Memorize

As soon as I heard the word 'shadow,' I was shocked. I looked down at the player clinging to me, his face reflecting a calm expression and serene eyes, unlike just moments before. That quiet gaze made an unexplainable chill creep over me.

Instinctively, I tried to move my shadow, but I froze, paralyzed by a wave of fear rising from within me. A cold sensation brushed the back of my neck. His arms wrapped around me, his hand somehow resting on the nape of my neck.

Death.

In a life-or-death situation like this, I didn't waste time with foolish thoughts of 'why' or 'how.' The sharp instincts that had kept me alive so far were warning me more clearly than ever. The moment I moved my shadow, the player, who was nuzzling his face against my chest, would snap my neck without hesitation.

I felt the strength gradually leave my arms as I held him.

*

The woman's arms fell limply. My shadow-sensing technique had been well developed since my first encounter with her, but even knowing the risk, I could not afford to be careless around this player. I was prepared to twist her neck the moment she showed any hint of danger.

But the woman didn't push herself too hard. She acknowledged her misjudgment and took a step back, showing restraint without overestimating her own abilities.

I felt increasingly impressed by the woman. She knew when to retreat. With the sense that I didn't need to eliminate her just yet, I slowly activated my "third eye," determined to uncover every detail about her this time.

< Player Status >

Name: Go Yeon Joo (5th Year) Class: Queen of Silhouette Master Nation: Babara Clan: - True Name · Nationality: One Who Leaves Jet-Black Silhouettes · Republic of Korea Sex: Female (26) Height · Weight: 169.4 cm · 51.8 kg Disposition: Neutral · Chaos 

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Stats

Strength: 89 Resistance: 90 Agility: 97 Vitality: 87 Magic Power: 93 Luck: 82 

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Achievements (5)

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Unique Ability (1/1)

Eyes Of Temptation (Rank: A) 

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Special Ability (1/1)

Abyss Crowd (Rank: S +) 

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Potential Abilities (3/3)

Shadow Dagger Technique (Rank: A +) Presence Block (Rank: A + + +) Black Shadow (Rank: A + +) 

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Stat Comparison

Kim Su-Hyeon: 540 / 600 

(Remaining stat points: 12)

- Strength: 94 

- Resistance: 92 

- Agility: 98 

- Vitality: 72 

- Magic Power: 96 

- Luck: 88 

Go Yeon Joo: 536 / 600 

(No remaining stat points) 

- Strength: 89 

- Resistance: 90 

- Agility: 97 

- Vitality: 85 

- Magic Power: 93 

- Luck: 82 

Seeing Go Yeon Joo's stats and abilities made me instinctively let out a gasp. Adding up her stats, she had a total of 536 points out of a possible 600, just four points behind me. With this level of skill, it made sense that she could one day hold a spot among 'The Top Ten.'

Despite her formidable abilities, I felt confident that I could defeat her. My stats surpassed hers in every category except for Vitality. Moreover, considering the levels and ranks of my unique, special, and potential abilities, I could surely overpower her.

I made up my mind right then. When I finished all my business in Mule, I would decide what to do with Go Yeon Joo. I would try to recruit her, and if that failed I would have to kill her. Her face betrayed a flicker of emotion as she noticed my resolve. I quickly adjusted my expression and spoke in a calm voice.

"I have a thing for women with beautiful shadows. That's why I find you intriguing."

"…"

"So, please…"

Go Yeon Joo remained silent, her face still tense. This time, it was my hand that was gently stroking her face. With our roles reversed from earlier, a strange satisfaction seemed to spread through me.

"I'd prefer you don't try anything foolish."

Given her perceptiveness, she surely understood the weight of my words. When I saw her give a faint nod, I finally lifted my face from hers.

Go Yeon Joo looked more conflicted than ever. The usual calmness in her expression was gone, replaced by troubled eyes that revealed her inner turmoil. Eventually, she let out a heavy sigh and spoke up.

"I understand what you mean. You can trust me to keep quiet."

"Good. I happen to like women who keep secrets." 

