TWKH Ch 32 – Main Story End

[Whisper] To whwsnakehealer: BigMoney, where did you usually stand in your fixed party raids?

[Whisper] To whwsnakehealer: If it’s uncomfortable, I can change your spot.

[Whisper] whwsnakehealer: 😂 This spot is fine, no need to change.

[Whisper] whwsnakehealer: Are you paying extra attention because the first clear is near?^^?😂

[Whisper] whwsnakehealer: I’ll do my best, loser raid leader?😂

“Ah, look at this guy’s tone. He’s been annoying from the start.”

“I felt the same. His comments were irritating from the practice party. Now it’s clear he’s just showing his true colors.”

Baekyung agreed with Jehyun’s frustration.

From the moment he joined the raid, his ID was annoying, and his comments in the practice party were infuriating. They had overlooked it, thinking his arrogance was forgivable given his 50 clears, but now it was clear he had planned this from the start.

Jehyun, with a displeased expression, replied to Kangrim.

[Whisper] To whwsnakehealer: 😂 Yes. It’s been a long session, so mistakes can happen if you’re tired. Just do as you usually do.

[Whisper] whwsnakehealer: 😊 OK I’ll do as usual

[Whisper] To whwsnakehealer: Fighting^^

Holding back the urge to curse, Jehyun even sent a “fighting” message. Then, sighing briefly, he turned to Baekyung.

“What now? We need 30 members, but we can’t find another healer now. We can’t go on like this….”

“Can we go with an empty spot? We have a Shaman in 4Party. They can cover both parties.”

“They’re all squishy, so they can’t cover the DoT damage pattern.”

Shamans contributed significantly to damage with crit and speed buffs, but their healing was far below that of Priests. With Kangrim covering 4Party as a Priest, a Shaman alone couldn’t cover two parties.

“Ah, damn that jerk.”

Frustrated, Jehyun muttered. Then, noticing Baekyung’s gaze, he bit his lip, realizing he might have been too harsh. Baekyung cautiously asked,

“…Sunbae, have you ever cursed like that when we fought?”

“…….”

“Have you…?”

Baekyung bit his lip, his eyes trembling. Jehyun met his gaze, then laughed and shook his head.

“No.”

“Really?”

“…Maybe ‘jerk.'”

Seeing Baekyung’s crestfallen expression, Jehyun added. Sometimes ‘damn’…? Ha Baekyung looked like he was about to cry.

Jehyun laughed. Then, a bright idea struck him.

“I have a good idea.”

There was a way to use Kangrim to their advantage, just once.

[Raid] Crab2: It’s chaos over there too😂

[Raid] MapalChun: How far did they get?

[Raid] Crab2: Similar to us, making mistakes at confusion + statues, Elka is raging😂

[Raid] Q: 😊😂

[Raid] Contempt: Should we bet gold on mistakes too? ㅇㅅㅇ.. 10 million?

[Raid] SpellChecker: Earlier you said we were crazy for suggesting that.

[Raid] Contempt: I’m about to lose my mind ㅎㅅㅎ

[Raid Leader Notice] Healer: Is everyone here? Adjusting party positions.

Jehyun swapped 4Party AnyaFrost with 2Party Habaek. AnyaFrost seemed puzzled by the sudden move but accepted Jehyun’s explanation about balancing damage for shields, moving with a 😭 emoji.

Since 2Party and 4Party were both at the front leg, the evasion timing didn’t change, and AnyaFrost was skilled, which was fortunate.

“Party leaders, check your members. Adjusted positions, confirm your spots.”

At Jehyun’s command, the gathered players jumped in place or used skills in the air. Jehyun confirmed the movement of the four 1Party tanks and listened to the party leaders’ briefings, giving special instructions to 4Party Shaman ElementalKingLochNess.

Though Ness didn’t understand the reason, he agreed to follow Jehyun’s orders. His trust in the raid leader was strong.

Habaek→ 2Party is ready.

DPS Point→ 3Party is ready.

Ness→ 4Party is ready.

Mango→ 5Party is ready.

ClearEyedCrazy→ 6Party is ready!

All raid members were in position. Jehyun stretched his neck, rotated buffs, and spoke.

“Now, it all comes down to which raid group can concentrate better. It’s tiring, but let’s think of this as the final push and give it our all.”

Sangjae→ Yes. Everyone, fighting.

TogetherLanceLanceLance→ Fighting!!

Ness→ Let’s goooo!

