WPRAF 29

Chapter 29

One of the loan shark’s main skills, [담보], literally means I hold the debtor’s stats or skills as collateral to secure repayment.

In other words, if I set [Collateral] on Seon Woo-jin and Choi Gyu-seong, it’s the same as sending them back to being ordinary civilians.

That’s why it was urgent to finish the priest off as quickly as possible.

I ramped up my “Strength” like crazy and, since my telekinesis hadn’t worked on him and he was dazed, I spoke to the priest.

“Enough. Get out — go back to where you came from.”

With those words I slit his throat with the dagger wrapped in Mugukgong.

Originally I’d wanted to stab his heart, but that would have ruined the magic stone.

I’d lost rare magic stones before when I’d dealt with a goblin search captain like that.

So I decided to handle this as cleanly as possible while avoiding damage to the stone.

Besides, this time I thought I could protect the magic stone.

Shick—

From the neatly cut throat blood gushed, and the priest staggered a few times before collapsing to his knees with a thud.

At the same time, the constriction bracelets around my arms and legs clicked and came loose.

Finally freed from the bindings, I rolled my stiff wrists and ankles and welcomed the victory.

[You have defeated the Goblin Priest.]

[You have obtained 3,000 coins.]

[Level Up.]

[You have obtained 6,000 coins as Loan Shark capital.]

[Current funds: 40,758 coins]

[You are the first person in the Republic of Korea to singlehandedly defeat a Goblin Priest!]

[Achievement unlocked: ‘Goblin Reaper’!]

[Achievement effect: +5 to all stats.]

And that wasn’t all — a video titled “Hi Goblin? It’s me again, bro” was uploaded to Piu.

The video from two days ago of me killing two captain-level goblins had gotten a decent number of views. This time it was the priest — it should be even better.

I eased the corner of my mouth into a smile, and Seon Woo-jin and Choi Gyu-seong, who approached me, flinched.

Seon Woo-jin in particular showed an inexplicable look of wariness toward me.

“What’s with you two?”

Only then did I realize why they’d reacted like that.

Smiling over the blood-soaked priest’s corpse probably made me look like a psycho.

“I guess I’ve caused a serious misunderstanding.”

I quickly pulled my smile down and said,

“Don’t get me wrong. I was laughing because I got an achievement.”

But neither of them looked convinced.

I let it go and decided to finish the loan contract first.

The commander’s death meant the unit fell apart.

The players consolidated the advantage and the battle ended.

“W-wee won, right?”

Someone muttered into the speaker, breaking the silence.

Players around looked around, confirmed that all the goblins were dead, and shouted.

Through the broadcaster’s drone live feed, cheers erupted in the command bunker at the shrine where people had been watching anxiously.

From President Jang Se-hee down through the army chief of staff and countless stars, people abandoned rank and dignity and hugged, patted shoulders, and celebrated the victory.

Amid the chaotic rejoicing in the command room the disaster response head entered.

With an excited face, he told President Jang Se-hee,

“Madam President! We can finally breathe easier. We’ve confirmed that by killing the priest the gate clock has been extended by two days!”

“Really?”

“Yes! Since the Goyang City gate was cleared, if we can also wipe out the remaining fifty-five gates….”

President Jang Se-hee mentally calculated the number of extra days that could be gained from each gate.

Three captain-level goblins give one day each.

And the priest gives two days — that’s five in total.

“So each gate gives us five days, meaning we can buy a total of 275 days.”

“That’s correct.”

“Good. Then we must quickly set up a nationwide gate eradication operation. Chief Secretary, summon the relevant ministers and members of parliament immediately.”

The priest’s death and the conquest of the Goyang City gate energized the command.

After the battle was over.

“Lieutenant Park! There’s a wounded person here. Looks like they can’t move on their own.”

“All right. Go get a stretcher. Any fatalities?”

“They say there are no deaths!”

Soldiers waiting nearby came up and evacuated the wounded. Drones hovered low and recorded our movements.

Meanwhile, after giving follow-up orders to the team, I went off to collect spoils.

First I picked up the scroll lying very near the goblin priest.

[Skill Enhancement Scroll (Beginner)]

• Type: Consumable

• Rank: None

• Effect: Upgrades a ‘Beginner’-rank skill to ‘Intermediate’.

When I checked the item info I couldn’t help but exclaim.

