Jin-Kyu couldn’t let his guard down because not only were there more people here than in the other areas, but each of their abilities was also outstanding. No one knew when these people would change their mind and attack his side. Well, it was very likely that it would happen sooner or later.
Jin-Kyu stealthily took out his rings and hid them in his pocket while watching the people in different zones. They were splitting the monsters’ bodies apart and collecting small, hard blackish organs from them. At first, Jin-Kyu also wondered whether there was some unidentified, mysterious power in the organs, but he soon realized that they were useless. That was why it was weird to him. People were working hard to gather the organs, and all their conversations were focused on the process of distributing them.
At that time, members of the other group left their zone and approached Jin-Kyu. One of them was a male adult, who was holding a shield large enough to cover his entire body, and another one was a boy. Jin-Kyu hurriedly tried to stand up from the ground but fell forward.
“If you save me… Huh?”
He raised his head in surprise when he felt a warm energy wrapping around him. His deep cuts started healing immediately, so Jin-Kyu said while looking at the boy who must have been a healer, “Thank… you…”
The boy nodded silently in response.
The older man said, “I won’t kill you, so chill, man. I heard you are the leader of these people.”
Joo-Hyuk gave a signal to the boy, who started moving around to treat others.
“My name is Seong Jin-Kyu. Thank you. You saved my life,” Jin-Kyu replied, looking at Joo-Hyuk’s shield. He swallowed his saliva, reminding himself that the lives of himself and his group members were dependent on that shield. He felt like the shield could snap his neck, the same way it had done with the monsters.
“Where are you from?” Joo-Hyuk asked.
Jin-Kyu immediately responded, “I’m from District 58.”
The older man snorted. “Ha! Now, everyone is crawling toward here, even from District 58.”
“Are you… from District 12?” Jin-Kyu asked somewhat hesitantly.
Joo-Hyuk gave him a look. “District 12? You are so outdated. I belong to the Sky Guild.”
Yes!I’ve come to the right place! Finally!
Jin-Kyu shouted inwardly in joy, and his face brightened. The nervous eyes of the people in his group, who were eavesdropping on their conversation, relaxed. There was something new that also caught Jin-Kyu’s attention.
When he saw the lightning shape that Joo-Hyuk had engraved on the shield, Jin-Kyu exclaimed excitedly, “We came all the way here after hearing stories about the Sky Guild!”
All the painful hardships he had gone through to get to this point crossed his mind.
“Ah, stop talking about obvious stuff and finish calculating first. Mana stones. How many do you have?” Joo-Hyuk asked.
Jin-Kyu blinked. “What are… mana stones?”
“You said you came to see us.”
“Yes.”
Joo-Hyuk raised an eyebrow. “But you don’t know what mana stones are? Okay, fine. You might not know. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. A total of fourteen, if we say each of you has at least two D-class items. Don’t tell me you don’t have any. You shouldn’t make me ashamed in front of my fellows from the other commandos.”
Jin-Kyu rattled off, “Of course, we will give them to you. By the way, are you planning to return to your guild’s land?”
“Hey.”
“Is it safe to go there?” Jin-Kyu continued rapidly.
Joo-Hyuk gave him a look. “Why don’t you take a deep breath and speak slower?”
“I’m sorry.”
“We don’t know how many wandering groups are out there, but I heard that some are around here. You know. The kind who run away if they feel like they would lose something. However, you guys would be the perfect prey in their eyes.”
“I’m sorry to bother you, but how far is the guild border area from here?”
“One day if you walk, two hours by vehicle. Okay?” Joo-Hyuk replied.
Jin-Kyu’s group had lost their ride a long time ago. After careful consideration, he said, “Could you please accept us in your group, sir? We will do everything for you.”
“Ah, I knew you would say that.”
Jin-Kyu continued, “My group members guarantee that with their lives. We have survived so far, and we came all the way here from District 58. Also, I’m stronger than I look.”
***
Jin-Kyu was still shaking. If the people he encountered were from the other groups, not the Sky Guild, they would have taken most of his items and insignias. His head would also be sliced off by now.
Anyway, the rumor was true that District 12, no… the Sky Guild was open and free-hearted. Their attack squad had been formed with people from various districts, and the middle-aged man who introduced himself as Jin-Kyu’s superior said he was also from a different district.
“I was in District 25.”
“How were things there?” Jin-Kyu asked.
The older man snorted. “What do you think? Our leader was a son of a bitch. I still shudder in rage whenever I think of that motherfucker. If he ate all the good things, then he should have at least managed to fight off the monsters. Am I wrong? But the monsters easily killed him in one shot.”
