Episode 46: Team Member Theft

Team member theft.

It’s something that happens often among Pioneers, but it’s considered polite to avoid it if possible.

Being a Pioneer is a rough job.

If problems arise between them, there’s a high probability it’ll be resolved with a knife fight.

So, for each other’s sake, team member theft is generally avoided.

Or at least, it’s done secretly behind the scenes.

Doing it so openly is practically unheard of.

Unless you’re some dumbass Transcender who just arrived in this world.

I pulled out a chair and sat down, dusting it off.

I was curious to hear what that Jap bastard was going to spout.

,Hey, Holy Magic User-nim, isn’t that Holy Magic User-nim’s team over there?

A Pioneer who knew about me spoke up.

My team members are quite noticeable, excluding me.

So, there were several Pioneers who remembered me because of them.

,That’s right.

,But is it okay to just watch like this? That’s team member theft, isn’t it?

,Yeah, so I’m going to see what he has to say.

,Heo, you’ve got a bad personality.

,I trust my team members.

There’s no way my team members would ever go to another team.

This isn’t some unfounded confidence in me.

It was confidence in the Resurrection magic I possess.

A Holy Magic User with Resurrection magic.

That safety is incomparable, no matter what you bring.

And my team members aren’t exactly pushovers.

That’s why I was curious.

Just what kind of confidence did that Jap bastard have to make such an offer?

,Who is that guy?

,Ah, he’s a guy who showed up about a week ago.

A week ago was when we had just gone to Nokseo.

,I doubt he’s only doing this to our team; he’s probably been doing it all over the place. Why is everyone just letting him get away with it?

,He’s a Nonamed, and his Ability is dangerous.

I knew it.

Strutting around like that was a characteristic of early Nonameds.

They get Transcended into this world, awaken their Ability, and then act like they own the place.

Seriously, it’s because of guys like that that good Nonameds like me get screwed over.

They need to experience a cult to come to their senses.

These days, Nonameds just don’t have the basics down.

,So, what’s his Ability?

With a guy like that, he’s probably been blabbing about his Ability everywhere.

,It’s Summoning.

,Summoning?

,He summons monsters no one’s ever seen before and controls them freely.
An Eun Pioneer stepped up to stop him from stealing his team members, but he got his ass kicked without being able to do anything.

Damn it, ssyang.

Someone gets Resurrection magic, and that guy gets auto-hunting.

I’m getting pissed.

The injustice is rising from the depths of my lungs.

But a veteran Eun Pioneer got defeated.

That proves how strong he is.

,Has he gone out and done any Pioneer work?

,He went. He caught a Nok-level Phantasm on his first day.

Nok-level.

A level of Phantasm that Geum Pioneers can hunt.

The Jeongseung Snake that Bulldog Ahjussi and I nearly died catching had a slightly higher mana purity than a Cheong-level.

But that guy caught a Nok-level.

Judging by the reaction, it doesn’t seem like it was that difficult.

,That’s why the Geum Pioneers aren’t bothering to mess with him.

,There’s no point in getting involved with a Nonamed.

An opponent that even Geum Pioneers can’t guarantee victory against.

And that guy was hitting on our team members right now.

,I’m pretty strong, you know. If you join my team, you can build up achievements and quickly raise your Pioneer rank to Geum.

He said, being very smug.

Judging by his lecherous expression, it was clear he needed a pretty woman, not someone necessary as a Pioneer.

Aran-seol wasn’t even giving him a glance.

She’s gotten a lot better since meeting me, but she’s still wary of Transcenders.

Judging by her expression, she didn’t want to exchange a single word.

Horizon didn’t even open her lips.

Originally timid, she was reluctant to talk to strangers.

And finally, Barbie-yen.

,How much will you give me?

She asked for money with a nonchalant expression.

Our baby Barbie-yen has become corrupted.

,I’ll make sure you can live without working for the rest of your life.

The Japanese guy said something pretty cool.

,No. More than that, how much will you give me right now?

,I’m in an investment situation right now.

,Ha, did you think you could just yap your mouth without any money? The world isn’t that easy.

I realized anew how venomous Barbie-yen was.

No offer would work on Barbie-yen, who had become a ghost of money.

More than anything, the quick-witted Barbie-yen probably felt it instinctively.

That guy, he only cares about himself.

All the earnings will go into his own pocket.

,I don’t want to talk anymore, so please leave.

The Japanese guy’s eyebrows twitched at Barbie-yen’s cold response.

,What the hell are you babbling about? I’m not asking you, okay?

He abruptly turned his gaze away from Barbie-yen.

,Anyway, the girls next to the pretty ones always think they’re the same kind and act all high and mighty. Move, I don’t have anything more to say to you.

,W-What?

Barbie-yen was flustered by the treatment she was receiving for the first time in her life.

Compared to Aran-seol, she was also a woman with outstanding beauty.

But looks are ultimately relative.

,The only woman I want to ask is the one behind you.

The Japanese guy’s sticky gaze landed on Aran-seol.

