HG Ch 12

<12>

That wasn’t the end of it.

Eunho glared at the butterfly.

“And you^[1].”

「You? This insolent brat doesn’t know his place because I’ve been too lenient with him. Have you forgotten that I’m your master? Show some respect!」

“Shut up! Master, my ass. You knew all along!”

「Knew what?」

“How long are you going to pretend you don’t know?”

Eunho, as if to prove a point, opened his profile.

[Profile] Name: MwonGaeSori Spiritual Power: 41 Class: Gunner HP: 1150/1240 MP: 900/970 Strength: 73 (+57) Agility: 69 (+61) Intelligence: 27 (+19) Defense: 36 (+43) Recovery: 29 (+22) Distributable Points: 2 Exclusive Traits: <Even If a Tiger Bites You, Stay Calm and You’ll Survive>, <Two-Faced>, <Unyielding Spirit> Passive Traits: <Beauty That Can Overthrow Nations>, <Men and Women Should Be Separated at Age Seven> Abilities: <Basic Shooting> Lv.8, <Rapid Fire> Lv.6, < Aerial Shot> Lv.4, <Tracking> Lv.3, <Ignition> Lv.3, < Keen Sense> Lv.3, <Teleportation Spell> Lv.1 Special Notes: <■■■>, <■■> Currently Active

Eunho’s gaze landed on the passive traits. He still remembered the sheer horror he felt when those damn traits were first revealed.

[SYSTEM] You have unlocked the Thread of Fate with four or more people. The passive trait <Beauty That Can Overthrow Nations> has been revealed. [SYSTEM] The <Beauty That Can Overthrow Nations> trait is now active, causing all ‘male’ players to be intensely drawn to you.   [SYSTEM] Drawing upon the accumulated resentment of various female players, the passive trait <Men and Women Should Be Separated at Age Seven> has been revealed. [SYSTEM] The <Men and Women Should Be Separated at Age Seven> trait is now active, causing all ‘female’ players to feel a strong sense of distance from you.

The more he checked his profile, the more furious he became.

“Just admit it. You knew. You knew I had these ridiculous passive skills, yet you kept pushing me to trade with other people, to form parties and to explore dungeons. You were trying to make me a damn BL protagonist!”

「Interacting with a variety of people is essential for achieving great things. Why are you so socially inept?」

“As if I can build social skills with women like this!”

「Stop obsessing over gender. It’s pathetic and completely unappealing. No wonder women despise you.」

As the butterfly mocked him, frustration surged within Eunho.

It wasn’t like he was obsessing over gender out of some perverted intent.

He was just trying to survive!

Ding!

[SYSTEM] Even when the renowned beauty Xi Shi of the Yue Kingdom furrowed her brows in pain, she was praised for her elegance. Due to the effects of the passive trait <Beauty That Can Overthrow Nations>, your jewel-like tears stir deep emotions in those who see them, awakening their sadistic instincts.

“Shoes!”

Damn system! Damn perverted eroge!

The butterfly, fluttering around, spoke as if trying to console Eunho.

「Look on the bright side. Isn’t this a land of endless possibilities? Why not embrace the experience and enjoy the affections of many? Open your heart and socialize—」

But before the butterfly could finish, Eunho raised his gun. The butterfly trembled slightly, as if flustered.

「Ah, O child. I am your master and your guide!」

Without hesitation, Eunho pulled the trigger with practiced precision.

Bang!

As soon as the shot rang out, Eunho swiftly holstered his gun and pulled out a three-barreled matchlock. His movements were fluid and precise. He deftly secured the weapon with an iron brace and lit the fuse in a single motion.  

The gunpowder ignited with a deafening roar, sending three sharp projectiles flying in rapid succession.

Kieeek!

[SYSTEM] You have gained 4,334 experience points.

Eunho had landed a perfect shot on the newly spawned Night-Glowing Ghost to his left without even looking at it. His eyes remained locked onto the butterfly.

“I said I’m not doing it. Try pushing that ‘socializing’ nonsense on me one more time. I’m already struggling just to adapt to this damn game…”

「…You don’t need to adapt anymore. Your skills are already flawless.」

“I must become even more perfect. I shall grow ever stronger. And never shall I bow to the tides of this world.”