It was exactly what I needed because I had no skill points.

I thought about where to use it and a fitting skill came to mind.

It was the one from the skillbook I got as a Viewership No.1 perk recently.

[Mu-guk Heart Method (武極心法)]

• Effect: +0.1% Mugukgong per day

I wanted to enhance this skill because its growth rate of 0.1% per day was pitiful.

‘It takes a full thousand days to raise from 1-star to 2-stars.’

I could upgrade [Small Loan] to raise borrowing limits and interest but I couldn’t wait a thousand days.

So I decided in my head to use the [Skill Enhancement Scroll] on [Mu-guk Heart Method], and the system immediately responded.

[Do you want to use the Skill Enhancement Scroll to enhance ‘Mu-guk Heart Method’?]

“Yes.”

As I answered, a notification popped up.

[The grade of ‘Mu-guk Heart Method’ has risen from ‘1-star’ to ‘3-star’.]

‘I kind of expected it…’

It turned out the rank system of this [Mu-guk Heart Method] was different from other skills. I had a feeling that 2-star wouldn’t be treated as intermediate.

My guess was right.

‘It’s changing.’

Thanks to the two-step boost to 3-stars, the tiny dantian began to increase in size.

‘Seems a little bigger than a baseball now.’

When the development finished, the dantian was overflowing with energy.

Taking my eyes off the dantian, I checked the next item: the girdle the priest had been wearing.

[Transformation Waistbelt made by a Dwarf Slave-master]

• Type: Accessory

• Rank: Rare

• Durability: 100/110

• Effect: HP +5 / MP +5 / [Binding] / HP Recovery Rate +20%

“Whoa….”

One surprise after another.

The priest’s trumped-up tactic against me had been built into the item as a skill.

Just then Seon Woo-jin, who had returned after helping transport the wounded, said,

“Team leader, the wounded are being taken to a nearby hospital, and luckily there are no deaths!”

“Good job.”

“What’s that?”

“An item. Here — look.”

Seon Woo-jin took the belt, stared into the air for a moment, and then admired it.

“Wow… this is awesome. The [Binding] skill must be that technique that tied up the team leader’s arms and legs earlier, right?”

“That’s right. It was heavy. Want to try it? You literally just get bound — it doesn’t hurt.”

“N-no, I’m fine….”

Seon Woo-jin edged back, and beside him Choi Kyung exclaimed.

“Crazy! Hero rank…! Team leader, come see.”

I brought up the item info for the necklace Choi Kyung passed to me with trembling hands.

[Master Craftsman’s Antidote Gold Necklace]

• Type: Accessory

• Rank: Hero

• Durability: 120/120

• Effect: HP +5 / MP +5 / Poison Resistance +50% / Mana Recovery Rate +20% / [Antidote (解毒)]

Seeing the stats, I agreed that Choi Kyung’s reaction was not an exaggeration.

It was a ‘Hero’ grade item, so it had five options and included the [Antidote] skill.

And the effect of [Antidote] is….

“You can remove one poison a day.”

“Regardless of whether it’s a deadly toxin?”

“There’s no criterion. But since it’s ‘Intermediate’ rank, it probably doesn’t work on every poison regardless of lethal dose.”

“I see… By the way, these items should go to you, team leader.”

Seon Woo-jin’s tone wasn’t probing; it was almost an encouragement.

Hwang Hye-ju echoed the sentiment.

“You always gave us the items we got. This time, you should take them.”

“With the team insisting… I’ll use them.”

Choi Kyung muttered that I didn’t have to keep everything and could share at least one item, but I ignored him.

So my items increased by two more after [Black Wolf Dagger] and [Ruby Ring of the Sihera Desert Caravan Leader].

However, the ruby ring, the belt, and the necklace were flashy, so I’d have to hide them under my clothes.

Just then Jeong So-mi joined us.

“I’m back!”

She held a sniper rifle case in her right hand.

That’s right — Jeong So-mi was the one-shot-one-kill who took out the priest’s elite guard.

She’d hit level 7 in the last fight with goblin supply forces and had gathered 5 points to learn a new skill.

[Sniping]

For a non-combat class like her, I had recommended a long-range support position, and she’d found this skill when she learned a new one.

With her already excellent shooting skills, [Sniping] was the perfect match.

“Good job.”

