Duo. The Hunt Begins.
The usually quiet Namsagwang couldn’t hold back any longer and opened his mouth.
"Where the hell are we going?"
"Shh!"
At that mont, Seowoon raised a finger to his lips and ca to a stop.
Walking silently while checking the map, Seowoon had been staring relentlessly upwards in the dark tunnel. Curious about this odd behavior, Namsagwang also looked up.
For an ordinary person, it was a pitch-black passage where one couldn’t see an inch ahead, but to Namsagwang’s eyes, ssy black cables ran along the ceiling, covered in layers of dust.
–Put on your Cloak of Invisibility now.
Seowoon communicated via awkward telepathy and wrapped a black cloak around his body from his subspace. Namsagwang followed suit, donning his own cloak.
–What are you thinking?
–This is a place where you can use the Cloak of Invisibility even in broad daylight. It’s connected all over the map. You can go anywhere from here.
–Ah, you said it was a transportation network?! Are you planning to survive all the way to the Top 100 from here?
–I’m aiming for sothing bigger than that. Do you know what’s directly above us right now?
–What is it? Don’t beat around the bush—just say it.
Seowoon turned back with a smile. Namsagwang, folding his arms and furrowing his brow, waited.
–There’s a departnt store. Think of it like a luxurious general store.
–You an where they sell fancy stuff?
–Yeah, that kind of thing—and anything else you can think of. A place like that’s bound to attract at least one player trying to farm.
–So?
–Can you feel it? The presence of a player?
At Seowoon’s words, Namsagwang stared hard at the ceiling.
But he felt nothing.
Actually, now that he thought about it, since they’d taken refuge underground, all the faint signals his senses used to catch had vanished.
–Co to think of it, the depth of this place...
Trailing off, he retraced their frantic descent. Suddenly, his eyes widened.
–Incredible. What is this, a mole tunnel? This underground space is huge.
–Isn’t this the perfect place to operate in secret?
–Then how are we going to farm?
–Like I said, the departnt store is right above. When night falls, whether it’s people or items, we’ll go up and farm. But there’s sothing we need to do first.
–What’s that?
–I’ll explain later—we don’t have ti.
Leaving that vague comnt behind, Seowoon suddenly leapt forward.
Trusting Seowoon’s gaplay implicitly, Namsagwang followed closely behind, suspecting that he was already scheming sothing.
Whenever Seowoon wore that mischievous expression mixed with competitive fire, he always ca up with absurdly effective strategies to trick enemies or lure them into traps.
"What is he up to this ti?"
With a smirk spreading across his face, Namsagwang’s eyes filled with anticipation.
They carefully returned to the spot they had originally descended from and quietly climbed up toward the bright subway station. The gray dust still hadn’t fully settled, making it hard to see clearly.
–Is that it?
Namsagwang asked, pointing toward a brightly lit spot within the dust.
–Yeah. We’ll head inside and then go back underground.
–If we were going to do that, why not just start from here...
–It’s blocked. We have to go in through the departnt store basent.
Finishing his explanation, Seowoon darted forward, Namsagwang following while expanding his senses outward, alert for any enemies.
He moved like a seasoned player.
–Impressive.
As they pushed through the departnt store’s revolving doors, Namsagwang’s eyes darted around, taking in the dazzling lights, countless stalls, and endless rchandise.
–No ti. Hurry up.
Urging him on, Seowoon headed straight to the departnt store’s basent.
As expected, it was pitch dark and filled with all sorts of massive machinery.
"Whew. Good thing no one else found it first."
Now speaking aloud instead of using telepathy, Seowoon looked relieved. Namsagwang, still confused, stared at the equipnt filling the basent.
"What is all this?"
"Well, I don’t know exactly, but the important part is—this is where power is supplied to the departnt store."
"Power?"
"Energy for the lights."
"Oh!"
Finally, things started clicking in Namsagwang’s mind, clearing up the questions he’d been holding onto.
"We’ve got about 20 minutes. The departnt store, the outlet across the street, and another departnt store over there—they’re three of the biggest buildings in this area. In 20 minutes, the sun’ll start setting. Once it gets dark, people will definitely swarm to those three buildings."
As soon as Seowoon finished, Namsagwang drew his dagger.
