I stared at the newbie, too dumbfounded to even speak, while he kept chattering without a break.
[World] Ilhwiilbi: Why aren’t you answering?
[World] Ilhwiilbi: Do you help everyone like this
[World] Ilhwiilbi: ???
[World] TodayIsSunday: What now
[World] Ilhwiilbi: Do you help other people too?
Just reading the chat was loud. Why did he talk so much?
‘This… feels bad.’
I had a bad feeling I’d gotten tangled up with a complete lunatic. Was the infighter who’d been beating him up earlier unable to tolerate this nonsense either? Did I just butt into something for no reason?
I suddenly felt deeply sorry for the infighter I’d smacked into disappearing. I should’ve at least heard his side first before stepping in. Come back, JinhaeMilitaryEagleCaptain…….
[World] Ilhwiilbi: This is the 6th time I’m asking right now
[World] Ilhwiilbi: Can’t you answer me?
[World] TodayIsSunday: No you may not
[World] TodayIsSunday: Get lost
Ignoring people like this was the best strategy.
I went back to my original reason for coming here and started killing monsters, but the newbie kept tailing right behind me.
[World] Ilhwiilbi: Why not?
[World] Ilhwiilbi: It’s not that hard of a question to answer is it
[World] Ilhwiilbi: I’m just curious as the one who got helped
[World] TodayIsSunday: lol;
[World] TodayIsSunday: Stop saying weird stuff and go where you were going
[World] Ilhwiilbi: Then help me run a dungeon
[World] TodayIsSunday: ?
[World] TodayIsSunday: You want me to help you run a dungeon?
[World] Ilhwiilbi: Yup
“…….”
Feeling a headache slowly coming on, I took a deep breath.
Hold it in. Swinging my weapon here would just put me on the same level as that infighter from before. Just because our newbie friend here was a little shameless didn’t mean I could just beat him on sight.
[World] TodayIsSunday: Why should I help you
[World] TodayIsSunday: run your dungeon...Haha
[World] Ilhwiilbi: You could help
[World] Ilhwiilbi: I’m a newbie?
[World] TodayIsSunday: So what if you’re a newbie
[World] Ilhwiilbi: Veteran players usually like helping newbies though
[World] Ilhwiilbi: I don’t even have any friends so leveling is really hard
[World] Ilhwiilbi: Can’t you help me?
[World] TodayIsSunday: What kind of newbie asks like this LOLOL
[World] Ilhwiilbi: Then how do other newbies ask?
Why did he have so many questions? Should I just switch channels?
[World] TodayIsSunday: I don’t know either but probably not like this haha
[World] Ilhwiilbi: Can’t you just help me?
[World] TodayIsSunday: No you may not, get lost
The nonstop-chattering newbie suddenly went quiet. For a moment I thought it had finally gotten through to him.
Then—
[World] Ilhwiilbi: Then
[World] Ilhwiilbi: Can I join your guild?
[World] TodayIsSunday: ?;;
[World] TodayIsSunday: Wait, you mean my guild?
[World] Ilhwiilbi: Yup
That was where I finally burst out laughing. So this was what it felt like when something was so absurd it just made you laugh.
[World] TodayIsSunday: LOOLLLL
[World] TodayIsSunday: Why the hell would you suddenly join my guild LOLOLOLOL
[World] Ilhwiilbi: It’s the number one guild right now
[World] Ilhwiilbi: And I fell for you after seeing you help me
[World] TodayIsSunday: LMAO
This was genuinely the first time in my life I’d heard such a ridiculous request.
Even among all the countless weirdos I’d met while gaming, none of them had ever been like this. In every sense, this guy was incredible.
[World] Ilhwiilbi: I’m serious though
[World] Ilhwiilbi: Is it not okay?
Fuck, could he stop with that “Is it not okay?” already?
[World] TodayIsSunday: Like that’d ever happen LMAO
[World] Ilhwiilbi: Why not?
