《Light of Arad: Forerunner》 Chapter 1 The clanging noise from the chains on his arms was exceedingly irritating, but the man couldn¡¯t afford to worry about such things.¡°Haah, haah¡­¡± It was already challenging enough to look ahead while running through the dark forest. He knew very well that the forest was so dark it was hard to tell whether it was day or night. He also knew that since no light penetrated, the forest was filled with an overwhelming chill. ¡®Damn it, but knowing and experiencing are way too different¡­! Ugh.¡¯ The man frowned and clutched his left shoulder. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He thought his left arm was trembling, but in reality, it wasn¡¯t just his left arm that was shaking. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°¡­Fire¡­¡± He had been unable to control his body¡¯s trembling from the instinctive fear caused by the sounds coming from behind him. ¡°Get lost! You weren¡¯t supposed to come for me in the first place, damn it!¡± The small mercy was that those things, which looked human, were approaching relatively slowly. Yet the unfortunate reality was that they possessed significant problems, such as a stench, body parts falling off, or exposed intestines, issues that should never arise in normal humans. Rustle, rustle. ¡°Kyarrgghhhh-!¡± Moreover, the problem wasn¡¯t just the slowly approaching ones. Strange beasts that sprang out from bushes as tall as his thighs glared at him with glowing eyes. Even someone who loved animals would feel differently if they had claws belonging to beasts that couldn¡¯t be found even in zoo predators. Especially when these creatures, speaking strange words and wearing masks, couldn¡¯t be clearly identified as either human or beast. ¡°Ugh, what am I supposed to do?! What do you even expect me to do?!¡± He could only shout and stumble blindly in the dark woods. But where could he run? What meaning did running away have? In this dark forest, without a map or any knowledge of the paths, it was impossible to evade them forever. ¡®No, I don¡¯t even know if I can escape or find my way back¡­¡¯ The man swallowed dryly. What lay beyond the human-like creatures, whose state of life or death was uncertain, and the beings, whose nature as either human or beast was unclear, was light. The light that allowed him to flee even a little, and the only remaining light in this dark forest. He barely managed to see a few silhouettes around that light. A silhouette appeared as if it were floating in mid-air from the center of the light. Another silhouette stood idly around the light emanating from the ground. ¡®At this rate¡­¡¯ The man bit his lower lip. He wanted to express his frustration but had little opportunity to do so. Because he saw yet another silhouette around the two. A slightly abnormal, elongated silhouette, twitching as if it was about to do something with a long stick, made the man¡¯s body stiffen again. ¡°No, if you had explained it like this from the beginning, given more detailed information¡­ Ah, damn it!¡± The man panted, voicing his frustration and resentment. However, none of the approaching beings could understand his words. ¡°Ugh¡­gu¡­¡± ¡°Kyahhh, kyah!¡± Bodies moving despite their severely damaged state. Monstrous creatures with sharp claws rushing at him. Blacker than black, incomprehensible masses of energy covering the entire forest. And beyond them, the light and the silhouettes. This wasn¡¯t a dream. This was reality. Seeing those clearly in his sight, the man had to make a decision. ¡°Damn it¡­ This wasn¡¯t supposed to be my fucking job!¡± When his trembling left arm had calmed slightly, his pale right hand moved to his waist. The sensation was not just unfamiliar but downright strange, yet one thing was certain. ¡°If you don¡¯t keep your promise, I¡¯ll drag you to hell myself!¡± The man shouted. And then, he drew his sword. * * * Jinseong heard the BGM, which was like an alarm for him to go to work. ¡®No matter when I listen to this BGM, it always excites me.¡¯ Jinseong smiled as he looked at the D&F, Dungeon Fighter Online, logo. Seeing all his character slots filled to the brim, he understood the saying, ¡°I feel full without eating.¡± ¡°Hehe, where should I run today? Where would be better for farming¡­.¡± Moreover, all those characters were sparkling, with their items, titles, and auras. And most importantly, their collective ¡®Adventurer Fame¡¯ was immense. ¡°Ah, this account has already completed the weekly dungeons. I need to log in with another account.¡± Considering he had several similar accounts, it was no exaggeration to say that Jinseong had reached the endgame content with every character and every job. It was just a game he started because it looked fun. It was only natural that a game he got so engrossed in would become a hobby. However, unlike typical Dungeon Fighter Online users, Jinseong could say, ¡®My life is with Dungeon Fighter Online.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s about time for my YouTube earnings to come in¡­ How much was it this month?¡¯ When his YouTube income, utilizing Dungeon Fighter Online content, surpassed his small company¡¯s salary, Jinseong made a decision. He decided to invest his life in Dungeon Fighter Online, literally. So far, Jinseong did not regret his decision. Thanks to the popularity of the global game, his views were relatively steady and stable. Occasionally, some videos gained a surge in views due to his bizarre antics, leaving no room for complaints about his income structure. ¡°Hmm¡­ But right now¡­ Well, it¡¯s inevitable at the end of every season.¡± However, due to the nature of content creators, income could not always increase. Especially in a season-based game like Dungeon Fighter Online, it was unavoidable for things to slow down towards the end of a season when most of the new content had been consumed. Despite the sigh mixed with regret, Jinseong¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t entirely dark, perhaps because of the successful videos he had already produced. ¡ºBaek Jinseong¡¯s Training Raids¡» ¨C Asrahan: Fog God, AtoZ Views: 890,000 ¡ºBaek Jinseong¡¯s Training Raids¡» ¨C Machine Revolution: Bakal Raid, Everyone but Me is a Newbie? Views: 1,030,000 ¡ºBaek Jinseong¡¯s Training Raids¡»- Eoduk Island: Liberation, Hardcore with 3 Level 0 Players! Views: 660,000. ¡ºDungeon, Teacher Baek¡»- Asrahan: Veil of Nothingness, First Clear on the Test Server! First Clear in the Galaxy! Views: 510,000. ¡ºLiberation Genius Baek Manager¡»- Vigilante No-Hit Eoduk Island Liberation, Solo Clear with All Dealers Alive! Views: 470,000. . . . As he looked at his main content playlist, which included videos that surpassed a million views for the first time, he grinned widely. ¡°Heh, that was really fun. After the educational Training Raid Party became popular, even the view counts for other raid and legion strategy videos skyrocketed¡­¡± Immediately after a specific dungeon or raid was updated for the first time, Jinseong utilized his long-standing understanding of Dungeon Fighter Online and his inherent gaming skills to effectively join the leading clear groups. And after that? His pattern was to upload the strategies he had discovered and organize educational raids to teach so-called ¡®newbies,¡¯ which sustained his reputation within Dungeon Fighter Online. ¡®It was really tough at first.¡¯ For some, forming a raid group with strangers and tackling a raid would be nothing but stress. The pressure and burden of these so-called ¡®Training Raid Parties¡¯ were significant, but teaching all the patterns and strategies to rookie adventurers who had barely met the entry conditions for the raid and had never experienced it before was undoubtedly more stressful than those common ¡®Training Raid Parties¡¯! However, Jinseong did not view pressure as merely pressure. Amidst extreme stress, he saw the potential to use it as content, and what seemed like a reckless challenge back then had now become one of the killing contents on his YouTube channel. Recalling the difficult past, Jinseong chuckled. ¡°The ¡ºBaek Jinseong¡¯s Training Raids¡» series¡­ haha, since I¡¯m really Baek, people will probably see it as a cute parody.¡± Imitating famous people¡¯s speech and dialect, sometimes gently, sometimes provocatively, Jinseong¡¯s popularity grew as he shared his strategies, and his YouTube channel¡¯s subscriber count increased, bringing him fame. However, this wouldn¡¯t last forever. Dungeon and raid updates inevitably required sufficient preparation time, and repeatedly running the same dungeon would only cause view counts to gradually decline. Most importantly, there had to be a steady influx of new users. Jinseong absentmindedly logged into one of his characters. ¡°Still, I have to wait. Tomorrow¡­ once the new season updates tomorrow¡­¡± A notification appeared on the huge announcement window, so large it obscured Seria¡¯s room. Jinseong couldn¡¯t contain his excitement as he looked at the announcement for the large-scale patch signaling the transition to a new season. ¡®At the very least, there¡¯s definitely going to be a new Apostle. I can roughly guess who it¡¯ll be based on the current flow, which makes it even more exciting¡ªplus, it¡¯s not just because of the story! Oh man, the level cap increase is practically confirmed, and with that comes new item farming¡ªobviously, there¡¯ll be new dungeons and raids where you can get those items! And with the new season, there¡¯ll be buffs and rewards and all sorts of cool goodies!¡¯ There would be so much to enjoy. He could feel his heart race once more. A small number of people despised these large updates, calling them a reset due to the tension and burden they brought, but for most Dungeon Fighter Online players, it felt like the day before a festival! [Hey, hey! Madak Jinseong! Hey!] While wondering what to do today, Jinseong, who was merely passing through Hendon Myre, was suddenly called out by another player. A male Ranger following him, repeatedly calling out ¡°Hey¡±? Since the nickname was unfamiliar to Jinseong, he tilted his head in confusion. [Yes ?] [You¡¯re the one who runs the educational Training Raids, right?] The subsequent chat was enough to make Jinseong smile broadly. Having raised many characters, he usually gave their nicknames little thought. ¡®For that player to recognize the fleeting display of my adventurer team name¡­ well, I guess it¡¯s natural since my name is in the team name.¡¯ Considering how brief and difficult it was to catch the name ¡°Baek Jinseong,¡± which only appeared for a moment among various notifications and rankings, it was a testament to Jinseong¡¯s growing fame that a player on a random street could notice it. Jinseong smiled and typed back. [Oh, yes. Are you a YouTube subscriber?] [No, I can¡¯t watch even if I wanted to¡­ More importantly-.] The reply was not what he expected. ¡®Hmm? What is this person talking about? They can¡¯t watch even if they wanted to?¡¯ While Jinseong pondered for a moment, the unfamiliar player¡¯s chat continued. [Please help me. I need to defeat the Apostle Prey-Isys. More precisely, I need to subdue the awakened Isys¡­ and check his card.] It was such an earnest message. Which made it even stranger. Chapter 2 The first reason for the sense of incongruity Jinseong felt was that the expression they used was different from the usual way of speaking.[Are you talking about the Isys Raid?] The way the user in front of him referred to the dungeon was vastly different from how Dungeon Fighter Online users typically referred to it. Certainly, the official name of the Isys Raid was Prey-Isys Raid. However, how many people would actually use the full official name in chat? ¡®Besides, what? To be precise, you have to subdue the awakened Isys? Well, since you¡¯re not actually killing her, that expression is accurate, but still¡­¡¯ Jinseong knew what he was talking about. The 3rd Apostle, Isys-Prey. Prey, who governs life during the day, and Isys, who governs death during the night. An apostle with two personalities in one body. Due to the conflict within their body, Isys was separated from Prey, and the story of Dungeon Fighter Online involved stopping Isys, who tried to dominate the demon world with the power of death and darkness. However, that was merely the background setting and part of the Dungeon Fighter Online lore. Among players, it was common to simply call the dungeon ¡°Isys Raid.¡± [Isys Raid¡­ Yes, something like that.] The Ranger user cautiously responded. Of course, this did not resolve Jinseong¡¯s doubts. [Then you could just do the guide raid, couldn¡¯t you? There¡¯s a solo raid mode.] There was an official mode for users who found it difficult to assemble a raid team, whether due to personality or circumstances. If you really wanted to defeat Isys, and do it alone, you could run the guide raid. [No, that¡¯s not possible.] He continued. [That¡¯s a dungeon in a parallel world. It¡¯s not the Isys I need to subdue. I need you to face the fully unleashed Isys and¡­ verify his card.] This statement confused Jinseong even more and was another reason for his sense of incongruity. ¡®Who is this person? Why does he even use ellipses in his chat?¡¯ Jinseong paid attention to the chat because the user recognized him. Normally, wouldn¡¯t he mix internet slang and expressions without hesitation in chat? Almost all the users Jinseong had met so far had chatted in that way. Sometimes, when he assembled a raid team, there were users who spoke quite seriously through voice chat. But even those using a microphone and headset mostly conversed as if they were chatting online, and Jinseong knew this well. ¡®It even feels like¡­ they¡¯re slightly mumbling? No, it¡¯s really strange to get that feeling from chat alone. And a card?¡¯ Although the sense of incongruity was clear, stronger thoughts were dominating Jinseong¡¯s mind. [Can¡¯t you just buy the card from the auction house? There¡¯s one up right now.] [Hah, if that were possible, it wouldn¡¯t have taken me five years to get here.] [Ah¡­] Then, he was sure. ¡°An extreme concept enthusiast returning after five years?¡± Was this a user returning to Dungeon Fighter Online after a long time, completely immersed in the game¡¯s lore? ¡®Adding to that, someone with the concept of never buying items through the auction house?¡¯ So, they deliberately approached him, who was quite famous on YouTube for his ¡°educational raid¡± content? Was it a hunch that recording the play session with this user before tomorrow¡¯s major patch might provide good content for YouTube? ¡®Haha, it could be seen that way. If I ask if I can record and he agrees, then it¡¯s almost certain.¡¯ Perhaps he also had a hidden desire to gain fame among the in-game users through him. For now, that was enough. Jinseong hurriedly prepared to record and asked. [I won¡¯t be doing anything too extreme to help you, just giving you some buffs and explaining the patterns, alright?] [No, I don¡¯t need buffs. Actually, I¡¯m not sure if aggro management will even be allowed.] ¡°Huh?¡± As Jinseong furrowed his brow at the unexpected response, the user spoke again. [If you could just use your voice¡­ to explain the pattern breaking methods and strategies, that would be enough.] [Do you have a mic? Then we can use Discord.] [No, I can¡¯t use external programs. Could you use the in-game voice chat system instead?] Jinseong, who was about to check the invitation code for the voice program, found the user¡¯s response unusual. Agreeing to his suggestion of using the in-game system without external programs, Jinseong replied. [Yes, it¡¯s not impossible. But it might be inconvenient for you to press the keys for the mic each time.] There was nothing for Jinseong to regret, after all. However, from the perspective of a user actually fighting monsters, it could be somewhat inconvenient. Jinseong was about to point this out, but perhaps the user had no such concerns from the start. [¡­I¡¯ll just use general chat.] ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s not hard for me to explain things, but it¡¯s more convenient to use a mic for immediate responses. Oh, does he not have a mic?¡± Considering that there might be personal circumstances, Jinseong asked. The response only heightened his sense of incongruity. [Okay. Then, is it alright if I record this session?] [Voice¡­ Unfortunately, only Mattak Jinseong-.] [For YouTube.] [-should be, yes, but you might not be able to upload the recording. It¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t tried these kinds of things before.] An utterly baffling way of chatting. Was he really typing like that? ¡®If he types hyphens and periods, then presses enter, and continues his sentence with another hyphen¡­ Is there anyone who chat like that?¡¯ Despite the sense of incongruity, a sense of excitement and anticipation prevailed. ¡°He¡¯s definitely a crazy concept enthusiast.¡± Thinking it might make for decent content if well edited, he asked to determine the strategy route. [Shall we head straight to Isys after the four sacred grounds?] One of the common routes for solo play in the Prey-Isys Raid. However, the user declined and answered. [I¡¯d like to visit the garden as well. I feel a bit sorry for Srenicon, but to fully subdue Isys, I think I need to gather as much strength as possible.] Once again, more surprising than his quick typing was the extreme concept of feeling sorry for Srenicon! Jinseong, feeling both chills and an inexplicable grin, found himself nodding unconsciously. [Understood. I¡¯ll let you know which outposts to clear once we enter.] [Thank you.] [Let¡¯s go then.] [Yes. Let¡¯s survive this time.] ¡®¡­Not clearing, not no-coining, not getting loot, but ¡°surviving¡±?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t an impossible thing to say if one was fully immersed. However, for Jinseong, it was the third moment that gave him a sense of incongruity. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. * * * Jinseong naturally started his commentary as he pressed the record button. Since he hadn¡¯t pressed the voice chat button yet, the users in the party couldn¡¯t hear him. In some ways, he thought this was better than constantly sharing his voice through an external program. ¡°Hello, everyone! Today¡¯s content! We¡¯re going to do a solo Prey-Isys raid with a user who¡¯s become a complete Aradian. As you can see, I¡¯m not using a buffer character! It¡¯s purely about breaking down the patterns! Depending on the situation, I¡¯ll also provide some Srenicon pathing tips.¡± Jinseong was playing a male gunner class, specifically a ranger, or Raven, who had only reached the second awakening since he hadn¡¯t met the conditions for True Awakening. As he emphasized his points while rotating the user¡¯s surroundings with his mouse, Jinseong promptly clicked on [Character Info] to check the mysterious user¡¯s equipment. ¡°Equipment- oh¡­ Wow, I¡¯ve never seen this equipment before. Seriously, what is this? Well, even though the level is 95, it might be hard to get effective custom gear right away¡­ Still, at the very least, they should be wearing the Akan set, ahem, I see.¡± He hadn¡¯t even hoped for the relatively recent epic item setups. Considering the user had returned after five years, Jinseong assumed they might be wearing unique items from the past, or maybe a few mythical items at best. ¡®Where in the world did they get these¡­? Are these items still being used?¡¯ However, the user was equipped with items that even Jinseong, a seasoned Dungeon Fighter Online player, found surprising. ¡°Ahem, anyway, their fame is¡­ 6,643. I think that used to be around the required fame for the Prey-Isys raid. Let¡¯s check why they¡¯re wearing such items.¡± Jinseong quickly composed his voice and pressed the voice chat button. [Did you purposely equip these items? There should have been plenty of growth items and newbie support packs.] [Unfortunately, that¡¯s not possible.] [If you don¡¯t want to create a new character because you like your nickname, you can designate certain characters with lower fame as event characters. That alone would drastically improve your growth.] [Do you know my nickname?] Jinseong smirked at the user¡¯s response. How many years had he been playing Dungeon Fighter Online? [I don¡¯t know about current players, but¡­ how many years ago was it? There was someone who made a lot of noise, singing excitedly every time they enhanced or amplified items. Your nickname sounds similar to theirs. They were quite famous back then.] Although he was a past user who no longer played, Jinseong knew almost all the famous figures in the game. It was a subtle way for Jinseong to show his own experience, but the user¡¯s reaction was quite different. [I see. I didn¡¯t expect someone to remember. It¡¯s been¡­ about five years.] It was the kind of statement that could leave Jinseong speechless. For a moment, he forgot he was recording and mumbled in surprise. ¡°You saw that, right? We might call each other Dungbung-i, Dungbung-i, but Dungeon Fighter Online is a game you need to immerse yourself in to enjoy fully. It seems like this person is going to show us just that. Now, let¡¯s see if they can solo the raid. Everyone, please look forward to it.¡± Even while making comments for the video, Jinseong¡¯s eyes gleamed sharply. After all, the point of the video was to showcase this user clearing the Prey-Isys raid solo. [Since you said you¡¯d get to the Garden, the first goal is to defend the third interception base and descend from the eighth garden base.] [Yes!] The user responded as if they understood Jinseong¡¯s instructions. Simultaneously, monsters began to descend on Srenicon¡¯s back. The user reacted immediately. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡­¡­!!!! While moving to a corner to avoid the monsters¡¯ aggro, Jinseong had already figured out the user¡¯s skill patterns. ¡®Since the damage is weak, it¡¯s actually good that I can quickly see their skill patterns. The combo structure is definitely old-fashioned¡­ but considering how bad the gear is, they might still be able to clear this.¡¯ Although the skill usage order was outdated, the fundamentals were solid. And as if reading Jinseong¡¯s mind, the user spoke. [I didn¡¯t realize how encouraging it could be to run a dungeon with someone else! Haha, well, Baek Jinseong, you¡¯re not just standing here, you¡¯re also giving strategic instructions, which is really reassuring!] In some ways, it could be seen as a simple compliment or just fitting the concept. But Jinseong¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°¡­How?¡± It was inevitable. Before the user¡¯s chat bubble even appeared, their attacks never once ceased while evading to Jinseong¡¯s location. Considering Dungeon Fighter Online¡¯s chat system, it was enough to send chills down Jinseong¡¯s spine. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 It wasn¡¯t just because of the concept. Jinseong quickly changed his tone to his recording voice and spoke. ¡°Huh? Did you all see that too? Not a skill, but a basic attack¡ª. What? While typing such a long message¡­ His attack wasn¡¯t interrupted ?¡± In the game Dungeon Fighter Online, all attacks are performed using the keyboard. It¡¯s common to use assigned shortcut keys or to input commands combined with directional keys to use skills. ¡®It¡¯s possible to use a gamepad, but gamepad users are rare. No, using a gamepad is even stranger. Controlling with a gamepad while typing on the keyboard¡­ doesn¡¯t make sense! If we assume they¡¯re a keyboard and mouse user¡ª. Sure, skills! If they managed to pre-input the skill commands perfectly, it¡¯s not entirely impossible, but¡ª.¡¯ However, he was attacking with basic attacks. In other words, he must have been repeatedly pressing the X key on the keyboard. But he typed in the chat during that time? And not just a word or two, but such a long sentence? ¡®In a situation where he¡¯s pressing X repeatedly, he hits Enter, types the message, hits Enter again, and continues pressing X¡­ Is that even possible?¡¯ Theoretically, it¡¯s not entirely impossible. Physically, it¡¯s not something that could never happen. But it¡¯s certainly not a normal situation. ¡®Could someone with a typing speed of about 1,000 characters per minute do it? I¡¯m a pretty fast typist myself, but even I can¡¯t do it, tch.¡¯ As the thought that it was impossible began to surface, Jinseong quickly shook his head to clear away the distracting thoughts. If it wasn¡¯t a coincidence, it might be something he would see several times during the coming raid. Above all, since they had just successfully defeated the boss at the intercept base, Jinseong himself had to fulfill his role. Jinseong immediately pressed the voice chat button and said, [Go-, good job. Now we just need to descend at Garden 8. And there¡¯s no need to prepare potions¡­ since you didn¡¯t take any hits.] [Hoo, that¡¯s the one thing I was confident about. I¡¯ve been living like that all this time¡­] [Yes, well¡­ ahem, anyway¡ª the difficulty of the garden will depend on whether it¡¯s Senbi Cloud or Omega Guardian. Have you faced them before?] [No. I only have a vague idea about the structure needed to defeat the separated Isys¡­ It¡¯s embarrassing.] Jinseong had a few things to say but had to swallow them. ¡®Wasn¡¯t it active five years ago when the Isys raid was popular? Well, judging by his gear level, he might not have been able to go even then.¡¯ He instinctively knew that such things weren¡¯t important to the person now. So Jinseong provided a rough explanation. [The name Omega Guardian sounds more intimidating, but in reality, it¡¯s easier to deal with. Senbi Cloud is¡­ After all, they have the concept of controlling rain on the planet Tayberrs and were appointed as a guardian by Prey. That aspect is reflected in the raid, making them a bit more challenging to face-.] [You seem to know a lot. Do you know the entire lore of Dungeon Fighter Online?] Before he could steer the conversation further. Jinseong thought for a moment and then pressed the voice chat button again to respond. [I know the general storyline. It¡¯s interesting, right? Oh, but it¡¯s not like I can recite every line word for word. Still, I know some of the more touching episodes and particularly entertaining events in detail. Like the part, or, ah! You know the Screaming Cave incident, right? Or even Jacter-.] [Indeed¡­ With eyes that sparkle like that, I¡¯m envious. I should have done that a long time ago.] The user interrupted Jinseong again. To be precise, one might say he ¡®muttered¡¯. ¡®Crazy, muttering what! It¡¯s not like Dungeon Fighter Online has a muttering function¡­¡¯ Maybe it was because of the expression ¡®eyes that sparkle¡¯ directed at Jinseong. Gulp. Jinseong somehow felt that the pixelated game character in Dungeon Fighter Online, the user beyond the screen, was smiling wistfully. ¡®No, what a silly thought-. Focus. Focus.¡¯ It was time to encounter the next monster, so Jinseong chuckled and made a comment for the video. ¡°Ahem, at this point¡­ Everyone, I hope you can see the chat well. If someone sets a concept, they should at least go this far. Almost like Jinseong Aradian! The adventurer himself! I¡¯m learning a big lesson today.¡± Above all, if he couldn¡¯t convey his own seriousness, handling it in a light tone seemed appropriate for someone whose job was creating ¡®Dungeon Fighter Online enjoyable video content¡¯. If he was this determined to maintain the concept, Jinseong resolved that there was no need to provoke him further. [Anyway, now we¡¯re entering the garden-. Ah, the Floating Garden! It¡¯s Senbi Cloud! This is actually good, let¡¯s melt him as quickly as possible and aim for the sacred ground.] [Sounds good. May we survive this one too!] With another comment that gave Jinseong a strange sense of discomfort, they entered the dungeon. In the past, in the Prey-Isys raid, a boss monster known as the ¡®coin thief¡¯ stood before them. * * * The patterns had already been explained. When the patterns manifested, Jinseong¡¯s role was to remind the player, guiding them in appropriate directions or the timing of using movement skills. Jinseong did his best to communicate all the pattern information and immediate actions needed, and the player diligently followed his instructions. At least in this aspect, the synergy between Jinseong and the player wasn¡¯t bad. [Senbi Cloud! Like I told you, just be careful when the purple zone explodes! Other than that, you can take a few hits while dealing damage!] However, what Jinseong found slightly disappointing was the lack of an aggressive and proactive attitude. The player only pushed the attack during the perfect moments when they wouldn¡¯t get hit. ¡®At the very least, if I draw the aggro, there might be less damage lost¡­¡¯ Jinseong smacked his lips, pressed the voice chat button, and shouted. [Should I draw some aggro from the clouds? If you focus on dealing damage, that might be better-.] [No! It¡¯s fine! If there¡¯s any external interference, the situation might become unpredictable-. Grr!] [-Alright, alright,, I understand. Then I won¡¯t interfere! Just focus on dealing as much damage as possible and don¡¯t worry about the chat!] [Ha, ha, don¡¯t worry about the chat. Just keep an eye on the patterns!] Jinseong frowned. It wasn¡¯t because of the player¡¯s words to not worry about the chat. ¡®No matter how fast you type, spending time on ¡®ha, ha¡¯ could be used for dealing damage instead¡­ Though, it¡¯s hard to argue when they¡¯re linking skills and basic attacks in between with no latency.¡¯ Still, it would be more efficient! If the player focused a bit more on attacking, they could defeat the boss monster more efficiently, which was why Jinseong¡¯s forehead wrinkled. At least one thing was certain. ¡®They really don¡¯t get hit. It seems they weren¡¯t lying about having always played like this.¡¯ Despite Jinseong meticulously informing about the patterns, it would be useless if the player didn¡¯t have the control and reflexes to react. From this perspective, the player¡¯s evasion skill was at a top-notch level. ¡®At this rate, it should be smooth sailing¡­ Huh?¡¯ It was then that Jinseong noticed something. One of the berserk patterns of the boss monster Senbi Cloud, ¡°Twin Dragons of the Radiant Sky.¡± It summoned two dragons, a black dragon and a white dragon, which would follow the player. If the two dragons collided, a merciless attack pattern would trigger an instant death explosion across the entire area. [These are the two dragons I mentioned earlier. Just dodge them by moving in circles. Head downwards! I¡¯ll go up! As long as we keep the dragons apart, nothing will happen!] Jinseong, who had been in the corner of the map, ran upwards while speaking. In the response he received, Jinseong sensed something was off. [What?! Are we doing this together?] Panic. A kind of panic that surpassed mere confusion. Jinseong felt as if he had done something wrong and hurriedly added an explanation. [Y-yes. That¡¯s why I told you to move up and down.] Even in the midst of this, the player quickly typed to Jinseong. [Why are you telling me this now! No, if that¡¯s the case-. Instead of the boss¡¯s random attacks, it¡¯ll be directly targeting Baek Jinseong-. Ah-.] No, he tried to say. ¡°Uh?¡± Jinseong saw it. A sudden yellow pillar of light flashing around the player. ¡®Did Senbi Cloud have such a pattern? I don¡¯t remember any debuffs like that-.¡¯ What made Jinseong even more flustered was the visible chat. [Ugh, ughhh-!] It was, in fact, a scream. The player, touched by the white thunder dragon, was screaming. The only way they could express it was through chat. ¡®Even in this situation? No matter how much they¡¯re into the concept, there¡¯s no time to type chat now-.¡¯ Jinseong couldn¡¯t even swallow his dry saliva due to the mix of guilt and absurdity he felt. He knew there was temporary stiffness and continuous damage when hit, and he had informed the player about it. [Move! Use Windmill! Or Acceleration Trigger! Now!] The player wasn¡¯t moving. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was as if they were writhing in place. [You don¡¯t need to deal damage, just move! You¡¯ll die at this rate! There¡¯s no need to waste a coin!] Even though reviving after death was possible, Jinseong couldn¡¯t accept it. Everything was being recorded, and the player being taught by him, renowned for his educational raids, dying in the Prey-Isys raid would render the footage useless! [Hey, hey!?] Jinseong urgently called out to him. He spoke. But it wasn¡¯t a response to Jinseong¡¯s call. [Ugh, ugh¡­ How did I get this far-. How did I get this far-.] The player, typing until the very end, ultimately died. He typed a somewhat long chat as his final moments. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± Before all sorts of thoughts flitted through his mind, Jinseong first tried to utter a line for the video. ¡°Ah, what a pity. It¡¯s good that you were dedicated to the concept, but being too absorbed in the chat was your downfall. Ultimately, you died-. Hmm?¡± However, Jinseong couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. It was as if he had logged out. The party was disbanded, and he was gone. ¡°He¡­ left. Suddenly. Instead of breaking the concept, he just broke the party¡­ Aww. What a pity.¡± It wasn¡¯t just the regret of not being able to use good video content. While talking to him, Jinseong genuinely wanted to see him solo the Prey-Isys raid. He truly wanted to help him. ¡°Since it turned out this way, let¡¯s at least try to interview him. Whisper¡­ seems not possible for now. Did he log out?¡± Swallowing his regret that he couldn¡¯t be of much help in the end, Jinseong spoke. ¡°Okay, since whispers aren¡¯t working! I¡¯ll check the adventure team name through his nickname and contact him again later! I¡¯ll follow up with a review. His adventure team name is¡­ Huh?¡± Quickly, he exited the dungeon, accessed the official Dungeon Fighter Online website, and entered the [Character Search] category, where he typed in the nickname. All of this was being recorded. Thus, Jinseong couldn¡¯t help but be flustered. ¡°What¡­ is this?¡± No search results appeared. Switching back to the game screen, he repeatedly checked and re-entered the nickname he had just conversed with, but the result remained the same. ¡ªPlease check the character search conditions again.¡ª ¡ªOnly characters level 11 and above can be searched.¡ª Despite the official website system including all servers and level 11 and above characters, he could not be found. The meaning of this was simple. He did not exist. Not a single trace of him existed at this moment. (EN : F for the ¡®NPC¡¯) Chapter 4 Chapter 4Until late at night, Jinseong continued to stare at the monitor with bloodshot eyes. The multiple internet windows and the small-sized video player displayed evidence of how busy he had been all day. Naturally, the first thing he did was search for similar cases. ¡®Here it is. The moment he died, he logged out instantly.¡¯ After confirming the moment the user died through the video player, he rummaged through the internet windows again, but there were no cases identical to his. Above all, no matter how many combinations of keywords like ¡®party withdrawal, logout, character deletion¡¯ he tried, such cases would be few and far between. What Jinseong wanted, Finding an exact case similar to the male ranger was impossible from the start. That wasn¡¯t all. ¡®Okay, private sites might be excused. But the official site? Real-time updates?¡¯ And what about the search sites that showed the character¡¯s information completely when searched by nickname? He looked into the mechanisms of these sites that utilized open APIs and even asked questions on various boards, but he couldn¡¯t get the answers he wanted. [Logout and then delete the character immediately] [But even if you delete it, there will be a delay before the site reflects it] [No, it¡¯s real-time] [Is it really that real-time?] [What do you mean by ¡°that real-time¡±?] [But when you delete a character, don¡¯t you have to type ¡®delete now¡¯?] [If you type really fast, it¡¯s possible] On the contrary, Jinseong¡¯s questions sparked heated debates among community users, making it even harder to find reliable information. ¡°It¡¯s unsettling¡­ really unsettling.¡± In a situation where his doubts were not resolved at all, all Jinseong could do was keep watching the recording. Maybe there was something special in what he said. ¡®But there were more than a few strange things! And they weren¡¯t just normally strange!¡¯ However, finding a flaw in his statements and reaching a conclusion was not easy either. Wasn¡¯t he a user who played with a concept that was enough to baffle Jinseong? ¡®If I think about it, it was as if a famous user from the past¡­ was pretending to be an acquaintance? Or pretending to be himself? When I think about it, what happened to that user from 5 years ago ? I think I heard rumors that he quit after selling all his equipment, but those were just words floating around the community. In reality, I wouldn¡¯t know¡­ Come to think of it, if he said, ¡®I¡¯ve come this far after 5 years,¡¯ maybe he really was¡­¡¯ He couldn¡¯t know if he really was that famous user from the past. Still, recalling his statements, it could be assumed that he was a user returning to Dungeon Fighter Online after several years. ¡®No, rather than returning after five years¡­ if I interpret it as participating in a proper raid for the first time in five years, the actual return could have been earlier. But anyway¡­¡¯ That wasn¡¯t the important part. The crucial thing was discovering that the famous user from the past had abruptly quit Dungeon Fighter Online and disappeared exactly five years ago. ¡°Hmm¡­ no matter how I think about it, even if that person was him, the nickname is slightly different, and his equipment¡­ Even if he returned after a long time, he wouldn¡¯t raid with such equipment, surely.¡± Considering the possibilities that he might have used a nickname change coupon, deleted the character five years ago, and created a new one, only to log in for the first time now¡­ Jinseong had to scratch his head. ¡°Argh! My head hurts!¡± There were too many possibilities. And there was no way to know which of those possibilities was true. The only thing he could do now was to recall what that person had said. ¡®What he wanted from me was the raid strategy. No help, no buffs, just ¡®real-time instructions¡¯. He even pleaded not to draw aggro¡­ oh, aggro?¡¯ As he sorted his thoughts, something clicked in Jinseong¡¯s mind, and he replayed the video. From the moment they first met, all their conversations had been strange, but there were moments when his demeanor changed drastically. Among them, there was one particularly chilling moment. [What?! We¡¯re doing it together?!] [¡­Yes, I definitely didn¡¯t say we¡¯d be doing it together. But I did explain that two dragons would appear, and we¡¯d need to dodge them by moving up and down¡­] The White Dragon and Black Dragon each targeted separate characters. In other words, if two dragons appeared and were divided up and down, it was natural that aggro would be drawn to Jinseong in a party with only two members. ¡®Hmm, my explanation was somewhat lacking¡­ okay, that can happen!¡¯ The user had said: [Why are you telling me this now?! If that¡¯s the case¡­ it¡¯s not a random boss attack, but it would ¡®recognize and attack¡¯ Baek Jinseong directly¡­ gah-.] It was a difficult expression for Jinseong to understand. ¡°Is the boss directly looking at me and attacking? Then it attacks after recognizing me directly. Does it attack indirectly after seeing me? If it uses an area-wide pattern to attack, is that indirect? If it comes close and hits me or uses a skill-type attack, is that direct?¡± Though he couldn¡¯t understand it, an even more incomprehensible scene followed immediately. It was only for a moment, but a yellow pillar of light enveloped the user¡¯s body. ¡®Right. That one¡­ there¡¯s no debuff like this yellow pillar of light in Senbi Cloud. There definitely isn¡¯t. This person didn¡¯t see a new pattern because his damage was slow. Even when I raided as a veteran back then, I never saw this once.¡¯ Hit by the pillar, the user gritted his teeth, making a gnashing sound. And then, he couldn¡¯t perform the ¡®dodge control¡¯ he had boasted about so much. ¡®So he barely got caught by the White Dragon. From that point on¡­¡¯ Jinseong replayed the video. It was chat. The font wasn¡¯t special, nor was it a system expression accompanied by a cinematic video. Just an ordinary chat. ¡®He screamed¡­ Haha, it felt so desperate, to the point where I felt like an idiot for saying that.¡¯ He screamed desperately. That was another odd thing for Jinseong. ¡®He didn¡¯t even move. Even if he missed the timing to use the skill¡­ If he¡¯s a returning user who leveled up to 95, he should at least be able to use right away in a temporary stiff state. It was the best timing to escape with invincibility. Even if he hadn¡¯t learned , he could have moved and used , or he could have quickly widened the distance with .¡¯ Considering the user had risked his life to move and avoid getting hit, it was even harder to understand. [Groan, gasp¡­ Up to here¡­ How did I get this far¡­] Did he obsess over chatting more than using skills to survive? ¡®Someone who tried so hard not to die. Someone who didn¡¯t even deal damage to avoid getting hit¡­¡¯ Gulp. Jinseong swallowed his dry saliva. Then, after a moment, he exhaled a long breath. ¡°Phew¡­ It¡¯s really unsettling, but it¡¯s already over.¡± Although it was unresolved and curious, he didn¡¯t have the leisure or need to dwell on this matter alone. More importantly, wasn¡¯t there something else that mattered? ¡°I should check if tomorrow¡¯s patch notes are up and go to sleep.¡± Because tomorrow, the world of Dungeon Fighter Online would expand once again. (EN : Much more than you know, wish or hope¡­.) After a simple stretch, Jinseong launched Dungeon Fighter Online. ¡°Huh?¡± What he saw soon was not the familiar homepage. It wasn¡¯t the game launch screen either. ¡°What is this?¡± It felt as if the monitor screen was gradually getting brighter. It was an abrupt situation, but Jinseong responded quickly. At least he tried to respond. Opening the task manager to close abnormal programs or lowering the monitor¡¯s brightness while checking for issues with the monitor and main unit connection or the graphics driver problem, these thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant¡­ ¡°A? Huh?¡± But when the light started to overflow from the monitor and reached towards him, Jinseong realized it wasn¡¯t simply a ¡®screen brightness¡¯ problem. Problem was, he couldn¡¯t move. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡­¡­!!!! ¡°What-. Uaaargh-!¡± It happened in an instant. The light swallowed Jinseong entirely. * * * A feeling of being sucked in and falling somewhere. There wouldn¡¯t be many who had experienced their brain, suddenly facing an abnormal situation, conjuring up random thoughts like ¡®What should I eat for lunch tomorrow?¡¯ as a desperate escapism from reality. ¡°Uwaa¡­ Ah?!¡± Then suddenly, Jinseong realized his body had come to a halt. However, he couldn¡¯t tell if he had truly stopped. In a place where everything except his own form was merely white, he couldn¡¯t tell if his feet were touching the ground, if he was swimming underwater, was upside down or what. He couldn¡¯t even control his body properly in this strange space. ¡°Uh, uh! Uh!¡± Jinseong immediately started flailing. Could this really be happening? But such questions were a luxury for him at the moment. First, he needed to wildly move around. It was only natural to check if his senses were working properly. ¡°Ha! Hah!¡± He tried to see if he could breathe, if sounds would come out. It was only after making these instinctive and bizarre sounds that Jinseong looked around. Everything he saw was the same space. A space of nothing but light, without shadows, making it impossible to grasp anything. ¡®What is this? What¡¯s going on?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t even tell how much time had passed. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Fortunately, Jinseong¡¯s thoughts were gradually returning to normal. ¡°What? Hello! What¡¯s happening? Who¡¯s there? Where am I? What¡¯s going on? The f**k ?!!!¡± Although all he could do was scream like an animal, barely managing to shout like a human, that alone was sufficient. ¡°What-. Hmm?¡± It seemed as if the purely white space reacted to Jinseong¡¯s screams, as another color finally began to ripple through it. Until now, the light had been purely white, but this was different. Just as Jinseong felt that the golden light rippling throughout the space was like some kind of mass, it began to take shape. And then, a sound was heard. It wasn¡¯t the sound of the light mass moving. It was language. ¡ºIt is light, and it is darkness. Discussing it is meaningless, for it is holy and great, yet it is also an abyss and chaos. Its essence lies within.¡» As one verse finished, what Jinseong saw were golden wings. ¡ºThe foolish cannot see, the ordinary can only see, the wise can recognize, and those wiser still will see the essence within.¡» As another verse finished, what Jinseong saw was a golden weapon. ¡ºIt will return to the great will, taking a step towards the opening of a new age, becoming renewed and eternal within.¡» And as another verse finished, what was revealed was golden armor. Jinseong understood. He had perceived it even before the rippling golden light gathered into a face and began to spread a gentle, serene glow. Golden wings, several times larger than Jinseong himself, decorated the expansive white space. A gigantic form that was impossible to accept as ¡®human.¡¯ Above all, the verses recited before Jinseong¡¯s very eyes. ¡°This can¡¯t be.¡± He realized what, and who, was before him. A fragment of Kalosso. The first sage and the final guide. Or, the Lady of Light. (EN : Fire Keeper with wings ?) ¡°¡­¡­Nemer.¡± The transcendent Nemer revealed herself before Jinseong. Chapter 5 Chapter 5Nemer was one of the beings classified as a transcendental entity within the Dungeon Fighter Online universe. Jinseong was dumbfounded as he looked at Nemer, who was several times larger than himself. It was even more difficult to understand the mystical sight before his eyes, considering he seemed to be upside down compared to her. ¡®A being that only moves for Kalosso¡­ that itself is a fragment of Kalosso ¨C no, no, that¡¯s not it!¡¯ Then he suddenly realized. Now was not the time to be admiring Nemer or thinking about what kind of being she was. ¡°Hey, excuse me! Hey, you there?¡± Why was Nemer even in front of him in the first place? Could this really be happening? If it wasn¡¯t reality, was it because he had been playing Dungeon Fighter Online for too long? ¡®I¡¯ve been tired all day, seeing hallucinations¡­ beyond that ¨C have I gone mad? Am I dreaming such a vivid dream? I am obsessed with Dungeon Fighter Online to the point where it even appears in my dreams, but still¡­¡¯ In the atmosphere where he couldn¡¯t distinguish between dream and reality, Jinseong¡¯s body suddenly stopped moving. It was because Nemer¡¯s voice began to resonate once again. ¡ºHuman from the plane connected to Plane: Arad.¡» Jinseong was momentarily lost in the mystical feeling of hearing the voice of the being before him from all directions. However, he couldn¡¯t help but respond to Nemer¡¯s subsequent call. ¡ºThe human who touched the blade being tempered and caused it to break.¡» ¡°Uh, yes? Me? Did I?¡± Even if he didn¡¯t fully understand the meaning, how could he remain silent when it seemed like he was being blamed? Moreover, as a Dungeon Fighter Online player, wasn¡¯t it something he could vaguely understand? A word he couldn¡¯t overlook, even if he didn¡¯t completely grasp the lore, ¡®the blade being tempered.¡¯ ¡°You mean I broke the blade? The blade being tempered-.¡± ¡ºHowever, the broken blade was one that could not be tempered anyway, so this is not your fault.¡» If there was any relief for Jinseong, it was that Nemer didn¡¯t seem interested in listening to him. Perhaps her abrupt response, cutting off his words, was her answer. Whatever it was, hearing that it wasn¡¯t his fault brought immense comfort to Jinseong. With a sense of inexplicable relief, Jinseong began to mumble. ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know if this is a dream or what, but I do like Dungeon Fighter Online and I¡¯m quite good at it ¨C oh, of course, compared to DPS characters, I¡¯m naturally weaker, but still, when a new raid comes out, I¡¯m almost always among the first clears, and I used to do quite well in PvP too, but still-.¡± Of course, he couldn¡¯t finish his words. ¡ºI have seen your abilities. Your skill in handling the character adventurers in Plane: Arad. With the skill honed as a character adventurer, you can certainly become a true adventurer, a true blade. But I do not wish for you to merely become a true blade.¡» Nemer spoke. ¡ºYour ability is to hone the blades of the character adventurers in Plane: Arad.¡» Although Jinseong knew it was referring to him, he still couldn¡¯t clearly interpret its meaning. From the start, there was no reason for Jinseong to try to understand such words now. Before talking, he awkwardly raised his hand like he was before his teachers again. ¡°Um¡­ excuse me, but how can I get home? Can you wake me up?¡± If it was reality, he wanted to be sent back, and if it was a dream, he wanted to be awakened. How many people could actively respond to and understand everything when thrown into a situation they couldn¡¯t accept? At the very least, Jinseong was just showing a very human reaction. ¡ºThere is an entity that seeks to break all the blades of Plane: Arad. An entity that interferes with those who have started honing themselves, those who can become true adventurers, and those who have started the honing as character adventurers.¡» The unfortunate point was that ¡®Transcendent Nemer¡¯ had no interest in the circumstances of ¡®mere humans.¡¯ ¡°¡­Yes, I see.¡± Jinseong gave a meaningless response. He thought he might be able to go back once Nemer finished talking, so he tried to get her to finish as quickly as possible. However, he couldn¡¯t just mindlessly agree. ¡ºYou must thwart the interference of the entity that has infiltrated Plane: Arad to break the blades. Help the character adventurers complete their practice to become true adventurers, and ensure that those who have become candidates for true adventurers can be honed into even sharper blades. This is the responsibility of the one who broke the honing blade.¡» After hearing Nemer speak of responsibility, Jinseong couldn¡¯t remain silent. ¡°Wait, wait! Just a moment! Didn¡¯t you say earlier that it wasn¡¯t my fault? So why-?¡± ¡ºThe presence of intent and the presence of guilt are not the same, so even if it isn¡¯t your fault, the weight of the responsibility still exists.¡» ¡°No, no, what responsibility? Guilt? What guilt do I have-?¡± ¡ºDo you think you bear no responsibility for the broken blade?¡» Nemer asked. Jinseong swallowed hard. He couldn¡¯t understand the situation, but he wasn¡¯t a fool. Up to this moment, if Jinseong retraced what Nemer had been saying and how he reached this point, he could arrive at a relatively simple answer. ¡°That user died. I mean, I didn¡¯t exPlane it 100% perfectly, but you can understand it even if I skip over some parts, right? Ultimately, it can¡¯t be entirely my fault. It¡¯s funny to talk seriously about this, but just because a game character died-¡± ¡ºHe is not a character adventurer from Plane: Arad. The adventurer you faced was one of the Aradians being honed to become a true blade. Also, he was one of the humans summoned to Arad to become a true adventurer, having been the best at handling character adventurers from Plane: Arad in the past.¡» ¡°¡­What?¡± Jinseong was bewildered. He didn¡¯t understand Nemer¡¯s words, but at the same time, he did. ¡°Uh, wait a minute. Did I misunderstand? That user who died¡ªthe character that is¡­¡± How should he express it? As Jinseong hesitated for a moment while struggling with his murky emotions, Nemer spoke. ¡ºWhat is needed is a persistent and tenacious will.¡» ¡°No, no, listen to me! Nemer! You created the Knights, right? According to the lore? Then send the Knights! Why are you suddenly picking on me-¡± ¡ºNo longer as a character from Plane: Arad, but as a true human of Arad.¡» ¡°When a person speaks, you should at least pretend to listen! What am I supposed to do if I go-¡± ¡ºWhen the fierce hammer of trials hones the blade, you will be the tongs that hold the blade steady.¡» ¡°No, if you¡¯re going to ask for a favor, be clear, polite and precise-¡± ¡ºWhen you fulfill your mission as the tongs, you will return to the place you desire.¡» Nemer waved her arm lightly. ¡°Oh, fuc-¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡­¡­. Jinseong couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. All the light that had seemed to illuminate the world until a moment ago vanished. * * * The golden energy that made up Nemer, the white space where the energy and Jinseong himself had existed¡ªall disappeared as he fell in a heap on the ¡®ground¡¯ head first. The surroundings were filled with a peculiar darkness, a faint yet deep purple, occasionally flashing yellow lights, like a space reminiscent of the universe. It was so dark that Jinseong could barely confirm the presence of his hands and feet by their silhouettes. ¡®What? What¡¯s going on? Suddenly, what is this-¡® But no sound was heard. He couldn¡¯t see anything far away. He couldn¡¯t grasp the state of his own body properly. He had a massive headache though, so his head should still be attached to his neck. In the midst of it all, Jinseong thought about what Nemer had said. ¡®No, more importantly¡­ adventurer, blade¡­? Even with a rough understanding of the Dungeon Fighter Online story, I know how important those words are and what they mean.¡¯ At least, based on the Dungeon Fighter Online game Jinseong had played, both ¡®adventurer¡¯ and ¡®honed blade¡¯ referred to the ¡®user.¡¯ ¡®A user who has become stronger by overcoming trials, being sharpened like a blade, and killing all the apostles¡­ Amidst this, there are conspiracies tangled and intertwined. Broadly speaking, that¡¯s the gist of it, right?¡¯ In-game users, humans outside the monitor. The storyline that makes them more engrossed in the game. ¡®But what I¡¯ve been doing¡­ No, not just me. What everyone in Dungeon Fighter Online has been doing¡­ character adventurers?¡¯ But was it real? Jinseong retraced what Nemer had said. ¡®Plane: Arad and character adventurers¡­ Plane is like a concept of a dimension¡ªAh!? Oh?¡¯ However, he couldn¡¯t stay immersed in that thought. A sudden stiffness spread through his body, and he saw a light ahead. How exhilarating the bright light was, flickering in the midst of the dark, murky, and sometimes eerily purple space. Jinseong moved. Whether he was flailing or running, he didn¡¯t know, but he moved diligently towards the light. Whether the light was approaching him or he was moving towards it, when it finally drove away all the surrounding darkness and dazzled his eyes! Jinseong¡¯s feet touched solid ground. ¡°¡­What is this?¡± But the scene before him was somewhat disconcerting. He wasn¡¯t in front of his computer. ¡°Where¡­ Cough, cough. Huh?¡± Thick smoke rising from everywhere and the heat he felt. It didn¡¯t take long for Jinseong to realize he was in a forest, a burning forest at that. He didn¡¯t wonder whether it was reality or not because he could already feel the heat of the approaching flames and the sharp, stinging cough from inhaling the smoke. ¡°Eh? Ow, what the hell, crazy!? My arm¡ªwhy is my arm¡ª¡± The realization that this was his reality came with the shocking recognition of his own body. His body was vastly different, almost unrecognizable compared to just moments ago when he was moving around. Particularly unsettling was the clanking sound that echoed with every movement of his arms. His once-lively arms had turned pitch black, devoid of any life. The heavy, awkward movement of his arms was less startling than what they signified. ¡®A Ghost Knight! No, not just any Ghost Knight¡ª¡¯ His body had transformed into that of a Ghost Knight. More specifically, into one of the special classes from Dungeon Fighter Online. ¡°-Dark Knight!¡± So startled was he that Jinseong involuntarily shouted, but there was no time for shock now. ¡°Who goes there!?¡± ¡°Gah.¡± A sharp, piercing voice made Jinseong cover his mouth and crouch down. Soon, he understood. A dense forest. Raging flames. A woman¡¯s voice, clearly audible despite the considerable distance. ¡°Whoever is in this forest, did you destroy the magic circle? It will never go as you wish. This forest, Granfloris, I will protect it!¡± Only after quickly turning his head in the direction of the voice could Jinseong see. Amidst the raging flames, a figure floating gently in the air¡ªwhether human or not. A woman standing out particularly red among the blazing flames. Any Dungeon Fighter Online user would recognize her within ten minutes of starting the game, an NPC and the boss of ¡®Dungeon: Burning Grakrak.¡¯ ¡®The Flame Vinoche¡­?¡¯ S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jinseong was utterly bewildered but quickly realized. It was too early to be just bewildered. Another voice, different from Vinoche¡¯s, could be heard. ¡°As expected¡­ it was Lady Vinoche.¡± Two silhouettes walking towards the flames from further away than Vinoche. And among them, the leading figure, the owner of the voice, was someone Jinseong could picture with his eyes closed¡ªsomeone he was very familiar with! ¡®¡­Seria! Seria Kirmin!¡¯ Any Dungeon Fighter Online user would have encountered this NPC more than any other, and Seria Kirmin was approaching. Chapter 6 Chapter 6Jinseong had to lower his posture even further, his heart pounding. For some reason, he even felt like he had committed a crime. ¡®What is this? What is this, really? It¡¯s Seria-. It¡¯s really Seria. And the Flame Vinoche¡­ Wait a minute. Then behind her is-.¡¯ Following Seria was a male Ghost Knight. To Jinseong, who had already equipped avatars for all the male Ghost Knight classes, the distinctive default appearance of the male Ghost Knight with the spiky hair felt surprisingly fresh. ¡®Come to think of it, it reminds me of the male Ghost Knight before they redid the dots. Sort of like that- no, no. Stop escaping reality! Think properly.¡¯ The hypothesis forming in his mind was clear. However, understanding that it was reality, and that it was the situation he was currently in and had to accept, was not easy. Even though it was the easiest moment to fall into panic, Jinseong sharpened his mind. ¡®How many times has this happened during coaching in Baek Jinseong¡¯s Training Raids ? The worst thing when you panic is to hope for the best scenario. You mustn¡¯t do that. Accept the worst-case scenario as the worst-case scenario-. Remember that retreating and then re-entering had the highest raid success rate.¡¯ Perhaps because he had become well-trained in dealing with situations that could cause panic. Jinseong understood that he had been thrown into the game, no, the world of Dungeon Fighter Online. If he interpreted the current situation from that perspective, where was he now? ¡®It¡¯s that scenario quest you experience for the first time when you create a character. The one where there¡¯s a fire in Granfloris and all that¡­ right? Wait, hold on a sec ? If it¡¯s there, why am I here?¡¯ As soon as he began to accept reality as reality, Jinseong¡¯s brain began to spin rapidly. The first thing he realized was an incomprehensible issue. If this place was part of the scenario quest you naturally experience when you first create a character? At the request of Linus to save Seria, who had run alone into the forest, the player¡¯s first created character, the ¡®Adventurer,¡¯ enters Granfloris, meets Seria there, and goes through the process of identifying the cause of the fire and other issues. So, if this is in the middle of that? ¡®Am I in the scenario quest¡­? No, then how did¡­ I? Scenario quests are supposed to be for solo play only. I shouldn¡¯t be here-. Oh, can¡¯t they see me? That, uhmm¡­¡¯ Jinseong himself was inside the scenario quest? Despite the whirlwind of thoughts swirling in his mind, Jinseong¡¯s ears listened intently. The distance was considerable, but he could clearly hear Seria and Vinoche¡¯s conversation. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re doing this, but Lady Vinoche, you can¡¯t keep holding on like this¡­ Lord Keraha is struggling.¡± ¡°Keraha¡­ My Keraha-.¡± ¡°Please let us help you, Lady Vinoche. We¡¯ll lend you our strength so you can return to Lord Keraha¡¯s side.¡± The situation was unmistakably clear. ¡°You¡¯ll have to take responsibility for those words.¡± With Vinoche¡¯s sharp voice, the previously calm flames roared even more fiercely. Jinseong swallowed dryly. ¡®In other words, now¡­ Yes. Now the ¡®conversation¡¯ in-game is over-.¡¯ It meant the battle was about to begin. The male Ghost Knight rushed towards Seria in an instant. Even a basic combo, merely pressing ¡®normal attack¡¯ three times, would be enough to deal with Vinoche. It didn¡¯t matter if you didn¡¯t equip particularly good items. ¡®The difficulty of the ¡®Scenario Quest Dungeon¡¯ in Dungeon Fighter Online is easy. Yeah¡­ In that case, now, I am clearly.¡¯ Inside the Dungeon Fighter Online game. The world of Dungeon Fighter Online that Jinseong knew, the setting he was familiar with. The only difference was that it was not the belt-scrolling action game of Dungeon Fighter Online. ¡®Inside the game¡­ in other words-. Possessed by the game, I-.¡¯ He had to move with unlimited freedom in the world of Arad from a first-person perspective. In this situation where even the basic combo of pressing ¡®normal attack¡¯ three times seemed flashy and terrifying, he had to move. ¡®So what exactly am I supposed to do? What is my role here?¡¯ While Jinseong was contemplating, the Flame Vinoche fell. There was nothing more to do. Vinoche extinguished the fire as Jinseong remembered, and Seria and the ¡®Adventurer,¡¯ that is, the ¡®Player,¡¯ were heading to the next dungeon. ¡®What happens if I jump out here? Then¡­ If this is indeed a game to ¡®that person¡¯ at least-. Will they see me if I jump out here? Is that how it works?¡¯ The concept of an unknown player or NPC intervening during a scenario quest? Could such a thing be possible? Jinseong shook his head. The important thing was not to recklessly take such a gamble. Anyway, since he had ended up possessed in the body of a Dark Knight, there was certainly something he needed to do. It was urgent to deal with that task without messing around and return to the original world, to his own body. ¡®At least one thing is certain. Whatever it is, once I finish this-.¡¯ Amidst the confusion that stirred his brain, Jinseong found a ray of light. ¡ºWhen you have completed your mission as an agent, you will return to the place you desire.¡» ¡®It¡¯ll be back in front of the computer. Yes, it will definitely be that.