Translator: rainbowturtle
Editor: LD & Jyazen
The guild leaders finished chatting with their friends and gathered on the first floor of the coffee shop to talk about the magic circle.
âWhich guild would like to use the magic circle first?âthe master of a large guild asked the other masters sitting there.
âWhy donât we start with New World first? Alley Leader has already filled around 50,000 magic power. This means that even if another guild stepped in, New World already has a 20% share. I think it is better to just leave it to New World,â the man with red hair like burning sparks said in a moderately loud voice.
He thought, âIn any case, New World is first with or without Alley Leader. The rest of the guilds are ranked after them.â
Right from the start, the man didnât want to target New World. New World was an exception to the negotiations as it was the best and strongest amongst the many large guilds. It was originally like this, and the difference increased even more after a player as ridiculous as Alley Leader joined them.
âI agree with you. In the first place, it was Alley Leader of New World who made the magic circle public. I think New World should get the initial authority to use it.â Mascherano smiled brightly as if nothing had happened earlier and took New Worldâs side.
âWe came here to enjoy the benefits, so we should be polite to the owner as long as we have a sense of shame,â Liu Shei said while sticking a fork into the cake in front of him. It seemed more like he was stabbing a knife into a personâs body.
âThank you to everyone for saying so. Then our New World will use the magic circle first. Thank you for the concession.â Gang Junggu seized the opportunity without missing it, accepting it the moment it was given.
Now, it was the beginning of a heated debate. They didnât raise the swords, but it was actually a much more intense fight. Their words had the fates of hundreds of thousands of people at stake. They could attract the attention of many more audience members if they arrived in the demon world even five minutes in advance.
âThese guys are boring...â Kim Seokjung was bored watching the endless debate and turned to look at his âson-in-lawâ. From the beginning to this moment, this type of occasion had always been boring. It seemed better to kill one more monster rather than be still like this.
Kim Seokjung saw Hyeonu making the same expression as him.âIt will end soon.â
Based on Hyeonuâs expression, he was likely to leave his seat in a few minutes. No, it was clear he would. So far, Hyeonu had always left in the middle of the few meetings he'd attended.
âThe others...âKim Seokjung turned to look at the others. He made eye contact with another person who was peeping at Hyeonu.
âHuhu... It is good,âKim Seokjung laughed inwardly before getting up. All eyes were on him.
Hyeonu also turned his head to look at Kim Seokjung.
âIt is probably the end of the negotiations, so I should go... Is that okay?âKim Seokjung smiled brightly as he glanced around the space. Everyone seemed to accept it. This had happened more than once or twice, so they didnât find it strange.
âJin Sijong, who can stop you from leaving? New Worldâs position in the order has been set anyway.â
âReally? Then Iâll believe in you.â Kim Seokjung knocked on the heads of Hyeonu and Gang Junggu and turned to exit the cafe with them.
âHyung-nim, please tell us in advance. I was surprised and thought something was happening.â
âRight, Hyung-nim. There should be a minimum of rapport. Isnât this too arbitrary?â
Gang Junggu and Hyeonu spoke one by one as they looked at Kim Seokjungâs back. No matter how willful his words were usually, they were a bit surprised this time. Kim Seokjung wouldâve normally said something to them first, but today, he just left his seat.
âDid you want to stay in that place? I didnât know that...â
The moment Kim Seokjung mentioned this, Hyeonu quickly waved both hands and refuted it: âHow can that be? I naturally wanted to leave as well. I just didnât expect Hyung-nim to move first. I pay my respects to Hyung-nimâs behavior.â
Kim Seokjung showed a subtle smile in reaction to Hyeonuâs exaggerated behavior. He couldnât see it, but the two people following behind him were also smiling.
âRight. How many of us do we have?â Kim Seokjung asked.
âAround 50 people, Hyung-nim,â Gang Junggu answered.
50 peopleâthey were the elites of New World. Most of them were naturally priests, monks, and paladins. They were all divine classes apart from a few magicians.
Kim Seokjung stopped walking and turned back to the two people. He said, âThen there should be quite a few available spaces?â
âRight? I think the size of the magic circle can fit around 100 people,â Gang Junggu replied.
Kim Seokjung heard Gang Jungguâs answer and spoke with an expression of regret, âRight. Then it is a bit of a pity...â
âSo what should we do? Should we take some miners?â
âThere is no need for miners... Letâs go with other guilds.â
âIs that so? Which guild do you want to contact? There are no fools who will refuse. We just have to pick...â
Gang Jungguâs words werenât wrong. There was no one who would be foolish enough to reject New Worldâs offer. It wasnât an exaggeration to say it was a favor or an act of trust.
âNew York Warriors!â The name of one guild popped out from Kim Seokjungâs mouth. âIn addition, Red Bull America and Crescent Moon.â
Two more names followed.
