The F-Rank Guild Master Has Too Much Money Chapter 60

 

 

I deflected the blade aimed at the back of my neck, redirecting it smoothly as I swung toward Yeon Do-jin’s waist. By the time his form vanished and reappeared behind me, I had already reversed my grip and thrust my sword backward.

 

“Oh-ho.”

 

“Not really the time to be impressed, is it?” I said.

 

The clash of our swords echoed through the forest.

 

“Not using your ability?”

 

“Doesn’t feel like I need to.”

 

At my provocation, Yeon Do-jin gave a faint smirk and extended his free hand. The sound of air tearing open made me spring back instinctively—he now held a whip.

 

“Now this should make things interesting.”

 

“Hmm… not really.”

 

Yeon Do-jin and the living whip attacked in tandem. Dodging the whip that tried to coil around me, I swung my sword at him.

 

☆ Watch Out! has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

Your feet!

 

Yeon Do-jin vanished with spatial movement, leaving a void exactly where my foot was about to land.

 

☆ Oh, Come On! has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

Stop backseating the sparring match!!

 

☆ Anyway~ has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

Does Aether even have time to read this? The attacks are nonstop!

 

‘That spot…’

 

If I stepped there, I’d get teleported right in front of him. Instead, I summoned wind beneath me and created a transparent platform in midair. Seeing me step onto empty air, Yeon Do-jin smiled—as if expecting it—and charged again. Our blades collided again and again while the whip lashed at me relentlessly.

 

‘This won’t do.’

 

I reached out with my hand and bound the incoming whip with a gust of wind.

 

‘One down.’

 

Then I unleashed a violent burst of wind toward Yeon Do-jin. His shirt thrashed wildly, but he didn’t budge—he simply closed the distance in a blink and swung. I blocked the strike aimed at my neck.

 

“Still holding back?”

 

“What?”

 

“Feels like you’ve got more up your sleeve.”

 

“Then try and pull it out of me.”

 

I shoved him back with all my strength, forcing him a step away.

 

☆ Aether has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

So full of bluff. Acting like he has more when it’s just wind~

 

☆ But has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

Wind is OP though. If Aether fought seriously, Yeon Do-jin would be dust by now.

 

“Well then, I guess I’ll—” Yeon Do-jin began.

 

At that moment, the sky went dark. Night fell in an instant. Just as I tensed, a bolt of lightning ripped downward.

 

“Lightning?”

 

I glanced at Yeon Do-jin, wondering if he caused it—but he looked just as confused, eyes wide. The bolt had struck the ground right in front of the mansion. As the tree blackened, he frowned.

 

“…Why lightning all of a sudden?”

 

‘No way. Those gods again?!’

 

As if reading my mind, pop-ups appeared, the gods frantically defending themselves.

 

☆ Worried You’d Misunderstand has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

We swear—it wasn’t us.

 

☆ That’s Right! has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

Seriously, not us! We’re just here for the sparring match!

 

☆ We Don’t Have That Kind of Power has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

We can only mess with dungeons! We can’t touch the world itself!

 

—BEEP BEEP—

 

A piercing alarm echoed through the forest. It was Yeon Do-jin’s phone. He pulled it out, checked the screen, and his expression stiffened.

 

“What is it?”

 

Seeing him fully absorbed in the message instead of attacking, I crept closer to peek. An emergency alert filled the screen.

 

“A monster wave?”

 

“Krrrk.”

 

At that moment, an unnatural sound came from the forest. When I slowly turned my head, I saw a monster drooling as it lumbered toward us.

 

“A goblin?”

 

“No. An orc.”

 

The sky brightened again, revealing everything once hidden in the shadows. Behind the endless orc swarm stood a hulking troll—taller than the surrounding trees.

 

A memory from before my regression surfaced. But this wasn’t supposed to happen for another three years, not today—this was the start of an S-rank Monster Wave.

 

* * *

 

I slashed through the monsters rushing in. True to its rank, the S-Class Monster Wave was relentless—wave after wave of monsters, suffocating in their numbers.