¡¯ The hope that he might be able to go home. In other words, even though he didn¡¯t know what he had to do, it meant he had to do something. Jinseong bit his lip and followed the two people. Towards the deeper parts of the forest, towards a darker place. In other words, towards the ¡®Dungeon: Dark Thunderland¡¯. * * * To Jinseong, it appeared that the two were merely continuing to walk. However, he knew. ¡®If that¡¯s really a player¡­ a gamer actually playing Dungeon Fighter Online in front of a computer-.¡¯ After briefly switching to the dungeon selection map and clicking to enter Dark Thunderland, it would have taken almost no time at all. What would have been a nearly instantaneous change in the game, Jinseong was now trailing behind step by step. Anyway, it was evident that they had entered ¡®Dungeon: Dark Thunderland,¡¯ even from the voices of those quite a distance from Jinseong. ¡°Ghouls, already dead souls. Why is this happening in Granfloris¡­?¡± Jinseong also heard Seria¡¯s muttering. He watched their backs, specifically from the right rear. ¡®The male Ghost Knight is moving. As expected, if this is exactly like the game. At the point of the conversation with Seria, he wouldn¡¯t have been under control. He¡¯s only moving now.¡¯ Jinseong calmly observed the male Ghost Knight character fighting zombies and ghoul monsters. There was a good reason for this composure. Typically, Dungeon Fighter Online¡¯s belt-scrolling action progresses from left to right. The direction might differ depending on the dungeon¡¯s layout, but it generally proceeds from left to right. ¡®In other words¡­ from my position at the right rear of them-. At least on that player¡¯s game screen, I won¡¯t be visible. I¡¯ll be positioned ¡®outside¡¯ the map shown on the monitor-.¡¯ If this were inside the game Dungeon Fighter Online. If that male Ghost Knight was really a ¡®character controlled by a user in the game.¡¯ Then the ¡®user¡¯ wouldn¡¯t be able to see Jinseong¡¯s own appearance on their monitor screen. ¡°¡­¡­Phew.¡± Jinseong alternately touched his forearms, which had turned black. His left arm had turned completely black from the fingertips to the upper arm. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And his right arm had turned black from the fingertips to the elbow. It was a kind of scar and mark he obtained in exchange for freeing himself from Kazan by resolving the Kazan Syndrome. The cold sensation of the yellow ¡®Demon Shackle¡¯ on his left upper arm, left wrist, right upper arm, and right wrist. It was a body that had a definite response. It couldn¡¯t be a dream. This had to be reality. ¡°¡­¡­But it¡¯s slightly different from the Dark Knight I know. Originally, wasn¡¯t it only on the wrist of the right arm? It seems like there¡¯s more of this dark skin, like a Kazan Syndrome scar¡­¡­¡± Even in the midst of this, it was typical of Jinseong to obsess over the character background settings that had become his body. ¡®And the character tier too. If possible, why couldn¡¯t they possess me into something else, especially the one I usually use as my main? Well, it¡¯s not like I can¡¯t play Dark Knight, but-. Oh, right, if I tell Neople about this later, maybe I can negotiate something? If I share this novel and vivid experience with them and ask for something like a guaranteed +20 amplification ticket for all equipment, wouldn¡¯t they listen? Haha.¡¯ Half-jokingly, half as a means to divert his attention and keep his sanity amidst the heavy, cold and cruel reality. While Jinseong was desperately maintaining his composure, the male Ghost Knight and Seria were steadily moving forward, so Jinseong hurriedly moved to catch up with them. ¡®But possession in game? This is so inconvenient. There should be a minimap or something, huh? It would be nice if there was a guide that showed the way to the next room with a closed door opening like ¡°shararang~¡± so I could move properly.¡¯ The place where the male Ghost Knight fought the monster didn¡¯t seem particularly special to Jinseong. Maybe it felt just a bit less dense with thick trees, but that was about it. ¡®If it were a user, they¡¯d see a few rocks and bushes¡­ it would look more like a flat grassland.¡¯ There was no way to confirm the various imaginations in his mind. And now, there was no need to confirm them either. ¡°A ghoul with a staff? And that¡¯s¡­ a fairy¡¯s magic circle?¡± Seria and the user were finally facing the final boss of ¡®Dungeon: Dark Thunderland¡¯, essentially the last part of the first scenario dungeon since character creation. ¡®Mr. Ghost Knight, kill it quickly. And as Seria purifies it¡­ once it¡¯s over, I can finally go back!¡¯ Jinseong clasped his hands together earnestly in support. Even with the male Ghost Knight¡¯s unremarkable control skills, he could quickly handle the Ghoul Guishi. Of course, in the storyline, it didn¡¯t die immediately. The Ghoul Guishi, empowered by the magic circle, kept resurrecting, and to stop it¡­ ¡°I think I can stop that ghoul. Trust me, Adventurer¡­ I¡¯ll purify the darkness of the forest.¡± Seria stepped forward. ¡®Yes, Seria! Well done! You¡¯re originally a fairy, right? No, you¡¯re even more amazing than a fairy in reality¡ª Anyway! Let¡¯s purify it quickly and finish this!¡¯ Seria floated into the air, intertwining with the fairy¡¯s magic circle using her own magic power. While Seria was purifying the magic circle, the ¡®user¡¯ had one task. To protect Seria as she purified the magic circle. ¡®To kill the Ghoul Guishi again. Come on, Mr. Ghost Knight!¡¯ Specifically, to defeat the Ghoul Guishi! Jinseong looked on with anticipation, believing that everything would finally end and he could return to reality. ¡®So hurry up¡­?¡¯ Thus, Jinseong couldn¡¯t help but feel bewildered. The male Ghost Knight wasn¡¯t moving. He just stood there blankly. That wasn¡¯t the end of the surprising events. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The Ghoul Guishi, instead of approaching the male Ghost Knight user, swung its staff toward the fairy¡¯s magic circle. At that moment, Jinseong heard it. ¡°Aah!¡± It was Seria¡¯s scream. For Jinseong, it was a moment of utmost confusion. Chapter 7 Chapter 7¡°Se, Seria-. She got hit? There was a hit detection?¡± He had never seen Seria¡¯s HP drop before. Moreover, when Jinseong himself was leveling up the character, he just swept through, so he had never even seen the Ghoul Guishi swing his staff at Seria. But now, right before Jinseong¡¯s eyes, Seria had been hit. She was even groaning in pain. ¡°Uh¡­ wait a minute. Then, how¡­.¡± Jinseong alternated his gaze between the male Ghost Knight and Seria, who were both standing there dumbfounded. All the other monsters, except for the Ghoul Guishi, were approaching the male Ghost Knight. ¡®What is he doing? Why isn¡¯t he killing them? Is he eating ramen? Of all times, now?¡¯ ¡®But what happens if a player dies?¡¯ What would happen if the male Ghost Knight character died? More specifically, what would happen to Jinseong himself? The death of the male Ghost Knight character, or the player, might not matter. He could resurrect with a coin. Of course, it would take a very long time for the player to die from those attacks. Even if he was eating ramen, he would have plenty of time to react once he saw his character getting hit on the screen. But another problem remained. What if Seria died from Ghoul Guishi¡¯s attack? What would happen then? ¡°Seria dies¡­ Seria¡­¡± Jinseong knew the story of Dungeon Fighter Online. Could Seria die here? ¡®No, even so, if I go outside-. She¡¯ll be there. Seria dying isn¡¯t in the story-.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t. Originally, it wasn¡¯t. But looking at the current situation. If, by some million-to-one chance, such a thing happened!? ¡°No way¡­¡± Even though he thought it couldn¡¯t be, Jinseong¡¯s body had already started moving. A feeling that Seria shouldn¡¯t die here. A feeling that it would be more than just restarting the quest. An instinctive sense that only someone who had dedicated their life to Dungeon Fighter Online could feel, ultimately moved Jinseong. ¡°Grr?¡± ¡°Gu¡­¡± At the same time, the faces of the monsters attacking the male Ghost Knight character, as well as the Ghoul Guishi attacking Seria, turned towards him in a synchronized, chilling movement. ¡°Ha¡­ haha.¡± What was the current situation? Jinseong felt as if his heart was about to jump out of his chest. What if the player returned now? How would he appear? Or how would his muttered words be perceived? Jinseong still hadn¡¯t realized. This was a battlefield. And idle thoughts shouldn¡¯t dominate his mind. There was only one outcome that could result from that. ¡°Kyaaaaa-!¡± Something suddenly sprang out from the grass that had grown up to Jinseong¡¯s thighs. He realized that the grotesque face was actually a mask and that what was swung at him were claws. ¡°Kk-aah!¡± Instinctively, he retreated, but Jinseong realized that he had been ambushed by a Kurogarru of the Lugharru race. Not just because he saw it visually, but because of the long claw marks on his left arm, which had turned pitch black, and the blood seeping from there. ¡°A, ah¡­ pain?¡± What he felt was a searing pain. A pain incomparable to the minor scrapes modern people experience in their daily lives. ¡°Kyaaaa-!¡± ¡°Gu¡­ fire¡­¡± That pain brought Jinseong back to his senses. This was inside the Dungeon Fighter Online game. But to Jinseong, this was reality. Death. ¡°A, aah¡­ ah-.¡± What could he say in front of that terrifying thought? Hesitantly retreating, Jinseong eventually began to flee. Crack, crackle-! ¡°Haa, haa¡­¡± ¡°Gu¡­¡± ¡°¡­fire¡­¡± Contrary to his racing heart and urgent mind, his tense and stiff body slowly pushed through the dark forest. His body trembled with instinctive fear and pain. Looking back, Jinseong shouted. ¡°Get lost! You weren¡¯t even supposed to come after me, damn it!¡± ¡°Kyaaaa-!¡± He narrowly dodged another Kurogarru that leaped at him. Stumbling and retreating, Jinseong knew. Where could he run? ¡®No, I don¡¯t even know if I can run or return¡­¡¯ If an ¡®incident¡¯ happened because he ran away? Jinseong saw it. The light, virtually the only one left in this dark forest. And the few silhouettes barely visible around that light. Ghoul Guishi wasn¡¯t chasing him. It was attacking Seria. Jinseong bit his lower lip. Seeing the monsters clearly in his sight, Jinseong had to make a decision. ¡°Damn it¡­ this isn¡¯t even my job originally!¡± As his trembling left arm calmed down a bit, his pitch-black right hand reached for his waist. The sensation was unfamiliar and even strange, but one thing was certain. ¡°I¡­ I may look like this, but-. I¡¯ve ranked 8th as a Dark Knight before!¡± Jinseong drew his sword. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Gathering all his strength in both arms gripping the sword, he shouted at the approaching monsters. ¡°!¡± A powerful slash imbued with all his strength. Jinseong¡¯s sword, charged with the dark attribute¡¯s purple energy, cut through the approaching zombies and Kurogarru simultaneously. ¡°Gu-?¡± ¡°Kyar¡­¡± The surrounding monsters hesitated for a moment as they saw their comrades being sliced apart in an instant. Although they seemed to have some level of intelligence or perhaps just an instinctive reaction, the most surprised person there was Jinseong himself. ¡°It¡­ worked. Did it?¡± What was the longest blade he had ever used up until now? A utility knife he barely managed to pull out two or three sections of? If a plastic knife used to cut cake could be considered a knife, that would be the extent of it. But what was the weapon Jinseong just used now? A sword. With a blade length of at least 80cm on one side! It was surprising enough to handle a weapon he was swinging for the first time better than expected, but what about the result of the gamble he took moments ago? ¡°Kyark-.¡± Another Kurogarru lunged at Jinseong. Jinseong felt it. Should he retreat at this moment? If it were another character, another class, he might have. But Jinseong¡¯s choice was different. ¡°!¡± He was familiar with the movements when using this skill, having seen his dot character perform it on the monitor countless times, so he moved accordingly. As he leaped low and fast to meet the Kurogarru charging at him. Whish©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤! He executed a rapid downward slash from above! ¡°-Kya¡­¡± Jinseong winced for a moment as he saw the Kurogarru¡¯s right arm completely severed and falling off. In the game, it would have just sprawled on the ground and disappeared after a death verdict, but that wasn¡¯t how it appeared to Jinseong. However, that wasn¡¯t the important point right now. ¡°Ahhk!¡± Seria¡¯s fragile groan, struck again by the Ghoul Guishi, brought Jinseong back to his senses. He needed to focus on what he had to do. Jinseong tightened his grip on his sword. ¡°Damn it, if only I could see the skill window! Where do I check my items and info? Not that automatic combo settings would mean much-¡­!¡± Perhaps it was still typical of Jinseong to express his deep frustration amidst the chaos. But one thing had certainly changed. Even though he felt fear, the tip of his sword no longer wavered. ¡°I told you, I¡¯ve ranked 8th as a Dark Knight. You¡¯re all dead meat.¡± And beyond the tip of his sword, his gaze was burning as he looked at Seria floating in the air to restore the magic circle. ¡°, !¡± It was different from just being one-sidedly attacked. Since realizing his attacks worked, it could be called an awakening, literally. ¡°Guu¡­¡± ¡°Fire¡­ must stop¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t even see the cooldown! You know, this is the basic combo that goes out when you press A, A. Well, even if I can¡¯t see the cooldown, my body remembers it-. Right now!¡± More importantly, once Jinseong confirmed that the ¡®knowledge he knew¡¯ was being utilized, his movements were entirely different from the guy who could only barely run away a moment ago. ¡°, ! By the way, that¡¯s S, S, you jerks!¡± Jinseong was literally running rampant in ¡®Dungeon: Dark Thunderland.¡¯ Running movements, light sword swings, basic attacks that would have been triggered by pressing the X key in the game. There were several monsters, but none could stand against Jinseong. ¡°The magic circle must be restored¡­¡± Ghoul Guishi had already left Seria and was approaching Jinseong. Even swinging his staff heavily at Jinseong¡¯s back as he was about to use against a zombie. But Jinseong felt it. Though it was different from watching the game on the monitor, he could clearly grasp the information. With Ghoul Guishi¡¯s muttering and the subtle blue glow of magic forcefully emanating from behind him, how could he not notice! ¡°No matter¡­ the sacrifice!¡± Swoosh-! ¡°Gah?!¡± When the staff slashed through the air, Ghoul Guishi let out a startled sound. At that moment, Jinseong¡¯s voice already came from behind him. ¡°Don¡¯t you know this?¡± Ghoul Guishi hurriedly turned around. Facing the boss monster, Jinseong¡¯s lips curled into a grin. ¡°Cancel backstep during basic attack.¡± It was a basic control technique that a former ranker might shrug off, but doing it with his body instead of a keyboard was an entirely different achievement. In addition, considering that Jinseong was facing a completely defenseless Ghoul Guishi, his expression was understandable. Ghoul Guishi tried to utter its repetitive incantation. ¡°Magic circle restoration-.¡± ¡°!¡± However, Jinseong¡¯s skill was faster. Jinseong¡¯s sword, imbued with dark energy, slashed Ghoul Guishi from the shoulder blade to the abdomen in a long cut. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡­¡­!!!! At that moment, a light so bright it was blinding began to emanate from the magic circle. ¡®Is it over? Is everything going back to normal now?¡¯ Jinseong squinted as he examined the fallen body of Ghoul Guishi in front of the magic circle. From the wound he had inflicted, some objects had fallen out. One was a necklace. Another was a lump of dark purple. But the problem was the next item. Another item that had fallen beside those. Something unknown yet familiar to him. ¡®A card? Ah?!¡¯ Jinseong instinctively grasped the card. It was a sort of habitual looting, but unlike the necklace and the dark purple lump, he felt compelled to pick up the card. Instinct was faster than deliberation or decision. ¡®Ugh, let¡¯s get out of here first.¡¯ As the light from the magic circle began to fade, Jinseong quickly threw himself into the forest and hid. Only then did something reach Jinseong¡¯s ears. ¡°????????¡± It was the incomprehensible, barely audible mutterings of a male Ghost Knight character. And from the subsequent sounds that followed, Jinseong could vaguely grasp the situation. ¡°Ah, are you out? Is it okay? Lag? Lag lag lag.¡± They were probably entering consecutive chat commands to check for server connection delays, commonly known as ¡®lags¡¯. Though Jinseong was bewildered, he knew he couldn¡¯t, and didn¡¯t need to, talk to the character, so he just hid in the bushes, still feeling floored. Most importantly, the situation of ¡®lag¡¯, which he had considered a problem, seemed to be resolved now. ¡°Adventurer¡­! Are you okay?¡± At some point, Seria, who had collapsed on the fairy¡¯s magic circle, got up and was running towards the male Ghost Knight character. However, Jinseong swallowed dryly. ¡®¡­Lag?¡¯ The ominous feeling from that one word flashed through Jinseong¡¯s mind. Chapter 8 Chapter 8Jinseong thought. ¡®A lag spike? Not because they were eating ramen or something, but lag? Does that even make sense?¡¯ Why did he have such a foreboding feeling? Dungeon Fighter Online certainly had lag issues. It wasn¡¯t just a problem with the game servers; it could also occur due to issues with the player¡¯s computer or internet connection. Any user who played online games would have experienced it at some point. ¡®But getting a lag spike at the exact moment a problem arises, and then the lag resolves as soon as the problem is fixed? Ah, the problem arose because of the lag in the first place¡­¡¯ More than anything, if such a server connection delay occurred, the user controlling the male Ghost Knight character, that is, the ¡®real person¡¯ watching the monitor, must be wondering what was going on. If this situation was really due to lag. The screen would have been frozen with no response, and only now would it have reconnected properly, showing the screen. Then? ¡®¡­They would know they didn¡¯t kill Ghoul Guishi themselves, right?¡¯ But if the scenario quest was progressing, wouldn¡¯t they find it strange? Would they just think it auto-completed because time passed? ¡®Well, since it¡¯s still early in the game, they might think that¡¯s possible. Whether they are a new user or someone leveling an alt character.¡¯ The thought that it was just within an acceptable range might be because Jinseong himself hoped so. Anyway, since everything had already happened, Jinseong could only watch anxiously. Although he had defeated Ghoul Guishi, the scenario quest was not yet completely over. From the black and purple mass that Ghoul Guishi spilled as it died, a dark power briefly seeped out, and before long, more ghouls were forming around Seria and the male Ghost Knight! ¡°This¡­ the ghouls¡­!¡± Despite Seria¡¯s startled voice, Jinseong did not panic. It wasn¡¯t just because the male Ghost Knight user¡¯s lag had resolved. ¡°Step back!¡± ¡°Step back!¡± Jinseong knew that those with deep and sharp voices were approaching. ¡°Lady Vinoche, Lord Shauta!¡± Jinseong himself had seen the Flame Vinoche once, and the Tau King Shauta, who had previously given orders to the forest Tau warriors. Seeing Vinoche instantly sweep away the ghouls and burn the black-red mass that had summoned them, Jinseong finally let out a sigh of relief. ¡®Good. This should be¡­ the end.¡¯ Seria, Vinoche, and Shauta¡¯s continuing conversation also flowed smoothly. ¡°There was a ghoul exploiting the sacrifice of the fairies, and the adventurer dealt with it.¡± At Seria¡¯s words, Jinseong felt a bit of disappointment. ¡®I actually did it. That human was lagging and couldn¡¯t do anything.¡¯ The fact that he could think this way meant that he, too, was starting to feel more at ease. It seemed certain that Jinseong wouldn¡¯t have to step forward again in the ongoing conversation. ¡°How could a mere ghoul¡­?¡± ¡°Is it related to what Vinoche just burned?¡± ¡°It was something akin to a plague. One thing is certain, it wasn¡¯t originally from this forest. It¡¯s a phenomenon of transference.¡± Vinoche answered Seria¡¯s question in a serious tone. Though it was a very important conversation, for some reason, Jinseong felt like laughing as he listened. ¡®Yes, yes. That must be a shard or fragment from Diregie. As expected of Sister Vinoche.¡¯ It was probably inevitable that Jinseong, who already knew the story, found it somewhat amusing. More than anything, the fact that no further problems would arise put Jinseong at ease. After the conversation ended and Vinoche and Shauta left first, seeing Seria and the adventurer, the ¡°user¡±, also turn away gave Jinseong a sense of slight emotion. ¡®Good. That was good!¡¯ Of course, it wasn¡¯t like Jinseong would just watch. Jinseong also started slowly following Seria and the male Ghost Knight. Their direction was headed out of the dungeon area ¡®Granfloris¡¯. There were moments when they were almost spotted by Lugharru, goblins, and other creatures like Tau, but luckily, Jinseong was able to move without any major issues, and finally, he saw it. A road that was far more orderly compared to the rough forest path. Although not entirely, it was a place paved with stones, where people came and went, and the sunlight was well-lit. Fwoooosh! ¡®Arad Temporary Disassembler!¡¯ S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And finally, at the point where he confirmed the disassembler at the dungeon entrance, Jinseong realized it. He had finally exited the dungeon area. ¡°I¡¯m out¡­ I did it! It¡¯s over!¡± At the same time as he let out a joyous and very natural shout, ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡­¡­! ¡°Huh? It¡¯s blinding!¡± Suddenly, light poured down on Jinseong. There was no sound, but the intense force of the light enveloped him like a crash. ¡®¡­Could this be the level-up effect?¡¯ However, he couldn¡¯t figure out exactly what it was. More than anything, it was because there was someone standing in front of Jinseong with a sly smile. ¡°What are you doing?¡± A male Priest character with a sturdy build, arms crossed, spoke. Jinseong looked at him, tilting his head in confusion. ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Why are you mumbling to yourself? What¡¯s over? Why the smug look?¡± The male Priest user spoke in a ¡®playful voice¡¯. ¡°¡­¡­Ah.¡± At that moment, Jinseong realized many things. When he was a male Ghost Knight, he didn¡¯t feel anything particularly special. It was because they were far apart and he didn¡¯t have the leisure to check his face right then. Most importantly, his focus was solely on Seria¡¯s safety, which might have made it a natural reaction. But now, it¡¯s different. There are no monsters, and it is not inside a ¡®single-player dungeon for scenario quests¡¯. It¡¯s a public place where users and other users pass by and can encounter each other at any time. ¡°Ah? What¡¯s with the dots?¡± The male Priest, barely holding back his laughter, spoke to Jinseong. Jinseong himself also felt this situation was somewhat awkward. Nevertheless, Jinseong asked. ¡°Are you logged in right now?¡± ¡°? What do you mean?¡± The male Priest laughed and asked back. Jinseong saw his facial muscles twitch. So he asked again. ¡°Are you logged into Dungeon Fighter Online?¡± ¡°? Are you seriously asking that?¡± The character in front of him asked back, still seemingly confused. Now, his expression had lost some of its laughter. Instead, his face was filled with a puzzled look, and Jinseong spoke once more. ¡°Yes. Can you see what I¡¯m doing right now?¡± Raising his arms in a gesture of exultation. A simple act of raising his arms, not an action meant to harm anyone in particular. But there¡¯s no way he couldn¡¯t see it. In ¡®normal reality¡¯, such a movement would definitely be noticeable. The male Priest character said. ¡°You¡¯re just standing there, doing nothing.¡± A statement that confirmed Jinseong¡¯s suspicion. ¡°¡­¡­As expected.¡± Jinseong nodded. Then he couldn¡¯t help but recall his own experience. ¡®Was Nemer¡¯s words true? Was it really¡­ really like that?¡¯ If Jinseong himself was inside the Dungeon Fighter Online game right now. And if that male Priest character was just a character played by a user enjoying the game. ¡®In other words, ¡®the current me¡¯ is in the position of that male Ranger during the Prey-Isys raid¡­ and this male Priest is-.¡¯ What Jinseong experienced was exactly the perspective of the person right in front of him, the male Priest. Staring at the monitor, in the ¡®real world¡¯, Jinseong had experienced it. So, in Jinseong¡¯s current situation, ¡°lol Weird person.¡± The male Priest character then left for the Granfloris dungeon area. It was only for a moment that Jinseong watched his retreating back. For that person, it was just a game, but considering what Jinseong had just gone through, Jinseong trudged along. He had to walk without knowing where he was going. Engulfed in all sorts of thoughts as he stared intently at his left arm, still stinging from being scratched by Kurogarru. ¡®If so, then that male Ranger, perhaps really¡­ 5 years ago-. The one who suddenly disappeared from Dungeon Fighter Online¡­¡¯ Could it really have been that user? The one who made the server and channel lively with a megaphone every time they enhanced and amplified, who made users happy and entertained even with trivial things, the user with highly enhanced equipment? Jinseong suddenly recalled Nemer¡¯s words. ¡ºHe is not a character adventurer from Plane: Arad. The adventurer you faced is one of the Aradians being forged to become a true blade. Additionally, as someone who handled character adventurers from the past Plane: Arad the best, he is one of the humans summoned to Arad to become a true adventurer.¡» ¡®¡­Damn it!¡¯ The emotion he felt upon reaching that thought was compassion. The pain of being scratched once by the Lugharru tribe, if it were a game, how much HP would have been reduced? Although Jinseong had never been properly hit, he could guess that the damage would have been minimal. ¡®But he got hit by Senbi Cloud¡¯s Thunder Dragon. With such equipment¡ªsuch poor equipment¡­¡¯ Compared to that level of damage, the attack from one of the powerful boss monsters in the Prey-Isys raid would involve unimaginable pain! ¡®That wasn¡¯t just chatting. So, that¡­ that desperate and agonized state was¡­¡¯ It was a real scream. It was real suffering. It was real death. When he reached that thought, what he felt was fear and dread. ¡®Five years? He leveled up to 95 and participated in the Isys raid? What kind of¡­ No, wait. What about me? Then what will happen to me¡­¡¯ What would happen to Jinseong himself? More importantly, how should he resolve the current situation? There was no way to hide his frustration. ¡°Jeez! What¡¯s going on! Is it over or not?! What¡¯s this! Why am I still in Elvenguard!¡± Jinseong shouted, flailing about in his place as if throwing a tantrum. Had any users been passing by, they would have seen Jinseong as a strange person. Fortunately, there weren¡¯t many people in this beginner area. ¡°Ah! Items!¡± Another thing was that Jinseong, who suddenly thought of something, stopped his wild movements. Jinseong hurriedly rummaged through his pockets. What he felt in his hand was a small, hard, rectangular item, a card. It was the very item Jinseong had picked up next to the corpse when he defeated the Ghoul Guishi. ¡®The item related to Ghoul Guishi should be equipment, right? I think there was one among the rogue weapons, but a magic enhancement card¡­ there isn¡¯t one, right?¡¯ In the game Dungeon Fighter Online, ¡®cards¡¯ are imbued with some of a monster¡¯s energy, transferred into magic. Within the game, they serve the purpose of ¡®magic enhancement¡¯ on users¡¯ items, adding additional options like skill damage, status, attribute enhancement, or resistance. However, from Jinseong¡¯s memory, there was definitely no item named ¡®Ghoul Guishi Card¡¯. ¡®No, even if there was, it¡¯s strange. There¡¯s no way a card would randomly drop in a scenario quest dungeon¡ªhmm?¡¯ Even if it did exist, it shouldn¡¯t drop like that. When Jinseong realized all these facts, his heart started pounding again. Finally, Jinseong took out the card and examined it. [Ghoul Guishi (Corrupted)] ¡®¡­Huh?¡¯ It was strange that there were no stats to be applied to items, but the wording on this card was different from any of the hundreds or thousands of magic enhancement cards Jinseong had seen. ¡®What is this? Ah, ah?!¡¯ Jinseong couldn¡¯t look at the card for long. His vision suddenly went dark. Feeling like he was being sucked into the darkness, and at the same time, sensing that his body was being thrown into the air. Jinseong shouted without warning. ¡°Ah?! Uh¡ªhey, hey! I finished it! Yes, I finished it!¡± Despite being flustered, he wasn¡¯t entirely unprepared, having experienced this before and being able to predict the outcome. ¡ºThe tongs to straighten the blade so it can be tempered. You have fulfilled that role excellently.¡» Nemer¡¯s voice echoed. Jinseong¡¯s lips had already curled into a wide grin. Chapter 9 Chapter 9In a space filled with darkness and deep purple hues, Nemer¡¯s golden light shone even brighter. While someone else might have been startled by the unreal scene before their eyes, Jinseong remained unshaken while he was upside down again. ¡°Right? I did well, right? Yes! Ghoul Guishi was attacking Seria, and the male Ghost Knight user wasn¡¯t moving, so I stepped in to block it! Normally, Seria shouldn¡¯t die! Isn¡¯t that right?¡± More than anything, with Nemer¡¯s appearance and the remarks Jinseong had wanted to hear, the current surreal scene didn¡¯t bother him at all. ¡ºFrom the interference of the entity trying to break the blade, you have corrected it so that the blade can be properly tempered.¡» ¡°That¡¯s right! So, it¡¯s over? It¡¯s over, right? Now let me go-. Ugh?!¡± Excitedly, Jinseong spoke, but he soon had to frown. A sudden burst of intense light emerged from his pocket. The mass of light came out of Jinseong¡¯s pocket, scattering golden light in the dark space. The card Jinseong had picked up was spreading the same golden light as Nemer. [Ghoul Guishi (Corrupted)] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡­¡­. [Ghoul Guishi (Purified)] ¡®From Corrupted¡­ to Purified.¡¯ When the golden light flashed once more, Jinseong saw that the text on the card floating in the air had changed. Nemer spoke. ¡ºHowever, you merely suppressed the interference from the corrupted, not the cause of the corruption itself.¡» Jinseong had to think to understand Nemer¡¯s words. The meaning was all too clear. ¡°Wait¡­ you¡¯re saying this isn¡¯t over yet-. No way, right? You have to send me back! You promised, if I did everything you asked, you¡¯d send me back-.¡± ¡ºWhat you accomplished was just a small purification. You haven¡¯t found the source of the corruption, nor have you become the tempered blade. You cannot return, and that wasn¡¯t even the task assigned to you.¡» ¡°-You said¡­ that if I did all this¡­¡± The word ¡°damn¡± barely stayed trapped in Jinseong¡¯s throat, thanks to his last bit of sanity. Even amidst his extreme excitement, Jinseong began to regain his composure. It was the temperament of someone who had experienced something significant. Having actually possessed a character within the game Dungeon Fighter Online and experiencing it as reality gave him this calmness. If it was all real, not a dream or an illusion¡­ ¡®What I need to do now¡­ is not to provoke Nemer. Yes, I mustn¡¯t do that.¡¯ The one before him, the transcendent Nemer, possessed an absolute power and abilities beyond Jinseong¡¯s wildest imagination. Even within the game Dungeon Fighter Online, these abilities had not been fully revealed, and their identity was so vague that they were almost unknown. ¡°Then¡­ that mission? Will you send me back once I complete all the assigned tasks?¡± Jinseong quietly asked. ¡ºI promise. When the unworthy trials forged by the corrupt try to break the blade with the hammer of unworthiness. When you hold the blade firmly to ensure it is honed properly to face the rightful trials. That is when you will have completed all your duties as the .¡» Only then could Jinseong see. ¡ºYou will be able to exist in the place you desire.¡» Nemer, with the faintest movement, nodded her head. Jinseong caught his breath. Perhaps because he had already experienced one possession. Nemer¡¯s metaphor was not too difficult to understand. The long-handled tongs used by blacksmiths. The tool that keeps the ¡®blade¡¯ steady on the anvil, allowing it to be forged correctly by the hammer, the ¡®Subsidiary Tongs.¡¯ ¡°The words or images are a bit old-fashioned, but okay. Is that all? Is there no other way? No deadlines or conditions, or perhaps another method?¡± It was not just a vague question. Hadn¡¯t Jinseong already seen it himself? ¡ºAs one like you, a human from the same plane, called Plane: Arad, who is also a candidate to become the forged blade. It is my duty to continue to summon the most suitable candidates. The blade¡¯s mission is to be forged through trials without aid from a character adventurer. However.¡» The person he had last partied with in front of the computer. From the circumstances, it was clear that this person was indeed a famous user from the past. ¡®Now, they¡¯re probably¡­ no longer of this world-.¡¯ There was no way that person was assigned the same mission as himself. According to Nemer¡¯s literal interpretation, he was an ¡®adventurer¡¯ and a ¡®blade¡¯ within the game Dungeon Fighter Online¡¯s world. Not a ¡®character adventurer¡¯ controlled by a computer, but a ¡®real adventurer¡¯ who had been possessed and was in the process of being forged as a ¡®blade.¡¯ ¡®During that time-. Probably while trying to verify Isys, specifically the Isys card-.¡¯ It was exactly as Nemer had said. ¡ºHaving realized the insufficiency of merely handling a character adventurer of Plane: Arad, and seeking aid from the character adventurer in the face of pain, fear, and terror.¡» He must have thought it was impossible to do alone. Therefore, he requested help from Jinseong himself, who was then a ¡®character adventurer¡¯ playing the game in front of the computer. ¡ºCollaboration may be possible, but unilateral assistance is not allowed. As a true Aradian, your identity as a ¡®character adventurer¡¯ must not be fully revealed. Above all, you must remember that the Time Lords, who oversee this plane, do not tolerate such incidents that could cause distortion.¡» And that must have been an act of breaking the rules, something not permitted for those ¡®possessed¡¯ in reality. Gulp. Perhaps that was why the user suddenly got caught in a debuff that Jinseong himself had never known about. ¡®I never fully realized that the person was possessed. I thought it was strange, but that was it. So, in the end¡­.¡¯ It must have been that the party play with Jinseong himself was not collaboration but assistance, which caused the problem. Since Jinseong himself, as a ¡®character adventurer¡¯, directly alleviated his burden and his ¡®trial¡¯. He was responsible. ¡ºThus, I have reflected. I realized the need for another approach to forge the blade, and most importantly, I knew that there was a being trying to break the core of the blade in the process of being forged¡­ So, I am sending you.¡» Despite the myriad of questions and imaginations swirling in Jinseong¡¯s mind, Nemer continued speaking. Jinseong held back his curiosity and asked more pointed questions. ¡°Then what happens with the contamination? Does it end once everything is purified?¡± ¡ºContamination and purification are just a repeating cycle.¡» ¡°It can be contaminated again¡­ Ah, so you mentioned there¡¯s an entity interfering, and that is the ¡®source of the contamination¡¯, right?¡± ¡ºAn obscure entity hiding and intervening within the dimensional rift and its distortion. Adventurers who did not wish to become the forged blade tried to fulfill their destiny by finding this entity, but no one has found the source of the contamination yet¡­. The broken blade you met was likely obsessed only with minor purification. I hope you do not repeat such incorrect actions.¡» As soon as Nemer finished speaking, something new appeared next to the Ghoul Guishi card. ¡®Another card?¡¯ Watching as the new card and the Ghoul Guishi card merged into his pocket, Jinseong could guess what kind of item Nemer had created for him. ¡°Then, if we find the ¡¯cause of the contamination¡¯! If we uncover who or what it is, we can return things to the way they were, right? I won¡¯t need to be the anymore, correct? The scenario will return to normal-. Meaning, the ¡®character adventurers¡¯ can properly practice to become real adventurers, and true adventurers? Anyway, if they do things right, the flow will eventually become proper!¡± Jinseong quickly spoke. ¡º¡­It is an unverified but plausible claim.¡» Nemer answered after a brief silence. At that answer, Jinseong clenched his fist and asked again. ¡°Great, then¡­ Ah! The contaminated monsters-. So those¡­ the contaminated ones in Arad drop those cards-. Items that originally don¡¯t exist drop, right? If I obtain those and give them to you, they get purified?¡± ¡ºThat is correct. Purification is my power. However, I cannot intervene to confirm every contamination. My summoning you across world lines and meeting you in these dimensional gaps enlarges distortions and fractures, making the beings managing this plane¡¯s space-time fearful and hostile.¡» ¡°¡­What? Does that mean this is our last meeting? Is it over from now on?¡± Jinseong asked urgently. The golden light constructing Nemer was already diminishing. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡ºDo not rely on irregular and uncertain false hopes; rather, seek me. If you can find me connected through fragments of memory, you will escape the fear of distortions and fractures and achieve what you desire. I will be watching and awaiting your achievements.¡» ¡°Wait, just a moment!¡± Jinseong, on the verge of spouting a mountain of questions, halted and reconsidered. With a certain amount of pieces gathered, Jinseong himself could piece it all together like a puzzle. So, what should he say to Nemer now? ¡ºSpeak.¡» Jinseong had made up his mind to some extent. Although Jinseong was partly at fault, if Nemer had also changed methods, then this ¡®deal¡¯ did not place Jinseong in a subordinate position. They might not even be equals. ¡°I am the famed , am I not? I don¡¯t need to be forged through trials if I¡¯m not going to be the blade. So¡­ give me an advantage. Avatars! Items! Growth capsules! Or link it to my original account.¡± Believing he might be in a position of power, Jinseong¡¯s eyes burned with determination. ¡º¡­¡­I cannot grant you enough power to cause dimensional distortions and cracks, but if it¡¯s one thing, I can grant it. Do you have a wish?¡» Nemer looked at the human staring directly at him. Jinseong¡¯s mind was already racing. Of course, he didn¡¯t expect to link it with his Dungeon Fighter Online account or receive a rare avatar set from the start. First, he would ask for something big. Then, he would pretend to concede and get what he truly needed. To survive in Arad. To overcome this place where the rules of the game Dungeon Fighter Online applied to reality. To get what would be most beneficial for himself. ¡°¡­¡­Please apply at all times.¡± Jinseong couldn¡¯t fully comprehend the conversation with Nemer immediately. Therefore, if he had to choose one thing, he believed it was right to select something he could utilize most efficiently from any perspective. Currently, in the game Dungeon Fighter Online, the ¡®benchmark¡¯ that measured a user¡¯s status was [Adventurer Fame]. And the fastest and easiest way to increase Adventurer Fame? ¡®It¡¯s most important to equip items with a high level requirement. So, is the key-.¡¯ had the effect of reducing the minimum level requirement for equipment by 10 levels. Even as a level 1, Jinseong would be able to use equipment that required level 10 or higher if he could get them. ¡®-In a situation where I might have to go through all the low-level stages. In the short term, higher-level equipment could save my life, and that¡¯s not all. Considering what Nemer just said, in the long run as well¡­¡­.¡¯ In both the short and long term, would undoubtedly provide the greatest utility. Thus, Jinseong was tense. He worried if Nemer might not grant his request, but after a moment of apprehension, Nemer replied. ¡ºIt shall be done.¡» So simple. Jinseong wasn¡¯t one to just let it go. ¡°And, also! Uh, stamina! Unlimited stamina! Right? I need to be able to enter dungeons continuously without restriction-.¡± ¡ºYour earnest attitude for your mission is commendable. While trials are necessary for you to be forged as a blade, they are not needed for your role as Tongs.¡» The golden light of Nemer, which had been fading, brightened momentarily. Perhaps due to Nemer¡¯s emotional reaction. ¡ºFollowing your earnest wish, in Plane: Arad, you will also be freed from physiological needs, though you will retain the senses without being controlled by them.¡» However, the transcendental¡¯s kind sentiment only bewildered Jinseong. ¡°¡­¡­Wh-what? Excuse me?¡± The golden light, as if it had exhausted its last strength, instantly faded. It could be said that the ¡®deal¡¯ between the transcendental Nemer and the mere human was concluded at that moment¡­¡­. ¡°That kind of unlimited stamina wasn¡¯t what I meant! I think there¡¯s been a misunderstanding, hey!¡± Only an odd benefit that the party didn¡¯t actually wish for remained. ¡ºLike the condensed realm of Plane: Arad that your character adventurer experienced, I hope you will find the way to also fulfill your mission here, in the real Arad.¡» ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡­¡­!!!! At last, the golden light completely vanished. In the next moment, with a thud, Jinseong found himself standing where he was just before. ¡°¡­¡­Elvenguard.¡± Like everything was just a dream. Chapter 10 Chapter 10Jinseong hurriedly looked around. He needed to organize his thoughts before the abundance of information got mixed up and forgotten. ¡®First, let¡¯s see how I can get back. In the end, there are three options.¡¯ Grabbing a stick, Jinseong hastily started writing on the dirt. The tasks assigned to those, aside from himself, who were also transferred into the world of Dungeon Fighter Online. 1. Becoming a forged blade Jinseong could say this clearly. ¡®It doesn¡¯t make sense. The story in Dungeon Fighter Online hasn¡¯t even concluded yet. The overall flow is somewhat established, and a lot about the conflicts is already revealed. Well, I was quite immersed in the story myself, so I can predict some parts, but¡­¡¯ Becoming a forged blade essentially meant facing all the Apostles. The Apostles, who could be seen as the main focus of the Dungeon Fighter Online main scenario. They originated from the ¡®evil part¡¯ of the creator god, and their power and abilities were on such a level. Even dealing with one of them individually was daunting in the game, let alone facing all of them in reality. Jinseong swallowed hard and pulled out the cards. ¡®Right, that¡¯s probably why¡­ this person changed his goal halfway through.¡¯ Along with the Ghoul Guishi card came what could be considered a kind of ¡®reference material¡¯ given by Nemer. In the form of a stiff paper, like a card, it detailed the past actions of the user who had been with Jinseong. Specifically, it listed the monsters he had [Purified] from [Corruption]. This was related to the second method through which Jinseong could return. 2. Finding the unclear cause of the corruption ¡®The ranger user must have waited until the moment he could meet Nemer again. Endlessly. Being here for five years can be interpreted that way. Realizing that becoming a forged blade and killing all the Apostles was impossible, he fell into near despair¡­ Perhaps he waited and waited, hoping for another way, anything¡­¡¯ Based on Nemer¡¯s statement, the involvement of the seemed relatively recent. It must have appeared before the ranger user due to that. Did that user receive a promise from Nemer that he could return home just by finding the ? And was he happy about it? Did he endure the pain with the hope that he could return soon? Jinseong looked at the card left by Nemer. How many dungeons, side dungeons, and adventure dungeons had the male ranger user cleared! Jinseong bit his lip in bitterness. ¡®But¡­ if you think about it, it should have been obvious.¡¯ There was no way the would be hiding in such ¡®weak dungeons.¡¯ There are limits to hiding in unnoticed places. If it had revealed its power in such a weak place, Nemer would have appeared directly, even at the risk, to eliminate it. ¡®But the fact that even Nemer hasn¡¯t found it yet means it is cleverly hiding, mixing its corrupting power. And the only condition for that is ultimately one thing.¡¯ An Apostle or something of Apostle level. Gulp. ¡®For now, I¡¯ll have to accept this.¡¯ Jinseong had to swallow hard once again. The user who died in the final Prey-Isys raid. No, the ¡®Adventurer¡¯. ¡®Five years, five fucking years! Even if his equipment was terrible, his level was 95! But even such a person¡­¡¯ Did he die without even finding a trace of the ? Did he die here in Arad, only killing corrupted monsters, albeit a large number, that were of such a low level and standard! ¡°Damn it¡­ damn¡­¡± Jinseong felt like he might cry. Because he thought he knew why so many corrupted monsters¡¯ names were repeated in the list Nemer had given. He could now vividly imagine the ranger¡¯s situation, unable to move upward, repeatedly clearing the same dungeon in hopes that the would be among them, like scratching a lottery ticket. ¡®Then the method I should take¡­ is the third one. In a way, it¡¯s probably the safest method-.¡¯ 3. Becoming the In other words, adjusting so that the storyline of the game Dungeon Fighter Online, which Jinseong knew, flows as it should. Controlling the ¡®character adventurers¡¯ who are playing the game Dungeon Fighter Online on their computers, ultimately removing obstacles that hinder those who might become the ¡®true adventurers¡¯ and ¡®forged blades¡¯ in the future, and ensuring that the users grow correctly. ¡®Anyway, I don¡¯t need to fix everything, right? As long as I hold onto the storyline for the forged blades, the adventurers¡­ The details-.¡¯ Nemer had also given a clue. She said she couldn¡¯t intervene directly because of the dimension of this place, ultimately because of the existence of the spacetime managers of this plane. ¡®And about those managers, the Time Lords¡­ I¡¯ve heard about them multiple times in the game.¡¯ The phrase, ¡°The Time Lords will adjust the details¡±, is a saying that can be heard repeatedly while clearing the scenario in the game Dungeon Fighter Online. So, perhaps Jinseong could rely on that and move accordingly. ¡®I vaguely understand Nemer¡¯s intention. Strictly speaking, I shouldn¡¯t just follow it blindly-.¡¯ Who was Nemer? According to Jinseong¡¯s memory, she was someone who should not be trusted or relied on unconditionally. She might even be the most dangerous being in the game Dungeon Fighter Online. But what choice did he have? At this point, Jinseong had no options. At least for now, if he had to follow, then he would. ¡°Alright¡­.¡± Jinseong gazed at the organized notes on the ground. Then he quickly erased all the writing with his foot. It was a light motion. ¡°I will become the Tongs.¡± However, his voice was heavy. Jinseong¡¯s eyes shone. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Tongs? Are you dreaming of becoming a blacksmith?¡± ¡°Whoa!?¡± A sudden voice startled Jinseong, causing him to turn around in surprise. He soon recognized the owner of the voice. A middle-aged man with a thick beard. In some ways, the first NPC he interacted with, excluding Seria, and the blacksmith of the region: Elvenguard. ¡°Ra, Linus¡­!¡± Linus, whom he had only met as an NPC, was standing behind Jinseong with his arms crossed. Linus scratched his chin with surprised eyes and chuckled awkwardly. ¡°Haha, do you know my name? No, more than that, it feels a bit odd to be called by name by such a young adventurer.¡± ¡°Ah, Mr. Linus. Yes, Mr. Linus. I knew you as someone I always respected.¡± Even amid this, the fascinating thing was hearing lines that couldn¡¯t be heard in the Dungeon Fighter Online game he had played for so long. ¡°Oh, well, I used to be a notable swordsman back in the day. Hoho, in that case, I¡¯ll forgive the impoliteness.¡± And the fact that he was having a real-time conversation? Linus laughed heartily and then asked Jinseong. ¡°But tongs? Even if you want to fix something broken, you won¡¯t have the tools. If your equipment is broken, leave it to me.¡± Throwing and catching a hammer in the air, he gestured with his chin. In the direction he pointed, Jinseong saw it. A two-tiered furnace and a large anvil next to it. ¡®When I first started Dungeon Fighter Online, I used to come here so often¡­ Yes, back in the day, I even visited just to repair my weapons! Those times when it took 20 to 30 minutes to clear a single Dark Thunderland dungeon, how much I owed Linus!¡¯ Nostalgia filled Jinseong¡¯s heart and naturally flowed from his lips. ¡°Wow, this is really¡­ touching.¡± ¡°Haha, it¡¯s not something to be so moved about. Even though I was a swordsman in the past, I¡¯m genuinely dedicated as a blacksmith now.¡± Jinseong¡¯s sentiment and Linus¡¯s understanding were slightly misaligned, but there was no need to correct it. ¡®Nowadays, I just pass by here when I go to the guild hideout. I never really pay attention.¡¯ On the monitor, Linus was no longer even recognized as an object. Quite sad On the other hand, the real-life experience, the heat from the forge, and seeing it all before his eyes was incomparable to seeing it on a screen. ¡°So, about the tongs-.¡± ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t need to worry about the tongs. I don¡¯t have any special equipment to repair- Whoa!?¡± Jinseong tried to wave off Linus¡¯s concern, but then he noticed something. ¡°Wait, what? Hold on, my arm-.¡± ¡°Haha, that¡¯s why I asked. Your arm, which looks like a Demon Shackle but is slightly different, seems quite powerful and is definitely that of an adventurer.¡± Jinseong realized that his body was still that of the ¡®Dark Knight¡¯, an ¡®epilogue¡¯ character from the game Dungeon Fighter Online! Even when he was organizing his thoughts with the stick on the dirt, he hadn¡¯t noticed! Jinseong hurriedly ran towards the entrance of Linus¡¯s smithy. ¡°Really¡­ again?¡± He was shocked when he saw himself in the mirror hanging there. ¡®Should I have mentioned this to Nemer first? No, that person was a Ranger!¡¯ He had thought about many things. Which job class would be most suitable for the tasks he had to accomplish. Which job would be best to survive in Arad, a world that was now his reality. Naturally, this was based on the unique skills available to each job class! ¡®In the game, it¡¯s fine. In terms of potential, it¡¯s much better than most characters. But-.¡¯ He literally had to reach that ¡®potential¡¯ for it to be effective. Only then would it be advantageous. In other words, the Dark Knight, before achieving the highest level of setup, possessed an operating pattern that could be considered of the highest difficulty level! In the Dungeon Fighter Online lore, he was the [most perfect Ghost Knight]. ¡®There¡¯s even a meme about using that [most perfect Ghost Knight] as a joke¡­¡¯ How would he manage at the low-level stage, with unacquired items, in this place that was his ¡®reality¡¯? As Jinseong stared at himself in the mirror, he finally realized something. ¡®Hmm? But¡­ it¡¯s different. For one, the hairstyle is different.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t exactly the same as the Dark Knight from the game. Compared to the sleek hairstyle of the Dark Knight, his own hair was somewhat tousled and spiky, similar to what he had IRL. ¡®Well, the hair, okay, I can accept that. But there are quite a few other differences too.¡¯ One of the Dark Knight¡¯s physical characteristics, the blackened marks on both arms, were longer than he remembered. Also, the Demon Shackles, the metal cuffs on his arms, were in the same position on both arms. But what bothered Jinseong the most were his eyes. The Dark Knight had another distinctive feature: eyes described as ¡®black and white eyes.¡¯ The whites of his eyes were black, and the irises were yellow, making the Dark Knight¡¯s eyes stand out the most. ¡®My eyes are¡­ just normal. White sclera, black pupils. With my hair, eyes, and arms looking this different, wouldn¡¯t it be obvious?¡¯ However, Jinseong didn¡¯t have the luxury to ponder deeply about this. What mattered was that his body had been completely transformed. Accepting the physical characteristics of the Dark Knight as reality meant he now had a muscular and well-proportioned physique. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± ¡°Is it right for a young adventurer to be sighing already?¡± ¡°No, technically, I¡¯m not even an adventurer yet¡­ But yeah, I should do my best since there¡¯s no turning back.¡± Jinseong sighed, speaking in a resigned tone. Despite everything, one thought kept resurfacing. ¡®After the failed Isys Raid¡­ the last character I logged in with before being summoned here was-.¡¯ It was the Dark Knight. Could it be that the possession was based on the last character he logged in with? ¡®Ugh, what if it had been ¡®Jinseongbubmijang¡¯ instead¡­?¡¯ Jinseong felt a shiver run down his spine. Chapter 11 Chapter 11Jinseong was momentarily flustered, but Linus spoke up first. ¡°This person here is someone who won¡¯t cause any trouble. I, Linus Smith, the blacksmith of Elvenguard, can personally guarantee that. So, please allow him to pass¡­ Do you think I would say such a thing to someone I just met today?¡± Even to Jinseong, it was clear that Linus¡¯ words naturally prompted a shake of the head. In modern terms, issuing a pass was equivalent to asking someone you had just met to vouch for you¡ªa scenario that could easily have led to a scolding. ¡®It¡¯s a relief I didn¡¯t get scolded.¡¯ Jinseong suddenly remembered. In the game *Dungeon & Fighter*, wasn¡¯t there a clear reason why the player¡¯s character could obtain a pass? ¡®Because he rescued Seria, who had ventured alone into Granfloris. And after purifying the fairy¡¯s magic circle with her¡­ he essentially resolved the problem.¡¯ That must have earned Linus¡¯ trust, and since Seria was determined to venture out into a wider world alone, Linus had likely issued the pass to accompany her. Without a valid reason, just outright asking for the pass was not going to work. ¡°Hmm, I believe you understand now.¡± Jinseong could feel that Linus¡¯ gaze was colder than before. Given that this was reality for him, it was only natural to read a person¡¯s expression to gauge their emotions. ¡®That¡¯s why that Ranger player¡¯s eyes shone when they saw me¡ª. No, now¡¯s not the time to be thinking about that. I can¡¯t let Linus leave like this. I must somehow get the pass to enter the Duchy of Bell Meyer, so then¡­¡¯ What could he do? Should he ask for a favor? A quest? Should he ask if there was anything he could do to help and receive the pass in return? ¡®It might be possible, but it¡¯s too¡ªtoo obviously manipulative!¡¯ Linus might get suspicious instead. While Linus was one of the first NPCs encountered at the start of *Dungeon & Fighter*, he was not someone to be taken lightly. Offering to do something in exchange for the pass could make Linus even more suspicious of Jinseong. Then, what method could he use? Linus had fully turned and started walking back to the forge. Jinseong made his decision. ¡°Well then, I don¡¯t know where you¡¯re headed, but take care. If you¡¯re interested in blacksmithing¡ª.¡± ¡°Krrh, my¡­ my friend¡­¡± ¡°¡ªHmm? A friend? Suddenly?¡± He decided to give the performance of a lifetime. ¡°My friend suffers from the Demon Shackle¡­ writhing in agony¡ª.¡± Clang. Jinseong deliberately made a clanging sound by fiddling with the Demon Shackle on his left arm. His deeply furrowed expression was more awkward than sorrowful, as if he was about to cry, yet his face looked merely misshapen. It was a strange scene, to say the least. It was utter nonsense. ¡°How did that happen?¡± But Linus looked back at Jinseong and asked in a serious tone. Jinseong swiped his right hand over his eyes, pretending to wipe away tears. ¡°In a desperate attempt to ease the pain, he said he was going to find a renowned alchemist. But¡ªKrrh, though he discovered who the alchemist was and where they were, I¡¯m in a situation where I can¡¯t even go there. Even if a cure is impossible, I¡¯m worried sick about whether he might have at least found something to alleviate the pain.¡± ¡°¡­Where is this alchemist?¡± ¡°In the Duchy of Bell Meyer¡ªit¡¯s Roton Maximeug.¡± Jinseong said. And he didn¡¯t miss the moment when Linus exhaled and his expression grew serious. ¡°Please, Linus! My respect for you has always been genuine! During the Screaming Cave incident, I know you fought alongside Master Aganzo, one of the Four Weapon Masters. I¡¯m aware it¡¯s shameless of me to ask you for a pass, but¡­ Krrh.¡± A lengthy plea uttered with teary eyes fixed on Linus. Linus eventually closed his eyes slowly. ¡°¡­Alright. I also¡­cannot ignore such circumstances.¡± Then he nodded. ¡°Are you serious? Thank you! Thank you so much!¡± Jinseong bowed his head, confident. ¡®As expected, it worked. The *Dungeon & Fighter* lore¡­ it worked.¡¯ Even though he had lied through his teeth, the lie had a solid foundation. Everything Jinseong recited came straight from the background lore of Linus, the NPC in *Dungeon & Fighter*! ¡®After helping a friend tormented by the Kazan Syndrome by ¡°freeing¡± him, Linus laid down his sword and became a blacksmith¡­ It seems Linus¡¯ backstory is indeed true.¡¯ As Jinseong watched Linus, who now had a dark expression as he filled out the pass, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit guilty. Had he made Linus recall unpleasant memories just to get a pass? ¡®No¡­ What¡¯s more surprising is¡­¡¯ And perhaps, Jinseong wondered, had he already begun to see Linus not as an NPC but as a person? It wasn¡¯t that he had already adapted to everything. It wasn¡¯t as though he had already accepted everything. ¡®But, hmm¡­¡¯ Jinseong clenched his fists. His arms, now pitch black, still looked awkward, but the subtle discrepancy between how they appeared and how they felt was in line with his usual movements. ¡°Here you go.¡± ¡°Thank you, Linus. The next time I visit¡­ I¡¯ll definitely bring some good alcohol with me.¡± Half sincere, half to confirm once again the validity of the game¡¯s lore, Jinseong said. ¡°Eh? Haha! You truly respect me? Alright, I¡¯ll be waiting for that day. I¡¯ve also put some travel money in there¡­ and take this too.¡± ¡°This is¡ª¡± Linus handed him a well-crafted sword. ¡°¡ªYaiba¡­¡± Equippable at level 10, a sword, uncommon grade weapon, *Yaiba*. Although it might be a useless weapon to current *Dungeon & Fighter* players, it was different for Jinseong. Especially when considering how much gold it would have cost to buy it from Linus. It was only natural that Jinseong felt a tightness in his chest. ¡°Linus¡­¡± ¡°Ahem, don¡¯t look at me like that. Anyway, be safe. I hope you meet your friend.¡± Linus awkwardly waved his hand. Jinseong had only intended to get a pass, but now he had travel money and even a weapon he could use immediately thanks to the *Overlord¡¯s Contract*. Looking at the NPC who had been a friend, teacher, and companion to low-level players in the past, Jinseong nodded. ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± There was no hesitation about where to go next. ¡®The Duchy of Bell Meyer¡­ to its capital, Hendon Myre.¡¯ Though Jinseong didn¡¯t know when, where, or what he would do next, his next destination was clear. * * * Jinseong let out a hollow laugh. ¡°Haha¡­ this is absurd.¡± Elvenguard, where Linus had helped him, was located in the northern region of the Duchy of Bell Meyer. He also knew that the capital, Hendon Myre, was located in the southern part of the duchy. But his thoughts drifted back to his experiences in *Dungeon & Fighter*, where it had only taken two quick, simple map transitions. ¡ºThe Plane: Arad you experienced as an adventurer was a compressed version of everything. I hope you find a way to fulfill your mission in this real Plane: Arad.¡» ¡°That means¡­ the game only presented a simplified version. Well, yeah, that¡¯s true, but¡­¡± Who would have thought the actual distance would take days to traverse! Who would have thought he¡¯d truly feel the vastness of the Plane: Arad! Although Jinseong wasn¡¯t an ordinary human, running at an incredible speed, he was certain he wouldn¡¯t be able to reach his destination within a day. ¡®The silver lining is the unlimited stamina¡ªthanks to that misunderstanding, I guess? I can taste the food, but I¡¯m not hungry. Even if I were, I could manage with the travel money Linus gave me, but¡­ what if I suddenly needed to¡­ relieve myself?¡¯ What would he have done then? In hindsight, wasn¡¯t it a blessing that Nemer misunderstood and bestowed a blessing on him? Even as he ran, Jinseong couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the absurdity of his situation. ¡®Plane: Arad? Nemer? Bucipke? Dark Knight? Attacked by the Lugharru tribe and in pain?¡¯ Was he truly experiencing in reality what he¡¯d only encountered in the game? Could it be that he had simply been transported into the game world? It could have been a moment to ponder the heaviness and bleakness of reality, but Jinseong¡¯s expression was not dark. ¡°Well¡­ in fact, this could be a good thing for me?¡± It wasn¡¯t because he used to earn money from *Dungeon & Fighter*. He loved it because *Dungeon & Fighter* was a world he could immerse himself in and enjoy. ¡°Whew¡­ If only it weren¡¯t for the whole Bucipke thing, I could truly enjoy this.¡± In that sense, the way Jinseong was accepting and processing the situation was likely different from others. It was evident in his current attitude. ¡®This is crazy¡­¡¯ Jinseong paused for a moment, running his hand through his hair. Then he looked up at the sky. The reason why this world of Arad, now a complete reality rather than just a game, evoked in Jinseong a subtle sense of anticipation and excitement. ¡®When would I ever get to see something like that? In Korea¡ªno, anywhere in the world, when could I ever see something like that?¡¯ He hadn¡¯t noticed it in the lush forests of Elvenguard, but now, walking out in the open, it was unmistakably clear. ¡°Haha, this is absolutely insane!