Jeong So-mi’s performance deserved praise.

Having been mocked as the rookie for so long, she was touched by the small compliment.

“You got a new skill and killed only two; disappointed?”

“Not at all. I was recognized for contributing to killing the priest and got contribution points, and my performance was uploaded to Piu.”

Seon Woo-jin went on proudly to say he’d gotten one video, and Choi Kyung and Hwang Hye-ju had two each.

Assistant team leader Choi Gyu-seong, who had stepped away to handle external affairs for Team Polaris, had been fighting an ogre alone earlier.

“How many videos will come out of today, I wonder?”

“At least a hundred, I think. This is the first big battle with over 250 combatants combined from both sides.”

Besides content for videos, we’d gained a lot today: dozens of magic stones, elite-dropped items, level increases, unfamiliar battalion-level combat experience, and a precious victory.

All these would be valuable assets that make them better warriors.

‘And it will positively influence players who didn’t participate this time.’

Imagining the massive synergy, I thought that finally escaping this damned situation might not be just a dream.

Then a familiar voice spoke from behind.

“Um….”

Hesitant, the person approaching and speaking was Hwang Man-ho, leader of Team Ilseong.

He had a splint on his arm, and a group stood about five meters away from him.

They were fire mage Kang Joo-hee and her team members.

I asked Hwang Man-ho first.

“What is it?”

“Ah… it’s nothing, really….”

He stammered and hesitated after starting to speak.

He looked embarrassed, probably thinking about the time earlier in the school auditorium when he tried to sabotage me.

Watching that, Kang Joo-hee couldn’t hide her impatience and called out loudly.

“Ugh, so annoying. Move aside. Hey, Han Se-hyun. Let us see the priest’s drop items. It’s not hard, is it?”

She spoke like someone used to asking boldly.

Although she’s an illegitimate child of the Dohkyung Group, Kang Joo-hee had a chaebol second-generation mindset.

She’d grown without lack and probably never bent her pride to others.

But what can you do? The people I’ve dealt with so far are even more impressive than chaebol second-gens.

Kang Joo-hee probably hadn’t met people like them in her life.

Maybe that’s why her stubbornness looked cute in front of me.

“Why are you laughing? You’re not going to show us?”

“What’s so hard about it. But hey — is that the right attitude to ask for something?”

“What do you mean?”

“If you ask politely, I’ll show you.”

“Hah! If you knew who I am, you wouldn’t dare say that.”

“Why would I not know?”

“…What?”

“If I reveal your identity here, you’ll be in trouble.”

When I boldly said that, Kang Joo-hee rolled her eyes and looked around, then sighed and made a decision.

“…Don’t do it.”

“Good. And?”

“…Please.”

Only then did I take off the equipment I was wearing and hand it over.

The eyes of those checking the item info widened.

Some salivated, but when they confirmed who the owner was, they only licked their lips.

After that Team Ilseong and Team Bloom split into small groups and chatted.

About five minutes later, Kang Joo-hee tentatively asked,

“Hey, Team Polaris. Are you going to move to a different hunting ground?”

“Probably.”

“Please don’t go after the Seocho-gu gate.”

Then Hwang Man-ho asked for the Yongsan-gu gate, saying they’d handle it themselves and asking us to stay away.

It was clear what they were thinking.

They didn’t want us to touch the hunting grounds they operated in.

They wanted to monopolize the priest’s item drops.

Just as I was about to answer, Kang Joo-hee said with a prim face,

“Don’t ask if I’m confident again. Since you asked that last time, my self-esteem has hit rock bottom.”

“You two probably won’t have it easy.”

“Oh, come on!”

“I’m not teasing; I’m telling the truth. The other gates still have captain-level goblins alive. To take down the priest you have to deal with them first.”

Kang Joo-hee ignored me and looked at Seon Woo-jin.

“Seon Woo-jin, you’ll post the strategy guide again, right?”

He had been uploading helpful videos to his channel for players, and goblin strategies were among them.

“Ha ha….”

Seon Woo-jin shook his head awkwardly.

“You shouldn’t be asking me. I just film strategy videos based on information I get from the team leader.”

“Ah… I get it. Then I’ll buy the strategy. Send it to me before you make it public.”

Hwang Man-ho jumped in, not to be outdone.

“Team Ilseong will buy it too. We’ll pay whatever you want.”