Those with mics on shouted to boost morale. Jehyun glanced at Kangrimdoryeong standing in the corner, then pressed the shortcut key to start the countdown.

3

2

1

Start!

Using Raindrop’s Blessing.

You feel the effect of Holy Raindrop.

Ancient Dragon Hellkaras Who dares to disturb my rest….

Ancient Dragon Hellkaras I will erase your existence with an unending flame….

HP is being restored by the Spirit of Life.

Using Grace’s Domain.

Now, the Lancers moved forward and raised the barriers without needing instructions. Jehyun monitored them rotating the barriers in sequence, using Grace’s Domain to restore the tanks’ health.

They easily passed the entry pattern, and as the breath attack ended, the scattered raid members ran to their positions.

“Let’s focus.”

Other than occasional mistakes, the raid had become a fully proficient party. It wasn’t one person’s mistake but the collective effort needed for the clear. Individual proficiency was high, and they quickly reduced Hellkaras’s health to 90%, entering Phase 1.

The raid proceeded without anyone dying to basic patterns. As Hellkaras summoned the statues, Jehyun, as planned with Baekyung, spoke.

“If there’s even one statue left by Phase 3, we’ll retry. It seems to break our focus. So clear the statues properly.”

Kangrimdoryeong’s goal was clear.

Break the raid members’ concentration and disrupt crucial moments to delay progress. Yet, he couldn’t make excessive mistakes, or he might be kicked out.

For that goal, Kangrimdoryeong had been diligently trying for over 8 hours. Only now, with the clear within reach, was he showing his true colors, aiming to prevent Jehyun’s party, Countess guild, from getting the first clear. If the Four Heavenly Kings cleared first during the raid, Kangrimdoryeong would likely leave the party without hesitation.

Jehyun decided to use this against him. The plan was to keep Kangrimdoryeong as long as possible and, just before he started trolling, remove him and concentrate with 29 members to defeat Hellkaras. That was Shin Jehyun’s goal.

At the mention of retrying if any statues remained before Phase 3, Kangrimdoryeong avoided the statues diligently, unlike earlier when he made absurd mistakes. It was natural. Repeated deaths to basic patterns could lead to his expulsion.

Knowing 29-member clears were disadvantageous due to the statues, Jehyun, experienced in 20-member clears, realized staying in and sabotaging was more effective for preventing the first clear. Hence, he had endured so far, adjusting his actions to appear as genuine mistakes, not intentional trolling.

Persistent jerk. Jehyun, thinking Kangrimdoryeong’s persistence was world-class, reassured the raid members familiarly.

“You’re doing great. We’re seeing a clear path, right?”

Matgom→ Absolutely.

At the end of Phase 2, Hellkaras’s DoT pattern requiring Priests ended. Immediately, Hellkaras summoned statues again. Clearing them would lead directly to the Fury Inducer pattern.

The moment to remove Kangrimdoryeong was approaching.

“Clear the statues properly?”

Jehyun said with a hint of laughter.

One by one, raid members identified their buffs and debuffs, moving towards blue and yellow statues. The map, which had been flashing chaotically, returned to normal, and Hellkaras applied Fury Inducer for the second and last time.

Ancient Dragon Hellkaras This is the power that cornered Ter.

Through dozens of raids, they discovered a pattern.

Fury Inducer affected the nearest player to Hellkaras in each party.

4Party, where Habaek had moved, consisted of a Time Thief, Archer, Illusionist, Mage, and Elementalist. Naturally, Fury Inducer hit Habaek, the melee class, not spreading to the remaining ranged DPS due to distance.

Seeing 4Party Shaman Ness stay put, Jehyun calmly briefed.

“Cleanse the Fury. And… everyone, don’t be surprised by what happens next.”

As soon as Jehyun finished speaking, Habaek sprang into action. Using Rush, he charged from Hellkaras’s right front leg to whwsnakehealer near the right hind leg.

Having entered Phase 3, only two statue patterns remained. Even if statues were left, they could be avoided. With the DoT damage pattern requiring a healer in Phase 2 over, Shaman Ness could cover both parties alone.

Jehyun and Baekyung planned to kill Kangrimdoryeong here to prevent further sabotage.

The Time Thief’s pocket watch spun rapidly. With a screen-shattering effect, Horizon’s Blade struck a fellow raid member.

[Raid] NoErectionPark: →

[Raid] SAHARA: wht

whwsnakehealer has died.

[Raid] Contempt: ㅇㅅㅇ?