¡± A massive grand magic circle spread across the sky. It was so distinct that it made airplane contrails look trivial by comparison. Even though Jinseong had to tilt his head back to look up at the circular magic circle, it was so enormous that it was impossible to gauge its diameter. The size alone, and the respect for its creator, made it a ¡°Grand¡± magic circle, unlike other ordinary magic circles. ¡®The grand magic circle created by Grand Magician Meyer¡­ It¡¯s truly incredible. Now I see why the NPCs in-game used to praise Meyer.¡¯ Jinseong himself had ¡°seen¡± it. He had seen how the Grand Magician Meyer created the grand magic circle and completely transformed Arad through the game¡¯s scenario quests. ¡®The Grand Magician¡¯s Dimensional Corridor, the Library of Memories.¡¯ When Jinseong¡¯s thoughts reached that point, he unconsciously clenched his fist. Didn¡¯t Nemer say? She didn¡¯t know when she would be able to summon him again, so he should come to find her. ¡®I let it pass at the time, but thinking about it now¡­ that¡¯s an insane level of difficulty. To meet Nemer, even through the mere reproduction of memories, you have to go to that Dimensional Corridor.¡¯ **Legion Dungeon: Grand Magician¡¯s Dimensional Corridor.** **Required level for entry: 110 or higher.** **Adventure Fame required: 38,095.** It was a place far more challenging than the Prey-Isis Raid, where the male Ranger player had died. He had to reach such a place to meet Nemer ¡°freely.¡± ¡®Whew¡­ Alright, let¡¯s stay calm and try. The *Overlord¡¯s Contract* applies indefinitely, so it¡¯s fine. I can do it.¡¯ Compared to the vague sense of uncertainty he felt after leaving Elvenguard, he was now in a better position. His underlying confidence stemmed from countless experiences. ¡®It wasn¡¯t even a big deal to level up a character to max level and boost fame to 45,000 in no time, right? Even though surpassing 55,000 was a bit tricky, but that¡¯s where Eoduk Island fusion¡ªno, I don¡¯t even need that now. The important thing is to reach the Dimensional Corridor! 38,000? Seriously, come on.¡¯ He had done it more than a hundred times, without exaggeration. Of course, achieving that in reality would not be easy. But having at least an initial destination, an objective goal in mind, was a start. ¡°Having a visible goal¡­¡± Jinseong cast his gaze into the distance. It wasn¡¯t just the grand magic circle stretching across the sky that caught Jinseong¡¯s eye. There was also a vertical line that stood out, far away yet surprisingly clear. A line that extended from the ground up to the grand magic circle. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Jinseong steadied his breathing and started running again. That line, which might as well reach the heavens, was like the fame and level Jinseong had to attain¡ªa distant goal. It was Sky Castle. And it was also Jinseong¡¯s first destination on his way to Hendon Myre. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 12 Chapter 12Jinseong confidently presented his pass. The capital of the Duchy of Bell Meyer, the guards stationed at the gate had no reason to stop him. ¡°Go on in. But keep in mind, you can be expelled at any time if you cause any trouble.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I understand.¡± That didn¡¯t mean they were particularly welcoming either. Hearing the stern tone, Jinseong couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue in disappointment. ¡®Man, if they only knew! Huh?! Back when Sky Castle was destroyed, I was practically acting as the supreme commander and leader at the Allied Central Camp! Huh?! The duchy would always say, ¡®Adventurer, you are always welcome, please visit us anytime!¡¯ Just like that!¡¯ Jinseong thought about the treatment his characters had received in *Dungeon & Fighter* after completing every scenario quest. Compared to that, how was he being treated now? Of course, Jinseong knew these were all unnecessary thoughts at this point, so he entered Hendon Myre, the capital of the Duchy of Bell Meyer, without any particular response. More importantly, the truth was that he didn¡¯t even have the luxury of making any particular response. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Jinseong couldn¡¯t help but exclaim in admiration. He had expected as much. From the moment he could see Hendon Myre¡¯s gate in the distance, and the unified white-toned buildings beyond the gate dedicated to honoring Grand Magician Meyer. Even as he saw countless people bustling beyond the gate, he had already been surprised once! ¡°What should we have for dinner tonight?¡± ¡°You¡¯re already talking about dinner when we just came out for lunch?¡± ¡°Hey, hey, fresh fish for sale! These were just brought in this morning from West Coast Harbor!¡± What could one say about all this bustling noise? There were no skyscrapers, but instead, a certain satisfying pleasure came from seeing the low-rise or single-story buildings all uniformly colored and lined up. ¡®They say it¡¯s market day. Could it really be market day? Or is there always this much foot traffic?¡¯ And the well-maintained roads teeming with countless people. The sight of people of all ages, professions, and genders bustling about made Jinseong feel like he was walking through the streets of Myeong-dong or somewhere in Gangnam on the weekend. As Jinseong was glancing around, feeling as though his eyes were about to pop out, he suddenly heard a familiar voice. ¡°Only those who challenge can seize victory, you know? If you¡¯re interested in duels, feel free to come by anytime!¡± A bright and refreshing voice, a grappler holding tonfas in both hands, with a striking appearance full of healthy charm that was even more noticeable than her voice. If you were a *Dungeon & Fighter* user who had ever wandered the streets of Hendon Myre, you¡¯d certainly recognize this NPC. Jinseong couldn¡¯t help but recognize her. ¡°Wow?! Cho-Bung! It¡¯s Cho-Bung!¡± He was so impressed that he unconsciously called out her name. Cho-Bung immediately looked at Jinseong and asked, ¡°Ahaha! Do you know me?¡± It was a question that would never have come from the NPC he encountered in the game. Though he might have been flustered by the sudden attention, Jinseong nodded and replied, ¡°You¡¯re the champion of the duel tournament! Yes, that¡¯s why I know you.¡± How many times had he ¡®initiated conversation¡¯ with Cho-Bung in Hendon Myre? Even though it had nothing to do with the main scenario quests of *Dungeon & Fighter*, how much time had he spent loitering there? ¡°Heh, you must be interested in dueling! You look pretty strong, so what do you say? Shall we showcase our skills, sweat together as we get tangled up, and ultimately become one with victory and friendship? Want to experience the charm of a duel?¡± ¡°Tangled up and sweaty¡­ I¡¯ll, uh, I¡¯ll definitely experience it next time¡­ Heh, next time for sure!¡± Watching Cho-Bung speak with light and quick movements, Jinseong nodded as if he was entranced. It was clear from his expression that his interest wasn¡¯t solely in dueling. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± So much so that he didn¡¯t even notice another fighter, Pungjin, an NPC who once taught skills to fighter-class users, frowning and staring at him. Someone else beside Jinseong then spoke up. ¡°Lol, what are you doing? Are you streaming or something?¡± Even though he was wearing an avatar, Jinseong could immediately tell that the guy was a male Gunner, Spitfire class. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What are you doing in front of Cho-Bung, lol?¡± ¡°Oh, no, nothing.¡± ¡°Did you type that on purpose? lol crazy.¡± Seeing the laughing user, Jinseong didn¡¯t respond any further. He just looked at the user, who had a mischievous and curious expression, and nodded. ¡®I see. No matter what, actions in front of NPCs that could interact in the game will be noticeable to others. And¡­ The names of the players still show up above their heads.¡¯ It was a silence of observation. Since this was practically the first time Jinseong had encountered a fully equipped user who was no longer a beginner, he felt the need to quickly gather information. ¡®Reputation, guild, adventurer group, and titles don¡¯t show. Only the character¡¯s nickname appears.¡¯ Although Jinseong was staring intently at the user, the user didn¡¯t seem to notice and soon went on his way. Watching the user¡¯s back as he walked away, Jinseong¡¯s expression hardened. Was the special ability that someone possessed after being transported into *Dungeon & Fighter* only to recognize nicknames and character names? ¡®Then that male Ranger back then, he-.¡¯ That guy, who had chased after him in a hurry, calling him ¡®Mister, Mister.¡¯ Just how many inquiries had he made, searching for someone who could assist him within the limits that wouldn¡¯t impose a penalty in this world, *Plain: Arad*, and how long had he been waiting for Jinseong himself? ¡®Now that I think about it, he was remarkable. And despite likely hearing warnings from Nemer, he was slyly trying to exploit the loopholes¡­¡¯ He had asked Jinseong not to apply buffs, nor deal with minor monsters. The only thing he wanted was for Jinseong to crack the boss pattern strategy, which must have been because he was trying to apply Nemer¡¯s warning in the most borderline way possible. Nemer had said, The entities managing space-time in this dimension will acknowledge cooperation between the possessed and ¡®character adventurers,¡¯ but unilateral assistance would cause distortion, so they intend to prevent it. ¡®Did he think that doing just that much wouldn¡¯t count as ¡°receiving help,¡± but rather as ¡°cooperating¡±?¡¯ So, what exactly was the difference between cooperation and help? Since the user had already experienced it, Jinseong could quickly arrive at a conclusion close to the correct answer. ¡®It¡¯s not just the level difference¡­ The criteria for distinguishing between players in *Dungeon & Fighter* must apply here as well. Then, it¡¯s the item level, in other words, the difference in ¡°fame¡± that rises when you equip items.¡¯ The adventurer fame of the Dark Knight that Jinseong had played was well over 57,000. And the adventurer fame of the male Ranger user was just barely over 6,000. In that situation, forming a party and entering a raid together was possible, but as soon as aggro was drawn to Jinseong, it was likely judged as receiving help rather than cooperation. ¡®Throwing the was indeed the right decision. Lowering the required level to equip items by 10 means that, even with inflated numbers, fame will rise more quickly.¡¯ S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The reason Jinseong had requested from Nemer was based on such speculation. ¡®And thinking about the fact that forming a party is possible¡­¡¯ Another idea popped into Jinseong¡¯s head. It was likely a valid one, but since there was no immediate need to apply or test it, Jinseong simply nodded slightly and resumed observing his surroundings. ¡®Now, where should I go first? I can¡¯t head straight to Sky Castle.¡¯ The imperial guards would likely be blocking it. It was uncertain whether he could obtain a pass from another NPC, but there was no need to force his way in. ¡®In a situation where I don¡¯t know whose scenario is being disrupted and how, where should I go?¡¯ Where would be the best place to gather information? One of the places where players, who wandered around when Sky Castle was still intact, often visited, and a place that would generally be seen as a hub for information. ¡®The tavern.¡¯ Jinseong immediately started heading toward the back alleys of Hendon Myre, aiming for the Moonlight Tavern. * * * If there was a silver lining to his situation, it was that the general layout of Hendon Myre in this real-world Arad was not too different from the one in the game. ¡®Yes, if I turn into this back alley¡­ There it is.¡¯ Calming his racing heart, Jinseong cautiously opened the swing door of the Moonlight Tavern. It was still late in the afternoon, so the tavern was relatively quiet. ¡°Welcome.¡± And so, Jinseong could sense it all the more. The cold stares from the few people inside the tavern, eyeing a new customer entering such an out-of-the-way place for the first time. Even if it was just a regular drunk looking at him like that, it would be enough to make one nervous. But the person lifting their drink and glancing at Jinseong¡ªwho was that? ¡®¡­Karacas. Seeing him in person, his presence is no joke.¡¯ The head of the Adventurer Guild, known as ¡®Karacas the Sighing.¡¯ Jinseong moved to a spot where Karacas¡¯s gaze wouldn¡¯t reach him directly, scanning the surroundings. ¡®Hmm? But Aganzo isn¡¯t here? He would normally be here unless something happened¡­¡¯ He was checking the usual NPC position at the far-right corner of the Moonlight Tavern, but Aganzo wasn¡¯t there now. ¡°What would you like to order?¡± ¡°Ah, order? Oh, well¡­ Do you have milk?¡± It was a mundane yet natural fact. If you were a player or game character, it wouldn¡¯t matter if you stood around blankly without saying anything, but for Jinseong, this was reality. Going into someone¡¯s establishment and just sitting there without ordering anything would be the height of rudeness. ¡°¡­We happen to have some milk that Kanna made, but¡­ Will that be all? No other drinks or food?¡± Of course, ordering just a glass of milk in a tavern was only marginally better than being rude, which was why the owner of the Moonlight Tavern, the NPC, had a somewhat dark expression. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to wet my throat. Hehe, thank you.¡± Jinseong gave an awkward smile. Then he watched as the owner NPC left to fetch his order. ¡®Shusia Elmin¡­ She¡¯s an elf, huh. Her ears are sharper than I expected.¡¯ An elf from Granfloris, believed to be extinct. But here she was, running the Moonlight Tavern and serving as its main bartender. Suppressing a feeling that almost made him laugh, Jinseong gripped the cup of milk that Shusia had brought him. ¡®Should I just wait here for the NPCs¡ªor rather, the residents of this world¡ªto gather and talk? Or should I first secure a pass to Sky Castle and then attend to other matters? What should I do next¡­?¡¯ Just as he was trying to plan his next move, Creeeeak¡­ The swing door of the Moonlight Tavern opened again. Like Karacas, Jinseong naturally looked toward the door. ¡°Um¡­ Hello. Are you the owner of the Moonlight Tavern? My name is Seria. And this here is¡ªOh my, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Seria was entering the Moonlight Tavern, shyly greeting the owner. Beside her was a female fighter, and judging by the nickname floating above her head, she was undoubtedly a user. ¡°Oh¡­ It¡¯s nothing. I was just startled because you resemble someone I know. Yes, I run this place. What can I do for you?¡± As he listened to Seria and Shusia naturally exchange greetings, Jinseong thought, ¡®It¡¯s a quest. Probably a Sky Castle-related quest¡­ Hmm?¡¯ The scene of Shusia recognizing Seria at first glance was something Jinseong vaguely remembered. He was certain it was from one of the scenario quests related to the dungeon area: Sky Castle. Creeeeak¡­ Someone else slowly opened the swing door and leaned against it. Jinseong almost spat out his milk. ¡°Hey, rookie adventurers, ask your questions quickly and get your answers right away! Our captain doesn¡¯t like to be kept waiting for long!¡± A woman with red hair, wearing a beret at a cocky angle, stood leaning against the door just as cockily. An Iron Wolf Knight of the De Los Empire, a lower-ranking knight. ¡®Pff¡­ Renny? What? Renny?¡¯ Renny was frowning with her youthful face, scolding Seria and the female fighter user. Chapter 13 Chapter 13There were many famous NPCs, but if one had to pick an NPC that particularly stuck in the memories of *Dungeon & Fighter* players, Lenny was someone who would be mentioned with a fairly high probability. Lenny fiddled with her beret, which seemed like it might slip off, and said, ¡°Commander Van Balschut of the Empire is tarnishing his reputation by cooperating with adventurers like you! How could you be so slow in your work? Hey, you there, hurry up and say something too!¡± Even though her sharp voice alone was enough to draw attention, the reason Jinseong was surprised wasn¡¯t because of that. No matter how much he tried to recall, all he could do was shake his head. ¡®Lenny here? Well, sure, she does accompany you briefly during the Sky Castle quest, but this isn¡¯t the place.¡¯ He didn¡¯t remember every line of the quest, but if he had figured out when and where Lenny accompanied him, it was natural that Jinseong¡¯s gaze would narrow. ¡®This¡­ This isn¡¯t how the original scenario is supposed to go.¡¯ Lenny never followed Seria and the player to the Moonlight Tavern. In the end, this was a deviation from the correct flow. ¡®How does this look to the female Fighter player, anyway? I probably just seem like an ordinary user standing in the Moonlight Tavern. But Lenny¡ª¡¯ Unless there was some special interaction, Jinseong¡¯s ¡®actions¡¯ or ¡®attitude¡¯ wouldn¡¯t be visible to the player, as he had already confirmed in Elvenguard. He had even tried raising his arms in celebration, but the player gave no reaction. So what about Lenny? ¡®¡­¡­Judged as not having entered the Moonlight Tavern? Maybe because she¡¯s just ¡®leaning against the door,¡¯ it doesn¡¯t count as full involvement? A new player might not notice, but if it¡¯s a player leveling an alternate character, they would quickly pick up on something strange.¡¯ Either way, Jinseong himself had no way of knowing. Not unless he could peek at the player¡¯s monitor screen. In any case, if there had been an issue, the player would have logged out immediately and contacted Neople¡¯s customer service. ¡°I have a somewhat special magic stone.¡± The player hadn¡¯t noticed anything strange, and the scenario was progressing. If Shusia was taking something out and handing it to Seria, the scenario was proceeding as intended, so there was no visible problem for the player. ¡®What Seria is holding is a fragment of the Grand Magic Circle obtained in Sky Castle. To purify it, Shusia must use that magic stone¡­. Yes, if that¡¯s the case, then probably¡ª¡¯ Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At that moment, Jinseong tried to gauge how far along the quest had progressed. Crunch-! With the sound of the magic stone breaking, Seria hurriedly bowed her head. ¡°Oh! I¡¯m sorry, the magic stone¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, the magic stone can be replaced. But look, you did it! The crystal has been purified and restored to its original form.¡± Shusia¡¯s comforting and encouraging words to Seria were understandable to Jinseong. ¡°If we¡¯re done here, let¡¯s get moving! The Commander is waiting!¡± However, Lenny¡¯s line, urging them to hurry, was just as baffling as ever. Jinseong glanced at them, trying to predict what would happen next. ¡®Now we meet Iris? Anyway, I¡¯m sure of one thing: there¡¯s something wrong with the Grand Magic Circle, and we¡¯ll head up to Sky Castle¡­. We¡¯ll meet Zieg Hart there. But Zieg Hart doesn¡¯t die. He¡¯s still being supplied with magical power from the floating fortress¡­. Huh?¡¯ As Jinseong reviewed the general flow of the scenario quest in his mind, something struck him. Fundamentally, how did the story in the ¡®Sky Castle¡¯ area proceed? There was the inexplicable contamination of the Grand Magic Circle created by Grand Magician Meyer, the assumption that it was affected by something similar to a transfer phenomenon, and the purification through Seria. During this time, discussions about confirming the existence of Apostle Bakal or the reality of the Celestial Realm would take place, but fundamentally, the player¡¯s task was to confirm the Grand Magic Circle at the topmost level of Sky Castle and restore it to its original state, moving together with Seria. By the time Jinseong recalled all this, his mind had naturally filtered out everything else. He focused on just two words. ¡®Contamination¡­ and purification.¡¯ Jinseong now watched Seria, the female Fighter player, and Lenny as they moved out of the Moonlight Tavern. And he realized. ¡®This time, it¡¯s something I have to do. I don¡¯t know where or how things went wrong, but¡­¡¯ If the *Main Scenario Quest* of *Dungeon & Fighter* was being shaken by the . If someone was trying to disrupt the flow and block the path to becoming a ¡®true adventurer¡¯¡ªthe ¡®blade¡¯ that could possess Arad¡ªby refining it. Then he had to stop it. As the hammer that would temper the blade. ¡°Then, right away¡ª¡± Jinseong hastily stood up and tried to follow them. But someone blocked his path¡­. ¡°Leaving without paying, customer~?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You need to pay. Just because you drank a glass of milk doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s free.¡± ¡°Oh, right, payment, um, how much is it?¡± Jinseong hurriedly rummaged through his pocket. Linus had given him a total of 3,000 gold as travel money. Although he hadn¡¯t needed to spend any of it so far, as he was free from basic physical needs, now it was unavoidable. ¡®Tsk, I used to have billions of gold in each account, and now I have to worry about this¡­ Wait a minute.¡¯ As Jinseong counted his gold, something occurred to him. ¡°Lady Shusia, you sell other items here, right?¡± ¡°Of course. We¡¯re primarily a tavern, but¡­ this is the back alley.¡± Listening to Shusia¡¯s cryptic reply, Jinseong nodded. He only had 3,000 gold. If it wasn¡¯t enough to buy proper armor anyway? ¡°Heh, may I see the list of items for sale?¡± It was only natural for Jinseong to purchase the item that would be most beneficial to him. * * * Jinseong ran. It wasn¡¯t to track down the female Fighter player who had brought Lenny to the Moonlight Tavern. He couldn¡¯t predict who had been contaminated or what incident would occur, but at least he could guess ¡®where¡¯ it would happen. ¡®Even if I follow that player, there¡¯s a limit to what I can do. Just from the combination of the words contamination and purification, there¡¯s a very high chance that something will go wrong in Sky Castle. So what I need to do right now is¡ª¡¯ He needed to meet the conditions to enter Sky Castle. This was not something Jinseong didn¡¯t know how to do. ¡®The only NPC who can issue the pass to enter Sky Castle is Roger Levin.¡¯ Recalling his time as a player, controlling the ¡®character adventurer,¡¯ Jinseong naturally knew the next steps. Unfortunately for Jinseong, even though he knew where to find the NPC Roger Levin, it would take time. Roger Levin was in West Coast, a trading hub city east of Hendon Myre, the capital of the Duchy of Bell Meyer, and there was also an entrance to Sky Castle there. ¡®Urgh, West Coast is supposed to be a simple one-click map transfer!¡¯ In other words, as Jinseong had become a real person in Arad, he had to run until he was drenched in sweat to reach West Coast. The silver lining was that it wasn¡¯t too far, as West Coast was right next to Hendon Myre. More importantly, Jinseong¡¯s body was on a different level from that of a regular person. It didn¡¯t take long for Jinseong to leave the bustling capital, crowded with people. ¡®As expected, I can¡¯t use the convenience functions provided by the system.¡¯ Jinseong didn¡¯t waste his travel time. He was identifying the similarities and differences between controlling a character in *Dungeon & Fighter* and being a real person in Arad, as they seemed to share the same rules and situations. ¡®I can¡¯t use a portal to move to Seria¡¯s Room or anything like that. No Auction House, no Cera Shop, no minimap¡­ Well, I didn¡¯t expect it to work, but it¡¯s still a bit disappointing.¡¯ All the convenience features accessible in the game by pressing ESC, like the encyclopedia, adventure mode, guilds, avatar market, and so on, were naturally off-limits to Jinseong. ¡®What did I expect? If those were usable, the male Ranger user I met wouldn¡¯t have lived that way.¡¯ While it might be understandable that he couldn¡¯t use the features designed for in-game convenience, there was another disappointing aspect for Jinseong. The information he could access through [My Info] was severely limited. ¡®All I can see is my Fame? It would be nice if I could check my critical rate or something. Same for HP and MP¡­.¡¯ The only thing he could see was his adventurer Fame. Moreover, to Jinseong¡¯s eyes, even this Fame was absurdly low, so much so that he wondered if it was even possible in theory. ¡®Given the state of my equipment, I suppose it can¡¯t be helped. Worn-out Ring Mail? Training Saber? These are literally the items automatically equipped when you create a character at level 1 and never use again. If it weren¡¯t for Yaiba, I¡¯d be in big trouble¡­.¡¯ The five basic armor pieces and one weapon he had were each worth 1 Fame. In other words, if things were normal, the total Fame of all the items Jinseong could equip would only be 6. In this situation, the presence of Yaiba, a weapon that alone increased his adventurer Fame by 12, was incredibly reassuring and reliable. Even before he could truly feel the difference in attack power, the difference in adventurer Fame alone was a comfort to Jinseong. ¡®¡­¡­Until I reach the Grand Magician¡¯s Dimensional Corridor, um¡­ No, I shouldn¡¯t look too far ahead. For now, I should tackle what¡¯s right in front of me, step by step, one thing at a time.¡¯ If he had to reach an adventurer Fame of 38,095 to meet Nemer whenever he wanted. In a situation where negative thoughts nearly overwhelmed him, Jinseong shook his head. He didn¡¯t need to be overly optimistic, but he should stay realistic and as positive as possible. How many successful raids had he led with the ¡®Training Engineering Team¡¯ that seemed impossible? ¡®Yes, at least [Inventory]¡­ It¡¯s convenient, like a three-dimensional pouch I can access whenever I want, and I can see the performance of items clearly! If it weren¡¯t for this, when I pick up an item later¡ªwould I have had to carry it all over, hanging it on my back and holding it under my arms?¡¯ Although there were more inconveniences compared to when he enjoyed *Dungeon & Fighter*, this was reality, and such things were naturally part of the experience. It might be better to be grateful that there were some aspects of in-game convenience that Jinseong could utilize in reality. ¡°Phew¡­ I made it.¡± After running for some time, Jinseong finally arrived at West Coast. The strong scent of the sea, something he couldn¡¯t sense when controlling a character, filled the air, making it clear that this was distinctly different from Hendon Myre. Of course, there was no time to enjoy such leisure. Jinseong immediately moved toward the bustling area of West Coast. ¡®Roger Levin is a merchant NPC. According to the setting, he¡¯s based in West Coast, Duchy of Bell Meyer, but travels to various countries, so if I head toward the largest commercial district¡ª¡¯ Then he heard it. A voice that was particularly loud while wandering around West Coast. ¡°Hey, fancy gentleman! I¡¯ve got a tempting offer for you. Care to listen?¡± ¡°Joan Ferrero!¡± ¡°Hm? Someone who knows me¡ª¡± Recognizing the owner of the voice, Jinseong immediately ran toward it. However, he simply passed by without engaging, as if he had no interest in interacting with the person. ¡®Alright, I¡¯m almost there. Next to Joan Ferrero¡­ I see it, the Golden Carriage!¡¯ A golden carriage pulled by a completely mechanical horse. It was practically a symbol of NPC Roger Levin, and seeing it made Jinseong¡¯s lips twitch, though they didn¡¯t form a full smile. ¡°Huh¡­? Roger Levin?¡± It was because Roger Levin wasn¡¯t in front of the golden carriage, nor the much larger mechanical horse. Jinseong looked around and muttered. It was the woman near the golden carriage who responded to Jinseong. ¡°Mr. Roger is busy these days. He won¡¯t be coming to West Coast for a while.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Daphne.¡± ¡°Do you know me?¡± Daphne, Roger Levin¡¯s assistant and aide, who had taken many players¡¯ emblems and gold, was tilting her head as she looked at him. Jinseong waved his hand while still scanning the surroundings. ¡°Oh, no, I don¡¯t really know you, it¡¯s just¡­.¡± Daphne was also an interactive NPC. In other words, if there were players around here, what Jinseong said might be fully exposed to them. Jinseong, slightly anxious and not wanting to draw attention, didn¡¯t have much time to waste. ¡°Excuse me, Lady Daphne. Is it possible to get a pass to enter Sky Castle? I do have some valuable items with me. Though it¡¯s not a Platinum Emblem¡­.¡± The female Fighter player was likely progressing through the quest even as Jinseong spoke. If the ¡®timing¡¯ wasn¡¯t right, he wouldn¡¯t be able to fulfill his role as the hammer. ¡°Sorry, but Mr. Roger handles all the investments in people personally. I don¡¯t have the authority to do that.¡± Hearing Daphne¡¯s firm refusal, Jinseong had to think. How would he fulfill his role as the hammer in the future? If he couldn¡¯t get the pass from Roger Levin, there was only one option left. ¡®I¡¯ll have to sneak¡­ into Sky Castle.¡¯ At West Coast, even if you craned your neck, you couldn¡¯t see the end of the towering Sky Castle, reaching up to the Grand Magic Circle in the sky. Chapter 14 Chapter 14The Dungeon Area: Sky Castle is different from the usual dungeon areas. This is because it¡¯s one of the places where the background and circumstances change the most as the scenario quest of the game Dungeon & Fighter progresses, and it¡¯s also a place entangled with so many forces. ¡°You cannot enter Sky Castle without a pass. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re trying to do, but the Empire is investigating, so go back.¡± A guard of the Empire said this to Jinseong, who was looking up at the barricade in front of Sky Castle. Jinseong nodded and stepped back. ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Although it was indeed located in the Duchy of Bell Meyer, Sky Castle was a problematic place entangled with the De Los Empire. At this point, both nations had formed a joint investigation team to uncover the true nature of Sky Castle, but since the setting indicated that the relationship between the two countries wasn¡¯t good, it was inevitable that various NPCs would be irritable. Above all, Jinseong knew why the security at Sky Castle was so tight at the moment. ¡®One of the princesses of the Empire¡­ was it Isabella or Isabela? Because of her presence, the Empire has no choice but to be even more vigilant.¡¯ This was precisely what Jinseong was concerned about. Enter Sky Castle with such stringent security, without a legitimate pass? ¡®Moreover, once inside¡­ I don¡¯t even know how far up that long tower I¡¯ll have to go. Do I have to wait for Seria and the Female Brawler, who could show up anywhere at any time?¡¯ Although he could endure without eating, it still wouldn¡¯t be easy. Jinseong surveyed his surroundings. In any case, it was something to worry about after he managed to enter Sky Castle. ¡®Should I cover myself with a box? Or maybe throw a gold coin to distract them and then dash in-.¡¯ He first needed to find a way to get in. Ideas came to mind, but Jinseong shook his head at his own thoughts. ¡®It¡¯s not going to work. This isn¡¯t a stealth action game.¡¯ In the end, only one method remained. To quickly infiltrate under the cover of darkness when night fell. ¡®That might be the most realistic approach.¡¯ Wasn¡¯t it something he¡¯d experienced a few times when clearing dungeons in other regions, rather than the Dungeon Area: Sky Castle? In the game Dungeon & Fighter, there were certainly patterns where you had to strike at the monsters from behind or move stealthily, avoiding their line of sight or their guard range. ¡®¡­But I¡¯ve mostly just beaten up all the monsters after getting caught.¡¯ Here, however, he couldn¡¯t be sure what disaster might occur if he were caught. Sneaking into a place where a princess of the Empire was present¡ªwhat kind of treatment would he receive if caught? ¡®Far from becoming Bucipke¡­ I might even be tortured to death as Bucipke.¡¯ If caught, a situation threatening his life might unfold, but there was something else that made Jinseong anxious. Time. ¡®I¡¯ve already spent some time just getting here. But if it¡¯s a Female Brawler player¡­ she would¡¯ve just made a few trips back and forth in Hendon Myre and then entered straight away, as per the scenario quest.¡¯ Could he wait until nightfall when every minute counted? Jinseong bit his lower lip tightly. ¡®But realistically¡­ Ah?¡¯ How far had he moved away from the barricade guarded by the Empire¡¯s soldiers? Something suddenly came to Jinseong¡¯s mind. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A short while later. The Empire¡¯s guard scowled. He was about to warn the person who had been a thorn in his side until just moments ago¡­ ¡°¡­.¡± But he couldn¡¯t say anything. He just had to glare at Jinseong, who was walking past the barricade, unable to do anything to stop him. Although Jinseong flinched when his eyes met the guard¡¯s, he didn¡¯t panic. The mere fact that he¡¯d gotten this far was proof that his plan had worked. Seeing that the guard didn¡¯t stop him, Jinseong puffed out his chest and said. ¡°I was waiting for a comrade with a pass¡­ Thank you for your hard work.¡± He followed behind a Level 15 Male Lancer user. This was Jinseong¡¯s plan. ¡®It worked. Yes, it worked!¡¯ To enter Sky Castle by joining a party with a low-level user still clearing the main scenario quest, who had received a pass from NPC Roger Levin! ¡°Huh? What did you say?¡± However, it wasn¡¯t without its risks. It was certain that he mustn¡¯t reveal his true identity to the ¡°user sitting in front of the computer.¡± Even so, compared to sneaking in during the dead of night, how much safer and more useful was this plan? ¡°Ah, I was about to whisper, ahem, sorry. My mistake.¡± ¡°Ahem? Haha okay.¡± As long as Jinseong didn¡¯t act strange in front of the users who would perceive his words as ¡°chat,¡± he should be fine. Jinseong passed through the strict security of the Empire¡¯s guards without a hitch, keeping his mouth shut. ¡®Alright. Success.¡¯ Feeling a sense of satisfaction from successfully executing his plan, Jinseong disbanded the party at the entrance to the dungeon in Sky Castle and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°No problem. It was fun having a random party at this level. Take care.¡± ¡°Yes, take care. Enjoy the dungeon.¡± ¡°Enjoy, haha. Bye.¡± As Jinseong disbanded the party with the Level 15 Lancer user, he was newly convinced. That user must have a ¡°Seria¡± too. That user must also be progressing through the main scenario quest to repair the grand magic circle in Sky Castle. ¡®From now on, I have to survive in this kind of place¡­ until I finish my task.¡¯ A user who could communicate and party with him, but existed in a completely different world from Jinseong himself¡ªa user who was in the very position Jinseong had been in not too long ago. ¡®For now, let¡¯s focus. I need to find that Female Brawler.¡¯ Jinseong shook off his thoughts about the ¡°two realities¡± he knew and was experiencing, then entered Sky Castle. It was the entrance of a building like a long tower, made of endless spirals. As Jinseong disappeared from view, the Level 15 Lancer user spoke up. [Channel] PureSlash: Hey, can you create a character with no nickname? Jinseong didn¡¯t realize that the chat window had briefly become noisy afterward. *** It was immediately clear that this wasn¡¯t a completely intact building. It was shaped like a winding corridor, with no outer walls so the outside was clearly visible, and in some places, even the pillars that made up the tower were partially destroyed. ¡®¡­It¡¯s amazing that it hasn¡¯t collapsed. If it were a regular building, it would have crumbled long ago. Is it because of Bakal¡¯s power? Or the magic of the Tyrant Dragon?¡¯ Jinseong was moving forward with conflicting feelings of unease and safety, knowing that the reason it defied the usual laws of physics was something he could guess. The fortunate thing for him was that there were hardly any monsters around, and naturally, no users or other people were in sight. ¡®In the past, everyone used to party here to level up, but recently, you can reach max level just by pushing through the main scenario.¡¯ In this sense, what Jinseong had to worry about wasn¡¯t joining the maps with users but rather the NPCs running around in places that were practically invisible to the users. More specifically, the Iron Wolf Knights of the Empire and the NPC adventurers who had received passes from Roger Levin. To avoid being caught by them, Jinseong heightened his senses, listening for any sign of people as he climbed the stairs. Floating boxes and statues shaped like dragons began to appear. Moreover, when he reached the point where the stairs to the top of the tower were formed outside, with no railing, making it seem like a life-threatening climb if he were to fall¡­ ¡°¡­Of course. It had to be here.¡± Jinseong realized. He had entered one of the dungeons in Dungeon Area: Sky Castle, the Dungeon: Tower of the Dragonkin. ¡°Kiiiiiiik?!¡± The eerie sound came from a Dragonkin that was at least 20 centimeters taller than Jinseong¡¯s own Dark Knight body. And its threatening appearance was made even more menacing by the long spear it held, capable of piercing in either direction. Jinseong steadied his breathing. ¡°There¡¯s no one watching right now¡­ and I didn¡¯t receive for nothing, did I?!¡± Among the systems that applied to the game Dungeon & Fighter, Jinseong wasn¡¯t limited to using only [My Info] or [Inventory]. Naturally, Jinseong also had access to another feature! ¡°Kyaaaaa-!¡± As the blue Dragonkin, Minius, charged, Jinseong gripped Yaiba tightly. Then, he shouted as he executed a horizontal slash followed by a vertical slash in quick succession. ¡°!¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤! Using the skill he had newly learned through the [Skill Window], Jinseong split Minius¡¯ body into a cross. ¡°Kiii-.¡± That wasn¡¯t the end. As Jinseong leaped and struck down with Yaiba, another Minius, which had hesitated momentarily upon seeing its comrade fall, was met with the next attack. ¡°!¡± The heavy downward slash, carrying the weight of his entire body, dug into Minius up to where its lower half began, ending the attack. ¡°Kiii¡­.¡± Minius collapsed as its body crumbled. Jinseong briefly furrowed his brow. ¡®This¡­ will take a bit more time to get used to.¡¯ Even though he knew he was possessed by Dungeon & Fighter and understood what he had to do¡­ It wasn¡¯t something he could adapt to instantly¡ªthe sight of a living being dying and the act of killing it. ¡°Phew, but I see that the combos work well, thanks to the weapon-.¡± ¡°Kiii¡­!¡± ¡°Kyaaa, Kyat-!¡± ¡°-Let¡¯s move up.¡± Even as the swarms of blue Minius and white Mirkius closed in, Jinseong wasn¡¯t afraid. Now that he knew his attacks worked, all that was left was a kind of ¡°test.¡± ¡°, !¡± Jinseong naturally moved his body and activated the skills. Perhaps it was because he had once navigated the dire situation in Dungeon: Dark Thunderland¡ªhis movements were smooth, like water flowing. One of the keys to this was Jinseong¡¯s own combo system. Unlike other classes in Dungeon & Fighter, the Dark Knight employed a unique skill system, which was the combo system. Compared to other classes, where a single skill was usually mapped to a single hotkey, the Dark Knight¡¯s hotkey system worked differently. For example, the A hotkey had five slots formed in a sequence. ¡°-, -.¡± In other words, by pressing A-A-A-A-A in succession, Jinseong could use the five pre-set skills, followed by sequences like S-S-S-S-S or D-D-D-D-D. ¡®That¡¯s both the strength and weakness of the Dark Knight. It¡¯s literally a double-edged sword. The cooldown calculation is also unconventional-.¡¯ The first four moves became ¡°setup skills,¡± with the last, fifth skill in the slot being the ¡°main skill,¡± essentially the source of the ¡°burst damage.¡± Without understanding this and forming a combo, you might find yourself flailing around near the monsters without dealing significant damage¡ªsomething so foolish that it even spawned a meme called ¡°Talchum¡± (Korean masked dance). ¡®But I¡¯m different!¡¯ , , , and ¡ªfour consecutive skill uses. Knowing that the next combo skill would deal the most powerful damage, Jinseong had placed what he considered the most potent, area-of-effect attack right there! ¡°Kyaaaaaa-!¡± ¡°-!¡± Jinseong shouted as he raised his hand high. A skill that exploded dark energy in a small area within a 360-degree radius, launching all approaching monsters into the air. His plan was to immediately trigger the next combo he had prepared and finish them all off. ¡°Kik?¡± ¡°Kya?¡± The Minius and Mirkius, which flinched and stopped, weren¡¯t the only ones surprised; Jinseong was even more bewildered. ¡°Why didn¡¯t the skill¡­ Oh!?¡± Then he realized. In Dungeon & Fighter, while some skills could be used without conditions¡­ ¡°This is a Mukyu skill.¡± There were also skills that required an item called Colorless Cube Fragment, commonly referred to as ¡°Mukyu.¡± Naturally, since Jinseong didn¡¯t possess any Colorless Cube Fragments, the skill didn¡¯t activate. ¡°Kiiik¡­!¡± ¡°Kak- Kyaaaak-!¡± Facing the seemingly enraged monsters, Jinseong swallowed nervously. ¡°Hmm¡­ This is bad.¡± From now on, he would have to fight with his most powerful skill sealed away. Chapter 15 Chapter 15In the game *Dungeon & Fighter*, all characters under one account shared cube fragments, so there was nothing to worry about. This wasn¡¯t a concern for Jinseong, who possessed not only colorless cube fragments but also tens of thousands of multicolored ones. ¡°Kyaaaaa-!¡± ¡°Hey, why are you guys so mad? It¡¯s not like I only have this one combo-.¡± For Jinseong, this was such a basic aspect that it had become a blind spot. He was momentarily flustered when something unexpected tripped him up, but it was only for a moment. ¡°!¡± *Pachuchut©¤©¤©¤¡­¡­.* Wielding his weapon infused with dark energy with both hands, Jinseong shouted. Although the skill combo, which he had planned to use as his mainstay, had been unintentionally sealed, Jinseong didn¡¯t just have a combo corresponding to the A-key. ¡°-!¡± After executing , he quickly changed the direction of the sword¡¯s downward slash and swung it upwards. The energy, which surged from the floor of the Sky Castle like a kind of sword aura, pushed back the hordes of Minius and Mirkius. And Jinseong wasn¡¯t one to just watch the staggering monsters. He immediately linked the attack with a jumping strike technique he had previously used in ¡®Dungeon: Dark Thunderland.¡¯ ¡°, -.¡± Slashing through their sides as he passed by and then turning back to perform a triple stab from the rear. Then came the fifth and main skill of the second combo. Jinseong drew his sword back, fully extending it behind him, and swung it down while shouting. ¡°-!¡± Though similar to in that it was a downward strike, it wasn¡¯t just about cutting the enemy with the sword. The real attack was the sword aura that shot out from the blade. The crescent-shaped sword aura, scraping along the floor of the Sky Castle, was enough to shred the bodies of all the Minius and Mirkius. ¡°Phew¡­¡­.¡± Jinseong exhaled. How many more floors had he climbed since encountering the Dragonkin? The breath he released wasn¡¯t just because he had secured a safe turn. ¡°¡­¡­There¡¯s nothing.¡± It was due to the natural dissatisfaction he felt as he looked around. Despite having defeated quite a number of monsters, all he could see were their corpses. ¡®I can understand the lack of gold. If this is reality, it makes sense that monsters carrying money is just a game setting. But¡­ shouldn¡¯t there at least be items sealed with magic or holy relics? Could it be that when I¡¯m hunting alone, nothing drops at all?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t that Jinseong was a hardcore *Dungeon & Fighter* player. The equipment he was still wearing was at the level given automatically when creating a character. ¡®This is troublesome. The more diverse the monsters become, the more patterns I have to pay attention to. I need to defeat them as quickly as possible, but¡­ surely they¡¯re not expecting me to tear off parts of monster corpses to use, right?¡¯ This wasn¡¯t even about worrying about facing a boss monster in the distant future. Compared to the large and slow Dragonkin, other monsters had begun to appear, and small dragon-shaped monsters flapping their wings started to surround Jinseong. He realized that even just the increase in the number of these so-called ¡°trash mobs¡± was becoming a burden. Though they were small dragons, their size was comparable to that of large birds of prey. ¡°Still, it¡¯s better than before. Back in the days of running around Sky Castle, statues were spewing fire and ice like crazy-.¡± Even as he tried to manage his tension by finding a positive side, Jinseong knew it wasn¡¯t easy. ¡°Kiiiieeeek!¡± ¡°Kkiik, kkiik, kkiik-!¡± The sound of their wings flapping to support their large bodies, combined with their incessant wailing, was overwhelming. ¡°!¡± To deal with the surrounding small dragons, Jinseong immediately used a skill. His plan was to infiltrate the gaps left by the small dragons with a combo and then sweep the monsters with a combo, including , to the left and right¡­ *Shiiiiiit-!* But Jinseong quickly realized that distinguishing the sound of wind tearing amidst the chaotic noise wasn¡¯t easy. ¡°Ugh!¡± As soon as he felt something crash into his back, Jinseong grimaced in pain. ¡®What the-. It¡¯s like getting hit by someone on a bicycle, gah-.¡¯ However, he couldn¡¯t just wallow in pain. Despite the frown on his face and his disrupted posture, Jinseong instinctively swung his weapon behind him to push the enemy away. *Kaang¡­¡­* But all he heard was an absurdly loud grinding noise. Jinseong quickly turned around to check. The monster that had blocked his sword with a hard skull, despite its scales being shattered and its skin torn, wasn¡¯t a boss monster. It was a blue baby dragon, Rus Cerimalion. ¡°Stuck? Ugh, dragon heads are this tough-¡­¡­ Come to think of it, I remember this pattern being super annoying when I used to run Sky Castle.¡± His level 1 weapon couldn¡¯t even penetrate its skull, so the headbutt attack, accelerated by its flight, was beyond imagination. While Jinseong secured a safe distance with , he observed his surroundings. The wide formation of baby dragons wasn¡¯t just an instinctual encirclement but a strategic positioning to maximize their high-speed headbutt attack. ¡®Just as I thought¡­¡­. I knew it when I got scratched by Lugharru. It was going to be like this.¡¯ What worried Jinseong most was the memory of how the male Ranger had dealt with monsters before Jinseong possessed him. ¡®The pain is too severe. It hurts more than I thought.¡¯ Even though he was wearing the 1st level armor called ¡°Worn Ring Mail,¡± Jinseong wondered if it wouldn¡¯t hurt even if he were equipped with high-level armor. He shook his head. ¡®There¡¯s no way.¡¯ This situation meant only one thing. Jinseong would have to show a different playstyle than other *Dungeon & Fighter* Dark Knight players. Enduring hits while dealing massive damage with combos would be virtually impossible. He would have to create his own combos, prioritizing his survival and minimizing the pain over dealing damage. ¡®So in the end-.¡¯ Deal damage without getting hit as a Dark Knight? That left only two options. ¡®-The advantage of being a Dark Knight disappears entirely! I¡¯ll be just a Dark Knight who¡¯s merely dodging attacks!¡¯ Would he become a glass cannon that shatters when hit while delivering strong close-range damage? Or a slingshot, ineffective at hitting targets and just flitting around the enemy? There were jobs that, despite being close-range, could quickly evade enemy attacks while dealing massive damage thanks to numerous evasion and movement skills. There were also jobs that converted all the pain into attack power, even possessing skills that made them virtually invincible for a significant time. There were even long-range jobs with cannon-like attack power and range. And now, all of that was irrelevant to Jinseong. ¡°Kkiik?¡± ¡°Die first! , , -!¡± Perhaps from the moment he possessed the Dark Knight, Jinseong had this premonition and instinctively yearned for other jobs with more evasive and survival skills. Jinseong could only pour out his growing frustration on the monsters of ¡®Dungeon: Tower of the Dragonkin.¡¯ How many monsters had he killed? How many times had he experienced his body being enveloped in a shimmering golden light? ¡°Stop!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Freeze, if you move, you will be considered an enemy!¡± As he continued to slay monsters while climbing the Sky Castle, Jinseong finally realized it. That the De Los Empire wasn¡¯t just guarding the entrance to the Sky Castle. While Jinseong was momentarily confused by the encounter with their forward base in the midsection of the castle, Someone pushed through the lower-ranking knights and approached him. ¡°Who are you? How did you get to the Sky Castle?¡± Jinseong immediately recognized the man holding a long spear threateningly. ¡®¡­¡­Hartz. Hartz von Kruger.¡¯ Thus, he had to suppress a strangely complex feeling. ¡®Hah! Tsu! Hartz! The main character¡­¡­!¡¯ Perhaps the only NPC in *Dungeon & Fighter* history to be uniquely patched. * * * sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Officially, he was the vice-captain of the De Los Empire¡¯s Iron Wolf Knights, but that wasn¡¯t why he was famous. ¡®Before the patch¡­ if you asked players to name the most memorable NPCs, Hartz would have been near the top for sure.¡¯ Looking at Hartz¡¯s face brought back memories for Jinseong, but now wasn¡¯t the time for that. ¡°If you don¡¯t answer, you¡¯ll be considered an enemy of the Empire-.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not an enemy! I got a pass from Roger Levin. I¡¯m an investigator.¡± Jinseong had anticipated a situation like this. As a player, he had encountered NPCs who received passes from Roger Levin during scenario quests, so if he met relevant figures in Sky Castle, he planned to bluff his way through. Entering Sky Castle implied passing through the guards at the entrance, so Jinseong thought this excuse would work. It would have likely worked with most NPCs. ¡°Roger Levin? Show it to me, I¡¯ll confirm.¡± But not with the overly meticulous NPC, Hartz. Although his annoying personality or disdain for people was patched out, his nitpicky, rule-abiding nature remained. ¡°Uh¡­ where did I put it¡­.¡± Jinseong moved slowly, pretending to search his body while hiding his face. Of course, he couldn¡¯t find a pass that didn¡¯t exist. Noticing the wrinkles forming on Hartz¡¯s brow and sensing the tension, he also noticed the lower-ranking knights of the Iron Wolf Knights subtly moving to surround him. ¡®Ugh, Hartz and I really don¡¯t get along.¡¯ In the end, Jinseong had to make a choice. After pulling something out of his [Inventory], ¡®From then until now!¡¯ He threw them to the ground. The first item hit the ground with a clink. ¡°-What!?¡± ¡°W-what is-.¡± The glass bottle shattered, scattering a black liquid on the floor of the Sky Castle. Before the NPCs could even realize it was ¡®oil,¡¯ Jinseong had already thrown another item. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤! With a loud explosion, flames suddenly erupted. ¡°Krragh!? Explosion-.¡± ¡°F-fire! Fire!¡± ¡°What the hell, damn it, a bomb-. Hey! Over there!¡± Though the bomb didn¡¯t directly affect the Iron Wolf Knights, the flames mixed with the oil were nothing to scoff at. Flames roared, quickly forming a barrier between Jinseong and the knights. ¡°Wait, over there-. Where did he go?! Damn it! That bastard!¡± Hartz called out to Jinseong even as he recoiled from the heat. Or at least, he tried to. By the time Hartz realized Jinseong was already far away, all he could do was curse. A faint smile appeared on Jinseong¡¯s face as he descended the stairs. ¡®Hehe, it might be considered junk these days, but this used to be a well-used item. It was a bit pricey, though.¡¯ The combination of the ¡®Oil Flask,¡¯ which he had bought for 300 gold at the Moonlight Tavern, and the ¡®Flame Bomb,¡¯ which cost 510 gold, produced results far exceeding his expectations. ¡°Chase him! Chase that-.¡± ¡°V-Vice-Captain! The fire is spreading! The fire is spreading along with the oil!¡± ¡°-Chase¡­¡­ Damn it, put out the fire first!¡± Hearing the commotion behind him, Jinseong was certain. The Iron Wolf Knights would have to deal with the fire in the midsection of the Sky Castle first, so they wouldn¡¯t be able to chase him. Of course, Jinseong couldn¡¯t just laugh in relief. ¡®Tch, I guess I should consider the path of climbing up alone blocked. So now-. Huh?!¡¯ As he descended a few more floors, collecting his thoughts, Jinseong hurriedly hid. He had sensed someone coming up to the floor he was on from the opposite side. Seria and the female fighter. The NPCs accompanying them: Aganzo and Van Balschut. And even Lenny. Seeing them, Jinseong thought, ¡®As expected, Lenny is still¡­¡¯ He didn¡¯t know where or how things had changed, but it was clear that the ¡®corrupted¡¯ main scenario quest was starting. Jinseong had to swallow hard. Chapter 16 Chapter 16His mind was anxious, but he couldn¡¯t act rashly. This was because Van Balschut, who was standing next to Seria and the female fighter, was the commander of the Empire¡¯s Iron Wolf Knights. ¡®There¡¯s a high chance that Harts, the vice commander, remembers my face. If I go up now with Van, it¡¯ll only make things worse.¡¯ In that case, should he have aimed for Aganzo, the greatsword-wielding Aganzo, who was next to them? But even as Jinseong, there wasn¡¯t much he could do about it. ¡®The reason why Aganzo, who was always at the Moonlight Tavern, isn¡¯t there¡ª in the end, at that point, it must have been decided that Aganzo would always accompany the female fighter player.¡¯ Then, what method was left? Seria and the ¡®character adventurer,¡¯ the female fighter, were already walking up the stairs. Aganzo, Van Balschut, and Lenny were also following closely behind the two. They would soon pass through the forward base of the Iron Wolf Knights and head directly toward the top floor of Sky Castle. ¡®Originally, there was no story where Lenny goes to the very top of Sky Castle. So what¡¯s going to happen?¡¯ Jinseong reviewed the story of the Dungeon Area: Sky Castle. The player, an ¡®adventurer,¡¯ tries hard to defeat the final boss, Zieg Hart, but he continuously receives energy from a magic circle created by Bakal¡¯s power. ¡®I remember resisting together with Aganzo and Van. I also remember feeling frustrated that Zieg Hart wouldn¡¯t die.¡¯ And naturally, Lenny wasn¡¯t part of that sequence. Even though he didn¡¯t remember all the quest dialogues, Jinseong, who knew the overall flow, had his doubts. ¡®The role of realizing that Zieg Hart is being supplied with magic power¡­ isn¡¯t something Lenny would do. That was Seria¡ª. No, it wasn¡¯t Seria. The one who did that was¡ª.¡¯ Then it dawned on him. Someone else was climbing up the now-empty Sky Castle, where there were no monsters left except for himself. ¡®Sharan of the Mage Guild! Right, it was Sharan who uncovered Zieg Hart¡¯s secret. And the one who safely escorted Sharan to Sky Castle was¡ª.¡¯ When he saw the two figures appear at the top of the stairs, Jinseong finally remembered. More noticeable than the bald head was the red X-shaped eye patch covering his eyes. ¡®¡­G.S.D.¡¯ If you were a player who had played Dungeon & Fighter for a while, you would remember him¡ª the NPC, G.S.D., who helped you level up through repeated hunts in the Dungeon Area: Sky Castle. ¡®Since it was dangerous for Sharan to go to the top of Sky Castle alone, G.S.D. escorted her¡­ that¡¯s how it went. Yes.¡¯ He was trailing slightly behind Seria, the female fighter player, Van, and Aganzo, but he would eventually catch up with them. And if there was no one else climbing Sky Castle. ¡®I have to somehow use Sharan and G.S.D.¡­ I need to create a legitimate reason not to be chased out even if I¡¯m discovered by the Empire¡¯s knights.¡¯ Jinseong bit his lower lip as he looked at the two NPCs. No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn¡¯t come up with a way to target Sharan. But what about G.S.D.? ¡®He was once an instructor for the Ghost Knight class, after all. If I think back to the conversations we had back then, this might be the only option. The only thing I can test is¡ª.¡¯ He had to test it. If he missed this opportunity, there would be no next time. Thud. Jinseong finally made up his mind and stepped forward. * * * ¡°Oh my?! A person in a place like this¡ª?¡± ¡°¡­I sensed a presence earlier, but I thought it wasn¡¯t a threat, so I was going to ignore it¡­ seems I¡¯ve changed my mind.¡± Seeing Sharan startled and G.S.D. immediately gripping his sword¡¯s hilt, Jinseong raised both his arms high. ¡°I feel embarrassed to say this, but I¡¯m not a suspicious person.¡± Sharan¡¯s expression quickly changed at Jinseong¡¯s attitude, which openly displayed that he wasn¡¯t a threat. ¡°¡­We meet in the middle of Sky Castle, and you claim not to be suspicious? Who are you? And more importantly, considering that you were watching as Aganzo and the adventurers went up a moment ago and only now revealed yourself, how should we interpret that?¡± She quickly deduced, as befitting the Guildmaster of the Mage Guild. Jinseong¡¯s eyes darted left and right, but ultimately, he had only one thing to say. ¡°I¡¯d like to help, so perhaps¡­ can I join you? You¡¯re going all the way to the top floor of Sky Castle, right? To investigate the grand magic circle. Even if I look like this, I can handle the Dragonkin. Wouldn¡¯t it be good to have one more person¡¯s help at a time like this?¡± There was no choice but to blatantly propose that they include him. However, he later realized that it would have been better to pretend not to know about the grand magic circle. ¡°If you know about investigating the grand magic circle¡­ then you must have heard our story from Hendon Myre. That makes you even more suspicious. You don¡¯t have purely good intentions¡ª.¡± ¡°I do have purely good intentions! I swear!¡± ¡°¡ªHmm, what should we do, G.S.D.?¡± Jinseong literally shouted with all his sincerity. Keeping her gaze fixed on Jinseong, Sharan asked G.S.D. The man, who was blindfolded with an X-shaped red bandage and known as the strongest swordsman on the Arad Continent at this time, spoke quietly. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you managed to contain the power of the demon ¹í in your arm, but it¡¯s clear that you still can¡¯t fully control it. So, your claim that you¡¯re capable of helping is probably not a lie.¡± Jinseong was surprised that G.S.D. had instantly grasped the background of the body he had possessed, the Dark Knight, but the important thing was the positive tone in his words. ¡°Yes? Yes! That¡¯s correct! It¡¯s, um¡ª.¡± ¡°However, we must be cautious. You should leave.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± The unfortunate thing was that the outcome wasn¡¯t as positive. G.S.D. began to walk away as if he had nothing more to say, and Sharan, who had been watching the situation, followed behind him. Jinseong stared blankly at their backs. Cautious? Does that mean they don¡¯t trust me? ¡®I get that they can¡¯t trust me, but¡ª.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t let this chance slip away. If they needed to be cautious, shouldn¡¯t he make them acknowledge that they needed to take him along? Should he make them feel that they had to keep him with them? ¡°Grand Swordmaster Duncan.¡± Jinseong said abruptly. Both NPCs stopped in their tracks simultaneously. There was a brief silence. ¡°¡­No way?¡± Without any further explanation, Sharan seemed to understand what Jinseong had said, her eyes widening in surprise. At the very least, the background setting that Jinseong remembered was working. Currently, in Arad, no one knew what G.S.D. stood for or what his real name was. ¡°G-. G.S.D., sir? Is your real name¡­?¡± Sharan even stuttered. She might not have been entirely convinced that Jinseong was telling the truth, but she seemed to understand the significance of the fact that even G.S.D. had stopped in his tracks. However, G.S.D. merely curled one corner of his mouth. ¡°I thought there were no longer any who would refer to me like that. I believed they had all vanished long ago¡­.¡± ¡°Yes? So, you mean¡ª.¡± ¡°There was a time when I was called that, but not anymore. And my real name isn¡¯t Duncan either.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Sharan responded in a tone that implied she thought as much. In any case, Jinseong had managed to confirm one thing. ¡°So how does he know something like that?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem very old, but age doesn¡¯t necessarily correlate with experience and knowledge.¡± He had piqued their interest. Jinseong answered with an awkward smile. ¡°Oh¡­ haha, yes, that¡¯s right. I heard it a long time ago, so I just thought I¡¯d mention it.¡± However, he knew that the time he had bought with this wouldn¡¯t last long. ¡®So this isn¡¯t it. I remembered that when I was raising the Asura class, they used to call G.S.D. by that name¡­ But then again, since it was never revealed, it¡¯s only natural to think it was a pseudonym¡­.¡¯ He was also aware that ¡®Grand Swordmaster Duncan¡¯ didn¡¯t explain what G.S.D. stood for. Jinseong had to make his next move. ¡°Grand Swordmaster Duncan was just something I said to attract your attention, but I think I actually know why you use the name G.S.D. I might even know what it stands for.¡± And this next move was something only Jinseong could say. What does G.S.D. stand for? What was it meant to abbreviate? A question that any Dungeon & Fighter player might have wondered about at least once. ¡®There were many jokes, like ¡°Kim Seondal¡± or ¡°Gamseongdom,¡± but almost no one seriously thought about it. Maybe because Neople didn¡¯t care about it anymore, and that was just one theory that circulated¡­.¡¯ But Jinseong was different. He didn¡¯t just play Dungeon & Fighter to make money; he genuinely loved the game. So it was only natural that sometimes he would wonder, think about it, and even let his imagination run wild. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want to waste any more time.¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go, G.S.D.¡± As he watched G.S.D. and Sharan turn their backs to leave again, Jinseong found himself about to speak out another hypothesis he had held onto alone. Why didn¡¯t he reveal his real name or what G.S.D. stood for? Even so, he persisted in using the name G.S.D., which meant that he was waiting for someone. Someone who could decipher what G.S.D. stood for. In other words, someone who could understand it without needing any clues. ¡®There was once a rumor that G.S.D. was Soldoros, wasn¡¯t there? Of course, it was later revealed that wasn¡¯t true, and there¡¯s no connection in the actual story. I also thought G.S.D. might be Great Sol Doros at one point, but it¡¯s ultimately something that couldn¡¯t be true.