Chapter 225: Chapter 225

“That’s enough.”

At a point when Sloth had absorbed a decent amount of stats, Jeong-hoon decided to stop him.

“Whine…”

Though he hesitated with a look of regret, he obeyed Jeong-hoon’s command and stepped back.

======================

[Seven Deadly Sins]

– Type: Sloth

– Level: ?? (Grows as it absorbs stats)

– Grade: Rare

[Detailed Stats]

– Strength: 56

– Agility: 57

– Stamina: 56

– Defense: 58

– Wisdom: 56

– Mana: 56

– Spirit: 56

====================

“For how much he’s absorbed, the growth is way too slow.”

Jeong-hoon couldn’t hide his disappointment. After all, he had already confirmed it through a monster.

‘It couldn’t absorb the monster.’

Even after defeating the monster, Sloth hadn’t made any move to absorb it, meaning there was likely a limitation—he could only absorb from other players. In a way, it was an incredibly overpowered ability.

Without a growth limit, no one could keep up if he could keep absorbing endlessly.

“So, what should I do with these guys?”

Jeong-hoon looked down at the four students whose stats had been drained. They still hadn’t regained consciousness.

After a moment’s thought, he extended his hand.

[Using Advanced Healing.]

With Advanced Healing applied, the students who had lost consciousness quickly came to their senses.

“Hey.”

At Jeong-hoon’s call, the students flinched. Just a moment ago, the four of them had been completely defeated without any chance to resist, and as a result, their fighting spirit had been completely crushed.

Though their levels remained the same, their stats had been downgraded to the equivalent of Level 30. They were thoroughly confused, but with Jeong-hoon right in front of them, they were trapped in an uncertain situation.

“Don’t answer, and you’ll really die. Got it?”

Jeong-hoon’s words prompted the students to quickly respond.

“Yes!”

“We’re listening!”

Finally, they were cooperating. Jeong-hoon gave a sly grin.

“Now, think of it this way—every time you fail to answer a question, one of you dies. Are you avatars?”

The students’ eyes shook with fear, and they shook their heads vigorously in response.

“Avatars…? We don’t know anything about that.”

“Really? Then where did you learn how to steal points and items?”

The theft of points and items was common but not as widespread these days. Since the methods weren’t fully known, only a few were exploiting it in the early stages.

‘If I remember correctly, it was the avatars who made contracts with the transcendent Barus that caused such chaos.’

Barus. This insane transcendent, at an Apostle-level, taught his avatars how to steal points and items, turning it into a quest. As a result, lower-level users suffered significantly, with many even losing their lives.

In other words, people who deserved to be torn apart.

‘If these guys are avatars of Barus…’

He’d kill them without hesitation.

However, the response he got was unexpected.

“We… we heard it from the guild.”

“A guild?”

“Yes.”

“Which guild?”

“Uh…”

The students avoided his gaze, looking hesitant. Jeong-hoon pulled Leviathan from his inventory and aimed it at them.

“Can’t answer?”

“Eek! Golden Raccoon!”

“Golden Raccoon?”

Jeong-hoon recognized the name. Golden Raccoon—a guild that had failed to make a name for itself in New World but had suddenly risen after the game’s reality shift and then faded into obscurity.

“Yes! We’re members of that Golden Raccoon guild.”

“That’s right!”

Jeong-hoon lowered Leviathan.

“Now, tell me the details.”

* * *

“Heh, heh. Don’t worry! Our guild members are taking care of everything.”

Golden Raccoon’s guild master, Kim Ji-gang, grinned.

Though he had established the Golden Raccoon guild in New World, they were constantly overshadowed by other guilds, barely surviving. But after the game’s reality shift, an opportunity for a comeback arose.

A transcendent had approached him with a contract offer, no less. On top of that, the quests were numerous, and even using guild members to complete them was allowed.

From that day forward, Kim Ji-gang began actively recruiting guild members, particularly targeting students, as younger members were more inclined to display their strength.

