Chapter 20

Han Youngwoong, who had slept on a folding cot just in case something happened before they moved rooms, heard good news from the doctor the next day.

“We can now schedule Miss Yeri’s surgery.”

An incurable disease wasn’t called incurable for no reason.

Until now, there had been no cure, so the only option had been to prolong her life with medication, but he was told that a few rare cases of full recovery had recently appeared overseas.

“If you agree to receive treatment at our hospital and cooperate with our research, the hospital can cover the cost of overseas transport and the surgery. The problem is that she will need to take uninsured medication for two years.”

The hospital’s complicated situation was explained in difficult terms.

But it could be summed up in one sentence.

“The medication will cost 270,000 won a day.”

“……”

Put that way, it was easy to understand.

“Of course, just because there have been cases of full recovery doesn’t mean there is a 100% guarantee that she will be cured…”

“Do it.”

He didn’t listen to the doctor’s caution.

He was lucky.

One week.

If he had heard this before starting Fantasia, he would have agonized over it, faced with the practical reality.

Even her current monthly medication and hospital bills were already a burden, enough to drive him into choosing the absurd last resort of a game.

Paying nearly 8 million won more every month wasn’t something sheer determination could solve.

But now, it was possible.

Or at least, it might be.

“Understood. We’ll set a surgery date as soon as possible and contact you.”

He didn’t tell Han Yeri, who was lying in the hospital bed, just yet.

It wouldn’t be too late once the surgery date was confirmed and things were more certain.

“Haa.”

Even though he had enough money in his bank account for a month or two, his heart only felt heavier.

‘This isn’t the time to be dreaming about a happy Fantasia life.’

Of course, earning more money was part of the answer, but he felt he couldn’t afford to grow complacent or satisfied with where he was now.

“Yeri. If you need anything, just text me. I’ll ask Auntie to bring it.”

“Okay. No, it’s fine, Oppa. I’m okay. Don’t push yourself too hard either…!”

A life being changed by Luck.

But reality had not been overturned yet.

Faced with that cold, harsh reality, Han Youngwoong pushed aside his desire to stay at the hospital a little longer and headed for the capsule room.

===

“I have to make money. I have to make a lot of it.”

He couldn’t be satisfied with the few pennies he had earned.

He had to create a situation where Han Yeri could rest easy through a treatment with no end in sight.

The moment he logged in, he took out the box he had been saving.

[Class Weapon Box (Heroic)]

[Opening the box will grant a Heroic-grade weapon suitable for the owner’s Class.]

“Sell it.”

Han Youngwoong had no use for another weapon.

He already possessed the Hammer of Fortune, a Unique-grade hammer, the highest grade in Fantasia, so opening a Heroic-grade weapon box for personal use would be a waste.

On top of that, the box itself was tradable.

“How much should I sell it for?”

It was a Heroic-grade weapon.

A grade that had never appeared even once on the Exchange or Fantasia Life.

And since it would produce a weapon of the buyer’s choosing, its value would be far higher than that of an ordinary Heroic-grade weapon.

‘I should probably have someone appraise its market value first.’

The first person who came to mind was the one who needed it most.

The user he was always indebted to.

A person he had never met face-to-face, yet who was so friendly and likable.

How much would she pay for it this time?

While he was lost in such shameless thoughts, he heard voices not too far away.

“Hey, little lady. All by yourself?”

“……”

“Want to have some fun with us ahjussis? No one passes through here, so it’s nice and quiet. Or if you’ve got money, you can hand that over instead.”

It wasn’t close, but it wasn’t far either.

When was the last time he had heard human voices in the swamp?

He cautiously headed toward the sound.

It wasn’t that he was deliberately looking for danger, but since he had to keep hunting in the swamp, he needed to know what kind of people they were so he could run if necessary.

“No.”

“If you say no, then we’ll just kill you and take it.”

There, he saw the corpse of a Lizardman and a familiar pretty girl surrounded by four men.

‘Is she in danger?’

If it was dangerous, he had to run.

Even if Sword God died, she would revive. If Han Youngwoong died, his character would be deleted.

