Chapter 20 – Noblesse Guild

Like usual, I continued my growth by hunting after school.

If there is one thing different, my mother would be there to warmly welcome me when I returned home?

With all the money I’ve saved up till now, I was able to afford a house that we could live in.

I was finally able to leave the house that looked as though it would collapse soon.

For now, all we had was a small apartment, but it was not a place we would be staying for long.

It was only the first step towards the ‘happiness’ I wanted so much.

I met with Jong Ho near dawn after hunting.

It was to have a simple meal and to ask questions about some decent skills.

I could obtain the information on the skill encyclopedia app, but I asked in order to learn about their price to effectiveness ratio.

“Hyung, out of all the magician skills, which are the best?”

“Ones you could use at your level?”

“No. Out of the whole.”

“‘Glacial Field’, ‘Meteor Call’, and ‘Magma Pool’ are the high ranking magic skills I think?”

I knew the three spells Jong Ho mentioned were all A+ ranking from the encyclopedia.

“Are those three the most used?”

“Magician rankers use them the most, but the costs are enormous. Why, are you planning to buy them?”

“How much is the cost?”

“Out of the three, the cheapest one is the ‘Magma Pool’ and probably is about 15 billion won?”

’15 billion won? Why is this hyung like this every time he talks about money!’ Since he wasn’t the type of person to lie, I continued on my question.

“If hyung was a magician and had around 2 billion won. What would you learn?”

“2 billion… You could learn a B rank skill. Let’s see…..”

The Piercing Sword skill that’s a B rank had the price of 120 million won, but seeing that a skill of the same B rank for magician costs 2 billion won, I recognized there was a massive difference between classes.

While I was thinking, Jong Ho continued talking.

“If you are like me, I’d pretend to be insane and learn ‘Gravity Laser’!

Before he could even finish talking, I searched the encyclopedia for the skill.

It was a skill that continuously attacked anything within 1~100m range until all enemy life perished.

It was a skill that had increasing mana cost the further away the target was and the longer you casted the skill due to stronger enemies. However due to the skill being a channeled spell, it did not have a cooldown but instead was an on/off type.

‘Oho? Seems pretty decent? The one thing that disappoints me is that it cannot choose its target like Piercing Sword does.’

“It is an A rank skill, but due to the fact that it is an attack that damages over time and the massive amount of mana cost makes it that so unless you are top high ranker, most do not bother with it, you see? That’s why the cost is similar to a B rank, and the hyungs I used to take care of as a manager obtained this skill no one used, even trying to awaken the skill, making it a trend in the past.”

Before he could continue his confident speech, I cut in to ask questions.

“It’s at the market, right?”

“Are you joking with me? Have you seen a flea market sell a 2 billion won cow calf cuts?”

“They sell items costing 120 million though. So where can I get it then?”

“You have to go to the association!”

“Ah… The association gives me a headache.”

A message arrived while I was riled up about a new skill I was going to learn.

-Emergency Summons-

Hello ‘Noblesse’ guild members.

On Friday 16th of August, 2015, the situation with the guild ‘Empire’ has worsened and at 18:00, there will be a guild pvp occurring. All guild members are to participate please.

Guild master Park Hyun will provide compensation.

“What the, shit!”

“What kind of a text is making you say that?”

“It’s hyung’s fashion. I can’t bear to look at it.”

“Hyung’s clothing selections are all so wonderful that whatever I wear becomes fashionable, I can’t be bothered to pay attention.”

“Pff! It’s a joke. What it actually was a summon from my guild.”

“What, you had a guild? You look like the type that can’t get along with anyone though?”

“Hyung, do you want to be cut in half like a succubus?”

“Cough… Can’t I even make a joke? That’s right! Since we’re on the topic about the succubus. What kind of a passive did you have to be able to fight off all of them?”

“My cooldown for mana regen is pretty quick.”

“Still, to be able to recklessly spam Piercing Sword? A magician at that? Min-Cheol, I was at the bottom in this gig for 9 years. Who do you think you’re trying to fool!?”

“I’ll tell you later. Hyung, I don’t trust people very much. I’m still in the process of developing trust for you. So later! Okay? While we’re at this topic, do you want to be my manager, hyung?”

