By the time the kids had roughly stuffed all the gold coins and gems away, the mages seemed to have finished appraising the equipment. As the group read the equipment descriptions on the appraisal scrolls, they let out gasps of awe. Discovering another Rare Class was nothing short of a miracle, something that seemed impossible without extraordinary luck.
There was no denying it was thrilling, but I couldn't help feeling a pang of doubt about why I hadn't found such things in my first life. Shaking off the thought, I watched the group's excitement with a warm smile. The first life was just the past; what mattered was the second life, the present.
After a flurry of noisy chatter, the group's mood shifted. They began eyeing each other tensely, clearly sensitive about who would get which equipment, given the incredible haul.
As I mentally sorted out how to distribute the gear, a slight regret crept in. These items starkly showed why I emphasized magic power so much and why I fretted over every single point of it. Most of the equipment, especially for close-combat roles like tanks, suited An-Hyun best. But many came with the condition: "Depends on the player's magic power stat."
For instance, even if An-Hyun wielded the Legend of Hoplon shield, an attack from a player with higher magic power would drastically reduce its reflection effect. If I swung with some force, he'd likely be knocked flat, reflection or not. Sure, luck could provide some correction, but it was better to ignore uncertain factors. Still, while it was a shame now, it meant these items would become more effective as the group grew stronger.
Just as I finished my rough plan and was about to start distributing, Ha-Yeong, who'd been quietly watching me, stepped forward and spoke.
"Su-Hyeon, I'd like to make a suggestion on behalf of the others."
I closed my mouth, which I'd just opened, and turned to her. Her face was calm, but her eyes held determination. The word 'behalf' nagged at me, but I decided to hear her out.
"All our achievements so far have been under your decisions as our leader. We know that's your prerogative as the captain. But this time, we'd like our opinions to be considered too."
"Yeah, hyung, let us have a say this time," An-Hyun chimed in immediately, nodding in agreement. Sol, Yun-Jung, Sang-Yong, and Vivienne also nodded, lending weight to Ha-Yeong's words.
"Hmm."
I scratched my head, mulling it over. As we aimed to become a proper clan, especially an elite one, these issues would need addressing eventually. It was just a bit surprising it came up now. I'd thought I'd been generous so far, so I felt a tad awkward. Shrugging, I stepped back, gesturing for them to speak, ready to listen.
But the group didn't continue. The moment I gave my tacit approval, they exchanged glances, then simultaneously picked up pieces of equipment from the pile. Frowning, I noticed they were grabbing items haphazardly, not based on their classes or stats. Ha-Yeong picking up a helmet made no sense, and I was about to ask what they were doing when—
"Hyah!"
Before I could speak, Yun-Jung, clutching Glory of Heaven, charged at me. Startled, I realized the entire group—except Yeon-Joo—was swarming me, frantically pawing at me. What the hell was happening? I tried to resist, but multiple hands held me down, and using force at such close range could hurt them. Not fully grasping the situation, I couldn't act recklessly.
"Hey, what are you all doing? Ha-Yeong, put that helmet away! Why are you trying to force it on me—Hey, get your hand off my chest!"
"Hold still! You keep moving, and I'm missing!"
"Yeah, hyung, we're giving it all to you this time!"
"What does that even—"
"If we leave it to you, you'll just give it all to us again."
"Woo! Woo! Strip oppa's clothes! Hehehe!"
"Kim Su-Hyeon! This boosts Vitality! Eat it quickly! Open wide—ahh~!"
In the midst of the chaos, I turned to Yeon-Joo, pleading for help with my eyes. But she, seemingly just grasping the situation, only flashed a subtle smile. Her smile made me more uneasy, and as I tried to retract my gaze, it seemed to spark something in her.
"Hoho. Everyone, step aside a bit. Men's clothes…"
Her figure swayed briefly, and then,
"…are stripped like this."
As her words ended, I felt something sweep across my body. Immediately, the simple shirt I was wearing was torn in half. The group cheered at Yeon-Joo's handiwork.
