Contrary to what I had feared, the party hunting proceeded without any major interference.
On the first day, we hunted nonstop for four hours without any trouble, and it seemed the party members were quite satisfied with one another.
When it was suggested that we gather again the next day, no one objected.
—
Thus, the second day came.
Now that we had grown familiar with each other’s faces, we became noticeably friendlier.
Once again, idle chatter was initiated by the bard Sansa.
—
The initial topic was about item setups, but gradually, the conversation started turning toward me.
—
The fighter ‘Hundoshimania’ asked,
A member of this party from the Conqueror Guild—despite his nickname, he seemed like a rather cheerful uncle—but there was something uncomfortable about his appearance, as if it explained his nickname.
—
“Ah, Miss Gawol, how do you use that chain scythe? I saw it for the first time yesterday and asked a friend about it, but they said it wasn’t exactly made to be used, right?”
“It becomes manageable once you get used to it. Practice makes perfect.”
“Ah… I see.”
—
The fighter nodded.
Though his question didn’t seem to be fully resolved, there was no further inquiry.
—
Indeed, the chain scythe is a tricky weapon to handle.
Since it’s a flexible weapon like a nunchaku or a whip—it’s harder to learn and demands a high level of proficiency.
And the chain scythe that I use is arguably one of the hardest among these to master.
If this was reality, I wouldn’t have dared to attempt it.
—
However, this is just a game.
With some practice and system assistance, I was able to handle it to a decent degree.
Though, to be honest, I wouldn’t call it my main weapon. But in the higher levels where opponents are beyond comprehension, I’ve found some utility in it.
—
The advantage is its range.
Among melee classes, it’s arguably the best.
—
It’s incredibly convenient for herding mobs.
If I were to avoid using it, I’d have to throw weapons, which cost money to replenish.
Once you start letting them escape, it doesn’t come easily. It’s better to economize where you can.
—
“But do you regularly go on party hunts like this, Miss Gawol?”
“Not very often. Only when the opportunity arises.”
“Ah, I see. I participate frequently, but I’ve never seen you before. Must be my luck this time.”
“Luck… well, I wouldn’t say that, but I’m glad you think so.”
—
Sansa’s subtle flattery, aiming to make me feel good.
Even if it’s just empty praise, it’s still gratifying.
Isn’t it a happy outcome if the intent works?
—
While enjoying smooth hunting with my number one fan,
Finally, the inevitable arrived.
—
[ Dongmicham has started a live broadcast! ]
—
Except for the warrior and bard who were civilians, the others spoke less.
In particular, a private message arrived from the sniper, the party leader.
—
[ Private Message to ‘Torch of Destruction’ ]
– Sister, Dongmicham has started a broadcast.
– I checked immediately, but they seem to still be a bit far.
– However, considering the direction, they seem to be heading our way.
– They aren’t making any attempts to hide.
—
It appeared the fighter was also communicating with someone.
Though no voice was audible, his lips were moving.
As I was at the front of the party, I could see this, but I assumed the other members couldn’t from their positions, making it a well-coordinated effort.
—
I turned on Dongmicham’s broadcast first.
Leaving the unappealing screen in the corner of my interface, I adjusted it so only Torch of Destruction could hear my voice.
Only then could I raise the point that had been bothering me.
—
“Call me ‘brother,’ not ‘sister’—it feels awkward.”
– ???
– Why?
“If I don’t like it, you should know. After this job, we’ll be strangers anyway—do you really want to see me often?”
– Understood.
—
His response came a bit late.
Though he didn’t seem fully convinced, that was unimportant.
—
I know how I appear to others.
Just by looking in a mirror, I can see a delicate face. Due to an outdated, unscanned connection device, my figure as Gawol is in perfect sync with my real body.
I wasn’t sturdy enough to insist I was a man despite this physical appearance.
After forgetting to use the voice filter, I stopped trying to hide my actual gender.
—
But accepting it mentally is an entirely different matter.
My mind still felt the discord.
It wasn’t a particularly pleasant discord.
—
To fall in love with a woman’s body…
a great deal of time will be needed.
—
“What about the fighter uncle—are we just going to let him take the first hit? Right? We have to start off by playing along.”
– If Hundoshi dies, it’ll be over immediately. The higher-ups will place a bet and finish this.
– If the civilians die, we’ll retaliate depending on the opposing force; if it seems risky, we’ll run immediately.
—
A vague situation emerged.
For the justification to hold, we need to appear as the victims first.
Even the loss of a single party member could justify us complaining the hunt was disrupted.
—
The issue lies in not knowing who will die.
As long as it wasn’t me or Torch, it seemed like things wouldn’t spiral out of control.
—
I can’t die no matter what.
I’ve become accustomed to enduring some degree of pain, but discomfort is still discomfort.
If I just stand there taking hits to provide justification, a four-hour disconnection penalty would be the least of my concerns.
—
– What do you plan to do, Miss Gawol?
