LG Chapter 55

Chapter 55

Side Story 3: Record Tower

The season event, which had lasted for about two months, had ended, leaving a gap of about a week before the next event was announced. Since Kyungsoo had already exchanged all the event items in less than a week, he had been feeling uninterested in everything lately.

[Party] MeowieMeowMeow: There’s nothing to do…

[Party] Sunset: ㅇㅅㅇ…!

[Party] Ji9star: Why do you look like you’re about to cause trouble?

[Party] Neutaaaa: LOL, Meowie, don’t go causing chaos just because you’re bored hehe…

[Party] ParkRoach: LOLLL no way~~

‘Yeah, no way.’

[Party] MeowieMeowMeow: Don’t.

[Party] Sunset: Gasp, okay.

[Party] Seolyeong: haha…ha Guild leader, were you planning something?

[Party] Sunset: Haha.

[Party] Rexu: …haha

[Party] SpadeQueen: So consistent~ ^-^!

It seemed there had been a chance he was planning something. Kyungsoo was glad he had spoken up in advance. As usual, he was leading an 8-person party through the Milky Way dungeon, but before long, he began chanting about his boredom again. There was nothing to spend his money on, and every time he thought of running a newbie dungeon, Sunset would inevitably follow him, preventing him from actually helping anyone.

[Party] Rexu: Ah… Then how about trying the Record Tower? Let’s get our names on the leaderboard!

The Record Tower was a party-based monster tower consisting of 1,000 floors. The names of those who cleared the floors the fastest were recorded on the leaderboard, which was displayed at every 100-floor interval. Though it was mostly a meaningless record, to a bored Kyungsoo, it sounded like a fantastic idea.

[Party] Sunset: LOL, who would even—

[Party] MeowieMeowMeow: Great! I’m done with exams, so I can go 24 hours straight!!!!

[Party] Sunset: Awesome idea, haha. Good monster ㅇㅅㅇ!

[Party] SpadeQueen: Good monster, LOLLL.

[Party] Rexu: What’s with the sudden enthusiasm?

[Party] Seolyeong: Good monster bb

[Party] Ji9star: Good monster~

[Party] ParkRoach: Good monster

[Party] Neutaaaa: LOL good mob!

[Party] MeowieMeowMeow: Haha, good, good bb

[Party] Rexu: T_T

—

Poseidon had recently recruited new guild members, and Rexu was one of them. Whenever Kyungsoo hung out with the new members, Sunset couldn’t stay still. He would bombard them with questions as if conducting interviews. After getting bored of that, Sunset had recently developed a new hobby.

[Guild] Rexu: Meowie…T^T Sunset is at it again TT He’s tormenting me T.T

[Guild] MeowieMeowMeow: Again? LOL

[Guild] Rexu: T^T

Hearing Rexu’s plea, Kyungsoo teleported to Isis, where he spotted Rexu standing near the warp point, with Sunset hovering above him. Though towns were safe zones where player attacks didn’t work, Sunset was spamming the Time Bomb skill, following Rexu around.

[Global] Sunset: Thought he was a mob LOL

[Global] Rexu: No, I’m not! T_T

Honestly, Kyungsoo had to admit it was funny. Rexu, with his green skin and giant race traits making him larger and more muscular than average, looked intimidating but was surprisingly gentle. The blush on his cheeks was a unique charm point. He had customized his character this way to give off a dominant presence—an appearance that would indeed be shocking if seen at dawn.

As soon as Kyungsoo appeared, Sunset gracefully descended and used a cutesy emote, as if he had never been tormenting Rexu.

[Global] MeowieMeowMeow: The way you call for help has gotten creative.

[Global] Sunset: This is the only way to get you here! T^T

[Global] MeowieMeowMeow: Hey, stop bothering Rexu.

[Global] Rexu: Yeah!

[Global] Sunset: Whose side are you on, huh? ㅇㅅㅇ

[Global] Rexu: Mine! LOL

[Global] MeowieMeowMeow: Monsters have feelings too!

Saying that, Kyungsoo stood protectively in front of Rexu. Truthfully, Kyungsoo also found it fun to tease Rexu, so he wasn’t entirely innocent either. He was actually glad Sunset had shifted his attention to someone else for once.