Aran-seol seemed reluctant to even make eye contact with him.

,I’m sorry, but could you please not look over here?

,Why? Are you shy?

,No. It makes me feel bad.

The Japanese guy paused at the unexpected answer.

,And Harua, how long are you going to pretend to be an outsider? Come and sort this out.

With that, Aran-seol shot a glance at me.

I’ve been caught.

As I slowly walked out, the Japanese guy’s gaze landed on me.

It was like, ,Who the hell are you?

,Sorry, our team is full.

It’s also a well-balanced team.

It’s not a Transcender one-man show, but a team where everyone can contribute appropriately.

,You are?

,The team leader, for now.

,You’re also a Transcender. Are you Korean?

,Well, yeah. You’re Japanese.

Aran-seol subtly used me as a shield, not wanting to make any more eye contact with him.

Horizon also joined in.

Unfortunately, even when Horizon hides behind me, a large part of her sticks out.

Barbie-yen already had a face full of anger.

It was the face of someone who had received an intolerable rudeness as a noble.

,What’s your Ability?

,Is there a reason I should tell you first? You should be careful too.

,Ha, that’s only when you have a weak Ability. Saying it out loud means you can’t touch me.

He has a point.

The problem is that this world isn’t that easy.

,I’m a Dimension Devourer.

I could see the space next to him distorting slightly.

I didn’t know what was inside, but I instinctively felt it was dangerous.

It definitely felt like a good Ability.

,If you don’t want to say, that’s fine. I don’t want to make fellow Transcenders blush.

That’s a very Transcender supremacist tone.

He was treating the people of this world as mere spoils.

Is he not such a bad guy after all?

I agree that the people of this world are primitive.

Aran-seol poked me in the back.

She seemed to have read my mind.

,You were lucky to get them first.

He didn’t argue any further and readily stepped back.

He seemed to think of me as the same kind as him.

Since he has an outstanding Ability, he assumes that other Transcenders also have such Abilities.

,Everyone’s been waiting, right? Let’s go.

,Cain, am I not enough?

,I can do better.

,Ahahaha, of course, you’re more than enough.

He grinned, holding two women in his arms.

One was actively pushing her body against him, and the other was timidly grabbing only his sleeve with her small body.

,Archel, that guy has already caught a big fish.

,He’s going to get completely ripped off.

One of the two women was the famous Archel.

The beautiful woman who is the face of the Valterion Pioneer Association, and her alias is Little Viper.

She was a woman who readily parasites off capable male Pioneers.

The Japanese Transcender bastard was grinning, unaware of that.

He was pathetic in many ways.

But Archel being attached to him also meant that his Ability was certain.

Because every Pioneer she had attached herself to had achieved at least Geum Pioneer status.

That’s why Archel was a symbolic figure in the Valterion Pioneer Association.

Archel always attaches herself to men who will succeed.

It was another way to prove their worth.

,I’m so speechless, ha, I can’t stop laughing.

Barbie-yen was trembling, forcibly suppressing her anger.

,Harua, let’s go right now. We have to catch a Phantasm higher than that guy’s.

Her will is amazing.

With that much will, she’ll catch a high-grade Phantasm.

,That’s right! Let’s flatten his nose!

I actively agreed with Barbie-yen’s anger.

,Don’t unnecessarily fuel the fire.

Aran-seol gave a disapproving look, but Barbie-yen was already burning brightly.

Horizon stared blankly at the Japanese guy’s back, and when she met my eyes, she smiled timidly.

,D-Do your best!

Another entry into the 2nd World.

* * *

Another entry into the 2nd World.

Moss Flower Cave.

Today, the Regular Army was armed and inspecting not only the entrance but also beyond the 2nd World.

With incidents occurring frequently recently, the Regular Army was investing excessively in manpower.

Certainly, there’s probably never been a time when the 2nd World was as safe as it is now.

The Regular Army was probably heavily armed and gathered at the exit as well.

We were leaving the Moss Flower Cave with Horizon in the lead.

As we had heard from the clerk in advance, there was nothing more to do in the Moss Flower Cave.

,I wonder what happened to Arachne.

Barbie-yen shuddered, remembering Arachne, who was a symbol of terror that day.

,I heard the Lieutenant General stepped in personally.

A Lieutenant General-class Regular Army like Inferno.

I don’t know who stepped in, but I think they had a fierce battle with Arachne.

,With a weekly magic stone, you could have bought at least a house. I’m jealous.

,Wouldn’t it be meaningless since the Regular Army is salaried and it would just be returned to the state?

Indeed, Aran-seol is right.

They’re like pitiful wage slaves.

But I guess they would get some performance bonus.

,Ah, we’re almost out.

Just then, Horizon announced our escape from the cave.

When I followed Horizon and poked my head out, I saw the dark night sky.

To be exact, the branches that had sprung up from the ground were so dense that they filled the sky, blocking it.

The light that subtly entered through the dense branches.

A place where that looks like stars.

Outside the Moss Flower Cave.

It’s Geumeumyi Forest.