Possessiveness (2)

The day after a satisfying meal of Essence.

The Flame affinity gathering wasn’t until evening, so I had nothing to do until then. Since everyone else happened to be free, we decided to hold a meeting about the gate.

When I arrived at the cafe, Yang Geun-tae was already there. We chatted for a bit, and the others arrived one by one, taking their seats.

“Looks like everyone’s here except for Yu-hwa.”

Yang Geun-tae, Kim Ji-min, Choi Seong-hyun, and Min Yu-in. Including the still-absent Cheon Yu-hwa, this was the team that had conquered Gate 132, the one with the golems.

Cheon Yu-hwa, who transformed into a Harpy for reconnaissance.

Kim Ji-min and Yang Geun-tae, Enhancement-types who fought in close quarters.

Myself and Choi Seong-hyun, Elemental Mages who fought from a distance.

And Min Yu-in, who was in charge of healing.

It was a well-balanced team with a high average rank—a combination you don’t see every day. A team I wouldn’t have been able to assemble without the right connections. In any case, it was a good thing for me.

“Yu-hwa? I heard she was bringing someone.”

“…Really? Does she think it’s that dangerous?”

“Probably. But she didn’t tell you, the team leader… No, wait. Based on the data we received, the place is definitely dangerous.”

“It is.”

The place we were heading to this time was Gate 271. As the number suggested, it had been discovered quite recently.

Its danger level had skyrocketed after every team the ‘Expeditionary Force’ guild sent in was found dead.

Even if I was a government-certified A-rank, my gate-clearing experience was limited. I was told there was a high chance I wouldn’t be fully accepted as a team leader even if I took the position now.

Of course, the people at Elemental said I could become a team leader after just one successful clear…

Still, considering the team members who would have to follow an inexperienced leader, and the other team leaders who would become my peers, there was only one solution.

Solve one big problem.

Sure, I could probably get by with two or three smaller achievements, but once I finished this one, I’d become an official team leader in Elemental, which would make it difficult to participate in Expeditionary Force activities.

More importantly, I didn’t want to drag this out. It was time to get that team leader title and start working in earnest.

Of course, becoming a team leader in just a month and a half was an insane pace from anyone else’s perspective, but that was part of what made me so ambitious…

Besides, Seo A-gyeol was already a team leader in Yua Dokjon, wasn’t she?

That wasn’t to say I’d recklessly chosen a dangerous gate. The average rank of the victims had been much lower than ours, and their team compositions hadn’t been very good.

“There she is.”

I looked up at Geun-tae’s words. Just as he said, Yu-hwa was approaching with someone else.

What I hadn’t expected was that they’d be walking arm in arm.

Yu-hwa spoke as she arrived.

“Ah, this is Lee Seong-jun. He’ll be joining us for this clear. The gate we’re discussing is quite difficult, so I asked him for help.”

“Hello. I’m Lee Seong-jun.”

Yu-hwa looked at me and asked, “That’s okay, right? Team Leader?”

Seeing the two of them linked so affectionately, something surged within me.

It was the same feeling I’d had when I saw ‘Suyeon♥’ on Han Jin-seong’s phone, so I had a rough idea of what this emotion was.

But this time… it felt a little stronger, didn’t it?

“Of course, it’s fine. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Seong-jun. I’m Lee Han-gyeol, the team leader for this clear.”

Fortunately, the words came out smoothly.

Of course they did. Unlike when I’m Seo A-gyeol, I can’t afford to do anything stupid in this body. An alt account can get away with it, but not the main.

Ignoring Geun-tae’s stare, I said, “Well then, since everyone is here, shall we begin?”

*

The slightly unsettling feeling didn’t disappear even after I arrived at the Flame affinity gathering.

Why? Why did she have to walk arm in arm with him right in front of me…?

“You seem to have been busy lately.”

“Ah, yes. A little… busy.”

Han Na-rae’s words broke me out of my thoughts, and I decided to put it aside for now. It wasn’t like I’d find an answer by dwelling on it.

“My younger sister is very envious. She says someone who joined long after her is already at the same rank.”

“Ahaha…”

The sister Han Na-rae was talking about was Han Na-ri. She was the leader of the team I’d been assigned to as a trainee when I first entered a gate.

The three sisters—Han Na-rae, Han Na-ri, and Han Na-eun—were all Elemental Mages who wielded fire.

They had come with me to my first Flame gathering. Today, however, it was just Han Na-rae. The other two were in a gate.

“By the way, I was surprised to hear you’d become an A-rank, Han-gyeol. It feels like just yesterday I was teaching you, and now I’m in a position to learn from you.”

“Not at all. I still make good use of everything you taught me back then.”

“Even so. You’re incredibly fast…”

Han Na-rae paused for a moment in thought before continuing.

“Then this time should be quite helpful for you.”

“Helpful?”

“The Flame gathering. Usually, the higher your level, the more you can get out of it. But some people stop coming once they feel they’ve learned enough. Of course, that’s usually because they’re confident in their own abilities… but isn’t it better to have a broader perspective?”

“…I suppose so.”

“In that respect, you have a lot to gain from this gathering, Han-gyeol. You have the skill, but you’re still a blank canvas without much baggage. What you gain here could dramatically improve your abilities.”

“I hope so.”

This time, the venue was a buffet.

They must have a lot of money to rent out a place like this, I thought.