âHyung-nim...?â Hyeonu didnât care about the two guilds mentioned first. He only cared about Crescent Moon, which came out last, and focused on that.
âI forgot about the kids.âHyeonu had forgotten about his own team, Crescent Moon, because he had been too concerned about other things.
âWonât the other guilds say something?âHyeonu asked with a worried face.
Gang Junggu firmly shook his head. âIt is up to us if 50, 60, or even 100 people use it. They wonât get angry, but they will ask to use it together. Of course, we donât have the intention to do that at all.â
âThen Iâm glad, Hyung-nim.â
âIâll call Reina and Mascherano. We canât just keep waiting when we donât know when the meeting will end.â Gang Junggu turned around again and disappeared into the cafe.
Once Gang Junggu disappeared, Kim Seokjung approached Hyeonu and placed an arm around his shoulder. He whispered in Hyeonuâs ear, âDongsaeng, trust me. Iâll take care of it.â
The moment Kim Seokjung finished talking, he patted Hyeonuâs shoulder a few times before walking forward again.
âWhat is he talking about? Ever since before...â Hyeonu shook his head and followed Kim Seokjung.
***
âReally? I still canât believe it... We are going to the demon world!!! Moreover, weâre the first group going!â Mason, a blond man who was still closer to a teenager than a man, stomped his feet with joy.
âYes, so can you please go quietly? Itâs embarrassing.âLee Hoon blocked Masonâs mouth and pushed his back. Lee Hoon was embarrassed as he felt like everyone was looking at them.
Mason removed Lee Hoonâs hand blocking his mouth and said to the other four people, âEveryone likes it. So why is it only me?â
âLiking it is different from how youâre being embarrassing,â Yuri coolly refuted Masonâs words. She was equally embarrassed, so she quietly quickened her pace.
âHonestly, I feel better now that weâve leveled up to an extent where we arenât going to be a burden to Hyung. I feel recognized.â Mason shrugged. He was happy about going to the demon world, but he was more pleased that he was recognized by Hyeonu. Now they could see the same place together. It was like saying that the five of them had developed this much.
With proud expressions, they continued walking toward the central square of Phinis where Hyeonu was waiting. A number of people entered the eyes of the Crescent Moon players. There were so many people present, but there were only a handful of faces that they knew.
âBy the way... arenât there a lot of people? It isnât just us. Mascherano and... Reina.â
âHyung is next to them. The ahjussis are also with them.â
Of course, Hyeonu was included in the faces of people they knew. The movements of the Crescent Moon players quickened. They got closer, and the conversations in the area became clearer to their ears. Among them was a conversation involving Hyeonu and Kim Seokjung.
âThank you for including me, Jin Sijong.â
âIâm grateful for the favor.â
Mascherano and Reina bowed toward Kim Seokjung. It was a great goodwill and gift that was no different from nepotism.
âWhat is the thanks for? I'm just helping the people I know live.âKim Seokjung showed a warm smile that didnât match his sharp appearance.
âDid you all prepare well?âHyeonu cut into the dialogue before Kim Seokjung could say anything else. Hyeonu took over and led the conversation. When Kim Seokjung saw this, a subtle smile appeared on his face.
âI am prepared to open a new field, Alley Leader.â
âWe are similarly prepared. I think it will be enough.â
Mascherano and Reina gave usual answers. They didnât seem to have prepared much more for the demon world. No, there was nothing more to prepare. This was the best way to prepare for the development of unexplored lands.
Hyeonu told them, âIf you have a bit of free space, I would unconditionally recommend to take more magic power potions with you. You will need a lot of magic power in the demon world.â
âIs that so? Then I will go to the integrated auction house to buy some.â
The moment they heard Hyeonuâs words, they called their companions standing at the back and gave some instructions. The guild members who received the instruction quickly ran in the direction of the integrated auction house.
âThe price of magic power recovery potions will probably rise soon. I recommend that you buy it now.â
âI feel like Iâve received too much. Giving us so much advanced information... I donât know what to do.â Mascherano nodded at Hyeonuâs continued suggestions. Hyeonuâs favor was burdensome, but he never refused it. It was enough to pay back the favor even if he couldnât do it right now.
âSo before the potions come, should we decide the order to inject magic power into the magic circle? There are around 200,000 remaining, so each guild needs to fill in 70,000.â Hyeonu led the conversation naturally. There were guilds waiting behind them, so he planned to use the magic circle to go to Etono as soon as possible.
âOkay, that...âReina tried to say something, but it didnât work out as she intended. It was because she was interrupted by an uninvited guest.
âIâll do it.â The uninvited guest was a man with light brown hair. Duke Lebron, the number one knight of the empire, had appeared.