Chapter 31
Hidden quest.
People were excited, especially since it involved antagonizing an assassination group.
-Oooh......
- I never dreamed a player would become the target of an assassination.
- LOL, boss, everything you've done is coming back to you now.
- It says the boss has never assassinated anyone though?
- For real LOL, he just beat them all down.
Seojun first turned his head to assess the situation.
He was being carried on someone's back, heading somewhere.
A lock of blonde hair poking out from a hood fluttered, and Seojun realized who was carrying him.
At such a critical moment, there was only one blonde NPC who would appear.
“Is that you, Christina?”
Seojun attempted to speak.
“Nameless. Yeah, it’s me.”
She was panting, out of breath.
Looking around, she had run all the way from the abandoned factory to Sector 4 while carrying him.
- Noona! I believed in you!
- Sorry, is our boss a bit heavy?
“After Queen died, Arthur said it. That you betrayed us and sided with the enemy.”
Christina spoke as she entered a building.
After seating him in a chair, she began wrapping his injured leg with a bandage.
“But I couldn't believe it. I knew why you fought those bastards in the west to the death.”
It was a story about the protagonist's background.
The protagonist had lost his family to the Assassination Group in the past.
“So I tailed Arthur and overheard your conversation with him, Nameless. That’s how I found out the whole truth. Damn, to think that cursed bastard had been fooling us all this time.”
In the cutscene, she had been in the building when the protagonist was talking to Arthur.
Seojun’s gaze shifted to her arm.
Her clothes were torn from the explosion, revealing skin that was red and swollen.
Wounds from dodging the blast.
Because she'd been on a lower floor than the protagonist, she’d had less time to escape.
“Arthur will now gather the brothers to eliminate you. Your location will be discovered in an instant. There’s no such thing as a blind spot in Alteon.”
Christina tied his bandages tightly.
Seojun’s body still wasn’t moving properly.
“Hmm, then shouldn’t you be avoiding this too?”
“Yes. I’ll stay out of sight.”
- So cold.
- Instant run LOL
- Honestly, no choice.
- Be grateful she saved you at all, human.
As Christina finished the first aid, control returned to Seojun’s body.
“Because I have to expose Arthur’s wrongdoing. He probably still doesn’t know my true identity. If I don’t seize this opportunity, Alteon will fall completely into his hands. Then more people will suffer. I’m sorry.”
I see.
She’d made the most rational decision.
A choice not for herself, but for Alteon.
“Then go, quickly.”
Seojun stood up and tried running.
“First aid is essentially a penalty, everyone.”
His movements were awkward, and running didn’t work well.
It was a quest difficulty fitting for one that required defeating all the dominators through a rampage to proceed.
“What?”
“Nothing. Hurry up and go.”
Seojun smiled benevolently.
“Alright. Nameless, I really hope you survive. If you can use the Assassination Group... if you can hold out for about a week...”
- Why a week?
- The quest clearly said a day.
- How does he use the Assassination Group?
Christina stopped mid-sentence, looked at the ceiling, and screamed.
“Damn it, Yohan, stop! He’s...”
Seojun looked up to see a man called Yohan, who had been clinging to the ceiling, falling toward him.
With his sword poised, aiming straight for him.
Of course, Seojun had already sensed him to some degree, so he countered with ease.
Because while Christina was bandaging him, he had noticed a subtle change in the surrounding sounds and was on guard.
Seojun grabbed Yohan’s arm and slammed him onto the ground.
Crash!
- Whoa, our eyes met and it gave me chills.
- Scared the heck out of me LOL
- As expected of the boss, turning the tables on him.
- Dang.
Then, with composure, he drew his sword and struck down at the assassin’s neck.
Clang!
A sound that shouldn't have been heard rang out.
In that instant, Christina had blocked him.
The clear clash of metal echoed loudly.
“What is this?”
Seojun said.
Just as Christina was about to explain why she blocked him, the fallen Yohan rose and lunged at Seojun. Seojun lightly tripped him and slammed him back down, subduing him.
Then knocked him unconscious.
He didn't use his blade.
Because he was curious why Christina had stopped him.
But Christina's expression was filled with surprise and admiration.
“How did you do that so easily... Yohan is a master-level assassin.”
Master-level was the highest class an assassin could achieve within the group.
Usually, there were fewer than five per branch.
“With that level of skill... Damn. Nameless.”
Christina bit her lip and stared at him.
“Can you... survive? There are a total of 47 members in our branch.”
47, she said.
Seojun answered confidently.
He wasn't confident he wouldn't die by skill alone, but he had a more certain guarantee.
“Well, I’m a user, so I can’t really die anyway.”
- Yeah, try killing me LOL if I die, I just restart!
- Re-game go go LOL
- Noona being flustered after seeing the boss's skills is precious.
- For real, so pretty.
“If you're that confident... may I ask one favor?”
Somehow the conversation got through.
“What is it?”
Another quest?
It seemed like showing his skills had met a condition.
Seojun's prediction was spot on.
However, the quest that appeared this time had a different direction.
[Affection Quest – Mercy]
[To subdue Yohan, a master-level assassin, so easily... With that level of skill...
I know it’s a shameless request, but I have no choice. The other brothers are all being deceived by Arthur right now.
So.
If you survive...
Quest Clear Condition: Do not kill a single person during the 'Survival' quest.
Quest Clear Reward: Reach 'Love' affection level with Christina.]
In Dawn of the Assassins, NPCs with importance had an affection system.