[Raid] Q: Oh.. again?

Except for 4Party, the rest of the raid couldn’t see what happened in 5Party due to Hellkaras’s massive body.

As Habaek killed Kangrimdoryeong, 5Party leader Mango’s voice sounded confused.

Mango→ Uh, uh, what’s going on?

[Raid] whwsnakehealer: ?? What are you doing?

[Raid] whwsnakehealer: Love you!

[Raid] whwsnakehealer: fck Are you blind? Why kill me?😂

[Raid] NimaDeal: ? Who killed them? Didn’t they die alone?

[Raid] whwsnakehealer: Die alone, my ass😂 Habaek, why kill me??

Realizing the situation, Snake’s tone instantly matched Kangrimdoryeong’s. That bastard…. Swallowing his curse, Jehyun coldly retorted.

“You know why you were killed, right? Everyone, stop DPS. DPS, stop attacking. You might not understand, but listen while hitting Hellkaras.”

Habaek→ That jerk is Kangrimdoryeong.

Before Jehyun could explain, Baekyung quickly blurted out the answer.

Sangjae→ What?

Ness→ What?? Kangrimdoryeong? That lunatic?

You’re really impatient…. Jehyun glanced at Baekyung and continued.

“Habaek is right. This person joined the raid claiming to be an alt, but I confirmed with their main character that they’re not who they claimed. They’ve been waiting to sabotage the first clear, deliberately making mistakes whenever we got close.”

[Raid] Q: Wow…

[Raid] AnyaFrost: Is this a surprise to boost concentration?

[Raid] whwsnakehealer: Bullshit😊😂 I’m not Kangrimdoryeong?? Not?? Got proof?😂

[Raid] BlueBubble: ;;; But during the raid😭

“If we kick this jerk, we’ll be 29. Starting with 29 leaves too many statues. Bringing in a new Priest now is out of the question. That’s why I said to think of this as the last attempt. Only two statue patterns left, right? Clear those and confusion, and we’re done. Let me be clear. This is our best chance for the first clear.”

Despite his excitement, Jehyun explained calmly. Understanding the situation, raid members began to agree. Amidst this, Snake continued to spout nonsense.

[Raid] whwsnakehealer: fck Worked me for over 9 hours, now you want to kill me😂 Kick me?😂 If I leave, only one Priest remains, and you want to hog the Priest loot for your guild😊

[Raid] whwsnakehealer: What kind of thieving bastards are you? Countess, you scummy guild😂

Ignoring it was one thing, but attacking the guild was intolerable. Frowning, Jehyun checked Hellkaras’s health.

The final phase was near. The ‘Fate’ debuff, causing instant death to all allies within 50 meters if one died, was imminent. Any mistake then would mean a retry, so the situation had to be resolved first. Mechanically healing party members, Jehyun spoke.

“Kangrim’s delusions are impressive, right? Sounds plausible, but our guild members agreed to forgo the first drop items before the raid. I’m no exception. So….”

Pausing briefly, Jehyun reminded himself not to curse and continued.

“Cut the crap, you bastard.”

The shocking turn of events caused everyone to lose focus. Even during the damage cut, people were panicking and making mistakes on basic patterns.

In the middle of the raid, Jehyun knew this might happen. But this was the best way to get close to the clear. Sighing shortly, Jehyun spoke.

“It’s absurd, right? It’s ridiculous, everyone? I feel the same, but please stay focused. If not this time, from the next attempt onwards, we’ll have to clear with 29 people dealing with 6 statues or start from scratch with an inexperienced Priest. Right now, it’s the best moment to enter the final phase with 29 people and only 2 statues. So, we won’t retry until all 29 are dead. We’ll use a zombie strategy.”

Sangjae→ Wow, damn. Yes, yes.

Matgom→ It’s absurd, but we just need to drop it by 29%!

Ness→ Let’s… gooo!

Jehyun’s calm voice helped raid members regain their composure. Kangrim was still struggling amidst their renewed determination.

[Raid] whwsnakehealer: Damn, go where?😂 I really am not him!

