I Gave Up Being Stronger

Song Ha-Young felt troubled.

The Golden Headband was a Server-grade item that bound her. She had tried to get rid of it numerous times but had always failed. Without it, she would have been free from Kim Chul-Soo and could strike him from behind immediately.

At least, that would have been the case a few months ago. However, her perspective had completely changed during her battle with the Paper Sorcerer Makendra in Giethoorn.

That day, Chul-Soo’s demeanor had left a profound impact on Ha-Young. She began to feel grateful for the Golden Headband that tormented and bound her.

Without the headband, fostering the relationship she currently had with Chul-Soo would have been impossible. It was because of the Golden Headband that she was where she was in her life. It was the link between her and Chul-Soo, creating a special bond between them. The fear of drifting apart from Chul-Soo if that special link disappeared overwhelmed her.

Slapping his left palm with his right fist, Chul-Soo said, “Ah! I get it! Your pride is hurt because I figured out something you couldn’t!”

“...Sure.”

She almost said those words out loud but managed to control her feelings. However, Ha-Young knew it was an excuse. She was well aware that transferring the Golden Headband to Hwa Ta would be more efficient and beneficial for Chul-Soo.

“I…!” Ha-Young’s eyes reddened slightly as she put forth her own justification. “The Golden Headband was the driving force behind my growth…”

“...Huh?”

“I wanted to betray you so badly! To hit you from behind! To steal your weapons and abilities! And live in luxury! But this damned Golden Headband prevented all that. I have been honing my skills to escape its power. But now I realize that only with this can I grow truly desperately and earnestly!”

“Uh… Oh, I haven’t thought of that,” Jin-Hyeok said.

Jin-Hyeok was also a bit confused at the moment. If Ha-Young did not obey him, he could just use the Tight-Fillet Spell, but for sreason, he did not want to use it. Instead, he proposed an alternative. “Then, how about I beat you harder than when I use the Tight-Fillet Spell?”

“...What?”

Jin-Hyeok frowned as he spoke. On second thought, he realized that it did not seem like a particularly pleasant method either.

“...But I don’t want to do that,” Jin-Hyeok continued.

“...You don’t want to?”

“But you agree with me, right? If I beat you harder than the Tight-Fillet Spell, that should give you the motivation that you wanted.”

“...”

“Instead, if another powerful binding item like the Golden Headband appears, I will definitely use it on you.”

Ha-Young bit her lip. Logic said that she should hand over the Golden Headband. So, she seriously said, “Promise me. Like you did back then.”

“You wantto make a vow?”

“Yes. Make a sincere vow. Like you did in Giethoorn.”

“...” Jin-Hyeok was unsure but agreed due to her strong stance. “Alright. If a second Golden Headband appears, I will definitely use it on you.”

The two solemnly pinky-promised. Cha Jin-Sol, silently observing this, tilted her head in confusion.

It seemed odd to her that the party at a disadvantage, with such a detrimental item bound to her, would insist on such a promise. She could not quite understand that.

She found herself slightly wanting it.

***

“Done…! The Rule Breaker has done it again!” Jin-Hyeok wiped the sweat from his forehead. The Rule Breaker did not betray him, as expected. In the end, he had succeeded in breaking the System settings that bound Ha-Young to the Golden Headband.

Holding the removed Golden Headband, Ha-Young blinked. “Shouldn’t it be called the Rule Changer rather than Rule Breaker?”

The description of the Rule Breaker had changed a bit. Originally, it was simply described as a weapon that could destroy the laws, but now, it had an additional description.

[Rule Breaker (Upgradable) (Bound)]

[A weapon that can destroy the laws and establish a new order.]

As Jin-Hyeok resonated with the Rule Breaker and struck the Golden Headband with all his might, a significant change occurred to the headband.

[Golden Headband (Target: —)]

[Grade: Server specific

Special Spell ⌜Tight-Fillet Spell⌟ can be activated.

The target wearing the Golden Headband will experience extrpain that cannot be overcdue to the Tight-Fillet Spell.]

*The item has changed to a bound item by the Rule Breaker. (Owner: Kim Chul-Soo)

*The rental function has been activated by the Rule Breaker. (Renter: —)

Jin-Hyeok examined the rental function. As the nimplied, it allowed him to lend the item to someone, with an added option of immediate recall of the item if he wished.

The Rule Breaker seemed to know how Jin-Hyeok was feeling as it resonated with a humming sound, as if it were pleased too. Sharing this moment of joy with the weapon, Jin-Hyeok was thrilled.

Jin-Hyeok felt a bit sorry. He had thought it was a bit funny when Park Terse had named the Swallowing Croaker Mr. Gobble, but he understood the sentiment now.

At that moment, Sae-Rin cback from the other room. As she opened the door, a wave of hot air gushed out. It seemed she had been engaged in an intensely passionate Play inside. The majestic melody she had created resembled Jin-Hyeok’s Thwack Thwack and More Thwack. Her style of Play seemed to have becmuch more aggressive.