‘Join the guild, and you’ll gain lots of benefits. All the points and items you steal are yours to keep.’

With rewards and privileges for stealing, it was an enticing offer that drew students into Golden Raccoon.

Thanks to this, Kim Ji-gang could comfortably sit back and repeatedly complete the quests handed down by the transcendent.

But as they say, the longer the tail, the more likely it is to get caught.

Bang!

The door of the office-tel, used as Golden Raccoon’s headquarters, burst open with a loud noise. Startled, Kim Ji-gang, who had been relaxing on the sofa, shot to his feet.

“What the—! Who do you think you are, barging in like this?”

“Are you the guild master of Golden Raccoon?”

In front of him stood a young man, appearing to be in his early twenties, staring at Kim Ji-gang with a smirk.

“Hah, who the hell are you? Don’t tell me you want to join the guild?”

“As if. You recognize these guys?”

At the man’s nod, four students walked in behind him—those same four who’d been beaten up by Jeong-hoon. They had only been members of Golden Raccoon for about a week.

‘Damn it. I just let them in, and they’re already tattling?’

Kim Ji-gang quickly scanned the man’s information, and a sly grin crept onto his face.

“What, you’re only Level 160?”

Kim Ji-gang was Level 211, an Assassin who had completed three class advancements. No matter how skilled the guy was, he believed there was no way he’d lose. He raised his awareness, scanning the surroundings, but felt no other presence. Coming in alone with just Level 160—clearly, this guy was out of his depth.

“Who said I came alone?”

Jeong-hoon chuckled. Immediately, the students drew their weapons and aimed at Kim Ji-gang.

“We’re quitting Golden Raccoon!”

“We’re done with you, you bastard!”

“You think today’s your last day on Earth?”

Hearing their curses, veins stood out on Kim Ji-gang’s forehead.

“Fine. I’ll kill every one of you here.”

In an instant, his demeanor shifted. Despite being Level 211, after completing dozens of quests from the transcendent, Kim Ji-gang’s physical stats exceeded Level 250. Not only that, he’d discarded his old rare-grade gear, now decked out in unique-grade equipment. Even though it was five against one, he was confident he’d crush them.

“Gasp!”

“This is insane…”

“W-what should we do?”

Seeing his menacing aura, the students visibly hesitated.

“Come back to the guild now, and I’ll spare your lives,” Kim Ji-gang sneered, offering them a way out. All he needed was to display his strength, and they’d fall in line.

Some of the students’ expressions wavered.

“If… if we come back, you’ll forgive us…?”

“Bullshit! He’ll just stab us in the back for being ‘traitors’ the moment we return!”

“That’s… true!”

Kim Ji-gang shook his head with a calm expression.

“No way. If you come back now, I’ll forgive everything.”

“Shut it.”

In that instant, Jeong-hoon’s figure vanished and reappeared right in front of Kim Ji-gang.

“What the—!”

Kim Ji-gang staggered backward in shock. But Jeong-hoon’s hand shot out, grabbing him by the collar.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Guh! Who the hell are you?!”

“Who do you think?”

Jeong-hoon’s fist connected with Kim Ji-gang’s stomach.

“Ugh!”

Kim Ji-gang’s torso folded over, and he gagged, vomiting up bile.

[Gross! I got splattered with that!]

Mukho shrieked in disgust.

‘It’s not like you’re the one getting hit, stop whining.’

Jeong-hoon struck Kim Ji-gang’s face next with another punch.

“Guh!”

Just two attacks, and Kim Ji-gang’s head was spinning. His health had dropped below 30%. If this continued, he would die for sure.

Desperate, he raised his hand.

“Oh? Got something to say?”

Fortunately for him, Jeong-hoon paused his assault.

“S-spare me… I’ll give you everything I have.”

“Everything? And that is?”