[Raid] whwsnakehealer: Why accuse an innocent person? I’m really not Kangrimdoryeong

[Raid] whwsnakehealer: Resurrect me, let me prove it, damn you

[Raid] Habaek: Shut it

[Raid] Contempt: ㅇㅅㅇ; Stay strong, Trimmer…

[Raid] Boss12MoreHours: Stop, Trimmy~~~

[Raid] whwsnakehealer: I really don’t know why you misunderstood, but I’m not him

[Raid] whwsnakehealer: I won’t make mistakes, resurrect me

[Raid] SpellChecker: Kangrimdoryeong is a reclusive hermit and a loser< Say it 10 times, I’ll resurrect you

[Raid] Q: Reclusive hermit, damn, that’s harsh😂

[Raid] whwsnakehealer: Damn, you guys…

Panicking, Kangrimdoryeong babbled nonstop. Jehyun sneered and spoke.

“This will be the last mention. I have screenshots proving it’s Kangrim, and I’ll report for impersonation, so check the notice next week. Ignore raid chat from now on; all communication will be on mic. Ignore whatever that jerk says.”

TogetherLanceLanceLance→ Yes, sir.

“Everyone, resume DPS. 28% remaining. Fate is applied. Focus.”

Fortunately, Caplet veterans quickly stabilized. After years of playing Caplet, they’d seen all sorts of things. Even if this moment seemed absurdly comical, they wouldn’t lose focus with the first clear in sight. After all, Caplet was a game only for players addicted to control.

Ancient Dragon Hellkaras Behold the flame of the abyss.

Ancient Dragon Hellkaras summons the flame of the abyss.

You feel the effect of Ter’s Blessing.

The raid continued. As statues appeared with the Fate debuff, which caused nearby raid members to die, Jehyun quickly briefed.

“Statues are out. One statue will remain. Avoid it well. Melee DPS, be extra careful.”

With Kangrimdoryeong dead, one unbalanced statue would roam the map like a buoy. Jehyun warned melee DPS, blocked by Hellkaras’s legs and tail, to be cautious. Checking his buff, he ran towards a blue flame statue.

“ChangChang, Rescue.”

You feel the effect of Ter’s Blessing disappear.

Using Rescue Ally.

You feel the effect of Abyssal Flame.

Jehyun nullified a blue statue, then used Rescue Ally on TogetherLanceLanceLance, slowly running towards a yellow statue. Taking over the Abyssal Flame debuff, he nullified another yellow statue and returned to his position.

“19%. Next statues, confusion is coming! Focus!”

Not much left. If they got past 10%, it seemed like they would definitely clear. Jehyun felt sweat on his palms and swallowed dryly.

“Jump! Prepare to evade!”

Ancient Dragon Hellkaras is enraged.

Ancient Dragon Hellkaras You wretched beings….

Hellkaras swiped with his forelegs and tail, leaping into the air. Faster than in Phase 1 and Phase 2, this pattern had wiped them several times.

“Now!”

As Jehyun shouted, he and the 29 raid members evaded in unison.

TogetherLanceLanceLance→ Success!!

Matgom→ Ah, nailed it!

No one died.

“Well done!!”

Feeling a thrilling rush through his body, Jehyun exclaimed excitedly. As party leaders chatted energetically, Hellkaras, with less than 15% health, used his breath attack forward. The final challenge was approaching.

“Statues are out! Last statues!”

As Jehyun led, Hellkaras spoke again.

Ancient Dragon Hellkaras Behold the flame of the abyss.

Ancient Dragon Hellkaras summons the flame of the abyss.

You feel the effect of Abyssal Flame.

Yellow and blue statues appeared again at the map’s periphery, and buffs and debuffs applied to the 29 raid members. Seeing the Abyssal Flame on himself, Jehyun said,

“Confusion might come, confusion! Don’t stand directly in front of the statues, position to the side! Check for confusion and match the color!”

The confusion pattern that swapped debuffs and buffs below 19% didn’t always appear. Jehyun confirmed his debuff was fine and threw himself at the approaching yellow sand statue. As his debuff disappeared, Hellkaras spoke.

Ancient Dragon Hellkaras Humans are always creatures of confusion….

“Check your debuffs! See if they changed!”

Pangin→ Ah!

As Jehyun shouted, a scream came through the speakers. Simultaneously, death logs from 6Party near the tail appeared.

DadAndDaughter has died.

BlueBubble has died.

Crab2 has died.

MapalChun has died.

ClearEyedCrazy has died.

[Raid] DadAndDaughter: Ah, damn, sorry😭

[Raid] whwsnakehealer: Idiots😊😂

The Fate debuff wiped out 6Party. It felt like a ringing in Jehyun’s ears. He paused for a second, then quickly shook his head and spoke.

“NimaDeal, go to the tail for resurrection. Ness, head there too. I’ll move right, Beoseot, come to the head.”