[Global] Rexu: …?

[Global] Ji9star: LOL, this is hilarious.

[Global] Neutaaaa: LOLLLL

[Global] Sunset: Okay, I’ll remember that monsters have feelings…

[Global] Rexu: (⁠｡⁠ŏ⁠﹏⁠ŏ⁠)

Kyungsoo had been called for help, but instead joined Sunset in teasing Rexu, causing Rexu to wail even louder. Despite the constant teasing, Rexu remained consistent, always reacting the same way.

[Guild] Ji9star: [Breaking News] Meowie teacher’s wise words today: “Monsters… have feelings too!” T_T Netizens moved, calling it inspiring…

[Guild] al0ha: LOLLLL

[Guild] HalloweenEggplant: Meowie strikes again, LOL

[Guild] PoseidonLeader: Oh no… Poor Rexu TT

[Guild] ParkRoach: Uh, no one called him “Rexu-nim” though?

[Guild] Rexu: ㅡㅡ

[Guild] Ji9star: Guild leader causing damage again haha

[Guild] Neutaaaa: Wow, guild leader, that’s harsh…

[Guild] PoseidonLeader: Ah… wow… I’m sorry.

[Guild] Rexu: Shit TT

[Guild] ParkRoach: LOLLL

[Guild] HalloweenEggplant: He’s learning to swear now, LOL. Whose fault is this?

[Guild] Ji9star: This was a collective achievement.

Among the new guild members, Rexu’s playtime often overlapped with Kyungsoo’s, and since he was already max level, they frequently partied together.

Today, as suggested by Rexu, they planned to take on the Record Tower. If they were doing it anyway, why not aim for the top record? With the same Milky Way party, Kyungsoo eagerly teleported to the Record Tower and was the first to jump into the portal.

In fact, this was Kyungsoo’s first time conquering a tower. There was no real merit in climbing the tower other than having one’s name displayed on the scoreboard. However, after seeing his name engraved on the scoreboard outside the building, his mind changed.

It seemed cool to have the same name on all ten vertically aligned scoreboards. It felt as though he had conquered the entire map.

The scoreboards were placed every 100 floors, with a total of 10 as the tower extended up to the 1000th floor. As he gradually replaced the names starting from the lower levels, he began to figure out how to conquer the tower efficiently in a short period.

After six hours, they had changed all nine scoreboards to display their names and decided to take a one-hour break. Kyungsoo stepped outside the tower, smiling with satisfaction as he confirmed the unified scoreboards.

[Guild] HalloweenEggplant: Why is it so quiet today? What’s everyone doing?

[Guild] Rexu: We’re doing the Record Tower!

[Guild] HalloweenEggplant: ? Need help?

[Guild] Rexu: Ah, thank you for offering, but… our party is already full TT

[Guild] Ji9star: The vice-guild master isn’t needed hah Don’t interfere.

[Guild] HalloweenEggplant: ?

—‘Ji9star has been demoted to a regular guild member.’

It was starting again. Recently, HalloweenEggplant had been playing around with ranks less often, but clearly, old habits died hard.

[Guild] Ji9star: Gasp! I’m sorry!!! Vice-guild master, you’re the best! If you were here, we’d have cleared it ages ago TT Why can’t we have 9-person parties TT Sob… this game sucks! ㅡㅡ ♡Love you, HalloweenEggplant♡

[Guild] HalloweenEggplant: Should’ve just said that earlier, haha.

—‘Ji9star has been promoted to an elite guild member.’

After a tearful appeal, Ji9star managed to regain his rank.

[Guild] MeowieMeowMeow: Hahahahahahaha

[Guild] Ji9star: ㅡㅡ

[Guild] HalloweenEggplant: Ji9star… where’s your gratitude?

[Guild] Ji9star: Thx;

[Guild] HalloweenEggplant: Haha, I’m just too soft-hearted. Right, Ji9star?

[Guild] Ji9star: Ah, yes;

[Party] Rexu: Lol, isn’t our vice-guild master kinda a bully…?

[Party] Neutaaaa: Yeah.

It was a relief HalloweenEggplant couldn’t see the party chat. Otherwise, Rexu’s rank would’ve surely dropped too.

