《The Return of the Genius Ranker of All Times》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Deus Ex Machina ¨C Ragnarok. Abbreviated as DemRock. Upon its release, DemRock instantly drew the attention of gamers, earning praise as the most perfect and intricate VR game to date. But it wasn¡¯t just casual interest. Despite being a VR game, its exceptional realism and AI surpassed expectations, and within three days of its release, it shot to the top of the game rankings. [Ragnarok] [Deus Ex Machina] [Rmended DemRock Skills] [What is a Gacha?] The real-time search rankings were always filled with DemRock. And naturally, the game became profitable. To be precise, it had immense potential to be profitable. No other game released so far had garnered as much attention as this one. That¡¯s why the dark gamers appeared. People who made a living off of games, known as so-called ¡°rice-eaters,¡± the term for users who earned their ie through gaming. ¡®This is going to make money.¡¯ Do-hyeon was one of those people. He hadn¡¯t started off that way. It was merely by chance that he passed by arge screen showing a DemRock ad and, out of curiosity, decided to give it a try. That¡¯s when he discovered his hidden talent for gaming, and he naturally began aiming to be a dark gamer. Yet, despite that, he could confidently say he was making money through gaming. [Kaiser ¨C Rank 1] [Myeolsal ¨C Rank 2] [Kkukkudakkkukku ¨C Rank 3] [Sword Emperor ¨C Rank 4] [Purple Taste ¨C Rank 5] [The Judge ¨C Rank 6] ¡­¡­. Even though he startedter than the other rankers, he managed to im the top spot. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just his high ranking that stood out. His physical prowess was overwhelming, hisbat sense was genius-level, and his ability to adapt to the situation, as well as his skill in PvP, surpassed expectations. There was nothing hecked. Because of this, the public even called him an unprecedented genius in history. Many people asked him: How could you be so good? How could they be like him? Do-hyeon always gave the same answer to such questions. ¡°Combat tips? Hmm¡­ Can¡¯t you just see it?¡± ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡± ¡°When your opponent attacks, a gap appears if you dodge. If you hit them then, you can strike without getting hit.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± A video of an interview, uploaded under the title The Deception of a God, where Kaiser was asked forbat tips, became a famous anecdote among all those familiar with DemRock. Despite it being a ridiculous response that would typically provoke anger, Kaiser¡¯s sincerity, as if he genuinely didn¡¯t understand why someone would ask, left people unable to even be upset. -Well, it¡¯s Kaiser, so that makes sense¡­ -LOL, right, if you dodge and then hit, you won¡¯t get hit. Who doesn¡¯t know that? -If it were anyone else, people would¡¯ve cursed them out, but since Kaiser says it, no one can refute it. -Kaiser is a god. Kaiser is a god. Kaiser is a god. Kaiser is a god¡­ -A god is Kaiser. A god is Kaiser. A god is Kaiser. A god is Kaiser¡­ -Ugh, these Kaiser stans are at it again. Rather than getting angry, people were even more enthusiastic about Kaiser. The reason why people cheered for him, the reigning god of DemRock, wasn¡¯t simply because of his overwhelming genius. Although that was his main trademark, there was another decisive reason why many users looked up to Kaiser. [Kaiser Creates a New Skill Tree] [Kaiser! Creates Yet Another New Meta!] [Even Trash Skills Can Be Useful! Kaiser¡¯s Unique Methods for Turning Overlooked Skills into OP Abilities¡­] [Kaiser¡¯s Leveling Guide] [Legendary Boss Kabournel! Kaiser¡¯s Strategy¡­] It was because of the countless guides he had uploaded. Although the majority of them were filled with cryptic advice like ¡°Dodge here, hit around here,¡± at least his skill trees were real. And for the users, these skill trees were like rain in a drought. -Kaiser just uploaded a new skill tree. -Oh, amazing. He made it with unpopr skills again. I was clueless on how to use the Bite skill, but now he¡¯s applying it to this? Truly a god¡­ -Honestly, if it weren¡¯t for Kaiser, this game would¡¯ve died a long time ago. -But seriously, what kind of game requires you to build a skill tree based on random draws? -Yeah, it¡¯s messed up, but it¡¯s strangely addicting. -Yup, that¡¯s gambling addiction. Go see a doctor. In this luck-based, gacha-driven game, his skill trees were a revolution. People trusted and followed his Kaiser Skill Trees religiously. A god-given talent. The incarnation of VR gaming. The one who creates the meta. A genius. Numerous titles were attached to his name. It was truly a golden era for him. But everything has an end. No matter how high DemRock soared, the game was bound to crumble one day. And Do-hyeon knew that too. ¡®No, this is too much.¡¯ But he hadn¡¯t expected that day toe so soon. The first issue arose eight months after the game¡¯s release. A fatal w appeared in DemRock. -What the hell? Is everything gacha? Even the items are random draws? That¡¯s too much, isn¡¯t it? -Agreed. The probabilities are trash too. Everything in the game was based on gacha. Everyone knew that the moment the gameunched. However, it was so popr, and everything else was so well-made that people tolerated it. The problem was the raids. -Isn¡¯t the whole point of the game to do raids? -Raids are the crown jewel of RPGs! Like most VR games, raids weren¡¯t easy. You needed to have the right equipment, level up, and have good control over your character. On top of that, you also needed a goodwork of connections to sessfullyplete raids. Raids were essentially the pinnacle of RPG gamey. -But the raid rewards are a joke. -Have you ever spent millions on equipment only to get five bricks in a row as your raid reward? But this damn game decided to mess with the raid system too. You needed to do raids to get stronger, but in order to raid, you had to have top-tier gear. And after all that effort, the reward forpleting a raid was¡­ bricks? As a gamer, nothing was more disheartening. -I really enjoyed this game, but I didn¡¯t expect even the high-level content to be like this. -Raids are one thing, but I maxed out my NPC affinity through endless grinding, and the reward was a gacha draw. Seriously¡­ -This is why gold diggers are scary. -Anyone still grinding for bricks in this dead game? To make matters worse, subsequent content also fell short of expectations, and many felt betrayed by the game. Once you experienced it firsthand, it ripped away any attachment you had to the game. ¡°Damn, this is a piece of trash!¡± Eventually, countless users left the game. From those who yed for money to the regr yers. A year after release, the game¡¯s ranking plummeted, and by the second year, it became a wastnd where seeing a new yer was rarer than catching a falling star. By the third year, even the few remaining veterans had mostly disappeared. A game that no longer made money. A game that people would mock you for ying. A game whose memes featured hands being washed after failed handshakes. A game so stagnant it had be diluted. ¡®Why am I still ying this damn game?¡¯ But even as he thought that, Do-hyeon hadn¡¯t quit. He didn¡¯t understand it himself. Maybe it was because he had grown attached over the three years, or maybe it was like how people still seek out cigarettes despite knowing they¡¯re harmful. He had started for the money, but somehow, he had stayed longer than anyone else. But now, even that hade to an end. [Hello. This is Deus Ex Machina ¨C Ragnarok.] [The service will be terminated in 30 minutes.] ¡°¡­¡­¡± Like the ending of every failed game, DemRock was about to face its shutdown. Do-hyeon stared nkly at the announcement and let out a faint chuckle. ¡°I cursed this shitty game dozens of times, hoping it would die¡­ but now that it¡¯s actually ending, it feels strange.¡± He nced to his side and saw a hulking man with purple skin sitting nearby. He was Purple Taste, one of the most hardcore veteran users. A man who hadn¡¯t missed a single day of the game since its release. The veterans, half-jokingly, had even crafted a perfect attendance award for him around a campfire,mending his passion. He was terrible at ying the game, but he made up for it with absurd amounts of money and relentless grinding. ¡®There were always rumors that he was andlord. He kept denying it, though¡­¡¯ The sight of him sitting quietly by the campfire seemed especially mncholic. Hearing his muttering, a middle-aged man with the image of a seasoned swordsman, Sword Emperor, who was warming his hands by the fire, nodded his head. ¡°I agree. Despite the gacha hell, it was still fun. I don¡¯t understand why it had to fail.¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably the problem, isn¡¯t it? Even a tiger leaves behind its skin when it dies, but a dragon leaves behind bricks. That¡¯s too much.¡± ¡°¡­Do you always have to ruin the mood like that?¡± ¡°What? Am I wrong? Can¡¯t I at leastin about this doomed game before it¡¯s gone?¡± The one wearing a masquerade mask and dressed in a gentleman¡¯s suit, bickering with Sword Emperor, was Kkukkudakkkukku. Famous for his no-nonsense attitude, he was known for dominating the battlefield with his absurdly good physical skills. ¡°Are you really not going to take off that mask until the end?¡± ¡°¡­Shut up. How about you stop speaking like that? You¡¯re in your twenties, and it¡¯s so cringeworthy.¡± ¡°You stillck grace in your speech.¡± ¡°What? Want to fight onest time?¡± ¡°Tsk. You never change¡­¡± Although Do-hyeon maintained his top rank, they were all top-tier rankers when he first started ying, people so skilled they had be practically rotten from their expertise. Their realbat prowess wasn¡¯t much different from his. He had received a lot of help from them¡­ As he watched them banter with a sense of nostalgia, Do-hyeon quietly spoke. ¡°It¡¯s a shame, really.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± A brief silence fell over the group. They merely sat around the campfire, lost in thought, as if reminiscing about something. Purple Taste was the first to break the silence. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re the one who¡¯d feel it the most. You researched this game more than anyone.¡± ¡°Watching you inbat was always fascinating. I could understand the theory behind it, but it was still hard to believe. That¡¯s probably why they called it The Deception of a God.¡± ¡°Well, we did benefit from your skill trees too. Normally, you either have brains or brawn, but you seem to have both.¡± As more people chimed in, Kkukkudakkkukku seemed to recall something and burst intoughter. ¡°Still, the gods are fair. Out of all of us, your luck was the worst. Haha.¡± ¡°Yeah, you never got any high-grade skills¡­ maybe that¡¯s why you had to research so much to survive?¡± ¡°Can you believe that the guy ranked first doesn¡¯t have a single legendary skill? If his luck had been a bit better, we wouldn¡¯t have been able topete with him at all.¡± ¡°I wish people could¡¯ve seen you wailing after failing ten consecutive upgrades, shouting, ¡®The world¡¯s out to get me!¡¯ It would¡¯ve gone viral as The Cry of a God.¡± ¡°Hahaha! Seriously, this guy¡¯s the worst of us all.¡± ¡°Ahem¡­ It¡¯s true, your luck was the worst I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± Even Sword Emperor nodded in agreement, listening to Purple Taste¡¯s heartyughter. Though it was hard to tell if they were praising or teasing him, Do-hyeon remained calm. He¡¯d heard all of this before. Since DemRock was a gacha game, discussions about his notorious bad luck were constant. It had initially made him angry, but at some point, he found himself chuckling at it. Now, however, for some reason, it felt more bittersweet. Perhaps it was because this was the first game he had ever yed. He had never been so invested in something before¡­ Was it the thought that the game was trulying to an end? ¡®I don¡¯t know either.¡¯ After about ten minutes of idle conversation, the final message appeared. [Hello. This is Deus Ex Machina ¨C Ragnarok.] [As scheduled, the service will now be terminated. Thank you for staying with us until the end.] Seeing the additional message, the veteran yers slowly began to stand. ¡°¡­This is really the end.¡± ¡°You did well. ying in a gacha hell with double-digit concurrent users.¡± ¡°If we meet again, let¡¯s make sure it¡¯s in a good game.¡± Starting with Sword Emperor, Purple Taste and Kkukkudakkkukku logged out one by one. In an instant, Do-hyeon was left alone. Sitting alone in front of the campfire, his mood became even more mncholic. Swoosh. As he gazed at the night sky, his vision gradually darkened. Instead of the sound of birds chirping, the whirring sound of the VR device filled his ears. Do-hyeon gently touched the switch of the VR gear he had been wearing. Click. [This game service has ended.] However, instead of the night sky, only a brief message appeared. ¡°¡­¡­¡± After reading the message, Do-hyeon finally removed his helmet and let out a short sigh. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 ¡°Feels kind of pointless.¡± Started at 18, and now he was 21. In that short, or long, period of time, Do-hyeon had really done nothing but game like his life depended on it. While others were drinking and enjoying college life, he stayed cooped up in his room, solely focused on ying games. He said it was for money, but honestly, it wasn¡¯t for some grand reason like that. It was because it was fun. Although he yed while cursing up a storm, the moments when he hung out with other veteran yers, or when they hugged each other in excitement after finally getting lucky and receiving a rare item after countless brick drops during raids¡ªall of it was just fun. But in the end, all that remained was the server shutdown. Did he really dedicate three years of his life to a game that went down this easily? He had some skills, so if he¡¯d yed a different game, he probably could¡¯ve made some decent money¡­ They say that if you be a ranker in RinNiche¡¯s VR version, you¡¯re envied even by building owners, right? Thinking about that made him feel unjustly wronged. ¡®Why don¡¯t I have any money when I¡¯m ranked number one?¡¯ The money in his possession amounted to a mere 500,000 won. Even if you reached rank one in a game thatpletely failed, there was no way it would earn you any money. No matter how great an item dropped, there needed to be someone willing to buy it. The money he had now was painstakingly saved little by little while making pocket change during the game¡¯s brief poprity. ¡°¡­¡­¡± If the first game he¡¯d started with wasn¡¯t this trash, but something like RinNiche¡­ No, even if it was just an ordinary VR game, things might have turned out differently. ¡°Sigh.¡± That thought didn¡¯tst long as Do-hyeon soon shook his head. ¡°What can I do? It¡¯s my fault for not being able to let go of this trash game.¡± He could start earning money from now on. Even though it was a failed game, at least he discovered that he had talent in gaming. And it was in VR games, which were close to the dreamlike realm of virtual reality. When considering that VR games were more profitable than PC games, there was no need to feel like the world was ending. ¡®It¡¯s not like I urgently need money right now¡­ I can take my time looking.¡¯ After all, he was living with his parents, so there was no pressure when it came to money. With 500,000 won, he could easily coast for a month. Not wanting to think too much, Do-hyeon plopped down on hisputer chair. He nned to look into new games. However, when he turned on theputer, the first ce he visited was the DemRock homepage. ¡°Ah.¡± Was this what people meant when they said habits were scary? Well, when he turned on hisputer, all he usually did was post strategy guides or browse through other people¡¯s posts on the homepage. Click. [When will this damn game shut down ¨C Purple Taste] Since he was already here, Do-hyeon clicked around the homepage, clicking his tongue. ¡®No new posts.¡¯ He thought maybe some hidden users might¡¯ve posted something now that the game had shut down, but it seemed DemRock had been more of a dead game than he¡¯d realized. Thest post had been from a month ago, written by that guy, Purple Taste. ¡®Sigh. Let¡¯s close it and gather some information.¡¯ Just as he was about to close the homepage. ¡°¡­Huh? A new post?¡± Right on cue, a new post had appeared. And it wasn¡¯t from an ordinary user, but from the game¡¯s admin. [We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the users who have enjoyed DemRock until now¡­ Thanks to your support, we were able to end on a high note¡­] Curious, he read through it. It was just a typical thank-you note. Much like how webtoons leave a final message after theirst chapter, this was just a long-winded thank-you for sticking with the game until the end. ¡®Why am I reading this so carefully?¡¯ Even as he chuckled at himself, Do-hyeon scrolled down. He figured he might as well read the rest since it was thest message. [DemRock, which was a test work and Season 1, has ended its service. We will be back soon with the official version, Season 2.] The official version has been designed by incorporating as much of the data you¡¯ve provided through your gamey and feedback as possible. We are confident that it will be a world full of adventures and freedom. We invite you to the Paradise of Adventure.] ¡°Season 2 ising out?¡± There were a lot of words like test version and official version, but to sum it up, they were saying, ¡°The next game will be the real deal, so please look forward to it.¡± It was unexpected. He hadn¡¯t imagined they¡¯d been ambitiously preparing for a Season 2. But honestly, he was skeptical. ¡®User feedback, huh¡­ It was probably all justints about how luck-based the game was.¡¯ The infamy of DemRock¡¯s RNG was so widespread that any gamer would know about it. And if you were one of the users who yed DemRock, you¡¯d probably have poured your true feelings into your feedback submission. And those feelings would¡¯ve been steeped in a lot of angry curses. ¡®And I¡¯m sure more than half of those curse-filledints were from me.¡¯ Most people wouldn¡¯t know, but Do-hyeon considered himself one of the biggest victims of DemRock¡¯s horrible luck-based system. From skill draws to item drops, to item upgrades. The list of grievances was endless. So, no matter how much they imed they¡¯d reflected user feedback, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder how much would actually change. Then, it happened. His scrolling stopped. Something at the bottom of the screen caught his eye. A line of text. -Season 2 will not be a VR game, but a virtual reality game. ¡°¡­Virtual reality game?¡± Do-hyeon¡¯s face twisted at the sight of those words. *** Every gamer in the 21st century harbored one dream deep in their heart. A virtual reality game. A game often depicted in secondary creations like novels orics. It was a fantasy because it was impossible to achieve in real life. But after 2020, the world had taken a significant step closer to virtual reality games. The third generation of VR. Moving beyond the first generation where you only enjoyed the game visually as if it were reality, you now wore a helmet-like device that allowed you to experience the game like a dream. At first nce, it was a device that seemed somewhat simr to the virtual reality games in novels. But in reality, it was far from it. ¡®Compared to the scenes in novels, the quality isughably low. The AI is made up of lifeless graphics and patterns, and you can¡¯t feel any sensations at all.¡¯ Everything from one to ten was just an extremely degraded version. It got so bad that even experts said it would take at least a few more decades before real virtual reality games coulde out. That¡¯s why people were content with the current VR. [¡­We will be releasing a virtual reality game, not a VR game. God of Savior will perfectly fill the void left by your exhaustion with VR, which only mimics virtual reality.] ¡°That¡¯s bullshit.¡± And that was why Do-hyeon scowled as he read the post on the homepage. ¡°No matter how bad a game is, this is way too much of a bait.¡± Sure, the quality of the game itself was decent. When it firstunched, people had said there wasn¡¯t a more perfect third-generation VR than DemRock. It was a sign that they had some level of technical skill. ¡®But a virtual reality game? That¡¯s impossible.¡¯ That was like iming you could solve university-level math problems just because you¡¯d memorized the multiplication table. It waspletely unrealistic. There was no point in expecting anything. It was frustrating that a game he¡¯d grown attached to was deceiving its users right up until the very end, so of course, he wasn¡¯t in a good mood. And it wasn¡¯t just Do-hyeon who thought that. [Breaking News) DemRock has shut down. We can¡¯t use the memes anymore.] ¨C Did that trash game finally die? I was wondering when it would, and it really did shut down. ¨C Yeah, but they posted an announcement saying they¡¯re releasing a virtual reality game. -?? What does that even mean? ¨C DemRock was just a test, and they¡¯reing out with an official virtual reality game? Something called God of Savior, or whatever. Since the VR market was rtively small, word spread quickly among users. It could¡¯ve been one of the veteran yers who was browsing the homepage like Do-hyeon. Considering how fast the news spread for such a failed game, that seemed like the more logical guess. The reactions were predictable. ¨C A virtual reality game? LOL, do you actually believe that? ¨C Exactly. If a real virtual reality game wasing out, the news would¡¯ve spread like wildfire by now. It¡¯d be all over the news, not just some homepage announcement. Geez;; ¨C LOL, but at least they have the tech, so they¡¯ll probably make a decent VR game. ¨C So, are you going to y? ¨C No way, I¡¯m never touching another luck-based nightmare game again. You wanna taste brick dragon bricks? ¨C Lol, bricks¡­ That¡¯s hrious. That¡¯s the first andst game I¡¯ll ever y like that. ¨C It was fun while itsted. Let¡¯s never see it again. Seriously;; Of course. Because the idea of a virtual reality game was just that absurd. That¡¯s why Do-hyeon closed themunity without any lingering attachment. ¡®To make money from a game, I¡¯d need to raise a character for at least two months¡­ But it¡¯s toote to start RinNiche now. Is there a good game out there?¡¯ RinNiche was a game so overrun with veterans that it had started to rot. Even if he tried to establish himself now, it would take a lot of time to climb to the top. But if a game was too unknown, it wouldn¡¯t bring in any money either. A moderately famous game with mid-tier poprity would be ideal¡­ ¡®That said, I don¡¯t want to just y any random game¡­ Should I take a gamble and try one of the new VR games?¡¯ He had confidence in bing a ranker in a new game, and if possible, he wanted to enjoy himself while making money. As he clicked his mouse and mulled things over, the door suddenly swung open. ¡°Hey, mom told me to give this to you.¡± ¡°Ah, you scared me. Can¡¯t you knock?¡± ¡°Knock? What for¡­¡± A young woman with short hair, still looking quite youthful, entered the room. She stood about 160 cm tall with pale, delicate skin. Her big, round eyes and finely arranged features made her the kind of girl men might find cute, but in Do-hyeon¡¯s eyes, she was nothing more than a pig. ¡°She¡¯s always acting out against me.¡± ¡°Ugh, gross. What¡¯s with the ¡®acting out¡¯? And you should wash up, seriously. Stop locking yourself in your room and ying games all day. It¡¯s embarrassing to even invite my friends over.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s not like I¡¯m ugly.¡± As if he genuinely didn¡¯t understand, Do-hyeon looked at himself in the nearby mirror. Watching this, the girl¡ªno, his sister Hyun-ah¡ªfrowned as if she¡¯d seen something she wished she hadn¡¯t. If disgust could be captured in a look, that was it. ¡°Ugh¡­ I¡¯m already feeling sick, and now it¡¯s worse. I¡¯m heading out to drink¡­¡± Withouting any closer, Hyun-ah ced an envelope on the shelf near the door and coolly walked out. Watching her leave, Do-hyeon scratched his head. ¡®Hmm. I think I¡¯m pretty good-looking, though.¡¯ He thought he wasn¡¯t bad looking, even from an objective standpoint, but apparently, his sister didn¡¯t think so. Well, that¡¯s just how it was between siblings. Anyway, that was that, but now he was curious about what she¡¯d left behind. Using the momentum from getting up, he quickly walked over to the shelf and tore open the envelope. ¡°¡­!¡± Do-hyeon¡¯s eyes widened. His hands trembled as he held ¡°it,¡± disbelief written all over his face. His trembling wasn¡¯t out of excitement. It was more out of fear. Even though it was unimaginable for Do-hyeon, who never flinched in the face of any raid boss, it was an understandable reaction. Anyone would tremble uncontrobly if they received this. It was a military draft notice. [Military Service Notice] -Name: Kang Do-hyeon ¡­You are hereby notified to enlist in active duty in ordance with Article 16 of the Military Service Act. ¡°¡­¡± It was the call from the country that every healthy young man in South Korea eventually received. Even the man once hailed as a god in DemRock couldn¡¯t avoid the call of his nation. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± And so, Do-hyeon, once a proud gamer, became a trainee in the Republic of Korea¡¯s 51st Infantry Division. Around that time, the official version of DemRock, God of Savior, was released. And it came with the title of a virtual reality game. [God of Savior, the first virtual reality game, is released!] [A giant VR MMORPG appears. It aims to be the true virtual reality game¡­] [Born amidst both concerns and expectations, is it a beacon of hope or despair?] The virtual reality that had once been dismissed as a far-fetched dream had finally appeared before the world. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 [The emergence of an unprecedented virtual reality game!?] [The grand debut of God of Savior!] The first-ever virtual reality game. With that title, God of Savior made a shy entrance right from the start. When news spread that the game, once considered a joke, had actually been released, gamingmunities everywhere erupted. ¡°???¡± ¡°No way, it¡¯s real?¡± ¡°A real virtual reality game?¡± The impact was immense. From VR gamers to PC gamers, and even those with no interest in gaming, everyone had heard about God of Savior. And it was no surprise. ¡°Isn¡¯t VR already virtual reality? What¡¯s the big deal? It¡¯s not like it¡¯s the first time VR hase out.¡± ¡°VR is virtual reality? Technically, yes, but let¡¯s be honest¡ªit¡¯s pretty far from true virtual reality. The third generation¡¯s better, but up until the second generation, calling it ¡®4D¡¯ would¡¯ve been more urate.¡± ¡°I heard someone tested the device, and they said it¡¯s like the virtual reality games in novels.¡± ¡°Wow, and the device isn¡¯t even a helmet, it¡¯s a capsule. Is this really a virtual reality game?¡± Unlike previous VR games, this one came with the genuine title of a ¡°virtual reality game.¡± Whether it was bait or not, it was bound to attract attention. ¡°But can this even be done with current technology?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it just an upgraded version of the third generation?¡± The gamepany¡¯s response was swift. Before those doubts could grow, they invested heavily in recruiting additional testers, and the testers confirmed the truth. [It was an unforgettable experience¡­ It¡¯s another world, yet it feels like reality.] [It was breathtaking. The vividness, the high-level AI that felt like real people, the beautiful otherworldlyndscapes¡­ It¡¯s in apletely different league from any VR that¡¯se before.] [I¡¯m terminally ill. I¡¯m thankful I got to experience a game like this before I die. The only regret I have is that by the time this game releases, I¡¯ll already be gone from this world.] Not a single person offered criticism¡ªevery review was full of praise. Some even shed tears of emotion, while others shared sad stories, leaving everyone more curious. ¡°Seriously, how amazing was it?¡± ¡°Wow, I know that person. They¡¯re pretty famous in the UK, and I¡¯ve never seen them this moved before.¡± ¡°They said it was a final gift before death?¡± Knowing that even notable figures had taken part in the test made the game¡¯s reputation all the more believable. Before long, doubts were reced by growing excitement. There were even people who couldn¡¯t sleep at night, wondering if the dream-like virtual reality game had finally arrived. People all over the world, including in South Korea, were eagerly awaiting the officialunch of the game. But not everyone viewed the game with such anticipation. [Virtual reality games are the work of Satan.] [Virtual reality games lead to death!] [Is it safe to trust this unprecedented virtual reality game?] [A capsule-shaped device, not a helmet¡­ There¡¯s still ack of data on its effects on the human body¡­] Some people had always considered games to be a form of devilish temptation, dating back to the days of PC games. With the emergence of this unprecedentedlyrge-scale game, various anti-gaming groups began to rise up. Among them were even a few experts. Unlike the helmet devices of the third generation, which had undergone extensive data testing, the newly released capsule-shaped device was said tock sufficient data. This dampened the enthusiasm of those who had been cheering for the game. It couldn¡¯t be helped since the concerns raised by the experts were reasonable. ¡°They¡¯re saying you could die ying a virtual reality game. Something about an overload in the brain.¡± ¡°They said there¡¯s not enough data yet?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t hear? An expert said it. I¡¯m too nervous, so I¡¯ll wait and see.¡± Rumors began to spread, and before long, people were saying that ying God of Savior could kill you. -God of Savior Perhaps that¡¯s why. When God of Savior officiallyunched, people were hesitant at first. The capsule was much more expensive than the helmet devices, and the game itself was also quite pricey. But during times like these, there are always those who are eager to take on a challenge. ¡°Hello, everyone! God of Savior¡¯sunch is hot right now, isn¡¯t it? There¡¯s been a lot of talk about it being a death game or a new brain torture device, but I¡¯m going to try it out and review it for you all!¡± ¡°I know you all want to y God of Savior, but you¡¯re too nervous, right? I get it~. So! I, Jinjinjara, am going to y it! I¡¯ve spent a whopping ten million won, so please like and subscribe!¡± That¡¯s where YouTubers and BJs (Broadcast Jockeys) came in. Those always hungry for content weren¡¯t going to miss this opportunity. And that was the start. ¡°Alright, everyone, I¡¯ve logged into the game. So far, nothing seems off. Let¡¯s head over to the town¡­ Wow¡­¡± ¡°Is this¡­ really a game? Are you serious? That scenery is virtual?¡± ¡°No way, this is insane. I can literally feel the wind brushing past me.¡± Through personal broadcasts, the overwhelming realism of God of Savior spread worldwide, and it quickly captivated people. The game¡¯s quality was on apletely different level from any VR game before it. The AI, which felt more real than actual people, and the vividly implemented sensory experiences left everyone in awe. Kraaah! ¡°Wow, the intensity is no joke.¡± To top it all off, when battle footage featuring lifelike monsters was added, people stopped hesitating. Safety? Die from ying a game? ¡°That¡¯s nonsense. Look at me¡ªI¡¯m perfectly fine right now.¡± ¡°Holy shit! That¡¯s definitely a trick by the top-ranked yers to scare us. Look at me, I¡¯m totally fine!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not ying this, you¡¯re missing out big time. Anyway, I¡¯m off to y. See ya.¡± At that point, anyone who still avoided the game due to concerns was considered foolish. And in reality, millions of people yed the game, and no one had any issues. The rate of side effects was 0%. Even third-generation VR hadn¡¯t achieved such a low number, and the experts who had staunchly opposed the game were driven out, shamed by the public. People, as if releasing all their pent-up desires, flooded in like a tidal wave. Three hundred million concurrent yers worldwide. One billion yers total. At this point, God of Savior wasn¡¯t just a game anymore. From movies and dramas to sports like ser and martial arts, and even entertainers like singers, all industries were being swallowed by virtual reality. It was only possible because God of Savior offered such freedom and variety. It was truly another world. But even so, the heart of an MMORPG was still itsbat. Battle footage from the massive guilds was the most popr content, and also the most profitable. And when it was revealed that many of the stars in those battles were veterans of DemRock, interest in the now-defunct game surged. ¡°They say Myeolsal from the Execution Guild was a DemRock yer.¡± ¡°I heard there are tons of DemRock veterans in the top 10,000 rankings.¡± ¡°Even Myeolsal wasn¡¯t number one in DemRock.¡± ¡°Huh? Then who was number one?¡± Naturally, this led to interest in the high-ranking yers of DemRock. The wall that even Myeolsal couldn¡¯t surpass. A legendary figure who, after reaching the top rank, had never once relinquished their position. -Kaiser. The moment that name was revealed, countless people began searching for Kaiser. It was inevitable. Of course, people were curious about the person ranked higher than Myeolsal, but God of Savior was, after all, a sequel to DemRock. There were bound to be many simrities in the systems. It wasn¡¯t a coincidence that DemRock veterans were dominating the ranks in God of Savior. So, what about the man who was the overwhelming number one? -Kaiser? He¡¯s a god. -That¡¯s not just a metaphor. He¡¯s literally a god. He¡¯s never lost. -The skill trees he created were revolutionary. He was the founder of the meta. -No matter how bad something was, if it passed through Kaiser¡¯s hands, it became a shining gem. -15-yer raids? Those were just small-time bosses to Kaiser. -I guarantee that Myeolsal wouldn¡¯tst a minute against Kaiser. -A minute? Nah¡­ I bet my friend¡¯s left ball that it would be a 10-second KO. -What do you mean Myeolsal¡¯s a nobody? He was one of the top yers even back in the DemRock days. That¡¯s just too much. -I agree. Myeolsal¡¯s in a league of his own. They never had an official one-on-one, did they? -How dare you question the god! sphemy! -Oh no, I repent¡­ As former DemRock yers exalted Kaiser like a deity, curiosity about him only grew. His achievements were so awe-inspiring that they seemed exaggerated. ¡°How good was he at fighting, really?¡± ¡°Wait, was his movement invisible or something?¡± Naturally, people started searching for videos featuring Kaiser, and everyone was shocked. His control was more precise than a machine, hisbination of skills endless, and hisbat footage was so overwhelming it was almost violent¡ªit left viewers mesmerized. ¡°What¡¯s Kaiser doing now?¡± ¡°Why hasn¡¯t he started ying God of Savior yet?¡± ¡°I want to see Kaiser¡¯s gamey in a virtual reality game! Ah, it¡¯s already a form of art. Watching his battles gives me inspiration.¡± ¡°Find Kaiser!¡± It was only natural that people began searching for Kaiser. Kaiser. Those three sybles quickly flooded every onlinemunity and topped real-time search rankings. Even foreigners were searching for Kaiser, so that said it all. But the man himself never appeared. One month passed. Then two months. Six months turned into a year. ¡°By now, isn¡¯t Kaiser dead?¡± ¡°Kaiser? Oh, the number one in DemRock?¡± ¡°I am curious to see him start ying, but¡­ It¡¯s been over a year. Even if he starts now, he¡¯ll just be a side character.¡± ¡°You never know. Maybe he started, but he didn¡¯t make it into the rankings, so he¡¯s hiding.¡± ¡°Hey, the Execution Guild¡¯s raid is about to start. Get ready to jump into the link.¡± People stopped searching for Kaiser. Some still missed him, but most had moved on to watching the new rulers of God of Savior. Time passed, and about two yearster¡­ or more precisely, 1 year and 6 monthster. [Breaking News) Execution Guild seeds in legendary raid boss Abtartel raid!] -Wow, Myeolsal is amazing¡­ He¡¯s flying all over the ce. -He really is a legend¡­ Isn¡¯t Myeolsal the strongest solo yer? -Nah, Myeolsal is popr, but Celestial Guild is the strongest. There¡¯s a reason they¡¯re called Celestial. -I like the top 10 guilds, but I¡¯m a huge fan of the Empress. She moves alone, like a noble wolf. Isn¡¯t she a one-person army? -True¡­ Even the top 10 guilds don¡¯t mess with the Empress. No one in God of Savior was searching for Kaiser anymore. He had been forgotten. Too many powerful and dazzling figures now dominated the game for anyone to remember an old hero. No one cared about a figure lost to history. And just as everyone was forgetting¡­ ¡°Loyalty! Sergeant Kang Do-hyeon! I¡¯ve been discharged as of April 11, 2023!!¡± In the office of the battalionmander of the 51st Infantry Division. A young man, Kang Do-hyeon, wearing a military cap over his now-grown hair, was saluting. There was a faint smile on his lips. Kang Do-hyeon, 23 years old. 1 year and 6 months since he entered the army. And 1 year and 6 months since the release of the virtual reality game, God of Savior. Kaiser had finally taken off his uniform and returned to civilian life. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 ¡°What¡¯s the first thing you want to do after you¡¯re discharged?¡± This was the most frequently asked question to soldiers nearing the end of their service. And the answers were usually simple and straightforward. ¡°I want to sleep all day at home.¡± ¡°I want to enjoy some grilled pork belly with a ss of soju.¡± ¡°I want to lie in bed, tear into some fried chicken, and watch NetXlix.¡± Having had their everyday freedoms restricted, those who longed for them came to appreciate the value of their ordinary lives and desired to reim them. In that regard, Do-hyeon was no different. ¡°Games.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I want to y games.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± His life as a gaming fanatic consisted of nothing more than a spacious room, aputer, and VR equipment. He was desperate to get back to that life. At first, hisrades looked at him with bewildered expressions, but they soon understood. ¡°Games? You mean God of Savior?¡± ¡°Oh, that first full-dive VR game? Damn, if it¡¯s that, I get it. I¡¯m going nuts wanting to y that too. And right when it was released, I got drafted¡­¡± ¡°What kind of game is it? You should¡¯ve said you wanted to y God of Savior from the start.¡± ¡°Is everyone hitting up capsule rooms after discharge? Let¡¯s party up once we¡¯re out.¡± For people, God of Savior was no longer just a game for gaming addicts. It was a cultural phenomenon, a world in itself. It was so prevalent that it was harder to find someone who didn¡¯t y God of Savior. Even among the elderly, not knowing about it would make you seem out of touch with reality. Sadly, for the soldiers stuck in the military, during the reign of God of Savior, there wasn¡¯t a single one who didn¡¯t want to y it. ¡°¡­Is God of Savior really that impressive?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s like another world¡­¡± ¡°What, you guys haven¡¯t tried God of Savior yet? Man, look at these normies¡­ No joke, bring three diapers with you.¡± Even the juniors, who were smoking with them, started to take interest in the game. At times like that, the ones who had experienced God of Savior beforeing into the army would puff up with pride and tell stories like they were recounting heroic tales. Those who hadn¡¯t yet yed the game would listen with wide-eyed wonder, like children hearing about a fantasy world. Before long, 90% of the conversations in the army revolved around God of Savior and women. Every time this happened, Do-hyeon had to test his patience. ¡®It¡¯s really a virtual reality game¡­!¡¯ He had dismissed it, thinking it was nonsense, just another sequel to DemRock. Who could have imagined that it would actually be a real virtual reality game? The timing was so cruel¡ªreleased exactly when he entered the military¡ªthat it brought him to the verge of tears. He wasn¡¯t a religious person, but for the first time, he felt a surge of faith. At this point, he was convinced that some divine being was personally tormenting him. And so, after enduring and enduring for 1 year and 6 months, the moment he was finally discharged¡­ Bang! ¡°¡­The capsule! Where¡¯s the capsule?¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re home already? Your hair¡¯s gotten so long.¡± ¡°Your brotheres home and the first thing he looks for is the capsule. When he was little, he always used to call out for his mom, but now look at him. They say kids stop needing their parents when they grow up, and I guess it¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Mom, you still have your daughter, right?¡± ¡°Enough, stop calling for me. Really, is there no middle ground with you two?¡± As soon as he arrived home, Do-hyeon was like an addict searching for a fix, immediately asking for the capsule. Seeing this, his younger sister, Hyun-ah, and their mother, Chae Mi-sook, who had been watching TV, threw out sarcastic remarks. Normally, Do-hyeon would¡¯ve snapped back, but right now, he didn¡¯t care at all. His only desire was to get to the capsule as soon as possible. ¡°The capsule¡¯s been set up in your room. Two delivery men carried it in, but my goodness, why is it so heavy? Do people really y games on things like that these days?¡± ¡°Mom, don¡¯t you know about God of Savior? If you don¡¯t, people treat you like a total outcast these days.¡± ¡°Oh please, I know. It¡¯s all they ever talk about on TV. But there¡¯s no way I could y something like that. Aren¡¯t those monsters terrifying?¡± ¡°Mom, your son¡¯s the best at taking them down. He¡¯s practically a butcher.¡± Listening to their conversation with one ear, Do-hyeon headed straight to his room and froze at the sight before him. His eyes filled with emotion. ¡°Ahh¡­¡± What a beautiful sight. The sleekly designed oval shape and the smooth curves were beyond beautiful. As he approached and ran his hand over the capsule, a smile spread across his face. ¡®This is a capsule¡­¡¯ The feeling was entirely different from just seeing it on broadcasts. Maybe it was because he had meticulously saved his monthly military pay¡ªenough to actually call it a sry now¡ªto buy this capsule. Though it was a second-hand, standard model that cost him around 4 million won, it felt as rewarding as buying his first car. ¡°Son, aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡± ¡°I already ate. I¡¯ll eat dinnerter.¡± Giving a quick response to his mother, Chae Mi-sook, Do-hyeon immediately threw himself into the capsule. The soft cushioning that enveloped him was better than expected. Though capsules had once been extremely expensive, now, after nearly two years, they were much more affordable. Compared to back then, the quality was better, and the synchronization rate had improved as well. ¡®Alright, let¡¯s log in.¡¯ Do-hyeon began operating the capsule with practiced ease. He had already memorized how to use it from countless videos he had watched. The same went for God of Savior. While he hadn¡¯t studied everything, he had grasped enough of the basics on his way home. ¡®It¡¯s quite simr to DemRock.¡¯ As a sequel, many aspects were alike. Which made sense. In terms of the game¡¯s lore, God of Savior was set in a future generation, after DemRock. From the world itself, to the cities, and other various elements. While much had changed, since they shared the same roots, the system and basic mechanics were familiar enough that they wouldn¡¯t pose any challenges. He had only skimmed the surface, but detailed guides could always be consultedter as needed. In 1 year and 6 months, most information had been thoroughly cataloged¡ªjust a few clicks on the homepage would suffice. Especially in a game like God of Savior, yed by over 1 billion people. Click. After flipping the switches one by one andpleting the initial setup, he ced the gear, resembling a helmet, over his head. His vision went dark. And then a series of messages appeared. [Iris scanning in progress.] [Verifying ID card.] [ID card verified.] [Syncplete.] [Would you like to log into God of Savior?] ¡°Yes.¡± At his immediate response, the world faded away, and everything turned white. Then, as his vision cleared, a new world emerged¡ªa pure white space. A female AI voice echoed through the space. [Wee to the Paradise of Adventure.] [Please create your character.] [Gender cannot be changed. You may modify your appearance¡ªsuch as hair, eyes, and minor physical attributes¡ªwithin limits that do not significantly affect your body.] Do-hyeon looked at the full-length mirror that had appeared in front of him. In the mirror, his current appearance was reflected. Barely covering his private parts, his body was almost entirely exposed. Though his hair had grown somewhat, his military-style buzz cut was still noticeable, and his now considerably bulkier frame stood out. ¡®Yeah, I still look too much like a soldier.¡¯ Not that he wanted to advertise that he¡¯d rushed home the moment he was discharged. Each time he made a change, his appearance would alter immediately, and he couldn¡¯t help but be amazed as he adjusted his look. It was like wielding magic. But, in the end, he didn¡¯t make any significant alterations. All he did was grow his hair out. Other than that, he looked the same as he did in real life. ¡®There¡¯s nothing much I can fix anyway, so no need to waste time.¡¯ This part was certainly different from DemRock. In DemRock, where you couldn¡¯t feel all five senses, you could alter not only your appearance but even your gender. They say those who excel at character customization, known as ¡°customization masters,¡± make the most of these constraints, but unfortunately, Do-hyeon wasn¡¯t skilled in that area. Nor did he care to bother with it. Having finished his customization, he now looked more civilian-like. Satisfied, Do-hyeon stared at his reflection in the mirror when the voice rang out again. [Please select a nickname.] ¡®A nickname, huh¡­¡¯ Anyone who yed God of Savior would have to be cautious at this step. In most games, nicknames couldn¡¯t be duplicated, but God of Savior allowed for duplicates. Considering the fact that over 1 billion people yed the game, this was only natural. Yet, Do-hyeon shouted his choice without a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°Kaiser.¡± It was the name he had used from the very start of his gaming career until the day the service had ended. To him, Kaiser was as familiar and meaningful as his real name. He never had any intention of choosing a different name. [Is the nickname ¡®Kaiser¡¯ correct?] ¡°Yes.¡± [Wee, ¡®Kaiser.¡¯] [Your hashtag is Kaiser#312543.] [Your character has been created.] [You will now be moved to the tutorial zone.] With that message, his vision went dark. * * * ¡°Wow¡­¡± Do-hyeon couldn¡¯t help but be awestruck at the sight before him. He was standing on top of a fortress. The scene looked like something straight out of a typical medieval fantasy movie. It wasn¡¯t the kind of breathtaking fantasyndscape seen in videos, but the flickering torches and towering castle walls gave him the feeling of standing on the brink of battle. The cool night breeze brushing against his skin, the smell of something burning in the distance. The sensation of his feet nted firmly on the ground. Even the subtle feeling of his fingertips when he wiggled them¡ªevery sensation felt so real. It was as if he had been transported into a fantasy world, rather than just starting a game. The level of immersion was on apletely different levelpared to DemRock. ¡®This is a virtual reality game¡­¡¯ He was gazing absentmindedly at the foreignndscape beyond the fortress wall when the AI voice broke his reverie. [This is the battlefield of the ancient Arlen Castle, once a site of fierce conflict.] [Please select a weapon.] The same voice that had guided him during character creation snapped him back to reality. Turning around instinctively, he saw various weapons floating in midair. It was a bizarre contrast to the otherwise realistic environment, almost unsettling in its incongruity. [Crude Sword] ¨C An old, dull sword. It should still be capable of cutting down people. [Crude Spear] ¨C An old, dull spear. It should still be capable of stabbing people. ¡­ [Crude Bow] ¨C An old, worn-out bow. It seems like it can still shoot about fifty more arrows. From swords to spears, bows, daggers, maces, crossbows, and staves¡­ There was an array of weapons, but Do-hyeon reached for one without any hesitation. [You have selected the Crude Sword.] [You can now use the basic sword skill ¡®Strike.¡¯] [The tutorial will now begin.] A sword. Do-hyeon¡¯s preferred weapon during his time in DemRock. There wasn¡¯t a particr reason for it. It just seemed like the most versatile weapon, and when he tried it, it turned out to suit him well. ¡°Hey!¡± The moment he grabbed the weapon, a soldier came running from a distance as if he had been waiting for this. His frantic expression and the bloodstains on his armor conveyed the urgency of the situation. Do-hyeon stood still, watching him approach, but the soldier roughly grabbed his wrist and pulled him along as if frustrated. ¡°What are you doing here in such a dire situation? The other mercenaries have already joined the battle, so hurry up and join them!¡± [A party has been formed with Knight Commander ¡®Charlie.¡¯] Party Members ¨C Charlie ¨C Kaiser Dragged along by Charlie, Do-hyeon was practically forced into the castle. It was the type of event tutorialmonly seen in other games. As they made their way deeper inside, the chaos intensified. Soldiers and monsters alikey bleeding and dead, victims of swords and arrows. The leisurely atmosphere from earlier vanished as the situation grew increasingly tense. And the deeper they went, the worse it became. Screech! Screaaaach! More and more monsters shed with soldiers, the monsters viciously attacking the soldiers, who were barely holding their ground. Every now and then, Do-hyeon would spot mercenaries lying dead as well. ¡°So many already¡­ Damn it.¡± Charlie shut his eyes tightly, his face contorted in anguish, before quickly turning away and hurrying his steps. He was genuinely grieving the loss of hisrades. Such minute details as the slight tremor of his hands or the quivering of his eyelids couldn¡¯t have been captured if this were just data. ¡°They¡¯ve finally joined forces with those monsters¡­ If the rumors are true, they¡¯ve made a pact with that ¡®creature.¡¯ If we don¡¯t stop it soon, it¡¯ll descend.¡± That¡¯s why Charlie wasn¡¯t even bothering to properly close the eyes of his fallenrades¡ªif that creature descended, everything would be over. And Do-hyeon knew exactly which creature he was talking about. He had already seen it several times in videos. That creature wasn¡¯t meant to be killed during the tutorial. ¡°Hurry. It¡¯s just beyond this passage.¡± They had barely descended the staircase when Charlie shouted across the corridor. It was then that¡ª Whoosh! Thwack! At the sound of something cutting through the air, Do-hyeon halted, just as arrows whizzed past him and embedded themselves in the ground. It felt as though the arrows had deliberately avoided him. ¡°¡­!¡± Charlie, who had been ready to deflect the arrows with his sword, stopped in surprise. He quickly collected himself and murmured under his breath. ¡°Did he dodge that on purpose? No¡­ that¡¯s impossible. You¡¯ve got some incredible luck.¡± It made no sense to stop and dodge arrows like that. Thinking it was pure luck was the only logical conclusion. Creak. Creak. The monsters that had fired the arrows came into view. They were creatures that resembled gnolls. Except for the small horns protruding from their heads, they were almost indistinguishable from typical gnolls. There were five of them. ¡°They¡¯ve made it this far in¡­ We¡¯ll have to break through them.¡± As Charlie took his stance, the monsters let out gutturalughs and readied their weapons. Two archers and three wielding maces. It was an annoyingbination. For Charlie, it was a problem. Time was of the essence, and now they were stuck here. ¡°I¡¯ll go in first, and¡­!?¡± That was when Do-hyeon suddenly dashed forward. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 ¡°¡­! Damn it, these mercenaries never listen!¡± Charlie¡¯s face turned pale. At a time when working together wasn¡¯t even enough, he was acting on his own! If he died first, it would be a disaster like no other. What¡¯s more, the man hadn¡¯t even drawn his sword. It looked as though he was walking right into his own death. Keek! Kieek! The monsters also seemed amused by Do-hyeon¡¯s reckless behavior,ughing as they swung their blunt weapons. One of the clubs was swung right before his eyes. In just a moment, that massive club would crush Do-hyeon¡¯s skull, sttering blood everywhere. ¡°Damn it¡­!¡± Just as Charlie tried to rush after him in a panic. ¡°¡­?¡± He saw it. Shwoosh¡ª Whoosh! Keerik? Do-hyeon¡¯s movement paused for a moment. Then, as if by magic, the club brushed past his head. The margin was so close that just 1cm more would have smashed his skull. Swinging a weapon naturally destabilizes one¡¯s stance. And that creates an inevitable opening. Crack! Shk! With a swift kick, the gnoll lost its bnce and staggered. After grabbing its neck and snapping it, Do-hyeon stabbed the neck of the gnoll beside it, instantly taking down both of them. [Critical Hit!] [Critical Hit!] By hitting their vital points, he triggered critical damage, doubling the impact. It also helped that the monsters had low health, typical of a tutorial. Keerik? Keerireek! The situation reversed in an instant. The archers, who had been enjoying their prey, were suddenly stunned as they became the hunted. They hurriedly got into position. But they had only one monster left as their shield. Whoosh¡ª. The remaining gnoll attempted a surprise attack from the side, but Do-hyeon dodged it with a simple backward step and followed it up with a knee strike. Crunch¡ª Thud. It was a perfectly timed strike that knocked the weapon from the gnoll¡¯s grasp. This technique, known as Weapon Drop, had been one of the skills that terrified Do-hyeon¡¯s opponents back in his DemRock days. Since the system was simr, he had tried it, and fortunately, it worked. [You used the skill ¡®Strike.¡¯] Do-hyeon kicked the gnoll in the torso and finished it off with his skill. ¡®One hit from Strike is enough.¡¯ Even without a critical hit, the skill did significant damage, making one strike fatal. Keerik¡­ Keerik¡­ Now, only two archers remained. With no bodyguards to protect them, the two remaining gnolls with bows posed no threat. Before they could even draw their bows, they were sliced in half by Do-hyeon¡¯s sword. With the battle over in an instant, Do-hyeon casually shook the blood off his sword. He had worried that his body might have stiffened since it had been a while since hest yed a game, but fortunately, his movements were as fluid as ever. ¡®¡­Actually, my body feels even lighter.¡¯ Maybe it was because he could feel all his senses in this VR game, unlike before. His movements felt smoother than ever. Just as Do-hyeon was satisfied with this realization, a voice interrupted. ¡°My goodness¡­¡± Charlie, who had been watching in a daze, slowly approached. Staring in disbelief at the fallen gnolls and Do-hyeon, he let out a gasp of admiration. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­ You took down five monsters by yourself.¡± At those words, a message appeared. [Knight Commander ¡®Charlie¡¯ is impressed by your unexpectedbat prowess.] [Knight Commander ¡®Charlie¡¯s favorability has increased.] ¡®Favorability?¡¯ It was a system that had existed in DemRock as well. Although it varied by NPC, if you raised their favorability, you could earn rewards, which had prompted many yers to work on favorability quests. However, once people realized that even those rewards were random, most yers gave up. Still, it wasn¡¯t a particrly surprising system. However¡ª ¡®Is it really this easy to raise favorability?¡¯ It was strange that his favorability increased after just one fight. In DemRock, raising favorability had been one of the hardest things to do. But that wasn¡¯t anything to dwell on. ¡®Each NPC has different criteria and difficulty levels.¡¯ In that regard, Charlie, who valuedbat, was a favorable match for Do-hyeon. He might not have been great at conversations, but when it came tobat, he had confidence. Maybe it was because his favorability had increased? ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen such swordsmanship and fighting style. Which mercenary group are you from? Do all the mercenaries there fight like this?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°No¡­ that can¡¯t be. It must be that you¡¯re exceptional. Remarkable, especially for someone so young.¡± Charlie, who had previously only said what was necessary for the story, had be rather talkative. Even though Do-hyeon wasn¡¯t answering, Charlie kept talking to himself until the sound of approaching monsters snapped him back to reality. ¡°We must move.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± * * * Slice¡ª Thud! After that, Do-hyeon engaged in several more battles. The fights were quick and decisive. Whenever monsters appeared, Do-hyeon charged in first and dealt with them, while Charlie arrived toote and marveled at his skill. ¡°Incredible! Such skill! You¡¯re even faster than before!¡± Charlie would make ament each time. [Knight Commander ¡®Charlie¡¯s favorability has increased.] And as if it were part of a set, his favorability would rise again. Thud! Crunch! ¡°That technique of breaking their necks¡ªit¡¯s so smooth and natural! I¡¯m amazed every time I see it!¡± [Knight Commander ¡®Charlie¡¯s favorability has increased.] Slice¡ª. ¡°You¡­ you seem like you were born to wield a sword.¡± [Knight Commander ¡®Charlie¡¯s favorability has increased.] At first, it had just been admiration, but now it seemed like he wasn¡¯t even thinking about fighting, too busy showering Do-hyeon with praise. Hisments were so perfectly timed that it almost felt like Charlie was observing and contemting while watching the battle. ¡®¡­Is his role just to react?¡¯ Do-hyeon could have sworn he¡¯d heard that Charlie had a stern and strict personality¡­ But it didn¡¯t stop there. Charlie¡¯s stream of reactions intensified when they encountered nearly double the number of monsters. Keerik, Kiek! Keeririek¡ª! Close to ten monsters. The increased number of enemies also meant they had a greater variety of weapons. Unlike the previous monsters, who only wielded clubs and bows, this group had spears, clubs, bows, and daggers. ¡°Damn it¡­! This time I¡¯ll join the fight. No matter how skilled you are, this is too much for you!¡± Even Charlie, who had been a spectator until now, announced that he was going to fight. ¡®Wait, wasn¡¯t it normal for you to fight?¡¯ Do-hyeon had never told him not to fight, yet he had somehow ended up leading everything. It was odd, but it didn¡¯t change anything. Tap! ¡°Wait, you?¡± Whether it was five or ten, they were still just tutorial mobs that could be taken down with a few critical hits. Charging in without hesitation, even Charlie was surprised, quickly drawing his sword and following behind. However, it looked like it was already toote to rescue Do-hyeon, who had charged into the swarm of monsters. Keerik! Keeririek! Fwoosh! Thwack! As Charlie deflected the arrows fired by the archers, the monsters immediately surrounded Do-hyeon. The first one to rush in was a monster wielding a dagger. Since they were all crowded together, it was difficult to hit anything with a spear or bow. The dagger was the ideal weapon for close quarters. And that was precisely why Do-hyeon had deliberately charged in so close. Thud, Keerik? Just as the dagger was about to be swung, Do-hyeon¡¯s arm caught the monster¡¯s wrist. Then, like a snake, he twisted his body and moved deeper into the crowd. Crack! Guk! Thud. He twisted the monster¡¯s arm, breaking it, and the dagger dropped to the ground. Do-hyeon snatched it from midair and immediately stabbed the monster¡¯s throat. [Critical Hit!] Keerik!! Keeek! Seeing theirrade die so swiftly, another gnoll swung its club in a rage. From his crouched position, Do-hyeon caught sight of the gnoll¡¯s jaw. He struck upward with his palm, causing a chilling sound as the gnoll¡¯s head snapped backward. Do-hyeon then pulled the dagger from the first gnoll¡¯s neck and stabbed the second one in the throat, killing it instantly. Just like that, another gnoll met the same swift death as itsrade. Keek! Kiek! With two monsters dead in an instant, the others, panicked, backed away. Instinctively, they realized that a one-on-one situation would be dangerous. But Do-hyeon had already anticipated this and didn¡¯t hesitate. Swish¡ª Shk! Crunch! [Critical Hit!] He threw the dagger at the gnoll that was retreating, hitting it squarely in the eye, then picked up a club and swung it at another as monstrous as the gnoll was, smashing it with the club. The gnolls, now short one morerade, were left bewildered. The archers, desperate, pulled back their bowstrings, but Do-hyeon¡¯s movements were so swift and elusive that they couldn¡¯t get a clear shot. Keerik¡­ Keerik¡­? Each time they aimed at him, he skillfully disappeared behind the cover of theirrades. Fueled by sheer frustration, they fired a few arrows, but as expected, all they managed to do was hit their unfortunate allies in the back. ¡°My God¡­¡± Charlie, no longer just amazed but nearly in shock, watched the scene unfold. Do-hyeon had casually disarmed the enemies using Weapon Drop, then immediately turned their own weapons against them, as if they were his own. Even Charlie, who had stood on many battlefields, had never seen such a remarkable disy of mastery over so many different weapons. It wasn¡¯t just that Do-hyeon used multiple weapons with ease. The way he tactically positioned himself to gain the upper hand in every situation was wless. It was like watching water flow naturally¡ªevery move smooth and effortless, every action leading to victory. Even the finest mercenaries or knights couldn¡¯t fight with such grace and efficiency. Yet here was this unknown mercenary, showing such prowess and bravery. It felt as though this man was walking a path entirely separate from the norms ofbat. In the future, people would have a word for those who walked this lonely path, defying all logic. ¡°¡­Hero.¡± Perhaps what Charlie was witnessing was the beginning of a legendary hero¡¯s tale, the kind that only appeared in the annals of history. The kind he had admired since childhood. Keerik! Keeeaak! It was then that one of the gnolls, staring at Do-hyeon as though he were a terrifying demon, tried to flee in terror. Charlie, snapping out of his reverie, drew his sword. ¡®I should finish this.¡¯ He had been mesmerized by the overwhelming disy ofbat, but he was still a Knight Commander. One fleeing monster wouldn¡¯t be a challenge. But unfortunately, he didn¡¯t get the chance to act. Fwoosh¡ª Thwack! Kek! An arrow fired by Do-hyeon pierced through the monster¡¯s skull with pinpoint uracy. He fired another arrow to ensure the kill, and only then did he lower his weapon. ¡®Always finish the job.¡¯ Back in DemRock, there were countless boss monsters. The game was notorious for being mercilessly hard, with bosses that had endless patterns and tricks. Some bosses, even after being defeated, had additional abilities. Some would parasitize other creatures upon death, others wouldunch a final attack, and some would even resurrect. Perhaps because his first experience with gaming had been so brutal, Do-hyeon had developed a habit of always confirming the kill. The gnolls probably didn¡¯t have any such abilities, but still¡­ ¡®It¡¯s better to be sure.¡¯ It had be a matter of personal satisfaction for him. As he surveyed the area, checking to see if more monsters were approaching, he suddenly heard a sound. p! p! p! p! ¡®Hm?¡¯ Do-hyeon turned his head toward the source of the apuse. There he saw Charlie, who had abandoned his sword and was now pping enthusiastically. ¡°¡­?¡± Even though Do-hyeon gave him a look that seemed to say, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Charlie didn¡¯t stop. In fact, he doubled down. ¡°I owe you an apology.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Charlie¡¯s expression turned sincere as he apologized out of the blue. Do-hyeon tilted his head in confusion, but Charlie¡¯s gaze was serious. In a voice filled with emotion, he spoke as if the words wereing straight from his heart. ¡°Saying you were born to wield a sword was an insult. You¡¯re no mere swordsman¡ªyou¡¯re a god of war! A hero born for the battlefield!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It is my honor to fight alongside a hero such as yourself!¡± Charlie ced his hand on Do-hyeon¡¯s shoulder, delivering his heartfelt gratitude. Do-hyeon opened his mouth as if to respond but then closed it again. There was plenty he could say, but no words came to mind. ¡®An NPC that stops fighting to apud¡­¡¯ Was this the kind of hyper-realistic NPC behavior people had been talking about in God of Savior? Back in DemRock, this sort of thing was unthinkable. He found himself at a loss for words, but decided to take it in stride. After all, it wasn¡¯t a bad thing. [Knight Commander ¡®Charlie¡¯ is deeply moved by your overwhelmingbat prowess.] [Knight Commander ¡®Charlie¡¯s favorability has greatly increased.] [Knight Commander ¡®Charlie¡¯s favorability has reached its maximum.] [He now trusts you implicitly. Even if youmit an evil act, if you im it was a false usation, he will believe you.] [You have acquired the title ¡®Max Favorability from the Start?¡¯] Do-hyeon checked the title he had just earned. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 [Max Affinity from the Start?] -Rank: Rare -Description: A title given to those who have maxed out NPC affinity during the tutorial. -Effect: NPC affinity increases more quickly. All stats +2. Titles were among the hardest rewards to obtain in DemRock. Of course, that was expected. A title was only granted when a yer¡¯s actions or results were deemed to have achieved something remarkable enough to deserve such recognition. It meant that one had to work harder and deliver clear results more than anyone else. ¡®A rare title is definitely valuable.¡¯ In that regard, a rare rank was quite a satisfactory result. Common, Rare, Heroic, Legendary. There was a significant difference in abilities depending on the rank, and even a rare title could prove useful in many situations. Back in his DemRock days, the rank Kang Do-hyeon had utilized most frequently was the rare rank. And this ranking system was the same in God of Savior. The importance of the rare rank would likely be simr. ¡®This is a good start.¡¯ Obtaining a rare rank title from the tutorial was definitely a promising start. And it came with an option that helped boost affinity. Though it wasn¡¯t an option that directly aided in battle, it could prove even more beneficial in the long run. ¡®Luckily, God of Savior isn¡¯t one of those games that rely on luck for affinity rewards.¡¯ Surprisingly, they had actually incorporated yer feedback and made some improvements. It made sense that God of Savior had managed to dominate the world. If it had been run like DemRock, it would have stirred up a lot of controversy, no matter how groundbreaking the virtual reality was. Do-hyeon lifted his head after checking the rewards. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Charlie was standing there, shining with kindness in his eyes and a benevolent smile on his face. The stern expression he had shown during their first meeting, when he had practically dragged Do-hyeon along, was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Thanks to you, we arrived much faster than expected. It¡¯s all thanks to you.¡± Even his voice had noticeably softened. ¡®I just fought, that¡¯s all¡­ Is it supposed to be this easy?¡¯ Upon reflection, Do-hyeon realized he hadn¡¯t done much, yet Charlie¡¯s reaction seemed surprisingly pure¡­ Well, considering this was wartime, it made sense that Charlie would be grateful to Do-hyeon for quickly clearing out the monsters. Although they were still in the middle of a battlefield, the atmosphere had be somewhat harmonious. Charlie pointed ahead. ¡°All we need to do now is head over there.¡± He was pointing at a door beyond the corridor. Finally, the end of the tutorial was in sight. Once they passed through that door, the final event would begin. ¡°As long as we eliminate the dark sorcerer inside, we can dere victory in this war¡­¡± Charlie was running down the corridor while speaking when it happened. ¡°¡­!¡± When they were about 100 meters away. Rumble¡ª. Suddenly, the corridor they had just passed through began to copse. And that wasn¡¯t all. From beneath the crumbling floor, an unsettling ck light was leaking out. Charlie was taken aback by the sudden turn of events. ¡°My God¡­! Has the summoning already begun?¡± The summoning was proceeding much faster than originally nned. To make matters worse, bizarre-looking monsters were crawling up from the copsing floor. Some of them were creatures Do-hyeon had seen earlier, while others resembled bats. Someone had to hold them back. ¡°Damn¡­! I¡¯ll take care of things here. You go ahead! Just head inside and stop the summoner!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Normally, it should be me, themander, who goes, but¡­ I believe I can trust you with this. No, rather, I¡¯d like to ask you to do it. Hero¡­ could you help us?¡± Do-hyeon pointed to himself in disbelief, momentarily forgetting the situation. Had he misheard? But Charlie seemed grateful and began to offer a prayer, thinking Do-hyeon had epted the request. ¡°May the blessings of Arlen Castle be with the Hero of War¡­¡± Do-hyeon was dumbfounded. ¡®¡­I¡¯m supposed to go? Not you?¡¯ It made sense for him to be confused. This was an event that was supposed to happen in God of Savior¡¯s tutorial. ¡®That thing¡¯ would be summoned, and Charlie would enter first to face the monster. Then, after a loud roar, Charlie would die, and ¡®that thing¡¯ would break through the wall in a dramatic reveal. It was an event that even someone new to God of Savior, like Do-hyeon, knew about. It happened the same way for everyone. But now, the event had changed. ¡®I heard that things could change depending on what the yer does, but¡­ to this extent?¡¯ It was odd. Charlie¡¯sck of involvement inbat, or his pping, didn¡¯t really impact the progression of the event. But this? This was supposed to be a guaranteed, unavoidable event. As Do-hyeon approached the door, a message appeared. [Only one person may enter at a time.] [If you die, the seal will be broken, and all debuffs on the boss will be removed.] [Do you really wish to enter?] A message designed to scare him. It was unheard of for such a message to appear in the tutorial. Some might have known about it, but it certainly wasn¡¯t part of the typical route. In DemRock, such a phenomenon was called an Easter Egg. Or¡­ ¡®A hidden piece.¡¯ A mechanism deliberately hidden within the game. Such features usually boasted an extremely high difficulty level, but the rewards were equally exceptional, setting them apart from standard achievements. If God of Savior was simr to DemRock, this would likely follow the same pattern. Do-hyeon didn¡¯t know exactly what had triggered the hidden piece, but Charlie¡¯s recognition and affinity probably yed a significant role. ¡®Lucky.¡¯ That was the only way to describe it. Who could have predicted that such a secrety hidden here? At this point, even Charlie¡¯s overly sentimental reactions didn¡¯t bother him anymore. He could ept them with a smile. [Do you really wish to enter?] ¡°Yes.¡± Do-hyeon wasn¡¯t someone who would turn down a hidden piece. With a resolute answer, he opened the door, and a blinding light enveloped him. When he opened his eyes again, a different scene unfolded before him. Kraaaah! ¡°Gyaaah! Why¡ªwhy are you doing this?! I summoned you! Obey me! No, stop! Aaaargh!¡± A massive shadow, dark as night, was devouring a figure who appeared to be the summoner. No, it was hard to even call that figure human anymore. Although it had a humanoid silhouette, its exposed body was more akin to a monster¡¯s. [Dark Sorcerer Who Made a Pact with the Abyss] -Title: The One Who Made a Pact with the Abyss -Type: Hybrid -Traits: ck Magic, Summoning, Curse -Description: A dark sorcerer who made a pact with the world of fear, the Abyss. He seeks to summon ¡®that thing¡¯ to bring down Arlen Castle. The information confirmed that the figure wasn¡¯t human. However, Do-hyeon wasn¡¯t focused on the sorcerer. His attention was on the shadow devouring the sorcerer. In the pitch-ck darkness, red reptilian eyes glowed. [Bound Ironblood Dragon-type Monster] -Title: Legendary Named Boss -Type: Dragon -Traits: Currently sealed. -Description: A dragon-type monster from the Abyss, bearing the name of Ironblood. Very little is known about this being, and it has long been feared. Due to its restraints, all of its abilities are sealed, and its movements are heavily restricted. ¡°¡­Legendary?¡± Do-hyeon let out a stunned chuckle after checking its information. * * * God of Savior had borrowed a lot from DemRock. One of those elements was the ranking system. Common ¨C Rare ¨C Heroic ¨C Legendary. Titles, items, and skills all had assigned ranks, just like in DemRock. And monsters were no exception. Not all monsters had ranks. Only those with the title ¡®Boss¡¯ were ranked. Among them, the truly special bosses were the Named Bosses. ¡®The only boss with a name.¡¯ These bosses were the sole creatures that bore their own unique name. Unlike regr bosses that respawned after death, these bosses were one of a kind¡ªonce they died, that was it. They were irreceable, one-of-a-kind bosses. Such bosses were also portrayed as having lived for an exceedingly long time, and thus, even within the same rank, they were more difficult to defeat. ¡®A legendary named boss¡­¡¯ And this monster bore the legendary title. Its name glowed so darkly that it looked almost ck. ¡®So this is why they said it couldn¡¯t be defeated.¡¯ Now it made sense. This monster wasn¡¯t designed to be defeated. It was a boss created solely for the purpose of progressing a predetermined event by inevitably killing the yer. That was the true identity of the tutorial boss. It wasn¡¯t strange. Gamers were ustomed to games that featured undefeatable bosses in tutorials to advance the story. However, there was one thing that puzzled Do-hyeon. ¡®In the video I saw, aside from its name, all the information was hidden¡­¡¯ Because of this, while he had expected it to be powerful, he hadn¡¯t realized it would be this monstrous. Perhaps no one knew the true identity of this creature. ¡®Well, after a year and six months, maybe someone has figured it out. By now, most hidden pieces would¡¯ve been uncovered.¡¯ Even if someone knew about it, no one would dare to think of trying to defeat it. In any case, now that he was here, Do-hyeon had to make a choice. Would he try to defeat it? Or would he give up cleanly? As if to help him decide, the moment their eyes met, the monster let out a deafening roar. The sheer volume of its roar,ing from a body at least 10 meters tall, sent shivers down his spine. And the messages that appeared afterward were even more terrifying. Kraaaaaah! [You have heard the roar of the Bound Ironblood Dragon-type Monster.] [Your physical abilities are reduced by the overwhelming presence of the creature.] [Movement speed decreased by 20%.] [Attack speed decreased by 20%.] [Defense decreased by 30%.] [Magic resistance decreased by 25%.] ¡°¡­Seriously?¡± Not only was the monster overwhelmingly strong, but it was also throwing debuffs at him without mercy. It seemed to be practically telling him not to even think about fighting it. Yet, in a way, it was still a fair condition. Clink¡ªclunk. Grrrrrr¡­ The monster¡¯s hands, feet, torso, and neck¡ªevery part of its body was bound by restraints, preventing it from moving away from the wall. It was like a guard dog tied to a post. Whenever it tried to move beyond a certain range, it was blocked by the restraints. At least its arms had some freedom, allowing it to swing them despite being shackled, but even then, its movements were slow. -HP: [1,000,000 / ???] To make matters worse, its body was covered in wounds, and blood was oozing from all over, giving it a pitiful amount of health for a legendary named boss. As the description stated, all its abilities were sealed. In other words, this was a severely weakened, dying version of itself. But even so, with its enormous health and arms that could easily send someone to their grave with one hit, it wasn¡¯t a boss that a level 1 yer could defeat under normal circumstances. ¡®Didn¡¯t it say that if I die, the restraints and debuffs would be lifted?¡¯ In the original tutorial, Charlie had died, freeing the monster from its restraints and allowing it to regain its full strength. In that case¡­ ¡®¡­Isn¡¯t this doable?¡¯ Perhaps this was his only chance. His only opportunity to defeat an otherwise impossible boss. Situations like this had asionally urred in DemRock. There were times when hidden pieces with absurdly high difficulty were discovered, forcing yers to make tough decisions. And every time, Do-hyeon¡¯s choice was always the same. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do this.¡± Kaiser wasn¡¯t a man who turned down a challenge. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Do-hyeon closed his eyes for a moment. As he took a slow, deep breath and focused, the moment he opened his eyes, the world looked different from just a moment ago. His vision cleared, the background noise faded, and the monster became more distinct. He could clearly see the darkness rippling over the scales that covered its body like fur, and even the slight twitching of its fingers. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It was as if even his breathing had stopped, leaving an eerie silence. This was a phenomenon that urred whenever Do-hyeon concentrated to the extreme. With a cool head, he began to assess his physical condition objectively. ¡®I¡¯m in good shape.¡¯ Perhaps it was because it had been a while since hest yed a game? He didn¡¯t think he had ever been this clear-headed before, but today, his focus felt sharper than usual. Kraaaaaah!! Perhaps the monster had sensed something unusual from Do-hyeon. It began to roar even more violently. For a named boss, it seemed to have lost all reason, reacting purely on instinct. Hup! Do-hyeon moved first. There was no time for any testing moves; he dashed forward, and the monster immediately reacted. Of course, its response was quick, but its speed was slow. However¡­ Boom! Due to its enormous size, its arms covered an absurdly wide area. It was a simple movement, just extending its arm, but that alone was enough to make Do-hyeon throw himself with all his strength to avoid it. [Basic skill ¡®Strike¡¯ activated.] Tick! As he rolled and shed at the arm, it made a sound like metal being struck. The entire sequence flowed seamlessly, as if it were a single, fluid motion. Kraaaah! The monster roared, swinging its massive arms alternately. Do-hyeon rolled in the opposite direction, dodging with all his might, then swung his sword again. The impact felt like hitting metal with a stic sword. After retreating out of its range, Do-hyeon checked the monster¡¯s reduced health. -HP: [999,880 / ???] ¡®¡­120.¡¯ That was the total HP decrease after two attacks. And one of those had been with the Strike skill. ¡®Using Strike reduces HP by 80, while a normal attack reduces it by 40.¡¯ Considering the cooldown of Strike was 12 seconds, it would take around 20,000 shes to defeat the monster. Even if he tried to hit it repeatedly, his speed was reduced by the debuff, so at most, he could only strike twice. Meanwhile, if Do-hyeon took a single hit, he would die. He hadn¡¯t been hit yet, but he was certain of this. -HP: [200 / 200] There was no way a weak level 1 character like him could survive such an overwhelming attack. He had to dodge at least 10,000 attacks andnd 20,000 of his own. And all this while slowed by the debuff. To survive, he would need to evade every attack with full concentration. At the same time, he would need to force in attacks, and the moment he lost focus and failed to roll out of the way in time, it would all be over. ¡®¡­This is an insanely difficult challenge.¡¯ Was this really intended to be cleared as a hidden piece? They said God of Savior was managed by an AI rather than humans, but this was so difficult that it made him wonder if the AI couldn¡¯t understand human standards. But in the face of such a seemingly impossible challenge, Do-hyeonughed. ¡®This is fun.¡¯ The reason Do-hyeon had continued ying DemRock, despite all the frustrations of the luck-based game, was simple. The incredibly high level of difficulty. And the sense of achievement that came from oveing that difficulty. It was just too much fun. What kind of reward would he get for killing this thing? It wouldn¡¯t just be some brick-like reward, like in DemRock. Even in DemRock, when he cleared hidden pieces, there was always some sort of reward. Kraaaaaah! ncing ahead, Do-hyeon saw the monster still thrashing its arms around, roaring into the air. It was filled with killing intent, as if it wanted to tear him apart at any moment. It almost looked like a child throwing a tantrum, but with a creature of this size, even such random iling was the ultimate offense and defense. Each of those seemingly aimless strikes was a death sentence, grazing one would mean instant death. ¡°Evade 10,000 attacks and strike 20,000 times¡­ Let¡¯s do this.¡± With renewed determination, Do-hyeon charged at the monster again. * * * The official website of God of Savior was constantly flooded with posts. From various tips and events to updates on the top 10 guilds and seasoned yers, and even casual chats¡ªthere was a little bit of everything. Like most gamemunities, the God of Savior website wasn¡¯t much different from others. The only notable difference was its massive scale and the fact that even after a year and six months, there was still a steady influx of new yers. [Just started God of Savior today, and it¡¯s seriously amazing. Is the tutorial for real? The production quality is insane!] Because of this, posts about the tutorial weremonce on the website. Since the first thing new yers encountered was the tutorial. And those posts were always flooded withments. -Yeah, the game¡¯s so fun. Now I get why people call it a masterpiece. -That final moment when the goddess shows up just before you die and seals the monster again¡­ Wow¡­ -It¡¯s so immersive! I felt a bit uneasy killing monsters at first, but by the end, I was so invested that I gotpletely absorbed in it. -Charlie is pretty cool, isn¡¯t he? He¡¯s grumpy and rude, but he takes care of you in his own way. ssic tsundere lol. -He¡¯s not ¡°taking care of¡± anything! He clicks his tongue and makes me want to punch him every time I mess up. -That¡¯s because you¡¯re bad at the game. He¡¯s all about performance. If you fight well, at least he won¡¯t click his tongue at you. -Anyway, he¡¯s going to die in the end, so just be nice to him, guys. -It¡¯s heartwarming watching these new yers¡­ Soon they¡¯ll all be cursing this game for being RNG hell¡­ For new yers, it was rtable. For veteran yers, the excitement of new yers discovering the game was adorable. The tutorial always sparked interest for various reasons. [Has anyone maxed out Charlie¡¯s affinity?] [Wait, he has affinity points?] [I heard there¡¯s a reward for maxing his affinity.] [Is it even possible to max it out?] One of the hot topics was the knightmander, Charlie. Unlike other games where NPCs followed scripted actions, God of Savior¡¯s AI was almost indistinguishable from real people. Because of that, Charlie¡¯s behavior toward yers changed based on their affinity with him, and this sparked interest in the concept of building affinity. At first, it was just curiosity, but soon, it became something more. [This is Redfingers Guild. Anyone who raised Charlie¡¯s affinity twice or more during the tutorial, please contact us. We¡¯ll offer you a good deal.] [Looking for yers who raised Charlie¡¯s affinity three times or more. We¡¯ll provide the best terms.] [We¡¯ll reference your gamey and tutorial videos for a simple test.] How much Charlie praised you during the tutorial, and how much you managed to raise that notoriously difficult man¡¯s affinity, became a measure of skill. And many mid- andrge-sized guilds, eager to recruit skilled yers, used that as a reference. It became a kind of r¨¦sum¨¦. As a result, even among casual yers, raising Charlie¡¯s affinity became a point of pride. It was something worth boasting about to friends, drawing the attention of both new and veteran yers to the tutorial. -Who¡¯s managed to max out Charlie¡¯s affinity so far? -No idea? Probably all the masters of the top 10 guilds have done it by now? -I bet the Armory Owner didn¡¯t manage to do it. -He¡¯s suspicious. He¡¯s the kind of guy who just brute forces everything with money. -Nowadays, no one has maxed it out. -All the top yers started ages ago, so it makes sense. Compared to the early days, when many skilled yers emerged, now, 18 months after release, there hadn¡¯t been anyone who managed to max out Charlie¡¯s affinity recently. Of course, that was understandable. The best yers had already started ying God of Savior long ago, and even among them, only a handful had maxed out Charlie¡¯s affinity. Out of the game¡¯s 1 billion yers, only around 10,000 had aplished it. Those who had imed such a prestigious spot had one thing inmon. ¡°Can you kill the tutorial boss? Are you crazy?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way. That thing isn¡¯t meant to be killed.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even mention Ironblood Dragon or whatever it¡¯s called. Just thinking about it gives me chills.¡± For some reason, they hated the tutorial boss more than even the regr yers. Even when asked about the reason for their disdain, they wouldn¡¯t answer directly, leaving other yers to guess that it was somehow rted to maxing out Charlie¡¯s affinity. ¡°¡­Ironblood Dragon, was it? It doesn¡¯t bring back pleasant memories.¡± Even Myeolsal, one of the most famous yers, was among them. Though his answer was vague, seeing someone usually so confident hesitate left a huge impression, and yers ultimately epted the idea. *** [The tutorial boss isn¡¯t designed to be defeated.] [It¡¯s just an event to show yers that such a monster exists.] The tutorial boss, the Ironblood Dragon. It was never meant to be killed. [Isn¡¯t it possible to kill the tutorial boss? I mean, I did manage to deal damage.] -Yeah, no. Even Myeolsal couldn¡¯t kill it. -They probably just made it so you can damage it for the sake of realism. -Wow, you actually thought to hit it. I just stood there and let it kill me. Sometimes, new yers who didn¡¯t know better would ask whether it was possible to kill the boss, noticing that they could deal damage to it. And every time, the veteran yers would give the same answer: ¡®impossible.¡¯ [Wait? What? Its name changed?] -?? -What are you talking about? -No, it was supposed to be Ironblood Dragon, but now it says Slothful Dragon instead. -?? Whoa? What? For real? -Can its name change? However, today, for the first time since the game¡¯s release, this established belief cracked. -Why did its name change on its own? -Is it a bug? -How could it be a bug? God of Savior¡¯s AI is leagues ahead of anything like Algogo. -Then what is it? Did someone kill it? -No way¡­ seriously? After all, the tutorial boss, which had remained unchanged sinceunch, had shown its first sign of transformation. Some spected that this meant the boss had finally been defeated after 18 months. But that theory was quickly dismissed. -No way¡­ There¡¯s no way. -How would a level 1 even manage that? -Myeolsal couldn¡¯t kill it, and now, someone has? Who? -If someone had killed it, there would¡¯ve been a video by now. -There¡¯s no proof it¡¯s been defeated. And even if it¡¯s a named boss, aside from the name change, everything else looks the same, right? It was simply too unbelievable. Even if someone showed actual evidence, it would be dismissed as a hoax. In a situation with no proof at all, the theory had no credibility. ¡°The tutorial boss¡¯s name changed?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s an error.¡± ¡°They do update the game regrly¡­ There was an update today, so maybe that¡¯s the cause.¡± ¡°They killed it? That¡¯s impossible. Well, maybe if Kaiser brought his old party back.¡± ¡°What about Kaiser? Didn¡¯t you hear me? He¡¯d need his entire party to do it. Kaiser or not, ¡®that thing¡¯ can¡¯t be killed solo.¡± Even high-rankers who had maxed out Charlie¡¯s affinity dismissed the idea, leaving no room for rebuttal. Myeolsal remained silent on the matter, but since he didn¡¯t deny it, and so many top yers felt the same way, ordinary users had no choice but to ept it as fact. Still, there was some lingering curiosity. -But if you did manage to kill it, what kind of reward would you get? -This game has some insane difficulty spikes, but¡­ every time, the rewards are always worth it, aren¡¯t they? -True, whenever I think God of Savior is just pure RNG hell, they give out amazing rewards, and I end up calling it a masterpiece again. If someone did somehow manage to defeat that ridiculous boss¡­ what would they get in return? -Who knows. But whatever it is, it would probably be the greatest reward in the history of God of Savior. Of course, it was all just spection, and the yers soon dismissed it as a joke. Which is why none of them could have imagined. That what they thought was an oundish fantasy¡­ was actually happening. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Tick! The weak sound was so feeble that anyone hearing it would feel drained. Do-hyeon slowly lifted his head, listening to that familiar sound, which he had heard countless times by now. Kraaaaaah!! The Ironblood Dragon-type Monster roared with impressive force. But the predator¡¯s initial overwhelming presence was no longer felt from the blood-covered creature. Its roar now seemed more like the desperate cry of a frightened beast, crying out louder as it sensed its imminent end. Its once decisive, bold gestures, which had swatted away threats like a person brushing off a mosquito, now seemed more like a desperate plea for him to stay away. -HP [80 : ???] A mere 80 health points left. [You can now use the basic skill ¡®Strike.¡¯] And at the perfect moment, the cooldown for Strike had returned. After more than five hours of relentless fighting, the end of the battle was finally in sight. Did the monster sense it too? Boom! Crash! Though it should have been ready to ept death, it continued swinging its fists at Do-hyeon as he approached. The closer Do-hyeon got, the more wildly it thrashed in its final struggle. Being bitten by a mosquito once is nothing more than a nuisance, something that only itches for a while. But when a mosquito that refuses to die bites you thousands of times, it bes a nightmare. ng! tter! Even though it had nowhere left to retreat, the monster kept stepping backward, causing the restraints binding it to rattle loudly. Do-hyeon watched the pitiful creature with cold eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve held out long enough. Now, it¡¯s time to go.¡± Boom! Tick! Calmly avoiding the final desperate attack, Do-hyeon¡¯s sword struck the monster¡¯s foot. Krrrr¡­ With a pitiful death cry, the massive body copsed. The once mighty monster fell noisily, raising a cloud of dust as it left this world, and several messages appeared above its fallen form. [You have defeated the Bound Ironblood Dragon-type Monster.] [You are the first to defeat a legendary named boss during the tutorial.] [You have defeated a legendary named boss single-handedly.] [You have achieved an unbelievable aplishment.] [This will be recorded in the Book of Adventures.] [As a reward, you will receive¡­] ¡­¡­ Seeing all the messages appear, Do-hyeon copsed to the ground. He didn¡¯t even care about checking the rewards; he just wanted to lie down. The excitement that had carried him at the beginning of the fight had long since faded, leaving him so focused that he hadn¡¯t had time to think about anything else. ¡°That was one hell of a tough fight.¡± Five hours and thirty minutes. That¡¯s how long it had taken him to y the monster. He had expected it to take a while, but it had taken even longer than he anticipated. The difficulty level had been higher than he imagined. ¡®Not even ten thousand strikes¡­¡¯ As soon as its HP had dropped below 30%, the monster¡¯s pattern changed. It stopped wildly swinging its arms and started stomping its feet furiously, almost as if throwing a tantrum because Do-hyeon kept hiding beneath it to attack. Eventually, it even mmed its entire body down in frustration. Luckily, its arms, which had some freedom within the restraints, were bound tightly enough. Otherwise, no matter how skilled Do-hyeon was, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to defeat it. He was certain. ¡®No one could have killed this.