“If the situation calls for it. Let me say beforehand—I intend to retaliate immediately if I’m targeted first.”
– Alright. If a fight breaks out, that won’t be bad either.
– Given your reactions, it’s not too unusual.
—
My setup leans towards dealing damage, so I don’t need to change equipment much.
But the fighter and sniper might tell a different story.
Once the battle begins and casualties appear, I’ll need to buy us some time.
—
Chainsickles aren’t practical in chaotic fights.
After switching to a dagger and hiding a spare weapon under my clothes, the bard noticed the switch and asked innocently,
“Hmm? You’re not using the chain scythe anymore?”
“I forgot to repair it—the durability is almost gone. I’ll fix it next break.”
“Hehe. So even Miss Gawol is human, huh?”
—
There will be no breaks, but still…
I hope Sansa doesn’t die.
—
*
—
[Title: Short Bug Hunt]
[‘Dongmicham’ is broadcasting live.]
—
The broadcast showcased a lush forest rapidly passing by.
Around the time the ruins appeared, Dongmicham quickly scanned the surroundings.
—
No other enemies were in sight.
If this continued, they’d soon reach the ancient weapon depot, where today’s hunting targets awaited.
—
To make killing the sniper easier, they brought two assassins.
Since they were confident in the front line, they also had a wizard for ranged combat and a high priest to support them.
The sniper, who excels in long-range attacks, wouldn’t stand a chance.
—
Just in case, they prepared an extra party.
—
– Dongha
– You rarely broadcast. What’s up?
– Where are you going?
—
“Exactly as the broadcast title says. I’m going to hunt a bug. I’ll explain what happened later.”
—
Streamer Dongmicham.
Game nickname: Dongtan Beauty Hunter.
—
Recently, he had many reasons to be angry.
His once well-treated younger brother betrayed him as soon as his military service ended. The broadcast he had nurtured with care was in decline. His aggressive concept wasn’t working anymore despite his early efforts.
—
It was understandable.
—
Specialized in hunting and taking screenshots of female characters!
Although his initial manic actions drew attention, such popularity never lasts long.
Without long-term content, his broadcast was bound to fade quickly.
—
“…And how dare this guy ‘Torch of Destruction’ betray me? Sure, I waited for him until his service ended, but then he betrayed me. And why take the guild item? Isn’t he really irritating?”
—
Amid these frustrations, Dongmicham caught a decent opportunity.
Now that there was justification for punishing the traitor, they could act aggressively without much backlash.
Through the fog of greed and anger, he spotted the party hunting nearby.
—
Though Dongmicham wasn’t particularly liked by the public, he had considerable experience in strategic battles.
After quickly assessing Torch’s party, he made his estimations.
—
The fighter had both nickname and guild hidden.
The assassin had only their nickname concealed; not affiliated with any guild.
The sniper was the one to target—he was well-known.
The other two? Both their nicknames and guild didn’t matter much.
—
“Brother, something’s off about that fighter.”
“I know. Avoid him for now, and don’t kill the assassin just yet. I’ll take out the bard first; you focus on the warrior.”
—
The old trick.
Dongmicham’s mind was racing.
—
Why would someone, who should be tucked away in a safe spot, come out carelessly for hunting? The answer was simple—there was something about that fighter.
If SSA had something significant up their sleeve, so did he.
—
Betrayals always lead to death.
The fighter might protest, but by replacing the members of his side with ours, it would be fine.
Thus, there wouldn’t be any complaints about disrupting their hunt.
—
“Huh? Who’s suddenly…?”
—
Dongmicham swiftly grabbed the bard’s head.
With his massive body, he easily enclosed the halfling’s skull in one hand.
—
The rest was waiting for the skill animation.
Once the “Grab” succeeded, the predetermined combination moves proceeded automatically.
Dongmicham’s only task was to execute follow-up combos while taking screenshots.
—
– Wow, Dongmicham has upgraded a lot!
– This setup is tearing the bard apart.
– Are the screenshots on the forums? Hurry!
—
The chat window was jubilant.
Dongmicham went wild, responding to the crowd.
—
A muscular male character cruelly slammed the halfling.
Sansa’s health bar drained rapidly, but it wasn’t enough—Dongmicham struck again, more fiercely this time.
Finally, he drove an axe into the flattened bard’s chest to finish him off.
—
An added shout completed the act.
—
“Eliminate the bug already! If you’re here, brother, find a seat and clear out. Right?”
—
Now the enemy had lost their supporter.
The warrior was also reportedly taken down. A rational enemy would likely choose to retreat at this point.
But something odd appeared on Dongmicham’s screen.
—
[Unbeknownst Adventurer has slain Shinodohimishunter.]
—
It was strange. That guy shouldn’t have fallen so easily.
When he turned to look back, the assassin was already charging toward the priest.
For some reason, with an expression full of rage—no, so cold that it felt like a winter storm had descended.
—
“What… what is that? Stop it!”
—
