The hope I didn't even know was building up in my chest suddenly came crashing down. Why I had come here without any gear, I don't know. What I do know though, is that I don't have any gear, in a place that requires you to have gear to go and, kill shit.
I look at Seok who had asked where my gear was, and sheepishly reply, "I don't have any."
"That's alright, just tell me what you need and I'll go grab it."
His words send a shock to me. Why was I expecting him to tell me to mess off? "I... I use a Wodao and any type of armor."
He nods his head in acknowledgement and tells me, "I'll go grab those for you. Might be back in thirty minutes, spend that time learning more about your squad mates."
And then he disappears. Like, once he was done saying that, he turns invisible or something. I turn my head left and right, looking for him. My... squad mates, that's weird to say, find this hilarious.
The two women are laughing the hardest while the Mage has a slight chuckle. I ask them, "Wait, why are you laughing?"
Fighter lady answers first, "Don't worry about us. You're not the first one he's done that to and it's funny every time. We're not laughing at you, we're laughing at how everyone has the same reaction. Don't worry."
The cleric adds something on, "It's even funnier when it's obvious that Seok tried his best to disappear too."
Finally, the Mage speaks, "It does give me a chuckle."
I too start to chuckle. Upon seeing this, Seung puts and arm around my shoulder and says, rather enthusiastically, "Yeah! That's the spirit!" before she realizes something and pulls her arm off.
She then says, "I don't think you know all of our names yet. My name is Lee Seung," she grabs the cleric, "This is my sister, Lee Iseul." "Hi."
Seung then grabs the Mage who seems less than pleased at the sudden skin-ship, "And this is Seong-Jin, the Mage. As I've said before, great guy once you get past his complex."
He holds his nose high, "MY 'Complex', is anything but. It's quite simple actually."
"You are unbearable to be around sometimes, you know that?"
"I do try my hardest."
They both start laughing while I'm off at the sidelines with... Iseul? I turn to her and ask, "So what do we actually do?"
Iseul was probably staring off into space because she suddenly shakes her head and asks, "What?"
I ask her again, "What do we do?"
"Oh, we usually just go into a Labyrinth, clear it out, grab the monster cores, and come back. Simple if not always easy."
I nod in understanding, "So, is there anytime the... Labyrinthing(?) went wrong?"
Once those words leave my mouth, I immediately regret it. Iseul's eyes become hollow and her expression one of pain. I quickly backtrack, apologizing, "I'm sorry, very sorry I asked, i-ignore my question."
Her eyes gain their life again and she shakes her head, saying, "No, you should know what you're getting into."
She then moves her neck gaiter, garter, thing around the neck, out of the way to show a horrific scar on her neck. It hadn't completely healed so there was still stitching in it which made it look even more, visceral. It went from her left collarbone up to right behind her left ear. Just looking at it is enough to feel queasy, and I have my own shoulder one. Upon seeing my reaction, she quickly covers the scar.
I apologize while bowing, "I'm so sorry for asking."
She shakes her head, "Don't be sorry. You should know what you're getting into. This cut, it was from an Orc's axe. The only reason I survived is that I had already prepared Heal Wounds."
I'm blown away at what happened. She somehow survived an Axe, to the Neck. I then think of how to progress the conversation when it comes to me, "I also got a scar from fighting! Scar buddies!"
My attempts at a joke seems to cheer her up and she smiles, radiantly. Honestly, I hadn't been really noticing their faces for some reason. Her smile dispels any thought or notion I had before.
Emerald Green eyes coupled with long, raven-black wavy hair and some of the smoothest skin I've ever seen. I feel like a criminal for not even noticing her beauty.
"It'd be no fair for you to show something you'd wish not to, and not me." with that said, I shift my T-Shirt's collar to show the scar in all its horrifying glory. Mine also started at the collar bone, but instead of gong to the neck, it crosses through the trapezius, that's right; through the trapezius and onto my shoulder blade.
"Honestly, I'm survived I'm alived..." My face becomes aghast, "What did I just say?"
My tongue twisting action makes Iseul chuckle again. Luckily it didn't break the flow.
"Sorry, let me try that again. Honestly, I'm surprised, I, survived. That was harder to say than it should've been."
Now I hear chuckling to the left of me. Turning, I see Seung and Seong-Jin laughing at my fervent effort to say things correctly. I too join in and we all start laughing.
After all laughing for a little bit, Iseul asks in a quiet voice, "How did you get that scar, if you mind me asking?"
I smile with pure confidence while saying in my most convicted voice, "I tripped down the stairs."
My confident smile, the perfect pose, and the pure absurdity of my statement, causes everyone to stay silent. That is, until Iseul start laughing. This causes the dam to break we're all laughing now.
This one goes on even longer and I think Iseul actually has to sit down to keep from falling. After a solid three minutes, three whole minutes of laughing, we all calm down.
"Nah, not actually. Fought a Red-Skinn, somehow took it out, but not before it gave me this."
They stop laughing and give me a look of concern. I don't like the emotions in their looks. To dispel it, I say, "Did any of you watch... I think it's called Blood Sport? On um, actually just two weeks ago I was on it."
Seung and Iseul shake their heads while Seong-Jin nods. The two women look at him to which he explains, "I need to learn all I can so that I can do better. I'm quite surprised that you don't watch it, Seung."
She retorts with flushed cheeks, "I don't like seeing people bleed and almost die for no reason."
Seong-Jin simply laugh and combs his blond hair back, "So what even was yours, person?"
I give him a perplexed look before saying, "I was the kid to fought the Red-Skinn and almost died. Also, my name is Choehabu."
"Well you never told us so I needed something to call you. Anyways..."
The Mage ponders for a minute while we wait before he's about to say, "Sorry, I don't... Oooh Wait, I remember you. Good heavens that was you?"
I nod my head.
"Good lord, that was most barbaric fight I've seen in that arena. TO THink, you would resort to mauling the Red-Skinn, a move I'm pretty sure no one else has thought of."
I'm blindsided by his apparent respect. I ask him, "Wait, what huh? I'm so-sorry for asking, but aren't you supposed to be narci-arrogant, I mean arrogant?"
"No, I'm not arrogant, why would you think that? I simply appreciate myself for how good I truly am. These fools," he says while gesturing to Seung and Iseul, "would make you believe such a falsity. To think-"
"Hey, I'm back."
The sudden intrusion of someone in the middle of us causes a scream from all of us, even Seong-Jin. Seung acts first and donks the guy.
He drops whatever was in his hands and holds his head, "That was unnecessary, Seung!"
"Humph, don't go scaring people like that."
I sigh out deeply before looking at the man's feet. There's some brown leathery armor and a long, single edged, two handed sword, my Wodao. I grab the sword's sheath and hold it like a kid who just got ice-cream at the mall, which is to say, ecstatically.
After gazing at my sword for a while, I realize that my squad mates exist, and that I haven't said thank you.
I bow down deeply before saying, "Thank you so much, Seok."
He doesn't move or react in anyway. I start to feel nervous until I'm suddenly thrusted into a group hug by everyone who's shouting, "ONE OF US, ONE OF US, ONE OF US!"
I'm bewildered at fist, but choose join in. Thus start my career as a hunter.