[World] Ilhwiilbi: Because I’m a newbie?
A minute ago he was making a fuss over why I helped him, and now he was making a fuss about getting invited into the guild. Having achieved total enlightenment, I typed calmly in complete resignation.
[World] TodayIsSunday: I don’t even know what kind of person you are, how would I invite you
[World] Ilhwiilbi: Isn’t that how people normally join guilds
[World] Ilhwiilbi: You get to know each other after joining
[World] Ilhwiilbi: This is my main account and I’m going to work really hard
[World] Ilhwiilbi: You don’t even need to worry about me quitting
[World] TodayIsSunday: Great, sounds nice, work hard then
While the newbie kept yapping beside me, I finished hunting monsters and before I knew it I’d gathered all 20 of the essence items I needed.
With the channel transfer window already open in advance, I cheerfully sent my final goodbye.
[World] TodayIsSunday: I’m off then, enjoy the game or don’t
The moment I sent the message, I switched channels immediately.
The short loading ended, and when the screen came back, only my character was standing there alone without the newbie.
Ah, that felt refreshing.
Still, thanks to him, killing monsters hadn’t been boring. Sincerely wishing for that insane newbie’s future to be as turbulent as possible, I left Ensher Forest.
***
The next day, after finishing a raid with the guild members for the first time in a while, our vice guild master Maha called out to me with an oddly uneasy vibe.
[Guild] Maha: Sunday
[Guild] Maha: Did you go around telling people we were recruiting by any chance?
[Guild] TodayIsSunday: ??
[Guild] Ryupe: Huh
[Guild] rxrx78: We got a new recruit?
[Guild] TodayIsSunday: Nope never did that
[Guild] Maha: Some guy added me just now
[Guild] Maha: Says he wants to join the guild?
[Guild] Maha: Says he knows you
[Guild] TodayIsSunday: ????
[Guild] Maha: I told him I’d check first and get back to him
[Guild] TodayIsSunday: What’s the nickname
[Guild] Maha: Ilhwiilbi
“You crazy little…….”
The curse slipped out reflexively the instant I saw the nickname. Maha’s chat instantly dragged yesterday’s nightmare back to the surface.
That insane newbie had actually gone and sent a friend request to the vice guild master while using my name.
I was so dumbfounded I nearly blacked out.
How could a person be that deranged? At this point he deserved applause.
[Guild] TodayIsSunday: We absolutely do NOT know each other
[Guild] TodayIsSunday: He’s insane so don’t engage just tell him to get lost
[Guild] Maha: ?
[Guild] Maha: Why what happened
[Guild] MovieIsSoSo: What’s going on?
[Guild] sky004: Who is it?
[Guild] Yeoyeorang: Who’s Ilhwiilbi?
[Guild] TodayIsSunday: Some newbie I met yesterday
[Guild] TodayIsSunday: He was getting beaten in PvP so I helped him
[Guild] TodayIsSunday: Then he kept making a scene asking to join the guild
It felt a little weird talking behind someone’s back… but I had to explain, so it couldn’t be helped.
[Guild] TodayIsSunday: Reject him
[Guild] TodayIsSunday: Reject and unfriend him
[Guild] Maha: ;; okay
[Guild] MovieIsSoSo: Sunday helped him and this is how he repays it?
[Guild] GoodWeather: Huh?!
[Guild] GoodWeather: You really got caught by a proper freak
[Guild] Ryupe: Where’s his conscience?
[Guild] rxrx78: Way too many weirdos these days
[Guild] rxrx78: Gotta be careful T_T
[Guild] IOnlyHave6000Won: agreed
[Guild] Maha: Rejected him
[Guild] Maha: Told him it was the guild master rejecting him, not me, then unfriended him lol
[Guild] Ryupe: You actually relayed that too LMAOO
[Guild] Maha: You said he was a total psycho
[Guild] Maha: I don’t wanna get involved bye
[Guild] TodayIsSunday: F*ck
[Guild] Yeoyeorang: Genius LMAOOO
[Guild] MovieIsSoSo: LMAOO
I was furious at the vice guild master’s total lack of loyalty, but it was already done.