"Want to just wreck everything?"
"No. Just cut those thick power cables over there."
After they severed the power to the outlet and the second departnt store as well, the entire city remained brightly lit at night—except for those three buildings, now shrouded in complete darkness.
Hidden on the first floor of the first departnt store, cloaked and crouched, Seowoon and Namsagwang slowly rose to their feet.
Their first prey had begun to move.
As the intruder entered, radiating a sphere of light and visibly tense, Seowoon and Namsagwang pressed their backs against the wall, hiding their bodies from the bright glow.
"Just one of them."
"Even for a mage, his martial arts skills aren’t ordinary."
At Seowoon’s remark, Namsagwang coolly assessed the man’s abilities.
"He’s a bit below you, but a step above Ki-chan."
While Namsagwang didn’t find the man’s martial prowess particularly threatening, the combination of magic and martial arts was always a tricky challenge to deal with.
Especially if he was a Crown — then there had to be a reason.
"One... two..."
As Seowoon began counting, Namsagwang tuned into the approaching footsteps and prepared to strike.
"Now!"
Just as the enemy passed by the escalator, Seowoon and Namsagwang leapt out.
Clang! Clatter!
Clang-clang-clang!
The mont Seowoon’s attack shattered the barrier protecting the enemy, Namsagwang was ready to finish him — but to their surprise, the enemy quickly retreated and unleashed a Fla Burst with a loud explosion.
KABOOM!
Just in ti, they managed to dodge, but the searing blast stord past them.
"That guy! He’s wearing sothing that even blocks qi!"
Seowoon’s expression twisted at Namsagwang’s briefing.
"We can’t let him get away!"
They had to capture this prey who had walked into their trap, no matter what it took.
’I wanted this to end quietly...’
But the mont the Fla Burst went off, the chaos had surely spread throughout the area.
As Seowoon rushed in, the enemy tried to turn and flee, but with a hardened expression, he slamd his staff to the ground.
Crackkk!
A tree rapidly sprouted from the ground, shielding the mage and intercepting Seowoon’s advance.
At that very instant, as the man spun around to flee, Seowoon appeared right in front of him, entering his field of vision.
The startled enemy’s eyes widened as Seowoon’s Bloodbone Strike ripped through his barrier again, aiming straight for his head.
Whoosh!
Seowoon’s hand sliced the air.
But the enemy vanished in the blink of an eye. Seowoon raised both hands above his head.
Clang!
The enemy had instantly teleported above him and was thrusting a sword downward.
Before he could block the blade, Namsagwang drew his Sugang Blade and lunged, but the enemy blinked away again, narrowly dodging.
"Is short-distance teleportation really that precise?"
Watching the man blink just a few ters at a ti, Seowoon narrowed his eyes.
"Blink. He probably can’t move more than a few ters at once."
That small piece of information gave Namsagwang a major advantage and, conversely, exposed a fatal weakness in their enemy.
Still outnumbered two-to-one, the enemy was only looking for a way to escape. Just as he pulled out a scroll, Seowoon lunged for his throat.
Unable to even tear the scroll, the man had no choice but to defend against Seowoon’s qi-infused strike.
At that mont, Namsagwang moved in from behind.
"Get down!"
Without thinking, Seowoon dropped flat at Namsagwang’s whispered command.
Just as the enemy’s figure vanished again, Namsagwang closed his eyes and thrust his Sugang Blade toward the new presence picked up by his qi sense.
Swoosh.
"Guh... Gahk..."
The blade pierced the enemy’s throat. Clutching the scroll tightly in a death grip, the man coughed up blood.
As his head was severed, a system alert rang out without fail.
Ding! Namsagwang - Kill by qi. Survivors remaining: 148/150
"Let’s loot first before we move."
Before the enemy’s body could even vanish, Seowoon opened the loot box.
[Ding! Superior Orihalcon Breastplate. Significantly increases Agility when equipped. Grants the special skill ’Absolute Guard’ once per day.]
"This must be it — the thing that blocked even qi attacks."
Rather than a full breastplate, it looked more like a silver-white vest, designed to only protect the torso — compact and lightweight.
As expected of Orihalcon, it ca with a high agility bonus.
