Dungeon Predator (WN)

There was a single text message in Jae Woo's inbox; it was from Jin Cheol.

[Sephiro: 101-4229-9701/Character Code: @41AD891S]

'It's here'.

Back when he'd met with Jin Cheol to sell his footage on the Fight Against 100 Men clear, he'd asked for Sephiro's contact information. Jin Cheol had said he understood and would get back to him with it.

Jae Woo sent him a text, asking him what Sephiro's contact information was, and this was what he got back.

He immediately called the phone number. All he heard was the phone dialing, but no one picked up.

Jae Woo memorized the Sephiro's character code, which had the same function as a phone number in Arth and then accessed Arth.

* * *

Kang Oh opened his message window and registered Sephiro's character code.

He then immediately sent him a message.

- Hello, Mr. Sephiro.

Because Sephiro was currently logged in, Kang Oh received a message immediately.

- Who is this? How do you know my character code?

Sephiro obviously didn't know who Kang Oh was.

- I got your character code from PD Park Jin Cheol.

- PD Park Jin Cheol?

Sephiro had been on GBS before, so he was acquainted with Park Jin Cheol as well.

- He was the PD responsible for the recent Fight Against 100 Men feature broadcast.

- What business do you have with me?

- Have you watched the Fight Against 100 Men feature broadcast?

- I did.

Sephiro thought, 'Is he a liaison from a broadcast company?'.

- I'm the main star of the Fight Against 100 Men feature broadcast, Oga.

- Ah, I see.

So, who cares?

- You said in an interview that you'd give whoever cleared the Fight Against 100 Men anything they wanted, right?

Seeing that, Sephiro tingled. He'd definitely said that before. A long time ago.

And when he watched the feature broadcast, he saw that same interview again.

'He's not going to do what I think he's going to do, is he? That was so long ago...'

- Did I?

Sephiro feigned ignorance.

- There's past footage of the interview, and it was shown again in the feature broadcast as well.

- I didn't mean it.

- I’d like to meet in person and talk about it. Do you have some free time?

- Yes.

- Let’s meet at the Vyoom Inn near Javen Square in 30 minutes. How does that sound?

- Understood.

- I’ll see you then.

Kang Oh closed the message window and thought things through.

Out of anger, Sephiro had said ‘Whoever clears the Fight Against 100 Men, I’ll give them whatever they want.’ on life television, but that didn’t mean Sephiro would really offer him anything he wanted.

Still, Sephiro wouldn’t pretend like he didn’t say it either.

‘If you want to keep showing up on TV, then your image or your reputation are important.’

The Wind Archer, Sephiro, had shown up on several TV shows as one of Arth’s rankers, and had maintained a good image.

Of course, he’d made a lot of money too.

However, he wouldn’t want rumors of him being a liar coming out, as his image or his reputation would take a hit.

That’s why he’d so easily accepted his request to meet.

Now then.

‘Shall we go and meet Sephiro?’

* * *

The Viyoom Inn was a three-story building.

The 1st floor sold snacks and alcoholic drinks, while the 2nd and 3rd floors were for lodging.

Kang Oh and Sephiro picked a remote table in the 1st floor bar and sat across from each other.

“My name is Oga, the one who cleared the Fight Against 100 Men. My real ID is Kang Oh,” Kang Oh smiled and said.

“Hello,” Sephiro greeted.

“Hoh, is that the Lasselpino Bow?”

Kang Oh stared at the bow that leaned against the side of the table.

A bow in the shape of a silver wing. Even at first glance, the Lasselpino Bow was a work of art.

“You’re not asking for this, are you?”

Sephiro pulled the bow towards him and went on guard.

“If I asked, would you give it to me?” he asked teasingly.

“Never.”

After all, the Lasselpino bow was an SS-rank weapon! In other words, it was one of the best weapons in the game!

It also served as his, the Wind Archer’s symbol.

“You said that you’d give whoever cleared the Fight Against 100 Men whatever they wanted, right?” Kang Oh asked impishly.

‘Isn’t that right?’