DPS Point→ Yes, going now.

Ness→ On my way!!

14%, 13%, even amidst the chaos, Hellkaras’s health continued to drop. With 6Party only partially clearing statues, four statues now roamed the map. DPS slowed as they avoided statues, slightly reducing the rate of Hellkaras’s health decline.

Jehyun backed up to the right side, covering Ness’s position, and confirmed the healers’ movements.

Fast-moving Shaman Ness had already reached 6Party at the tail, reviving Elementalist Pangin near Hellkaras’s rear.

As Pangin stood up, things seemed to return to normal, but Jehyun’s worst fear materialized.

Ancient Dragon Hellkaras It is time to end this.

Ancient Dragon Hellkaras begins gathering power for the final strike.

The final pattern at 10% health. With the system message, yellow shimmering energy covered Hellkaras’s head, legs, and tail.

Jehyun’s most hated pattern, the shield.

Sangjae→ Wow, this is crazy.

“DPS! DPS now!!”

The timing was terrible, but the shield meant the end was near. Break the shield, and it was over. Sensing the clear, Jehyun quickly ran to the tail, shouting.

“Once your party breaks the shield, all DPS to the tail! Run immediately!”

Ness→ Let’s do this!!

“6Party, quick recovery! Revived members, hit the tail immediately!”

Other positions were fine. But 6Party’s DPS were scattered, leaving no one to hit the tail.

This is bad. Reaching the tail, Jehyun struck Hellkaras’s tail with his awakened Mallorca wand, biting his lip.

It’s over. It seemed impossible. He sensed a retry.

Hellkaras’s left front leg shield has been destroyed!

Then, the left front leg shield, where Habaek was, broke quickly. With a shattering sound, the shield disappeared, and Hellkaras knelt on one knee.

Hellkaras’s right front leg shield has been destroyed!

Hellkaras’s head shield has been destroyed!

The right front leg and head shields broke in succession.

Raid members there began rushing to the tail. Leading them was Jehyun’s trusted Time Thief, Habaek.

“We can do this. I’ll break it!”

Hearing the determined voice beside him, Jehyun felt a sudden clarity.

Damn, we can break this! Why wouldn’t we?

DPS were reviving, and over twenty were hitting the tail. There was no need to give up. They could clear it. Jehyun gritted his teeth and shouted.

“We can do this…! Break it!”

Matgom→ Ah, we got this!

Envelop→ We can do it!!

Even the tanks with self-buffs rushed to the tail. Meanwhile, the tail shield, starting yellow, turned red. As it darkened to deep orange, steam rose, and sparks flew.

Hellkaras’s right hind leg shield has been destroyed!

Hellkaras’s left hind leg shield has been destroyed!

Both hind leg shields broke, and all remaining raid members rushed to the tail.

Time Thieves, Illusionists, Archers, Mages, Dark Sorcerers, Berserkers, Lancers, Swordsmen, and healers, Priests, and Elementalists. The 29 raid members frantically struck the tail shield. The sparking shield was about to turn bright red.

Habaek steals Hellkaras’s time!

Hellkaras’s tail shield has been destroyed!

A pocket watch appeared above Hellkaras’s tail. With a shattering sound, the final shield turned to dust, and Hellkaras collapsed.

Hellkaras is exhausted from the power backlash.

Ancient Dragon Hellkaras In the end… Ter, you have defeated me again….

The boss was in an exhausted state, doing nothing before the clear.

Unable to believe it, Jehyun stared at the screen with his mouth open. A brief silence fell over the voice chat.

Habaek broke the silence.

Habaek→ All clear?

With that question, the raid members with mics on shouted. Jehyun also shouted.

“All clear!”

You have defeated Ancient Dragon Hellkaras.

You have achieved the server’s first clear of ‘Ancient Dragon Hellkaras’s Restored Sanctuary.’

[System] Boss12MoreHours has successfully cleared Ancient Dragon Hellkaras’s Restored Sanctuary.

[System] KimBoksun has successfully cleared Ancient Dragon Hellkaras’s Restored Sanctuary.

[System] Healer has successfully cleared Ancient Dragon Hellkaras’s Restored Sanctuary.

[System] Habaek has successfully cleared Ancient Dragon Hellkaras’s Restored Sanctuary.

⁝

The achievement window and system log filled the screen. Jehyun threw his mouse aside and turned to Baekyung. Baekyung, with slightly flushed cheeks, was looking at him.

