Chapter 435
“Oh? A wager, you say?”
Jinhyuk’s lips curved into an intrigued smile.
“It’s nothing serious. Just a little event I’m organizing for the sake of Veteran Corporation’s camaraderie and to make your vacation more enjoyable. Ah! Of course, there are no penalties for losing. Think of it as an old man’s indulgence, wanting to see the future of this team unfold,” Rick Hennessy explained with a warm grin.
Hmmm…
The way he phrased it only made Jinhyuk more suspicious.
A sly merchant like Rick wasn’t one to do something purely for others’ benefit.
Still, there was no harm in hearing the conditions first.
“That does sound… interesting. But only if the stakes are worth sweating for,” Jinhyuk replied, folding his arms.
“Fufu. Do you think I’d make a dull wager?”
Rick waved his hand lightly toward the air.
‘Ding!’
[‘Rick Hennessy’s Special Quest’ has been activated.]
Objective: The members of Veteran Corporation will split into teams for a competition. The winning team will receive the following rewards:
– ‘Captain’s Hat’ (1 day)
– ‘Salt of the Bruhill Desert’ (1 vial)
Captain’s Hat
– Acquisition Difficulty: Administrator-exclusive
– Effect: Grants the wearer absolute command over their teammates, as long as no harm is inflicted. If ownership of the hat is shared, its authority may weaken.
Salt of the Bruhill Desert
– Acquisition Difficulty: Administrator-exclusive
– Effect: When added to any dish, this salt can transform even the worst ingredients into the finest cuisine. Coveted by high-ranking administrator Kundala, it is nearly impossible for even deities to obtain.
This… was intriguing.
While the Captain’s Hat didn’t pique Jinhyuk’s interest, the ‘Salt of the Bruhill Desert’ was a bait he couldn’t resist as a self-proclaimed gourmet.
Kundala was an elusive administrator, and tracking down their personal territory was nearly impossible, as they constantly moved.
Despite having tasted nearly every ingredient in the Tower, this particular salt was among the rare few he hadn’t been able to acquire.
“Does this reward catch your interest, Player Kang Jinhyuk?”
Catch his interest?
The thought of sprinkling that salt over rainbow shrimp… just imagining it made Jinhyuk salivate.
“Let’s do it,” Jinhyuk said without hesitation, gripping Rick’s hand firmly.
—
The peaceful vacation took an unexpected turn as Rick’s proposed event added a significant twist.
The stakes were irresistible.
[You have 30 minutes to choose your teammates.]
[This is the crucial phase for determining team captains and balance.]
[Remaining Time: 0h: 29m: 59s]
The timer began counting down.
Everyone fell silent, lost in thought.
– “If I get the Captain’s Hat, I can finally make that damn old hand bow down to me!”
Chun Yoosung hurled his medical textbook across the beach.
Right now, studying bone anatomy or antibiotics wasn’t the priority.
Winning the hat was.
– “If I get the hat, I can bind my contractor, have meals with him, and watch the sunset at a romantic villa… kyaaa!”
Alice, lost in her daydreams, began to bleed from her nose, overwhelmed by her own fantasies.
– “Is this my chance to finally teach Master a lesson?”
– “Maybe a pool filled with piranhas?”
– “No, forcing him to eat mint chocolate through his nose might be better.”
– “24 hours isn’t enough to repay him for everything.”
– “Quiet, all of you. My head hurts,” muttered the spirits.
Everyone seemed to have their own reasons for wanting the hat.
The previously warm and friendly atmosphere was now tense, filled with greed and ambition.
“We should split into teams first,” Chun Yoosung said, breaking the silence.
“True. But will this even be fair? Everyone’s going to want to be on my team…” Jinhyuk muttered, scratching his chin.
For team games, balance was crucial. If one side was overwhelmingly strong, it wouldn’t even count as a competition.
Sure, Chun Yoosung might grumble, but Alice and Goguma were bound to stick with Jinhyuk.
Not to mention, the spirits, T-Bone, and even the Blue Dragon owed him their lives. They would naturally gravitate toward him.
Teresa and Wolyoung? It was obvious who they’d choose.
This wasn’t even a contest—it was already decided before it began.
Or so Jinhyuk thought…
“Huh?”
Something felt off.
Why was no one standing by his side?
Instead, everyone was gathered around Chun Yoosung.
Even Alice, Goguma, and the spirits.
“What… what’s going on? Why are you all over there?”
Jinhyuk’s voice cracked slightly.
“This is the will of the people. Let’s call it… a rebellion against tyranny,” Chun Yoosung said smugly.
“What? After everything I’ve done for you, Goguma? Have you already forgotten the time we spent together?”
“Mogi?” Goguma tilted its head.
“Don’t bother. Goguma said it’s tired of your tyranny. Isn’t that right, Goguma? Here, have a mana stone,” Chun Yoosung said, handing Goguma a glowing blue gem.
‘Crunch. Munch.’
The betrayal was complete.