"Su-Hyeon, tilt your head this way…"
"Hyung, put this on first…"
"Wow, wow, finally oppa's chest…"
"Don't get mad, just eat this first…"
As my torn clothes fell to the floor, my bare torso was fully exposed. The cheers from the group gradually faded. I lowered my head with a bitter expression, looking at my body.
Though my Resistance had improved, my body was still covered in faint scars. Old wounds hadn't fully healed, it seemed. Even Ha-Yeong looked shocked, her eyes wide. We'd slept together once before, but it was in a dark room, so she likely hadn't noticed. Now, under the bright light of the lobby's light stone, my countless scars were laid bare for all to see.
The once-rowdy group fell silent, their faces tinged with awkwardness. A shared sense of guilt surfaced in their expressions.
Silently, I put on Glory of Heaven, which Yun-Jung had half-draped over me. I snatched the red belt from Vivienne and tied it tightly over the robe. The outfit fit as if tailored for me.
Lifting my head to slowly scan the group, I saw them flustered, at a loss. Vivienne scratched her cheek, looking embarrassed, while Yeon-Joo smacked her lips. As Sang-Yong let out a heavy sigh, Ha-Yeong's small voice reached my ears.
"Su-Hyeon-ssi, I'm… I'm sorry."
"It's fine."
"When I went to the city earlier, we coordinated with the others. We agreed to give most of the equipment to you this time. You've always given everything to us, so we wanted to make sure you got something… but…"
"I appreciate the sentiment. But was all this really necessary? You could've just told me, and I'd have understood."
Hearing my words, Ha-Yeong stepped back slightly, her shoulders slumping. Biting her lip, her trembling eyes looked ready to spill tears. I sighed and patted her shoulder a couple of times.
Honestly, I was a bit upset. But showing my scars wasn't a big deal, and since they acted with good intentions, I figured I'd let it slide this once. Sensing my mood, Sang-Yong, holding gauntlets, bowed deeply at a right angle.
"Leader, I'm truly sorry. Player Ha-Yeong only spoke on our behalf; she didn't start this. I was one of those who agreed. We thought it was a good idea, but we only considered our perspective. I'm really sorry."
His earnest apology softened my irritation. As he said, they'd done this for my sake. I didn't like their approach, but I relaxed my expression and nodded.
Noticing my mood lighten, Yun-Jung, seemingly speaking for the group, piped up.
"Oppa, I'm sorry. Honestly, I was the one who first suggested this. Like Sang-Yong said, Ha-Yeong just represented us. So I'm the most at fault. But…"
She paused, her expression cautious. As I stared at her fidgeting lips, she took it as permission to continue, swallowed, and went on.
"All the equipment and stuff we've gotten so far—except for one ring, you've barely taken anything. So we thought it'd be good to give you some this time… I'm sorry. But please, stop giving everything to us. I want you to have some too. It's been bothering me for a while, but seeing the scars on your body now… it really hurts."
The others didn't add much, but their slight nods showed they agreed with Yun-Jung.
"...."
It felt refreshing. In my first life as a novice, I hopped between caravans, and when good equipment or items appeared, people often schemed or competed for them. Unequal distributions happened, too. Though the situation now was different, their attitude felt novel.
The group wasn't as boisterous as before but still held out the items toward me. With a slight cough, I quietly began putting on the equipment they handed me, one by one.
*
After some time, I finally completed the equipment distribution. Since most of the items were for close-combat roles, many players didn't receive anything, but they didn't complain, likely because they'd already gotten their share in the past. The only player I was concerned about was Sang-Yong. I planned to arrange a private talk with Vivienne soon. If I deemed it appropriate after hearing him out, I'd give him the Rare Class Chimera Alchemist.
This time, I received the lion's share of equipment. As Yun-Jung said, the group was resolute, showing no greed and yielding to each other generously.
