LIGHTNOVELWORLD 35. SPES Meeting (3)
“Come to think of it, something seems odd.”
As they gathered in the living room after leaving Chae Jiseok’s room, Habin spoke with a puzzled expression. Chae Jiseok asked:
“What’s odd?”
“Why is Chae-ssi a ‘thief’?”
“……Could you elaborate on what you mean?”
In response to Chae Jiseok’s question, Habin calmly began:
“Chae-ssi, you’re an assassin class, right? But among assassin classes, I’ve never seen a job with the word ‘thief’ in it except for yours. This isn’t some maple story game. What exactly does a thief do?”
“…….”
Habin turned her head to look at Chae Jiseok.
Despite the grandiose name ‘Thief of the Sun’, all the skills Chae Jiseok had shown so far were merely assassination-type skills with added golden effects.
If there was anything unique to point out, it would be the ‘precognition skill’ he kept hidden from everyone.
“But I heard Jise-unni is better at the precognition skill.”
“That’s right?”
“That’s because Jise-unni has a priest job, so she specializes in it, right?”
“That’s…… right?”
Jise specialized in healing and precognition, with a focus on precognition.
Jiseok had assassination skills and precognition.
While it was true that Chae Jiseok was powerful, he hadn’t shown any particular specialization in assassination skills.
“But since Chae-ssi has the name ‘thief’, shouldn’t there be some merit to that?”
“…….”
“Surely you weren’t given that name for no reason.”
‘……She’s quite sharp, isn’t she?’
Chae Jiseok broke into a cold sweat.
[The constellation ‘Nearest Light’ urges you to do something, saying it’s over if that gets exposed too!]
He swallowed hard and spoke nonchalantly.
“Of course there’s merit. I specialize in acquiring information, you know?”
Chae Jiseok’s special skill,
“I’m specialized in acquiring current information, not in precognition.”
“I see…….”
Habin tilted her head.
Jise, who was standing nearby, chimed in to help her brother.
“That’s right. And the word ‘thief’ sounds better than assassin, doesn’t it?”
“How is it better?”
“The sentence is lighter. Theft carries a shorter prison term than murder!”
“Oh, that makes sense?”
“So thief is a better job than assassin.”
Chae Jiseok, who had been listening quietly, grabbed the back of his neck.
‘What kind of logic is that!’
Is this really helping? Nuna, are you trying to set me up again?
But Hyun Habin seemed quite satisfied with that answer.
Seeing Habin nod contentedly, Chae Jiseok let out a sigh of relief.
He secretly glanced at his skill window.
Thief of the Sun.
While he had special skills befitting the name ‘thief’, like ‘Penetrating Eyes’,
The real one was this.
You can designate and copy a skill from an acquaintance. However, the level of emulation is proportional to your relationship with the target and your own ability.
*The criteria for an acquaintance includes anyone you’ve met at least once.
*Caution: This skill can only be used three times.
‘It’s a skill I haven’t used yet because I’ve been saving it.’
The fact that it could only be used three times was a significant penalty.
However, conversely, it’s an overpowered skill that could become anything depending on how it’s used.
Its potential is limitless as it can be used not only on people but also on monsters and bosses.
‘If worst comes to worst, I can always copy nuna’s, Fides-nim’s, or Kang Taeseo’s skills.’
One of the most unique topics of interest among those who had read hunter stories was, “Is there an ability to copy others’ skills?” It had remained just a fictional setting or legend because it had never appeared in reality.
Actually possessing such an ability was too dangerous to reveal to others, as much as the precognition skill.
“……Anyway, nuna, let’s continue our earlier conversation. You’re going to the SPES meeting, right?”
Chae Jiseok changed the subject. The perceptive Jise immediately picked up on it.
“That’s right. Oh, by the way, Habin, don’t you want to go to the SPES meeting too? You might even get to meet Fides in person!”
At that suggestion, Habin tilted her head.
“……Meet that mask-wearer in person?”
◆◇◆◇◆
A few days later.
The day of the long-awaited SPES meeting.