Go Yeon Joo, who had switched to a more formal tone, gave me a wry smile.

"I was just genuinely curious, that's all. I had no intention of harming you, so please don't misunderstand."

"I'd like to explain, but the situation is… complicated."

And even though I wanted to add that 'Eyes Of Temptation', no matter how well-intentioned, was a form of mental interference, I decided to leave it at that.

My gentle refusal left Go Yeon Joo with a hint of disappointment, and she rose from her seat cautiously. With a slight nod, I signaled for her to leave, and she wordlessly walked toward the door.

---

The next morning, the others began waking up one by one, rubbing their sleepy eyes. Watching them immediately dive into their sensory training with sleepy yawns made me feel proud. Usually, I'd encourage their dedication, but today I had plans to leave the city, so I gathered three of them in my room.

"Why'd you gather us here, hyung?" Mumbled Hyun, mouth open in a wide yawn. Yun-Jung shot him a disgusted look, and Sol looked equally embarrassed. I chuckled at Hyun's sleepy state and then began to explain.

"It seems like you all have a decent grasp of magic detection now, doesn't it?"

The kids, unaccustomed to praise, blinked at each other in surprise, then awkwardly straightened up. Their embarrassed coughs and attempts to look serious were quite a sight. A smile tugged at my lips, though I managed to hold it back.

"I could see how hard you've all been working on your training this past week. You've done well," I said.

"Does that mean…" Hyun asked, his voice full of excitement. I nodded calmly. Today was the day we would finally leave the city.

"That's right. I think we're ready to go outside the city. It's time to start moving."

At my approval, a silent excitement spread among Hyun, Sol, and Yun-Jung. Realizing they were finally about to take their first real steps in the Hall Plain, they all looked eager and full of anticipation.

"But listen carefully. Training isn't something you can skip. It should become a habit, even when we're on the move, unless we're in a situation where it's absolutely impossible."

I added this reminder as I saw their spirits soaring, though they nodded, their minds already wandering far beyond. I held back a sigh, deciding to let it go; they would soon face enough challenges outside the city that would test whether they could hold on to this enthusiasm.

Our first stop: Vivienne's Dungeon. After considering both the ruined research lab and the ancient alchemist's dungeon, I decided the dungeon would be the better choice. While both were equally difficult, I'd managed to gather more leads on the alchemist's dungeon, which made our chances of success higher.

To reach Vivienne's Dungeon, we'd need to head out from Mule's northern gate and journey deep into the Forest of Midnight. This forest lies between the northern continent and uncharted lands, a massive expanse so treacherous that even the Babara nation only aimed to stabilize its outskirts. Crossing deeper into the forest essentially meant venturing into uncharted territory.

For our group, though, this was manageable. I had experience from previous expeditions into uncharted lands, so I didn't plan on hiring a ranger or scout for the journey. I'd also decided not to form a larger caravan, avoiding the logistical headache of dividing rewards. With limited resources for our own team, I wasn't keen on the added responsibility of other players.

Watching Hyun and Sol, who were clasping hands and chanting with excitement, I reached for a bag. It was a magic backpack enchanted with a lightening spell for easy carrying. I couldn't afford a permanent enchantment, so I had settled on one that lasted a week. After this expedition, the rewards and the coins I had saved up should at least keep us financially stable in Mule for a while.

"I've got a gift for you all, for working so hard on your training."

At the word 'gift', their eyes snapped to my backpack with eager curiosity. They'd learned about magical backpacks at the Player Academy, but this was likely their first time seeing one up close. Their eyes gleamed with anticipation, much like kids waiting for Santa's presents, and Hyun, in particular, stared with such intensity that I felt slightly pressured.

With a silent nudge from their expectant looks, I pulled out each item from the bag. The gifts were weapons I had carefully selected and ordered after observing their progress in training.

One long spear, two daggers, and a wooden staff.

"Oh!" 

"Huh?" 

"Wow…"

Hyun, Yun-Jung, and Sol each let out an exclamation as they saw the weapons laid out on the ground. When I gestured for them to go ahead, they eagerly grabbed their respective weapons. Hyun had previously mentioned using his GP to get a weapon, but I'd advised him to save it for something more critical later. No need to waste resources on items we didn't truly need.