 

Unlike a normal dungeon outbreak, a Monster Wave resets after the monsters are wiped out, triggering another wave—with a different boss every time.

 

☆ So This Is a Monster Wave has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

Now this is fun! Endless mobs, nonstop combat! This is a real adventure!

 

☆ My Hero has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

Watching you fight is better than fighting myself.ㅠㅠ So exciting! A masterpiece!

 

☆ On Your Right! has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

Watch out—more incoming! Yes yes! Slaughter them like that!

 

“Mr. Yeon Do-jin, did you call for reinforcements?!”

 

I fought with everything I had—every ounce of strength—while Yeon Do-jin casually swung his sword and whip. Even fighting lazily, he killed just as many as I did. My lips jutted out on their own.

 

“For something like this, I don’t really think we need reinforcements…”

 

“You might be SS-rank, but I’m an F-rank, remember?!”

 

I snapped as I cut down an incoming orc.

 

“You’re doing fine, though.”

 

“Don’t praise me—call reinforcements!”

 

“Hm.”

 

After shaking the green blood off his blade, he finally pulled out his phone.

 

“…Not sure if anyone will actually come.”

 

“You HAVE guild members!”

 

I yelled while slicing an orc attempting to jump him.

 

“Do we really need them?”

 

“If you don’t call reinforcements right now, I’m ditching you and running.”

 

☆ Nooo! has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

Don’t leave. Let me keep enjoying this interesting scene.

 

☆ Seriously So Cool has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

It’d be even better if Yeon Do-jin wasn’t here! I love watching Aether struggle.

 

Gritting my teeth at the comments, I shot back, and Yeon Do-jin let out a low laugh as he raised the phone to his ear.

 

“It’s me.”

 

His laid-back voice didn’t match the merciless way he carved through an orc.

 

“A monster wave broke out here.”

 

Whatever the person on the other end said seemed to amuse him, because he burst into laughter.

 

“So you’re saying you’re not coming?”

 

The moment he paused his sword swing, three orcs lunged at him like they’d been waiting for that chance.

 

“Oh, come on!!”

 

I shouted, slicing through the orcs with a gust of wind.

 

“Yeah, here it is,” he said casually.

 

“Stop fooling around, Mr. Yeon Do-jin!”

 

At my yelling, he simply resumed swinging his sword.

 

“Krrrk!! Kugh!”

 

☆ Even If You Kill Them, They Keep Coming has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

There’s no end. Are they trying to overwhelm you by sheer numbers?

 

☆ Today’s Tip has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

It’s even more fun if you watch while eating popcorn.

 

☆ But Why Aether has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

Why aren’t you using your power? One shot and this would all be over.

 

Why?

Because if I use my power, my insides flip again, and that always ends in absolute disaster.

 

‘Ugh… even thinking about it sucks.’

 

“Yeah. Then come on over.”

 

“Reinforcements are coming?”

 

Yeon Do-jin slipped his phone into his pocket and raised one hand. A black portal tore open in the blue sky, and someone descended from above.

 

“Where’s Yeon-woo?”

 

It was Emelyn Kiyo—dressed in blue heart-patterned pajama pants and a plain T-shirt, as if she’d been dragged out of bed.

 

“Miss Kiyo?”

 

The moment she arrived, she glanced around, spotted me, and smiled brightly.

 

“You’re still calling me Miss Kiyo?”

 

I opened my mouth to answer; an orc chose that exact second to swing at her back.

 

“Behind you—!”

 

In an instant, the orc exploded into flames.

 

☆ So Badass has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

She’s insanely cool. She killed it without even looking.

 

☆ She Has a Fanclub has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

I hear people are fighting to claim her soul.

 

☆ Me Too has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

If I join the fanclub, can I join the fight?

 

Staring at the orc reduced to ash without leaving a trace, I looked at Emelyn Kiyo. She flashed a smile so wide it hid her blue eyes entirely and said,

 

“I’ll protect you, Yeon-woo.”

 

Then she dashed forward, and every monster in range erupted into flames in an instant.

 

“Wow.”