¡¯ G.S.D. wasn¡¯t Soldoros. Officially, there was no connection. But even so, in Jinseong¡¯s mind, the link between G.S.D. and Soldoros had never been completely severed, leading him to think of¡ª Another direction. ¡°Grand Son from the Tower of Despair¡­ what do you think?¡± The Tower of Despair where Soldoros remained. A mysterious place where time flowed differently from the outside. ¡®In the game, you couldn¡¯t freely converse like this, so I couldn¡¯t confirm it, but I always wondered! What if! Maybe! I thought about it alone so many times.¡¯ Could G.S.D. be from that place, or perhaps a descendant of someone from there? Thus, G.S.D. could be a pseudonym that only someone from the Tower of Despair would understand, and no one else could even guess. Maybe that¡¯s why he kept it a secret. This kind of excitement and possibility born from pure imagination was one of the reasons Jinseong enjoyed Dungeon & Fighter so much. Jinseong suppressed his pounding heart and focused on G.S.D. Sharan smiled as she looked at Jinseong. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that means, but you¡¯re an interesting young man. I¡¯ll give you credit for your imagination, so come by the Mage Guild later. We could have a lo~ong talk¡ª¡­ huh?¡± She was about to dismiss Jinseong¡¯s words as a meaningless joke, but she couldn¡¯t finish her sentence. At least Jinseong could understand what was on her mind. ¡°G.S.D.¡­?¡± She was bound to be surprised. Even Jinseong could sense the ¡®gaze¡¯ of G.S.D., who was blindfolded with a red X-shaped bandage. ¡°What¡¯s so special about the Tower of Despair¡­ G.S.D.?¡± Sharan asked urgently. But the elderly Ghost Knight said nothing. Neither did Jinseong. Only Sharan, with her eyes darting around in confusion, alternated her gaze between the two men for what felt like several minutes. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the Tower of Despair is, and I¡¯m not its descendant. But¡­ I do want to ask you something.¡± G.S.D. denied Jinseong¡¯s statement. ¡°What is it that you want?¡± Then he asked. The sequence didn¡¯t seem to make sense. But Jinseong wasn¡¯t startled or flustered by the situation and answered. ¡°I only want one thing. To climb Sky Castle with you, Sharan, and G.S.D. If possible, I¡¯d like things to go smoothly¡ª. Ah! How about we go with the ¡®setup¡¯ that I¡¯m G.S.D.¡¯s disciple? That would work, right?¡± Jinseong¡¯s purpose had been singular from the start. ¡°¡­Very well. What is your name?¡± G.S.D. nodded and asked. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At that point, Jinseong hesitated for a moment. ¡°Just call me¡­ Jinseong.¡± This Dark Knight wasn¡¯t likely the same character that Jinseong had last logged in with. Shuuuuuuu¡ª. Jinseong heard a faint sound but paid it no mind. He was just relieved that the NPCs didn¡¯t recognize him by the nickname of his last logged-in Dark Knight character, ¡®Madtak Jinseong.¡¯ ¡°Jinseong, Jinseong¡­ Got it. Let¡¯s go.¡± G.S.D. murmured Jinseong¡¯s name a few more times and began walking again. Sharan, who had been gauging the situation, hurriedly followed him, occasionally glancing back at Jinseong. The three began ascending Sky Castle. Chapter 17 Chapter 17From the moment Jinseong began moving with G.S.D. and Sharan, nothing stood in his way. That included the Empire¡¯s knights as well. With key figures like Harts following Van, they were absent from their posts, allowing Jinseong to ascend Sky Castle with only minor caution and without any interference. ¡®And¡­ as expected, G.S.D. still has his old skills. The way he used to carry players in the past hasn¡¯t gone anywhere.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just about his relationship with the NPCs. G.S.D.¡¯s ability to literally sweep through the monsters in Sky Castle was astounding. Although Jinseong could handle them too, he couldn¡¯t help but be impressed by G.S.D.¡¯s overwhelming firepower and range. ¡°Um, Jinseong¡­ sir?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± While G.S.D. was dealing with the monsters, Sharan, who had been waiting a bit behind, called out to Jinseong. The dark elf with blue skin spoke to Jinseong with a somewhat conflicted expression. ¡°Ahem, well, G.S.D. has permitted you to climb Sky Castle, but¡­ I still¡ªhow should I put it? I still don¡¯t completely trust you, Jinseong. To trust someone without even having a pass from Roger Levin¡­ it¡¯s a bit much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have to trust me.¡± Jinseong promptly cut off her attempt to fish for information. It was obvious what she wanted. She wanted to know what the Tower of Despair was, G.S.D.¡¯s connection to it, and where and how Jinseong had obtained such information. Naturally, Jinseong had no intention of sharing, nor did he particularly want to be on friendly terms with Sharan, so he didn¡¯t care about her motives. ¡°Well, that¡¯s not what I was trying to say! You should listen to the end when someone speaks, especially a dark elf. I was going to say that I could give you a pass to Sky Castle in the name of the Mage Guild. If you use it~ you could share the news you gather on the way. You know we officially have the right to travel to Sky Castle to manage the grand magic circle, right?¡± Jinseong remembered that the Mage Guild could indeed use a type of airship called the ¡®Magata¡¯ to ascend and descend Sky Castle. However, he also knew that while they had the right, the actual ownership and management of the Magata belonged to another dark elf, not the Mage Guild. So, he wasn¡¯t going to be swayed by Sharan¡¯s offer. Since there wouldn¡¯t be any significant interaction with Sharan or the Mage Guild in the upcoming ¡®main scenario quests,¡¯ Jinseong simply intended to wrap up the situation. ¡°Is that so? If you¡¯re offering a pass, I¡¯ll gladly take it¡­ but sharing the information I have in exchange might be a bit¡ª.¡± ¡°Of course, ahem¡­ there will be a fair reward.¡± Unintentionally, Jinseong had caught a big fish in Sharan. A fair reward? What could he gain from the Mage Guild? ¡®¡­Ah.¡¯ Jinseong¡¯s lips slowly curled into a grin. ¡°Cubes.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Cubes. Colorless Cube Fragments, Black, White, Red, Blue, and even Gold Cube Fragments. I¡¯d like to get some cubes. Oh, and potions too, right?¡± ¡°P-Potions?¡± ¡°HP Potions, MP Potions¡ª. Never mind, I¡¯ll tell you the details ¡®when we get back down.¡¯ It looks like the monsters have been cleared. You should go ahead. G.S.D. is waiting.¡± Jinseong said with a wicked smile. Sharan blinked her large eyes, wearing an expression that showed she had no idea what had just passed over her. * * * How long had it been since they started ascending Sky Castle? ¡®The feeling has changed. Now, probably¡­¡¯ Just as Jinseong sensed the change in the atmosphere, he saw a group approaching from another direction. Seria, the female fighter player, Van, and Aganzo. At that moment, Jinseong tilted his head in confusion. ¡®Lenny isn¡¯t here? Harts said he went up with them, but he¡¯s not here¡­¡¯ Could it be that the Iron Wolf Knights had split off to guard or search other areas while ascending with the others? In any case, Jinseong needed to proceed according to the ¡®original plan¡¯ he had discussed with G.S.D. and Sharan. ¡°Then I¡¯ll stay behind and guard the rear. I¡¯ll leave the rest to you.¡± ¡°Will that be okay?¡± ¡°Yes. As long as I can hear you, it¡¯ll be fine. You too, Sharan.¡± Van and Aganzo exchanged words with G.S.D. and Sharan, while Sharan spoke with Seria about ¡®sensing different magic from the grand magic circle¡¯ and other such things. Jinseong positioned himself at a distance where he could still hear their voices. ¡®But¡­ the female fighter, the player, won¡¯t be able to see me on her monitor.¡¯ At the same time, it was a distance that allowed Jinseong to avoid detection by the female fighter player. In terms of the Dungeon & Fighter game, it was like being in the ¡®adjacent room¡¯ of a dungeon. In any case, Jinseong¡¯s position wouldn¡¯t be visible on the player¡¯s monitor, so for now, that was enough. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ As soon as everyone gathered, a strong vibration shook Sky Castle. And in an instant, something flashed, and Van Balschut moved to block it! ¡®Zieg Hart. Lenny hasn¡¯t appeared yet¡­ No problem.¡¯ Jinseong carefully observed the appearance of Zieg Hart, the early final boss of the Dungeon Area: Sky Castle. ¡°In the name of the Dragon Lord¡¯s servant, the Lord of Light, and the Gatekeeper, step back.¡± Zieg Hart¡¯s words elicited various reactions from the NPCs. ¡°Dragon Lord¡­! As expected, this place is connected to Bakal.¡± ¡°A gatekeeper, huh. Our suspicions are confirmed.¡± ¡°The surrounding waves are unusual. We should be cautious.¡± If Sharan, Aganzo, and G.S.D. reacted in a very human manner, Jinseong could only click his tongue again at Seria¡¯s response as she walked toward Zieg Hart. ¡°Hello, Lord. I¡¯m Seria from Elvenguard.¡± ¡°Uh¡­.¡± ¡°We¡¯re just here to check on the grand magic circle and its contamination.¡± It wasn¡¯t just Van who was taken aback. Jinseong, too, had to search his memory while watching this scene. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®Was Seria always like this? It¡¯s such an early episode that I can¡¯t even remember.¡¯ Even though he had raised multiple characters, how many people would have focused on the story of every main scenario quest from start to finish for all those characters? Although Jinseong enjoyed the story of Dungeon & Fighter, he had reached a point where many of his characters were raised out of habit. So, when it came to ¡®such an early¡¯ story, he inevitably lacked detailed and specific data! ¡®I¡¯ll figure it out by following the flow. Maybe Seria really was like that. After all, here¡­¡¯ There was no Lenny. At the very least, he remembered that the issue revolved around Lenny. Additionally, Jinseong also recalled that there would be no further encounters with Lenny in Sky Castle, so he could accurately identify what he needed to focus on. ¡®Then the contamination¡­? Who¡¯s the one contaminated this time? Zieg Hart?¡¯ In Granfloris, Ghoul Guishi had been contaminated. And Ghoul Guishi was practically the final boss of that dungeon area. If that¡¯s the case, was the one contaminated this time the final boss of Dungeon Area: Sky Castle, Zieg Hart? Jinseong knew what was coming next¡ªthe sequence of the impending battle. ¡°It seems like we can¡¯t communicate with this opponent.¡± ¡°Well, then we¡¯ll just have to communicate in another way. The way we¡¯re best at.¡± However, the battle itself unfolded differently than Jinseong remembered. As he watched the frantic battle, Jinseong remained still. ¡®That female fighter player seems to be a grappler. She probably thinks she¡¯s fighting the monsters alone right now, doesn¡¯t she?¡¯ Watching the female fighter player¡¯s movements as she suplexed the monsters around Zieg Hart, Jinseong realized something else. There was definitely a player behind that ¡®character,¡¯ controlling it via a monitor and keyboard. And that player¡¯s perspective would be quite different from what Jinseong was seeing. ¡®From my point of view¡­ Aganzo, Van, G.S.D., and even Sharan are all fighting off the waves of monsters flooding in.¡¯ Jinseong suddenly felt the gravity of his situation in this massive battle, the likes of which he had rarely seen even during his time playing Dungeon & Fighter. He was reminded that this was his reality. ¡®Yeah, to escape from this reality¡ªto return to my body, to the place I knew¡­¡¯ Jinseong shook his head, clearing away distracting thoughts. What he needed to do now was focus. By now, the ¡®adventurer¡¯ player must have realized that Zieg Hart was nearly immortal. As he watched them retreat temporarily from Zieg Hart, Jinseong also pulled back further. In a place still out of view of the player¡¯s monitor, Jinseong listened intently. He heard that Sharan had figured out the flow of magic being supplied to Zieg Hart. She suggested they all go there together. ¡®Ah, there¡¯s a path to the Floating Castle. So, does that mean it¡¯s not Zieg Hart who¡¯s contaminated but maybe an Evil Eye?¡¯ And Jinseong also realized . There were still many possibilities left. To confirm them, he had to move himself. Though the thought of having to traverse the eerie, floating paths outside Sky Castle to reach the Floating Castle was a daunting one. * * * Whiiiieee©¤©¤©¤©¤¡­!!!! ¡°Ugh¡ª.¡± Jinseong frowned and tried to keep his upper body as low as possible. How many floors of Sky Castle had he climbed to get here? Looking down at the distant ground below, it seemed he must have climbed at least 150 floors. ¡®But to step outside like this! The wind!¡¯ It felt like scaling the outer walls of the world¡¯s tallest building. With a bit of exaggeration, it was a situation so nerve-wracking that Jinseong almost felt like the wind could sweep him off, sending him plummeting to the ground. ¡®How did they film that movie on that building in Dubai?¡¯ In this strange space called the Floating Castle, where even the stone fragments that once made up Sky Castle floated around, Jinseong forced his mind to wander with all sorts of thoughts to dull his fear as he finally caught sight of the adventurer¡¯s party. A sinister magic circle drawn on the floor of the Floating Castle, and the large eyes guarding it from either side. ¡®That magic circle is supplying magic to Zieg Hart. There doesn¡¯t seem to be any sign of contamination. What I need to check is the boss monster of this place, the Evil Eye.¡¯ The monster that had once tormented players was easily dealt with. Confirming that no cards had dropped near the large eyes, Jinseong prepared to move again. ¡®Sharan and Seria have just now¡­ severed the flow of magic. That means this isn¡¯t contaminated either, so¡ª.¡¯ As if he had been waiting, Jinseong quickly dashed off. Wouldn¡¯t they soon descend to defeat Zieg Hart? There was nothing to be gained from encountering them again. ¡®Ugh, thank goodness I found this path in advance.¡¯ If there was any silver lining, it was that Jinseong had anticipated the situation, even while trembling with fear as he climbed. Had he not found a path to return to Sky Castle without being seen by Van Balschut, Aganzo, or any other powerful figures returning, he would have surely been caught. Jinseong returned to Sky Castle ahead of them and once again hid in the ¡®adjacent room,¡¯ keeping a close watch on the situation. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡­!!! Zieg Hart¡¯s loud technique was unleashed, marking the beginning of the final battle. The situation was unfolding just as Jinseong remembered. Therefore, it was also a moment when Jinseong felt an overwhelming sense of frustration. ¡®I think there was a scene where he revived a couple more times due to the remaining magic power, but it¡¯s over anyway.¡¯ So, when and how should Jinseong intervene? What was contaminated, and what was Jinseong supposed to correct? ¡®¡­This is strange. I thought there would be some issue related to Lenny, but Lenny has already disappeared.¡¯ There was only one possibility left that Jinseong could think of. The possibility that Zieg Hart continued to persist even after they cut off the magic supply. ¡®If that¡¯s the real problem and I have to step in to resolve it¡­ No way. If I do that, my identity will be immediately exposed. This isn¡¯t like that time with the Male Ghost Knight where there were lag issues or disconnects.¡¯ Would Jinseong really reveal himself to the female fighter player who was fighting Zieg Hart with all her might? It could be posted on the internet in no time. While clearing a solo quest or scenario quest, an unknown player suddenly appeared. And if Jinseong¡¯s identity were to be revealed¡­ ¡®¡­Even if I¡¯m ¡­ I wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid a penalty.¡¯ A penalty would be the least of his worries. His life could be in danger. So what should he do? How should he act? Jinseong swallowed hard. Chapter 18 Chapter 18Zieg Hart had fallen. ¡°No more¡­ upward¡­¡± His collapsed body regenerated once again. Although Jinseong already knew this would happen, those directly facing Zieg Hart had no way of anticipating it. ¡°What the¡ªhe¡¯s getting up again?¡± ¡°Is there no way to stop him? We should retreat¡ª.¡± Van and Aganzo were startled and stepped back. However, Seria and Sharan reacted differently. ¡°No, look! His restoration isn¡¯t complete!¡± ¡°It must be the residual magic power within him. The additional magic supply is definitely cut off.¡± Because these two had thoroughly managed the flow of magic, they knew that even if Zieg Hart had revived, they would eventually defeat him again. This meant that Jinseong now faced his final opportunity. ¡®There¡¯s no way this is just going to end with a lame twist like ¡°Oh, it wasn¡¯t really contamination after all,¡± right?¡¯ It was only natural that doubts began to creep into his mind, questioning if perhaps he had misunderstood something. Even though he believed he had a solid grasp on the main scenario quest, when it came to the crucial moment, his confidence in himself inevitably wavered. ¡®What if¡­ What if Lenny following me to the Moonlight Tavern was the correct flow? What if that wasn¡¯t the strange part?¡¯ Where was Lenny now, and what was he doing? Jinseong had initially judged that the female fighter¡¯s scenario was contaminated because it diverged from the standard Dungeon & Fighter main scenario. This assumption was based on Lenny¡¯s unexpected appearance at the Moonlight Tavern. But he had anticipated that Lenny would interfere again after that. ¡®This scenario quest is almost at its end. Lenny appeared briefly when they ascended Sky Castle, and that¡¯s it? From the player¡¯s perspective, there wouldn¡¯t have been any dialogue scripts, so Lenny might not have even been visible.¡¯ So, does that mean that Zieg Hart, who¡¯s dying before my eyes, isn¡¯t contaminated either? That there¡¯s no contaminated card? ¡®No, no. I¡¯m certain. Lenny¡¯s main role isn¡¯t here. In Sky Castle, his name is just briefly mentioned, and he only makes a brief appearance.¡¯ Jinseong shook his head, trying to believe in his own judgment, but it wasn¡¯t easy to maintain that confidence. It would be unsettling if no card dropped after Zieg Hart¡¯s defeat, but what if one did? ¡®¡­That would be another problem.¡¯ This was different from the situation with Ghoul Guishi. Back then, the player had claimed to be experiencing ¡®lag,¡¯ which prevented them from seeing everything clearly, and Seria had been unconscious. There was no one around to witness Jinseong¡¯s actions. But now? It wasn¡¯t just Seria and the female fighter player. Even if G.S.D. and Sharan supported Jinseong, that wouldn¡¯t be enough. ¡®¡­Van and Aganzo.¡¯ There were two of the continent¡¯s most skilled warriors¡ªmembers of the so-called ¡°Four Weapon Masters.¡± Could Jinseong manage to pick up a card near Zieg Hart¡¯s corpse without being noticed by them? ¡®That¡¯s crazy. Absolutely impossible. Unless the others lose interest in the loot and just walk away.¡¯ But that was highly unlikely. Now that everyone had realized the connection between Zieg Hart, Sky Castle, and Bakal, they wouldn¡¯t take any items found on his corpse lightly. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ disappear like this¡­ without fulfilling Lord Bakal¡¯s command¡­¡± As Jinseong grew more restless, Zieg Hart was finally defeated. Jinseong¡¯s eyes widened as he looked on. There was nothing left in the spot where the final boss of Sky Castle had vanished. ¡®¡­Nothing. There¡¯s nothing at all.¡¯ At this point, one thing had become clear. Zieg Hart was not contaminated. Just as Jinseong began to feel a creeping sense of unease, Van, Aganzo, G.S.D., and Sharan were all sharing a moment of relief and joy. ¡°¡­Did we really take him down?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not regenerating anymore.¡± ¡°You all did well.¡± ¡°Great job, everyone.¡± Even as he watched them, Jinseong struggled to regain his composure. It wasn¡¯t until Seria¡¯s subsequent words that he finally managed to regain some clarity. ¡°Finally, we can go up. We can check the grand magic circle! You all did a great job!¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried there might be something wrong with the grand magic circle. Even if there is, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m qualified to lay hands on Grand Magician Meyer¡¯s magic circle¡­¡± Hearing Sharan¡¯s concerns, Jinseong¡¯s eyes began to change. ¡®¡­Right. Defeating Zieg Hart doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s over. There¡¯s still one last thing to do in Sky Castle.¡¯ There was still one final chance to confirm that his choice had been correct. As the adventurers started climbing the stairs outside Sky Castle, Jinseong hurriedly followed them. And when they reached the top, they saw it. ¡°It feels like¡­ something serious has happened here.¡± ¡°Just a small part of it, but there¡¯s something wrong with the grand magic circle. If we leave it like this, it¡¯ll spread beyond our control.¡± The enormous magic circle drawn on the floor, corrupted and flickering ominously. ¡°Guildmaster, shouldn¡¯t you do something about it?¡± ¡°Whatever route it took, the corruption has already penetrated the grand magic circle¡­ At this point, there may be no way¡­¡± Van muttered pessimistically, but Sharan immediately shook her head. Jinseong focused on her words. ¡®The corruption has already penetrated. Yeah, come to think of it, the term ¡°corruption¡± is extremely limited in Dungeon & Fighter.¡¯ When was the term ¡°corruption¡± primarily used? Jinseong needed to expand his thinking at this point. ¡®I assumed that since the first card I got was from Ghoul Guishi, it was always a living creature, but maybe that¡¯s not the case. If the grand magic circle itself is corrupted and something has gone wrong because of it, then maybe after the purification, a card might appear?¡¯ sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If it wasn¡¯t necessarily a living creature that was corrupted? This led to another question. ¡®But as , isn¡¯t it my job to handle that? If Seria purifies it as usual¡ª¡¯ What would happen? Jinseong was about to find out. Seria stepped forward, speaking as she approached the group. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ try to purify it.¡± ¡°Hey, this seems like a problem on a completely different scale than those small crystals.¡± ¡°Lady Shusia taught me. You¡¯ve all come this far, and I¡¯ll do what I can too.¡± Despite Van¡¯s sharp comments, Seria responded seriously. ¡°Seria, the corruption is at a level where¡­ anything could happen. It¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. This is about protecting the forest, about protecting everyone.¡± Despite Sharan¡¯s attempts to dissuade her, Seria didn¡¯t stop and stepped forward. Around that time, Jinseong¡¯s body began to twitch. ¡®Whatever comes out, it¡¯ll happen now.¡¯ If there was a chance that a card like [Grand Magic Circle (Corrupted)] existed, this might be Jinseong¡¯s last chance to dive in and grab such a card. Jinseong watched the scene, his heart racing as if about to start a race. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡­¡­!!!! And just like in Granfloris, Seria succeeded in purifying the grand magic circle, emitting a bright light. ¡®A card¡ªwhere¡¯s the card?!¡¯ Even in the blinding light, Jinseong strained to find a card, but to no avail. All he saw was Seria collapsed, being supported by the ¡®adventurer,¡¯ the player, and the surprised reactions of Aganzo, Sharan, and the others, marveling at how Seria had managed to purify the grand magic circle. ¡®¡­No? Again, no?¡¯ First with Zieg Hart, and now with the purification of the grand magic circle. Jinseong was at a loss, the flow of events deviating so drastically from his expectations. ¡°¡­Wait. So if we¡¯ve come this far, does that mean the area above this is Celestia?¡± Amidst the confusion, Van began to move. Despite the others¡¯ suggestions to turn back, given that they didn¡¯t know what awaited them in Celestia and whether it would be hostile, Van began to dash forward! ¡°Van!¡± Not toward the top floor, but toward the literal ¡®top¡¯ of the castle, Van started sprinting upward, and everyone followed. Jinseong did the same. Zieg Hart¡¯s scenario hadn¡¯t been disrupted. The corruption of the grand magic circle wasn¡¯t what Jinseong had anticipated. ¡®What¡¯s going on here? I shouldn¡¯t have anything left to do now.¡¯ As he frantically climbed the stairs, trying to maintain a safe distance from the player, Jinseong kept thinking. What had gone wrong with this scenario? What role did Jinseong have left as ? Jinseong halted his steps when he heard the commotion. He was a few floors below the group, including the player and the NPCs. ¡°Bakal¡¯s magic circle¡­ If we hadn¡¯t come up here, it would¡¯ve been hard to spot, hidden by the grand magic circle.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we do something about it? Like how Zieg Hart was stopped earlier.¡± ¡°Unless Bakal himself reappears or we have something equivalent to his power¡­ it¡¯s impossible to tamper with the magic circle itself.¡± Sharan explained firmly to Van, who was speaking like a child throwing a tantrum. As he listened to her voice, Jinseong recalled this part of the quest. ¡®Right, this flow is exactly as I remember. All we do is observe Bakal¡¯s magic circle and then descend again¡­ Oh!?¡¯ At that moment, Jinseong realized something. From the perspective of Dungeon Area: Sky Castle, there was nothing left for the player to do. However, just because there was nothing to do didn¡¯t mean the scenario quest had ended! As Jinseong came to this realization, G.S.D. spoke up. ¡°Wait. There¡¯s a disturbance in the air¡­ Something enormous is approaching rapidly.¡± From his lower vantage point, Jinseong could see it. ¡®¡­Behemoth.¡¯ A gigantic whale-like creature gliding majestically through the sky. It was Behemoth. * * * A creature swimming in the sea of the Middle Ocean, high above the Arad Continent. But now wasn¡¯t the time for Jinseong to marvel at the newly appeared Behemoth. ¡®The quests in Sky Castle might be over, but the main scenario, the flow of the story, continues, and that is¡ª¡¯ A small dot broke away from the Behemoth, catching Jinseong¡¯s eye. Just by looking at it, he could tell it was a bad situation. That dot was trailing smoke like a tail as it rapidly approached Sky Castle. It was an airship. ¡®Yes, that¡¯s it! The real, real, real final part of the Sky Castle scenario!¡¯ An airship crashing toward Sky Castle. And the person on board that airship would trigger the next dungeon area and main scenario quest! According to the scenario quest, the airship would crash near the adventurer¡¯s party, close to the player. G.S.D. would quickly sense the disturbance and warn everyone to duck just before the airship collided. Fortunately, the person aboard would narrowly survive, and the adventurer party would rescue and heal them, continuing the scenario. However, the problem was that Jinseong couldn¡¯t see this usual sequence playing out in front of him. ¡®But the direction¡­ No way.¡¯ Just from the direction of the airship¡¯s descent, trailing smoke as it fell toward Sky Castle, Jinseong could tell. It was steep. It wasn¡¯t crashing toward the top floor where Seria, the player, and the NPCs were. ¡®It¡¯s a few floors below. A few floors lower than where I am right now?¡¯ Though the airship had lost some of its power and was falling, it wasn¡¯t in a full freefall. If it were, the person aboard wouldn¡¯t survive. The scenario flow involved the airship losing speed and descending more gradually, allowing it to crash with less impact. ¡®Uh oh!?¡¯ Jinseong couldn¡¯t hide his urgency. The estimated crash site of the falling airship? ¡®A few floors below where I am¡­ Ah!¡¯ Jinseong saw someone climbing the spiral staircase from the outside. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s that?¡± The person climbing also finally noticed the falling airship and stopped in their tracks. More precisely, Lenny was staring at the falling airship. At that moment, Jinseong instinctively knew. Lenny¡¯s position. The trajectory of the falling airship. The two aligned perfectly. As that information registered in his mind, Jinseong couldn¡¯t help but realize. ¡°Damn it! So this is it!¡± What he had to do as . A massive object, maintaining its terrifying speed, was plummeting toward Lenny. Changing the trajectory of the ¡®contaminated¡¯ airship Dornier. Chapter 19 Chapter 19Reni stood near the expected crash site. If the airship were to crash as it was, she would be caught in the massive impact. If it were merely a shockwave from an explosion, she could handle it with potions or other means, but if by any chance she were to be flung outside the sky castle, which had no railings¡­ What awaited was a free fall to the distant ground below. ¡°Reni!? Move, run!¡± Jinseong shouted with force, despite fumbling. If there was any silver lining, it was that the distance between Jinseong and Reni was slightly closer than the distance between Jinseong and the player at the topmost level. Of course, his voice must not be heard by the player. He had to be careful not to let his own chat suddenly appear in the player¡¯s ¡®chat window.¡¯ ¡°Reni, Reni!¡± Jinseong urgently called Reni a few more times but had to stop soon after. Reni must have heard his voice. ¡°Ah, ah¡­?¡± She had heard him but couldn¡¯t react, as she was instinctively paralyzed with fear, unable to comprehend the situation. Her large eyes, wide with terror, were clearly visible to Jinseong. The airship, which had been just a dot falling from Behemoth, had grown rapidly as it approached the sky castle. Jinseong, seeing Reni still standing frozen in place, glanced again at the falling airship. How long would it take? It would be at most a matter of minutes. At this rate, Reni would die. And Jinseong, well, any Dungeon & Fighter player knew that. Reni wouldn¡¯t die here. ¡®Should I jump down now to save Reni¡­? No, no.¡¯ But at most, he had 60 seconds. Could he save Reni in that time? It might be possible, given his current physical condition. As a Dark Knight, he could acrobatically descend one or two levels within 60 seconds to save Reni. The problem was that simply preventing Reni from dying wasn¡¯t the only concern. ¡®I need to¡­ make that airship¡­ the Dornier, crash in front of the player¡¯s eyes!¡¯ Simply put, Jinseong had only one task. He had to tilt the rapidly descending airship, ¡°Dornier,¡± to a gentler angle so that it would crash near the topmost level of the sky castle, preferably near the player party, the ¡°Adventurers.¡± In doing so, he could save both those on board the airship and Reni, who was near the predicted crash site, ensuring that the main scenario quest continued on its original course. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ The question was whether Jinseong could actually do such a thing. What methods were available to move a large object falling at high speed? Countless thoughts flashed through Jinseong¡¯s mind. ¡®I don¡¯t have the skills. If I were a Mage, I could use something like the ¡­¡¯ Could he do what another class could do? sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. What good would that be? As a Dark Knight? Stop something falling from the sky? ¡®I don¡¯t even have a holding skill!¡¯ There was a skill that could temporarily stop a target. Jinseong hadn¡¯t learned it because of his lack of ¡®level,¡¯ and even if he had learned it, it was a close-range skill that could only be activated by striking with a weapon. If he could solve these two issues, he would have done it already. Jinseong had instinctively and subconsciously come to these conclusions in his mind. ¡°Ugh, come on, come on!¡± He was already rummaging through his [Inventory]. Since he had bombs like firebombs and thunderbombs, if he could harness their explosive power, he might be able to alter the airship¡¯s trajectory. ¡®But in the worst-case scenario, if the timing is off by just a second or two¡­¡¯ There was a possibility he could make the situation worse. The airship could get engulfed in flames, or he could destroy the remaining power source, causing it to plummet vertically. In that case, he might save Reni, but those aboard the airship would surely die. ¡®¡­No, that would be the end. So, please! Come on! Hurry!¡¯ The main scenario quest would no longer progress properly. **** would end in failure. * * * A man wearing glasses was munching on snacks while staring at the monitor. The screen showed the game Dungeon & Fighter in ¡®window mode,¡¯ but it was clear from his expression that the game wasn¡¯t his main focus. The dialogue windows of the main scenario quest, which could be skipped by pressing the space bar, waited for his input, but he didn¡¯t seem to be in any hurry, preoccupied with another internet window. ¡°Is there any nice *Yggdrasil avatar* look-up?¡± He was browsing various avatars that his character could wear. After scrolling through a few, he finally remembered that he had a game quest in progress and refocused on the game. ¡°Oh, right. I finished the sky castle.¡± Given that Dungeon & Fighter encouraged multi-character play, it wasn¡¯t unusual for some players to repeat quests multiple times, while others, like this man, rushed through them. ¡®I already know the story anyway. The airship crashes next, and then¡­ huh?¡¯ The man haphazardly tapped the space bar, skipping the NPCs¡¯ dialogue, when he suddenly furrowed his brow. Although this was a scenario he had experienced several times while leveling up multiple characters, something felt different from his memory. ¡°Wait¡­ was there always¡­ that effect?¡± He thought he saw some effect bursting in midair. To be specific, it wasn¡¯t a fire or anything, but a force that looked like transparent wind, something like the aftermath of an explosion, happening repeatedly near the airship? ¡®¡­It should have just flown over and crashed, just like that¡­ I think.¡¯ Seeing the airship¡¯s trajectory accompanied by these additional effects, he tilted his head. It felt like some artificial force had been applied. However, even as he thought this, the man shook his head. ¡®What nonsense. It¡¯s probably just a graphics glitch¡­ Or maybe it was always like that.¡¯ Could such a thing even exist? He let out a small laugh at his own absurdity and finished off the snacks he was eating. ¡°Playing so many characters makes you see all kinds of things.¡± As the crunching sounds of his snack echoed, his monitor displayed the ongoing dialogues of various NPCs. [Whoa, what was that? Something flew over and crashed!] [Could this¡­ be another of Bakal¡¯s spells?] He quickly skipped over the startled remarks of Ban and Aganzo, moving on to Sharan¡¯s reaction. [It¡¯s not magic, that¡¯s¡­-.] The man quickly tapped the space bar again. As a result, he missed something. [-An airship?] He didn¡¯t notice that Sharan¡¯s image changed subtly between the moment she guessed it wasn¡¯t magic and when she mentioned the airship. He also missed Sharan¡¯s expression as she subtly observed the lower parts of the sky castle. * * * Bombs were out of the question. At the same time, the force needed to alter the airship¡¯s trajectory had to be substantial. Such an item generally didn¡¯t exist. That is, if this weren¡¯t the world of the game, Dungeon & Fighter. ¡®Found it¡ªyes!¡¯ Jinseong, rummaging through his [Inventory], pulled out something with a clatter and set it down on the ground. At first glance, it looked like a tropical fruit. It was green, thick enough to require both hands to hold, and was made up of grape-like clusters, though each cluster was the size of a tangerine, and the fruit was slightly larger than a coconut. ¡®Phew, I just need to hit the target. The effect will activate upon impact¡­¡¯ Jinseong gripped the items in both hands. If a user had only recently started playing Dungeon & Fighter, they probably wouldn¡¯t recognize this item even if they saw it. But for a long-time player, someone who had enjoyed the game in the past, it was not only a well-known item but also one infamous for the episodes it caused due to its usage. ¡®Here goes¡ª!¡¯ With a silent shout in his mind, Jinseong began hurling them wildly. Even if a few fruit-like objects hit, it wouldn¡¯t alter the airship¡¯s trajectory. But what exactly was the item Jinseong was hurling, and continuously throwing, as fast as his hands could grab them? You could deduce it from the official description in the game, Dungeon & Fighter. [It doesn¡¯t hurt when it explodes, but it¡¯s a strange fruit that sends you rolling far away. Be careful, it works on party members too.] In other words, Jinseong was throwing the that he had purchased from Shusia at the Moonlight Tavern, an item that could push both allies and enemies without causing any damage when it landed near the target. ¡®Each of these costs 60 gold!¡¯ Now that Jinseong had become a Dark Knight, his physical strength was no longer ordinary. Throwing the fruit with his hands and shoulders, he had more than enough strength to hit the front lower part of the falling airship. ©¤©¤©¤©¤, ©¤©¤©¤©¤, ©¤©¤©¤©¤, ©¤©¤©¤©¤! How many times did the explode in succession? While some flew off into the void, most of the dozens of fruits Jinseong had thrown hit the small airship, Dornier, several times on its intended target. Whooooosh©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡­!!!! ¡°It¡¯s¡­ done.¡± Jinseong saw it. Finally, the airship Dornier, having corrected its course, raised its nose towards the upper part of the sky castle, aiming higher than where Jinseong himself stood. And something fluttered, falling from the airship Dornier, just before it crashed into the sky castle. He didn¡¯t even need to think about what it was. ¡®¡­A card! Damn it!¡¯ Jinseong ran to the edge of the external staircase, which had no railings, and barely managed to catch the card that was fluttering in the wind toward the sky castle. [The Dornier (Contaminated)] As soon as he confirmed the words written on the card he grabbed, a loud explosion sounded above his head. ¡°Whoa, what was that? Something flew over and crashed!¡± ¡°Is this¡­ another of Bakal¡¯s spells?¡± At the same time, Ban and Aganzo¡¯s voices were heard. Jinseong panted heavily. Was this enough? Was it over? ¡®Anyway¡­ for the player Adventurer¡­ from that user¡¯s perspective¡­¡¯ The main scenario quest should proceed without any issues. However, Jinseong himself couldn¡¯t say that everything was exactly right. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Unconsciously, Jinseong turned his head toward the direction of the intense gaze he felt. Standing frozen on the spiral staircase below him, staring blankly, was none other than Reni. Reni, with eyes wide as a rabbit¡¯s, trembling, was trying to make sense of the situation. Jinseong locked eyes with the lower-ranked knight with red hair and found himself at a loss for words. What could he even say? Reni, too, seemed at a loss for words, unsure of what to say to Jinseong. The only thing left in the now quiet sky castle was the commotion at the topmost level. ¡°It¡¯s not magic, that¡¯s¡­ an airship?¡± After hearing Sharan¡¯s voice, seemingly suspicious of something ¡®below,¡¯ a new voice finally reached Jinseong. ¡°Ah, here¡ª. You are¡­ Please, help us¡­¡± It was a plea for help from someone who had been aboard the airship. The moment he heard that voice, Jinseong lost all strength in his legs and collapsed. ¡°You¡¯ve lost consciousness. The wounds aren¡¯t too severe, but you seem very exhausted.¡± Seria spoke to the person who had been aboard the airship. But it was Jinseong who nodded. ¡®Yes¡­ I¡¯m so, so tired¡­ exhausted to death.¡¯ In the midst of the chaos, there was one clear thought in his mind: relief. Relief that the dungeon area: sky castle had ended safely and that the next scenario would proceed without any issues. Leaning against the outer wall of the sky castle, Jinseong let out a sigh. It was a sigh of relief, literally drawn from deep within his lungs. ¡°Oof.¡± Even as he sighed, he had to squint his eyes because of the golden light that poured down on him. Though the situation was still absurd, Jinseong felt a subtle sense of happiness at the reaction. ¡®Even from this¡­ I¡¯m gaining levels. I¡¯m different from regular players.¡¯ It was typical of Jinseong to compare his reality with the game Dungeon & Fighter and reflect on it like this. Jinseong opened [My Info]. His level was exactly 23, and his Adventurer fame was still 17. It was a ridiculous ending, but at least one thing was clear. There would be no more ¡®contamination¡¯ in the dungeon area: sky castle. ¡®At least not for a while. And¡­¡¯ Aside from his growth, it was certain that he had gained a lot from completing this . ¡°Hey, you! Are you okay¡ª?¡± He could tell just by looking at Reni, who was now running toward him. Chapter 21 Chapter 21Iris Fortune Singer, known professionally as a ¡°Fortuneteller.¡± ¡®Could she really see? Could she immediately know who I am? That¡¯s impossible,¡¯ Jinseong thought, his eyes narrowing with intensity. Up until now, the NPCs he had encountered displayed abilities within the context of their world. The Four Weapon Masters, including G.S.D., were humans who had trained to their limits. Sharan, the dark elf, was adept at utilizing the magical power of the Mage Guild. All of them exhibited abilities rooted in the ¡°Dungeon & Fighter¡± game¡¯s lore. But what about Iris? ¡°Iris¡­?¡± Sharan called out cautiously, but Iris didn¡¯t respond, continuing to stare intently at Jinseong. Jinseong swallowed dryly, meeting her gaze. ¡®At this point, Iris Fortune Singer undoubtedly possesses overwhelming magical power. Not because of her abilities as a fortuneteller¡­ but because she¡¯s under the control of Apostle Hilder.¡¯ The concept of an **Apostle** is central to ¡°Dungeon & Fighter¡± lore. They are the most powerful beings from other dimensions who came to the Demon Realm, known as ¡°Apostles.¡± Their origin lies in the ¡°Will of Darkness,¡± a force created by the Creator God, Kalosso. This dark will gave birth to the Apostles, making them akin to fragments of the Creator God. Kalosso, displeased with their evil deeds, fought them, and after a fierce battle that even shattered his body and power, he managed to destroy twelve of these artificial gods. In the process, the planet ¡°Terra,¡± where they were created, and its life forms were annihilated, even splitting the universe itself into multiple dimensions. Ultimately, the twelve Apostles and the immense power they carried, known as the ¡°thirteen forces,¡± were scattered across various dimensions and planets, finding hosts strong enough to wield them. These beings gathered in the Demon Realm, becoming the current Apostles. The twelve Apostles, who now remain after the ninth Apostle was replaced, are powerful enough to rival the will of the Creator God himself, making them central figures in the game. Among them, one particularly enigmatic Apostle, who wields a power that no other Apostle possesses, is the Second Apostle¡ªHilder, the ¡°Crying Eyes,¡± who controls Iris Fortune Singer. ¡®But¡­¡¯ Jinseong swallowed hard. He knew all of this. Despite knowing, he had come to the Mage Guild and intended to stay here temporarily, trusting in his calculations. ¡°Ah, Iris!¡± ¡°Yes, Sharan.¡± Sharan repeatedly called out to Iris, who finally responded. Even the leader of the Mage Guild was cautious when questioning the fortuneteller of the guild. ¡°Have you already learned about the events at the Sky Castle?¡± In response, Iris plucked the strings of the four-stringed instrument, the marerith, she was holding and answered. ¡°A sorrowful wind is blowing. The marerith weeps. Soon, events involving life and death¡­ will occur.¡± Her eyes remained fixed on Jinseong, making it unclear what exactly her words meant. Neither Sharan nor Jinseong could fully grasp her meaning. ¡°I see¡­ We¡¯ll discuss what you¡¯ve learned later. This is Jinseong. He helped G.S.D. investigate Bakal¡¯s magic circle at the Sky Castle¡­ and due to circumstances, he¡¯ll be staying in our guild building for the time being.¡± Sharan introduced Jinseong to Iris. Iris nodded and said, ¡°Yes. I had a feeling.¡± At that point, Jinseong couldn¡¯t stay silent. He wanted to ask, ¡°Are you aware that you¡¯re being controlled by Apostle Hilder? Do you know anything about the ?¡± Of course, he couldn¡¯t say such things out loud. If he did, it could shake the very foundation of the Plain of Arad, not just the . Taking a deep breath, Jinseong finally spoke. ¡°Do you perhaps have any idea what my role is, Iris? Or could you see anything about my future?¡± He needed to talk to Iris. He couldn¡¯t afford to be scared. He needed to know what she knew. What she could see. If she knew something, could it help him? Or, would there be times when he would need to keep secrets from Iris? He had to weigh all these factors. Iris replied, ¡°You¡¯re someone with deep questions. Just know that everything will unfold as it¡¯s meant to.¡± With a quiet voice and a slight bow, Iris began to walk away. Jinseong watched her retreating figure, noting that the Mage Guild was much larger than what he had seen in the game. And with that, he had some degree of certainty. ¡®Her words were similar to the lines she says when clicked on in-game. They don¡¯t lack meaning entirely, but there¡¯s not much substance to them either. Which means¡­ Iris doesn¡¯t know.¡¯ She doesn¡¯t know who I am. She doesn¡¯t know that I¡¯ve been sent to Arad with the mission of the Forerunner. ¡®It could be an act. But¡­ even Hilder herself might not be able to immediately discern my identity, so it¡¯s unlikely that Iris, who¡¯s merely controlled by Hilder, could.¡¯ Jinseong¡¯s presence in the game world of Dungeon & Fighter was all because of Nemer. If the power of the ¡°Transcendent,¡± who was stronger than Apostle Hilder, was involved, then it¡¯s reasonable that neither Hilder nor Iris, who is under her control, would be able to fully understand Jinseong¡¯s identity. ¡®Good. Then I can investigate Iris and the without my identity being discovered.¡¯ His reason for making the Mage Guild his base wasn¡¯t just to get Sharan¡¯s help. Jinseong hid his smile, maintaining a poker face. Sharan looked between Jinseong and the departing Iris, then sighed. ¡°Haa¡­ I hope you understand, Jinseong. She¡¯s really helpful, but sometimes even I find her words difficult to understand¡­ Oh, and there¡¯s something I wanted to ask.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Then, out of nowhere, she asked. It could be said that she was so focused on Apostle Hilder and Iris Fortune Singer that she had momentarily lost track. ¡°What did you mean by that question you asked Iris? When you asked if she could guess your role or see your future? Did I ever mention that Iris was a fortuneteller?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Jinseong had been babbling away before Sharan even introduced Iris! The sharp gaze of the Dark Elf Mage Guild leader pierced through Jinseong. Just as his eyes were about to shift away¡ª ¡°Guild Leader! Lorian has¡ªLorian has gone missing!¡± Someone urgently called out to Sharan. The situation was a breath of relief for Jinseong. * * * ¡°He left behind a magic stone to mark his location in case anything happened¡­ but there¡¯s been no response, no reaction.¡± The guild member, with teary eyes, held out a small magic stone. No one would be certain that someone was missing just because they hadn¡¯t been in contact for a few hours. But judging by the expression of the Mage Guild members, Jinseong could tell that the magic stone the guild member handed over was something significant. The stone, which should have glowed or flickered, was now dull and cloudy. ¡°How long has it been unresponsive?¡± ¡°It happened shortly after you left, Sharan.¡± ¡°¡­I understand. We¡¯ll search the area near the Sky Castle¡ªno, the vicinity of the West Coast. Gather the necessary personnel.¡± ¡°Understood, Guild Leader.¡± The guild member bowed to Sharan and quickly ran off. Sharan bit her lower lip before turning to Jinseong. ¡°Unfortunately, it seems we¡¯ll have to discuss the meaning behind your question to Iris later¡­ As you heard, there¡¯s a problem within the guild¡ª¡± Even in this situation, where she was preoccupied with the guild¡¯s issues, Sharan¡¯s curiosity about Jinseong¡¯s identity didn¡¯t waver. Jinseong had to make a choice. ¡°Lorian Kornaro. Eighteen years old, blonde, a genius who graduated top of Sharan¡¯s magic school.¡± As Sharan blinked in surprise, Jinseong took a step closer and spoke. ¡°I know about Lorian¡­ and I can assure you that he¡¯s safe.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡ªyou¡ª!¡± ¡°Shh. Sharan, you don¡¯t seriously think I kidnapped him, do you? We¡¯ve been together this whole time.¡± Jinseong lowered his voice. He could say this because he had seen Sharan¡¯s rationality and how she had deduced situations multiple times. Indeed, Sharan fell silent at his question, then quickly began piecing things together. ¡°How¡­ do you know? About Lorian¡­ Although her arrogance is infamous¡ª¡± S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It¡¯s not because of that. It¡¯s the same reason I asked Iris those questions.¡± Jinseong¡¯s demand in exchange for his choice was simple. ¡°I can see the future to some extent.¡± He needed Sharan¡¯s complete trust. While Sharan might not play a major role in the upcoming main scenario quests from the perspective of a player, it was different for Jinseong, who was living in this reality. Having the Mage Guild fully on his side would be a significant advantage for someone living in the real world of Arad. ¡®That item from earlier didn¡¯t exist in the game. It means I can use items that aren¡¯t in the game. Which means¡­¡¯ Jinseong¡¯s earlier realization about Lorian¡¯s disappearance and the existence of the magic stone had only confirmed this further. ¡°You want me to believe that? Even if Iris is a fortuneteller, Jinseong, you¡ª¡± ¡°Whether you believe me or not is up to you¡­ but you know there¡¯s no better alternative.¡± There were things that no amount of reasoning could explain. Even Jinseong felt nervous as he spoke. Was it acceptable to claim that he knew the future? Nemer had warned him strongly not to reveal his identity, but what if that applied only to the player? Would this kind of talk be allowed with NPCs? Their eyes met in silence. Jinseong checked to see if there were any penalties, while Sharan was organizing her thoughts. ¡°Are you certain Lorian is safe?¡± She finally asked. Jinseong answered as accurately as he could, ensuring he wouldn¡¯t incur any penalties. ¡°Yes. Lorian will be safe. I can¡¯t say when we¡¯ll meet again, and I can¡¯t guarantee that every place she¡¯s in is completely safe, though.¡± ¡°So¡­ she¡¯s secured her safety in a somewhat dangerous place with her own power, is that it?¡± Sharan¡¯s perfect interpretation prompted Jinseong to nod. After all, why did he know about Lorian as an NPC? ¡®She¡¯s in the dangerous Demon Realm. Living well under the name of the Red Witch, she¡¯s even secured her own territory.¡¯ Explaining the Demon Realm to Sharan at this point would be difficult, but there was nothing wrong with the broader implication. ¡°Alright. It¡¯s hard to believe, but¡­ Given what I know about G.S.D. and Iris¡­ I suppose I understand.¡± Sharan sighed as she spoke. Jinseong carefully made a suggestion. ¡°So¡­ there¡¯s a place we need to go.¡± ¡°Is it important?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Okay. Wait here. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Sharan called another Mage Guild member, informing them to cancel the search and that she would be going out with Jinseong. As soon as they left the Mage Guild, Jinseong led the way, heading somewhere. Noticing the direction toward the southeast of the West Coast¡¯s central area, Sharan asked, ¡°The port¡­ Are we heading to the port?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Is there something important at the port? Hmm.¡± Despite Jinseong¡¯s straightforward answer, she tried to guess his intentions but came up with nothing. It was understandable. The serious Jinseong came to a stop before someone who shared Sharan¡¯s skin tone. ¡°Here we are.¡± ¡°Hm? Here¡ªKagon? Why Kagon?¡± Sharan tilted her head in confusion as Jinseong stopped in front of Kagon, the dark elf. ¡°It¡¯s important.¡± Jinseong replied, maintaining a serious demeanor. ¡°I need to get my equipment tailored.¡± However, from Sharan¡¯s perspective, it was nothing short of bewildering. Chapter 22 Chapter 22Sharan thought she had misheard. For a long time, she remained silent, just blinking her large eyes while staring at Jinseong. The master of the Magic Guild, who usually responded with a reasonable conclusion no matter what she heard, was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Huh? Sharan?¡± It was only when Kagon noticed her and called out that she finally snapped out of it. However, before she could say anything, it was Jinseong who spoke again. ¡°The equipment. You said you¡¯d help me under the name of the Magic Guild, didn¡¯t you? Like with the Sky Castle Pass. I haven¡¯t received the cube or potions yet, but what¡¯s important to me right now is-¡± ¡°Wa-wait, wait. You said there was something important? Equipment? You¡¯re asking the Magic Guild to outfit you at their expense?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what¡¯s unfortunate. If my level were just a little higher, I would have gone to Shinda to purchase it instead.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Jinseong smacked his lips. The equipment Kagon sold was around level 25 to 30. The equipment sold by NPC Shinda, whom Jinseong had just mentioned, was at level 45 to 50. Jinseong¡¯s current level was 23, but thanks to the permanent application of the *Overlord¡¯s Contract* by Nemer, he could wear equipment requiring a level around 33. If he could have raised his level to just 35, he could have equipped the gear Shinda sold instantly! Sharan noticed Jinseong¡¯s genuine regret, which caused the corner of her eyebrow to twitch. ¡°Do you even hear what you¡¯re saying-¡± ¡°Sharan?¡± It was Kagon who interrupted her. ¡°Oh, Ka-Kagon. How have you been?¡± ¡°Of course. Thanks to the Queen and your concerns, I¡¯ve been well.¡± Kagon, who was also from the Obsidian Elf race like Sharan and from the Kingdom of Fennes, spoke in a respectful tone to stay on Sharan¡¯s good side, as she was favored by the Queen and held a high rank in the kingdom. However, the look he gave Jinseong was far from friendly. ¡°But what brings you here with this ugly human? If this guy is troubling you-¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing like that¡­ Actually, maybe I should say it is?¡± Sharan started to say it was nothing, but then subtly changed her words. As Kagon¡¯s gaze bore down on her, Jinseong noticed and let out an awkward laugh. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m just joking. Ahem, Sharan, you don¡¯t have to take it so seriously¡­ It¡¯s true I need equipment, but that¡¯s not the main issue.¡± ¡°¡­Are you sure?¡± Even as Jinseong reiterated his need for equipment, he turned away from Sharan. ¡°Absolutely! The real reason I¡¯m here, the important reason I mentioned-¡± Jinseong looked at Kagon as he continued. ¡°-is because of Magata. Kagon, your Magata will soon be needed.¡± Magata, the airship used by the Obsidian Elves. Although its design differed slightly from the Dornier, the airship that had crashed into the Sky Castle, they were both ships that could fly in the sky. Jinseong knew that Kagon was the only one who could officially carry civilians and navigate the airspace of the Duchy of Bell Meyer on the Arad continent. So, he had to come here with Sharan. Not just to get equipment from him¡­ ¡°Magata? I can repair and fly Magata, but I¡¯m not taking a human like you on board-¡± ¡°You have to. I need to go there.¡± Jinseong pointed to the sky. At that moment, something cast a shadow over Jinseong, Sharan, and Kagon¡¯s faces, blocking the sunlight. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± A whale flying in the sky, a floating continent in motion. It was the massive creature Behemoth, floating through the sky, which Jinseong had briefly glimpsed while passing through the Sky Castle. ¡°Soon, I¡¯ll be heading there, Sharan. We need to prepare for that. If you want to get ¡®information¡¯ from me.¡± Jinseong was laying the groundwork to ensure he could reach his next likely destination, Behemoth. He needed to secure permission from Kagon, who couldn¡¯t refuse anything Sharan asked. ¡°Kagon, when the time comes, I¡¯ll be counting on you. Ah, Magata can take off right away, right?¡± Jinseong asked Kagon with a friendly smile. Kagon wanted to show his irritation towards Jinseong but found that he couldn¡¯t. ¡°Of course! I could take off right now if I wanted. But taking a human like you on board-¡± ¡°Could you do it for me¡­ Kagon?¡± Jinseong¡¯s ploy had worked perfectly. From the hypothesis about G.S.D¡¯s identity to the conversation with Iris and Lorian¡¯s whereabouts, right up to this point. As the head of the Magic School in Hendon Myre and the guild master of the Magic Guild, Sharan had decided to make a bold investment in Jinseong. And there was no way Kagon could refuse Sharan¡¯s request. Jinseong nodded with a bright smile. ¡°Alright then¡­ Kagon, can I see your item list?¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re really planning to buy equipment? Seriously?¡± ¡°Uh? I told you, I do need the equipment. Let¡¯s see, what¡¯s available~?¡± And a little later, Jinseong checked his fame points. Original Adventurer Fame: 17. Updated Adventurer Fame: 65. Though he still had a long way to go, Jinseong had already achieved almost four times the growth. * * * Sharan spoke. ¡°Would you consider staying here to help manage the Grand Magic Circle?¡± ¡°What?¡± Seria asked back, startled and flustered, but Sharan remained calm. ¡°The ability you used to purify the contaminated Grand Magic Circle¡­ That¡¯s something no one else can do. If you help manage the Grand Magic Circle, it would be a great relief. I¡¯ll also formally teach you about magic.¡± Seria seemed flustered by Sharan¡¯s proposal related to managing and repairing the Grand Magic Circle at the Sky Castle. On top of that, the offer to teach her magic made Seria respond hesitantly. ¡°W-Well, let me think about it.¡± And Jinseong watched the scene with a satisfied smile. Watching Seria and the female fighter walk out of the Magic Guild from the Sky Castle. ¡®That female fighter¡¯s Sky Castle chapter is now completely over¡­ Oh, what a hassle.¡¯ Even though Sharan was watching Jinseong, he had a good reason to stretch leisurely. Only after the player had completely disappeared from sight did he speak. ¡°I told you she¡¯d come, and as I predicted, she¡¯ll accept the offer. It¡¯ll be much more beneficial for the Magic Guild in terms of personnel management.¡± It was Jinseong himself who had advised Sharan to bring Seria into the fold, telling her that Seria would soon arrive. Sharan leaned back in a comfortable chair fitting for a guild master. ¡°This is all part of your ¡®knowledge of the future,¡¯ isn¡¯t it, Jinseong?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s say it is.¡± ¡°¡­So? What are you going to do now, Jinseong?¡± She asked Jinseong. For that part, Jinseong couldn¡¯t immediately answer. ¡°As I mentioned, to Behemoth¡­ I have to go.¡± ¡°When?¡± While he had a grasp on where to solve the problem, he couldn¡¯t yet determine the ¡®when¡¯ and ¡®how¡¯ that Jinseong needed. Jinseong shrugged and flicked something into the air, catching it repeatedly. ¡°Who knows. When the time comes? Haha, I¡¯ll be out for a while. Ah, please check quickly if you can make that potion I mentioned, not just the cubes and potions. It¡¯s pretty urgent.¡± ¡°¡­Honestly.¡± Sharan chuckled at Jinseong, who was casually flipping the coin-like object while bantering. But perhaps it was more accurate to say that even though he acted this way, Jinseong was equally anxious. Walking through the streets of West Coast after leaving the Magic Guild, Jinseong was lost in thought. ¡®What will be contaminated this time? In what way will this contamination manifest?¡¯ The two contamination cleanups he had dealt with so far. When he dealt with the contamination of Ghoul Guishi, he had thought that just killing the monster would be enough. He had thought it would be enough to simply clear up the abnormality as soon as it started. ¡®But that wasn¡¯t the style of the Sky Castle. Even though Lenny¡¯s appearance had twisted things, the one contaminated wasn¡¯t Lenny.¡¯ What was contaminated was actually Dornier. It was an airship that wasn¡¯t even alive. ¡®Something contaminated could wipe out a key figure in the ¡°main scenario quest¡± or¡­ prevent a player or adventurer from meeting that figure¡­?¡¯ Jinseong could only draw conclusions based on his own experiences, but he couldn¡¯t say it was perfect. ¡®If something in the main scenario quest a player is going through is contaminated¡­ Do I need to approach it with the concept that the entire quest will be messed up until that contamination is resolved?¡¯ The first case was Seria. If Ghoul Guishi had led Seria to death, the main scenario of Dungeon & Fighter would have lost its meaning for the male Ghost Knight player at the time. The second case was Lenny. ¡®Lenny¡­ Even if it¡¯s not because of her skill, she¡¯s still an essential character. You could say it¡¯s like the will to solidify the resolve of the ¡°player adventurer¡± character that players control, to become a refined blade.¡¯ Lenny, who could be considered an important character, if she had died tragically by being hit by a falling airship, the flow of the main scenario would have been cut off as well. ¡°Whew¡­ This is frustrating.¡± Even though he had experienced two cases, both were different, so it was only natural that Jinseong felt frustrated, unable to come to a definite decision. And then, a voice suddenly came from behind him. ¡°Hehe, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Wha-?!¡± Jinseong quickly closed his mouth and turned around. Not only did he hear a familiar voice, but he also saw a familiar face and nickname. The nickname was ¡°Sunsujikgi.¡± A Vanguard character from the Lance Master class, with a spear casually resting on his shoulder. He was the player Jinseong had partied with to solve the pass issue when infiltrating the Sky Castle. ¡°What surprised you? Haha.¡± After hearing Sunsujikgi¡¯s words, Jinseong hesitated for a moment but couldn¡¯t just ignore him. If he assumed that Sunsujikgi knew him, he couldn¡¯t predict how his ¡®surprised reaction¡¯ would be perceived, so he naturally decided to greet him and move on. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Sunsujikgi.¡± ¡°LOL. These days, the ¡®Madtak¡¯ people talk weirdly. Is it a trend? Haha, like last time.