Chick 324
by Cristae324
“This child’s father.”
At his calm words, Groo shrank her shoulders in surprise.
“O-On Joorim…?”
Jang Donghyeok stammered at the realization.
“What do you think you’re doing!”
On Suhyeong, carrying chicken in both hands, shouted loudly as he rushed over.
But the man didn’t care and made to slap Jang Donghyeok again, only for On Suhyeong to intervene and stop him.
“Enough! Stop this at once!”
“Chairman On!”
Jang Donghyeok, both cheeks puffy and flushed, protested tearfully.
“This man—who is he? Is he an employee? Fire him! If not, my family won’t let this pass!”
“What on earth happened for your face to end up like this…?”
The man picked up Groo, covering her ears, and said,
“This troublemaker hit my child and called her ‘rootless,’ so I thought I’d plant some roots for him.”
Jang Donghyeok flinched, gritting his teeth.
“I only meant it as a figure of speech! That doesn’t mean you can just—”
Smack!
Before he could finish, Jang Donghyeok’s head snapped back again.
This time, it was On Suhyeong who had raised his hand.
“Well done. That’s right—if someone lacks roots, you just plant them.”
Momentarily agitated, On Suhyeong quickly regained his composure, straightening his clothes.
“Secretary Kim. Do you know who this man is?”
“There’s no need. Those are Director Choi Chunho’s aides, aren’t they?”
On Ijo lifted his cap slightly.
At that, several people who had been anxiously monitoring the situation nearby stood up from their seats.
They’d tried to keep their identities concealed, but now it was clear On Ijo already knew. The defeat was plain on their faces.
“I trust you’ll handle this well. You know what to do.”
He tapped the brim of his hat.
He was telling them not to force him to reveal his identity here—to take care of things quietly.
Director Choi Chunho’s aides hurriedly ran over and began dragging Jang Donghyeok and his party out.
“What is this?!”
“Hey! Who does that guy think he is? Do you know who I am?!”
“We’ll handle matters on our side.”
The aide bowed deeply and led Jang Donghyeok and his group out of the stadium.
“Now we can finally enjoy ourselves.”
On Ijo let out a long sigh and lifted Groo onto his lap.
Groo was still staring, her mouth open in shock.
She didn’t really know what had just happened. There had been noises—something smacking, smacking while she’d stood behind someone.
“Popcorn Mister, what happened?”
“Oh, Popcorn Mister had a little too much to drink and couldn’t stay at the stadium, so we sent him out. Didn’t uncle do the right thing?”
“Hmm…”
“And Popcorn Mister also told me to say sorry for being mean to you after drinking too much.”
“He did?”
It didn’t look that way to her. Popcorn Mister had resisted to the very end as he was dragged out.
But On Ijo just smiled, kissed Groo on the cheek, and answered briefly.
“Mm-hmm.”
“……”
Even without seeing, Groo could infer from the words.
A child who had been picked up. An adopted child. A child without blood ties.
That was her surface place in the world, as people saw it.
But it didn’t matter. Whatever anyone said, she would always be the daughter of On Ijo and On Joorim.
Groo remembered how On Ijo had confidently claimed her as his child, even when he could not reveal his true identity.
A warm, reassuring strength took root in her heart.
Groo hugged On Ijo tight, patted his back, and whispered her feelings in his ear.
“Thank you, Daddy.”
On Ijo’s eyes went wide in surprise, then he wrapped Groo in a tight embrace.
“You’re most welcome, my daughter.”
near an isolated wetland ecological park
Staring at his phone screen, seeing a picture of his daughter, On Joorim frowned.
Some people have been suffering out here for days,
while that old man gets to spend happy days with my daughter?
Joorim scrolled through several posts on On Suhyeong’s SNS, all full of pictures of Groo.
If it wasn’t just an urge to flaunt his affection for his granddaughter, there had to be another reason for father to act this way. Had something happened?
As Joorim brooded over his irritation, a shout came from behind.
“Guildmaster!”
Whooom!
A huge shadow swung a forepaw violently.
Without looking, Joorim blocked the blow with the hand not holding his phone.
He looked up.
A four-legged monster, its spine and ribs encasing its body and sharp spines running down its back.
It was massive enough that one had to crane their neck up to meet its gaze.
“Kwaaaahhhhh!”
Its roar split the air, whipping his hair and clothes in the blast.
[Failed Bon Kreveron (AAA)]
‘Bon Kreveron…’
Joorim recited the monster’s name inwardly.
Even before he could make a move, Nayeon’s silver vine lashed out and bound the Bon Kreveron.
“Shall I capture it?”
“Just the one.”
They said they wanted one specimen up top.
Nayeon nodded.
While she was subduing the Bon Kreveron, Joorim lit a cigarette.
‘AAA…’
The higher the monster’s class, the harder it is for them to cross over.
Unless they have a space-rending skill, like Malikian.
Which means…
This is either the first official dungeon break since the Great Cataclysm—where monsters pour out of the dungeon—
or someone has purposely caused a dungeon break.
If it’s the former, they can simply send in hunters as a one-off.
But if it’s the latter…
Depending on the intent, dungeon breaks could happen repeatedly.
And that wasn’t the only worrying detail.
‘Failed.’
It could also mean someone had tampered artificially.
On Ijo, after splashing cold water on his face, stared at his reflection, water still dripping.
The completion level of the snowy field on the 99th floor is far too low.
He can’t restore the tower conditions from when it fully manifested, nor does he have complete control over the ‘system.’
His mind was a tangled mess when suddenly, his title activated.
[Isn’t there a suitable candidate for the 99th floor right here? No need to hesitate—you could raise the tower right now!]
It was referring to Groo.
Ever since seeing Groo faithfully replicate the snowy field of the 99th floor,
the title had delighted in this fact, and kept whispering the same refrain.
But—
I can do it without Groo.
For him, the tower was neither a promise of salvation, nor the dawn of a new age, as it was for other Gnosis.
To him, the tower was merely a crucible of trials.
[Cranking out nothing but failures? Aren’t you secretly pleased? Isn’t it wonderful that your daughter could become the Master of the 99th Floor?]
His heart pounded so hard it felt ready to burst, every muscle thrummed with excitement.
On Ijo forced down the laugh the title tried to wrest from his lips.
But it seemed the assimilation between himself and the title was advancing rapidly.
He plunged his face into the cold water once more.