Still, at least there was no one left for that newbie to harass.
That was what I thought in relief—
right then.
[Server] Ilhwiilbi: TodayIsSunday <- 10,000 gold by mail to anyone who tells me this person’s current location pls report haha
“……?”
The red server-wide megaphone message at the top of the screen made me doubt my own eyes.
‘Wait.’
TodayIsSunday?
That’s me.
[Guild] IOnlyHave6000Won: ???
[Guild] rxrx78: Wait what
[Guild] GoodWeather: Did my eyes glitch what did I just see
[Guild] Maha: LMAOOO
[Guild] Maha: Hey he’s looking for you LOOOLLLL
[Guild] Yeoyeorang: Wait is that our guild master???
[Guild] Ryupe: 😯😯😯😯
[Guild] TurnTheLightsOn: Wow that’s a genuine psycho fr;
[Guild] sky004: Holy shit he actually used server chat for it LOLOLOL
“Ha, fuck…….”
Unable to process this unimaginable situation, I clutched my head with both hands.
Did that bastard have some blood feud with me in a previous life or something? Or was this some alt account of someone I’d completely wrecked in the past coming back for revenge?
Considering I hadn’t exactly lived the cleanest gaming life, both were totally possible.
[Server] MovieIsSoSo: Sunday is in front of the Bell of Lament raid entrance^^~
[Server] Ilhwiilbi: Thank you, sent the mail^^
[Guild] Yeoyeorang: You lunatic LMAO
[Guild] sky004: Damn, too slow
[Guild] GoodWeather: Ahhh I was gonna do it!!!
[Guild] Maha: LMAO
[Guild] rxrx78: The whole guild is leaking the guild master’s location;;
Meanwhile, the guild members were having the time of their lives because it wasn’t happening to them.
Feeling the stiffness in the back of my neck, I slammed at the keyboard. Under my violent typing, it rattled like it might break apart at any second.
[Guild] TodayIsSunday: Do you all seriously wanna die? **
[Guild] Maha: Ah this is so fucking funny LMAOO
[Guild] Yeoyeorang: LMAOOO
[Guild] Ryupe: At this point it’s totally valid if Sunday beats the hell out of him LOLOLOL
[Guild] MovieIsSoSo: I’m sorry Sunday....
[Guild] MovieIsSoSo: But you know I’ve been broke lately
[Guild] MovieIsSoSo: Holy shit guys 😯😯😯😯 the mail actually came 😯😯😯😯
[Guild] MovieIsSoSo: Jackpot~~!!
[Guild] TodayIsSunday: You little bastard
[Guild] MovieIsSoSo: Easy 10k gold niiice
[Guild] Yeoyeorang: Niiice
[Guild] sky004: So jealous T_T
[Guild] IOnlyHave6000Won: That 10k gold should’ve been mineㅡㅡ
I seriously didn’t know if these bastards were really my guild members. Every chance they got, they were scheming to stab their guild master in the back. What kind of guild was this?
“Whew…….”
Forcing my pounding, furious heart to calm down, I sent a trade request to MovieIsSoSo’s character standing beside me.
[Guild] TodayIsSunday: Fine whatever
[Guild] TodayIsSunday: Hand over any spare megaphones
[Guild] MovieIsSoSo: Since I made 10k thanks to you I can definitely spare at least that much
After extorting a megaphone from MovieIsSoSo, I immediately hit use.
‘You dare play money games with me?’
And as a newbie, no less?
I’d show him what real money-throwing looked like.
Smiling viciously, I used the megaphone.
[Server] TodayIsSunday: Kill this player Ilhwiilbi and send proof of the kill log, I’ll immediately mail 20,000 gold. Multiple kills = multiple payments
[Server] TodayIsSunday: Screenshot the kill log and upload proof to the forums ^^