Hunters from various countries who arrived at the conference hall busily found their seats. Even though the meeting hadn’t started yet, they were engaging in conversations filled with curiosity and anticipation.
“To think there’s a way to reach the 50th floor!”
“As expected of Fides-nim. He’s amazing, I tell you. He always comes up with methods we couldn’t even imagine.”
Those with positive reactions spoke in excited voices. But there were also those who weren’t so enthusiastic.
“Even so, it’s the 50th floor. Fides-nim is great, but a method to go directly to the 50th floor seems realistically impossible.”
“Ahem, we should listen to everything before making a decision.”
And there were those who brought up entirely different topics, unrelated to Fides.
“I assume everyone here has received that quest?”
“Which quest do you mean?”
“The quest to eliminate the ‘Guardian of Deception’.”
“…….”
The quest to eliminate the Guardian of Deception.
With those words, a momentary silence fell over the bustling conference hall.
Perhaps because the room was filled with rankers with exceptional hearing and attention to detail, everyone seemed to be focusing on even the faintest sounds from every corner.
“……The ‘Guardian of Deception’ quest, I’ve been investigating it myself, but I still have no idea who the target ‘Guardian of Deception’ actually is.”
“I know, right? The reward seems quite substantial too.”
“Who could this ‘Guardian of Deception’ be? A monster or a human?”
“In my opinion…… it’s likely a human. The connotation of the words doesn’t seem to indicate a monster.”
“Then…… isn’t this an assassination quest?”
“…….”
Just then, Chae Jise, one of the meeting attendees, walked into the conference hall. People who noticed her greeted her warmly.
“Ah, congratulations on clearing the 26th floor, Solaris representative-nim.”
“Thank you for the congratulations.”
Chae Jise acknowledged the greeting with a gentle nod. She sat down and tilted her head.
‘To think they’d be talking about the Guardian of Deception right off the bat.’
The System Administrator’s quest to kill Hyun Habin.
‘Maybe it’s good I didn’t bring Habin after all.’
It wouldn’t be a pleasant experience to see people, especially world-class Awakened, discussing a quest to kill oneself right in front of you.
Though Habin had declined to come in the first place.
‘Hmm, come to think of it, it’s too far and troublesome. There’s no need to go all that way just to see one masked magician.’
……Laziness seemed to be the main reason.
Chae Jise looked at the seat next to her. Perhaps because they were from the same country, Kang Taeseo had been assigned the seat right next to her.
Kang Taeseo was intently staring at his phone, seemingly uninterested in anything else.
Hyun Habin
Hyun Habin has sent you a gift.
(Chupa Chups voucher)
Congrats on clearing the 26th floor!
Stay strong
“…….”
Kang Taeseo furrowed his brow.
What’s with the sudden encouragement?
‘……What does she know to send this?’
-Nyaong, mewl (What is it, what is it?)
Beneath his cloak’s shadow, a small, round shadow monster poked its head out.
‘I told you not to come out.’
Kang Taeseo firmly pressed down on the monster’s head. The black monster, seemingly offended, whimpered ‘Mewl!’ and quickly retreated back.
Since the 26th floor conquest incident, Kang Taeseo had been keeping the shadow monster he summoned then, instead of dismissing it.
‘It might provide different testimony or be useful somehow.’
He had stored it in his shadow using
‘How annoying.’
Kang Taeseo looked down at the KakaoTalk screen again. He still hadn’t replied to Hyun Habin.
A Chupa Chups voucher.
He was curious about the intention behind sending this specific item. Back in their school days, Hyun Habin had once casually given Kang Taeseo a Chupa Chups lollipop.
Was it on White Day?
On that day, as usual, when Park Minsu had taken both his money and candy.
‘I don’t like candy, do you want it?’
Hyun Habin had casually placed the lollipop on his desk before leaving.
‘……Who gave it to you?’
‘Just because. I got it at home this morning. Do you like candy?’
‘…….’
Was it because he had nodded then?
After that, he often received lollipops from Habin.
‘You look a bit off today? Already running low on sugar?’