But thinking of the brief connection they shared, he found it hard to simply turn around and walk away.

For some reason, she reminded him of his younger sister, Han Yeri.

Their age, their build, even their pretty faces were similar.

So even though he knew it was a foolish decision, he couldn’t ignore it.

“Wait!”

“……?”

“What the?”

In the tense atmosphere right before a fight broke out, everyone’s gaze turned toward Han Youngwoong at the sudden shout.

A little burdened by their stares, he quickly walked toward the surrounded Sword God and shouted,

“Sword God. There you are! I told you to wait up ahead. Have you been waiting long? I’m hungry, let’s go.”

“……”

“……”

He had blurted it out on impulse, but the excuse he came up with on the spot didn’t seem to have any effect.

“What’s this?”

“Her boyfriend?”

“What’s with the shabby clothes?”

“Hey, hey, it’s that guy. The one who got the first clear.”

The thugs blocked his path as he tried to naturally lead Sword God away.

Their intentions were obvious from the way they brandished their sharply honed blades.

“Will he be okay?”

“What can he even do? Four against one?”

“Be careful. Getting hit by that Boing Hammer looked painful.”

He was troubled by the fact that they showed no sign of stepping aside even though they knew who Han Youngwoong was.

Naturally, he had never fought other people before.

He didn’t even feel confident against one person, let alone four.

On the other hand, desire was already beginning to glint in his opponents’ eyes.

“His gear looks good.”

“I want that Title.”

“There’s a rumor that the Boing Hammer is high-grade.”

‘We’ll kill you and take your stuff.’

Their blatant greed made his skin crawl.

He felt disgust.

The unpleasant feeling of being prey.

But there was also the fear of whether he could actually win.

Then something whipped past him from behind and severed the arm of the thug blocking his way.

“……?”

“Ah?”

“You crazy bitch!”

As if she were simply cutting down an obstacle in her way, Sword God’s emotionless slash cleanly took the thug’s arm off.

At the same time, he could feel others lunging from the side and from behind.

‘These guys, this isn’t their first time.’

Even if it was a game and not reality, most people would normally run away or panic when injured.

But these men charged in without hesitation, intent on revenge.

At this rate, not only Sword God, but Han Youngwoong too would be in danger.

He gripped his Boing Hammer and stepped forward.

Whoosh-

As he suddenly pushed in and swung the Boing Hammer, he saw the panic on another thug’s face.

‘Please, trigger.’

This was his first and last chance.

If they learned the truth behind the Boing Hammer, that beneath the flashy reputation of the first clear it only had +1 Attack Power, then the outnumbering thugs would lose all fear and rush both him and Sword God at once.

Boing!

The Boing Hammer struck the thug’s arm, which he had reflexively raised.

A heavy impact.

And an awkward meeting of eyes.

“…What? That doesn’t even hurt.”

It wasn’t that nothing had happened.

Paaat-!

Golden Light burst forth.

[Lucky Chance!]

[Buff Effect Activated!]

[Agility increases by 24 for 25 seconds.]

“You’re a fucking weakling.”

The thug grinned like a victor.

But the one smiling on this side was the same.

Han Youngwoong wasn’t the only one who had charged in.

“Hey! Watch out for the one next to—!”

The thug whose arm had been cut off and who was now weaponless shouted at his comrade.

But Sword God’s sword pierced the heart of the thug blocking Han Youngwoong’s Boing Hammer before the warning could finish.

Stab!

“Ugh! What kind of Damage is that?!”

Although it was a game, Fantasia’s virtual reality had weak points implemented.

The heart and the neck.

“Fuck. To a worn-out iron sword…!”

Leaving behind those final words, he collapsed as his Health plunged from the massive Damage.

At the same time, Sword God yanked out her blood-soaked sword, finished off the thug with the severed arm, and even blocked the attacks of the two rushing at her from behind.

“What is she?”

“Her Agility must be insane.”

“……”

‘Should I not have stepped in?’

Her expression didn’t change at all, as if she had simply produced the obvious result.

No, if anything, her face seemed slightly flushed.