“Damn that Sword Saint,” Jinhyuk cursed under his breath, watching his allies turn against him.
“Goguma, are you really going to let something trivial like that ruin what we have? Is that all we mean to each other?”
“Mogi?”
“Don’t give me that innocent look like you don’t know what’s going on! Fine, fine. If you join my team, I’ll get you the hottest ancient-species snack set from the coin exchange. You know the one—nutritious mana stones covered in a special sauce?”
The very snack set Jinhyuk once ridiculed as something only suckers would buy had now become his last bargaining chip.
“M-Mogi!”
At last, Goguma scampered back to Jinhyuk’s side.
It wasn’t much, but at least he’d secured one ally—well, one creature.
But there was still a long way to go.
[Time has expired.]
It wasn’t until the full 30 minutes had passed that the team selection was finally complete.
Jinhyuk looked at the only two standing by him: Goguma and Wolyoung.
Bribery, persuasion, and even threats had failed to sway anyone else.
Due to everyone’s individual interests and personal grudges, Chun Yoosung’s ‘Team Justice Enforcement’ held a crushing advantage.
Meanwhile, Jinhyuk’s ‘Forgive and Forget Team’ was shaping up to be anything but forgettable—in the worst way possible.
“Ahahaha! This is almost pitiful. Do your best, the three of you, if you can!” Chun Yoosung laughed heartily, his confidence swelling as memories of past grievances surfaced.
“Oh, by the way, if any of the events take place in water, don’t worry about ruining your clothes. I’ve prepared a special outfit for you.”
“Outfit? What outfit?”
Jinhyuk asked, but Chun Yoosung only repeated himself cryptically.
“You’ll be wearing it for the next 24 hours. I had it flown in directly from France, so don’t worry about the quality.”
“…!?”
A chill ran down Jinhyuk’s spine, and cold sweat trickled down his back.
He didn’t know why, but he suddenly had a very strong feeling that losing this wager was not an option.
The first event began shortly after.
[Beach Volleyball]
As the name suggested, it was a game played on the sandy beach.
Typically, this was a cheerful activity involving laughter and youthful energy.
But here, it was anything but.
Everyone was playing as if their lives depended on it.
‘Buzz… BOOM!’
With a burst of flames, Chun Yoosung spiked the ball down hard.
It was fast—but…
Jinhyuk activated ‘Sword Demon’s Phantom Step,’ instantly catching the ball mid-flight.
‘Swoosh.’
“Haap!”
Wolyoung followed up with a perfectly timed toss.
“Mooooogi!”
Goguma launched itself into the air, spinning 720 degrees, and struck the ball with its tail.
The spin added incredible force, propelling the ball toward the opposing court.
But then…
“Not so fast!”
Alice activated her bloodline magic, intercepting the ball mid-air.
Swirling droplets of blood coalesced, sending the ball soaring high.
“Stupid Saintess!”
“I’ll handle this!”
‘Woooong!’
The ‘Blessing of the Stars’ imbued itself into the ball—not just a small boost, but the power of an entire meteor shower concentrated into a single sphere.
Wait. That’s way too much.
This wasn’t just hard to catch—being near it could cause everything nearby to disintegrate.
“I’ve always wanted to become a captain. I have dreams, too, you know,” Teresa said resolutely.
Sure, but does your dream involve annihilating your crew?
“For that, I’ll do whatever it takes. Didn’t you once tell me to live for myself, Jinhyuk?”
Okay, yes, but I didn’t mean for you to completely lose your mind.
And why was she on the same side as Alice in the first place?
“Teresa, wait…”
Jinhyuk tried to stop her, but it was too late.
The blinding light streaked across the court.
‘BOOM!’
On the opposite side, a massive golden cross materialized, marking its devastating impact.
—
At the same time, elsewhere in the Tower…
“Of all places, why did we have to come here? It’s unbearably hot,” grumbled Thor, his massive frame and bulging muscles glistening with sweat as he held Mjölnir.
The other gods nearby finally broke their silence.
“It can’t be helped. We’re the ones who need to make a request,” said Loki, the God of Mischief.
“Are you sure this is the right place? I don’t see even a single ant,” added Baldur, the God of Light.
“We followed the coordinates exactly as given,” replied Heimdall, the gatekeeper of Asgard.
The remnants of Asgard, who had lost Yggdrasil to Olympus and been forced to wander the Tower’s floors, had finally arrived at the ‘Oasis.’
Chased relentlessly by Hermes and Olympus’s forces, they were exhausted from repeatedly descending the Tower to evade their pursuers.
Even so, they were tense, knowing that the Ragnarok gods serving as decoys were still being hunted elsewhere.
Yet, despite all the hardships, no one was here at the Oasis to greet them.
“Could we have been deceived?”
“Impossible. That human spoke directly to us. There must be a reason—or perhaps we need to make more noise to draw their attention,” Thor said to Loki.
As they continued their discussion…
‘Koooom!’
The entire Oasis began to quake violently.