 

“Seems like I picked the perfect day,” she said.

 

There wasn’t even time for me to swing—any orc that approached was already burning. Somehow, her fire didn’t even spread to the trees. In a forest filled with burning stench and orc screams, Emelyn Kiyo tore through the monsters with a bright, excited smile—clearly having the time of her life.

 

“Are you just going to watch?”

 

At Yeon Do-jin’s words, I shook my head and rushed toward the remaining orcs. After I cut down the ones fleeing from her flames—having quickly learned that getting near her meant instant death—only two trolls were left.

 

“Yeon Do-jin can handle those. Yeon-woo and I are taking a break.”

 

Emelyn Kiyo suddenly appeared beside me and grabbed my hand.

 

“Trolls are S-rank. Taking them alone is—” I began.

 

“He’ll be fine. He’s been slacking off this whole time anyway. Don’t tell me he’s out of stamina?”

 

Interrupted mid-sentence, Yeon Do-jin clicked his tongue and charged the trolls with both sword and whip.

 

“Don’t worry. He might not look like it, but he’s SS-rank.”

 

“I mean… I wasn’t worried.”

 

“By the way, when are you going to call me Kiyo?”

 

“That’s not really the important—”

 

“It is important to me. Call me Kiyo. Please?”

 

Two trolls lumbered toward Yeon Do-jin, their sharp claws swinging—each strike looked strong enough to tear a person apart.

 

“Yeon-woo, you should be looking at me.”

 

Emelyn Kiyo cupped my face with both hands, forcing my gaze toward her. She beamed.

 

“It feels nice, seeing your face up close like this.”

 

“No, wait—”

 

“Call me Kiyo and I’ll let go. I’m fine like this.”

 

Fine my ass!!

 

Behind me, loud crashes echoed through the forest along with the trolls’ pained screams. I tried to glance back, but Yeon Do-jin was nowhere in sight. Panic shot through me.

 

“No, we need to help Yeon Do—”

 

“Not Yeon Do-jin. Kiyo!”

 

“Alright! Kiyo! Kiyo! Happy now?!”

 

The moment I shouted her name, the corners of Kiyo’s eyes reddened.

 

“Yeah. I love it.”

 

I froze when I noticed tears welling in her blue eyes, but before I could react, a thunderous crash shook the forest.

 

I shoved Kiyo’s hands away and turned. The massive trolls had vanished, and only Yeon Do-jin stood at the center of the clearing.

 

“I told you. No need to worry.”

 

Kiyo’s face was bright and cheerful again, as if she hadn’t cried a moment ago.

 

“Well, time to get ready for the second wave.”

 

I nodded automatically. As she stretched, saying she needed to warm up before the next monsters arrived, something caught my eye—her bare feet.

 

“Barefoot?”

 

“Yeah. I came straight from home.”

 

Her pale feet were covered in small cuts from the grass and dirt. I sighed, took off my sneakers, and knelt to lift her foot.

 

“Yeon-woo?”

 

I couldn’t heal the wounds, but I brushed off the dirt and slipped my sneaker onto her foot, tightening the laces.

 

☆ What’s With That Pose?! has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

Isn’t that the classic prince-charming shoe-fitting pose?!

 

☆ Nooo!! has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

Aether!! Not like that! Only do that to ME!!!

 

☆ OMG has donated 100 Mana Stones. ☆

I’m so jealous. Why am I not Emelyn Kiyo? If I run around barefoot in a field, will Aether put shoes on me too? ㅠㅠ

 

Just like Choi Tae-hyuk once did, I pressed the toe area and checked the space in the back. A little big, but not enough to hinder movement. I looked up at Emelyn Kiyo.

 

“Is that better?”

 

I expected her usual excitement, but Emelyn Kiyo’s expression had gone rigid.

 

“Kiyo?”

 

“…Yeah.”

 

“Does it hurt? What’s wrong?”

 

“No, it’s nothing. Thanks for the shoes.”

 

Her strained smile made me pause—then the ground shook beneath us.

 

“The second wave is starting.”