Chapter 15: Dungeon Runs and Unexpected Kindness

[Guild][Ban-yeStorage] I’m not very good at it.
[Guild][ImSoCute] It’s okay.

Playing with me would likely be either frustrating or infuriating for them.

I hesitated for a moment, but then rationalized, ‘They offered to play with me…’ and sent ImSoCute a party invite.

ImSoCute accepted the party invitation and soon arrived in front of the dungeon.

[Party][ImSoCute] Let’s go.

[You have entered ‘Dawn’s Breath’.]

Upon entering the dungeon, mystical music greeted us.

Dawn’s Breath was a dungeon with a dreamlike atmosphere. Besides the monsters, it was also tricky due to the mechanic of having to dodge thorns that suddenly appeared from the mist.

[Party][ImSoCute] Just don’t die.

ImSoCute spoke confidently and started to lead the way.

ImSoCute was a Lilith, just like Ah-ang. While not as skilled as Ban-ye, ImSoCute’s control was incomparably better than mine.

I was admiring ImSoCute’s skills and casually dealing with nearby monsters when, despite their warning, I got hit by thorns and stunned. Monsters rushed towards the immobilized Ban-yeStorage.

‘I’m going to die for sure,’ I thought, trying to chug potions anyway, when ImSoCute turned towards me.

Then, ImSoCute’s Lilith retracted her whip and lightly extended her hand.

[Nightmare]

It was a Lilith skill that caused status ailments.

Several monsters, properly hit by the skill, collapsed to the ground, and the movement of the others slowed considerably.

Soon, ImSoCute’s Lilith raised her retrieved whip and slammed it onto the ground.

[Black Rose]

Black petals flew widely, striking the monsters.

The stationary monsters were helplessly hit by the area-of-effect attack, their HP dwindling. Some monsters tried to flee, but perhaps the skill cooldown was over, as ImSoCute used [Vamp Hold] to pull them in and finish them off with the whip.

While not on Ban-ye’s level, I was reminded that ImSoCute was also quite good at Chaos Online. Probably better than that bastard Kwon Da-jung, right?

Once the stun wore off, I drank a potion and apologized to ImSoCute.

[Party][Ban-yeStorage] Sorry, sorry, my mistake;
[Party][Ban-yeStorage] I’m focused now.
[Party][ImSoCute] ? It’s nothing… It’s okay.
[Party][ImSoCute] I can cover for you, so it’s fine.
[Party][Ban-yeStorage] Thanks.
[Party][Ban-yeStorage] But you’re really good…
[Party][ImSoCute] LOL Hehe.

From then on, I tried my best not to make mistakes, but a few unavoidable ones still occurred. However, even when I apologized for my repeated mistakes, ImSoCute consistently said it was okay and brushed it off as if it were nothing.

I couldn’t help but be moved by ImSoCute’s kindness in generously overlooking my mistakes.

The best way to express gratitude is with a gift. I immediately bought [Resurrection Scrolls] with cash and sent them to ImSoCute’s account.

Then, ImSoCute typed [?] in the chat.

[Party][ImSoCute] What’s this?
[Party][Ban-yeStorage] A gift!
[Party][ImSoCute] You’re giving me 99 Resurrection Scrolls for just this?
[Party][Ban-yeStorage] Want something else?

I thought ImSoCute said “just this” because they didn’t like the [Resurrection Scrolls] and was about to offer something else, but I soon realized I had misread.

ImSoCute used the [No] emote with their character, shaking their head, and said it was fine.

[Party][ImSoCute] Thanks, but this is too big of a gift.
[Party][Ban-yeStorage] ?
[Party][ImSoCute] Wait, wait.

Then, they suddenly disappeared.

I waited alone in town, and soon, an alarm popped up indicating a gift had arrived in my cash shop. I was surprised.

Clicking on the alarm, I saw it was a gift from ImSoCute. It was a [Defense Increase Scroll], which boosted health, though I already had some.

I blinked, wondering what I had just received, and stood there blankly.

After a while, ImSoCute reappeared. It seemed they had disappeared to go to the cash shop.

[Party][ImSoCute] Sent you a Defense Scroll. Lol, let’s trade.
[Party][ImSoCute] It’ll help you die less.
[Party][Ban-yeStorage] ;;
[Party][ImSoCute] What?
[Party][ImSoCute] It’s 500 won cheaper, but I tried to match the price. Lol.
[Party][Ban-yeStorage] No, that’s not it.

“Why… to me?”

No one had ever given me a similar gift in return after I gave them one, so I was a bit confused and hesitated, unsure what to do.

