was clear the woman had no intention of paying that price for the weapon.
Kim Jaeseok closed the box on the spot.
"Mister, have you awakened by any chance?"
Her sudden question furrowed his brow.
"Guess not. Then you wouldn't have an inventory."
The woman gave a meaningful remark and drew a chilling smile.
"You can't just take it for free, but I can't pay fifty billion either."
"Get out right now. If you don't, I'll call the police—?!"
"The police? When are you gonna call them?"
A massive halberd materialized in the woman's hand.
It was a weapon even a grown man would struggle to lift, yet the woman wielded it effortlessly with her slender arms.
"I'm strong, you know? My synchronization rate's over twenty percent, even if I don't look it."
"D-Damn it, I'm calling the Hunter Agency!"
"See, that's the thing..."
Screeeeech!
The flying halberd pinned down Kim Jaeseok's shoulder.
"Arrrgh!"
"When are you calling them? That damn Hunter Agency."
The woman burst into laughter as she grabbed the box and turned away.
"What a great world. Weapons that hurt someone..."
Snap!
She flicked her fingers, and the halberd vanished.
"Can be hidden away just like that. Well, I'll put this to good use."
"Urgh..."
Clutching his shoulder, Kim Jaeseok desperately crawled across the floor.
His cellphone was a short distance away.
If he could just make a call, hunters would come running.
Finally reaching it, Kim Jaeseok strained to extend his hand—when a shadow fell over his vision.
"Thought I left, huh?"
There was no time to answer her question.
A massive halberd hurtling into his field of view.
That was the last sight weapons dealer Kim Jaeseok ever beheld.
[Exiting the 21st floor of the Despair Tower!]
"Graaah!"
Jinhyuk stretched as he emerged from the tower.
The 21st floor, where trolls and ogres had mixed and burst out.
It was a simple extermination mission, cleared in less than ten seconds.
[Yu Jinhyuk]
Class: Collector.Level: 29.Experience: 70%.
Jinhyuk made a sullen face.
It was the first time.
Clearing a floor and still not gaining a level.
Probably because he'd leveled up so much in one go at the Myth Tower.
"Is it always this boring? It took like a few seconds."
"If someone heard you, they'd think you did all the work. You just sat around doing nothing."
Seira, who usually wouldn't say a word, glared at Dark.
"It's not that I did nothing—I was about to try something, but it was all over before I could."
"That's the same thing. You ended up doing nothing anyway."
Right after exiting the Myth Tower, Dark had entered the 21st floor of the Despair Tower.
He'd just about figured out the pattern when Seira swept everything away, so he probably felt a bit hard done by.
"No fighting at home."
"Got it."
Seira turned away, her brow furrowed.
She didn't like Dark, but she couldn't defy the master's orders.
"Let's order some food."
"Sounds good!"
"Wait, we're eating now?"
"Of course we are. That's what we do to stay alive."
A sudden curiosity struck Jinhyuk, and he posed a question.
"What did you eat in prison to survive? I didn't see any guards or anything."
"I didn't eat."
"Huh?"
"I can't even remember the last time I ate something. A hundred years ago? Two hundred?"
Well, Dark was the Immortal, after all.
He wouldn't die from spears or arrows, so dying of starvation would be weird in its own way.
"Try eating something."
Even Seira, from the same era, was obsessed with Korean delivery food.
Dark would surely love it too.
"You don't have to if you don't want to, but let's give it a shot. Eating together is important for comrades."
Dark chuckled and threw an arm around Jinhyuk's shoulders.
Seira's eyes flashed from her corner seat, but the 'no fighting at home' rule kept her from intervening further.
"Today's the Jukbo makguksu set."
"Not chicken?!"
Kancho's face fell like a man who'd lost his country.
"It's just as good, so look forward to it."
"Really?! Awesome!"
Even Seira was glancing over with an expression of quiet anticipation.
Jinhyuk ordered three large Jukbo portions and three makguksu bowls through the app.
"It'll be here in forty minutes. Rest up until then."
Kancho flopped straight onto the floor, while Dark wandered around, marveling at the officetel.
Watching Dark, Jinhyuk rubbed his chin.
'If I engrave Dark's traits, could I become an immortal too?'
Just like he hadn't been able to learn Seira's traits and skills last time, it probably wouldn't be easy to meet the conditions, but if it was possible, it'd be huge.
Achieving the dream of eternal life that not even China's Emperor Qin Shi Huang could attain.
Jinhyuk smiled dreamily and pulled out the potion crafting box.
Two uses left.
The refill condition had vanished, probably because he'd gotten what he needed for the Myth Tower entry.
He'd planned to craft potions willy-nilly once he got rich, but now it felt like a shame.
He picked up his phone and pressed the call button.
Hello?!
The response came in less than a second.
Yu Jinhyuk! Are you really gonna keep ignoring KakaoTalk?!
"Sorry. I was climbing the tower."
Right.
Cheon Seoyeon's update to the Hall of Fame had just synced a moment ago anyway.
But calling means...?
"Yeah. I've got box uses left, so I thought I'd try making a potion for you."
Yeeessss!
"No guarantees it'll come out as what you want. You got the materials I mentioned last time?"
All prepared.
"Already?"
I tend to drink kimchi soup a lot. Let's meet tomorrow!
Jinhyuk smiled.
She must really need that 83rd floor clear.
"Sounds good. Dinner tomorrow then."
After exchanging a few more words, Jinhyuk hung up and sprawled out on the floor.
A day where he'd cleanly conquered both the Myth Tower and Despair Tower.
Another fulfilling day.
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T/N:
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