Having spent so much time playing the role of a survivor in this game, Eunho occasionally slipped into an old-fashioned, historical drama-like tone.

The butterfly, having gained extensive knowledge through countless conversations with web novel enthusiasts, calmly corrected him.

「Snap out of it. I think that’s a different genre.」

***

From that point on, Eunho continued his relentless efforts.

Even as perverts charged at him, faces flushed just from making eye contact, Eunho kept dodging them while grinding levels and advancing the main quest.

Fueled by a singular goal to escape before the next scheduled maintenance, he kept shoveling down tarakjuk until his mouth reeked of dairy, pushing himself to the brink without rest.

But effort alone did not guarantee success.

Before long, Eunho hit a massive wall and fell into despair.

[SYSTEM] You have gained 5,521 experience points.

And when he finally came to his senses, he realized he had become a full-fledged recluse—a true hermit, a Joseon-era hikikomori.

He had holed himself up in a new dungeon, “The Gloomy Cave Behind Hwajangsa Temple’s Buddhist Altar.”

Compared to the madness outside, where his <Beauty That Can Overthrow Nations> trait made men go insane over his ‘peach-blush cheeks’ and ‘jewel-like tears,’ a life spent coexisting with dungeon monsters like the Myodusa (Cat-Headed Snake) was pure serenity.

You know, a Myodusa is basically a snake with a kitten face. They’re the perfect pet monster, combining the charm of both mammals and reptiles.

Ssscreeaaah!

A Myodusa narrowed its pupils into razor-thin slits and lunged at Eunho, baring venomous fangs from its gaping maw.

Eunho effortlessly leapt aside, dodging the attack.

It throws little tantrums, but it doesn’t actually bite. It’s just acting out because it wants attention.

Eunho landed with textbook-perfect form and aimed his gun at the Myodusa. His steady hands moved like a seasoned marksman as he fired a flawless shot and immediately prepped Ignition.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Eunho whistled.

If you coax them with kind words, they calm down.

[SYSTEM] You have gained 5,941 experience points.

Dungeons are the best.

Especially “The Gloomy Cave Behind Hwajangsa Temple’s Buddhist Altar,” where the barrier cast by the temple monks made the entrance process ridiculously complicated. Even if someone managed to get inside, the maze-like layout of the dungeon made encounters with other players rare.

Eunho loved that.

Absentmindedly shaking his gunpowder tamping rod, he let his thoughts drift.

I hate people.

More precisely, he hated the people of this world, those who, without any logical reason, either fell in love with him or loathed him. The more he got involved with them, the more he felt like he was losing himself, like he was being flattened into a mere character in a novel.

Just imagining it was horrifying.

If this was how things were going to be, then what was the point of everything he had endured until now? Why did they even let him keep his sense of self? Why did they make him go through the hell of Korea’s college entrance exams? If they were going to throw him into this mess, they should’ve at least spared him the suffering.

…I’m so sick of this.

Since he didn’t even feel pain, maybe he should just die and reset the Thread of Fate. But according to the butterfly, the main quest storyline would remain the same, and traits like <Beauty That Can Overthrow Nations> wouldn’t change either.

“Then what’s the point?”

As he chewed absently on a healing herb, the butterfly fluttered over.

「When exactly do you plan on leaving this place? The humidity here weighs down my wings.」

“Don’t act like you’re struggling, you’re just graphics. And I already told you, I’m not leaving until I hit the level cap.”

「Are you not lonely? Humans are social creatures. They need interaction to function.」

“Watch your words. My friend is right here, listening.”

Eunho gestured with his chin.

In the spot he indicated stood a tiny rock person, a little figure made of stacked stones.

The butterfly looked utterly devastated.

Then came the nagging.

「This is exactly why your mind is deteriorating, because you’ve been holed up in this unventilated cave for too long! For heaven’s sake, go outside, find a Sworn Companion, and get some fresh air!」

“No thanks.”

「I have been exceedingly tolerant of your insolence. But you—haah… You haven’t even been doing your training missions lately, have you? What is wrong with you?」

Oh-ho, so that’s the topic you’re bringing up now?

Eunho had plenty to say about that.

After all, it was that damn main quest that had made him give up on everything.

[SYSTEM] You have completed the prerequisite quest. A new main quest, “Oh, My Eternal Sworn Companion,” has begun.