¡¯ Even his oldrades wouldn¡¯t have been able to defeat this thing. He had barely managed it, only because he was in unusually good condition today. And that prediction was spot on. [You are the first to defeat a legendary named boss during the tutorial.] The system had confirmed it. This meant that all hisrades had encountered the monster and failed to defeat it. ¡®They must¡¯ve cursed it out.¡¯ Do-hyeonughed as he imagined the things hisrades would¡¯ve said when they faced the monster. The Sword Emperor probably would¡¯ve grimaced and stayed silent, pretending to be stoic, while Kkukkudakkkukku would¡¯ve spewed a stream of foul curses. Old Man Purple would likely haveughed, saying, ¡°Well, of course. That¡¯s how a good old luck-based game sequel should be.¡± ¡®Or maybe they didn¡¯t even get this far?¡¯ Old Man Purple, in particr, was a master of hard work and wealth. Given that the tutorial required yers to perform in a new environment, it would¡¯ve been a disadvantage for him. In any case, Do-hyeon had done it. What would their reactions be when he revealed thister? ¡®They¡¯ll be rolling in envy for days.¡¯ Just like he had reacted when they pulled rare items or skill cards, they would likely show a simr reaction. ¡®Wherever they are, that is.¡¯ He hadn¡¯t seen any signs of them among the top-ranked yers, even though they should¡¯ve been there. They could have set their profiles to private, but it still seemed strange. To be honest, it was hard to believe those attention-seekers would go out of their way to keep things private. Or maybe they hadn¡¯t started ying God of Savior yet? That thought crossed his mind for a moment, but he quickly dismissed it. These were people who had sunk endless hours into a terrible game like DemRock. Unless something unusual, like military service in his case, hade up, there was no way they wouldn¡¯t have started God of Savior. ¡®Knowing them, they¡¯re probably off ying some weird role like hidden martial arts masters or something.¡¯ Do-hyeon chuckled to himself and opened the rewards he had left unopened. After recovering some of his energy, he became curious about what kind of rewards he had earned. ¡®Judging by how shy the messages were, it won¡¯t be something worthless.¡¯ It was safe to assume he would get some pretty good rewards. At least a reward of heroic rank or higher. With growing anticipation, he finally checked the rewards. [You have obtained the title ¡®The First yer.¡¯] [You have finished the tutorial with an unbelievable aplishment. A trait befitting your gamey and achievements has manifested.] [The trait ¡®Weapon Master¡¯ has manifested.] [The trait ¡®Hidden Dragon¡¯ has manifested.] [The trait ¡®yer¡¯ has manifested.] [The trait ¡®Hero¡¯ has manifested.] [The trait ¡®Ovee¡¯ has manifested.] [You have met the conditions.] [The unique trait ¡®Eye of Truth¡¯ has manifested.] ¡°¡­?¡± Do-hyeon blinked, feeling as though reality itself had faded away. * * * Unlike DemRock, God of Savior had several special systems beyond just skills. One of those systems was traits. Traits were abilities given separately from the 13 skill slots. Unlike active skills, traits were passive abilities that supported a yer¡¯s gamey andbat. Although there had been concerns that this odd system wouldplicate the game, yers who had actually started ying praised it for increasing the game¡¯s diversity. In any game that ages over time, there inevitably emerges a standard build for each ss. The most efficient and powerful skill tree. Of course, due to the nature of God of Savior, achieving the perfect skill tree wasn¡¯t easy, but for rankers, it all boiled down to the same thing. That¡¯s where traits came in to make things special. Even for yers with the same ss, their skill tree would change depending on which traits they possessed. And even with identical skill trees, traits introduced variables. This led to more strategic gamey and allowed for more diversity in the game. However, not everyone could obtain the traits they desired. There was only one known way to obtain traits. They manifested based on achievements during the tutorial. ¡°Damn¡­¡± And that¡¯s exactly what had happened in Do-hyeon¡¯s case. Every yer who finished the tutorial received a trait. But what shocked Do-hyeon was simple. ¡°¡­Why do I have so many traits?¡± Only one trait ever manifested during the tutorial. There were no exceptions. Whether you raised Charlie¡¯s affinity to the max or dropped it to the lowest, only one trait would manifest. However, the quality and type of the trait varied depending on the yer¡¯s achievements. Traits ranged from exploration types like Pathfinder tobat types like Sword Master. A trait befitting the yer¡¯s performance during the tutorial would manifest, and depending on the extent of the yer¡¯s achievements, higher-grade traits would be awarded. This was why major guilds were so keen to scout yers who had maxed out Charlie¡¯s affinity. It was proof of superior potential based on an objective measure. Naturally, a yer with a high-grade trait would have an advantage at max level over others with the same conditions. In that regard, Do-hyeon¡¯s situation was unprecedented. [Weapon Master] -Rank: Trait -Effect: Ignores weapon type restrictions. Increases mastery for all weapons and grows quickly. [Hidden Dragon] -Rank: Trait -Effect: Increases stat points gained per level up by 2. [yer] -Rank: Trait -Effect: Allows you to locate and identify hidden information about monsters for which you¡¯ve earned the ¡®yer¡¯ title. [Hero] -Rank: Trait -Effect: The hero¡¯s spirit protects against mental corruption. [Ovee] -Rank: Trait -Effect: Ovee limits with indomitable willpower. ¡°¡­Each trait is incredibly high-level.¡± Traits didn¡¯t have ranks like skills, but they had characteristics that allowed yers to guess their quality. First, Weapon Master. Even just having Sword Master was enough to make a guild want to recruit you. A swordsman with the Sword Master trait would gain mastery faster and have stronger attacks than other swordsmen. It essentially allowed the yer to be a master of that weapon type. What about Weapon Master? ¡®It allows me to apply the Sword Master effect to any weapon.¡¯ It was a trait that allowed the yer to wield any weapon and respond to any situation. While it wouldn¡¯t cover job-specific skills, it would certainly allow for exceptional versatility. And what about Hidden Dragon? ¡®Its potential is insane.¡¯ Reaching max level of 100 with this trait would give the yer the stats of a level 140 character. Just through raw numbers, it was like gaining the benefits of several extra items. Given that yers valued each stat point more as they progressed, it was an incredible trait. It was a broken trait in terms of raw power, but inparison to others, it wasn¡¯t quite as remarkable. ¡®It¡¯s a bitcking in terms of versatility.¡¯ While other yers would make use of traits that offered active benefits, the Hidden Dragon trait merely provided a t stat boost. It was simple but effective. However, in thete game, traits that offered active benefits based on strategy would be more important. This gap would be even more apparent after reaching max level. Because of this, Hidden Dragon wasn¡¯t rated very highly. ¡®But that doesn¡¯t apply to me.¡¯ Do-hyeon didn¡¯t just manifest one trait. He had manifested six traits. And each of them had powerful abilities. For instance, Hero and yer both directly impactedbat. ¡®Status effect immunity.¡¯ Thinking back to how troublesome curses from ck mages were in DemRock, the Hero trait was something Do-hyeon liked. In guild wars, ck mages were one of the biggest threats. The yer trait, on the other hand, had a condition. It only worked after earning a yer title for a particr type of monster. But once that condition was met, it was incredibly effective. ¡®It gives me an informational advantage right from the start.¡¯ The higher up you went, the more important information became when fighting bosses, so it would be invaluable. Each of these traits was something any yer would be valued for, even if they only had one. The effect of the trait Ovee was a bit vague, but with all the other traits being so good, Do-hyeon wasn¡¯t too bothered by it. And then there was the one trait that stood out above all the others. ¡®Eye of Truth¡­¡¯ Do-hyeon swallowed hard and slowly began to read the description. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 [Eye of Truth] -Grade: Unique Trait -Effect: Pierces through hidden things. A short phrase. Seeing that, Do-hyeon couldn¡¯t help but shudder in awe. ¡°A unique trait¡­!¡± It was a type of trait he had never seen before. Even in DemRock, he had never encountered something called ¡°unique.¡± But Do-hyeon wasn¡¯t foolish enough to overlook its value. ¡®Honestly, I¡¯m not exactly sure what this ability does. But I¡¯m certain it¡¯s incredible.¡¯ Weapon Master? Hero? yer? These were good traits. But they were not one-of-a-kind. Although no one possessed all of these traits at once, there were quite a few who had at least one of them. But the Eye of Truth? ¡®I¡¯ve never heard of a trait like this before.¡¯ Unique. Literally, something that exists only once in the world. Out of the billion yers in God of Savior, this trait was something only Do-hyeon possessed. Its power aside, its rarity was iparable. ¡®Now that I think about it, there were rumors about this.¡¯ He had seen discussions in themunity about the use of the word ¡°grade¡± when referring to traits. Why attach the term ¡°grade¡± instead of ¡°type¡± or ¡°category¡± when they¡¯re all traits anyway? It was a valid question. After all, grades like Common, Rare, Heroic, and Legendary divide power levels, while ¡°type¡± or ¡°category¡± would more appropriately divide traits or skills. Many opinions had been exchanged, but the debate eventually fizzled out with the conclusion that it was probably a misunderstanding caused by differences between the Korean and foreignnguages. Do-hyeon had thought the same when he read the posts. No, to be honest, he hadn¡¯t really thought much about it. Whether it was a grade or a type didn¡¯t seem like an important factor at the time. He had just shrugged it off. But now, he understood the reason. ¡®So it really was a grade¡­¡¯ A unique trait and just a trait. These were the names of different grades. Thinking about it now, it had been foolish to assume that the game¡¯s cutting-edge AI would make such a mistake. Though his questions were answered, that wasn¡¯t the important part. ¡®The important part is that I just hit the jackpot.¡¯ And it wasn¡¯t just any jackpot. A unique trait, five traits, and even a handful of titles. It was truly a grand prize. [The First yer] -Grade: Legendary -Description: A title given to the one who first ys a legendary named boss. -Effect: Wrath: Deals 10% additional damage to boss monsters. Devour: If the yer seeds on the first attempt of the battle, all stats increase by +6. The ¡°Devour¡± effect does not apply to bosses of the same type as the previously defeated one. All stats +10 [Currently, the stats obtained through Devour are +6] Just the traits alone were sweet enough, but to add a legendary title on top of that? Its performance was exceptional, as expected of a legendary-grade title. Even just the basic option of all stats +10 was incredible, and the Devour effect could boost potential furtherter on. On top of that, the Wrath effect dealt an additional 10% damage to boss monsters. This title was providing the effects of three different titles in one. ¡®This¡­ is sweet¡­¡¯ It was so satisfying that Do-hyeon wondered if he might get diabetes from it. ¡®To think that someone like me, with such rotten luck, would get an opportunity like this¡­¡¯ It was all the more precious to him, considering how much the world had seemingly conspired against him back in DemRock. How many bitter days had he endured? Back then, while others were getting rare traits, he had started withmon ones, stumbling around¡­ ¡®This time, it feels different.¡¯ A yer starting with six traits, plus a legendary and a rare title? If he posted that on the forum, it would cause an uproar. He might attract both yers eager to recruit him and yers who would be so envious that they¡¯d want to kill him out of spite. ¡®They probably wouldn¡¯t even believe me.¡¯ Honestly, he wouldn¡¯t believe it either if someone else imed it. ¡®But more importantly¡­¡¯ After confirming his rewards, Do-hyeon looked around. The floor and walls, torn apart by the battle with the Ironblood Dragonkind, were in ruins, while the other side of the area, seemingly untouched, looked pristine. Looking at the scene, Do-hyeon tilted his head in confusion. ¡®Why hasn¡¯t the tutorial ended?¡¯ As far as he knew, the goddess was supposed to appear, seal the boss monster again, and send the adventurer to the main continent, marking the start of the game. But none of those events were happening. ¡°Wait a minute¡­ sealing the boss monster?¡± At that moment, something shed through Do-hyeon¡¯s mind. ¡®The goddess appears when¡­ the yer dies, right?¡¯ But what about him? Far from dying, he had killed the Dragonkind and monopolized all the traits and rewards. Because of that, the situation had changedpletely. ¡®What happens in a case like this?¡¯ Although he was momentarily flustered, he quickly regained hisposure. And thatposure soon turned into a bit of anticipation. If the scheduled event had changed¡­ ¡®It might be a hidden piece.¡¯ His greedy thoughts were understandable, given how much he had already gained, but who knew? Anything was possible. Approaching the door he had entered from, a message appeared. [The boss¡¯s death has been confirmed.] [Do you wish to return to the entrance?] ¡°Yes.¡± As he answered quickly, his vision shifted. The hallway, more chaotic and ruined than the messy room he had been in, was filled with the corpses of monsters. During the entire 5 hours and 30 minutes Do-hyeon had been inside, an intense battle had also been raging here. Charlie, standing amidst the blood-soaked battlefield, looked shocked as he stared at Do-hyeon. Despite being covered in the blood of countless monsters, Charlie¡¯s imposing presence hadn¡¯t diminished. However, his face now held a bewildered expression. As soon as their eyes met, Charlie¡¯s lips began to tremble. ¡°A¡­ Aaa¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Do-hyeon instinctively sensed it. That man was about to spout another ridiculous line. And sure enough, with a trembling voice, Charlie asked, ¡°I definitely heard the sound of a monster being summoned¡­ Did you truly y it?¡± ¡°Well¡­ yeah.¡± ¡°Yet you stand before me without a single scratch. Just who are you¡­?¡± Unlike before, Charlie¡¯s tone was now one of utmost respect, his speech nearly reverential. His polite manner and eyes filled with admiration were already overwhelming, but Charlie didn¡¯t stop. ¡°No, your identity and origins are irrelevant.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°Heroes always rise in times of chaos. I, Charlie, have no doubt that your existence will bring about great changes in this troubled world.¡± With a resolute face, Charlie knelt on one knee. ¡°Oh, hero¡­ May I humbly ask to walk the glorious path with you? May this lowly knight be your heart and sword?¡± Ding-. At the same time, a message appeared. [Arlen Castle¡¯s Knight Commander, ¡®Charlie,¡¯ wishes to be your heart and sword.] [If you ept his oath, he will pledge his undying loyalty to you.] ¡®¡­What the?¡¯ He had expected a hidden piece, but this was something entirely unexpected. The Knight¡¯s Oath meant that he would follow Do-hyeon, even to his death. It wasn¡¯t just a metaphor. [If you ept, Charlie will no longer be Arlen Castle¡¯s Knight Commander but will be Kaiser¡¯s subordinate.] [The benefits he receives will transfer to you.] A knight who swears an oath gives up everything and bes the subordinate of their lord. Moreover, all the rights and benefits they previously enjoyed are transferred to the lord. It was, quite literally, an oath to give everything. ¡®This is insane.¡¯ Being the Knight Commander of a castle meant there were plenty of elements that would aid in his growth. He would be treated with respect by NPCs wherever he went, and his high position would allow him to grow quickly. But¡­ [However, he is already long dead. You will not receive any benefits as his lord.] ¡°Ah.¡± The next message that appeared deted Do-hyeon¡¯s excitement. Of course, things had seemed too easy. It would have beenpletely unbnced if a level 1 yer started as the lord of a Knight Commander. ¡®The tutorial is a recreation of the tragedy of Arlen Castle from the past.¡¯ The tutorial was a tform and stage for adventurers from another world to reach the main continent through the goddess. Unlike the main game¡¯s timeline, it had the feel of a medieval setting from a long time ago. ¡®It¡¯s just a symbolic oath. Kind of like an event¡­¡¯ If he expected more from this, he¡¯d be nothing short of greedy. Still, the experience had felt good, so without much hesitation, Do-hyeon nodded. At that moment¡­ [You have epted the Knight¡¯s Oath.] [In Charlie¡¯s memory, you will remain as his lord.] [In his memory, the war that wouldter be known as the ¡®tragedy of Arlen Castle,¡¯ an abyssal terror, ends in victory, with him envisioning a future alongside you.] [He will now rest in peace, looking forward to a future with you.] [The tutorial is nowplete. The Pantheon will soon open.] [You will be warped to the Pantheon shortly.] A message appeared, and the location where the boss room had been turned into a warp point. Although it was a different route from the original, the tutorial had been sessfullypleted. ¡®¡­Rest in peace, huh.¡¯ Do-hyeon nced at Charlie. With eyes full of loyalty and a resolute expression, Charlie looked at him as though he were truly his lord. That would be thest memory of this man. Thinking that way left Do-hyeon feeling strangely uneasy. Even though he was just an NPC, he had grown somewhat fond of him due to his reactions¡­ ¡°Lord, where is our next destination?¡± Maybe that was why. When Charlie looked at him with small, hopeful eyes amidst his resolute gaze, Do-hyeon, just before being warped, feltpelled to answer. ¡°¡­We¡¯ll go where we¡¯re needed. The world¡¯s in chaos.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± It was cringeworthy, but Do-hyeon thought that Charlie would appreciate this answer the most. Charlie, who had been standing with his mouth agape, finally closed it again. There was no need for any further response. His eyes confirmed that Do-hyeon¡¯s answer had been what he was hoping for. [Warping¡­] [Warping to the Pantheon in 5 seconds¡­] Do-hyeon, feeling at ease, stepped into the warp. At that moment, Charlie, seemingly having made up his mind, approached. ¡°¡­Please ept this.¡± He carefully pulled something from his chest and handed it to Do-hyeon. [3¡­] [2¡­] It was a ne. A rather simple design with a red ruby-like stone embedded in it. Do-hyeon was about to examine it when the warppleted, cutting off his reaction. [You have obtained¡­] [Warping to the Pantheon.] ¡°Thank you, my lord. Please¡­ save¡­¡± A message engulfed in blinding light. And with thest of Charlie¡¯s words fading into the distance, Do-hyeon¡¯s vision went ck. [Wee to the Pantheon.] [This is the ce where you choose a god and decide your path. We wish for the blessing of the gods to be upon you.] [Inventory cannot be essed in this area, and if you force quit, a god will be chosen automatically.] Chapter 10 Chapter 10 When he opened his eyes, what he saw was countless cards. Ten thousand cards floating above a ck space. ¡®So, this is the famous Pantheon.¡¯ An event moremonly known as ¡°Card Draw¡± rather than by its grand name, Pantheon. The highlight of God of Savior, an event that made countless usersugh and cry. It was the moment when the God Draw would unfold. [Wee to the Pantheon.] [Each card contains a different god.] [Please select the god you will serve.] ¡°Wow¡­ there¡¯s so many.¡± The god-draw system, notorious for being the best way to test one¡¯s wealth or luck. There were countless stories about people spending tens of millions of won to get their desired god, only to fail and shed tears. On the other hand, some would seed in just ten tries after others failed despite investing huge sums of money, in a system where you either threw money at it or relied purely on luck. Do-hyeon, who prided himself on being the unluckiest person in the world, nned to finish his god draw quickly. ¡®No need to get greedy.¡¯ He had already obtained enough rewards, and with six traits¡ªthough it would hurt¡ªhe could endure even if he ended up with a subpar god. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± At least, that was his n. Until he looked closely at the cards in front of him. ¡°¡­Why is that one gold?¡± It wasn¡¯t just gold. Every card was radiating a different color of light. * * * Once yerspleted the tutorial, they faced a critical decision. They had to choose one god from among the many in the Pantheon to serve. Since their ss would be derived from the god they chose, the selection had to be made carefully. And that wasn¡¯t all. In God of Savior, where everything was divided into grades, gods were no exception. There were Mortal Gods, Heroic Gods, and Mythical Gods. Mortal Gods were those who had be gods through stories passed down consistently over time. Heroic Gods were former humans, once known as heroes, who ascended to the Pantheon. Lastly, Mythical Gods were beings who had created entire mythologies. Figures like Zeus from Greek mythology or Odin from Norse mythology belonged to this category. Of course, the higher the category, the higher the grade. Naturally, everyone wanted to be an apostle of a Mythical God, but not everyone could achieve that. ¡°Yeah, this cursed trash game doesn¡¯t change.¡± Everything was based on probability. What were the odds of drawing a Mythical God card, which might be only a handful among the ten thousand? Naturally, it wasn¡¯t easy to draw one, and it wasmonly said that getting a Mythical God required either incredible luck or an astronomical amount of money. [Someone just drew the Northern Lion God. Should I stop here?] -Lion God¡­? Gustav? Dude, if it¡¯s a Heroic God, stop immediately. -I¡¯ve still got 300 pulls left¡­ but I got it in 200 pulls, so I¡¯m conflicted. -Whoa, a Heroic God in 200 pulls?! Is this even real? -What¡¯s there to debate? Gustav is solid. Don¡¯t push your luck, just stop. -I wanted to be a main tank¡­ but Gustav only leads tomander or sub-tank sses. If it were a DPS, I¡¯d be fine, but sub-tank hurts my pride a bit¡­ -You¡¯ll have to run it without stopping, which makes it hard to use as a main tank, but with the right skill set, you can make it work. -If not Gustav, why not go with the Honorable Axe God? ¡°Is this your axe?¡± -Lol, the Honorable Axe God only leads to axe-user sses, right? -Dude, stopining. A Heroic God in 200 pulls is a blessing. You¡¯re too greedy. -Do you think you¡¯ll get another Heroic God in 300 more pulls? -Come on, some people can pull a thousand times and still not get one. Thinking your luck will keep going after one hit is foolish. -Oh, you¡¯re right¡­ Thanks for talking some sense into me, guys. Even just pulling a Heroic God was enough to make people reconsider their ss choice, given how valuable Heroic Gods were. It was only natural. Mythical Gods were so rare that they were practically the stuff of fantasy, even among the ten billion yers. Heroic Gods were also rare enough that their apostles could brag wherever they went. [I¡¯m doomed¡­ No matter how much I pull, I only get Mortal Gods¡­ Has the water in the Han River warmed up yet?] -It¡¯s fine, man. Most non-spenders are in the same boat. If you pick the right Mortal God, they can still be useful. The problem is that there¡¯s a huge performance gap between different Mortal Gods. -My friend got a Heroic God in one pull¡­ -That¡¯s just because your friend¡¯s luck is insane. I had to spend ten million won to get mine. Now that I think about it, why the hell do I have to spend ten million while someone else gets a Heroic God for free? This game¡¯s all about luck, and it sucks. Most yers had Mortal Gods. Although they oftenined, the reality was that Mortal Gods weren¡¯t inherently bad. Each ss had its own unique effects, and all sses could use the same skills within their category. That¡¯s why many evaluations said that if a god was mediocre but the traits were good, you were still in luck. Still, people were always serious about the god draw. [Everyone¡¯s whining about Mortal Gods, but I¡¯m not happy even with a Heroic God.] -Stop the humblebragging. -Stop trolling, please. -Humblebrag? What traits do you have? Wanna swap ces with my Three Talent Swordsmanship? I pulled a Heroic God with my own money, but this cursed trait is something I can¡¯t do anything about, and it¡¯s driving me nuts. I see people with Innate Mana traitsining about Mortal Gods, and I¡¯m like, really? Isn¡¯t that going too far? -Oh¡­ -How did you mess up with Three Talent Swordsmanship¡­? In reality, this god draw was the second andst chance for those with bad traits. For those whose traits were terrible, if their god draw was also bad, there was simply no hope. That¡¯s why they were so serious about it. Maybe because of that? Those with good traits often got subpar gods, while those with bad traits sometimes drew top-tier gods. Of course, there were always special cases. Those who had both a broken trait and a Mythical God, the type that made people say they were outright cheating. [Myeolsal really is on another level.] [He has a Mythical God and top-tier traits. Seriously, why does he get all the luck?] [He¡¯s got insane physical skills, tons of money, good looks, poprity¡­ Why does he have to live life all by himself?] [That¡¯s just how people who have everything are. He¡¯s so far beyond us that he doesn¡¯t even stir feelings of inferiority anymore. He¡¯s like a person from another world.] yers like Myeolsal and the ten guild masters. Or those who had already reached high-ranker status. They lived in a world of their own, as the users often said. That¡¯s why Do-hyeon had no expectations. ¡®It¡¯s not like my luck has ever been good.¡¯ He was the guy who, even during DemRock¡¯s shutdown, never got a single legendary skill. Considering his luck, he would probably have to invest astronomical amounts of money to get a good god, but he didn¡¯t have that kind of money. At most, he had about a million won saved up. Whether he got a Mortal God or not, he would be satisfied if he just got a god that gave him a ss that could wield a sword. ¡°Damn.¡± That had been his n, at least¡­ ¡°What the hell is this?¡± That n was nowpletely changed. Astronomical money? A ridiculous amount of luck? None of that mattered anymore. ¡°¡­I can see the grades.¡± The colors radiating from the cards were revealing their grades. ¡°Poop color, silver, gold.¡± From left to right, they symbolized Mortal Gods, Heroic Gods, and Mythical Gods. The colors were being reflected on the front of the cards, but for some reason, they were now shining from the back. This wasn¡¯t a bug or an error. It wasn¡¯t just some clich¨¦ exnation that God of Savior had no bugs because it was managed by AI. [Eye of Truth is activating.] The message floating above his head exined why. It was the unique trait he had obtained after clearing the tutorial. ¡®It pierces through hidden things¡­¡¯ He hadn¡¯t quite understood what the trait¡¯s effect was, but he never imagined it would have such a broken effect. ¡®This is insane.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just a figure of speech; it truly was insane. No matter how important traits were in the game, could a mere trait really intrude into the system¡¯s mechanics like this? If this was real, it meant he could guarantee which cards to draw in the future. Only he could do this, in all of God of Savior. Thump. Thump. Thump. He could feel his heart pounding rapidly as blood pumped through his veins. It was beating so hard that the sound echoed in his head. ¡®This is crazy.¡¯ The excitement was overwhelming. Guaranteed pulls? Was there anything more broken than that in a game based on luck? -Why are you so unlucky? I feel sorry for you, man. -I¡¯m curious. If you had good luck, how far could you have gone? -You¡¯re already ranked #1. How much higher could you go? -That¡¯s not what I meant, idiot. His teammates had once said this in passing. At the time, he hadughed it off, but part of him had felt bitter. It wasn¡¯t like he hadn¡¯t been frustrated with his bad luck. He had just found sce in the fact that he still reached #1, despite it all. Yet, no one had felt the pain of it more deeply than him. ¡®But now¡­¡¯ Now, everything was different. Starting 18 monthste? Sure, it was a big disadvantage, to the point that, under normal circumstances, bing a ranker was out of the question. That¡¯s why Do-hyeon hadn¡¯t cared about ranking when he started the game. Of course, it would be nice to be the best if he was ying anyway, but he had been toote. ¡®But maybe now¡­¡¯ But with the Eye of Truth? If Kaiser, who was once cursed with bad luck, now had better luck than anyone? ¡­Maybe, just maybe, it would really be possible to be a ranker again. ¡®Stay calm.¡¯ Suppressing the dizziness, Do-hyeon took a deep breath. He was jumping to conclusions too early. He could judge after he drew his god. ¡®Only 20 out of 10,000¡­¡¯ This was why drawing a Mythical God cost so much money. Compared to the roughly 500 to 700 silver-colored Heroic God cards, it was clearly an abysmal probability. Though right now, probability was irrelevant. ¡®I¡¯ll only go for the gold cards.¡¯ With his heart racing, Do-hyeon picked a golden card. As the dazzling golden light filled his vision, a cheerful notification sounded, and his eyes widened. [You have drawn the Mythical God, ¡®One-Armed Sword God Tyr.¡¯] [Will you select this god?] ¡°Tyr¡­!¡± Despite the humble-sounding name, Tyr was the god of war and swords from Norse mythology, also known as the god of duels. Before Odin, he was considered the supreme god, but after losing an arm, he had lost his status. Although some regions still regarded him as the highest god, losing an arm inevitably caused his prestige to decline. Because of this, his reputation wasn¡¯t good at first¡­ However, once Tyr¡¯s unique ability became known, his evaluation changedpletely. ¡®And for good reason.¡¯ Tyr¡¯s unique ability: Duel. In battles judged as duels, it increased damage against enemies. But the most broken ability was his second one. ¡®When near death, he revives at the cost of an arm.¡¯ It was a perfect fit for his title as the One-Armed Sword God. Considering how burdensome death penalties were in theter stages of the game, and how rare revival abilities were inparison, it was an amazing ability. Even though the cooldown was long, in critical situations, it was like having an extra life. Having an extra life changed how you yed. It allowed for much bolder moves. ¡®This is the one.¡¯ He still had a million won left, meaning he could pull ten more times, but there was no need. A better god than Tyr? There might be one, but Do-hyeon was certain that no god would be more useful to him within the next ten pulls. Tyr was already among the best sword gods he had hoped for. Swoosh. With no hesitation, Do-hyeon selected the card. A message appeared. [You have selected the Mythical God, ¡®One-Armed Sword God Tyr.¡¯] [The vessel for an apostle has not been created.] [You cannot be Tyr¡¯s apostle.] [Please draw another card.] [Tyr is extremely confused by this unexpected situation.] ¡°¡­?¡± An iprehensible message appeared. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 They say that when a person is faced with an iprehensible situation, their mind freezes. Do-hyeon suddenly recalled this saying. Because that¡¯s exactly what was happening to him now. ¡®What is going on here?¡¯ Unable to be an apostle? A vessel for an apostle wasn¡¯t formed? ¡°What kind of ridiculous nonsense is this?¡± He had drawn and selected the card honestly, so why was he being rejected with this ¡°vessel not formed¡± excuse? It was utterly impossible for him to ept. ¡®I¡¯ve never heard of anything like this happening before¡­¡¯ Of course, everything from the start of the tutorial until now had been filled with unexpected events, but this was clearly an error. Who said there were no bugs just because the game was run by AI? A clear error was staring him in the face! ¡°¡­Wait. A vessel?¡± A cold shiver ran down his spine at that moment. ¡®Could it be because I didn¡¯t receive the goddess¡¯s revtion?¡¯ There was only one difference between Do-hyeon and the other yers who went through the tutorial. Did you defeat the boss without dying, or did you die and meet the goddess, receiving her revtion? In a panic, Do-hyeon opened his status window. [yer: Kaiser] [Level: 1] [HP: 700 / 700] [MP: 150 / 150] [Stamina: 210 / 210] [ss: Adventurer] [Titles (2)] -Maximum Favorability from the Start? -The First yer [Stats] Remaining Points: 0 ¡°¡­It¡¯s not there.¡± Instead of ¡°Apostle¡± being listed in the ss section, it simply read ¡°Adventurer.¡± Could it be that the vessel for an apostle is only formed after the yer dies and receives the goddess¡¯s revtion? ¡°Damn it!¡± No matter how he thought about it, that seemed to be the only exnation. If that were the case, then even the message that said the god was confused made sense. Who could have imagined that there wouldn¡¯t be a vessel for an apostle? This must have been the first time Tyr had ever encountered such a situation. ¡®So, what should I do now?¡¯ Would drawing another card make any difference? It was obvious that it would be rejected again for not having a vessel. At this rate, he might never leave the Pantheon. He couldn¡¯t just delete his character either. That would mean losing all the traits he had painstakingly acquired and waiting another 60 days. ¡®How long have I waited for this moment¡­!¡¯ He had endured and waited for 18 months. After suffering through what felt like an eternity, he had finally arrived here, and now they wanted him to wait another 60 days? Even if he could obtain new traitster, he simply couldn¡¯t ept that. ¡®I need to find a solution.¡¯ Somehow, he had to find a way out. ¡­But how? If he forcefully logged out, it would trigger an automatic god selection, but would that even apply now, after he¡¯d been rejected for not having a vessel? ¡®Whether it works or not, it¡¯s still a problem.¡¯ If it worked, but he ended up with a Mortal God, he would be sick to his stomach, and if it didn¡¯t work, he¡¯d have no choice but to delete his character, which would be even worse. He was trapped in a dilemma, unable to recklessly log out. Do-hyeon clutched his head, groaning in frustration. ¡®Ugh¡­ and why are these lights shining so brightly?¡¯ As if things weren¡¯tplicated enough, the lights radiating from the ten thousand cards were making his head spin. Just as he was about to turn around to gather his thoughts, something caught his eye. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Something strange stood out. Among the countless lights of three different colors, there was one card that stood out more than the others. It had to stand out. ¡°Why is that one a different color?¡± It was the only card in the corner that glowed red. And that wasn¡¯t the only strange thing. The cards were neatly arranged in a perfect square, with an equal number in each row. He hadn¡¯t noticed before, but there was one extra card in the row where the red card was, making it stick out slightly. Its position in the corner was likely the reason he hadn¡¯t noticed it earlier. ¡®Was there ever a red card?¡¯ DemRock didn¡¯t have a god draw system, but there was no mention of a red card in either God of Savior. Neither in any posts nor videos had he seen anyone mention drawing a red card. ¡®No, aside from that, the number doesn¡¯t even add up.¡¯ The Pantheon was called the Pantheon for a reason. It was a temple of the ten thousand gods. There shouldn¡¯t be any extra cards. And on closer inspection, this card appeared slightly opaque, making it all the more suspicious. Swoosh. Drawn in by the strange phenomenon, Do-hyeon moved toward the card as if in a trance. Before he knew it, he had selected the card. Ding-. [You have selected a hidden card.] [You have drawn the Forgotten Final Adventurer Kashiar.] [You have obtained the vessel of an Adventurer.] [Requirements met.] [Will you ept the selection?] ¡°Ah.¡± A gasp escaped him. It was a god he had never heard of. But could it even be called a god? Unlike the Mortal, Heroic, or Mythical Gods, there was no grade attached to it. It was simply referred to as the Forgotten Final Adventurer. But that was enough. He instinctively knew that this was the only card he could select. [You have chosen the Forgotten Final Adventurer Kashiar.] [You have be Kashiar¡¯s apostle.] ¡®¡­I was really selected.¡¯ His hunch had been correct. He had inherited a one-of-a-kind god. So, was this a rotten lifeline or a golden one? There was no way to know yet, but one thing was certain¡­ ¡®It¡¯s a hidden piece.¡¯ At the very least, this choice was part of a hidden piece. And hidden pieces were always extraordinary. [Please select your path.] [Derived ss] Final Adventurer Only one option was avable. Without hesitation, he selected it, and as the red light burst out and wrapped around him, it circted through his body, turning his eyes crimson. Whoosh! [You have advanced to the Final Adventurer ss.] [You have acquired a ss skill.] [ss: Final Adventurer] -Description: Humanity was originally a race of adventurers. They were the rulers of Abtartel, stronger than anyone, possessing the power and influence to threaten even the gods. However, humanity sought peace and did not challenge the gods. But fate was cruel. In the end, despite humanity¡¯s desire for peace, war came to them. The Great War of Ragnarok, which destroyed the entire divine realm, took ce, and humanity lost its ce in Abtartel as the gods turned their gaze to it. Though humanity fought a long war and Abtartel¡¯s once-beautiful nature was ruined, they never lost any territory. They believed they could protect Abtartel and drive out the gods. Until that fateful day, when it all copsed in vain¡­ Humanity was defeated. And I am the final adventurer of humanity¡­ ¡°Ah¡­¡± Do-hyeon couldn¡¯t help but exim at the message that appeared upon his ss advancement. Every single word was extraordinary. The description seemed tied to a deep secret of the game¡¯s world, filling him with the strong sense that this was indeed a hidden piece. ¡®This is incredible.¡¯ His instincts told him. This wasn¡¯t just any ordinary ss. It possessed something extraordinary. The description alone was unusual. ¡®Humanity fought against the gods¡­ I¡¯ve never heard of this kind of setting.¡¯ At least, from what Do-hyeon had researched, it didn¡¯t exist. Maybe it woulde up if he dug deeper, but for now, it was clear that this was not amon ss. It seemed tied to some hidden secret of the game¡¯s world¡­ ¡®This is exciting.¡¯ He had thought that as long as he got a god rted to swordsmanship, even a Mortal God would suffice, but now he had stumbled upon a hidden piece. This was why they said you never know what will happen in life. Whatever the case, he would naturally learn more about this as he yed the game. ¡®What did I get?¡¯ Now, his curiosity turned to something else. ¡®The unique ability.¡¯ The unique ability granted by each god. What kind of ability had this one-of-a-kind god, the Final Adventurer, bestowed upon him? He couldn¡¯t wait any longer to find out. Swallowing his dry throat, Do-hyeon opened the unique ability window, and his eyes widened. [Adventurer] -Description: An adventurer pursues freedom. As the rulers andpanions of Abtartel, they possess explosive potential. -Effect: You can use skills without being bound by a ss. ¡®This is insane!¡¯ An ability that lets you use any ss¡¯s skills? Even if he was limited by the 13 skill slots, it was practically like unlocking every ss at once. His mind raced with excitement. ¡®I can create a skill tree using only the best skills from each ss.¡¯ He could already think of dozens of skill trees. The only problem would be obtaining all those skills, but Do-hyeon had the Eye of Truth. A broken trait that allowed him to guarantee obtaining the skills he wanted, not based on chance but certainty. ¡®And if Ibine that with the Weapon Master trait?¡¯ He would be a true all-master, without any weaknesses. Gulp. Swallowing again, Do-hyeon took a deep breath. Even though he was seeing it with his own eyes, it still didn¡¯t feel real. He hadn¡¯t even started the main game yet, but he had already gained so much. ¡®This isn¡¯t a dream, is it?¡¯ Even though everything that had happened today seemed unbelievable, it was all real. And none of it had just fallen into hisp. He had earned it by uncovering hidden pieces. Do-hyeon¡¯s gaze sharpened as he raised his head. [You havepleted your ss advancement.] [You will be transported to Abtartel shortly.] [5¡­] [4¡­] The warp was preparing at that moment. The tutorial was finally over, and he was about to enter the main stage. Watching the countdown, Do-hyeon ced his hand on his chest. ¡®Let¡¯s do this.¡¯ As his heart pounded and the light gradually enveloped him, Do-hyeon¡¯s lips slowly curled into a smile. ¡®Ranker.¡¯ As the white light engulfed him, his vision reversed. The real game had finally begun. * * * yers whopleted the tutorial would first arrive in Arde. Known as the beginner¡¯s city, or the city of beginnings, Arde¡¯s central square was always bustling with people. The source of themotion was the constant arrival of new yers, appearing one by one in brief shes of light after finishing the tutorial. Those who had just set foot in Arde would exim in awe. ¡°Wow¡­!¡± ¡°This is amazing, it¡¯s so beautiful!¡± ¡°It really feels like I¡¯ve entered another world. It doesn¡¯t feel real, but at the same time, it feels too real¡­¡± ¡°I want to say that doesn¡¯t make sense, but I get it¡­ Look at the buildings and people, it¡¯s like we¡¯re in a fantasy movie.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so different from what we saw at Arlen Castle. It feels much more developed.¡± The pure excitement of the neers filled the air. It was a sight that even veteran yers, on the verge of graduating, would pause to watch, smiling as they fondly remembered their own early days. It was one of the most lively ces in the game. But not everyone was so happy. ¡°Ah¡­ my mental state¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m cut out forbat¡­ I¡¯ll just focus on production jobs.¡± ¡°Just hang on until level 10. God of Savior has plenty of nonbat content too. You¡¯ll be treated well if you have the skills.¡± In a game as hyper-realistic as God of Savior, it was inevitable that some yers would be traumatized by thebat. Those yers usually arrived at Ardepletely shattered. ¡°Tsk tsk¡­ Looks like Charlie gave them a tough time.¡± ¡°From the look of it, it wasn¡¯t just a tough time. Their mental state ispletely wrecked.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not finding any promising recruits today¡­ We need morebat yers.¡± The monsters in the game were horrifying enough with their grotesque appearances, but whenbined with Charlie¡¯s strict instructions, it became unbearable for many yers. Some, especially the more sensitive ones, would lose all desire to fight ever again. While this meant that nonbat professions had flourished in God of Savior, much to the satisfaction of the yer base, it posed a headache for scouts seekingbat talent. ¡°If we want to findbat yers with good traits, the conditions are way too strict.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s not all. Their expectations have skyrocketed too.¡± ¡°We should act now before it¡¯s toote¡­ Ugh, it¡¯s like searching for a pearl in the sand. Thepetition is fierce, and good talent is scarce. What do they expect us to do?¡± God of Savior had ten billion yers worldwide. While new yers continuously joined the game, especially at the beginning of the year when most of them logged in for the first time, by April, there were few exceptional yers left. Though a few ¡°geniuses¡± asionally emerged, they were extremely rare. ¡°A fairy tale where a genius falls from the sky? That¡¯s just a fantasy.¡± Chapter 12 Chapter 12 A genius attracts attention even before stepping onto the stage. A needle in a pocket will always poke through, and even if it goes unnoticed at first, soon enough, it will be the center of attention. Of course, there were rare exceptions to this rule. ¡°Was it six months ago? That rising star who maxed out favorability appeared, right? And didn¡¯t he draw a Mythical God?¡± ¡°The entiremunity was turned upside down. We got so much k for not recruiting him in time¡­¡± ¡°Ugh. Well, how many cases like that happen, really? Every time I hear about that guy, my heart sinks. I keep worrying our manager will flip out again.¡± Since that incident, the number of scouts increased every day, but finding a newbie with valuable traits was like searching for a needle in a haystack. Especially if those traits werebat-rted? ¡°They told me I better recruit one by the end of this month or face the consequences¡­ Might as well tell me to go die.¡± ¡°Exactly. These newbies aren¡¯t clueless anymore. They know their worth. If they have good traits, why would they join a mid-tier guild when they could join a major one?¡± ¡°Well, your situation¡¯s the same as mine, buddy. Let¡¯s stopining and just keep looking.¡± As always, even though theyined, they had no choice but to go out and look for talent. ¡°That guy¡¯s hopeless.¡± ¡°Hm¡­ what about that one? Looks like he¡¯sbat-rted.¡± ¡°Look at how he swings his sword at the air. I bet my one year of experience he doesn¡¯t have any swordsmanship-rted traits.¡± ¡°He might have a Heroic God, though?¡± ¡°Come on, have you just started scouting? At this point, you can¡¯t tell anything from just a well-chosen ss. Traits need to support it to be worth the investment. Maybe if it were a Mythical God or a rare Heroic God¡­¡± ¡°That one looks decent. His eyes have a spark.¡± The game had been out for a year and six months. By now, the more experienced yers had reached a level where they could assess a yer¡¯s potential at a nce. It was a skill honed from approaching every newbie and gathering knowledge from countless conversations. Because of this, scouts had earned a reputation simr to door-to-door evangelists, being asked, ¡°Do you believe in God?¡± wherever they went, but their judgment had grown sharper because of it. Their method of evaluation wasn¡¯tplicated. Much like how pickpockets could instinctively spot a mark, these scouts would gauge a newbie¡¯s potential through their facial expressions, tone of voice, and conversations. Some even went further, judging by the look in their eyes, which, strangely enough, had a high sess rate. Newbies who had drawn good traits exuded a different kind of aura. ¡°They can¡¯t help but show it off.¡± ¡°If you hit the jackpot, it¡¯s hard not to let it slip.¡± ¡°If it were me, I¡¯d be shouting it from the rooftops.¡± That¡¯s why scouts always kept an eye on the eyes and expressions of newbies. They generally disliked yers with a certain look. ¡°Hmm¡­ His eyes are dead.¡± ¡°He looks like a third-time exam taker holed up in a study room. I¡¯m really curious what kind of traits he got.¡± ¡°That guy¡¯s mentally wrecked; no way he¡¯s suited forbat.¡± yers with simr atmospheres often shared the same fate. That was when one scout, observing the neers, nudged his colleague and pointed. ¡°Hey, check that guy out.¡± ¡°Hm? Whoa¡­ talk about a walking disaster.¡± They were looking at a man. He had a rather masculine and warm appearance, but his nk gaze drifted off into the air. His lips were moving slightly, as if muttering something to himself while staring at nothing. These were the types of newbies scouts avoided the most. Such yers often not only had the worst traits, but they also drew the worst gods, making their situation hopeless. ¡°Looks like he stepped in something nasty¡­ What kind of god did he get? The Lazy Donkey God?¡± ¡°There are too many terrible gods to guess¡­ but he must¡¯ve gotten some really awful traits.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t the worst known trait officially Foot Eater?¡± Foot Eater. A trait where, if the user eats the feet of insects or animals, their movement speed increases¡ªslightly. Not by much, just a tiny bit. It sounded utterly useless, but what made it famous was the story of how a yer obtained it. Charlie had told the yer to ¡°lick feet,¡± so, out of spite, they actually licked a foot and unlocked the trait. Funnily enough, the owner of that bizarre tale was a Korean yer. ¡°Would he really have gotten something like that?¡± ¡°There are so many traits, who knows¡­ He might¡¯ve gotten something even worse.¡± ¡°Whatever it is, that guy¡¯s done for.¡± In reality, people who reacted like that never made it to high-level content. Nine out of ten quit the game or deleted their characters, waiting 60 days before starting over. They were, with a 99% uracy rate, considered bombs waiting to explode. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s not leveling up and just enjoying the game casually. God of Savior has a lot of things to see and do.¡± ¡°True¡­ plenty of people y this game for dating and socializing. Paying that much money for it, though¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just focus on doing our job.¡± And so, the scouts didn¡¯t give that man another nce. There wasn¡¯t enough time to focus on other newbies. That was why¡­ ¡°Excuse me. Oh, I¡¯m not weird or anything. I¡¯m Bae Jin-chul from the Peacemaker Guild. I was wondering¡­¡± ¡°¡­Pardon? Do you like sashimi? Trying to¡­ wait, what did you just say?!¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not a scout. Do you want to buy something? I¡¯ve got a special package for newbies at a discounted price.¡± In the chaotic central square, surrounded by scouts, merchants, and newbies, Do-hyeon managed to carve out his own space. Right in front of him, a notification was hovering. [Ne of the Blood Covenant] [Grade: Heroic] [Description: A ne bound by the blood of Arlen Castle¡¯s Knight Commander ¡®Charlie.¡¯ Only his lord can possess this ne.] [Level Requirement: None] [Equip Requirement: Must be Charlie¡¯s lord.] [Physical Defense: 61] [Magic Resistance: 53] -Strength +4 -Agility +2 -Stamina +1 -Attack Speed +5% -Movement Speed +5% [Special Option: Defense and magic resistance increase with experience gained.] [Special Option: Unlocks at level 35.] -Non-tradable ¡®¡­No way, is this real? A Heroic-grade item from the start?¡¯ It was the information on the ne Charlie had given him, which he hadn¡¯t checked because of his ss advancement. Even the options were extraordinary. ¡®Ah¡­ I¡¯m really going to pass out from all this sweetness.¡¯ With all these sweet rewards pouring in one after another, Do-hyeon was mentally screaming, while people around him subtly avoided him. They had no idea. The man they were avoiding was not only equipped withbat traits they desperately desired but also possessed five additional traits. Moreover, he was the only yer in God of Savior¡¯s history to draw a unique god, and he had a legendary title and a Heroic-grade ne to top it all off. Kaiser¡ªthe moment he was truly stepping into the world of God of Savior. * * * What¡¯s the first thing most newbies do afterpleting the tutorial? Admire the otherworldly, realistdscapes? Go on a food tour of exotic restaurants and drink special red ale from Abtartel? Those are all nice, but for seven out of tenbat-rted yers, there was only one thing they all agreed on. ¡°An RPG is all about hunting!¡± ¡°Quick, find some monsters!¡± ¡°Those cocky goblins are dead meat.¡± For God of Savior yers, hunting was the ultimate thrill. Enthralled by videos of the top 10 guilds and veterans taking down high-level raid bosses, they were eager to level up quickly and be stronger. shing spells. Dazzling sword techniques. Imprable shields. Divine effects¡­ They didn¡¯t have any of those yet, but when it came to hunting, they felt like top-tier mages or warriors, even if just for a moment. However, even they followed a few basic rules. ¡°You gotta ept quests.¡± ¡°Quests from the guides are essential.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to Dante first.¡± ¡°The goblins can wait for now.¡± Quests. Like most RPGs, God of Savior had highly efficient quests. Instead of wasting time hunting randomly, it was faster to grind a few quests in the vige. Considering the quest rewards, doing them was practically a must. Because of this, God of Savior yers eagerly hunted down quests, and now, a year and six months afterunch, most quest guides were widely avable. [Beginner¡¯s Essential Quest Guide] This guide, known as the ¡°Newbie Bible,¡± was one of the most popr. -Wow, the organization is wless. -The person who made this guide deserves an award. -For real, nothing to skip here. They even give rare items as rewards; you¡¯d be dumb not to follow it. By following the route outlined in the guide, yers could easily reach level 12, the graduation level for the starting city, fill up their Adventurer¡¯s Journal, and even obtain rare-grade items. It was the ultimate guide. ¡®It¡¯s an objectively well-made guide.¡¯ Since the guide still ranked among the top, Do-hyeon nned to follow it as well. It was one of the perks of being ater. Though itcked the thrill of discovering things on your own, you couldfortably follow the path paved by those who came before. Finding Dante wasn¡¯t difficult. Though the guideid out the location clearly, there was no need to check it¡ªhe just had to follow the crowd. ¡®Following the biggest group is a rule of thumb.¡¯ This was an unchangingw in both the real world and games. When he reached a small hut, he saw a group of yers huddled together, looking displeased as they murmured. ¡°Dante¡¯s here! Let¡¯s get the quest¡­ wait, what¡¯s with this line?¡± ¡°Ugh, I need to start hunting soon, but this line is ridiculous.¡± ¡°Man, even in virtual reality, this VR issue isn¡¯t fixed, huh?¡± A significant crowd had gathered. These yers were eager to start hunting, and waiting in line made them impatient, but theirints quickly died down. ¡°Oh-ho, anotherrge group, huh? No worries! Just go out there and deal with those stupid goblins! Show them no mercy!¡± Ding-. [Quest ¡®Goblin Cleanup¡¯ has been triggered.] [Goblin Cleanup] -Grade: Common -Description: A quest from Arde¡¯s top hunter, Dante. Due to the rapidly increasing number of goblins, Arde¡¯s hunters are overwhelmed. Since it¡¯s not worth it for a top-tier hunter like Dante to deal with goblins, he¡¯s asking the apostles in Arde to take care of the nuisance. -Defeat Goblins (0/40) -Reward uponpletion: 80 silver, a set amount of experience. -Risk of failure: Dante¡¯s favorability may decrease. -Time limit: 24 hours [Do you ept this quest?] ¡®¡­Hmm?¡¯ Thanks to Dante¡¯s quick and straightforward group quest, Do-hyeon was able to ept the mission immediately. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 He said he would receive it soon, but who could have imagined he¡¯d receive it like this. In DemRock, one had to approach NPCs one-on-one to receive quests without fail¡­ ¡®Is this also the power of AI?¡¯ NPCs had intelligence not much different from users. Since they had to give quests to users anyway, it was probably just as bothersome for them to hand out tasks one by one. Though he found this innovative method somewhat absurd at first, he didn¡¯t dislike it. It saved time, so there was no reason toin. ¡°Oh? Awesome, I got a quest.¡± ¡°Wow, this is sweet. No need to wait in line.¡± ¡°See? Dante¡¯s a real man. This is what a game should be!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hurry up, get all the quests, and go hunting!¡± The users, seemingly sharing the same sentiment, were quickly leaving the cabin. Among them was Do-hyeon. After receiving the necessary quests quickly, he was able to acquire a total of three. [Collect Goblin Hides] [Blood of the Mutant Goblin] All of them were quests that could bepleted while clearing goblins. Now, he was ready. As soon as he stepped through the city¡¯s outer gate, the refreshing forest field unfolded before him. And above it, countless goblins and users were scattered all over the ce. ¡°Looking for party members!¡± ¡°Anyone collecting hides, let¡¯s team up!¡± ¡°Looking for people to grind until level 12. Two spots left.¡± Although there were some yers attempting solo y, most were looking to form parties. After all, if one were to follow the guide up to level 12, it was faster and safer to be in a party. Do-hyeon, who was surveying his surroundings, pulled out a sword from his inventory. [Rusty Iron Sword] [Grade: Common] [Description: A rusty iron sword given to users who havepleted the tutorial.] [Level Requirement: 1] [ss Requirement: Swordsman-type] [Physical Attack: 40¨C60] [Durability: 50/50] A rusty sword given as a tutorial reward instead of a crude one. The stats were unimpressive, but at level 1, it was sufficient. It was far better than the crude sword. ¡®I also want to test a few things.¡¯ After all, there were many things he had gained. As he began scanning for goblins to hunt, a voice called out. ¡°Excuse me.¡± A man approached him. He was quiterge, but his simple face and the thick wooden shield he carried made him look approachable. As their eyes met, the man gave a slightly awkward smile and spoke hastily. ¡°I noticed you just arrived, and we have exactly one spot left. Would you like to join us? We¡¯re all doing the same quests anyway, right? Oh, did you get the essential three quests?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then join our party. We¡¯re grinding to level 12, and it¡¯s the rule to have a four-person party.¡± Behind him, two more yers approached. One was a young man of rtively smaller build, and the other was a young woman with a cute bob haircut. ¡°That¡¯s right! There¡¯s a party bonus for experience until level 12.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hunt together.¡± It seemed like they were trying to convince him to join, and Do-hyeon nodded in agreement. ¡®They¡¯re right.¡¯ The beginner city Arde. True to its name, this ce was quite generous to beginners. From the difficulty of acquiring quests to the number of monsters and respawn rates, everything was designed to be convenient. The best benefit, however, was the party bonus experience. A system that granted bonus experience for users under level 12 in a party of four. With this benefit, the experience gained from hunting was almost no different from solo y. As long as the contribution to the hunt was recognized, party members could also gain experience from monsters they didn¡¯t kill themselves. ¡®There are plenty of monsters as well.¡¯ This was why so many users were forming parties in this area. Anyone not forming a party here would be considered foolish. The beginner city of Arde was, as the guidebook described, an extension of the tutorial. In that sense, this game was different from DemRock. Benefits? Adaptation? In DemRock, there was no such thing. The game would throw yers right into enemy territory from the start, telling them to find a vige on their own. ¡®Well, that¡¯s why so many DemRock yers are takingbat roles in God of Savior.¡¯ Do-hyeon chuckled and responded. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s party.¡± ¡°Nice! Good decision!¡± ¡°Phew¡­ We really needed a melee dealer. What a relief.¡± ¡°Seriously, why did everyone pick ranged sses?¡± ¡°Because, man, archery is cool, obviously.¡± ¡°It¡¯s virtual reality! What¡¯s more exciting than casting magic? I¡¯ve always wanted to try magic.¡± Upon his eptance, the party members greeted him with warm smiles. They seemed to be in their early twenties, and their friendly demeanor suggested they were close friends. While they chatted away, Do-hyeon discreetly examined their weapons. ¡®An archer, a mage, and a tank¡­¡¯ It seemed they rushed over to him upon noticing he was carrying a sword, as they didn¡¯t have any melee damage dealers. Their excitement at finallypleting the party exuded the pure energy of novices. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll send you a party invite.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± [¡®BestShield¡¯ has invited you to join the party.] [Do you ept?] After clicking ¡°ept,¡± a translucent hologram window appeared at the bottom left. [¡®BestShield¡¯s Party is formed.] [Party Leader] ¨C BestShield [Party Members] ¨C AimForTheForehead ¨C YubinKkyung ¨C Kaiser Their usernames were, to say the least, quite unique. Their names made it clear what roles they were aiming for. And Do-hyeon wasn¡¯t the only one reacting to the names. ¡°Huh? Kaiser?¡± BestShield reacted to Do-hyeon¡¯s name. ¡®Ah, there are a lot of rankers from DemRock, aren¡¯t there?¡¯ Most of them used their DemRock names here as well. Though the name Kaiser might be forgotten now, it was only natural for someone to recognize it. However, BestShield¡¯s reaction was slightly different from what Do-hyeon expected. ¡°Oh, Kaiser? You must be a fan of Kaiser?¡± ¡°Kaiser? Who¡¯s that? Someone famous?¡± ¡°Oh yeah, Kaiser was ranked number one back in DemRock. You know God of Savior is based on DemRock, right? That¡¯s why there¡¯s a pretty big fanbase.¡± ¡°But Kaiser fans are rare these days. You must be a real fan to name yourself Kaiser.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The party members spoke casually, not even considering the possibility that Do-hyeon was Kaiser himself. To them, Kaiser seemed like some relic from the past. Do-hyeon scratched his head at their reaction. ¡®¡­Well, this is probably how it should be.¡¯ It would be a lie to say he wasn¡¯t expecting anything, but this was the current reality of Kaiser. At least knowing that there was still a fanbase was somewhatforting. ¡®Though, if what they said is true, there might be a lot of yers with the same name as me.¡¯ He chuckled at the thought of running into another Kaiser in a party, imagining what it would be like to meet a fake Kaiser. While Do-hyeon was lost in his thoughts, BestShield, who had finished organizing, spoke up. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go hunting!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s grind to level 12 quickly.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± The hunt was about to begin in earnest. * * * They didn¡¯t have to look far for prey. Goblins were everywhere, so there was no need to venture far. The party settled in front of a group of five goblins and assumed their positions. ¡°I¡¯ll take the front. Kaiser, you can assist with sub-tanking and deal some damage. AimForTheForehead and YubinKkyung, focus on dealing damage from the back.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll aim for the forehead.¡± ¡°Leave it to me!¡± It seemed BestShield had studied diligently, as he led the party with confidence despite it being their first hunt. It was a textbook hunting formation. Nothing fancy, but solid and without ws¡ªthe most basic setup. ¡®Not bad.¡¯ Satisfied, Do-hyeon followed suit withoutint. BestShield, seemingly pleased with the arrangement, nodded proudly as he gripped his shield and slowly advanced. When they were about four meters from the goblins. ¡°Kikik? Kik!¡± The goblins, who had been standing idly, reacted and immediately swung their daggers. They were the typical aggressive type of monsters that attacked when approached within a certain range. It might have been overwhelming for a first-timer, but BestShield calmly raised his shield to block the attack. Not stopping there, he pushed the goblin back and swung his shield at it. ng! [¡®BestShield¡¯ has inflicted a status effect on the Green Goblin.] [The Green Goblin is stunned for 1 second.] ¡°I stunned it! Everyone, attack!¡± It was a basic skill of the shield weapon, Bash. A stun that onlysted for one second, but in a battle, a second was more than enough time. Hitting a stationary target was much easier than hitting a moving one. ¡°AimForTheForehead!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± At the signal, AimForTheForehead shot an arrow, and YubinKkyung cast Mana Bolt. The Green Goblin, who was quickly focused and bombarded, copsed, and its nearby goblinrades, startled, charged at BestShield. ¡°Kirik! Kiiik!¡± ¡°Kiiiik!¡± Their target was none other than BestShield. They were expressing their fury at the closest person, who had just killed theirrade. Though BestShield did his best to block with his shield, he was still only a level 1 yer who had just changed jobs. As he began to get overwhelmed, he started to be pushed back. ¡°Ugh¡­ This is hard, finish them off quickly!¡± But YubinKkyung only had Mana Bolt as an attack skill. Though its cooldown of 8 seconds was short and the skill was powerful, it was still on cooldown and of no help in the current situation. AimForTheForehead¡¯s arrows alone weren¡¯t enough either. What they needed now was a melee damage dealer. With a swift step, Do-hyeon closed in and shed at a goblin that had been momentarily distracted. Slit-! ¡°Kieeek!¡± The goblin, which had been focusing elsewhere, foamed at the mouth and rushed at him. It had recognized the significant damage it had taken during its moment of carelessness. But Do-hyeon ignored it and struck another goblin. Thwack! ¡°Kieek!!¡± ¡°Kiek!!¡± As the goblins furiously turned toward Do-hyeon, BestShield timed it perfectly and used Bash. [¡®BestShield¡¯ has inflicted a status effect on the Green Goblin.] [The Green Goblin is stunned for 1 second.] While the goblins were momentarily stunned, arrows rained down on them. Though not all the arrows hit, several stuck in their arms and legs. With aggro divided between them and arrows flying in from behind, the goblins were in utter chaos. ¡°Nice, Kaiser!¡± Feeling relieved, BestShield gave a thumbs-up. At this rate, they should be able to finish the hunt without any issues¡­ [You have defeated the Green Goblin.] [You have defeated the Green Goblin.] [Due to contribution distribution, BestShield has obtained Green Goblin Hide.] ¡°¡­Huh?¡± BestShield momentarily froze at the sight of the two goblins falling faster than expected. And now, no more attacks wereing their way. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ As he lowered his shield, what he saw surprised him. There stood Do-hyeon, stepping on the bodies of two fallen goblins, and all the remaining goblins had their aggro focused solely on him. ¡°¡­What the¡­¡± Why was the aggro directed at Do-hyeon, and not at himself, the tank, or the ranged dealers? There were only two possible exnations. Either Do-hyeon had used an aggro skill, or he had dealt an absurd amount of burst damage in a short time. Considering that they hadn¡¯t even hit level 10 yet, having an aggro skill seemed impossible. ¡®¡­Does that mean his attacks alone were stronger than thebined damage of the entire party?¡¯ Enough to draw all the aggro? ¡­Was that even possible? While BestShield was momentarily stunned by the absurdity of the situation, he suddenly heard a shout. ¡°Behind! Behind you!¡± ¡°Huh? What?¡± At the cries of AimForTheForehead and YubinKkyung, BestShield turned around, his eyes widening. Reflected in his eyes was green skin. Kirik, Kerek! Kekeke! It was a group of Green Goblins, numbering no less than ten. ¡°¡­Damn it.¡± There were still three goblins left, and now ten more wereing? No, why were they swarming all of a sudden? They hadn¡¯t even entered their aggro range yet. His confusion was quickly resolved when he noticed the condition of the goblins. ¡°¡­Arrows.¡± One familiar arrow was lodged in one of the goblin¡¯s arms. It seemed that in his excitement, AimForTheForehead had fired a few stray arrows that ended up hitting the goblins. It was a mishap that urred because there were so many goblins around. ¡®¡­This is why I was holding the aggro while we hunted! Damn it!¡¯ The goblins only attacked when someone got within five meters of them. That was why it was safe to hunt even with arge number of goblins nearby. However, there was one special condition that triggered an exception. That was when they were hit by a ranged attack. In that case, regardless of distance, they would charge toward the attacker. ¡°S-sorry¡­ I must have shot wrong. I¡¯m really sorry. I¡¯m sorry, Kaiser¡­ Ugh¡­ Why am I like this?¡± ¡°What do we do? Shouldn¡¯t we run?¡± The culprit, AimForTheForehead, was pale and muttering in a panic, while YubinKkyung was anxiously shifting from foot to foot. This was a moment when the party leader, BestShield, needed to give clear orders. But despite his mastery of the theory, this was his first real battle. And it was impossible to make quick judgments when faced with such a disaster in his very first encounter. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Kirik! Kerek! As he stood there in shock, the goblins drew closer, now just within arm¡¯s reach. Finally snapping back to his senses, BestShield shouted in a panic. ¡°We can¡¯t fight them. I¡¯ll stun them, so let¡¯s run¡­!¡± But before he could even finish giving orders. Tat! ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What the¡­!¡± With the sound of someone kicking off the ground, something shed past him at high speed. A swordsman with ck hair flying in the wind. It was Kaiser. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 ¡°Why do you always fight in such reckless situations? Are you a fighting rooster? One is enough with Kkukkudakkkukku.¡± It was something Purple said one day after clearing a dungeon. He asked why Do-hyeon kept taking on challenges with unnecessary risks when he could just leave the dungeon and be done with it. Why take on the burden of danger and risk losing items if you die, leading to a loss? Purple was curious about why the unluckiest person he knew had such guts, and he asked. ¡°Am I reckless? In what way?¡± ¡°¡­? You call jumping straight into a mid-boss that looks like a raid boss, with barely any health left, not reckless?¡± ¡°Hmm. But I defeated it, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°¡­Well, you did, but it was still dangerous.¡± At that moment, Do-hyeon couldn¡¯t understand what Purple was saying. No need to take on unnecessary risks? Of course, he knew that. However¡­ ¡®What¡¯s so reckless about it?¡¯ The issue was that Do-hyeon had never fought recklessly. Unless there was a huge reward awaiting him or a hidden piece to be discovered. Considering that Do-hyeon was the unluckiest of them all, he never had any intention of shouldering risks that weren¡¯t worth it. He simply took on fights that he thought he could win. ¡°Pffft! Right, you fight because you can win. You¡¯re absolutely right.¡± ¡°¡­Actually, when Kaiser said to fight, you always won, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°And¡­ to be honest, this time I think Kaiser is right. Why can¡¯t we win that fight?¡± ¡°I agree.¡± Hearing Kkukkudakkkukku and Sword Emperor agree, Purple had shaken his head with a sigh, saying, ¡°Ah, this is why these gifted ones¡­¡± Of course, after seeing Do-hyeon seed repeatedly, Purple no longer questioned it. ¡°Sigh, well, if you think it¡¯s doable, I guess it¡¯s doable,¡± he¡¯d grumble while following along. And Do-hyeon always lived up to that trust. Smack! This time was no different. ¡°What the¡­!?¡± ¡°This is dangerous! We need to escape, now!¡± As the party was about to run away, they shouted frantically at Do-hyeon, who charged forward, but he didn¡¯t feel any sense of threat. ¡®Thirteen goblins. Seven with daggers, four with clubs, two with poison darts¡­¡¯ He simply coolly assessed the enemy and quickly ran simtions in his mind. Once his judgment was made, Do-hyeon first targeted the goblins wielding poison darts. ¡®This makes things easier.¡¯ When facing a group, the first basic strategy is to neutralize long-range attackers. If he were alone, he could have let the other goblins take the hits, but with his party there, he didn¡¯t want to create unnecessary risks. Crunch! After swiftly knocking away the goblin¡¯s hand aiming a poison dart at his face, he broke its neck. The goblin next to it charged at him, but it tripped over the falling goblin¡¯s body. sh! In the meantime, Do-hyeon cut down the other goblin, who was staring nkly. [You have used the skill ¡®Heavy Strike¡¯.] [Critical hit!] [You have defeated a Green Goblin.] [Contribution rewards: ¡®Kaiser¡¯ has obtained the Green Goblin¡¯s hide.] With a slice to the neck and a stab to the heart, the goblin copsed. Without hesitation, Do-hyeon immediately stabbed the goblin who had tripped and fallen. Stab! Stab! Kieeek! Keck! Although the other goblins surrounded him, stabbing at him with their daggers to stop him, Do-hyeon didn¡¯t stop stabbing. Getting shed a few times was something he could handle. Faced with his relentless, dogged determination, the poison dart thrower let out a death cry. [Critical hit!] [You have defeated a Green Goblin.] In an instant, the long-range attackers were wiped out. There were no more interruptions. Now it was time for a chaotic brawl. At the same time, Do-hyeon¡¯s movements changed. As if he¡¯d never been focusing on just one enemy, Do-hyeon began to move like a ghost, disrupting the goblins¡¯ formation. sh¡ª Thrust! Whoosh¡ª Crunch! Smack! When the goblin in front stabbed at him with a dagger, Do-hyeon dodged with minimal movement and immediately countered with a joint lock. When a goblin swung a club, Do-hyeon used the goblin whose arm he had twisted as a shield to take the hit, then threw it down, tripping up others and attacking those nearby. Whoosh¡ª Kieeek! And whenever another goblin tried to ambush him, he sensed it like a ghost and easily deflected their attacks. The goblins¡¯ screams soon turned into death rattles. During the fight, Do-hyeon discovered something fascinating. [Weapon Master effect: Unlocks item restriction.] [Adventurer effect: Unlocks the basic skill of the dagger ¡®Piercing Weak Point¡¯.] [Weapon Master effect: Unlocks item restriction.] [Adventurer effect: Unlocks the basic skill of the club ¡®Swing¡¯.] ¡®So, this works too.¡¯ When Do-hyeon picked up the goblins¡¯ weapons using his Weapon Master trait, the Adventurer trait automatically generated the basic skills for those weapons. It was already impressive that he could ignore ss restrictions and use skills, but this exceeded his expectations. ¡®At the early stage, this is unbeatable.¡¯ Compared to others who had only one basic skill at this point, Do-hyeon could now use multiple skills as long as he had more weapons. In theory, it meant he could use up to ten skills¡ªa game-breaking ability. In low levels, the more skills you had, the stronger you were, making even the One-Armed Sword God Tyr¡¯s duels seem irrelevant. Of course, this was only possible because of the Weapon Master trait. ¡®This is an unexpected synergy.¡¯ Grinning, Do-hyeon quickly moved his hands. He was eager to experiment with this brokenbination. While he paused briefly, marveling at his discovery, a goblinunched an attack. [You have used the skill ¡®Piercing Weak Point¡¯.] [You targeted a weak spot. A critical hit has been applied.] [You have used the skill ¡®Swing¡¯.] [The enemy has been knocked back.] A goblin that lunged at him with a dagger was countered with a dagger skill of his own. A club-wielding goblin had its weapon stolen and was knocked away before getting its head bashed in. When he was in closebat, Do-hyeon stabbed vital spots like the neck, heart, or eyes. When distance opened up, he would sh them with his sword, and if he became surrounded, he used the Swing skill to create space. It was a battle where he wielded all weapons as if they were his own. [Your proficiency with blunt weapons has increased.] [Your blunt weapon skill has leveled up to LV2.] [Your proficiency with daggers has increased.] [Your dagger skill has leveled up to LV2.] [Your proficiency with swords has increased.] [Your swordsmanship has leveled up to LV3.] As a result, not only his sword proficiency but also his dagger and club skills increased. Thanks to that, his uracy became more precise, and his attacks grew even more powerful. When he used Swing, it knocked enemies back farther, and when he used Heavy Strike, enemies fell even more easily. ¡®This is fun.¡¯ Each new weapon brought new results, making the fight all the more enjoyable. Fueled by excitement, Do-hyeon began to fight even more aggressively, to the point where the goblins began to seem pitiful. ¡°Wow¡­¡± ¡°What am I even watching right now?¡± ¡°Crazy¡­¡± His party members could only gape in awe at the incredible scene unfolding before them. No, seriously, what was happening? When Do-hyeon had suddenly charged in, they thought he had lost his mind, but then he snapped the poison dart thrower¡¯s neck and began wiping out the goblins all by himself. He had only taken down four so far, but none of them felt like he was going to lose. They all had the same thought¡ªhe¡¯d probably take down the rest of the goblins too. At that moment, BestShield shouted. ¡°¡­We can¡¯t just stand here watching. Let¡¯s help him!¡± ¡°Ah, ah, y-yeah, let¡¯s do that.¡± ¡°Yeah! That¡¯s what I was going to do!¡± BestShield lifted his shield again, while the two others, who had been ready to flee, began to support with ranged attacks. A fight that had once seemed hopeless now looked winnable. Thwip! Thwip! Boom! Kieeek! Keck! No, they were now in a more favorable position. The goblins, who were already disoriented by Do-hyeon¡¯s chaos, couldn¡¯t handle it when BestShield joined in, and AimForTheForehead and YubinKkyung hammered them like they were nothing more than sandbags. This was all because of one person. ¡®¡­Is this even possible?¡¯ BestShield couldn¡¯t understand the situation. How could a level 1 yer solo thirteen goblins? Even top-ranking veteran yers couldn¡¯t pull that off. Normally, a level 1 party of four would face a goblin group of five. A skilled party could handle a bit more, and a well-seasoned party might stretch to ten goblins with some effort. ¡®But to face thirteen goblins solo?¡¯ Sure, the man had only defeated five by himself, but¡­ somehow, it felt like he would have taken down all thirteen if left alone. After all, it had all happened in the blink of an eye. In that instant, BestShield noticed the man¡¯s username. ¡®Kaiser.¡¯ At first, he thought it was just a fan and didn¡¯t give it much thought¡­ But now he was starting to wonder if that might not be the case. If this was the same Kaiser who once ranked higher than Myeolsal back in the DemRock days, then this absurd situation would start to make sense. The godlikebat movements also matched¡­ ¡®No way.¡¯ However, BestShield soon shook his head. Would the real Kaiser, who had been out of the spotlight for over a year and a half, suddenly start ying again? And on top of that, would he happen to be in his party on the very first day? ¡®That¡¯s too unrealistic.¡¯ Humans have a tendency to dismiss ufortable truths as mere illusions. That¡¯s what was happening with BestShield right now. It was easier to think that he was overthinking things than to believe he had the chance to be part of Kaiser¡¯s first foray back into the game. After all, it wasn¡¯t as if Kaiser had actually taken down all thirteen goblins. He had just looked cool enough to seem like he could. ¡®I heard Kaiser¡¯s die-hard fans are all skilled¡­ maybe he¡¯s one of them.¡¯ Thus, BestShield was content with his awe and continued hunting, thinking he had gotten lucky with a good party right from the start. Little did he know that the man was indeed Kaiser. 999 [You have defeated a Green Goblin.] [Contribution rewards: ¡®Kaiser¡¯ has obtained the Green Goblin¡¯s hide.] [You have leveled up.] As Do-hyeon finished off thest goblin, the message popped up, and he lowered his sword. As soon as he did, the others couldn¡¯t help but exim. ¡°Wow¡­ you really took them all down.¡± ¡°This is my first time seeing something like this.¡± ¡°That was insane. It was so much fun.¡± ¡°To be honest, I was a bit worried since they said thebat was so realistic, but it was way too fun. I can¡¯t wait to see what the boss fight will be like.¡± Still filled with the excitement of battle, their voices were trembling with excitement as they spoke. Like fans excitedly discussing a great movie they had just seen, they were all talking about the battle they had just witnessed. And naturally, the conversation turned to Do-hyeon. ¡°Seriously¡­ wow, Kaiser, you¡¯re amazing. How does anyone move like that?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not some veteran yer, are you? I¡¯ve never seen anything like it. Have you trained in martial arts or something?¡± ¡°What kind of martial arts would even do that? Are you some kind of special forces or something? Honestly, as a guy, I was about to fall for you, bro.¡± Hearing AimForTheForehead and YubinKkyung¡¯s flustered admiration reminded Do-hyeon of Charlie. Especially since AimForTheForehead¡¯s form of address had shifted to calling him ¡®bro¡¯. He was half-listening to thepliments, but the next thing they said made him freeze. ¡°You really live up to your name. At this rate, could you actually be the Kaiser?¡± Chapter 15 Chapter 15 ¡°Hey, that guy¡¯s been quiet until now, right? Why would he suddenly start now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a saying. I mean, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever been moved by watching someone fight.¡± ¡°True. I was seriously wondering if he¡¯s even human. How does his body move like that?¡± Though they didn¡¯t really seem to believe it, seeing how they moved on so quickly, Do-hyeon scratched his head. ¡®But I am Kaiser.¡¯ Is this the importance of perception? To them, Kaiser was like an ancient figure, or maybe a ghost. It seemed odd that they didn¡¯t recognize him even though his name was literally Kaiser. It felt strange to be praised for ¡°being like Kaiser¡± when he was actually Kaiser, but Do-hyeon just let it slide and turned his gaze elsewhere. ¡®As expected, they¡¯re gone.¡¯ They were gone. The weapons the goblins had been wielding just moments ago. When the goblins died, their weapons disappeared along with them. It was because of the system that only allowed users to own weapons dropped in loot form. ¡®Well, I guess there¡¯s no way to cheat the system.¡¯ Although the equipment restrictions were removed and he even used skills, he had hoped that maybe the weapons would drop, but no luck. To be fair, this was bnced. Wishing for more would be pushing it. More importantly¡­ ¡®Status window.¡¯ [yer: Kaiser] [Level: 4] [HP: 850/900] [MP: 150/200] [Stamina: 140/230] [ss: The Final Adventurer ] [Titles (2)] ¨C Max Favorability From the Start? ¨C First yer [Stats] Remaining Points: 21 His level had jumped three levels, reaching level 4. It was an unbelievable gain from just one hunt. ¡®They said things would be easy until you graduate from the beginner city. I see they weren¡¯t kidding.¡¯ The real game started at level 12, so it made sense for the difficulty to be lower before that. ¡®Just looking at it is satisfying.¡¯ Who would believe this was the status window of a level 4 character? Every stat was above 15, and he still had 21 points left to distribute. Do-hyeon boldly invested the points without hesitation. ¡®I¡¯ll put 9 in Strength, 8 in Agility, and the rest in Senses.¡¯ Although his ss wasn¡¯t bound to any specific role, the weapons he could use at the moment were all close-range. Besides, Do-hyeon¡¯s foundation was the sword. He had always intended to focus on swordsmanship, so Strength and Agility were the top priorities. The second priority was Stamina and Senses. Do-hyeon decided to invest in Senses. ¡®Agility and Senses are a set.¡¯ Senses is a stat that enhances the five senses. It helps the user adapt more quickly to their body and boosts dexterity, making it a supplementary stat. The general rule was that if you increased Agility by 5, you should increase Senses by 2. [yer: Kaiser] [Level: 4] [HP: 790/900] [MP: 170/200] [Stamina: 120/230] [ss: The Final Adventurer ] [Titles (2)] ¨C Max Favorability From the Start? ¨C First yer [Stats] Remaining Points: 0 Thus, the new status window was born. Looking at it now, his Stamina was noticeably lowerpared to other stats. ¡®Stamina is important too, but¡­¡¯ If his Stamina dropped to 0, he¡¯d enter an exhausted state, and if he pushed himself then, his character would freeze. Later, he¡¯d be able topensate with items that boosted recovery speed, but for now, increasing Stamina would be beneficial in various ways. The higher his Stamina, the more he could hunt quickly, which meant faster growth. Plus, more HP meant more survivability. However¡­ ¡®I don¡¯t need it just yet.¡¯ Right now, there was no urgent need to invest in Stamina. Thanks to the legendary title First yer, all his stats had increased by 10,pensating for hisck of Stamina. On top of that, the Blood Pact Ne he received from Charlie had further boosted his Strength, Agility, and Stamina. The ne, despite being just an essory, boosted his stats by a total of 7 points. But the ne¡¯s real strengthy elsewhere. ¡®The increase in attack speed and movement speed is better than I expected.¡¯ It might seem like just 5%, but the difference was significant. It applied to every small movement, reducing the dy that naturally urred before and after attacks. This meant faster recovery and fewer openings for enemies to exploit. It also made fighting ranged enemies much easier. That¡¯s why Do-hyeon charged in so confidently. ¡®With these stats, there¡¯s no reason I shouldn¡¯t be able to handle this.¡¯ Even for Do-hyeon, if all his stats were at 5 like other yers, it would have been difficult to take down thirteen goblins alone. Even if it were possible, it would have been inefficient. But with his current stats, Do-hyeon was confident he could handle everything, even if his party members all left. ¡®Still, having a party does make things easier.¡¯ As the saying goes, numbers matter. Their support made the battle much smoother. There were fewer things to worry about, and with the aggro divided, they could overwhelm the enemies more easily. Thanks to that, it didn¡¯t even take 10 minutes to take down fifteen goblins. Yet the experience points came in all the same¡ªit was like striking gold. ¡®For a first hunt, their skills aren¡¯t bad either.¡¯ BestShield, in particr, stood out. His timing for using Bash to cancel aggro or interrupt attacks was impressive, showing a good sense of awareness. His judgment wasn¡¯t bad either. He probably had some experience with other games or studied thoroughly before ying. ¡®I don¡¯t know what his traits and unique abilities are, but his aggro management is top-notch.¡¯ Managing aggro that well, even without special skills, wasn¡¯t easy. Given that he handled it perfectly, it was likely that his traits or abilities were geared toward tanking. ¡®As for the other two¡­¡¯ Though AimForTheForehead made a mistake earlier, he calmed down afterward and shot urately, and YubinKkyung wasn¡¯t the most aggressive, but her uracy was quite high. Her timing for using Mana Bolt was also decent. While AimForTheForehead was ordinary, YubinKkyung¡¯s Mana Bolt was noticeablyrger and more borate than a standard one. That probably made it easier for her to hit the targets. ¡®This party¡¯s luck isn¡¯t too bad.¡¯ He had only joined the party to hunt faster, but the result wasn¡¯t bad at all. ¡°I seriously hit level 4 in no time.¡± ¡°Wow¡­ but, Kaiser, why is your damage so high?¡± ¡°Did you summon a Mythical God or something?¡± As Do-hyeon closed the status window, his party members were chatting about him. At the timely question, Do-hyeon shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s because of my traits. I also got lucky with a title.¡± ¡°Wow¡­ even a title? You must¡¯ve been amazing during the tutorial too.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you see him massacring goblins? Says it all.¡± ¡°Are you going to be a rankerter? I¡¯d better get close to you now!¡± His nonchnt answer sparked genuine admiration from the party members. Some of them even made a bit of a fuss, but it didn¡¯t feel like they were sucking up to him. Although he had the rare title and impressivebat skills, they didn¡¯t actually think he¡¯d be a ranker. That might have been possible a year ago. But breaking into the firmly established rankers¡¯ fortresses now was nearly impossible. In a game like God of Savior, where ytime was limited, the gap created over a year and a half was massive. ¡®So it was because of his traits.¡¯ In any case, BestShield finally had an answer to his earlier question. ¡®That exins how he was able to use the goblins¡¯ weapons.¡¯ He had picked up and used the goblins¡¯ weapons as if they were his own. In the tutorial, this might have been possible, but in the main game, where equipment restrictions applied, using any weapon wasn¡¯t something you could do unless you had the Weapon Master trait. Even then, the Weapon Master didn¡¯t necessarily deal more damage. Thinking about gods and titles rted tobat, it made sense now. ¡®What kind of god could it be? If it¡¯s not a Mythical God, maybe an early-game damage buff god? Like Lu Bu?¡¯ BestShield had invested over 500 tickets to summon a Heroic God. Having studied the god descriptions closely before attempting the summon, a few gods came to mind. After pondering for a moment, BestShield shook his head. What did it matter? ¡®The world is vast, and there are many strong people.¡¯ He hade in confident, ready to impress and gain favor, but now he felt like he¡¯d hit a massive wall. He realized he had been a frog in a well, but he didn¡¯t feel particrly discouraged. After all, he hadn¡¯t started the game to stress over it; he just wanted to have fun. He simply wanted to party with friends and eventually take down raid bosses in the future. Having finished his thoughts, BestShield raised his shield. ¡°Alright, now that we¡¯re rested, shall we get back to hunting?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it!¡± With enthusiastic responses from AimForTheForehead and YubinKkyung, BestShield turned to look at Do-hyeon, as if waiting for his decision. Do-hyeon, who had paused for a moment, nodded. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s level up quickly!¡± ¡°How about we take on ten goblins at a time?¡± ¡°Sure, that sounds fine.¡± ¡°Huh? I was joking¡­ but are you serious? Amazing.¡± ¡°Did you hear that, BestShield? Let¡¯s wipe them all out. We¡¯ve got our ultimate weapon, Kaiser!¡± Chatting casually with his party members, Do-hyeon set off in search of more prey. It was apletely different beginningpared to his solo days in DemRock, before he met his veteranrades. Perhaps that¡¯s why. ¡®I wonder what they¡¯re all up to. Are those two still fighting?¡¯ A fleeting smile crossed Do-hyeon¡¯s face as he thought of them. Whenever they went out to hunt, those two were constantly bickering. Meanwhile, the older guy, Purple, would always talk about dungeons as if it were second nature. Back then, it was part of everyday life, but now, it had turned into a memory. ¡®Well, I¡¯ll see them again someday.¡¯ Having been busy with military service, Do-hyeon hadn¡¯t had much time to think about them, but for some reason, thoughts of his oldrades lingered today. * * * After that, the hunts continued for a while, and everything went smoothly. No, it was more than smooth¡ªit was one-sided. ¡°Oh, Kaiser, you¡¯re in dang¡ª¡­never mind.¡± ¡°Wait, behind y¡ª¡­no, never mind.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± Do-hyeon¡¯s battle prowess, dodging attacks as if he had eyes on the back of his head, controlling multiple targets, and managing aggro perfectly, couldn¡¯t be described as simply ¡®smooth.¡¯ Thanks to him, their party had hunted groups of at least ten goblins. ¡°Is this for real? We cleared it in 6 minutes?¡± ¡°Wow, this time it was 4 minutes. Our speed is insane.¡± And the pace only increased. As the party¡¯s levels rose and their stats improved, things became even easier. They had also be more ustomed to supporting Do-hyeon¡¯s abnormalbat style, further speeding up the hunts. Soon, they were taking on twelve, thirteen goblins at a time¡­ ¡°Do you think we could handle fifteen at a time?¡± ¡°It probably wouldn¡¯t make much difference. Kaiser is too strong.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve gotten a lot better at this too.¡± At some point, they were pulling over fifteen goblins together in each hunt. [You havepleted the quest ¡®Goblin Cleanup¡¯.] [You have received 80 silver and experience as a reward.] [You havepleted the quest ¡®Collect Goblin Hides¡¯.] [You have received 86 silver, a Goblin Hide Belt, and experience as a reward.] ¡°Wow, it¡¯s over! We finished everything!¡± ¡°Our levels match up perfectly too.¡± ¡°Nice, new record!