“It was the same for us.” Jin-Kyu frowned. District 58, where Jin-Kyu came from, had also failed to break through Act One, Stage Two. They couldn’t conquer the spire within the time limit, and monsters poured out of each room that they couldn’t attack when the given time was over. The statue, which had been mentioned as the boss monster of Stage Two, also turned into a ghastly living creature and killed many villagers.
However, the things that had happened after Jin-Kyu succeeded in running away from the district were more terrible. Act One, Stage One was performed in one district, while Act One, Stage Two was done in an area where five villages were combined, and Act One, Stage Three dealt with around two hundred districts from Stage Two. In other words, a thousand districts were connected to form a huge area.
The problem had occurred during the preparation time between Stage Two and Three. Because of the guide’s trick, unfriendly people from the other areas became more hostile. It was more terrifying to encounter people from other districts than monsters, as these people appeared with glaring, murderous eyes. Jin-Kyu’s group originally had more than fifty people, but the number had gradually decreased, and now only seven remained.
“By the way, it doesn’t look like you are hunting monsters for points. Are mana stones like items?”
“They are money.”
“Money?” Jin-Kyu looked mystified.
“Didn’t you hear anything about it on your way here? Are you sure you went through a lot?”
“I have been busy surviving. We were…”
“I guess so.”
“What do you mean by money?”
The older man shrugged. “Money is money. Make sure to keep them if they distribute any to you. They will be useful on many occasions when you go back. Hahaha. I’m sure you will be surprised. You’ll figure it out when you return. Anything else you want to ask?”
“How far are we going?”
“District 19.”
“No, not there!” Jin-Kyu screamed.
“Why?”
Jin-Kyu explained, “The statue is walking around there.”
“Did the statue come all the way here? Was there only one?”
“Yes, just one.”
The older man’s eyes lit up. “The captain will love to hear that news. Did you see it yourself?”
“Yes.”
“You are a lucky guy. You met us, and you will get mana stones.”
“…Are you going to hunt the statue?” Jin-Kyu asked, somewhat mystified.
“Of course. We have done it before, and we hit the jackpot. Was there just the statue? Anything else?”
Jin-Kyu shook his head. “Only the statue.”
“Hmm. The captain might have already received the information. No wonder why he was in such a hurry. Yes, yes. I’m so sure. What else do you want to know?”
“What kind of person is the captain?”
The older man chuckled. “Strong. Very strong.”
***
Jin-Kyu confirmed the captain’s ability with his own eyes. The man withstood the powerful attack of the faceless stone statue until the end, and his abilities as a dealer were amazing as he used his skills at decisive moments. Compared to Jin-Kyu’s past leader, he was far superior.
Moreover, the offense team had outstanding ability in hunting monsters, and Jin-Kyu thought that they were an ideal combat squad. The injuries they acquired were severe, but there were no fatalities. To be exact, only four of those from Jin-Kyu’s village, who weren’t a part of the main attack team, died. They died because they had lost their fighting spirit at the most intense moment. They weren’t retreating—they were simply running away in fear, but they couldn’t avoid death.
When Jin-Kyu was able to get up after recovering from his injury, his superior approached him. “Yo, Seong Jin-Kyu. You are pretty good.”
“Hi, sir.”
“Congratulations. From this moment on, you are an official member of our offensive force. If you pass the village interview… but there won’t be any issue with that.”
“What will happen to the two who came in with me?”
His superior reassured him, “We won’t throw them away. They will adapt well and live in the village on their own. If you feel bad for them and want to stay with them, let me know now. I’ll pretend nothing ever happened.”
Jin-Kyu shook his head. “No. I’m fine as long as the village is safe.”
“There are a few things you need to know before going into the village.”
“Yes, sir.”
Jin-Kyu had many questions about the village.
His superior continued, “If you pass the interview, you are free to make a living in the village. But that’s not the point I was trying to make. Remember this: there’s a name you should never mention. Odin. He’s a pretty famous guy. Have you heard of him?”
Jin-Kyu blinked. “That’s a… unique name.”
The captain smiled. “It’s an alias. People who have been there since Act One, Stage Two are afraid of that name, so don’t ask around about him even if you become curious.”
Jin-Kyu asked. “I guess Odin is not the leader of the village?”
The other man shook his head. “He is not the ruler, and he isn’t even in the village now. I haven’t even seen him, but just know that such a person exists. However, there’s someone who doesn’t like him to be mentioned often. She is Lee Soo-Ah, and she has one of the best attack skills on our team. She is also a guild leader. Do you get it?”
That was exactly what Jin-Kyu couldn’t understand.
“Is she the big shot?” he asked.
“Lee Soo-Ah is the guild leader, the captain of the Gold attack squad, the bank president, the commercial president, and Odin’s henchman all at the same time. She has all the important titles. So, you should never hit on her. Never.”