It was all thanks to Baekyung. Without him, Jehyun could never have achieved this great feat. This victory was Baekyung’s gift to Jehyun.

His heart swelled like a balloon. Jehyun had never felt so overwhelmed while playing Caplet. Meeting Baekyung’s eyes felt like being swept away by a giant wave.

Hellkaras’s unending flame seemed to have settled in his heart. Throwing off his headset, Jehyun rushed to Baekyung, who had also removed his headset. The force pushed the chair back against the wall.

Ignoring the impact, Jehyun cupped Baekyung’s cheeks with his still sweaty palms. His heart pounded as if it would burst.

Meeting his gaze, Baekyung soothed Jehyun with a soft voice.

“You did great, Sunbae.”

The fact that he could share this once-in-a-lifetime moment with Ha Baekyung was exhilarating.

Smiling, Jehyun leaned towards Baekyung.

Soft, moist skin touched, and hot breaths mingled between parted lips. The heat that enveloped Jehyun like flames made him dizzy.

They had no tank to block the breath.

In the heat of the kiss, they melted into each other.

“Ha, ha.”

As their deeply connected lips parted, Jehyun, with his forehead against Baekyung’s, looked into his eyes and laughed. Baekyung, captivated by the laughter filled with various emotions, kissed Jehyun again. In the continuing kiss, Jehyun murmured in a damp voice.

I feel like I’m going to die because I like you so much, Baekyung.

It was a confession in the midst of joy.

Epilogue

[Notice] July 13th Update Announcement

Author: GM202

Hello, this is GM202 from the Caplet Operations Team.

Here are the details of the July 13th regular maintenance update.

• Fixed an issue where the ‘Advanced Guild Conquest Recipe’ did not drop from the Ankanax Elegant Guild Jiwon Box. Boxes opened before the bug fix have been sent to your mailbox, so please check.
• Due to the server error in the Enger Fleet’s instance dungeon entry on June 22nd, the first clear achievement for the Enger Fleet in saturation difficulty has been revoked. We have confirmed the proper clear of the Enger Fleet in saturation difficulty on June 22nd and re-awarded the first clear achievement to the party. Please check the re-awarded achievement upon login. We apologize for the confusion.
• We deeply apologize to the users affected by the server error in the Enger Fleet instance dungeon entry on June 22nd. As compensation, all users who entered the Enger Fleet on the 22nd have been given one ‘Enger Fleet Additional Entry Ticket.’ Please check your mailbox for the reward.
• On July 20th, the newly revamped ‘Restored Sanctuary of Hellkaras’ was cleared. Thanks to the efforts of Caplet heroes, the world has regained stability. However, rumors suggest that humans cannot approach the ruins of Mallorca’s Tomb. Visit NPC Arnea in Capitol Castle for new quests and updates. (Quest requirement level 80)

Thank you for always being with Caplet.

Please look forward to the summer hunting festival starting next week!

Thank you.

-GM202

[Notice] Account Restrictions for Users Violating Operational Policies

Author: GM202

Hello, this is GM202 from the Caplet Operations Team.

We are informing you of the results of the review of reports submitted against users who violated operational policies.

[Violation Details]

Excessive Profanity: tlqkfr, rhcnzj, kimscl***

Persistent PK, Financial Fraud: qorhvk, clzlsw, tlqkfr***

User Impersonation, Deception: tlqkfr***(whwsnakehealer, Kangrimdoryeong, SupremeNecromancer, sPriestS, and 3 other characters)

The account tlqkfr***, which repeatedly violated operational policies, has been permanently banned.

Capitol Studio adheres to a zero-tolerance policy for accounts violating operational policies to ensure a pleasant gaming experience for users. If you have any questions about the above actions, please visit the Capitol Studio customer center with documentation proving account ownership.

[Caplet Operational Policies]

For smooth gameplay, please refer to the linked Caplet operational policies above.

Thank you.

It was a fitting end for someone obsessed with Caplet. Jehyun laughed, imagining Kangrimdoryeong cursing him in anger.

He still didn’t know why Kangrimdoryeong had such an intense grudge against him. Seeing that he had other characters, including a Priest, Jehyun wondered if it was jealousy, but honestly, he didn’t care. He didn’t want to understand the mindset of the perpetrator. Jehyun decided to consider it as an unfortunate accident and hoped it wouldn’t happen again.

“Sunbae.”

“Yes.”

It was a hot day.

Baekyung, who had returned, handed a cold coffee to Jehyun, who was lounging in the shade. Accepting the takeout cup with beads of water on it, Jehyun looked up at Baekyung and smiled with flushed cheeks.