The meeting must have used up a lot of my energy, because I was starving. I decided to get some food first. I needed to eat to get my head straight.

“I’m just going to go say hello to some acquaintances over there.”

It seemed Han Na-rae had other plans. Eating alone? Even better. I could eat in peace.

As I took my first bite of food, I saw a group walking in the distance. At its head was Jeong Ji-hoon.

As if sensing my gaze, he whipped his head around, and our eyes met.

Neither of us looked away first. Why should I? Not after he got himself bewitched by Seo A-gyeol and sucked dry of his Innate Vital Energy.

It looked like he’d recovered quite a bit from the blow. His complexion was fine.

Seeing their leader staring at one spot, the rest of his group started looking my way. This was a bit much.

But the salmon nigiri went down without a problem, didn’t it?

Jeong Ji-hoon finally turned his head with a flick and went to another table. His group followed. Now I could finally eat in peace.

A moment later, Han Na-rae hesitantly sat down next to me.

“Hey, why did you do that, Han-gyeol? There’s no point in being so hostile.”

“Pardon?”

I played dumb.

Han Na-rae sighed.

“He’s the Vice Guild Master’s son. You don’t have to suck up to him and be friendly, but being too hostile will just make things tiring for you. No matter how much the Awakener world is a meritocracy, there are some things that will never disappear.”

She seemed to be pondering something before she continued.

“You had a hard time finding team members, didn’t you?”

“…What?”

Why was that coming up now?

“Usually, when a team leader has little experience, more experienced members join them, right? But to do that, you have to pull them from existing teams… and there’s a rumor that he was blocking you.”

“What?”

Did that mean the trouble I was having with the Expeditionary Force was his fault?

“Sigh… I really don’t know why they all act like this…”

“Do you happen to know why he did it?”

“This is just a rumor, but… they say the Vice Guild Master scolds his son by comparing him to you.”

“…Really?”

For a reason like that?

“It’s just a rumor.”

“Still, what about… other theories?”

“There aren’t really any theories to speak of… honestly, they’d all be something similar.”

“I see.”

“…I think you might be taking this the wrong way. My point is that there’s no need to needlessly worsen the relationship.”

“If the rumors are true, haven’t I already been marked?”

“Haa… That’s not what I mean.”

How could I not know what she meant? She was worried about the trouble that would befall me if I antagonized them.

“I know. But—”

…What are they doing?

“Look over there. What are they doing?”

The members of Jeong Ji-hoon’s group were slowly spreading out to other groups.

I didn’t know what they were talking about, but seeing them glance my way, I could guess the kind of things they were saying.

Ah… I’m getting the urge to drain him. Of his Innate Vital Energy.

Seeing the scene, Han Na-rae’s face hardened.

“They’ll only act like that in front of them. Everyone knows—”

“It’s only natural for the nail that sticks out to get hammered down. In any case, if this is how it’s going to be, I guess I won’t be coming to any more Flame gatherings.”

Han Na-rae let out a sigh that could have cracked the earth.

“…Still, I’m sure you’ll do just fine, Han-gyeol.”

“…I’m sorry for being so harsh with you, Instructor. You haven’t done anything wrong.”

“It’s okay. I understand.”

“Well then, I’ll be on my way.”

*

On the way home.

The only reason this lonely road felt a little less miserable was—

‘Bad! They were so bad!’

‘How dare they treat this one’s contractor like that! The next time you see them, crush them so they can’t even make a peep!’

‘That’s right! They’re cowards! Teach them a lesson next time!’

—the spirits chattering away noisily inside me.

Having learned that if they stayed awake all the time, my mind would be noisy and they’d consume a lot of Innate Vital Energy, the spirits had been sleeping.

But the moment my emotions flared up, they woke right up and began a fierce denunciation. Yes. A very fierce one.

‘Insects that would be crushed before true power! Relying on their little group! The sight of them acting so high and mighty is pathetic beyond words!’

‘Right! Just suck all their Innate Vital Energy! Just kill them!’

It got to the point where I was spending more energy trying to calm them down.

“Of course I’m going to suck his Innate Vital Energy. I’ll scrape him clean down to the very bottom. Hah… I’ll have to crush those bastards someday.”

‘Exactly! Put them in their place!’

‘Pleasure is wasted on those worthless morons! Just use pure power, that power, to crush them!’

“Hey, that’s a waste. Innate Vital Energy has nothing to do with how weak they are. If I’m going to kill them anyway, I’ll suck out their Innate Vital Energy and then—wait.”

A sudden phone call.

—This is Han-gyeol’s number, right?

“Instructor?”

—Can you come to the address I just sent you?

*

When I went to the establishment at the address she sent,

“I’m sorry about before!”

“Ah, that nobody acting all high and mighty just because of his daddy’s connections, really. I’m sorry!”

“I hear you’re going to be a team leader soon? Congratulations!”

“A team leader? No wonder that bastard was jealous.”

There were familiar faces, too. Right there was Han Na-ri—

“Heyyy! I heard that son of a bitch was giving you the cold shoulder!” she yelled as she came running over.

“I thought you were on a gate clear.”

“Just got out. Hah, that bastard, seriously. Ah, I heard you’re about to be a team leader. Congrats. That’s really fast.”

At her words, a chorus erupted.

“Congratulations!”

“That’s so cool!”

“…Everyone, thank you so much.”