¡± When they finished off thest group of goblins, they set a new record of 3 minutes and 57 seconds whilepleting their quests. The Goblin Hide Belt they received as a reward was also decent for their current level. [Goblin Hide Belt] [Grade: Common] [Description: A belt made by a professional tailor in Arde from goblin hide. It has no special effects but is quite sturdy.] [Level Requirement: 4] [No ss Restriction] [Physical Defense: 34] [Magic Resistance: 10] ¨C Stamina +1 ¨C Tradeable ¡®Hmm. Yeah, this is how things should be.¡¯ The rewards he had received before were exceptional, but this level of loot was normal for this stage. Though it wasn¡¯t exactly exciting, he had no better alternatives to equip at the moment, so he put it on and moved on. Do-hyeon opened the party window. This was the biggest reward he had gained today. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 -BestShield LV9 -AimForTheForehead LV9 -YubinKkyung LV9 -Kaiser LV9 They had leveled up five more times, reaching level 9. However, not all level 9s were the same. While the others had earned 25 stat points, Do-hyeon had earned 35. Even though it was still early in the game, he had already gained a 10-point advantage. [yer: Kaiser] [Level: 9] [HP: 1,170/1,200] [MP: 120/250] [Stamina: 100/230] [ss: The Final Adventurer ] [Titles (2)] -Max Favorability From the Start? -First yer [Stats] Remaining Points: 0 Once again, Do-hyeon had invested 14 points into Strength and Agility, and 7 points into Senses. So far, he hadn¡¯t felt the need to invest in Stamina. ¡®These are level 9 stats¡­ definitely OP.¡¯ It was no wonder the goblins melted from critical hits so easily. And that wasn¡¯t all. [Sword Mastery LV 6] [Dagger Mastery LV 3] [Blunt Weapon Mastery LV 4] [Poison Needle Mastery LV 2] By using various weapons during hunting, his mastery levels had increased across the board. Even ounting for his skill, this was an unusually fast rate of growth. It was all thanks to his Weapon Master trait, allowing him to level up weapon proficiencies at a rapid pace. With the First yer title and his ne adding extra damage, his output was simply overwhelming. As mastery levels increased, so did damage. [Due to Sword Mastery LV 6, sword-rted damage increases by 6%.] ¡®This is great.¡¯ Each level added 1% damage. Most yers barely reached levels 3 or 4 in mastery before graduating from the beginner city, yet Do-hyeon had already reached level 6. Even his non-primary weapons were at levels 3 or 4. No wonder Weapon Master was considered OP. Now that he was in actualbat, he could feel how powerful traits like Hidden Dragon and Weapon Master truly were. ¡°I think we¡¯re getting pretty good. Did you see those perfect hits?¡± ¡°Well, no. It¡¯s because Kaiser and BestShield took all the aggro. Don¡¯t you remember how we almost wiped because of your mistake?¡± ¡°Oh,e on, stop bringing up old stuff. I¡¯m not the same newbie from back then! Besides, you fired a Mana Bolt at a corpse.¡± ¡°¡­That was a double-tap.¡± ¡°Pfft, double-tap my foot. The thing was dead for ages before you shot it. Kaiser, you saw it too, right?¡± Do-hyeon nced to the side as his party members bantered. Now that they had be more confident with hunting goblins, the initial hesitation had vanished. Watching YubinKkyung and AimForTheForehead bicker, BestShield chuckled awkwardly. ¡°Haha¡­ they can be a bit childish. They¡¯re always fighting over the smallest things.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Do-hyeon replied, as if it was nothing. ¡°¡­I¡¯m used to it.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Do-hyeon shook his head and smirked. ¡®I guess people are the same everywhere.¡¯ Tworades bickering like enemies, while he and another just watched as if it were a child¡¯s squabble¡ªit all felt oddly familiar. Perhaps that¡¯s why partying with these people didn¡¯t feel so awkward after all. ¡®More importantly¡­¡¯ They hadpleted the Green Goblin quests. Now, only one quest remained. ¡°Shall we get going?¡± At Do-hyeon¡¯s casual remark, YubinKkyung and AimForTheForehead froze for a moment. AimForTheForehead scratched his head, while YubinKkyung nervously fidgeted with her staff. ¡°¡­Yeah, we should. But¡­ I¡¯m a little tense.¡± ¡°They call it the Newbie Killer¡­ we¡¯ll be okay, right?¡± ¡°I mean, with my current form, I feel like I could pierce through someone¡¯s skull¡­ but¡­¡± ¡°No, definitely not.¡± Listening to their conversation, Do-hyeon nced at his quest window. [Blood of the Mutant Goblin] -Grade: Rare -Description: This quest was requested by Kalde, an alchemist who has lived for a long time. He has recently taken an interest in mutant goblins and seems to have found a clue. Collect the fresh blood of a Mutant Goblin Warrior living in a cave in the Arde Forest for him. -Defeat the Mutant Goblin Warrior (0/1) -Collect Mutant Goblin Warrior¡¯s Blood (0/1) -Completion Reward: 1 Gold, Experience, Silver Ring crafted by Kalde. -Failure Penalty: Decreased favorability with Kalde. -Time Limit: None. ¡®This should be interesting.¡¯ The Mutant Goblin Warrior. It was the first elite boss monster yers would face in God of Savior. * * * [How do you defeat the Mutant Goblin Warrior?] [I¡¯m on my third attempt and still failing. Was this thing even meant to be beaten?] [If you follow the guide, you can beat it.] [I¡¯m trying, but one mistake and we all die. This is ridiculous.] [Yeah, I remember struggling a lot with that boss when I was a newbie.] The Mutant Goblin Warrior, also known as the Newbie Killer. Its reputation as the Newbie Killer was even more well-known than its actual name. It was an iconic monster in Arde. It wasn¡¯t just the first elite boss yers encountered¡ªit was infamous for causing the first full-party wipeout many yers would experience. A dungeon where first attempts inevitably led to death. A sneak peek at the challenge of raids toe. An endless cycle of failure. Arde¡¯s Graveyard. Among the many nicknames given to this dungeon, none were hopeful. This ce, the Mutant Goblin Warrior¡¯s Lair, known for its extreme difficulty, was filled with nothing but despairing cries. ¡°F!¡± ¡°No way¡­ seriously, did we just die?¡± ¡°I¡¯m about to throw my controller.¡± More urately, it was filled with cursing rather than cries. yers emerging from the dungeon warp often let out strings of expletives in unison. Their faces were full of frustration. ¡°Yup, looks like that was their first attempt.¡± ¡°Looks like they died in Phase 2.¡± ¡°No one beats it on their first try.¡± Without exception, all of them were first-attempt parties. Even those who clicked their tongues now had reacted the same way on their own first attempts. This dungeon left a deep impact on first-timers. The reason why newbies were so shocked was simple. ¡°Insane difficulty!¡± ¡°Did they really make this thing to be beaten?¡± ¡°Wow, I¡¯d rather solo this thing. Every time a party member messes up, I want to punch them.¡± Compared to fighting the goblin mobs, the difficulty was iparably higher. And the boss had specific patterns that required wless teamwork. When these two elementsbined, it turned into pure hell. Parties that had confidently ughtered goblins now fell apart like kernels of popcorn, and once-closerades began cursing each other¡¯s families. Some even said they¡¯d prefer group projects over this¡ªno further exnation was needed to understand how much hatred the dungeon generated. Even if you yed perfectly, if a party member messed up, you¡¯d all die. This dungeon demanded wless synergy from the team, which led to newbies cursing the developers and demanding an exnation. Yet experienced yers had a different perspective. ¡°Honestly, defeating that thing helped me a lotter on.¡± ¡°If a party can¡¯t beat this boss, they won¡¯t stand a chance against the higher-level content anyway.¡± ¡°Better to take the beating early and build some patience¡­ nothing you can do.¡± ¡°Besides, there¡¯s no penalty for dying in Arde, right?¡± Later on, yers would fear death penalties so much that they wouldn¡¯t dare to practice. But in Arde, there were no penalties for dying, no matter how many times you failed. So, all you had to do was think of it as a chance to improve, bit by bit. It might be frustrating at the moment, but once you cleared it, the satisfaction was immense. Plus, this was a chance to filter out trolls early on. Better to weed out the bad yers now rather than wiping in a more serious boss fightter, where death penalties would only make things worse. That was the real issue. ¡°Haven¡¯t beaten the Mutant Goblin Warrior yet?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ sorry, but you can¡¯t join our guild.¡± ¡°Yeah, sorry. I don¡¯t want to party with someone who¡¯s going to mess up. What if you rage-quit in the middle?¡± Even in real life,panies preferred hiring experienced workers over fresh graduates. Why would it be any different in a game? In fact, games were even harsher. People yed games to relieve stress, so no one wanted to bring along a ticking time bomb. Add death penalties to the mix, and yers became even pickier. For these veteran yers, failing to beat the Mutant Goblin Warrior was like having a red mark on your record. Can¡¯t you just lie about it? Unfortunately, not in God of Savior. ¡°Can you show me your Adventure Book?¡± ¡°Looking for a ranged DPS for elite boss raid. Must have at least three boss clears recorded.¡± The Adventure Book. A massive logbook that recorded all of a yer¡¯s adventures in God of Savior. It tracked rare materials collected, specific questspleted, regions explored¡ªand bosses defeated. So, if you didn¡¯t have any boss clear records, you wouldn¡¯t even be considered for a party. What¡¯s worse, bosses in the next city couldn¡¯t be skipped like those in Arde¡ªthey had to be defeated. So, unless you had connections, there was no choice but to grit your teeth and get through it. ¡°People always say they forget their past struggles. But seriously, what¡¯s so good about this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m about to lose it right now!¡± ¡°Ugh, I just want to clear this and be done with it! I want to cast Fireball already!¡± For the newbies who had to clear the dungeon, it was nothing short of torture. Seeing them, YubinKkyung shuddered. ¡°¡­It looks really tough.¡± ¡°Well¡­ yeah. It¡¯s famous, but not in a good way.¡± ¡°You think we¡¯ll be okay?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got our secret weapon, Kaiser, don¡¯t we?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the problem. If we mess up, we¡¯ll drag him down with us.¡± ¡°¡­True.¡± The same concern weighed heavily on BestShield and AimForTheForehead. They had heard of the dungeon¡¯s infamous reputation, but standing in front of it now, the pressure was more than they had anticipated. Meanwhile, Do-hyeon simply surveyed the area calmly. He listened to the frustratedints of other yers and smirked. ¡®Of course. They¡¯re pulling their usual tricks here too.¡¯ One wrong move, and the whole party wiped. He had thought God of Savior was rtively forgiving with its newbie benefits, but the game still didn¡¯t fail to live up to its challenge. And on top of that¡­ [Mutant Goblin Warrior¡¯s Lair] -Grade: Rare -Type: Party Dungeon -Trait: Single Boss -Description: Their of a once-legendary warrior of the Green Goblin tribe, now cursed and exiled from his people. [Party Size Limit: 4] [Level Requirement: Below LV 10] It was a party dungeon, so solo y wasn¡¯t even an option. ¡®No wonder there¡¯s so much frustration¡ªyou have to fill all four slots.¡¯ The dungeon required exactly four yers to enter, no more, no less. The dungeon couldn¡¯t be cleared unless all four yers perfectly executed the pattern strategies. And these were all newbies who had only just been hunting goblin mobs. It was a brutal system that seemed designed to maximize yer suffering, but for Do-hyeon, it was nothing new. A mere party dungeon? ¡®In DemRock, this was everyday life.¡¯ By now, party dungeons were as natural to him as breathing. He had faced countless party dungeons and cleared every single one. And this dungeon already had a strategy guide avable. ¡°So, shall we head in?¡± ¡°Oh, yes¡­! I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°Whew¡­ this is nerve-wracking.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve read the guide more than ten times! I¡¯ll do my best not to mess up!¡± Leaving his tense party members behind, Do-hyeon calmly approached the entrance. He nced at BestShield, who finally snapped out of his daze and hurriedly approached. ¡°Oh¡­! I¡¯ll initiate the entrance.¡± For party dungeons, the party leader had to initiate entry for the prompt to appear. As BestShield stepped into the warp zone, a message popped up. [Party Leader BestShield is attempting to enter the Mutant Goblin Warrior¡¯s Lair.] [Do you ept?] ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Do-hyeon and the rest of the party epted. [Confirming party members.] [Confirmed.] [Confirming level requirements.] [Confirmed.] [Entering Mutant Goblin Warrior¡¯s Lair.] ¡®Time to warm up a bit.¡¯ As his vision shifted with the message, a smile crept across Do-hyeon¡¯s face. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 There are several types of dungeons in God of Savior. From the mostmon, standard dungeons, tobyrinth types that require explorer sses, and even single-boss dungeons. There are also special and event dungeons, but those three are the mostmon. Among them, the Mutant Goblin Warrior¡¯s Lair is a single-boss type dungeon. Grooooar! ¡°Wow¡­¡± As the name suggests, this type of dungeon contains only one boss, usually of at least elite rank. The sheer power these bosses exhibited was far beyond that of a typical dungeon boss. ¡°This is insane¡­ what a presence¡­¡± ¡°Is this really an elite boss?¡± ¡°Are we sure this is just a game¡­?¡± Upon facing the boss right at the entrance, BestShield¡¯s party couldn¡¯t help but marvel. Although they were familiar with impressive bosses from other high-quality VR games, they had never experienced such an overwhelming sense of pressure before. It felt as if they were facing a real monster in the flesh. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± YubinKkyung shuddered and rubbed her arms as goosebumps spread across her skin. Seeing their reactions, Do-hyeon also calmly examined the boss. Grrr¡­ Standing over 2 meters tall, its massive, muscr frame made it look more like an orc than a goblin, and it let out beastly growls. Could such a physical specimen, whose immense greatsword looked small in its hands, really be called a goblin? Its menacing gaze gleamed fiercely from within the cave, as if it had been waiting for them to enter. -HP: [20,000/20,000] Even its HP, an overwhelming 20,000, set it apart from the goblins, whose HP didn¡¯t even reach 1,000. [Mutant Goblin Warrior] -Title: Elite Boss -Type: Goblin -Traits: Warrior, Mutant, Physical Enhancement -Description: This goblin, who once held the prestigious title of Warrior¡ªa designation given only to the greatest warriors of the goblin tribe¡ªwas cursed, causing him to lose his reason and be exiled after his skin and mind were twisted. However, his body grew even stronger as a result of the curse. ¡®Warrior, Mutant, Physical Enhancement.¡¯ These were typical traits of closebat bosses. Each trait alone was already dangerous, but it had all three. On top of that, its HP was monstrous, justifying its elite boss title. Yet, for some reason, Do-hyeon didn¡¯t feel any tension. ¡®I¡¯ve killed bosses with millions of HP. What¡¯s 20,000¡­?¡¯ And back then, he had been solo. Now, they were a party of four at level 9, so this seemed like aughable challenge. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean he nned to let his guard down. The danger of elite bosses was that having a group could sometimes be more of a disadvantage than a benefit. ¡°Phew!¡± BestShield exhaled deeply and quietly drew his shield. Naturally, everyone¡¯s eyes focused on him. With their gazes upon him, he asked briefly. ¡°¡­Everyone memorized the patterns, right?¡± ¡°Yup. I¡¯ve got it down.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± At that moment, BestShield nced at Do-hyeon, who met his gaze with a calm expression. Taking hisposure as a sign of confidence, BestShield nodded. Honestly, if anyone was going to cause problems, it would be his friends, not Do-hyeon. Hisbat prowess had already been overwhelmingly demonstrated. ¡®I¡¯ve got to do my part.¡¯ Here, his role was the most critical. No one understood that better than BestShield, and with renewed focus, he spoke again. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s begin the trial.¡± As soon as they stepped into the cave where the boss awaited¡­ Groooaaaar! The boss, who had been watching them from afar, let out a deafening roar and charged. It was the first pattern: a charge. There was no reconnaissance, just a raw, brutal rush¡ªlike facing a tank head-on. If you weren¡¯t prepared, you couldn¡¯t help but panic, but BestShield shouted calmly. ¡°Scatter!¡± As the party scattered, BestShield stood his ground alone. ¡®Just a little more.¡¯ Of course, he had no intention of blocking the charge directly. That would be s*****e. The boss¡¯s charge wasn¡¯t something a tank with no decent defensive skills could block with just a shield. If he tried to meet it head-on, he¡¯d be knocked into the wall, stunned, and the boss would aggro on the rest of the party, resulting in a wipe. ¡®Now!¡¯ Just as the boss closed in, BestShield rolled to the side, revealing the cave wall. The boss crashed into the wall like an enraged bull, momentarily stunned after mming its head into the stone. [The Mutant Goblin Warrior is stunned for 2 seconds.] ¡°Now, attack!¡± YubinKkyung and AimForTheForehead quickly fired arrows and cast magic from the rear. Thwack! Boom! It was a brief but precise volley. Grrr¡­ As soon as the stun wore off, the Mutant Goblin Warrior turned its head, scanning for its next target. It was searching for who to attack next. The moment its gaze locked onto BestShield, who stood ready with his shield raised at the front¡­ Groooar! Without hesitation, it rushed forward, swinging its greatsword. ng! The sound of shield and sword shing echoed loudly as the force of the blow pressed BestShield down. Gritting his teeth, he deflected the sword¡¯s weight with his shoulder, pushing the boss back slightly. But the Mutant Goblin Warrior quickly closed the gap again. [The unique ability Unyielding Taunt has been activated.] [Aggro on the target with eye contact is increased, with a reduced chance of losing aggro.] [The trait Guardian has been activated.] [When party members are behind you, defense, HP, and stamina are increased.] It was a moment when BestShield¡¯s unique ability and trait shone brightly. Confirming the boss¡¯s aggro was firmly locked onto him, he shouted. ¡°It¡¯s working!¡± At his signal, Do-hyeon finally moved out of hiding. To avoid drawing aggro, he had stayed hidden during the initial stages of the fight. ng! Boom! While BestShield continuously blocked with his shield, arrows and magic flew from the back, and Do-hyeon asionally swung his sword, careful not to draw too much aggro. [¡®BestShield¡¯ has stunned the Mutant Goblin Warrior for 1 second.] Whenever the aggro seemed unstable, BestShield expertly interrupted with a well-timed bash. For a first attempt, the boss trial was going surprisingly smoothly. Everyone was fulfilling their roles, but the most critical element was BestShield. ¡®I noticed this when we were hunting goblins¡ªhe¡¯s solid.¡¯ In boss trials, many mistakenly thought healers or damage dealers were the most important, but that was a misconception. Veteran yers knew that the tank was the most crucial role. How well the tank managed aggro and disrupted the boss¡¯s patterns determined the party¡¯s sess or failure. The higher the difficulty of the boss, the more devastating a single pattern could be. Thus, the tank always bore the heaviest responsibility. It was a one-on-one duel between the boss and the tank, with no one else¡¯s help. ¡®The boss duel.¡¯ Veteran yers called this duel a ¡°boss duel,¡± and the best tanks were those who excelled at it. In this regard, BestShield was performing admirably. If he continued to grow, he could be highly valued in any guild. After all, YubinKkyung and AimForTheForehead were dealing damagefortably with no risk. ¡®A tank like this bes rarer over time.¡¯ From a ranged DPS¡¯s perspective, having a tank that allowed you to deal damage without worry was invaluable. With the scarcity of tankspared to damage dealers, apetent tank was always in high demand. ¡®Good. Keep it up.¡¯ BestShield himself could feel this as his adrenaline surged. His body, slightly tense, felt like it was heating up with excitement. As the excitement threatened to overwhelm him, his cool mind suppressed it, and sweat dripped down as his senses sharpened more than ever. There was only one pattern left in phase 1. ¡®Once we get past the wide sh, we¡¯ll be fine.¡¯ The wide sh. Nicknamed the ¡°mixer,¡± this pattern only appeared once in phase 1, and if they could interrupt it, there would be no more dangerous moments in the phase. The mixer was a pattern that only appeared once in phase 1 for a reason¡ªit was that threatening. But BestShield was confident. ¡®I read up on it before we entered.¡¯ He had read and reviewed the guide more than ten times, as YubinKkyung had said. He had simted the timing and the boss¡¯s motions in his head over and over. Thanks to that, he had been marking the boss¡¯s movements perfectly so far. As long as he didn¡¯t get too nervous, he believed he could interrupt the mixer pattern as well. ¡®Fortunately, I have plenty of stamina.¡¯ To ensure a stable pace, he had invested all of his level-up points into stamina. As a result, his HP was still high, and his stamina was at 100. He was in a veryfortable situation. But there was one thing BestShield hadn¡¯t ounted for. ¡°Huh, what the¡­?¡± ¡°BestShield, shouldn¡¯t we be preparing for the next pattern?¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± Hearing the urgency in the voices behind him, BestShield shouted back in confusion. They had only been fighting for 15 minutes. Why would they need to prepare for a pattern already? The wide sh usually didn¡¯t appear until at least 30 minutes into the fight. It was triggered only when the boss¡¯s HP dropped below 50%. There was no way it should be happening now. ¡­At least, that was how it was supposed to be. ¡°His HP is already at 10,000!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± BestShield, who had paused with his shield up, opened the boss¡¯s status window. And there it was. -HP: [10,031/20,000] ¡°¡­Holy crap.¡± The boss¡¯s HP had indeed dropped to around 10,000. As soon as he realized this, his mind raced through the current situation like a panorama. YubinKkyung and AimForTheForehead were standing 10 meters away, attacking from a safe distance. He and Kaiser were standing right next to the boss. Once the mixer pattern triggered, both he and Kaiser would beunched first, and then YubinKkyung and AimForTheForehead would be caught in the whirlwind. ¡®Why already?¡¯ How had the boss¡¯s HP dropped so quickly? It was his mistake not to check the status window earlier, but the situation still didn¡¯t make sense. Then, a memory of their first goblin hunt shed through his mind. ¡®¡­Could it be?¡¯ At that moment, the name Kaiser crossed BestShield¡¯s mind. Back then, they had also experienced abnormal aggro and unusually fast hunting. Though it had seemed fast, he had assumed it was just the result of max damagebined with traits and unique abilities. After all, they were four yers fighting together, so it wasn¡¯t unbelievable that they could finish that quickly. ¡®¡­But is his damage really that high?¡¯ However, this wasn¡¯t normal. To trigger a pattern that typically took 30 minutes in just 15 minutes? That meant Kaiser¡¯s damage contribution must be overwhelming. This wasn¡¯t something even a yer who summoned a Heroic God at level 9 could achieve. ¡®Could even a Mythical God make this happen?¡¯ Honestly, BestShield didn¡¯t know. Everything was full of uncertainties, but he had no time to ponder further. Whoosh. As he stood there in shock, the boss swung its greatsword, and BestShield hastily raised his shield to block. Through the chaos, he saw the boss¡¯s next move. ng! The Mutant Goblin Warrior, with eyes glowing red, shed at BestShield¡¯s shield, then grabbed the hilt of its greatsword with both hands. It was the characteristic stance that signaled the activation of the mixer pattern. ¡®Bash, bash!¡¯ Panicking, BestShield tried to bash the boss, but it was toote. His shield had already been knocked away by the boss¡¯s previous attack. By the time he regained his stance and attempted to bash, the mixer had already been triggered, and his shield would be torn apart. ¡®No, this can¡¯t be happening¡­¡¯ An rm went off in his head. His vision filled with the boss¡¯s glowing red eyes, and he felt cold sweat running down his back as his mind started to nk out. At that moment¡­ Tap! ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Something swiftly dashed past him with light, nimble steps. Whoosh¡ªThrust. Grrrk!? In a fluid, almost artistic motion, Kaiser¡¯s sword pierced the boss¡¯s hand, which had been gripping the hilt. Like a ma finding its target, the sword effortlessly pierced through. No matter how muscr the boss was, even it couldn¡¯t bulk up its fingers, and being stabbed through the hand, it reflexively dropped the greatsword. tter. Groooooaaar!! The sound of the greatsword falling was drowned out by the boss¡¯s howl of pain. In an instant, the deadly phase 1 pattern, which should have been an unavoidable attack, was nullified. All because of one simple thrust. ¡°¡­Oh my god.¡± In disbelief, BestShield muttered to himself as he watched the scene. His eyes naturally shifted toward Do-hyeon. And as expected, Do-hyeon¡¯s expression remained calm. He had always been like this. He was calm when they first met, calm when he ughtered goblins, and calm when they entered the dungeon. ¡®¡­How does he do that?¡¯ No matter how skilled a gamer was, everyone had their role. Even the best damage dealers weren¡¯t always good tanks or healers, and vice versa. Take BestShield himself¡ªhe had no talent for dealing damage. But this man excelled in every aspect, regardless of role. And on top of that, he acted like it was all perfectly normal. BestShield couldn¡¯t understand it, but for Do-hyeon, this was nothing out of the ordinary. A one-on-one duel? ¡®I¡¯ve done that plenty of times.¡¯ Ironically, back in DemRock, Kaiser¡¯s role in his party had been that of a tank. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 ¡°Kaiser¡¯s party is incredibly famous. They are known as the strongest party that has conquered every boss and dungeon that seemed unbeatable.¡± This was something a reporter had said during an interview before DemRock had fallen into decline. What was their secret? What kind of strategies did they usually employ? What did they do in their spare time? From trivial updates to important questions, the reporter asked it all, and Do-hyeon had answered calmly. ¡°We just hang out like normal. We chat around a campfire, and when we find a new dungeon, we give it a try.¡± ¡°The secret? Well¡­ everyone just does their part well, I guess?¡± Do-hyeon had tilted his head slightly when the reporter responded, ¡°Isn¡¯t their part something that ordinary people couldn¡¯t do?¡± But because Kaiser¡¯s image was so firmly established, people seemed to ept it without issue. In fact, some fans even appreciated how human and rtable their trivial updates were. As the interview was wrapping up. ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t let this one go unasked.¡± The reporter, locking eyes with Do-hyeon, opened his mouth, seemingly genuinely curious. ¡°Typically, a party¡¯s basic structure consists of one tank, two damage dealers, and one support, like a healer, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Do-hyeon nodded. This was the most basic and textbookposition. Of course, theposition varied slightly depending on the party¡¯s style. Some parties removed the support and added more damage dealers, others wereposed of only melee or ranged damage dealers, or some reinforced their tanks by adding two supports. There were all kinds of parties, but one unchanging, immutable rule existed. ¡°But the peculiar thing about Kaiser¡¯s party is that there¡¯s no tank. I¡¯ve heard it¡¯sposed entirely of damage dealers¡­ Can a raid even work like that?¡± That was the presence of a tank. While there were teams that revolved entirely around one tank, a party without a tank simply didn¡¯t exist. No, it couldn¡¯t exist. ¡°Not engaging in a one-on-one duel and still doing a raid just doesn¡¯t make sense¡­ Some fans even joke that it¡¯s a ¡®death spear¡¯ meta, saying, ¡®Isn¡¯t it a kill-them-before-you-die meta?¡¯¡± Without one-on-one duels, a raid couldn¡¯t even take ce. Managing aggro, marking the boss, and breaking patterns. The tank yed the most essential role in these aspects of a raid. No matter how well a damage dealer dealt damage or avoided attacks, if these tasks weren¡¯t handled, it would all be for nothing. This was a rule, amon sense, that even the most skilled yers couldn¡¯t change. ¡°That¡¯s why more people have tried to imitate Kaiser¡¯s party, only to end up trolling, causing quite an uproar.¡± Just as the reporter chuckled softly, Kaiser¡¯s party was both admired and notorious for being the ¡°father of trolls.¡± A factory that churned out trolls in vast numbers. Yet, they remained the strongest party, effortlessly defeating bosses left and right. How was that even possible? ¡°Tanks are¡­ important.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Finally, the reason was about to be revealed. In that historical moment, even the veteran reporter nervously sped his hands together. What would be the answer? Given that Kaiser had pioneered numerous metas, could it be another groundbreaking strategy? Countless gamers, including the reporter, focused intently on the interview, waiting for Do-hyeon¡¯s answer. After what felt like an eternity, Do-hyeon finally spoke. ¡°So, I do it.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the tank.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± The reporter was dumbfounded. Kaiser was fully equipped with a skill tree and items dedicated to dealing damage. Unmatched in one-on-onebat and capable of delivering the most precise damage during raids, Kaiser was hailed as the pinnacle of damage dealers. But now he was saying he was a tank? Yet, Do-hyeon was not lying. ¡°If being a tank means dueling with the boss¡­ then I¡¯m the one doing it.¡± If being a tank meant breaking patterns, holding aggro, and enduring the boss¡¯s attacks, then it was entirely Do-hyeon¡¯s responsibility. He broke every pattern with clean attacks, naturally pulled aggro, and dodged or deflected all of the boss¡¯s attacks. Thus, Kaiser¡¯s role was that of a tank. ¡°¡­¡± Faced with such an absurd im, the reporter could only gape in silence, as if his tongue had been tied. Though countless rebuttals rose to his throat, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to voice them. If someone was performing all of those tasks, then what else could they be but a tank? A tank who simply dealt damage very well. ¡­exceptionally well. * * * ¡°Roaaaar!¡± ¡®¡­Does this even make sense?¡¯ What that reporter must have felt back then, BestShield was feeling right now. And this time, it was in realbat. Squelch! ¡°Graaargh!¡± ¡°Damn¡­ he broke the pattern again.¡± ¡°Wow. How does he even do it without a bash?¡± ¡°The way he broke the mixer attack was legendary. Even now, just thinking about it gives me chills.¡± The principle behind breaking a boss¡¯s pattern was simple. Every boss had a specific motion they performed before activating a pattern, and if you interrupted that motion, the pattern would be broken. Even though the pattern wasn¡¯t triggered, it was still considered as having been activated. This was why tanks always had at least two or three hard crowd-control skills in their skill sets. Because standing at the front, there was no position better suited for that role than the tank, who was also the sturdiest member of the party. That was the basic,mon sense. ¡®¡­Is that really a damage dealer?¡¯ But right now, thatmon sense was being shattered. Do-hyeon was skillfully breaking every pattern, pummeling the boss unterally, dodging when aggro shifted, then going right back to dealing damage. And when a new pattern showed up, he would break it again. ¡®I didn¡¯t know you could break patterns like that¡­¡¯ It was unbelievable, even seeing it with his own eyes. Why do tanks bother loading their skillsets with hard crowd-control skills? To forcefully break patterns, the boss had to be put in a state where they couldn¡¯t perform the pattern, something impossible without a crowd-control skill. But breaking the pattern with a simple stab like that? Technically, it made sense. If the pattern involved a greatsword, and you disabled the boss¡¯s ability to use a greatsword, it would work in theory¡­ but seeing it actually executed inbat was utterly absurd. ¡®¡­Is a tank even necessary?¡¯ In God of Savior, the tank was traditionally the most critical role. With a damage dealer who could tank and deal damage better than most, was there any point in the existence of a tank? For the first time, he began to question the very essence of the tank role. ¡®No, tanks aren¡¯t the problem.¡¯ If there was anything wrong, it was Kaiser, who was pulling off this impossible feat. Since he¡¯d broken the mixer attack, it was as if Do-hyeon had found his rhythm, engaging in a one-on-one duel like a fish in water. At first, BestShield had briefly taken over when Do-hyeon broke the mixer, but now, somehow, he had be the secondary tank. Was this role reversal¡­ or something else? Squelch! Thud! ¡°Damn.¡± ¡°Wow¡­ look at him target all the weak spots. Should I give you the nickname AimForTheForehead, bro? You¡¯re piercing that forehead spot on.¡± Watching him perform a one-on-one duel better than himself, BestShield couldn¡¯t help but feel a strange sense of unease. -HP: [6,231 / 20,000] They had already cut the boss¡¯s health down to 30%. Ever since the role reversal, the pace of the raid had actually increased. Being the secondary tank was far more effective than when he had been leading as the main tank, so perhaps it wasn¡¯t a role reversal after all. ¡®They said the average clear time was 1 hour and 10 minutes, right?¡¯ It had been about 25 minutes, maybe? That kind of speed in under 30 minutes seemed unreal. Though it was astounding, BestShield knew it was time to stop being impressed. ¡®Phase 2 ising soon.¡¯ When the Mutant Goblin Warrior¡¯s health dropped below 20%, Phase 2 would begin. And that was when things truly started. Up until now, the boss had only been using its physical enhancement trait, but in Phase 2, it would begin using its other two traits. Patterns so vicious they would make the mixer attack seem cute inparison. This was why neers trembled at the mention of the Mutant Goblin Warrior and why it earned the notorious title of Newbie Killer. -HP: [4,103 / 20,000] ¡®It¡¯s almost time.¡¯ Do-hyeon knew this too. He had studied the strategy guide before starting the game. And then, at that moment. [The Mutant Goblin Warrior¡¯s health has fallen below 20%.] [The Mutant Goblin Warrior activates its traits.] [The Warrior trait is now active.] [The Mutant Goblin Warrior¡¯s stats increase, and it enters a berserk state.] [The Mutant trait is now active.] [If you deal more than four consecutive physical hits, a debuff will be applied to the entire party. If you deal more than three consecutive magical hits, all damage will be reflected back.] ¡°It¡¯s finally here.¡± ¡°We¡¯re in Phase 2 already? It hasn¡¯t even been 25 minutes yet, the pace of this run is crazy.¡± As Phase 2 began, groans could be heard from all around. The Mutant trait. Unlike other traits, which were consistent across bosses, the Mutant trait granted each boss a unique ability. In the case of the Mutant Goblin Warrior, the trait gave it a set of rules. Nicknamed 007 Bang. It was an ability that forced the party to alternate between different types of attacks every third strike. This might sound simple, but in the heat of battle, it was easy to lose track of the count. And if two party members identally attacked at the same time on the third strike, disaster would follow. For new yers, with no specialized ss skills, dealing with all the debuffs while trying to defeat a berserk boss was nearly impossible. ¡®And if anyone makes a mistake with the third magical attack, it¡¯s an instant wipe.¡¯ To make matters worse, the rule for magical attacks kicked in on the third strike. Even in a well-coordinated party, someone was bound to make a mistake at least once. If it was their first attempt at the boss, a full wipe was inevitable. This was the ruthless pattern that truly demonstrated the value of a party dungeon. ¡°Now the real fight begins.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s attack in turns, as we discussed. It¡¯s fine if it takes longer, so let¡¯s just stay calm.¡± ¡°Yep, got it.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go over the order again. I¡¯m first, then Kaiser-nim, then AimForTheForehead, andstly, Yubin.¡± At BestShield¡¯s words, everyone nodded. Do-hyeon did as well. As he said, the second phase wasn¡¯t about speed. They were ready to take their time and calmly defeat the boss. That was, until a message popped up in front of Do-hyeon. [Due to the Warrior trait¡¯s berserk effect, the boss¡¯s physical abilities increase, and yers¡¯ attack and movement speeds decrease by 4%.] [The Hero trait negates mental corruption.] [You ignore the berserk effect.] [You are immune to the Mutant trait.] ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Do-hyeon¡¯s eyes naturally turned toward the Mutant Goblin Warrior. ¡®Come to think of it, the Hero trait grants immunity to status effects, doesn¡¯t it?¡¯ He had almost forgotten about it, since the Hero trait hadn¡¯te into y yet due to the other traits overshadowing it. But to think it would even negate the boss¡¯s debuffs. ¡®This changes everything.¡¯ Four consecutive physical hits meant a party-wide debuff? That was no longer a problem. Or more precisely, it was no longer a problem for Do-hyeon. ¡°Since the boss is in a berserk state, stay calm and don¡¯t rush. Remember, the priority is to avoid attacks rather than getting hits in.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Kaiser-nim, you¡¯re on board with this, right?¡± It seemed the others hadn¡¯t received the same message as Do-hyeon. This meant he was the only one immune to the debuffs. Seeing their eyes turn toward him, Do-hyeon gave a brief reply. ¡°Just wait for a moment.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°This will be faster.¡± ¡°What do you¡ª Whoa, wait!¡± ¡°Kaiser-hyung!?¡± The party members, confused by Do-hyeon¡¯s sudden words, shouted in surprise. He had charged at the boss without warning. Alone immune to the debuffs? ¡®That¡¯s more than enough.¡¯ Berserk mode or not, he had always been more than capable of handling the boss on his own from the beginning. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Solo yer Commonly referred to as ¡°soloy,¡± it literally means ying a game alone. In God of Savior, it was usually used when someone tried to take down a boss by themselves. It was the kind of y that every gamer dreams of at least once. But, in other words, it also meant that it was so unrealistic that it might as well only exist in dreams. ¡°Solo y? That¡¯s just absurd in God of Savior.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a regr dungeon boss, maybe. But an elite boss or higher? Just shut up and find a party if you don¡¯t want to take a death penalty.¡± ¡°You¡¯d have to be at Myeolsal¡¯s level to do solo y.¡± Given that the bosses were modeled after those in DemRock, their difficulty wasn¡¯t lenient enough to allow solo y. Even with a four-person party, there were plenty of bosses that couldn¡¯t be taken down, so what was all this talk about solo y? In God of Savior, since each city had a set graduation level, it wasn¡¯t even possible to overwhelm the boss with overwhelming specs. While certain professions or items might have an influence, it wasn¡¯t enough to enable solo y. You had to understand all the patterns, break them down, and deal maximum damage for it to even be possible. That¡¯s why Myeolsal was so popr. The first solo yer. He was the first to officially take down an elite boss on his own, and with his uniquely shy ystyle, he instantly became a star. Since then, quite a few people had attempted solo y, but that didn¡¯t diminish the brilliance of his achievement. After all, most of them had now reached the ranks of high-rankers. ¡°Wow¡­¡± ¡°This is actually possible.¡± BestShield and AimForTheForehead were both dumbfounded, their mouths agape in disbelief. And it was understandable. Swish- thunk! Shik- ROAR! The solo y they¡¯d only dreamed of was unfolding right before their eyes in real time. When he had suddenly charged at the boss, they had felt dizzy for a moment, but now, they were getting dizzy for an entirely different reason. Yet, their curiosity grew just as much. ¡°Why isn¡¯t the CC (crowd control) working?¡± ¡°We¡¯re being hit with all sorts of status effects, but it¡¯s amazing how he¡¯s not.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t look like CC is affecting him¡­ Is it a unique ss ability?¡± Even now, countless debuff messages were popping up above their heads. They were afflicted by everything from exhaustion, stuns, attack reduction, defense reduction¡­ every possible debuff, but Kaiser, the one tackling the boss, seemed unaffected. ¡°Does the Heroic God grant such an overpowered immunity?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that¡­ but it¡¯s mesmerizing.¡± Seeing everyone in the party puzzled made BestShield feel conflicted. ¡®¡­What is this? Isn¡¯t his god supposed to amplify damage?¡¯ He was using Weapon Master¡¯s effects, dealing insane amounts of damage, and also had immunity to these absurd CC effects? Could someone at level 9 really do all this? This felt like¡­ ¡®It¡¯s as if he has multiple traits.¡¯ It was an absurd thought. Even a beginner like BestShield knew that no matter how skilled someone was, they could only have one trait. But it was a situation that defied understanding. Still, there was something else even more iprehensible. ¡°He¡¯s insane¡­¡± ¡°Can you see him dodging everything?¡± ¡°Wow¡­ he¡¯s truly a legend.¡± That unbelievable movement. Dodging every attack, disrupting every pattern, and dealing damage safely. They had watched solo y videos several times, but they could confidently say they had never seen anyone handle a boss this smoothly andfortably. -HP: [2,312 / 20,000] The boss¡¯s HP was already down to the 2,000 range. No, it was still dropping even as they watched in real time. 2,000. 1,800. 1,500¡­ ROAR! ROAR! The Mutant Goblin Warrior was losing its mind. Its prey was right in front of it, but no matter how much it tried, it couldn¡¯t evennd a single blow. Meanwhile, the prey was carefully stabbing at its vital points, like it was maically drawn to them. The humiliation was unbearable. Though it was in berserk mode and couldn¡¯t feel pain, the frustration drove it to roar. -HP: [1,036 / 20,000] All the while, its life was draining away. BestShield waspletely overwhelmed by the unbelievable sight before him. ¡®¡­What am I watching?¡¯ How could something like this be possible? Some might say: What¡¯s so impressive about raiding a boss that¡¯s already down to itsst 20%, especially when you didn¡¯t start the solo y from the beginning? But things changed if the boss was in berserk mode. ¡®A berserk boss gets faster in every way.¡¯ There were patterns you simply couldn¡¯t avoid, and a berserk state was one of them. The terrifying thing about a berserk boss was that its movements were so fast, it was almost impossible to disrupt its patterns or even distinguish between a pattern and a regr attack. ¡®He¡¯s not just memorizing it. He¡¯s reacting to it in real-time.¡¯ That made it all the more chilling. Anyone who¡¯s sparred before would understand this. Attacks or movementsing directly at you feel several times faster than when you¡¯re watching from a distance. What BestShield struggled most with during duels was exactly that. But if a movement was this fast even from a distance? That would require superhuman reflexes beyond the realm of ordinary humans. ¡°Kaiser¡­¡± So was it any wonder that the name ¡°Kaiser,¡± which he had initially dismissed, suddenly resurfaced in his mind? ¡°Hmm? What did you say?¡± AimForTheForehead turned his head, having heard the muttered words. BestShield, watching him in pure admiration, cautiously opened his mouth. ¡°¡­I mean Kaiser.¡± ¡°Him? Why?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible that he¡¯s the real Kaiser?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± AimForTheForehead and YubinKkyung blinked, as if to ask, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Then their expressions froze. They had finally caught on to the meaning behind his words. ¡°To be honest, I can¡¯t believe it myself as I say this¡­¡± BestShield nced cautiously at Kaiser and continued. ¡°But if he¡¯s not, then I just can¡¯t make sense of it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± AimForTheForehead and YubinKkyung were both silent. They had no argument. It didn¡¯t make sense for a fake Kaiser to be able to pull off movements like that, nor would he be attempting a solo y. And putting solo y aside, not getting hit even once was something even most high-rankers couldn¡¯t achieve. In fact, the more they thought about it, the more they wondered why they hadn¡¯t considered this possibility earlier. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that Kaiser is that Kaiser?¡± ¡°I mean¡­ I¡¯d like to say ¡®no,¡¯ but I¡¯m really not sure.¡± ¡°Wait, does that mean we partied with that Kaiser?¡± A silence fell over the group at AimForTheForehead¡¯s words. If¡ªby any chance¡ªthis Kaiser was the real Kaiser. Then hadn¡¯t they just partied with the legendary Kaiser, the one shrouded in rumors? The Kaiser¡¯s first party¡ªthat was an achievement money couldn¡¯t buy. [You have defeated the Mutant Goblin Warrior.] [The dungeon will be cleared.] [As a reward¡­] ¡­ [You have achieved the Time Limit achievement.] ¡­ ¡°Wow¡­ this is insane.¡± At that very moment, as the boss copsed and the message appeared, their astonishment ovepped with the message. Although it was unclear what exactly they were marveling at, one thing was certain: they all had the same thought. * * * [You have leveled up.] [Swordsmanship proficiency has increased.] [Swordsmanship proficiency has reached LV7.] [You have defeated the Mutant Goblin Warrior.] [You have cleared the dungeon.] [Would you like to harvest the essence of the Mutant Goblin Warrior?] [As a reward for harvesting, you gain Mutant Goblin Warrior¡¯s Blood, Mutant Goblin Warrior¡¯s Hide, and 2 Gold.] [This will be recorded in the Adventure Book.] [Your clear time is being measured.] ¡­ Do-hyeon wiped his sword as he scanned the series of messages. The clear time was faster than he had expected. ¡®It¡¯s definitely about the gear in this game.¡¯ The others would¡¯ve been baffled to hear him say this, but Do-hyeon genuinely thought so. [Due to the Wrath effect, you dealt an additional 10% damage to the boss.] [At Swordsmanship proficiency level 7, sword-rted damage increases by 7%.] With the effect of the legendary title ¡°First yer,¡± he dealt an additional 10% damage to the boss. On top of that, all of his stats were boosted by +10 thanks to his title, and with swordsmanship proficiency now at level 7, his damage output was absurd. ¡®It felt like I was slicing tofu.¡¯ If that wasn¡¯t because of good gear, then what was it? No matter how skilled you were, it was hard to showcase that without good items. This was the most painful lesson Do-hyeon had learned while ying DemRock. [You have defeated a new type of boss on first encounter.] [Due to Devour effect, all your stats increase by +6.] ¡®Not right now, though.¡¯ Do-hyeon was satisfied after sessfully absorbing the stats through the Devour effect. Back in DemRock, he had been gued by terrible luck, but now, his growth was so peaceful and excessive that it felt almost unfair. To top it off, he had even leveled up this time. ¡®I¡¯ll invest 2 points in strength, 3 in agility, and 2 in perception.¡¯ His health still seemed manageable, so he didn¡¯t touch it. [yer: Kaiser] [Level: 10] [HP: 1,570 / 1,700] [MP: 250 / 350] [Stamina: 100 / 300] [ss: Final Adventurer ] [Titles (2)] -Maximum Favorability from the Start? -First yer [Stats] Remaining points: 0 ¡®That¡¯s it.¡¯ Seeing his stats neatly distributed gave him a sense of relief. Who would think this was the status screen of a level 10 yer? With his second devourbining with the Hidden Dragon effect, his stats had be monstrous. Gulp. When he made eye contact, his party members seemed to flinch as if they were nervous. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Noticing their awkward behavior, Do-hyeon tilted his head. ¡®Maybe I did go a bit overboard.¡¯ He hadn¡¯t had time to exin, nor did he think they¡¯d fully understand, so he had simply charged in alone. Now that he thought about it, it wasn¡¯t the best move. After all, the party leader wasn¡¯t him, it was BestShield. ¡®I¡¯ve gotten too used to my old party.¡¯ The problem stemmed from his time in DemRock, where his only party members had been Kkukkudakkkukku, Sword Emperor, and Purple Taste¡ªa party of hardcore veterans. When he yed with them, this kind of behavior was routine, and often, they would take things even further. ¡°Um¡­ Kaiser. Could it be that¡­?¡± Just as one of them hesitantly spoke up, Do-hyeon was about to apologize. Ding- [Time Limit has been calcted.] [Time Limit: 29 minutes 58 seconds] [Current record ranking] -1st: BestShield¡¯s Party [29 minutes 58 seconds] -2nd: ???¡¯s Party [35 minutes 11 seconds] -3rd: Myeolsal¡¯s Party [42 minutes 12 seconds] -4th: Arther¡¯s Party [44 minutes 07 seconds] ¡­ -10th: yer¡¯s Party [48 minutes 35 seconds] [You have reimed the Time Limit ranking for 1st ce.] [Differentiated rewards will be given based on merit.] [1st ce: Kaiser] [2nd ce: BestShield] [3rd ce: AimForTheForehead] [4th ce: YubinKkyung] ¡°I know it¡¯s bold of me to say this, but¡­ huh?¡± ¡°I apologize¡­ huh?¡± Their expected reward messages stopped them in their tracks. Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Ding. [You are being rewarded.] [As the first ce contributor, you have obtained the Mutant Goblin Warrior¡¯s Red Leather Armor, the Mutant Goblin Warrior¡¯s Red Epaulet, and the Mutant Goblin Warrior¡¯s Red Greatsword.] [You have acquired the title ¡®Throne of the Time Attack.¡¯] [Throne of the Time Attack] ¨C Grade: Heroic ¨C Description: A title given to those who achieve first ce in the Time Limit challenge. ¨C Effects: Renewal: Each time your rank is updated, all of your stats increase proportionally to your achievements. eleration: The Time Attack is always a race against time. The owner of the throne must move faster than anyone else. ¨C All speeds +10% [All stats +5 from the current update] ¡°A Heroic-grade¡­!¡± It was an astonishing title of Heroic grade. Moreover, it was a growth-type title with an option that allowed it to steadily improve, just like the title given to the first yer. Considering how growth-type titles were generally valued higher than regr ones, it was an incredible acquisition. Of course, the difficulty of updating the rank would be considerably high, but¡­ ¡°It¡¯s a relief I got it early.¡± For Do-hyeon, who still had countless opportunities to attempt Time Limit challenges, it was a significant advantage. Even without worrying about the rank renewal, the eleration effect was excellent. ¡°All speed by 10%¡­¡± Given how much he had felt the increase from the 5% boost from the Blood Pact Ne, this new boost was more than enough. Especially since the increase in ¡°all speed¡± included casting speed. Considering how rare options that increased casting speed were, its value would surely be rated even higher. Though he didn¡¯t have any magic yet, it was highly likely that he would need itter. He had an overwhelmingly advantageous unique ability as an adventurer, after all. ¡°And it applies to buff activation speed too.¡± In many ways, it was a very satisfying option. ¡°Wow, Heroic grade?!¡± ¡°Whoa¡­ casting speed options are really rare.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± The other party members seemed to have also obtained titles, but they were utterly dumbfounded. Among them, YubinKkyung had the brightest expression. As someone dreaming of bing a mage, a 10% boost to casting speed was like a downpour in a drought. Later, when she was juggling more than a dozen spells, she would be able to squeeze in one or two extra damage-dealing skills in the same amount of time, not to mention delivering reliable damage to bosses that were under CC. ¡°Can I really deserve something like this¡­?¡± ¡°Getting a Heroic-grade title in a beginner city¡­ this is insane.¡± YubinKkyung and AimForTheForehead stared at Do-hyeon in awe, their astonishment mixed with disbelief. Their eyes naturally met his, and both bowed their heads politely. ¡°Thank you so much. If it weren¡¯t for you, Kaiser-nim, we wouldn¡¯t have gotten these rewards.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t even do much, yet I got this¡­ I¡¯m really grateful, hyung-nim. I won¡¯t forget this favor.¡± Their sincerity was evident in their expressions and trembling voices, showing how deeply moved and thankful they were. Considering that they had obtained a title they wouldn¡¯t have acquired without Do-hyeon, it was only natural that they felt genuine gratitude. BestShield was no different¡­ ¡°Ah¡­¡± For some reason, his pupils were trembling. When their eyes met, he flinched, his body shaking as he subtly checked Do-hyeon¡¯s reactions. His behavior resembled a guilty child who couldn¡¯t make eye contact with his parents after being caught. ¡®What is it? Did he do something wrong to me?¡¯ Come to think of it, he seemed to have tried asking a question earlier¡­ But even considering that, if something went wrong, wouldn¡¯t it have been due to his own unexpected actions? Do-hyeon tilted his head in confusion, but fortunately, the reason soon became clear. ¡°Um¡­ Kaiser-nim.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Would you mind taking a look at the ranking list?¡± At BestShield¡¯s suggestion, Do-hyeon opened the system window, and it was right there. [Current Ranking] ¨C 1st ce: BestShield-nim¡¯s Party [29 minutes 58 seconds] ¨C 2nd ce: ???-nim¡¯s Party [35 minutes 11 seconds] ¨C 3rd ce: Myeolsal-nim¡¯s Party [39 minutes 12 seconds] ¨C 4th ce: Arther-nim¡¯s Party [41 minutes 07 seconds] ¡­ ¨C 10th ce: yer-nim¡¯s Party [46 minutes 35 seconds] The name ¡°BestShield-nim¡¯s Party¡± was registered as the first ce. ¡°I should have changed the party name earlier, but it got registered under my name. I sincerely apologize. I don¡¯t know how I shouldpensate you¡­¡± BestShield repeatedly bowed, his back bent nearly 90 degrees. If left alone, he looked ready to kneel at any moment. It seemed excessive, but Do-hyeon could understand why BestShield was reacting this way. ¡°Getting your name on the top of the rankings is a massive privilege.¡± Even though it was just a beginner city dungeon, ranking first ce was a significant aplishment. And it wasn¡¯t just any rank¡ªit was higher than even Myeolsal¡¯s. This wasn¡¯t just a symbolic achievement. With this aplishment acknowledged, numerousrge guilds would likely push to recruit him, and he would be a hot topic among yers. Whether that attention would be positive or not, his gaming life was undoubtedly going to change. He might even have a chance to join one of the top ten guilds. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry. I unintentionally stole the spotlight. If there¡¯s anything you want, whether it¡¯s marypensation or something else, I¡¯ll do my best to repay you.¡± It was only natural for BestShield to feel guilty, as he had taken the spotlight without meaning to. Realizing the situation, YubinKkyung and AimForTheForehead also adopted remorseful expressions, fidgeting nervously as they waited. Do-hyeon didn¡¯t find their behavior particrly bothersome. ¡®They could¡¯ve just let it slide.¡¯ After all, everyone knew BestShield was the party leader. No one expected to im first ce, and it was well known that the Time Limit rankings were automatically registered under the party leader¡¯s name. It wasn¡¯t as though he had intentionally kept his character ranking private, so there was no way BestShield could have avoided this. Even if he had ignored the situation, no one could have med him, but his current behavior showed how upright he was as a person. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± And Do-hyeon wasn¡¯t the type to be so harsh as to criticize someone who was clearly sincere. If BestShield had shown any intention of cheating or manipting him, things would have been different. Kaiser¡¯s philosophy was to repay such betrayals a hundredfold. However, BestShield had no such intentions and had openly admitted his mistake, apologizing immediately. ¡°Things like this happen. I didn¡¯t expect to ce first either, and it wasn¡¯t as though anyone didn¡¯t know you were the party leader, BestShield-nim.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± BestShield was left speechless by Do-hyeon¡¯s nonchnt reaction. He hadn¡¯t expected such a generous response. ¡®Well, it¡¯s not like having my name up there is that important.¡¯ Despite his seemingly grand words, Do-hyeon genuinely didn¡¯t care. The spotlight? It would only be tiresome in the end. Moreover, if he kept ying, situations where he would receive attention were bound to arise sooner orter. ¡®What¡¯s important are the rewards.¡¯ The rewards for being the first-ce contributor were what truly mattered, not some title of fame. The party name had been registered under BestShield simply because he was the leader, but the first-ce rewards based on contribution had already gone to Do-hyeon. [Mutant Goblin Warrior¡¯s Red Leather Armor] [Grade: Rare] [Description: Armor made from the leather of the Mutant Goblin Warrior. The Mutant Goblin Warrior, who had killed countless warriors, developed a subtle red tint in its skin. The armor is made from the Goblin¡¯s skin, purified and preserved after removing impurities.] [Level Requirement: 12] [Equip Restriction: None] [Physical Defense: 70] [Magic Resistance: 55] ¨C Agility +1 ¨C Sense +2 [Mutant Goblin Warrior¡¯s Red Epaulet] [Grade: Rare] [Description: The epaulet worn by the Mutant Goblin Warrior. Only the greatest goblins who hold the title of Warrior are allowed to wear this epaulet. It is lightweight, durable, and has high magic resistance.] [Level Requirement: 12] [Equip Restriction: None] [Physical Defense: 46] [Magic Resistance: 51] ¨C Strength +2 ¨C Stamina +2 [Mutant Goblin Warrior¡¯s Red Greatsword] [Grade: Rare+] [Description: The favored sword of the Mutant Goblin Warrior. Only one goblin warrior from the tribe can wield this sword, which has absorbed enough blood to take on a reddish hue.] [Level Requirement: 12] [Equip Restriction: Swordsman ss] [Physical Attack: 108~131] [Durability: 100 / 100] [Special Option: Each time an enemy is in, attack power increases by +1. This stacks up to 12 times and resets if no enemy is killed within 10 minutes.] It was the so-called Warrior Set. A collection of items ranging from Rare to Rare+ grade, the best gear obtainable in this phase of the game. With high attack and defense stats, as well as decent stat boosts, the set was pleasing just to look at. ¡®The greatsword is the real gem.¡¯ It seemed there was something different about the Rare+ grade. Generally, special options were absent in Rare-grade items, but the greatsword had one, and it was something Do-hyeon found especially satisfying. It looked like it would be particrly useful when dealing with mobs, as the performance wasn¡¯t bad. But the best part of the set was something else. [Warrior Set Options] ¨C 3-piece set: When fighting goblin-type enemies, grants the ¡®Intimidation¡¯ effect. Additional damage against goblin-types +7%, all stats +2 Set options. These were special effects attached to items that showed their true value when equipped together as a set, often appearing on items from raids. Naturally, these items were typically hard toe by. The Warrior Set was no exception. ¡°Ah¡­ Of course, a graduation set from the beginner city should be this good.¡± The Warrior Set was a so-called ¡°graduation set¡±¡ªthe best gear obtainable in the beginner city. As expected, its notorious difficulty was rewarded with a collection of top-notch options. The additional damage and +2 to all stats were great, of course¡­ ¡®But the status effect option is rare.¡¯ Though it only applied to goblin-types, it was a valuable option. Status effects attached to items, rather than skills, were highly prized. And Intimidation was a solid debuff. ¡®With this, I don¡¯t have to worry about the next city.¡¯ In fact, he was more than well-prepared for whatever came next. Compared to his party members, who had only acquired a single piece of gear, the first-ce reward was certainly fitting. There was no way for him to feel bad about it. ¡°Everyone makes mistakes. It¡¯s no big deal, so let¡¯s get going.¡± ¡°¡­Are you sure it¡¯s really fine?¡± ¡°Yes. You two don¡¯t have to feel so sorry about it either.¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± Having said that, Do-hyeon turned around, clearly indicating that the conversation was over. He headed toward the warp gate that had appeared after the dungeon was cleared. ¡®Ah, I can¡¯t wait toplete the quest and equip these items.¡¯ Since he was still level 10, he couldn¡¯t equip the rewards yet. That fact was eating away at him. It felt as frustrating as receiving a gift but being unable to open it. He was eager toplete the quest as soon as possible. For Do-hyeon, who found their drawn-out apologies tiresome, brushing things off had been the best option¡­ ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ But BestShield didn¡¯t seem to take it lightly. Watching Do-hyeon¡¯s back, he appeared deeply moved. ¡®His stature is truly different.¡¯ BestShield¡¯s eyes sparkled with admiration. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 BestShield, real name Choi Jeong-hu. At 23 years old. Despite being treated like a relic for returning to university after serving in the military, he didn¡¯t mind. He had his childhood friends AimForTheForehead and YubinKkyung¡­ No, Kim Woo-jin and Yubin. They had grown up together from elementary through high school, but even after parting ways in university, their friendship remained unchanged. They kept in regr contact, meeting naturally to hang out. Coincidentally, they shared simr hobbies, and though they often poked fun at each other, they had never seriously fought. One of those hobbies was gaming. Even though VR games were trending, the quality wasn¡¯t high enough yet, so demand for PC games remained strong, and gamers had split into two camps: VR yers and PC yers. It seemed that their 12-year friendship hadn¡¯t been for nothing, as Choi Jeong-hu and Kim Woo-jin both belonged to the PC camp. Yubin, however, didn¡¯t like games, so when they hung out, they did other things. But whenever they were at home, he and Kim Woo-jin would always y PC games together. ¡°God of Savior is hot these days. Wanna y?¡± ¡°No, no. ssic games are still the best. And isn¡¯t that game all about luck? I¡¯d just get stressed out.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got money.¡± ¡°God of Savior is on a different scale, you know. And should I just abandon my guild? Hurry up and join me for the raid.¡± Though the fame of God of Savior had piqued his curiosity, he had grown too ustomed to PC games and had already aplished too much to just abandon them. ¡°And honestly, if we start ying God of Savior, Yubin is going to get super pissed.¡± ¡°True, can¡¯t argue with that.¡± Yubin was already jealous, saying they left her out. If they started ying God of Savior, where the minimum session time was five hours andmunication could be sporadic, she would definitely feel left out. If Yubin liked games, it would solve everything¡­ But after getting verbally abused and mentally wrecked in Legend of League, she had developed an aversion to games. ¡°Hey, do you guys know anything about God of Savior?¡± ¡°God of Savior? Of course.¡± ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know about God of Savior these days? You¡¯d have to be living under a rock.¡± But then, Yubin brought up the game herself. Was she bing interested in God of Savior? Out of pure curiosity, Choi Jeong-hu asked without thinking. ¡°Why? Are you going to y it?¡± ¡°Huh, her? She hates games. She¡¯s probably just asking. And even if she tries, she¡¯ll probably quit after two hours. You know her gaming skills are awful.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°And how many times have we tried to convince her? She alwaysins that we leave her out, but when we actually invite her, she never joins.¡± Kim Woo-jin¡¯s sharp retort made Choi Jeong-hu instinctively step back. This was a familiar scene¡ªusually followed by fists or kicks flying. But this time, something was different. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yubin didn¡¯t react at all. Kim Woo-jin, who had been preparing to defend himself, hesitated and then, looking confused, nced at Yubin. Startled, Yubin quickly began exining herself. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that¡­ They say God of Savior isn¡¯t just a game, but a whole cultural experience. There¡¯s lots to do and see¡­ And I watched a guild video, and it looked like a movie. It was really cool¡­¡± ¡°What the¡­?¡± ¡°Oh,e on! I just want to try it out a little. Can¡¯t we just y together for a bit?¡± And that was how the three of them ended up starting God of Savior. And afterpleting the tutorial¡ª ¡°Wow! Wow! Wow¡­!¡± ¡°This is insane! It¡¯s amazing!¡± Yubin and Kim Woo-jin were absolutely losing it. Yubin, eyes sparkling, kept eximing in disbelief, wondering if this was even a game. Meanwhile, Kim Woo-jin was kicking himself, asking why he had wasted his time on trash games instead of ying this. And Choi Jeong-hu? ¡®¡­How much do I have in my bank ount?¡¯ He immediately opened his wallet. Spending 14 million won, he confidently drew a Heroic God. His friends also managed to draw decent gods and useful traits, so he felt there wasn¡¯t a party around that could match them at this level. He even thought that. ¡°Everyone, make sure to thoroughly read the guidebook. It¡¯s important, so read it several times. Especially you, Yubin, since you¡¯re new. If there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand, ask right away.¡± ¡°Yeah, got it.¡± ¡°Here we go again. His habit of being a know-it-all is annoying, but¡­ I¡¯ll let it slide this time.¡± They even went through the guidebook multiple times. For newbies, they were as prepared as they could be. ¡°Wait, why are all of you ranged characters?¡± ¡°? When have you ever seen me y melee?¡± ¡°¡­I just don¡¯t like fighting up close. Plus, I wanted to try magic.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ Hold on, I¡¯ll find someone quickly.¡± That¡¯s how it started. Since there was no death penalty, they just wanted to hunt quickly and figured they could grab any random melee fighter. But the one they found was a bit unusual. Kaiser LV1 ¡®Huh? Kaiser? Sounds familiar¡­ Oh, right. That guy who ranked first in DemRock. Must be a fan.¡¯ At first, he thought it was amusing. Someone still liked that forgotten guy? But it made sense. Choi Jeong-hu didn¡¯t really know much about Kaiser. He just wasn¡¯t interested. People who were big in a dying game like DemRock didn¡¯t matter to him, and he never saw the appeal in VR games. If God of Savior hadn¡¯t appeared and caused such a stir, he probably would have never known Kaiser¡¯s name. ¡®Was he really that amazing?¡¯ Whenever he heard people talking about Kaiser, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder. Number one? Higher ranked than Myeolsal? Sure, but wasn¡¯t that all in the past? VR and virtual reality were totally different things, and today¡¯s Myeolsal wasn¡¯t the same as back then. Knowing that, Kaiser hadn¡¯t even started ying. Besides, hadn¡¯t the name Kaiser faded from memory pretty quickly? ¡®And yet here I am, meeting one of his fans.¡¯ Meeting such a person on the very day he started God of Savior felt strange. But that was it. He didn¡¯t think much more about it. After all, they just needed a melee fighter to join them before they graduated from the novice zone. It wasn¡¯t like he expected great skill or anything. In Arde, people teamed up and yed the game that way. ¡®Wait, how¡¯s he fighting so well?¡¯ But this guy exceeded all expectations. No, not just exceeded them¡ªhis skills were so good, Choi Jeong-hu wondered if they were even ying the same game. With abat style that was unbelievable to watch, hepletely dominated the goblins, making Choi Jeong-hu question whether this was really a newbie, or someone who had been honing their skills for three years in the game. That man¡¯s ystyle was enough to shatter Choi Jeong-hu¡¯s self-confidence as a tank, a role for which he had received praise in PC games. But even then, it was still okay. He could just ept that the world was a vast ce with many skilled people. But then¡­ ¡®Isn¡¯t this a bit too much? I mean, the world may be big, but¡­¡¯ ¡­Is there anyone else who can interrupt a boss¡¯s pattern with basic attacks? No, more importantly, who would even think to try that? At that moment, he instinctively realized. ¡®Kaiser was right!¡¯ The man, whom he had thought was just a fan unable to let go of the nostalgia of the old throne, was in fact, the owner of that throne. It was shocking and thrilling, but at the same time, fascinating. ¡®How could the timing be like this?¡¯ The day Kaiser, who had been silent all along, started ying God of Savior happened to be the same day he started the game. To top it off, the person he had randomly spoken to turned out to be Kaiser, and they ended up having their first party together! It felt like having dinner with a retired celebrity at a guesthouse he had randomly visited. And an ordinary person¡¯s reaction to seeing such a celebrity would likely be simr. ¡®¡­S-Sign! I should get his autograph first!¡¯ Whether he was interested in the celebrity or not, how many times would a chance like thise along in life? Moreover, Choi Jeong-hu had personally watched Do-hyeon¡¯s battles with his own eyes and felt thrilled. That was more than enough time for a fan spirit that hadn¡¯t existed before to grow. Just as Choi Jeong-hu was about to carefully speak, driven by his instinctive thoughts, it happened. [You have reimed the top rank in the Time Limit.] [The party name of the top-ranked yer will be registered.] [BestShield¡¯s party has been registered.] -1st ce: BestShield¡¯s party ¡°¡­What?¡± The sudden reiming of the top rankpletely destroyed the timing. Choi Jeong-hu was no stranger to PC games. He knew exactly what this meant, and what mistake he had made. ¡®I¡¯m screwed.¡¯ That was the only thought in his mind. He had only been thinking about getting an autograph, but suddenly, this catastrophe struck! The fact that this was just a game he had lightly started on a whim made it all the more bewildering. Of course, he had finished the tutorial and entered serious mode, but he had never once thought of taking advantage of someone else. And who was that man, anyway? It was the famous Kaiser. ¡®Maybe he was aiming for 1st ce this time as well¡­!¡¯ Rankers gathered the best party to im the rankings and only made their attempts when in perfect condition. Come to think of it, hadn¡¯t that man taken the fastest routes all along? ¡®He did the same during the Goblin Hunt, during the Mixer, and even in Phase 2.¡¯ [Kaiser¡¯s Return!] [Kaiser! Did he reim 1st ce as soon as he started God of Savior?] [Who is Kaiser?] The opportunity to shake the world once more, to mark the first step in his grand return, had been ruined by none other than himself. Do-hyeon¡¯s actions had been done without much thought, but coincidentally, they only reinforced Choi Jeong-hu¡¯s concerns. ¡®¡­Should I just quit?¡¯ In a way, they had both only just started, but the famous Kaiser, even if he couldn¡¯t regain his former glory, would soon find himself in one of the top 10 guilds. With a name like Kaiser, most top 10 guilds would keep an eye on him. There was a strong chance that he could even rise to a leadership position, given his symbolic presence. And what if he brought up this incident during an interview? ¡®¡­I¡¯d instantly be a fugitive.¡¯ To some, it might seem like an overblown worry, but to Choi Jeong-hu, it didn¡¯t seem excessive at all. Would people really make such a fuss over a game? No, it was because it was a game that they would. Unlike reality, wherews existed, in games, power was thew. And if one had power, morals could easily be disregarded. -¡®It¡¯s not like they¡¯re actually killing you for real, so what¡¯s the big deal?¡¯ With that mindset, people would mercilessly hunt down anyone who rubbed them the wrong way. And in God of Savior, it would be even worse. ¡®Kaiser¡¯s fans are known for their intense loyalty.¡¯ And if it had to do with Kaiser, who had a particrly fanatic fan base, including stalkers? Even though his status had fallen and his fans had gone underground, they would pounce on this opportunity with all they had. ¡®How dare you steal our Kaiser¡¯s spot!?¡¯ In their outrage, they could prevent him from taking even a single step out of town. No, it might not even take the fans. It was obvious that some malicious users, seizing the opportunity, would use him as a target to vent their frustrations. ¡®There was a simr case, too¡­¡¯ Though it wasn¡¯t due to a Time Limit, everyone who yed God of Savior knew what happened to the user who had stolen something a famous ranker had painstakingly worked on in high-level content. Even Choi Jeong-hu, who was new to the game, could easily find posts about it. ¡®They said that user couldn¡¯t withstand the endless assassinations and eventually quit.¡¯ It might seem excessive, but that was the reality of God of Savior. Though the game¡¯s morality might have crumbled a bit, it had too much impact and generated too much profit to dismiss it as just a game. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯llpensate you somehow.¡± He had to beg. Beg first, and if he had topensate, then he would, no matter what. That was the only thought filling his mind. It was too frustrating to quit God of Savior without even properly enjoying it when he had just started getting hooked. And this wasn¡¯t just his problem alone. The rumors would spread quickly, and it was obvious that the consequences would reach Kim Woo-jin and Yubin as well. He couldn¡¯t let them quit, especially when even Yubin, who had just started finding the game fun, would be affected. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry.¡± Just as his strong sense of responsibility had him bowing deeply, with his waist nearly folding over, Kim Woo-jin and Yubin reached out their hands. They, too, had grasped the situation. They didn¡¯t n on letting Choi Jeong-hu shoulder the responsibility alone. ¡®Let¡¯s apologize too.¡¯ If they were going to take responsibility, they would do it together. That was the right thing to do. Just as they were about to bow as well, a voice interrupted. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. What¡¯s more important ispensation, right?¡± The man who spoke didn¡¯t seem resentful or disappointed, nor did he hold any grudge. He didn¡¯t appear to be upset or annoyed in the slightest. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Let¡¯s just leave now.¡± Kaiser¡¯s casual demeanor, as he said this, made it seem like it really wasn¡¯t a big deal. It was like watching a friend nonchntly suggest leaving after finding 500 won on the street. It was enough to leave Choi Jeong-hu dumbfounded. [Honor is not something you chase after, but something that follows you.] Why did those words, which he had heard at some point, suddenlye to mind? It was probably because he thought no one suited those words better than this man. And how many people in the world could evoke such a feeling? ¡°¡­..¡± For some reason, all the scheming he had been doing felt futile. And that sense of futility was soon filled by something else. It was a mixture of awe, inspiration, and relief. It couldn¡¯t be described with just one word, but one thing was certain. ¡°¡­¡­Ah.¡± And it wasn¡¯t just Choi Jeong-hu who felt that certainty. His eyes met with Kim Woo-jin and Yubin. The expressions of his two friends, with their confident eyes and dazed faces, clearly showed they were thinking the same thing. Kim Woo-jin was the first to speak. ¡°To be honest, I used to think the posts praising Kaiser were over the top.¡± His normally light-hearted voice was now trembling slightly, sounding stiff. Normally, Choi Jeong-hu would have teased him for that, but not this time. They all felt the same way. ¡°But now I get it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°This is Kaiser¡­ He really lives in a different world than us.¡± Choi Jeong-hu thought to himself quietly, filled with awe. ¡®¡­This is what it feels like to admire someone¡¯s back.¡¯ The kind of back that made you want to follow it¡­ This was what it felt like. It was a strange feeling for someone like him, who had always yed the role of a tank, to be gazing at someone else¡¯s back, but it wasn¡¯t a bad feeling. Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Back alley of Arde, the novice city. In this most secretive ce of Arde, there was a small door. A door just big enough that an average adult male had to bend down and squeeze in to barely enter. It was an old and worn-out door that gave off a strong eerie vibe, unpleasant to the point that one might hesitate to enter. However, the story changed once inside. ¡°Oh¡­ it¡¯s different from the outside.¡± ¡°It feels like magic. How can it be so different?¡± It wasn¡¯t that the space had changed or that the size was different when viewed from the insidepared to the outside. It was simply the atmosphere that was drastically different. Unlike the dpidated exterior, the inside disyed an opulent scene that made one wonder if it was even the same space. Everything that needed to be in this small space was there, yet it didn¡¯t feel cramped at all. In fact, it seemed that the smallness of the space only enhanced the atmosphere, showcasing the pinnacle of spatial utilization. ¡®It¡¯s no wonder people in construction take a lot of inspiration from God of Savior.¡¯ And it wasn¡¯t just those in construction¡ªpeople in various literary fields were no different. Since God of Savior was called another world, its borate and realistic, yet different-from-modern-day scenery opened new perspectives for many. Just as many were in nonbat professions as inbat ones, God of Savior was contributing a lot to the modern world. ¡°I¡¯ve brought the blood of the Mutant Goblin!¡± ¡°Hmm. It is indeed the blood of the Mutant Goblin. You may proceed.¡± As if someone had just cleared a quest, a group of people bowed their heads and left. At that moment, a man wearing a robe gestured lightly but then paused. ¡°Ho, there are quite a few useful ones today.¡± The man, Kalde, had noticed Do-hyeon¡¯s party arriving, and he raised the corners of his mouth. The atmosphere of the room, along with the fact that his face was half-covered by the robe, gave even his smile a strangely sinister feeling. ¡°He¡¯s kind of creepy.¡± ¡°Right¡­ He looks like he¡¯s into dark magic research or something.¡± ¡°Shh. You can¡¯t judge someone just by their appearance.¡± While the party whispered quietly about Kalde, Do-hyeon stared intently at him. As soon as their eyes met, Kalde tilted his head. ¡°Hmm? Didn¡¯t you stop by a while ago?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What, you¡¯re not here to give up, are you? There are plenty of people to help, but you¡¯d need a lot more blood for research¡­ huh? What¡¯s this?¡± Just as Kalde was about to show his displeasure, Do-hyeon extended his hand. In his hand was a small ss bottle. When Kalde saw it, his eyes widened slightly. ¡°This is¡­ Mutant Goblin blood?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ You¡¯ve already brought it? It¡¯s been only about 40 minutes, right?¡± Kalde seemed genuinely surprised as he spoke. It was only natural. Even assuming it was cleared on the first try, it was a dungeon that typically took over an hour on average. And given its nickname, ¡®the Graveyard of Newbies,¡¯ the Mutant Goblin Warrior¡¯s habitat was a dungeon that could only be cleared after numerous attempts. That was why there was no time limit. It simply meant, ¡°Bring it whenever you can,¡± which was why Kalde didn¡¯t bother remembering the faces of all the clients. There were many who took the quest, but those who returned with the item often came muchter, which confused him. Unless it was a rare case like now. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen something like this¡­ impressive. To have taken down that mutant so quickly.¡± [The effect of the title ¡®Affection Max from the Start?¡¯ is triggered. Affection increases more significantly.] [Kalde¡¯s affection has increased.] ¡®Huh, what¡¯s this?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t supposed to be easy to raise Kalde¡¯s affection, but this was an unexpected reward. Not that it would do much with a slight increase in affection, but at least he wouldn¡¯t hear any bad words. In fact, Kalde looked quite satisfied. He was even approaching with a rare smile. ¡°I¡¯ll give you your reward as promised. It¡¯s just the right time, so thanks to you, my research will speed up.¡± Ding. [You have cleared the quest Mutant Goblin¡¯s Blood.] [As a reward, you receive 1 gold, arge amount of experience points, and a silver ring crafted by Kalde.] [You have leveled up.] [You have leveled up.] He instantly leveled up twice, reaching level 12, and just as he expected, a new quest appeared. [You have met the requirements.] [A warp to the main continent has opened.] [To use the warp, you must pass the Trial of the Continent.] [Novice Graduation] -Grade: Trial 0 -Description: You have earned the qualifications to graduate from the novice city of Arde. You may now move to the main continent via the warp at the edge of the city. -Clear Condition: Reach level 12 -Clear Reward: Low-grade skill draw ticket -Time Limit: None. The so-called graduation quest. This quest appeared for users who reached the graduation level for each city, and only bypleting it could they move to the next city. True to its name, ¡°Trial,¡± the further along it was, the more difficult the quests became. As such, rankings were determined by the results of the graduation, with rewards varying based on rank¡­ [You have passed Trial 0.] [Trial 0 is not recorded on the ranking.] [You may now move to the main continent.] [You have received a ¡®Low-grade Skill Draw Ticket¡¯ as a reward.] ¡®The novice city certainly makes things convenient.¡¯ This wasn¡¯t a concern in Arde. Using the warp was so simple that even a child could do it. ¡°Finally¡­!¡± ¡°Everyone worked hard. Kaiser-nim¡­ you also worked very hard!¡± ¡°Thank you for your efforts.¡± The party, slightly excited, showed their tion, understandable since they could finally move to the main continent. ¡®Finally, the main continent.¡¯ The stage where all content was unlocked, and unlike the novice city, it was a global tform where all races gathered. A vast continent where countless adventures and mysterious otherworldlyndscapes unfolded, iparable to Arde. Only after stepping foot on the main continent could one truly experience God of Savior. ¡®I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡¯ How much more fun would it be on the main stage of the main continent? Unlike the rather gloomy DemRock, the future civilization in the main continent made it even more exciting. The feelings Do-hyeon had when he first started in DemRock were tickling his chest again. He was barely able to contain his excitement when¡­ ¡°With your level of skill¡­ you¡¯ll be fine.¡± Kalde approached them with a casual remark. The party, still excited, froze and looked at Kalde. Kalde was famous for waving his hand dismissively after giving out rewards, as if it was too much of a bother. It was said that some users had even picked fights with him because of his attitude. Of course, after a few users had their rewards confiscated, no one dared to challenge him again. And they always said the same thing. ¡®He¡¯s ridiculously strong.¡¯ So strong that people questioned whether he was truly an alchemist. Even though Do-hyeon¡¯s party had just reached level 12, they had heard that a group of four had once been thoroughly beaten by him, unable to even touch him. His home and everything else about him were shrouded in mystery, but¡­ Since his name wasn¡¯t well-known even on the main continent, people didn¡¯t pay him much attention. ¡®What does he want?¡¯ It was curious that such a figure was approaching them with a request. What happened next was even more puzzling. ¡°Take one each.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What is¡­?¡± Before they knew it, Kalde had approached them and handed something to each of them. It was a letter. Or more urately, it looked like a postcard. At that moment. Ding. [You have met special conditions and received a reward.] [You have acquired ¡®Postcard with Kalde¡¯s Handwriting¡¯.] [Postcard with Kalde¡¯s Handwriting] -Rank: Rare+ -Description: A postcard with Kalde¡¯s handwriting. ¡®¡­A special reward?¡¯ Do-hyeon paused at the sudden message and then nodded. In DemRock, there were sometimes quests that contained hidden conditions. And those who met those conditions were given special rewards. Naturally, God of Savior, which had taken many elements from DemRock, had such a system as well. ¡®This must be a reward for users who rank within the time limit.¡¯ No wonder the rankers fought so hard to secure a spot in the rankings. Since these were hidden pieces, the rewards were often quite substantial. ¡®I¡¯m not sure what this will be used for, but¡­¡¯ Since it was a special reward and of rare+ grade, it would likelye in handy at some point. Items like this were often used as materials for something else. ¡°Wow¡­ what is this? It¡¯s rare+?¡± ¡°I was just happy with the title and the item, but this is an unexpected bonus.¡± Even YubinKkyung and AimForTheForehead widened their eyes, checking the system window in surprise. When their eyes met Do-hyeon¡¯s, they flinched and quickly nced around. At that moment, it was BestShield who stepped forward first. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Even though Do-hyeon responded as if unsure why BestShield was thanking him, thetter continued to speak. ¡°Thanks to you, we received rewards beyond what we deserved. And also¡­¡± BestShield, who had paused for a moment, made direct eye contact with Do-hyeon. There was a sense of pride and gratitude in his clear eyes, along with a certain indescribable satisfaction. Seeing him hesitate as if conflicted about something, Do-hyeon tilted his head, prompting BestShield to quickly add. ¡°¡­Really, thank you. In many ways.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you so much.¡± ¡°If you ever need our help, please let us know, hyung-nim! We¡¯ll drop everything ande to you!¡± YubinKkyung and AimForTheForehead joined in, repeatedly expressing their gratitude. The sincerity in their voices and eyes conveyed more than mere thanks, it even contained admiration. It wasn¡¯t just that they were grateful for the rewards; their reaction seemed almost excessive. ¡®Why are they acting like this all of a sudden?¡¯ Unaware of their changing feelings, Do-hyeon felt burdened by their gratitude. Avoiding their eager gazes, he nodded lightly, and their faces instantly lit up. Afterward, as they eagerly chatted like little chicks, Do-hyeon shifted his focus to the card pack in front of him. [Would you like to use your Low-grade Skill Draw Ticket?] ¡®Finally, the moment hase.¡¯ Skill draws, regarded as the highlight of God of Savior. It was the moment Do-hyeon had been waiting for since he left the Pantheon. With a grin, Do-hyeon used the draw ticket, and a soft light burst out, causing ten cards to appear. ¡®The difference is big.¡¯ After seeing the cards from the Pantheon, the skill card pack felt noticeablycking, and its impact was weak. But that wasn¡¯t the point right now. As Do-hyeon stared at the cards, a message popped up, and a change urred. [The Eye of Truth is activated.] ¡®Got it¡­!¡¯ The Eye of Truth activated again, revealing the colors of the cards. Unlike before, there were no shy colors. The dull brown, resembling rotten wood, was the only thing catching Do-hyeon¡¯s attention. The low-grade skill draw ticket only showed normal-ranked cards, so this was expected. But even so, Do-hyeon couldn¡¯t help but feel excited. ¡®So the Eye of Truth works on skill draws as well.¡¯ With this, it was confirmed that the Eye of Truth wasn¡¯t only for god draws but applied to all draws. Being able to make guaranteed draws in every situation was something to be overjoyed about. ¡®They say the skill draw tickets only reveal cards rted to your ss.¡¯ This was why God of Savior wasn¡¯t criticized despite its reliance on luck. Skill draw tickets were non-tradable, and it was excruciatingly difficult to obtain high-grade skills, but at least the system guaranteed you skills you could use. For warriors, sword-rted skills appeared, for mages, magic-rted ones, and for production sses, skills suitable for their professions¡­ What kind of skills would Do-hyeon get? Swoosh. With a heart full of anticipation, he reached out, and soon the card flipped, emitting a subtle, earthy glow. Chapter 23 Chapter 23 [You have acquired the skill ¡®Rush sh¡¯.] [Rush sh] ¨C Rank: Common ¨C Restriction: Swordsman ss ¨C Description: Allows you to rush in a chosen direction while swinging your sword once. ¨C Effect: Deals 150% damage based on your attack power. The distance moved is proportional to your movement speed. The faster the attack speed, the quicker it is activated. ¨C Cooldown: 10 seconds ¡°Wow!¡± Do-hyeon eximed in admiration after checking the skill information. His ss allowed him to use any skill from any profession. Given that, it was possible he could have received a magic or archery-rted skill, but fortunately, he had lucked into a sword-rted skill. ¡®Rush sh isn¡¯t bad at all.¡¯ No, it wasn¡¯t just ¡°not bad.¡± Aside from it being a sword-rted skill, its utility was quite remarkable for amon skill. Even if the power itself was unimpressive, the skill¡¯s trait of being able to sh while moving made it highly versatile. It could be used to linkbos, interrupt enemies¡¯ skills, and so much more. The short cooldown meant there was almost no risk involved, and it could even be used as a movement skill in emergencies. ¡®I used it a lot when I yed DemRock.¡¯ Thanks to his incredibly bad luck back then, he had been forced to maximize the use of low-tier skills, and none were as valuable as Rush sh. And now, that skill had returned to Do-hyeon¡¯s hands. ¡®Let¡¯s work together well again.¡¯ Of course, he wasn¡¯t as reliant on it as he was before, but still. With a faint smile, Do-hyeon closed the system window. But his inventory remained open. Naturally. [Random Skill Draw Ticket] ¡®One more to go.¡¯ In God of Savior, a random skill draw ticket was given every 10 levels. This ticket could randomly generate a skill, ranging from Common to Legendary rank. Naturally, Do-hyeon, who had reached level 10 after clearing the dungeon, had received one, and he had saved it to use it in peace after reaching the vige. [Would you like to use the Random Skill Draw Ticket?] And now was the time to use it. ¡°Sure.¡± When he used the ticket, ten cards floated into view, and the Eye of Truth activated, emitting a blinding light. Squinting his eyes shut at the brilliance, Do-hyeon silently prayed. ¡®Golden light, please, golden light¡­¡¯ Then, when he opened his eyes, he was greeted by a sight that made them widen in astonishment. [Your ytime limit has been reached.] [You will be forcibly logged out in 5 seconds.] ¡°No, no way¡­!¡± The ytime limit. It was a system designed to prevent yers from losing track of time and bing addicted¡ªor worse, dying from starvation¡ªwhile ying the hyper-realistic God of Savior. It was something he had also experienced back in DemRock, so there was no reason to be surprised. However¡­ ¡®Has it really been 10 hours already?¡¯ The time limit was quite generous, so he hadn¡¯t expected it to run out so quickly. It made no sense to him that he¡¯d used up all his time just graduating from Arde. Hadn¡¯t he cleared the dungeon faster than any other party? Even the Goblin hunting had been less of a hunt and more of a ughter¡­ ¡®Ah.¡¯ Suddenly, a memory of the tutorial shed through his mind. He remembered how he had spent more than 6 hours on it. As the memory came back to him, his reasoning clicked into ce, and he quickly assessed the situation. [3¡­] [2¡­] There were only 2 seconds left. ¡®The card! I need to pick a card quickly!