Sephiro slapped his mouth.

“This stupid mouth of mine makes a lot of mistakes.”

His statement, that he’d given whoever cleared the Fight Against 100 Men whatever they wanted, wasn’t serious, but just gibberish.

“But you’re someone who appears on TV, so shouldn’t you at least take some responsibility for what you say on the air?” Kang Oh said concernedly.

“That’s why I came here.”

He was basically asking for a compromise.

“Alright. I’m not going to ask you for the Lasselpino Bow.”

“How does money sound?” Sephiro asked.

“Money works. How much money can you give me?”

“About… 100 gold?” Sephiro said whilst analyzing Kang Oh’s face.

It wasn’t too small a sum, yet not too large either.

“Should I ask for the Lasselpino Bow instead?” Kang Oh said brutally while smiling.

“Haha, it was just a joke,” Sephiro laughed awkwardly.

Then, he said, “How much were you thinking?”

Kang Oh immediately stretched out his fingers.

“About 5,000 gold. How does that sound?”

“That’s ridiculous,” Sephiro yelled in shock.

After all, 5,000 gold was worth 50 million won ($50,000 USD).

“Why, you don’t have the money?”

“No, I don’t have the money.”

He actually did.

He had about 4,000 gold on hand.

If he sold his items, then he could make about 1,000 gold too.

However, paying 5,000 gold for speaking out of turn once was ridiculous.

“Mm, then how about working for it?” Kang Oh said ‘kindly’.

“What? You’re not suggesting…”

Sephiro hugged himself and stared at Kang Oh as if he were a rabid beast.

What exactly did he have in mind?

“I like women,” Kang Oh clarified.

“Really?”

“Let’s cut the idle chatter and get straight to the point.”

“Mm.”

“Help me out 10 times.”

This was why he’d met with Sephiro.

Making a ranker work like a dog!

“10 is too much.”

“Then would you like to pay me with gold or your bow?”

Kang Oh had no intention of negotiating with the count.

“I’ll help you.”

“You made the right choice.”

Kang Oh pulled out a Sabra’s Contract that he’d prepared earlier.

“Please read it and then sign.”

Sephiro read over the contract.

First, it stated that when Kang Oh needed help, he’d come and assist him up to 10 times.

However!

The finer details were…

“T-This is completely unfair.”

Sephiro’s voice shook.

“Unfair? You’re volunteering to help me 10 times,” Kang Oh said, emphasizing the word ‘volunteer’, and took a look at the contract.

The whole point of the contract was to obtain Sephiro’s assistance at ‘no cost’ to himself.

‘Any loot we find or quest rewards are mine! And when I’m cash-strapped, I can ask you to help me out.’

While he couldn’t get 5,000 gold or the Lasselpino Bow from Sephiro, getting a ranker like Sephiro to help him out ‘for free’ was definitely worth it.

“It’s too much. Plus, if I rip this contract, then you’ll be punished for creating such an unfair contract,” Sephiro said strongly.

He was basically saying, ‘Fix the contract!’.

However…

It didn’t work at all.

“Go ahead and rip it.”

“What?”

“If you do, then I’ll do my damndest to ruin your reputation. We’ll just be killing each other,” Kang Oh said confidently.

Sephiro bit his lip.

They truly would be killing each other.

That wasn’t what he was looking for.

“Is that what you want? Or will you voluntarily help me 10 times?”

Sephiro closed his eyes.

‘Yeah, let’s do it. It’s only 10 times.’

However, he couldn’t sign the contract as is.

“I’ll sign it if you add in how long my ‘help’ lasts.”

“How long it lasts?”

“When you ask for my help, I’ll assist you for a maximum of three days. If you still need my help after that time is up, then you’ll have to use another one of your 10 chances.”

Then he wouldn’t be able to make him work like a dog.

“No thank you,” Kang Oh refused.

“Then I won’t sign it either.”

“You’re really going down this road?”

“Yes.”

Sephiro stood strong and didn’t relent to Kang Oh’s threat.