¡± The two spoke almost simultaneously. So Jinseong¡¯s eyes widened at Sunsujikgi¡¯s remark. ¡®What¡¯s going on? The term ¡°Madtak¡± is like a nickname for Dark Knights.¡¯ Jinseong¡¯s mind was racing. If that person was a player, he would have seen Jinseong¡¯s ID through the monitor. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jinseong initially thought that Sunsujikgi approached him with a playful attitude, having recognized him and decided to mess around. But what if that wasn¡¯t the case? ¡®If he just overheard my grumbling and found it amusing because it ended with ellipses¡­ and that¡¯s why he found it funny and spoke to me¡­¡¯ Moreover, if he combined what Sunsujikgi had just said! ¡°? Do you know me?¡± Sunsujikgi¡¯s expression seemed to imply that he didn¡¯t remember Jinseong. But that wasn¡¯t the only issue. If Sunsujikgi truly didn¡¯t remember Jinseong, that might actually be a relief. ¡®If he doesn¡¯t remember me, that¡¯s fine. The problem is something else. This guy, Sunsujikgi¡¯s expression¡­¡¯ However, the number of Dark Knight players was small compared to Ghost Knight, Fighter, Gunner, and Mage classes. They had partied right before the Sky Castle, and after only one map move, they disbanded the party¡ªa ¡°unique experience¡± that should have left an impression. Jinseong was staring into the eyes of the Lance Master, whose height was similar to his Dark Knight body. And he saw the expression in those eyes slowly change. From a look of unfamiliarity to one of curiosity, as if something had just clicked in his mind! ¡°Ah, are you that guy from the Sky Castle party? That ¡®Madtak¡¯?¡± Sunsujikgi asked. The moment he heard that, Jinseong knew. That this was a bigger problem than just being forgotten. Chapter 23 Chapter 23Sunsujikgi kept sending continuous chat messages. ¡°Sir?¡± ¡°Is this the Sky Castle party?¡± ¡°Is it right?¡± ¡°Answer. Answer.¡± She circled around Jinseong nonstop while talking. Jinseong had to just stand there idly. If he turned his head to look at the Spearman, it might trigger a reaction that showed his ¡®in-game avatar of himself¡¯ moving on her screen. ¡®She might not have recognized me initially but only just remembered. If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s a relief. But if that¡¯s not it¡­¡¯ Jinseong swallowed dryly. The most rational reason for such doubts was because of his [status]. ¡®When I first arrived at Sky Castle and was just hunting, my reputation was all that was visible. But now¡­¡¯ His name, clearly visible in the game system that he could use. The name *Jinseong* was clearly imprinted. ¡®I thought my original nickname, that is, my name, wasn¡¯t supposed to be visible. It wasn¡¯t there before, but now it is. And it¡¯s *Jinseong*. There¡¯s only one possible time this could have happened.¡¯ When he introduced himself to G.S.D., asking to be called *Jinseong*. Could it be that his nickname got engraved in his [status] at that moment? Wasn¡¯t it also because his body was now perfectly identified as *Jinseong* that Sharan could call his name so naturally? ¡®That¡¯s exactly the problem. If that¡¯s the case¡­ then eventually¡ª¡¯ Gulp. Jinseong¡¯s rational suspicions led to a conclusion. ¡®Before that?!¡¯ Before he introduced himself as *Jinseong* to G.S.D., in other words, when he was still forming a party with the Spearman user who was still circling around him, what was Jinseong¡¯s nickname? How did it appear to the Spearman user, *Sunsujikgi*? ¡°Sir? Sir?¡± ¡°Ugh¡ª¡± Jinseong couldn¡¯t help but sigh at the sudden sound echoing in his head. Even though he tried to ignore it, there was a reason Jinseong couldn¡¯t help but react. ¡°???? Why aren¡¯t you answering? Whisper works fine.¡± It was because it was one of the game Dungeon & Fighter¡¯s systems, a ¡®whisper.¡¯ It was no small embarrassment for Jinseong. ¡®Whisper works too? No, it¡¯s probably obvious when you think about it¡­¡¯ How was he supposed to describe the sensation of hearing a whisper? More importantly, should he just ignore this situation? When a voice resonated through his skull far more directly than using something like bone conduction earphones, Jinseong made a choice. ¡°Lag, lag, lag.¡± It was a response Jinseong himself had experienced at some point. * * * ¡°Oh! He responded!¡± Sunsujikgi¡¯s long fingers quickly swept over the keyboard. [Ah, lag ?? Sir, you¡¯re the person I partied with at Sky Castle, right?] She was typing so urgently that she even made typos, but Sunsujikgi was more focused on the monitor with greater interest. [Yes. Hi. Hehe.] ¡°Hehe? Haha, that¡¯s really funny. What is this? A bot?¡± Sunsujikgi¡¯s lips twitched into a grin. Her typing was even faster than her smile. [Jinseong-nim] [But sir, how did you change your nickname? Did you use a name change coupon?] A habit of breaking up sentences instead of writing them in one go, as someone familiar with the game. [Why do you ask about my nickname?] When Jinseong asked back, Sunsujikgi adjusted her glasses slightly and tilted her head. ¡°Or maybe not?¡± [You didn¡¯t have a nickname last time ?? so I thought] [I thought you made it with special characters] [But they said that¡¯s not possible, so I thought you used another method] The chat messages poured in simultaneously. Jinseong responded. [Well, I¡¯m not sure. Maybe it was just a bug? Haha.] It was a sort of regret only someone who had become possessed by the game could feel. ¡°Hahaha! Haha, what is with this person?¡± As much as she wanted to use internet slang full of consonants, the words Jinseong spoke couldn¡¯t be outputted that way at all. Sunsujikgi laughed, slapping the desk with her palm. [But your level is still low ?? didn¡¯t you push the scenario?] With her large, round eyes sparkling behind her glasses, Sunsujikgi asked again. [I have some circumstances¡­ I¡¯m taking it slow.] [? -. Why are you doing that? ??] [Me? Haha. I didn¡¯t do it. Ah, that¡¯s a typo. Probably pressed backspace wrong.] If Sunsujikgi could see it, she would¡¯ve burst out laughing at Jinseong¡¯s rather flustered face by now. Even so, Jinseong¡¯s steadily responding words were at least logically correct, so Sunsujikgi believed and concluded them. ¡®These days, even people in their 40s don¡¯t chat like this. Using a period at the end of every sentence, at least in their 50s, or could it be¡­ in their 60s? But playing Dungeon & Fighter would be hard for someone in their 60s or older¡­ Ah, maybe that¡¯s why they said they¡¯re taking it slow?¡¯ Sunsujikgi smiled as she looked at the monitor. A sort of warmth one could feel as someone who loved and had played online games for a long time. ¡®There are still players like this. I like it¡­ Dungeon & Fighter¡¯s chat window is cleaner compared to other games, but sometimes it gets wild. Seeing a player like this makes me feel warm inside.¡¯ It was a sort of humanity felt by someone who had nurtured many characters in the game Dungeon & Fighter for a considerable amount of time. [Later, wanna party together?] Sunsujikgi asked. Jinseong¡¯s response took a bit of time. [Sure. If we can run a dungeon as a party before the raid, let¡¯s go together.] [Let¡¯s go together ?? ?? let¡¯s go together] Sunsujikgi chuckled as she typed. And with that as the last message, Jinseong started to move and spoke. [Yes, enjoy Dungeon.] [???? Enjoy Dungeon] As she watched Jinseong walking toward the West Coast Port, Sunsujikgi still had a smile on her face. ¡®Why is it so cute when an elder chats like that? The nickname even seems like his real name¡ªWait, *Jinseong*?¡¯ As if something clicked, Sunsujikgi tilted her head. At the same time, she minimized the Dungeon & Fighter window and quickly opened YouTube. ¡°¡­That¡¯s right. It¡¯s the same name as that Alley Engineering YouTuber.¡± Sunsujikgi stared at the monitor intently. Then she came to a conclusion. ¡®Since the name¡¯s similar, this person could be an elder who started playing after watching him.¡¯ The conclusion that he was someone possessed by the game would never cross her mind. Sunsujikgi reopened the Dungeon & Fighter window and stretched. ¡°Ah, I have to party with them later. I¡¯m really curious how they play. Especially since they¡¯re a Dark Knight, it makes me even more curious.¡± Then she tied her hair back and adjusted her glasses. [Guild] Sunsujikgi: Hey, can I recommend an elder to our guild? [Guild] FirstApocUsed: Suddenly an elder? Do you know them, Sunsu nuna? [Guild] Sunsujikgi: No, I don¡¯t know them ?? just, I like them She typed with a smile that showed her white teeth. * * * ¡®I managed to get through that, right? Ugh, *Sunsujikgi*¡­ better remember that nickname.¡¯ After moving to the West Coast Port, Jinseong quickly hid in an alley. Even if he directly told someone he was possessed by the game, few would believe him. Nevertheless, because of a single warning that said, ¡®If you¡¯re discovered, there will be a penalty,¡¯ he had to be so anxious and nervous. After taking a few deep breaths to calm himself, Jinseong tensed up again. ¡°Killing an Apostle is easier said than done.¡± That was because he heard Ban¡¯s voice. Jinseong pressed his body against the building wall and slowly peeked out. Standing next to Ban was a female Archer user, whose subclass was Muse. There was also a woman¡¯s voice filled with passionate emotions. Of course, it wasn¡¯t a user. ¡°I know it¡¯s a tough task. But I must return and take revenge!¡± Though the voice itself was unfamiliar, the situation made it clear to Jinseong. The person whom he had essentially saved, the injured passenger who had been aboard the airship Dornier when it fell toward Sky Castle. ¡®If this is the part where Ophelia says that¡­¡¯ Ophelia, a believer of GBL, a religion that explored the truth from ancient relics atop the great floating whale Behemoth. ¡°Though I understand your feelings, you shouldn¡¯t overexert yourself if you lack the strength.¡± ¡°All the believers were my family. The Behemoth¡¯s temple was my hometown. But Lotus¡­ he made the believers attack and kill each other¡ª¡± Just from hearing her voice, overwhelmed with hatred and fear, Jinseong knew. ¡®It¡¯s Lotus. The Apostle of Mind Control, Mind Confusion, and Mind Manipulation.¡¯ The reason Ophelia fled from Behemoth aboard the airship Dornier was because the quest related to *Lotus the Eighth Apostle, the Long-Legged* was beginning. It was not an exaggeration to say that this marked the start of the game Dungeon & Fighter¡¯s very early stages, yet already, at this point, the user had to face one of the Apostles directly. ¡®If, during this quest, the source of the corruption uses their power and causes the worst situation, it would be a disaster.¡¯ The impact wouldn¡¯t be ordinary. If by any chance the user adventurer fails to defeat Apostle Lotus, what might happen? ¡®According to the lore, Apostle Lotus mentally dominated every living creature on the planet where he originally lived before coming to Arad. If that power manifests here as well, it¡¯s over.¡¯ The worst-case scenario wasn¡¯t just something Jinseong could imagine. Having already heard the story from Ophelia, Aganzo was speaking as if he was echoing Jinseong¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Ban, I understand what you mean, but stop. The tragedy of the GBL religion could become a tragedy for all of us. We must quickly check Behemoth and stop the Apostle. Her Majesty said she would prepare the Magata, so let¡¯s move swiftly.¡± The fact that the GBL religion¡¯s tragedy could spread across all of Arad. Thus, the Duchy of Bell Meyer wanted to respond to this issue promptly and immediately. Ban nodded and spoke to Hatz, who was standing beside him. ¡°Hey, Deputy Commander. I¡¯ll go ahead as a representative, so get the others ready in the meantime. I can¡¯t be the only one suffering.¡± ¡°Really¡­¡± Hatz frowned but nodded. And with those words, the female Archer user started to move. Jinseong tilted his head. ¡®Hmm? Aren¡¯t they supposed to move using the Magata?¡¯ The dungeon area *Granfloris* and Sky Castle were both fixed locations, accessible by land routes. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So it seemed logical that the scenario would be determined by the movement of the ¡®character adventurer¡¯ controlled by the user on the keyboard¡­ but¡­ ¡®Well, the scene of riding the Magata was never depicted in the game either. You just clicked into the Behemoth dungeon and were right on its back. So, this must be¡­¡¯ Did this mean that there was a significant gap between the user and NPC when it came to special dungeon areas like this? While the user might reach *Dungeon Area: Behemoth* by simply following the minimap and clicking through map transitions, what about the NPCs who had to board an airship? Jinseong was trying to ponder the disparity between the reality he was in, with the NPCs that existed in this reality, and the users who experienced the game. But then, a cheerful voice accompanied by quick footsteps interrupted him. ¡°That¡¯s right! We can¡¯t just let the Commander suffer alone! I¡¯ll go too!¡± That voice made not only Ban and Hatz but also Jinseong recoil in shock. ¡°¡­Lennie. It¡¯s happening again.¡± ¡°Is it starting again?¡± The first two likely sighed in exasperation due to the temper of Iron Wolf Knight Lennie Blainscok, but for Jinseong, it was different. ¡®It¡¯s starting again?! Lennie, already?!¡¯ At this point in time, Lennie shouldn¡¯t be heading to Behemoth. At least according to Jinseong¡¯s memory, Lennie shouldn¡¯t even appear yet. In other words, the fact that Lennie was rushing over, and the reactions to her¡­? ¡°But Lennie has a point. Although Aganzo and the adventurer will be with us¡­ Commander, wouldn¡¯t it be safer to take Lennie along?¡± ¡°Safe? You think Lennie can guard my back? Well, she might be useful. If I take her along and she struggles, she won¡¯t say such things again.¡± What about Ban¡¯s response, saying he¡¯d take Lennie directly to Behemoth?! Jinseong was certain. The female Archer user who had already left the scene. The user who had just completed a quest by witnessing the dialogue between Aganzo, Ban, Ophelia, and others! ¡®¡­This is the current corruption.¡¯ The fact that her quest was corrupted. Jinseong had to suppress his pounding heart and take several deep breaths. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m from the Mage Guild.¡± Because he had to brazenly act again. Chapter 24 Chapter 24Would the Iron Wolf Knights be the ones to react first? ¡°S-Savior!¡± ¡°You¡¯re that guy from back then-.¡± ¡°Ah, ah, Vice-Captain. Don¡¯t get so emotional. No matter what, he¡¯s still G.S.D¡¯s disciple.¡± The knights, each showing different expressions, turned to look at Jinseong, but the only one remaining calm was Aganzo. ¡°The Mage Guild¡­? Did Sharan send you? What happened with G.S.D?¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m currently staying with the Mage Guild due to my master¡¯s orders, and also because Sharan asked me to help out. Given the current situation, I¡¯ve been asked to assist with the investigation.¡± Jinseong spoke without hesitation. Though there were a few embellishments in the details, it wasn¡¯t a lie, nor was it incorrect. ¡°Did the Queen inform the Mage Guild? Hmm.¡± Aganzo briefly doubted the rapid response, but Jinseong pushed forward. ¡°Yes. Given the situation with the Apostle Lotus transferred to Behemoth, we can¡¯t just overlook it. If it¡¯s just about conducting investigations quietly in the background, I can handle that. However, since it might be challenging alone, I¡¯d like to work alongside Lenny.¡± His primary goal was Lenny. If Lenny were to board Behemoth now, the probability of players spotting her would increase. In other words, by keeping her with him, he could ensure she wouldn¡¯t appear on the players¡¯ ¡°monitor screens.¡± Another reason was to be prepared for any unexpected situations. ¡°Moreover, if I travel with Lenny, I can quickly wrap up the investigation that Sharan mentioned, and we can share various findings with all of you afterward.¡± Jinseong¡¯s true goal was to make arrangements so that he could act independently without always being with them. No one could object to such a reasonable proposal. ¡°That sounds good, Aganzo. All you and I need to focus on is clearing the path for the adventurer. We can leave the investigations and other bothersome stuff to this guy. It¡¯ll be efficient, don¡¯t you think?¡± Commander Van Balschut added positively. ¡°Plus, we¡¯ll get to see his true skills.¡± He cast a subtle glance at Jinseong. ¡°Indeed. If he¡¯s G.S.D¡¯s disciple, we can trust his skills. And if he has Sharan¡¯s guidance for the investigation, he should be able to uncover any clues we might miss. Thanks, I¡¯ll count on you.¡± With Aganzo¡¯s nod of approval, the matter was settled. Lenny glanced at Jinseong and reconfirmed her assignment. ¡°Y-You want me to work in the rear with Jinseong¡­ sir, Commander?¡± ¡°Yes. In case we get mentally dominated at the front, we need someone in the back to take care of the situation. Not just this ¡®disciple,¡¯ but you too, Lenny.¡± ¡°Yes, sir! If the Commander gets dominated, I¡¯ll stab you right away to wake you up! Of course, alongside Jinseong¡­ sir!¡± Whether she was clarifying her mission, expressing her enthusiasm, or something else entirely was unclear. ¡°Sigh. Fine, go ahead.¡± ¡°This might be tricky, Van.¡± Both Van and Aganzo sighed simultaneously, but Jinseong had achieved his goal. Not only did he manage to involve Sharan in the discussion, but he also gained some level of approval from Aganzo, which meant his range of action would likely increase. ¡°What¡¯s with this delay? Didn¡¯t you say it was urgent? Don¡¯t keep people waiting; hurry up!¡± Kagon grumbled at the sight of Jinseong, Van, Aganzo, and Lenny, though it was short-lived. The Magata suddenly shot into the sky. A giant creature, soaring through the clouds¡­ A whale? No, it was far too massive to be just a whale. Behemoth soon came into view. * * * ¡®¡­So, this is how it happens here?¡¯ While most of the NPCs were in awe of Behemoth¡¯s majesty, Jinseong was surprised by something else. Having visited Sky Castle, he had a point of comparison. ¡®In Sky Castle, there was a female grappler player. She climbed up the steps¡­ like a literal ¡°doll¡± with dead eyes, ascending together with Seria.¡¯ The game *Dungeon & Fighter* couldn¡¯t depict every single step the player ascended in Sky Castle. This could be attributed to the ¡°compression¡± Nemer had mentioned, the gap between the reality of Arad and the game. But now? ¡®Behemoth¡¯s a dungeon region where you take an airship like Magata. Is that why I don¡¯t even see the player with the dead eyes sitting aboard the ship? And the NPCs mention adventurers, but they don¡¯t question the lack of their appearance.¡¯ There was a difference. As Jinseong mulled over this, he came to a vague realization. ¡®Well, in the game, Behemoth¡¯s the only place where you just enter the dungeon without using an airship. For now, it works out for me.¡¯ There were other dungeon regions and maps like airships or sea trains later on, but those were all represented in the game *Dungeon & Fighter*. When the time came, it might be possible to see at least a shell-like figure of the adventurer during these transitions, Jinseong surmised. Whoooosh©¤©¤©¤! As they neared Behemoth, the winds grew fiercer. Kagon frowned. ¡°Just so you know, I¡¯m leaving Behemoth immediately. I can¡¯t stay here because of the magic from Sky Castle. Send a signal when you need me to come back.¡± Magic from the Grand Magic Circle installed in Sky Castle, created by Bakal, was still emitting power. At Kagon¡¯s warning, Aganzo nodded. ¡°According to Ophelia, the Apostle Lotus is in the center of the temple. We should first land on the outskirts and assess the situation.¡± As the airship neared the outskirts and found a spot to land, Jinseong had to stifle a laugh. ¡®It appeared! A player showed up!¡¯ The moment Van and Aganzo¡¯s feet hit the ground, a female archer player had appeared beside them. For some reason, it gave Jinseong a strange feeling. ¡®As expected¡­ this world must be linked to the game.¡¯ While there were players enjoying *Dungeon & Fighter* on one hand, Jinseong was fighting for his life in this real world. ¡®But somehow¡­ hmm, something about this¡­.¡¯ Jinseong gripped the hilt of his sword tightly. There was fear and terror, that was undeniable. But there was also a thrill and excitement that couldn¡¯t be experienced from just a monitor and keyboard. Right as Van, Aganzo, and the female archer player landed on Behemoth, someone appeared before them. ¡°Three-eyed masks, resembling Behemoth¡­ GBL cultists¡¯ masks. Could they be survivors?¡± ¡°Ahh, those who oppose Lord Lotus¡­ must die!¡± A brainwashed GBL cultist charged at them, but Van swiftly countered and cut him down. ¡°If we leave them be, we¡¯ll die. It¡¯s better to put them out of their misery than let them be controlled by the Apostle.¡± ¡°Van¡¯s right. If we can¡¯t help them, this is the best we can do.¡± As Aganzo agreed, the female archer player finally started moving. In the dungeon region of Behemoth, it was now time for Jinseong to carry out his mission: follow the player. * * * The interior of the ancient ruins made of stone was far more expansive than it appeared from the outside. Jinseong examined the debris and broken remnants of the ruins as he quietly spoke. ¡°Lenny, be careful. Even though the adventurer, Van, and Aganzo have passed through here, we still don¡¯t know what dangers remain.¡± The adventurer, Van, and Aganzo had each gone in different directions to investigate. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If Jinseong followed the adventurer¡¯s path, there wouldn¡¯t be any particular danger since players had to defeat all monsters before moving to the next room. However, it was a different story with Van and Aganzo¡¯s paths. More importantly, since he wasn¡¯t immediately following them but leaving a gap, there was a higher chance of encountering enemies. ¡®And that¡¯s not the only problem. Lenny, with her personality, might scream out of nowhere or catch up to the player too quickly, and¡­¡¯ If that happened, the main scenario quest could become even more complicated. Just having Lenny here had already ¡°contaminated¡± the scenario, and Jinseong couldn¡¯t afford to escalate the risk further, hence his warning. ¡°You can just call me Lenny¡­ like earlier.¡± However, the red-haired knight seemed more concerned with something Jinseong hadn¡¯t expected. ¡°Huh? Earlier? When did I do that?¡± ¡°Yes, before we boarded Magata¡­ when you made that suggestion to the Commander.¡± Jinseong was confused by Lenny¡¯s calm tone. Had he really said that? He didn¡¯t even remember addressing her that way. How did she recall that? Unable to grasp what Lenny was thinking, Jinseong tried to apologize. ¡°Sorry if it upset you. I apologize.¡± ¡°No! Why would I be upset? You¡¯re my savior. It¡¯s quite the opposite!¡± But Lenny¡¯s reaction was different from what Jinseong had anticipated. She wasn¡¯t upset because he addressed her as ¡°Miss¡± instead of ¡°Knight¡± or anything like that. Quite the opposite, in fact. ¡°Actually, I wanted to ask if I could call you Jinseong.¡± Her cheeks were as red as her hair. Now it was Jinseong who was flustered. After all, she was still a knight. ¡°Huh, what?¡± ¡°How old are you? Have you always been close with adventurers?¡± Her sudden barrage of questions was a testament to her knightly training in exploiting moments of weakness. Jinseong couldn¡¯t even respond. How old was he supposed to say he was? Had he always been close with adventurers? Before he could formulate a reply, Lenny kept chatting. ¡°G.S.D. is someone even our Commander and Vice-Captain respect. How did you end up becoming his disciple?¡± When the opponent shows an opening, exploit it. When they show weakness, take advantage of it. And then¡­ ¡°Actually, what I really want to ask is¡­ do you have someone you¡¯re seeing?¡± Deliver the finishing blow. Jinseong could only blink in shock. Even the most oblivious person would have caught on by now. ¡®No way¡­ Lenny¡­ But if that¡¯s the case¡­ uh¡­.¡¯ Gulp. Jinseong swallowed nervously. This place was reality. For Jinseong and the ¡°NPCs¡± from *Dungeon & Fighter*, this world was real. That meant relationships could develop in ways he couldn¡¯t predict! ¡®Sure, there was that affection system in-game, but that¡¯s not the point¡ªwhat matters is¡ª.¡¯ Lenny. Someone expressing interest in Jinseong. The problem wasn¡¯t that Jinseong didn¡¯t know her personality or background well. If anything, it was the opposite. Jinseong looked at Lenny. Her shyness had vanished as she now gazed directly at him, seemingly determined to observe his every move. But Jinseong couldn¡¯t meet her eyes with a smile. The first reason was because of what he knew about Lenny. ¡°The fact that you aren¡¯t wearing a ring means you¡¯re not married-.¡± ¡°Dieeeeee!¡± ¡°Get down!¡± ¡°Ahh!¡± A brainwashed GBL cultist had suddenly appeared by Lenny¡¯s side. Jinseong shoved her aside and charged forward. What he drew from his waist was the hilt of his sword. It had no blade. That was to be expected. Though the Mage Guild had financed the purchase, Jinseong hadn¡¯t bought an ordinary sword from Kagon. Whoooosh©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤! As the air vibrated, a green light extended from the hilt Jinseong held. A lightsword. Jinseong swung the lightsword at the GBL cultist. ¡°!¡± The ¡®beam saber¡¯ sliced through the GBL cultist, glowing brightly as it did. And in Lenny¡¯s eyes, a similar light was beginning to shine. Chapter 25 Chapter 25The first thing Jinseong felt was the power of his weapon. Although he had invested a few more skill points, the difference between ¡°Yaiba¡± and the ¡°Beam Saber¡± was beyond overwhelming. ¡®The difference in attack power is ridiculous. Yaiba had only 96 physical attack power, but this one has 233. The difference in attack speed is overwhelming too.¡¯ He would have to consider other factors later, like magic critical hits, but for now, both in terms of skill composition and usability, the light sword clearly had the upper hand, both in theory and, as just proven, in practice. What Jinseong hadn¡¯t expected was the possibility of being watched by a pair of sparkling eyes. Rennie spoke. ¡°Once again, you¡­ for me¡­¡± ¡°Ah, well, it¡¯s just¡­ dangerous, you know? Really dangerous.¡± What should he even say in this situation? Jinseong awkwardly smiled and retrieved the glowing light sword. It was already complicated enough that the person expressing affection toward him was Rennie, but something else was even more complicated. ¡®What on earth do you even¡­ talk about with women?¡¯ At work, he could at least discuss business-related topics, but outside of that, he¡¯d hardly ever had personal conversations with women. And had there ever been a woman who showed this kind of interest in him? Even if there had been, in most situations, they would have hidden their feelings, so how was he supposed to deal with someone who openly stared at him with shining eyes? ¡°S-so, we should go! We can¡¯t just stay here like this, right? We still have to investigate, after all!¡± Flustered, Jinseong started babbling. Rennie nodded quietly, looking at him shyly. She didn¡¯t say much, but her eyes, which were fixed on Jinseong, carried some kind of emotion. Unable to meet her gaze, Jinseong quickly turned and started walking. ¡°Since a brainwashed cultist came from this direction, it seems Aganzo and Commander Van went that way. It¡¯s probably better if we follow the adventurer¡¯s path.¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s do that. If it¡¯s your judgment, Jinseong, I trust it.¡± ¡°Th-thanks¡­¡± His decision to follow the adventurer¡¯s path, assuming there would be no remaining monsters, was sound, but that probably didn¡¯t matter much to Rennie. More than anything, even Jinseong couldn¡¯t focus properly due to the aura he felt from Rennie behind him. As he surveyed the surroundings, which were gradually transforming into a jungle, his thoughts kept drifting back to Rennie. ¡®It¡¯s fine if it¡¯s just a regular NPC¡­ Like Sharan¡­ it¡¯s okay to get close to those who are simply good-natured. They¡¯ll be helpful. But Rennie¡­¡¯ A low-ranking knight of the Iron Wolf Knights. If he thought of her as a connection to the Empire¡¯s knights, she was an exceptional NPC. If he were thinking in general terms. For someone who didn¡¯t know the main storyline quests of the game *Dungeon & Fighter*. ¡®This isn¡¯t good. This situation is not good.¡¯ The simple excitement of being popular with a woman was already long gone. What loomed larger than joy was worry and concern. And what Jinseong felt was closer to the sorrow he would feel in the future. ¡°Jinseong¡­?¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± His thoughts reached a point where he could finally calm down enough to speak. ¡°Where are we heading? You said the adventurer went this way, but what about Commander Van and Aganzo?¡± ¡°I believe there¡¯s been a force monitoring us since we descended onto Behemoth. Even though they know they¡¯re being followed, they likely entered the jungle to track them down¡­ They¡¯ll probably confront them soon.¡± ¡°Wow, Jinseong, you¡¯re not only good at fighting but also have great strategic insight.¡± Rennie¡¯s praise was endless, but Jinseong didn¡¯t overreact as he had earlier. Apart from a simple nod of acknowledgment, there was no need for any further response. ¡®The quest progression in Behemoth is predictable. We¡¯ll meet Isadora, the inquisitor of the GBL cult. She hasn¡¯t been brainwashed yet, and we¡¯ll head to Baekya, the highest ruin on Behemoth where the GBL cult¡¯s weapon is hidden. That¡¯s where we¡¯ll go next. And we should head there as well.¡¯ Recalling the storyline from his past gaming experience, Jinseong moved forward. Rennie followed closely behind him, engaging in small talk. ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe we¡¯re on top of a living creature.¡± ¡°Behemoth¡­ Where do you think such a massive whale came from?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just that there are buildings on its back, but also a dense jungle. Did you know about this, Jinseong?¡± Whether she was genuinely curious or just looking for a reaction, Rennie couldn¡¯t get a satisfying response from either approach. ¡®Not just because of the current situation¡­ It¡¯s better to keep my distance from Rennie.¡¯ Jinseong deliberately avoided trying to raise her affection level, and the dense jungle terrain of Behemoth was exhausting enough just to navigate. How long had they been walking? As the thick bushes cleared somewhat and walls engraved with reliefs of goddesses started appearing, Jinseong noticed something. ¡°Hm?¡± Along with the sound of rustling, figures wearing six-eyed masks emerged. ¡°You cannot approach Lord Lotus¡­¡± ¡°Kill, kill them. Kill them.¡± The appearance of brainwashed GBL cultists, armed with reversed swords, meant they had taken a different path than the adventurer, the user. On top of that, Jinseong knew. The changing terrain meant they had entered a new dungeon. ¡°Grrr¡­¡± It was only natural that other monsters would be present alongside the brainwashed cultists. ¡°W-what is that¡­?¡± The six-eyed GBL masks covered their faces, but the monstrous figures before them were clearly not human. With their abnormally developed upper bodies, they moved with both hands on the ground, like four-legged beasts¡ªfallen cultists, nicknamed *Hunters*. ¡°Rennie, step back. These aren¡¯t ordinary foes.¡± Jinseong manipulated the handle of his Beam Saber, extending its glowing blade. ¡°Grrrr, grrr!¡± ¡°Kill them! Glory to Lord Lotus!¡± At that moment, the monsters also started rushing forward. There were eight of them, a mix of human and beast-like figures charging at him, making Jinseong frown. ¡®This quest is suitable for level 30 or higher. I¡¯m not quite at level 30 yet, so if I get hit, it¡¯s going to hurt.¡¯ While this scenario quest was manageable for players, it was different for Jinseong. Not being at the player¡¯s level yet, it was as if he had barged into a quest to slay Apostle Lotus, and the danger was doubled. ¡®Damn it, no matter what skill combo I use, I can¡¯t avoid getting hit at least once.¡¯ As he prepared to use followed by to try and get behind the enemies, he braced himself to take at least one hit when¡ª ¡°¡± ¡°Haaa!¡± Suddenly, a loud shout rang out, louder than the monsters, as someone rushed past Jinseong. ¡°Wha¡ª? Rennie!? What are you¡ª¡± It was then that Jinseong realized. While she might express shy affection toward him, Rennie was still who she was. With a clash, Rennie blocked the downward strikes of three brainwashed cultists and swiftly cut them down as she cried out. ¡°I¡¯m also a knight of the Iron Wolf! I can¡¯t just keep relying on you, Jinseong!¡± The brainwashed GBL cultists, who hadn¡¯t received any formal swordsmanship training, were no match for *Rennie of the Iron Wolf Knights*. Even in a 1:3 situation, she handled them effortlessly. Watching this, Jinseong had to rethink his approach. ¡®Rather than distancing myself right away¡­ for now, I should move forward with her. For the time being, at least.¡¯ This was Behemoth. The time would come when they would have to face Apostle Lotus. And when that time came¡­ Jinseong charged at the monsters with a bittersweet smile. ¡°Thank you, be careful! !¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ve trained a lot, even getting scolded by Commander Van and Vice Commander Hartz!¡± The monsters, which Jinseong could have handled alone with some effort, were quickly pulverized in the ¡°party play¡± with Rennie¡¯s added assistance. After cutting through several waves of monsters and moving forward for a while: ¡°Jinseong, there¡¯s something ahead.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ something seems to be on the ground¡ªwait, could it be?!¡± Following Rennie¡¯s advice, Jinseong saw it. It was the moment he confirmed that this was the dungeon area *Behemoth*, specifically within the dungeon ¡°GBL Goddess Temple¡±¡­ ¡°It¡¯s an item! Equipment! An item!¡± For Jinseong, this was also a moment to verify another system. ¡ª The items lying on the ground, faintly glowing with a purplish hue, were clearly objects ¡°sealed by magic,¡± and if he could unseal them, they would become immediately usable ! ¡®So, this room was cleared by a player?! And that player¡­ probably skipped this. They didn¡¯t pick it up.¡¯ There hadn¡¯t been any time to gather items in the dungeon *Granfloris*. In the *Sky Castle* dungeon, the female brawler player had likely looted every single item. But now, the female archer player that Jinseong had been following?! ¡®I knew it from the start! Muse class, huh? It¡¯s quite a difficult class to handle, and not many pick Muse as their primary job. I figured it was probably an alternate character¡­ Could it be an alt of a wealthy player? Haha! When players get too lazy to pick up items, they just leave them behind like this?¡¯ Was it possible for Jinseong to acquire items this way as well? ¡®¡ªWait, hold on. Then maybe I shouldn¡¯t be moping about not being able to use the auction house. If there¡¯s no strict rule saying I must buy all my items from NPCs or gather them myself¡­¡¯ Several ideas started forming in Jinseong¡¯s head. And if what he had asked Sharan from the wizard guild to do came through as planned, then the strategy he just came up with might also be feasible! **Screech¡ª!** The scream that brought Jinseong back from his happy thoughts was chilling. ¡°Jinseong.¡± ¡°Yes, I heard it. It¡¯s right ahead. Let¡¯s be careful.¡± While it wasn¡¯t hard to guess why such a terrifying cry could be heard nearby, Jinseong and Rennie cautiously moved forward. And soon, they saw it. A female priest player, Aganzo, Commander Van, and a woman wearing a purple robe from the GBL cult. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jinseong already knew that the woman in the purple robe, who was aiding the ¡°adventurer,¡± was Isadora, so he focused his attention on the creature lying before them, clad in a torn yellow robe. ¡°Isadora, weren¡¯t our followers¡­ like family? Why¡­ Why didn¡¯t you find a way for all of us to live?¡± ¡°Alsor. You¡¯ve always sought the surest way, even if it meant forbidden knowledge. But even if there¡¯s a less certain way¡­ if it¡¯s a better path, even if it seems foolish, I¡¯ll walk it.¡± ¡°That way¡­ is with them? How foolish¡­¡± Alsor, the creature, who must have once been human but had his body warped through forbidden knowledge, much like the *Hunters*, took his final breath. Isadora rose from beside him and looked at the player, Aganzo, Commander Van, and the others. ¡°The plan remains unchanged. Secure the weapon in Baekya, head to the Blood Prison, and join Master Marcellus to strike at Lotus. We should move quickly¡ªit seems we¡¯ve already lost time.¡± Rennie pricked up her ears, focusing on the conversation, but it was all information Jinseong already knew. Players would pass through this area on their way to *Baekya*. There, they would face another incident before the story escalated *for real*. But there was also something very important happening before that, and Jinseong was more tense than usual. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Aganzo, the female archer, Isadora, and the members of the GBL cult¡¯s Blood Purge unit started moving. Jinseong watched the scene with wide eyes. ¡®This is it.¡¯ His focus was on Commander Van. As Commander Van followed Aganzo, the player, and Isadora¡¯s group¡­ ¡®Huh?¡¯ He anxiously kept watch, but nothing changed. Van said not a single word about the copy of that should have been discovered by now in the original flow of events. ¡®¡­Could it be that even ¡ª? No, no matter how contaminated things have gotten, this shouldn¡¯t be happening!¡¯ Jinseong sighed. He had now realized that even the most crucial element in *Dungeon & Fighter¡¯s* lore, , had been infiltrated by this ¡°contamination.¡± Chapter 26 Chapter 26Jinseong cautiously observed, but Ban still showed no reaction. This was the part that baffled Jinseong. ¡°Is this how the contamination progresses? Ban doesn¡¯t react at all?¡± Ban picked up a piece of paper that had fallen to the floor and read it. For now, it wasn¡¯t a particularly emphasized moment. Jinseong knew that many players might not notice this since it¡¯s one of those scripts that players just skim through without paying much attention. However, for players deeply invested in the *Dungeon & Fighter* game, especially its story, this moment was one of those crucial parts everyone in the know would be aware of and scrutinize. ¡°Even though it¡¯s not the real **, but a copy, it can still affect things like this? Is this what ¡®the source of the contamination¡¯ is trying to do by keeping the copy of ** hidden from Ban?¡± *.* An essential element that formed the foundation of the main quest in the game *Dungeon & Fighter*. It was known as the holy scripture passed down on the planet Terra, Hilder¡¯s ancient homeland, which is now the demon world. The scripture consisted of four chapters, and in the current *Dungeon & Fighter* game, Apostle Hilder possessed the first chapter and part of the fourth. ¡°There¡¯s a lore setup that suggests the existence of ** and **, which are supposed to complement **¡ªbut since they haven¡¯t appeared in the game yet, they¡¯re just background elements. The key point for the adventurer and me, their companion, in this *Plane: Arad*, is **.¡± Given the vast volume of the game, it¡¯s impossible to remember every line of dialogue or scene, but everyone knew how significant ** was. ¡°Especially since it¡¯s tied to the unique existence of Apostle Hilder, the very root of her actions.¡± That wasn¡¯t the only reason. *Dungeon & Fighter* was an online game. No one knew the ending of the main story. That made ** even more critical for the players. One could say it held fragments leading toward the conclusion of the main quest. That¡¯s why the players who were passionate about the story memorized every word of it. ¡°It¡¯s even more important for me now. For those living in this reality of *Plane: Arad*, it could be seen as literally holding their ¡®destiny¡¯.¡± Jinseong watched Ban closely. Although this scene was currently a small part of the story, unnoticed as ** by the in-game characters, it would later become an important clue. But would they let it pass due to this contamination? Regardless of Jinseong¡¯s thoughts, Ban continued walking leisurely, even whistling. Even Aganzo, Isadora, and the members of the small sect called Bloody Purge within the GBL Church were walking farther away. ¡°I can¡¯t just let this go. If this is contamination, then I must¡ª.¡± Soon, Ban would start chasing after them. Once that happened, they¡¯d all leave this library-like space. Ban Balschut must obtain the copy of ** here. ¡°For the sake of the adventurer¡¯s growth and their potential to become a true hero with a refined blade.¡± ¡°I have to set this right. There¡¯s only one way to do that.¡± Jinseong quickly scanned his surroundings and met eyes with Lenny. Lenny, with her red eyes and short red hair, flinched, but she didn¡¯t avoid Jinseong¡¯s gaze. ¡°Lenny.¡± S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Y-Yes, Jinseong?¡± Jinseong spoke in a quiet voice. ¡°You must keep this a secret.¡± ¡°A secret¡ª? W-What are you going to do? To me¡ª?¡± Lenny flinched as if she was going to step back, but she didn¡¯t actually move, her face blushing instead. Jinseong moved closer to Lenny. ¡°¡ªHup.¡± Lenny let out a small sound and closed her eyes. Then, she heard a very faint noise near her ear. Scratch, scratch, scratch¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± She opened her eyes. She saw Jinseong picking up scattered papers and writing tools near her and scribbling something down. There were plenty of those materials scattered around, considering the mess in the library-like room. ¡°Jin¡ª¡± A crease formed on Lenny¡¯s forehead. She was about to say something to Jinseong, but there wasn¡¯t any time for that. Jinseong didn¡¯t listen to her, instead shoving the paper into a book and tossing it aside. There was a faint thud. ¡°Hmm?¡± There was no way that Ban Balschut, captain of the Iron Wolf Knights and one of the four Weapon Masters, would miss even such a slight sound. ¡°Wait a minute. There¡¯s¡­ a book here.¡± Ban picked up the book Jinseong had thrown and took out the pages that Jinseong had slipped in. * * * ¡°They were gods, but they could not become gods. Thus, they were destined to never be together. ** describes them like this.¡± This was the part Jinseong had just scribbled down. It was originally a part of the main quest where Ban recited it. How comforting Ban¡¯s rather flippant voice sounded at that moment. ¡°[At the end of the world, many gods were born from the great will, and they were one and infinite¡­]¡± More than anything, Jinseong felt a sense of pride at being able to recall and write it all down. ¡°I may not be a genius, but I can remember at least this much. It¡¯s not like I need the entire ** anyway. I¡¯ve spent my life on *Dungeon & Fighter*; of course, I can memorize chapters 1:1 to 1:3!¡± It wasn¡¯t necessary to include the entire contents of **. As long as Ban took the piece of paper, recognized it as part of **, and used it as evidence that such a text existed in the world, it would fulfill its purpose! Jinseong wanted to express his satisfaction at having resolved this contamination issue for now. But before he could relax¡ª ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± He couldn¡¯t let his guard down yet. It was the discrepancy between Jinseong¡¯s memories and the reality in front of him. When Ban mumbled about ** and stashed it away, what was Ban Balschut¡¯s illustration in the game *Dungeon & Fighter* like? ¡°As far as I recall, nothing was particularly strange. Ban just took the copy with a sense of curiosity, or at least that¡¯s how I remember it.¡± But now? ¡°That expression¡­ How do I even interpret it?¡± What was Ban¡¯s face like as he muttered about **? How should he interpret the nuances in that expression? ¡°It¡¯s not curiosity or interest. It¡¯s¡­ irritation? Or a smile? It looks like a sneering smile, as if he¡¯s mocking something?¡± It felt like Ban was scoffing at something insignificant. Jinseong felt as if a jolt of lightning struck down his spine. ¡°Why? Why would Ban¡ªat this moment¡ªfeel such an emotion while reading the copy of **?¡± This raised another question. Hadn¡¯t Jinseong witnessed it himself? Aganzo, the adventurer, Isadora, and the non-brainwashed members of the GBL Church were already far ahead, moving toward the white night. And Ban, who had been following them¡ªnow with the copy of ** in his hands¡ª. ¡°What is this? A record of myths? I¡¯ve never heard of this before. And it¡¯s not even fully written¡­ I¡¯ll take it anyway.¡± Why was he speaking so loudly, as if he wanted everyone to hear? As if he was deliberately announcing that he had found something like this. Jinseong couldn¡¯t understand the situation. By all appearances, the flow had returned to the main scenario quest of *Dungeon & Fighter*. Ban had taken the copy Jinseong wrote, and he was now chasing after the others toward the white night as planned. ¡°But what is that expression on Ban¡¯s face?¡± However, how was he supposed to interpret Ban¡¯s expression? This wasn¡¯t a game being observed through a monitor. This was reality, and Jinseong had to decipher the nuances of expressions, moods, and actions in real-time. ¡°Ban Balschut. He was never an ordinary person.¡± Jinseong thought about Ban. Captain of the Iron Wolf Knights of the De Los Empire. One of the four Weapon Masters, wielding a short sword as his primary weapon. He had been awarded the title of count after eliminating Shiroko, one of the Apostles, during the *Screaming Cave Incident*, and he was now a noble. ¡°And that¡¯s not all. In the game¡¯s storyline, Ban¡­ Well, players call him ¡®Ban-bad-guy¡¯ for a reason.¡± He wasn¡¯t someone who helped the adventurers out of sheer goodwill. Though many of his secrets had been revealed, not everything was known. ¡°Even with me, back when we descended from Sky Castle, he took my side over Hartz, even angering Hartz in the process. That couldn¡¯t have just been out of curiosity¡­¡± It was possible that Ban Balschut¡¯s secrets were far greater than what Jinseong knew from the game *Dungeon & Fighter*. There was even more evidence that supported this. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen the captain look so scary.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Even Lenny, one of the people closest to Ban and who respected him the most in the Iron Wolf Knights, was staring at Ban with a terrified expression. ¡°No matter how many mistakes I made¡­ Even when I argued with Vice-Captain Hartz¡­ Even when I accidentally threw a meatball in the dining hall and made everyone laugh, the captain never made a face like that. I¡¯ve never seen him this angry before.¡± ¡°Angry? You think he¡¯s angry?¡± At Jinseong¡¯s question, Lenny nodded her head. Why? What was Ban angry about? Though the reason was unclear, it was at least a relief that Lenny could confirm Ban¡¯s emotional state. ¡°¡­Lenny, let¡¯s get out of here.¡± Jinseong made his decision. When he judged that following them any further might be dangerous, the first thing to do was to leave this place. But even then, Lenny shook her head. Despite her trembling body, she still tried to fulfill her duty as a knight of the Iron Wolf Knights. ¡°Leave? But our mission¡ª Yes, the captain¡¯s expression is frightening, but¡­ after the captain, the adventurer, and Aganzo went ahead, our job was to follow them and continue investigating¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m suggesting we leave because the investigation is done. Apostle Lotus can only fully exert his power when in water. Now that we¡¯ve transferred to the back of Behemoth, he can¡¯t use his full strength¡­ so he¡¯ll be trying to control Behemoth to head toward the Middle Ocean. Behemoth is large enough that it¡¯s not fully under his control yet, but if we stay longer, it¡¯ll become dangerous.¡± Thus, Jinseong had to fill that part in as well. Seeing Lenny blinking her large eyes, Jinseong gave her a soft smile. ¡°Huh? Since when did you¡ª?¡± ¡°I figured it all out while you were handling the enemies. After all, I came here on behalf of the Mage Guild.¡± Of course, he hadn¡¯t done any actual investigation. He was simply using the background lore of *Dungeon & Fighter*. ¡°R-Right. But how exactly do we leave¡ª¡± And Jinseong had another tool to use. ¡°There¡¯s a way.¡± As he rummaged through his pocket, he pulled out a glittering stone. It was something he had been flicking around and holding onto since the Mage Guild. More precisely, it was the same type of item he had seen back when he received news of Lorian¡¯s disappearance from the Mage Guild. ¡°If I use this, it will send a direct message to Sharan of the Mage Guild. Once Sharan realizes this is an emergency, she¡¯ll immediately send Kagon¡¯s airship, *Magata*. We¡¯ll use that to get out of here.¡± From the moment Jinseong had confirmed that they would be heading toward Behemoth, he had been preparing for this item to be his trump card. ¡°Wow¡­ Jinseong, you¡¯re incredible!¡± Lenny¡¯s eyes sparkled as she admired Jinseong¡¯s foresight. Of course, even while executing this plan and seeing it unfold as expected, Jinseong couldn¡¯t just relax and smile. ¡°I¡¯ve stopped the first contamination, but this isn¡¯t over yet.¡± He had given Ban the copy of **. But Ban had responded with ¡®anger¡¯. How was Jinseong supposed to interpret this? ¡°What¡¯s this? Sharan called it an emergency, but did everyone else just die?¡± ¡°Watch your mouth, dark elf! Unlike the captain and the adventurer, we¡¯ve completed the investigation, and we¡¯re just leaving for now!¡± As Kagon, who had brought the airship *Magata* near Behemoth, argued with Lenny, Jinseong¡¯s mind remained tangled with complex thoughts. Chapter 27 Chapter 27Near the landing point of Kagon¡¯s *Magata*, the Iron Wolf Knights had already set up camp. The first to arrive, of course, was Vice Commander Hartz von Kruger. ¡°Leny, what¡¯s going on? Where¡¯s the Commander?¡± ¡°The Commander is¡ª¡± ¡°Still searching on top of Behemoth.¡± It wasn¡¯t Leny who answered, but Jinseong. Hartz glared at Jinseong, as if annoyed, but Jinseong wasn¡¯t intimidated. ¡°¡­So the Commander is still up there? And yet you¡¯re down here?¡± ¡°I was sent on a mission by the Wizard Guild to investigate Behemoth and Apostle Lotus. Since I¡¯ve completed that task, I came down with Leny, who was acting as my escort. You may recall that was the arrangement from the start¡­ So, would you kindly step aside? I need to report to the Wizard Guild.¡± ¡°Tch¡­¡± Hartz grumbled but had nothing to say. After all, Jinseong had already informed him earlier that he might act independently, and there wasn¡¯t much Hartz could argue against. Leny, caught between them, looked uneasy as she glanced back and forth. Noticing this, Hartz gave her an order. ¡°Fine. Once the Commander contacts us, we¡¯ll all need to move again. Leny!¡± ¡°Y-Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Stick with this man. If the Iron Wolf Knights need to move again, we might need him as well.¡± Hartz¡¯s intention was clear¡ªhe wanted Leny to keep an eye on Jinseong and bring him along if the Knights had to head back to Behemoth. And as for Jinseong¡¯s reaction? ¡°Don¡¯t worry~ I¡¯ll be sure to stick with her,¡± Jinseong said with a grin. ¡®Anyway, the quests related to Apostle Lotus on Behemoth aren¡¯t over yet. This is perfect. I was wondering how to get back on top of Behemoth later, but hiding among them is way better than sneaking aboard Kagon¡¯s *Magata*. It¡¯ll also be easier to hide from the player¡¯s monitor this way. Thanks, Hartz!¡¯ Jinseong had his own plans, but moving with the ordinary knights of the Iron Wolf would certainly be much more convenient. ¡°You! That attitude of yours¡ª¡± ¡°Leny, shall we get going?¡± Jinseong interrupted without paying attention to Hartz¡¯s irritated glare. ¡°Uh, yes, okay¡­ Vice Commander! I¡¯ll be back!¡± Leny saluted Hartz, then hurriedly followed behind Jinseong. Jinseong headed quickly toward the Wizard Guild. Though he was glad that one of his issues had been naturally resolved, it wasn¡¯t the time to relax completely. ¡°J-Jinseong! After you report to the Wizard Guild, what will we do¡­ I mean, what are we going to do next?¡± Leny asked, unsure. That was also something Jinseong was pondering. The reason for going to the Wizard Guild? In truth, there wasn¡¯t one. He hadn¡¯t been hired by the Wizard Guild to investigate Behemoth or Apostle Lotus in the first place. ¡®I¡¯ll have to give some kind of explanation in exchange for using *Magata*, but¡­ what I need to do now is¡ª¡¯ Jinseong quickly checked his [Status] window. Current Level: 28. What should be done at this point? ¡®My adventurer reputation hasn¡¯t changed, but I did pick up some gear from a female Archer user, a wealthy alt character who became a Muse. They¡¯re all magic-sealed items, so I need to figure out how to use them.¡¯ And considering the flow of the upcoming quests, what preparations should Jinseong make? Jinseong sorted out his thoughts and then abruptly stopped walking, turning to face Leny. ¡°For now.¡± ¡°For now?¡± Leny¡¯s red eyes were filled with nervousness and worry. Gone was her usual haughty and arrogant expression. Jinseong stared at her for a moment, then said, ¡°How about we go grab something good to eat?¡± ¡°¡­Huh? What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying we should take a good rest for a day.¡± Jinseong felt this was something he needed to do, not just for the future, but for himself as well. ¡°Out of nowhere? Is this a joke?¡± ¡°Nope, no joke. Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll just borrow some money from the Wizard Guild if necessary.¡± ¡°W-Wait! Jinseong!¡± Leny had no choice but to hurriedly follow behind Jinseong, confused as she was. She couldn¡¯t make any sense of it. ¡ª Sharan couldn¡¯t hide her astonishment. ¡°Apostle Lotus¡­ on top of Behemoth¡­ heading toward the Middle Ocean?¡± ¡°Yes. Lotus can only exert 100% of his power when he¡¯s in the water. Right now, he¡¯s severely weakened as he dries up on top of Behemoth, but he¡¯s gradually taking control of Behemoth¡¯s mind, steering him toward the Middle Ocean. If Behemoth enters the ocean, Lotus will as well¡­¡± Jinseong was using his knowledge of the game *Dungeon & Fighter* to explain to Sharan. In the world of Arad, Arad refers to both the world of Plane: Arad and specifically to the Arad continent, often called ¡°the ground.¡± From Arad, Sky Castle reaches up into the heavens, leading to *Celestia*, but between the two is a middle layer¡ªa buffer zone known as the Middle Ocean, or ¡°the sea in the sky,¡± which serves as a transition between Arad and *Celestia*. Thus, the vertical structure of this world, as revealed so far, is Arad ¨C Middle Ocean ¨C Celestia. Even though the people of Arad are still skeptical about the actual existence of Celestia, they are at least aware of the Middle Ocean above them, and it is commonly believed that Behemoth, the giant whale, came from there. ¡°Then¡­ that means it¡¯s over for Arad¡ªNo, wait, Jinseong knew that? And he still came down here? Was he scared and ran away? I didn¡¯t give him the emergency magic stone to use like that! He should have helped the Iron Wolf Knights¡ª¡± ¡°Sharan, I told you about my ¡®abilities¡¯ beforehand, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°¡­Oh.¡± Even Sharan, who was usually able to think rationally, felt a twinge of fear due to Jinseong¡¯s revelations. She glanced at Leny, coughing nervously. The fact that Jinseong, with a glimpse of the future, was standing here meant this was the best course of action, and there was no point in pressing him further. ¡°So, what now? What should I do?¡± ¡°Prepare *Magata* for departure¡­ make sure it¡¯s ready to leave at any time. And¡ª¡± Jinseong paused as he recalled the quest flow related to Behemoth. Though the game¡¯s events were ¡°condensed,¡± meaning they happened faster in the real world, he knew there would be a brief window of time¡ªmaybe a day or two¡ªbefore the next big event. During that time, Jinseong had to take care of his own preparations. And what did he know about when that would be? ¡°Keep an eye on Iris. She¡¯ll likely call for adventurers soon. That¡¯s when we¡¯ll head back up to Behemoth.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± Sharan confirmed in a serious voice. Jinseong double-checked everything. They were inside the Wizard Guild, where NPC Sharan was stationed. Since Leny was in a nearby waiting room, there were no other users around to overhear their conversation, which was fortunate. At this stage of the game, most players wouldn¡¯t seek out Sharan for quests anymore. Still, to be safe, Jinseong glanced around once more before speaking. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s all I need from you, Sharan. Oh, and is what I asked for last time ready?¡± ¡°¡­You have no idea how much trouble it caused Roton and the alchemists at Hendon Myre and West Coast to make this.¡± As Sharan spoke, she tossed a few small bottles onto the table, their clear liquid sloshing inside. Jinseong¡¯s excited expression slightly dimmed as he stared at the bottles. ¡°Is this¡­ correct?¡± ¡°Yes, is there a problem?¡± ¡°No, no. It¡¯s great. As long as it works, that¡¯s all that matters.¡± ¡°As long as it works? Of course, it works. I tested everything. Our guild members worked hard to make this¡ª¡± ¡°Thank you, Sharan. I¡¯ll make good use of it. I¡¯ll probably need a few more later, though, hehe.¡± Jinseong bowed deeply to Sharan, although his excitement had lessened since the potion¡¯s color was different from what he remembered. But since Sharan had already tested it and confirmed it worked, there was no reason to be disappointed. ¡®If anything, it¡¯s probably just like the magic stone I have now¡­ an item that works differently from the game¡¯s, one that only I can use.¡¯ Jinseong pocketed the potions and was about to approach Leny when he suddenly stopped. ¡°Oh, Sharan?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Could you also take a look at this item for me? It¡¯s sealed with magic, and I don¡¯t think I can unseal it on my own¡­¡± It was an item Jinseong had obtained on Behemoth, something that a player had missed. In the game, a ¡°magic-sealed item¡± could be unsealed with a simple right-click of the mouse, but that wasn¡¯t possible here. He would need Sharan¡¯s help. ¡°That¡¯s easy enough. I can do it right away¡ª¡± While he was at it, another thought crossed Jinseong¡¯s mind. ¡°Oh, and could you lend me some money? I need to buy a few things.¡± After all, that was the most pressing issue at the moment. The travel funds he had received from Linus had dwindled down to about a thousand gold, which wasn¡¯t enough. ¡°Money¡­¡± ¡°It takes a lot to get things done, you know. I¡¯ve brought back valuable intel about Apostle Lotus on Behemoth, so I think we both know who¡¯s benefiting here.¡± ¡°R-right¡­ Yes, I¡¯ll give you some.¡± Sharan hesitated but couldn¡¯t resist Jinseong¡¯s assertive tone. The information Jinseong had brought back was invaluable at this stage. Aside from Van, Aganzo, and the ¡°players,¡± no one else knew what was happening on Behemoth, making his intel incredibly valuable. With a clinking sound, Jinseong pocketed the pouch of gold Sharan reluctantly handed over. He then approached Leny, who was sitting in the reception room inside the Wizard Guild. ¡°Leny! Let¡¯s go. Do you have anything you¡¯d like to eat?¡± ¡°Are we really taking a break? Even in this situation?¡± ¡°Resting when you need to is the best way to stay efficient. Oh, have you ever been to Hendon Myre?¡± Leny was still anxious, but Jinseong seemed completely unbothered. With his usual friendly smile, he asked her another question, and Leny¡¯s furrowed eyebrows finally began to relax. ¡°Hendon¡­ The capital of the Duchy? No, I haven¡¯t. The Commander and Vice Commander have been, but I haven¡¯t had the chance¡­¡± ¡°Hehe, then let¡¯s go. I have a friend who makes great snacks, and there¡¯s a place that sells drinks and food. It¡¯s a great spot. Plus, we can get what we need while we¡¯re there.¡± Though the last part revealed his true intent, Leny didn¡¯t understand that. She just looked at him in disbelief, as if unable to comprehend how Jinseong could talk about snacks and drinks in this situation. ¡°Hendon Myre is so far away! How could we go there right now? We don¡¯t have the time! The Commander could come down at any moment!¡± Cutting off Leny¡¯s protest, Jinseong pulled something out of his pouch. It was the potions Sharan had given him. ¡°¡­What¡¯s this?¡± Leny asked, staring at the potions in confusion. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jinseong grinned. Right after descending from Sky Castle, this was the first thing Jinseong had wanted to secure. With no certainty about what quests he might face or where he might need to go next, keeping up with the players¡¯ pace in this real-world scenario came with a significant penalty. To close that gap¡ª ¡°It¡¯s a ¡®Teleportation Potion.¡¯ It¡¯s a little different in color from the I remember, but it¡¯ll work.¡± In the game *Dungeon & Fighter*, were a common item, and Sharan had successfully recreated them. Though the in-game item had a yellow liquid, Sharan¡¯s version was as clear as water, which had surprised Jinseong. But as long as it worked, there was no reason to complain. ¡®There¡¯s no level restriction, right? Originally, you had to be level 60 or above to use this. Hehe, this is a sweet deal for me.¡¯ Jinseong uncorked the potion with one hand while extending his other hand toward Leny. ¡°Hold my hand.¡± ¡°Oh, okay¡­¡± Leny, unsure how to react, hesitantly took Jinseong¡¯s hand. Feeling the warmth from her hand, Jinseong had to compose himself. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Drink up!¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤! How much longer would he be able to feel the warmth of this hand? Only Jinseong knew that his interest in Leny wasn¡¯t rooted in affection or love, a fact that no NPC could understand at this moment. Chapter 28 Chapter 28It was still a refreshing afternoon before the sun had set, and Lenny was busy gazing at Hendon Myre, her red eyes wide open in awe. ¡°This is the capital of the Duchy. Not bad, right?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s magnificent. Honestly, if we¡¯re just comparing splendor and bustle, the Imperial Capital might be better, though.¡± ¡°Oh, right. The Imperial Capital¡­ Haha, but still, Hendon Myre has its own charm.¡± Jinseong spoke to Lenny, pretending to be generous, but somehow he felt embarrassed afterward. In reality, Hendon Myre was considered one of the more beautiful background maps in the game *Dungeon & Fighter*, and Jinseong had thought so himself. But, in truth, he had never been to the Imperial Capital. ¡®It¡¯s not in the game yet, so I can¡¯t help it¡­ But then again, does that mean I can visit it here? The capital of the De Los Empire, which I¡¯ve never been to?