“We shouldn’t have come out. Right?”

“It’s a bit hot, but I still like it.”

“You still like it?”

With Jehyun’s exceedingly positive response, he laughed aloud, his shoulders shaking.

Above his rolled-up jeans, his white T-shirt was slightly damp with sweat. Wiping his forehead with the back of his hand, Jehyun looked at Baekyung, who sat beside him, with an affectionate gaze. Taking a sip of the coffee to refresh his mouth, he curiously asked,

“Do you enjoy everything we do together?”

“Yes, I enjoy it all.”

“Really? Even if I suggest jogging here?”

In the scorching summer heat with a heatwave warning, jogging in the 38-degree weather, feeling like 41 degrees in the children’s park, seemed insane. But to Jehyun’s question, Baekyung softly lowered his eyes and tilted his head.

“Want to race? I’ll probably win.”

“…You’re crazy.”

Hearing this response, Jehyun ran his hand through his hair in disbelief, while Baekyung smiled prettily and lowered his head. Baekyung took Jehyun’s hand, fanning himself, lowered it, and pulled out the map he had set aside, starting to fan him instead. Whether it was his strength or not, the wind was quite strong. Although it was still warm air, it was better than nothing.

After a while, Baekyung spoke while fanning.

“I enjoy spending time with you so much. Everything seems fun with you.”

His kind and loving words made Jehyun smile and look away, feeling a bit shy. Then, remembering the notice he saw while waiting for Baekyung to buy coffee, he told him.

“He’s banned.”

Although there was no subject, Baekyung immediately understood his words. Smiling as if he had expected it, Baekyung met Jehyun’s gaze.

Perhaps that was why Jehyun seemed happier than before entering the convenience store. Smiling, Baekyung asked about other news.

“What about the achievements?”

“…They’re patched.”

Jehyun grinned as he answered.

It was something they had waited over a month for. Despite missing out on Love School, the patch for the Enger Fleet achievement today meant Jehyun now held 10 first clear achievements for new dungeons.

Baekyung, Contempt, Boss, and Matgom had 11 achievements, so as Jehyun had said during the raid, the Countess guild itself had become a record-setting event in Caplet.

“And it looks like the new season starts next week.”

Baekyung raised his eyebrows in surprise, looking more shocked than before.

“A new season? The main quest?”

“Yes. I thought it would take much longer, surprisingly.”

“Indeed. I expected it to drag for another two months.”

“Flex must be cracking the whip.”

“Didn’t think people would focus even under the whip.”

Jehyun burst out laughing at his dry response.

He wasn’t usually someone who laughed so heartily, but when with Baekyung, laughter came easily. Leaning back on the bench, Jehyun took another sip of the coffee Baekyung had bought and spoke.

“I’m looking forward to the new season.”

“Me too.”

It was an expected answer. Baekyung’s response seemed to imply that everything was fun with Jehyun. Watching Baekyung’s gentle reply, Jehyun asked him,

“But I’m curious about something.”

“What is it?”

“Are you going to quit Caplet now?”

“…….”

The unexpected question made Baekyung blink and look at Jehyun.

It was something they discussed months ago. He hadn’t thought Jehyun would remember it. Realizing that Jehyun had been worried he might quit the game, Baekyung smiled warmly and answered.

“No, I won’t quit.”

“Why? I heard you wanted to quit for a long time.”

“…Did Ha Jaekyung tell you that?”

“I happened to hear it.”

After revealing their identities, Jehyun called Sangjae in anger when Baekyung didn’t log in and heard the story. After clearing up the misunderstanding, he had forgotten about it, but the thought resurfaced in the heat, prompting the question.

Of course, he didn’t ask to suggest quitting. Instead, he asked to keep him hooked.

Baekyung was Jehyun’s Time Thief, destined to deal 5 million DPS for him forever. Whether that sinister desire showed on his face, Baekyung laughed, shaking his head.

“I did think about quitting because I felt I wasn’t progressing in Caplet. But it seems like updates resumed under Flex’s management, and I no longer feel like quitting. Most importantly….”

“Yes?”

“Did you know I wanted to be inducted into the Hall of Fame before quitting the game?”

Baekyung’s question made Jehyun nod his head. Sangjae mentioned that with the guild in the Hall of Fame, Baekyung wouldn’t log in anymore. Jehyun wondered why he chose the Hall of Fame. As he pondered, Baekyung explained.