“The position of Golden Raccoon’s guild master… and all the items I own. No, I’ll give it all to you, please…”

“No thanks.”

“Please…”

He couldn’t bear the thought of dying here.

But Jeong-hoon showed no mercy, landing a few more punches to his face. Each hit carried the energy of the Underworld King.

“Guh!”

Unable to withstand it, Kim Ji-gang collapsed, lifeless.

“Hiccup!”

“He’s… he’s dead…”

The students watching from behind trembled uncontrollably.

“Hey, you don’t want to end up like him, right?”

Jeong-hoon turned to the students with a sly grin.

They nodded frantically, terrified.

“Then quit the guild.”

“Yes!”

The four hastily withdrew from Golden Raccoon.

“Good. I’ll let it slide this time. But if I catch any of you stealing again, there won’t be any mercy next time.”

“Yes! We understand, sir!”

“I’ll count to three. Be gone before I even get to one.”

Before Jeong-hoon even began counting, the students scrambled, shoving each other in a desperate bid to escape.

[Cowards. They really got scared this time,] Anima muttered.

‘You wanted me to just kill them? Bit of a waste, really.’

Anima didn’t seem thrilled about letting them go.

“If they were avatars, they’d be dead already.”

But they weren’t avatars; they were mere students manipulated by one. Although their actions were vile, Jeong-hoon had no desire to stain his hands with their blood. Besides, with their power levels at barely Level 30, they wouldn’t be causing much trouble anymore.

Of course, he had no intention of letting things end here.

Jeong-hoon turned his attention to Golden Raccoon’s records.

‘The guild currently has 42 members.’

Quite a crowd.

Using Kim Ji-gang’s access, Jeong-hoon acquired the full roster of members.

“Whine…”

At that moment, Sloth wriggled out from his embrace.

‘Going to absorb some stats, are you?’

As expected, Sloth moved closer to Kim Ji-gang, just like it had done with the students.

[Absorbing the avatar’s stats.]

[Absorbing a portion of the contracted transcendent’s power.]

[Sloth’s grade has been upgraded by one level.]

‘What?!’

Jeong-hoon’s eyes widened.

===============================

[Seven Deadly Sins]

– Type: Sloth

– Level: ?? (Grows as it absorbs stats)

– Grade: Epic

[Detailed Stats]

– Strength: 86

– Agility: 87

– Stamina: 86

– Defense: 88

– Wisdom: 86

– Mana: 86

– Willpower: 86

=========================

With the absorption of Kim Ji-gang’s essence, Sloth’s stats were nearing the 90-mark across the board.

But more intriguing was the partial absorption of the transcendent’s power. What could that be?

“What did you absorb?”

“Whine.”

Sloth wriggled and then activated a skill. It was invisibility.

‘Invisibility?’

And it was a flawless invisibility, though it wore off quickly—likely a short duration skill.

“Can you activate it repeatedly?”

“Whine…”

But Sloth didn’t use the skill again.

‘So it wasn’t a complete absorption, then?’

Since only a portion was absorbed, Sloth likely picked up Barus’s invisibility.

“Incredible…”

Who would’ve thought that absorbing an avatar would also allow it to take on some of the transcendent’s power?

‘There must be a reason it was locked in that box.’

Even a transcendent had kept that box carefully sealed. There had to be an explanation.

“Whine…”

Sloth retreated into its shell once again, hidden from sight as usual when not in the middle of absorbing stats.

‘Living up to its name, huh?’

Jeong-hoon smirked as he pulled up the member roster.

“Guess the rest of them could use a little… guidance.”

Because of the contract between the guild leader, Kim Ji-gang, and Barus, countless people had fallen victim. Even though Kim Ji-gang had been subdued, the guild members would likely continue their looting, preying on weaker targets.

With that thought, Jeong-hoon manipulated Kim Ji-gang’s hand to send a mass message to the guild members, ordering them to report to the Golden Raccoon office immediately.

———-