¡¯ Though he couldn¡¯t go right now, the possibility that he might experience something here in Plain: Arad that he hadn¡¯t in the game crossed his mind. ¡°Yes, I was just about to say that. The unified colors, that somehow warm, white feeling, it really seems to warm your heart.¡± Lenny continued her pure admiration. Although she didn¡¯t know what the Imperial Palace looked like, it was true that the unique colors and sentiments of Hendon Myre, which honored the Grand Magician Meyer, stood out compared to other places. ¡°So, where should we go first? How about starting with Remidia Basilica? It¡¯s¡­ probably not as grand as Remidia Chrysos in the Empire, but it¡¯s still the headquarters of the church.¡± Jinseong spoke as he walked toward the center of Hendon Myre. ¡°Yes! That sounds perfect! Chrysos is too covered in gold, it¡¯s a bit overwhelming, and it doesn¡¯t have a good reputation either. But I¡¯m excited about Remidia Basilica! I wonder if some of the Four High Priests might be there!?¡± It was just a casual suggestion, but Lenny reacted much more enthusiastically than Jinseong had expected. The religious setting in the game *Dungeon & Fighter*. Thanks to the defeat of Apostle Ozma, who had demonized and divided humanity, the Priesthood had spread vigorously across the continent. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re interested in the Four High Priests? To be honest, I didn¡¯t think you had much interest in religion, Lenny.¡± Jinseong responded with a shy smile, surprised by Lenny¡¯s unexpected reaction. And there was, of course, only one reason for Lenny¡¯s interest. ¡°Of course! The skill they showed in ruthlessly slaughtering the Imposters during the Black Crusade! Their overwhelming power! Even during training at the Knight Academy, I was thrilled by their reputation!¡± Naturally, she wasn¡¯t interested in religion, history, or doctrine. What fascinated her were the records of the people from the church who fought against the 11th Apostle, *Chaos Ozma*, and their descendants. ¡°Ah¡­ well, whatever it is! Let¡¯s go!¡± Jinseong, dazzled by the excitement in the red-haired knight¡¯s eyes, took the lead and began walking through the streets of Hendon Myre. They visited the Priesthood¡¯s headquarters, Remidia Basilica. They toured around the city hall, which doubled as the residence and office of the Queen of the Duchy of Bell Myre. And at the Moonlight Tavern in the back alleys, they met with Shusia and others to hear stories about Aganzo and Van¡¯s past, as well as exchanged brief greetings with G.S.D., whom Jinseong regarded as his mentor. Although it hadn¡¯t been long since Jinseong found himself in Plain: Arad, his experiences as a *Dungeon & Fighter* player hadn¡¯t vanished, allowing him to enjoy what could be called a date with Lenny for the entire afternoon. After spending the day exploring various parts of southern Bell Myre, the two finally returned to the main road of Hendon Myre as the sun began to set. ¡°The smell of bread¡­ It¡¯s the same delicious smell as the bread we had at the tavern earlier.¡± ¡°Hehe, that¡¯s right. This shop supplies milk and bread to the Moonlight Tavern. Would you like another one?¡± Where the two were headed was a small shop. More noticeable than the small shop itself was the girl standing outside, calling for customers. ¡°Hello~ Your pockets seem quite heavy! What can I get for you? We have everything!¡± It was Kanna from the general store, boldly advertising her wares. Anyone familiar with the game would recognize her items: ¡°Kanna¡¯s Delicious Handmade Bread¡± and ¡°Kanna¡¯s Delicious Milk.¡± ¡°Please give this lady a bread and milk. As for me¡ª.¡± Jinseong ordered a snack for Lenny and then pulled something from his bag. He handed it to Kanna and said, ¡°¡ªCould you prepare these for me?¡± This wasn¡¯t just for Lenny. It was the real reason Jinseong had planned to visit Hendon Myre, even if he were alone. ¡°Heh! It¡¯s been a while since someone¡¯s asked for these! Sure, no problem! As long as you¡¯ve got the money!¡± Excited about the large order, Kanna went inside the general store to retrieve the requested items, leaving a moment of silence. While munching on bread and milk, Lenny glanced at Jinseong and finally spoke up. ¡°Jinseong¡­ Why are you so¡­ nice to me?¡± It was a question she had mustered up the courage to ask, and Jinseong was momentarily flustered by it. * * * S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Um¡­¡± Jinseong¡¯s eyes darted from right to left. What should he say? Should he explain, ¡®My first objective was to buy some things from Kanna, and I had to come to Hendon Myre anyway¡¯? Or perhaps, ¡®I wanted to test how players would react to walking around Hendon Myre with Lenny. That¡¯s why I took you with me.¡¯ While walking with Lenny, who was an NPC that didn¡¯t exist in the game, several players had passed by, but none had reacted to Jinseong or Lenny. ¡®Even if I had waved at them, they wouldn¡¯t have seen me or Lenny, just as I hypothesized. And it worked out well enough¡­¡¯ Players couldn¡¯t see Lenny, interact with her, or even notice the conversations Jinseong had with her. Explaining that would be pointless. So Jinseong said, ¡°It¡¯s because¡­ I want you to have good memories, Lenny.¡± Because that was also the truth. Lenny¡¯s red eyes blinked quickly, growing wider in surprise. Her face, which seemed confused, gradually flushed with warmth. She was undoubtedly interpreting Jinseong¡¯s words in several ways, but in the end, she couldn¡¯t meet his eyes and had to look away. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s a little overwhelming to be treated so well. I mean, shouldn¡¯t we be worried about the Commander, too?¡± ¡°The Commander will be fine. He¡¯s not the kind to die here. He¡¯s someone you admire, right?¡± Jinseong grinned as he said this. The comment, however, instantly wiped the flush from Lenny¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Admire? What do you mean? It¡¯s respect¡­ He¡¯s one of the Four Weapon Masters! The Commander of the Knights! Van of the Short Sword! I¡ªI just respect him as a knight of the Iron Wolf Knights, that¡¯s all!¡± ¡°Alright, alright. No need to get angry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not angry¡ª¡­ Ah, never mind.¡± Even though she had raised her voice, it wasn¡¯t from genuine anger. Lenny glanced sideways at Jinseong, her expression one of mild frustration. And Jinseong had to force himself to avoid meeting her eyes. After all, Jinseong wasn¡¯t clueless about what Lenny might be thinking and feeling toward him. ¡®It¡¯s probably not outright romantic feelings, but something closer to gratitude¡ªa sort of appreciation that has grown into something more, like she said.¡¯ The important thing wasn¡¯t what those feelings were. If he excluded his personal tasks for the day, the real reason Jinseong had brought Lenny to Hendon Myre was simple. ¡°Lenny.¡± ¡°What?¡± The red-haired knight responded gruffly. Jinseong thought back to the sight of her effortlessly swinging her massive greatsword while fighting the brainwashed GBL cultists. Thinking of that difference in her demeanor made Jinseong chuckle before he finally spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t get angry, alright? Lenny, is there anything you want to do? A wish, maybe.¡± ¡°Huh? Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ just curious? Haven¡¯t you ever imagined what you¡¯d want to do before the end of the world, so that you wouldn¡¯t regret anything? Something like that.¡± It was a rather serious, even random, question. One that made Jinseong feel embarrassed just asking. ¡°Pfft, I haven¡¯t known you that long, Jinseong, but¡­ you really are an odd one. Sometimes you¡¯re so carefree, and then suddenly you¡¯re all serious, saying unexpected things. Oh! But I mean that in a good way, mostly.¡± Lenny looked at Jinseong with a curious smile. But Jinseong¡¯s expression remained serious, so she continued. ¡°And as for a final wish¡­ I guess I¡¯d want to be with my mother. I don¡¯t think I¡¯d have many regrets otherwise. I already achieved my dream of joining the Iron Wolf Knights, I¡¯ve trained under a great Commander and Vice Commander, and though some adventurers are annoying¡­ I get to talk to someone I like¡ªlike you.¡± Lenny was openly expressing her feelings, but instead of brightening, Jinseong¡¯s face darkened. Puzzled by his reaction, Lenny tilted her head. ¡°Jinseong? Why do you look so¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m just¡­ moved by your words. Ahem, right. Since you¡¯re someone who has no regrets today, it means you can live your best tomorrow.¡± ¡°Ahaha, what? There you go again, being serious.¡± Lenny blushed at Jinseong¡¯s awkward sincerity. Seeing her like that, Jinseong muttered to himself in a very low voice. ¡°Even if it means facing impossible¡­ odds.¡± Even if it meant risking her life. ¡°Hm? What did you say?¡± Lenny hadn¡¯t heard clearly and asked, but Jinseong didn¡¯t repeat himself. There was no need to tell her. ¡°Shall we head back? We¡¯ve finished what we needed to do today¡­ and you should probably return to the Knights.¡± ¡°¡­Head back? I¡ª¡± Lenny started to inch closer to Jinseong. Startled, he quickly pulled out the remaining teleportation potion and pressed it into her hand. ¡°L-let¡¯s go! We need to go! Yeah, let¡¯s go!¡± Jinseong, as expected, was weak against such a direct personality. Lenny pursed her lips, but even she couldn¡¯t bring herself to be more forward. Soon after, the two returned to West Coast and went their separate ways. Jinseong returned to the Wizard¡¯s Guild, and Lenny went back to the temporary barracks of the Iron Wolf Knights. Each of them reflected on the day¡¯s events before falling asleep, though it didn¡¯t take long for sleep to come. And by the time morning came, they no longer had the luxury of such thoughts. Later that morning, while preparing something at the Wizard¡¯s Guild, Jinseong finally caught sight of a female archer player and her nickname. ¡®She came down from Behemoth. She must be here to request reinforcements after discovering a bunch of Lotus¡¯s eggs¡­ at this point, the quest is pretty obvious.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t hard to guess how the quest would unfold. There was only one reason why an adventurer would visit the Wizard¡¯s Guild at this moment. ¡°Thank you for taking the time, Adventurer. Can you believe that these few brief moments¡­ might determine the fate of all of Arad?¡± It was to meet Iris Fortune Singer, the puppet being manipulated by Apostle Hilder. Chapter 29 Chapter 29Jinseong was standing a little apart from Iris and the user, but he could hear their conversation clearly. ¡°Hoho, you don¡¯t need to be so serious. I¡¯m just a fortune-teller who sees the future. I¡¯m only here to deliver what is needed, at the right time, to the right person.¡± Jinseong didn¡¯t need to see Iris¡¯s actions or the way she handed something over to the female archer user. He could already picture it all in his head. ¡®It must be the bracelet. The Hyper Jammer.¡¯ The item Iris was giving to the user was indeed a bracelet. In the actual *Dungeon & Fighter* game, it could be equipped as part of the character¡¯s gear, offering decent magic defense for its level range. However, the item¡¯s defensive stats were not the main point of importance. ¡°I could only make one, so you must be the one to wear it. Could you promise me that, as a gesture of goodwill?¡± Iris emphasized that the adventurer must wear this piece of equipment. The reason was clear: the item she handed over, the *Hyper Jammer*, had the ability to block the Apostle Lotus¡¯s mind control. ¡®¡­Yes, it does serve its purpose. After all, Hilder¡¯s ultimate goal is to kill all the Apostles, and the user¡ªwho is meant to become a sharpened blade¡ªmust not be defeated by Lotus.¡¯ The significance of giving this item to the user was obvious. It was meant to grant the adventurer the strength to overcome trials, to sharpen them into a keener weapon, and ultimately fulfill the prophecy of the *Genesis Chronicles* by slaying the Apostles. At this moment, the *Hyper Jammer* that Iris Fortune Singer gave to the user was indeed a well-intentioned gift, and it would be immensely helpful. After all, it had the ability to save the user from the confusion caused by the Apostle Lotus. ¡®But¡­ damn.¡¯ Yet, knowing exactly when its effects would kick in, after having cleared the main scenario quest in *Dungeon & Fighter* numerous times, Jinseong could only bite his lip. Of course, he couldn¡¯t point that out. He couldn¡¯t interfere. Doing so would go against the duty he had been entrusted with as part of the *Bucipke¡¯s Mission*. In the end, there was only one thing Jinseong could do right now. He had to follow the female archer user, the ¡°adventurer,¡± and board the Behemoth again to board Kagon¡¯s airship, the Magata. Jinseong hurriedly ran towards Kagon at the West Coast harbor. By the time the user disembarked from the Behemoth, having already accepted the quest, the script was in motion, and all the members of the Iron Wolf Knights, as well as Robato, a knight from the Duchy, were already boarding the Magata. Since the user wasn¡¯t in sight, Jinseong spoke without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯ll go, too. As a member of the Mage Guild¡¯s investigation team.¡± ¡°Jinseong?¡± ¡°¡­Tasio.¡± Lenny and Hartz each showed their own reactions, but considering it was an emergency serious enough for the adventurer to come down from the Behemoth, Hartz didn¡¯t object to Jinseong boarding. The Magata quickly rose into the air and began approaching the Behemoth. This would be the final flight to face the Apostle Lotus. * * * Lenny wore a slightly tense expression. The deputy commander, Hartz, was also gazing at the *Iron Wolf Knights¡¯ emblem* brought by the adventurer, his face hardened. ¡®Hartz doesn¡¯t like it, and Van¡¯s scheming is still suspicious¡­ but at least the Iron Wolf Knights are well-organized as a knight order.¡¯ The Iron Wolf Knights¡¯ emblem was akin to an emergency signal, and if the commander wasn¡¯t present at the summoned location, the order was to ¡°wipe out everything in sight.¡± Jinseong touched the hilt of his sword, also feeling tense for similar reasons. ¡®No way they¡¯re corrupted, right? If we arrive and Van is missing or Aganzo isn¡¯t there¡ª.¡¯ The situation would spiral into chaos. Thankfully, for the moment, they didn¡¯t have to face such misfortune. From atop the Magata, which had now neared the Behemoth, they could see the female archer user, Van, Aganzo, Isadora, and the surviving followers of the GBL Cult near a section of the ruins. Hartz and the rest of the Iron Wolf Knights sighed in relief upon seeing the sight. Of course, it was the issue with the commander that still lingered. ¡°For Lord Lotus¡­!¡± ¡°No! The commander¡ª!¡± ¡°Stop, commander. You¡¯re fine. What¡¯s happening?¡± Standing beside the horrified Lenny, Hartz shook his head and asked. Van, snickering beside him, was with Aganzo and Isadora as they explained the current situation. They had discovered objects around the temple that were suspected to be the eggs of Lotus, and from these eggs, small creatures that looked exactly like Lotus were beginning to hatch. ¡°¡­I see. It¡¯s a far more serious situation than I thought.¡± ¡°Breaking through the Blood Prison will be no problem with this group, but how we handle the Apostle Lotus is the real issue.¡± Robato, the knight from the Duchy, commented, to which Aganzo nodded. Though they were quite skilled, the power of an *Apostle* was another level entirely. ¡°Lotus¡¯s mind control is spreading from the center of the temple. We¡¯ll need to split into teams at the Blood Prison.¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Commander, there¡¯s no need for everyone to join the GBL Cult survivors. We should go ahead and clear the path.¡± Isadora suggested splitting up the group, and Hartz supported this idea, proposing they divide the teams before even reaching the Blood Prison. Jinseong, who had been listening to all this while standing among the Iron Wolf Knights, a bit removed from the others, took in the conversation. He was at a distance where his voice wouldn¡¯t appear on the user¡¯s monitor but where he could still hear everything. ¡®¡­When I return to reality, ranking up in the Arena will be a breeze. I¡¯ve gotten pretty good at positioning myself off-screen in the X-axis by now.¡¯ The reason he could indulge in such nonchalant thoughts was because everything that had been said so far matched his memories exactly. With the user, Van, Aganzo, Isadora, and Robato heading to the Blood Prison, and Hartz and the Iron Wolf Knights clearing a path by defeating Lotus¡¯s eggs and the brainwashed GBL Cult followers, Jinseong¡¯s course of action was clear. ¡®I¡¯ll follow Hartz¡¯s team. No worries about getting caught on the user¡¯s monitor. Lotus is the one who will cause the most problems if corrupted. It¡¯s best to deal with that first.¡¯ Jinseong had already formulated his plan from the beginning, knowing exactly whom to follow and what to investigate. His goal was to investigate matters related to Lotus while staying apart from the user¡­ And now, the question Lenny asked confirmed what he already knew. ¡°Where exactly is the Blood Prison? If we just take the Magata¡ª.¡± Isadora responded. ¡°Oh, I forgot to mention. The Blood Prison¡­ is inside the Behemoth¡¯s belly.¡± With that, she led the way, hurrying her steps. Aganzo and Robato, who followed, instinctively frowned at the idea. ¡°Trying to save the world, and now we¡¯re crawling into a whale¡¯s stomach.¡± Van, muttering in a defeated tone, caused Jinseong to smirk. The group heading to the Blood Prison consisted of the female archer user, Van, Aganzo, the Duchy¡¯s knight Robato, and Isadora from the GBL Cult. As soon as they departed, Hartz and the Iron Wolf Knights began moving as well. ¡°We¡¯ll assess the paths leading to the temple center and eliminate any enemies we encounter! Don¡¯t hold back, and move in squads!¡± Jinseong immediately proposed to Hartz. ¡°Hartz, assign Lenny, Fiona, and Den to me.¡± ¡°¡­You don¡¯t need to be involved. You¡¯re here for a Mage Guild investigation, not to lead knights¡ª.¡± ¡°That¡¯s precisely why I¡¯m asking. Who do you think is the most capable of figuring out the structure of the ruins on top of the Behemoth and the paths to the temple center where Apostle Lotus is?¡± Hartz clenched his teeth but couldn¡¯t refute Jinseong¡¯s logical argument. Jinseong made his presence known before the Iron Wolf Knights, and soon Lenny, Fiona, and Den followed his instructions. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Jinseong¡¯s steps were sure and swift. Though he didn¡¯t know the layout of the ruins atop the Behemoth, he had only one reason to be confident. ¡°Uh, Jinseong¡­ was it? The deputy commander didn¡¯t say much, so we followed, but¡­ Do you really know the way through the Behemoth?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve heard the Mage Guild of the Duchy is impressive, but I thought even the GBL Cult¡¯s existence was unclear until Ophelia was found. So how do you¡ª?¡± Fiona and Den, both knights from the Duchy and Lenny¡¯s comrades, expressed their doubts. ¡°That¡¯s right. I don¡¯t know the entire layout of the ruins atop the Behemoth.¡± Jinseong nodded, but his reply was surprisingly brazen. Fiona and Den immediately protested. ¡°What? That¡¯s not what you told the deputy commander!¡± ¡°Are you just using us to stick close to Lenny?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not joke around, Den. I have good reason to stay close to Lenny.¡± Fiona and Den, unlike Lenny, didn¡¯t trust Jinseong after what had happened at Sky Castle. Jinseong paused briefly, a touch of annoyance and impatience in his voice as he replied. ¡°A while ago, we searched the outskirts of the temple over there, and the Dendroid Jungle, the GBL Goddess Temple, and the first vertebra region where Lotus¡¯s eggs were mainly found are in that direction. The Blood Prison is slightly east of there, but we¡¯re heading toward the second vertebra. That¡¯s where Apostle Lotus is located.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Huh? How do you know that¡­ in such detail¡­?¡± Fiona and Den were clearly flustered, and Jinseong snorted in response. ¡°Does that even matter? Our job is to secure the path for transporting the weapons while eliminating any enemies we encounter between the Blood Prison and the second vertebra. I¡¯ll be conducting the investigation as part of the Mage Guild. Focus on your own tasks. Clear?¡± He then turned and resumed running. ¡®Do they even know how many times I¡¯ve gone through this? Not to mention the frustration when dealing with invincible Alex, ugh!¡¯ Having explored the *Dungeon Area: Behemoth* in *Dungeon & Fighter* countless times, Jinseong knew the map by heart. Especially the details and locations of the dungeons he frequently traversed¡ªthose were impossible to forget. ¡®Besides, *Dungeon & Fighter* uses dungeon design for storytelling. It¡¯s easy to remember because the game is designed to guide you step by step through the dungeons¡­¡¯ While the user and their party entered the Behemoth¡¯s belly through the Blood Prison, Jinseong, Lenny, Fiona, and Den found a faster route toward the second vertebra. ¡°Glory to Lord Lotus¡­¡± ¡°Kill those who interfere with Lord Lotus¡­¡± In other words, they were about to face the most brainwashed individuals under Lotus¡¯s mind control¡ªthose who held greater power than ordinary GBL Cultists. Jinseong smiled as he raised the beam saber, its blade gleaming with light. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll help clear the way!¡± With consecutive attacks¡ª*Upper*, *Brief Cut*, *Spin Attack*, and *Pierce Strike*¡ªJinseong swiftly dealt with three brainwashed GBL Cult followers and plunged into the fray. ¡°J-Jinseong!¡± The sudden burst of aggressive action left Lenny, as well as Fiona and Den, momentarily bewildered, but Jinseong wasn¡¯t acting without thought. Having gained a magic-sealed item and increased his level after their first climb on the Behemoth¡­ And now¡ª ¡°Dark Explosion!¡± *Fwhaaa¡ª!* The skill, which consumed the colorless cube fragments he had stocked up on from Sharan, was a skill colloquially known as a *no-cube skill* or *NQ skill*. ¡°Kiieeek!¡± ¡°Huaah!¡± The explosion of dark energy from Jinseong¡¯s fingertips sent the brainwashed followers flying, causing them to scream in their final moments. ¡°Let¡¯s do this properly, everyone.¡± Jinseong said to Fiona and Den. It was likely the first time they had seen Jinseong use a skill, which was why they simply nodded with stiff expressions. Jinseong grinned and prepared to move forward again. ¡®Hm? Wait a minute.¡¯ His eyes caught something. It was a mask that had fallen off the face of one of the brainwashed GBL Cult followers. ¡®No way¡­¡¯ While keeping an eye on the NPCs, who were still engrossed in casual conversation, Jinseong discreetly picked it up. Then, he looked at it. The name of the mask, recognized by its purple hue, brought back old memories for Jinseong. ¡®¡­A unique item?!¡¯ Jinseong was astonished. Not just because it was a unique-grade piece of equipment. ¡®Wasn¡¯t this item discontinued!?¡¯ What shocked him was the fact that, according to his memory, the item had been discontinued long ago, meaning it shouldn¡¯t have appeared anymore. Chapter 30 Chapter 30Jinseong couldn¡¯t help but feel momentarily bewildered for several reasons. ¡®There are other items with similar names, but at least as far as anything with ¡°High Priest¡± is concerned, the mask has definitely been discontinued.¡¯ As someone who had been playing *Dungeon & Fighter* since the game¡¯s release, Jinseong was quite familiar with the name of this piece of equipment. However, newer players, having only recently started the game, wouldn¡¯t even know of its existence, as it was an old, unique item. ¡®In the past, you could obtain it by defeating certain monsters in specific dungeons, like the outskirts of the Temple of Behemoth, and only by chance. But not anymore. These days, the GBL Cult series is a complete random drop¡ªnobody knows when, where, or from which monster it¡¯ll drop, so it¡¯s practically considered discontinued.¡¯ Among these discontinued items, one stood out in particular. More than anything, what shocked Jinseong wasn¡¯t just that he had acquired a discontinued item. The method by which he obtained it was far more astonishing and perplexing. ¡®The Muse player¡ªyeah, that female archer¡ªleft behind an item, and I clearly recognized it as an ¡°item.¡± It was clearly distinguishable on the ground, and I picked it up. But this¡­¡¯ It wasn¡¯t an item. Jinseong had simply picked up something that had fallen off the face of a brainwashed GBL Cult follower he had defeated. There was no indication, before picking it up, that this was an item, something usable, or equipment that could be equipped! ¡®So the thought I had in Sky Castle is really coming true? I¡­ I have to strip loot off monster corpses, don¡¯t I?!¡¯ Jinseong realized. ¡®That¡¯s such a waste! How many items have I missed out on until now?!¡¯ The regret he felt came before any sense of horror. It wasn¡¯t just because *Dungeon & Fighter* was his life. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡®Ugh, there could have been items I could strip and sell¡­ I could have gotten discontinued items this way, or maybe even used discontinued materials to craft things you can¡¯t make in the game anymore. I should try an experiment¡­¡¯ As a person now living in the world of *Plane: Arad*, countless ways to drastically improve his survivability flashed through Jinseong¡¯s mind. He started moving without even realizing it. ¡°Jinseong? What¡­ are you doing?¡± Naturally, Lenny, with a worried expression, had to ask what Jinseong was about to do. ¡°Huh? Oh¡­ what?¡± For Jinseong, having Lenny look after him was actually a relief. There was Fiona, a junior female knight like Lenny, but with bright blonde hair that made her stand out. And then there was Den, a junior male knight who always wore a helmet, making it hard to even see his expression. ¡°Um, why are you taking the mask? And¡­¡± ¡°Why are you stripping the corpse¡¯s clothes¡­ Is it for magical¡­ research for the Mage Guild?¡± Unlike Lenny, the two of them were horrified, taking a step back. Jinseong had been fiddling with the clothes of the deceased GBL Cult followers, trying to take them off. Startled by his own actions, Jinseong quickly let go of the clothes. He glanced at the three of them and said awkwardly, ¡°Yes, well¡­ something like that? Ahem, I was thinking¡­ high-ranking! Yes, the outfits of higher-ranking members might be different¡­ or something like that.¡± ¡°And what do you plan to do with them?¡± ¡°Re¡­search. For the Mage Guild.¡± Jinseong responded weakly to Lenny¡¯s question. It was definitely not research. Even Sharan from the Mage Guild wouldn¡¯t know much about the GBL Cult, which had been isolated atop the ruins of Behemoth. From the beginning, Jinseong only wanted one thing. And that was the mask. Just like the mask he held in his hand now, it was a discontinued item, deemed unobtainable by most players. ¡®Especially this mask¡­ if my memory serves me right, it boosts the skill levels of Ghost Knights and Dark Knights.¡¯ That¡¯s why he had been trying to strip the clothes off the brainwashed GBL Cult priests. But explaining that in this situation felt far too out of place, so Jinseong could only smooth things over with an awkward laugh. ¡°But that¡¯s not important right now. As we get closer to the temple¡¯s central area, there should be more high-ranking priests, right? Let¡¯s move on, shall we? Hahaha.¡± ¡°Jinseong, you¡¯re acting weird.¡± ¡°Weird? Lenny, what¡¯s weird about this? Come on, let¡¯s go!¡± Lenny, Fiona, and Den watched Jinseong¡¯s back as he walked ahead. But the laughter and conversation didn¡¯t last long. To take responsibility for the disturbance he caused, Jinseong issued a warning. ¡°The closer we get to the center of the temple, the stronger Apostle Lotus¡¯s mind control will be. Everyone, be careful.¡± * * * Although the statement was meant to heighten their vigilance, Jinseong wasn¡¯t lying. In fact, in areas like the Bloody Chamber and the outskirts of the temple, no one remained unaffected by Lotus¡¯s mind control. ¡°Jinseong¡­ sir, but how exactly do we¡­ be careful?¡± The problem was that even Jinseong, who gave the warning, couldn¡¯t easily answer Den¡¯s question. Apostle Lotus¡¯s primary ability was to control minds, inducing confusion and causing hallucinations. If one couldn¡¯t resist those hallucinations, their mind would completely fall under Lotus¡¯s control, turning them into a puppet. ¡°You¡¯ll¡­ need to have strong mental fortitude.¡± ¡°But what does that even mean? Fiona, Lenny, and I went through knight training at the academy, but I still don¡¯t understand how to strengthen mental fortitude¡­ Should we, like, tense up or something?¡± ¡°Ha, no, no. Den, you have quite the sense of humor¡ª¡± ¡°Den! Are you trying to disgrace the honor of the Iron Wolf Knights?!¡± It wasn¡¯t until Fiona¡¯s sharp rebuke that Jinseong realized Den had been serious about his question. By then, Jinseong had to swallow nervously. He didn¡¯t know how to strengthen mental fortitude either. But at the very least, he knew they couldn¡¯t continue like this. ¡°Who are you all?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± They needed to start believing in themselves. Self-confidence and pride were also essential to mental clarity. Raising his voice slightly, Jinseong looked at the three of them and said, ¡°Who are you? You¡¯re proud knights of the Iron Wolf Knights of the De Los Empire, aren¡¯t you? You all know better than anyone the grueling training you went through, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Yeah, it was brutal enough to make us sick.¡± At Jinseong¡¯s words, Fiona and Den nodded. Jinseong alternated his gaze between them, except for Lenny, who already trusted him completely, and continued. ¡°You need to believe in yourselves. Of course! It¡¯s not like you won¡¯t get mind-controlled at all. Apostle Lotus¡¯s power is strong, and even the mere disorientation can be dangerous.¡± ¡°Then what should we do?!¡± The knights looked dismayed at Jinseong¡¯s mixed message of caution and reassurance. ¡°The good news is, at least there are four of us. As long as one of us holds out, that person can wake the others up, right? And in the meantime, we can protect each other from brainwashed GBL Cult followers or hunters, can¡¯t we? You are proud members of the De Los Empire¡¯s Iron Wolf Knights, aren¡¯t you?¡± Jinseong¡¯s question caused Lenny, Fiona, and Den¡¯s expressions to change. From the fear of facing a formidable Apostle to the firm resolve of renewed determination. ¡°You¡¯re right, Jinseong.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°We know each other so well, even our sleep habits.¡± This was one reason Jinseong had requested to take them along, after all. If too many people were involved, it could lead to more confusion, but these three weren¡¯t just anyone. Lenny, Fiona, and Den were especially close siblings-in-arms who trusted each other deeply. They knew each other¡¯s states and emotions better than anyone, making it easier to watch out for one another. Even if one of them fell under mind control, they would know how to subdue them without causing serious harm. ¡®That¡¯s why it¡¯s a bit disappointing. I actually wanted to create gear that could block Lotus¡¯s mind attacks entirely.¡¯ Though he couldn¡¯t say there were no countermeasures, Jinseong clicked his tongue in regret. One reason he had asked Sharan to observe Iris was so he could replicate the bracelet Iris had once given to a player: the . ¡®Sharan said she doesn¡¯t know either, what Iris is doing or how she¡¯s doing it. Ugh, back in the old days, there was even a quest in the game to make the Hyper Jammer, but now I can¡¯t even get the materials. If only I had known sooner that I could harvest things from monster corpses, maybe I could have done something¡­¡¯ It was too late now. Jinseong could only hope that the alternative method he had devised would work. ¡®At any rate, the was once an item players could craft. Based on that, I believe a player¡¯s own skill should offer some resistance to Lotus¡¯s mind attacks. I don¡¯t know how strong or how many times it¡¯ll work, though.¡¯ If there was one truth amidst all the chaos, it was that the Apostle Lotus transferring to Behemoth was one of the worst scenarios for him as well. Since he couldn¡¯t exert his full power without water, Lotus was drying up and had already lost most of his strength in this arid environment. As the dry, crackling sound of footsteps approached once more, Jinseong spoke. ¡°Fiona, Den, make sure to leave clear marks for the team following us. Lenny, you and I will¡ª¡± ¡°For Lord Lotus¡­¡± ¡°Glory to Lord Lotus, may all humans submit to him!¡± ¡°¡ªtake care of these brainwashed ones.¡± With his beam saber blazing, Jinseong charged. Since the number of enemies wasn¡¯t that large, his plan was to use his second combo skill, starting with , to handle the brainwashed GBL Cult followers. But just as he was about to swing his sword for the first strike, Jinseong realized something. He couldn¡¯t hear Lenny¡¯s voice. He couldn¡¯t hear Fiona or Den¡¯s voices. There had been two enemies before him, but now there seemed to be three. Now four. Now five. ¡°Damn it! !¡± As his vision warped, Jinseong swung his sword, filled with the energy of darkness. The momentum was enough to cut down all the approaching enemies, but the blade of his beam saber merely sliced through empty air. His sword had to stop. More accurately, Jinseong¡¯s entire body had to stop. Because the brainwashed GBL Cult followers were no longer in front of him. What had once been their bodies was now transforming into something reddish. Except for the faded stones that made up the ancient ruins and the green plants that had somehow taken root there, there was nothing else in sight¡ªexcept for those reddish things growing and creeping up, wrapping around the ruins on Behemoth¡¯s back. Jinseong understood. ¡®I¡¯ve been caught.¡¯ He was already under Apostle Lotus¡¯s mind control. Though his body seemed to be moving normally, could he really call this ¡°actually moving¡±? If, by chance, he really was moving, how could he tell whether the things he saw were mere illusions or if they were the companions he had come with? More than anything, when he turned his gaze outside the ruins, he saw five eyes staring back at him. Each of those eyes was larger than any living creature Jinseong had ever seen. How could he even begin to describe this gigantic entity with five eyes? ¡®Get a grip. Don¡¯t be fooled. That¡¯s Lotus, but it¡¯s not really him. It¡¯s just an illusion. The real one isn¡¯t here.¡¯ Shaking his head, Jinseong gripped his sword tightly. Rather than moving recklessly, the urgent task was to steady his mind. He had to keep repeating to himself while scanning his surroundings. ¡®Don¡¯t panic. No matter how much he once ruled the planet Solaris¡­ Right now, he¡¯s nothing but a giant squid trapped in a jar¡ª¡¯ As Jinseong tried to break free from the illusion, a strange voice interrupted his thoughts. [¡­Who are you?] The voice alone made Jinseong¡¯s skin crawl. He didn¡¯t need to think twice about who it was. The 8th Apostle, Lotus of the Long Legs. The Apostle who could wield thousands of weapons at once spoke. [How do you know of my home?] With that one question, Jinseong understood something about Apostle Lotus¡¯s power that he had never experienced in *Dungeon & Fighter*. Chapter 31 Chapter 31The 8th Apostle, Lotus. His epithet: the one who can wield thousands of weapons at once. Currently, he exists in Arad, but before he ascended to the Demon Realm, he resided on an oceanic planet. It¡¯s well-known, even from playing *Dungeon & Fighter*, that Lotus can unleash his full power when submerged in water. However, the name of his original oceanic home planet, ¡°Solaris,¡± is a detail only uncovered by delving into the game¡¯s lore. In other words, none of the NPCs in this world could know that. [¡°Answer me. Not even to her have I ever spoken the name of my homeland. How is it that a mere human knows of it?¡±] Until Jinseong had just now recalled that bit of lore, even Hilder didn¡¯t know it. Even though Lotus¡¯s voice continued to resound, Jinseong didn¡¯t respond. There was no need to. ¡®He reads thoughts. This is definitely beyond the Lotus I know.¡¯ [¡°¡­I am the long-limbed Lotus, ruler of the oceans. What do you mean by ¡®the Lotus I know,¡¯ foolish human?¡±] Lotus was already reading Jinseong¡¯s thoughts, so there was no need to speak. Jinseong hesitated for a moment. If acting shamelessly or pretending to know something wouldn¡¯t work on Lotus, what method could he use to get out of this situation? ¡®This is all a hallucination created by him. Now that I¡¯m certain he¡¯s reading my thoughts, I have to be careful about what I think.¡¯ Apostle Lotus clearly had powers beyond what Jinseong knew. The ability to read thoughts. To what extent could Lotus read Jinseong¡¯s mind? How deeply could he delve into it? Jinseong tried to clear his mind to stay on guard, but that wasn¡¯t something he could suddenly do. ¡®Damn it. No one can just shut off their thoughts like that. It¡¯s not like I can enter a state of nothingness just like that-.¡¯ For a typical modern person, reaching a state of absolute nothingness is anything but easy. Therefore, Jinseong had to change his approach. While living thoughtlessly might be difficult for a modern person, there were things a modern mind could do! ¡®Dungeon Fighter, Dungeon Fighter, Lotus, Lotus¡­ Oh right, the Lotus Raid. I¡¯ve never played it since it¡¯s not in the PC version of Dungeon Fighter, but there is a parallel world where the Lotus Raid exists, and that¡¯s still Arad, even if it¡¯s not the same as the Plane: Arad¡­.¡¯ By flooding his mind chaotically with every possible piece of information related to *Dungeon & Fighter*, Lotus, and the Apostles, Jinseong wouldn¡¯t even be fully aware of what he was thinking himself! His plan was simple: overwhelm Lotus by flooding him with an onslaught of thoughts and information to confuse him! [¡°Hmm¡­ You are a human of this world, yet at the same time, not of this world?¡±] ¡°¡­What?¡± Lotus¡¯s voice had a hint of hesitation, and Jinseong was certain that his plan had worked, but it wasn¡¯t enough. Lotus had the power to control and manipulate the minds of others to the point of causing hallucinations and mental confusion. [¡°A parallel world? Are you referring to a phenomenon of transference? What do you mean by another Arad that is not Plane: Arad?¡±] Even in the flood of information Jinseong unleashed, Lotus was able to selectively pull out key details. ¡°Crazy¡­¡± Jinseong scowled. If Lotus had read this far, he might soon try to control Jinseong. ¡®I¡¯ve still got items in my inventory. I could pull one out now, but I¡¯m not planning to fight Lotus anyway, so there¡¯s no need¡­¡¯ Jinseong was preparing himself, but there was no immediate need to act. Even though Lotus had read his thoughts and information, normally, he would have quickly tried to manipulate or control Jinseong through hallucinations, but he wasn¡¯t doing that now. Thoughts of ¡°Lotus Raid,¡± ¡°parallel worlds,¡± ¡°another Arad,¡± and even ¡°I¡¯m not here to fight Lotus¡± kept filling Jinseong¡¯s mind. The emotions reflected in Lotus¡¯s five blue, piercing eyes¡ªso sharp and enormous that they barely seemed to belong to a living being¡ªwere ones of shock and curiosity. [¡°You¡¯re not here to stop me? No¡­ are you implying that the thoughts you were just having, the memories, refer to a world separate from Arad? Are you saying such a phenomenon truly exists?¡±] Apostle Lotus questioned him. As he listened to Lotus¡¯s words, Jinseong thought to himself. Escaping this hallucination could be an option, but maybe that wasn¡¯t the priority right now. [¡°Answer me, foolish and feeble human. Tell me about the existence of the parallel world. And, are you really saying there exists another Apostle Lotus in that world?¡±] Lotus wasn¡¯t showing hostility toward Jinseong yet. Jinseong could easily sense the emotions of doubt and curiosity radiating from him. ¡®Thank you, Dungeon Fighter Mobile¡­!¡¯ If that was the case? Jinseong made his decision. ¡°Yes. Unlike you, who was caught in Hilder¡¯s transference¡­ I came to this Arad with a mission, bestowed by one far more powerful than her.¡± He had to extract information from Lotus that he didn¡¯t already know. There was only one way to do that. ¡°First, guarantee the safety of me and my companions. Then, let¡¯s make a deal.¡± Jinseong proposed a deal to Lotus, speaking as if they were equals. A flash of anger appeared in Lotus¡¯s five blue eyes. [¡°You dare suggest a deal with me, a mere human? You wish to trade answers, hoping to gain more from me than you¡¯ll give? I could crush your pitiful companions this very moment!¡±] Even the smallest of his eyes was larger than Jinseong¡¯s entire body, and the central eye in particular was so immense that its size defied comprehension. But Jinseong didn¡¯t retreat. Moments ago, the sheer sight of Lotus¡¯s massive form would have made his legs buckle, but now that he had steeled his will, even the fear could be overcome. ¡°But you won¡¯t, will you? Because you want to confirm whether the information you¡¯ve read from me is true. You can¡¯t be sure yet.¡± [¡°I don¡¯t need confirmation! Even if such a world exists, I would never make a deal with the likes of you¡ª!¡±] ¡°But you *do* want to confirm it. You¡¯re frustrated and angry at how you¡¯re currently being played by Hilder¡¯s scheme, aren¡¯t you?¡± [¡°¡­I don¡¯t know how you know about her, but do you truly believe you understand with that tiny human brain of yours?!¡±] ¡®I¡¯ll give those words right back to you. Do you really think you know everything? You didn¡¯t even know anything until Shiroko¡¯s thought-form told you.¡¯ Jinseong alternated between speaking and thinking. He knew that Lotus could read his thoughts, so he deliberately shifted the most interesting pieces of information into his thoughts to further draw Lotus in. [!?] When Lotus¡¯s massive eye blinked, Jinseong knew his plan had worked. In the main storyline of *Dungeon & Fighter*, this event was one of the crucial turning points Jinseong remembered. At this point, Lotus hadn¡¯t merely been transferred by Apostle Hilder. ¡®Should I tell him more? That in the future, the memory of the deceased Shiroko crosses the and arrives here? That it was her thought-form that told you Hilder¡¯s plan and what you had to do to stop it?¡¯ [¡°How¡­ how do you know that¡­?¡±] One of the pivotal events in the future had influenced the past, and that past was now Jinseong¡¯s present. Jinseong spoke. ¡°You have no choice but to accept my deal, Lotus. Guarantee our safety, and answer my questions.¡± Lotus didn¡¯t respond. In that moment, the balance of power had shifted. The five enormous blue eyes were still locked onto Jinseong, but the fact that their pupils had contracted slightly was telling. ¡®A parallel-world Lotus, another self. Things are quite similar over there too, but I¡¯d say the situation¡¯s a bit better for them than for you, huh?¡¯ Jinseong continued to provoke Lotus. Even so, if Lotus refused to be swayed, Jinseong had a final card to play. ¡°I won¡¯t let Hilder¡¯s plan succeed either.¡± At that moment, Lotus clearly reacted. There was no need for him to explicitly say ¡°yes¡±; Jinseong could already tell. The 8th Apostle, the long-limbed Lotus, who loathed humans more than any other Apostle. [¡°Interesting¡­ A human who has come here by the power of one stronger than *her*, huh? Very well, human. You surely know what it means if Hilder¡¯s plan succeeds.¡±] ¡°Of course. I know.¡± [¡°Hahahaha! Even Shiroko didn¡¯t tell me anything about you, which must mean that you are indeed a variable in Hilder¡¯s plan¡­ Very well, I shall answer your questions. What do you wish to know?¡±] Finally, Lotus had acknowledged Jinseong. Jinseong asked. ¡°Is there another Apostle who can read thoughts and minds like you? Not just mental attacks, but one who can dig even deeper into memories? What¡¯s the mental sensitivity of the other Apostles?¡± * * * Lotus processed Jinseong¡¯s chaotic thoughts about *Dungeon Fighter Mobile*. But that didn¡¯t mean Jinseong could relax just yet. The reality where *Dungeon Fighter* and *Dungeon Fighter Mobile * coexisted. The existence of that reality, and the transcendent being Nemer, who had possessed Jinseong and brought him into Plane: Arad. If there was an Apostle capable of invading his mind and extracting such deep-seated memories, it would pose a serious threat to Jinseong¡¯s very existence. [¡°It¡¯s not that there are none¡­ But not all Apostles have the same ability as I do.¡±] Lotus answered. Jinseong began comparing Lotus¡¯s words with the information he already knew. [¡°For beings like Diregie or Anton, who operate purely on instinct, there¡¯s no point in even mentioning them. Isis-Prey has strong physical abilities but weak mental faculties. He wouldn¡¯t be able to read your thoughts.¡±] The 3rd Apostle, Isis-Prey of the Sky. The 6th Apostle, Diregie of the Black Disease. The 7th Apostle, Anton the Fire-Eater. Impossible. Jinseong¡¯s predictions aligned with Lotus¡¯s. [¡°As for Cain or that silent old man, there¡¯s no telling what goes on in their heads, so I can¡¯t say much about them.¡±] The 1st Apostle, Cain of Fate. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The 9th Apostle, Luke the Constructor. ¡®But Luke¡­ Luke has unique abilities, so I¡¯d better be careful with him.¡¯ Jinseong thought it was wise to remain cautious about Luke, even though not much was known at this point. ¡°What about Ozma or Michaela? Do you know about them?¡± [¡°I don¡¯t care about those wretches. I don¡¯t even recall seeing them in the Demon Realm. Are they even Apostles?¡±] The 10th Apostle, Michaela of the Castle. The 11th Apostle, Ozma of Chaos. ¡®That makes sense. From what I remember, their backstories don¡¯t quite match up either.¡¯ Apostles who had always existed in Arad may have piqued no interest for the Apostles that arrived via the Demon Realm from other planets. [¡°Backstory?¡±] ¡°No, ahem, so¡­ what about Cassius and Shiroko?¡± [¡°Cassius may be a brute, but he has a beast-like instinct that lets him read his opponent¡¯s intentions. As for Shiroko, you already know, don¡¯t you?¡±] ¡°¡­Ah, right. She¡¯s the one who figured out Hilder¡¯s plan, after all. There¡¯s no way she wouldn¡¯t be capable.¡± The 4th Apostle, Cassius the Conqueror. Somewhat possible. The 5th Apostle, Shiroko the Formless. Possible. Especially Shiroko, Jinseong was already familiar with her story. [¡°Indeed. Compared to me, her range is limited, but within her sphere of influence, especially with direct contact, she may be as capable as I am¡­ or perhaps even more. Hah, well, she¡¯s the one who uncovered Hilder¡¯s plan after all.¡±] Though his Apostle pride didn¡¯t allow him to admit it openly, Lotus was essentially acknowledging that Shiroko¡¯s mental abilities could be even more dangerous than his own. Even with this troubling information, Jinseong still had one more question. ¡°What about Hilder?¡± [¡°Impossible.¡±] Lotus¡¯s answer came swiftly. It was as if he knew exactly what Jinseong most wanted to hear. But it wasn¡¯t entirely satisfying for Jinseong. ¡°Are you sure? I heard Hilder can control minds. Doesn¡¯t that mean she can also read memories?¡± The fortune-teller, Iris Fortune Singer. As far as Jinseong knew, even up until the present, Iris was still under Hilder¡¯s mental control. Could Lotus¡¯s words really be trusted? However, Lotus merely reacted with a mocking laugh. [¡°Do you think creating a puppet to control and penetrating someone¡¯s mind to read memories are the same thing? If Hilder had such an ability, do you think I wouldn¡¯t have known?¡±] Lotus took pride in being one of the strongest Apostles in terms of mental abilities. Jinseong needed a moment to process everything. ¡®That makes sense. Strategies, schemes, manipulations¡­ These all suggest that she can¡¯t just read minds. If Hilder could extract information from someone¡¯s mental world, she wouldn¡¯t need to resort to such tactics.¡¯ It seemed correct to conclude that Hilder was unable to read minds or extract memories. As Jinseong reached that conclusion, a chill ran down his spine. The 2nd Apostle, Hilder of the Weeping Eyes. Unable to read minds or steal memories. But when considering things beyond pure abilities¡­ ¡®How incredibly smart would someone have to be to¡­ whew.¡¯ In other words, everything that had happened up until now, all the events orchestrated to align with Hilder¡¯s will, were the result of her sheer intelligence. [¡°Hahahah, are you scared already?¡±] ¡°No, not scared. It¡¯s just dawning on me how incredible this is. Oh, and one more question.¡± Jinseong steadied his breathing. Discovering unknown information about the Apostles was only his primary goal. As he continued exchanging information with Lotus, Jinseong had another, deeper goal in mind. If Apostle Lotus could display such mental sensitivity¡­ If he could so readily accept Jinseong¡¯s thoughts about ¡°parallel worlds¡± and ¡°another Lotus¡±¡­ Then he might know more. Most importantly, he might have the key to Jinseong¡¯s return to his original world. ¡°Do you know anything about the ?¡± His real objective was to uncover information about the . Chapter 33 Chapter 33Wearing the mask of the GBL Church to cover his face, Jinseong quietly took a step back. Rennie, Fiona, and Den, all preoccupied with the female Archer user, hadn¡¯t noticed that Jinseong wasn¡¯t following them. Above all, he had taken great care to conceal himself. He couldn¡¯t pursue them any further. If he were honest with himself, even watching them was difficult. That¡¯s because Jinseong already knew what would happen. ¡®The player thinks that the illusion of Lotus appeared as Rennie. Here, they attack Rennie. Of course, it¡¯s not just an illusion, and at this point, the player is much stronger than Rennie, so¡­¡¯ Rennie would die from the player¡¯s attack. That¡¯s the progression of the main scenario quest. Among all the countless branching paths, battles, meetings, and farewells in *Dungeon & Fighter*, this might be the only moment where a player directly creates a sacrifice with their own hands. ¡®So¡­ I can¡¯t interfere here. The regret and remorse over killing Rennie are what will drive the player to strengthen their resolve later on.¡¯ Because of that, it was a point where Jinseong couldn¡¯t intervene. If he stopped Rennie here, the female Archer user¡¯s scenario quest wouldn¡¯t progress any further. ¡°Adventurer! Stop right there! Where do you think you¡¯re going?!¡± As if responding to Rennie¡¯s shout, the female Archer user halted. Of course, she didn¡¯t stop out of kindness. ¡°You! I didn¡¯t like you since we met at Sky Castle! Are you really going to act like this?!¡± Her sharp attack, where she instantly drew and fired her arrow, was fierce enough that not only Rennie but even Fiona and Den, following behind, had to gasp and dodge. ¡°Please, get a grip, Adventurer! Commander and Aganzo are waiting for you!¡± ¡°I¡¯m already scared to death about facing Lotus, and now you¡¯re acting like this too?!¡± The three of them desperately called out to snap the player back to their senses, but it was pointless. Jinseong knew this too. ¡®The player isn¡¯t in control right now. They¡¯re probably just hitting the spacebar or clicking through the quest scripts on their screen. And by the time the script ends¡­¡¯ It would be after they landed the fatal blow on Rennie. Only after seeing Rennie fall would the player come to their senses. No matter what, at this point, Rennie¡¯s death was inevitable. How many more times did the sharp whistling of arrows fill the air? Even from a fair distance, Jinseong could tell that the player¡¯s attacks were relentless, to the point where Fiona and Den couldn¡¯t approach. ¡°Rennie! We can¡¯t handle this! Just like the Commander said, we need to stall for time¡ª¡± ¡°Y-Yeah! We should wait until the Commander and Aganzo deal with Lotus. We can¡¯t beat her anyway!¡± The difference in skill was clear, even to Jinseong. Even though the female Archer user¡¯s first class was the buffer class, Muse, it didn¡¯t matter in this situation. ¡°Are you just going to stand by and do nothing?! We need to knock some sense into her and send her to help the Commander!¡± Despite the growing distance between them, Rennie hadn¡¯t given up. Jinseong¡¯s throat felt dry with frustration. ¡®I have no right to step in. Besides¡­ this is part of the game¡¯s questline. If I save Rennie now, everything will be thrown off for future quests, not just this one involving Lotus.¡¯ The main scenario quest of *Dungeon & Fighter* involved retracing past events. Though it happened much later in the timeline, the player eventually pursued the ¡°Thoughts of Shiroko¡± and revisited several moments in the past, including the time when Apostle Lotus was defeated in the era of Behemoth. ¡®Even then¡­ the player could only watch helplessly as Rennie died.¡¯ Knowing how the quest unfolded, Jinseong instinctively turned his head away. !? S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And then he saw it. The same username as the female Archer user. Two other NPCs standing beside her, helping with the quest. ¡°What¡­?¡± Jinseong spoke without thinking. Whether they heard his voice or sensed his gaze, or perhaps both, one of the two NPCs looked at Jinseong. It was Iris Fortune Singer. * * * ¡®Huh¡­? What?¡¯ Startled and flustered, Jinseong stumbled backward, landing on his rear. But perhaps it was for the best. With the GBL Church mask on, she seemed to recognize him as just another monster and quickly turned her head away. Of course, Jinseong couldn¡¯t feel relieved yet. ¡®Why are Iris and Shiran here?!¡¯ He was more confused than anything. It wasn¡¯t because Iris Fortune Singer was Hilder¡¯s puppet. ¡®By this point, she¡¯s already free from Hilder¡¯s control. She¡¯s genuinely helping the player to correct the mistakes of the past.¡¯ It also wasn¡¯t because of Shiran. As one of the ¡°Four Weapon Masters,¡± Shiran was a trusted NPC who had always sincerely aided the player. So, there was only one reason for Jinseong¡¯s confusion. ¡®Why is a player from the future here?!¡¯ Jinseong had been following the female Archer user. She was a relatively novice player who had just started the quest to defeat Apostle Lotus on Behemoth. ¡®Right, I even picked up some items that she left behind. So, she¡¯s not just some NPC or APC! She¡¯s a real player! A person controlling a character through a monitor and keyboard!¡¯ She had been clearing dungeons, and Jinseong had followed in her wake, collecting items. In other words, the female Archer user was a real person currently logged in. Then, who were these people that Jinseong was seeing now? ¡®The items are different. How is this possible? Am I seeing this player¡¯s future?¡¯ This was something that only happened during specific quests. However, it wasn¡¯t something that should be happening at level 30. It was supposed to be part of a much later quest in the *Dungeon & Fighter* main scenario. ¡®This¡­ this is part of the scenario.¡¯ It was something that happened when chasing ¡°Shiroko¡¯s Thoughts¡± during the questline. That quest also had to be played by a player. For this to be happening, there would need to be two of the same person. That was impossible. Jinseong reached a conclusion. Though it followed the scenario¡¯s flow, this wasn¡¯t part of the current timeline. This was an abnormal situation. ¡®It¡¯s contamination.¡¯ Then, this must be contamination. By the time Jinseong¡¯s suspicion turned to certainty, further evidence presented itself. The ¡®future player,¡¯ who had been hiding, suddenly started walking out. ¡°Adventurer, snap out of it!¡± ¡°Rennie, watch out!¡± Jinseong realized that this was the only chance, as neither Rennie nor Fiona and Den, who were fully absorbed in the battle, had noticed anything. Without hesitation, Jinseong sprinted forward. ¡°!¡± He swung his sword at the ¡®future player,¡¯ or rather, the ¡®contaminated entity.¡¯ *Clang!* Jinseong¡¯s attack was blocked. ¡°What¡­?¡± The person who had raised their blade to block wasn¡¯t a player. It was an NPC with a familiar dialect and a rather lively tone. Yet, this figure was someone deeply respected in the martial nation of Suju. ¡°What kind of situation is this? A brainwashed believer is attacking us?¡± It was Shiran, one of the ¡°Four Weapon Masters.¡± Jinseong saw the surprise on Shiran¡¯s face through the GBL Church mask. ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem like a typical brainwashed believer. Be careful, Shiran.¡± ¡°Careful or not, this situation¡ª¡± ¡°, !¡± Jinseong continued his combo. Even if the attack was blocked, the structure of the Dark Knight¡¯s skills ensured that the combo wouldn¡¯t break in the middle! ¡°Ugh?!¡± Shiran staggered, struggling to deflect Jinseong¡¯s onslaught. That¡¯s because Jinseong¡¯s attacks weren¡¯t aimed at Shiran. ¡°Adventurer, it looks like this guy¡¯s after you.¡± Shiran stepped in front of the player, preventing them from advancing. This was exactly what Jinseong had hoped for. ¡°Shiran, be careful. This person has been brainwashed by Lotus, and they have no reason left. But if those over there see us, as we are from beyond the , it will only cause trouble.¡± ¡°What do we do then?¡± ¡°Stay within the range of the magic I¡¯m about to cast. It will temporarily conceal both our presence and sound.¡± Iris¡¯s cautious stance was exactly what Jinseong had hoped for. Light emanated from the four-stringed instrument, *Marelite*, in Iris¡¯s hands. ¡°Alright then. Adventurer! Let¡¯s take care of¡ª¡± ¡°, !¡± Jinseong couldn¡¯t afford to hold back any longer. To be exact, he didn¡¯t have the luxury of holding back. ¡°-Whoa! You¡¯re fast.¡± Though he unleashed his second main combo skill set, both Shiran and the adventurer in the form of the female Archer user easily dodged his attacks. ¡®But this is proof that this is contamination. If they were the real thing, I would¡¯ve been done for by now.¡¯ After all, this was supposed to be a quest that took place when a player¡¯s level was well over 100. With Jinseong barely around level 30, it was highly likely that just one hit would have ended him. Half of it was a gamble, but the other half was based on the reaction to his initial attack, allowing Jinseong to make up his mind and act. ¡°!¡± Jinseong fired a cross-shaped, dark-element slash straight at Shiran. Shiran¡¯s eyes widened briefly, but the slash was nullified by a protective barrier surrounding his body. Though Shiran was known for his swordsmanship as one of the ¡°Four Weapon Masters,¡± his techniques utilizing *Nen* were also at a high level. ¡°Iris! Is this guy really just a brainwashed follower? He even uses sword energy?¡± Though his attack didn¡¯t land directly, it was enough to throw Shiran off balance. ¡°I don¡¯t know either, but¡ª Adventurer! Why do you keep trying to step outside¡ª¡± ¡°Adventurer! You can¡¯t leave! If the Time Lords catch sight of us moving in and out of the , they won¡¯t stay quiet!¡± But the ¡°future form¡± of the female Archer user was causing confusion for everyone, including Jinseong. The female Archer began walking out of Iris¡¯s magic circle. Through the mask of the GBL Church, Jinseong caught a glimpse of her vacant eyes. If those eyes were focused on only one thing¡ªRennie, who was currently battling the female Archer user¡ªthen? ¡®Is she trying to reveal herself and disrupt the quest?¡¯ Shiran rushed at Jinseong, swinging his sword down. Stopping him was Jinseong¡¯s immediate priority. He knew that. But he couldn¡¯t. If he blocked Shiran¡¯s attack, the contaminated figure would step out of Iris¡¯s magic circle, and from that point, the female Archer user¡¯s quest would be completely derailed. So, Jinseong extended his left arm. ¡®Even if I get hit¡ª¡¯ When they had descended from Sky Castle, his level had been 23. Since then, he had explored Behemoth with Rennie, handed over a copy of the *Genesis Chronicles* to Ban, and fought off monsters. So now? ¡®I¡¯ll stop it!¡¯ Jinseong had gained the time and ability to learn new skills. ¡°!¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤! From Jinseong¡¯s hand, a non-elemental vortex shot out, mercilessly pulling the ¡°contaminated entity,¡± the future version of the female Archer user, toward him. Not just stopping, but forcibly dragging it backward. As the entity staggered¡­ ¡°Haaa!¡± Shiran¡¯s war cry rang out. Jinseong¡¯s back burned, but he couldn¡¯t turn around. At the same time, another sound reached him. ¡°Aaaagh¡­!¡± It was Rennie¡¯s scream. The female Archer user¡¯s arrow had pierced Rennie¡¯s heart. Even though he assumed Shiran¡¯s sword was about to strike the back of his head, Jinseong couldn¡¯t close his eyes. He had to see it. Before he could even feel the sorrow or regret he had anticipated, Jinseong was struck by confusion. ¡®It¡­ disappeared.¡¯ The future version of the female Archer user that had been pulled toward Jinseong¡¯s left arm had vanished. The pressure on the back of his head had also disappeared. Jinseong quickly turned around. Shiran was gone, and so was Iris. ¡®Did the contamination end?¡¯ However, there was no sign of any loot on the ground. Where Shiran and Iris had stood, there were only two corpses. The bodies of two high-ranking GBL Church members, dressed differently from regular believers. ¡®¡­Was it an illusion?¡¯ When Jinseong realized that the events he had just experienced were due to an illusion, he also came to another conclusion about the *Contamination* and its *Source*. Chapter 34 Chapter 34Jinseong hid, dragging the two corpses on the ground. Through the mask of the GBL Church, he could see Lenny collapsing and Fiona, along with Den, supporting her. When he caught a glimpse of the ¡®current¡¯ female archer user¡¯s expression briefly flinching, Jinseong was sure. The quest screen triggered by Lotus¡¯s illusion had now ended for that user as well. What appeared before them must have been the sight of Lenny falling and Fiona and Den standing by her side. ¡°Lenny! Lenny!¡± While Fiona frantically called out Lenny¡¯s name, Den was looking at the archer user. ¡°Have you¡­ come to your senses?¡± Naturally, the user didn¡¯t answer. Fiona spoke. ¡°The adventurer suddenly dashed out¡­ The others went to stop Lotus. Our role was to stop you, but¡ª.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± ¡°Lenny? Are you okay?¡± Fiona asked. Jinseong also saw it. It was a scene he hadn¡¯t witnessed while playing *Dungeon & Fighter*. ¡®She¡¯s crying. Fiona¡­ I never saw this in the in-game illustrations.¡¯ Tears streamed down Fiona¡¯s face as she supported Lenny, whose head trembled weakly, barely held up by Fiona¡¯s arms. The trickle of blood at the corner of Lenny¡¯s mouth was also something that players couldn¡¯t see from their perspective in the game. ¡°Really, I¡­ I never liked adventurers from the start¡­.