Jin-Kyu hesitated before asking, “I get the other titles, but… bank… president…? I’m sorry for asking you so many questions.”
His superior smiled. “All newbies are like you, so don’t worry. Just know that there is such a thing. There’s no need to worry about opening an account because our offensive team will stand surety for you. You probably have no idea how much you should appreciate us for doing it.”
“Is there anything else I should keep in mind?”
The other man nodded. “You should avoid conflicts with other squads. Take this opportunity to learn. Gold, Miracle, and Special attack squads. Remember to never get into a fight with these three squads. If you can’t avoid it, then run to our headquarters instead of trying to resolve it by yourself. They wouldn’t want to pick a fight with you either. And there is something more important. If the guide creates a gem-like quest, report it to us.”
To be honest, Jin-Kyu still hadn’t gotten the hang of things yet.
“You would know our squad’s name, right?”
“The Shield.” When Jin-Kyu answered, his superior suddenly stood upright. Jin-Kyu also hurriedly stood at attention. At first, he wanted to have a conversation with Captain Joo-Hyuk as he didn’t know anything, but the Shield squad had strict discipline. Jin-Kyu stared at the captain’s thick and short knife. Joo-Hyuk was standing closely by his shield, but the moment he had given up on his defense and shifted to offense, he had immediately destroyed the statue with that knife.
“You may have already been informed, but from the time you put this emblem on, you become one of us.”
Joo-Hyuk began engraving the shape on Jin-Kyu’s breastplate. He first drew a square.
Squeak-
Then, he carved a lightning bolt penetrating into the square.
Joo-Hyuk explained, “The square is our squad’s mark, and the lightning represents the entire Sky Guild.”
The two combined to form an emblem. Jin-Kyu looked at it with mixed feelings. As his group leader had changed countless times from Act One, Stage One, he wasn’t sure when he would lose this group and leader again and end up wandering on his own. Although he had joined a stronger group, he couldn’t stop himself from worrying about it.
However, his anxiety vanished when he entered the mainland of the Sky Guild, District 12!
“…”
Jin-Kyu was sucked into the scene as he went absentminded in shock. As soon as he came out of the boundary, the rows of tents where the guild people lived filled his view. He sniffed out the smell of grilling meat and heard various conversations from the tents. The barricade at the entrance of the main village was guarded with strict vigilance.
Things were even more unbelievable beyond the barricade as all kinds of people were crowded there.
“Ah…”
Jin-Kyu felt as if he had returned to the outside world for a second. He thought he would never be able to see such a scene again. He was even glad to hear people arguing. Some laughed and chattered, while others wandered around in fear. In the street, lovers whispered sweet nothings to each other, and two fighters who had grabbed each other by the collar were surrounded by onlookers. The only difference between the view ahead of him and the real world was the background and people’s attire. They had brought the outside society into this bizarre world.
Jin-Kyu couldn’t believe it. The murderous intent that had filled every waking moment in this hellish world wasn’t present here. Then, he realized the reason why people in the Shield squad were able to maintain relatively happy faces. Tears, which he thought had dried up, welled up in his eyes.
“Take this.”
His superior popped out a leather wallet, holding it in his hairy hand. Jin-Kyu’s tearful eyes widened.
“It’s yours. Enjoy it when you can. Women, gambling, meals. Whatever you want. Just don’t be broke since you have to keep some money for the battles ahead.”
“This place is…” Jin-Kyu whispered.
“I know, dude. You can’t believe it, even though you see it in person, right? I was like that at first. Go ahead.”
The superior gave him a push on the back. Jin-Kyu took a step forward with a face contorted with emotion. He started walking while staring at the flag in the center of the village with his eyes wide open because he thought everything would collapse if he let go of his mind.
It felt like the lightning symbol of the Sky Guild was welcoming the new guild member, Jin-Kyu.
***
At that time, Seon-Hu was in a strong sphere of power in another area. There was a reason why he had entered the zone where a hundred districts were concentrated. He had been hearing rumors from the vagrants who had failed to attack the spire in Stage Two. Although the story had gathered like a snowball and changed a lot, one thing was clear. Apparently, there was a female leader who had swallowed a dozen districts at once, and she was from the World Awakened Association!
“With that one answer, we promise to just leave.”
Seon-Hu and Seong-Il remained calm amid the shouts of those surrounding them. Rather, the group of people were nervous about the two of them.
“Hey, we don’t want to see more blood, so answer us. What is your leader’s name?”
When Seong-Il took a step forward, the entire consortium flinched.
Seong-Il yelled at them again. “Is her name Mary or not?”