Chapter 40 - Ahab (2)
Due to the nature of his profession as an assassin, Ahab was someone with a very high threshold for the word 'madman'.
That was because people tended to spill out everything at the bottom of their being just before they died, so from the perspective of someone who had seen it all, it was natural to just shrug off even a pretty crazy person.
Which meant.
‘What kind of madman is this?’
Thinking this while looking at the other person was an extremely rare case.
Although he wore a mask of impassivity, Ahab was furiously trying to read his opponent's expression.
He knew of the man named Kim Gyu-sik.
Wasn't he the one he had sent a few of his carefully nurtured men to kill not long ago?
He had been so dumbfounded when all his subordinates unanimously said that the man had 'spared them'.
He had even marked him as a target he had to kill himself someday.
Treating the subordinates he had personally trained in such a way was an insult to himself.
”…“
The problem was.
This man had come to the Heukryongdang's headquarters on his own two feet before he could even go looking for him.
He had met many skilled Climbers, but he had never seen anyone come directly and empty-handed like this.
It was a natural result, as his identity itself was thoroughly hidden.
‘Neck, philtrum, solar plexus, groin, ribs… all wide open.’
While maintaining a blank expression on the outside, Ahab was carefully observing his opponent and making such an assessment.
His defense was not just lax, but nonexistent.
With that much of an opening, an assassin of his caliber could kill him over a hundred times in a few seconds-
“Why. You want to try?”
And as if he had sensed that presence, the man who had been silently sipping his tea until now suddenly opened his mouth.
“-!”
It was probably thanks to the self-control trained into his muscles that he didn't show surprise on his face.
An assassin's search, trained to hide all presence to the extreme, could only be discerned by at least a fellow professional, and among them, one of equal skill.
It was definitely not the kind of thing that could be pinpointed 'as if he knew it would happen' while sitting and feigning indifference.
‘Come to think of it…’
He heard this man came here to threaten him.
Daring to say such a thing to him was certainly arrogant, but it also seemed clear that he was not an amateur who would say such a thing without any confidence.
“What is your business.”
“There's something I want to tear from you. Oh, and I have one thing to ask of you.”
“…”
Although he had heard that the man came to threaten him, the sentence was excessively brazen to be uttered in front of the head of an assassin group.
At this point, it was enough to arouse curiosity rather than anger.
“…Are you serious? In the headquarters of an assassination group?”
“Why do you think I've been saying this from the beginning?”
“I don't know if you're stupid or brave. Do you think you can leave this place in one piece with that attitude?”
The man sipped his tea again.
“Two on the ceiling.”
Ahab narrowed his eyes.
“Three in the next room. One on the floor. Two behind the counter. Right?”
“…”
All of them were the exact locations where Ahab had hidden his subordinates.
They were ready to jump out and attack this man all at once with just his signal.
But this man seemed to know everything as if he were in the palm of Buddha's hand.
“…Certainly, you're no ordinary person. But that doesn't prove your skill-”
Before his words could finish, something was drawn from the man's waist.
It was an object Ahab had never seen before in his life, but he certainly didn't have time to form any impression of it.
That was because the mass of Mana fired from the object the man had drawn instantly swept through the entire inn.
“…”
Ahab could only stare at his opponent from his seat with wide eyes.
It was difficult for him to even properly understand what had just happened.
What was certain was that he could no longer feel any presence from the subordinates he had on standby just a moment ago.
“Yes. Now it's just you.”
“…You bastard…”
He glared across the table as if to kill him, but the opponent didn't care and just sipped his tea again.
‘How…’
If it had been a ranged projectile weapon, he would have counterattacked.
If it had been magic, he would have responded with other equipment.
If at least 'Mana' had been used in any way, the Heukryongdang, who had an excruciating amount of experience fighting Climbers, would have handled it smoothly.
But what had just swept past them did not fall into any of those categories.
It was a preposterous attack, as if the 'process' had been omitted and only the 'result' of everyone falling remained.
‘This kind of artifice… even a top B-class Climber can't pull this off…!’
At least, Ahab, who had experience killing them several times, could be sure of this.
Among those whose lives had ended at his hands, there were many who came up with unexpected moves, but no one had ever presented something as completely uncounterable as this.
If so.
This man's danger level was elevated to a level almost similar to an A-class Climber.
It meant he was a big shot who wouldn't be out of place being put forward as the face of a major guild.
‘Why on earth is a guy like this…!’
Remaining as an F-class Climber in such a minor guild.
He had expected him to be an unusual person since he had played with his subordinates, but this level of dissonance was a variable he had not even considered.
A guy like this was bound to leave a trace of his movements somehow.
But.
Even he, who had access to all sorts of information flowing from behind the scenes, had not even heard a fragment about a monster of this level.
As if he had just fallen from the sky.
As he was thinking that, the man scratched his cheek and opened his mouth.
“That last one, I didn't shoot it properly. So you guys are all still alive, you know?”
“What?”
“Next time, I'll shoot it properly. Can you handle it?”
“…”
“I told you.”