¡¯ Do-hyeon¡¯s eyes darted over the variously glowing cards. His gaze finally settled on one card. ¡®This is it!¡¯ The moment he picked the card¡ª Whoosh¡ª! A dazzling light erupted, revealing the skill card¡¯s information. Ding¡ª. [You have been forcibly logged out as your ytime limit has been reached.] At the same time, Do-hyeon¡¯s vision went ck. That was hisst memory from the first day in God of Savior. And as Do-hyeon suddenly disappeared, vanishing in a burst of light, his absence left the rest of the party¡ªBestShield¡¯s group¡ªmomentarily frozen, like machines that had just run out of battery. ¡°Uh¡­?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Their reactions came a few secondster. ¡°Wh-what the heck? Did Kaiser just log out?¡± ¡°No, he was drawing a skill card, and then suddenly¡­?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t Kaiser drawing a skill card just now?¡± Surprised, BestShield checked the party list, shaking his head after a moment. Kaiser¡¯s name had disappeared from the list. Looking a bit flustered, AimForTheForehead and YubinKkyung mumbled in confusion. ¡°If he logged out while drawing a skill card¡­ he probably got disconnected, right?¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯t reconnected yet, so his ytime limit must¡¯ve run out.¡± ¡°Oh, right. Wait, but how did he finish so early?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­? Maybe he spent a long time on character creation?¡± Having yed with him since level 1, they knew that the only exnation could be the tutorial. They couldn¡¯t have imagined that he¡¯d spent over 6 hours on it, so they just shrugged it off. YubinKkyung and AimForTheForehead sighed softly as they finished grasping the situation. ¡°It¡¯s a shame we couldn¡¯t properly say goodbye.¡± ¡°Yeah. I really wanted to leave a strong impression on him.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you already? Not everyone nearly wipes out on their first hunt.¡± ¡°You wanna fight?¡± The two of them bickered as usual, but there was still a hint of regret in their expressions. BestShield felt the same. When he had thanked Do-hyeon earlier, he had hesitated to ask if he could send him a friend request. But before he could make the request, the connection was severed, leaving him with lingering regret. ¡®No, maybe it¡¯s for the best.¡¯ But BestShield steadied his thoughts. He was only human, and the thought of bing friends with the legendary Kaiser was certainly appealing. More than that, however, it was because Kaiser as a person shone too brightly. It was only natural for someone like that to inspire admiration. Still¡­ ¡®Asking for anything more would be greedy.¡¯ He had already received so much help; asking to be friends would feel shameless. Friends were supposed to be mutually beneficial, after all. And right now, he didn¡¯t see any way he could possibly help Kaiser. Even if that weren¡¯t the case, it could lead to unnecessary greed. He didn¡¯t want to foster such feelings toward someone who had generously let their mistakes slide. ¡®This is how it should be.¡¯ With his mind made up, BestShield spoke up. ¡°How did today go for you guys?¡± ¡°Today? It was amazing! We met Kaiser, and we got first ce in the rankings with him. It couldn¡¯t have been better!¡± ¡°It was so much fun. I can see why people call this game God of Savior.¡± The two who had been bickering earlier were now all smiles, their faces glowing with excitement. It was clear that, like him, they had also be deeply invested in the game. He had expected that from AimForTheForehead, but YubinKkyung falling for it like this was a surprise¡­ Nodding, BestShield suddenly spoke in a more serious tone. ¡°Let¡¯s grow stronger, quickly.¡± His words made YubinKkyung and AimForTheForehead freeze for a moment. AimForTheForehead stared at him before letting out a smallugh. Though no words were exchanged, it was clear what they were thinking. With a shrug, AimForTheForehead answered in a lighter tone. ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s grow stronger so we can carry Kaiser next time.¡± ¡°Right. I feel a bit guilty for only receiving help.¡± ¡°With that in mind, let¡¯s hurry up and get to the maind. Before I carry Kaiser, I¡¯ll carry you two first.¡± ¡°No, thanks.¡± The mood lightened again as BestShield exchanged looks with AimForTheForehead, a small smile forming on his lips. And in that smile, there was a hint of anticipation. ¡®Yeah, I¡¯ll definitely meet him again.¡¯ Perhaps in the next city, Raven. Things would be different after the City of Promise, Brion, but as they progressed through the higher-tier content, there would inevitably be times when they crossed paths. Some of the graduation quests and raids were like that. So¡­ ¡®By then, things will be different.¡¯ With that hope in mind, BestShield moved toward the warp gate. ¡°To the maind, then.¡± ¡°Okay. No one can stop me until my ytime limit is up.¡± ¡°I¡¯ming too!¡± With those words, BestShield and hispanions disappeared in a sh of light as they warped to the maind. * * * Meanwhile, at Do-hyeon¡¯s house. His little sister, Hyun-ah, was not in a good mood. ¡°Hyun-ah~ If your brother¡¯s home, can you call him out for me?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ It¡¯s a crucial scene right now.¡± ¡°Quickly~.¡± ¡°Sigh, fine.¡± She had been waiting for her drama to start ten minutes early, and now, during the climax of the episode, her mother Chae Mi-sook had asked her to call her annoying brother. It was all because the kitchen and his room were the farthest apart. As much as she wanted to keep watching, she knew that if she didn¡¯t listen, she¡¯d be subjected to a smack on the back and a reduction in her allowance, so she wisely chose toply. ¡°What the heck is he doing, not even responding to messages? Is he still ying that game?¡± It was already 10 PM. Surely, he wasn¡¯t still ying, but knowing her brother, it was definitely possible. He was an absolute gaming addict. He rarely hung out with friends, and the only things he ever did were working out and ying games. As soon as she opened the door to his room, her suspicions were confirmed. Sure enough, the capsule sat there, greeting her. ¡°Tch, of course.¡± Clicking her tongue, Hyun-ah shook her head. ¡®I¡¯ll just tell him to do it tomorrow.¡¯ If their mother¡¯s request had been urgent, she would¡¯ve told her to bring him out immediately. Besides, if she forcibly interrupted him now, he¡¯d probably throw a fit. She could message him through the God of Savior app, but there was no way her friendless brother would¡¯ve installed something like that on the first day. Hyun-ah figured she had done enough, and that her mother wouldn¡¯t be upset with her. Whoosh¡ª She turned to leave the room when suddenly¡ª Fwoosh¡ª! ¡°Ahh!!¡± ¡°Kyaaah!¡± The sudden hissing sound and her brother¡¯s scream made her shriek, startled. Her reaction wasn¡¯t enough to express how shocked she was, as she jumped like a spring and stepped back to figure out where the noise hade from. It came from the capsule¡ªmore specifically, from her brother inside it. ¡°You crazy idiot! Why the hell are you screaming? You almost gave me a heart attack!¡± She yelled at him, but Do-hyeon didn¡¯t seem to hear her. He just sat there, staring nkly into space, muttering to himself. ¡°Wow, f¡­ Wow¡­¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s exactly how I feel. Stop acting weird and get out. Mom¡¯s calling you.¡± Hyun-ah¡¯s voice reached him, but it didn¡¯t register in Do-hyeon¡¯s mind. It was impossible for him to pay attention. Because the brilliant color of the skill card he had seen earlier was still vivid in his mind. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Can¡¯t you hear me? Hello?¡± ¡°¡­¡± No matter how much she waved her hand in front of him, Do-hyeon waspletely oblivious. Suddenly jumping out of the capsule, screaming, cursing, and then zoning out? This was far from normal behavior, and Hyun-ah, ever the straightforward person, expressed her thoughts out loud. ¡°Mom! Mom! Something¡¯s wrong with my brother! I think he¡¯s finally lost it from gaming!¡± ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t talk about your brother like that!¡± ¡°No, seriously! He¡¯s acting really weird! Should we take him to the hospital?¡± Leaving behind the voices of Hyun-ah and their mother, Chae Mi-sook, Do-hyeon sat there with the most serious look on his face, lost deep in thought. If Rodin had seen him, the inspiration for The Thinker would have surely changed. ¡®That brilliant color¡­ If I didn¡¯t see wrong, it was gold.¡¯ What was driving Do-hyeon into such contemtion was none other than this. ¡®Or was it? It seemed a little pale, not quite as dazzling as gold, maybe it was just yellow¡­ Hmm, no, but it was bright enough, wasn¡¯t it?¡¯ Whether it was yellow or gold. That was the deciding factor between an Epic and a Legendary skill¡ªa crucial question. Either way, it was a happy problem to have, but the difference between winning first or second ce in the lottery was enough to keep him preupied. Especially since he had never gotten a Legendary skill in DemRock. The thought of potentially obtaining his first-ever Legendary skill kept him in endless contemtion. ¡®Ah, if only I had one more second¡­ no, just half a second longer¡­ Why did it have to log me out right when the light was shing?¡¯ His chain of thoughts was finally broken only after his mother¡¯s scolding, dragged into his room by Hyun-ah¡¯s persistent nagging. Chapter 24 Chapter 24 The small incident passed, and the next day arrived. [Iris recognition in progress.] [ID card verification in progress.] [ID card verified.] [Synchronizationplete.] [Would you like to log into God of Savior?] ¡°Yes. Quickly.¡± Kang Do-hyeon, staring at the message that popped up as usual, looked urgent to anyone watching. And for a good reason. ¡®I need to check quickly.¡¯ He could finally resolve the concern that had been troubling him all day yesterday. He wanted to check the skill as soon as possible. Whether the system knew Do-hyeon¡¯s feelings or not, it responded leisurely, speaking in a soft tone. [Wee to Paradise of Adventure.] [Enjoy your journey.] With that, his vision flickered, and when the scenery unfolded, Do-hyeon clenched his fist. The backdrop wasn¡¯t the beautiful city, as he had left Kalde¡¯s house to roll for skills, but the back alley didn¡¯t bother him at all. ¡°Skill window.¡± The only thing on his mind was confirming the skill. Ding¨C. [You have unconfirmed skills.] [Would you like to check them?] It seemed even the system was on the same page as him for once, eager to check the skills. Without hesitation, he epted, and the skill window appeared. As soon as he saw the color, his eyes widened, and he froze in shock. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The answer to the dilemma that had kept him awake all night wasn¡¯t gold but yellow. ¡®No wonder the color seemed a bit faint¡­¡¯ Well, objectively speaking, yellow was still great. It was a Hero-grade skill, after all. In his days as DemRock, Do-hyeon¡¯s highest skill grade was Hero, and now he had one this early in the game. How could he not be pleased? However¡­ ¡®I thought I might get a Legendary for once.¡¯ It was like when one number was missing from hitting the lottery jackpot. You wait a whole day, hoping for first ce, only to end up with second. And what if that one number seemed to match the first-ce memory you had? The disappointment came from the hope he had briefly held of possibly obtaining his first Legendary-grade skill. Still, his mental recovery was quick. ¡®I¡¯ve been too greedytely.¡¯ When had his luck ever been so good? Recently, everything had been going his way so easily that he¡¯d growncent. The odds of getting a Legendary skill, which was notoriously difficult, on his first try were impossible. How high could the chances of finding a Legendary within just ten draws be? Most people don¡¯t even get a rare-grade skill from their first random draw. To get a Hero-grade one was incredibly fortunate. No, it wasn¡¯t just fortunate¡ªhe should be bowing down in thanks. ¡®Yeah, a Hero-grade skill is more than enough for my current level.¡¯ Once he calmed down, he grew curious about what he had received. Wasn¡¯t this his first Hero-grade skill in God of Savior? [Skills Owned] -Rushing sh -Backstab ¡®Huh? Backstab?¡¯ Do-hyeon hesitated as he checked the skill list. If his memory was correct, this skill was¡­ His thoughts racing, Do-hyeon quickly pulled up the skill¡¯s information. [Backstab] -Grade: Hero -Requirement: Assassin ss -Description: Assassination hinges on how well one can seize their target¡¯s back. Confuse the enemy by catching them from behind and deliver stronger damage. -Effect: Move behind a target within a certain range. At this moment, the target is marked for a set duration, during which you can use the skill again. If used again, you will move behind the target once more and deal a critical strike based on the umted damage dealt to the target. -Cooldown: 50 seconds ¡®Just as I thought¡­!¡¯ After checking the skill, Do-hyeon clenched his fist in excitement. Backstab. A signature Assassin skill that made ranged dealers despise Assassins. No matter how much distance they put between them, an Assassin could chase them twice with a single skill and even y mind games. It was an absurdly overpowered skill. If a dealer tried to face off with the Assassin and got caught in abo, they would be hit by an amplified critical strike. Even if they ran, the Assassin would relentlessly chase after them, leaving dealers no choice but to hate Assassins. It made sense, considering Assassins were designed to specialize in one-on-onebat, with a skill set designed to infuriate. Even Do-hyeon had found Assassins to be a nuisance, like annoying flies. ¡®But now that¡¯s my skill?¡¯ In DemRock, there had been amon saying about Backstab. If a non-Assassin melee ss had Backstab, it would be an unparalleled, broken skill. Assassins were beasts in PvP but terrible in raids, hence the saying. For that reason, when Do-hyeon had first checked the Adventurer¡¯s unique abilities, Backstab was one of the skill sets he had immediately thought of. However, Backstab was not amon skill, even among Assassins. It was a rare skill with a high grade, difficult to acquire. So, he hadn¡¯t expected much. He thought it would be nice to get it someday, but that was about it. ¡®And now I¡¯ve got it this soon.¡¯ With both Rushing sh and Backstab in his arsenal, no ranged dealer would be able to breathe in front of Do-hyeon. If he could acquire a few more skills, he would be an all-around top-tier dealer in both PvP and PvE. Collecting andbining useful skills from various sses¡ª That was the true strength of the Adventurer. ¡®Hah¡­ I¡¯m d I got this ss.¡¯ He sincerely thought so. If someone else had gotten such a ss, people would have sent countlessints about the game¡¯s bnce being broken. And what? Was he disappointed because it wasn¡¯t a Legendary skill? ¡®I was arrogant, oh great Kashiar¡­¡¯ As if he had never harbored such impudent thoughts, Do-hyeon chastised his former self for his arrogance. If Kashiar had seen this, he might have clicked his tongue in disapproval, but Do-hyeon was simply happy. After a brief moment of joyous reflection, ¡°Equip item.¡± He equipped the Warrior Set he hadn¡¯t worn before logging off. Then, Do-hyeon opened the customization system. This system disyed his character in a full-body mirror. ¡°Oh, not bad.¡± The Do-hyeon reflected in the mirror looked quite different from before. Though still leather material, the rare-grade armor seemed sturdier, with a crimson hue, as if soaked in blood, and the epaulets had a touch of ck, serving as a striking ent. His ne was red, and the Goblin Belt leaned towards ck, which aesthetically worked quite well. Clink. The finishing touch was the massive, crimson greatsword in both hands. With his overall appearance dominated by red and ck, wielding a sword as big as himself, he now looked far more intimidating. At least no one would think he was a weakling anymore. [Warrior Set applied.] -3set: When facing Goblin-type enemies, applies ¡°Intimidation¡± effect. Additional damage to Goblins +7%, all stats +2. No one would dare see a graduate of Arde in the Warrior Set as weak. And that wasn¡¯t all. [Equipped: Silver Ring crafted by Kalde.] [Silver Ring crafted by Kalde] -Grade: Rare -Description: A silver ring handcrafted by Kalde. Though the materials are ordinary, the craftsmanship is exceptional, giving it high value. -Level requirement: 12 -Equip restriction: None -Physical Defense: 57 -Magic Resistance: 41 -Sensitivity +1 -Magic +2 -Mana recovery speed +6% Though it was only 6%, the fact that it came with a mana recovery speed option was valuable. It had stats like Sensitivity and Magic, which melee sses would typically be disappointed with, but Do-hyeon found it eptable. Sensitivity was always nice to have, and Magic mighte in handy someday. [yer: Kaiser] [Level: 12] [HP: 1,870 / 2,050] [MP: 350 / 500] [Stamina: 190 / 350] [ss: Final Adventurer ] [Titles (3)] -Max Favorability From the Start? -First yer -Throne of Time Attack [Stats] Remaining Points: 0 ¡®Hmm. Very nice.¡¯ Satisfied, Do-hyeon checked his now greatly enhanced status window and nodded. With that, his business in Arde was over. ¡®Now, let¡¯s move on.¡¯ All that was left was to head to the Main Continent. As he stood in front of the warp portal, a message appeared. [You have met the requirements.] [Would you like to move to the Main Continent?] [Once you move to the Main Continent, you cannot return to Arde.] ¡°Yes.¡± [You will be transported to the first city of the Main Continent, Raven, shortly.] [5¡­¡­.] As the warm light wrapped around him, a memory suddenly popped into Do-hyeon¡¯s mind, causing him to pause. ¡®Come to think of it, I didn¡¯t even say goodbye yesterday and just left.¡¯ It was only now that he remembered his final encounter with BestShield and the others, which he had forgotten about due to his preupation with his skill dilemma. Maybe it was because it was his first party here, or perhaps because they had fought the boss together, but he felt a slight pang of guilt. However, he quickly shrugged it off. ¡®Well, if it¡¯s meant to be, we¡¯ll meet again.¡¯ After all, Do-hyeon had always been a solo yer. Even hispanions had started as chance encounters. They had randomly formed a party, and it wasn¡¯t as though they had stuck together from the very beginning. It was just that their paths crossed so often that they naturally ended up staying together and eventually becamerades. Looking back, it was amazing that such unique people had gathered together in the first ce. So, if fate brought him and BestShield together again, they would meet. If not, it wasn¡¯t meant to be. With that thought, Do-hyeon quickly brushed away any lingering regrets. Instead, what filled his mind was the adventure thaty ahead. ¡®Let¡¯s see how well this ce is made.¡¯ With that anticipation, Do-hyeon closed his eyes. [2¡­¡­.] [1¡­¡­.] [Transferring to the Main Continent.] When he opened his eyes, a whole new world unfolded before him. Every yer who graduates from Arde steps onto the Main Continent with high expectations. Unlike the small, quaint Arde, the expansive world of Abtartel was waiting to wee them. How could they not be excited? And this excitement was universal, regardless of nationality. Korea, the United States, Russia, China, Japan, India, Australia¡­ No matter where they were from, yers from all over the world gathered here, full of dreams and expectations. Unlike Arde, where servers were divided by country, the Main Continent was where everyone came together to form parties. That was the Main Continent, and its starting point was the city of Raven. ¡°Wow¡­! This is insane.¡± ¡°This is the ss of the Main Continent?¡± ¡°It¡¯s on apletely different level. Unreal. Wow, look at the size of this ce.¡± ¡°There are so many foreigners here. It feels like I¡¯m overseas or something.¡± Every yer who arrived in Raven couldn¡¯t help but gape in pure astonishment. The sheer scale was overwhelming, iparable to Arde. A vast, open sky and a colossal central fountain that looked like a waterfall pouring down from the heavens. The advanced architecture and the sight of countless people moving about. Clomp. Clomp. Clomp. Clomp. ¡°Clear the way!¡± ¡°The Raven Knights have returned from their mission!¡± A group of knights, waving banners, rode through the bustling streets. It was a scene straight out of a fantasy world. ¡°Hey, move it!¡± ¡°Catch that man!¡± ¡°What? Why are you after me?! I didn¡¯t do anything!¡± ¡°What did you say? A scoundrel like you dared to harass ady and attempt such vile acts?! Throw him in jail at once!¡± Among the chaos, there were asional scenes of criminals being apprehended by the city guards, which only added to the novelty. At least in the cities, the Main Continent was strict aboutw and order, and it showed. The yers watching this chaotic city scene couldn¡¯t help but marvel. ¡°This is God of Savior¡­¡± ¡°No wonder they say the real game starts on the Main Continent.¡± Afterpleting the tutorial and hunting in Arde, many yers had begun to think they had a handle on God of Savior, but now they realized they had merely been in a small pond. Do-hyeon was no exception. ¡®Wow¡­¡¯ He was speechless. He had been expecting something grand, but this far exceeded his expectations. He had thought highly of DemRock¡¯s quality, but now he understood why the developers had been so confident. -God of Savior willpletely fill the void that virtual reality has left behind. ¡®As much as I hate to admit it, they were right.¡¯ Looking at this scenery, who could deny it wasn¡¯t virtual reality? Who could not be satisfied with this? God of Savior wasn¡¯t just a metaphor¡ªit was truly another world. A world where yers had been invited. What snapped Do-hyeon out of his daze were the shouts of the NPCs. ¡°Hey, sir! Try Raven¡¯s famous Ashen Ale! It¡¯ll go perfectly with that red outfit of yours!¡± ¡°Oh no, you shouldn¡¯t be drinking this early in the day! Come to my shop instead, and I¡¯ll give you a great deal!¡± ¡°Who eats red lobster on a date? A real man eats hot Gina Pig Soup!¡± ¡°Forget that! Shopping is the way to go~! We¡¯ve got lots of new arrivals, soe check them out, handsome!¡± The vendors, catching the scent of a clueless neer in Do-hyeon, shouted over each other, trying to lure him to their shops. They knew that many of the new arrivals in Raven would forget about hunting and get lost in sightseeing. ¡®Now I see why everyone gets so captivated.¡¯ People spend hundreds of dors and fly for 10 hours just to experience new ces on overseas trips. But here, a whole newndscape unfolds just by logging into a capsule. Who wouldn¡¯t want to explore? As curious as Do-hyeon was, though¡­ ¡®I can do all thatter.¡¯ There was something else that interested him more right now. ¡®I need to test my skills.¡¯ Like most yers who arrived in Raven after using only basic skills, Do-hyeon was eager to try out the two new skills he had obtained. And the items he had just acquired. [Entering the Main Continent has unlocked systems that were previously locked.] [The beginner benefits have ended, and you can now ess various features such as the arena, duels, and workshops.] [The first city, Raven, marks the beginning. Enjoy your adventures in the vast world of the Main Continent.] [Tip: If you¡¯re the victim of a crime in Raven, don¡¯t hesitate to report it to the guards!] Do-hyeon turned away from the cheerful messages weing him to the Main Continent. He had to head to the hunting grounds as quickly as possible. ¡®Let¡¯s get going.¡¯ Just as he stretched his hands and started heading out of the city, he stopped. ¡®¡­I should at least pick up a quest.¡¯ As much as he was eager to hunt, quests were essential. It would be foolish not to collect free experience points. Using a guidebook, Do-hyeon carefully picked up some appropriate quests before finally heading out of the city. Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Raven had two entrances. The eastern gate, called the main entrance, and the western gate, called the back entrance. Among these, the first ce that yers entering Raven used as a hunting ground was the grasnds outside the eastern gate. [Raven Grasnds] The first hunting ground yers encounter on the main continent, and also the most unremarkable one. As its reputation suggested, even the monsters were ordinary. Various types of goblins from different tribes, such as Red Goblins and Blue Goblins, appeared here. The only difference from Arde was that, due to the variety of tribes, the weapons and attack methods used by the goblins were unique. ¡®It¡¯s not for nothing that this ce is considered the most average hunting ground on the main continent.¡¯ In other words, it was an easy ce to get ustomed to. For yers who had just graduated from the beginner city, there was no better ce than this. This was also the reason the Warrior Set was highly valued and known as Arde¡¯s graduation item. ¨C 3set: When facing goblin types, it grants a ¡°Dominance¡± effect. Additional damage +7% against goblin types, and all stats +2. ¡®There¡¯s nothing better against goblins.¡¯ Not only could it inflict status effects on goblins, but it also added extra damage efficiently. With a grin, Do-hyeon walked through the middle of the grasnds. Goblins from different tribes were scattered all around, but none dared to attack him. [The Warrior Set¡¯s effect causes ¡®Dominance¡¯ on enemies.] [The Red Goblin feels an unknown fear.] ¡­¡­ [The Blue Goblin¡¯s morale drops.] It was the effect of ¡°Dominance.¡± While it didn¡¯t specifically lower stats or cause stun effects, reducing morale was an important oue. ¡®Once they shrink back, their judgment slows, and that soon shows in their actions.¡¯ Moreover, walking through the heart of the hunting ground, he didn¡¯t have to worry about being ambushed. This was why morale was emphasized in war. He felt a bit like a bully beating up goblins that didn¡¯t seem willing to fight back, but these creatures were naturally the aggressors. For those without the Warrior Set, these goblins would have been the true bullies. ¡®Red Goblins have high attack power, and Blue Goblins have high health, right?¡¯ It seemed fitting to test the Blue Goblins. Having made up his mind, Do-hyeon immediately used a skill. [Using the skill ¡®Charge sh¡¯.] Instantly, his body slid forward. Despite wielding arge sword, his speed was impressive. Thanks to the ne and title effects, his speed had increased by 15%. Whoosh-! Kirrk!? Kirrk!! As the distance rapidly closed, the Blue Goblins, who had been cautiously watching him, were startled and tried to back away. But unfortunately for the one at the front, it didn¡¯t even have time to react. sh! In the blink of an eye, it was already cut down. And right after that: Ding- [The Warrior Set¡¯s effect inflicts additional damage.] [You have defeated a Blue Goblin.] ¡°Huh?¡± The Blue Goblin disappeared, leaving behind a cheerful notification sound. It had been killed in a single blow. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that.¡± Do-hyeon was momentarily taken aback. The Blue Goblins had 1.5 times more health than other goblins. Compared to the Green Goblins in Arde, their health was over twice as high. Yet, he had killed it in one strike. With nothing more than a single Charge sh, which wasn¡¯t even a particrly special skill. ¡®Is this the power of the Warrior Set?¡¯ In truth, it wasn¡¯t solely due to the set. While the 7% additional damage was significant, Do-hyeon¡¯s raw stats had also increased immensely since his time in Arde. Moreover, he was no longer using a rusty iron sword but a rare+ grade greatsword, which made a big difference. Considering that greatswords were among the highest in terms of attack power, it was only natural that his damage output was so overwhelming. [By defeating the enemy, the attack power of the Mutant Goblin Warrior¡¯s Red Greatsword increases.] The remarkable thing was that his power would continue to grow the more he hunted. Though the bonus would diminish if he didn¡¯t kill an enemy within 10 minutes, there was no better option for dominating weaker opponents. Do-hyeon wasn¡¯t the only one reacting to the incredible performance. Kirr¡­ Kirrk! Rather than rushing at him, the remaining Blue Goblins began trembling and retreating, even though theirrade had just died. A behavior unlike the usually aggressive goblins. Already demoralized by the ¡®Dominance¡¯ effect, seeing the one-shot kill seemed to havepletely shattered their resolve. ¡°Wow¡­ What¡¯s up with that guy? Didn¡¯t he just kill one in a single blow?¡± ¡°What? No way, you must have seen it wrong. There¡¯s no way a Blue Goblin would die from one hit.¡± ¡°No, really¡­ It just died after a single sh.¡± Do-hyeon could hear yers whispering around him. Fortunately, not many had seen the whole event clearly, so most didn¡¯t believe it. But, on the other hand, it was a testament to how extraordinary the event was. Perhaps because of this, the conversation soon shifted topics. ¡°But, what¡¯s with that guy¡¯s outfit? Why is it so red?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, that¡¯s the Warrior Set! Look, even the goblins are cowering.¡± ¡°Warrior Set? What¡¯s that?¡± However, the topic still centered around Do-hyeon, which was a bit of a problem. ¡°It¡¯s a graduation item from Arde¡­ It¡¯s hard to get because there aren¡¯t many on the market, so only rich yers usually have it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s that rare? How much is it?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ It¡¯ll probably cost at least a thousand dors. Most yers don¡¯t spend that much here since the gear bes useless once you move to the next city.¡± ¡°Ah, so why buy it then?¡± ¡°Well, here, its performance is unbeatable. It¡¯s a beast against goblins¡­ That¡¯s why rich yers buy it to level up quickly¡­ Tsk.¡± The man clicked his tongue in frustration, muttering under his breath. ¡°Seriously, it¡¯s all about money here, too.¡± ¡°Looking at it more will just make me jealous. Let¡¯s go somewhere else.¡± As the woman tried to soothe the man and led him away, Do-hyeon scratched his head. ¡®Hmm. I didn¡¯t spend a single cent, though.¡¯ Though he had been misunderstood, he didn¡¯t feel particrly bad about it. Spending money would at least be honest; in his case, he was literally cheating the system. If he were in their shoes, he¡¯d probably feel resentful too. ¡®More importantly¡­ It does feel different from Arde.¡¯ Unlike Arde, where everyone was focused on grouping up and working together, here, everyone felt like strangers. Some yers hunted in parties, while others didn¡¯t. But there seemed to be a clear divide between them. It made sense, though. Since experience points were split in parties, solo y was obviously better in theory. However, about two-thirds of yers still preferred party y. ¡®They have no choice.¡¯ Without a party, it was tough to hunt. Which meant those who were soloing had better skills, traits, or items than those in parties. No wonder the man earlier had been annoyed by seeing Do-hyeon soloing in a Warrior Set. ¡®There are always people like that, wherever you go.¡¯ In DemRock, there were always those who grew envious and spread malicious gossip about anyone who did even slightly well. Do-hyeon was also one of their targets. As someone praised like a god and sitting on the throne, he had many fans, but, conversely, he also had just as many antis. Some tried sneak attacks, and there was even a guy who, pretending to be friendly, joined a party and attempted to paralyze him with poisoned food. For fame, out of sheer dislike, or because they were hired for it¡­ The reasons varied. ¡®Well, I trampled on them all, though.¡¯ Until he met hisrades, it had been a series of chaotic days. After forming a fixed party with hispanions, they must have thought ambushes were too much of a hassle, as the pesky flies no longer swarmed around him. As he reminisced about the old days, Do-hyeon chuckled and turned his body. ¡®That¡¯s not important right now.¡¯ In any case, that was all in the past. Now, Do-hyeon¡¯s opponent was nothing more than a mere goblin. ¡°Well then¡­ Shall I warm up a bit?¡± As he turned his body, the goblins he made eye contact with flinched in fear. For some reason, they sensed an ominous vibe from Do-hyeon¡¯s smile. Although no message appeared, he was certain that their morale had dropped even further. [You have used the skill ¡®Charge sh¡¯.] ¡°Kieeek!¡± Thus, Do-hyeon¡¯s ughter began. * * * ¡°Wow¡­ Who is that guy?¡± ¡°He¡¯s soloing like it¡¯s nothing¡­ How good must his gear be for him to do that?¡± ¡°Tch. Let him enjoy it while he can. He won¡¯t be able to pull that off in thete game anyway.¡± ¡°Yeah, still¡­ it¡¯s kinda annoying to watch.¡± How long had it been since he continued hunting? Ignoring the admiration(?) of those around him, Do-hyeon wiped out the goblins in the area, and soon, a notification rang. [Your Swordsmanship Mastery has increased.] [Your Swordsmanship Mastery has reached LV8.] [You have leveled up.] ¡®Oh, both my swordsmanship and level went up.¡¯ Had he killed about 50 to 60? It was certain that he had defeated more than ten groups of goblins, so he must have killed even more than that. And the reward for all that was this. [yer: Kaiser] [Level: 15] [HP: 1,810 / 2,250] [MP: 340 / 600] [Stamina: 200 / 350] [ss: Final Adventurer ] [Titles (3)] ¨C Favor Maxed from the Start? ¨C First yer ¨C Throne of Time Attack [Stats] Remaining Points: 21 His level had gone up by three stages. ¡®It¡¯s rising faster than I thought.¡¯ It was partly because his level was still low, but mostly due to the fact that, since he was soloing, he wasn¡¯t sharing any of the experience points. In addition to monopolizing the experience, he was also killing faster than most parties. There was something else he had realized while hunting. ¡®Once I started using skills, my stamina drained quicker.¡¯ Previously, he hadn¡¯t felt much inconvenience, even with lower stamina, but now he had already used 110 stamina. All from just adding Charge sh. At this rate, if he used skills like Backstab or more advanced ones, his stamina would drain in no time. That was the reason. ¡®I¡¯ll keep it for now.¡¯ The reason he hadn¡¯t invested his remaining points. Currently, the goblins were being killed in one hit, so there was no need to invest points, and he wanted to save them for any unforeseen situations. He also wanted to see if he should invest in stamina depending on how things went, but more importantly¡­ ¡®You never know what skills might pop up.¡¯ Do-hyeon was an All-Master. Right now, he was lucky to get an assassin skill, where perception and agility were the main stats, but what if he got a hero-grade or legendary skill from a magician or tanker? ¡®I¡¯d be crying.¡¯ To prepare for such a situation, it was better to save his stat points. Closing the status window, Do-hyeon opened his inventory this time. It was to check the loot he had collected while hunting. ¨C Blue Goblin Leather (21) ¨C Red Goblin Leather (23) ¨C Goblin Teeth (11) ¡­ There were also various junk items he had collected in Arde. His inventory was full of items, but to his surprise, they were all just junk. No matter how low the drop rate for decent items was, normally after hunting this much, he should have obtained at least one good item¡­ ¡®¡­Well, this is just like me.¡¯ It was a familiar urrence for Do-hyeon, who was notorious for his terrible luck in DemRock. Because of this, he wasn¡¯t bothered by such trivial matters. And in any case, Do-hyeon wasn¡¯t targeting equipment items. [Goblin Extermination] ¨C Grade: Normal ¨C Description: Recently, the number of goblins has increased, causing trouble on Raven ins. Scout ¡®Palsson¡¯ requests you to reduce their numbers. ¨C Kill goblins regardless of tribe (40 / 40) ¨C Reward uponpletion: 70 Silver, a certain amount of experience ¨C Penalty for failure: None ¨C Time Limit: 24 hours [Hunter¡¯s Request] ¨C Grade: Normal ¨C Description: Hunter ¡®Teber,¡¯ who lives in Raven Alley, has a strange hobby of collecting goblin teeth. Bring him some goblin teeth. ¨C Goblin Teeth (11 / 10) ¨C Reward uponpletion: 80 Silver, a certain amount of experience, Ne made from Beast¡¯s Teeth ¨C Penalty for failure: Teber¡¯s favor may decrease. ¨C Time Limit: 24 hours [Gather Goblin Leather] ¨C Grade: Normal ¨C Description: Tailor ¡®Emily,¡¯ who specializes in crafting goblin leather, has requested your help. Gather leather for her, as she never runs out of customers. ¨C Red Goblin Leather (21 / 30) ¨C Blue Goblin Leather (23 / 30) ¨C Reward uponpletion: 1 Gold, a certain amount of experience, Red Goblin Leather Belt or Blue Goblin Leather Pants ¨C Penalty for failure: Emily¡¯s favor may decrease. ¨C Time Limit: 24 hours Although he had alreadypleted the conditions for the ¡®Goblin Extermination¡¯ and ¡®Hunter¡¯s Request¡¯ quests, he still hadn¡¯t gathered enough leather. As he was about to head deeper to find more goblins¡­ ¡®¡­Hm?¡¯ Something strange caught Do-hyeon¡¯s eye. It was something he could only describe as odd. Glowing red overall, at first nce, it looked like a red dot, but¡­ ¡®A person¡­ no, a ghost?¡¯ Although semi-transparent, it clearly had the shape of a human. And it was slowly, but surely, approaching him. Chapter 26 Chapter 26 In God of Savior, there is something called the Arena. It¡¯s a cemonly referred to as PVP, and while it doesn¡¯t provide a perfect bnce, it offers enough equalization for yers topete based on skill. Although yers could also engage in ¡°duels¡± outside with mutual consent, there was no such equalization in those matches. Despite this, dueling still had considerable poprity. After working hard to equip themselves with items, who wouldn¡¯t want to show them off? And who would want to fight while being suppressed? The convenience of being able to fight anytime also added to the appeal. In this way, God of Savior was rather generous when it came to battles. It allowed each yer to engage inbat ording to their preferences. How benevolent. However, wherever you go, there are always those who don¡¯t follow the rules. ¡°A duel? What¡¯s the fun in that? Life is all about realbat.¡± ¡°It¡¯s way more fun to mess with weaker yers~.¡± Regardless of the existence of the legitimate duel system, there were always yers who chose to indulge in unauthorized massacres, or PK (yer Killing). These yers existed in DemRock, other RPGs, and naturally, also in God of Savior. Whether for fun. Because they coveted someone else¡¯s items. Simply because they were annoyed. Or just because they wanted to make someone quit the game¡­ For various reasons, quite a number of people engaged in PK, and as a result, PKing was amon experience or story among the yer base. If you asked them who the worst offenders were, nine out of ten would answer the same. ¡°Griefers.¡± ¡°People who PK just for fun? They should have their ounts permanently banned, seriously.¡± ¡°Damn, just thinking about the rare item I dropped because of those jerks still pisses me off.¡± The ones who PK for fun are considered the worst. Among them, the most notorious were those who deliberately targeted beginners¡ªthe griefers. These yers would form teams and systematically strip beginners of their items. Even when they reached graduation level, they wouldn¡¯t proceed with the graduation quests. Instead, they would hunt newly arrived yers who appeared to have decent gear. They would gather items, have fun, and since high-level yers couldn¡¯t return to the area, as long as they didn¡¯t mess with someone affiliated with a big guild, it was practically paradise. ¡°Hey, should we go for another round today?¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting tired of this¡­ Can¡¯t we find someone more interesting? It¡¯s no fun when they all react the same.¡± ¡°Keke, you¡¯re one twisted guy, but that¡¯s what I like about you.¡± AssassinBoy, TryItIfYouCan, and NotGonnaHitMe were three such demons living in this paradise. All of them had reached level 24, the graduation level, but none of them had bothered toplete the graduation quests. Naturally. ¡°Why should I bother?¡± ¡°Why would I graduate? Once I move up, I¡¯ll just be stuck under others, getting pushed around. What¡¯s the point of suffering through that?¡± In Raven, they could act like kings, so why leave? It wasn¡¯t as if they had any chance of bing rankers anyway, and they were already having enough fun, while also making some pocket money. It was quite enjoyable to pick up the items dropped by their victims due to the death penalty. And then¡­ ¡°I¡¯m going to rot here forever.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no ce better than here for PKing~.¡± Once they graduated, it would be hard to keep up their bullying ways. In Arde, there was no death penalty, and since everyone formed parties without any skills, it became harder. And starting from the next city, everyone was part of guilds and carried at least three or four skills, making it even more difficult. There were more opponents, it was harder to PK, and social connections yed a bigger role. In many ways, Raven was a paradise like no other. So today as well, they were searching for a suitable prey. There wasn¡¯t anyone particrly noticeable. Because they had been ¡°working¡± so hardtely, word had spread, and yers were more diligent about sticking to party y. asionally, they¡¯d spot someone soloing, but¡­ ¡°Isn¡¯t that guy the one?¡± ¡°Yeah, the one supposedly supported by the Hero Guild. Let¡¯s pass on him.¡± ¡°Yeah, we don¡¯t want to deal with the headache if we get caught.¡± Some of them were yers whose faces had be known. Most of them were rookies marked byrge guilds or yers receiving support from mid torge-sized guilds. Messing with those guys by mistake could be a real pain. They were doing this for fun; no need to make it a hassle. ¡°What about that guy?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t recognize him, but his gear looks prettyme.¡± ¡°This guy¡¯s gotten picky with geartely. He used to take anyone.¡± ¡°Well, you can¡¯t eat only kimchi stew and soybean paste soup all the time, right? Every once in a while, you need to cut into a steak, don¡¯t you?¡± The kimchi stew that AssassinBoy mentioned referred to ordinary yers, those who had just shed their beginner status and had no connections. And what about the steak? ¡°Isn¡¯t there some perfect guy who¡¯s rich butcks backing, just ripe for the taking~?¡± AssassinBoy licked his de and hummed a tune, and seeing this, TryItIfYouCan and NotGonnaHitMe shook their heads. In reality, he was a pretty normal guy, but whenever he yed the game, his eyes would practically roll back in his head. ¡®Well, as long as it¡¯s fun for us.¡¯ It¡¯s just a game, so what did it matter? He was an expert at tormenting others, alwaysing up with creative ways to mess with them, which made following him a lot of fun. Thatst guy? He¡¯d tricked him into gathering a horde of monsters, only to vanish using stealth. Just thinking about the betrayed faces of those victims still made themugh. ¡°Let¡¯s seeee~ Where¡¯s that steakkk~ Ohhh!?¡± It was then. While humming about steak like a lunatic, AssassinBoy spotted a yer. A man d in mostly red and ck, with a giant greatsword at his side. ¡°Whoa¡­ isn¡¯t that the Warrior Set?¡± ¡°What? Where¡­ Whoa, seriously? He must have a ton of money.¡± ¡°Does he belong to any guild?¡± At NotGonnaHitMe¡¯s question, AssassinBoy thought for a moment, then shook his head. ¡°Nope. My buddy is a scout for Arde, and he didn¡¯t mention anything about someone like that. I¡¯m sure, I heard from him today.¡± If someone wearing the Warrior Set had been scouted, the news would have spread among the scouts. The fact that it hadn¡¯t¡­ ¡°Hooh?¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± AssassinBoy locked eyes with the other two, shing a wicked grin. ¡°It means he¡¯s just some rich guy. And one with the guts to solo.¡± At that one statement, TryItIfYouCan and NotGonnaHitMe smiled the same sinister smile. A lowly, despicable, and greedy grin. ¡°Hehe¡­ that design looks delicious, just like a steak. We¡¯re gonna be drinking good whiskey tonight.¡± ¡°Wow, getting lucky like this on a Friday night. Time to book a room!¡± ¡°How much do you think we¡¯ll get if we sell that gear? More than 500, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, man, but it¡¯s seriously gonna be a jackpot.¡± Already acting like the items were theirs, they wereughing and chatting when they suddenly stopped. The man, who had been resting for a moment, suddenly started hunting goblins. However, his strength was anything but ordinary. He dodged with ease, stabbed once, and the goblin was dead. Whoosh- sh! Then, in an instant, he slid across the ground, delivering a one-hit kill to another goblin. No matter how you looked at it, this wasn¡¯t the strength of a recently graduated yer. ¡°It¡¯s a bit strong, but¡­ no matter how high, it¡¯s probably under level 16. What¡¯s there to be worried about?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what it means to have overpowered items. If we sell those, we¡¯ll make a fortune.¡± ¡°Heh, yeah, you¡¯ve got a point.¡± Of course, that was the end of their assessment. At best, they thought he was just a rich amateur who had surpassed beginner level due to his gear, and he couldn¡¯t possibly beat them. It made sense. There was only one of him. On the other hand, they were three, all at the graduation level. Even if he had special traits or unique abilities, in the lower-level range, level was everything. ¡°Still, let¡¯s y it safe and give him an injection before we start.¡± ¡°Kekeke, are you going to use the paralysis poison?¡± ¡°This time, it¡¯s not about fun; it¡¯s about the money. Go on.¡± The assassin boy made an ¡°OK¡± gesture with his hand as he walked, waving it around, before using his stealth skill. His skills were stealth, paralysis poison, swift strike, and ankle hook. True to his nickname, the assassin boy had fully specialized in the assassin tree, and at this level range, he was confident that he had the best PvP skillset. He even had two rare-grade skills. [Unique ability ¡®Surprise Attack¡¯ is active.] [If you seed in attacking while avoiding the enemy¡¯s gaze, you will deliver a critical strike.] [The trait ¡®Rather Sharp Dagger Technique¡¯ is applied.] Moreover, the god he had chosen was a heroic god, one of the assassination gods¡ªthe Grim Shadow Dagger God. Although not highly regarded among assassination gods, a heroic god was still a heroic god. It was more than enough topensate for his somewhatcking traits. ¡®There¡¯s no better setup for ughtering the weak.¡¯ Especially for an assassin who enjoyed surprise yer killing (PK) through stealth, like the assassin boy, there was nothing better than this. If the surprise attack failed, his unique ability would be useless, but if it seeded, it had explosive potential that made up for it. But as for that guy? ¡®He¡¯s a one-trick pony with a charge strike.¡¯ He must have gotten another skill from Arde, since you acquire two skills there, but if he wasn¡¯t using it, it probably wasn¡¯t a good one. Maybe he was using a buff-type skill to get that kind of damage. It didn¡¯t matter. ¡®Just use stealth, get close, stab him with the poison, let him bleed a bit, then gang up on him. Easy.¡¯ This wasn¡¯t a fight¡ªit was a hunt. If they could get even one item from that gear, they¡¯d rent a room and throw a whiskey party tonight. He was already happily worrying about what to do for funter that evening. Suddenly. ¡®¡­What was that?¡¯ The assassin boy stopped in his tracks. A chill ran down his spine. ¡®Did we¡­ just make eye contact?¡¯ Was it just his imagination? He could¡¯ve sworn their eyes met just now¡­ The assassin boy, feeling uneasy, tilted his head but then shook it. ¡®That¡¯s impossible.¡¯ The guy had just graduated from Arde and was hunting in Raven ins. Plus, his ss was a swordsman. There was no way he had a skill that could detect stealth, especially a rare-grade stealth like his. He¡¯d never even heard of such a trait. Later on, you might be able to detect stealth through items or skills, but that¡¯s a long way down the line. It made no sense to detect stealth now. ¡®It was just my imagination.¡¯ See? He had gotten so close, yet the guy was still walking casually. The assassin boy gripped his dagger. A green liquid dripped from the de. It was the rare skill, paralysis poison. ¡®Still, just to be safe, I¡¯ll take him out quickly.¡¯ He crept closer, about to stab the guy in the side from behind when¡ª Whoosh. ¡°¡­!¡± Suddenly, the guy moved. In an instant, he turned around, struck the assassin¡¯s wrist, and knocked the dagger from his hand. Before the assassin boy could even process his shock, a powerful hand mped around his throat. ¡°Keuhk! Keuk!¡± At the same time, his stealth broke, and the assassin boy¡¯s body, now held up in the air by his neck, was fully revealed. The one weakness of stealth is that it¡¯s vulnerable to area-of-effect (AoE) attacks. If you get hit, stealth breaks. ¡®What is this¡­?¡¯ But he hadn¡¯t been hit by any AoE. Not only was it a mystery how the guy had seen through his stealth, but what baffled him even more was the absurd strength this guy had. ¡®¡­I can¡¯t move!¡¯ No matter how much he struggled, trying to pry the man¡¯s hand off, it wouldn¡¯t budge. It felt like an immovable boulder. Even though he was an assassin, he was still level 24. How could someone who was probably below level 16 overpower him like this? It made no sense. ¡°Who are you?¡± The guy spoke then. ¡°Wow¡­ I had a feeling, but you really are a yer killer.¡± His tone was casual, as if it were no big deal. Despite almost being ambushed, he showed no signs of agitation. In fact, he seemed more curious, but his expression was so eerie that it sent a wave of fear through the assassin boy. ¡°You, you bastard¡­ Who the hell are you?!¡± Instinctively, the assassin boy shouted, and hisrades raised their heads from the bushes. ¡°Whoa!?¡± ¡°What the hell is happening?¡± They yelled in panic. The man slowly took in the scene before letting out a small chuckle. ¡°Look at this. You guys are pros. Repeat offenders, huh?¡± His cold voice sent a violent shiver through the assassin boy¡¯s body. For some reason, this guy now looked gigantic. As if he could crush the assassin boy with ease at any moment. But Kang Do-hyeon, the man, wasn¡¯t even looking at him. His gaze was focused slightly higher. [Eye of Truth is activating.] ¡®I didn¡¯t know it could even detect stealth.¡¯ It was a discovery about the Eye of Truth he hadn¡¯t anticipated. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Seeing through what is hidden. That was the description written for the Eye of Truth. At first, he wondered why it was written in such an ambiguous way. Wouldn¡¯t it be better if it just revealed the grade when drawing cards or something like that? Still, since it was a unique trait, he thought it was just some kind of mysticism and didn¡¯t think much of it. But it wasn¡¯t that at all. ¡®It literally meant seeing through what is hidden.¡¯ The grade of a card, hidden from the user by the drawing system, and now, like this, even stealth that tantly concealed itself. Do-hyeon seriously thought to himself. ¡®This is a crazy trait.¡¯ This wasn¡¯t just a game-breaking trait; it was simply insane. The reason why assassins were considered broken in one-on-one battles? Sure, there were other skills, but aside from backstabs, the biggest one was stealth. The ambush of an assassin, when they were determined to hide, could disregard both skill and gear differences, turning it into a one-shot kill. That was why the rankers of DemRock feared the Assassin Guild. But what if you could see through that stealth? ¡®You could even use the moment they let their guard down to seize an opportunity.¡¯ Considering the assassin¡¯s characteristic of not having much HP, they could easily be finished off in a single opportunity. Setting that aside, the mere fact that one didn¡¯t have to be afraid of stealth anymore was already a huge advantage. And more than anything, the most exciting part was¡­ ¡®There might be more hidden abilities beyond just seeing grades and prating stealth.¡¯ There could be other abilities hidden within, aside from grade-checking and seeing through stealth. He wanted to investigate this further, but now was not the right time. In the brief moment Do-hyeon was lost in thought, AssassinBoy started struggling. ¡°Grr¡­ what are you doing, you bastards! Kill him!¡± ¡°Huh¡­? Oh!¡± At his near frantic shout, NotGonnaHitMe and TryItIfYouCan hurriedly began pouring out their skills. Their sses were archer and axe warrior. The typical strategy was that AssassinBoy would ambush, NotGonnaHitMe would harass from a distance, and if someone closed in, TryItIfYouCan would handle them in closebat. This time was no different. ¡°Haah!¡± Thwip! An arrow shot from NotGonnaHitMe followed TryItIfYouCan, who charged like a tank. Pababak! Not just one arrow, but a barrage of arrows followed. It was a rare-grade skill, Rapid Fire. Because of this, Do-hyeon had no choice but to release his grip on AssassinBoy. As soon as he let go, AssassinBoy quickly withdrew, his face twisted into an ugly scowl. ¡°Grr¡­ you¡¯re dead now.¡± It wasn¡¯t just bluffing. With the arrival of his allies, the situation had flipped in an instant. NotGonnaHitMe was perfectly shooting from the rear, while TryItIfYouCan guarded the front securely. And then there was AssassinBoy himself. That bastard was now surrounded. ¡°¡­!?¡± ¡­at least, that¡¯s what they thought. Thump. Whoosh. ¡°Huh?¡± Before TryItIfYouCan realized what was happening, Do-hyeon used the charging axe warrior¡¯s momentum to flip him over. Wait, could he even do that? It was as if he was flowing like water, using the warrior¡¯s strength against him¡ªlike a martial artist performing an elegant move out of a wuxia novel. Pababak! ¡°Ugh! Damn it, where the hell are you shooting?¡± ¡°I-I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡± The more surprising part was that it looked as if Do-hyeon had intentionally used TryItIfYouCan as a shield to block the arrows. Because of that, TryItIfYouCan suddenly lost half his HP due to his unlucky ally¡¯s arrows. In the brief moment when NotGonnaHitMe hesitated out of shock, Do-hyeon seized the chance to strike. Pook! Kwaa-jik! First, he quickly stabbed his greatsword into the warrior¡¯s heart, then struck his face with his knee as he copsed. Without stopping there, he grabbed his neck and snapped it, making TryItIfYouCan¡¯s eyes lose focus. At the same time, his body became semi-transparent, and only his trademark axe was left behind before he vanished. ¡°¡­He¡¯s dead?¡± ¡°Wha¡­ What the hell¡­¡± What had they just witnessed? The same bewildered expression was stered on both of their faces. God of Savior was, without a doubt, a game run by skills. Victory in a skill matchup, or having stronger skills, was the unchangingw. But what on earth was this guy? ¡®I¡¯ve never seen anything like that before.¡¯ He had taken them down in an instant without using a single skill. It was like something out of a movie. They were beyond shocked; they were downright spooked. Below level 16? A whale with gear? ¡®Shut the hell up!¡¯ This guy was just a monster. Instinctive fear took over their bodies, and they moved fast. Shhhhk! In a panic, NotGonnaHitMe used a dash skill to retreat. He tried to activate stealth, but the cooldown wasn¡¯t up yet, so there was no way it would work. Not that it mattered¡ªstealth would only get seen through anyway. He was just trying to gain a bit of extra movement speed from the stealth¡¯s buff. But at that moment¡­ ¡°Wow, look at him just ditching his buddy and running off. What a trash.¡± ¡°¡­!?¡± A voice spoke up. But it was too close. It sounded like it came from right behind him¡­ ¡°Damn it! What¡­ What the hell!¡± It wasn¡¯t his imagination. Do-hyeon was actually running side by side with him. Do-hyeon reached out toward AssassinBoy, who screamed in shock. Pababak! In the blink of an eye, Do-hyeon struck AssassinBoy in the sr plexus, nose, chin, and behind the knees, causing him to fall on his backside. His punches were so fast that they were nearly invisible. [HP has dropped below 70%.] [A mark is generated.] AssassinBoy, who had just lost 30% of his health in an instant, sat in a daze, dumbfounded. In his blurred vision, he could see NotGonnaHitMe. NotGonnaHitMe, seeing his fallenrade, panicked and began to flee without looking back. It reminded AssassinBoy of his own behavior just moments ago. Whoosh. Even the way he was caught mirrored his own actions. Do-hyeon, who wasn¡¯t far behind, quickly closed the distance with a Charge sh and swung his greatsword. The speed of his swing was so fast that it was hard to believe it was a greatsword. ¡°Ugh, argh!¡± At a speed too fast for him to live up to his name, NotGonnaHitMe¡¯s waist was shed, and he copsed with a thud. His end was the same as his friend¡¯s. Like a ughtered animal, he was stabbed in all vital spots, including his heart, while lying on the ground. ¡®What¡­ What kind of freak is that¡­ I have to escape¡­¡¯ Luckily, NotGonnaHitMe had drawn enough aggro that AssassinBoy had created some distance between himself and Do-hyeon. All of that guy¡¯s skills were on cooldown now, so he might just be able to escape. With that hope in mind, he cautiously started to back away. [The mark disappears.] ¡°Huh¡­?¡± The moment he saw the message pop up, AssassinBoy realized. There was no way he could escape. It wasn¡¯t just a hunch. As soon as the message appeared, he felt a presence behind him. And a dark shadow loomed into his peripheral vision. It was something AssassinBoy, a seasoned assassin himself, knew well. ¡°¡­Backstab?¡± If stealth was the signature skill of the Assassin ss, then Backstab was its main skill. It was the skill that made assassins so overpowered in duels. Yes, for assassins, that is. ¡°Why the hell is a swordsman using Backstab¡­?¡± Those were AssassinBoy¡¯sst words. Pook! [You have taken a critical hit proportional to the damage umted by the mark.] [Critical Hit!] [You have been killed by the yer ¡®Kaiser.¡¯] [Your Karma level is ssified as ¡®Evil.¡¯] [Due to your high Karma, the probability of dropping an item has increased.] ¡­¡­ Before he could even finish speaking, his screen turned gray. He had died instantly from a single strike. ¡®Damn it, this is impossible!! That guy must be hacking. What kind of swordsman uses Backstab? Kaiser, was it? You¡¯re dead meat.¡¯ Enraged, AssassinBoy immediately logged onto themunity forums to report this incident. [Everyone, be careful of a yer named Kaiser. He¡¯s lurking around Raven and is using hacks.] [Posted by: AssassinJoah] ¨C A swordsman is using assassin skills, and his gamey is totally off. I think he¡¯s using some kind of auto-reaction hack or a ss hack. There are no hacks in God of Savior, my ass. Scum like this need to be banned forever. ¡­¡­ (post continues). Though his furious typing was full of anger, surprisingly, no one believed him. ¨C What hack? Quit dragging attention to yourself. ¨C Guys, you know how to handle this kind of post. Just ignore it. ¨C ss hack? Auto-reaction hack? Man, the attention-seeking is real. ¨C By the way, his name is Kaiser? There¡¯s even a newbie out there calling themselves Kaiser. Cute. AssassinBoy was merely ridiculed for his post. But that wasn¡¯t the end of it. Perhaps due to the long list of things he had done in the past¡­ ¨C Hold on, Raven? Assassin? PK? ¨C Huh? ¨C Isn¡¯t this that guy who¡¯s been griefing low-level yerstely? ¨C Oh, damn, it is. He¡¯s the one with the archer and axe warrior who took my weapon. ¨C You¡¯re done for, buddy. A sharp-eyed user deduced AssassinBoy¡¯s identity from his post and, using this opportunity, gathered other enraged yers to report him, forming an assassination squad. In the end, AssassinBoy couldn¡¯t even find any constion. Every time he logged in, he was hunted down by an army of yers. With their superior numbers and levels nearly at max, they were relentless in their pursuit, and within less than a month, neither AssassinBoy nor his friends were seen again. *** [You have killed the yer ¡®AssassinBoy.¡¯] [The yer AssassinBoy is confirmed to be an ¡®Evil¡¯ character. Since it was self-defense, your Karma level does not increase.] [Swordsmanship proficiency has increased.] [Swordsmanship proficiency has reached LV9.] [Your level has increased.] ¡°Oh?¡± His level increased after only taking down three enemies. Well, all three of them had reached level 24, so it made sense that they gave a lot of experience. Not to mention, additional experience is granted for defeating an ¡®Evil¡¯ yer. And that wasn¡¯t all. [The yer AssassinBoy has dropped an item.] When defeating an ¡®Evil¡¯ yer, the chances of them dropping equipment items significantly increase. They were truly like walking golden goblins! ¡®If you¡¯re going to be a viin, at least bepetent.¡¯ Inwless cities, maybe it was different, but generally, viins were public enemies. Not only did defeating them grant experience, but it also rewarded great items, so not hunting them would be a waste. From a moral standpoint, there was no guilt in hunting ¡®Evil¡¯ yers either. That was why those guys had been camping in Raven. The moment they moved on to the next city, they would be treated like golden goblins and hunted down, far from being able to rule as kings. In other words, they were staying there, paying high fees, just to keep PK-ing. ¡°Ha.¡± Do-hyeonughed at their pettiness. ¡°Now this is starting to feel like the game I knew.¡± He weed this situation. He was more familiar with this kind of environment. In DemRock, things like this happened as naturally as breathing. That trash game was full ofwless areas, so he always had to stay on guard. In any RPG, be it a good game or a bad one, there were always people like that. While God of Savior wasn¡¯t as extreme, there were still plenty of viins. It was that kind of game where people would kill newbies out of sheer envy for their top-tier traits. ¡®Yeah, that¡¯s normal.¡¯ The beginner-friendly city of Arde was the exception, and the peaceful attitudes of yers like BestShield and his group were especially rare. He wouldn¡¯t keep encountering peaceful yers from now on. In fact, it would probably be the opposite. ¡®With the Eye of Truth, I won¡¯t have to worry.¡¯ In a world like that, the Eye of Truth would be a huge asset. Stealth was a skill even Do-hyeon had to be cautious about, but now he could block it in advance. Anyway, that was forter¡­ ¡®Now, let¡¯s see what I got.¡¯ As the victor, it was time to collect the spoils left behind by the defeated. Do-hyeon approached and collected all the items, marveling at his loot. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 ¡ª [Iron Axe of the Honorable Axe God] [Grade: Rare] [Description: An iron axe possessed by the Honorable Axe God. A seemingly ordinary axe, but imbued with a ¡®divine power¡¯ that grants it a durable nature.] [Level Requirement: 12] [Equip Requirement: Axeman ss] [Physical Attack Power: 95~110] [Durability: 100 / 100] [Exclusive Option: When used by a profession rted to axes, the weapon bes sturdier, and the user¡¯s defense increases.] ¡ª [Shoes Made of Libre Silkworm Thread] [Grade: Rare] [Description: Shoes made from the precious Libre silkworm thread. Known for theirfortable fit, as if walking barefoot, and the strong thread used, they are favored by explorers.] [Level Requirement: 12] [Equip Requirement: None] [Physical Defense: 40] [Magic Resistance: 25] ¨C Agility + 2 ¨C Sensory + 1 ¡ª ¡°These guys have decent gear, huh?¡± No wonder they looked so professional¡ª their equipment was pretty good. All of it was of rare grade. Considering there were almost no heroic-grade items in this section of the game, it was practically near-endgame gear. ¡®The Honorable Axe God? It must be a ss-specific weapon.¡¯ A ss-specific weapon. It was a divine weapon based on one¡¯s profession, featuring a unique option. Special items like this had varying effects depending on the level of the god. ¡®Normally, you only get these muchter¡­¡¯ asionally, there were gods like that. Gods who, overflowing with affection for their apostles, would bestow their weapons as soon as they changed professions. That item seemed to be one such creation from a god like that. ¡®There are many gods like this among the Mortal Gods, I¡¯ve heard.¡¯ Perhaps due to bnce issues, or because high-tier gods were more arrogant, Mortal Gods were often more generous or kind in this way. Even though the performance of Mortal Gods¡¯ weapons wasn¡¯t particrly outstanding, rare-grade weapons like this would still be valuable to axe warriors. ¡®If nothing else, I could always use it myself.¡¯ Although he didn¡¯t have any axe warrior skills, thanks to the synergy between the Weapon Master and Adventurer sses, he could still use basic skills. If worse came to worst, he could use it temporarily and sell itter. ¡®Let¡¯s keep it for now.¡¯ Next, Do-hyeon¡¯s eyes fell on the shoes he obtained from Eung-anMatcha. ¡®These are for me.¡¯ Without hesitation, Do-hyeon equipped them. There was no reason not to. They were rare-grade shoes with perfect options that increased agility and sensory. Not to mention, Do-hyeon had been without shoes up until now, making them perfect for him. And finally¡­ ¡ª [Assassin¡¯s Dagger] [Grade: Rare+] [Description: A special dagger used by assassins from certain organizations. The de does not corrode even when touched by poison, and its sharp aura grants it excellent cutting power.] [Level Requirement: 20] [Equip Requirement: Assassin ss] [Physical Attack Power: 99~124] [Durability: 100 / 100] [Special Option: When attacking, there is a chance to inflict the ¡®Bleed¡¯ effect. The higher the difference in stats between the user and the target, the higher the activation chance, and the lower the difference, the lower the chance.] ¡ª ¡°This is unexpected.¡± The dagger of the assassin boy who seemed to be their leader was a rare+ grade. It was the same grade as his greatsword. Despite being a dagger, its attack power wasn¡¯t much lower, likely due to its higher level requirement. Moreover, it had a special option for causing bleeding. ¡®This is pretty good.¡¯ When the boy attempted to ambush him, the dagger had green liquid on it. With stealth, paralysis poison, and a rare+ weapon? ¡®No wonder he was confident.¡¯ With that kind of setup, he must have taken down dozens of people. Had he not run into Do-hyeon, there would¡¯ve been many more victims. Though Do-hyeon wasn¡¯t aware, after the assassin boy was defeated, the rest of the group fell easily, having lost these crucial items. ¡®I can¡¯t use it just yet¡­¡¯ Though the level restriction was an issue, his current Warrior set was still the best for hunting goblins. If he unequipped the greatsword, the set bonus would be broken, so he had to hold off for now. In the end, the only item he could use right away was the shoes, but having alternatives was important. Do-hyeon smiled in satisfaction. ¡®Maybe I should just hunt viins for the rest of the time until graduation.¡¯ The idea of simply tracking down criminals was tempting. Of course, viins weren¡¯t easy toe across, and it wasn¡¯tmon to find enemies with gear like these, so it remained just a thought. ¡°By the way¡­ using backstab like this is pretty thrilling.¡± He hadn¡¯t had many chances to use backstab since the goblins were all dying in one hit, but this had been a good test. As a swordsman, Do-hyeon had never understood why assassins yed such a dirty game, but now he had a slight glimpse into why people were obsessed with them. ¡®It feels good.¡¯ It turned out that manipting enemies andnding a critical strike with a backstab was more fun than expected. It might have been because Do-hyeon¡¯s base stats were overwhelming, but the burst damage from marking an enemy exceeded his expectations. Encouraged by this, Do-hyeon gripped his greatsword tightly. ¡ª ¨C Red Goblin Leather (21 / 30) ¨C Blue Goblin Leather (23 / 30) ¡ª ¡®Let¡¯s hurry and collect them.¡¯ Once he gathered these, he could finally graduate from Raven ins. ¡ª * * * After collecting the leather, Do-hyeon immediately returned to the city to dispose of the junk items andplete the quest. ¡°Ooh, you¡¯ve taken care of the goblins for us. Thanks to you, we don¡¯t have to worry as much about goblin ambushes. Every time we stood guard, we were terrified¡­¡± ¡ª [You have cleared the quest ¡®Goblin Extermination.¡¯] [You have earned 70 silver and a certain amount of experience points as a reward.] [The title effect ¡®Maximum Favorability from the Start?¡¯ has activated. Favorability has increased further.] ¡ª ¡°Excellent! You¡¯re in great shape. Say, have you ever thought about bing a hunter? Haha, don¡¯t be so serious. I¡¯m just saying you¡¯re outstanding¡­ A fine hunter like you deserves a ne like this.¡± ¡ª [You have cleared the quest ¡®Hunter¡¯s Request.¡¯] [You have earned 80 silver, a certain amount of experience points, and a ne made from a beast¡¯s tooth as a reward.] [The title effect ¡®Maximum Favorability from the Start?¡¯ has activated. Favorability has increased further.] ¡ª ¡°Oh my, thank you! You¡¯ve gathered all the leather! It¡¯s not much, but please ept this token of my gratitude.¡± ¡ª [You have cleared the quest ¡®Gather Goblin Leather.¡¯] [You have earned 1 gold and a certain amount of experience points as a reward.] [Please choose between the Red Goblin Leather Belt and the Blue Goblin Leather Pants.] [You have selected the Blue Goblin Leather Pants.] [The title effect ¡®Maximum Favorability from the Start?¡¯ has activated. Favorability has increased further.] Then, everyone showed their delight noticeably, smiling at him. Thanks to his title, the level of friendliness he received felt excessive for merely clearing a single quest. Among them, the hunter¡¯s reaction stood out the most, but it wasn¡¯t so over the line that it warranted concern. ¡®The title effect is really something.¡¯ In Arde, it wasn¡¯t as noticeable, but here, he could definitely feel it. For now, they were just NPCs he would see once and never again, so this level of effect was fine. However, when the time came to meet NPCs he needed to target for future quests or rewards, this would surely prove to be a great advantage. But that was a story for the future¡­ The equipment items he obtained from this quest were two in total. [Ne Made from Beast¡¯s Teeth] ¨C Rank: Common ¨C Description: A ne made from the teeth of carnivorous beasts. Hunters love it. ¨C Level Requirement: 15 ¨C Wear Restriction: None ¨C Physical Defense: 50 ¨C Magic Resistance: 21 ¨C Sense +1 [Blue Goblin Leather Pants] ¨C Rank: Common+ ¨C Description: Pants made by a skilled tailor from blue goblin leather. Due to their tough yet well-ventted nature, many seek them out. ¨C Level Requirement: 15 ¨C Wear Restriction: None ¨C Physical Defense: 59 ¨C Magic Resistance: 48 ¨C Health +2 ¡®I¡¯ll ditch the ne¡­¡¯ Without hesitation, he stored the ne made from beast¡¯s teeth in his inventory. Do-hyeon already had the Blood Pact Ne. In terms of both appearance and performance, it was an unparalleled,pleted item. Moreover, it was a growth-type item, so he likely wouldn¡¯t need to worry about nes for a while. And as for the pants he got from Emily¡­ [You have equipped the Blue Goblin Leather Pants.] ¡®Hmm¡­ the design is kind of odd.¡¯ He didn¡¯t have any pants at the moment, so he just equipped them, but he wasn¡¯t entirely satisfied. The blue color added to his overall fierce, red-and-ck appearance made him look like an old man on a hiking trip, giving his outfit a mismatched and colorful look. ¡®Well, fashion doesn¡¯t feed you.¡¯ If he were someone obsessed with character customization, he would never have epted it. Unfortunately for them, Do-hyeon cared only about performance. Spending a million won on character customization? He¡¯d rather use that money to strengthen his items one more time! That was Do-hyeon¡¯s conviction. ¡ªEnhance? Every time you try to enhance, it blows up. Isn¡¯t that just throwing money into a hole? ¡ª¡­ At the words that Kkukkudakkkukku, who was diligently decorating his character, suddenly spat out, Do-hyeon couldn¡¯t say a word. But in any case, that was how he was. And the rewards didn¡¯t stop there. [Your level has increased.] [You have reached level 17, allowing you to use the west gate.] ¡®Finally, the west gate.¡¯ He had leveled up through quest experience, meeting the condition for entering the west gate. Although he said ¡°finally,¡± in truth, his pace was absurdly fast. On average, most yers only reached the west gate after spending about 5 hours in Raven. In contrast, Do-hyeon had reached level 17 in less than 3 hours. This was possible because the goblins were all one-shot kills, and there was no shortage of PK yers generously giving him experience. [Remaining ytime: 06:36:21] ¡®Roughly six and a half hours left¡­ plenty of time.¡¯ Ever since the game had crashed during the gacha the previous day, Do-hyeon had been checking his ytime regrly. He couldn¡¯t afford to go through that disaster again. ¡®It was a relief that it crashed after the gacha was over. If it had crashed right as the gacha started¡­¡¯ The thought alone gave him chills. He wouldn¡¯t have gotten a guaranteed item but rather something random, possibly useless. If that had happened, Do-hyeon probably would have died from frustration. [You¡¯ve reached level 17? You¡¯ve earned the right to go to the western forest!] [The perfect strategy guide for levels 17 to 24!] [Rmended quests to take when tackling the western forest!] Before heading to the western forest, Do-hyeon looked up strategy guides. Simply searching for ¡°Raven west gate¡± or ¡°western forest¡± brought up numerous posts, showing why God of Savior¡¯s forums were referred to as a sea of information. ¡®This kind of thing is certainly convenient.¡¯ In DemRock, he had to figure everything out on his own¡­ Was this the difference between a dying game and a thriving one? After picking a few appropriate quests, Do-hyeon sought out the NPCs. ¡°You¡¯re heading to the western forest? It¡¯s dangerous out there! Ah, but since it¡¯s you, I¡¯m sure you can handle it. Still, be careful! That ce is crawling with vicious goblins and cursed insects!¡± [You have epted the quest ¡°Explore the Western Forest.¡±] ¨C Rank: Common ¨C Description: Linda, the potion shop owner, is constantly worried about her lover, the scout Zeke, and can¡¯t sleep well. Explore the west gate and report back to her about the situation. ¨C Explore a certain area toplete (0 / 1) ¨C Reward forpletion: 1 gold, a set amount of experience, 10 low-grade HP potions, 10 low-grade MP potions ¨C Failure risk: Linda¡¯s affection may decrease ¨C Time limit: 24 hours ¡°The western forest, huh¡­ Hmm, well, I suppose you¡¯ll be fine. Still, it¡¯s a dangerous choice. No Raven resident would go near that ce. You look like you think I¡¯m exaggerating?¡± ¡°Not really¡­¡± ¡°Everyone is keeping quiet about it now, but what is there to hide? I heard stories as a child about a goblin shaman who practiced ck magic. It was such evil ck magic! That shaman cursed insects and goblins to build up power, and that¡¯s why the ce is like this. Any Raven resident¡­¡± ¡°Skip.¡± ¡°Huh? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°¡­Nothing.¡± [You have epted the quest ¡°Eliminate the Giant Insects.¡±] ¨C Rank: Common ¨C Description: Zrinna, an old fortune-teller, wants you to reduce the number of pesky giant insects. Help this worried old woman by eliminating the insects. ¨C Giant Insects (0 / 20) ¨C Reward forpletion: 1 gold, a set amount of experience, ??? ¨C Failure risk: Zrinna may give you an ufortable lecture ¨C Time limit: 24 hours ¡°Waaah, mommy!¡± ¡°Why are you crying, kid?¡± ¡°Sniff¡­ sniff. A cat stole my pendant and ran to the west gate. It was a birthday gift from my mom¡­ Waaah.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll find it for you.¡± ¡°Really? But the western forest is dangerous¡­ My mom said I should never go there. But you look really strong. Are you really going to find it for me?¡± [You have epted the quest ¡°Lost Pendant.¡±] ¨C Rank: Common+ ¨C Description: Cami, a girl whose precious pendant was stolen by a cat, asks for help. Retrieve the pendant, likely beyond the west gate, for the girl. ¨C Lost Pendant (0 / 1) ¨C Reward forpletion: 1 gold, a set amount of experience, Cami¡¯s small gift ¨C Failure risk: Emily¡¯s affection may decrease ¨C Time limit: 28 hours He epted three quests in total, and they all shared one thing inmon. ¡®These quests sure are verbose.¡¯ They all emphasized the dangers of the western forest. This hadn¡¯t been the case so far. There was even an old man telling him stories about the forest¡¯s past that he hadn¡¯t asked for. It seemed like the game developers were trying to exin the lore of the world through these NPCs, but for someone like Do-hyeon, who didn¡¯t care about minor story details, it was a hassle. Unlike PC games, he couldn¡¯t just skip through it, so he had no choice but to half-listen. [Level confirmed.] [You can now use the west gate.] ¡°Phew.¡± After all that effort, Do-hyeon finally arrived in front of the warp. [You are moving to the western forest.] As the message popped up, he muttered softly. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± The moment Do-hyeon stepped into the western forest. Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Raven¡¯s Western Forest. A hunting ground that even NPCs avoided and warned against entering. Unlike the wide-open ins of the eastern gate, it was a dense forest that limited visibility, and it was teeming not only with goblins but also with numerous giant insects. The monsters themselves had grown stronger, but that wasn¡¯t the real issue. They weren¡¯t a different species on a whole new level, and while the giant insects were tougher and more challenging to catch, they were still manageable. The real problem was the forest¡¯s terrain. Sasa-sak. ¡°There! It¡¯s running that way! Hurry, catch it!¡± ¡°Damn it, what kind of monster hides in a rock?¡± The artificial intelligence of the monsters was incredibly advanced, living up to the game¡¯s reputation as a world of its own, and the monsters with strong instincts knew how to use their surroundings. ¡°Ack! Above us! It¡¯s an ambush from above!¡± ¡°Arrows from the bushes! Form ranks quickly!¡± ¡°Watch your feet! There¡¯s a centipede below!¡± The goblins, being the type to attack first, hid in the bushes and ambushed with poisoned darts, while the giant insects often took advantage of their traits bying down from trees or striking from the cracks in rocks. Even just this made the difficulty absurdly high. With so many enemies making use of the terrain for ambushes, it becamemon for a single misstep to lead straight to death¡¯s door. Because of that, an unspoken rule had emerged in the Western Forest. ¡°Soloing in the Western Forest? That¡¯s just madness.¡± ¡°Listen carefully. You absolutely need a party there. It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re a Heroic God or have top-tier equipment.¡± ¡°A party of four. Fill your group to the max and move carefully.¡± It wasmon knowledge among users entering the Western Forest that you had to form a party of at least three, ideally four, to hunt safely. Of course, this didn¡¯t apply to everyone. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re someone who doesn¡¯t feel pain even when hit and can kill them in one or two hits, then you don¡¯t need a group.¡± With the right defense and damage output to handle all the difficulties, the terrain and ambushes no longer mattered. In fact, the Western Forest, filled with monsters, could even turn into a prime hunting ground for such yers. ¡°But do you really think that¡¯s possible?¡± ¡°Not a chance. Unless you¡¯re someone with the top-tier Mythical God damage traits, Hero-level skills, and rare+ gear all over.¡± It was close to impossible, so yerspromised with reality and looked for parties. No one wanted to die foolishly and incur the death penalty. ¡°Looking for party members! We currently have a tank and two damage dealers, just waiting on a healer!¡± ¡°Need one more melee damage dealer! Oh¡­ a rogue? Rogues aren¡¯t really¡­¡± ¡°Looking for two people to help push to the endgame! Waiting on a healer!¡± That¡¯s why there were so many people in front of the western gate, searching for parties. In Arde, it was all about maximizing rewards, but here, it was about safe hunting. Whether someone had leveled up quickly with good gear in the eastern gate or struggled to barely reach level 17, everyone was looking for a party here. ¡°Tsk, we just need one healer¡­ but they¡¯re impossible to find.¡± ¡°Healers are never popr, right? They¡¯re only good in party quests, and leveling them is tough. Honestly, they¡¯re not even fun.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ I guess we¡¯ll have to go without a healer and just bring another off-tank.¡± ¡°Oh? Hey, look over there.¡± There were always yers who didn¡¯t understand the danger until they experienced it themselves. One of the yers searching for party members nudged his teammate. ¡°Ugh, what now?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got another pitiful moth flying into the me.¡± ¡°Ah, that again?¡± The annoyed teammate, irritated by the remark, turned his head. He then saw a man confidently walking into the forest alone and nodded as if he understood. A twisted smile formed on his lips, not out of pity or greed for the moth. ¡°People like that are everywhere.¡± It was clear mockery, maybe even contempt. A quick search would tell you that soloing in the Western Forest was a suicidal act. No, even before that, hadn¡¯t the NPCs already warned them? And as soon as you enter the Western Forest, everyone is looking for parties. Despite all that, there were always some who insisted on soloing. Their thoughts were always predictable. ¡°Even most rankers formed parties at this stage, so what makes him think he¡¯s any different?¡± ¡°Well, maybe he¡¯s trying to make a name for himself. ¡®I soloed in the Western Forest,¡¯ sounds impressive, right?¡± Thinking they¡¯re special. They haven¡¯t shown anything remarkable yet, but they believe it¡¯s just because they haven¡¯t had the chance, that they can do it if given the opportunity. Either that, or they¡¯re an idiot with baseless confidence, or they¡¯re hoping to use this hunt as a debut for streaming and get noticed by a guild. ¡°Well, everyone¡¯s got a grand n.¡± ¡°Until they get punched in the face, right?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± One of the two yersughed, then muttered casually. ¡°Well, who knows? That guy might be some overpowered character with Mythical God status and legendary skills.¡± And the rebuttal came faster than ever. ¡°You think he¡¯s Myeolsal? That¡¯s ridiculous.¡± ¡°Hey, a monster did show up about six months ago.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ but that guy was an actual lunatic. You think someone like him will show up again?¡± ¡°Yeah, true¡­¡± It was such a far-fetched scenario. It made more sense to assume the guy was just another idiot who didn¡¯t know his ce, rather than a rare genius who appeared once in a lifetime. ¡°Let¡¯s just focus on finding our party members.¡± ¡°Yeah, or we won¡¯t hit level 20 today.¡± So, they stopped paying attention to the man walking into the forest, and it didn¡¯t take long for him to fade from their mindspletely. They never would have imagined. That the man who walked into the forest was still walking around inside, perfectly fine. *** A dense forest. Deep in an area so remote that few people ventured, a bloody battle was unfolding. Countless goblins surrounded a man. He appeared to bepletely encircled, yet he remained calm. Kiiek! The goblins hesitated, then rushed toward him. At that moment¡ª Puk- Kieeek! The man effortlessly dodged and thrust hisrge greatsword forward, causing one goblin to scream in agony. Kirik! Kiririk! Excited by theirrade¡¯s cry, the goblins charged all at once. A chaotic brawl ensued in an instant. And the one controlling the frenzy was none other than the man wielding the greatsword. Whirik- Crack! Puk! Seoguk- His movements were minimal. He simply dodged the iing attacks with the least amount of movement, deflecting blows with the t of his greatsword. Then, he would either thrust or sh. Any goblin that came too close had its head tilted back as the man dodged, only to receive a punch to its philtrum, followed by a neck snap. The sequence of actions flowed naturally, like a well-oiled machine. By the time the skirmish ended, three goblinsy copsed on the ground. Each one had died in a single blow. Ki, Kirik! The remaining goblins looked shocked. They had encountered many humans in this area, but none had been as monstrously strong as this man. Kirik!? Is this even possible!? Though they didn¡¯t speak hisnguage, it was clear from their expressions that this was what they were thinking. However, it wasn¡¯t just an outcry of panic. The goblins¡¯ shrieks seemed to signal something, for new goblins began to poke their heads out from the bushes. These goblins had been lying in ambush, waiting for the right moment. ¡°Of course,¡± the man muttered, shaking his head. The goblins regained their confidence and straightened their shoulders. Kik. Kirikik! They sneered, convinced that victory was theirs. After all, even up close, there were still four goblins remaining, and now five more had joined from a distance, making the situation seem dire. At least for an ordinary yer. Psshew- Pshoo- Pshoo! Seeing the arrows flying toward him, the man, Do-hyeon, swiftly angled his greatsword. Ting- Ting- The arrows struck the de and bounced off. The goblins hurried to prepare another volley. The goblins at close range didn¡¯t stay idle either. They began closing in, attempting to prevent the man from blocking the iing arrows. But Do-hyeon was faster. ¡°Hueup!¡± With arge swing, he spun around and threw his greatsword toward the distant goblins. Whoosh- Kieeek!? The goblins scattered in panic, never expecting him to throw his weapon. One of the goblins, who had been just about to shoot an arrow, couldn¡¯t dodge in time. In the end, it copsed with its eyes wide open, a greatsword lodged in its head. Kirik! Keeek! The distant goblins screeched in frustration, while the close-range goblins sneered. They thought they had the upper hand now that Do-hyeon was without a weapon. But that wasn¡¯t the only thing. [The effect of the Warrior Set has been deactivated.] [The goblins are no longer under the status effect ¡®Intimidation¡¯.] Kirikik! As the strange pressure they had felt vanished, their confidence soared. Do-hyeon smirked at their obvious shift in demeanor and pulled something out of his inventory. Sreung- ¡°Who said I¡¯m out of weapons?¡± It was an axe. The ¡®Iron Axe of the Honorable Axe God,¡¯ a rare item he had obtained after defeating TryItIfYouCan. ¡®One hit is enough anyway. I don¡¯t need the Warrior Set for this.¡¯ Though the level of these goblins had increased, they were still just members of the Red Goblin tribe. Their health wasn¡¯t even on par with the Blue Goblins from Raven¡¯s ins. This axe would be more than enough for them. The close-range goblins shouted in panic at the sight of the rare-grade axe. Kik! Kirik!! It must have been some kind of signal, as the distant goblins quickly resumed firing arrows. However, unless they were poisoned, arrows like those were nothing Do-hyeon couldn¡¯t block with his eyes closed. His movements were as smooth as ever. Whoosh- Puk! Puk! He quickly rushed into the midst of the close-range goblins, grabbed one by the neck, and used it as a shield. [The Weapon Master effect removes the weapon restriction.] [The Adventurer effect allows you to use the weapon¡¯s basic skill.] [You have used the axe¡¯s basic skill, ¡®Overhead Strike¡¯.] [You have killed a Red Goblin of the Forest.] After throwing down the goblin riddled with arrows, he shattered the skull of the next goblin, which had been stunned in disbelief. One hit, and it was down. ¡°Feels good.¡± It was his first time using an axe, but the impact felt better than expected. Do-hyeon, now fully immersed in the battle, tore through the goblins like a whirlwind. No matter how many arrows they shot, he blocked them with his axe or used a nearby goblin as a shield. To the goblins, he was a walking nightmare. Kirik¡­! In no time, the close-range goblins were wiped out, leaving only the four goblins at a distance. The goblins, having lost their will to fight, frantically began to flee. This was why forest goblins were so annoying. They were cunning, making good use of the forest terrain, and knew how to retreat when the situation turned against them. But. [You have used Backstab.] Against Do-hyeon, who had the best mobility skill of an assassin, their escape wasughable. Kirik¡­? Do-hyeon appeared behind one of them like a phantom and swung his axe, beheading the goblin instantly. The creature probably didn¡¯t even realize how it had died. Do-hyeon¡¯s eyes darted quickly. Two goblins had scattered in different directions. He spotted his greatsword lying near one of them. Whoosh- Without hesitation, Do-hyeon threw his axe at the other goblin, then sprinted toward his greatsword and used Charge sh. Crack! Seogeok- [You have killed a Red Goblin of the Forest.] [You have killed a Red Goblin of the Forest.] [Axe proficiency has increased to LV2.] The timing was perfect. As he shed the goblin¡¯s waist with Charge sh, the goblin he had thrown the axe at fell as well. The goblins had all been cleared. But he couldn¡¯t let his guard down just yet. Shhiiik-! Something huge was aiming for Do-hyeon¡¯s back. Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Thud-. Kiieek! Kiiie! Its identity was a giant centipede. A massive centipede, lurking behind a rock, had been waiting for a chance to stab its venomous fangs into Do-hyeon¡¯s neck. Do-hyeon grabbed the creature¡¯s head and frowned. ¡°No matter where you go, insect bastards are always so sneaky.¡± The way they acted didn¡¯t change whether it was in DemRock or God of Savior. In DemRock, there wasn¡¯t a single insect-type monster that didn¡¯t fight with cowardly, dirty tactics. Their disgusting appearance was only matched by how much he despised their behavior. And since this hunting ground was filled with such insect creatures, Do-hyeon had expected ambush patterns from the very beginning. These things always waited for yers to let their guard down. Pacak-. Even after Do-hyeon crushed its head with his strength, the creature still squirmed and tried to flee. True to its insect nature, it had an annoying amount of vitality. Pook, pook-. Only after stabbing it twice more with his greatsword did a pleasant notification sound ring out. [You have killed a Giant Centipede of the Forest.] [Swordsmanship proficiency has increased to LV10.] [You have leveled up.] The battle was finally over. After gathering all the dropped items, Do-hyeon checked his status. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect to level up my proficiency too.¡¯ Earlier, his axe proficiency had increased as well. The Weapon Master ss was definitely proving to be exceptional, with proficiencies rising at an astonishing rate. Now, his sword damage had increased by a full 10%. If things continued like this, he¡¯d be an overpowered character. But unfortunately, God of Savior wasn¡¯t such a simple game. ¡®Damage doesn¡¯t increase much past level 10.¡¯ Weapon proficiency only granted a 1% damage increase per level up until level 10. After that, the damage only increased by 1% every two levels, and the amount of proficiency required to level up also skyrocketed. In fact, the amount of experience needed for each level was absurd. Most yers set their goal to reach at least level 20 in proficiency, which showed just how difficult it was. ¡®Still a long way to go.¡¯ Since the experience required for proficiency would keep increasing, it was going to be a long grind. But that was something to worry aboutter¡­ Do-hyeon shook his sword clean and opened his status window. ¡ª [yer: Kaiser] [Level: 19] [HP: 2,110 / 2,450] [MP: 320 / 600] [Stamina: 170 / 350] [ss: Final Adventurer ] [Titles (3)] ¨C Maximum Affection from the Start? ¨C The First yer ¨C King of Time Attack [Stats] ¨C ¨C ¨C ¨C ¨C Unused points: 49 ¡ª ¡°I¡¯ve already gone up two levels.¡± He had heard that leveling up in the Western Forest was supposed to be difficult, yet he had already gained two levels in less than an hour. If other yers heard this, they wouldn¡¯t believe it. From level 17 onward, the experience needed increased significantly, and since most yers used party y at the Western Gate, gaining even one level in an hour was considered impressive. And that was for experienced parties. If the party coordination was off, leveling up could take up to two hours. Yet Do-hyeon had gone up two levels in just one hour¡ªan insane growth rate. ¡°It¡¯s a bit tedious, but this ce is a goldmine. Even though they¡¯re affected by Intimidation, they still attack.