"Wow, oppa, you look so cool!"
"The black robe with the red belt—it suits you. Hehe."
"Hee… Oppa, you're awesome!"
I gave an awkward smile at the female players' chattering praise and opened my player information window. It seemed wise to check my updated stats.
(Player Status)
Name: Kim Su-Hyeon (Year 0)
Class: Sword Specialist (Secret, Sword Specialist, Master)
Nation: -
Clan: -
Title · Nationality: Master of the Sword · South Korea
Sex: Male (24)
Height · Weight: 181.5 cm · 75.5 kg
Alignment: Lawful · Chaos
[Strength 96(+2)] [Resistance 92] [Agility 98] [Vitality 72] [Magic Power 96] [Luck 90(+2)]
(12 stat points remaining)
Achievements (1)
Rite of Passage (Boss Monster)
Unique Ability (1/1)
Third Eye (Rank: S Zero)
Special Ability (1/1)
Sword's Heart (Rank: EX)
Potential Abilities (4/4) (1 ability point remaining)
Close Combat Mastery (Rank: A +)
Last Man Standing(Rank: A +)
Mind's Eye (True) (Rank: A +)
Blessing of the War(Rank: EX)
Strictly speaking, only An-Hyun and I benefited from the Chaos Mimics this time. Of the 16 items, I claimed eight, half the total. They were:
- A Four-Leaf Clover
- Twin Head Ogre Power Gauntlet (TOPG)
- Coat of Plate
- Glory of Heaven
- Glory of Sun
- Elixir (Vitality)
- Nil Sword
- Sun-Moon Divine Sword
Not all of the remaining eight items went to the group. I decided to hold onto three Elixirs, the Pegasus Egg, Unicorn Horn, Rare Class Twilight Priestess, Bow of Exorcism, and Legend of Hoplon for safekeeping, as no one could use them yet.
Only two items went to the others: Helm of Courage and Mighty Sun.
I was a bit tempted by Mighty Sun, but I let An-Hyun have it. My Resistance wasn't lacking compared to Vitality, and my current outfit was more comfortable for movement. Since I'd decided to train An-Hyun as a damage-tank, giving him Mighty Sun over my greed felt right. With An-Hyun taking Mighty Sun and Helm of Courage, the distribution was finalized.
Lost in thought, I noticed an odd gaze and looked around. Sol was grinning at me, but she wasn't alone. Everyone, even those who got nothing, wore subtle, pleased smiles. It felt oddly unsettling.
Honestly, I couldn't fully understand them. Weren't they disappointed, even a little, for not getting such great equipment? Or were their good alignments just natural? They seemed genuinely satisfied simply because I'd taken the items.
I let out a meaningless sigh and shook my head. My gaze fell on the Vitality elixir in my hand. Consuming it now would raise my Vitality to 76 points—a reward comparable to completing the Player Academy.
I didn't swallow it immediately, just stared. Back at the Ruined Laboratory, I'd obtained an elixir that boosted Vitality by 2 points for players below 70. But after impulsively consuming a Vitality-specific elixir from the GP shop, I'd missed that chance. Learning from that mistake, I'd since avoided hastily using elixirs. That's also why I hadn't used my remaining stat or ability points—I didn't want to repeat past errors.
So, I turned to Vivienne. I still had Vivienne's orb, Belphegor's Heart, two Vitality elixirs (+2 for 70 or below, +4 for 80 or below), and Horrence's Magic Stone. A fleeting thought crossed my mind: combining these might yield a better elixir. I decided to bring it up when discussing Sang-Yong's matter with Vivienne later.
Just then—
Clunk! Creak.
"Um… I heard a Year 0 Player named Kim Su-Hyeon is here?"
The door opened, and a slightly unfamiliar but faintly recognizable voice drifted from the inn's entrance into the lobby. Clear and gentle. Reflexively, my group and I turned toward the sound.
And there, in my line of sight, stood a player I never expected to meet right now.
.
.
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