Sae-Rin pointed to Hwa Ta lying in the corner in a rather pitiful state. “He said he will acquire a skill to cure a heart disease once he reaches Level 120.”

“What kind of heart disease?”

“It seems the Mountain Madmen have a chronic heart condition. I think someone was helping Hwa Ta grow so that he could cure it.” This was just the beginning. “So now, the important thing is who helped Hwa Ta and how.”

“Right.”

“It seems likely that the Cult Leader has the Authority of Swallowing. They have reached the level where they can swallow other Players’ abilities and transplant them into different entities. The Kang brothers and Hwa Ta are the results.”

“Tellmore about the Authority of Swallowing in detail.” Jin-Hyeok knew what it was, but he wanted his viewers to know it as well.

Sae-Rin explained it in the simplest terms, perhaps sensing his intention. “It is the power to devour others and steal their strength or ego. I’m sure you have seen a similar ability somewhere?”

Jin-Hyeok decided not to think too hard about it. He knew Sae-Rin would tell him anyway. She continued without waiting for his response, “Right. It’s similar to the ability transplanted into Mr. Gobble.”

“Mr. Gobble could only open its mouth wide and swallow, though.”

“Mr. Gobble was an incomplete experiment. It did not get the full extent of the ability,” Sae-Rin replied.

“...”

“Mr. Gobble was locked up in a secret facility, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“I’m sure the facility was created by the Cult Leader so that they could experiment with transplanting the Authority of Swallowing into someone else. Officially, the facility was presented as a means to research the weakness of the Paper Soldiers.” Sae-Rin continued, “I am confident that Sephia and Grandel are the Cult Leaders. They have been researching the Authority of Swallowing and orchestrating their plans according to it.”

She pointed out an important aspect. “It turns out Sephia is the original villain. Grandel is a victim she devoured decades ago. Apparently, Grandel was so intelligent that Sephia decided to use him as an advisor, giving him the form of her conjoined twin.”

Jin-Hyeok was starting to see the bigger picture. “So, the research was something that Grandel wanted, not Sephia?”

“Exactly. If I am right, Grandel wanted to research and transplant the Authority of Swallowing to someone else.”

Sephia had no need to research the Authority of Swallowing. She already possessed that power.

“Grandel wanted to transplant the Authority of Swallowing into himself, stealing it from the original, Sephia,” Sae-Rin said.

“...”

“If I’m right, Grandel will betray and devour Sephia.”

If that really happened, the views would be incredible.

***

Sae-Rin clapped her hands in delight. “Really? I can borrow the Golden Headband? That’s fantastic!”

[Do you want to lend out the ⌜Golden Headband⌟?]

She placed the Golden Headband on the head of Hwa Ta, who was comfortably sleeping(?) on the bed.

[The ⌜Golden Headband⌟ has been lent out. Renter: Pathfinder]

[The ⌜Golden Headband⌟ has been applied to ⌜Incarnation of Greed⌟.]

[Pathfinder can now use the ⌜Tight-Fillet Spell⌟.]

Using an item as soon as one acquired it was a universal rule. Sae-Rin grinned and recited the Tight-Fillet Spell.

“Aaaaarrggh!” Hwa-Ta, who had been unconscious, suddenly got up. He felt intense pain but there was no sign of defiance in his eyes.

Sae-Rin clicked her tongue, seemingly disappointed. “I thought he would resist more fiercely, but I guess I was wrong.”

Jin-Hyeok was also surprised at how docile Hwa Ta had become.

“You’ve tamed him well,” Jin-Hyeok said.

“...Thanks. But there is still room forto grow.” Sae-Rin’s face turned slightly red.

Jin-Hyeok then said to Hwa Ta, “From now on, you will be working in the MK Foundation’s medical department.”

“Me? Really?”

One great thing about the Golden Headband was that it left no aftereffects. While the Tight-Fillet Spell caused extrpain, the subject returned to normal once the spell ended. Hwa Ta’s condition was relatively good.

“Yes. You will be working as a deputy team leader. You can perform righteous medical practice there.”

“Deputy team leader… What does that mean?”

“You can discuss your salary and such with the team leader.”

“And the team leader is…?”

“You know her. It’s Han Sae-Rin.”

“...”

Sae-Rin was just the nominal team leader. She did not have specific duties; she would just regularly train Hwa Ta. She had just promised to milk all the benefits from Hwa Ta until a proper medical team was formed in the foundation, which pleased Jin-Hyeok. It seemed like a good decision to entrust everything to Sae-Rin.

Afterward, Jin-Hyeok called Terse. “Have you talked with Mr. Gobble?”

—I actually wanted to talk about that. I had a deep conversation with Mr. Gobble.

Terse suddenly becenraged on the phone. Unable to contain his anger, he wanted to cover and talk in person.

—I’m on my way!