¡± Maybe it was because they trusted the terrain, but the monsters attacked on their own without Do-hyeon needing to search for them. It was incredibly efficient. This was a thought only someone like Do-hyeon, who could kill a monster in one hit, could have. For regr yers, they¡¯d likely be traumatized by the frequent ambushes. And their attempts to flee? That wasn¡¯t an issue for Do-hyeon, who had both Backstab and Charge sh. As long as they entered his line of sight, they were as good as caught. ¡®Backstab really is a broken skill.¡¯ It was abination of a damage skill, a movement skill, and had high utility. And it was a heroic-tier skill? Even better, its cooldown was only 50 seconds. With some cooldown reduction items, it could go down to 40 seconds. At that point, no one would be able to escape him. It was a bnced skill only because assassins had it. If the skill itself was analyzed, it waspletely overpowered. ¡®And if I can get my hands on the mage¡¯s ¡°that¡± or the swordsman¡¯s ¡°that¡±¡­¡¯ Each ss had at least one skill that made you think, ¡°If another ss had this, it would bepletely broken.¡± While Backstab was borderline overpowered, there were some skills that, depending on how you used them, could be even better. Just thinking about mixing Backstab with a few other overpowered skills painted a picture. ¡®Yeah, I can see it now. A game-breaking, unbnced character.¡¯ Of course, you had to actually obtain those skills for this to be possible, but with the Eye of Truth, for Do-hyeon, it was only a matter of time. And now that second opportunity was just around the corner. ¡®Just one more level and it¡¯s time for another draw.¡¯ He was just one level away from reaching level 20, which granted a second random skill draw. In the past, he hadn¡¯t looked forward to this moment. After all, what was the point of getting excited when the chances were high that he¡¯d end up with something useless? Instead, he had focused on guaranteed-grade draws. That was why Do-hyeon had never obtained a legendary-tier skill. ¡®Legendary-tier skills onlye from random draws.¡¯ In other words, despite making countless random draws¡ªup to ten by level 100, plus quests and hidden piece rewards¡ªDo-hyeon had never obtained a legendary skill. His luck was so bad, it was almost legendary on its own! ¡®But this time, I¡¯m incredibly excited.¡¯ However, this time was different! In this new life in God of Savior, Do-hyeon had the most powerful unique trait, the Eye of Truth! Just imagining what grade of skill he¡¯d pull had him feeling not just hopeful, but thrilled. The one thing that past Kaiser had never achieved in DemRock¡­ no, in God of Savior! The one moment that was allowed to him now! As he imagined that moment while walking¡­ Ding-. [You havepleted the exploration of the Western Forest.] [Go to Linda and report the situation in the Western Forest.] ¡°Huh?¡± When the sudden notification popped up, he checked the quest and realized that the conditions had been fulfilled. He had already killed the twenty giant insects, so only one quest remained. ¡ª [Lost Pendant] ¨C Grade: Common+ ¨C Description: A request from the girl Cami, whose precious pendant was stolen by a cat. Find the pendant located outside the Western Gate and return it to the girl. ¨C Lost Pendant (0 / 1) Reward for Completion: ¨C 1 gold ¨C Some experience points ¨C A small gift from Cami Failure Penalty: ¨C Emily¡¯s affection may decrease. Time Limit: ¨C 28 hours ¡ª It was the only quest among the Western Gate quests with a Common+ grade. That didn¡¯t mean it was difficult, though. In fact, it was the opposite. ¡®I already know where it is.¡¯ All he had to do was go to the location written in the guide and pick up the pendant. He¡¯d prioritized other quests because he could pick it up at any time. Step, step. Clearing his thoughts, Do-hyeon moved ording to the guide. After about 10 minutes of walking, he saw a group of people gathered in the distance. As he got closer, he could hear their murmurs. ¡°Okay, everyone line up.¡± ¡°We¡¯re all taking time out of our busy day, so no cutting in line.¡± It was a line. yers were queuing up to grab the pendant hanging from a tree branch. Since it was such an easy quest with a single item, this had be the norm. ¡®The pendant respawns 10 seconds after someone takes it, right?¡¯ It might seem like only 10 seconds, but with more people, even that wasn¡¯t trivial. If ten people were waiting, that would be 100 seconds. That¡¯s why if you got stuck in the line during a busy time, it was a waste of valuable ytime. That was why Do-hyeon hadn¡¯t rushed to grab the pendant earlier. The line had been ridiculously long before. ¡®This time, it¡¯s manageable.¡¯ Fortunately, this time the line wasn¡¯t long. Only about six people. Waiting for one minute wasn¡¯t too much of a hassle, so he could spare that time. While standing absentmindedly in line, he overheard the people in front of him chatting. And then, familiar words reached his ears. ¡°Hey, did you hear about those griefers getting a kill order ced on them?¡± ¡°You mean that bastard AssassinBoy? Yeah, serves him right.¡± ¡°They say it¡¯s a full guild effort, and he¡¯s getting destroyed out there.¡± ¡°Tch, he should¡¯ve lived a cleaner life. I couldn¡¯t stand those guys.¡± AssassinBoy. Griefers. Names Do-hyeon was all too familiar with. ¡®Those PKers? So, they got a kill order put on them?¡¯ Considering that Do-hyeon was the one who¡¯d given them a harsh lesson, he couldn¡¯t help but know about it. But it was somewhat surprising that a kill order had been ced on them. ¡®A guild wouldn¡¯t go to the trouble unless they messed with the wrong people.¡¯ Even though Do-hyeon had only yed DemRock, from what he¡¯d heard from other yers of different RPGs, it was all the same. A guild would only issue a kill order if they stood to gain something, or for revenge. Of course. A kill order meant following the target everywhere and killing them repeatedly. How many people, resources, and how much time would that take? ¡®That all costs money.¡¯ There was no reason to invest so much unless it benefited the guild or it was payback for being insulted. Sure enough, Do-hyeon¡¯s thoughts were correct. ¡°Honestly, I hate how people keep worshipping the Hero Guild. They¡¯ve done some pretty scummy stuff.¡± ¡°Yeah, like monopolizing dungeons and quests¡­ If they don¡¯t like something, they just crush it. They call themselves heroes, but their actions are more like viins.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get why they¡¯re so popr.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all because of their fanbase. The guild leader¡¯s fans are like celebrity-level. Apparently, two-thirds of them are women¡­¡± ¡°They can¡¯t say a word in front of the Execution Guild, though. Tch, like foxes pretending to be lions.¡± ¡°Shh. Keep your voice down.¡± As the two yers nced around cautiously, Do-hyeon pretended not to hear, feigning indifference. Fortunately, his act seemed to work, and while their voices quieted down, they didn¡¯t stop talking. ¡®The Hero Guild¡­ They remind me of a simr group from DemRock.¡¯ Was it the Heroic Guild? They started out as a group of people who imed they wanted to help the weak and stand tall against the strong. At first, they were righteous people with ideals. ¡®Yeah, at first.¡¯ But as time went on and they tasted wealth, those heroes changed. They pretended to be good on the outside but had be rotten to the core behind the scenes. They were the ones who had sent countless assassins after Do-hyeon. Even though he¡¯d never directly shed with them, it seemed they found his steadfast presence irritating. He had once thought of crushing them properly, but in the end, there was no need. ¡®When the game shut down, they left without looking back.¡¯ Heroic Guild and Hero Guild. It couldn¡¯t just be his imagination that these two guilds seemed so simr. ¡°They¡¯ve done this before, haven¡¯t they? Fixing their image by hunting PKers¡­ It¡¯s basically trash taking out the trash, but people still praise them¡­¡± ¡°People are just sick of PKers.¡± ¡°Yeah, judging by the posts from that AssassinBoy, he¡¯spletely nuts. Acting like the victim when they were the ones harassing everyone.¡± ¡°Heh, exactly. Apparently, he was ranting about some guy named Kaiser?¡± Do-hyeon, who had been quietly listening, flinched without realizing it. Why was his nameing up here? Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Do-hyeon¡¯s bewilderment was irrelevant as their conversation continued. ¡°Well, do you really think it¡¯s the real Kaiser? It¡¯s probably just a fan.¡± ¡°Yeah, maybe¡­ But still, whether it¡¯s a fan or not, teaching those guys a lesson felt satisfying.¡± ¡°Huh? Wait a second. So that guy took on all three of them by himself?¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, yeah? But isn¡¯t it weird? Those guys must¡¯ve been at their graduation level. At Raven ins, the highest you can get is level 16, right?¡± It was a reasonable question. Logically, it didn¡¯t make sense for a yer hunting alone in the Raven ins to take down three people who had reached their graduation level. And they weren¡¯t just some random yers¡ªthey were notorious troublemakers. Given that they were quite skilled for this area, it was natural to have doubts. ¡°They were saying something about the swordsman using a backstab.¡± ¡°They imed half their HP was gone in one hit?¡± ¡°They said his fists were so fast they couldn¡¯t even see them.¡± The more the questions piled up, the more nervous Do-hyeon grew inside. ¡®What the heck? They¡¯re the ones who were seal-clubbing, but they wrote all of that down?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t believe they had so little shame. From an objective standpoint, he had done nothing wrong. He hadn¡¯t used any hacks; he had simply disciplined them fairly. ¡®It¡¯d be a problem if rumors start spreading already.¡¯ The problem was Do-hyeon¡¯s current situation. Even in his own eyes, his ss had such an overpowering performance that it would be hard not to say he was crossing the line. Moreover, he had no less than six different traits. The group led by *BestShield* had been an exception since they were good people, and he hadn¡¯t used any of his other job skills then, so it hadn¡¯t mattered. But this time was different. ¡®If word gets out now, leveling up will be difficult.¡¯ A swordsman using assassin skills, having multiple traits, and dealing odd amounts of damage? He would instantly draw attention. Many guilds would approach him, and while some might reach out to recruit him, others would definitely try to nip him in the bud. No one would leave a seed that could steal their meal untouched. ¡®If they can¡¯t have it, they¡¯ll destroy it. That¡¯s how those guys think.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know much about the top 10 guilds in this ce, but if many of the rankers came from DemRock, it wouldn¡¯t be much different. In fact, he didn¡¯t even need to look as far as the top 10 guilds. Wherever he went, there would always be people who couldn¡¯t stand him and would try to mess with him out of spite. Maybe when he got stronger, it wouldn¡¯t be an issue, but for now, Do-hyeon was still low-leveled. Even though there was a level restriction on the continent, if someone assembled a team specifically to hunt him down, it would definitely hinder his growth. ¡®It¡¯s too early for that.¡¯ That¡¯s why he had nned to y solo as much as possible for the time being. But with things turning out like this, he had to adjust his ns¡­ ¡°Pfft, what nonsense. Seriously, they¡¯ll believe anything. That doesn¡¯t even make sense.¡± ¡°Hacking, my a**! Haha! If you¡¯re going to lie, at least make it believable. Who¡¯s going to fall for that?¡± ¡°He¡¯s just embarrassed because he got beaten, so he¡¯s exaggerating.¡± ¡°Do you think there¡¯s an idiot who¡¯d actually believe that?¡± ¡­It seemed his worries were unnecessary. As he briefly contemted their firm reactions, Do-hyeon nodded. ¡®Yeah, even I wouldn¡¯t believe that.¡¯ Who would logically think that someone like him, a hidden deity, existed? No one would believe anything a seal-clubber said, no matter how much they shouted about it. ¡°Still, it¡¯s impressive that someone took on all three alone. Even with good gear¡­ they must be incredibly skilled.¡± ¡°Well, it could¡¯ve been a hired yer at their graduation level. It¡¯s not like those guys haven¡¯t made enemies.¡± ¡°Is that so? Oh, it¡¯s our turn now. Let¡¯s go grab the pendant.¡± After those two stormed off, it was finally Do-hyeon¡¯s turn. Left alone, Do-hyeon quietly scratched his head. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to be more careful from now on.¡± Though things worked out this time, you never know what might happen in the future. There was no harm in being cautious. In any case, it had been a useful time, as he had learned about the Hero Guild and the situation with the seal-clubbers. [You have obtained the Lost Pendant.] [Please deliver the pendant to Cami.] ¡°Well then, I guess it¡¯s time to hit level 20.¡± Grinning, Do-hyeon held the pendant in his hand. * * * ¡°Wow! It¡¯s really my pendant! Thank you so much! If it weren¡¯t for you, I¡¯d never have found it! This is the thing I treasure the most. You¡¯re so kind, I¡¯ll give it to you!¡± [You have cleared the quest ¡®Lost Pendant.¡¯] [You have received 1 gold, a certain amount of experience points, and Cami¡¯s small gift as a reward.] [Cami¡¯s Small Gift] [Grade: Common+] [Description: Cami has a hobby of collecting unusual objects. This is her most cherished item from her collection, a random box. No one knows what¡¯s inside.] As he handed over the pendant, Cami beamed with joy, jumping up and down and even tearing up before suddenly hugging him tightly. Her appearance was the epitome of an innocent young girl. Even knowing she was just an NPC, it warmed Do-hyeon¡¯s heart. ¡°Don¡¯t lose it again.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you so much! I really cherish that, so please take good care of it too!¡± ¡°Alright, thanks.¡± ¡°Hehe. Goodbye, oppa!¡± As Do-hyeon patted her head with a contented smile, Cami giggled like a puppy. [The effect of the title ¡®Max Affection from the Start?¡¯ has activated. Affection has greatly increased.] [Cami¡¯s affection has greatly increased.] ¡®Is it because she¡¯s young? The affection increased a lot.¡¯ It seemed that due to her innocence, Cami received the title¡¯s effect more significantly. Feeling again that the title¡¯s effect could vary from NPC to NPC, Do-hyeon moved on. After parting with Cami, Do-hyeon delivered the news to the other NPCs as well. The second stop was Linda¡¯s potion shop. Upon hearing about the situation in the western forest, she jumped up in shock. ¡°My goodness, the western forest is still such a dangerous ce. No wonder he gets hurt so often¡­ This won¡¯t do. I¡¯m going to tell him to quit being a scout immediately. Either he quits being a scout or ends his rtionship with me¡­! Ah, ahem. Thank you for telling me, Apostle.¡± [You have cleared the quest ¡®Exploration of the Western Forest.¡¯] [You have received 1 gold, a certain amount of experience points, 10 low-grade HP potions, and 10 low-grade MP potions as a reward.] [The effect of the title ¡®Max Affection from the Start?¡¯ has been activated. Affection has greatly increased.] ¡®Hmm¡­ I feel kind of bad for that scout.¡¯ After all, he was now at a crossroads where he might either lose his job or his lover. Briefly offering a moment of sympathy to Scout Zeke, Do-hyeon headed to visit Zrinna, thest person on his list. As expected from the character who had made Do-hyeon want to skip her, Zrinna¡¯s wee was quite unique. ¡°Oh, ho! Did you really take down those vile insects? Even the best hunters struggle with them, but you¡¯ve truly done something amazing. I knew it from the first time I saw you, the spirit you possess is something exceptional!¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡± ¡°You must have felt it too, right? The evilness radiating from those monsters! The malevolence of the monsters in Raven ins doesn¡¯t evene close to that! Even veteran hunters tremble at their cruelty, but how did you find it?¡± ¡°Well¡­ it wasn¡¯t too bad.¡± ¡°As expected! Truly amazing! You remind me of my younger days¡­¡± As Zrinna rambled on, reminding Do-hyeon of a chatty baseball yer, he offered polite responses. Suddenly, a tip from a strategy guide crossed his mind. -ps. No matter how much you want to punch Zrinna in the face, you must hold back. Remember my words: you must hold back. There had been simr warnings in Kalde¡¯s description in Arde, so Do-hyeon had assumed she had a personality like Kalde¡¯s. But no¡ªthis NPC tested a yer¡¯s patience in an entirely different way. For some reason, it felt even worse than what he had heard, and it wasn¡¯t just because it was happening to him. [The effect of the title ¡®Max Affection from the Start?¡¯ has been activated. Affection has greatly increased.] ¡­¡­ [The effect of the title ¡®Max Affection from the Start?¡¯ has been activated. Affection has greatly increased.] ¡®¡­Couldn¡¯t this effect have stayed dormant at times like this?¡¯ Thanks to the title, Zrinna was showing Do-hyeon the maximum level of affection possible. After spacing out for about five minutes while half-listening and half-responding to her endless chatter, the moment he had been waiting for finally arrived. ¡°Hmph! I believe I can trust you with this request.¡± At the sound of those words, Do-hyeon¡¯s focus sharpened for the first time. ¡®Finally!¡¯ This was the moment he had been waiting for. As Zrinna nced at him seriously, her lips parted, and Do-hyeon¡¯s eyes glimmered with anticipation. After what felt like an eternity, Zrinna finally spoke! ¡°It¡¯s a dangerous request, but¡­ could you clear a dungeon for me?¡± Ding¨C. [You have cleared the quest ¡®Extermination of the Giant Insects.¡¯] [You have received 1 gold and a certain amount of experience points.] [A linked quest, ¡®Dungeon Conquest,¡¯ has appeared.] [Would you like to ept?] A refreshing notification appeared, apanied by the linked quest. [Dungeon Conquest] -Rank: Rare -Description: Zrinna, who has always been wary of the western forest, is worried that if the dungeon is left unattended for too long, the monsters¡¯ forces will grow stronger. As someone who has already exterminated the giant insects that even hunters feared, Zrinna hopes you can sessfully clear the dungeon. Conquer the dungeon sessfully. -Dungeon located outside the west gate (0 / 1) -Reward forpletion: 10 gold, a certain amount of experience points, and 1 low-grade skill selection ticket. -Risk of failure: Zrinna may be somewhat disappointed. -Time limit: 48 hours And it even offered a skill selection ticket as a reward! True to its rare rank, the quest rewarded plenty of gold, and since any dungeon in the western forest counted, it was a must-do quest ording to all strategy guides. ¡®No matter what, I have toplete this one.¡¯ Do-hyeon couldn¡¯t agree more. Even though it was just a low-grade skill selection ticket, quests that offered skill tickets were incredibly rare. Opportunities like this, where you could get a ticket so easily, were few and far between. For low-level yers with few skills, such quests were like rain during a drought. ¡°If it¡¯s you, I¡¯m sure¡­¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll do it. Now, I¡¯ll head to the dungeon right away¡­¡± ¡°Hmm? I¡¯ve already brewed some tea, so at least have a cup¡­¡± Pretending not to hear her voice calling out behind him, Do-hyeon hurried out of Zrinna¡¯s house and distanced himself as much as possible. After moving about 200 meters away, he began to gather his thoughts. ¡®Let¡¯s see¡­ There are two main dungeons, right?¡¯ The Goblin Chief¡¯s Lair and the Ant Nest. Although there were a few other dungeons, these two were the most well-known. Their difficulty was moderate, and the rewards were solid. ¡®Considering the Warrior Set, the Goblin Chief¡¯s Lair might be the better choice.¡¯ It was a ce simr to the Goblin Warrior¡¯s habitat in Arde. As soon as you entered, various goblins from different tribes would wee you, and after dealing with about half of them, the Goblin Chief would appear. It wasn¡¯t a difficult fight since it was a standard boss, but due to its characteristics, having a mage was essential in this dungeon. ¡®On the other hand, the Ant Nest requires a tank.¡¯ The Ant Nest was, as the name suggested, filled with giant ants. Once inside the tunnel, waves of ant armies would charge down a straight path, and after surviving five waves, the dungeon would be cleared. While there were a lot of enemies, there wasn¡¯t a boss fight. That¡¯s why the role of a tank to absorb damage and draw aggro was crucial in this dungeon. Either choice wasn¡¯t bad, but¡­ ¡®Neither of them really appeals to me.¡¯ One issue bothered him. Both dungeons required parties. ¡®I¡¯d rather not reveal my unique abilities just yet.¡¯ With the whole AssassinBoy incident spreading, Do-hyeon didn¡¯t want to expose the unique effects of his Adventurer ss just yet. Well, the solution was simple enough. ¡®I¡¯ll just hide them.¡¯ All he had to do was stick to using one type of skill. He had plenty of options for which ss to pretend to be. With three weapon types¡ªgreatsword, axe, and dagger¡ªand two skills¡ªCharge sh and Backstab¡ªat his disposal, he could easily pass as either a swordsman or an assassin. But before he made any decisions, something happened. [You have leveled up.] [Upon reaching level 20, you have received a random skill selection ticket.] The second random skill selection ticket was now in his hands. Excitedly, Do-hyeon¡¯s eyes sparkled as he tightly gripped the card pack of the much-anticipated skill pack, a wide grin spreading across his face. ¡®Now, let¡¯s see which job skill I¡¯ll get this time!¡¯ Like drawing a tarot card, Do-hyeon revealed the card that would determine his ss¡¯s fate. Ten cards spread out in the air. A message appeared at the same time. [Eye of Truth has been activated.] ¡®Please, let it be gold¡­!¡¯ As he looked through the cards one by one from the left, their colors became visible. Brown, brown, silver, brown¡­ Just as the sea of brown made his heart race with dread, Do-hyeon¡¯s eyes widened as he reached the final card. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 ¡°Ah¡­¡± The glimmer in his eyes faded quickly. ¡°Golden color, my foot¡­¡± Gold? It wasn¡¯t even close. Not even a simr hue showed up, as if to mock him for expecting such a thing. Six brown cards, four silver. In other words, sixmon-grade and four rare-grade items. ¡®What? Isn¡¯t this supposed to be random? Does this even make sense?¡¯ It was utterly ridiculous. It wasn¡¯t like he was drawing from a mid-tier skill selection, but somehow, only those two grades appeared. If this was a skill, it certainly had a knack for hitting only those grades. ¡®Four rare cards¡­ Statistically, that¡¯s not bad.¡¯ With a 40 percent chance of drawing rare-grade skills, it wasn¡¯t terrible at all. Even with Do-hyeon¡¯s usual bad luck, this kind of bnce meant he had a rtively high chance of drawing a rare skill. ¡®¡­Or maybe not?¡¯ After all the hardships he had been through¡­ Do-hyeon sighed, brushing off his hands. ¡®Pulling a hero-grade on the first try must have been pure luck.¡¯ And not just any hero-grade, it was the Backstab skill. Perhaps he had used up all his luck at that moment. It was a bit disappointing, but Do-hyeon quickly pulled himself together. ¡®Some days are just like this.¡¯ His recent luck had been extraordinarily good, but honestly, a rare grade wasn¡¯t bad at all. No, it was actually good. ¡®Rare skills and titles tend to be the most versatile.¡¯ In God of Savior, the most reliable and versatile skills were often rare-grade ones. For example, skills like Invisibility or Paralysis Poison from AssassinBoy were rare-grade, but they were essential to an assassin¡¯s kit. While a single rare skill might not seem overpowered, it was great forbining with other skills, and when used together, they truly shined. That¡¯s the essence of rare-grade skills. ¡®You really need at least one rare skill.¡¯ And rare skills were exactly what Do-hyeon favored the most. Thinking along these lines, he started to appreciate pulling rare skills. ¡­Well, not really, but convincing himself of this was better for his mental health. Do-hyeon scratched his chin, clearing his mind. ¡°It¡¯s actually a tough choice.¡± If he had just one card, he would have picked without hesitation. But with four silver cards, it made him hesitate. What if he picked something useless right now? Wouldn¡¯t he regret not choosing another one and feel the sting of wasted potential? ¡®Since I have the Eye of Truth, can¡¯t it at least show me what skills are hidden? Why does it have to be so stingy¡­?¡¯ After briefly imagining the impossible, Do-hyeon reached out his hand. No matter how much he hesitated, it would only waste time. ¡®Screw it. Whateveres,es.¡¯ He picked the silver card furthest to the right. A soft silver glow spread out, illuminating the surroundings. As he read the message that appeared, his expression turned odd. [You have obtained the skill ¡®¡­¡­¡¯] ¡°Huh?¡± ¡­This wasn¡¯t bad. *** Deep in the western forest, in front of a cave. Unlike the usual monster-hunting spots, countless yers were gathered in clusters. ¡°Looking for a wizard! Fire attribute wizards preferred!¡± ¡°Ice or lightning wizards are fine too! Any wizards, please join us!¡± ¡°Only epting yers level 20 or above! Please apply!¡± ¡°Buying junk items~ I¡¯ll give the best price~.¡± ¡°Anyone need weapon repairs?¡± ¡°Selling special stew~ It gives a health buff, so make sure to grab some before you go!¡± From merchants and cksmiths to cooks, and yers looking to form parties¡ªeveryone was gathered here. This ce that had drawn so many yers was, of course, a dungeon. The Goblin Chieftain¡¯s Lair. As one of the two most famous dungeons in the western forest, it was packed with people. Compared to the parties he had seen at the city gate, this was on another level. ¡®This really is a masterpiece of a game.¡¯ Even in the second city, the scale of activity was massive¡­ It meant there were a lot of new yers joining in. If it was like this now, he couldn¡¯t imagine how many people would show up for raids. The size of the crowd made Do-hyeon¡¯s heart race, reminding him of the early days of DemRock. ¡®DemRock used to be like this too¡­¡¯ Back then, everything was fresh and the cities were bustling with life. It only took 8 months for it to crash, turning those memories into just another part of the past. Do-hyeon chuckled as he nced around, recalling those days. While there were many craftsmen around, the overwhelming majority were yers seeking parties. ¡°Tanks and wizards ready. Looking for healers, two spots left. We check Adventure Book records~. No Warrior records, no entry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a healer! Let me join!¡± ¡°I¡¯m a sub-tank, but I can y some DPS too! I¡¯ll do my best, so please let me in!¡± ¡°I¡¯m a rogue, but¡­¡± ¡°Why would a rogue join? Have some sense! Don¡¯t you know when to step back!?¡± ¡°¡­Oh¡­¡± The scene in front of a dungeon was always like this. However, the party formation here had a slight difference from other ces. ¡®Wizards are really popr here.¡¯ Normally, healers were treated like royalty and became the first pick. But here, wizards were in high demand. Wizards were already a popr ss, but not to this extent¡­ It was all due to the Goblin Chieftain¡¯s unique mechanics. ¡®If that trait triggers, you can¡¯t clear it without a wizard.¡¯ This was the fun part of the game. Depending on the boss¡¯s traits, the roles of ¡°noble¡± and moner¡± could shift in real time. There was no permanent aristocrat or lowly role. A ss that was underappreciated elsewhere could be the center of attention and treated like VIPs in certain dungeons. Unfortunately, this didn¡¯t apply to Do-hyeon right now. In this dungeon, melee DPS sses were the least wanted. ¡®Among those, rogues, assassins, and swordsmen have the worst reputations.¡¯ Rogues were already considered an awkward ss forbat, and assassins were more suited for PVP, so this wasn¡¯t surprising. But why were swordsmen considered the worst? ¡®They don¡¯t really excel in anything.¡¯ If the team needed damage, they¡¯d pick a strong and reliable ranged DPS. If they needed tanks, they¡¯d go for a tank, or even a sub-tank if necessary. For buffs or support, they¡¯d choose a healer. But what about swordsmen? ¡®Hmm.¡¯ No standout strengths came to mind. They had no ring weaknesses either, but were just mediocre in all aspects. They were more of ate-blooming, all-rounder ss that became powerful as the game progressed. However, that meant they were just average in the early stages. Moreover, few sses were as dependent on the yer¡¯s skill as the swordsman. This naturally led to a lot of low-level swordsmen with poor mechanics, which contributed to their bad reputation. Though it wasn¡¯t enough to make them outright hated, it was a problem in Raven. ¡®I have to admit, swordsmen are pretty useless here.¡¯ Damage? It was better to rely on ranged DPS, and a wizard could handle everything anyway. It¡¯d be more beneficial to add another sub-tank to ensure safe damage-dealing than relying on a swordsman. And in the Ant¡¯s Nest? ¡®That ce is even worse, with only tanks and ranged DPS.¡¯ It was even more hostile to melee DPS than the Goblin Chieftain¡¯s Lair. In that dungeon, melee DPS had no other role except being meat shields. And why would anyone choose a swordsman with a flimsy sword for that? At this point in the game, swordsmen were neither useful as DPS nor as sub-tanks. That¡¯s why Do-hyeon had chosen this dungeon. ¡®Sigh.¡¯ The swordsman ss had a slightly better reputation here than in the Ant¡¯s Nest, and he had the Warrior Set, so he had some chance of making an impression. And with the skill he¡¯d just obtained¡­ He¡¯d have to introduce himself as either a swordsman or an assassin, but equipping a dagger would mean losing the Warrior Set, so finding a party could take longer than expected. ¡®It¡¯d be perfect if an unidentified dungeon just popped up.¡¯ In God of Savior, dungeons weren¡¯t all pre-discovered. While there were a few official dungeons in every city, most dungeons were found by yers. Though these yer-discovered dungeons were often worse than official ones, some turned out to be gold mines. ¡®The Ant¡¯s Nest is one of those.¡¯ Who knew? Maybe there were still undiscovered dungeons out there. That¡¯s why Do-hyeon had thoroughly scoured the forest beforeing here. He had hoped his Eye of Truth would activate and lead him to an unidentified dungeon. Maybe there was even a solo-friendly dungeon hidden somewhere. ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it make sense for the Eye of Truth to have that kind of ability?¡¯ It could see hidden things. When he read the description, the first thing that came to mind was an explorer¡¯s search skill. Skills for finding undiscovered dungeons or hidden relics. Those were also about discovering hidden things, so shouldn¡¯t the Eye of Truth be able to do something simr? But instead of revealing some unidentified dungeon, he found absolutely nothing. ¡®Maybe it doesn¡¯t have that kind of ability. Or maybe there just aren¡¯t any unidentified dungeons left¡­¡¯ It had been a year and six months since the game¡¯s release, so it was possible that all of Raven¡¯s dungeons had already been uncovered. This was something he¡¯d have to look intoter¡­ Do-hyeon¡¯s gaze shifted toward his inventory. Inside was a seemingly worthless junk item. [Useless Junk] [Grade: Common] [Description: Could be a good toy for children. Might be used as a machine part?] ¡®¡­¡¯ Even the system recognized it as useless, and merchants wouldn¡¯t even buy it. This was the definition of junk. To Do-hyeon¡¯s surprise, this item hade from Cami¡¯s Small Gift. He had hoped the Eye of Truth might activate, but since it was a random item draw, nothing of the sort happened. Still, plenty of people had found useful items from this gift¡­ ¡®Well, I wasn¡¯t expecting much.¡¯ Do-hyeon had gone through too many hardships to be discouraged by something like this. After all, he had once failed ten consecutive item enhancements. This was nothing inparison. ¡°Tanks and wizards ready. We¡¯re looking for two more members!¡± ¡°Me! Me!¡± A deep male voice caught Do-hyeon¡¯s attention. It was a man holding a heavy shield. Next to him stood a rather skinny-looking man, clearly a wizard, holding a staff and wearing a robe. As expected of a party with both a tank and a wizard, people flocked to them in no time. ¡°Hey, I¡¯d like to join your party¡­¡± ¡°Ah, sorry. We¡¯re already full.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± Do-hyeon hurried over, but the party had already filled up by the time he arrived. He tried applying to several other parties afterward, but each time, he was rejected for the same reason. ¡°A swordsman? Hmm¡­ Not sure about that¡­¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re using the Warrior Set? Hmm¡­ That does change things, but we still don¡¯t have a wizard, so sorry.¡± ¡°You know how it is here with swordsmen¡­ Wow, it¡¯s really a shame though. If a wizard had equipped the Warrior Set¡­¡± ¡°Is that really the Warrior Set? It looks so mismatched, like someone colored it with crayons. Was it always this ugly?¡± The Warrior Set wasn¡¯t limited to just greatswords. It could include anything from daggers and bows to staves and even crossbows. That was why the Warrior Set was considered a graduation item for all sses in the Arde region. Do-hyeon had been lucky to get a greatsword, so he had thought it was a good thing¡­ ¡®And yet here we are.¡¯ This was all because, unlike DemRock, God of Savior had much stricter party requirements. Still, it wasn¡¯t entirely the party¡¯s fault. Do-hyeon had been specifically applying to veteran parties. It wasn¡¯t intentional. He just happened to pick well-rounded groups, and those were mostly experienced parties. Naturally, experienced parties tended to avoid swordsmen. He had thought his Warrior Set might help him get in, but it was harder than he¡¯d expected. Maybe it was time to lower his standards. ¡®Yeah, the important thing is getting inside the dungeon.¡¯ It didn¡¯t matter if the teamposition was a mess or if the members were newbies; getting in was the first step. Or maybe it would be better to just form his own party. While he was thinking this¡­ Chapter 33 Chapter 33 ¡°Excuse me. Are you looking for a party?¡± A low voice was heard from somewhere. The words were polite, yet the tone felt strangely blunt. At first, Do-hyeon didn¡¯t realize that the person was speaking to him. So, he ignored it¡­ ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The person wearing the Warrior set over there?¡± ¡°?¡± The repeated and specific mention made Do-hyeon turn his head. A man, slightly frowning, came into view. It seemed like he was annoyed, thinking Do-hyeon had been ignoring him. But as soon as their eyes met, the man quicklyposed himself and got straight to the point. ¡°Yes. If you haven¡¯t found a party yet, would you like to join us?¡± ¡°¡­Are you talking to me?¡± ¡°Yes. It seems like you¡¯re having trouble finding a party¡­ If you¡¯re okay with it, why not join us?¡± ¡°You do know I¡¯m a swordsman, right?¡± ¡°Of course. Actually, we¡¯re a bit higher level, but we¡¯re doing this because of a quest. Our gear is pretty good, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Judging by the fact that you¡¯ve got the Warrior set, you seem serious about God of Savior. In that case, we¡¯d prefer someone like you.¡± The man showed a kind smile. The blunt demeanor from earlier was nowhere to be seen. At a nce, he seemed like a helpful angel, ready to offer a hand to someone in need. When Do-hyeon nced behind him, the man¡¯s party members met his gaze, waving with bright smiles. There was a mage and a tank. ¡®Is this guy¡­ a swordsman too?¡¯ Perhaps noticing Do-hyeon¡¯s eyes on his sword sheath, the man scratched his head awkwardly. ¡°Haha¡­ Actually, I¡¯m a swordsman too. I just couldn¡¯t ignore the struggles of a fellow swordsman.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°To be honest, there¡¯s no ss more appealing than a swordsman, is there? Even Myeolsal is a swordsman when you think about it, so I don¡¯t know why people look down on swordsmen¡­¡± He went on,menting how swordsmen would eventually reign supreme in theter stages of the game. It made him seem like a young man full of dreams and hope. Even though there were two swordsmen, the fact that they had a mage and a tank, along with their equipment¡ªwhich looked to be at least rare grade¡ªmade them appear well-geared. It was a situation where Do-hyeon should¡¯ve eagerly epted their offer to join the party. But something felt off. ¡®Something smells fishy¡­¡¯ He couldn¡¯t quite exin it, but every single thing about their demeanor¡ªtheir kind expressions, their tone, their actions, and the atmosphere they exuded¡ªwas bothering him. And Do-hyeon was quite familiar with this feeling. After all, he had sensed it countless times in DemRock. ¡°Swordsman?¡± The man seemed to be wondering why Do-hyeon hadn¡¯t responded yet. As their eyes met, Do-hyeon realized. ¡®Ah, so that¡¯s what it is.¡¯ This guy was wearing a mask. The moment their eyes locked, Do-hyeon felt a very familiar emotion. It was hostility. The hostility was faint and unclear, which had made Do-hyeon uncertain at first. ¡®What is today? Events like this keep popping up one after another.¡¯ How could today be so different from the peaceful, almost spring-like day it had been yesterday? All he had done was diligently grind and level up¡­ Now, right after graduating from the beginner city, events were raining down on him. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if there was a target on his back. ¡®If this is fate, then I guess it¡¯s fate.¡¯ While it would have been wise to avoid engaging with people who clearly had ulterior motives¡­ ¡®I can¡¯t just let this slide.¡¯ Do-hyeon wasn¡¯t the type of person to overlook someone showing hostility toward him. It wasn¡¯t a matter of whether or not he would get back at them¡ªit just left a bad taste in his mouth, and he couldn¡¯t simply ignore it. How many times had he left things like this unchecked, only for them to snowball into something much biggerter on? ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I was caught off guard for a moment¡­ I¡¯d be grateful if you let me join.¡± ¡°Haha, no worries. I¡¯ll send you an invite.¡± So, Do-hyeon put on his own mask. Pretending to know nothing, he smiled innocently and shook the man¡¯s hand. Ding-. [¡®BastardSword¡¯ has sent you a party invite.] [Do you ept?] When he pressed ept, a translucent hologram window appeared on the bottom left of his view, temporarily pausing their conversation. And then Do-hyeon saw it. [¡®BastardSword¡¯ has formed a party.] [Party Leader] ¨C BastardSword [Party Members] ¨C OhJeezImAholyKnight ¨C Greatest10ssMageEver ¨C Kaiser The moment he saw the party list, Do-hyeon caught a glimpse of BastardSword flinching. The other two were no different. For a brief moment, their gazes darkened with even deeper hostility. ¡®They know who I am.¡¯ This was odd. He hadn¡¯t done anything notable yet, and it was his first time seeing these people. Do-hyeon didn¡¯t know how they knew him, but soon enough, he would make them spill. ¡°Shall we head in now? Are you ready?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s go~!¡± With BastardSword¡¯s energetic shout, they moved toward the entrance, and a message appeared. [You have epted the dungeon entry.] [Entering the dungeon ¡®Goblin Chieftain¡¯s Lair¡¯ shortly.] ¡ª [Dungeon: Goblin Chieftain¡¯s Lair] ¨C Grade: Rare ¨C Type: Standard Dungeon ¨C Description: Air where a once legendary warrior of the Green Goblins, cursed and exiled, now resides. [Entry Limit: 4 yers] [Level Limit: Below LV 24] ¡®Let¡¯s see how this ys out.¡¯ While waiting for the dungeon to load, Do-hyeon rxed, and soon his vision flickered as they entered the dungeon. * * * [You have entered the Goblin Chieftain¡¯s Lair.] ¡°Hm.¡± After confirming the message, Do-hyeon nced around and let out a small sigh of admiration. The dungeon¡¯s structure was quite different from the outside. From the exterior, it had looked like nothing more than a cave nestled in the forest, but inside, it truly felt like a living space. It gave the impression of a cave that had been turned into a dwelling. Torches lined the walls in neat rows, and there were even stairs and decorative items scattered around. ¡®I could believe it if someone said a tribe lives here.¡¯ It was well-developed enough to be called the Chieftain¡¯s Lair. Do-hyeon then turned his attention to the party members. Since they had entered the dungeon, it was possible they might reveal their true nature now. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s definitely something about this ce, huh?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a chieftain, they should live in a ce like this.¡± ¡°He¡¯s basically their president, right? This level of setup makes sense.¡± ¡°Well, yeah, that¡¯s true. Haha.¡± Contrary to his expectations, they were just chatting idly with innocent expressions. It was as if they weren¡¯t paying any attention to Do-hyeon, busy sightseeing in the dungeon. If someone were inexperienced, they might have thought they were just harmless, perhaps even wondering if they¡¯d misjudged them. Do-hyeon himself almost thought that, for a brief moment. ¡®I guess we¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡¯ Whether his instincts were right or wrong would be clear as they progressed through the dungeon. At the very least, it seemed they wouldn¡¯t make a move just yet. While looking around and taking his time walking, something happened. Kirik? Kirik! ¡°Huh?¡± The moment he turned the corner, two goblins appeared. They were less than 20 meters away. Surprised by the sudden encounter, the goblins let out their characteristic shrieks as BastardSword drew his sword. ¡°They must be scouts.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t even need to position ourselves for this. I¡¯ll take care of them.¡± With that, BastardSword dashed forward. Gliding smoothly as if skating on ice, his sword sliced through the waist of a goblin as he passed by. It was a Dash sh. Since it was a basic skill that all swordsmen have, BastardSword also had it. Swish-! ¡®Hm?¡¯ But there was something peculiar about his Dash sh. After the initial dash, he slid a bit further and delivered another sh. ¡®Is that a trait?¡¯ Do-hyeon didn¡¯t know whether it was a unique ability or a trait, but judging by the fact that this didn¡¯t exist in DemRock, it had to be one of the two. Kiek! The goblin, having been struck, angrily let out a screech and leaped toward BastardSword, but it didn¡¯te close to reaching him. ng-! A shield was raised to block the attack¡ªOhJeezImAholyKnight had appeared. The goblin¡¯s face contorted in shock, its full-force attack thwarted. ¡°Ooh, nice one. Though I didn¡¯t really need the help.¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t at least do this, I get restless. You can take out that one.¡± ¡°Sure¡­ huh?¡± Boom! Kieek! Before BastardSword even finished speaking, a fireball mmed into the remaining goblin. The goblin writhed in agony, engulfed in mes . BastardSword and OhJeezImAholyKnight turned to look at the source. Standing there, holding a staff, was Greatest10ssMageEver, grinning as their eyes met. ¡°If you don¡¯t finish it soon, I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± A red me glowed on the mage¡¯s staff. ¡°That¡¯s not happening.¡± Though he frowned at the mage, BastardSword didn¡¯t want to lose, so he quickly moved. The goblin, still trying to retaliate, was no match as BastardSword deftly avoided its attack and drove his sword into its neck. [You have defeated a Red Goblin Scout.] [Through contribution distribution, ¡®BastardSword¡¯ has acquired the Red Goblin Scout¡¯s ws.] ¡­ [The Goblin Chieftain has been alerted to the scout¡¯s death.] ¡°Whew.¡± ¡°Easy, too easy.¡± Having swiftly dispatched the two scouts, they shrugged as if it was no big deal. Then, noticing Do-hyeon, they shed awkward smiles. Seeing their innocent expressions, Do-hyeon thought, ¡®Not bad.¡¯ Their gear seemed genuinely good, and theirbat strength was decent. Their teamwork was also solid. Among them, the mage¡¯s firepower was especially impressive. No wonder fire mages were considered some of the strongest in terms of damage output. [The goblins are gathering, alerted to the scouts¡¯ death.] ¡°Ah, heree more.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± As the notification said, more goblins appeared. Kiek! Kek! This time, there were three of them, each armed with daggers like the previous scouts. As soon as they spotted the group, they charged. Once again, BastardSword and his party members moved like lightning. ng! The knight raised his shield to block, Slice- Boom! BastardSword shed through them, and the mage unleashed another spell in perfect coordination. Even though the number of enemies had increased to four, it made no difference¡ªthey werepletely outmatched. Do-hyeon didn¡¯t even need to step in; it was a one-sided battle. Swish-. Just as BastardSword finished off thest goblin, [The Chieftain, now afraid, sends his soldiers.] [Prepare for battle.] ¡°Wow, they¡¯re not giving us any breaks.¡± ¡°This time it¡¯s not scouts, it¡¯s soldiers.¡± As if in a ry of battles, the goblins kepting. That was the concept of the Goblin Chieftain¡¯s Lair. One of the Chieftain¡¯s traits was cowardice, meaning he never came out himself. Instead, he constantly sent soldiers in his ce, and yers had to fend off these waves of goblins until they reached the boss room. The goblins would only grow stronger as time went on. Tat-tat-tat-tat-. Even now, the sound of multiple footsteps echoed through the cave as the next wave of goblins appeared. Unlike the previous scouts with daggers, these goblins wielded long spears and had sturdier physiques. As the spear-wielding soldiers charged in like enraged bulls, the party members didn¡¯t rush forward. Instead, they took a step back. ¡°How about you take this one, Kaiser?¡± ¡°If it gets dangerous, we¡¯ll jump in right away.¡± ¡°You must¡¯ve felt left out when we handled everything earlier, so go ahead. It¡¯ll be a good chance to sync up our teamwork.¡± Their words sounded like they were doing him a favor, but Do-hyeon smirked inwardly. They had taken down five scouts together, and now they wanted him to solo three soldiers? Their intentions were clear. ¡®They want to see what I can do.¡¯ If they were curious about his abilities, he had no reason not to show them. While they stayed back, not moving an inch, Do-hyeon slowly approached the goblin soldiers. ¡®I¡¯ll y along for now.¡¯ A sly grin crept across his face. Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Thud! Kieeek! Kieeek! Do-hyeon, who boldly charged into the ranks of the soldiers, shed a goblin soldier without hesitation. It was a familiar Bastard Sword charge attack. ¡®¡­Wait, was that a charge attack?¡¯ The speed was so fast that it made one question if he was really wielding a greatsword. It was confusing, but the movement itself was undoubtedly a charge attack. As they watched Do-hyeon swinging his sword among the soldiers. ¡°¡­That guy, right?¡± A low voice came from behind. It was the Holy Knight who was also watching Do-hyeon. The face that once had a gentle smile had turned cold, and the voice was now low and serious. The Bastard Sword replied as if it was familiar with this situation. ¡°Kaiser in a Warrior set¡­ and a greatsword. It¡¯s definitely him. There can¡¯t be many like him in this section, right?¡± ¡°Well¡­ The Warrior set isn¡¯tmon either.¡± ¡°So, what do you think?¡± When Bastard Sword asked, the Holy Knight thought for a moment before responding. ¡°Not bad. He dodges vital spots well, and he¡¯s pretty fast for someone using a greatsword.¡± ¡°Is it because of his gear? His damage seems pretty high, and he¡¯s quick. Look, that guy over there barely got hit, but he¡¯s already down.¡± Bastard Sword nodded, agreeing with The Holy Knight¡¯s words. Indeed, he was fast and powerful. It made them wonder if he was really just level 20. At this rate, there wouldn¡¯t be any issue with being out-geared in this section. However. ¡°Something feels off.¡± ¡°What is?¡± It didn¡¯t make sense. ¡°An assassin got beaten by someone who¡¯s just geared up?¡± High damage and speed? Sure, they acknowledged that. But the assassin AssassinBoy they knew wasn¡¯t weak either. Furthermore, AssassinBoy¡¯s ss was an assassin. With stealth and paralysis poison in his arsenal, it was almost impossible for him to lose in PvP. The idea that he had lost 3-to-1 was nerve-wracking¡­ ¡°But this guy? He¡¯s just a typical yer relying on gear.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Now that you mention it, it does seem odd. Even if his new recruits were below average, it¡¯s still hard to believe.¡± The Holy Knight stroked his chin, finding it strange as well. Their identities? They were AssassinBoy¡¯s close friends and formerrades. They were part of AssassinBoy¡¯s old group that dominated other yers and could be called the original party. They knew AssassinBoy¡¯s tendencies and skills better than anyone. ¡°He¡¯s not the type to let his guard down.¡± ¡°If anything, he¡¯s brutally meticulous.¡± AssassinBoy never engaged in a fight openly, no matter who the opponent was. Even his ownrades found his methods to be excessively harsh. But what about this guy? He was strong, but that was it. ¡°Hisbat sense is mediocre, and his decision-making is off.¡± ¡°Even if you consider the fact that he¡¯s relying on his gear to push through, his skills are amateurish.¡± He dodged vital points well, but that didn¡¯t mean he wasnding precise hits either. Deliberately moving between soldiers and getting surrounded wasn¡¯t the best judgment either. In many ways, his movements were those of someone not ustomed tobat, like an older yer relying on high-tier gear. Well, considering he was a swordsman facing three spear-wielding soldiers, he didn¡¯t have much choice. Either way, if you didn¡¯t push in, you wouldn¡¯t be able tounch any attacks. ¡°His strategy might be dumb, but still.¡± ¡°Be careful, though. His damage is higher than expected.¡± ¡°I know. AssassinBoy probably didn¡¯t anticipate his damage either.¡± ¡°Besides, they didn¡¯t have a tank¡­¡± Even so, they didn¡¯t n to let their guard down. This wasn¡¯t their first time doing this. Back when they were running wild with AssassinBoy, they had partied countless times. Although they had now stepped away from that life after being recruited into a guild, they still considered themselves experts in this field. And that¡¯s why they were looking for Kaiser. ¡°Of all times, an execution order had to be issued¡­ what a headache.¡± ¡°To be honest, you didn¡¯t believe me before the order came down.¡± ¡°But we¡¯ve benefited from AssassinBoy long enough that we should at least help him out with some revenge.¡± If they ignored it and AssassinBoy lost his mind and exposed their past to the guild? They¡¯d all be done for. That¡¯s why they couldn¡¯t refuse AssassinBoy¡¯s request. Though they set a time limit to help him only until graduation¡­ they didn¡¯t expect to find the target this quickly. ¡°Well, it worked out. Now we can keep him quiet.¡± ¡°After this, let¡¯s step away from it all.¡± ¡°If he keeps bringing it up, we¡¯ll just crush him next time.¡± ¡°We¡¯re taking risks here too. If that bastard has any sense of decency, he won¡¯t keep pushing.¡± Tsk, Bastard Sword clicked his tongue and adjusted his expression as he looked ahead. ¡°Let¡¯s get going. Keep your expressions in check.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got it covered.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just do what we always do.¡± With that, they wrapped up their conversation and returned to their innocent-looking selves. The Holy Knight rushed in to block a goblin¡¯s spear, while the others btedly joined in, dealing damage. As soon as they joined the fight, the tide turned instantly. After quickly finishing off the remaining goblin soldiers, a message popped up. [You have in a Red Goblin Soldier.] [Through shared contribution, ¡®Kaiser¡¯ has acquired Red Goblin Soldier¡¯s Hide.] ¡°Wow.¡± Simultaneously, they eximed in genuine admiration. ¡°You¡¯re really good at this! Is this the Warrior set? Your damage was insane!¡± ¡°We joined in just in case, but it looks like you could have handled it all on your own.¡± ¡°See, I told you, no one sucks as a swordsman! That¡¯s what a swordsman is all about~.¡± Do-hyeon waved them off with a smile. ¡°No, you all did great. Your skills aren¡¯t average either.¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯re used to working together. I bet you¡¯ll adjust quickly, Kaiser.¡± ¡°Where¡¯d you find such a skilled yer?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all thanks to my sharp eye.¡± As they shamelessly heaped praise on him, Do-hyeon internally felt baffled. It wasmon knowledge that throwing a party member into the battlefield alone to gauge their ability was bad manners. It left the person to handle all the aggro, and the party could abandon them at any moment. If they were unlucky enough to drop any equipment, the situation would be disastrous. It was generally an unpleasant thing to do¡­ ¡®They¡¯ve definitely done this before.¡¯ Yet, despite doing such a thing, they turned around and showered him withpliments in such an innocent manner. It was absurd. Most low-level users would feel slightly off but would quickly let it go after receiving such praise and seeing the party eventually join in. Nobody dislikedpliments, after all. So, Do-hyeon decided to y along. He moved sluggishly, purposefully taking hits from obvious attacks and putting inckluster effort in dealing damage. By doing this, there would undoubtedlye a moment when they¡¯d take the bait. ¡°Shall we try to sync our movements this time?¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± With a kind smile, Bastard Sword extended his hand. Do-hyeon shook it in return. ¡®I¡¯ll take my chance when ites¡­ pretending to be weak¡­ as weak as possible¡­¡¯ With each having their own hidden agenda, they disguised themselves as the most innocent party ever as they shook hands. Thus, their ufortable strategy continued. *** [You have in a Red Goblin Soldier.] ¡­ [The Goblin Chieftain is trembling in fear.] It was about an hourter. As the goblin soldier horde fell, Bastard Sword wiped his sweat and spoke. ¡°Whew. Should we take a break?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s rest a bit. I¡¯m exhausted.¡± The party members copsed onto the ground, clearly worn out. It made sense. The difficulty had increased, and now groups of more than ten soldiers were swarming at them. The soldiers were much stronger and tougher than the forest goblins. They were armored and wielding spears, after all. When a dozen or more of those appeared, it was no surprise they were struggling. ¡®This is why swordsmen are treated the way they are.¡¯ Swinging a sword against ten spear-wielding soldiers? Evennding a hit would be difficult. If you tried to charge in and deal damage, you¡¯d get surrounded in an instant, but if you tried to maintain distance, you wouldn¡¯t find many opportunities to attack. Meanwhile, long-range dealers could attackfortably as long as the tank held the front line, making them the obvious preference. In this situation, having two swordsmen in the party was probably the worstbination, but¡­ ¡°Wow, Kaiser¡¯s damage is really insane.¡± ¡°Considering we have two swordsmen, this speed is impressive, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yeah, once the damage starts rolling, it¡¯s a whole different game. Hey, you should step it up too.¡± But Do-hyeon wasn¡¯t your typical swordsman. Even in unfavorable conditions, once he found an opening, he showcased the power of a yer with ridiculously strong gear, rivaling a mage¡¯s firepower! His prowess shined here as well. That was the reason. ¡®¡­Why is that guy so strong?¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s not that his control is bad. It¡¯s just that he doesn¡¯t need to control anything.¡¯ Ssssk¡­ The reason they hadn¡¯t attacked Do-hyeon recklessly yet? It was because they were wary of his overwhelming damage. Plus, with the previous incident involving AssassinBoy¡¯s party, they had no choice but to be cautious. Not that they hadn¡¯t made any attempts¡­ ¡®Try hitting him properly. Why can¡¯t you hit him?¡¯ ¡®I swear, I aimed right at him, but it weirdly missed.¡¯ ¡®What are you talking about? He was standing still, but you just missed.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m so frustrated.¡¯ While pretending to make mistakes, ThatJabchae had fired off spells during the hunt, but none of them hit Do-hyeon. Either they hit an attacking goblin instead, or Do-hyeon conveniently stumbled backward, avoiding the attacks by chance. The highlight was when Do-hyeon was moving forward, and ThatJabchae fired at him, only for him to stop suddenly, causing the spell to miss. He was like a robot with an automatic detection sensor¡­ ¡®There¡¯s no way he stopped on purpose¡­ how does he have such ridiculous luck?¡¯ It clearly looked like he wasn¡¯t controlling well, but somehow, all the attacks kept missing. When heughed and shouted ¡°Nice!¡± after dodging, it seemed like he didn¡¯t even realize he had avoided the attack, which drove ThatJabchae mad. As much as he wanted to just bash him, Kaiser¡¯s absurdly high damage was still on his mind. Why gamble when there was a safe path to victory? ¡®Alright, next time¡­¡¯ ¡®Next time, I¡¯ll hit him for sure.¡¯ ¡®No, if you keep trying back-to-back, it¡¯ll be too obvious. Take it slow.¡¯ Though they smiled outwardly, they were all on edge inside. Do-hyeon wasn¡¯t any different. ¡®I¡¯ve been holding back as much as I can, so why aren¡¯t they making a move?¡¯ He had instinctively dodged some spells, but afterward, he deliberately positioned himself to take hits. But now, even when he intentionally moved into the path of the attacks, they still missed. How must it feel for them, when even deliberately aimed attacks don¡¯tnd? ¡®Are they seriously not going to bite? Should I just make the first move?¡¯ He had created several openings, but they hadn¡¯t acted yet, leaving him equally frustrated. In some ways, he was probably feeling even worse. Because of that, Do-hyeon had been contemting multiple times. Should he provoke them first, or wait? As they continued their back-and-forth of subtle mind games, they reached this point. [The boss stage is now open.] [You may now enter the Goblin Chieftain¡¯s chamber.] ¡°We¡¯re already at the boss stage.¡± ¡°Considering we have two swordsmen, this speed is incredible.¡± Before they knew it, only the boss remained. The party, which had been a bit on edge, calmed down. ¡®Yeah, we can¡¯t fail here.¡¯ The Goblin Chieftain. To defeat him, a mage was usually necessary. He was a tricky boss for swordsmen, but with the right approach, they could use him to their advantage. ¡°If we¡¯ve rested enough, shall we head in?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± With bright smiles, Bastard Sword opened the boss room door. Creak. [You have entered the boss room.] [The Goblin Chieftain has detected the intruders.] [The Red Goblin Elite Soldiers are preparing to stop the intruders.] With the grinding sound of rusty iron, the boss stage opened, and Bastard Sword immediately turned to Do-hyeon. ¡°Kaiser, could you handle the elite soldiers for a bit?¡± The boss room in the Goblin Chieftain¡¯sir was different from other dungeons. Instead of a solo boss, there were two elite soldiers guarding him. [Red Goblin Elite Soldier] -Title: Elite Monster -Type: Goblin -Trait: Tenacity -Description: The most powerful and well-trained soldiers among the Red Goblins. Their role is to protect the Goblin Chieftain, and they exhibit extreme tenacity toward anyone they recognize as an enemy. Unlike normal monsters, elite monsters possess special traits. The trait Tenacity, which prevents them from switching aggro until the target dies, was a significant headache. This was the reason for bringing in an off-tank or healer to this dungeon. It was too much for a single tank to handle both the boss and the elite soldiers. The standard strategy was for a healer to sustain the tank or for an off-tank to handle the elites. ¡°Kaiser?¡± They intended to assign that role to Kaiser. The kind of monster whose aggro wouldn¡¯t shift until either the target or the monster died. While Do-hyeon was busy dealing with the elite soldiers, they would quietly move in and finish him off¡­ ¡®Once we pin him down, it¡¯ll be a piece of cake to take him out.¡¯ This strategy had given them a 100% sess rate in PKs within this dungeon. In a 5-on-1 situation, losing was nearly impossible. No matter how strong Kaiser¡¯s damage was, there was no way he could handle both elite soldiers and the three of them. That¡¯s why they were so confident this time. ¡°Kaiser¡­ sir?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Where is he?¡± But¡­ Kaiser himself had disappeared. He was nowhere to be seen. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Even when he anxiously looked around, Kaiser was nowhere to be seen. He thought maybe Kaiser had entered first, so he went further inside, but it was the same. ¡°What the hell, damn it!?¡± The guy who was definitely there just before entering the boss room had suddenly disappeared? It was a situation that would make anyone feel haunted. There was no image to keep up; it was the kind of moment that made swearing the only option. Creak¡ªThunk. Creak¡ª. To make matters worse, elite soldiers approached, making nking metal sounds. At this rate, there was no way he wouldn¡¯t attract their aggro. ¡°Where the hell did that bastard go!? Did he disconnect or what!?¡± ¡°No, it still says he¡¯s online.¡± ¡°Then what is this? Don¡¯t tell me he used an emergency dungeon escape?¡± Emergency escape. A convenient feature that allowed one to forcibly exit a dungeon, but only before entering the boss room. There was a penalty, reducing health by 30% for two hours, but it wasn¡¯t too harsh, so many people used it often. The penalty could even be removed by taking a special potion from an NPC. However, this feature couldn¡¯t be used once the boss raid started. If someone suddenly disappeared during a boss trial, it could put the whole party at risk of being wiped out, so this was to prevent trolling. Which meant¡­ ¡°That bastard¡­ figured it out.¡± ¡°Ah, no wonder he dodged every attack.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it because you made it too obvious when you were shooting! Damn it¡­¡± ¡°What are you talking about! You¡¯re the one who told me to shoot.¡± ¡°Is this the time for us to fight amongst ourselves? Get it together, idiots.¡± The guy must have figured out their n. At this point, there was no choice. If they didn¡¯t want to suffer the death penalty, they¡¯d have to grit their teeth and clear the dungeon. ¡°Let¡¯s take care of the elite soldiers first. I¡¯ll mark the boss, so the rest of you handle the rest.¡± ¡°Damn it¡­ fine.¡± The only saving grace was that they were all skilled yers who had reached the graduation level. They even had a mage, so as long as they didn¡¯t make mistakes, the raid was manageable. Tap! The first to step forward was Bastardsword. His goal was to draw the elite soldiers¡¯ aggro. [The unique ability ¡®Final Showdown¡¯ has activated.] [Until the showdown with the designated target is settled, your defense and health will increase by 50%.] ¡®Tsk. What a hassle.¡¯ The unique ability Final Showdown. A powerful ability granted by a Heroic God, which excelled in endurance fights. Thanks to this ability, Bastardsword could confidently take on the role of a sub-tank, even though he was a swordsman. Creak¡­ The moment the elite goblin soldier hesitated at the sight of Bastardsword¡¯s sudden appearance, he struck first. [Bastardsword has used ¡®Triple sh¡¯.] A basic skill that swiftly shed three times¡ªupper, middle, and lower. Although it was a standard skill, Bastardsword¡¯s Triple sh was different from others. [The trait ¡®One More Hit¡¯ has manifested.] [An additional hit is made.] A trait that added one more hit to any skill. As a result, his Triple sh turned into a Quadruple sh. The elite soldier, unexpectedly struck in a vital point, red with bloodshot eyes. ng! ng! [The Red Goblin Elite Soldier has recognized ¡®Bastardsword¡¯ as an enemy.] [The ¡®Determination¡¯ trait has activated.] [The aggro will not be released.] Not one to be outdone, Bastardsword attacked the adjacent elite soldier as well. The result was the same¡ªthis one too locked onto Bastardsword with its aggro. Like bulls charging at a red cape, both elite soldiers only chased after Bastardsword. ¡°Aggro is secured here!¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll start marking as well.¡± Finally, the pdin began to move. Leaving behind Bastardsword and MageEver, he ventured deeper into the dungeon, where a goblin evenrger than the elite soldiers appeared. Kiiee¡­ A goblin as tall and stocky as the 180cm-tall pdin. However, it wasn¡¯t muscr but rather covered in a thickyer of fat, and its sneaky goblin face made it even more displeasing to look at. Yet its fiercely glowing eyes were chilling. [Goblin Chieftain] -Title: Rare Dungeon Boss -Type: Goblin -Traits: Coward, Selfish Defense, Revenge -Description: The chieftain of a once great goblin tribe. Only goblins who inherited the bloodline of the greatest goblin warriors from ancient times could be chieftains. However, the bloodline has thinned over time, and the current chieftain can¡¯t hide his cowardly nature, failing even to manage his weight properly due to his reluctance to step forward. But even so, he is still the tribe¡¯s chieftain. One who can feel anger for his fallenrades. It was the Goblin Chieftain. Kiiee! Just as described, the creature was filled with rage. [All Goblin Scouts have been killed.] [All Goblin Soldiers have been killed.] He was furious over the deaths of hisrades. Over his own cowardice that had led them to their deaths. [The ¡®Revenge¡¯ trait has activated.] [Until all humans in the dungeon are eradicated, all of the Goblin Chieftain¡¯s stats will increase, and his battle instincts will surge.] And at the humans who were the cause of it all. ¡°Look at his eyes.¡± Normally, the Coward trait was considered a penalty. It meant the creature had such a weak mental state that it couldn¡¯t even fight properly due to fear. It was hard to believe that such a terrible trait belonged to a rare boss, but whenbined with the Revenge trait, it created a terrifying synergy. The more of hisrades were killed, and the more he directed his rage at his enemies, the stronger he became during his revenge. Boom! Bang! ¡°Grr¡­!¡± The force of the blows pounding on the shield was no joke. He wasn¡¯t using any particr skills, just hammering down with wild punches, but even that was hard to block. Still, he was confident he could endure it. Compared to Arde¡¯s goblin warriors, this one had simpler attack patterns. There was no need to interrupt any pattern; just enduring would be enough. It was tough, but not impossible. [The unique ability ¡®Endurance¡¯ has activated.] [Damage taken while maintaining the same posture is reduced.] [The trait ¡®Unyielding Body¡¯ has manifested.] [Your body bes heavier, greatly reducing the chance of being knocked back.] And this was his area of expertise. Although he was a Mortal God, he was well-regarded among tanks, having chosen the vige¡¯s Immovable God title, and even his traits specialized in endurance. ¡°I¡¯m holding out, so finish it off quickly!¡± ¡°I got it¡­!?¡± MageEver, who had been about to cast a spell with an enthusiastic reply, suddenly froze, staring into the air with disbelief. He cried out in a voice filled with shock. ¡°You, why the hell are you here¡­!?¡± The shout was loud enough to catch the attention of the two who were focused on marking. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Huh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that guy doing here¡­?¡± When they turned their heads, they couldn¡¯t help but freeze. It was unbelievable. Step, step. Footsteps echoed from beyond the boss room door. The one leisurely walking in, as if out for a casual stroll, was none other than Kaiser¡ªDo-hyeon¡ªthe one they had been desperately searching for. ¡°You dodged all the attacks? Couldn¡¯t hit me even if I stood still.¡± Hearing his grumbling in a t tone, the others snapped back to reality and shouted. ¡°How the hell!?¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t visible before! How did youe in from there!?¡± ¡°Is this bastard really using hacks?¡± At their outbursts, Do-hyeon chuckled. He had already confirmed their true nature, but now that the situation was what it was, they weren¡¯t even bothering to hide their masks anymore, which made it all the more amusing. ¡®In the end, my guess was right.¡¯ His intuition had never been wrong about this sort of thing¡­ With an uracy rate of over 90%, how could he not trust it? ¡®I¡¯m d I used Backstab to hide.¡¯ Backstab was a skill that allowed the user to move behind the target. Objects weren¡¯t considered targets. But what about corpses? They were no longer living beings, but they weren¡¯t objects either, so wouldn¡¯t it be possible? Thinking along those lines, as he was about to enter the boss room, Do-hyeon used Backstab on the corpse of a goblin soldier. ¡®Who would¡¯ve thought it¡¯d work on a corpse.¡¯ The result was a sess. Thanks to that, Do-hyeon quickly disappeared from their sight, hiding around a corner in the hallway, and then returned to the boss room when he thought it was the right time. From his vantage point, watching them was quite the spectacle. The moment he vanished, they started swearing like sailors and revealing their entire n. ¡°They really think I¡¯m hacking¡­ It¡¯s almost like I¡¯ve heard that before from someone.¡± ¡°Uh, no¡­¡± Even their reactions. It was certain now. These guys were connected to the person who held a grudge against him. **** And it wasn¡¯t hard to guess who that was. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it AssassinBoy? Are you guys his friends?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The only people holding a grudge against Do-hyeon right now were those guys. Seeing their inability to respond, it seemed he was right. He¡¯d heard they were being hunted down, but they were still trying to get revenge at a time like this. Clearly, they weren¡¯t normal. ¡®Well, no surprise they posted those kinds ofments on the board.¡¯ Should he call them stupid or just say their hatred ran deep? At least they didn¡¯t seempletely stupid. ¡°Wait a second. We¡¯re not denying we¡¯re your enemies. But right now, you need to help us clear this dungeon.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Bastardsword was tied up by the elite soldiers, and the pdin was handling the Goblin Chieftain. That left only MageEver, but mages were weak in one-on-one fights. Meanwhile, their opponent wasn¡¯t just any random guy but a swordsman with overwhelming damage potential. Realizing their disadvantage, they immediately switched to negotiation. ¡®Surprising.¡¯ Perhaps misunderstanding Do-hyeon¡¯s curious gaze, MageEver continued speaking cautiously. ¡°You know as well as I do that a mage is essential here. And we also need a tank to handle the aggro.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°So let¡¯s join forces for now. Since we¡¯re the ones holding all the aggro, we can¡¯t attack you even if we wanted to. And there¡¯s no reason to.¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong. Unless they were insane, they wouldn¡¯t attack Do-hyeon while aggro was concentrated on them. Plus, the Goblin Chieftain¡¯s Selfish Defense trait made it impossible to clear the dungeon without a mage. It would be wise to team up for now. ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± In a normal situation, that is. ¡°What the¡­? Huh!?¡± Thud! A warm sensation spread from his chest, and MageEver shakily raised his trembling hand. A massive greatsword had pierced through him. He raised his head, and in disbelief, looked at Do-hyeon gripping the sword just in front of him. Crunch! [yer ¡®Great10ssArchmageMageEver¡¯ has been killed.] [yer ¡®Great10ssArchmageMageEver¡¯ has been identified as ¡®Evil¡¯. Your karma will not increase as this is recognized as self-defense.] ¡®As expected, he was evil.¡¯ Seeing how sensitive he was about the death penalty, Do-hyeon had a feeling, and fortunately, he was right. If necessary, he had been prepared to ept a slight increase in his karma level, but it turned out he didn¡¯t need to. While Do-hyeon remained calm, the other two weren¡¯t. ¡°MageEver!? Are you insane!? You killed the mage?¡± ¡°What the hell, you crazy bastard! You¡¯re trying to get us all killed?¡± The pdin and Bastardsword shouted furiously. Even while struggling to maintain aggro, their anger was clear, showing just how furious they were. Watching them, Do-hyeon smiled faintly. ¡°Do you know what my creed is?¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about? Why would that matter now!?¡± Despite their angry reactions, Do-hyeon remained unfazed. ¡°I never team up with people who try to stab me in the back. Whether I end up winning or losing, if I join forces with those kinds of people, the oue is always terrible.¡± Back in DemRock, he had learned this the hard way. He had lived peacefully in the modern world before, and the first game he yed was DemRock. He had the talent to reach the top, but did that mean the path had been smooth? No. There had been countless people who tried to cheat and betray him, taking advantage of Do-hyeon¡¯s ignorance of the gaming world. In the early days, he¡¯d fallen for a few of them. From merchants using unimaginable tricks to poisonerscing buff foods or assassins pretending to be party members. ¡®I got sick of it.¡¯ Some even proposed temporary alliances under the guise of mutual benefit in dire situations. Since it seemed rational at the time, he had agreed. Then, the day after they drove off the enemy, an army came rushing in. It had been an army the so-called allies had assembled. Their n all along had been to take out both the enemy and Do-hyeon. After surviving such hardships for years, Do-hyeon had learned one thing. ¡®Yesterday¡¯s enemy is today¡¯s enemy.¡¯ Yesterday¡¯s enemy bing today¡¯s ally? Nonsense. That was just something from old sayings. An enemy once is an enemy forever, and no two people can coexist under the same sun. Chapter 36 Chapter 36 ¡°That crazy son of a b****¡­ So, you¡¯d rather we all die together than work together?¡± To them, Do-hyeon didn¡¯t appear to be in his right mind. Well, honestly, he had nned to finish them off the moment the dungeon was cleared. In any case, after the raid, they would be weakened, and in such a situation, with superior numbers, they had a high chance of winning. But whatever the case, that was a concern forter. For now, wasn¡¯t it more natural to choose the option that guaranteed survival? ¡°Who said we¡¯re all going to die together?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Do you even know what your ¡®Selfish Defense¡¯ skill blocks?¡± ¡°Of course, it blocks physical attacks¡­¡± ¡®Selfish Defense.¡¯ A skill that ignores all physical attacks until a certain amount of magical damage is received once activated. A paper-thin defense that was useless against mages, but overpowered when only facing physical damage dealers. That¡¯s why bringing a mage was always essential in these raids. It wasn¡¯t about the mage¡¯s firepower, but the fact that they made the dungeon beatable. ¡°So, here¡¯s the question.¡± At this moment, Do-hyeon thought. ¡°How do you think status effect damage is categorized?¡± ¡°You¡­ You can¡¯t be serious¡­?¡± Bastardsword¡¯s face turned pale as if he had realized something. But soon, he shook his head in denial. ¡°No way. A swordsman wouldn¡¯t have a status effect ability.¡± ¡°Yeah, a swordsman doesn¡¯t.¡± That part was true. Swordsmen didn¡¯t have skills that inflicted status effects. There were other useful status-inducing skills and equipment, but none that applied direct damage through a status effect. But Do-hyeon wasn¡¯t a swordsman. *Srrng-*. When Do-hyeon pulled something from his pocket and grinned, Bastardsword¡¯s face froze in shock. A short dagger, about 80 cm long. ¡°T-That¡¯s an assassin¡¯s dagger! How the hell did you¡­?¡± ¡°Is it because it¡¯s your friend¡¯s? You recognized it right away.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible! Did it drop? No, more importantly, how can you even use that?¡± It was the rare+ grade dagger he had obtained from AssassinBoy. A dagger with the ¡®Bleed¡¯ effect. His friend knew that option well. Since they had kept it a secret that AssassinBoy had dropped the dagger, he hadn¡¯t even considered the possibility. And even if he had considered it, he wouldn¡¯t have thought that a swordsman could wield a dagger. His head was still a mess, but that was all. ¡°Pfft¡­ Puhahaha!¡± As soon as Bastardsword grasped the situation, he burst intoughter. Kiik! Kiik! As the elite soldiers found an opening and swung their spears, he didn¡¯t bother defending but instead continued tough. It wasn¡¯t until his HP dropped to 60% from rolling on the ground that he stopped, speaking in a mocking tone. ¡°Bleed? That¡¯s your brilliant n? If Bleed could finish this, we wouldn¡¯t even need mages. We¡¯d just hire assassins or thieves.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The tricky thing about Bleed is that it causes anemia if itsts too long. It¡¯s not something you use for damage. Haha.¡± Bastardsword¡¯s grin became more sinister as he chuckled. ¡°You idiot. Yeah, let¡¯s all die together.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t bother blocking! Just die already. This bastard¡¯s going down with us anyway.¡± ¡°What the hell are you¡­ Ah, screw it!¡± The pdin, who had hesitated for a moment at the order to die, threw his shield to the ground. Yeah, it wasn¡¯t just them who would die. Thinking that way made it feel less unfair. Hell, the other guy had better gear, so if he dropped his items, wouldn¡¯t he suffer more? The thought of causing him a loss was satisfying enough. ¡®We can even im we were the ones who killed him.¡¯ It gave them a good excuse to exin things to AssassinBoy, so this wasn¡¯t a bad oue. That¡¯s what they believed. ¡°15 points in Strength. 5 points in Perception.¡± Thud. [The difference in stats is overwhelming. The effect of the Assassin¡¯s Dagger is activated.] [The opponent¡¯s Perception is high. Bleed is triggered.] [You have inflicted the ¡®Bleed¡¯ status effect. Due to the overwhelming stat difference, the damage is significantly increased.] [You struck the heart precisely. The effect of Bleed is amplified.] [HP has fallen below 50%.] ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Before he even realized, the dagger had pierced his heart. As soon as it struck, Bleed activated, and his HP started to drop at a ridiculous speed. Bastardsword¡¯s face turned ghostly pale at the iprehensible rate of loss. ¡°W-What the hell is this¡­?!¡± An overwhelming stat difference? Like most games, in God of Savior, a significant difference in stats meant skill effects were either amplified or nullified entirely. ¡®I¡¯m a higher level than him, so what the hell is this?!¡¯ But this couldn¡¯t be happening. Even with better gear, he was level 24, while the other guy was level 20. On top of that, Bastardsword had activated his unique ability, boosting his HP and defense to nearly sub-tank levels. So how big of a gap could there be to cause this kind of insane damage? [HP has fallen below 30%.] ¡°A-Ah¡­ Ah¡­¡± Despite his confusion, his HP continued to drain, quickly falling below 30%. Do-hyeon, with a beaming face, spoke in awe. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s hitting harder than I thought.¡± DemRock was a game grounded in reality. And so was God of Savior, which shared its same mechanics. The damage you dealt depended on how much force you put into a strike. Simrly, if your form was poor, the damage would be lower. Of course, the game provided some corrections, represented by the concepts of minimum and maximum damage. ¡®And the same applies to effects like Bleed.¡¯ It was only natural that you¡¯d bleed more if your heart or an artery was pierced. Of course, not everything worked exactly like real life. If it did, the game would have surpassed realism to the point where it wouldn¡¯t even be called a game anymore. The bnce was maintained by tweaking small details, and Bleed was one such detail. It was also why yers had to be extra cautious when facing assassins or thieves. Those sses had an unusually high number of such effects. ¡®Even with paralysis poison, the duration and severity depended on how long it was absorbed into the body.¡¯ Dark vision worked simrly; assassins were full of unpleasant tricks. The damage was so tempting that he wanted to invest all his remaining points into Strength, but Do-hyeon restrained himself. He had already invested enough into Agility, and with plenty of speed-boosting options avable, that was fine for now. But his other stats were still low, so leaving at least 20 points forter was more reassuring. In any case, the Bleed damage was boosted to an extreme level, but Bastardsword couldn¡¯t ept it. ¡°What kind of Bleed is this¡­ Damn it, this is a hack. You cheating bastard. You¡¯re a hacker, aren¡¯t yo¡ª¡± Thud. [You have killed yer ¡®Bastardsword.¡¯] [yer ¡®Bastardsword¡¯ was confirmed as a ¡®Evil¡±. This is recognized as self-defense, and your Karma has not increased.] ¡°Seriously, these guys¡­ Same old story.¡± Of course, Do-hyeon didn¡¯t feel obligated to exin. Quickly, as soon as Bastardsword was taken care of, items dropped, and the pdin¡¯s enraged voice echoed. ¡°Jae-hwan! Damn it¡­!¡± The pdin was so overwhelmed that he called out his friend¡¯s real name. He couldn¡¯t ept the reality that his twopanions had died in an instant, leaving him alone. ¡®How did things end up like this?¡¯ Where had it all gone wrong? ¡®Should we have killed him before entering the boss room?¡¯ No, the n had been perfect. Using the boss¡¯s aggro was the most efficient strategy. If they had predicted that he would catch on to their n¡­ Kiik! Kik! [yer ¡®Bastardsword¡¯ has died, and the Red Goblin Elite Soldier has lost its aggro.] [The Red Goblin Elite Soldier recognizes ¡®Kaiser¡¯ as an enemy.] sh! Crunch! [You have in the Red Goblin Elite Soldier.] [You have in the Red Goblin Elite Soldier.] ¡°Huh? What? Why are they dying so quickly?¡± ¡­That thought stopped dead as soon as he saw the elite soldiers copse with the sound of their bones cracking. ¡°¡­No way.¡± Five seconds. That¡¯s how long it took for him to kill two elite soldiers. These elite monsters, with more than 70% HP remaining, had been killed in the blink of an eye. The fury that had consumed the pdin¡¯s face drained away in an instant, reced by sheer despair. ¡®¡­No, we shouldn¡¯t have started this.¡¯ Restrain him and kill him? Against someone who could take down two elite soldiers in five seconds? Even if they had fought three-on-one, the result wouldn¡¯t have been much different. They shouldn¡¯t have gotten involved with AssassinBoy¡¯s request. No, they shouldn¡¯t have even crossed paths with him. They shouldn¡¯t have targeted a newbie and should have focused on guild recruitment, rising to the top slowly and steadily. ¡°Let¡¯s see how long you canst.¡± *** Step, step. As Do-hyeon approached, the pdin had nothing left to do. What could he possibly attempt against a monster like that? Kiik! Kik! In front of him, the goblin chief swung its fists in fury, while behind him, an even more terrifying monster drew closer. Since it hade to this¡­ ¡®Might as well die to the boss.¡¯ He had long since tossed his shield away. His HP had already dropped below 30%, so it seemed like the wisest choice. But. ¡°I won¡¯t let you.¡± Do-hyeon, now standing right in front of him, chuckled. ¡°Ah¡­¡± He no longer even had the right to choose how he would die. Grinding his teeth, the pdin shouted in defiance. ¡°You son of a b****, do you even know which guild I¡¯m from¡­!¡± But those words were never finished. Thud. Do-hyeon, who had already closed the distance, calmly thrust his dagger into him. As the de pierced his carotid artery, the pdin grasped his neck, gasping for air. In front of him, system messages began to appear. [The difference in stats is overwhelming. The effect of the Assassin¡¯s Dagger is activated.] [You have inflicted the ¡®Bleed¡¯ status effect. Due to the overwhelming stat difference, the damage is significantly increased.] [You struck a vital point precisely. The effect of Bleed is amplified.] [HP has fallen below 20%.] ¡®What the¡­¡¯ Just like Bastardsword, his HP was dropping at an absurd rate. Now he understood why Bastardsword had screamed in shock. The damage was so overpowered that calling it a hack didn¡¯t seem far off. Even as he panicked, his HP continued to plummet, and it took only a few seconds for him to reach the point of death. [You have killed yer ¡®OmazingPdin.¡¯] [yer ¡®OmazingPdin¡¯ was confirmed as a ¡®Evil¡¯. This is recognized as self-defense, and your Karma has not increased.] ng¡ª Thud! The pdin¡¯s shield dropped to the ground as his figure disappeared, and the goblin chief pounded the ground in frustration. Do-hyeon smiled in satisfaction. ¡®The damage hit harder than I thought.¡¯ Well, of course, it did. [yer: Kaiser] [Level: 20] [HP: 2,290 / 2,500] [MP: 410 / 650] [Stamina: 260 / 350] [ss: Final Adventurer ] [Titles (3)] ¨C Max Affinity from the Start? ¨C First yer ¨C Throne of Time Attack [Stats] Remaining Points: 36 Thanks to investing a bold 15 points in Strength, he now possessed a total of 88 Strength. Strength that even a level 24 yer couldn¡¯t withstand. With stats like these, it was no wonder Bleed dealt such devastating damage. However, even ounting for that, the damage had been absurd. And there was a reason for that. [Bleed] ¨C Grade: Rare ¨C Restriction: Thief ss ¨C Description: A thief who uses various tools to confuse and disorient the enemy. Those who fought against such thieves could not help but bleed. ¨C Effect: After using a skill, the next attack that hits will inflict the ¡®Bleed¡¯ status effect for 10 seconds. If there is a significant difference in stats between the user and the target, the effect may be reduced. The duration and damage may also be adjusted. ¨C Cooldown: 15 seconds This was the rare skill, *Bleed*, that he had obtained from a random skill draw. ¡®I had a feeling, but I didn¡¯t expect it to actually stack.¡¯ Normally, the same status effect wouldn¡¯t stack. That was themon rule. If it did, then curse users would be the strongest in the game. But this rule only applied to skills of the same ss. If a Curse Master¡¯s Weaken skill and an Earth Mage¡¯s Slow skill ovepped and one was negated, wouldn¡¯t one of them feel cheated? For that reason, God of Savior allowed effects to stack up to a certain number of times if they were from different sses. And that was the problem. ¡®They never expected an assassin¡¯s weapon to trigger a thief¡¯s skill.¡¯ Maybe this was a tactic left in ce for Weapon Masters to use. After all, a thief wielding an assassin¡¯s weapon was still just a thief. The AI probably decided this much was fine. But what could be done now? ¡®It¡¯s all good for me.¡¯ Do-hyeon was the only yer who could wield every ss¡¯s weapons and skills. Chapter 37 Chapter 37 How many more of these hidden tips would be waiting ahead? Just the thought of it made him smile. He wanted to enjoy this thrilling moment a bit longer, but unfortunately, it seemed like it would have to wait. ¡°Kieeeek!¡± [The boss of the dungeon, ¡®Goblin Chief,¡¯ is enraged.] The Goblin Chief, having lost his elite soldiers and failed to kill the human who disappeared so absurdly, was furious. Banging his chest and roaring like a gori, he looked less like a goblin and more like an orangutan. Come to think of it, the way he fought, swinging his fists wildly without any weapons, also resembled a gori¡¯s style. Maybe he was a boss inspired by a gori. ¡®But that¡¯s not what matters right now.¡¯ Pushing aside such logical thoughts forter, Do-hyeon gripped his greatsword. There was no need for the assassin¡¯s dagger just yet. [The Warrior Set is applied.] [You inflict the status effect ¡®Intimidation¡¯ on the Goblin Chief.] [The enraged Goblin Chief resists ¡®Intimidation.¡¯ The effect of ¡®Intimidation¡¯ is nullified.] [You deal an additional 7% damage to goblin types.] What he needed was the greatsword, which could deliver more powerful bursts of damage. ¡®As expected, the boss is different.¡¯ Although his ¡®Intimidation¡¯ had disappeared meaninglessly, it wasn¡¯tpletely ineffective. The Goblin Chief, enraged by the attempt to intimidate him, had be even more violent. Maybe that was why¡­ Paaang! The Goblin Chief charged at him first. The sheer explosiveness of the rush was astonishing, considering the bulky mass of fat thatposed the monster¡¯s body. If he were hit by that tank-like charge, there was no doubt he would end up smashed into the wall. But such a charge, while fast and powerful, was weak in side-to-side movements. The best move here would be to dodge to the side, but¡­ [You use the skill ¡®Backstab.¡¯] [A mark is created on the Goblin Chief for a certain period.] Instead of dodging, Do-hyeon chose to attack. It was the best route, where evasion and attack could happen simultaneously. Keerik!? Surprised, the Goblin Chief tried to stop when Do-hyeon suddenly disappeared right in front of him, but his massive body couldn¡¯t halt its momentum and crashed into the wall. Kwaaang! Kieruk¡­ Rising with a groan amidst the cloud of dust, the Goblin Chief grabbed his head. It seemed like he hadn¡¯t been able to control his speed and smashed headfirst into the wall. [The Goblin Chief is stunned for 3 seconds.] Three seconds. Barely enough time to use one or two skills, but it was more than enough for Do-hyeon. Whoosh- Smash! Leaping up, he delivered a flying knee kick, sending the massive creature¡¯s body into the air. A flying knee kick powered by his 88 strength was a formidable weapon in itself. *Kraaa!* After smashing the chief into the wall once more, Do-hyeon steadied his breathing. Then followed a barrage of punches! Pupperpupperpup! ¡®In a short burst of free damage, it¡¯s better to go for quantity over quality.¡¯ In situations like this, where he could attack freely for a short time, more hits were better than fewer, more powerful strikes. Sure, a single swing of the greatsword would deal more damage, but it couldn¡¯tpare tonding three punches in the same time. [HP: 23,913 / 30,000] [The Goblin Chief breaks free from the ¡®Stun¡¯ status.] In an instant, he had reduced the Goblin Chief¡¯s HP by over 4,000. Rolling to the side, Do-hyeon swung his greatsword. The Goblin Chief, having been hit so hard and only just now breaking free from the stun, was caught off guard when the massive de swung from his blind spot. In an ideal world, he would have dodged, but how could he make a rational decision with an unseen attacking from the side? Smash. Kreaaak! Grabbing his now-floppy wrist, the Goblin Chief howled in pain, seemingly with a broken arm. It was clear that the Goblin Chief was indeed a boss, as his arm hadn¡¯t been cut off but merely fractured. Though Do-hyeon felt a slight pang of sympathy seeing the chief cry out in pain with tears and snot running down his face, he didn¡¯t hesitate. Crack! Kieeeek! He brought the greatsword down on the chief¡¯s wrist again. The best weak point was always an injured area. Nothing hurt more than hitting a wound that already ached. [HP: 16,434 / 30,000] With his HP now under 20,000, the Goblin Chief seemed to realize something was wrong. *Ke¡­ Keeruk¡­!* The once-furious Goblin Chief, who had seemed like an enraged orangutan with anger management issues, took a step back for the first time. It was rare for a boss to try to flee, but the excruciating pain had triggered the ¡®Coward¡¯ trait, which was now surfacing beneath his blind rage. The massive creature quickly created distance, but Do-hyeon watched calmly. ¡®Backstab.¡¯ He could close the distance in an instant anyway. [You reuse the skill ¡®Backstab.¡¯] [The next attack will be enhanced in proportion to the umted damage.] *Kieeek!?* Despite having run away, the Goblin Chief was so startled when Do-hyeon suddenly appeared behind him that he fell back onto his rear as if he had seen a ghost. Do-hyeon then plunged his de into the chief¡¯s stomach. [Yound a critical hit.] [Critical Hit!] *Kueeeeeeek!!* A scream erupted, far louder than any before. Even Do-hyeon winced at the sound, but upon seeing the damage, he understood why. [HP: 7,214 / 30,000] ¡®Wow¡­ it dealt that much damage?¡¯ With just one hit, he had reduced the Goblin Chief¡¯s HP by about 10,000. In fact, it was closer to 9,000, but still, the damage was astounding. A ¡®Critical Hit¡¯ indeed dealt ridiculous amounts of damage. Do-hyeon found himself momentarily stunned. ¡®This overpowered skill¡­ Does this mean assassins are the strongest?