Seowoon offered it to Namsagwang, but he shook his head.
"I don’t like wearing anything that restricts ."
So Seowoon pulled out the Black Dragon Armor from his subspace and put it on.
"Nothing matters more than survival."
Grumbling, Namsagwang reluctantly slipped the breastplate over his body.
"It’s comfortable, right? I’ve worn that material before — it fits like it’s not even there."
Namsagwang gave a small nod, clearly impressed with the fit.
[Ding! Low-grade Blink Ring. Allows up to 12 Blinks per day, up to 5 ters each.]
"So that was it."
Accepting the ring Seowoon tossed over, Namsagwang nodded again.
"You should use this. It’d be far more effective in your hands."
Since Seowoon specialized in fox spirit techniques, it made sense that Blink would synergize well. Namsagwang handed it over without hesitation.
Seowoon slipped the ring onto his ring finger, completing all ten fingers with rings.
’Would it still work if I wore one on my toes?’
The thought crossed his mind as he realized he had no more fingers left for rings.
Besides that, they also found useful consumables and two 7th-circle spellbooks, but neither of them seed particularly interested.
"The night’s just getting started."
At Seowoon’s words, Namsagwang smirked and gave a nod.
"Kuhuk!"
The knight, whose life ended in a death throe, fixed his eyes—filled with a swirl of emotions—before collapsing to the ground.
From then on, hunting players beca markedly easier than fighting ordinary mages.
By stealthing and hiding, their enemies never spotted them until it was too late—so an instant backstab was all it took. Naturally, the kills ca easily.
Having already slain his fourth player, Namsagwang sheathed his blade and spoke.
"But why are you letting claim every kill?"
"We’re building a legend—a Nad," Seowoon replied. "Once you pass ten kills, every remaining player will know and fear your na. Soday that reputation will serve you well."
Namsagwang’s eyes deepened at Seowoon’s words. He understood that every small action was part of a grand design tying their play to a larger story—exactly why he’d agreed to team up with Jin Seowoon.
After a long, thoughtful silence, Namsagwang asked in earnest, "Do you think we can take down that Celestial Demon this ti?"
Seowoon, busy rifling through the knight’s loot, froze midswipe.
"How strong is that Celestial Demon, anyway?"
"He brushed aside all my inner energy as if swatting a fly."
"And that ans...?"
"I can only guess he’s at the threshold of Natural Realm mastery."
Seowoon couldn’t be more certain. He thought for a while longer, then nodded decisively.
"Let’s pray we never have to et him."
At Seowoon’s candid answer, Namsagwang, who’d been looking on with hopeful eyes, chuckled dryly.
***
By the ti the long night was winding down, Seowoon and Namsagwang were deep into looting the outlet mall. No players had shown up since—so they changed out of their tattered clothes and continued farming.
Their Nike track suits, layered beneath the breastplate and Black Dragon Armor, made for a strangely fitting ensemble.
Survivors: 143/150
They’d downed six out of the seven remaining dropouts between them.
"It’ll be dawn soon," Namsagwang remarked.
Seowoon understood the unspoken question in his tone.
"How about our strategy so far—cut power, hide, ambush?"
Namsagwang smirked. He’d grown accustod to Seowoon’s habit of briefing the team whenever he had a new idea.
"Flawless, as always."
"Then why not scale it up?" Seowoon proposed.
Namsagwang cocked his head. "You an cut the power to every likely player haunt during the day, then hunt by night?"
"That wouldn’t be efficient," Seowoon countered. "The city’s power is fed in zones from centralized substations. Cut power at a substation, and the entire district goes dark. We call them ’one-jun’—the substations."
"So you suggest we neutralize each substation by day, then hunt under cover of darkness? But didn’t you say we should lie low until Top 100?"
Seowoon gave a wry smile. "Sure—but if we just camp and then run into the Celestial Demon, we’re screwed."
Although he blad the plan on the Celestial Demon, Namsagwang recognized the real motive: Seowoon’s inescapable taste for combat. In any case, the man Jin Seowoon reminded him of himself—a warrior by nature.
’A fellow with the temperant of a Heavenly Executioner... I wonder if the old hermit who trained him realizes what he’s created.’
Namsagwang’s smile only deepened at the thought.
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