Hyun, who had picked up the spear, tried a few practice thrusts into the air, looking satisfied as he adjusted his grip. His movements had become more refined, and it seemed that the spear fit his hand well.

"Wow, this feels really good. It sticks to my hand perfectly every time I thrust."

Hyun's spear technique had developed in an unexpected direction. Initially, I had assumed he would focus on slashing techniques if he trained with a sword, but he had shown a consistent dedication to mastering thrusts instead. So I'd chosen a spear with a sharpened, awl-like point for him, one that emphasized precision in piercing rather than sweeping cuts.

"Your spear technique focuses more on thrusting than slashing, so I chose a spear with a sharp point. This isn't a throwing spear; it's a long spear, designed for extending your reach in close combat. This means you'll need to pay attention to maintaining distance when you fight. Defense will be up to you."

"Hyung… I didn't know you put that much thought into this! You're making me blush here!" Hyun said, feigning dramatic surprise, and I promptly looked away, ignoring his mock sincerity as he chuckled.

Yun-Jung, who had been quietly examining her daggers, quickly seized the chance to jump in once Hyun and I finished talking.

"What about me, oppa? These daggers you gave me—they're single-edged." She observed.

"They are. I ordered them that way," I said. "Yours are actually custom-made…"

"Really?" She interrupted, her eyes lighting up.

"The design is based on a katana, so the blade is longer than a standard dagger—about half the length of a katana."

"It feels a bit different, but I think I'll get used to it. This might actually be better once I do."

"Good. Mercenaries who specialize in close combat often thrive in chaotic skirmishes, so finding the right weapon is a crucial part of your training."

"Got it! But custom weapons are more expensive than regular ones, right?" She asked, grinning knowingly.

I nodded, and Yun-Jung gave a self-satisfied smirk before turning toward Hyun, flashing him a triumphant look as she spun the dagger in her hand. Without needing to ask, I could tell she was relishing her 'superior' weapon. Then, turning back to me, she added with a playful glint in her eye, "So, that means my present's the priciest, huh? Really, oppa, if you like me that much, just say so!"

Hyun's face dropped, while Sol shot me a look of utter disappointment. Despite being the actual target of this playfully absurd moment, I knew to expect these kinds of antics from them, and so I simply watched Yun-Jung with a tired expression. But when she shot me a teasing wink, it was hard to hold back a sigh.

Suppressing a smile, I finally spoke in a low voice.

"Sorry to say, Yun-Jung, but the priciest gift here isn't your daggers—it's actually Sol's staff." I said.

"Wait… what? That plain old wooden stick?" Yun-Jung's voice dropped immediately, her gaze snapping to Sol's staff with new scrutiny. Sol's face twisted slightly at Yun-Jung's dismissal, her lips pushing out in a pout.

I shrugged again. "Of course. Most of the weapons for mages and priests are usually enchanted items."

"Enchanted?" Sol's eyes widened in surprise.

I nodded and continued, "Yep. This one helps the caster stay calm and improves magic control. It's a basic enchantment, so the effect isn't huge, but it's still better than nothing. I figured increasing magic capacity wasn't a priority right now, so this should be a good fit. Sounds good?"

"Yes! Definitely!" Sol replied eagerly, her eyes sparkling. Her excitement was so infectious that I couldn't help but smile. If I had such an enthusiastic and adorable younger sister, I thought, it would be hard not to spoil her.

Just then, I caught a quick look from Sol in Yun-Jung's direction—a subtle, smug little glance that belied her usual sweetness. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Yun-Jung's expression sour ever so slightly as she realized she was on the receiving end of Sol's triumphant look.

I suddenly remembered hearing complaints mentioning that Sol had a bit of a habit of showing off recently. At the time, I brushed it off, thinking there was no way such a gentle person would do that. But seeing the glint in her eye now, I wondered if maybe I should rethink that. 

Maybe there was a bit of competitive fire under Sol's soft demeanor after all.

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