ImSoCute asked me gently,

[Party][ImSoCute] Lol, have you done the Black Spire?
[Party][Ban-yeStorage] No?

The Black Spire was a two-person dungeon, and it was impossible with my DPS. And even more impossible with my control…

[TL note: DPS = Damage Per Second; refers to a character’s damage-dealing ability or role in a game.]

If they wanted to go with me, they would have to carry me. It wasn’t very time-efficient, so it was a dungeon I had never even asked Ban-ye to run.

But now, ImSoCute was suddenly suggesting we run that difficult dungeon together.

[Party][ImSoCute] Want to run it together then?
[Party][Ban-yeStorage] With me?
[Party][Ban-yeStorage] Aren’t you in a fixed party with Male3?
[Party][ImSoCute] Male3 already graduated from there.
[Party][ImSoCute] I just need about 10 more runs to graduate.

“Ah…”

My hands trembled. I was grateful they asked me to run it with them.

But…

[Party][Ban-yeStorage] But, hey, I’m really bad. Seriously.

I’m a troll.

If they go with me, they’ll just sigh a lot. We’re friendly now, but if I keep making mistakes inside, I’ll ruin the mood again.

Terrified even before we started, I kept saying I couldn’t, that it was impossible, but ImSoCute said lightly and cheerfully,

[Party][ImSoCute] No one is good from the start. Lol.
[Party][ImSoCute] Let’s go.

And so, due to ImSoCute’s persistence, we ended up going to the Black Spire.

I was so nervous I took a deep breath. And… as expected, we struggled from the very first run.

But surprisingly, I wasn’t as bad as I thought. I was a bit nervous and messed up the timing, but it wasn’t as disastrous as I had anticipated.

I wasn’t good, but at least I wasn’t terrible. ImSoCute even praised me.

[Party][ImSoCute] Why were you being so modest? Lol.
[Party][Ban-yeStorage] Ha;; I didn’t know I was this good;;
[Party][ImSoCute] LOL
[Party][ImSoCute] Did you unlock your seal?
[Party][Ban-yeStorage] Sorry, but can you not talk to me? I’m seriously trembling.
[Party][ImSoCute] Ack LOL Okay, okay.

After dying a few times, I started to get the hang of it. I could even dodge instant-kill attacks, and ImSoCute was impressed.

[Party][ImSoCute] Ooh, you dodged the big wave!
[Party][ImSoCute] You’re actually really good.
[Party][Ban-yeStorage] Am I a Black Spire prodigy?
[Party][ImSoCute] Yep.
[Party][ImSoCute] It takes exactly 5 minutes to get here with Male3.
[Party][ImSoCute] With you, it only took 7 minutes.

“Wow, amazing!”

That meant there was only a 2-minute difference compared to when ImSoCute ran it with the ranker, Male3. And this was my first time here!

That comment gave me a huge confidence boost, and I started attacking more aggressively than before. Naturally, I loosened up.

Unaware of how my hands were moving, I continued to attack without dying.

“I’m amazing, aren’t I?”

Muttering to myself, I wondered if Ban-ye felt like this all the time, and suddenly, I thought of Ban-ye again.

We cleared the Black Spire with pretty good results. I didn’t die as much as I expected.

[Guild][ImSoCute] Ah-ang is known as a Black Spire expert…

Moreover, I was thrilled that ImSoCute told the guild about our Black Spire run and hyped me up.

Of course, the guild members didn’t seem to believe it.

[Guild][HugMeRaiseMe] How much did ImSoCute get paid?
[Guild][HugMeRaiseMe] After bribing Ban-ye, now ImSoCute too?
[Guild][Ban-yeStorage] No! I was seriously a god of control just now.
[Guild][ImSoCute] Right? Ah, I should have recorded it. Too bad.
[Guild][Neda] Was it that good?
[Guild][Ban-yeStorage] Hehehe.
[Guild][ImSoCute] They were really good. Why were you all picking on them?
[Guild][HeyYam] Then you two can be a fixed party for the Spire from now on. Lol.

I was about to get a little upset knowing HeyYam was teasing ImSoCute rather than believing them, but my heart swelled when ImSoCute immediately said,

[Guild][ImSoCute] I’d love to. Lol. How about you, Ah-ang?

So I was about to shout, “Deal!” but…

[Guild][Ah-ang] Ah-ang what?

Ban-ye, who had been AFK, woke up.

I immediately rushed over to Ban-ye and greeted them.

[Guild][Ban-yeStorage] Good morning, Ban-ye!