The all-knowing Player (Solo Leveling)

The hyakki tribe (2)

A/N: I recently realized I never really described Jung!  He isn't really important right now but he'll have a bigger role later in the story and therefore can't stay faceless. So here he is! What do you think of him? 

Is there anyone you want to see next?

Warning: overly long chapter.

"They'll never agree to it," I protest as Eira leads us towards the edge of the village.

The soft crunching of the snow accompanies each of our steps. Many footprints have already been imprinted in the snow, forming a path leading between the houses and trees. A flight of stairs attached to a trunk climbs up to a platform on which a cabin has been built. A hanging bridge hovers over our heads, crossing the street towards another house hidden among the branches of the pine.

A distant giggling catches my attention. I lift my gaze to see two hyakki around ten years old standing on a platform, leaning against the barrier to watch us with mischievous glimmers in their eyes. They throw a snowball towards us before bending down to take cover under some branches, causing a shower of needles to fall down on their heads. The snowball crashes near the path we walk on, missing its aim by a good meter. I can't help but smile at their poor attempt of hiding, momentarily forgetting about the nervosity nagging at my stomach. Their laughter echoes across the street and the top of their heads stick out of their hiding spot, revealing white hair entangled with green needles.

"They'll understand," Eira counters my words, rolling her eyes at the two young hyakki's antics. "I did and mom isn't completely against it, either."

"You trust people too easily. They'll try to kill me."

"Well, Skadi didn't, that's already a good sign," she tries to cheer me up, gesturing towards the guard with a wide smile.

"Honestly, I still don't know why I didn't," the latter grumbles.

"Because you wouldn't stand a chance against her," Jin-Woo intervenes.

"And what makes you believe that?" she snarls, laying her long ears flat against her head. A thin layer of ice grows to coat the palm of her hand, ready to turn into a spear. But the evidence lies further away in a clearing of the forest: she knows as much as we do that fighting any of us would be a fatal mistake for her — and maybe even for the whole village. So she moves her fingers around, breaking the ice, and grits her teeth. "I know. You're right. You could probably wipe off our village if you wanted."

"We've arrived," Olwen announces, interrupting them.

I take in a deep breath and follow her into the wooden tower built into the walls surrounding the village with the rest of the group on my heels. There, three hyakki are sitting in a small room. Two of them seem to be of the same age as Olwen while the last one is still a teenager, like Eira and Skadi. He climbs up a ladder and sticks his head out of a trapdoor leading to the top of the tower. He calls a last elf, who soon joins us in the small room. All the hyakki eye Jin-Woo and I up and down. I let them stare to their heart's content. If I can earn their sympathy by answering their glances with a smile, I will. My little dragons jump on my shoulders and arms, giving me the strength to step forward and introduce myself. We don't have much time left.

"Hi, I'm Hee-Jin. I'm the one Eira possibly told you about. I'm not a dark fairy, but what exactly I am doesn't matter. I'll keep it short. A gate has opened and you could leave this place with my help, but under two conditions. You'd have to join my army and swear not to harm any human. For that, I'll offer you a skill that will tie you to me. It's the only way to leave this dungeon. I am offering you this because Eira asked me. I have no ill intention. But before you make your decision, please consider the fact that..." I take a deep breath in, ready to face violent reactions, "Baruka and the warriors of your tribe were all killed. By both Jin-Woo's and my army."