¡± Lenny¡¯s neck seemed to have lost all strength, and her head fell limp. Her lips moved faintly, as if she were trying to say something. But she never managed to utter a single word. Only after taking her last breath did she let out a faint mumble as she exhaled her life. ¡°¡­Mom¡­.¡± ¡°Lenny! Lenny!¡± Lenny, the lower knight of the Iron Wolf Knights, who, even while wandering around Hendon Myre, had always expressed her desire to show her mother her achievements. ¡®Lenny¡­.¡¯ A tear rolled down Jinseong¡¯s cheek as well. However, there wasn¡¯t time to dwell on sorrow. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡­¡­!!!! The light that burst from the female archer user¡¯s arm was another kind of signal. ¡°What¡¯s that bracelet? No, that¡¯s not the issue right now¡­ If you¡¯ve regained your senses, go help the others.¡± Jinseong knew what it was. The , an item that could temporarily block Apostle Lotus¡¯s mental influence. It was the same item Iris Fortune Singer had handed to the female archer user just before she re-boarded Behemoth. ¡®But the timing of its activation was delayed. At the time, I thought it was just a calculation error, but considering Iris at this point, she might have done it on purpose. Regardless, that¡¯s not important now. The user will leave soon.¡¯ Watching the hesitant user, Fiona continued. ¡°The reason you¡¯ve come to your senses now¡­ it¡¯s thanks to Lenny, who called out to you so earnestly. Go. The one who killed Lenny was not you, but Lotus.¡± The user, now free from Apostle Lotus¡¯s illusion, would soon join forces with Ban and Aganzo, who were already fighting Lotus, to defeat him. And Jinseong knew he, too, had to follow them. ¡®¡­Illusion. The GBL Church¡¯s brainwashed high priests. They appeared to me as ¡®NPCs and users from future quests.¡¯ It was definitely an illusion. And there¡¯s only one being at this point capable of showing me such hallucinations.¡¯ The Eighth Apostle, the Long-Legged Lotus. The Apostle with whom Jinseong had exchanged information through a deal. Did Lotus really need to show Jinseong hallucinations? Losing power outside of water, just dealing with Ban and Aganzo should be challenging enough. Why would Lotus waste energy on Jinseong? ¡®There¡¯s no reason. Which makes it clear. Whether it was from the time we spoke or sometime after, I don¡¯t know!¡¯ Apostle Lotus had become . If that¡¯s why the corrupted card hadn¡¯t appeared yet, then?! ¡°You need to stop Lotus¡­ Only then¡­ Lenny¡¯s sacrifice won¡¯t be in vain.¡± Fiona said. The user began running at full speed. Jinseong simply watched the user. He knew there was no need to follow immediately. Instead, he hid himself more thoroughly. Den spoke. ¡°But where did Jinseong go? I haven¡¯t seen him for a while.¡± ¡°¡­Exactly. The person Lenny wanted to see for the last time, the one her lips moved to call out to with her final breath, and yet¡­.¡± As Fiona tended to Lenny¡¯s corpse, she muttered. The word Lenny had tried to say before calling out for her mother. That breathless sound, the syllable that her lips formed¡ªif only her breath had carried a little further. Fiona¡¯s voice trailed off, bitter with regret. But Jinseong knew. He knew that Lenny had tried to call out to him in her last moments. He knew the pain of having to watch, fully aware of her death. That¡¯s why Jinseong was moving, pressing forward. ¡®¡­Just as Fiona said. To make sure Lenny¡¯s death isn¡¯t in vain¡­.¡¯ He had to stop the corruption. There was only one thing he needed to do right now. Rustle, rustle. Jinseong stripped the robes from the corpse of the GBL Church high priest he had dragged along. Then, rummaging through his [Inventory], he pulled something out. * * * The path leading to Behemoth¡¯s second spine was nothing for Jinseong. More than anything, Lotus¡¯s power seemed to be weakening, as no brainwashed monsters appeared to block his way. ¡®The user must¡¯ve arrived before me. And if it¡¯s the Lotus from the scenario quest, then for the user, dealing with him would be a piece of cake. Even though she¡¯s a buffer like the Muse, it shouldn¡¯t take long.¡¯ Jinseong moved quickly, though he didn¡¯t rush. Arriving early didn¡¯t matter. He couldn¡¯t just barge in where Lotus was anyway. Jinseong observed. In the distance, he saw a massive altar, with the Iron Wolf Knights maintaining a defensive formation, standing vigilantly. ¡°I¡¯m in your debt, Vice-Captain Hartz.¡± ¡°Even though I currently serve the Duchy, I once worked for the Empire¡¯s knights. No need to mention debts when we¡¯re facing a common enemy.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± The scene of Robato, the female knight of Bell Meyer Duchy, receiving treatment from Hartz, the vice-captain of the Iron Wolf Knights, was familiar to Jinseong, even though he had never seen it in person. ¡®It¡¯s a scene from the script. Robato was injured while fighting Lotus with Ban and Aganzo. Hartz and the Iron Wolf Knights are treating her while handling the aftermath of Lotus. In other words, Ban, Aganzo, and the user are the ones currently dealing with Lotus¡ª.¡¯ It was safe to assume that Lotus was still alive. Of course, as Jinseong had predicted, Lotus wouldn¡¯t survive much longer. ¡°Ugh¡ªMy head, all of a sudden¡­.¡± ¡°¡­What is this?¡± As Robato and Hartz felt the strange sensation, the Iron Wolf Knights also frowned. ¡°Where¡­ is this?¡± ¡°Mom? Is that you? Mom?¡± They mumbled as if they were seeing something lost to them. As soon as Jinseong confirmed this, he stepped forward. There wasn¡¯t the slightest hesitation in his movement, no concern that they might recognize him. ¡®This is¡­ Lotus¡¯s final mental attack, triggered when the user realizes they¡¯ve killed the Lotus trapped in the altar.¡¯ Even Ban and Aganzo would be swayed by Lotus¡¯s mental manipulation. In that illusion, the user would engage in one last battle against the seemingly resurrected Lotus, now free from the altar and displaying his true strength. The quest would finally end with the user¡¯s victory. ¡°And when the battle ends and they come to their senses, none of them remember anything. Not even Ban or Aganzo. So, of course, Hartz and Robato won¡¯t be able to endure it either!¡± Tap, tap-tap, tap-tap-tap-tap¡ª! Jinseong picked up speed. The first thing he saw was the female archer user standing frozen. And beside her, Ban and Aganzo, both visibly disoriented. ¡°Emily¡­ Emily, no!¡± ¡°This memory¡­ I mustn¡¯t forget¡ª Who are¡ª?¡± Even those who had endured until now through sheer willpower were unable to resist any longer, as Lotus¡¯s final mental resonance, unleashed with the last of his life force, proved too powerful. ¡®Yeah, this should have ended. Normally¡­ the real body is already dead! Lotus should have bet everything in the mental world as a last act of desperation¡ª.¡¯ Jinseong saw it. The collapsed GBL Church altar and the massive tentacles that drooped outside it. The tentacles, once bright red, were now coated in dust from the crumbling altar, turned an ashen gray. They should no longer be moving. The final battle with Apostle Lotus should have taken place in the mental world, as per the main scenario. ¡°-But it¡¯s not dead, is it! Because it¡¯s corrupted!¡± Not yet. Just as one of the drooping tentacles suddenly sharpened at the tip and shot toward the user! Jinseong raised his beam saber and charged forward. ¡°!¡± With such speed that even Jinseong could barely control it. It was a skill learned at level 25, one of the primary movement skills of the Dark Knight class. Closing the distance in an instant, Jinseong¡¯s eyes widened as he swung his saber to deflect Lotus¡¯s tentacle. KA-AAAAAANG©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤! The loud clashing sound echoed like metal striking metal. It was a barely successful defense, with Jinseong standing in front of the archer user, his back chilled from the close call, but it was Lotus who was more shocked. ¡°¡­You¡­ How¡­?!¡± Lotus¡¯s voice boomed. Jinseong dropped something from his inventory, speaking as he did so. ¡°This.¡± The reason Jinseong had sought out Lenny in Hendon Myre wasn¡¯t just to offer a final act of mercy, knowing her fate. It was for the things he had bought at Kanna¡¯s general store: , , , and even a , just in case. ¡°What¡­ is that?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just say¡­ it¡¯s a gift I bought with Lenny.¡± S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His original plan had been to rely on the Iris had given to the user. But Jinseong couldn¡¯t trust only that, so he had to prepare a plan B. Though he couldn¡¯t fully break free from Lotus¡¯s mental control or completely liberate himself, Jinseong needed something that could temporarily resist and recover from it. ¡®I¡¯m not sure how effective the is, but I know what it counters. Stun, confusion, sleep. At least three of them are certain.¡¯ So, Jinseong had used potions to mimic the effects of the ¡¯s option to ¡°reduce stun, confusion, and sleep duration by 15%.¡± Still shocked, Lotus barely found his voice. ¡°What is important is not that! Lotus! Are you aware that you¡¯re corrupted?¡± ¡°Corrupted? Do you think I, who commands such power, would suffer such a condition?¡± Lotus¡¯s voice was a harsh rasp, like something scraping against his vocal cords. Though defiant, Jinseong was more certain than ever. ¡°As expected¡­ Even intelligent beings can¡¯t realize they¡¯re corrupted.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Jinseong gripped his sword tightly. There was only one thing left to do. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, squid. If you¡¯re corrupted, I just have to cut you down. With the Bucipke¡¯s authority.¡± Chapter 35 Chapter 35Jinseong was certain for a reason. The Apostle Lotus had indeed read a portion of Jinseong¡¯s thoughts and memories. However, what Lotus understood was only a fragment related to parallel worlds. He had comprehended the fact that in *Dungeon & Fighter Mobile*, another dimension existed where Lotus himself was an Apostle, fighting hard after being transferred there by Hilder. But it should have stopped there. ¡®But the vision I just saw wasn¡¯t like that.¡¯ Right before Lenny¡¯s death, Jinseong had seen the vision of a ¡°quest the user would progress in the future¡± and the NPCs accompanying them on that quest. It wasn¡¯t information traded with the Apostle Lotus, nor was it a memory Jinseong had consciously recalled. ¡®Lotus might have the power to show visions, but it wouldn¡¯t make sense for him to show ¡°just any¡± vision.¡¯ Making people recall their most painful memories or terrifying scenes to incapacitate them was a specialty of Lotus. In such hallucinatory states, he could provoke, guide, and trigger various actions, leading GBL cultists to kill one another, and eventually, completely dominate their minds, making them worship him. From that perspective, the vision Jinseong saw¡ª¡°the quest the female archer user will progress in the future¡± and ¡°the NPCs appearing in that quest¡±¡ªwas clearly different from the usual method Lotus had employed until now. ¡®Yet, the fact that the vision appeared means¡­ Lotus is corrupted. This current situation proves it as well.¡¯ Based on the fact that such a vision was shown to him, Jinseong could confirm Lotus¡¯s current state. The mere fact that Lotus, who should have already been declared dead and had his body collapse, was still moving showed that he was in a ¡°corrupted state.¡± Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In other words, Jinseong had to stop him. He had to prevent the ¡°corrupted¡± Lotus from harming the user, Ban, or Aganzo. ¡°Hahaha, do you think you are equal to me just because we made a deal? How foolish humans are!¡± Lotus laughed, sharpening his tentacles. Listening to Lotus¡¯s arrogant voice, Jinseong had only one concern. Would that voice snap the user and the NPCs out of their hallucinations? Lotus¡¯s supposed power was not what worried Jinseong. ¡°What a joke. You¡¯ve already been beaten to a pulp by the adventurer, Ban, and Aganzo, and you don¡¯t have much strength left. Did you think I wouldn¡¯t know that?¡± Though Lotus had been powerful, Jinseong already knew that Lotus could no longer display that power at this point. According to the flow of the main scenario quest, Lotus¡¯s physical body should have already perished by now. He had barely succeeded in his last attempt at mental manipulation, showing his presence in the mental world and fighting the user, Ban, Aganzo, and others. But regardless, his physical body was finished. That meant Lotus should have been dead by now, and the only reason he was still barely clinging to life was due to the ¡°corruption,¡± which meant that Jinseong could stand a chance! ¡°How arrogant, you wretch!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the arrogant one here?¡± However, regardless of the calculation that he stood a chance, there was still a problem for Jinseong, who was currently possessed in *Plane: Arad*. He didn¡¯t have the same powerful advantages given to the users or ¡°character adventurers.¡± Ssshhh¡ª! Once again, one of Lotus¡¯s powerful tentacles shot out. Jinseong deflected Lotus¡¯s tentacle, as thick as his own torso, with a sharp clanging sound. ¡°Ugh.¡± Even though Lotus¡¯s attack had weakened, it still made Jinseong¡¯s arm tingle. However, the fact that he had blocked the Apostle¡¯s attack twice perfectly brought a satisfied smile to his face. And at that moment, Lotus¡¯s specialty, mental manipulation, which he took pride in being the best at, came into play. ¡°¡­So, you intend to protect those humans in front of you? How dare you try to protect anyone from me, who can wield thousands of weapons at once!¡± It meant that Lotus had read Jinseong¡¯s intent¡ªnot just to attack but to protect the user, Aganzo, and Ban. Jinseong quickly tried to act like that wasn¡¯t the case, but it was already too late. ¡°No, why would I¡­ uh¡­¡± ¡°Do you think you can deceive me with mere words, foolish human?¡± As one of the sharp tentacles wavered for a moment, the others, which had been limp on the ground, started to rise and stiffen. Even without confirming, it was clear that Lotus had divided the power previously concentrated in one tentacle among several. ¡°That¡¯s a bit¡­ unfair.¡± For Jinseong, this was the worst attack pattern he could face. ¡°Hahaha, I¡¯ll show you the power that once ruled the vast sea, power that not even Apostles dare to touch!¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤, ©¤©¤©¤©¤, ©¤©¤©¤©¤! Several tentacles surged toward their respective targets. ¡°Damn it, ¡ª.¡± Jinseong gritted his teeth and had to move. ¡ª The hair of the user, Ban, and Aganzo, who had collapsed in a daze, fluttered faintly. At the same time, the sound of metal clashing against metal continued to ring out. It meant that Jinseong had already blocked the tentacles flying toward the three several times. ¡°How long do you think you can keep blocking them? You will not achieve what you desire!¡± ¡°You¡¯re still saying that after watching me block all your attacks so far?¡± Jinseong shouted as he deflected both Lotus¡¯s words and his tentacles, though Lotus wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. The first weakness was Jinseong¡¯s skill structure. ¡®Damn it, I can¡¯t just switch the preset skill combos right now! Although I¡¯m over level 25 and have several combos stacked¡ª¡¯ This was Jinseong¡¯s frustration. There were skills that activated while moving, and what Jinseong needed now was the combination of those. To protect Ban, Aganzo, and the user, who were spread out at some distance, he needed to move and deal with the tentacles. However, since Jinseong hadn¡¯t yet reached the appropriate level, he needed to rely on skills with added effects like a 100% or 150% damage boost. ¡®The problem is the skills without mobility. You must use those before moving on to the next combo with a mobility skill. I never expected to face the Dark Knight¡¯s notorious issue in this way!¡¯ A tentacle was surging toward Ban. Jinseong had just finished blocking the tentacle that had been aimed at Aganzo. Ban was on the far left, the user in the middle, and Aganzo on the right. He had to block the tentacle closing in on Ban, then immediately block the next tentacle flying toward the user. To get to Ban as quickly as possible, he needed a skill that would allow both mobility and an attack. The most suitable option was . However, was the second skill in Jinseong¡¯s primary combo! ¡°¡ª.¡± In the end, to block the tentacle aimed at Ban, Jinseong used the pointless skill to cut the air with his beam saber in front of Aganzo. ¡°-!¡± Kaaang¡ª! Barely managing to reach Ban¡¯s position, he blocked the tentacle just in time! ¡°¡ª.¡± The next skill in his combo had a bit of mobility, so it allowed him to cover the distance between Ban and the user. But there was yet another issue. As soon as he protected the user, a tentacle was already aiming for Aganzo¡¯s neck. ¡°-!¡± Fortunately, Jinseong had distributed skills with slight mobility into each combo. Though allowed him to move just enough, he barely managed to deflect the tentacle¡¯s side with a deep stab, but there was no time to relax. The next skill was , which used colorless cube fragments and only activated while stationary. Jinseong had no choice but to ¡°cancel the skill combo.¡± ¡°!¡± He activated another skill combo. And naturally, that came with a penalty. ¡®The cooldown won¡¯t recover immediately. There¡¯s a delay after the skill usage suspension before the cooldown starts ticking¡ª¡¯ It meant losing time. Since the cooldown only began after the skill usage suspension, the difference would be ¡°a few seconds¡± compared to if the cooldown started right after using all the skills. ¡°Hahaha! Struggle! Move! Even without controlling your mind, I, the Apostle, can control your body!¡± Jinseong was too overwhelmed to even respond to Lotus¡¯s smug taunt. Which skills could he use after a few seconds of cooldown? When had the cooldown started, and what mobility skills were included in the next combo? How far could he move with that mobility? But that wasn¡¯t the only issue. Even amidst all this calculation, Jinseong was most concerned with the timing. ¡®In a little while, the user will kill Lotus in the vision, and they will all wake up¡ªuser, Ban, and Aganzo! If that happens, I¡¯m¡ª¡¯ Finished. Even though Lotus should be dead by now, he was still moving with power. If the female archer user saw the Dark Knight user suddenly crash into their scenario quest and act like a fool, she wouldn¡¯t stay still! Caught up in blocking the attacks, Jinseong couldn¡¯t get close to Lotus¡¯s main body. If he kept stalling, the user would discover the ¡°corrupted quest.¡± Repeating the same actions wouldn¡¯t produce any solutions in this situation of no retreat or advance . ¡®¡­I have to try it. Right here.¡¯ Jinseong steeled himself. The only way to break through this was to deal with the three incoming tentacles at virtually the same time and immediately attack Lotus. ¡°Hooo¡­¡± Jinseong paused briefly, taking a deep breath. Lotus¡¯s voice rang out triumphantly. ¡°Have you finally given up on your futile resistance? Your sword will be buried here!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that. I won¡¯t.¡± Jinseong replied. ¡°That is not for you to decide. Powerless humans have no right to make decisions!¡± The enraged Lotus sent his tentacles flying even faster. Swiish¡ª! The sound of the tentacles cutting through the air reached Jinseong¡¯s ears instinctively. In that brief exchange, the pattern of attack had shifted. The first tentacle aimed at Jinseong in front of Aganzo, the second at the user, and the last at Ban, with each attack coming in sequence. If Jinseong slashed diagonally, he might be able to handle all the attacks at once. ¡®But it¡¯s impossible to block all three tentacles with just the sword. Even in terms of timing, this is likely my last chance¡ª¡¯ Despite knowing it was impossible to deflect them all, there was no other choice. Jinseong swung his sword. ¡°.¡± The sword¡¯s energy shot out in a cross shape. It was aimed at nothing but empty space. ¡°Hahaha! Are you trying to protect just one of them, knowing you can¡¯t save them all? That is no different from¡ª¡± Before Lotus could finish his sentence, Jinseong dashed forward. ¡°!¡± It was a straightforward technique where the user leapt forward and smashed their weapon into the ground, generating a shockwave. Nothing special. The followed by combo had been used multiple times since the Sky Castle. But this time, its purpose was different. Jinseong¡¯s target was the tentacle aimed at Ban, the farthest one. So, what about the tentacle closest to Aganzo, the one about to hit its mark? And what about the tentacle flying toward the user, right in the middle? ¡°¡ªThis is your defeat, non-human human¡ª¡± Lotus couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. Kaaaang! Kaaaang! The sound of metal clashing was even louder than his voice. Lotus¡¯s tentacles all collided with Jinseong¡¯s body and recoiled. Kaaaaang¡­! The final tentacle was deflected by Jinseong¡¯s sword as it slammed into the ground. ¡°¡ªWhat¡­ What just happened¡ª?¡± Lotus didn¡¯t understand for a moment. The first and second tentacles had clearly hit Jinseong¡¯s body. Yet, why had he been able to ignore all of those attacks and strike at the last tentacle? ¡°This is exactly like .¡± Jinseong was smiling. One of the skill mechanics that he hadn¡¯t fully grasped in his fear was now clear. Some specific skills in *Dungeon & Fighter* had a unique system where, if hit during activation, the attack was nullified. It wasn¡¯t the ¡°super armor¡± that let you endure while taking damage. ¡°No-hit invincibility. You don¡¯t know about it, right?¡± In other words, it was an ¡°instant invincibility¡± mechanic that users referred to as ¡°no-hit invincibility,¡± and Jinseong confirmed it applied to him as well. He immediately gripped the sword¡¯s handle with both hands. ¡°What was that you said? Something about the powerless having no decision-making rights?¡± ¡°W-Wait¡ª¡± The distance between Jinseong and Lotus¡¯s trapped altar was now so close that it was no exaggeration to say they were face-to-face. ¡°I¡¯ll return those words to you. And¡ª¡± Not even giving Lotus time to extend his tentacles again, Jinseong continued. ¡°¡ªThis is for Lenny. !¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡­¡­!!!! The dark-element slash cut through all of Lotus¡¯s tentacles and his body. The translucent cloth draped over Jinseong¡¯s body fluttered in the wind. Chapter 38 Chapter 38Linius stared at Jinseong with wide eyes. ¡°Oh! It¡¯s you! But why did you enter from such an unusual direction¡­?¡± Was it because Jinseong used his custom-made teleportation potion instead of just walking in? Even as Linius welcomed him, he quickly looked Jinseong up and down, continuing to speak. ¡°Did you grow so much that you figured out how to move around freely? Already?¡± ¡°Oh, no, nothing like that. Haha, it¡¯s all thanks to the pass you issued for me before, Linius-nim. I¡¯m very grateful once again.¡± Jinseong bowed deeply to Linius in gratitude. It wasn¡¯t just a superficial gesture to leave a good impression on him. Jinseong genuinely wanted to thank Linius for all the help he had received in Elvenguard. Perhaps that sincerity came through, as Linius smiled awkwardly. ¡°Haha, no, no need to say it like that, it¡¯s a bit embarrassing. Ahem, so? Is your friend doing well? Or has Professor Roton developed some new medicine?¡± He quickly changed the subject. One of the lies even Jinseong himself had momentarily forgotten. ¡°My friend¡­ well, I can¡¯t say they¡¯ve completely recovered, but at least they¡¯re no longer writhing in pain like before¡­ That¡¯s how I¡¯d describe it.¡± Despite the lie, Jinseong managed to answer with relative composure. Linius nodded with a solemn expression. ¡°Yes¡­ I figured. Even Professor Roton would have a hard time developing a medicine that could instantly erase the pain of Kazan Syndrome¡­ But it¡¯s good to hear that the painkillers are helping somewhat.¡± ¡°Yes, it is a relief.¡± Jinseong nodded in agreement. Was that description perhaps a reflection of his own mindset? ¡°So? You didn¡¯t come here just for a friendly chat, did you?¡± ¡°Heh, how did you know? Of course, I didn¡¯t come just to exchange greetings.¡± At Linius¡¯s question, Jinseong rummaged through his bag and pulled something out. It was a small dagger. ¡°A¡­ dagger?¡± ¡°Yes. I obtained it from the GBL cult followers on Behemoth.¡± The words Jinseong uttered were enough to astonish Linius. More than that, though, it wasn¡¯t just surprise. ¡°Behemoth?! The GBL cult?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a dagger crafted by a group dedicated to seeking truth. It wasn¡¯t made by professional blacksmiths, but what do you think of it, Linius-nim?¡± And with those magic words that could pique a blacksmith¡¯s curiosity! Linius¡¯s eyes widened as he closely examined the dagger Jinseong handed him. ¡°Not bad. No, it¡¯s actually quite good. I¡¯m curious about how they managed to polish the edge like this. For an amateur to achieve such precision, it¡¯s surprising¡­¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°If you¡¯re really curious, I can find out for you. I know one of the GBL cultists.¡± Jinseong replied to the impressed Linius. The person Jinseong referred to was Ophelia, a former member of the GBL cult whom Jinseong had saved using the after her escape from Behemoth. Although Jinseong hadn¡¯t developed a close relationship with her, as they hadn¡¯t crossed paths during the contaminated quest, it didn¡¯t really matter. ¡®Now that I¡¯m officially part of the Mage¡¯s Guild, I can make requests in the name of the Special Committee.¡¯ Jinseong could confidently offer to help Linius, knowing he had the ability to make such requests. Reading Jinseong¡¯s mood, Linius smiled warmly at him. ¡°A young man who once didn¡¯t even have a pass to enter Hendon Myre¡­ You¡¯ve grown quite a bit. You¡¯ve taken on a real adventurer¡¯s air.¡± ¡°Oh no, I¡¯m not an adventurer¡­ I don¡¯t want to be called that, either.¡± Jinseong rejected what could have been taken as a compliment from Linius. While the implication that he now appeared more seasoned was nice, the word ¡°adventurer¡± itself gave Jinseong an undeniable sense of discomfort. ¡°Haha, I¡¯m just joking. So¡­ You didn¡¯t bring this dagger to just give it to me, right? Even if it¡¯s to repay the 3,000 gold I gave you for travel expenses, that¡¯s a bit too much change.¡± Linius chuckled heartily as he spoke. At this, Jinseong¡¯s expression began to change. The reason he had come wasn¡¯t just to express his gratitude or give a gift. What Jinseong had been thinking about, even before arriving, was how to increase his capital. ¡°So, I¡¯d like to ask a favor.¡± ¡°A favor? What is it?¡± Jinseong needed to prepare items he could use in Dungeon & Fighter. And the value of ¡®good items¡¯ could easily range from hundreds of thousands to millions of gold, if not more. ¡®It¡¯s impossible to get that amount through normal means. The discontinued items I¡¯ve acquired¡­ As rare as they are, no one¡¯s going to pay hundreds of thousands or millions of gold for them. I can¡¯t even sell them since they¡¯re ¡°untradeable¡± items.¡¯ Considering that the Mage¡¯s Guild would at most offer him tens of thousands of gold, it was impossible to earn substantial money just through interactions with NPCs. The rare items Jinseong had acquired, or items that were effectively discontinued due to their difficulty to obtain, mostly had stats suitable for low-level users. Despite their rarity, they couldn¡¯t fetch a high price. Therefore, Jinseong had come up with a plan. ¡°I¡¯d like to create replicas.¡± Given that rarity didn¡¯t translate into monetary value, the only way to make use of that rarity for higher-level users was through one method. Dungeon & Fighter had a skin system, which Jinseong had already confirmed existed in this world, Arad. ¡®The equipment I wore didn¡¯t change in appearance, even though the effect was applied. It was the same with the steel armor I wore. In this world, as in the game, only avatars can alter the appearance of armor.¡¯ Even now, though he was wearing clothes, Jinseong¡¯s appearance remained that of the ¡°Dark Knight¡± class. In other words, even for Jinseong, equipment appearance could only be customized through avatars. ¡®But weapons¡­ aren¡¯t limited to just avatars.¡¯ Weapons had an additional system beyond just avatars. By replicating the shape of an existing weapon, you could use it as a skin. ¡°Replicas? You mean the shape?¡± ¡°Yes. Tradeable replicas. I¡¯d like to commission you to create a mold using your steel casting technique, Linius-nim.¡± And if those replicas were created using , they could be traded between users, which meant Jinseong could obtain weapons and then turn their shapes into skins to sell for gold. ¡®Normally, even just that would be worth several million gold. You couldn¡¯t buy it cheaply even from the Sera Shop. But if I can use it like this!¡¯ Watching the anxious Jinseong, Linius folded his arms. It was only natural that he sighed. ¡°¡­It won¡¯t be easy. It¡¯ll take a lot of money, time, and effort. But! I can¡¯t reject the idea without seeing the items first. So, what weapon do you want to replicate?¡± Despite the difficulty, Linius¡¯s positive attitude was likely because he was, at heart, a true blacksmith. It was part of Jinseong¡¯s calculation that Linius¡¯s curiosity would be piqued by what weapon he wanted to replicate. ¡°This one.¡± Jinseong showed him something from his inventory. Though it was supposed to be a weapon, what Jinseong held wasn¡¯t made of steel. ¡°This, this is¡­ no way! Could it really be?! When you mentioned Behemoth and the GBL cult earlier, I thought it was just a possibility, but the rumors were true?¡± ¡°Hah, I thought the queen of the Duchy of Bell Meyer had ordered everyone to keep quiet, but I guess she couldn¡¯t stop the rumors.¡± The incidents on Behemoth were currently being kept under wraps. The queen of Bell Meyer had personally issued the order to avoid causing panic among the people of Arad, but rumors had still spread here and there. ¡°Yes, the rumors are true. This is¡ª.¡± Jinseong moved the item closer to Linius. ¡°¡ªthe tentacle of Apostle Lotus.¡± When Jinseong had sliced off Lotus¡¯s tentacle with a that increased his skill level by two, several pieces of flesh had fallen to the ground. Among them were those that still retained their tentacle form. Jinseong had, of course, picked them up. After all, he had even stripped the brainwashed GBL cultists of their clothes. He recalled that weapons made from Lotus¡¯s tentacles had existed in the past, so he had gathered as many as possible before leaving. Linius was so flustered that he stammered. ¡°B-but, to use this as a weapon¡ª¡± Could Lotus¡¯s tentacles really be used? Could they be made into weapons, and could their shape be replicated? Jinseong already knew the answer to Linius¡¯s unfinished question. ¡°They can be used. I¡¯m already using them.¡± Jinseong drew a stiff, razor-sharp tentacle from his scabbard to show Linius. It was one of the rarest items in Dungeon & Fighter, nearly impossible to obtain in the current game. The , a level 35 sword. Although Jinseong wasn¡¯t level 35 yet, the power of the given to him by Nemer lowered the level requirement to 25 , so he could use it right away. It was a low-level weapon with a high entry difficulty and relatively low performance, but its unique, stylish appearance made it stand out. However, because it was a ¡°non-tradeable¡± item, Jinseong couldn¡¯t sell it to users who only wanted it for its appearance. If he used to turn the weapon into a ¡°tradeable¡± replica, he could sell it for gold. ¡°This¡­ is incredible.¡± This wasn¡¯t about a game¡¯s NPC affinity system. This was about genuine interaction between humans. ¡°You¡¯ll do it, right? I have quite a few of these, and once I sell them, I plan to reinvest the remaining money back into your smithy.¡± The fact that Linius was deep in thought, silent, meant that Jinseong had already cleared the first hurdle of his plan. The real challenge would be how to handle the replicas once they were made, but Jinseong had already mapped out a strategy for that. Clink, clink. Jinseong counted the gold he had saved from the 100,000 gold given by Sharan, combined with the items he had acquired while traveling through Dungeon: Behemoth. ¡®I didn¡¯t spend all the travel expenses Linius had given me, so in total¡­ 110,000 gold.¡¯ As Linius began pulling out the steel casting molds, Jinseong spoke. ¡°Linius-nim, I¡¯ll be heading out for a bit. It won¡¯t take long.¡± ¡°You say it won¡¯t take long, but I¡ª¡­ You¡¯re already gone.¡± Linius sighed as he stood next to the pile of steel molds and Lotus¡¯s tentacles. * * * A player stretched lazily in front of her monitor. ¡°Finished four mining runs¡­ Ahhh, my body feels stiff. I¡¯m only in my mid-twenties, but am I already breaking down?¡± On the character selection screen of Dungeon & Fighter, characters with all sorts of radiant auras were waiting for their pilots. For players who enjoyed multi-character gameplay in Dungeon & Fighter, it was a very familiar sight. Among the dazzling characters, one stood out with a particularly humble appearance. The character¡¯s level and adventurer reputation were laughably low compared to the others. The player stared at that character. ¡®Oh, right. I need to level up Vanguard to max soon.¡¯ She then logged into the character. Just as she tied her hair up and was about to check the daily missions, a message caught her eye in the always-busy chat window. [Megaphone] (Ch. 1) Jinseong: [LV. 35 Lotus¡¯s Thorned Tentacle Replica] for sale. The concept is cute, and the weapon is fun. The player¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at her monitor. ¡°What?! Pfft, it¡¯s him again! What are you up to now?¡± Sunsujikgi, with a grin, pushed her glasses up and sent Jinseong a whisper. Chapter 39 Chapter 39Jinseong¡¯s task in Hendon Myre was simple. It involved following users who were dressed in avatars and bothering them persistently. ¡°Excuse me, hey, excuse me, sir, please wait a moment.¡± It didn¡¯t matter who the person was. As long as someone reacted, that was enough for him. Wearing an avatar to a certain extent meant that they weren¡¯t complete beginners, and that also meant they could understand what Jinseong was saying. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Sorry, but could you buy me a megaphone from the auction house? I¡¯ll give you the money.¡± ¡°Auction house? Why don¡¯t you do it yourself?¡± Of course, he had expected such a reaction. There was no need to go through the hassle of following people around when he could just handle everything from his seat with the keyboard. So why was he doing this? ¡®Because I¡¯m someone who¡¯s possessed in Arad, and I can¡¯t use systems designed for convenience that are unrelated to daily life.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t say such things, so Jinseong had already prepared an excuse. ¡°I¡¯m on a mission, so I can¡¯t use the auction house.¡± It was a somewhat brazen statement, but it wasn¡¯t entirely incomprehensible to gamers. Moreover, considering how active the streaming community for *Dungeon & Fighter* was nowadays, it was an excuse that most people would understand. ¡°Oh, are you a streamer, lol? Heartbeat or Super?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the price for each?¡± The sends a message to all users on every server and every channel. Naturally, Jinseong would get the best results from it, but it was expensive. Next would be the . It could send a message to all users on the same server and all channels, but there was one concern¡ªon which server did Jinseong¡¯s character belong? ¡®Would it be based on the server where I created my character¡­? I didn¡¯t get any clear answers from Nemer on this, which makes this really frustrating.¡¯ In *Dungeon & Fighter*, systems like parties or the auction house are shared across all servers, but megaphones follow different rules. Caution was needed, but Jinseong had no other choice for now. ¡°The current price for Heartbeat at the auction house is about 118,000. Super is 730,000.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Then please get the Heartbeat.¡± For now, with his limited funds, the Heartbeat Megaphone was the only option he could afford. If there was any silver lining, it was that the price was slightly lower than he remembered. ¡®There were times when Heartbeat went over 120,000. At least it¡¯s dropped to the high 110,000s¡­ But still!¡¯ Jinseong had to clear his throat. Even though what he was about to say would show up as text in the chat, he still needed to gather himself mentally. ¡°Excuse me, sir.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I only have 110,000 gold right now. Could you lend me the remaining 8,000? I swear I¡¯ll pay you back, even with a contract if necessary.¡± Jinseong¡¯s heart began to pound. It wasn¡¯t because he felt embarrassed or ashamed asking for money. The 8,000 gold he needed wasn¡¯t even enough to cover repair costs for most users. But what about for Jinseong, who was now living in Arad¡¯s reality? There was a clear reason why he added, ¡°I¡¯ll definitely pay you back, even with a contract.¡± ¡°Lol, no need for that. Is this being streamed live?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not live.¡± ¡°Then just make sure to add subtitles thanking me when you upload the video later.¡± ¡°Oh, okay. I¡¯ll definitely do that when I post it.¡± For Jinseong, this was both a relief and a cause for concern. The person¡¯s request¡ªcutting off 8,000 gold in exchange for something¡ªwas something Jinseong could handle. But it wasn¡¯t something he could do immediately. ¡®Someday, maybe I can fulfill it. But how long do I have before it¡¯s due? If I return to the real world and upload a video featuring this person¡¯s nickname, does that settle the deal? If that¡¯s the case¡­¡¯ Would he be safe? Would this not violate Nemer¡¯s warning? The rule was to avoid receiving one-sided help from , though cooperation was allowed. Would this transaction with the player be considered permissible? Even if the exchange seemed ambiguous, for *Dungeon & Fighter* players, 8,000 gold was a negligible amount that could be earned by selling a few junk items. Perhaps it would be overlooked. Still feeling nervous, the player told Jinseong, ¡°Good, lol, send the trade.¡± The player was asking him to initiate the trade, but Jinseong couldn¡¯t use such systems. So he simply picked up the pouch containing 110,000 gold and handed it over to the player. Moments later, the player handed him the orange megaphone. But then, to Jinseong¡¯s surprise, something happened. While he hesitated, the player casually snatched the gold pouch from his hand! ¡®Ugh. He took it without giving me a chance to resist. Well, there¡¯s no point in trying to hold back now, right?¡¯ If this situation were an extension of *Dungeon & Fighter*¡¯s reality, there¡¯d be no room for a scam where the player could take the gold and not provide the item, given the system in place. ¡°Done, lol. Oh, by the way, what¡¯s your YouTube channel name?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t¡­ uh¡­ decided on one yet.¡± ¡°Oh, I was wondering if you were that YouTuber, Baek Jinseong, who does those educational videos for engineers, lol.¡± That one comment froze Jinseong. There were words and phrases bubbling up to his throat, but he didn¡¯t say them. ¡°I¡­ hope I can become as famous as him.¡± ¡°Lol, you know him, huh? Well, I hope you become a big YouTuber too. Take care~¡± The player left without showing any further interest, leaving Jinseong standing in Hendon Myre, dazed. The bustling noise around him, and the player he had just traded with, would never understand. Only Jinseong could sense the vividness of this world. In a situation that could easily feel terrifying, Jinseong thought to himself: ¡®¡­Yes, I just need to wrap everything up safely and go back. Why get all gloomy? Everything is going smoothly.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t pure optimism. But looking at it practically, things were going well. And if the megaphone in his hand worked without issue¡­ ¡®I may be someone possessed, but that doesn¡¯t mean I have to live this world as though it¡¯s only reality. This place is both reality and a game. I¡¯m neither an NPC who has lived here nor a user. I need to fully understand and grasp this unique position I¡¯m in.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just about [My Info] or [Inventory], or even [Skill Window]. Like how he indirectly used the auction house through another player earlier, he needed to explore every detail of *Dungeon & Fighter*, the game that had been his entire life, and find new approaches to it. Clutching the megaphone tightly, Jinseong drank a teleport potion. * * * ¡°Jinseong! H2H2!¡± Jinseong flinched at the sudden call near Linus. He barely suppressed a scream, perhaps because he had already experienced this once before and was used to it. ¡®A whisper? And this voice¡­¡¯ But he couldn¡¯t relax just yet. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He recognized who had sent him the whisper! ¡°I saw your megaphone, lol. What¡¯s with the sudden Lotus?¡± ¡°Where did you get that item? I¡¯ve never seen it before. The design is pretty cool.¡± ¡°Lol, but seriously, what do you mean by saying the concept is cute and the weapon is funny? Lol.¡± The barrage of whispers rattled his brain, leaving him momentarily flustered. How should he respond? With so many questions thrown at him, it felt overwhelming, and this was a player who wanted to communicate through whispers. ¡®Since the megaphone worked by speaking into it¡­ judging by *Sunsujikgi*¡¯s reaction, the game system must have applied.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just about carelessly mentioning the item¡¯s name. If the game system had linked the item to the chat, allowing players to click on it and view its details, then¡­ ¡®It¡¯ll work¡­¡¯ After a moment of deliberation, Jinseong cupped his hands over his mouth. Linus, standing nearby, tilted his head at the strange gesture, but for Jinseong, this was another great challenge. ¡°To *Sunsujikgi*, did you click on the item?¡± Jinseong said, attempting to mimic the whisper system of *Dungeon & Fighter*. The awkwardness of it didn¡¯t matter; Jinseong was thrilled. ¡°Lol, you don¡¯t need to add that to whispers, lol. And yeah, I clicked it. I¡¯ve got a few Ghost Knight characters too, lol.¡± He confirmed that the system worked as expected. ¡®It works?! Of course, it works! I shouldn¡¯t have doubted it!¡¯ Jinseong clenched his fist in victory. But with success came an immediate challenge. ¡°By the way, why didn¡¯t you list it in the auction house and use a megaphone instead? Don¡¯t you know how the auction house works?¡± *Sunsujikgi* was a player who seemed to have a habit of being overly nosy. Given his past interactions, the excuse of ¡°I¡¯m recording for an internet stream¡± wasn¡¯t likely to work here. So, Jinseong took a different approach. ¡°Well¡­ I think it¡¯s better to trade face-to-face with people.¡± ¡°Lol, true, true. Kids these days don¡¯t have any sense of community.¡± Of course, Jinseong couldn¡¯t know that *Sunsujikgi* was laughing so hard he was almost hitting his desk. All Jinseong felt was relief that his nonsensical excuse had worked. ¡°Where are you right now? Which channel?¡± ¡°In front of Linus. *Sunsujikgi*, could I ask¡ª¡± Jinseong stopped mid-sentence. He felt it. ¡®¡­So this is what it feels like when whispers stop working. It¡¯s like something just¡­ fizzles out.¡¯ The whispering had stopped, which meant that *Sunsujikgi* had suddenly logged out. Jinseong instinctively knew what this meant as he prepared to say, ¡°If you have your main character, come check out the items.¡± In the distance, a male Ghost Knight dressed in the full set of the avatar was approaching. ¡°Hello, hello.¡± Seeing the nickname *Sunsurasura* floating above the character¡¯s head, Jinseong guessed that this was likely *Sunsujikgi*¡¯s other character from the Asura class. ¡°Hello, *Sunsurasura*.¡± ¡°Lol, just call me *Sunsura*, lol. *Sunsurasura* is just too funny, lol.¡± Even the dog costume¡¯s avatar was grinning, and *Sunsura*¡¯s voice was so bright and cheerful that Jinseong could tell he was in a good mood. So it felt a little confusing. Why would *Sunsura* come all the way here just to chat happily like this? ¡®We¡¯ve bumped into each other a few times in passing, but there was no real connection¡­ Or was there?¡¯ When *Sunsujikgi* first whispered him, Jinseong had thought it was just a casual chat. Maybe a bit of small talk. But now, something in his gaze had shifted. ¡°Yes, *Sunsura*. But could I ask¡ªis that weapon¡­?¡± Because the weapon *Sunsurasura* was holding was glowing with a deep pink aura around its edges. Of course, Jinseong knew what it was, and several of his own characters had held the same item before. ¡°Lol, isn¡¯t it stylish? +13 enhancement, lol.¡± The slang term ¡°pink flair.¡± When a weapon is enhanced to +13, it gains a special pink effect. Jinseong¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°+13? Did you say +13? Enhancement?¡± ¡°Lol, it¡¯s just a mining character, lol. But still, if you¡¯re going to run +11 amplification and +13 enhancement, you might as well make it look good, lol. Most of my main characters have the golden flair.¡± *Sunsura* answered. *Sunsura*¡¯s main characters all had the golden flair of +15 enhancements, which was even higher than the pink flair of +13. But that wasn¡¯t the part that surprised Jinseong. ¡®An Asura is a reinforcement, high-damage character, and he¡¯s enhanced it? Not amplification, but enhancement? Just because¡­ he thought the pink flair looked cool? That it seemed stylish?!¡¯ With that one comment, Jinseong had a clear understanding of what kind of person *Sunsura* was. ¡®This guy is insane!¡¯ Chapter 40 Chapter 40In the game *Dungeon & Fighter*, there are three ways to strengthen your equipment: Enhancement, Amplification, and Refinement. Each character chooses one of these methods based on their characteristics. Usually, players combine Refinement with either Enhancement or Amplification. For the male Ghost Knight class, the ¡®Asura¡¯ specifically benefits from Refinement. If you aim for efficiency, just Refinement will suffice. However, if you¡¯re looking for higher damage, you can opt for both Amplification and Refinement. In general, Asura players who have a +10 Amplification, 8 Refinement weapon, and +10 Amplification armor can consider their gear upgrades fairly complete. ¡®Since items can break and disappear starting from +11 Amplification, the optimal setup is around that level. You can¡¯t predict how much gold you¡¯ll need for +11 or +12 Amplification. That¡¯s why characters needing Amplification usually lament the lack of *Bun-ganzhi*. Compared to +13 Enhancement, +13 Amplification requires far more resources, so most don¡¯t bother with it. It¡¯s normal not to aim for +13 Amplification¡­¡¯ But Sunsu did it. And it wasn¡¯t even Amplification. She enhanced it ¡ª a method that doesn¡¯t directly affect Asura¡¯s damage. And she reached +13 Enhancement! ¡®If I exaggerate a little, it¡¯s completely pointless! Even characters focused on Enhancement tremble at the thought of getting a +13. Why would a Refinement-focused character go all the way to +13 Enhancement ¡ª just for a mere *Bun-ganzhi*? How much did she burn on this?¡¯ Even though Enhancement requires slightly fewer resources than Amplification, it¡¯s still not an easy amount of money to spend. To do it solely for appearance¡¯s sake was even more shocking. Even Jinseong, who thought he¡¯d enjoyed *Dungeon & Fighter* with unparalleled passion, was taken aback. ¡®She¡¯s crazy¡­ I thought she wasn¡¯t normal when she became obsessed, but she¡¯s even more insane than I imagined¡­ Then again, that nickname makes sense.¡¯ Sunsu. Maybe madness. Another word that paralleled Sunsu¡¯s meaning surfaced in Jinseong¡¯s mind. How could you possibly distinguish between the two? At least, there was one thing he was certain about. The *Spearmaster* he briefly partied with to safely enter Sky Castle wasn¡¯t a rookie. ¡®No, not just a non-rookie. This person¡­¡¯ Although their direction differed from his, this person was just as skilled as Jinseong. Or perhaps, they were a player whose life had revolved around *Dungeon & Fighter*, just like Jinseong. But what mattered to Jinseong right now was only one thing. If they were that skilled, in other words¡­ ¡°It¡¯d look so much cooler if the *Bun-ganzhi* shone with the *Lotus* appearance as well.¡± ¡­it meant that they had the wealth to buy Jinseong¡¯s item. Whether they were crazy or not didn¡¯t matter ¡ª as long as they were useful to Jinseong. ¡ª Sunsu adjusted her large, round glasses again. A smile never left her lips. [?? I came to see your item, ??] [I also thought it might be time to change my weapon skin.] [But isn¡¯t the tentacle look a bit much??] Even while typing rapidly, she laughed, because she wasn¡¯t entirely sincere. She logged onto a different character, forgetting about leveling her *Spearmaster*, for one reason: to meet Jinseong and talk to him. [It¡¯s not too much. If anything, a *Lotus¡¯s Great Tentacle* shape for a greatsword would give more of a *Lotus* feel, but even this shows the Apostle¡¯s power well. From my experience fighting him, this form feels more realistic than the giant tentacles.] More specifically, she was curious about Jinseong¡¯s reaction. ¡°Heehee, the Apostle *Lotus¡¯s* power, he says! Heehee, he fought him? Does he mean that low-level quest?¡± Sunsu chuckled but didn¡¯t stop moving. She seemed to be checking something as she opened the [Auction House], as if trying to confirm something from Jinseong¡¯s words. ¡°But how did he know about the greatsword shape? There¡¯s nothing in the auction house now¡­ No one uses that these days.¡± Sunsu tilted her head but continued to smile. If this ¡°rookie player, estimated to be at least in their 50s¡± knew about old items, there could only be one explanation. [Hey, how did you know about the greatsword weapon form?] Sunsu¡¯s heart pounded in anticipation. After a brief pause, Jinseong replied. [I looked it up in the encyclopedia.] Although Jinseong had no access to the in-game [Encyclopedia] system and was relying solely on memory, his answer seemed appropriate for the moment. ¡°Hahaha! I knew it! Of course! These days, kids rely on wikis, but the older generation is different! They use official encyclopedias, hehe! Does anyone even use the term ¡®encyclopedia¡¯ anymore?¡± The more she laughed, the clearer her mental image of Jinseong became. Sunsu asked. [So how much are you selling the form for?] [I¡¯m still thinking about the price. What do you think would be reasonable?] Nodding, Sunsu felt a sort of admiration. ¡®After seeing players use terms like ¡°suggest¡± or ¡°offer¡± all the time, his polite way of speaking makes me a little nervous. Also, he¡¯s clearly experienced; he knows better than to sell at a ridiculous price. Yeah, elders are wise from experience.¡¯ He might be awkward, but he wasn¡¯t a fool. This was why Sunsu found Jinseong both endearing and impressive. [If you¡¯re not listing it in the auction house, should I invite some guild members to check it out?] [Actually, Jinseong, why don¡¯t you just join our guild? We¡¯ve got a lot of young members, but they can help a lot.] Sunsu changed the subject for a moment to propose guild membership to Jinseong. While chatting with Jinseong, she was also conversing rapidly in the guild chat. [Guild] Sunsurasura: Anyone online from the sub-guild masters? [Guild] FirstApo: Yeah, I¡¯m here. [Guild] Sunsurasura: Hey, is it okay if that elder I mentioned joins? [Guild] FirstApo: It¡¯s your call, sis. You¡¯re the guild leader anyway. [Guild] FirstApo: But would an elder fit in here? We do raids and stuff¡­ [Guild] Sunsurasura: Hang on, he hasn¡¯t answered yet. I¡¯ll explain if he agrees. Even as she conversed with the guild, Jinseong¡¯s eyes widened at the speed and thoroughness with which Sunsu juggled both conversations. ¡ª Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jinseong¡¯s first thought was obvious. ¡®Is she asking me to join the guild to get a discount?¡¯ What connection did he have with the characters *Sunsujikgi* or *Sunsurasura*? He¡¯d only interacted with them to use as a sales route for his weapon appearance, assuming the player had enough gold. Why the sudden guild invitation? ¡®More importantly, I¡¯m not sure if I can even use the guild system. I could take a chance on megaphones or whispers, but a guild¡­?¡¯ This was different. First, joining the guild could violate the rule of *not receiving direct help from a Character Adventurer*. If joining triggered a penalty, Jinseong would be in trouble. ¡®I won¡¯t die, but if I get a debuff like that *Ranger* user, it¡¯d be a problem.¡¯ With much left to do and just getting started, Jinseong couldn¡¯t afford such a risk. Joining the guild would be beneficial ¡ª but only once he had grown stronger. ¡°I appreciate the offer, but I don¡¯t think I can join the guild right now.¡± He could only collaborate with them when he no longer needed help from *Character Adventurers*. Sunsu¡¯s tone remained casual, but her expression grew a bit more serious. ¡°Why not? ?? Some say our guild is exclusive, but once you¡¯re in, it¡¯s fine ??. We¡¯ve got a reputation for being a bit strict, but it¡¯s not really like that.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not about the guild members. I just don¡¯t feel ready yet. It¡¯s a bit too soon for me.¡± Sunsu¡¯s curiosity piqued. ¡®Raiding together as guildmates isn¡¯t unusual. Hardcore, experienced players, the so-called experts, often do it. There must be hundreds of guilds like that.¡¯ Her comment about their guild being seen as exclusive suggested that there was a reputation among *Dungeon & Fighter* players ¡ª something significant enough to make her mention it. ¡®¡­I don¡¯t know much about guilds, just enough to get guild coins. But I do know most of the famous ones¡­¡¯ The unfortunate part was that all Jinseong could see was Sunsu¡¯s username, *Sunsurasura*, not the adventurer or the guild¡¯s name. ¡°Haha, I understand. If you ever think of joining a guild, give me a whisper instead of going elsewhere.¡± ¡°Thank you for understanding. Maybe next time¡­¡± ¡°Oh, and how about this price for the weapon form?¡± The *Sunsurasura* character, dressed in a fluffy white Samoyed outfit, suddenly pulled out a pouch. Jinseong didn¡¯t even need to check it to know the amount inside. ¡°N-no! This is too much! Even for something rare, this price is just¡­ Thank you, but I can¡¯t accept this much.¡± The gold offered was so substantial that even Jinseong, who sought to grow his capital, had to wave it off. At this point, he began to worry about violating the rule of not receiving aid from a *Character Adventurer*. ¡°?? There¡¯s nothing on the auction house, so isn¡¯t it fine?¡± ¡°Even so¡­ I¡¯m really grateful, but I can¡¯t accept this much.¡± Supply and demand usually determined prices, but this transaction felt too irregular to be legitimate. So Jinseong politely declined. Sunsurasura, dressed in her dog costume, tilted her head thoughtfully, as if she¡¯d just remembered something. ¡°Oh, then I¡¯ll give you this much in gold.¡± ¡°Alright, that sounds good.¡± The clinking of coins echoed as Sunsurasura opened her pouch again. Looking inside, Jinseong slowly nodded. The amount seemed reasonable based on the usual prices for weapon forms ¡ª not overly excessive. ¡°Thank you ver¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll throw in something you don¡¯t have as well, ??.¡± Just as Jinseong was about to grab the pouch, Sunsurasura handed over something else. It was an egg. Jinseong¡¯s face instantly brightened. ¡°¡­A creature?¡± ¡°This should be fine, right?¡± It was one of the most necessary additional items for Jinseong ¡ª a creature! After selling the *Lotus¡¯s Thorned Tentacle* weapon form, his plan was to buy a creature through the auction house. ¡°Not just fine, it¡¯s perfect! I was planning to buy one anyway, but I didn¡¯t know how to use the Serashop or auction house¡­ Thank you! I¡¯m really grateful, Sunsu!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, ?? it¡¯s nothing special. Try it out.¡± Excited at the ease of obtaining one, Jinseong quickly completed the trade. What did he receive in return? A hefty 8,000,000 gold, the in-game currency of *Dungeon & Fighter*. And another item ¡ª the *Creature Egg*, which Jinseong immediately hatched. ¡°¡­Kkoruk.¡± A creature emerged from the egg and gazed up at Jinseong. He recognized it instantly. ¡°Oh¡­?¡± It was the creature *Petit Lotus (Claw)*. Chapter 42 Chapter 42The road to the temporary camp of Alpreira was already bustling. This was because the defensive forces dispatched from the Duchy of Bell Meyer were on the move. ¡®Well, at least the camp itself should be fine. The Black Elf forces would still be gathered in the capital of the Kingdom of Pennes, ¡°Underfoot¡±¡­¡¯ Jinseong knew that things hadn¡¯t escalated to the point where the forces would clash with each other. That¡¯s why his expression was somewhat tense. ¡®If corruption breaks out there, it¡¯s going to be a headache.¡¯ This time, they hadn¡¯t yet figured out whose quest, or which part of it, had been corrupted. When it came to the conflict between the Duchy of Bell Meyer and the Kingdom of Pennes, the role the players¡ªknown as ¡®Adventurers¡¯¡ªwould play could be broadly divided into two parts. ¡®One part is the Dragon Spirazzi. It gradually breaks its seal and then¡ªbam!¡ªwhen it awakens, the undead rise, and all hell breaks loose. That elven hero¡­ what was his name? He rides a unicorn and wields a spear¡­ Anyway, he awakens too.¡¯ The reason Jinseong had already predicted that there would be no involvement of corruption in the part related to Spirazzi was simple. He knew the nature of the Dragon Spirazzi. ¡®There¡¯s no need to do anything special. Just the fact that Spirazzi awakens and exists in that place exerts influence. Something like the Elven hero not awakening due to corruption can¡¯t happen. Spirazzi will awaken with the mere influence of the seal being partially broken.¡¯ Spirazzi didn¡¯t need to plan or scheme anything. Its presence alone was enough to spread the aura of the Dragon, and if things got worse, they would only get worse; the situation could never shrink. ¡®Besides, the probability of things getting worse is low. If it had gotten that bad, the Black Elves would have noticed by now and taken action. Spirazzi can only operate within a specific balance¡ªaffecting the area enough to not be noticed by the Black Elves of the Kingdom of Pennes but still exerting some influence.¡¯ The chances of a problem arising, in other words, the likelihood of corruption occurring, were slim. As such, Jinseong had been targeting the second part from the beginning. ¡®The Black Plague¡¯s Diregie. More precisely, Diregie¡¯s specter. Could there be a problem in that area? But even there, it won¡¯t easily break out. After all, the Grim Seekers are involved.¡¯ Due to the aura of Spirazzi, the dead, the corpses, would rise again. And the minds of those corpses would rapidly deteriorate. This was because of the plague¡¯s aura emitted by Diregie¡¯s specter. ¡®It¡¯s hard even to get close to Diregie. It¡¯s not just about bacteria or viruses; it¡¯s something that erodes the mind itself. In a way, it¡¯s even more intense and dangerous than Luke¡¯s or Ozma¡¯s . Even if the actual power of the entity is weak, the negative influence it exerts on its surroundings is unmatched.¡¯ This was something even the main storyline of *Dungeon & Fighter* hinted at. And for Jinseong, who not only knew the in-game story but also the broader lore and background, it was something that kept him on edge. ¡®Based on the information I got from Lotus, the likelihood that Diregie is the is low. But¡­¡¯ Diregie was undoubtedly the most dangerous entity if it went rampant. And the fact that all of this was caused by a mere specter, not even the true body of Apostle Diregie, made it even more important to remain cautious. As the number of humans dwindled and the figures of Black Elves began to appear more frequently, Jinseong knew. Among the Black Elves, there was one with particularly sharp ears. Someone who cautiously watched the humans with a solemn expression, yet drew closer to them than any other Black Elf from the Kingdom of Pennes. ¡®Klonter. So this is the Alpreira camp.¡¯ The NPC Klonter. Jinseong quietly approached him and said, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Jinseong, dispatched from the Mage Guild of the Duchy of Bell Meyer. You are Klonter of the Kingdom of Pennes, correct?¡± ¡°¡­How do you know who I am?¡± With a tone more wary than surprised, Klonter spoke. Jinseong responded. ¡°Guildmaster Sharan of the Mage Guild of Bell Meyer informed me.¡± The confidence in his voice came from the fact that he wasn¡¯t lying. As a member of the Emergency Response Committee of the Mage Guild, Jinseong lowered his voice and spoke. Klonter had no choice but to look shocked. ¡°Lady Sharan?! It hasn¡¯t even been a few days since Knight Robato and the Adventurer arrived from the Duchy. How did Lady Sharan manage to send someone so quickly¡ª¡± ¡°As you likely know, given you¡¯re from the Kingdom of Pennes, Lady Sharan has a remarkable eye, not just for magical talent but for the bigger picture.¡± Jinseong spoke nonchalantly. For those who knew Sharan¡¯s position during her time in the Kingdom of Pennes, no further explanation was needed. ¡°Well, yes, that¡¯s true¡­ But still¡­ Lady Sharan¡­¡± Watching Klonter mutter to himself, Jinseong cleared his throat. Perhaps because he wasn¡¯t used to playing a serious role, his tone felt awkward. ¡°Indeed. So, I wanted to ask¡­ Where are Knight Robato and the Adventurer now?¡± Though his manner of speaking was stiff, Klonter quickly pointed somewhere. ¡°They¡¯re at Shallow Keep. They¡¯ve gone to investigate the place where my friend Morgan lost contact during his research¡­ It¡¯s been a while since they left, though¡­¡± He trailed off. But that was enough of a clue for Jinseong. One of the dungeons in the Alpreira region: *Shallow Keep*. Morgan, who had become the dungeon¡¯s ¡®boss monster¡¯. This was still the early part of the current scenario. ¡®The Adventurer, or rather, the player, has been here for a few days now in ¡°real-time¡±. Morgan must already be infected and done for. The real quest will begin once they bring back his research journal¡­¡¯ Jinseong had already calculated everything in his mind. The task at hand was simple. ¡°I, too, will head to Shallow Keep. I¡¯m sure nothing will happen to Sir Robato and the Adventurer, but as a member of the Mage Guild¡¯s Emergency Response Committee, I must check personally.¡± Jinseong himself would also enter the Shallow Keep dungeon. ¡°Understood. If Lady Sharan sent you, then¡­ Please, go ahead. I will inform the Black Elves.