To Ahab, who was grinding his teeth, the man continued with a wide smile.
“You and I are not on equal footing in the first place, you know?”
“…”
Still no answer.
A good attitude.
At this point, it was as good as an answer that he would positively review any demand from this side.
***
[ Important Notification ]
[ The relationship with 'Heukryongdang' has changed from 'Unknown' to 'Temporary Cooperation'. ]
I read the messages that were popping up one by one.
Well, good.
No flaws to be found.
The 'Temporary Cooperation' mentioned here meant that for the time being, they had to do as I said.
It wasn't just that I had subdued them with force; I had also continuously reminded them that if I just put my mind to it, I could release the information they were hiding and completely dismantle the entire group.
And if I had scared them like that.
Of course, there was an event that would be triggered and follow.
[ 'Wanderer' recognizes your existence. ]
Seeing the text, I tapped my chin.
The Wanderer was a group that even players who were quite skilled in Conqueror would rather not encounter.
The feeling was like a secret society, but each and every member composing it was anything but ordinary.
If the most important force one could meet inside the Tower now was the 'Round Table', then outside the Tower, it was definitely these guys.
Heukryongdang was also an affiliated organization of these guys, so if I went there and acted so tough, a report about me would have 100% gone to them.
‘The only fortunate thing is…’
By opening a contact route through Heukryongdang like this, I could create an opportunity to roll it in a direction that would benefit me somehow.
If it worked out and I succeeded, the return would be enormous.
But if, instead, I got entangled with these guys in a hostile relationship from the beginning.
The aftermath would be something I really didn't want to imagine.
“…”
Enough with the terrible thoughts.
I first examined the item I had ripped off from Heukryongdang.
On the outside, it was a worn-out book, but its value was something that wouldn't lose out anywhere.
[ Shadow Secret Arts: Open Form / Grade: Rare ]
[ This is one of the Eastern martial arts passed down through many years. It describes how to learn and use techniques that are manifested by consuming resources of a completely different nature from Mana. ]
Reading the description, I found myself nodding my head.
It was just as I remembered.
Normally, it wasn't something anyone could use, but an item that only a few characters with special jobs could use.
But who was I?
A bug character who could learn every skill that existed in this game.
[ Sensitive Senses / Vanguard: Low-grade ]
[ The sensitivity and detection range of the five senses increase. Can be flexibly turned on and off. ]
[ Mana Accumulation / Rearguard: Low-grade ]
[ The amount of Mana that can be held in the body increases. ]
Two trash skills that looked unimpressive, as befitting their low grade.
Well, considering my level, learning skills higher than low-grade was a thief's mentality.
But anyway, I wasn't learning these for the effects of the skills themselves.
If I combined these two.
[ Notification ]
[ The special job 'Qigong Master' is unlocked. ]
Something like this would open up.
[ Qi Accumulation / Qigong Master (Special): Beginner ]
[ It becomes possible to accumulate the energy existing in nature within the body. Techniques that can only be operated with Qi can be used. ]
That's right.
If I could handle Qi properly, it wouldn't just end with the usable resources increasing to two.
Most battles that occurred in this world were ultimately focused on 'Mana'.
It meant it was a very unfamiliar technique to deal with for most opponents.
The reason Heukryongdang could fight well even against Climbers of a higher grade than them was because they enjoyed using the tactic of hiding this until the end and catching them off guard.
Well, even apart from that, the efficiency of the techniques themselves was good.
Even up to this point, it was safe to say that the initial purpose of visiting Heukryongdang had been achieved, but.
[ Dark Seal / Grade: Special ]
[ This is a ring imbued with an unidentified energy. It seems to be used as a token of promise in a certain group. ]
This ring, which I got by diligently browbeating Ahab, would also definitely play a part.
I planned to hand it over to Ironclad and use it, along with the Cloak of Darkness I had ripped off from Adelbach before, to enhance my weapon.
Well.
It was a bit of a shame to use it as a one-time item.
But the impact it would show wouldn't be something any other item could be jealous of.
As I was thinking that, the vibration of my phone echoed from my pocket.
It was Ahab's number, which I had just gotten.
[Everyone is on standby as you said.]
Ah, it seemed he had diligently carried out the 'requested task'.
Although one thing was a bit annoying.
“Did you say 'you'?”
[...Everything has been prepared as you said.]
“That's right.”
Hierarchy is important everywhere.
Anyway, these guys had their uses.
With that thought, I looked ahead.
[ Group Relationship Chart ]
[ Renegade - Currently affiliated
Hunting Alliance - Complex (Friendly 55%/Hostile 45%)
Heukryongdang - Temporary Cooperation
Round Table - Unknown
Wanderer - Interested ]
The added names were noticeable, but.
What caught my eye more was that the friendliness towards me from the Hunting Alliance had decreased a little.
It seemed there were guys working hard while Ms. Seo Hye-in was diligently climbing the Tower and focusing on the conquest.
“…”
Well.
They're bad guys doing bad things.
Such punishment should be dealt with by equally bad guys.