‘Hmm. I suppose a mouse will bite a cat when it’s cornered.’

Kang Oh looked into Sephiro’s desperate eyes, and decided to back off. Then, he decided to negotiate.

“If you extend it to 1 week, then I’ll accept your offer.”

“1 week is way too long…”

“It has to be 1 week, or the deal is off.”

He wouldn’t yield.

“Understood.”

Ultimately, Sephiro nodded his head.

A short while later…

Kang Oh added what they’d discussed and the two signed the contract.

Swish. Swish.

The letters glowed, and the contract separated into two identical copies. They both received one each.

“You’re not going to rip it, are you?” Kang Oh smiled impishly and said.

Though to Sephiro, his smile looked like the smile of a devil.

“I won’t,” Sephiro yelled angrily.

“Then I’d like you to help me out right away.”

“Right now?”

“Yes.”

“What do you need help with?”

“I’ll tell you on the way.”

Kang Oh and Sephiro left the Viyoom Inn.

“I need to gather 200 Agath Crystals and 1 Agath Leader Crystal,” Kang Oh said.

“Agath?”

Sephiro tilted his head.

“I’m referring to the thunderbirds of Kaistan Canyon.”

“You’re planning on gathering 200 of them yourself?”

He needed that many?

“Yes.”

“Have you tried the auction house?”

“They’re not for sale.”

That’s why Grano had asked him to gather them for him.

“Ha, I understand. Then I’ll need to buy some steel arrows.”

Agaths were monsters that shot lightning in every direction.

Obviously, steel arrows would be more effective than arrows with wooden shafts, as they wouldn’t be burnt by the lightning. However, he didn’t have any steel arrows in his inventory.

“I need to buy some arrows from the store. I’ll be back,” Sephiro said, and Kang Oh nodded his head.

“Then let’s finish our preparations and then meet at the intercity transfer gate in 10 minutes.”

“Understood.”

Sephiro disappeared into the crowd.

Kang Oh entered an alleyway.

"Summon Eder."

Peong!

Once the white smoke cleared, Eder, wearing his trademark robes and smiling mask, appeared.

"Hello, Mr. Kang Oh."

Eder treated him as kindly as he could. He knew that nothing good would come from disobedience.

"Right."

"Are we looking for a hidden dungeon again today?"

"No. We're going to Kaistan Canyon to kill Agaths."

"Agaths?"

Eder tilted his head. This was the first time he'd heard of them.

"They're also called Thunderbirds. They shoot lightning in every direction. Do you have any magic or equipment to protect against lightning?"

"Bone can, to a certain extent, protect against lightning, but in the end, it too will burn. I don't know any spells that can increase resistance to lightning either," Eder said.

"Hmm."

To be more specific, Agaths shot out the spell, Lightning Arrow in every direction. Naturally, the demon sword could absorb it.

But if they were to engage several Agaths at once and they shot their Lightning Arrows randomly, then it could get dangerous.

'I should get some lightning potions.'

Like herbs that acted as an antidote to poison, there were also herbs that increased one's resistance against magic.

A lightning plant would, as its name might imply, would increase one's resistance to lightning, and would also release one from electric shock or paralysis.

This lightning plant could be reprocessed, which would further enhance its effects; this new consumable item was known as a lightning potion. Another name for it was a yellow potion.

'The problem's the price...'

A yellow potion cost 20 gold. One drink and it was gone; it was comparable to a bottle of water that cost 20 gold.

"Do you really not have any spells or items that increase lightning resistance?"

"No."

"Seriously...?"

"Seriously."

"Let's go to the potion store."

Ultimately, Kang Oh headed for the potion store to buy some lightning potions.

As he walked, he sent a message to Sephiro.

- Mr. Sephiro, please come to Jefferson's Potion Store in the south, rather than the gate. I think we'll need to buy some potions.

- Ok.

'Shall we get some 'financial' assistance as stated on the contract?'

Kang Oh smiled wickedly.

He had no intention of buying the lightning potions with his own money.

After all, he had a financier like Sephiro on his side!