“Hey you! Hyung was born a man! I’ve Awakened too! I have dreams you know!”

Jong Ho-hyung put his arm around me and looked up, then jokingly told me.

“Well, as a hyung I could at least give you advice.”

“If you want to.”

“We’ve known each other for over two weeks but I still don’t know your level, don’t I?”

“79. I’ve leveled up since yesterday.”

“I thought you were around that when I saw you fighting against the succubus. Seems you were awakened early, huh?

‘At that time I was level 61. Awakened two months ago…..’

It seemed like something he didn’t need to know, so I kept it to myself.

“Sure. Ah, I don’t want to go. Precious time that I feel like it’s a waste even to use it on hunting! They’ve not called me once, but the moment I try to learn a skill do they call.”

“What’s your guild?”

“Noblesse.”

“Noblesse?”

“Yes. Do you know about it?”

When Jong Ho heard the name ‘Noblesse’, his face looked uneasy.

“… How long has it been since you joined?”

“One month? A little over one month.”

“Was there anything strange when you entered?”

“I’ve checked the paperwork and recorded everything, but it seemed there was nothing wrong? Why do you ask?”

“Maybe it’s because hyung has worked at the bottom for a long time, but recently I heard some bad rumors about that guild.”

‘Rumors are only rumors! I shouldn’t trust any shady information’ was my thought, but I decided to hear Jong Ho out. The condition I’ve accepted didn’t make sense 2, and it wouldn’t be bad to be prepared just in case.

“What’s the rumor?”

“I don’t know the details, but I heard a fair amount of Noblesse guild members have connections with radicals. There isn’t much credibility and the rumor could be utter nonsense, but just be aware.”

“Well… for now, I’ll keep it in mind.”

* * *

“Noblesse guild of 542 save for 1. Due to outside circumstances, one was not able to show.”

“Empire guild of 740, none absent. That is all.”

At 6 in the afternoon, ‘Seocho-gu Awakened Association’s’ orders have brought these guild members together.

A fight that occurred while hunting became heated, and since both guild masters could not solve it with diplomacy, they decided to settle it with a guild battle.

Level 21 dungeon, Awakened members from ‘Noblesse’ and ‘Empire’ formed a party to go in, but one of them had stolen the drops.

There always had been small arguments and disagreements with the Empire guild, but since they were hunting before dawn, there was a lack of people to group with. Thus they joined another to form a party despite the bad blood between the two, and this had occurred.

‘If you can’t solve with words, use force…’ was the solution that the government had come up with.

Using rivalry to raise stronger Awakened.

There was no way to avoid collision between the guilds, but it was instead used to make each other compete, and to win, growth would be fostered.

It was one of the reasons why people wanted to join bigger and more powerful guilds.

In the end, power decide right or wrong, and the guild that lost had to accept the terms and conditions of the winners.

In this case, it would be a money prize multiple times the value of the drops from the level 21 dungeon.

There was no need for government or politics. I gazed at our guild master Park Hyun.

It wasn’t due to the warning I heard from Jong Ho early morning weighing on my mind.

Behind Park Hyun, I saw many familiar faces.

Sangmin hyung, In-Ah noona, Yong-Hyun hyung, Chang-Hyuk uncle too…..

“Oho. Isn’t my bento there? Hey!”

Jae-Hyuk sent a wink at me.

“…..”

Without a word and a frown, I just kept staring at the ground.

“Adorable cutie. We should go together after this, right? Hm?”

“Now, we’ll be starting. Matching the smaller guild’s 5% out of the total members, the participants will consist of 27. The location will be underground from this current location. If the Awakened becomes unable to fight, the referee on standby will judge you unfit to continue and you will be removed from combat. Guild masters, please let us know when you are ready.”

Guild pvp was to promote the growth of the Awakened for portal explosions or warfare, so personnel loss was to be avoided at all costs.

That’s why when a guild pvp occurs, the association’s high ranking healers are dispatched to summon out incapacitated fighters and immediately heal them.

‘It wouldn’t be bad to see what kinds of skills are used and how they will be used.’

Thus, I was able to see my first guild war.