¡¯ For a moment, that thought crossed his mind, but in truth, it wasn¡¯t just the skill that was broken¡ªit was Do-hyeon¡¯s sheer power that made it possible. The skill dealt damage proportional to the marks umted, and Do-hyeon¡¯s damage output was absurd. He knew this very well. Knowing it and experiencing it, however, were two entirely different things. Kieek! Kieeek! Crying and snot pouring from his face, the Goblin Chief scrambled backwards. His pitiful attempts to escape while sitting down weren¡¯t a pretty sight, but the chief, who had been consumed by terror, didn¡¯t care about his image. While Do-hyeon briefly pondered something else, the Goblin Chief managed to create a safe distance. Standing up quickly, he mmed his fists together. [Entering Phase 2.] [The trait ¡®Selfish Defense¡¯ is activated.] [The boss ¡®Goblin Chief¡¯ will ignore all physical attacks until a certain amount of magic damage is received.] Selfish Defense. A skill that countered all physical damage dealers¡ªa truly infuriating, broken trait¡ªhad finally been activated. To the Goblin Chief, Do-hyeon looked like nothing more than a swordsman. And a swordsman is a physical damage dealer. Kirruk! Kirruk! Was the Goblin Chief smiling because he thought he had won? His face lit up with a broad grin. Still teary-eyed and snot-faced, the Goblin¡¯s smirk was nothing short of unpleasant and sneaky. ¡°Seven thousand, huh¡­ I¡¯ve cut down more than I expected. Thanks to that, I¡¯ll finish this quickly.¡± Kirruk¡­? At least, until Do-hyeon spoke. The Goblin Chief might not have understood the words, but his instincts, honed from a life of cowardice, were sharp. An unsettling sense of anxiety grew as he watched Do-hyeon calmly approach. ¡®Will four Bleeds be enough? Or maybe five?¡¯ Normally, the Goblin Chief¡¯s ¡°Selfish Defense¡± would activate when his HP fell to 50%. However, thanks to *Backstab* reducing his health down to 30%, the amount left to chip away had significantly decreased. He had braced himself to use Bleed at least ten times, but now it seemed like he could finish it in no more than five. *Swish.* [You use the skill ¡®Bleed.¡¯] [When your next attack hits, the target will be inflicted with the status effect ¡®Bleed.¡¯] ¡°Let¡¯s see how well it works this time, shall we?¡± ¡°Ki¡­ Kirruk¡­¡± Was the pitiful look in the Goblin Chief¡¯s eyes as he stared at the dagger merely an illusion? If anyone had seen this scene, they would have shaken their head. * * * [You have defeated the dungeon boss ¡®Goblin Chief.¡¯] [You have cleared the dungeon.] [Would you like to harvest the Goblin Chief¡¯s Essence Orb?] [As a harvest reward, you obtain the Goblin Chief¡¯s Sturdy Leather Belt, Goblin Chief¡¯s Leather, and 2 gold.] [Your progress is recorded in the Adventure Book.] [You have leveled up.] [Your Dagger Mastery has increased.] [Your Dagger Mastery has reached LV5.] Seeing the message, Do-hyeon shook off the dagger and stored it back into his inventory. A bright smile appeared on his face. ¡°Wow, the Bleed damage is way better than I thought.¡± He had expected it might take up to five Bleeds, but he had defeated the boss with just five uses of Bleed. And it was entirely from Bleed damage. This was an incredible feat. Even with the boss¡¯s inherent defense and self-healing abilities, he had managed to drain 7,000 HP with just five Bleeds. ¡®So this is the power of stacked Bleeds.¡¯ It was the result of high base stats, critical strikes, and the stacking of Bleeds. Thanks to this, the Goblin Chief had withered away, unable to even cancel his ¡°Selfish Defense,¡± and had to die slowly over the course of a minute. A fittingly miserable end for a coward who had abandoned hisrades to die. ¡ª Goblin Chief¡¯s Sturdy Leather Belt ¨C Grade: Rare ¨C Description: A leather belt worn by the Goblin Chief. It is sturdy enough to support his massive weight. ¨C Level Requirement: 20 ¨C Equip Requirement: None ¨C Physical Defense: 70 ¨C Magic Defense: 60 ¨C Strength: +1 ¨C Stamina: +2 ¡ª ¡°Nice, the rewards are good. It¡¯s rare to get such a nice item drop.¡± A rare belt drop in just the second dungeon¡ªthis was a stroke of luck, even for Do-hyeon¡¯s gaming career. And the fact that it was a belt, in particr, was even better. ¡®It was about time I upgraded.¡¯ The belt he had been wearing was a simple Goblin Leather Belt, which he had received for clearing a basic quest in Arde, so he had been wearing it out of necessity. Compared to his other equipment, all of which was rare or higher grade, the belt felt a bitcking. With this, all of his equipment would now be neatly at rare to rare+ grade or higher. Do-hyeon didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately swapped the item. [By removing your old item, your stamina decreases by 1.] [Your strength increases by 1.] [Your stamina increases by 2.] Do-hyeon confirmed the overall increase of 1 strength and 1 stamina and smiled contentedly. He nced around to see if there were any other rewards, but sadly, the dropped item was the only one. ¡®It would¡¯ve been great if there had been a Time Limit.¡¯ The Time Limit ranks yers based on how quickly they clear a raid or dungeon. However, not every dungeon had a Time Limit system. Some dungeons had it, while others didn¡¯t, depending on the dungeon itself. There wasn¡¯t a set rule, but generally, Time Limits were moremon in dungeons with elite-grade bosses or higher. ¡®Well, this ce was on the easier side.¡¯ Though he felt a little disappointed because he had hoped for more rewards like in Arde, in hindsight, it wasn¡¯t so bad. He had fought against PKers and cleared the dungeon while hiding his strength, which had slowed him down. He probably wouldn¡¯t have gotten first ce anyway. And if, by any chance, he had, the reward could have gone to those backstabbers. ¡®That¡¯s something I could never allow.¡¯ No way would he let the people who tried to stab him in the back get the reward. And besides¡­ ¡®I still have some loot left to collect.¡¯ With a sly grin, Do-hyeon began walking forward. After walking about 30 meters, he finally stopped, and in front of himy three items faintly glowing with an ethereal light. Do-hyeon reached out for thergest of them. [You are about to pick up an item dropped by another yer.] [Do you wish to confirm the dropped item?] Looking at the message, Do-hyeon grinned widely and answered. ¡°Yeah.¡± It was time to check the spoils of victory from the backstabbers he had thoroughly punished. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 [Silver-Iron Shield] [Grade: Rare] [Description: A specially crafted shield made from silver iron, one of the rarest ores. Silver, known as an ancient and sacred ore, is said to absorb divine power.] [Level Requirement: 20] [Equippable ss: Shield Warrior Lineage] [Defense: 100] [Damage Reduction: 110¨C130] [Durability: 100 / 100] [Special Option: The more divine power it absorbs, the more the damage reduction value amplifies. When the amplification reaches its maximum, all umted stacks are consumed to recover health.] ¡®Oh, rare.¡¯ Maybe it was because it had a level 20 requirement, but the options were amazing. For tankers who used divine power, there was no better shield in this level range. In fact, the Silver-Iron Shield was called the national shield of pdins in this level range. ¡®They must have spent a lot of money on this.¡¯ To think they dared to be viins carrying such gear¡­ They probably never imagined they¡¯d be the ones to die. Thanks to them, though, Do-hyeon had acquired a good item, so it worked out in the end. Do-hyeon checked the remaining two items as well. [Bastard¡¯s Training Sword] [Grade: Rare+] [Description: A steel sword used by the hero Bastard while training for quicksword techniques. As expected of a sword that endured the training of a great hero, it is extremely sturdy and sharp.] [Level Requirement: 20] [Equippable ss: Swordsman Lineage] [Physical Attack Power: 104¨C128] [Durability: 100 / 100] [Special Option: Upon attacking, there is a chance that ¡®Weak Haste¡¯ will activate. When Haste is triggered, attack speed and movement speed increase by 3%.] -Attack Speed +1% [Ne Containing Mana] [Grade: Rare] [Description: A ne containing mana, created by the White Tower. The ne, highly valued by mages, is a must-have for any mage.] [Level Requirement: 20] [Equippable ss: None] [Physical Defense: 50] [Magic Resistance: 68] [Durability: 100 / 100] -Magic Power +3 -Mana Recovery Rate +5% All were rare-grade, high-value items. Perhaps due to the viin penalty, only top-tier items had dropped. Among them, the sword stood out the most. Not only was it the only rare+ item, but its name also caught his eye. ¡®¡­Bastard¡¯s Training Sword? Wasn¡¯t Bastardsword just a made-up name?¡¯ It seemed like the user¡¯s nickname wasn¡¯t just for show¡ªthe weapon was literally the Bastardsword. At this point, Do-hyeon couldn¡¯t help but think this was the perfect concept for them. Imagining the person smirking when they got the sword and thinking it was a clever rhyme made him chuckle. ¡®Guess they can¡¯t live up to their name anymore.¡¯ They might find another swordter, but that was their problem to deal with. In any case, Do-hyeon was quite pleased. The options were quite decent, and even though it was for quicksword users, the damage wasn¡¯t bad for a level 20 sword. ¡®I¡¯ll have to sell the ne.¡¯ Unfortunately, the ne would have to be sold, as there was a limit of one equipped ne. The Blood Pact Ne from Charlie was overwhelmingly better. ¡®Speaking of which, how much have the stats increased?¡¯ The Blood Pact Ne was a growth-type item. One of the rare few in DemRock. There was a reason why Do-hyeon had been blown away when he first saw its options. Now that he had leveled up a lot since then, surely the options had changed a bit. [Blood Pact Ne] [Grade: Heroic] [Description: A ne formed by a blood pact with ¡®Charlie,¡¯ the captain of the knights of Arlen Castle. Only his lord may own this ne.] [Level Requirement: None] [Equippable ss: Charlie¡¯s Lord] [Physical Defense: 61+(40)] [Magic Resistance: 53+(40)] -Strength +4 -Agility +2 -Stamina +1 -Attack Speed +5% -Movement Speed +5% [Special Option: Increases defense and magic resistance as you gain experience.] [Special Option: Unlocks at level 35.] -Non-tradeable ¡®Forty¡­ so it increases by two per level?¡¯ Do-hyeon¡¯s current level was 21. Exactly 20 levels had passed, so it seemed to check out. At this rate, it wouldn¡¯t lose out even whenpared to a level 20 heroic ne, so the scaling was reasonable. ¡®This could be useful for life.¡¯ If it kept growing like this, it could be used from level 1 all the way to level 100. ¡®That is, if the second option turns out to be decent.¡¯ As one progressed to higher levels, special options became more important. Items with simple high defense were worth far less than those with effective special options. In that sense, the options for increasing attack and movement speed were quite satisfying, but there was no guarantee that the option unlocking at level 35 would be the same. ¡®Well, the current options alone make it worth keeping for a long time.¡¯ There was no need to worry about something so far in the future. While Do-hyeon was absorbed in the loot, a notification popped up. [Eye of Truth has been activated.] ¡°Huh?¡± The sudden notification made him instinctively raise his head, and then he saw it. ¡°Red?¡± A red dot with a distinct presence was glowing from a corner of the dungeon wall. Specifically, it wasing from the junction between two walls, where there was a small indentation emitting a red light. Though small, the light was bright enough to be visible from a distance. Step, step. Drawn in like a moth to a me, Do-hyeon swallowed hard as he approached. Up close, the intensity of the light was no joke. ¡®It can¡¯t be¡­ stealth, right?¡¯ For a moment, he thought of the AssassinBoy, but he quickly shook his head. After all, this was a four-person party, and he had killed all three himself. No one could be hiding. Besides, he had never heard of a goblin using stealth. Suddenly, an idea shed in Do-hyeon¡¯s mind. ¡®Could it be¡­ herbs?¡¯ The explorer ss had widely varying ies depending on the yer¡¯s skill, but it was generally considered a well-paying profession. Not only was the explorer ss rare, but skilled explorers were even rarer. And the primary source of their ie was searching. ¡®They can collect all sorts of herbs, antiques, and relics.¡¯ Armed with various search skills, explorers sold anything valuable, with herbs being a major source of ie. Herbs used in expensive potions, alchemy, and magic enchantments were always in high demand and fetched high prices. Depending on the type, they could range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands in value. ¡®Yeah, it makes no sense that I can find stealthy enemies but not herbs.¡¯ If this was true, Do-hyeon had just stumbled upon a lucrative money-making method. An explorer stronger than mostbat sses was about to be born! Suppressing his excitement, he reached out, and a long-anticipated notification rang out. ¡°Huh?¡± But when he checked the message, Do-hyeon tilted his head in confusion. He couldn¡¯t help it. The content of the message was vastly different from what he had expected. [You have discovered a hidden secret dungeon.] [The ¡­¡­ condition has been fulfilled.] [You may now view the secret dungeon¡¯s information.] [You have discovered the secret dungeon ¡®ck Goblin Shaman¡¯s Hideout.¡¯] [You are the first to discover the secret dungeon.] [You have acquired the title ¡®Capable Explorer.¡¯] [Capable Explorer] -Grade: Rare -Description: A title given to the first person to discover a dungeon. You are naturally gifted as an explorer! -Effect: Search skill range +10%, All stats +2 ¡°¡­A secret dungeon?¡± The red dot wasn¡¯t an herb¡ªit was a hidden secret dungeon. By pure chance, Do-hyeon had discovered a secret dungeon. * * * There are many types of dungeons. From party dungeons to single boss dungeons, mazes, special dungeons, and event dungeons. Even the widely known types offered numerous variations, each with its own appeal, allowing yers to enjoy a diverse experience and earning praise for the game. But there was one type of dungeon that wasn¡¯t well-known¡­ ¡®Secret dungeons.¡¯ That was the secret dungeon. As the name implied, secret dungeons were hidden, and yers knew of their existence. However, if you asked anyone if they knew where they were, nine times out of ten, they¡¯d shake their head. ¡®Even explorers have a tough time finding secret dungeons.¡¯ Being a ¡°secret¡± dungeon, it wasn¡¯t meant to be easy to find. Most of the time, secret dungeons were hidden in absurd locations, and even if you found them, you had to meet certain conditions to enter. ¡®Like that secret dungeon where you had to drop blood on a flower blooming on a cliff.¡¯ They were all notoriously difficult to locate, but the rewards for finding a secret dungeon were always worth it. This was why high-level explorers, equipped with exceptional skills and unique abilities, were highly valued. Without the explorer ss, finding a secret dungeon was nearly impossible. And the secret dungeon Do-hyeon had just found was no different. [One survivor has been confirmed in the dungeon.] [You are not partied with anyone.] [The condition has been met.] ¡®What kind of insane condition is this?¡¯ Finding a party-type dungeon alone, without a party? It was an impossible condition. After all, it required a four-person party to enter in the first ce, so the condition itself was absurd. That is, unless your party members tried to kill you, and after a bloody fight, you were the only survivor who managed to clear the boss. ¡®And you¡¯d need search skills to even find the secret dungeon.¡¯ What were the odds of thatst survivor being an explorer? Probably lower than hitting the lottery. At higher levels, there were one-time items with search options, but in this level range, no one would have those. The Eye of Truth was just ridiculously overpowered, capable of detecting a dungeon on top of everything else. ¡®This is¡­ unbelievable.¡¯ Do-hyeon scratched his head, baffled by the situation. It was a bit disappointing that the red dot wasn¡¯t an herb, but discovering a secret dungeon instead more than made up for it. In fact, this was infinitely better. [ck Goblin Shaman¡¯s Hideout] -Grade: Heroic -Type: Secret Dungeon -Feature: Single Boss -Description: One day, a rumor spread in Raven about a ck-skinned goblin sighting, and various superstitions arose. However, the goblin never showed itself again, and people gradually forgot about it. Perhaps traces of that goblin can be found here. [Maximum Entry Limit: 1 Person] [Entry Condition: First Discoverer] [Upon sessfully clearing the dungeon, it will disappear. If you fail, you will not be able to re-enter.] And it wasn¡¯t just any secret dungeon¡ªit was a high-grade one. ¡®A heroic-grade secret dungeon¡­¡¯ Regardless of grade, secret dungeons were known for their difficulty and the high rewards they offered. Heroic-grade secret dungeons were especially rare and little was known about them. Selling this dungeon¡¯s information could easily fetch hundreds¡­ no, thousands of dors. Anyone short on money would feel like they¡¯d won the lottery. ¡®I¡¯m clearing it.¡¯ Do-hyeon¡¯s resolve was firm. Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Money? Sure, it would be nice to earn, but it wasn¡¯t something he absolutely needed at the moment. Having obtained such an incredible opportunity, he had no intention of letting it slip away and feeding it to someone else. ¡®Just thinking about what I might gain is making my mouth water.¡¯ Since it was a hero-level secret dungeon, wouldn¡¯t he perhaps be able to get hero-level items? Even if he couldn¡¯t, he should at least get something around rare+ grade, right? Although Do-hyeon¡¯s luck was notoriously bad, the very fact that it was a secret dungeon made it impossible for him not to have such expectations. ¡®Eye of Truth¡­ It¡¯s really the best.¡¯ Honestly, he had hoped it would help him find a dungeon. It had the feel of an explorer¡¯s detection skill, as it pierced through hidden things. That was why Do-hyeon had wandered around the forest before entering the Goblin Chief¡¯s habitat. Even after all that trouble, he had given up halfway because he hadn¡¯t found anything, but now, to have such a big eventnd in hisp! ¡®If this was going to happen, they should¡¯ve told me earlier. How mischievous.¡¯ Thanks to it, he¡¯d obtained a rare title. If all mischief was like this, he would wee it a hundred times over. He didn¡¯t know if the search range applied to the Eye of Truth, but the +2 to all stats effect was an incredibly sweet perk. ¡°Hoo.¡± Do-hyeon grinned as he yfully grumbled at the Eye of Truth, which of course wouldn¡¯t listen to him, before his expression grew serious. It was the first time since he had defeated the Iron-Blooded Demon Dragon that he had revealed such a look. In fact, up until now, it didn¡¯t matter if he fought half-heartedly. There was no need to even use control because monsters would die in one or two hits. It had been the same in PVP. There hadn¡¯t been the slightest sense of tension. But this secret dungeon was different. ¡®From hero-level onward, the difficulty changespletely.¡¯ There¡¯s not much difference between the normal and rare grades. yers just have a bit more to do, and it bes a little trickier. However, starting from hero-level, the difficulty rises exponentially. This didn¡¯t just apply to dungeons. It was the same for any system that had a tier structure attached. ¡®Whether it¡¯s an item, a skill, or a boss¡­ this is where the real game begins.¡¯ And no matter how much yers cursed the game for its terrible luck system, DemRock always upheld one particr rule. ¡®The lower the probability, the better the reward.¡¯ It was the same in God of Savior. Just look at his unique abilities like ¡®Adventurer¡¯ or the Eye of Truth. Since they were one-of-a-kind, they boasted overwhelming performance. By that logic, hero-level dungeons were bound to have rewards far superior to rare-level dungeons. Imagine defeating a horribly difficult boss only to get a reward no better than the previous boss. Who would bother fighting hero-level bosses when they could just farm rare bosses? Of course, even here, there was that maddening factor of probability¡­ [You will receive a special bonus for being the first to discover this.] [When you clear it for the first time, a boss-rted equipment item is guaranteed to drop.] [Experience gain increases by 30%.] [Drop rate increases by 30%.] ¡®Man¡­ This is what makes a game fun.¡¯ For Do-hyeon, none of this mattered right now. He only needed to worry about clearing the dungeon properly. And in that area, he was more confident than anyone. [Do you wish to enter the secret dungeon?] ¡°Yes.¡± [You meet the requirements.] [Entering the secret dungeon ¡®ck Goblin Shaman¡¯s Lair¡¯ shortly.] [5¡­] ¡­¡­. [2¡­] As the countdown reached thest second, Do-hyeon¡¯s vision turned white, and he grinned. ¡®Time to go im some rewards.¡¯ This was the moment when the first secret dungeon of the Raven Continent¡¯s first city opened. * * * Entering a secret dungeon is like sticking your head into a wild beast¡¯s mouth. This was something Fried, ranked 1279th in God of Savior, had said during an interview. Hisment, given after a brief pause to a question about secret dungeons from curious yers, left many users scratching their heads in confusion. ¡°What does that even mean?¡± ¡°Does he just mean it¡¯s hard?¡± ¡°Is he saying it¡¯s a suicide mission?¡± ¡°Then why is everyone desperate to find secret dungeons? Are they all suicidal?¡± It was clear he was using a metaphor, but no one understood what he was trying to convey. However, those who had experienced secret dungeons themselves all agreed with Fried¡¯s words. They immediately grasped the meaning behind them. What happens if you stick your head into a beast¡¯s mouth? ¨C It bites down. Unless the animal is well-trained, nine times out of ten, it closes its mouth. Dripping with saliva, the beast chews up the prey that has wandered into its jaws. Secret dungeons were like that beast¡¯s mouth. [You have entered the dungeon.] Boom! The moment Do-hyeon entered, a massive ck orb came flying toward him. It wasn¡¯t really an orb, but a magic sphere made of mana. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t something simple like a fireball. [You have been directly hit by a cursed sphere. You are now under the ¡®Blinded Vision¡¯ status effect.] [Due to the Blinded Vision effect, your vision will be reduced for a certain period of time.] The cursed sphere was a favorite and basic skill of curse users. While its power wasn¡¯t impressive, the problem was the Blinded Vision effect. Once hit by it, your vision became incredibly frustrating to deal with. It was like lighting a dim candle in a dark cave. However, Do-hyeon¡¯s vision was perfectly fine. [The ¡®Hero¡¯ trait has blocked mental contamination.] [You are unaffected by the Blinded Vision effect.] With the highest-level trait ¡®Hero,¡¯ which countered crowd control skills, he waspletely unaffected. Boom! Boom! Two more spheres came flying in session, but they, too, were blocked by the Hero trait and disappeared without causing any effects. Do-hyeon dusted off the remnants of the cursed spheres from his clothes. ¡®What a fiery wee.¡¯ This was why Fried had described it that way, and it was also the concept behind secret dungeons. There were various types of secret dungeons, and each had its own unique concept. However, almost all of them started harassing the yer the moment they entered. If it was abyrinth-type dungeon, it would use traps, or if it was a single-boss dungeon, like now, it would attack directly. Regardless of the difficulty, the dungeon started the moment you stepped in. [How dare you enter my home without permission¡­ You foolish human.] Even viins were usually given a proper introduction when they first appeared, or during their transformation scenes. But without any decency or regard for etiquette, the voice that crackled unpleasantly turned Do-hyeon¡¯s gaze in its direction, revealing the sight before him. Kirreuk¡­ Kirruk¡­ Kiriik¡­ There were countless tainted goblins sprawled around. Their eyes were unfocused, their skin was purple and half-decayed¡ªundoubtedly undead. [Undead Goblin of the ck Goblin Shaman] [Undead Goblin of the ck Goblin Shaman] ¡­¡­. Their grotesque appearance was more than enough to turn one¡¯s stomach, and it wasn¡¯t just the goblins. Kieek- Kiee- Sssk- Around the undead goblins, at least twenty massive insects were crawling about. Half of the copsed ceiling was upied by a giant spider, which had woven its web, while the tattered floor wriggled with giant centipedes. Some of them were eventched onto the undead goblins. ¡°Ugh, what a sight.¡± Being in virtual reality made it disturbingly lifelike and all the more disgusting. [Kukuku¡­ You must be terrified at the sight of my children.] And at the end of this grotesque scene, there was something ck. Darker than the robe it wore, its ck skin made it stand out as it sat on a decrepit throne covered in cobwebs. Amidst the darkness, green eyes gleamed. Above it, a red namete appeared, disying its information. [Jihad ck] ¨C Title: Hero-level Named Boss ¨C Type: Goblin ¨C Traits: Bloodline Factor, Curse Shaman, Necromancer, Swift Hand Movements ¨C Description: Survivor of a fallen n. Jihad, who inherited an extraordinary bloodline, has lived for hundreds of years as a goblin. Why he has hidden in thisir and what he is preparing for is unknown. ¡®A Named Boss?¡¯ This was unexpected. No matter how difficult a secret dungeon was, to face a Named Boss¡­ Named Bosses were a tier higher than Elite Bosses. While Elite Bosses were distinguished monsters recognized for their exceptional qualities, Named Bosses were unique entities with their own name. Since only one of each existed in the world of God of Savior, they weren¡¯tparable to anything else. ¡®Not all bosses with names are strong, though¡­¡¯ Of course, that just meant they were rare. Their difficulty was entirely a matter of luck. Depending on how long they had lived and how much training they had undergone, their strength varied greatly. Some bosses, like the Iron-Blooded Demon Dragon, were absurdly powerful, while others were ridiculously weak, despite being Named. ¡®Hmm¡­ I can¡¯t tell just from the information.¡¯ That was amon trait among Named Bosses. Even the Iron-Blooded Demon Dragon hadn¡¯te with a proper exnation. Thinking that this boss was simrly shrouded in mystery, Do-hyeon was about to move on when¡­ [You meet the conditions.] [yer is activated.] [Hidden information about Jihad ck is revealed.] ¡°Huh?¡± Startled by the sudden notification, Do-hyeon quickly grasped the situation and let out a soft exmation. ¡®Oh, right, I forgot about this.¡¯ The yer trait. A trait that allowed him to uncover the location and hidden information of monsters of the type he had gained the yer title for. Since there hadn¡¯t been any opportunities to trigger it, he hadpletely forgotten about it. [Would you like to check the additional information?] ¡®Hmm.¡¯ He was curious, especially since it had just appeared. However, before checking, Do-hyeon stole a nce at the boss. It would be a disaster if he got attacked while reviewing the information. But Jihad sat there arrogantly, as if he could crush Do-hyeon at any time. Kirrr¡­ Kirreuk¡­ Ssssss- Whether they moved only at their master¡¯smand or were merely his puppets, the undead goblins and insects remained still for now. They were grotesque and unnerving, all staring at him at once, but Do-hyeon remained calm. The boss, his eyes meeting Do-hyeon¡¯s, spoke in a haughty tone. [Strange¡­ How did a human discover this ce? I thought it was hidden perfectly.] ¡°Well, it was.¡± If it weren¡¯t for someone like Do-hyeon, the ce probably would have remained undiscovered forever. [I don¡¯t sense the presence of an explorer¡­ A strange existence, with multiple energies mixed together.] At this, Do-hyeon was genuinely surprised. A mere boss in Raven had sensed, albeit vaguely, that he was an All-Master. Was this the insight of a boss who had lived for hundreds of years? [Hmm¡­] Jihad stared intently at Do-hyeon, as if trying to see through him, but failing to do so, he muttered under his breath. ¡®What on earth is this guy?¡¯ Do-hyeon found him rather intriguing. Not only was this the most rational and unusual boss he had encountered so far, but also, with such sharp insight and presence, he wasn¡¯t sure if it was really a goblin. His curiosity piqued, Do-hyeon checked the information. [¡­¡­An ancient and unique race, the ck n. They were a n known for using special techniques based on their exceptional potential, constantly at odds with ¡®humanity¡¯ due to the threat they posed. However, after ¡®that day,¡¯ the ck n was annihted, and byter generations, they had disappearedpletely. Jihad ck is a descendant of that n. Though he has lived for centuries, by the standards of the cks, who live for over a thousand years, he has yet to even undergo hising-of-age ceremony.] Upon seeing the detailed information, Do-hyeon let out a small sigh of admiration. The yer trait was proving to be more useful than he had expected. ¡®The ck n¡­ I¡¯ve never heard of them before.¡¯ It was a n he hadn¡¯t encountered even in DemRock. Well, since God of Savior was a world that took ce after DemRock, it wasn¡¯t surprising that there were new additions. Some things from DemRock no longer existed, while new settings had been introduced, so it wasn¡¯t strange that Do-hyeon didn¡¯t know about everything. ¡®Whatever they are, they don¡¯t seem to be weak.¡¯ After all, they were a race that had threatened humanity in the past. And aside from that, the fact that Jihad had lived for centuries meant he was probably very strong. The only silver lining was that Jihad had yet to reach adulthood. ¡®Four traits¡­ None of them are melee-rted.¡¯ Indeed, the boss had many traits, likely due to his high status, but they were all rted to being a necromancer. Swift Hand Movements probably sped up his casting time¡­ As long as Do-hyeon was cautious of the Bloodline Factor trait, he could manage. [You are a peculiar one, but since you¡¯ve entered this ce, there¡¯s no helping it¡­ My children¡­] It seemed Jihad ck had made up his mind as he slowly extended his hand. As his pitch-ck hand reached out, it was as if a switch had been flipped, and the undead began to move. Krrr¡­ Krr¡­ Ssss- Ssss- With a chilling sound, the monsters began to encircle him. Watching Jihad ck sitting leisurely behind them, Do-hyeon stepped forward. Step. Step. His pace was slow, but it carried the utmost confidence. ¡®I¡¯m not the one who should be nervous.¡¯ From ancient times, ranged fighters always had to be cautious when facing melee fighters. No matter how much of an advantage they held throughout the battle, the moment they allowed the melee fighter to close in, it was game over. That was the reality of theirbat dynamics, but seeing how rxed Jihad was, merely relying on his numbers, irked Do-hyeon. So, he decided to show him. ¡®Why assassins are the bane of ranged sses.¡¯ Why assassins are the strongest PVP characters. Why ranged yers foam at the mouth whenever they see an assassin. Kirrr¡­ Krr¡­ As the monsters closed in, Do-hyeon muttered softly. ¡°¡­Ki.¡± His voice was so quiet, it couldn¡¯t even be heard properly from up close. And in the next instant, Do-hyeon¡¯s figure vanished. Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Jihad ck. He had been the ruler of the western forest. To be more precise, he had once been its ruler. All the monsters in the forest couldn¡¯t withstand his overwhelming presence, and the city¡¯s residents feared his existence. It was a forest where none dared to even approach, a ce of utmost horror and malevolence. That was the state of the western forest under Jihad ck¡¯s rule. Until one monstrous man appeared. ¡®To think I have been reduced to hiding in a ce like this¡­¡¯ Jihad could not ept this reality. He, who once sat on a glorious throne, was now hiding in this shabby, decrepit underground. But what could he do? That monster was still alive, and when they met again, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to stay in this undergroundir. Perhaps because he was born a goblin, Jihad quickly surrendered to reality and adapted, finding stability in no time. Time passed, and just when he had gotten used to living in this ce¡­ ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ Jihad began to feel bored. Because he had hidden himself so well, there was no chance to encounter any new lifeforms. Initially, he would asionally go outside, but once his subordinates becamepetent, there was no need for him to venture out. Besides, what if something troublesome happened while taking unnecessary risks? As he continued living safely, he started to forget what it was he had originally intended to do. He felt like he had forgotten something important, but¡­ ¡®Well, whatever.¡¯ Jihad dismissed the thought casually. 100 years? No, it had been at least 150 years since he had adapted to this lifestyle. He had be a man who could let things slide easily. But even that seemed to have its limits, as Jihad recently began feeling strange. ¡®I feel stifled. Too stifled!¡¯ While living here had given him a sense of security, he could do nothing about the deep boredom that had risen from within his chest. Creating new undead as a hobby every now and then was quite fun, but that alone wasn¡¯t enough to quench this terrible thirst. ¡®Should I go outside once?¡¯ It had been a long time, so it shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right? No, better not. It¡¯s better not to take unnecessary risks, just in case. But I¡¯m so bored¡­ The boredom made his bodyzy, while his mind became restless. He spent years contemting what to do when¡­ [Someone is entering the hideout.] ¡°Someone¡¯sing in?¡± Jihad couldn¡¯t believe his ears when he heard the voice while he was sitting idly as usual. This was a hideout he had painstakingly concealed to hide from that monster. For hundreds of years, no one had ever found it. So, hearing that someone had entered it for the first time made him tense. ¡®Could it be that guy¡­?¡¯ Although he believed it was impossible, he couldn¡¯t shake off the anxiety. Thus, he cast his spells and waited. Then, as soon as he saw the human man who had entered the hideout¡­ ¡®Ah.¡¯ The anxiety vanished, as if it had been washed away. It was someone he had never seen before. Relief passed over him, followed by a surge of curiosity. At the same time, he felt an odd sense of excitement. ¡®I have a new toy!¡¯ Someone who could bring a fresh spark to this dull life had appeared! And that toy was peculiar in some way. [There¡¯s no energy of an explorer¡­ But the presence of multiple energies mixed together is rather unusual.] He didn¡¯t seem all that strong, but the strange, harmonious mix of different energies he¡¯d never felt before was a refreshing shock. ¡®He¡¯d be perfect as a test subject to y with.¡¯ It would be fun to kill him and experiment on the corpse, or to test his durability by casting all sorts of curses on him. And when he grew tired of that, he could simply turn him into an undead. No matter what, this toy would help him escape his monotonous life for a few years. ¡®I need to subdue him without damaging him too much.¡¯ That¡¯s why Jihad decided to capture the toy by using monsters to ensure he didn¡¯t get too hurt. He didn¡¯t expect any unforeseen events during the process. After all, this was his nest, where he had lived for hundreds of years, and there was nothing here he didn¡¯t know. Yes, that¡¯s what he thought. Until the toy disappeared from his sight. [A mark is being created.] Swoosh¡ª [¡­¡­?] Jihad didn¡¯t realize what was happening until he felt a cold sensation on his back. He moved quickly once he understood the situation. Whoosh¡ªBoom! [Corpse Maniption has been activated.] [The effect of the trait ¡®Swift Hands¡¯ greatly increases your speed.] [Corpse Explosion has been activated.] [The effect of the trait ¡®Swift Hands¡¯ greatly increases your speed.] The monsters nearby¡ªthe toys¡ªwere sent flying towards the insolent human and exploded at the same time. It happened in the blink of an eye. It was a speed difficult to react to unless one knew in advance, but the human wasn¡¯t hit. Before Jihad realized it, the human had moved far away. [¡­¡­What a rat.] Jihad spoke nonchntly, but inwardly, he was shocked. [A vital point has been struck. The status ailment ¡®Bleeding¡¯ has been triggered.] ¡®When did he stab me?¡¯ In that brief moment, not only had the human managed to create distance, but he had also stabbed him in a vital spot without him noticing. It was a speed that made it hard to believe this was a mere swordsman. And what he showed afterward was even more astonishing. Tap. Swoosh¡ª Boom! The human¡¯s steps as he swiftly closed the distance were peculiar. He appeared to be moving fast, yet when Jihad threw the corpses at him, he was farther behind than expected. Thinking he was moving slowly, Jihad would throwte, but then the human would suddenly be in close again. ¡®Why can¡¯t I hit him?!¡¯ It was a strange phenomenon where perception and reality didn¡¯t match. ¡®Has there ever been a human with such abilities?¡¯ Even though Jihad had lived for hundreds of years, he had never heard of a human like this. He had thought the energies felt mixed, but now he wondered if it was actually because the human was of mixed races. Boom! Boom! [I-Irritating¡­!] Watching Jihad grow frustrated as he flung corpses left and right, Do-hyeon smirked. Jihad had the ability to manipte corpses freely as if he were controlling them with telekinesis, and his explosion power rivaled that of fire mages. It was an annoying ability in closebat, but if none of it hit, it was meaningless. Stab¡ª [A vital point has been struck. The status ailment ¡®Bleeding¡¯ has been triggered.] [The attack hasnded. The target is now in the ¡®Bleeding¡¯ state.] Do-hyeon closed the distance and stabbed, and when a corpse flew toward him, he created space again. Then, he would move in and out as if he would close the distance but didn¡¯t quite do so, and when he finally did, his sword would stab again. When the cooldown for Bleeding was up, he stabbed with the Assassin¡¯s Dagger. If he was lucky, the Bleeding effect from the Assassin¡¯s Dagger would activate, causing the damage to stack. More impressively, even when Jihad detonated the undead surrounding Do-hyeon to encircle him, he would evade with uncanny movements, taking control of the space. His multi-tasking ability was overwhelming, and Jihad grew increasingly irritated by his hit-and-run tactics. [Such insolent¡­!] The reason ranged dealers despised assassins so muchy in these very tactics. Assassins never fought head-on. They would strike, retreat, and inflict all kinds of status ailments, all while slowly driving people mad. Although Do-hyeon didn¡¯t have aplete skill set for this style of y just yet¡­ [What¡¯s with that movement? Why can¡¯t Ind a hit?!] Do-hyeon¡¯s unique movement and evasiveness allowed him to pull it off. But that wasn¡¯t all. [The trait ¡®Hero¡¯ blocks mental contamination.] [The effect of the cursed sphere is nullified.] No matter how many times Jihad used Dark Sight, Do-hyeon¡¯s peculiar abilities blocked it every time. Watching the frustrated Jihad, Do-hyeon smiled slyly. ¡®It¡¯s working as expected.¡¯ When yers who had fought against Kaiser were asked what the most difficult aspect was, many reasons came up, but seven out of ten gave the same answer. ¡ªMovement. Unlike in PC games where you simply clicked with the mouse, virtual reality required a whole different level of psychological warfare and skill. It was this higher difficulty of movement in VR that made it unique. With the help of high agility and sense stats, plus the characteristics of virtual reality that allowed movements beyond the limits of the human body, there was nothing one couldn¡¯t do once they adapted. And those who mastered this were the so-called seasoned veterans. Finding a high-ranking yer with bad movement was almost impossible. So why was Kaiser¡¯s movement considered legendary? The reason was simple. ¡ªWow, that¡¯s so annoying. There¡¯s no one else who moves like you. You really piss me off. ¡ªWhy are you mad? ¡ªYou think I wouldn¡¯t be? My current state represents the frustration of ten million DemRock yers! ¡ª¡­For once, I agree with him. Kaiser¡¯s movement was unlike the norm. The essence of movementy in psychological warfare. Though rankers could react with their dynamic vision, it had its limits, leading to a reliance on prediction. Kaiser¡ªDo-hyeon¡ªfocused precisely on that. ¡ªIt looks like he¡¯s going to stop, but then he suddenly rushes in. Or, he pretends to attack, but thenes half a beatte. I¡¯m going insane. How does he even do that? Is that even physically possible? ¡ªIt¡¯s odd to talk about physical limits in VR, but I¡¯m curious. How does he do it? There were times when only his upper body stopped, or only his lower body, or he would pretend to stop but rush in explosively, or fake a fast entry only to release his strength ande half a beatte. In the real world, where physicalws and human limitations were at y, such movements would be impossible. But in DemRock and God of Savior, where those limits were more flexible, it was doable if you knew how. ¡ªSo, you need to control your entire body independently while engaging in psychological warfare and multitasking? I¡¯m out. I give up. ¡ªWho the hell does that? ¡ªCan we even call that movement anymore? It¡¯s like it¡¯s beyond that already. It was simply extremely difficult to pull off. Even something as simple as moving your left hand up and down while moving your right hand left and right at the same time is hard for most people. If you add a stopping pattern in between, it bes nearly impossible. That was just with two hands. Now imagine controlling your whole body freely, stopping and moving each part at will. It was, quite literally, something only Do-hyeon could do. ¡®Even Kkukkudakkkukku said he couldn¡¯t do it.¡¯ Even Kkukkudakkkukku, who had one of the strongest physical abilities Do-hyeon had ever seen, had given up on it. That was why Kaiser was considered an unprecedented genius. In psychological warfare, he had several times more options than others, allowing him to gain the upper hand. Unlike the previous monsters who relied purely on instinct, this boss was capable of engaging in psychological warfare, so Do-hyeon thought it would be useful to try this tactic. His prediction had been spot on. ¡®I can see it.¡¯ What Jihad was nning, where he intended to strike. How the surrounding undead were trying to surround him. Do-hyeon could see everything. By dying his movements by half a beat, Jihad could never touch him. It was like chasing a mirage. Boom! Boom! Grrrr¡­ Grrr¡­ [Ugh¡­ this little pest!] And in situations like this, the opponent¡¯s response was always the same. Thud. [Kukuk¡­ Foolish creature. You think you¡¯re clever, but you¡¯re just walking into a trap like a fly.] They would go for a big, decisive move. A final blow to turn the tide. Jihad sneered as he watched Do-hyeon, now backed into a wall with no room to retreat. Though his face was hidden under his robe, Jihad was sure his expression bore the ssic goblin sneer of wickedness. [The secret dungeon boss ¡®Jihad ck¡¯ uses Corpse Explosion Overload.] [The effect of the trait ¡®Swift Hands¡¯ increases casting speed.] Corpse Explosion Overload, also known as ¡°Overload.¡± It was the pinnacle of a bomb necromancer¡¯s skill¡ªa brilliant technique that detonated all undead at once. Since the damage stacked, it could deal an overwhelming amount of burst damage, enough to devastate a wide area. BOOOOOM!! The undead exploded in unison, and the cave shook violently. The force engulfed the entire wall, and Jihad clicked his tongue as a sharp ringing echoed in his ears. Dozens of undead had been detonated in that st, including some he had painstakingly crafted. There was no way even a troll could survive that. [I was going to go easy on you since you were a rare test subject¡­ but you¡¯ve hastened your own death.] Thus, Jihad didn¡¯t doubt Do-hyeon¡¯s death. It had been his most powerful attack. It was only natural. He felt a slight regret for losing his toy and his many resources, but that was it. The pest who had irritated him had been dealt with, and that was enough to feel satisfied. [The mark disappears.] ¡°¡­?¡± Jihad noticed a strange message just before he felt a presence behind him. He instinctively turned around, and there he saw it. Do-hyeon, holding a sword and curling his lips into a sly grin. ¡°You dodged the overload, huh? If you dodge it, you should get hit.¡± [¡­¡­Ah.] Checkmate. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 There were two paths for a necromancer. Commander Necromancer and Explosive Necromancer. Commonly known as ¡°Zic¡± and ¡°Pokro,¡± though not official terms, people referred to them that way for ease. The advantage of Zic was its high DPS (damage per second) output, achieved through safely leading arge number of undead, including higher-tier ones, while steadily dealing damage. On the other hand, Pokro¡¯s strengthy in its ability to deliver explosive burst damage. And the skill responsible for that burst damage was none other than Corpse Explosion. Even if a Pokro was getting beaten down repeatedly, if they managed to pull off a single sessful Corpse Explosion, all mistakes could be forgiven thanks to this overpowered skill. It wasn¡¯t for nothing that people referred to Pokro as a ¡°one-trick explosion ss.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all it is, though.¡± But that also meant if they couldn¡¯tnd a Corpse Explosion, they were as good as dead. Whether the character became ridiculously overpowered or utter garbage depended on the sess of that single move. Because of this, Do-hyeon never let his guard down the moment he saw the necromancer use Corpse Explosion. ¡°If that skill is as strong as I think, it¡¯ll be a one-hit kill.¡± No matter how high Do-hyeon¡¯s stats were, there was no way he could survive the Corpse Explosion of a heroic-tier named boss. It was essentially a one-shot kill pattern, and it was better to treat it that way. A one-hit kill pattern in Raven, where there were barely any monsters above level 24? This boss urgently needed a difficulty adjustment, but by Do-hyeon¡¯s standards, this was nothing. ¡°Later on, there are patterns where yers have to die for a raid to progress.¡± Not just that¡ªthere were also patterns where dying was inevitable. Compared to DemRock, this was tame, but even God of Savior had many bosses like this. Thus, instead ofining, Do-hyeon devised a strategy. If the necromancer was going to use Corpse Explosion anyway, why not make them do it on his terms? He set up the perfect situation where the boss would have no choice but to use their ultimate. Sure enough, after provoking the boss just a little and pretending to be in danger, the necromancer eagerly unleashed the explosion. [The Mark disappears.] The necromancer had no idea that Do-hyeon had timed the mark¡¯s duration and lured them into a trap. A necromancer who¡¯s used up their Corpse Explosion? A weakling, no matter how hard they tried. They had just lost their most valuable asset: arge portion of their undead forces, and now their ultimate move was gone as well. On top of that, they had given up the distance advantage in closebat? All that was left was to get beaten, punch after punch. [A critical strike is dealt.] ¡°Gwaaah! W-wait a sec¡­ Grrhk!¡± ¡­Just like now. Thwack! Squelch! [Urgh! Guhhak!] And all of this was during the long cooldown of 4 minutes. But for Do-hyeon, 4 minutes was more than enough. He could use Backstab at least four more times in that period. With most of his undead already spent, Jihad could only take hits like a dog on the day of sacrifice. Such was the fate of a Pokro who failed tond their Corpse Explosion. This was why, despite Pokro possessing some of the highest burst damage across all sses, most yers chose to follow the Zic path. ¡°C-corpse explosi¡­ Guhh!¡± Whack! ¡°W-wait a second¡­¡± Thwack! Bam-bam-bam! ¡°Agh, no! Using bones is cheating!¡± Squelch¡ªThud! Crack! ¡°I-I¡¯ll get my reveng¡­ Guhh! Just¡­ just go a little easy¡­¡± At first, Jihad had desperately thrown and exploded every remaining corpse, but there was no way Do-hyeon was going to get hit by such blind attacks. And so, as the necromancer was mercilessly beaten, the once imposing and noble-looking Jihad now appeared more pitiful than anyone else in the world. ¡­Who would ever think this whining creature was a heroic-tier named boss? ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen a boss like this.¡± Even for Do-hyeon, this kind of boss was a first. Was this pathetic thing really thest survivor of the so-called great ck n? Do-hyeon didn¡¯t know exactly what kind of n they were, but seeing this sight would leave anyone speechless. ¡°Something¡¯s off.¡± Do-hyeon was beating the necromancer with increasing excitement, partly because he couldn¡¯t stand the sight of him, but inwardly, he was still uneasy. More precisely, he had doubts. ¡°Is this really a boss at the heroic-tier?¡± Sure, Do-hyeon had crafted a good strategy and executed it well. The power of the Corpse Explosion was definitely strong enough that it could¡¯ve instantly killed any level 50 yer. Maybe even more than that. The activation speed had been faster than a typical Corpse Explosion, so if his Backstab had been on cooldown, Do-hyeon might have been dead on the spot. On top of that, the necromancer had even cast curses, and if he had used Corpse Explosion in conjunction with dark vision, trapping Do-hyeon in a corner, there would have been no way to escape. ¡°I get all that, but¡­¡± Even with all those factors, the necromancer still felt weak. Sure, a level 24 yer would struggle to beat them alone, but could this really be a heroic-tier named boss that roamed the dungeon? It seemed easier than most field bosses if you knew the strategy. Despite these doubts, Do-hyeon didn¡¯t stop swinging his sword. Thwack! Crack! Squelch¡ªThunk! ¡°Guaaah! Aaargh! Gahhak!¡± Punch, knockdown, sh, stab. [The Mark disappears.] [A critical strike is dealt.] When the necromancer tried to run, Do-hyeon would chase after him with Backstab and unload his burst damage. After repeating this several times¡­ [The secret dungeon boss, ¡®Jihad ck,¡¯ has less than 30% HP remaining.] [Phase 2 begins.] [The trait ¡®Bloodline Factor¡¯ manifests.] Do-hyeon paused for the first time upon seeing the message pop up. And in that instant¡­ ¡°Kuhh¡­ Kuhahaha¡­¡± The once pathetic necromancerughed for the first time. The atmosphere changed. Ssss¡ª. A thick ck mist, darker than Jihad¡¯s skin, began to rise. It spread out as if it were seeping from every pore of his body, exuding a dangerous aura visible even to the naked eye. [I¡¯ve been waiting for this moment¡­] His voice, as though it were grinding against rusty iron, cracked and split. His eyes, once glowing green, now turned pitch-ck, making it hard to distinguish them from his shadowy form. He was now a single mass of darkness, shaped like a goblin. [I haven¡¯t fully refined it yet¡­ but I have no choice¡­] Gone was the pitiful demeanor of moments ago, reced by the confidence radiating from Jihad¡¯s expression. And for good reason. [Jihad ck is awakening the Bloodline Factor within his body.] [The Bloodline Factor is in an iplete stage. Full effects cannot be realized.] [When the Bloodline Factor is fully awakened, Jihad¡¯s rank will rise.] Rank elevation. A term often used in fantasy, referring to a fundamental enhancement of one¡¯s being. In this case, it meant Jihad¡¯s rank would increase. Do-hyeon didn¡¯t know how much it would rise, but it would increase by at least one tier. ¡°Heroic+¡­¡± At a minimum, he would be at the Heroic+ rank. The gap between the Heroic rank and the Heroic+ rank wasn¡¯t just a single tier. Exaggerating a little, the difference was as vast as that between a river and an ocean. Raids requiring the organization of multiple teams started at the Heroic+ rank, so that said it all. If that trait manifested, not even Do-hyeon could guarantee victory. Considering this was a solo dungeon, the moment it awakened, it was essentially a system built to ensure failure. [While Jihad ck focuses on awakening his Bloodline Factor, his stats increase.] [HP recovery rate increases.] [Defense increases.] [Magic resistance increases.] Yes, if the trait was allowed to manifest. ¡°Invest 20 points in Strength.¡± [Strength increases by +20.] [Strength exceeds 100.] With this, Do-hyeon¡¯s strength stat exceeded 100. Specifically, his Strength was now 110. Even without considering the bonus from all other stats, it was a ridiculous figure. For any normal yer following a proper stat distribution, they¡¯d have to be at least level 40 to achieve this. Considering the other stats and remaining points, the current Do-hyeon had even greater potential. ¡°I ended up investing too much in Strength, but¡­¡± His Agility was at a respectable 71, so the bnce wasn¡¯t bad. The perfect situation for pummeling a defenseless target. [What¡­ what is this sudden¡­ absurd change!?] Perhaps it was the stat increase that caused a shift in Do-hyeon¡¯s aura. Jihad¡¯s earlier impressive tricks were now working against him. Had he not known, getting hit might have been bearable, but now that he was aware, there was no escaping the punishment. Increased defense? Boosted HP recovery? [Warrior Set effect applied.] [Deals 7% additional damage to Goblin-type enemies.] [With the Fury effect, deals 10% additional damage to bosses.] [Level 10 Swordsmanship Mastery effect: sword-rted damage increases by 10%.] ¡°No enemy can withstand a damage rush.¡± Do-hyeon had no interest in the original strategy anymore. He was focused on executing the best strategy there was. Step, step. [No¡­ don¡¯te any closer!] As Do-hyeon drew near, Jihad ck¡¯s expression grew increasingly pale. [Agh¡­ Ahhh¡­] Do-hyeon reached out his hand as he saw Jihad¡¯s once pitch-ck skin lighten slightly. With a graceful sh of his sword, he pierced Jihad¡¯s neck, and a pitiful goblin¡¯s desperate scream echoed throughout the hideout. *** [You have in the secret dungeon boss, ¡®Jihad ck.¡¯] [You have cleared the Secret Dungeon: ck Goblin Shaman¡¯s Hideout.] [The rewards are amplified for being the first to clear the Secret Dungeon.] [This will be recorded in the Adventure Book.] [You have achieved a hidden achievement.] [Swordsmanship Mastery has increased.] [Swordsmanship Mastery is now LV11.] [Dagger Mastery has increased.] [Dagger Mastery is now LV6.] [Your level has increased.] As he watched the flood of messages appearing before him, Do-hyeon let out a sigh. ¡°Wow¡­ that was close.¡± Thirty seconds¡­ no, if he had been just ten seconds slower, the Bloodline Factor would have been triggered. That¡¯s how close it was. He had even debated whether to invest more into Strength midway, given how significantly Jihad¡¯s defense had increased. ¡°They designed this dungeon for yers under level 24?¡± Even a swordsman who only poured points into Strength and Agility would need to be at least level 40. Considering all the bonus damage effects Do-hyeon had, it might have been impossible to use a damage rush strategy even at level 40. Even having cleared it, the absurdity was hard to shake, but in any case, Do-hyeon had seeded. ¡°Whew¡­¡± And the rewards for that sess were immensely sweet. He had leveled up, his stubbornly stagnant Swordsmanship Mastery had increased, and he had even improved his Dagger Mastery. ¡°It would¡¯ve been nice if the Devour effect had triggered, too.¡± The only disappointment was that, because Jihad was another goblin-type, Do-hyeon couldn¡¯t use his Devour effect. Since the ck n had been mentioned, he¡¯d hoped that maybe he could, but the system was as strict as ever. Well, asking for that too would¡¯ve been too greedy, so it was time to move on¡­ ¡°Rewards! Let¡¯s see what the rewards are.¡± The reward for clearing the very first discovered Secret Dungeon. And it wasn¡¯t just any Secret Dungeon, but a Heroic-tier one. There was no way the rewards could be bad. [A guaranteed boss-rted item will drop for being the first to clear it.] [A 30% bonus to drop rates is applied.] On top of that, there was a guaranteed first-clear reward! With a 30% bonus to drop rates applied. ¡°Please be Heroic-tier!¡± Normally, he wouldn¡¯t even dream of it, but this time it was worth hoping for! Not hoping for it would be stranger! [Will you harvest the essence orb of Jihad ck?] ¡°Yeah.¡± The essence orb. Like the Warrior and Chieftain bosses, defeating a boss would produce an essence, which was essentially a random reward box. Without hesitation, Do-hyeon epted, and the light that had gathered in the orb scattered, sparkling like fireflies. And the rewards appeared. [You have obtained ck Goblin Shaman¡¯s Soul Orb, Forgotten n¡¯s Mark, ck Goblin Shaman¡¯s Robe, and Jihad ck Card.] ¡°Wow¡­¡± Unable to contain his excitement, Do-hyeon eagerly checked the rewards. Chapter 42 Chapter 42 [ck Goblin Shaman¡¯s Soul Orb] [Grade: Heroic] [Description: A versatile orb containing the Soul of the ck Goblin Shaman. It has an exceptionally high mana sensitivity and draws out the essence of power, enhancing the potency of magic or shamanistic spells.] [Level Requirement: 30] [ss Restriction: Necromancer, Shaman, Mage-type] [Magic Attack Power: 190~240] [Durability: 100 / 100] [Special Option: Skill size +10%] [Special Option: Skill duration +10%] [ck Goblin Shaman¡¯s Robe] [Grade: Heroic] [Description: A ck robe worn by the ck Goblin Shaman. It is enchanted with a face-recognition interference spell, making it easier to conceal one¡¯s identity and aiding in magic sensitivity.] [Level Requirement: 30] [ss Restriction: None] [Magic Resistance: 40] [Durability: 50 / 50] [Special Option: When the hood of the robe is pulled up, face-recognition interference mode is activated.] [Special Option: Magic-rted skill power +6%] ¡°Krr¡­!¡± The first items he checked were, of course, equipment. As expected of a Heroic-level hidden dungeon, both items were of Heroic grade. Moreover, they were tradeable items! ¡®As expected of Heroic-grade weapons, their performance is no joke.¡¯ Unlike Do-hyeon¡¯s greatsword, these items had two special options each. And both options were excellent. Just looking at the increase in skill size and duration from the Wraith Orb was impressive. At first nce, a 10% increase might seem small, but in practice, it was far more noticeable. For instance, even with a spell like Fireball, a bigger size makes it easier to hit. Most importantly, the aura it exudes¡ªthe sheer presence¡ªwas on another level. And yet¡­ ¡®It doesn¡¯t say ¡°magic¡± skills.¡¯ It mentioned skill size and duration but didn¡¯t specifically say it only affected magic or shamanistic skills. What did that imply? ¡®I can extend the duration of bleeding as well.¡¯ If bleedingsted 10 seconds, a 10% increase would make it 11 seconds. One second might not sound like much, but for a stacking effect like bleeding, even one second was significant. Additionally, if he were to receive a buffsting a minute, he¡¯d gain an extra 6 seconds of effect. He wasn¡¯t sure exactly how the size increase would apply, but there was no way it wouldn¡¯t be helpful. And what about the robe? ¡®A support item, huh?¡¯ Like many other games, God of Savior had the concept of support equipment. If main equipment includedrge items like tops, bottoms, or belts, then support equipment included essories like cloaks and gloves. Although he couldn¡¯t understand why belts were considered main equipment, that was how the system worked. Support items were designed to aid other items, so their performance tended to be underwhelming. Magic resistance was generally low, and support gear typicallycked stat increases found in main equipment. Still, why did people insist on equipping support gear? For aesthetic customization purposes, maybe, but mainly because of the special options. Rare+ grade items always came with special options, and those options were like a lifeline for yers. In some cases, the value of a support item was higher than main equipment because of its special options. ¡®Usually, you wouldn¡¯t get anything useful until level 50 or higher¡­¡¯ He hadn¡¯t even left the first city on the maind, and here he was, obtaining something valuable. And it wasn¡¯t just any support equipment¡ªit was Heroic-grade. ¡®The options are a bit niche, but¡­ nothing bad about it.¡¯ The only drawback, if any, was that the gear was meant for mages. However, for Do-hyeon, the AllMaster, it was no problem at all. Having a face-recognition interference effect was hardly a downside, and he might even gain magic skillster on. It was a support item that was usually hard toe by, so there was no reason toin. ¡®Weapon Master¡­ What even is this guy?¡¯ For a while, he had forgotten about it, overshadowed by Eye of Truth, but the Weapon Master was proving to be another overpowered skill. If a trait system like this had existed in DemRock, he probably wouldn¡¯t have struggled as much. The thought of it made him feel bitter, but he quickly shook his head. ¡®I¡¯d be shameless toin.¡¯ Thanks to that, he was now enjoying benefits he hadn¡¯t before. It was how he found this hidden dungeon and obtained such rewarding items. Since the level cap for the equipment was 30, Do-hyeon stored the items in his inventory and moved on to the next one. And he couldn¡¯t help but raise an eyebrow. [Relic of the Forgotten Tribe] [Grade: ??] [Description: A relic from the forgotten tribe. Its purpose and use are unknown.] ¡®What is this?¡¯ This was the first time he had seen an item with a ¡®??¡¯ grade. Well, to be precise, he had seen something simr back in DemRock. But this felt different. ¡®Unidentified items usually show up like this¡­¡¯ In DemRock, a ¡®??¡¯ grade indicated an item that hadn¡¯t been identified yet. But this clearly looked like a material item. Had there ever been a case where a material item was unidentified? Material items should be identifiable even without appraising¡­ The more he thought about it, the more questions he had, but he had a hunch. ¡®It must be rted to the ck Tribe.¡¯ The boss of this dungeon, Jihad ck. It seemed obvious that this was somehow linked to his tribe. He was curious, but Do-hyeon casually put it in his inventory. ¡®I¡¯ll figure it out someday.¡¯ There was no way to know now, so there was no point in obsessing over it. There was no sense in agonizing over something that couldn¡¯t be resolved. [Remaining y Time 00:18:26] ¡®Less than 20 minutes left¡­ I should just check the rewards and log out.¡¯ Given the little time remaining, that seemed like the best course of action. But there was more than enough time to check the remaining rewards. It was time to check the final reward. ¡®It was a card, right?¡¯ The game God of Savior loved its cards. Skill packs were in card form, magic enhancement scrolls were cards, and even records of defeated boss monsters were stored as cards in the Adventure Book. ¡®If it¡¯s a monster card¡­ it¡¯ll probably be for magic enhancement or something.¡¯ Monster cards were typically used for magic enhancement or as magicalponents. Depending on how rare the card was, the level of enhancement or rarity of the material would vary. A card from a legendary boss could fetch hundreds of thousands of won, earning it the nickname ¡°goldmine¡± among miners. For yers who made their money selling trash items, there was no better catch than this. ¡®Since it¡¯s a Heroic-level named boss, I could probably get 200-300 thousand, at least?¡¯ Do-hyeon was excited. A mere monster card could fetch at least 200 thousand won. Since he couldn¡¯t perform magic enhancement yet, he figured he might as well sell it for some cash. He hadn¡¯t sold any items yet, so this would be the first time he made actual money from God of Savior. ¡®Alright, steak tonight.¡¯ With that hopeful thought, he checked the reward. [Jihad ck Card] [Grade: Heroic] [Description: A card containing the soul of Jihad ck, the master of the secret dungeon, the ck Goblin Shaman¡¯s Lair. When used, it summons a Guardian. The card disappears after use.] ¡°Huh?¡± Do-hyeon froze. And with good reason. ¡°¡­A Guardian?¡± It was something he hadn¡¯t expected at all. It was the moment when Do-hyeon encountered his first Guardian. *** Guardians. In Korean, they were tranted as ¡®Protectors.¡¯ True to the meaning of the word, Guardians in God of Savior served the role of protecting their users. Typically, elemental mages would have Smanders, and alchemists preferred Golems. Usually, they were chosen topensate for the frailty of certain sses. By that logic, every ranged user or support ss should¡¯ve had a Guardian, but the reality was quite the opposite. ¡°A Guardian? It¡¯s not bad, but¡­ it¡¯s somewhat disappointing.¡± ¡°That money-draining beast? I¡¯d rather just buy another item instead.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard enough to find a decent Guardian, and even if you do, raising it is a pain¡­ It¡¯d be fine if it listened well. Ugh, raising one just gives you stress.¡± The concept of a Guardian was excellent. But the problem was its practicality. It was extremely difficult to find a useful Guardian, and they cost a fortune to maintain, making them the epitome of inefficiency. Despite all the discussions about Guardians, the decisive reason for their unpoprity was this: ¡°What¡¯s the point of raising something like a Smander or Golem? What can you even use it for?¡± They were simply too weak. There were only a few officially avable Guardians, and they were only useful in the early game. In theter stages, they couldn¡¯t even serve as decent meat shields. Additionally, with so few avable, strategies to counter them were too well-known. And even if you equipped Guardians with items and trained Guardian-specific skills, would they be strong? ¡°Well¡­ they do get stronger¡­ but only by a tiny bit.¡± ¡°No matter how much money you pour into tuning it, it ¡¯ll never be a luxury car. What, you think it¡¯s going to turn into a Benz?¡± It was better than not doing anything, but the limitations of Guardians were clear. Of course, not all Guardians were like that. ¡°The Pegasus of Celestial Guild is what a Guardian should be.¡± ¡°Krr¡­ And the Empress¡¯s Null is something else. So damn cool.¡± asionally, there were Guardians that left you breathless just by looking at them. Unlike regr Guardians, which users chose, these mythical creatures or divine beasts chose their users. Because they were incredibly rare, getting one was harder than winning the lottery. ¡°Even Purple¡¯s little dragon and tiger from DemRock were like that.¡± Back in DemRock, the creatures that Purple Taste had with him were like that. As a man who prided himself on his time and financial investment, Purple had poured a ton of effort into acquiring Guardians and had eventually seeded in securing some truly incredible ones. Their strength was impressive, but their appearance was even more awe-inspiring, leaving Do-hyeon envious. ¡°Yeah¡­ they were all so damn cool.¡± As is typical with mythical creatures, their style was unmatched. And that wasn¡¯t all. Unlike regr Guardians, which could onlymunicate through basic gestures, mythical creatures shared a deep bond with their masters. For someone like Do-hyeon, who had terrible luck, mythical creatures were always beyond his reach. And now, for the first time, one such mythical creature was right in front of Do-hyeon. [Guardian Window] [Owned Guardian] ¨C Jihad ck Kireuk¡­? Kirreuk¡­ ¡°¡­¡± His skin was darker than a ck cat¡¯s. With his robe now removed, the Goblin¡¯s sly face and small body were clearly visible. Jihad ck, making an annoying sound typical of Goblins, looked around in confusion, his face dumbfounded. When his eyes met Do-hyeon¡¯s, he jumped back in shock. -What the¡ªwhere am I¡­? Gasp! Why are you here!? ¡°¡­¡± -You devilish human! I don¡¯t know what trickery you¡¯ve used, but you won¡¯t even let me rest in death! Fine! Back then, I couldn¡¯t use my full power, but now it¡¯s different. I¡¯ll awaken the forbidden power inside me and¡ªuhh? Wh-what¡¯s this? Why can¡¯t I feel anything!? Watching Jihad ck babble to himself, getting scared, angry, and finally despairing, Do-hyeon genuinely wondered. ¡®Is this supposed to be a mythical creature¡­?¡¯ Could this even be considered one? Chapter 43 Chapter 43 What exactly is a Divine Beast? A shy exterior, excellent performance, extreme rarity¡­ There were many factors, but the two most crucial ones were clear. First, it had intelligence so high that it could be mistaken for an NPC, and second, it possessed settings that made it stand out within the game world¡ªso much so that it was fitting to call it a mythical creature. ¡°The intelligence to curse at the Forgotten n¡­ Hmm, just from that, it seems right, but¡­¡± In that sense, Jihad ck could be called a Divine Beast guardian. He was intelligent, and within the game world, he was even a survivor of the Forgotten n¡­ Nothing was out of ce. ¨C I¡¯m done for¡­ I¡¯ve be a ve to these filthy humans¡­ However, no matter how intelligent a Divine Beast was, they wouldn¡¯t typically show such a range of emotions. Logically, it made sense to think of him as a Divine Beast, but emotionally, it was hard to ept. ¡°A goblin as a Divine Beast¡­?! And that Divine Beast is the one who whined about it being unfair after getting hit!¡± This was the first Divine Beast in his life¡­ No, the first guardian, and yet it had to be like this! The majestic appearances of Purple Dragon and Tiger shed through his mind. The sight of Purple proudly walking with them on either side like two mighty tigers was unforgettable. Compared to that, what about him? Keeruk¡­ Keeruruk¡­ He had to carry around this small goblin that sniffled and made those typical goblin noises. It wasn¡¯t so bad when the goblin had its robe on, but once it took it off, it looked pathetically shabby. A Smander or a Golem would have looked several times cooler. That thought made him emotional for a moment, but Kang Do-hyeon soon sighed as he epted reality. ¡°What¡¯s important is that I¡¯ve obtained a guardian.¡± Even if it wasn¡¯t quite right to call it a Divine Beast¡­ It was still an extraordinary guardian. For now, calmly checking the situation wouldn¡¯t be toote. [Would you like to check the information of your guardian, ¡®Jihad ck¡¯?] ¡°Yes.¡± [Jihad ck] [Title: Heroic Named Guardian] [Type: Goblin] [Level: LV1] [Loyalty: 0 / 100] [Traits: Bloodline Factor, Curses, Necromancer, Quick Fingers] [Guardian Traits: Strong vs Weak, Opportunist] [Description: A survivor of a fallen n. Jihad is a goblin who has lived for hundreds of years, inheriting a superior bloodline. However, he has now be the guardian of a human.] [Most abilities are sealed due to the current low level.] [Usable skill: 1] ¨C Summon Undead ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± Jihad ck¡¯s information was simr to what it was before, but there was something different. The title had changed from Heroic Named Boss to Heroic Named Guardian. Although it was just one word¡¯s difference, the meaning behind it was significant. ¡°A Named instead of a Divine Beast or a Spirit¡­¡± Since all Divine Beasts were inherently Named, there was no need to specify it as Named. As for Spirits, they were not considered Named unless they were Spirit Kings¡­ ¡°It¡¯s also strange that he was turned into a card.¡± Do-hyeon had never heard of anyone obtaining a guardian in this manner. If you could get a guardian by defeating a boss, countless rankers would have guardians in the form of boss monsters. ¡°If that were the case, I would have had dozens of guardians.¡± Of course, what he knew was limited to DemRock, so maybe there were cases like this in God of Savior. But still, it likely wasn¡¯t amon urrence. ¡°The traits are the same¡­ but these guardian traits¡­ Strong vs Weak? Opportunist?¡± Guardian Traits simply referred to the defining characteristics of a guardian. They reflected the core personality or tendencies of the guardian in a single phrase. These traits helped users understand their guardians better, and also provided a system for increasing loyalty. Depending on the guardian traits, the criteria for raising loyalty differed. Users could use that information to think about how to utilize and train their guardians. ¡°What kind of guardian traits are these?¡± In that sense, Jihad ck¡¯s guardian traits were nothing short of shocking. Do-hyeon had never seen a guardian with traits like Strong vs Weak or Opportunist. Most guardians had more typical traits like Friend of Water, Bravery, Leader, or even Coward. But having traits this tantly inferior was unheard of. And it wasn¡¯t just the description that was unusual. [Your guardian Jihad ck has very low loyalty.] [Due to the Strong vs Weak and Opportunist traits, low loyalty may lead him to either flee or betray you. Please be cautious.] ¡°Unbelievable¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t umon for guardians to sever contracts if their loyalty was low. But for the system to explicitly warn him that the guardian might backstab him? That was a first. This creature was truly anything but ordinary. Keeruk¡­ ncing at the goblin, Do-hyeon noticed it had already put some distance between them. Its eyes glinted with hostility, and it mumbled to itself. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if it tried to betray him at any moment. ¡°This won¡¯t do.¡± Clearly, drastic measures were required. It didn¡¯t matter whether he liked it or not; this was now his subordinate, his guardian. He couldn¡¯t just allow it to stab him in the back. Checking its performance coulde afterward. There was only one kind of training suited for this kind of creature since ancient times. [Remaining ytime: 00:15:11] ¡°Fifteen minutes¡­ That should be enough.¡± Do-hyeon checked the time, quietly ced his weapon back in its sheath, and tossed it into his inventory. Crack, crack. Stretching his body, he started walking slowly toward Jihad. Jihad ck flinched as Do-hyeon approached him, then rolled his eyes and spat out nervously. ¨C Wh-what? Why are youing this way, human? ¡°Calling your master a human? Your mind¡¯s really twisted, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¨C ¡­What? ¡°I¡¯ll start with one hit per second¡­ no, wait. Considering the stamina issue, that might be tough. But yeah, this should be enough.¡± ¨C ¡­? Jihad ck¡¯s face was filled with confusion as he wondered what was going on. Do-hyeon, ignoring the goblin¡¯s bewilderment, mumbled to himself and stood right in front of him. As their eyes met, Do-hyeon smirked slightly. ¡°For now, let¡¯s start with a beating.¡± ¨C ? ¡°Haah!¡± In the next moment, Do-hyeon ducked and nted his fist firmly into Jihad¡¯s abdomen. Bam! A satisfying sound echoed through the cave, ¨C Gwaaaaah! followed by the pained scream of a goblin¡­ no, a pig, being ughtered. [You have attacked your guardian.] [The master inflicts reduced damage on the guardian and cannot kill it.] ¡°Yep, that¡¯s what I thought.¡± The master could never kill their guardian. Additionally, the damage was significantly reduced, making it nearly impossible to identally kill the guardian. However, guardians in God of Savior were AIs with feelings. Though the numerical damage was small and they couldn¡¯t die, unlike yers who only experienced a small amount of pain for realism, guardians felt the full extent of the pain. Thud! Bam! ¨C Gwek! Gwek! P-please stop¡­ That was why Jihad ck was now rolling on the ground, sobbing and wailing. And that was why Do-hyeon could beat him without holding back. ¨C You wretched human¡­ Of course, you resort to violence first! Fine, I won¡¯t stay idle either¡­ Gwek! Gweeeek! Bam! Smack! ¨C I won¡¯t let this slide¡­! Crack! ¨C Huff, huff¡­ You damned¡­ human¡­ Even though Jihad was still crawling backward, trying to retreat, Do-hyeon could sense that there wasn¡¯t a hint of loyalty in him. [Current Loyalty: 2 / 100] After a few hits, loyalty had slightly increased. ¡°Since ancient times, it¡¯s been said that the stick is the best medicine for creatures like this.¡± Feeling the wisdom of the ancestors once again, Do-hyeon approached slowly. Today¡¯s goal was to raise loyalty to at least 20. **** How much time had passed? Crack! Smack! The sound of blows echoing in the cave had surpassed hundreds of times, and Jihad¡¯s screams had filled the cave even more. ¨C P-please stop¡­! Please, I beg you! ¡°Stop?¡± ¨C N-no¡­ Please, stop it, Master! I was wrong! Finally, Jihad ck began to speak respectfully. It had taken exactly 97 strikes to various vital points to bring about this change. Considering that Do-hyeon had deliberately targeted only the most sensitive areas, it was impressive how resilient the goblin was. However¡­ Crack! ¨C Gah! Why¡­ why¡­ ¡°I just don¡¯t like the look in your eyes.¡± ¨C What kind of nonsensical¡­ Gwek! Do-hyeon didn¡¯t stop his fists. It wasn¡¯t that he was a cruel person releasing his frustration. [Current Loyalty: 10 / 100] [Loyalty is low. If given the chance, the guardian will attempt to flee.] ¡°Even after all that, it¡¯s still only at 10.¡± Though the goblin was now calling him Master, it was clear that it was still looking for an opportunity to escape. It was likely that after lulling him into a false sense of security, it would try to figure out how to flee during his next logout. He had to admit, it was an impressive little thing, but Do-hyeon prided himself on being just as tenacious in these matters. ¡°If 100 strikes don¡¯t work, then 300 will. If that still doesn¡¯t work, then even more.¡± If someone didn¡¯t change after a beating, it just meant they hadn¡¯t been beaten enough. Back in DemRock, whenever there were guys trying to double-cross him, he¡¯d sometimes need to use them as an example. Those who didn¡¯t get it the first time would never even make eye contact again after he thoroughly punished them. That was the nature of Strong vs Weak. ¨C Maybe this could work out¡­ To keep that thought from ever crossing the goblin¡¯s mind, he had to beat it so thoroughly that it would be dazed. Crack! Smack! ¨C Wh-what is the problem, Mas¡­ Ugh! ¨C I was wrong¡­ I was¡­ Gag! ¨C You¡¯re a demon¡­! Ack! Gwek! Keeek! No matter what Jihad tried to say, Do-hyeon ignored himpletely, raining down punches without stopping. There was no need to listen to a word of it. [Loyalty: 11 / 100] [Loyalty: 10 / 100] [Loyalty: 13 / 100] The fluctuating loyalty served as the most objective indicator. And so, without saying a word, Do-hyeon continued to beat the goblin for who knows how long. ¨C No, no¡­ I¡¯ve lost my mind¡­ I really had bad intentions. I swear I won¡¯t ever do that again. I was wrong¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ For the first time, Jihad ck showed true sincerity. Seeing this, Do-hyeon finally paused. The goblin was crying like a child, and there was not a hint of deception in its expression. Realizing that none of its tricks would work, Jihad hade to understand that deception wasn¡¯t going to get him anywhere. [Loyalty: 18 / 100] [Loyalty is still low. Caution is advised.] [Remaining ytime: 00:00:41] This was the result of 15 minutes of hard-hitting tough love. ¡°It¡¯s a shame I couldn¡¯t hit 20¡­ but this should do.¡± At least the system¡¯s warning about being cautious of betrayal was gone. He wouldn¡¯t run away next time he logged in, and the rest could be handled with regr education sessions. There was no point in using the remaining 40 seconds for more punishment, and when they were truly remorseful, it was better to offer a carrot instead of the stick. ¡°Yeah, now you¡¯re looking more obedient.¡± ¨C Uuuh¡­ Uuuh¡­ ¡°It would¡¯ve been better if you were like this from the start, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¨C Y-yes. Jihad ck cautiously answered, his earlier arrogance gone. Now, he looked like a dog being scolded by its owner, watching carefully for signs of anger. Of course, Do-hyeon couldn¡¯t be fooled by this behavior. Letting his guard down and treating him too kindly would only make the goblin be arrogant again. [Maximum connection time reached.] [You will soon be logged out.] Do-hyeon noticed the message about the 40 seconds being up and made sure to leave Jihad with a final word. ¡°I¡¯m logging out.¡± ¨C W-what? Where¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t get too happy. I¡¯ll be back soon, so behave yourself.¡± ¨C O-of course, Master! Take care! Jihad ck, bowing so low he was almost folded in half, kept his head down for five more seconds after Do-hyeon vanished. It showed just how deeply the fear of Do-hyeon had been imprinted in his mind. ¨C ¡­He¡¯s really gone, right? Chapter 44 Chapter 44 But soon, Jihad¡¯s attitudepletely changed once he confirmed that Do-hyeon was no longer there. ¡°Damn it, what the hell¡­ I really got involved with the wrong guy. In all my life, I¡¯ve never seen such a ruthless human being. That guy is no human, he¡¯s Satan, Satan!¡± How could someone beat him up so severely without even listening to a word? Of course, he couldn¡¯t deny that he harbored bad intentions, but still, this was way too much. ¡°¡­He¡¯s really gone, right?¡± Jihad looked around once more before copsing t on his back. His entire body throbbed in pain, and he let out a scream. Grimacing in agony, Jihad grumbled. ¡°If only my original powers were intact¡­¡± For some reason, after being reborn, almost all of his powers had been sealed away. Even the undead he had painstakingly raised had all disappeared. It was already unfair enough that he had died after being beaten like a sandbag without putting up much of a fight. To make things worse, this time, he had been beaten just as badly. If only he could fight again in perfect condition, he would definitely¡­ Jihad flinched. At that moment, the image of Do-hyeon¡¯s fist and the chilling sword de shed in his mind, making him tremble. ¡°¡­Can I really win?¡± Perhaps it was because he had been beaten so helplessly twice. For some reason, just thinking about standing up to that man made his confidence wane. Unwilling to admit it, Jihad kicked a random stone in frustration. ¡°I swear, one day, I¡¯ll smack that man¡¯s big, stupid head.¡± As he was making this vow, or something close to it, a message suddenly appeared. [You are being moved to the Guardian Room.] ¡°Huh? What room?¡± Before he could even question the sudden message, his vision blinked, and Jihad¡¯s body was transported somewhere. As the blinding light faded, a new world was revealed. ¡°Wh-where is this¡­?¡± The dark and dreary cave was gone, and the sight before him was one where countless worlds seemed to coexist. Clouds and earth connected seamlessly, with an icy region to the left and ava field to the right. It felt like it should be out of ce, but somehow, it all seemed natural. Beyond a certain distance, the world abruptly cut off, revealing only part of it, which strangely made it seem even more mysterious. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Jihad¡¯s pupils quivered as he gazed at the world. It was undoubtedly the first time he had seen this ce. But why? ¡°This¡­ this is what it feels like to stand on the surface again.¡± Somehow, a sense of peace washed over him. How long had it been since hest stood on solid ground? How long had it been since hest felt the fresh air? Jihad fully felt the wind tickling his face. It was a strange breeze that carried both cold and heat simultaneously. ¡°¡­Not bad, I suppose.¡± After all, Jihad had been practically confined to his hideout. Compared to being stuck in an underground cave, perhaps this ce wasn¡¯t so bad. For the first time in hundreds of years, Jihad fell asleep on new ground. * * * The capsule opened with a hiss, and Do-hyeon stretched his arms out wide. His joints cracked, and as his body loosened up, he finished a quick stretch and turned on his phone. [20:12] ¡°It¡¯s already evening.¡± He had logged in at 10 in the morning, and now it was already evening, nearing nightfall. Still, since he had logged in earlier than the day before, even after ying for a full 10 hours, he still had a day left. Not bad at all. ¡®This is why you need to be diligent.¡¯ ¡­Though he wasn¡¯t sure if starting a game early in the morning could really be considered diligence, the world had changed. Now, diligently ying God of Savior was recognized as part of living an industrious life. Normally, he would¡¯ve shown extreme diligence by heading straight to the gym, but unfortunately, he had something else to do. Click. Do-hyeon turned on hisputer and naturally logged onto the God of Savior website. He was looking for information. Known as the sea of information, the website greeted Do-hyeon with countless posts as soon as he logged in. Some of them contained guides for the next city, but that wasn¡¯t what Do-hyeon was after. [What is a Guardian! A must-read for beginners unfamiliar with Guardians] [Perfect Guardian Guide!] [Guardian Tier List] [Not all Guardians are the same? What is a Divine Beast!] ¡®I still can¡¯t believe there¡¯s a Guardian like that¡­¡¯ The strange Guardian he had just acquired, Jihad ck. He was looking for information about that guy. He had already taken preventive measures to keep him from betraying him, but having some information was better than having none at all. [Title: Guardian Tier List] [Author: GodOSeDoctor] -God of Savior is a game obsessed with rankings. Everything in the game is graded in a discriminatory manner. Of course, Guardians also have ranks. Commonly used Guardians like Smanders and Golems are considered rare tier¡­ but that¡¯s basically the highest tier you can expect. Anything above Hero-tier is practically impossible to obtain¡­ (truncated). ¡°This is useless¡­¡± Skimming over the things he already knew, Do-hyeon continued to scroll through a few more posts, but most of them were justmon knowledge or trivialments. Suggestions like ¡°Raising a Guardian is inefficient¡± or ¡°Here are some decent Guardian rmendations¡± were all meaningless. Just as he was about to scroll past a few more, something caught his eye. Click. [Title: Want to Obtain a Divine Beast?] [Author: GodOSeDoctor] -Divine Beasts are the ultimate partners a yer can obtain as Guardians, and they are the most powerful entities avable. Other than being notoriously difficult to acquire and requiring a lot of money, they have no drawbacks. Well-known Guardians like Celestial Guild¡¯s Pegasus, the Empress¡¯ Emptiness, and the Monk¡¯s Haetae are all Divine Beasts. Though Divine Beasts are also graded, they are all at least Hero-tier, making them incredibly powerful¡­ (truncated). Most people ask, ¡°So where do you get a Divine Beast?¡± To acquire one, you need one of three things: 1. Insanely good luck that calls forth destiny. 2. A massive amount of money to manufacture that luck. 3. Achievements rted to Guardians. Do-hyeon stopped scrolling for the first time. ¡®Achievements¡­¡¯ It was the mention of achievements that had caught his attention. Of course, DemRock didn¡¯t have that element. Or maybe it did, but at least he hadn¡¯t heard of it, even from Purple, who was quite knowledgeable about Guardians. It might have been nonsense, but it was new information, and it piqued his curiosity. ¡®The author is that guy again.¡¯ Honestly, the author also yed a part in drawing his interest. That user, GodOSeDoctor, seemed very interested in Guardians, as they often posted about the topic, and most of their posts disyed considerable knowledge. So much so that he seemed like a real doctor of God of Savior. With someone like that, Do-hyeon figured they wouldn¡¯t be lying, at least. -Achievements are something everyone knows about. You unlock achievements and earn rewards when you aplish something particrly difficult. These rewards could be titles, stat increases, or even hidden quests. Divine Beasts are no different. If youplete an extremely difficult achievement rted to a Divine Beast, you might be granted the opportunity to obtain one¡­ (truncated). ¡°Hmm.¡± Although the post continued with more lengthy details, the crucial information ended there. There wasn¡¯t any mention of specific drop routes or quest contents. Well, no matter how knowledgeable someone might be about Guardians, there was no way they¡¯d post such valuable information publicly. ¡°At any rate, that was quite helpful.¡± At least now he knew that acquiring a Divine Beast through defeating monsters was impossible in both DemRock and God of Savior. There were no such cases. Instead, in God of Savior, a new route called achievements had opened up as a means to obtain Guardians. ¡®It seems like this achievement is rted to the recent event¡­ but all I did was clear a dungeon and defeat a boss. Could it really be that?¡¯ As Do-hyeon pondered this, a sudden memory shed in his mind. Now that he thought about it, there was something. Amidst the flood of messages that had appeared after defeating Jihad, one particr message stood out. [You have unlocked a hidden achievement.] ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s exactly what it said.¡± Finally, the puzzle pieces fit together. Obtaining Jihad ck as a Guardian hadn¡¯t been due to some random stroke of luck or a weird bug; it was a reward forpleting a hidden achievement. At first, he found it hard to believe that clearing just one dungeon could be considered a hidden piece, but when he thought about it, it made sense. ¡®That dungeon was absurd.¡¯ From the hidden location of the boss room in a four-person party dungeon, to the condition of having to be thest one standing, and the impossible difficulty for a level 24 yer¡ªit all seemed too extreme. Everything about it had been out of the ordinary. On top of that, failing to clear the dungeon would result in itsplete disappearance¡ªa brutal consequence. ¡®Now that I think about it, clearing it was the real anomaly.¡¯ It was as if the developers had designed the dungeon to be impossible to clear, yet he had somehow done it. If the developers had been watching that moment, their mental states probably would¡¯ve exploded like fireworks. In any case,pleting that achievement seemed to be one of the hidden conditions for taming monsters. That meant there could be more boss monsters that could be turned into Guardians in this manner. ¡®If I could get a legendary dragon as a Guardian¡­¡¯ He could surpass Purple¡¯s dragon and achieve even more epic status. Do-hyeon shook off the daydream of that moment. Just because he had obtained one Guardian in this manner didn¡¯t guarantee that other bosses could be acquired the same way, and besides, right now, his reality was that he had a mere Goblin as a Guardian. ¡®Well¡­ maybe he¡¯ll turn out useful if I train him.¡¯ Still, it wasn¡¯t just any Goblin. Despite being a Goblin, Jihad was of Hero rank, and though he couldn¡¯t use it right now, he also had a unique trait called Bloodline Factor. Since he acted like some sort of ck me Dragon, surely he¡¯d amount to something. Whether that something would be a majestic ck dragon or a wriggling eel, though, remained to be seen. p. Turning off theputer, Do-hyeon stepped into the living room. Now that his curiosity had been satisfied, his stomach growled in hunger. Of course, after 10 hours without food, it was only natural. He originally had ns to buy some beef, but¡­ one look at his empty bank ount and those ns went up in smoke. ¡°Mom, is there any food at home?¡± ¡°Nope~ nothing.¡± The response was not his mother¡¯s refined voice, but an annoyingly chirpy female voice that made Do-hyeon¡¯s eyebrows furrow in irritation. Hyun-ah, leaning against the living room sofa while watching TV, giggled. Why was it that seeing her dropping crumbs from the snacks she was eating onto her stomach made him so annoyed? Was sibling rivalry an inherent human passive skill? ¡°Where¡¯s mom?¡± ¡°She has ns.¡± ¡°Did you eat? Go buy some groceries.¡± ¡°I already ate. It¡¯s alreadyte, you know. Oh, there¡¯s some stew in the fridge. Mom made it yesterday for you, but you just slept through it, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Now that he thought about it, she had mentioned it yesterday. But Do-hyeon had been too engrossed in God of Savior, havingpletely forgotten about it in the excitement. ¡®Right, I just got out of the army yesterday, didn¡¯t I?¡¯ It felt like it had been at least a week, but it had only been two days. His ability to adapt to civilian life so quickly was astonishing, even to himself. The constant flurry of events and idents over the past two days probably yed a role in that. ¡®But why hasn¡¯t anyone contacted me?¡¯ Other guys in his unit said their schedules were packed for a full month once they were discharged¡­ Feeling a bit down, Do-hyeon opened KakaoTalk and scrolled through his messages, but there wasn¡¯t a single unread personal chat. The only activity was in a five-person group chat¡­ ¨C Gwak Jae-yeol: Man, I really wanna have sex. ¨C Kim Doo-hyeong: You crazy bastard. ¨C Yoo Jong-hyun: Hey, anyone ying Pratel right now? A field boss just appeared. ¨C Kim Hyun-soo: Yeah, but the guild¡¯s already taking it. You¡¯re not getting a turn. ¨C Kim Doo-hyeong: When¡¯s Do-hyeon getting discharged? Haven¡¯t heard from himtely, did he die? ¨C Kim Hyun-soo: I think the bastard finally kicked the bucket. We¡¯re holding a memorial today. ¨C Gwak Jae-yeol: Oh? One person left the chat. Guess he¡¯s not dead after all. LMAO. ¨C Kim Doo-hyeong: LMAO ¨C Yoo Jong-hyun: LMAO ¨C Kim Hyun-soo: LMAO ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡­Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have checked. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Whenever he saw them, he couldn¡¯t decide whether to call them consistent friends or just in annoying. Kang Do-hyeon, brushing them off without a second thought, finished cooking stew and setting the table. As he took a spoonful, the harmonious blend of just the right amount of saltiness and the vor of fermented soybean paste spread throughout his mouth. As expected, his mother¡¯s soybean paste stew was exceptional. Do-hyeon quickly finished a bowl, then flopped down on the sofa. Familiar scenes flickered on the TV. Although Do-hyeon wasn¡¯t familiar with dramas or variety shows, this time, it was a channel he was more specialized in than anyone. ¡°What the, why¡¯s God of Savior on? You y God of Savior too?¡± ¡°Who doesn¡¯t these days?¡± ¡°Huh, seriously?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m actually pretty high level. I¡¯m level 71.¡± ¡°No way.¡± He was genuinely shocked. The person who wouldn¡¯t even nce at games was now ying God of Savior? And their level was much higher than his! ¡°If you¡¯re level 71, you¡¯ve yed quite a bit? You usually don¡¯t y stuff like this.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been ying for about six months. A friend offered to help me power-level, so I started ying, and it turned out to be pretty fun.¡± ¡°Hm, does it usually take about half a year?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know? Unlike someone who dumps 10 hours into the game every day.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Do-hyeon couldn¡¯t think of a response and shut his mouth. To be fair, what they said was normal. It was abnormal to be like him, worrying about how to use every second efficiently because even 10 hours wasn¡¯t enough. With being a ranker nowpletely out of the question, most people just yed games casually for fun. ¡®This is the only way I enjoy it.¡¯ Do-hyeon found people like that fascinating, but he knew that if he said that, Hyun-ah would just shake her head, saying, ¡°Ugh, you reek of no-lifer vibes.¡± So, Do-hyeon wisely chose to stay quiet and watch TV. ¡°-Today¡¯s God of Savior broadcast~ We have some very hot news for you today!¡± A God of Savior broadcast. Thanks to quick investments, God of Savior had established itself as the most popr program delivering game news. The witty banter between MCs Jin Hyun-mo and Jang Ye-na was also one of the reasons for the show¡¯s favorable reception. Once again, the two were chatting enthusiastically. ¡°Is it another one of those top 10 guild raids? The viewers are getting tired of that.¡± ¡°Haha, we¡¯d love to meet your expectations, but sadly, today¡¯s news is about something else! It¡¯s still about guilds, but this time, it¡¯s the Hero Guild, not a top 10 guild!¡± ¡°The Hero Guild? Oh, I know them. They¡¯re really famous, right?¡± ¡°You only know because the guild master is handsome, right?¡± ¡°Hmm, no, that¡¯s not it! Okay, he is my type, but¡­ I, Jang Ye-na, can distinguish between personal and professional matters!¡± ¡®Huh?¡¯ At the familiar guild name, Do-hyeon mumbled without realizing it. ¡°Hero Guild?¡± ¡°Huh? What, oppa, you know the Hero Guild?¡± ¡°Well¡­ yeah, I do.¡± Hyun-ah stared at Do-hyeon intently. Her expression was odd, and then she suddenly put on a serious face and started speaking in the deepest voice she could muster. ¡°Only weaklings join guilds. Such people aren¡¯t worth remembering.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Where did that person go? You weren¡¯t even in middle school anymore, but you still spouted stuff that made me cringe to death. But now you¡¯ve changed aftering back from the military.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Do-hyeon furrowed his brows, recalling an old memory that suddenly resurfaced. Back when he was 18 and going through his dyed ¡°middle school syndrome¡± during his second year of high school, Hyun-ah had once asked him something about DemRock. He found it bothersome and answered like that. It wasn¡¯t just because he was annoyed¡ªback then, he had genuinely thought it was cool. But now, it was nothing short of a cringe-worthy ck history. ¡°You kept saying things like, ¡®Life is all about solitude¡¯¡­ Ugh, every time you spewed those cringe lines, it gave me goosebumps.¡± ¡°¡­Did I? I don¡¯t really remember.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t bring my friends around you out of sheer embarrassment.¡± ¡­Now he understood why she had avoided introducing him to her friends. Do-hyeon couldn¡¯t me her; even he would have been scared of himself back then. He had no excuse¡ªhe really had been a crazy person. But there was some reasoning behind it. At that time, Do-hyeon had been on a winning streak, thanks to his superb control, which naturally attracted many yers. Some of them wanted to mark their presence, but there were several times more who wanted to stab him in the back. Because of that, he had be suspicious of anyone who approached him. ¡®Just hearing the word ¡°guild¡± made me sick.¡¯ Later, entire guilds started targeting him, so he grew to hate guilds entirely. Everyone was always bragging about being part of a guild, or that they were an executive or something. It felt no different from local thugs calling in their big brothers for backup after taking a punch. As a minor who had faced such challenges early in the game, wasn¡¯t it only natural to develop a critical view? He tried tofort himself with that thought, but he couldn¡¯t deny it was still a cringey part of his past. ¡°Ahem. So, the Hero Guild is pretty famous? They must be if they¡¯re even on TV.¡± Avoiding her gaze, he feigned ignorance, and Hyun-ah, after giving him a scrutinizing look, sighed and turned away. It seemed she had decided to let it go. ¡°These days, the Hero Guild is all the rage among people in their 20s. In terms of poprity, they¡¯re practically on par with Myeolsal.¡± ¡°Huh? Why? They¡¯re not even a top 10 guild.¡± ¡°Well, they mainly focus on discipline, they have a good mission to be heroes, the guild¡¯s average age is young, and most importantly, the guild master is handsome.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± So, in the end, it was all about appearances. While the guild had the trends young people liked, he was convinced thatst reason yed the most significant role. ¡°Guys seem to like Myeolsal more, but girls usually prefer the Hero Guild.¡± ¡°I see¡­ That makes sense.¡± In other words, Myeolsal was the guild that excited men, while the Hero Guild¡¯s master was the one who captivated women. Although he replied casually, he actually understood. ¡°-There probably aren¡¯t many who don¡¯t know about the Hero Guild. They rank high even amongrge guilds and are one of the few that challenge the ferocity of the top 10 guilds.¡± ¡°In terms of PvP and assassinations, they¡¯re practically top-tier, right? I heard they¡¯re nearly on par with the top 10 guilds in that area.¡± ¡°Yes, the Hero Guild was initially established with the purpose of eliminating viins.¡± ¡°Of course, there are other reasons, but the fact that the guild master, Berge, is incredibly handsome also ys a role. Even men admit he¡¯s attractive.¡± The short hunting clip showing Berge made him look like some sort of prince from a fairy tale. Although he had heard Berge was Korean, his dyed hair and foreign-looking character customization made him look like a noble from a romance fantasy novel. ¡°Doesn¡¯t he look a bit too much like a pretty boy?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what they call being ¡®handsome and pretty.¡¯ Women go crazy for faces like that.¡± ¡°¡­¡± If he¡¯s handsome, he¡¯s handsome. If he¡¯s pretty, he¡¯s pretty. But what was this ¡°handsome-pretty¡± thing? Trying to understand would only make him tired, so Do-hyeon decided to let it go. ¡®I should head to the gym.¡¯ It would take about 20 minutes to walk to the gym, just enough time to digest the food. Besides, he hadn¡¯t overeaten on purpose. Just as he was about to get up with that thought in mind¡ª ¡°But I heard the Hero Guild issued another assassination order today?¡± ¡®¡­What?¡¯ That familiar term made Do-hyeon freeze. ¡°Oh, that news spreads fast. As most people in Raven know, there¡¯s a lot of toxic yers who enjoy exploiting newbies.¡± ¡°Right, right. I got wrecked so many times when I was in Raven¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Jang Ye-na punish them?¡± ¡°Well, I thought about going easy on them because they were kinda cute, but¡­ Is that really important right now?¡± ¡°Haha. Anyway, these toxic yers brazenly tried to rally support through posts, which eventually caught the attention of the Hero Guild. Now there¡¯s trouble¡­ Let¡¯s check out the footage.¡± The footage began with interviews from people who had been victimized by AssassinBoy and his group. ¡°They¡¯re total trash. I still can¡¯t get over what they did to me.¡± ¡°I was new to the game, and they pretended to help me. I was so grateful¡­ Then I found out it was all a trap. That¡¯s how they lure newbies.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve hit level 24, but they still won¡¯t let me go. Why? Because they find it fun.¡± ¡°Even though it¡¯s just a game, it¡¯s so infuriating. There¡¯s now that applies to this, and there¡¯s no one toin to¡­ It drives you crazy.¡± Many victims expressed their anger, and the reenactments showed how they had been tricked. Then, with grand background music, the scene shifted to the Hero Guild, showing five heroes. To be precise, it was the five heroes versus AssassinBoy¡¯s group. Compared to thest time, AssassinBoy¡¯s and his crew¡¯s gear had be ridiculously shabby, and they were being ughtered repeatedly by the Hero Guild. ¡°Wow, that feels so good. There really are a lot of scumbags like them, huh?¡± ¡°That¡¯s just how games are.¡± The dramatic presentation made it all the more satisfying for the viewers. A handsome-pretty guy punishing evildoers? It was no wonder he had fans. If this were on a mainstreamwork, some might find it offensive, but most of the viewers watching the God of Savior broadcast were young and found it refreshing instead. ¡°Aren¡¯t all games like that?¡± ¡°All the games I¡¯ve yed have been like that.¡± Though the only games she had yed were DemRock and God of Savior, both notorious for their toxicity, they probably weren¡¯t much different from other games. It was proof that people needed to live virtuously. Those guys had lived wicked lives, and now they were getting their just deserts, even being broadcast for all to see. Hyun-ah, nodding her head, muttered, ¡°No wonder¡­¡± ¡°Lately, YouTube videos about ¡®discipline¡¯ are really popr.¡± ¡°YouTube?¡± ¡°Yeah. You know, those videos like ¡®Pranking toxic yers,¡¯ ¡®Pretending to be a newbie and baiting PK,¡¯ and stuff. Oh, you wouldn¡¯t know since you just got out. These days, YouTube is all about God of Savior.¡± Do-hyeon¡¯s interest piqued. The content seemed fresh and entertaining, but what caught his attention more was the fact that God of Savior had even taken over YouTube. ¡®Well, they did say God of Savior had absorbed just about everything. It makes sense YouTube would follow suit.¡¯ While he wasn¡¯t someone who never watched YouTube, he only used it when necessary. Now that he thought about it, most of the videos were indeed about God of Savior. The content was diverse too. From raid videos to arena matches, pranks, songs, and even videos about building fantasy structures¡­ ¡°Every one of these videos has over 10 million views?¡± Even more shocking was the number of views. Before he joined the army, videos typically had around a million views¡­ ¡°That¡¯s old news. Popr videos now get over 100 million views.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Everyone¡¯s ying God of Savior now, but it¡¯s hard to seed. There are tons of people who don¡¯t even get picked up by the algorithm.¡± As with any market, it all boiled down to supply and demand. There was high demand, but there was far too much supply, meaning most videos were things people had already seen. Naturally, only the freshest and most entertaining ones got attention. ¡°If a video has 100 million views¡­ they must make a ton of money, right?¡± ¡°Probably? I heard the Hero Guild master makes billions each month just from YouTube.¡± ¡°Wait, billions?¡± ¡°Yeah. People like Myeolsal rake in about 1 billion won a month from various sources. They¡¯re really living in another world.¡± ¡°A billion¡­¡± His head began to spin. Even when he was holding onto the top spot in DemRock, he¡¯d barely managed to make about 10 million won a month. But a billion? And by the end, making 100,000 won a month felt like a miracle. ¡®But a billion¡­¡¯ YouTube? Back then, just having someone watch his videos felt rewarding and made him grateful. He had never dreamed of making money from it. That¡¯s why he hadn¡¯t cared about it at all. But now, the world had changed. ¡°A billion¡­¡± ¡°Huh? Oppa, you¡¯re not thinking something weird again, are you?¡± ¡°A billion¡­ What could I do with that much money? How many Big Macs could I¡­¡± Hyun-ah looked at him with a suspicious gaze, but Do-hyeon was too preupied to notice. His mind was consumed by that staggering figure. For the first time in his gaming life, the concept of YouTube entered Do-hyeon¡¯s awareness. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 The next day. As usual, Kang Do-hyeon woke up early and diligently went for his morning jog. After a quick breakfast, he headed straight to the capsule. Only then did the day truly begin. Though he was excited to y God of Savior again, just like yesterday, today his expression was somewhat peculiar. He seemed a bit dazed, which was understandable given how shocking it had been. ¡®Who would¡¯ve thought God of Savior could make that much money¡­¡¯ Being a historically unprecedentedly popr game, he had known it would be profitable. But 1 billion won? A monthly profit of 1 billion meant an annual ie of 12 billion won. Even after taxes and other deductions, it would still leave him with close to 10 billion. He had heard that some guild masters from the top ten guilds earned even more than Myeolsal. If that was the case, how much were those people making? ¡®Didn¡¯t they say arge portion of the earnings came from YouTube and broadcasting?¡¯ Commercials, broadcasts¡­ God of Savior guilds were practically akin to businesses. If a top ten guild was considered a business, it would likely be on par with a major corporation. Considering all the revenue streams, even 1 billion might be a conservative estimate. ¡®We really live in an era where you can be rich just by ying games.¡¯ It was another world, a world that had swallowed the real one. He had always heard grandiose descriptions, but hearing actual figures made him realize the impact. The world he had dreamed of was here, yet he was spending this golden era in the military¡­ Everyone had to serve, and protecting the country was important, but he couldn¡¯t help feeling a little envious. Still, it wasn¡¯t toote. ¡®Even though I¡¯m a bit behind, it¡¯s not impossible.¡¯ Climbing a mountain was the same. A person who never reached the peak would never see the view from the top in their entire life. He had already been ranked number one once. There was no reason he couldn¡¯t do it a second time. And Do-hyeon had six traits and had chosen a unique god, no less. Among them was even a sole trait. ¡®Let¡¯s try it again.¡¯ Ten billion won a month? No, if he was going to aim high, why not dream of 100 billion? For now, it was just a dream, but the bigger the goal, the better. With that in mind, he had done a quick investigation into YouTube, which could be his first step toward that 100 billion. ¨C ¡°Broadcasting? You just have to record it. The essibility is easy. If you want higher quality, you¡¯ll need to edit, and that costs money¡­ But that¡¯s only for those who really want to go professional.¡± ¨C ¡°By the way, you¡¯re not getting carried away, are you? Just because you can make a lot of money, doesn¡¯t mean anyone can make it big. Don¡¯t get your hopes up too high.¡± ¡­He had learned more from Hyun-ah than from his own research. To be fair, there wasn¡¯t much else to find out. He didn¡¯t have the money to hire an editor, and even after looking into how to do it himself, it wasn¡¯t something he could learn overnight. Still, he had a rough idea of the direction he wanted to take. ¨C ¡°Content? Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t know. There¡¯s a lot of variety. Something you can do without connections? Maybe raid videos? If your skill is good enough, even low-level zones get views.¡± Skill showcase videos. This was the area Do-hyeon had the most confidence in. In fact, more than confidence, it was his only option. To create interesting content, connections were essential, and Do-hyeon didn¡¯t have any. Nor was he confident in his ability toe up with creative content. ¡®For now, let¡¯s just start by recording.¡¯ If he recorded his gamey, he might find a use for itter. If the opportunity presented itself, he nned to record from time to time. After all, once his ranking improved, even ordinary hunting videos would gain value. ¡®It would¡¯ve been nice to record the dungeon run¡­¡¯ He regretted not doing so, but then again, it might¡¯ve been better not to. It would have been difficult to take Jihad along if he had recorded it. For now, he would think about it slowly. But more importantly¡­ [Your loyalty has decreased by 2.] [Your loyalty has increased by 2.] [Your loyalty has increased by 1.] [Your loyalty has increased by 1.] ¡°¡­What on earth happened here?¡± Upon logging into God of Savior, Do-hyeon couldn¡¯t hide his bewilderment at the flood of messages. He had merely logged off and back on, but what could exin these swings in loyalty? It seemed that the loyalty had dropped by 2 as soon as he logged off, but then increased by 4 in the Guardian Room. The drop made sense given that guy¡¯s personality. What puzzled Do-hyeon was how quickly it had risen again. ¡®Why did it go up so much?¡¯ Come to think of it, he¡¯d heard that the Guardian Room was designed to be a ce where guardians could feel at ease. It was a system to help yers struggling with loyalty management. It seemed Jihad was no exception. Well, after being in hiding underground for hundreds of years, it would have been a relief to him. ¡®But why was he hiding in the first ce?¡¯ With his lineage and many other factors, the guy was full of mysteries. Anyway, it was a relief. [ Loyalty: 20 / 100 ] Not only had he reached the goal of 20, but the warnings about betrayal or backstabbing had disappeared. ¨C ¡°Oh, you¡¯re back, master.¡± Jihad ck timidly spoke, gauging Do-hyeon¡¯s reaction. It seemed he had been summoned from the Guardian Room as soon as Do-hyeon logged in. His drowsy, disheveled appearance was like someone who had just woken up, scrambling out of bed. He must have slept well. Do-hyeon stared at him for a moment before speaking bluntly. ¡°Your tone is too casual.¡± ¨C ¡°My apologies, master.¡± ¡°Well, whatever. Just call me however you¡¯refortable.¡± ¨C ¡°¡­Is that really okay?¡± Do-hyeon gave a half-hearted nod instead of answering. ¨C ¡°¡­Then, master.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Jihad ck¡¯s face lit up immediately, happy to be free from formalities. Then, as if realizing he had gotten too excited, he quicklyposed himself, causing Do-hyeon to chuckle. ¡®This should be fine.¡¯ As long as he didn¡¯t call him ¡°hey,¡± ¡°you,¡± or ¡°human,¡± it didn¡¯t matter. Being too lenient wasn¡¯t a good thing either. And listening to Jihad awkwardly speak in formal speech was unsettling. As long as he didn¡¯t get too arrogant, informal speech was morefortable. Besides, now that loyalty had surpassed 20, he could discipline Jihad from getting out of line periodically. Of course, if loyalty dropped again, his opinion might change. ¨C ¡°Where are we headed next¡­ master?¡± Jihad ck cautiously asked, trying to read the situation. The answer was obvious. ¡°To im my reward.¡± It was time to collect the long-awaited reward for the linked quest, Dungeon Conquest¡ªa lower-tier skill draw ticket. *** [You have cleared the linked quest, ¡®Dungeon Conquest.¡¯] [You have received 10 gold, a certain amount of experience, and a lower-tier skill draw ticket as your reward.] ¡®Finally got it.¡¯ Clenching his fist in triumph, Do-hyeon celebrated the long-awaited skill draw ticket. Sure, it was only a lower-tier one, but at this point, even one new skill was precious. Even Dash sh¡ªno, even the basic skill Heavy Strike¡ªwas being used to its fullest. ¡®No level up, huh.¡¯ If the quest had given just enough experience for a level up, it would have been perfect, but it seemed that was asking too much. The higher his level got, the more experience it took to level up. When he was level 20, just clearing one quest was enough for a level up. ¡°You¡¯ve done well. With this, even the monsters won¡¯t dare underestimate our Raven. Hahaha.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a rare opportunity to meet such a skilled hunter. How about joining me for a cup of tea?¡± ¡°No, I have some pressing matters. I appreciate the offer, though.¡± ¡°Ah, my instincts were right! You¡¯ve just finished a task, and you¡¯re already moving on to the next one!¡± Ding-. [The effect of the title ¡®Max Favorability from the Start?¡¯ has activated. Favorability rises significantly.] [Zrinna¡¯s favorability has increased greatly.] Do-hyeon responded briefly to Zrinna, who, as always, had plenty to say, while preparing to leave. If he sat down, Zrinna¡¯s chatter could easily drag on for an hour. ¡®I can¡¯t let that happen.¡¯ As mentioned earlier, Do-hyeon was a hardcore gamer who couldn¡¯t afford to waste even 10 hours. There was no way he would squander precious time. Just as he was about to make a swift exit¡­ ¡°By the way, who¡¯s this beside you? You were alone yesterday¡­ Did you find a newpanion?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, something like that.¡± Do-hyeon nced to the side and gave a slight nod. Seeing this, Zrinna stroked his white beard, intrigued. ¡°A young one, but an exceptionally talented mage, I see. Haha.¡± ¡°Kirrek!¡± ¡°Huh? Kirrek?¡± ¡°Oh, he has a bit of sinus trouble. I think his nose is blocked. Anyway, I must be off, thank you for everything.¡± ¡°Oh? Very well, then.¡± Cutting the conversation short, Do-hyeon opened the door and stepped out, letting out a sigh of relief. Then he cast a nce to the side. ¡°You wanna die?¡± ¨C ¡°Sorry, master. The human seemed to know something, so I couldn¡¯t help myself¡­¡± ¡°Be careful.¡± ¨C ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Jihad ck averted his gaze, slouching like a scolded child as Do-hyeon scanned their surroundings. A goblin walking around town would surely draw attention, yet no one seemed particrly interested. Some people nced their way but quickly moved on without much thought. ¡®It seems the effect is working well.¡¯ This was all thanks to the robe Jihad ck was wearing. It was the ck Goblin Shaman¡¯s Robe, a support item Do-hyeon had obtained after defeating him, which came with a facial recognition masking enchantment. The enchantment itself was useful, but the robe¡¯s design was also helpful. With his entire body covered, people were more likely to mistake him for a small human than a goblin. ¡®It¡¯s funny when you think about it.¡¯ Do-hyeon thought it was amusing that the robe Jihad was wearing was something Do-hyeon had dropped after defeating him. It wasn¡¯t as if he took it back just to give it to Jihad again. ¡°Kirrek, kirrek!¡± Meanwhile, Jihad, delighted to have his robe back, was making gleeful noises. Annoyed, Do-hyeon furrowed his brows. ¡°Quiet down.¡± ¡®Kirrek¡­¡¯ Jihad ck promptly covered his mouth with both hands, looking deted. Though slightly irritated, this wasn¡¯t just Do-hyeon venting. No matter how effective the recognition-blocking magic was, there was no way to mask the distinctive goblin sounds. For now, Jihad had to stay in the robe. ¡®For the time being, I¡¯ll need to keep him in that outfit.¡¯ It was a bit of a shame, but Do-hyeon couldn¡¯t wear it himself due to the level restrictions, so it didn¡¯t really matter. And he didn¡¯t have any magic skills yet, anyway¡­ ¡®It¡¯s a win-win. I don¡¯t even need to equip Jihad with anything extra.¡¯ Technically, Jihad shouldn¡¯t have been able to wear the robe either, but just before heading to the vige, Do-hyeon had him try it on, just in case. [You have been identified as a member of the ck Tribe.] [The creator¡¯s power has lifted the equipment restrictions for the original owner.] Not only could Jihad wear the robe, but he could also use the Cursed Orb. It made Do-hyeon wonder just what kind of tribe these goblins were, but it wasn¡¯t a bad thing. He was saving money on gear, after all. ¨C ¡°But where are we going, master?¡± ¡°Patience.¡± ¨C ¡°Are we going to do that card draw thing soon?¡± Jihad ck tilted his head in confusion. He had been excited about the card draw earlier, so why wasn¡¯t Do-hyeon opening it as soon as they got it, instead of wandering around the vige? ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand, but yers have their reasons.¡± ¨C ¡°¡­?¡± Jihad ck remained curious, but wisely chose not to press further, sensing that asking might earn him a smack. Unbothered, Do-hyeon continued walking, focusing on his next goal. ¡®It should be around here¡­¡¯ ording to the post he had read on themunity board, the location was somewhere nearby. After checking the information again and walking a few more minutes, Do-hyeon finally arrived at his destination, grinning. Bustling, bustling. It was an alleyway. Nothing more than an ordinary backstreet without any shops, yet people were packed in. And every one of them was staring into the air, either celebrating or bemoaning their fate. ¡°Agh! Didn¡¯t get anything!¡± ¡°How do you get a normal skill from a rare draw ticket!? Who said this was a lucky spot!?¡± ¡°Yes! Hero-grade!! Hallelujah!! Thank you, Lord Renne!¡± ¡°Rare skill! This ce is legit¡­ Holy crap.¡± Some were crying, some wereughing. This was one of the famous card draw spots that existed in every major city¡ªthis one was known as Irard¡¯s Back Alley. Chapter 47 Chapter 47 The Back Alley of Irard. Although this name sounded rather impressive, it wasn¡¯t its official name. It was simply called ¡°Irard¡¯s Back Alley¡± because of the nearby general store, Irard¡¯s General Store, for convenience. There was a particr story behind how this ce became known as a popr spot. ¡®They say the first legendary skill in Raven was revealed here.¡¯ A user who first obtained a legendary-tier skill appeared in this very ce. Drawing a legendary skill from just the second random draw was such a ridiculously lucky event that it could have made history. Naturally, people flocked here, hoping to catch even a bit of that luck. As more people gathered to open card packs, the probability of sess increased naturally. Good news spread about people drawing excellent skills, and gradually, more people arrived, followed by even more sessful card pack openings. This cycle repeated, eventually turning the ce into the famous location it was today. ¡®It¡¯s practically a superstition¡­¡¯ But isn¡¯t that how people are? Even for lottery tickets, people tend to go to stores where there have been many winners, and for restaurants, they often prefer those with long waiting lines, assuming they must be good. In reality, the increased probability was simply because more people visited these ces. Because of that, some users looked down on others who believed in these superstitions, but unfortunately, Do-hyeon wasn¡¯t one of them. ¡®Sometimes, there¡¯s nothing more urate than a good superstition.¡¯ He was the type of guy who would always seek out lucky spots more than anyone else. It wasn¡¯t like this from the beginning. After constantly drawing worthless items, he naturally became interested in these so-called lucky locations. And on the first day he opened a card in one such location! ¡®I¡¯ll never forget that yellow glow until the day I die.¡¯ He had pulled a hero-tier skill card for the first time. It might have been a coincidence, but to Do-hyeon, it was an overwhelming moment of joy. From then on, he searched every lucky spot he could find. Thanks to that, he managed to snag a few hero-tier skills. ¡®Believe, and you shall be rewarded¡­¡¯ After offering a prayer to a god he didn¡¯t even believe in, Do-hyeon stepped into Irard¡¯s Back Alley. The overwhelming smell of card pack openings hit his nose. ¡°Mmm~ This is it. It¡¯s been a while since I felt this vibe.¡± Having relied too much on the Eye of Truth recently, his mindset had becent. That¡¯s why, despite having a random draw ticket, he only ended up drawing rare-tier skills¡­ He couldn¡¯t let this continue. He needed to regain his focus. This was why, despite only having a low-tier skill draw ticket, he hade to the lucky spot. ¡°When did I ever discriminate between draw tickets? This is all because my spirit has grown weak.¡± He used to pour his heart into every card pack opening, but after encountering the Eye of Truth, a cutting-edge artifact, he had turned into a feeble opportunist. This card pack opening was a sacred ritual to regain the determination he once had. -¡­Humans are truly strange. ¡°Tsk tsk. What would you know? Now be quiet. I need to concentrate.¡± To the goblin Jihad ck, this was all nonsense, but Do-hyeon was dead serious. And he had a good reason to be. ¡®This is important for me right now¡­¡¯ To others, he might draw just anothermon skill, but Do-hyeon was an All-Master. It was impossible to predict which job¡¯s skill he would pull. Among the ten cards, there would be skills from various jobs mixed in, so he had to hope for the most useful one. If his luck was bad and he drew an explorer¡¯s skill, that would be the worst. For someone like Do-hyeon, who possessed the Eye of Truth, nothing could be more useless. ¡®I still don¡¯t understand why explorers aren¡¯t considered a production ss.¡¯ Was it because they had a few self-defense skills? Or was it because their buffs were too vague to be ssified as a production ss? Either way, it was a job Do-hyeon always had to be cautious of. [Do you want to use the Low-Tier Skill Draw Ticket?] Seeing the message window pop up, Do-hyeon rubbed his hands together, trying to calm his nerves. ¡®Hoo.¡¯ He did this all the time, yet it was always a nerve-wracking moment. After steadying himself, Do-hyeon tore open the card pack, and soon, ten cards scattered into the air as if floating. Despite the underwhelming bronze color of the cards, Do-hyeon carefully scanned them before reaching out. ¡®This one!¡¯ The third card from the left. He remembered the unwritten rule¡ªwhen in doubt, pick number 3. Swoosh! The dull bronze color filled his view, followed by the familiar sound of an alert. [You have obtained ¡­¡­.] ¡°Huh? Is this¡­?¡± Looking at the result, Do-hyeon¡¯s eyes glinted with surprise. The skill wasn¡¯t on any of the lists of potential skills he had imagined. Yet, it was the skill he had secretly wanted the most. A mysterious smile spread across Do-hyeon¡¯s face, and as he left the alley, Jihad trailed behind him, asking, -Is it already over, master? ¡°Yes.¡± -So, where are we headed now? The answer to that question was simple. There was only one thing to do in Raven at the moment. ¡°Grind.¡± At level 24, all that was left until he reached the level required to receive his graduation quest was to grind (nonstop hunting). * * * Deep within the western forest of Raven. A ce full of uneven terrain and numerous obstacles, so much so that yers avoided it as a hunting ground. Thanks to that, the area was overflowing with monsters, and one yer was busy hunting them down. Swoosh- Thud! Kiieek! Keck! [You have in a Forest Red Goblin.] [You have in a Giant Spider.] But calling it ¡°hunting¡± didn¡¯t do it justice. It was more like a massacre. Even in an abnormal 1 vs. 10 situation, it was the group of ten monsters that was being ughtered. Crunch! Bam! [You have in a Giant Centipede.] Thud! Kueck! [You have in a Forest Blue Goblin.] One by one, he calmly cut them down, and before long, the monsters were backing away. They had instinctively realized they were no match for him. [You are using Charge sh.] [You have in a Forest Red Goblin.] But the approaching death was inevitable. They had no choice but to either flee and die or rush forward and get their heads smashed in. The only choice left was how they wanted to die. It was a ruthlessness that could almost make one feel pity for these monsters. -Tsk, how pitiful¡­ Even Jihad ck, who was watching this in real time, couldn¡¯t help but feel some sympathy. Though Jihad had once roamed around reanimating monsters into undead minions, he had never been this violent. -How can anyone look at him and think he¡¯s human? I swear he¡¯s Satan! First, he was opening card packs, then suddenly ran excitedly into the hunting ground, and had now been ughtering monsters for an hour straight. He called it some sacred ritual or something¡­ It was starting to feel like that ritual might have been a prelude to the monster massacre. -If it¡¯s him, it¡¯s totally possible¡­ Gasp! Muttering to himself, Jihad¡¯s eyes met Do-hyeon¡¯s, and he quickly mped his mouth shut. Only after Do-hyeon nonchntly turned his gaze back to hunting did Jihad release the breath he had been holding. -¡­He didn¡¯t hear me, right? His heart was still pounding. Given the distance, it seemed unlikely he had heard, but with this demonic master, anything was possible. Though Do-hyeon thought he was being kind to others, Jihad, who had been thoroughly beaten, viewed him as none other than Satan. ¡­ Maybe I should step back a little more? Swish. As he cautiously started putting more distance between them, Do-hyeon called out, ¡°Jihad. Come here for a moment.¡± -Uh, y-yes? Why¡­? Could he have heard? Sweating profusely, Jihad tried to hide his reluctance, but seeing Do-hyeon¡¯s frowning expression, he quickly hurried over. Do-hyeon, now somewhat rxed, gestured toward the corpses. ¡°Make them into undead.¡± -Ah, yes. Quick to catch on, Jihad raised his hands. Dark energy began to flow out and seep into the bodies. One by one, starting from the left¡­ two, three¡­ up to three in total. Ssshhhh. Their eyes turned ck, and then suddenly, they opened their now-dead eyes. Snap- crack-. The corpses twisted unnaturally as they rose, and anyone could tell they had be undead. With their grotesque expressions, the newly reanimated monsters knelt before Jihad ck. [Guardian Jihad ck has sessfully reanimated the Forest Red Goblin as undead.] [Guardian Jihad ck has sessfully reanimated the Forest Red Goblin as undead.] [Guardian Jihad ck has sessfully reanimated the Forest Blue Goblin as undead.] [Guardian Jihad ck failed to reanimate the Giant Spider as undead.] [Jihad ck¡¯s level is insufficient.] ¡°Only three, huh.¡± -Well, I¡¯m supposed to be able to lead an entire army, but I¡¯ve lost most of my original power, master. ¡°So, for now, three is the limit, right?¡± -¡­Yes. Feeling ashamed for barely managing to reanimate three, Jihad lowered his head deeply. He couldn¡¯t bear to raise his head, but in truth, Do-hyeon was rtively satisfied. ¡®He might be quite usefulter on.¡¯ Typically, necromancers unlock more potential every 10 levels. While skills or items can help, in general, they can control three undead at level 10, five at level 20, ten at level 30, and so on. In that sense, being able to reanimate three undead at level 1 wasn¡¯t a small feat at all. ¡®He can only reanimate monsters he killed himself¡­ I guess since he¡¯s a guardian, my kills count as well.¡¯ Was this the power of a hero-tier named guardian? Despite his appearance, Jihad was quite capable. And that wasn¡¯t the only unusual thing. Normally, when a necromancer reanimated monsters, they would be skeletal soldiers. However, Jihad¡¯s undead maintained their rtively intact forms. ¡®Does that make a difference inbat power?¡¯ Since he hadn¡¯t used them inbat yet, that remained to be seen. As Do-hyeon pondered over Jihad¡¯s unexpected abilities, a message appeared. [Jihad ck¡¯s mana has beenpletely drained.] [Undead summoning is canceled.] ¡­ [Undead summoning is canceled.] [Undead List] ¨C Forest Red Goblin Undead ¡Á 2 ¨C Forest Blue Goblin Undead ¡Á 1 ¡°Huh?¡± As the message popped up along with a cheerful sound, the undead vanished into thin air like smoke. ¨C Ahem, ahem¡­ ¡°¡­¡± Jihad cleared his throat and avoided Do-hyeon¡¯s gaze. Do-hyeon sighed deeply as he watched Jihad pretend not to know anything. It seemed managing the undead properly was too difficult for him at the moment. He understood. After all, Jihad was only level 1, and those undead had been of a higher level than him. But if his only skill was creating undead, and he couldn¡¯t even do that properly, wasn¡¯t he basically just a parasite? ¡®Well¡­ Raising a mythical creature requires a lot of investment anyway.¡¯ Jihad was pretty close to being a mythical creature himself, so surely he would prove usefulter on. For now, Do-hyeon figured he¡¯d just have to treat it as an investment and carry him along. Of course, he wasn¡¯t nning on letting Jihadze aroundpletely. ¡°Hey.¡± -Huh? Meeting Do-hyeon¡¯s gaze, Jihad tilted his head. ¡°Pick up the loot.¡± -¡­Me? ¡°Who else? Should I pick it up myself?¡± -You always picked it up until now¡­ N-never mind. I¡¯ll pick it up, master. I love picking up items. Jihad, though clearly bothered by the idea, clenched his fists and quickly changed his tone, pretending to enjoy it. [Your loyalty has increased by 1.] Even his loyalty increased. It had now reached 21. Once again reminded that might alwayses before right, Do-hyeon lowered his fist, satisfied with the eternalw of strength. Swish. [Your loyalty has decreased by 1.] ¡°¡­?¡± Do-hyeon blinked in disbelief. Chapter 48 Chapter 48 As soon as he lowered his fist, a message popped up like a ghost. ¨C Why, Master? The message didn¡¯t match at all with Jihad¡¯s innocent gaze as he looked up at him. ¡®Did I see it wrong?¡¯ For a moment, Do-hyeon doubted his own eyes. Jihad looked so natural, as if his loyalty had risen, peaceful enough to believe it. Rubbing his eyes, thinking he might have been mistaken, the message was still there. Just in case, Do-hyeon raised his fist again, Flinch. [Your loyalty has increased by +1.] Jihad¡¯s body trembled slightly for a moment, and his loyalty increased once again. Swoosh. [Your loyalty has decreased by -1.] And when he lowered his fist, loyalty dropped like a ghost again. In this absurd situation, something involuntarily escaped Do-hyeon¡¯s throat and came out in a loud voice. ¡°This¡­ crazy brat¡­¡± ¨C M-Master. I¡¯ll go and pick up the items! Sensing the eerie atmosphere, Jihad hurriedly ran off to gather the items, ending the situation. Even though his hurried retreat was absurd, the cheerful notification sound announcing the increase in loyalty was even more baffling. Unable to suppress his disbelief, Do-hyeon let out a hollowugh. ¡®Is this the Opportunist trait?¡¯ It was a trait that lived up to the word ¡°legend¡± in every way for a Guardian. Only after being beaten hundreds of times did Jihad give up on betraying him¡­ Either way, since his loyalty had increased by one, and he was obedient, Do-hyeon decided to let it slide with a sigh. ¡®Well, at least he listens.¡¯ Like most RPGs, God of Savior was a game where yers had to pick up items manually. Special rewards or contribution-based rewards were automatically distributed, but in general, yers had to pick up items themselves. In parties, items were distributed in turns based on contribution¡­ ¡®I¡¯ve been thinking about whether there was a pet function, but this is better.¡¯ Although it was likely for the sake of realism, it was honestly a bit of a hassle. In that context, acquiring a decent pet was a wee development. Not just an average one, but a truly excellent pet. Whoosh¡ªwhoosh¡ª. [The trait Quick Hands has activated.] [You have acquired the Fang of the Giant Spider.] [You have acquired the Hide of the Red Goblin of the Forest.] ¡­¡­ ¡°¡­?¡± True to its name, Quick Hands, Jihad swiftly gathered junk items at an incredible speed. Maybe it was because of his small size, but seeing him nimbly sweeping up everything made Do-hyeon understand why some fantasy settings cast goblins as thieves. ¡®He might be more useful than I thought.¡¯ It was the moment Do-hyeon acquired an excellent auto-pet. * * * The efficiency of the auto-pet exceeded expectations. Slice¡ª [You have in the Blue Goblin of the Forest.] ¡°Jihad.¡± ¨C Yes! Whoosh¡ªwhoosh¡ª. [The trait Quick Hands has activated.] [You have acquired the Hide of the Blue Goblin of the Forest.] Once a monster was in, all Do-hyeon had to do was call Jihad, and he would collect the loot, allowing Do-hyeon to focus on hunting without worrying about junk items. Picking up items once or twice is manageable, but doing it repeatedly would end up consuming quite a bit of time. However, leaving the items behind would mean throwing away potential money¡­ a painful loss. [You have in the Red Goblin of the Forest.] [You have in the Giant Centipede.] Whoosh¡ªwhoosh¡ª. [You have acquired the Fragment of the Giant Centipede.] [You have acquired the w of the Red Goblin of the Forest.] But now? Without a care, all Do-hyeon had to do was advance and burst monsters left and right, while Jihad would swiftly gather everything in tow. Considering Do-hyeon¡¯s impressive hunting speed, it was insane how fast Jihad collected items. ¡°Hey, be honest. Aren¡¯t you more of a thief than a shaman?¡± ¨C How could youpare me to such a lowly thief! Isn¡¯t that too harsh, Master? ¡°I mean, it¡¯s just not logical. Why are your hands so fast?¡± ¨C Ahem¡­ Well, I am a bit quick. There¡¯s probably no one among the shamans faster than me at spellcasting. Pleased by thepliment, Jihad puffed out his chest and let out a proud sound. Normally, it would have been an unpleasant sight, but this time, Do-hyeon had to acknowledge it. He had just discovered Jihad¡¯s unexpected talent. ¡®Was Quick Hands an even more incredible trait than I thought?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just about casting magic faster, it seemed to enhance everything rted to the hands. At this level, there would surely be a high demand for it. Thanks to this, hunting continued smoothly, but Do-hyeon¡¯s level still hadn¡¯t risen. ¡®Howe my level hasn¡¯t gone up at all? It¡¯s progressing slower than I thought.¡¯ Now, there were no more hunting quests that provided a lot of experience. Grinding in the vige would be tedious, and continuing to hunt this way could take hours. With two levels left until graduation, it was an unexpected obstacle. No wonder people joked that starting from level 20, the experience bar doubled in size. ¡°Sigh¡­ It would be great if I could fight a boss. But the elite mobs haven¡¯t respawned yet¡­¡± It¡¯s not time to face a field boss yet¡­ Dungeon raids were annoying and time-consuming, and during moments like these, nothing was better than elite monsters. Just as dungeons sometimes had elite monsters appear, field hunting grounds also had elite monsters appear besides bosses. While defeating one wouldn¡¯t level him uppletely, it was better than taking down several groups of regr mobs. Thinking of it as bonus experience was enough. The only problem was that elite monsters only appeared at certain times and in specific areas. ¡®In the western forest, it¡¯s usually at 12:00, 18:00, and 21:00.¡¯ Three times a day. With so many yers but only three spawn times, it was like trying to catch a star from the sky to get a chance at hunting them. Even though the rewards weren¡¯t that special, the experience was substantial enough that they were considered valuable. That¡¯s why so many yers were eager to hunt them. ¡®With two levels to go¡­ do I have to check out a dungeon after all?¡¯ In Raven, every person he met was a viin¡­ Since Do-hyeon had to hide the fact that he was the All Master, he preferred not to form parties, but at this rate, it seemed like it might take all day. Just as the bnce was tilting towards epting reality¡­ ¨C Hm? Elite mobs? Are you talking about those elite monsters, Master? Jihad¡¯s sudden voice pulled Do-hyeon out of his thoughts. He had heard Jihad had been hiding for hundreds of years. Still, as a former boss, it made sense that he knew about elite monsters. It was surprising, but not enough to be shocking. ¡°Yeah, though they¡¯re harder to find than stars these days.¡± Do-hyeon was about to casually answer and move on. That is, until Jihad¡¯s next words. ¨C I know where they are. ¡°¡­What?¡± Do-hyeon¡¯s gaze instinctively shifted to Jihad. Jihad, meeting his gaze, tilted his head as if he truly couldn¡¯t understand the confusion. ¨C You mean the warriors of the tribe, right? Why can¡¯t you find them? They never leave, except for the ones exiled. ¡°¡­Exiled? Never leave?¡± ¨C Yeah. Unless they¡¯re exiled, they never leave the tribe¡¯s territory. ¡°Wait.¡± If what he said was true¡­ No, more importantly, how could he know such a thing? In response to Do-hyeon¡¯s unspoken question, Jihad shrugged coolly. ¨C Of course I know, Master. I used to rule this forest. There¡¯s nothing in this forest I don¡¯t know. Unless they moved their entire territory, they should still be there. ¡°Oh my god.¡± ¨C Hm? ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re more capable than I thought.¡± ¨C Heh! Finally, you¡¯re recognizing it, Master. Should I take you to them right now? Do-hyeon nodded enthusiastically. For the first time, Jihad truly seemed impressive to him. * * * The Forest Goblin Warrior. Any yer who lived in Raven knew about this elite monster. It belonged to the same warrior ss as the ¡®Mutant Goblin Warrior¡¯ from Arde that Do-hyeon had struggled with, making it a monster everyone hoped to encounter. It wasn¡¯t just the experience points; it was mostly because of the rewards. ¡®They drop a downgraded version of the Warrior Set.¡¯ Compared to the Mutant Goblin Warrior Set, its options and grade werecking, but its higher level requirement made it a pretty decent piece of equipment. The effect wasn¡¯t limited to goblins, and considering the next city, it was practically a pre-graduation item. On top of that, because they were so rare, their drop rates were surprisingly high. It wasn¡¯t without reason that the ce became packed with yers every time these monsters respawned. However, the Forest Goblin Warriors had one peculiar characteristic. [Red Goblin Warrior of the Forest] ¨C Title: Elite Monster ¨C Type: Goblin ¨C Trait: Warrior ¨C Description: A great goblin warrior from the Red Tribe. Only the greatest warriors of the tribe can bear the title of Warrior. Known for their exceptional greatsword skills and ferocity. [Blue Goblin Warrior of the Forest] ¨C Title: Elite Monster ¨C Type: Goblin ¨C Trait: Warrior ¨C Description: A great goblin warrior from the Blue Tribe. Only the greatest warriors of the tribe can bear the title of Warrior. Known for their exceptional longsword skills and high stamina. Red Tribe or Blue Tribe Warrior. It was randomly determined. There was no set rule. One of the two warriors appeared at random. asionally, both would appear at the same time. ¡°Complete gamble.¡± That¡¯s why yers referred to this as a gamble. Given the nature of this ce, where parties were usually formed, the advantages and disadvantages would change depending on whether a Red or Blue Goblin Warrior appeared, hence the name. The Blue Goblin Warrior had fast HP recovery and high stamina, requiring significant damage output, while the Red Goblin Warrior needed a reliable tank to manage aggro. Thus, parties hunting these warriors would usually consist of the most standard, textbook members. ¡®As long as you have a tank, DPS, and healer, it doesn¡¯t matter which shows up.¡¯ While it might not allow for the fastest clear time, this setup ensured there were no losses. That way, even if both warriors appeared, they could be taken down easily. ¡®Some people even use this gamble to predict their luck for the day?¡¯ If the warrior they guessed showed up, they¡¯d say their day was off to a good start. And if both warriors appeared, they¡¯d dere it a lucky day. Given the abundance of crazy yers in themunity, odd stories like that asionally circted, but it was a behavior practiced by only a few users. Do-hyeon had tried something simr before, but he wasn¡¯t one of those people. ¨C What do you think, Master? Aren¡¯t those the ones? ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± Ignoring Jihad, who was brimming with pride, Do-hyeon gulped. ¡®This is insane.¡¯ He had answered coolly to maintain his dignity, but inwardly, he was truly astonished. And it was no wonder. Kirrk! Kirrk! Kurrk! Kerrk! ¡®How many are there?¡¯ Instead of finding just one as he had expected, there was a whole group of warriors gathered. From a distance alone, there were five of them. Do-hyeon was certain there would be even more gathered deeper in. [Habitat of the Warriors] [You have discovered the hidden field, ¡®Habitat of the Warriors,¡¯ for the first time.] [You will receive a bonus for the first discovery.] [Sessfully defeating the first encounter will guarantee the drop of a boss-rted equipment item.] [Experience is increased by +20%.] [Drop rates are increased by +20%.] It was a hidden field, tantly named ¡°Habitat of the Warriors.¡± Chapter 49 Chapter 49 ¡°Hidden Field¡­ this is insane.¡± The main continent was vast, with countless fields scattered across it. Each city had at least two official fields, but hidden fields existed beyond these. These were fields where, for one reason or another, monsters hid themselves due to certain settings¡ªwhether it was by choice or force. ¡°God of Savior is no different in that regard.¡± Considering that the concept of *God of Savior* itself revolved around adventure, there couldn¡¯t be a more appealing feature than this. So, what was about to happen would probably be simr. [You have met the hidden conditions.] [A sudden quest, ¡®The Warriors¡¯ Trial,¡¯ has been triggered.] [The Warriors¡¯ Trial] ¨C Grade: Sudden Quest ¨C Description: The warriors residing in this hidden field never forgive intruders. Endure the onught of the great warriors and reach the deepest point to pass his trial. ¨C Reward uponpletion: 100 Gold, a certain amount of experience points, one Intermediate Skill Draw Ticket, ??? ¨C Risk upon failure: You will never be able to ess the Warriors¡¯ Habitat again. ¨C Time limit: 48 hours As expected, Kang Do-hyeon grinned widely at the notification. ¡°As I thought¡­¡± It was a sudden quest that wasn¡¯t received from NPCs, but spontaneously appeared in the field. This sudden quest was the reason why hidden fields in DemRock were referred to as honey pots, and the very reason for their existence. And it was also Do-hyeon¡¯s favorite kind of quest. ¡°The rewards for sudden quests are always worth it.¡± In DemRock, with its unique characteristic of providing solid rewards for extremely difficult challenges or hidden pieces, such quests were Do-hyeon¡¯s lifeline. ¡°An Intermediate Skill Draw Ticket!¡± This time was no different. Though thest reward was a mystery, just being guaranteed an Intermediate Skill Draw Ticket was enough. Unlike the Lower Skill Draw Tickets, which only yieldedmon skills, the Intermediate tickets could grant anything frommon to rare grade. Given his Eye of Truth, it was almost guaranteed that he would receive a rare skill. Skills were rare and precious, so there was no sweeter reward than this. ¡°I¡¯m definitely going to clear this.¡± Do-hyeon¡¯s determination burned brightly. Jihad, who had been silently observing all of this beside him, shook his head without a word. It was reminiscent of before Do-hyeon had massacred the western forest, seeing him staring nkly at the air, muttering to himself, and then suddenly getting fired up. ¡°Sorry, warriors¡­¡± Jihad sped his hands together briefly, offering a moment of condolence, before following behind Do-hyeon. It was the moment when the two (or two?) first stepped into the Warriors¡¯ Habitat in Raven. * * * [You have entered the Hidden Field, ¡®Warriors¡¯ Habitat.¡¯] [First discoverer privileges apply.] [The sudden quest, ¡®The Warriors¡¯ Trial,¡¯ begins.] [The Warriors¡¯ Trial task is ¡®Infiltration.¡¯ The quest rewards will change depending on how deep you invade.] [If you fail to infiltrate within 2 hours, the quest will end.] [Recording will begin.] Do-hyeon gave a small exmation as he noticed the tiny RCD symbol appear in the lower-left corner of his vision. It was a hidden field, so recording it might be helpfulter on. With that in mind, he had turned it on. While he had it running, Do-hyeon casually nced around, capturing the scenery. The term ¡°Warriors¡¯ Habitat¡± seemed fitting; the area was almost barren wastnd. It was strange to think there could be such a ce inside the forest¡ªit had a distinctly different atmosphere. Signs of long-standing goblin warriors were evident, along with weapons scattered about, showing evidence of many battles. ¡°So, this is how recording works? It¡¯s pretty convenient.¡± Back in DemRock, you had to set up recording equipment manually, but now the convenience had significantly improved. Not to mention, the image quality was high-definition. Unless you were picky enough to demand something above 4K, the current setup was more than sufficient. While he marveled at his first recording experience, something happened. ¡°Kirrk? Kieek!¡± Whoosh¡ª ¡°Oh, now that¡¯s a quick wee.¡± The warriors greeted him with a loud shriek the moment he entered, and Do-hyeon responded by casually dodging backward. The battle had begun. Bang! Arge sword mmed into the ground. Do-hyeon stepped on the sword, jumped, and grabbed the creature¡¯s neck, delivering a flying knee kick. Crack! Snap! Bam¡ª! Without stopping at one blow, he followed up with a series of knee strikes the moment hended on the ground. The warrior, evidently surprised at being kneed instead of shed, looked utterly bewildered as blood gushed from its nose. ¡°Kieek!¡± The other warriors were just as startled, joining the battle a moment toote, and only then did Do-hyeon release his grip on the first one¡¯s neck. But he didn¡¯t let it go unscathed. Thud. [You used the basic skill ¡®Piercing Weak Point.¡¯] [The bleeding effect of the Assassin¡¯s Dagger has been triggered.] [You¡¯vended a bleeding skill. The enemy has been afflicted with the bleeding status.] [The Red Goblin Warrior¡¯s HP is below 50%.] In the meantime, Do-hyeon had pulled out a dagger he¡¯d stashed and stabbed the warrior before tossing it aside. The stacking damage was nothing to scoff at, and in an instant, its HP fell below 50%. The Red Goblin Warrior¡¯s red skin became even more flushed. ¡°Kieeek!¡± [The trait ¡®Warrior¡¯ has been activated.] [The Red Goblin Warrior of the Forest¡¯s stats have increased, and it has entered a ¡®Berserk¡¯ state.] [Due to the Warrior trait¡¯s ¡®Berserk¡¯ effect, its physical abilities have increased, and your attack and movement speed are reduced by 4%.] Though its red muscles bulged with rage, it was nothing more than a trivial disy to Do-hyeon. [The ¡®Hero¡¯ trait blocks mental corruption.] [You are immune to the Berserk effect.] ¡°Kirr¡­ k?¡± The Hero trait calmly negated it. Whether its stats increased or not, the warrior was no threat to Do-hyeon. Slice¡ª Whoosh. [You used the basic skill ¡®Heavy Strike.¡¯] With a single sh, Do-hyeon severed its neck, then blocked the attacks of the iing warriors with the t side of his greatsword. Lowering his body, he swept the legs of the remaining warriors, knocking them over, and then pierced the heart of the Red Goblin Warrior. [You have defeated the Red Goblin Warrior of the Forest.] A rather pitiful death for an elite monster. If anyone had seen it, they wouldn¡¯t have believed it. Even Jihad, who had been watching, was momentarily stunned by the scene. He had felt this way when Do-hyeon massacred the western forest as well¡ªno matter how many times he watched, Do-hyeon¡¯sbat sense made him question if he was even human. No wonder he hadn¡¯tnded a single hit on him. ¡°Oh right, I should pick it up quickly. He¡¯ll start nagging again.¡± Jihad was about to move when he snapped out of his daze. ¡°Jihad, pick them upter.¡± ¡°Oh, uh¡­ okay.¡± Startled by Do-hyeon¡¯s words, which came right on time as if he had eyes in the back of his head, Jihad hesitated and stopped. There were still two warriors left, and more were swarming in from the distance. If he got distracted picking up random items now, he¡¯d surely get swept up in the chaos. If his original power had been intact, it might have been different, but as a level 1 Jihad, his safest option was to quietly watch. Understanding well, Jihad nodded. ¡°Is it because of the robe? The aggro isn¡¯t pulling as much as I expected.¡± Do-hyeon had been carefully managing the aggro, but still, at least one of the monsters should have gotten distracted, yet none did. It seemed that the face-obscuring option on the robe worked even on monsters. A surprising use of the option he hadn¡¯t considered before. As long as he didn¡¯t intervene directly, it shouldn¡¯t cause any trouble. In other words, it all depended on Do-hyeon¡¯s performance. ¡°Alright, time to focus.¡± With the situation grasped, Do-hyeon¡¯s lips curled into a smirk. A hunting ground with no other users, where he could monopolize all the monsters? And not just any monsters, but elite ones? This was truly the best possible hunting ground. ¡°It¡¯s time to power level.¡± The time for rapid leveling hade. * * * [You have leveled up.] ¡°Oh?¡± Had it only been about ten minutes of hunting? A cheerful notification suddenly sounded, causing Do-hyeon to pause. He was pleased that his level, which had stagnated for a while, had finally increased. [You have defeated the Blue Goblin Warrior of the Forest.] Fortunately, thest warrior had just died from bleeding damage, so there was no need to swing his sword again. Swoosh¡ª Swoosh. Do-hyeon scanned his surroundings, confirming that no more warriors were in sight. Meanwhile, Jihad hurriedly began gathering the dropped items, causing Do-hyeon to chuckle. He might grumble, but Jihad was reliable when it came to following orders. As Do-hyeon watched the items drop, he was about to check his status window when he hesitated. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m still recording.¡± If he opened his status window now, his stats would be recorded. Given his abnormal stats, it wasn¡¯t worth the risk of leaving evidence. ¡°I¡¯ll checkter.¡± Though he was eager to see his newly improved status, he decided to dy that satisfaction for now. ¡°The experience gain is pretty great.¡± In an hour, his level hadn¡¯t increased, but now, in just ten minutes, it had. While his insane hunting speed was a factor, the elite monsters certainly provided excellent experience points. Of course, the umted experience had likely yed a role as well¡­ ¡°At this rate, I might even overlevel.¡± Considering the boss of this area, it was a definite possibility. Though it would be a shame if he surpassed the graduation level and couldn¡¯t gain more, the Intermediate Skill Draw Ticket more than made up for it. There was also another reason he didn¡¯t mind. [You have obtained the Red Goblin Warrior¡¯s Leather Tunic.] [You have obtained the Blue Goblin Warrior¡¯s Blue Leather Belt.] ¡­¡­ [Red Goblin Warrior¡¯s Leather Tunic] ¨C Grade: Rare ¨C Description: A tunic made from the leather of the Red Goblin Warrior of the Forest. As it¡¯s the leather of a great warrior from the Red Tribe, it is exceptionally durable and flexible. ¨C Level requirement: 20 ¨C Wearable by: Any ss ¨C Physical Defense: 90 ¨C Magic Resistance: 75 ¨C Strength +1 ¨C Stamina +1 [Blue Goblin Warrior¡¯s Blue Leather Belt] ¨C Grade: Rare ¨C Description: A belt worn by the Blue Goblin Warrior of the Forest. Only great goblins who earned the Warrior title in the Blue Tribe could wear this belt, which has high resistance to magic. ¨C Level requirement: 20 ¨C Wearable by: Any ss ¨C Physical Defense: 56 ¨C Magic Resistance: 71 ¨C Stamina +2 ¨C Agility +1 In addition to these, shoulder guards, pants, and various other items dropped in abundance. Do-hyeon had defeated so many warriors, but the drop rate had also increased thanks to the first discovery rewards. The stat bonuses were slightly lower than those from the Warrior Set, but they were not bad when considering the next city. ¨C 3-set bonus: Additional damage to non-human enemies +4%, HP +650 ¨C 3-set bonus: Additional damage to non-human enemies +4%, HP +650 ¡°Extra damage and an HP boost? That¡¯s not bad.¡± Unlike the Goblin set, which only gave additional damage to goblins, this set applied extra damage to most monsters. Even though it was just 4%, it was still a great option. The only downside was that the HP boost was only useful in yer-versus-yerbat, but that was a minor issue. ¡°Though I don¡¯t really need it.¡± He had plenty of health already, and while the warrior equipment had slightly lower physical and magical defenses, the base stat bonuses were higher. Plus, the set bonus granted +2 to all stats. All in all, it was too good to discard or swap out just yet. It was no wonder that despite being semi-graduation gear, it was called the downgraded Warrior Set. Most yers seemed topensate for itsck of stats by mixing in gear obtained from chieftains or the Ant Pit. ¡°Hmm, I haven¡¯t seen many warriorstely¡­ am I getting close?¡± It felt like he hade pretty far into the habitat¡­ Just when the number of warriors rushing to stop him had dwindled. Boom! The saying goes, speak of the devil and he shall appear. With a heavy roar, a massive figure emerged as the stone wall crumbled. Chapter 50 Chapter 50 A towering height of about 240 cm with a physique that rivaled an orc. A unique skin tone, predominantly blue with red blotches spread across various parts. Wielding a massive double-headed axe, farrger than the body of even the giant chief or the mutant goblin warrior. The figure resembled a butcher stained in blood, gripping the weapon taller than a person. [You have encountered the Boss of the Hidden Field, ¡®Goblin Champion Karuk.¡¯] [You have sessfullypleted the Warrior¡¯s Trial, ¡®Invasion,¡¯ with great sess.] [The ¡®Warrior¡¯s Trial¡¯ continues into the ¡®Champion¡¯s Trial.¡¯] [The Goblin Champion¡¯s Trial is a ¡®Blood Battle.¡¯ The rewards will vary based on your performance.] [Karuk, Goblin Champion] -Title: Elite Named Hidden Field Boss -Type: Goblin -Characteristics: Champion, Body Enhancement, Berserker -Description: The title ¡®Goblin Warrior¡¯ is only given to the strongest warriors in the tribe. Among them, the mightiest earn the title of Champion. Karuk, born as a hybrid of the Red Tribe and the Blue Tribe, is a great warrior who possesses the strengths of both tribes. ¡®An elite field boss¡­¡¯ It was always tricky to gauge the strength of these elite bosses. Rare or heroic bosses had clear ranks, but most elites were simplybeled as ¡®elite¡¯ without further rification. Still, it wasn¡¯t impossible to make a guess. ¡®It should be far stronger than the chief.¡¯ It would probably be on a whole different level. After all, this was a field boss with both the elite and named titles. Moreover, possessing the advantages of both the Red and Blue Tribes,bined with traits specialized for closebat, further proved its strength. ¡®It might even be stronger than the field boss of the forest.¡¯ Do-hyeon¡¯s prediction was spot on. Jihad, who had been quiet all along, finally showed a tense expression as he spoke up. ¡°Be careful, Master. That guy, if nothing else, is absurdly strong.¡± ¡°Stronger than you?¡± ¡°Ahem! Of course, it¡¯s weaker than me, but among warriors, the Champion is the strongest. That guy was already a Champion 150 years ago when I first encountered him.¡± In other words, for over 150 years, no stronger warrior than Karuk had appeared. That was likely what Jihad was trying to convey. Judging by Jihad¡¯s reaction, it seemed he had once crossed paths with Karuk, and it hadn¡¯t been an easy encounter. The fact that two named figures had shed piqued Do-hyeon¡¯s interest. ¡®This will be fun.¡¯ A strong opponent recognized by the ruler of the forest. How could he not feel intrigued? Moreover, the trial this time was a ¡®blood battle.¡¯ Do-hyeon felt his blood stir for the first time in a while as he gripped his greatsword. [The Warrior Set is now active.] [7% additional damage will be applied to Goblin-type enemies.] [The Boss¡¯s rank nullifies the ¡®Intimidation¡¯ effect.] The familiar notifications chimed just as their eyes locked. The hands gripping the double axe twitched. Bang! Both of them shot forward simultaneously, with no one able to say who moved first. Jihad couldn¡¯t help but shout instinctively. ¡°No! It¡¯s too dangerous to sh head-on, Master!¡± Jihad¡¯s trembling voice conveyed his urgency. After all, he had once fought this Champion. Though it had only been a brief conflict rather than a full battle, it was enough for Jihad to grasp Karuk¡¯s overwhelming strength. Keiing¡ª [The Hidden Field Boss ¡®Goblin Champion Karuk¡¯ is using ¡®Merciless Blow.¡¯] Red energy converged into the double-headed axe, quickly dyeing it crimson. The double axe began to glow red as if it had been thrust into a furnace, radiating intense heat. It was that. ¡°The moment it touches you, your sword will break! Dodge it!¡± ¡®Merciless Blow,¡¯ a skill used by Berserkers. On the surface, it seemed like a typical powerful strike simr to ¡®Heavy Strike,¡¯ but this skill was the core of the Berserker ss. It served the same function as the Bomb Strike in Poke, the most devastating attack. Though it couldn¡¯t match the sheer power of Bomb Strike, what made this skill truly terrifying was its weapon-breaking ability. It could temporarily shatter any weapon below the Heroic rank, making Berserkers an incredible force in closebat. ¡®That¡¯s the attack that ughtered my undead like tofu!¡¯ Jihad could still vividly remember the moment his undead army was shattered like tofu by that very blow. Not to mention, when Karuk¡¯s double axe struck the ground afterward, splitting the earth with a deafening sound, the memory of that moment still haunted him. If not for the quick reaction of a corpse explosion, which inflicted some damage on Karuk, the battle would have continued, likely at great cost to Jihad. ¡®This is suicide¡­!¡¯ No matter how strong his master might be, this wasn¡¯t the right approach. Do-hyeon¡¯s forte was his ghost-like, elusive movements, and a head-on battle against a force like Karuk was simply a losing strategy! Jihad couldn¡¯t understand why his master, who surely knew this, was stubbornly pushing forward. But the situation had already escted, and it was toote to back down. Whoosh! The greatsword and the double axe swung toward each other, their sh threatening to produce a sharp, metallic sound. The sheer size difference between the two weapons was already twofold. Jihad, fully expecting the greatsword to shatter upon contact, covered his eyes with his hands. Though he could still see through his fingers, it was the only way he could bear to witness the impending impact. ¡°Oh no¡­¡± He squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for the shock. But what he saw between his fingers was something unbelievable. At the very moment when the two weapons should have torn into each other¡ª Srrrk. The greatsword¡¯s sensation changed. What had been an aggressive, forceful thrust suddenly transformed into a gentle, yielding energy, as if it had embraced the double axe. Like watching the movements of Tai Chi, the greatsword smoothly absorbed the double axe¡¯s force, letting the impact flow naturally. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± It wasn¡¯t too fast, nor too slow. The two massive weapons moved as if they had been perfectly synchronized from the start, flowing as one. By the time Jihad realized what had happened, the situation had already concluded. Thud¡ª The double axe, drained of all its power, fell helplessly to the ground. ¡°¡­Kuruk?¡± Karuk tilted his head in confusion as he looked at his double axe, which should have crushed the human¡¯s skull like tofu but instead struck the ground with no force. The skill had definitely activated, so why? He couldn¡¯t understand the situation. Still, Karuk didn¡¯t allow himself to panic. He swung the double axe again. This time, the human simply sidestepped the attack. After two or three more futile swings, Karuk nodded to himself. ¡°Kurruk.¡± He concluded that the strange situation earlier had been a mere fluke. If it wasn¡¯t a coincidence, there was no way the human would be avoiding his far weaker attacks like this. Once more, Karuk prepared for a powerful strike. [The Hidden Field Boss ¡®Goblin Champion Karuk¡¯ is using ¡®Great Heavy Strike.¡¯] Though it wasn¡¯t as deadly as ¡®Merciless Blow,¡¯ it was still one of Karuk¡¯s strongest skills. This time, he was sure he would crush the human¡¯s skull. But the moment his attack met the greatsword again¡ª Swish. The same scene unfolded as before. Like a river being swept away by a vast ocean, the force behind the blow dissipated naturally, without any resistance. ¡°Huh? What am I seeing?¡± ¡°Kurruk¡­?¡± Both Karuk and Jihad blinked in disbelief, unable toprehend what had just happened. As if answering their confused gazes, Do-hyeon smirked subtly. ¡®It¡¯s been a while, but I still haven¡¯t lost my touch.¡¯ Do-hyeon¡¯s eyes were focused on the skill window floating in the air. [Parry] -Rank: Common -Restriction: Swordsman ss -Description: Deflects an iing attack with your sword. Activates if used at the correct timing. If the timing is off, it may fail. -Effect: Deflects an attack when activated at the precise moment. No other skills can be used while performing Parry. Attacks that are deemed unavoidable or immune to parrying cannot be deflected. -Cooldown: 4 seconds ¡®I didn¡¯t expect this to show up.¡¯ The secret behind the seemingly magical defense. It was the Swordsman¡¯s sole guard skill, a technique regarded as a grade beyondmon. It was called ¡®Parry.¡¯ * * * Parry. As the name implies, a skill that deflects attacks, exclusive to the Swordsman ss. Even legendary-ranked skills could be deflected if the conditions were met, making it a broken guard skill with a short cooldown, earning it the title of a skill beyond themon tier. ¡°If tanks have ¡®Royal Guard,¡¯ swordsmen have ¡®Parry.¡¯¡± ¡®The problem is, no one uses it.¡¯ Despite its broken potential, almost no one used the skill, and the reason was simple. Sessfully pulling off a parry was absurdly difficult. The attack had to make contact with the sword, and the skill had to be activated at the precise moment to trigger the parry. But this ¡®precise moment¡¯ was notoriously unforgiving. ¡°Does this even work? Is it a decorative skill?¡± ¡°Why doesn¡¯t it activate?¡± ¡°I died twice trying to use Parry. Is this even fair?¡± Even for seasoned experts, getting it right once out of five tries was a major sess due to the demanding ¡®precise timing.¡¯ That was when dealing with simple, predictable attacks. Attempting to use Parry in chaotic boss raids or PvP encounters with psychological warfare in y was like relying on pure luck. As a result, yers who tried to use Parry often ended up taking avoidable hits and dying, which gave the skill a terrible reputation. ¡°Never party with someone using Parry. I¡¯m serious.¡± ¡°Damn¡­ Parry is trash. Why do people bring it into raids after watching some dumb video?¡± ¡°No wonder they call it a troll¡¯s tool.¡± Because of this, yers not only avoided Parry, they outright despised it. There was a reason why yers disliked low-level swordsmen with bad reflexes. If a newbie swordsman was using Parry? Just assume the raid was a failure and leave for your own sanity. But what about high-ranking swordsmen? ¡°Nope, I don¡¯t use it.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no point in taking the risk. It¡¯s not a guaranteed deflection¡­¡± ¡°Does a swordsman even need to use Parry? If that situation arises, it¡¯s already a problem.¡± The answer was the same. At higher levels, where skill slots were limited to 13, every slot mattered. There was no reason to waste a valuable slot on Parry when other, more reliable skills were avable. Moreover, the fundamental role of a swordsman was an issue. Swordsmen weren¡¯t tanks or even sub-tanks; they were melee damage dealers. There were few situations where a swordsman would need to use Parry, as it was rare for them to draw aggro in the first ce. ¡°If it was guaranteed, maybe, but why bother?¡± ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s a poorly designed skill. That¡¯s why it¡¯s only amon skill.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to get clobbered and hit with a death penalty, then don¡¯t use Parry. That¡¯s my genuine advice.¡± ¡°Sure, there are geniuses who can pull it off¡­ but even then, it¡¯s not a sure thing.¡± Even if you seeded one out of five times, the skill was still considered high-risk, low-reward. For those reasons, Parry, despite being the only guard skill avable to swordsmen, was often disregarded. Of course, there were exceptions. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re Kaiser, it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°That guy isn¡¯t human. That¡¯s why he can tank while being a damage dealer. How does he seed at Parry every time, as if it¡¯s a guaranteed skill?¡± ¡°Human? How dare you insult the gods! You can¡¯t speak of Kaiser in such a sphemous way!¡± ¡°Kaiser, he is a god! Kaiser, he is a god!¡± The reason Kaiser, despite being a damage dealer, could also function as a full-fledged tank in one-on-one battles. It was no exaggeration to say it was all thanks to Parry. There was only so much you could aplish by simply dodging or disrupting a boss¡¯s patterns with pinpoint strikes. As the difficulty of bosses increased, certain limitations inevitably arose. And that¡¯s where Parry came into y. [The Hidden Field Boss ¡®Goblin Champion Karuk¡¯ is using ¡®Great Heavy Strike.¡¯] [You have sessfully executed ¡®Parry¡¯!] [The attack is deflected.] ¡®Yeah, this is the feeling.¡¯ A skill pattern that couldn¡¯t originally be broken, with no telegraphing movements. Even such unavoidable attacks could be negated with Parry if done right, allowing one to take no damage at all. [The Hidden Field Boss ¡®Goblin Champion Karuk¡¯ is using ¡®Frenzied Strikes.¡¯] [You have sessfully executed ¡®Parry.¡¯] [The attack is deflected.] ¡°This is ridiculous¡­¡± Parry even worked against multi-hit skills. If the timing was perfect for the first hit, the entire chain of attacks would be neutralized. Of course, pulling this off required near-inhuman skill, and even if you knew the attack wasing, sess was never guaranteed. Boom¡ªSrrrrrk. [You have sessfully executed ¡®Parry¡¯!] [The attack is deflected.] ¡°Wait, he¡¯s parrying that? Master, are you even human? I¡¯m starting to think you¡¯re not just devilishly talented but actually a real devil!¡± In truth, it didn¡¯t even need to be a multi-hit skill. The core principle of Parry was to redirect the opponent¡¯s force in another direction once the sword made contact. For that to happen, the sword had to be in contact with the attack, and the skill had to be triggered at precisely the right moment. And this timing varied with every skill and pattern. That¡¯s why even veteran yers found it frustrating and gave up on it. ¡®How can they not do this?¡¯ Every time Do-hyeon heard suchints, he truly couldn¡¯t understand. For Kaiser, Parry was just too easy. Chapter 51 Chapter 51 ¡°Is this even possible¡­?¡± Jihad couldn¡¯t believe the scene unfolding before his eyes. ¡°Graaaah!¡± [You have sessfully parried!] [You deflected the attack.] The sight of Karuk¡¯s enraged attacks being either dodged or deflected with ease waspletely unfamiliar. It was as if he knew every moveing his way in advance, reacting with perfect precision. He didn¡¯t seem to be moving particrly fast, yet every attack was being blocked. Slice¡ª Thud! Every gap that emerged was exploited with precise counterattacks. ¡°Roarrr!¡± [Hidden Field Boss ¡®Goblin Warrior Karuk¡¯ uses ¡®Relentless Strike.¡¯] Enraged, Karukunched a full-force blow at Do-hyeon, who seemed cornered against the wall. However, it turned out to be Do-hyeon¡¯s trap. Tap, whirr¡ª The moment the axe aimed for his skull, Do-hyeon quickly rolled away using the wall for propulsion. [Using Dash sh.] As soon as one foot touched the ground, Do-hyeon employed Dash sh diagonally backward to reposition himself into Karuk¡¯s blind spot. In an instant, the positions were reversed¡ªfrom disadvantaged to advantageous. Thud! Bam bam bam! He then drove his greatsword into Karuk¡¯s side, following it up with a flurry of punches. The brutal sound of strikes echoed throughout their. ¡°Ugh, yeah. That¡¯s what happened to me.¡± Watching this scene, Jihad frowned as though unable to bear the sight. Seeing what had happened to him from a third-party perspective made him feel utterly dejected. At the same time, he felt relieved. ¡°No wonder I lost¡­¡± Looking at it now, it seemed meticulously designed for the opponent to fall. Using parries and his peculiar movements, Do-hyeon provoked his enemy, intentionally cornering himself against the wall, only to bait their ultimate move and counter it. It was a strategy where he not only nullified the opponent¡¯s ultimate move but alsonded a devastating counterattack in return. When he¡¯d experienced it, he hadn¡¯t understood why he lost. But now, observing from afar, everything made sense. The only difference this time was that instead of vanishing abruptly, Do-hyeon performed the maneuver through a visible roll. The principle was identical. ¡°¡­Is he even human?¡± Despite being his master, Jihad couldn¡¯t help but question it. Avoiding every attack, deflecting each blow without allowing a single clean hit¡ªhow could a human utilize an opponent¡¯s psychology so effectively? At that moment, Jihad sincerely thought: ¡°I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t resist further¡­¡± If he had stubbornly refused to yield, gritting his teeth and pushing back¡­ Would he not be in Karuk¡¯s current position? The thought sent chills down his spine. He resolved to obey orders from now on, to pick up items diligently, and to follow instructions withoutint. [Loyalty has increased by +2.] ¡°Huh? Out of nowhere?¡± Do-hyeon flinched momentarily at the sudden notification of loyalty increase during the fight, but his movements remained sharp. Whish¡ª Crunch! Even while startled, he dodged Karuk¡¯s dual-edged axe and used it against him. Stepping on the embedded axe, Do-hyeon forced Karuk to bow down andnded a ser kick. After creating some distance, Do-hyeon retrieved the Iron Axe of the Honorable Axe God from his inventory and hurled it. Whizz¡ª Despite being a Hidden Field Boss, Karuk easily dodged by tilting his head to one side. But it was a decoy. Thud! [¡®Assassin¡¯s Dagger¡¯ effect activates. Goblin Warrior Karuk is afflicted with ¡®Bleeding.¡¯] [Bleeding skill activates.] The true attack came in the form of a thrown Assassin¡¯s Dagger that struck Karuk¡¯s heart while he was off bnce. Luck favored Do-hyeon, as the dagger¡¯s special effect triggered, dealing stacked bleeding damage. Karuk howled in agony as his HP rapidly drained. [Hidden Field Boss ¡®Goblin Warrior Karuk¡¯ HP has fallen to 30%.] [Trait ¡®Warrior Spirit¡¯ activates.] [Goblin Warrior Karuk entersbat continuation mode.] Phase 2 had begun. ¡°Warrior Spirit! Be carefu¡ª Never mind. He¡¯ll handle it.¡± Jihad, who had started shouting a warning, stopped mid-sentence and nodded to himself. The Warrior Spirit trait was indeed dangerous. Combat continuation, a superior version of the berserker¡¯s frenzy, didn¡¯t impose debuffs on the opponent, but its stat increases were substantial. Most significantly, it removed the ability to feel pain, eliminating any openings caused by suffering. [Due to the Berserker trait, Karuk¡¯s physical abilities increase.] [Physical enhancement trait further boosts his abilities.] As if that wasn¡¯t enough, Karuk¡¯s strength grew even greater as his HP decreased, bolstered by both the Berserker and physical enhancement traits. It was an absurdly overpoweringbination of traits that made him stronger the closer he came to death. Yet what did it matter? Whish¡ª Whoosh¡ª ¡°Graaaah!¡± ¡°Figures.¡± No matter how much faster and stronger Karuk became, it was pointless if he couldn¡¯tnd a hit. Eliminating openings caused by pain? The gaps that appeared in his form while attacking had nothing to do with pain in the first ce. Thud! [Bleeding activates.] Thus, Karuk was being hunted¡ªslowly but surely¡ªby Do-hyeon. Karuk finally realized that Do-hyeon wasn¡¯t just an annoying pest but a predator when he was on the brink of death. [Hidden Field Boss ¡®Goblin Warrior Karuk¡¯ HP has fallen below 5%.] [Goblin Warrior Karuk is afflicted with ¡®Bleeding.¡¯] As his blood drained, his body grew cold and stiff. Facing the chilling grip of death, Karuk understood. ¡°Grrk¡­¡± From the start, he had been nothing more than prey. Just as the creatures he hunted had struggled to survive before him, he now found himself doing the same. epting his immobility, Karuk closed his eyes while standing still. * * * [You have defeated the Hidden Field Boss ¡®Goblin Warrior Karuk.¡¯] [For being the first to defeat the boss of the Hidden Field ¡®Warriors¡¯ Lair,¡¯ rewards are amplified.] [The essence orb of Hidden Field Boss ¡®Goblin Warrior Karuk¡¯ appears.] [The achievement is recorded in the Adventure Book.] [Your swordsmanship proficiency has greatly increased through extreme use of the sword.] [Swordsmanship proficiency has reached LV12.] [Damage increase for sword-rted attacks is now 11%.] [You have leveled up.] [Graduation level has been achieved. The Graduation Quest is now avable.] [The Trial of the Continent¡­] [Recording ends.] ¡°Whoa¡­¡± Overwhelmed by the flood of notifications, Do-hyeon clicked his tongue. Despite such a reaction, a smile bloomed on his face. ¡°Level up and swordsmanship proficiency, too!¡± It was no wonder he was smiling. He had achieved his target level and even improved his swordsmanship proficiency, which had been slow to rise. There was a rumor that learning kendo helped swordsmanship proficiency grow faster, and this moment confirmed it. By pushing parrying to its limits, he gained arge amount of proficiency experience. [Guardian Jihad ck has leveled up.] [Jihad ck] [Title: Heroic Named Guardian] [Type: Goblin] [Level: LV6] [Loyalty: 23 / 100] [Traits: Bloodline Factor, Curses, Necromancer, Swift Hands] [Guardian Traits: Preying on the Weak, Opportunist] [Description: A survivor of a fallen n. Jihad, who inherited a remarkable bloodline, is a goblin who has lived for hundreds of years. However, he now lives as a human¡¯s guardian.] [Most abilities are sealed due to the current low level.] [Usable Skill: 1] ¨C Create Undead It wasn¡¯t just Do-hyeon¡¯s level that had risen; Jihad¡¯s level had also increased. His level had been gradually increasing during the hunt, but it skyrocketed upon entering this hidden field, reaching level 6. One might wonder why it was only level 6, but guardians naturally leveled up slower. ¡°Guardians¡¯ max level is said to be 70, after all.¡± Unlike yers, who had a max level of 100, guardians were capped at 70. This meant they required significantly more experience points. This was why guardians were often considered trash, but divine beasts at level 70 disyed power equivalent to a level 100 yer, earning their reputation as overpowered. ¡°He didn¡¯t even kill anything himself, yet his level rose this much.¡± For some reason, loyalty had also risen to 23. It was clear Jihad was now entering a stable zone. Satisfied with Jihad¡¯s progress, Do-hyeon shifted his focus to the Essence Orb. ¡°They said it always drops equipment, right?¡± He had been somewhat disappointed when the rewards from defeating Jihad were returned to him. But with this melee-based boss, there was hope for decent rewards this time. Eagerly, he wanted to harvest the Essence Orb immediately, but the timing wasn¡¯t right yet. [You havepleted the chain quest, ¡®Trial of the Warrior.¡¯] [You havepleted the sudden quest, ¡®Trial of the Warriors.¡¯] [Examining your test results.] [You have surpassed the originalpletion requirements for the ¡®Blood Duel¡¯ trial. By achieving exceptional results, your rewards are greatly enhanced.] [You receive 200 gold, arge amount of experience, 2 Intermediate Skill Draw Tickets, and Karuk¡¯s Leather Armor Set.] ¡°Amazing¡­¡± The rewards for the sudden quest greeted Do-hyeon with open arms. And they far surpassed the original expectations! 200 gold? Arge amount of experience? Those were meaningless now that he had already reached level 24. Only two rewards caught Do-hyeon¡¯s eyes. ¡°Two Intermediate Skill Draw Tickets!¡± Not one but two Intermediate Skill Draw Tickets, a reward so good it felt like he could fly. The old Do-hyeon might have fretted over whether he would still get a rare skill, but now things were different. ¡°Aah, I¡¯m the man with the Eye of Truth¡­¡± After all, he had the overpowered cheat, the Eye of Truth. ¡°¡­Here we go again. I¡¯m not watching this.¡± Jihad shook his head as he watched Do-hyeon, tears brimming in his eyes, thanking the gods for the first time. His master, who was like a demon in battle, suddenly turned into a buffoon when it came to drawing cards¡ªit was a talent in its own way. Ignoring Jihad, who dramatically covered his eyes with his hands, Do-hyeon took out the Intermediate Skill Draw Tickets. [Do you want to use the Intermediate Skill Draw Ticket?] ¡°Yes.¡± As expected, the sound of a card pack being opened filled the air, and ten cards scattered in the air with a ¡°shrrrk.¡± The glow from these cards was slightly brighterpared to those from lower-tier tickets. [The Eye of Truth activates.] The visible glow was indeed more dazzling. But only slightly. Of the ten cards, seven were a dull brown, and three were silver. A terrible 7-to-3 ratio. ¡°This is an Intermediate Skill Draw Ticket?¡± The system¡¯s harsh odds made it clear that while rare skills were included, there was no promise they¡¯d be easily obtained. DemRock¡¯s draw system was just as cruel as God of Savior¡¯s, if not worse. ¡°No wonder I failed my pulls over and over.¡± There was no point in feeling regret¡ªit was all in the past. Determined to shake off those bitter memories, Do-hyeon reached out boldly. When he drew the second silver card, a pleasant silver glow filled his vision. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 [¡®Rising Dragon Kick¡¯ has been obtained.] [Rising Dragon Kick] ¨C Grade: Rare ¨C Restriction: Martial Artist ss ¨C Description: A kicking technique thatunches upward with the energy of a dragon. Although it doesn¡¯t truly harness the energy of a dragon, its execution evokes a dragon-like phenomenon, hence the name Rising Dragon Kick. ¨C Effect: Delivers powerful damage upon impact and can be applied to all parts of the leg. ¨C Cooldown: 21 seconds ¡®Oh?¡¯ Do-hyeon¡¯s eyes sparkled. This was a skill he was very familiar with. Rising Dragon Kick was one of the most favored skills among martial artists. With its decent power, versatile usage conditions, and stylish effects, it was a highly popr skill. ¡®Not bad.¡¯ Do-hyeon had always secretly admired the shy skills of martial artists, which were distinct from swordsmanship. For someone like Do-hyeon, who actively engaged in close-quartersbat without solely relying on a sword, martial artist skills would prove immensely beneficial. ¡®Alright, let¡¯s keep up this momentum and draw another one!¡¯ Feeling excited, Do-hyeon used the remaining skill draw ticket. Once again, ten cards appeared, emitting a silver glow, causing Do-hyeon to let out a smallugh. This time, there weren¡¯t even three silver cards¡ªjust two. ¡®The odds are still merciless.¡¯ What kind of extraordinary luck did those yers have to draw heroic or legendary skills through this kind of probability? Amid such musings, Do-hyeon selected his cards. With only two silver cards, the decision wasn¡¯t difficult. Ding. ¡°Huh?¡± However, the moment the skill card appeared, Do-hyeon froze. [¡®Striking¡¯ has been obtained.] [Striking] ¨C Grade: Rare ¨C Restriction: Buffer ss ¨C Description: A buff skill that imbues the user with formidable strength for a set duration. This is the most basic yet practical buff magic that all buffers can use. ¨C Effect: When used on a target, it boosts physical attack power by +40 for 40 seconds. ¨C Cooldown: 40 seconds ¡®A buffer skill?¡¯ A skill from an entirely unexpected ss had appeared. And not just any skill¡ªit was Striking, a foundational buff that all buffers were expected to master. While it could only target one person at a time and was more useful in the early stages of the game, it remained a skill that most damage-dealers wished to receive. ¡®Because it allows for focused support.¡¯ Nicknamed the 444 Buff, it increased attack power by 40 for 40 seconds with a cooldown of 40 seconds. For boosting a single individual, no other buff offered such consistent uptime, and receiving this buff was considered an implicit sign that the yer was the team¡¯s ace. More than its performance, the skill held a sense of prestige. ¡®That said, it¡¯s not like its performance is bad.¡¯ In fact, it was quite good. For a rare skill, its utility was excellent. And while it might fall slightly short inter stages, that was only when considering the skill in istion. With the right equipment or additional skills to amplify buffs, Striking wielded immense power in the hands of a skilled buffer. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to call it a core skill for buffers due to its ability to provide uninterrupted buffs. ¡®Though my Striking probably won¡¯t reach that level¡­.¡¯ Still, he was satisfied to have obtained Striking at this low level. In this phase of the game, a +40 attack boost was no trivial number¡ªit was equivalent to transforming a standard rapier user into someone dealing greatsword-level damage. ¡°Sweet.¡± Do-hyeon had been worried about pulling some bizarre skill from an unfamiliar ss due to being an All-Master, but fortunately, all the skills he obtained were practical. Feeling relieved, Do-hyeon was about to leave the field when he paused. [Would you like to harvest the Essence Orb of the hidden field boss, ¡®Goblin Warrior Karuk¡¯?] ¡°No way I¡¯d skip this.¡± There was still an unimed reward. And not just any reward, but an Essence Orb¡ªa guaranteed equipment item with a 30% increased drop rate for all its contents! Reaching out toward his final prize, Do-hyeon smiled as he prepared to leave. * * * Chirp. Chirrup. In the heart of the western forest. Do-hyeon, who had wandered absentmindedly from the Warriors¡¯ Lair, suddenly stopped. Standing still, he gazed nkly at the air for a moment before¡­ ¡°Ah¡­.¡± He let out a sigh of admiration. He then walked a few more steps before halting again¡­ ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Repeating his sighs of awe, Do-hyeon attracted the attention of nearby yers roaming the forest. ¡°Who is that? What¡¯s he doing?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know¡­ There are always weirdos in God of Savior. Let¡¯s not get involved; it¡¯ll only be exhausting.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ Wandering around alone is suspicious enough.¡± ¡°But who¡¯s that kid next to him? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s a kidnapping¡­.¡± ¡°Shh. How could there be kidnappings in a game? That¡¯s too far.¡± ¡°Oh, right. Let¡¯s just avoid him¡ªwe might get dragged into trouble.¡± To their eyes, Do-hyeon didn¡¯t seem normal no matter how they looked at him. While they thought they were whispering discreetly, humans tend to hear insults directed at them with remarkable rity. Do-hyeon heard everything, as did Jihad, who stood beside him. ¨C Hmm, sharp-eyed humans, indeed. Jihad couldn¡¯t help but agree with their assessment. Even in Jihad¡¯s eyes, his master looked like a lunatic. They only had to endure watching this briefly now, but Jihad had been subjected to this sight the entire time on their way from the Warriors¡¯ Lair. ¡°Master, sometimes you¡¯re just too scary.¡± ¡°Do you think so? I¡¯m scared of myself too. How far do I intend to climb with this¡­ huh.