As though fascinated by her own movements, she tapped her feet against the ground, then rushed at the remaining two without a word.

“Shit…!”

“Block her! I’ll hit her from behind!”

The thugs, clearly PKers, were desperate too.

Two of them were already dead.

The fear that they would die as well if this continued was obvious in their voices.

The situation still didn’t look bad for them.

Two against one.

Their calculation was simple. If one attacked from behind, even Sword God would have trouble.

Unfortunately for them, in their haste, they focused only on Sword God right in front of them.

Han Youngwoong could clearly see the back of the thug’s head as he moved behind the charging Sword God.

He didn’t think it was exactly fair, but his hand rose on its own and lifted the Boing Hammer.

The back of that head was just too perfectly exposed.

The lightly swung Boing Hammer reached the thug’s head before he could attack Sword God.

Boing!

Kwang-!

This time, accompanied by a satisfying explosive sound, the PKer slammed face-first into the ground and didn’t twitch again.

He didn’t even bother checking on the last one.

Sword God was already looking his way with a hint of disappointment in her eyes.

“That one was mine…”

“Ah. Sorry.”

There wasn’t the slightest trace of fear on her face.

He scratched his head awkwardly, feeling like his help might not have been needed after all.

“Thank you.”

“…It’s nothing. It didn’t seem like you needed much help anyway.”

It felt like something he had just said yesterday.

But Sword God shook her head.

“I won because of the Buff.”

“Yes…”

He nodded at her firm acknowledgement of his contribution.

Then came an awkward silence.

Perhaps because neither of them had particularly bright personalities, the conversation didn’t continue.

Still, Han Youngwoong, who felt a strange sisterly connection to Sword God, tried to keep it going.

“Why aren’t these people disappearing?”

The corpses of dead Monsters disappeared after leaving behind loot.

He had heard users were the same, but the bodies had remained there for around five minutes, so he walked over.

There was no need to wonder.

He was in a game where he could search for information instantly.

– ‘I caught a PKer. If you kill those bastards, search the body. If you’re lucky, you might pick something up. I got 1 Gold and sold it right away.’

A post from a user named ‘Assassin’ vaguely came back to him.

It was about looting the corpse of a user killed in a PK and stealing items depending on your Luck.

“Ah!”

He approached the nearest corpse.

As he crouched down and rummaged through the clothes, he felt a sharp stare on the back of his head.

It was clearly a look asking what he thought he was doing.

But he paid no mind to Sword God’s stare.

[You search the murderer’s corpse.]

[A good feeling!]

[You have found the murderer’s belongings.]

“Oh!”

It actually worked.

The reason the corpses hadn’t disappeared was to give players time to search the murderers’ bodies.

[Acquired 42 Silver 55 Copper]

[Acquired Well-Sharpened Silver Dagger (High)]

[Acquired Alligator Leather Gloves (High)]

“…Wow!”

A genuine exclamation escaped him.

The gifts left behind when the corpse vanished were better than he had expected.

He immediately moved to the next body.

[You search the murderer’s corpse.]

[A very good feeling!]

[You have found the murderer’s belongings.]

The speed at which he rummaged through the clothes quickened.

“How thoughtful of them, giving me a gift right when I’ve got a mountain of expenses coming up.”

Even when the temple handed over 1 Gold as a Quest reward, he knew perfectly well how hard it was to earn that himself.

So these golden goblins carrying around 42 Silver each naturally brought a smile to his face.

“Ah!”

Suddenly wondering if he had been looting the bodies a bit too shamelessly, he raised his head and looked at Sword God.

Carefully, he suggested to her, since she was watching with a curious expression.

“You should search too. They drop money.”

“……”

A gaze filled with incomprehension, impossible to read.

But then, with quiet steps, Sword God approached, crouched down beside him, and began rummaging through the clothes as well.

(T/N: Hmmm, I hope the author can explain how the shared buff/healing works. He is not even in a party with Sword God but she got the buff and the healing. And if “ally” means any human or “hero” in the vicinity then the PK players should also get the buff, right?)