“To be inducted into the Hall of Fame, you need to maintain the top guild rank for four weeks. Before the server merger, that meant a lot to me. It meant beating you, Sunbae, for a whole month.”

“…Beating me?”

Jehyun asked, and Baekyung nodded.

“Honestly, I never thought Boss Noona or Contempt were exceptional. At Jangji, if we lost to Active Guild, it was because of Sunbae. You were truly impressive.”

It was a somewhat blunt and embarrassing compliment. Baekyung tended to idolize Jehyun’s control. Jehyun smiled awkwardly, and Baekyung smiled affectionately, asking.

“Do you remember when I whispered to you in the past? During the open beta, I kept pestering you to join Jangji Guild.”

“…Hmm?”

Jehyun had no recollection of this. Frowning as if questioning the event, Baekyung, predicting his reaction, explained with a smile.

“During the open beta, after running the then max-level dungeon with you, I was impressed with your control. I kept whispering to you, asking you to join our guild, saying I was really good and wanted to play together. But you never replied, even though you talked to others….”

“Wait a minute….”

Habaek had asked him to join the guild?

Jehyun raised his hand to stop Baekyung and searched his memory. Open beta? He knew Jangji existed then, but since they weren’t rivals, they weren’t aware of each other’s existence, and he didn’t recall any guild invitations.

Besides, Jehyun was already part of Nengdong during the open beta. Remembering that, he dredged up a faint memory.

Just before joining Nengdong, Boss had scolded Jehyun for ignoring whispers. Back then, he didn’t even know what whispers were in online games.

Ah. Realizing what had happened, Jehyun sighed and confessed to Baekyung.

“I didn’t know about whispers at first. Even after reaching max level, it took about a week? Noona taught me. You must have whispered to me before that….”

Hearing this, Baekyung smiled slightly, frowning.

“You didn’t know how to whisper back then….”

“Isn’t it funny?”

“Cute.”

“…….”

Expressing his subjective view, Baekyung nodded.

“I thought you ignored me on purpose because you didn’t like me. I know now that’s not the case…. But back then, it really hurt and annoyed me. Every time I saw you, I wanted to play together, but it didn’t happen. For four years, I was jealous of Boss Noona and Contempt.”

“That’s a one-sided crush.”

Baekyung’s words carried a hint of endearing frustration. Finding Baekyung lovable, Jehyun teased him and then bumped his shoulder with his head in a delayed apology for ignoring his whispers.

Baekyung accepted the apology with a tender smile. He then confessed, looking a bit embarrassed.

“It’s okay now. Anyway, that’s why I wanted to beat you. The Hall of Fame was my way to prove that victory.”

He thought he could let go once he won. Believing that if Healer performed worse than him for four weeks, he could consider Jehyun unnecessary.

But now, it didn’t matter.

Baekyung was in the same guild with Healer, someone he longed for, and they had become essential to each other. Baekyung was determined to keep making Jehyun need him.

Recently, Baekyung had been envisioning a future with Jehyun.

The man who melted his walls with unfamiliar kindness and entered his life, Baekyung wanted to spend a lot of time with him. Previously, Jehyun had unconsciously become part of his life; now, Baekyung wanted to become part of Jehyun’s life.

Holding Jehyun’s sweaty hand, Baekyung said,

“I don’t want to quit the game anymore. I just… want to experience a lot with you, Sunbae, including Caplet.”

Jehyun smiled silently. But even with just his black eyes, Baekyung could understand his thoughts. Me too, Jehyun’s agreement made Baekyung smile brightly.

“Let’s continue to have fun together.”

“Yes, I’d like that.”

Jehyun nodded with a small laugh. “I’d like that” resonated with Baekyung’s heart.

“Then, Baekyung.”

Locking eyes with Ha Baekyung, Jehyun exhaled deeply and ran his hand through his hair. His black hair scattered around his forehead and ears, with the sunlight reflecting off the piercing below his reddened earlobe.

As Baekyung stared at the small earlobe, he raised his eyes at Jehyun’s continued words.

“What do you want to do most with me right now? Let’s do that first.”

Jejyun’s eyes, often seen in summer, were dark. They resembled a kindly cast shadow under the dazzling sunlight.

Baekyung wanted to walk into that shadow. He wanted to be the only light shining within it.

“Right now….”

A large hand cupped Jehyun’s cheek. Ha Baekyung gently caressed his fluttering eyes and whispered lovingly.

“I want to kiss you….”