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Thanks to Klonter¡¯s instructions, the Black Elves from the Kingdom of Pennes did not interfere with Jinseong¡¯s movements, and he easily made his way into the dungeon area. Of course, he had no intention of observing the players or getting too close to Morgan. The only reason he entered Shallow Keep was simple. It was to clearly sense the changes within himself. ¡ª In addition, Jinseong had one more objective¡ªa small hope that perhaps there would be some items left behind that the player hadn¡¯t picked up. But maybe because he wasn¡¯t moving with the player¡­ ¡®Either they took everything, or it disappeared with time. Or¡­¡¯ Since it wasn¡¯t considered the same dungeon instance, perhaps Jinseong couldn¡¯t even see those items himself. Whatever the case, the lack of loot left him slightly disappointed. ¡°Even though, unlike the players, I can directly obtain things from the monsters¡¯ corpses¡­¡± Jinseong knew there were things he could do that the players couldn¡¯t, things only he, being bound to Arad, could accomplish. Despite this, there was only one reason Jinseong felt a bit down. Rumble, rumble¡­ The ground started shaking, cracking in various places. ¡°Groan, urgh.¡± ¡°Waaaagh¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, the problem with undead like this is that there¡¯s nothing valuable left to loot.¡± Since the Shallow Keep dungeon was a place where undead monsters like ghouls appeared, Jinseong had already anticipated that there would be little to gain from the corpses. ¡®At least they give experience points¡ªtake this!¡¯ ¡°Gaaah!¡± A ¡®Skull Thrower¡¯ among the monsters hurled a bone it had picked up from the ground. Jinseong saw the incoming skull flying at a fairly high speed and blocked it with his shoulder. Thud! With a dull sound, he felt a considerable impact. Jinseong¡¯s expression briefly twisted, but he nodded instead. ¡®Shoulder check. The Steel Series armor is no longer effective.¡¯ He had intentionally taken the hit on his armor to confirm that his old level-5 Adventurer gear no longer provided sufficient protection. Since the Skull Thrower¡¯s attack had landed, a ghoul approached Jinseong and slashed its arm toward him. These weren¡¯t just ordinary rotting corpses. Struck by a corpse warped and twisted by Diregie¡¯s influence, the impact couldn¡¯t be good. ¡°Graaargh!¡± ¡°Hup!¡± Jinseong lightly raised his left arm and blocked the ghoul¡¯s claws. As the ghoul¡¯s nails collided with Jinseong¡¯s wrist, there was a faint *ping* sound. ¡°Graah?¡± Seeing the ghoul¡¯s confused reaction, Jinseong¡¯s lips curled into a smile. Jinseong had conducted numerous experiments on monsters, known as ¡®trash mobs¡¯, testing the equipment he wore and figuring out techniques unique to himself, different from the effects regular players experienced. ¡°. Normally, it raises magical defense.¡± He had discovered a new approach. Though the accessory¡¯s effect was supposed to enhance magical defense, Jinseong¡¯s outward appearance remained unchanged. Even though the bracelet was equipped on his arm, no titanium armlet was visible on his wrist. ¡®But it¡¯s working. Just because I can¡¯t see it doesn¡¯t mean it isn¡¯t there. When I struck down Lotus, the fact that I felt a flutter in the wind wasn¡¯t just my imagination.¡¯ There was no hindrance to his movements. There was no visible change. But that item clearly existed, surrounding Jinseong¡¯s body! ¡°Graaaa¡­¡± ¡°Graawr!¡± Just this alone gave Jinseong more flexibility in his item choices. ¡®I¡¯ll secure physical defense by maximizing my movement¡­¡¯ sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. By prioritizing better options with a focus on magical defense and skills, Jinseong found he could also prevent unexpected hits. ¡®And if I block those potential hits!¡¯ The reason he mainly equipped cloth-based gear like the , , and , items left behind by the Female Archer User in the *Behemoth* dungeon, was precisely because of this. ¡°Take this! !¡± Splat! With a single, powerful dark-attribute slash, Jinseong swiftly cut through both the ghoul and the Skull Thrower. Thanks to his current armor¡¯s special properties, which increased the skill level by two, had now become powerful enough to dispatch ¡®trash mobs¡¯ in one blow. ¡°Graaaa!¡± Additionally, items like the , which had a level 40 requirement but was worn due to the reducing the level by 10, boosted Jinseong¡¯s total HP, HP recovery rate, skill attack power, and damage considerably compared to his earlier days. ¡®The difference is clear even in numerical terms¡­ But just looking at my fame score alone shows it.¡¯ When Jinseong first entered the Sky Castle, his Adventurer Fame was at 6. Now, compared to back then? His fame had increased by 443 just from equipping new items. ¡°Grroan.¡± ¡°And when I add you¡­¡± The boost from the creature was 315. Although Jinseong complained that its only value was its cuteness, the pet was priced at around 7 million gold among players for a reason. In total, with both the item and creature effects combined, the Fame of level-31 Jinseong had reached an impressive 758! ¡°Graaagh!¡± ¡°Graaargh!¡± Watching the ghouls still rushing at him, Jinseong shook his head. ¡°They don¡¯t even bother looking behind them, huh?¡± ¡°Graa?¡± The weapon Jinseong was currently using was a unique-grade one, . Not only did it affect his attack power, stats, and skill cooldowns, but it also had an additional effect. Adventurer Fame: 63 . . 2% chance to summon Lotus¡¯s leg upon attack. From where Jinseong had felled the monsters, a wriggling tentacle suddenly rose up. The reddish tentacle was intimidating enough to overwhelm any undead corpses nearby. Shwaaash¡ª! And it carried considerable strength. As the resurrected corpses were crushed again by the tentacle, a golden radiance poured down on Jinseong¡¯s body. ¡°Level 32¡­ Okay.¡± With his already tenfold strength boost due to his Fame, the monsters within Shallow Keep would serve merely as good experience fodder for Jinseong. ¡®Just three more levels to go until I learn new skills.¡¯ With that small goal in mind, Jinseong began to run rampant through the dungeon. Chapter 45 Chapter 45*Zrrrraaaack¡­* A light, melodic sound echoed through the air. It was the sound of a few gold coins tumbling down a slope. And the reason for that sound was obvious¡ªthe ¡°slope¡± was part of a mountain made entirely of gold. As the coins clinked and clattered against each other, Jinseong realized something. ¡°The dwarves¡­ gathered this gold. Right, there was a dungeon like this. I remember a dungeon like this from back when I played¡ªone that I completely overlooked!¡± The official name in the game *Dungeon & Fighter* was the Dwarven Race. Currently, the city they were headed to, *Noyerptera*, where Jinseong, the NPC Minette, who was both a guide and a monitor, and the players were, had once belonged to the dwarves. But the gold-loving dwarves were never satisfied with just possessing it. They reported to the goddess *Venus*, accusing her favorite human of having an affair with a fairy. In return, they gained information about a gold vein, allowing them to obtain even more gold! ¡°Goddess Venus was enraged and cursed the fairies, turning their skin into what it is today, creating the current *Dark Elves*. The Dark Elves, despite knowing they were at fault, couldn¡¯t bear the fact that their entire race¡¯s fate was upended by one individual¡¯s mistake. Eventually, one of their kings killed the Dwarven King and subjugated Noyerptera¡­ Yeah, that was the story.¡± Jinseong recalled that the game had actual dungeons based on this background, with NPCs representing key figures as boss monsters or helper NPCs. ¡°Though recently, when I was leveling a side character, they just summarized it in a few lines¡­ But yes, that was the story. The dwarves and Dark Elves had a bitter rivalry, and as an adventurer, the player had to pass through the *Golden Cave* in the middle of it.¡± But right now, Jinseong wasn¡¯t focused on that background. What mattered most to him was the item in his hand. It was something that would fit neatly into his [Inventory]. An item he could definitely claim ownership of. ¡°Gold¡­ real gold. Pure gold¡­ maybe not, but still, it¡¯s gold.¡± Jinseong¡¯s mouth stretched into a grin that almost touched his ears. ¡°Hah! This is insane! It was just background scenery! Pixels! I never cared about it when I was a player!¡± In *Dungeon & Fighter*, there was no special interaction with the background. The dungeon¡¯s background was just there as scenery; players would simply defeat the dwarves, stop them from spreading disease by digging tunnels, and move forward toward Noyerptera, closing off the tunnels. But Jinseong? ¡°Gruuurk?¡± ¡°Taco! Look for a bag or something. I know your creature inventory is empty, but can¡¯t you carry a sack or something?¡± He could take it! It was his to claim! Even though he wasn¡¯t sure of its purity, gold had value in *Plain: Arad*. ¡°Grrr? Gruurk¡ª.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t just sit there growling! Gather as much as you can! We need to collect everything!¡± The player path ahead was predetermined. There would be continuous combat for a while, and it would take time to deal with the revived Dwarven King. More importantly, Jinseong knew the route ahead. Even if he spent hours here, he was confident he could reach Noyerptera ahead of the players. That meant he had plenty of time to gather all of this gold as capital for himself. It wasn¡¯t just for the present¡ªhe couldn¡¯t afford to miss this windfall, even for the future! ¡°Hah, and there¡¯s no one around to stop me from taking this gold, either! This is crazy! If this were reality, this would be a one-way ticket to turning my life around in an instant¡ª¡­wait, reality.¡± As he frantically stuffed gold coins into his [Inventory], a thought suddenly occurred to Jinseong. Sure, this fortune could ensure his safety and be useful for his future in this world. But his current thought was more fundamental. ¡°¡­Do I really need to go back?¡± What if he stayed here instead of returning to reality? There was no pressing time limit. It wasn¡¯t as though he was a *Bucipke*. ¡°Even if I do go back, it¡¯s not like¡­¡± There was hardly anything in that reality to which he was deeply attached. If anything, it was his personal circumstances that had driven him to become so engrossed in the game *Dungeon & Fighter* in the first place. And now, where was he? He was in the world of *Dungeon & Fighter*. The world Jinseong cherished most. Given his current situation, wouldn¡¯t he be able to live comfortably as a wealthy person in *Arad*? A goofy grin spread across Jinseong¡¯s face. But slowly, his smile straightened out again. ¡°No, I can¡¯t stay here forever.¡± It would be fun, for sure. But living like this wasn¡¯t an option. ¡°If *Nemer*¡¯s will comes to pass¡­ or if *Hilder*¡¯s plan succeeds¡­¡± If adventurers didn¡¯t fulfill their role, the world of *Plain: Arad* would eventually be destroyed anyway. * * * ¡°Gruurk?¡± Taco tilted his head, looking at Jinseong. Jinseong was busy gathering gold coins and arranging them into some sort of strategic map. ¡°Nemer¡¯s goal is clear. To gather all the scattered fragments of *Kalosso*, to restore Kalosso¡¯s full power, and to open a new world.¡± The current world would be completely destroyed. A new world would begin. With Kalosso. That was Nemer¡¯s goal. ¡°When you face Nemer in the *Legion Dungeon: Dimensional Corridor*, the world described as ¡®the inverted world of destruction¡¯¡­ it¡¯s because, to the people of Arad, that world is as good as a post-apocalyptic wasteland.¡± However, Nemer wasn¡¯t directly carrying out this plan. No one knew why. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s that she can¡¯t intervene directly, or maybe she chooses not to. Judging by what she said when she possessed me¡­ it¡¯s probably because direct intervention by someone at a Transcendent level would disrupt the balance and cause distortions. So she¡¯s using others instead.¡± Thus, Nemer created the Knights to seek out the fragments of Kalosso, and she had another trick up her sleeve. *Genesis Chronicles*. The reason Apostle *Hilder* could transfer other Apostles was all thanks to the original copy of the *Genesis Chronicles*. One of the reasons Hilder was so special was that she had hidden the *Genesis Chronicles* in a place only she knew and was the only one who knew how to wield its power. But how did Hilder get her hands on the *Genesis Chronicles*? ¡°Nemer gave it to her. Or, at least, Nemer told her where to find it. Either way, Nemer is using Hilder. Hilder is executing the prophecy from the *Genesis Chronicles* as if it were a grand plan¡­ and the moment that¡¯s fulfilled¡ª¡± Kalosso would gather all the fragments, become whole again, and a new world would open. In a sense, Nemer and Hilder were on the same side. You could say Hilder was Nemer¡¯s proxy. And that was another reason Hilder was special. ¡°¡ªHilder knows the current world will perish. She¡¯s aware of Nemer¡¯s plan. She¡¯s playing along with Nemer to further her own goals.¡± Jinseong roughly guessed what Hilder¡¯s goals were. Even if he was wrong, the fact that Hilder had a different plan from Nemer was certain. At some point, their paths would diverge. Hilder would inevitably betray Nemer. But until then, Hilder would continue to use the power of the *Genesis Chronicles* to prepare for her own plans. In other words, they were allies now, but they would inevitably become enemies. Knowing all of this, Jinseong was at a crossroads. Nemer wanted him to be a *Bucipke*. Nemer wanted adventurers to become sharpened blades, properly refined and ready to carry out the prophecy from the *Genesis Chronicles*. In other words¡­ Wasn¡¯t Jinseong helping to bring about the end of the world? Helping Hilder mid-plan would only play into her hands. Jinseong shook his head immediately. That would make him just another pawn fulfilling Hilder¡¯s wish. There was no way he could accept that. Not to mention the *Cause of Contamination*. An incomprehensible, unpredictable entity existed. It was beyond the main storyline and lore of the game *Dungeon & Fighter*, a being Jinseong couldn¡¯t even begin to predict. ¡°¡­Well, I don¡¯t really know Nemer¡¯s or Hilder¡¯s true intentions, either. So when it comes down to it, hmm¡­¡± Jinseong pondered. The Transcendent Nemer. The Apostle Hilder. The *Cause of Contamination*. And other beings with power on par with those mentioned in the game. As long as these higher beings were playing their own games, setting up their pieces for their plans¡­ ¡°No matter how much gold I have, I won¡¯t be able to rest easy, even in Arad.¡± *Clink, clink, clink¡­* Another pile of gold coins tumbled down the golden mountain. Somehow, the sound wasn¡¯t as thrilling as it had been the first time. ¡°Gruurk.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, what¡¯s the point of thinking about all this now? I still need to act like I¡¯m fulfilling the *Bucipke¡¯s Duty*, just like Hilder pretends to help Nemer¡¯s plan¡­ And, of course¡­¡± Jinseong needed to prepare. He might have to face them one day. And what did he need for that? *Clink, clink¡­* Another pile of coins fell. This time, Jinseong neither laughed nor felt disappointed. ¡°Taco!¡± ¡°Gruurk?¡± ¡°What are you doing? I told you to gather up those gold chunks. We may not get another chance to come back here. Life¡¯s unpredictable, you know. Grab what you can while you can.¡± Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jinseong¡¯s expression was firm. As strong as his resolve. ¡°Gruuuuurk¡­¡± Poor Taco had no choice but to comply. * * * Jinseong slapped his own cheeks lightly to keep himself sharp. He was fully aware that he couldn¡¯t let this windfall distract him from his *Bucipke¡¯s Duty*. ¡°Still, even looking at it now¡­ nothing¡¯s wrong?¡± The other reason for his focus was that, so far, he hadn¡¯t detected any contamination in the quest. Even though he had spent a fair amount of time in the *Golden Cave*, he wasn¡¯t far behind the male Priest player. In fact, he¡¯d even had the leisure to open a few treasure chests left by the dwarves, gathering their hidden tequila and other liquors. Because of this, Jinseong had already verified almost all of the quest progress in Noyerptera. ¡°Even at this very moment, I haven¡¯t noticed anything strange. We¡¯ve already encountered *Diregie¡¯s* phantom, but still no sign of contamination.¡± There had been no traces of contamination even now, as he and Minette faced off against the phantom of *Diregie*. It was a bit unexpected for Jinseong, who had suspected something would be off around here. ¡°This is essentially where you first encounter the *Grim-Seeker*, after all. It¡¯s also where adventurers first become aware of the *Grim-Seeker* as a group.¡± A group that played a pivotal role in the main storyline of *Dungeon & Fighter*. The *Grim-Seeker*. Players first encountered them during the battle against the phantom of *Diregie*, the cause of the plague in Noyerptera. Chapter 46 Chapter 46Grim-Seeker. An organization that, on the surface, engages in religious activities akin to proselytism, guiding the poor. ¡°A religious group, if you must call it that. But¡­ perhaps it¡¯s more accurate to say that they¡¯re hiding their true beliefs.¡± As for their true purpose and the actions they undertake to achieve it, players, as ¡°Adventurers,¡± will sometimes cooperate with them, and other times clash. And the place that marks the starting point of this complex relationship, the first place where an adventurer (i.e., the player) becomes aware of the existence of this group called Grim-Seeker. That place is right here, Noyerpera. ¡°This is the part that gets confusing because they appear so ambiguously. Who are they? What do they do? Are they beneficial or harmful to me, the player? Are they allies or enemies? None of these questions are answered clearly, so it¡¯s literally a part where you face Grim-Seeker head-on without any clear information.¡± Jinseong therefore considered it as one of the parts that could potentially be subject to contamination. Whether a member of Grim-Seeker would tell the adventurer (the player) everything they should. Or whether they would say things they shouldn¡¯t. Such situations could be a clear detriment to the main storyline quest flow in the future, which is why Jinseong felt he needed to take some measures. ¡°But¡­ it didn¡¯t turn out that way. They just said exactly what they needed to say.¡± And when he reflected on such circumstances, there were no points that Jinseong needed to be particularly mindful of. They mentioned that the magic circle they had created was preventing Diregie¡¯s plague from spreading further. They also dropped a hint that they would eliminate those who posed a threat to the Apostle¡ªin other words, protect the Apostle. If you consider these two statements as key to understanding the main scenario quests to come, you could say there was no contamination at all! *Growl.* ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s no need for me to intervene.¡± Watching the male Priest player and the Dark Elf NPC, Minette, who were already preparing to head back after suppressing Diregie¡¯s illusion, Jinseong could only ready himself to return as well. Jinseong scratched his head roughly. ¡°What is this? Does it just end like this? If it ends, that¡¯s good for me, though.¡± Compared to Sky Castle or Behemoth, there hadn¡¯t been any significant hardship, so he was still enjoying himself for now. Of course, this didn¡¯t mean that the main storyline quest flow was entirely over. ¡°Later, a plague spreads to some region of the Duchy of Bell Meyer~ and the adventurer, realizing that it¡¯s not just Diregie¡¯s illusion but Diregie himself in that place, receives a request from the Queen to go defeat him. If you think of it that way, there¡¯s still plenty of potential for contamination¡­¡± However, at least in the Dark Elf nation, the Kingdom of Pennens, it could be seen that all quests were practically concluded. Moreover, if there was no trouble with Diregie¡¯s illusion, Jinseong couldn¡¯t help but have expectations that dealing with the real Diregie would be relatively straightforward as well. ¡°Could it be that the has lost its power or can¡¯t create contamination anymore?¡± Jinseong had a reason for making such a guess. He had already experienced the issue with Apostle Lotus. There was no way the possessed limitless power. If, compared to other contaminations, the one involving the Apostle consumed a considerable amount of resources, then maybe it couldn¡¯t have a significant impact this time. Jinseong cautiously followed behind the player as they returned to Underfoot. From the moment they arrived back in the capital of the Kingdom of Pennens, Underfoot, everything went smoothly. They confirmed the efficacy of the plague cure, and it was proven that humans did not spread the plague. Minette, the NPC who was both a guide and a monitor, reported on the Diregie illusion she had seen with the player, and the Dark Elf elder, Saffron, believed her. ¡°Diregie¡­ Fortune Singer, everything seems to align with what you¡¯ve said.¡± ¡°I came solely to clear up misunderstandings with humans and to warn of the impending threat. I have no reason to deceive Elder Saffron.¡± The one who offered words to Dark Elf elder Saffron was none other than Iris Fortune Singer. Since Jinseong also recalled this part, he was able to take out a teleport potion with a satisfied expression. ¡°Okay, Iris has arrived as expected~ Now the Dark Elf Queen will urge the elder with a bit more authority to propose exchanges and cooperation with humans. The player and Klonter will deliver that letter of cooperation to the Queen of the Duchy of Bell Meyer¡­¡± At the very least, it became clear that Jinseong had no role here. Jinseong grinned, downing the potion with a smile. ¡°Hehe, maybe, just maybe¡­ I might get to take it easy and rest for a bit?¡± *Rumble, rumble.* Even Tako was flailing its tendrils, as if to indicate it knew that was too good to be true. * * * The first place Jinseong visited was, of course, the Wizard Guild in West Coast. ¡°I¡¯m back~!¡± He called out cheerfully as he walked in, but the NPCs, who Jinseong himself had never known or seen when he was a player belonging to the Wizard Guild, only gave a slight nod and stepped aside. There was no sign of Sharan, who would instantly notice whenever Jinseong set foot in the Wizard Guild. ¡°Is Sharan¡­ still in the Kingdom of Pennens? Or maybe stationed at Alfraira or something¡ªwell, that makes sense. She¡¯s probably still busy.¡± As the two nations were working to lift their antagonistic stance and return to peaceful exchanges, Sharan¡¯s role would not be insignificant. Considering her significant contribution in developing the plague cure, there was no way she would have returned already. Jinseong slyly glanced around at the NPCs before heading to his office. [Emergency Response Committee for Anomalous Phenomena], a still awkwardly unfamiliar nameplate, but Jinseong¡¯s mood was not bad at all. ¡°Hehe, now¡­ my vault, my lovely vault.¡± Despite having a rough idea of where to go and what to do next, the reason Jinseong first came to the Wizard Guild was solely for one thing! *Clatter, clatter, clatter¡­* Gold coins poured into Jinseong¡¯s vault. The vault seemed to function similarly to an [Inventory], accepting an overwhelming amount of gold compared to its physical space. ¡°Good, good. Be my solid foundation for the future.¡± For now, with a million gold, or even ten million gold, there was no lack. However, thinking about the tasks ahead, it felt as though no amount of gold would ever be enough. In this regard, Jinseong found himself contemplating as he watched the gold being sucked into the vault. ¡°This, for me¡­ is basically Serah. In a way, it¡¯s a form of microtransactions that my possessed self can use.¡± In the game Dungeon & Fighter, players could use real money to buy in-game items through the Serah Shop, and the special currency used in that shop was Serah. Since Jinseong could neither buy nor use Serah, and not even browse the Serah Shop items, the gold amassed from the dwarves¡¯ hoards was like a lifeline. ¡°No, it¡¯s even better than Serah. There¡¯s no such thing as a salary cap for me!¡± More specifically, it was like a ladder or an elevator to salvation! Knowing this, Jinseong could wear a content smile. ¡°Hehe, isn¡¯t it a great sight, Tako?¡± *Growl!* ¡°I honestly don¡¯t understand a word you¡¯re saying, but I do get that you¡¯re agreeing.¡± Jinseong stroked the temple-like structure on Tako¡¯s head with a smile. ¡°But this isn¡¯t really stroking Tako, is it? Although it looks happy, I¡¯m not sure what to make of it.¡± Even though he was patting the rounded architectural part of the GBL Church¡¯s temple rather than the shrunken form of Apostle Lotus, Tako was smiling happily. Right now, even such quirks simply brought joy to Jinseong. ¡°Lock¡¯s in place¡­ Alright, okay!¡± Only after completing the storage process did Jinseong stretch, feeling the satisfaction of having wrapped up his tasks in the Kingdom of Pennens. Of course, that wasn¡¯t everything. As Jinseong had already thought and knew, matters related to the 6th Apostle, Diregie of the Black Plague, were far from over. ¡°Next is the Duchy of Bell Meyer, specifically the provincial town of Northmyre.¡± A commercial city located northwest of the capital, Hendon Myre. However, after Diregie transferred to Northmyre, most residents either died or mutated, and those who barely survived had already fled, turning the place into a complete wasteland. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sure the Queen has already heard the news of Northmyre¡¯s sudden downfall. That¡¯s probably why, as soon as the adventurer returns from the Kingdom of Pennens, she urgently summons them to ask for help.¡± The problem was that Jinseong himself had to go there. When Sharan returns, he plans to acquire a large supply of the plague cure from her, but even that wouldn¡¯t be sufficient. ¡°Even the cure becomes ineffective when you get too close to Diregie. So¡­ I need to raise stats related to poison and magic defense. This time, potions bought from Kanna won¡¯t be enough for recovery either¡ª.¡± Fortunately, Jinseong¡¯s thinking had no barriers. He immediately took out a teleport potion. ¡°The materials are prepared. What¡¯s left is¡­¡± With a click, he quickly drank the potion. The place he tele ported to was a back alley of Hendon Myre, near the Moonlight Tavern, which also served as a route leading to Northmyre. In front of one of the buildings stood a wooden bench. An elderly figure leisurely sitting on the bench with a tea set in front seemed to sense something. ¡°¡­It¡¯s you.¡± As expected of him, he could tell without even looking. Jinseong grinned and bowed slightly to him. ¡°A disciple has come to pay his respects, G.S.D.¡± The person Jinseong sought was G.S.D, an NPC he had met in Sky Castle, and one of the strongest swordsmen in Arad at the current point in time. * * * G.S.D¡¯s lips twitched, as if he found Jinseong¡¯s claim of being his disciple amusing. ¡°I thought that little disciple game was all over.¡± ¡°Even so, once a bond is formed, you can¡¯t just sever it so easily. Hehe.¡± *Growl.* ¡°¡­Interesting. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s been that long since we parted in Sky Castle, but your aura as a ghost wielder isn¡¯t the same as it used to be. And that thing beside you too.¡± ¡°I made an effort. I¡¯m a little embarrassed that you noticed so quickly.¡± Jinseong slid closer, shamelessly claiming a spot on the bench where G.S.D sat. Though his cheeky attitude fit Jinseong¡¯s sly personality, it wasn¡¯t just that. And that wasn¡¯t something that could be hidden from G.S.D, who could perceive everything through his senses. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯ve come to see me¡­ nor do you appear to be here seeking my teachings. Just get to the point.¡± G.S.D knew Jinseong had a special reason for coming, and Jinseong gave an awkward smile as he glanced around. Not far from where G.S.D and Jinseong were sitting, heat was rising from a building. And amidst feeling that heat, there was another elderly man present. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve come to see Shinda.¡± The person Jinseong was looking for was NPC Shinda Philip, who operated a weapon and armor shop. G.S.D stood up and began walking towards Shinda. As Jinseong watched G.S.D¡¯s back, he couldn¡¯t help but be impressed again. ¡°Impressive. He already figured out my intentions.¡± If he needed to speak with Shinda, he could have gone to him directly. ¡°Not coming?¡± Even so, G.S.D, sitting beside Jinseong who called himself his ¡®disciple,¡¯ knew he had to say something to Shinda on his behalf, so he was already walking toward him. ¡°I¡¯m coming, yes, I¡¯ll go, hehe.¡± Jinseong quickly got up and followed him. Shinda looked at the approaching G.S.D and Jinseong and chuckled. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Shinda, my disciple has something to say to you.¡± ¡°Disciple? You have a disciple?¡± Shinda asked in feigned surprise, but G.S.D simply smiled and said nothing more. Seeing no further reaction from him, Shinda turned his gaze to Jinseong. ¡°You don¡¯t seem ordinary, but you don¡¯t look like a distinguished adventurer either¡­¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct, Shinda. I¡¯m not an adventurer. As Master G.S.D¡¯s disciple, I¡¯ve come with something to discuss with the famed blacksmith Shinda Philip.¡± Despite Shinda¡¯s blunt evaluation, Jinseong spoke without hesitation. Confidently and with a hearty demeanor. ¡°I want to commission you to craft something.¡± That was why Jinseong had come all this way. Shinda stroked the hair protruding from his nose and said. ¡°I can¡¯t craft anything.¡± It was a blunt answer. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But Jinseong¡¯s smile did not fade. ¡°Of course. I anticipated this much.¡± He had already confirmed through Linus that simply asking NPCs for something wouldn¡¯t be enough. In other words, the real challenge of dealing with blacksmith NPC Shinda Philip was just beginning. Chapter 47 Chapter 47Among the many systems that clearly existed and were utilized, one stood out. It was the system of crafting items using Shinda. ¡°Based on the synthesis method for the base materials, you could gather those materials to craft items. While the foundation is still similar now¡­ strictly speaking, there was only one place back then where you could create items.¡± Even now, the sold by the NPC Shinda in the current game Dungeon & Fighter remains as a piece of that history and proof. Even with the synthesis method and the necessary materials, to transform all those materials into actual equipment, you had to go through Shinda¡¯s forge and the touch of Shinda. Therefore, Jinseong thought: ¡°Even if no one uses it nowadays, because better items have appeared and are easier to obtain¡ª¡± He recognized that it could still be very useful for him. Moreover, Jinseong, who could acquire and use discontinued items, believed that he could make use of a system that had practically vanished. ¡°Shinda, I understand you¡¯ve made many items yourself in the past. What I would like to ask is for you to do the same for me.¡± Jinseong spoke again. But Shinda shook his head and gestured behind him with his chin. ¡°That was a long time ago. Ha ha, aren¡¯t all the items I made back then still here?¡± Jinseong looked at the weapons and armor displayed inside the forge, covered in dust. However, they were all common-grade, the lowest tier of weapons. They had no additional effects. That wasn¡¯t what Jinseong wanted. ¡°Aren¡¯t you still helping adventurers with their durability? I believe you continue to do so because you still have a passion for crafting.¡± ¡°As I said, I offer opportunities to those who wish to use the forge and furnace. However¡­ I no longer wield the hammer myself.¡± ¡°But you are a master, Shinda.¡± Jinseong didn¡¯t back down. This was the same Jinseong who had essentially used from Linus for free. Jinseong knew that with some rapport and a few requests, he could leverage hundreds of thousands of gold worth of items in Dungeon & Fighter. He believed he could swiftly take advantage of something with relatively low value like the and . But he was mistaken. ¡°Does a master remain a master forever? Even that whale that loomed in the sky¡­ the current adventurers and those who live in this ever-changing Arad have no need for the things I once made.¡± Shinda spoke in a slow voice. His gravelly voice seemed to carry not phlegm, but a sense of futility. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Though he was a craftsman who had flourished in a bygone era, what about the Shinda of today? Jinseong, not a craftsman himself, could vaguely understand. ¡°That feeling of being pushed aside by the times¡­ Even I felt down when Dungeon & Fighter¡¯s popularity waned. But it¡¯s probably not quite the same.¡± How must Shinda feel? Jinseong also knew what role NPC Shinda currently played in the game Dungeon & Fighter. ¡°Some users might not even know he exists. Even if he was popular in the past¡ª. Well, it¡¯s inevitable with continuous updates and new NPCs, but¡­¡± It¡¯s easy to dismiss it as inevitable, but for those actually living in Arad, it wasn¡¯t something to simply laugh off. For individuals, not just NPCs, in their lives, it wasn¡¯t just a passing matter. In some sense, Shinda might be feeling more than futility¡ªpossibly even despair. If it had been a discontinued system, that would be one thing. But and weren¡¯t items that had been discontinued. They still existed. Yet no one used them. Jinseong was momentarily taken aback, but he knew well that things rarely went according to plan. ¡°It was the same during the Alley Engineering content. Even during the Bakal Raid, there were newbies barely managing to chip 2% off Bakal¡¯s health while their Fear Gauge was at 47%. No matter how unreasonable the situation, there¡¯s always a way to clear it.¡± An old blacksmith who felt the futility of whether or not his craftsmanship was needed. What could be done to inspire him and have Shinda accept Jinseong¡¯s request? S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Simple consolation or encouragement clearly wouldn¡¯t work. What would help him would be proof that the master¡¯s skills were still needed in the world¡­ ¡°Shinda, you are a master. You are the blacksmith that all of Arad recognizes.¡± Jinseong finally found his answer. ¡°I told you, Arad no longer needs masters¡ª¡± ¡°And isn¡¯t Sieve also a master?¡± Sieve was another master, one who had caused trouble for players in various ways for quite some time. * * * There aren¡¯t many who have reached the rank of master, surpassing even craftsmen, in Arad. And one of those is Sieve. Like Shinda, Sieve was a blacksmith and a master craftsman. Also, he was the creator of . ¡°¡­What are you getting at? Why are you suddenly bringing up Sieve?¡± Shinda¡¯s nostrils twitched. Jinseong shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Nothing in particular. Sieve has continued to craft orbs suitable for accessories and has gained great popularity and prestige among adventurers. Unlike you, Shinda, who has set your tools aside.¡± Jinseong continued speaking casually. ¡°Adventurers go to great lengths to obtain Sieve¡¯s orbs¡­ I wonder if Shinda knows this.¡± With Jinseong¡¯s tone lightening up, Shinda¡¯s nostrils trembled slightly. ¡°I have nothing to do with that! No matter what Sieve does¡ª¡± And just as the enraged master was about to lash out¡­ ¡°No, it does matter. You two are the blacksmiths renowned in Arad. In fact, aren¡¯t you, Shinda, even a few years younger? So why have you already given up? Back then, the name Shinda meant master! And Sieve! In fact, your fame in weaponry, Shinda, was higher, and still is higher!¡± Jinseong spoke up. He actively utilized the background settings of the game Dungeon & Fighter. Shinda, who was on the verge of losing his temper, found himself unable to retort to Jinseong¡¯s remarks. ¡°Master Shinda Philip. Please help me. Earlier, you said I looked like a run-of-the-mill adventurer, right? I will be the tool to elevate your renown, Master Shinda. I will make sure that with your equipment, Master Shinda¡¯s name will rise, rivaling even Master Sieve.¡± Watching the trembling of his nostrils gradually subside, Jinseong made his plea. It was half a statement driven by the brashness of youth. Shinda stroked his nostrils gently. ¡°Even if you use my equipment, I doubt my renown will rise. With your skills¡­ Ha ha. You sure have the nerve to say that.¡± ¡°Ah, well, um, you see¡ª¡± ¡°Still, it feels like it¡¯s been a while since my spirit has been lit. My concern is that my hands may have grown too dull to handle your request properly¡ª¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that! This commission isn¡¯t particularly difficult.¡± As soon as Shinda finished speaking, Jinseong opened his [Inventory]. Then, he took out something and placed it on the ground. It was an assortment of spider carapaces and remains. ¡°I¡¯m looking to make armor. Shoulders, chest, pants, boots, and belt¡ªfive pieces of armor using the carapaces of spiders, the Marpissas.¡± What Jinseong intended to create was a light armor set once favored by the Ghost Knight class. The Arti Marpissa Set. ¡°Armor using spider carapaces isn¡¯t exactly simple¡ª¡± ¡°Heh, but I believe you¡¯ll do it well. Oh, and I didn¡¯t just bring these from Underfoot; I also brought something else¡­ because I was sure Master Shinda would agree to my request.¡± As he watched Shinda¡¯s confusion, Jinseong pulled out something else. One was a glass bottle filled with a shimmering purple liquid. And the other¡­? ¡°Eugh¡ª. That smell!?¡± ¡°Wh-what is this! This ominous aura?!¡± Even G.S.D, who had been watching, flinched at the sight. ¡°Behold, the Dark Elves¡¯ treasure, pride of the Pennes Kingdom! and . These are valuable enough to be used as trade goods!¡± Taken out from a small box in Shallow Keep, these were the ingredients so disgusting to touch! The intense stench emanating from the heavily fermented dairy products was enough to make not only Shinda but even G.S.D pinch their noses and step back. ¡°Heh, well then, I¡¯m counting on you!¡± Jinseong raised his voice and bowed his head. Shinda, with a bewildered expression, looked at G.S.D. ¡°G.S.D, your disciple here, this one¡ª¡± ¡°Even if he¡¯s not extraordinary, he¡¯s certainly not ordinary.¡± G.S.D responded as if he knew exactly what Shinda wanted to say. ¡°¡ªThat¡¯s precisely it.¡± ¡°Heh heh, that¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. These items aren¡¯t easy to come by, you know?¡± Jinseong at this moment might not fully grasp that G.S.D wasn¡¯t merely referring to or . * * * Jinseong steadied his breath in front of the alley leading to North Myre. ¡°Good thing the Wizard Guild stocked up on enough plague cure, at least.¡± According to his original plan, he would have completed the commission for the Arti Marpissa Set with Shinda and then collected additional rewards from Sharan of the Wizard Guild. However, since the ever-busy Sharan hadn¡¯t returned to the Wizard Guild, there was no choice but to feel somewhat disappointed. Still, the Duchy of Bell Meyer was also plagued, so a considerable amount of the plague cure mass-produced at the Alfraira Outpost had been distributed to the Wizard Guild for the duchy¡¯s relief. Jinseong had stocked up on some of those cures before heading out. ¡°Heh, judging by how bitter it is, it must be good for you.¡± Jinseong chugged down a bottle of the plague cure. Then, he began to walk toward North Myre. ¡°Though I don¡¯t see any users yet¡­ I should at least assess the situation first.¡± Normally, he would follow the trail of a user, but this time was different. Most notably, there were no visible contaminated elements in the Pennes Kingdom, so he couldn¡¯t even tell whose quest might be compromised. Naturally, simply sitting and waiting didn¡¯t suit Jinseong¡¯s temperament, so he intended to take a proactive approach. ¡°When I think of Diregie, the image of Peter the Piper¡­ that boss monster inspired by the Pied Piper comes to mind.¡± Diregie¡¯s influence has created many twisted and deformed abominations. From a giant rat-man named Scar, to Peter the Piper, the Pied Piper himself. North Myre is a location known for its particularly memorable monsters among users. And right at the entrance of the dungeon region: North Myre. Jinseong realized it instantly. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s different. Over there, even the grass is rotting away, but this side still remains vividly green.¡± In the North Myre region, an epidemic swept through quickly, resulting in the deaths of most residents, and those who survived had to flee¡ªleading to the discovery of a small village. A green city that remained exceptionally clean, untouched by the plague. The Queen of the Duchy of Bell Meyer had commissioned the adventurers and the NPC ¡®Poison King¡¯ Luise to investigate from that village onward. Jinseong knew the scarecrows with strange shapes scattered everywhere were not just for scaring away birds. Poof¡ª! As one of the idle scarecrows suddenly bounced like a spring and leapt forward, Jinseong grinned. ¡°Here it is.¡± The Green City of Grozny. Finally, Jinseong stepped into the first dungeon in the region: North Myre. There was no fear in Jinseong¡¯s mind as he faced the charging scarecrow mob. ¡°.¡± The skill level increase due to the item he still wore. With a single blow, the four scarecrows approaching him burst apart, scattering straw everywhere. ¡°Let¡¯s slowly take a lo¡ªhuh?¡± As Jinseong was about to begin his thorough exploration, something caught his eye. A dark shadow swiftly passed between the buildings of Grozny. Chapter 48 Chapter 48Dungeon Area: North Myre¡¯s first dungeon is the Green City, Grozny. Although it¡¯s named Green City, it is clearly defined as a dungeon, a place where monsters appear. In other words, the existence of life forms here wasn¡¯t something special for Jinseong. Since it was a dungeon, monsters were naturally expected. Most importantly, since they didn¡¯t follow a user in, it meant there were countless monsters here that hadn¡¯t been cleared out yet. Therefore, the reason for Jinseong¡¯s surprise wasn¡¯t due to the black shadow itself. ¡°¡­Did it run away? Did it flee? After seeing me?¡± It was the fact that something in this place had avoided Jinseong upon seeing him. Monsters wouldn¡¯t do that. While some monsters do have attack patterns like hiding in shadows or using virtual ¡®teleportation¡¯ to ambush users, what Jinseong saw was clearly not like that. Whatever had been in the alley between the buildings had run away. After witnessing Jinseong slashing down the scarecrows. ¡°You saw that, right?¡± ¡°Kkoruk.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Strange. I only came here to verify if I could enter Green City, Grozny in the first place, but¡­ there¡¯s no way something would run away just by seeing me, right?¡± Tat, tat, tat, Jinseong swiftly chased the shadow. However, it was impossible to immediately identify it, whether it had quickly passed through the alley or concealed itself well. ¡°I¡¯ve been running for a while now¡ªseems like it knows the area well.¡± Eventually, Jinseong paused his pursuit and looked around. There was another reason why he had come here without following behind a user. Jinseong¡¯s level was still 34. At this level, not even meeting the ¡®dungeon level requirement¡¯, could he really enter the dungeon? ¡°From the beginning, the problem had been nagging at me ever since I was at Noire Ferra in the Kingdom of Pennes¡­ At least back then, it was unclear if the concept of ¡®following a user¡¯ applied. But this time, it¡¯s confirmed. I can enter. Even without meeting the minimum level.¡± Even though Green City, Grozny was the lowest-level area in the current region, it was undoubtedly higher than Jinseong¡¯s level. Thus, traversing the entire dungeon area of North Myre shouldn¡¯t be a problem. ¡°Phew¡­ It¡¯s been a while since I felt a little tense.¡± Jinseong suppressed his mix of tension and excitement. By the time all quests in the were completed, users¡¯ levels would reach 50. In other words, even Green City, Grozny, had a recommended level of over 40, and not only now but also in future dungeons, the level difference between Jinseong and them would be significant. ¡°Hmm, what could possibly appear here? There¡¯s no boss like a dog trainer here¡­ And monsters related to Diregie are definitely not here either. Duke Uris is near the end.¡± The existence in Green City, Grozny, that noticed Jinseong and fled had a certain level of intelligence. And it was possibly even more powerful than Jinseong himself. Jinseong cautiously moved forward. *Poof, poof, poof-!* How far had he gone? Once again, a few scarecrows stirred, pulling out their poles and leaping towards Jinseong. ¡°¡­Even if I have to be careful, mobs like these¡ª, , .¡± Quickly slicing through the air with , followed by practical hits using and . Though each blow of might be weaker, the scarecrows couldn¡¯t withstand the continuous attacks. ¡°-I can handle these easily¡­ but still, these things are annoying.¡± While fighting off the regular monsters, Jinseong was bothered by the sound of buzzing insects. For a person irritated by even a single mosquito, the sight of dozens, if not hundreds, of giant insects approaching would be terrifying. *Whiiiiiiing©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤!* Jinseong tightly gripped the handle of . It wasn¡¯t because he was nervous. ¡°, .¡± He had already faced similar swarms of small monsters back in the Kingdom of Pennes with the mini Marphasas. ¡°Kkoruk?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing here worth collecting, so it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Kkor, kkor!¡± Jinseong smiled, looking at Tako, who pointed at the monsters¡¯ corpses. *Crrrack-!* And as if their conversation was a trigger, someone appeared, pushing through the bushes. ¡°Who¡ª¡­ Ah?!¡± ¡°Who are you¡­? What brings you here?¡± A woman with long green hair, matching the name of Green City, Grozny. Though her gaze was full of caution as she looked at Jinseong, it was Jinseong who was genuinely startled. Jinseong recognized the woman who appeared before his eyes. ¡°¡­Michelle!¡± Cypher, Michelle Monahan. The protector of Green City, Grozny, and the leader who guides all Cyphers. She was also the figure first encountered as a boss monster in Green City, Grozny. * * * Jinseong was taken aback but tried to keep his thoughts in order calmly. Michelle was certainly someone you¡¯d meet in Green City, Grozny. As a boss monster, no less. However, there were other characters one had to encounter before meeting her like this. ¡°No, I¡¯m not a user. If the path I took wasn¡¯t the one users usually travel¡ª.¡± Meeting Michelle directly wasn¡¯t something that should never happen. It¡¯s a slight possibility. So, Jinseong took a breath and spoke confidently. ¡°I am a [Emergency Anomaly Response Committee] member from the Magic Guild of the Duchy of Bell Meyer. I came here to investigate the plague spreading in North Myre, thinking there might be a clue to another type of cure here.¡± Michelle¡¯s eyes widened for a moment. It was perhaps a natural reaction. ¡°This was originally what the user would say to Michelle¡­.¡± These were the words Michelle would use when she met the user, i.e., the adventurer, and NPC Luije together and guessed their purpose. Jinseong was brazenly using those words himself. ¡°There is no cure here. The reason the plague hasn¡¯t spread is¡­.¡± Michelle¡¯s voice trailed off as if she were whispering. Though Jinseong didn¡¯t hear her clearly, he already knew. ¡°It¡¯s because of Michelle¡¯s telekinesis. Not just Michelle, but all the characters one would meet on the way here, like the ¡®Bug¡¯ Deshang and the ¡®Druid¡¯ Mia, are Cyphers, since they¡¯re Cyphers.¡± Created by the same company, Neople, which developed the game Dungeon & Fighter, Cyphers was another online game. Despite being two different games, characters appeared almost like cameos due to a sort of intertwining of planes or parallel worlds. Michelle swallowing her words as she looked at Jinseong was also a reflection of the sorrow of characters with special abilities within Cyphers, living in this place, Arad. ¡°But how is it that the Magic Guild member is immune to the plague? Even getting here would have exposed you to danger.¡± Michelle threw a sharp question at Jinseong instead. Jinseong flinched but didn¡¯t try to hide it. ¡°A similar incident occurred in the Kingdom of Pennes, the land of the Dark Elves. After finding the source of the plague there, we developed a cure to some extent and have been using it as a temporary measure. It¡¯s not perfect yet.¡± ¡°Pennes Kingdom¡­ Dark Elves¡­.¡± Michelle muttered, emphasizing the word ¡°Dark Elves.¡± While observing Michelle, Jinseong continued to stay alert to his surroundings. ¡°Anyway, I have no business here. I don¡¯t need to continue this conversation with Michelle. I can just end it and leave.¡± Naturally, that was to facilitate his return. Michelle Monahan would meet the users, and together, they would handle various tasks. There was no need for Jinseong to say anything more. His aim was to provide only accurate information about what they would eventually learn and then withdraw. ¡°If you cooperated with the Dark Elves¡­ If the Duchy helped them¡­.¡± ¡°Mm?¡± Michelle then turned her eyes toward Jinseong and spoke. ¡°Could you possibly help us as well?¡± It was a request that left Jinseong utterly shocked. * * * ¡°Michelle asking for help?! That¡¯s impossible; how could this happen?¡± The struggle to not show his surprise was immense. Jinseong did his best to manage his expression as he asked. ¡°What do you mean¡­ by helping¡­.¡± ¡°Exactly as I said. Here, in Grozny¡ªthe plague hasn¡¯t reached us yet, but it won¡¯t last long. Not just for me but for the safety of my comrades who still live here¡­ If you could provide a safe place for us to stay¡ªwhether it¡¯s Hendon Myre or anywhere else¡ª.¡± ¡°Ahem, th-that! That¡¯s not something I can decide¡­right now.¡± Michelle quickly asserted her stance even before Jinseong could finish speaking. Her insistence was strong enough that Jinseong had to forcefully interrupt her. Michelle still wore a wary expression but with a glimmer of hope in her eyes as she asked Jinseong. ¡°Then who¡­ or how can that decision be made?¡± ¡°That, um¡­.¡± S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jinseong trailed off, buying time. He needed to process the situation. Michelle Monahan, the leader of the Cyphers, asking for help from the Duchy of Bell Meyer? ¡°That can¡¯t be right. Michelle¡ªCyphers have always lived persecuted. Whether using telekinesis, controlling bugs, or accelerating plant growth, their powers differ from the magic commonly used in Arad¡­ Because of such powers they were born with¡­.¡± They were abandoned even by their parents. They created a small community of their own, hiding to avoid the judgmental eyes of the outside world. These characters were filled with resentment and distrust towards ¡®normal¡¯ people who called them witches or treated them as creepy beings. And now she was asking Jinseong for help? ¡°Oh. I see.¡± When he reached that point, Jinseong finally calmed his racing heart and assessed the situation. Michelle wouldn¡¯t ask for help. It¡¯s not normal for her to do so. In this context, if something abnormal was happening. ¡°¡­This is corruption.¡± It meant they were dealing with a corrupted quest. Jinseong still had unresolved questions. If this was corruption, whose quest was corrupted? Could corruption occur even without traveling with a user? ¡°I don¡¯t know. But that¡¯s not what¡¯s important right now.¡± What mattered was the situation they were already facing. Michelle had already requested help from Jinseong, an ¡®individual from the Duchy¡¯ and a ¡®normal person.¡¯ ¡°It must mean Diregie¡¯s plague is that threatening. If that¡¯s the case, I understand. They can¡¯t use their power to contain the plague indefinitely.¡± Perhaps Michelle genuinely wanted to ask for help as a representative of Cyphers. Though her plight was understandable, Jinseong had to clench his lower lip tightly. ¡°But¡­ no. That shouldn¡¯t happen.¡± She shouldn¡¯t be the one to ask for help first. For the adventurer¡¯s growth. To ensure the future intertwining of Michelle and the adventurer. But what could Jinseong do? ¡°Hu, huu¡­.¡± Jinseong was already taking deep breaths. He could instinctively feel what needed to be done. ¡°Even if I run away now¡ªif I just avoid this situation, Michelle¡­ will eventually ask the adventurer, the user, for help. Just as she did with me.¡± And that situation must not happen. So, what should Jinseong do to prevent it? Jinseong tightly shut his eyes. And when he opened them again, his brows were sharply arched. ¡°Stay away from me, you disgusting Cypher scum.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?!¡± He had to make Michelle prioritize antagonizing ¡®normal people.¡¯ And he had to take on that villain role himself. Chapter 49 Chapter 49Jinseong could see Michelle¡¯s green eyes waver. It was as if she was questioning how he knew, even though she hadn¡¯t made a mistake with her words¡ªhow could the person before her call her a ¡®Cipher¡¯? Jinseong didn¡¯t stop. ¡°Did you think that, as the Emergency Measures Committee Member of the Mage Guild, I wouldn¡¯t know? The reason why only this place hasn¡¯t been infected must also be due to that. Whether it¡¯s telekinesis or whatever, you must have been using that unpleasant power to fend it off. Am I right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Michelle looked at Jinseong as if she had lost her words. At least by that point, Jinseong was certain. Why Michelle played the role of leader among the Ciphers of Grozny. The green eyes that had been filled with fear and anxiety were now slowly transforming into anger. Perhaps he had gone too far with his words, but Jinseong couldn¡¯t stop. This wouldn¡¯t be enough. And he needed to maintain balance, too. ¡®It¡¯s fine if Michelle resents ordinary people who shun her kind, but¡­¡¯ She must not come to hate all humans. Otherwise, she might outright refuse any cooperation requests from the users and ¡®Poison King¡¯ Louise, which could lead to even more tangled outcomes than the current situation. Thus, Jinseong had to speak. ¡°It¡¯s been known for a while now that witch hunt targets are hiding in Grozny. Until now, we chose not to interfere because there was nothing unusual¡ªbut I can¡¯t let it slide any longer. I¡¯m here to arrest you.¡± To make her see him as even more of a villain. ¡°What did we do wrong? The Mage Guild? What have you ever done for us that now you come to make such demands, spouting those shameless and immoral words?!¡± ¡°Oh, of course, you didn¡¯t really do anything wrong. In fact, you¡¯ve done well by proving you can fend off the epidemic.¡± Jinseong shrugged, mocking her. ¡°What did you say? Then why¡ª¡± ¡°But the adventurer made a mistake. The adventurer dealt with the epidemic for the Dark Elves in the Penes Kingdom.¡± His feigned malice needed to reach her sincerely. ¡°Adventurer? What does that adventurer¡¯s achievement have to do with us?¡± ¡°Are you that dense? That task was my jurisdiction. It was an opportunity to elevate my name, a feat that should have been mine.¡± The villain had to shine. So that the ¡®adventurer,¡¯ the hero Michelle would eventually face, could shine even brighter. ¡°In other words¡­ Even you unpleasant folks might as well become my stepping stones~ that¡¯s what I mean.¡± Thus, Jinseong wore a sly smile. Michelle trembled as she looked at Jinseong¡¯s face. There was no way she could suppress the boiling anger. ¡°That filthy, sly smile¡­ So that¡¯s how it is. ¡®Normal people¡¯ are always like that. They¡¯re always filled with thoughts of using others!¡± Jinseong flinched at Michelle¡¯s words. ¡®Ugh¡­ Michelle is still one of my favorite NPCs. I loved her tsundere attitude when she came to help during the Eye of the Storm, and now she¡¯s calling my smile dirty and sly¡­¡¯ It was a wound, though not quite. But there was no helping it. At this point, what¡¯s important is correcting the corruption. Jinseong lowered his voice and spoke. ¡°Fine, even if this all ends and you still hide in Grozny¡­ I won¡¯t just sit back and do nothing. Neither will the bounty hunters.¡± Now Michelle didn¡¯t just speak with her expression. The green aura surrounding her, resembling shimmering heatwaves, signified that she was fully prepared for battle. ¡°Come at us, attack us as much as you like. We won¡¯t submit to the likes of you ¡®normal people.¡¯¡± ¡°Haha, do you think you can take me on¡ª¡± Jinseong¡¯s plan was to engage Michelle in a fight and then retreat. ¡°Mia! Deshang!¡± ¡°¡ªon?¡± As expected, Jinseong still hadn¡¯t completely shed the habits from his days as a user. If this were a game, he would only need to face Michelle Monahan, who would appear as the boss monster, but what about now? With Michelle¡¯s powerful shout, the surrounding bushes rustled. ¡°Cluck, cluck!¡± ¡°Damn it, !¡± When the rustling quickly turned into vibrations of the ground, Jinseong had no choice but to evade swiftly. Several sharp, pointed tree roots burst through the ground where Jinseong had been standing. Jinseong knew it was the skill of another Cipher, the ¡®Druid¡¯ Mia. ¡°Cluck!¡± ¡°I see it, , !¡± But that wasn¡¯t all. As if predicting where Jinseong would dodge, swarms of insects swiftly flew in his direction. The swarms, moving as if they had a mind of their own, attacked in unison, forcing Jinseong to use his skills to dispatch them in one blow. ¡°Heh, that guy¡¯s pretty good, dodging my bugs. I told you from the start to take him out, Michelle! Wasn¡¯t I right?¡± This was also another Cipher, the ¡®Bug¡¯ Deshang¡¯s method of attack. ¡°Michelle, I¡¯m ready too!¡± Mia quickly approached Michelle and said. Michelle glanced between Mia and Deshang, then firmly pressed down the fedora in her hand onto her head. It was an act that was both a vow and¡­ A signal that the attack was about to begin. The green aura surrounding Michelle swiftly gathered at her right hand. ¡°!¡± A massive energy projectile, larger than Jinseong¡¯s body, was shot fiercely. ¡®I was only planning to rile her up and leave!¡¯ Jinseong felt like crying. * * * Although Jinseong could narrowly avoid Michelle¡¯s Psychic Bullet, the resulting shockwave was strong enough to blow his hair back. If there was a silver lining, it was that the speed of the attack wasn¡¯t as fast as anticipated; however, the problem was that Michelle wasn¡¯t the only one he had to be cautious of. ¡°!¡± Mia shouted as she placed her hands on the ground. Rumble, rumble, the ominous vibrations weren¡¯t the only concern. Predicting where and how the tree roots would burst from the ground was no easy task. If he had to completely move away from the entire ground he was standing on? ¡°!¡± It was as if Michelle was guiding Jinseong¡¯s movements, firing Psychic Bullets at the spots where he dodged. ¡°!¡± If dodging was too late, it was only natural to counterbalance with another skill. There were two problems, one of which was that Jinseong¡¯s level was still only 34. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡­¡­!!!! ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Did you really think you could just take an interest in us with such weak skills?!¡± It was difficult for Jinseong¡¯s skill to offset Michelle Monahan¡¯s ability, as some skills still lacked sufficient damage. The Psychic Bullet shattered the dark cross imbued with the dark attribute and continued its trajectory. Jinseong hastily threw himself aside, only to find the second problem waiting there. ¡°Did you really think you could keep dodging my bugs? It seems the range attack you used earlier can¡¯t be repeated continuously, can it?¡± Deshang spoke with confidence, as if he had gauged Jinseong¡¯s skill cooldowns, leaving him no room for rebuttal. ¡°Ho, !¡± If there was a silver lining, it was that Jinseong had the skill , which temporarily nullified the Apostle Lotus¡¯ attack, as part of his combo. As soon as Jinseong received a ¡®temporary invincibility¡¯ judgment against the swarms of bugs clinging to his body, he immediately followed up with , , and combos. At that point, Jinseong had to change his strategy. Facing Michelle, Mia, and Deshang simultaneously was still beyond Jinseong¡¯s capabilities. His level, skills, and item tier. If so, his priority should be on retreat, and to buy himself that opportunity, he needed to launch a threatening attack at Michelle, distract them, and seize the chance when their focus faltered. ¡°, , -.¡± These were part of one of Jinseong¡¯s main skill combos, with all three allowing a certain degree of movement. Using a mobility-oriented combo, Jinseong swiftly closed the gap to Michelle and unleashed his next attack. ¡°-!¡± Jinseong could feel it the moment he thrust . While his powerful thrust might not penetrate all of Michelle¡¯s abdomen, it was clear that it would at least be a highly threatening attack. Sssrrrk¡­ ¡°¡ªHuh?¡± But it turned out Jinseong had underestimated Michelle. Michelle¡¯s movement seemed to slip away, and in an instant, her figure disappeared from Jinseong¡¯s view. ¡°Where are you looking? That¡¯s my afterimage.¡± When she reappeared, Michelle was already behind Jinseong. Jinseong gritted his teeth. ¡®Damn, I didn¡¯t expect Michelle to know how to use a skill like !¡¯ A dodge technique with invincibility, showing that such skills weren¡¯t exclusive to users. Michelle swung her arm. In her hand was a long green aura, stretching out like a whip to strike Jinseong¡¯s back! ¡°There¡¯s no more room to dodge¡ªugh?!¡± Michelle had to scream. Swooosh-! Several thick tendrils rushed toward Michelle. A sudden attack that left both Mia and Deshang startled. ¡°Michelle!¡± ¡°Michelle!¡± The one person who didn¡¯t hesitate upon seeing the thick, reddish tendrils was, of course, Jinseong. ¡°I can do it too! Tako, strike!¡± Creatures in the game Dungeon & Fighter have their own unique skills, and ¡®Tako,¡¯ Jinseong¡¯s follower, possessed the skill . ¡®But the damage itself is weak. If it were real Apostle Lotus¡¯s tendrils, maybe, but it¡¯s just an attack of a creature at its corresponding level. Still, if there¡¯s just one opportunity¡ª.¡¯ Tako attempted to strike with its tentacles as Jinseong commanded. As Jinseong feared, Tako¡¯s attack, which was still at a low level, wouldn¡¯t inflict much damage. Swooosh-! ¡°I won¡¯t be caught by mere tendrils¡ª¡± But Michelle couldn¡¯t have anticipated this. She had to respond to Tako. And that was the opportunity. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. , , , were merely ¡®setup skills.¡¯ The true power of the Dark Knight¡¯s skills manifested in the fifth skill in the combo. ¡°!¡± Jinseong rushed toward Michelle and activated the skill. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤! ¡°Kyaaah!¡± The dark aura exploding with the use of colorless cube fragments posed a significant threat to Michelle, enough to overcome the level difference. ¡°Michelle! Damn you, human!¡± ¡°