Raising the affection grade was possible through special gifts, specific actions, or progressing affection quests. Love was the highest grade.
Christina, guilt-ridden over this request, lowered her eyes and spoke, avoiding Seojun’s gaze.
“Please, show mercy to my comrades. Don’t kill them. They are all being deceived by Arthur. If... if you grant my request...”
Christina paused for a moment.
She slowly raised her head, met Seojun’s eyes, and opened her mouth.
Her beautiful voice rang out clearly.
“I will give you my everything.”
- Oh my.
- Crazy... insane.
- What the heck!!!!
- Recruiting party members to go capture the boss (1/9999999999) - Damn, I gotta go kill the dominator.
- Christina's affection is insanely hard to raise, so why is the boss getting it for free?
- He's gonna be the first to hit Love LOL
Seojun pressed the accept quest button.
“Oh. This quest even has a reward. Well then, I’ll do it.”
Originally, it's normal for it to have a reward.
“Thank you, Nameless. Truly. Please, survive.”
Christina approached shyly.
Then with a resolute expression, she bowed, took Seojun’s hand, lightly kissed the back of it, and left.
“Hmm, isn’t a hand kiss usually done by a man?”
Seojun spoke awkwardly and turned his head to the chat window, only to be startled.
- How dare he receive her lips???
- Noona, are you just looking at his face? Noona, are you just looking at his face? Noona, do you see his face? Noona, are you just looking at his face?
- Am I turning dark? Am I turning dark? Am I turning dark? Am I turning dark? Am I turning dark?
- Give up the quest right now! Give up the quest right now! Give up the quest right now!
- If I can’t have it, nobody can.
- How do you hack a capsule, everyone? Serious question.
- Burn that hand right now!
“Uh. Everyone, calm down.”
Why are they so worked up?
- Would you be able to calm down?
- 100,000 won if you kill Yohan right now LOL
- Dude, you're handsome anyway. At least give up in the game...
“No, thanks. But... someone's here.”
Seojun gripped his sword properly and surveyed his surroundings.
Someone had already infiltrated the area.
The background noise, full of static, had subtly changed.
And the moment the flow of air shifted, a person burst out from the shadows covering the wall.
“Die.”
Seojun swung his sword to check if parrying worked.
Claaang!
Space rippled from the point where the swords met, accompanied by a clear, sonorous sound.
At the same time, the assassin was sent flying.
Parrying works.
“This will make things much easier.”
But then, the air shifted again.
Swish!
A dagger tore through the air, flying in from outside.
Targeting his ankle.
Seojun dodged the attack with a light jump.
But because of the bandaged left foot, his jumping power was weaker than expected, and the dagger grazed him, shaving off a little of his HP.
Thud.
As the dagger lodged into the floor.
“You traitor!”
“You dog of the Assassination Group!”
Two assassins attacked Seojun simultaneously from both sides.
Seojun’s eyes instantly scanned the battlefield and made a judgment.
To overturn his mobility disadvantage.
Thwack!
Seojun approached the enemy coming from the front, clashed swords to push him out of the fight, and then dealt with the one coming from behind.
The assassin’s sword, the symbol of the Assassination Group, reflected the sunlight coming through the window.
And that was all.
“Keugh!”
Seojun’s sword moved freely, neutralizing the enemy.
In an instant, three more assassins were groggy.
“Our location’s been exposed. Let’s move.”
Seojun struck down on the heads of the groggy enemies, knocking them all unconscious, and left the spot.
As expected of Sector 4, the streets were bright and bustling with people.
Seojun naturally melted into the crowd.
The best place to hide sand is the desert.
But it was useless.
“I bear no ill will. I shall carry your death.”
It was a completely ordinary-looking person, common on the street.
That person waited until they got close to Seojun, and as soon as an opportunity appeared, attempted an assassination without warning.
A flash erupted.
Fortunately, Seojun managed to turn his head properly to respond.
And where he turned his head, another assassin holding a chain was standing.
Clatter!
The chain shot toward Seojun, moving like a serpent.
Simultaneously, throwing daggers rained down from the second floor.
- Am I the only one getting chills?
- It feels so powerless.
- Oh my. They even use skills?
- Cowards, ganging up on him!!!!
He couldn't run away because of his leg.
Skills were also blocked.
The only remaining option was to parry.
Seojun first dealt with the throwing daggers that would reach him first.
Then, after dodging the chain, he grabbed it with his hand and yanked it toward himself.
The assassin who had thrown the flash from behind drew an assassin's sword from his sleeve and lunged.
Seojun dodged to the side, causing him to collide with the assassin who'd thrown the chain.
“Kegh!”
- Whoa.
- What is this...
- Admiration comes naturally.
- LOL, the assassins are getting a taste of rampage and can't come to their senses.
Nearby NPCs gathered, murmuring.
Seojun quickly knocked the assassin members unconscious and fled the scene.
“Don't see the one who was on the second floor. He disappeared already.”
Camouflage? Or did he just vanish?
Again, throwing daggers flew at him.
Thanks to memories of his past life, Seojun knew this feeling well.
On the battlefield, when the enemy was relaying his position in real-time and cornering him, he had felt this same way.
“If I have to do this all day, it’ll be annoying.”
A day in the game was much shorter than 24 hours in reality, but still, it was an hour.
Swish!
Seojun caught the flying dagger with his right hand and said,
“I’ll just have to catch them all.”
His eyes began to gleam.