[Party] Seolyeong: What? How is he a bully?

[Party] SpadeQueen: Why? Did Poseidon’s vice-guild master start his “sunset tactics” again?

[Party] Seolyeong: Sunset tactics? Hahahahahaha

[Party] Ji9star: Yeah…TT One day, I’ll get my revenge.

Since Melody, from another guild, couldn’t see their guild chat, Ji9star explained it and silently vowed revenge—though it was an empty promise.

[Party] SpadeQueen: Ooh, revenge.

[Party] Neutaaaa: It’s been three years, and he still hasn’t done it. Ignore him, lol.

[Party] Seolyeong: Ah… lol, that’s just like us.

Ji9star wandered the lobby, swinging his weapon wildly. His movement speed was still unnervingly fast, yet he remained unsatisfied. It was hard to imagine how fast he wanted to get before finally stopping his speed grind.

[Guild] HalloweenEggplant: Haha, I think I’m kinda perfect. Right, Ji9star?

[Guild] Ji9star: Yeah.

[Party] Rexu: Poor Ji9star TT

[Party] MeowieMeowMeow: For real, lol.

[Guild] PoseidonLeader: What’s going on? I just went to the bathroom and came back to this nonsense.

[Guild] HalloweenEggplant: I was just… thinking there’s nothing I’m lacking.

[Guild] PoseidonLeader: ??

[Guild] HalloweenEggplant: I mean, really, is there anything I’m missing? Lol.

At those words, Kyungsoo thought about everything HalloweenEggplant lacked—personality, skill, friends, money, luck, and so on. Eventually, he chose one thing to point out.

[Guild] MeowieMeowMeow: Hair?

Because HalloweenEggplant was still bald.

[Guild] HalloweenEggplant: …

[Guild] PoseidonLeader: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Guild] HalloweenEggplant: Stop laughing…TT

[Guild] MeowieMeowMeow: Hahahahahaha

[Guild] Neutaaaa: Hair, lol.

[Guild] Ji9star: Uh… yeah…

[Guild] Neutaaaa: Wait, what was that?

[Guild] Ji9star: A gloomy bald guy, lol.

[Guild] PoseidonLeader: LOL, a bald dude sulking, hahaha!

[Guild] Rexu: Lol… (Am I allowed to laugh…?)

[Guild] HalloweenEggplant: Hey, I’m fine with being bald… TT

[Guild] ParkRoach: Uh…

[Guild] Honeymoon: Hahahahahahahaha

Thankfully, since the guild master PoseidonLeader laughed first, no one was punished with a rank adjustment.

The promised hour was up. Seven of them were present, except for one person still sitting on the ground.

[Party] Neutaaaa: Sunset is late.

[Party] Seolyeong: What the heck? Kill the latecomer!

[Party] SpadeQueen: Agreed.

[Party] Rexu: Lol, but Sunset’s the only one late, though.

[Party] Seolyeong: ? I know. Kill the latecomer!ㅇ_ㅇ

[Party] Rexu: Hahaha, wait, was that on purpose?

[Party] Neutaaaa: Hahahaha.

Seolyeong and SpadeQueen were swinging their weapons dramatically over Sunset’s head, clearly putting some emotion into it.

[Party] Sunset: I’m here, guys. What are you doing to me? Lol.

As soon as he stood up, the two players from Melody’s guild jumped back like startled fleas.

[Party] MeowieMeowMeow: Why were you so late?

[Party] Sunset: (Whisper) I was… showering.ㅇ//ㅅ/ㅇ!!

“…”

[Party] Rexu: What the heck? Lol.

[Party] Seolyeong: Shower? Why’s your face red? Ewww!

[Party] Neutaaaa: Chill, this isn’t some R-rated joke, right? This is a 12+ game! Though we aren’t 12 anymore…

[Party] SpadeQueen: DM that kind of stuff, seriously.

[Party] Sunset: ㅇㅅㅇ??

[Party] Ji9star: Playing dumb? Lol.

[Party] Sunset: Lol, you guys are too sensitive… Don’t you shower?

It wasn’t just showering—adding the whisper beforehand made it sound weird. Soon after, another message popped up in the couple’s chat.