‘Thanks for lending me that comic book last time! Hurry up and give me the next volume. This is a bribe.’
Hyun Habin seemed to have a knack for detecting when someone was feeling down. She would mysteriously appear on his darkest days and leave a piece of candy, as if by magic.
Like stars briefly illuminating a night as dark and monotonous as his everyday life.
And now.
‘To think she can even give candy as a voucher.’
Somehow, it was a gift that reminded him of those times. Kang Taeseo’s expression subtly darkened.
“……I shouldn’t have said those words back then.”
‘Your wish has come true.’
The day of the Gate Crisis. That day’s events were a terrible memory for both of them.
Afterwards, things became awkward between them. They hadn’t been in contact for years.
While the Gate Crisis gave Kang Taeseo a chance to turn his life around, it took away Hyun Habin’s family and everyday life.
‘Maybe that’s why Hyun Habin won’t join our guild.’
Even he thought that proposing guild recruitment to Hyun Habin was a bit shameless.
Kang Taeseo shook his head and checked the KakaoTalk screen.
[How satisfied were you with Hyun Habin’s gift? Send a thank you message!]
[Touched/Happy/Practical…….]
‘I didn’t know there was such a function.’
After a moment’s hesitation, Kang Taeseo pressed the word ‘Touched’.
Suddenly, a lion character holding a string of hearts appeared in the chat room with a large message.
[The best gift!]
[Thank you so much!]
[Kang Taeseo was touched by Hyun Habin’s gift of a Chupa Chups voucher!]
A lion character wearing a party hat and holding a heart with ‘LOVE’ written on it, winking.
“…….”
He hadn’t intended to reply so flamboyantly.
As Kang Taeseo stared blankly at the screen after the message was sent instantly,
“Fides-nim!”
“Fides……”
“Has Fides-nim arrived?”
Sensing the bustling atmosphere around him, Kang Taeseo quickly looked up.
The host of today’s meeting, the world’s #1 ranked hunter, founder of SPES.
Fides.
A man with his face hidden behind a mask was walking into the conference room.
That was the cause of the commotion.
Fides, having entered the conference room, looked around and calmly began to speak.
“……First of all, thank you all for attending despite your busy schedules.”
Though his tone was polite, his status and charisma were such that no one could easily disregard him.
At his words, everyone in the room fell silent and turned to look at him. A subtle tension immediately filled the conference room.
“…….”
Despite the intense gazes focused on him, Fides casually walked to the head seat and sat down.
Seated, he slowly began to speak.
“I’m sure you all have many questions. As you know, today’s topic is a bit unique.”
Some hunters frowned at those words.
Unique, he says.
To use such a word about a method to conquer the 50th floor?
Whether they reacted that way or not, Fides didn’t seem to care as he rested his arms on the table. Interlacing his fingers naturally, he continued:
“Ah, before that. Before we officially start the meeting, there’s something I’d like to briefly mention.”
“……What is it?”
Someone gathered the courage to ask. Fides turned to that direction and answered.
“The ‘Guardian of Deception Elimination Quest.'”
“…….”
“I believe quite a few of you have received it. You all know what I’m talking about, right?”
Small sounds of people swallowing nervously could be heard here and there. But Fides’ tone remained calm.
“It’s nothing major…… but if anyone is thinking of attempting that quest, it would be better if you didn’t.”
With his face hidden behind a mask, no one could guess what expression he was making.
In a voice so calm it bordered on indifference, he spoke again.
“If you do, I’ll have to intervene personally.”
“……Pardon?”
“Of course, I should inform you in advance that force and unavoidable actions may be employed in the process.”
Force. Unavoidable actions.
Coming from anyone else, these might not mean much, but from the world’s top ranker who could single-handedly take on an entire guild and clear a floor of Kill Screen, they carried significant weight.
His statement threw the conference room into chaos.
“Whaaaat?”
“W-what did you say?”
“Is he saying he’ll forcibly suppress anyone who tries to attempt the quest?”
“Isn’t this a threat?!”
“You said it was nothing major! This is definitely major!?”