¡± -¡­ Jihad was genuinely grateful at this moment that his robe was enchanted with face-obscuring magic. Though he had ended up being treated like a man with flowers stuck on him, even Do-hyeon could do nothing about it. [Karuk¡¯s Red and Blue Leather Tunic] [Grade: Heroic] [Description: A tunic crafted from the leather of the great Goblin Warrior Karuk. Karuk, who emerged between the Red and Blue Tribes, possesses traits of both tribes. This tunic, made from the leather of Karuk who lived for over a century, is exceptionally sturdy.] [Level Requirement: 24] [Equipment Restriction: None] [Physical Defense: 94] [Magic Resistance: 75] ¨C Strength +2 ¨C Agility +1 ¨C Perception +1 ¨C Vitality +2 [Special Option: Recovers 3% of max health upon defeating a monster.] [Special Option: 40% chance to resist knockback effects.] [Karuk¡¯s Red and Blue Leather Pants] [Grade: Heroic] [Description: Pants crafted from the leather of the great Goblin Warrior Karuk. Karuk, who emerged between the Red and Blue Tribes, possesses traits of both tribes. These pants, made from Karuk¡¯s leather, are exceptionally sturdy due to his century-long existence.] [Level Requirement: 24] [Equipment Restriction: None] [Physical Defense: 90] [Magic Resistance: 70] ¨C Strength +2 ¨C Agility +1 ¨C Vitality +3 [Special Option: Recovers 3% of max health upon defeating a monster.] [Special Option: Physical defense increases each time an attack is received, stacking up to 6 times. The stacks reset if no attack is received within 15 seconds.] [Karuk¡¯s Red and Blue Leather Shoulder Guards] [Grade: Rare+] [Description: Shoulder guards crafted from the leather of the great Goblin Warrior Karuk. Karuk, who emerged between the Red and Blue Tribes, possesses traits of both tribes. These sturdy shoulder guards were made from Karuk¡¯s leather, aged over a century.] [Level Requirement: 24] [Equipment Restriction: None] [Physical Defense: 80] [Magic Resistance: 64] ¨C Agility +2 ¨C Vitality +2 ¨C Health Recovery Rate +5% [Karuk¡¯s Essence Ring] [Grade: Heroic] [Description: A ring imbued with the essence of the great Goblin Warrior Karuk. Since attaining the position of a great warrior, Karuk never once stepped down. Over the century, his energy imbued the ring with extraordinary power.] [Level Requirement: 24] [Equipment Restriction: Warrior ss] [Physical Defense: 101] [Magic Resistance: 91] ¨C Strength +3 ¨C Vitality +3 ¨C HP +400 [Special Option: When HP drops below 1%, a barrier forms for 5 seconds, absorbing damage equal to 15% of max HP. (Cooldown: 2 hours)] ¡°Wow¡­¡± The items obtained after defeating Karuk this time. Even seeing their dazzling grade made it impossible not to admire them. The upper and lower set pieces acquired as enhanced event quest rewards were impressive enough, but the performance of the shoulder guards and ring obtained from the essence orb was no joke either. Among them, the tunic and ring stood out the most. ¡°Knockback resistance and a protective barrier¡­ I¡¯ve hit the jackpot.¡± Do-hyeon possessed a Heroic Trait that blocked various status ailments. However, the description of this trait, which seemed overpowered enough to block everything, mentioned only the prevention of mental corruption. Then what about physical status effects like bleeding or knockback? ¡°I probably can¡¯t block them.¡± Like DemRock, God of Savior was meticulous with its descriptions. The use of the term ¡°mental corruption¡± clearly implied that it applied strictly to mental status effects. Even if the effect was based on probability, blocking one of Do-hyeon¡¯s significant vulnerabilities was certainly wee. ¡°Knockback can be pretty annoying too.¡± This was especially true when fighting tanks, particrly the Holy Knight ss, which possessed numerous knockback skills. In extreme cases, one couldn¡¯t even get close, making it nearly impossible for close-range professions like martial artists to contend with Holy Knights. High-level content often featured bosses with knockback skills as well. This was equally troublesome for Do-hyeon, whosebat style was based on close-range attacks, but the presence of a protection option eased his concerns slightly. ¡°That ring is pure overpowered.¡± Even the tunic couldn¡¯tpare to the ring¡¯s protective barrier. Despite the hefty two-hour cooldown and the condition of HP dropping below 1%, the barrier was worth it. Blocking one devastating attack for free and providing a chance for a counterattack made the skill invaluable. It was almost like gaining an extra life. ¡°Of course, if the damage exceeds the barrier¡¯s limit, it¡¯s useless¡­¡± Non-tank professions, with typically lower max HP, often ended up overestimating the barrier and paid the price. Still, the defensive barrier option, which could act as an extra life, was highly sought after. In a game where the death penalty mattered, options that could mitigate it were rare and valuable. And that wasn¡¯t all. -3-Set: Increases range by 10% during downward shes, boosts melee attack damage by 6.5%, and enhances all stats by +4. ¡°Wow¡­¡± The set bonus was truly awe-inspiring, like taking a sip of sparkling soda that left one refreshed. This was the power of an Heroic Set Bonus, activated by equipping three Heroic-grade items. Conditional as it was, the increase in range, damage, and the boost to all stats by +4 made it irresistible. [You have unequipped the Warrior Set.] [You have equipped the Red and Blue Warrior Set Bonus.] [You have equipped the Bastard¡¯s Training Sword.] Without hesitation, Do-hyeon swapped his equipment. The Warrior Set? It had served its purpose. Now, it was time to let it go. After equipping the new gear and opening the character menu, Do-hyeon¡¯s reflection in the mirror looked visibly upgraded. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Do-hyeon, who was looking at the mirror, stroked his chin and grinned. ¡°Looking sharp.¡± It wasn¡¯t just an offhand remark. Previously, his appearance in a mismatched red top, blue pants, and random patches of ck and green screamed either a hiker or aplete newbie. But now? ¡°It¡¯s two-toned, but that makes it even better, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¨C Well¡­ It¡¯s not bad, Master. Jihad reluctantly nodded, but even he thought it wasn¡¯t half bad. The quality of the leather itself was excellent, and the red base with blue streaks gave off a fierce, almost tribal vibe. It looked like the intentional war paint of a primitive tribe trying to intimidate their enemies. The training sword he carried instead of a greatsword added a sharp and agile impression. ¡®I¡¯ll sell everything else.¡¯ Aside from his new equipment, there were misceneous items and rewards obtained from hunting warriors, but those were either stuffed in his inventory or destined for the auction house. True to his thoughts, Do-hyeon immediately put the items up for auction. [You have registered an item for auction using default settings.] [The starting bid has been set based on the average market price.] [Your auction item has been sessfully registered.] ¡­ [The auction will end in 12 hours.] The items he listed were Warrior Sets obtained from hunting. ¡®Totally unnecessary for me.¡¯ For someone else, they might serve as Raven¡¯s semi-graduation equipment, but for Do-hyeon, they were even less useful than junk items. They directly ovepped with the Great Warrior Set he already owned. Weapons or gear with potential future utility were kept, but the Warrior Set had no such value, so he sold them off without hesitation. ¡®They¡¯re worth around 2 to 3 million won per set, right?¡¯ Although the price for tops, pants, and belts wasn¡¯t too high, he listed six sets, which added up to a significant amount. That meant he would earn roughly 15 million won. ¡®This is my first real profit from God of Savior.¡¯ Not 1.5 million won, but 15 million won. In DemRock, he had to achieve the rank of number one to earn this kind of money, but now he was making it in the very first city on the maind. It felt strange, but the emotions stirring in his chest were clearly pride. Do-hyeon took a deep breath, filled with pride, a hint of regret, anticipation, and an inexplicable thrill. ¡®Let¡¯s keep this momentum.¡¯ Rank 1? He could reim that anytime. What mattered now was that he was once again earning real money through the game. It was exhrating. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Feeling his heart swell, Do-hyeon rubbed his hands together and forced himself to calm down. This feeling could wait until the money was actually in his hands. That would be the true moment of joy. ¡®For now, this takes priority.¡¯ When is the happiest moment after obtaining a new skill or equipment? Most yers would answer the same way. It¡¯s right before testing its performance¡ªwhen anticipation and excitement build up. It¡¯s like buying a car, waiting for it during the delivery period, and then driving it for the first time on the day it arrives. This was no different. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¨C Where are we off to this time, Master? Aren¡¯t you rushing around too much? ¡°We have to stay busy. There¡¯s no time to rest now.¡± With that, Do-hyeon moved without a hint of hesitation. ¡°There¡¯s a perfect opponent waiting.¡± ¨C Someone perfect? After you¡¯ve already taken down the Great Warrior? Who could possibly¡­ Ah? Trailing behind, Jihad, who had been questioning, suddenly seemed to realize something and opened his mouth wide. Now that he thought about it, he hadn¡¯t seen it himself, but he vaguely recalled hearing rumors. After his disappearance, a new ruler had emerged in the forest. Do-hyeon turned his head, his gaze fixed on the air. More precisely, on the quest window floating in the air. [To reach the next city, you must pass the Trial of the Continent.] [Field Boss Hunt] ¨C Grade: First Trial ¨C Description: Those who wish to graduate from Raven, the first city of the maind, must pass the Trial of the Continent. The rewards¡¯ rank will be determined based on achievements proportional to the results of the Field Boss hunt. To clear the trial, the official ruler of Raven, the ¡°Spider Queen Elisa,¡± must be defeated. -Clear Condition: Reach level 24, eliminate Spider Queen Elisa (0/1). -Clear Rewards: Differentiated rewards by rank (D~S Rank). -Time Limit: None. The Spider Queen Elisa, the field boss in the western forest and the key to the Graduation Quest. It was finally time to take her down. * * * Spider Queen Elisa. At first nce, she might seem like a named boss, but that wasn¡¯t the case. Unlike named bosses whose data vanished permanently after being killed, Elisa consistently respawned and appeared in the forest. Then why was she called Elisa? -Elisa, Elisa, Elisa, Elisa, Elisa¡­ ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m sick of hearing it!¡± ¡°Somebody shut that spider up! Throw a Fireball into its mouth!¡± ¡°That thing¡¯s so nasty it screams ¡®Elisa¡¯ even when it¡¯s dying. Truly a freak.¡± ¡°It¡¯s relentless!¡± This was because she would utter nothing but the word ¡°Elisa¡± with all her might. A massive spider speaking human words? And only repeating the word ¡°Elisa¡±? It was creepy enough to make one¡¯s skin crawl, and most yers found enduring her screams harder than actually defeating her. However, God of Savior was a game enjoyed by a billion yers. Some yers didn¡¯t dismiss this as mere creepiness but sought to uncover its origins. ¡°Why does she keep saying Elisa?¡± ¡°Is there an NPC named Elisa? Could it be a hidden piece or something? Like a secret quest?¡± ¡°Sounds usible.¡± A non-named boss repeatedly muttering ¡°Elisa¡±? It was a rare phenomenon in the vast God of Savior world, something yers wouldn¡¯t see outside of the Raven continent through normal gamey. Clearly, there was something hidden. Sharp-eyed yers concluded as much. However¡­ ¡°Hidden piece, my ass.¡± ¡°Ugh, I wasted so much money. Do you know how much I spent on explorers for this?¡± ¡°We scoured Raven and Fratel, and there¡¯s nothing. How does that make sense?¡± ¡°Hey, even the Adventure King searched the main continent and gave up. He basically dered there¡¯s nothing there.¡± ¡°If the Adventure King gave up, well¡­ that¡¯s the end of it.¡± No one could ever find a hidden piece rted to Elisa. ¡°What? I saw an Elisa though.¡± ¡°? Stop trolling.¡± ¡°No, seriously. There¡¯s a general goods vendor named Elisa in the fourth city¡­¡± ¡°Is she pretty?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah. She¡¯s really pretty. Pure and elegant.¡± Grasping at straws, yers even sought out this general goods vendor, but she seemedpletely clueless about the Spider Queen. Eventually, yers reached a conclusion. God of Savior loved creating unique bosses and had implemented this creepy design just to torment yers in a new way. It was an infuriating setup, but what could they do? To graduate from Raven, they had to defeat this monster. Still, there was one redeeming aspect. ¡°At least she¡¯s manageable.¡± ¡°Yeah, thank goodness they didn¡¯t add some crazy traits like the Mutant Goblin Warrior.¡± ¡°If they added that kind of nonsense here, people would¡¯ve quit. Dealing with a mutant trait while enduring her noise pollution? Ew, disgusting.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Compared to previous bosses, Elisa¡¯s traits were rtively tame. And her respawn rate was on the quicker side. Since every yer needed her for the Graduation Quest, her respawn time was made faster for convenience. ¡°But wasn¡¯t she supposed to respawn quickly?¡± Of course, quicker than other field bosses didn¡¯t mean every few minutes. And she didn¡¯t always respawn in the same spot. Roughly once an hour, she would appear at one of four spider nests spread across the north, south, east, or west. The first to find her imed her. No one politely lined up for their turn. ¡°These spider nests are infuriating, for real.¡± ¡°Does it even make sense that the entrance gets sealed off with webbing after one party enters? What kind of field boss is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. The web¡¯s effect wears off after 90 minutes.¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t beat her in an hour and a half, isn¡¯t that your fault? It¡¯s basically just a waiting game.¡± Upon spotting prey, Spider Queen Elisa would block the entrance with webs. From her perspective, it was to trap her prey, but since the entrance was blocked, outsiders couldn¡¯t enter either. It was possible to lure her out of the nest before the webbing started¡­ ¡°But why bother?¡± ¡°She¡¯s practically ensuring a safe hunt for us. Why go out of your way to make it harder?¡± ¡°Preventing steals is the real perk!¡± Normally, that would be the case, but field bosses in Raven were a bit different. The Graduation Quest rewards varied depending on how the boss was hunted. Unless several parties worked together to take her down and forwent some rewards, there was no reason to risk being stolen from. Thus, the first to find her owned the kill, and this was why Kang Do-hyeon was wandering the forest. ¡°Do you even know where the field boss is?¡± -No. I¡¯ve been buried for 150 years, master. That boss came after my time¡­ ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you know everything about the forest?¡± -Ahem. Jihad awkwardly avoided Do-hyeon¡¯s gaze. While Jihad¡¯s ignorance was disappointing, Do-hyeon didn¡¯t me him. Jihad had already done plenty. After all, he¡¯d helped Do-hyeon acquire an entire hero-grade equipment set and two Advanced Skill Draw Tickets! ¡®Yeah, asking for more would¡¯ve been too greedy.¡¯ This time, Do-hyeon needed to rely on his own abilities. [Time Remaining Until Field Boss Respawns: 00:04:49] [Field Boss will respawn shortly.] ¡®About five minutes left.¡¯ The system message must have popped up for every yer in the western forest. Because of that, the forest was bustling with people everywhere. Particrly around Do-hyeon, as standing in the center offered the best vantage point to check all four spider nests. ¡°Hurry up and spawn, field boss.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pull aggro first since I¡¯m the fastest.¡± ¡°You remembered to spread people around, right? We need to secure it no matter what.¡± Some yers were ready to monopolize the boss with speed and tactics. ¡°Hey, since we¡¯re just here for the quest, how about we team up?¡± ¡°Honestly, we¡¯re not even geared enough to get more than a C rank. Saving time is the better option.¡± Others opted to join forces with multiple parties to achieve their graduation goal. There was a diverse mix of strategies. The former were often well-equipped and confident, while thetter mostly wore basic warrior sets or less. Either way,petition would be fierce. Once the boss spawned, the quiet waiting would vanish, and chaos would erupt as yers raced to im her. ¡°If we¡¯rete and they spot her first, just spam ranged skills.¡± ¡°If we lure her out of the nest, they¡¯ll have no choice but to cooperate.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t we get gged for that?¡± ¡°Who cares? If we attacked first, it counts as our attempt.¡± Some were prepared to use underhanded tactics to secure the boss. The chatter around Do-hyeon was just a glimpse; other yers were likely the same elsewhere. ¡®It was like this back in DemRock, too.¡¯ Back then, many couldn¡¯t hold back and got into fights. God of Savior was a violent game full of battle-hardened yers. As someone who had reached rank 1 in that chaos, Do-hyeon had no intention of going easy. The moment the boss appeared, he nned to use Backstab to im her first. He trusted his reflexes. While those standing directly in front of the spider nests might have an advantage, Do-hyeon had no choice but to take his chances. ¡®I don¡¯t trust my luck with gacha, so there¡¯s no helping it.¡¯ Do-hyeon had never guessed a respawn location correctly before. Hoping for luck this time would be foolish. Betting on Backstab had a higher chance of sess. ¡®If only the Eye of Truth could reveal this kind of thing too.¡¯ It was a wishful thought as the tension in the air grew. ¡°Phew¡­¡± ¡°So tense.¡± The murmur of voices gradually faded. [Time Remaining Until Field Boss Respawns: 00:01:01] Everyone was aware the respawn time was nearly up. It was as if the forest held its breath, silent except for faint breathing, like the calm before a starting pistol fired. *Ding.* A cheerful notification sound rang, followed by a message. [Conditions fulfilled.] [The yer trait activates.] [Nearby boss detected.] [Field Boss ¡®Spider Queen Elisa¡¯ location revealed.] ¡®Huh?¡¯ A message appeared¡ªvisible only to Do-hyeon. Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Do-hyeon froze at the sudden message. For a moment, he couldn¡¯t grasp the situation. ¡®yer? Location?¡¯ After a brief pause, he quickly pieced things together. It was the second ability of the yer trait. He recalled the effect that allowed him to pinpoint the location of monsters ssified under the yer title type. It had been so long since it hadst activated that he had forgotten about it. It wasn¡¯t the method he had hoped for, like the Eye of Truth, but it still worked to reveal a location. ¡®But why?¡¯ The message¡¯s sudden appearance was puzzling. The yer title only applied to certain types of monsters, and he didn¡¯t possess a yer title rted to spiders. There was only one possible exnation that came to mind. ¡®Could it be¡­?¡¯ The only yer-rted title Do-hyeon owned was the legendary title, ¡°The First yer.¡± ¡®Does this apply to all bosses, not just the ones devoured by me?¡¯ When he discovered hidden information during the Jihad, he had assumed the effect only applied because he had consumed the goblin. That interpretation seemed more bnced, after all. ¡­Yes, that made sense. ¡®What kind of unbnced game is this? Even for a legendary title, this is ridiculous.¡¯ If he had acquired more legendary titles, he might have understood sooner. In DemRock, legendary titles were incredibly rare, so he hadn¡¯t expected such overwhelming performance. ¡®Or is it? Considering you need the yer trait for it to work properly¡­¡¯ It was like a synergy effect. When viewed individually, the yer trait and the First yer title were understandable. But whenbined, they became an absurdly overpowered ability. It could be justified as conditionally overpowered in terms of bnce¡­ ¡®Hmm, maybe. But it¡¯s still broken.¡¯ Even with the reasoning, a cheat was still a cheat. No matter how much one tried to sugarcoat it, it was a cheat¡ªa cheat that was remarkably beneficial in this situation. [Do you wish to confirm the location of the field boss, ¡°Spider Queen Elisa¡±?] ¡®Yes.¡¯ As soon as he agreed, the minimap at the bottom of the screen changed. Previously, the small square map only disyed Do-hyeon¡¯s position as a blue dot. Now, arge crimson dot was added. ¡®Huh?¡¯ However, its location was strange. ¡®Why is it ovepping with mine?¡¯ The blue dot representing Do-hyeon¡¯s position. The crimson dot was ovepping with it. And then he saw it. [The Eye of Truth activates.] A twitch. Beneath the ground, where there had been nothing moments ago, a massive red silhouette began to stir. It was unmistakably in the shape of a spider. The massive red form slowly moved to the left. ¡®No way.¡¯ Driven by instinct, Do-hyeon activated a skill. ¡®Backstab.¡¯ [You have used Backstab.] The moment the skill activated, Do-hyeon¡¯s figure disappeared. ¡°Huh? What the?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± A Warrior yer standing nearby flinched, prompting a Mage yer next to him to tilt his head in confusion. The Warrior nced around cautiously before speaking. ¡°Well¡­ There was a guy standing next to me just now, but he suddenly disappeared.¡± ¡°Probably gave up and logged out. If he was standing alone here during a field boss hunt, he must¡¯ve failed to find a party.¡± ¡°Maybe¡­ Oh, now that I think about it, there was a kid next to him earlier.¡± ¡°A kid? This game is rated 18+. It was probably just a short woman. Anyway, focus. There are only 30 seconds left.¡± ¡°Y-yeah, got it.¡± In the highlypetitive Raven field boss hunt, dropouts weren¡¯t umon. Shrugging off their curiosity, the yers refocused on the spiderweb. Only 10 seconds remained. Uncertain where the boss would spawn, they prepared to react. [Time remaining for the field boss to respawn: 00:00:00.] As the final seconds ticked away, the moment of respawn arrived! The yers, including the pair, scanned their surroundings. ¡°Where is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not in the east! What about your side?¡± ¡°No, nothing here either¡­¡± ¡°Not in the west.¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s not in the north either?¡± Chaos ensued. The field boss didn¡¯t appear even after the respawn time passed. Confused and dumbfounded, they stared nkly at the spiderweb. For the first time in Raven¡¯s history, the field boss had been stolen. * * * At the same time. [You have used Backstab.] [A mark has been ced.] -¡­What? The Spider Queen Elisa froze at the sudden presence behind her. In her vision stood a single human. A man dressed in mostly red with hints of blue paint and holding a moderately thick iron sword. ¡°Wow¡­ This actually worked?¡± It was Do-hyeon. He had used the skill on a whim after spotting the silhouette, thinking it might be possible, and it actually seeded. Even as he saw it happen, he could hardly believe it. It wasn¡¯t even the same space, yet he had used a movement skill across a surface. ¡®Theoretically, it makes sense.¡¯ The range of Backstab was based on visible targets. And Do-hyeon had seen the enemy as a red silhouette. Purely based on the conditions, it was a perfect fit¡ªalthough, under normal circumstances, the idea was absurd. ¡®Hah¡­ I¡¯m probably the only person who¡¯s used Backstab like this.¡¯ Even Do-hyeon, who had just pulled it off, felt somewhat dumbfounded. Still, he could vaguely grasp the principle behind it. It seemed that as the yer trait revealed the boss¡¯s position, the game considered the hidden enemy as being in stealth, triggering the Eye of Truth. And once the enemy was revealed, Backstab could be used. ¨C Master, how did you do that? ¡°It¡¯splicated to exin, but just know it¡¯s insanely good.¡± ¨C Okay. Do-hyeon brushed off the question, and Jihad nodded in understanding. While the exnation was brief, there wasn¡¯t a better way to describe it from Do-hyeon¡¯s perspective. [You have encountered the field boss, ¡°Spider Queen Elisa,¡± in the western forest.] [Defeating her upon first encounter will activate the ¡°Devour¡± effect.] [You are the first to enter Spider Queen Elisa¡¯s movement tunnel.] [Special benefits are applied to the first discoverer.] [The density of the essence orb from the field boss ¡°Spider Queen Elisa¡± increases.] [Drop rates are increased by 30%.] [Experience points are increased by 30%.] [The sudden relocation of the area has summoned the Guardian to this position.] ¡®If this isn¡¯t insanely good, what is?¡¯ As a reward for being the first discoverer, all his stats had increased, along with improved drop rates and enhanced essence orb rewards. While it wasn¡¯t guaranteed equipment like before, the increased density meant better rewards upon harvesting, which was satisfying. ¡®Even just the stat boost from the first-discovery reward is substantial.¡¯ Could anyone have gained as much as Do-hyeon in this area? ¨C Elisa! The Spider Queen Elisa let out a piercing scream, pulling Do-hyeon¡¯s attention away from his thoughts and back to her. His first impression upon seeing her? ¡®She¡¯s absurdly huge.¡¯ It was almost hard to believe she was a spider, given her overwhelming size. She wasparable to a yground slide¡ªor perhaps the massive tarant he once saw in a foreign movie. The next thing he noticed was that she wasn¡¯t as grotesque as he expected. Was it thebination of her pure white fur and her imposing size? The fur, surprisingly long and silk-like, softened the usual repulsive feeling associated with insects. ¨C Elisa, Elisa! However, despite her elegant appearance, her two crimson eyes shone fiercely, exuding a dangerous aura. Perhaps it was the sight of her shouting ¡°Elisa¡± over and over like someone under the influence that heightened the eerie feeling. [HP: 40,000 / 40,000] ¡®Forty thousand, huh¡­ Enough to test things out.¡¯ Her HP was a good enough amount to gauge the performance of his new skills and items. Grinning, Do-hyeon swung the Bastard¡¯s Training Sword in the air. The sharp slicing sound as it cut through the air was satisfying. ¡®This feels more familiar.¡¯ Although Do-hyeon could wield any weapon, he had always been mostfortable with quick swords of this size. ¨C Elisa!! The Spider Queen Elisa made the first move. Simultaneously, she mmed down her two front legs from her eight pairs, their speed and power immense. Crash! Do-hyeon sidestepped, and the legs pierced the ground like drills. Using the embedded legs as support, Elisa lunged her massive body forward. Thud! Thud! Thud! Sharp, spear-like legs continuously stabbed at Do-hyeon, but he remained unperturbed. He was calm enough to analyze her status window. [Spider Queen Elisa] ¨C Title: Elite Field Boss ¨C Type: Spider ¨C Traits: Steel Web, Deadly Venom, Spider Sense ¨C Description: Ruler of the western forest, Spider Queen Elisa. A cunning predator, she drives her prey to her desired location and eliminates them instantly. Her potent venom, webs stronger than steel, and sharp spider senses make her difficult to capture alone. ¡®So, this is her sharp spider sense.¡¯ Indeed, her reflexes were exceptional. Unlike other bosses, Elisa was dodging the strikes Do-hyeon asionally aimed at her front legs. Her agility seemed high, but it wasn¡¯t just about speed. She was predicting the attack paths and evading them. With reflexes like this, most melee damage dealers would struggle tond proper hits in a one-on-one fight. Still, at best, it meant she was slightly better at dodging than other bosses. Whoosh¡ªCrunch! ¨C Elisa, Elisa, Elisa! However, she hadn¡¯tnded a single hit on Do-hyeon. If he advanced, she bared her venomous fangs, and if he retreated, she stomped with her spear-like legs. Yet, he didn¡¯t allow a single clean hit. As the two exchanged attacks withoutnding any, Do-hyeon made up his mind. ¡®This should do.¡¯ ncing around briefly, he nodded. Then, he activated a skill. [The mark disappears.] ¨C ¡­Elisa? The sudden disappearance of Do-hyeon from her view made Elisa freeze. Her senses reacted quickly, detecting an attacking from behind and attempting to evade. Thud. But she was blocked by the low ceiling before she could fall. Leaping into the air, Elisa bounced off the ceiling and tumbled to the ground, looking utterly disoriented. Seeing her state, Do-hyeon smirked. ¡®Just as expected.¡¯ Why hadn¡¯t he engaged her in fullbat earlier? To exploit the terrain. Unlike the high ceilings of herir, this tunnel was narrow and low. Moreover, the size of the passage varied. The spot where they first encountered each other had seemed high enough, so he had deliberately lured her here to limit her movements. In other words, Elisa was now a rat in a trap. ¨C Elisa, Elisa, Elisa! Realizing her predicament, Elisa roared in frustration but soon fell silent. Behind Do-hyeon, a golden dragon shape materialized. [You have used Rising Dragon Kick (Seung-Ryong-Gak).] [The set option applies an additional 6% damage.] The dragon coiled around his leg, and in a sh, his spinning back kick sent Elisa¡¯s massive body flying. It was the devastating power of the Rising Dragon Kick, supported by tremendous strength. Smack¡ªBoom! Elisa¡¯s body flipped midair and crashed into the wall, stirring up a cloud of dust. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 The Spider Queen Elisa¡¯s HP, reduced by roughly 4,000, left her embedded in the wall in a disgraceful state. Considering Elisa¡¯s solid defense, losing that much HP from a single skill was an unusually high number. Do-hyeon didn¡¯t stop there and continued to swing Bastard¡¯s Training Sword in session. [Bastard¡¯s Training Sword¡¯s option ¡®Minor Haste¡¯ activates.] [Attack speed and movement speed increase by 3%.] The sword, swung as if dancing, poured down on Elisa. Even if she wanted to avoid it, there was no space to escape. No, with the speed of his attacks, it seemed questionable whether evasion was even possible, and Elisa could only endure the onught. [HP: 31,981 / 40,000] In an instant, her HP dropped by approximately 8,000. Do-hyeon even used Striking at that moment. A golden aura gently seeped out and circted within before a notification message appeared. [You use Striking on yourself.] [Physical abilities improve, increasing attack power.] And the subsequent attacks were nothing short of devastating. Bang! Boom! -Elisa¡­ Elisa¡­ sa! The fierce impact sounds shook the ground, echoing throughout the passageway. Every time her head lifted, it mmed back into the wall, cracking and eventually splitting it. [You can use Rising Dragon Kick.] [You use Rising Dragon Kick.] When the cooldown reset, Rising Dragon Kick struck again! Jumping up, Do-hyeon mmed down from above, and a significantlyrger dragon-shaped energy engulfed Elisa. [The set option effect increases the range of downward strikes.] ¡°Oh?¡± The range increase for downward strikes from the set option also applied to Rising Dragon Kick. Thanks to this, Elisa suffered from the enhanced, more borate kicks. Boom! -El¡­ li¡­ sa¡­ Her faint cries were buried under the sound of the wall breaking. Witnessing the pitiful sight, Jihad propped his forehead up with both hands. ¡°Oh dear¡­¡± It was certainly good news that his master was winning, but the overwhelming dominance left him feeling sympathetic. [HP: 17,214 / 40,000] [The Field Boss of the Western Forest, ¡®Spider Queen Elisa,¡¯ has dropped below 50% HP.] The overwhelming assault had already reduced her HP to less than half. Given that only a few minutes had passed since the trial began, the speed of progress was extraordinary. It was thanks to Do-hyeon, who had grown much stronger,bined with the buffs of Striking and the formidable skill Rising Dragon Kick. [Phase 2 begins.] [The trait ¡®Steel Spiderweb¡¯ is activated.] The Spider Queen Elisa truly began in Phase 2! Her second phase was notorious for its difficulty. Her resilient spiderwebs, difficult to cut, possessed the overwhelming power to incapacitate a damage dealer or tank if they failed to avoid her patterns. Once wrapped tightly in her spiderwebs, one had no choice but to sit idle for five minutes. Hoo-. On top of that, the activation speed of her spiderwebs was incredibly fast. Although it was somewhat easy to counter if one anticipated her simplisticunch patterns, the real problemy elsewhere. Elisa would traverse the ceiling and walls using the spiderwebs, disrupting the field with her movements. As the spiderwebs umted, the yer¡¯s space would shrink, and Elisa¡¯s domain would expand. But¡­ Thud! Rolling¡ª. In a narrow passage barely twice Do-hyeon¡¯s height, that tactic became obsolete. The moment she jumped, she hit the ceiling and rolled onto the floor. All she could do was spit out simplistic spiderweb attacks¡­ Swoosh¡ª. -Elisa!!! But Do-hyeon wasn¡¯t one to fall for such predictable attacks. Casually tilting his head to avoid the webs, Do-hyeon swung his training sword, as if to demonstrate how one should attack. Trapped against the wall with no way to escape, Do-hyeon struck and shed from various angles. Elisa tried counterattacks now and then, but none of her blind strikes managed to hit Do-hyeon. -Eli¡­ Thwack! Swish¡ª. -¡­sa. Crack! Whack! -Elisa¡­ sa¡­ Unable to even produce coherent cries, Elisa was battered relentlessly. Watching the pitiful sight, Do-hyeon frowned. ¡°What¡¯s with this constant ¡®Elisa¡¯ nonsense? Let¡¯s see if she keeps saying it even as she dies.¡± -Master, you¡¯re ruthless. Jihad said so, but he also felt a vague difort. The constant repetition of ¡°Elisa¡± and its tone¡ªit felt like she was calling out someone¡¯s name, not merely making random noises. ¡°Huh? A name?¡± What was this? Jihad felt a strange sensation. For some reason, the name ¡°Elisa¡± felt oddly familiar. ¡°No way¡­ Wait?¡± Lost in thought, Jihad¡¯s eyes widened. [HP: 5,614 / 40,000] Startled, he turned his head to see the nearly dead Spider Queen Elisa. With an urgent voice, he shouted louder than ever before. -Master! Stop! Wait a second! ¡°What? What are you saying?¡± -Please stop! Just for a moment! I beg you! Jihad extended his hands, rushing over as if he were a parent running to their injured child. Seeing his urgency, Do-hyeon paused mid-thrust and stopped. -El¡­ li¡­ sa¡­ Then came Elisa¡¯s weak voice, followed by Jihad¡¯s shout. -Elisa! It¡¯s me! Don¡¯t you recognize me!? -¡­sa? Elisa was baffled. She knew who this little figure was. A strange entity who appeared slightlyter than the monstrous human and merely watched from the rear. Since no danger emanated from him, she had ignored him¡­ but now, why? Why was he showing such sorrow? -Argh! Frustrated by Elisa¡¯sck of recognition, Jihad flung off his hood. Jihad¡¯s face was revealed, and upon seeing it, confusion filled Elisa¡¯s eyes. But that confusion quickly turned into something else. -¡­sa!? Her weakening voice regained strength. Her red-stained eyes turned green, the same as Jihad¡¯s, and the fierce glow in her gaze softened into a calm expression. The green eyes glistened with tears, soon overflowing with the emotion of joy. ¨C Liza! ¨C Yes, it¡¯s me. Elisa! Then, Elisa threw her massive body toward Jihad. Like arge dog jumping into its owner¡¯s arms, Jihad gently embraced Elisa¡¯s head. Kang Do-hyeon, who had been staring nkly at the iprehensible sight, muttered. ¡°¡­What is this situation?¡± The spider he had beaten mercilessly and the goblin he had crushed in the past were now creating a scene as if two estranged siblings were reunited. ¡­Understanding aside, the feelings were indescribably strange. * * * The Spider Queen, Elisa. The ruler of the western forest in Raven, the queen of all giant spiders, the queen of massive insects¡­ Though now a feared field boss, she hadn¡¯t always been such an imposing figure. ¨C Liza! She was originally just a small spider. Not one of the giant spiders that roamed the forest, but a tiny, insignificant one. Unlike other spiders, she had soft white fur and sturdier silk¡ªher only distinctive traits. It was these traits that led her to meet her master. ¨C Oh? What¡¯s this spider? ¨C Liza? ¨C Is there such a species? It¡¯ll make a good test subject. At first, she couldn¡¯t understand what was being said. Nor did she have time to. A sudden army of undead emerged from behind a tree and grabbed her. ¨C Liza! Liza!? ¨C Tsk, noisy. Bring it carefully without harming it. It¡¯ll make an excellent test subject.¡± After being captured for a long time, Elisa arrived at a secluded hut. She spent a long time there. ¨C First, what do I feed it¡­? Hey, what do you eat? ¨C Liza? ¨C Why do you keep saying ¡®Liza¡¯? It¡¯s funny to hear a spider talk. Ah, though I suppose I¡¯m a goblin who speaks, so who am I to judge? Despite the initial impression, her captor was kind. Though grumbling, he provided the food she wanted, and if she was ufortable, he would fetch something like a cushion while clicking his tongue. Not that spiders liked cushions. ¨C Liza! Liza, Liza! Even so, Elisa liked her clumsy master. She could feel the care he had for her. Every morning, he would feed her and leave, only to return in the evening. Elisa eagerly awaited those evenings. When she greeted him with excitement, he would feign annoyance but secretly smile. ¨C This little thing is always so weing. Seems pretty smart too¡­ ¨C Liza? ¨C It¡¯s a waste to turn you into an undead¡­ Do you have any talents? Understanding the gist of his words, Elisa immediately spun a web. When the web spread out over 10 meters in an instant, her master¡¯s eyes widened. Touching the web hesitantly, he recoiled in shock. ¨C You¡¯re amazing! Can you produce more of this? ¨C Liza!¡± Elisa spun silk until the house was filled, tiring herself out and falling asleep. From that day forward, her master spent more time with her. ¨C A web with this durability from such a small body¡­ You must be a new species I don¡¯t know of. ¨C I¡¯ll raise you until you¡¯re fully grown. ¨C It¡¯s for research purposes. No particr reason. ¨C Such a unique species will attract hunters. It¡¯s not worry¡ªit¡¯s just too troublesome. Though he muttered to himself often, Elisa was simply happy to be with him. They went on walks together, shared meals, and even slept side by side at times. She received the name ¡°Elisa¡± around this time. ¨C Is ¡®Liza¡¯ all you can say? ¨C Liza? Liza, Liza! ¨C Liza, huh¡­ Calling you ¡®you¡¯ all the time feels off. How about Elisa? Liza sounds too in. ¨C Liza? ¨C Not Liza. Elisa! Say Elisa. ¨C Liza, Liza! After some bickering that day, it didn¡¯t matter. ¨C Fine, do as you like. I¡¯ll call you Elisa. ¨C Liza! In the end, theyughed and enjoyed their time together as always. That day, Elisa received her first gift. ¨C Take this. ¨C Liza? ¨C It¡¯s yours. Nothing special¡­ just wear it when we go for walks. ¨C Liza! Her first gift was deeply moving, and from that day forward, the small essory became her treasure. She kept it close even when not on walks. Her master looked on with satisfaction. ¨C Look at you, so happy. ¨C Liza, Liza! It was a series of blissful days. But that time didn¡¯tst. ¨C Oh, Elisa. I need to go out alone today. ¨C Liza? Liza! ¨C No. I told you before. I found a clue about the secret I¡¯ve been searching for. That ce is dangerous for you since you¡¯re not fully grown yet.¡± ¨C Liza¡­ Though dejected, Elisa obeyed her master. It was the only way to make him smile. If she waited patiently, he would return to her. ¨C I¡¯ll be back. ¨C Liza, Liza! ¨C Yeah. Keep the house safe, Elisa. I¡¯ve left some undead behind¡ªask them if you need anything. After Elisa¡¯s farewell, her master left. But he didn¡¯t return. Even as night fell, even as the moon set and the sun rose. Her master, who always came back by evening, didn¡¯t return. And that didn¡¯t change, no matter how many days passed. ¨C Liza¡­ Still, Elisa waited. Through cold winters that left branches bare, through the revival of life and the warm breezes that followed. Through hot summers that brought pests into the hut and saw them leave again. Elisa waited for her master, and time flowed on endlessly. One year. Ten years. A hundred years¡­ An eternity seemed to pass. Crack¡ª When even the undead, her onlypanions and remnants of her master, turned to dust and vanished. ¨C ¡­Liza. Elisa left the hut. She went deep into the western forest. To the ce where she had first met her master, where everything began. ¨C Liza, Li¡­ za¡­ El¡­ There, she missed her master. ¨C ¡­Liza. El¡­ Li¡­ za¡­ She repeated the name to ensure she wouldn¡¯t forget it. ¨C Elisa. Eventually, when she could clearly say the name. Rumors spread of a grotesque beast in Raven that repeatedly uttered the name Elisa. Chapter 56 Chapter 56 As rumors spread, she began to draw considerable attention. One day, a giant spider was discovered desperately calling out a woman¡¯s name. It was impossible not to find this intriguing. ¡°That creature must be possessed by a demon. I¡¯ll go kill it.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll definitely be worth a lot of money. Capture it and bring it back.¡± ¡°If I raise something like that, everyone will look up to me.¡± For various reasons, people harassed her, and many seasons passed this way. As she endured all those days, she became a field boss, and countless ominous titles followed her. ¨C Elisa¡­ Elisa. There were many difficult moments, but during those times, Elisa always recited her name. She recalled the warm face of her master, who had gently called out to her. And after another 50 years passed, now. ¨C Liza! Liza, Liza! ¨C Elisaaa!! After long years of agony, she finally reached the moment she had longed for. * * * ¡­That¡¯s how it all came to this. ¨C Waaaah! Elisaaa! ¨C Liza, Liza!! That¡¯s why the two of them couldn¡¯t bear to be apart now. After hearing their tearful melodrama, Do-hyeon¡¯s first feeling wasn¡¯t sorrow or anything simr. No, it was sad, but what came first was a sense of absurdity. ¡°Wait, so, to put it simply, you abandoned Elisa and left, didn¡¯t you?¡± Gulp. At the sharp jab of truth, Jihad froze in ce. ¨C Waaaah, Elisa! Then, pretending not to hear, Jihad hugged Elisa again. Seeing this ridiculous disy, Do-hyeonunched another scathing attack. ¡°No, Elisa¡¯s the one who was abandoned, so why are you crying? You dumped her for 150 years, so you don¡¯t have the right to feel sad.¡± ¨C Ahem! Well, no, it¡¯s not like that! I couldn¡¯t help it¡­ Apparently, Jihad couldn¡¯t ignore thisment as he tried to defend himself, but Do-hyeon wasn¡¯t about to let him off easily. ¡°Couldn¡¯t help it, my foot. Even when I was beating you senseless, you didn¡¯t recognize her. You probably just forgot and suddenly remembered when you heard her name, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What? Is that true? Wow, if Elisa hadn¡¯t been calling out your name, you¡¯d have never remembered. You¡¯re something else, really.¡± ¨C ¡­Yeah, you¡¯re right. It¡¯s all my fault. Perhaps Jihad felt guilty toward Elisa. Looking dejected, he couldn¡¯t meet the shining eyes of Elisa and turned his head away. ¨C Liza¡­ Now it was Elisa¡¯s turn to look disheartened. She was so devoted to her master that she looked just like a puppy. That sight made Jihad¡¯s heart ache even more. ¨C Yeah, you were always like that. Always waiting for me. ¨C Liza! ¨C Sorry for making you wait so long, Elisa. I won¡¯t leave again. ¨C Elisaaa! What a foolish man he was. Nuzzling-. A whole 150 years. Even though 150 long years had passed since he¡¯d forgotten her, Elisa was so happy she couldn¡¯t stop nuzzling him. She wasn¡¯t even angry, not once, simply overjoyed and weing. She had waited for more than ten times the time they had spent together. ¨C To think I lived all this time forgetting about you¡­ He hated himself for it. At the same time, he found it strange. ¨C This is weird. There¡¯s no way I could have forgotten Elisa. It wasn¡¯t just an excuse; it genuinely didn¡¯t make sense. In the beginning, it was true he was curious because of her unusual appearance. But as they spent more time together, those feelings grew. At some point, Elisa had be Jihad¡¯s irreceable friend. Forgetting a friend like that? ¨C No way. While in his hideout, he¡¯d often felt like he was forgetting something important. Now, he realized that something was Elisa. The moment he recognized her, memories of their time together rushed back, as if a switch had been flipped. And that wasn¡¯t the only strange thing. ¨C Why couldn¡¯t I go back home? I¡¯m sure I found a clue to something, got chased, and then¡­ huh? A clue? What clue was it? His head was spinning. It would be more urate to say he was confused. As Jihad stood there, unable to collect his thoughts in many ways, Do-hyeon suddenly asked, ¡°By the way, why were you hiding?¡± -Huh? ¡°Why, you know. Isn¡¯t it strange? There¡¯s no reason to stay hidden in a ce like that for such a long time.¡± -Oh¡­ In truth, he had always wondered. Jihad seemed like someone with a lot of secrets, but putting that aside, why had he spent hundreds of years hiding underground? His connection to that creature also raised questions. -That¡¯s¡­ Jihad, who was about to answer, closed his mouth again. Then, he slowly shook his head. -I can¡¯t tell you that, Master. It¡¯s beyond my abilities right now. ¡°¡­? What does that even mean?¡± -Sorry, Master. Jihad¡¯s face was unnecessarily serious, so Do-hyeon decided not to press further. Instead, he muttered to himself. ¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯d die if you told me, so what¡¯s this ¡®beyond your abilities¡¯ nonsense.¡± -Something like that. ¡°¡­? Like what?¡± Hearing Jihad¡¯s response to his mumbling, Do-hyeon retorted incredulously. ¡°What are you, Vold*mort or something?¡± -What¡¯s that, Master? ¡°It¡¯s¡­ never mind. I can¡¯t exin because of copyright issues.¡± -¡­? Their conversation ended with mutual confusion, but the next concern was shared. ¡°So, what do we do now?¡± -¡­That¡¯s the question, Master. Without needing further exnation, Jihad understood. What was the reason Do-hyeon came here in the first ce? ¡®I can¡¯t not kill her because of the Graduation Quest¡­¡¯ It was toplete the Graduation Quest. To do so, he had to kill Elisa. But Do-hyeon wasn¡¯t cold-hearted enough to kill her after hearing her story. Even more so, she was kind of annoying but had grown on him as Jihad¡¯spanion(?)¡­ ¡®And I can¡¯t take her with me due to the system.¡¯ If he killed her, it didn¡¯t seem like she would turn into a card as Jihad had. His head hurt just thinking about it. -Elisa! Elisa! -Huh? What¡¯s going on? -Elisa! -What? No! What are you saying!? Elisa, waving her massive hands to express herself, seemed agitated. And Jihad, apparently understanding her words, began arguing with her. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± -Nothing¡­ nothing, Master. -Elisa! Elisa! Avoiding the question, Jihad stepped back as Elisa came forward. Then, out of nowhere, she bit her own leg with her venomous fangs. [The Field Boss of the Western Forest, ¡®Spider Queen Elisa,¡¯ is inflicted with deadly poison.] [Her HP has dropped below 10%.] ¡°What the¡­?!¡± Before Do-hyeon could even process the situation, Jihad shouted in rm. -Elisa, what are you doing?! -Elisa! -Huh? What? ¡­Are you serious? Jihad then seemed to understand something, nodding as if in agreement. Do-hyeon, however, was baffled. ¡°What? What did she say? Stop keeping it to yourself and let me in on it.¡± -Ah¡­ she¡¯s asking you to strike her, Master. She says it¡¯s okay. ¡°She¡¯s okay with that?¡± -Yes. I don¡¯t have time to exin, but she insists it¡¯s fine. Please do as Elisa wishes, Master. ¡°¡­Well, if you say so.¡± It felt unsettling, but if they both were okay with it, there was no reason to refuse. ¡°So, I just stab her?¡± -Elisa! Elisa nodded as if giving her consent. Feeling uneasy, Do-hyeon thrust his training sword deep into her body. Her HP dropped rapidly, but he thought it was better to end it quickly, so he used Striking to hasten the process. He repeated this several times. [You have defeated the Field Boss of the Western Forest, ¡®Spider Queen Elisa.¡¯] [As a first-time reward, the Essence Orb has been enhanced.] [Would you like to harvest the Enhanced Essence Orb of Spider Queen Elisa?] [It will be recorded in the Adventure Book.] [You have defeated a new type of boss upon first encounter.] [All stats increase by +6 due to the Devour effect.] Eventually, Elisa¡¯s life force extinguished, and her eyes dimmed as she copsed. ¡°¡­Is this really happening?¡± -Yes. Unlike the flustered Do-hyeon, Jihad seemed calm. Do-hyeon understood Jihad¡¯sposure a few secondster. Pop! -Liza! ¡°Huh?¡± From the massive corpse, something popped out, revealing itself. It was a tiny being, barely 5cm in size. At a nce, it looked like a small ball of white fluff, resembling cotton candy¡ªnone other than Elisa. -Elisa! It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve seen you in that form. -Liza, Liza! As Jihad¡¯s delighted voice echoed, a cheerful notification rang. Ding-. [You have discovered the hidden named boss ¡®Elisa,¡¯ who parasitized the field boss ¡®Spider Queen Elisa¡¯ in the Western Forest.] [¡®Elisa¡¯s loyalty and favorability towards Guardian Jihad ck have reached MAX.] [You have fulfilled the conditions.] [Would you like to ept ¡®Elisa¡¯ as part of Guardian Jihad ck¡¯s faction?] ¡°¡­Whoa.¡± ¡­So, this is possible? * * * In DemRock, there were asionally bosses like that. Special-type bosses that parasitized monsters. Such creatures usually didn¡¯t die in one go and would hop between different hosts, annoying yers. Because you had to kill the already troublesome bosses multiple times to clear them. ¡®I had a hard time with them too.¡¯ The worst of them was Finalea, who parasitized a zombie dragon. Even though it was an off-brand version, it was still a dragon, making it incredibly tough to defeat even one. And you had to kill it multiple times. Though the rewards were proportionally good, it was undeniably frustrating. That memory was so vivid that even during God of Savior¡¯s tutorial, he went out of his way to confirm the kills. -Liza! The reason this was being brought up again now was simple. ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought the field boss was the host¡­.¡± Elisa turned out to be that kind of boss. Who could¡¯ve imagined it? That a field boss of such caliber was merely a shell. ¡®I thought something was off.¡¯ Bosses that weren¡¯t named all had a regeneration system. Their residual memories and behavioral principles were set by the scenario, but that was it. They didn¡¯t have such deep stories or memories to produce melodrama. ¡®Especially a 150-year-old story? That says it all.¡¯ But named bosses were different. They were genuine inhabitants of God of Savior. [Guardian Jihad ck¡¯s Faction List] -Elisa Now, she had be his Guardian¡ªor more urately, Jihad¡¯s subordinate. When he opened Elisa¡¯s information window, a shy disy appeared. [Opening Elisa¡¯s information.] [Elisa] [Title: Named Guardian] [Type: Spider] [Loyalty: MAX] [Traits: Aerial Spiderwebs, Parasitism] [Guardian Traits: Sunflower, Patience, Gluttony, Drowsiness] [Description: A mysterious white spider presumed to be a rare species. Despite living for a long time, it has yet to reach adulthood. Extremely devoted to its master and produces remarkably sturdy silk.] [Most abilities are sealed due to Guardian Jihad ck¡¯s current low level.] [Stats will adjust proportionally as Jihad ck grows.] [Avable skill: 1] -Silk Spinning ¡®Is this what you call a windfall?¡¯ He had only recruited Jihad as a Guardian, but somehow ended up breaking a hidden piece and gaining a new Guardian. She provided good items, followedmands (albeit conditionally), revealed hidden fields¡­. And now she even helped him break hidden pieces? ¡®Could Jihad actually be my lucky charm?¡¯ For some reason, the ugly goblin seemed cute to Do-hyeon. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Flinch. -What, what is this? Something feels off¡­ -Elisa? Sensing an unpleasant gaze, Jihad shuddered slightly, prompting Elisa to tilt her head in curiosity. Elisa¡¯s gaze was full of concern. Jihad, shaking his head as if to deny it, suddenly stared intently at Elisa. A tiny body, barely 5cm tall. Its fluffy white fur and plump posterior gave it an irresistibly adorable appearance, to the point it looked like a rolling ball of fluff rather than an insect. Unlike other spiders, it had only two eyes, which were the same green color as his. -Exactly the same¡­ It was identical to how it had been when he first encountered it. Memories of the time spent in the old cabin resurfaced vividly, causing Jihad¡¯s eyes to grow teary. Since it wouldn¡¯t do to sink into a sea of tears after finally meeting it again, he made an effort to suppress his emotions and shifted the topic. -I thought you¡¯d be much bigger after 150 years, but you¡¯re not? Can you even parasitize? -Elisa! Elisa-Elisa! -As expected, my eyes didn¡¯t deceive me. You really are a special spider! -Elisa! Elisa puffed out its chest proudly, as if to say, ¡°You¡¯re only realizing this now?¡± ¡­Whether that could even be called a chest was debatable, but its posture certainly suggested pride. Even more intriguing was that once Elisa left the queen spider¡¯s body, its corpse, which had been imbued with Elisa¡¯s colors, turned ck again. -Is that a trait of parasitism? -Elisa¡­ -Ah, you¡¯re still not skilled enough yet? Fascinating. You¡¯re not hiding anything else, right? -Eli¡­za! -Haha, got it. So, is this your fully grown size? Elisa shook its head. cing its front legs on its ¡°hips¡± and tilting its chin upward, it looked exactly like a child trying to show off. -Really? Then what¡¯s your lifespan? I¡¯ve never heard of a spider living this long¡­ -Elisa-Elisa. -What? You¡¯re saying I¡¯m not an adult yet either? How the heck do you know that? -Elisa! Watching the two exchange stories and reconnect after so long, Do-hyeon didn¡¯t bother to interject. Even someone as dense as Do-hyeon knew it would be inappropriate to interrupt their reunion. Not that there seemed to be an opening to join in, either. Instead, Do-hyeon focused his attention elsewhere. ¡®Aerial spiderwebs and parasitism¡­ That¡¯s different.¡¯ What had originally been described as steel spiderwebs was nowbeled aerial spiderwebs, and traits like venom or spider sense had disappeared. It seemed likely these were Elisa¡¯s original unique traits. ¡®Is it rted to parasitism?¡¯ It seemed usible that while parasitizing, Elisa could use the traits of the host monster. The range of creatures it could parasitize was unclear, but the fact it worked on a field boss proved its functionality. Still, he couldn¡¯t assume that was the full story. ¡®It might have had its stats reduced, like Jihad.¡¯ Especially now that Elisa had joined Jihad¡¯smand, there was no way to know how much it had been downgraded. While pondering how to best utilize Elisa, a brief sound reached his ears. -Elisa! ¡°Hm?¡± There stood Elisa, perched on his shoulder. He hadn¡¯t even noticed when it climbed up¡­ Did you need to be at this level to parasitize creatures like this? -Elisa-Elisa! ¡°?¡± It seemed to want to say something, but he couldn¡¯t understand. In the end, Do-hyeon turned to Jihad. Jihad, understanding Do-hyeon¡¯s unspoken request, replied with a satisfied expression. -It says thank you, Master. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± -It says it¡¯s even more thankful to me¡­ Anyway, it wants to repay you and says to follow it. ¡°Repay me?¡± -Elisa! Elisa nodded its tiny head enthusiastically. Its expectant, glistening eyes radiated excitement, as if it were more thrilled about giving the reward than the recipient. Not wanting to disappoint, Do-hyeon agreed, and Elisa hopped lightly onto Jihad¡¯s head. -Elisa! -It says this way, Master. ¡°Lead the way.¡± Do-hyeon followed Jihad, who had unexpectedly be a guide. After walking through a long passageway for about ten minutes¡ª After navigating through alternating narrow and wide paths multiple times, they finally arrived at their destination. It was arge room. ¡°Wow¡­¡± The space was round overall, muchrger and gloomier than a typical spider¡¯s nest. The air was chilly, and the space, entirely ck and sticky, felt like stepping into a refrigerator. He had never heard of such a ce existing in Raven. The one to reveal the identity of the location wasn¡¯t Jihad or Elisa but a single system notification. [You have discovered a hidden area.] [You have found the Spider Queen¡¯s Hatchery.] ¡®A hatchery?¡¯ As the message suggested, the room was filled with round eggs stacked in towers. And all around were numerous small spiders. Whilerger than ordinary spiders, they were much smaller than the giant forest spiders. Above these creatures, name tags floated. [Spider Queen¡¯s Offspring] ¡®Wait, Spider Queen¡¯s Offspring?¡¯ The moment Do-hyeon checked their information out of curiosity, his eyes widened in shock. [Spider Queen¡¯s Offspring] -Title: Field Boss -Type: Spider -Traits: Not yet manifested. -Description: Offspring of the Spider Queen Elisa, ruler of the western forest. Though young and undeveloped, most of their abilities remain locked. When fully grown, they will emerge as proper Field Bosses in the forest. ¡®They¡¯re Field Bosses?¡¯ Those tiny creatures bore the title of Field Boss. And not just one or two¡ªall of them! ¡®Huh? Wait a second.¡¯ At that moment, a thought struck Do-hyeon. The first trial of the Raven Graduation Quest was to hunt a Field Boss. The Field Boss in question wasn¡¯t exclusively ¡°Spider Queen Elisa.¡± The text clearly stated that the evaluation was based on the number of Field Bosses defeated. Clearing the trial required defeating the official Field Boss, Spider Queen Elisa, but beyond that, the details were flexible. ¡®The trial was essentially designed to make yers defeat Elisa¡­¡¯ Most yers didn¡¯t dwell on the specifics of the text. They didn¡¯t need to. Spider Queen Elisa was the only Field Boss in Raven. All that mattered was how effectively yers defeated her. ¡­At least, that was themon understanding. ¡°¡­So what happens if I take these ones down too?¡± Technically, these creatures were also Spider Queens. Distinct individuals, no doubt. If he defeated them, would they count as separate Field Bosses? There was an obvious way to find out. ¡®Let¡¯s kill them and see.¡¯ Swallowing his nerves, Do-hyeon gripped his practice sword. The Spider Queen¡¯s Hatchery was about to witness a massacre. ¡ª [You have in a Spider Queen¡¯s Offspring.] [You have in a Spider Queen¡¯s Offspring.] ¡­ [You have in a Spider Queen¡¯s Offspring.] Ignoring the flood of messages, Do-hyeon surveyed his surroundings. The once teeming mass of spiders had beenpletely cleared out. Only the unhatched eggs remained, scattered like decorations throughout the area. The reason he didn¡¯t bother with the eggs was simple. [Spider Queen¡¯s Egg] -Description: An egg of the Spider Queen. It has not yet hatched. [Spider Queen¡¯s Eggs cannot be attacked.] ¡®Darn. Guess I can¡¯t touch these.¡¯ The God of Savior system prevented him from attacking them directly. Do-hyeon tried to ce some in his inventory out of curiosity, but when they didn¡¯t go in, he decided to let it go. Still, what exactly were these eggs for? The answer came to him quicker than expected. ¡®Could they be for respawning Field Bosses?¡¯ It was just spection, but it felt usible. Why else would the system so thoroughly prevent yers from interfering with them? If true, it was an intriguing setup, though Do-hyeon wasn¡¯t the type to dwell on unnecessary details. And now wasn¡¯t the time to be distracted by such thoughts. Ding! Would defeating the Spider Queen¡¯s Offspring impact the Graduation Quest? He was about to find out. [You havepleted the First Trial: Field Boss Hunt.] [Verifying the defeated Field Bosses.] [Hidden Field Boss defeated ¡Á 1, Field Bosses defeated ¡Á 34 confirmed.] [The defeat of Raven¡¯s official Field Boss, ¡°Spider Queen Elisa,¡± has been verified.] [You have cleared the First Trial.] [Ranking is being assessed.] ¡­ ¡®It worked.¡¯ To Do-hyeon¡¯s surprise, even his earlier defeat of Karuk had been counted in his score. It seemed the system evaluated all Field Bosses defeated during his time in Raven. As a result, while most yers struggled to defeat just one, Do-hyeon¡¯s tally reached a staggering 35. Not just ordinary Field Bosses either¡ªsince Hidden Field Bosses were categorized separately, they likely carried significant weight in the scoring. [An incredible achievement.] [Ranking assessment is slightly dyed.] Did the artificial intelligence managing God of Savior¡¯s system not anticipate a situation like this? The rank wasn¡¯t calcted immediately, and there was a noticeable dy. ¡®Well¡­ even I find this absurd.¡¯ It was safe to say that such a case had likely never urred in the history of God of Savior. As Do-hyeon waited with a slightly anxious heart, about ten seconds passed before the awaited notification appeared. [Score has been calcted, considering the following: solo clear, Hidden Field Boss defeated ¡Á 1, Field Boss defeated ¡Á 27, new record for shortest clear time, Hidden Piece discovered, etc.] [You have updated the S-Rank with 1,471 points.] [The maximum rank for the First Trial is S-Rank, and higher ranks cannot be assigned. Enhanced rewards will be provided.] [You are the first to achieve S-Rank in the First Trial.] [You have secured 1st ce in the rankings.] [The rankings for the First Trial have been updated.] [You have obtained the title ¡®First S-Rank.¡¯] [You have obtained the title ¡®Top Graduate.¡¯] [The effect of ¡®Throne of Time Attack¡¯ activates. All stats increase by +5.] [S-Rank rewards are granted.] ¡­ [Your achievement has been recorded in the Adventure Book.] ¡°Wow.¡± The sheer number of notifications was dizzying. Do-hyeon¡¯s mouth hung open as he stared at rewards on an entirely different scalepared to when he graduated from Arde. ¡®How many rewards is this?¡¯ He had expected something unusual, but not to this extent. The overwhelming number of messages left Do-hyeon frozen in ce, unable to check everything. -Elisa! ¡°Ah.¡± A cheerful voice brought him back to his senses, and Do-hyeon turned his head. Elisa was perched on his shoulder, wiggling its rear. It looked like a cat purring and lifting its tail in delight. ¡°Thank you, Elisa. This reward is beyond my imagination.¡± After all, it had helped him defeat 28 Field Bosses¡ªwhat greater reward could there be? Do-hyeon felt genuinely grateful. Yet Elisa, the recipient of his thanks, tilted its head as if confused. -Elisa? -Master, Elisa says it hasn¡¯t given you a reward yet. ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± -Elisa-Elisa! Elisa hopped down from Do-hyeon¡¯s shoulder and leapt onto Jihad¡¯s head again. Then, it pointed in one direction. -Elisa! -It says the reward it intended to give is over there. ¡°¡­What?¡± Do-hyeon¡¯s eyes widened as he followed the direction Elisa indicated. Therey a small chest. A chest so old it bore the marks of centuries, if not millennia. However, Do-hyeon¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t on the chest itself. ¡®That¡¯s¡­¡¯ Beside the chest was a small, elongated gem. A mysterious jewel that shimmered as though it contained every color, but to Do-hyeon, it only appeared as one color. [Eye of Truth activates.] ¡°What is this?¡± Before he knew it, Do-hyeon had approached the gem and picked it up, his focus blurring. Ovepping the gem was a system message. [Adventurer¡¯s Vessel confirmed.] [Conditions fulfilled.] [You have obtained the First Fragment of Destiny.] [Your achievement has been recorded in the Adventure Book.] [A hidden condition has been met, opening a new route.] [The Job Quest ¡®Legacy of Destiny¡¯ has been generated.] ¡°¡­Huh?¡± It seemed he had stumbled upon something extraordinary. Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Job Quest! The users who reached the City of Promise, Brion, inevitably received a quest at the temple, referred to as a divine revtion among the NPCs. It was because the quest was given by receiving a revtion at the temple, just as the name suggested. This job quest, which ranged from rare to legendary levels, yed a crucial role as a guide for users after Brion¡­ This fact left Do-hyeon puzzled. ¡°Why is this here?¡± He had reached the level required to go to Brion. But he had not yet gone to Brion, nor had he met any god. Besides, no matter how much he thought about it, this was not a location befitting a revtion. He also had no idea why the strange gem that triggered this job quest was in such a hidden ce to begin with. The one who answered this mystery was Elisa. -Elisa! -I found them while wandering the forest for a long time. They looked pretty, so I kept them. -Elisa¡­ -I was going to show them to you when you returned¡­ Huhuhu, Elisa!! Jihad hugged Elisa tightly, crying as he tried to interpret her words but failed to keep speaking due to his tears. Even though he seemed too overwhelmed to exin, this was sufficient information. Understanding the situation, Do-hyeon couldn¡¯t help but let out a bitterugh. ¡°So, if I hadn¡¯t met her, I might not have been able to get the job quest?¡± It seemed absurd, but given how unusual his ss was, it wasn¡¯t entirely impossible. After all, it was a hidden god, and the brief job description suggested a hostile rtionship with other gods. ¡°I heard revtions could only be received at the Grand Temple¡­¡± Perhaps there was a reason this method was used, to ensure it remained hidden from the eyes of other gods. If that were true, the difficulty level was insanely high. If he had gone to Brion without obtaining the Legacy of Destiny throughyers of coincidences, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to receive a proper job quest. ¡°This is ridiculous.¡± It was, quite literally, absurd. So absurd that it left him speechless. Although it was a situation that made him feel as if the game had gone insane, thankfully, it wasn¡¯t entirely unreasonable. [If the new route is declined, the existing route will proceed with the job quest.] [Declining the new route will make it permanently unavable, and the existing route will continue in Brion.] [However, the new route imposes severe penalties.] [Will you ept it?] ¡°Ah.¡± This was undoubtedly a hidden piece. Do-hyeon sighed in relief but still found the situation absurd. ¡°A hidden piece for a job quest? What kind of god is this?¡± Job quests were supposed to be fair for everyone. Even the renowned Mythical Gods weren¡¯t exceptions. For a god to offer choices through a hidden piece in a job quest meant this was no ordinary being. ¡°Or could it be? Maybe every job has hidden elements like this¡­¡± For now, this was a hypothesis he couldn¡¯t confirm. In any case, he stood before what was probably the first hidden job quest in God of Savior. Gulp. Even the name, ¡°Legacy of Destiny,¡± sounded grand. What could it entail? With a trembling heart, Do-hyeon opened the quest window. [Legacy of Destiny] -Rank: ???, Job Quest -Description: A trial given to one deemed worthy of inheriting the will of the Final Adventurer, Kashiar. Sessfully inherit Kashiar¡¯s will. -Quest Sess: Links to derived quest ¡°A Step Toward Truth,¡± acquire Kashiar¡¯s relic. -Quest Failure: Job quest deleted, job revoked. [Upon eptance, subsequent linked quests cannot be declined.] ¡°Relic!¡± A god¡¯s relic. The primary reason for undertaking job quests and one of the most coveted rewards. While other rewards could be rtively simr, relics were always uniquely distributed. ¡°Because relics depend on the achievements of the god who created them.¡± A representative example was the Iron Axe of the Honorable Axe God. The axe was both the identity and symbol of that god. For example, those who chose Hercules would receive Hercules¡¯ club or a robe made from the Nemean Lion¡¯s mane, while those who chose King Arthur would be granted the Sword of Victory. Although not all godly relics were high-ranked or overpowered, they typically boasted top-tier options within the same rank. ¡°If it¡¯s a relic created by a god capable of this, it¡¯s bound to be extraordinary.¡± Considering that the ultimate relics of Mythical Gods were legendary rank, it might be something even greater¡­ No, given the early-game stage, perhaps it would at least be a heroic rank relic. Above all, he was most curious about what kind of relic would symbolize Kashiar, who had no known informationpared to other gods of mythology. Of course, this was all assuming things went well. ¡°But to have your job revoked upon failure? What kind of penalty is this?¡± Failing the quest would not only delete the job quest but also revoke the job, a mind-boggling penalty. A penalty so severe that it would make anyone curse. Moreover, once epted, he couldn¡¯t decline any subsequent linked quests. If the penalty remained the same, a single mistake could lead to losing his job. Rather than risking everything and losing it all, it was a hundred times wiser to choose the safer path. That would be the most rational decision. ¡°¡­¡± But Do-hyeon seriously contemted. He already possessed traits, a job, and aplishments that no one else could match. Objectively, there was no need to take unnecessary risks. ¡°I know, I know, but¡­¡± Yet he couldn¡¯t help but feel drawn to it. If he chose the safe route, could he avoid regretting itter? If he faced even a minor inconvenience or inadequacy, wouldn¡¯t he think, ¡°Ah, I should¡¯ve chosen that route back then¡±? ¡°Haah.¡± When Do-hyeon questioned himself, he had no confidence in his answer. High risk, high return. He knew better than anyone that the greater the risk, the sweeter the reward. This was true when he encountered a legendary raid boss in DemRock, when he tackled hidden pieces, and even when he faced the Ironblooded Dragon during the God of Savior tutorial. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t this be the same?¡± Therger the penalty, the greater his expectations grew for that relic. He didn¡¯t need to take the risk; he was already strong and capable of bing stronger. But if he chose that path? Could he achieve results iparable to his current state? Could he reach his goals faster? And what would that relic turn out to be? A hidden job quest, no less? ¡°Damn it¡­¡± The voice echoing in his mind wouldn¡¯t let him go. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± This was the problem. A man with terrible luck and insatiable greed. A fool who, instead of walking an easy tree-lined path, chose a thorny road. A stubborn idiot who couldn¡¯t let go and would forever feel regret if he didn¡¯t take the chance. ¡°What can I do.¡± He cursed at himself, but what could he really do? That¡¯s just the way he was made. Do-hyeon had stood at countless crossroads of decisions, agonizing over them countless times. And the choice was always the same. [Do you wish to ept?] ¡°Damn it¡­ Fine. I¡¯ll do it.¡± Rather than regretting not trying, he would prefer to try and regret itter¡ªthat was just who he was. With his teeth clenched, Do-hyeon¡¯s muttered words seemed to be exactly what the system had been waiting for. The system responded with a livelier notification than ever. [You have chosen a new route, diverging from the existing path.] [The Legacy of Destiny reacts.] Then, just as it said, the Legacy of Destiny reacted. [The Legacy of Destiny is drawn to the traces of the Final Adventurer, Kashiar.] [Connect the thread of fate.] There was an old box beside the fragment. Between the red-glowing box and the Legacy of Destiny, a red thread stretched out. Do-hyeon¡¯s gaze was drawn to it, albeit briefly. Click. When he ced the Legacy of Destiny into the small slot, a blinding light erupted. ¡°-Ugh¡­!?¡± ¡°-Li¡­ za¡­!¡± Jihad and Elisa couldn¡¯t open their eyes properly against the light that enveloped the entire space. The same went for Do-hyeon. The light was so intense that it was unbearable to look at directly. However, Do-hyeon shielded his eyes with his hands and tried to see through it. As a result, he could make out a silhouette beyond the light. [Have you finally arrived¡­?] A voice echoed at that moment. The tone was soft, almost murmuring, but the deep, resonant voice carried immense power. Do-hyeon instinctively raised his head at the voice that seemed to reverberate throughout the entire space. The light gradually dimmed, and a figure became more distinct. [It has truly been a long wait.] It was a man. Standing at what seemed to be around 190 cm tall, his towering frame was lean yet powerfully built. With snow-white skin and hair that starkly contrasted his ck martial attire, he looked otherworldly. His face, so pale it seemed carved from white jade, was strikingly beautiful, almost like a sculpture. His long hair, flowing down to his waist, added an air of mystique. What stood out even more were the numerous weapons strapped to his waist, back, and even the pockets of his attire. [Let me ask. Are you my sessor?] The man, with an arrogant face that seemed to look down upon the world, regarded Do-hyeon indifferently. In the past, people called him by this title. Ding-. [The strongest man in Abtartel¡¯s history, a man of misfortune, The Only Martial God, the God of War, A living testament to humanity¡¯s history¡­] A master of martial prowess, unmatched by any rival, feared even by the gods. [You have encountered the will of the Final Adventurer and God of War, Kashiar.] [The ss quest, ¡°Legacy of Destiny,¡± begins.] [Failure will result in the loss of both the ss quest and your ss. Please proceed with caution.] And thus appeared the hidden god Do-hyeon had drawn in the divine lottery¡ªthe one who would make him an All-Master. The Final Adventurer and God of War, Kashiar. It was the moment his will descended. * * * In God of Savior, all yers are generally apostles of the gods. They are apostles who receive revtions from the ten thousand gods that sustain and govern the world of Abtartel. Only the immortal beings from another world could be apostles of the gods, gaining divine powers as a benefit¡ªa foundational premise of the game¡¯s lore. As a result, even NPCs didn¡¯t find such yers unusual. To them, apostles were both mysterious and natural beings. In such a game, gods held an immensely important position, which was why yers were so desperate when it came to the divine draw. ¡°Wow¡­ Have you guys met your gods?¡± ¡°Yeah, the aura was insane.¡± ¡°This is why people say Brion is where the real stuff begins.¡± ¡°Man, it¡¯s the first time I got emotional over a game.¡± There were moments in the game when yers had the chance to meet their gods. This happened when theypleted their ss quest or during their participation in a grand temple event. At most, they¡¯d get one or two opportunities. ¡°Everyone underrates the Honorable Axe God, but when you see him in person, it¡¯s a whole different story. It¡¯s like seeing a real sage.¡± ¡°Nothing beats the Fox God with a Thousand-Year Fate. She¡¯s absolutely stunning in person. It¡¯s no wonder people fall for her. She instantly became my ideal type.¡± ¡°Yeah, right. But have you met the Northern Lion King? The sheer grandeur will leave you speechless.¡± ¡°Forget that¡ªhave you seen the Mythical Gods? Did you check the video from the Celestial Guild?¡± ¡°It was absolutely insane. Just watching it made me want to charge into battle myself.¡± Even though the meetings were brief, yers who received revtions were ecstatic, and some were even moved to tears. Witnessing the majesty of a god firsthand was an extraordinary experience, one impossible in real life. The developers understood this, which was why they went all out on these scenes. From the Mortal Gods to the Heroic Gods, and even the Mythical Gods, Regardless of rank, these rare moments became lifelong memories for yers. ¡°How incredible could it be?¡± Since the divine draw wasn¡¯t part of DemRock, Do-hyeon was curious. How amazing could it be for yers to react like that? That curiosity was about to be answered. [Hah! That line was great. I¡¯ve always wanted to say something like that.] ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡­Though it was a little different from what he¡¯d heard. Instead of a sacred temple radiating divinity, the surroundings were filled with insect eggs. [I was a bit worried, but it looks like my will has settled well¡­ The body moves properly too. Well, I don¡¯t make mistakes, do I? Hmmph. That old man just kept scaring people for no reason. No wonder he¡¯s stuck living in confinement.] The figure, clearly pleased with himself, puffed up his chest. There wasn¡¯t a shred of godly dignity about him. Reverence? Mystery? At first, Do-hyeon felt a hint of those emotions, but now it felt like he was looking at some neighborhood troublemaker. As Do-hyeon stared at him with a strange expression, Kashiar met his gaze and let out an exmation. [Is it you? The one who seeks to inherit my will?] ¡°¡­Yes.¡± [Hmm¡­] Floating cross-legged in the air, Kashiar slowly descended onto the box. He stroked his chin, staring intently at Do-hyeon, before nodding. [You pass.] ¡°¡­?¡± [Well, you look decent enough. If you seemed unworthy, I was nning to tell you to get lost, sessor or not.] ¡°¡­¡­¡± Was that something a god should say? Do-hyeon was dumbfounded by Kashiar¡¯s casual, almost delinquent tone. Ding-. [You have cleared the ss quest, ¡°Legacy of Destiny.¡±] [The ¡°Apostle of Kashiar¡± ss has been changed to ¡°Sessor of Kashiar.¡±] [You have acquired the title, ¡°Bearer of Kashiar¡¯s Will.¡±] [The first ability of ¡°Bearer of Kashiar¡¯s Will¡± has been unlocked.] [The Adventurer¡¯s Book has been opened.] [Adventurer¡¯s Book] [Legacy of Destiny (1/10)] [You have entered the ¡°Sessor¡± route instead of the traditional ¡°Apostle¡± route.] [A follow-up quest has been generated.] [Follow-up quest ¡°One Step Towards Truth¡± has been created. The quest will continue upon entering the City of Promise, Brion.] ¡°¡­?¡± Do-hyeon¡¯s face stiffened in shock at the sudden series of cleared notifications. ¡°This is it? Really?¡± Did I brace myself for this? The speed at which the quest cleared made his serious resolve feel pointless, leaving Do-hyeon bewildered. His disappointment was short-lived. ¡°Wait a second.¡± After thinking it over, Do-hyeon¡¯s face turned pale. A chill ran down his spine, and cold sweat dripped down his back. The fact that the quest had beenpleted with just a simple ¡°you pass¡± was significant. ¡°Crazy¡­ If he hadn¡¯t liked me, it would¡¯ve meant failure.¡± In other words, this man¡¯s casual words could¡¯ve immediately stripped him of his ss. All the hard-earned skills he had umted would¡¯ve be utterly useless. Do-hyeon had almost be the first unemployed yer in God of Savior. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Is this a god or a thug? Kang Do-hyeon couldn¡¯t hide his astonishment at the dubiousness, if not outrightck of qualification, in this supposed divine personality. ¡®Has the gamepanypletely lost its mind?¡¯ Having been cursed with atrocious luck even by DemRock¡¯s standards, Do-hyeon had endured many outrageous experiences, but this level of absurdity was on another level entirely. Sure, a broken bnce was one thing, but this defied all logic. Frankly, the only reason Do-hyeon seeded was because it was him; if any ordinary user had obtained this ss, they would have been forced to return it immediately after clearing Raven. This was because Do-hyeon¡¯s stats and other qualifications were far beyond what was typical for this stage. Whatever standard Kashiar had in mind, anyone falling short of it would lose the ss without even a chance to resist. ¡®No, could it be intentional?¡¯ Perhaps the intention was to prevent just anyone from inheriting it. ¡­No, no matter how rationally he tried to think about it, he couldn¡¯t help but curse inwardly. Sighing deeply, Do-hyeon calmed his agitated mind. ¡®At least I cleared it.¡¯ Despite the absurdity of the requirements, Do-hyeon had sessfully met them. Once again, he had made the correct decision. Some might say it was just hindsight, but a good result meant the decision was the right one. [To carry on my will, you must at least meet this standard. And¡­] Whether or not Do-hyeon cared, Kashiar, who had whimsically decided the fate of another, seemed utterly indifferent. His gaze shifted to Do-hyeon¡¯s side. [I¡¯m not sure what trick you used to control those things, but there must be a reason.] ¡®Those things?¡¯ Following his gaze, Do-hyeon turned to see Jihad, blinking nkly, and Elisa, pressing Jihad¡¯s cheeks with her fingers. [They aren¡¯t the type to follow just anyone.] ¡®Is he talking about Elisa and Jihad?¡¯ Jihad might be treated like a porter now, but given his secretive background, that made sense. But lumping Elisa in with him was unexpected. Still, it made sense upon reflection. A spider that parasitizes field bosses and hasn¡¯t reached full maturity even after 150 years is definitely unusual. The fact that Kashiar recognized it instantly¡­ ¡®Could it be?¡¯ Filled with tentative hope, Do-hyeon opened his mouth. ¡°Do you know who they are?¡± [What? Of course, I do. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve been dragging them around without knowing who they are?] ¡°¡­It just sort of happened.¡± [Wow, what kind of guy does that? Lucky or talented¡­ Whatever, I guess fate is fate.] Since when do gods use phrases like ¡°fate is fate¡±? No, the fact that such a phrase exists in God of Savior in the first ce is astonishing. But why? For some reason, Kashiar¡¯s expression seemed briefly darkened. However, it was fleeting. He quickly returned to his usual indifferent expression, though a hint of interest flickered in his eyes. [They¡¯re not fully mature yet¡­ But judging by the strength they exude, they¡¯re more than they seem.] Murmuring to himself, Kashiar smirked. [You¡¯re quite the intriguing sessor. You¡¯ll be fun to watch.] With his chiseled face, even a smirk looked like a work of art. ¡®Wow¡­ So that¡¯s why looks matter.¡¯ Even as a man, Kashiar¡¯s baritone voice and charisma were undeniable. Despite his thug-like personality, his appearance alone created amanding presence. The phrase ¡°appearance-based society¡± wasn¡¯t coined for nothing. If Kashiar were a user, wouldn¡¯t the Hero Guild¡¯s poprity have been cut in half? ¡®No, this isn¡¯t the point.¡¯ Distracted by admiration, Do-hyeon shook his head and attempted to ask what he was curious about. ¡°Then¡­¡± [You want to know what those things are, don¡¯t you?] ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Once again, Kashiar anticipated his question and cut him off with a grin. [Where¡¯s the fun in me telling you? You should figure it out yourself. That¡¯s what a master should do, isn¡¯t it?] ¡°¡­¡± As irritating as his attitude was, Kashiar was known as the God of War. Arguing would only result in loss. Who knows? He might even take back the ss. ¡®¡­It¡¯s entirely possible.¡¯ It sounded absurd, but based on their brief interaction, Kashiar seemed fully capable of doing so. With the preamble over, Kashiar floated down from the chest andnded on the ground. Now up close, he seemed evenrger. But more than his presence, Do-hyeon focused on Kashiar¡¯s next words. [We¡¯ve wasted enough time. Let¡¯s get straight to the point.] It was finally time to discuss Do-hyeon¡¯s ss quest. * * * The exnation wasn¡¯t lengthy. In fact, it was so brief that it felt almost too short. [Do you see the chest behind me? Inside it is my relic. It¡¯s imbued with my power, so it should be useful.] First came a quick exnation about the chest. Before he could get too absorbed in it, Kashiar continued. [Go to Brion. Someone will find you there. You¡¯ll get the details from them.] After saying this, Kashiar motioned towards the chest with a jerk of his chin. [If you understand, move quickly. Time is running out.] Do-hyeon grasped the meaning immediately and approached the chest without hesitation. Just as Kashiar said, something was inside. It was an old staff about 60 centimeters long with a modest thickness. Its shape was so nondescript it hardly seemed like a staff at all. ¡®This is the relic?¡¯ When one thinks of a divine relic, one imagines a special artifact imbued with a god¡¯s life story. It didn¡¯t have to be grandiose¡ªsomething like the Iron Axe of the Honorable Axe God would suffice¡ªbut this looked almost worthless. All his anticipation for a high-risk, high-reward payoff seemedughable. ¡®No, this can¡¯t be all there is.¡¯ Thinking there might be more, he flipped the chest upside down and shook it, but nothing else came out. [Hurry and pick it up. We¡¯re out of time.] ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Kashiar, who seemed frustrated by Do-hyeon¡¯s hesitation, furrowed his brows. Fearing that he might lose even this if he dyed, Do-hyeon instinctively grabbed the staff, prompting a system window to appear. [You have obtained the relic of the God of War, Kashiar, Thousand Transformations.] [Kashiar¡¯s will is about to disappear.] The name sounded more impressive than expected, momentarily capturing Do-hyeon¡¯s attention. Just then, Kashiar pped his hands. The sudden sound broke his concentration, and he looked at Kashiar. ¡°??¡± Do-hyeon was stunned. Vwoooong¡ª. ¡°What is this¡­!?¡± And it wasn¡¯t just Do-hyeon. Even Jihad and Elisa, who had been silently watching from the back, jumped in surprise. -H-Huh!? What¡¯s with the sudden magic circle!? -Li-LizaLiza! A massive magic circle had suddenly appeared on the floor. And it wasn¡¯t confined to the floor. It expanded endlessly, climbing the walls and covering the ceiling, enveloping the entire space. It wasn¡¯t a trap or ambush. [Why are you so surprised? Haven¡¯t you seen magic before?] The one responsible for all of this was Kashiar, who was now pressing his hand against the floor. Around his palm, the light was growing more intense. As expected of someone known as the All-Master, his mana was overwhelming. Jihad was even more astonished than Do-hyeon. -This is¡­ a spatial transfer!? -Liza¡­! -What kind of absurd mana¡­ The purity is off the charts!? ¡°A spatial transfer?¡± Do-hyeon was shocked as well. Space Transfer. It was magic that moved an entire space to a desired location, often regarded as the pinnacle of spatial magic. ¡®With just this one thing, the siege would have been over¡­.¡¯ That wasn¡¯t all. Even in raids where escape was impossible, having Space Transfer made it feasible to flee. Moreover, as long as one was within its range, the skill allowed for transfer without the target¡¯s consent, making its utility practically limitless. A skill truly deserving of the legendary-grade title! While it wasn¡¯t unusual for Kashiar, the All-Master, to wield it, what astonished Do-hyeon was the casting speed. [Space Transfer has been activated.] [You will be moved shortly.] [5¡­¡­.] ¡®What kind of speed is this¡­¡­?¡¯ Normally, Space Transfer took at least a minute to cast. Not to mention, it consumed an absurd amount of mana and immobilized the caster during that time. But Kashiar had activated the spell in mere seconds. [Tsk, this is taking too long since it¡¯s not the main body.] ¡®This is¡­¡­?¡¯ Yet, even this was apparently unsatisfactory, as Kashiar clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction. The thought that he was no ordinary deity arose naturally as Do-hyeon was mesmerized by the intensifying light, through which Kashiar¡¯s voice rang out. [Hey, now that I think about it, I didn¡¯t catch your name. What¡¯s your name?] ¡°¡­Kaiser.¡± [Kaiser¡­¡­ I see. I am Kashiar.] Now even his face was obscured by the light, making it hard to keep his eyes open. [3¡­¡­.] [2¡­¡­.] As he gauged the remaining time through sound instead of the system window, Kashiar¡¯s voice faintly echoed through the light. [See you next time, Kaiser. By then, perhaps¡­¡­ it will be¡­¡­.] [1¡­¡­.] In that instant, when the light exploded, engulfing his vision and disorienting his hearing, Do-hyeon had a sudden thought. ¡®Wait? Why is he using Space Transfer?¡¯ As a rule, when graduating and moving to the next continent, everyone crosses via a warp without exception. It wasn¡¯t possible to move through Space Transfer like this, nor was there anyone who did. In other words, Do-hyeon was being forcibly subjected to Space Transfer, not a safe warp, to an unknown destination. [¡­¡­eting.] ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± Hearing the faintly uttered words, Do-hyeon thought sincerely. This feels deeply unsettling. [The appointed time has passed, and Kashiar¡¯s will dissipates.] [You are being transported via Space Transfer.] And so, the forms of the three, including Do-hyeon, vanished. Kashiar, whose form slowly faded, gazed at the now-empty space they had upied. [Perhaps¡­¡­ this time, it might be different.] His expression held an inexplicable nuance. Closing his eyes gently, Kashiar turned to dust and disappeared, and the Egg Hatchery reverted to a state devoid of any traces. * * * Meanwhile, as Do-hyeon was encountering Kashiar¡¯s will, God of Savior was inplete chaos. The first stirrings of unrest came from the western forest of Raven. [The field boss, ¡®Spider Queen Elisa,¡¯ ruler of the western forest, has been defeated.] ¡°What?¡± ¡°No way, what the hell is this?¡± ¡°The boss hasn¡¯t even appeared, so how could it be defeated?¡± As if the boss disappearing wasn¡¯t baffling enough, now they were told the boss was dead? It wasn¡¯t a trick; it was simply too iprehensible to ept. Their outrage was only natural. ¡°Contact the gamepany immediately!¡± ¡°But what¡¯s going to change if we contact them? They never reply to us anyway.¡± ¡°Damn it, doesn¡¯t anyone have video recordings? Let¡¯s upload it on NewTube or something and spread the word!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m experiencing a bug like this in God of Savior. Did the AI go on vacation or something?¡± The murmuring grew louder, and some were usingmunication orbs to reach out to others. ¡°Yes, Vice Guild Master. It¡¯s true. The boss just disappeared, and then it said it was defeated.¡± -What are you saying? Does that even make sense? Are you sure you¡¯re not making this up? ¡°This is so unfair. I¡¯ll send you the recorded footage.¡± From mid-sized guilds torge guilds, users were reporting the incident to their guilds. But their voices suddenly fell silent at one particr moment. [The rankings for the First Trial have been updated.] ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What? What does that mean?¡± ¡°The rankings were updated?¡± A message appeared before them. The Raven rankings, which tracked up to the top 1000 yers, didn¡¯t change often but asionally shifted, so it wasn¡¯t entirely unheard of. But at this exact moment, it was a different story. ¡°How could it happen when the boss is gone?¡± ¡°You¡¯d have to defeat the boss to update the rankings.¡± How could the rankings change when the field boss, critical to the Graduation Quest, wasn¡¯t even there? Everyone immediately checked the updated rankings together. And curses erupted. ¡°Holy sh!?¡± ¡°This is insane¡­!¡± It was rare for such a diverse group of people to unanimously burst into profanity. Even those recording videos couldn¡¯t help but let out a string of curses. But there was nothing they could do. [First Trial Rankings] -1st: Kaiser S-Rank [1,471 points] -2nd: Myeolsal A-Rank [713 points] -3rd: ??? A-Rank [709 points] ¡­¡­ -7th: Heavenly Demon B+ Rank [649 points] -8th: Arther B+ Rank [641 points] -9th: yer B+ Rank [628 points] -10th: Berge B+ Rank [612 points] ¡°What the hell is this? Why is the ranking like this?¡± ¡°What? Am I seeing this wrong or something?¡± It was simply an unbelievable turn of events. Chapter 60 Chapter 60. Rank 1. The pinnacle position every ranker dreams of. Just like the overall rankings, thepetition for the ranking in the Graduation Quest was fierce. From Myeolsal to Arther, yer, Heavenly Demon, Berge¡­ The city¡¯s ranking was a constant battle among renowned rankers whose names alone carried weight. It was so intense that even those in the top 20 could suddenly lose their scores at any moment. Although they couldn¡¯t topple the towering castles of the top 10 guilds, there were always extraordinary talents and physical prodigies rising through the ranks. These yers proved their skills by conquering city rankings, with some reiming top 10 positions or, rarely, even seizing the number one spot. ¡°Crazy¡­¡± However, there were a few cities where such logic didn¡¯t apply. Cities where a throne¡¯s owner disyed supreme majesty, never relinquishing their rank since their initial ascent. One such throne belonged to Raven. While rankings elsewhere might fluctuate, the significance of being rank 1 in Raven was unparalleled. The current most popr yer, Myeolsal. This was the ce where he had first attempted and seeded in solo-killing a boss. ¡°Myeolsal lost his rank¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Since achieving the milestone of the first solo boss kill, he had never lost his rank as number one. It was an aplishment that solidified Myeolsal¡¯s current stature. But now, that myth had been shattered for the first time. ¡°Who on earth¡­ huh? Kaiser?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s that Kaiser??¡± ¡°Wait, but look at the score. 1,471¡­ this is insane! Is this even a real score!?¡± And the one to do it was a name that once wrote legends in DemRock. Whether the name was genuine or not was irrelevant. Bzzzt. Bzzzzt. ¡°Ah, yes! Guild leader.¡± ¡°Manager Jin Tae-hyung speaking.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m on-site now¡­¡± ¡°Understood, sir. I¡¯ll find out what happened immediately.¡± Even after ending one call, the incessant ringing ofmunications left them no room to breathe. The situation was several times more chaotic than when Philbo disappeared, forcing them to act swiftly. This whirlwind brought a fresh breeze into the once-calm God of Savior. And that wind spread not only to active yers but even to those who weren¡¯t currently logged in. The news had reached the central hub of information: the official God of Savior homepage. [Myeolsal Falls, A New Monarch Appears!?] [The Throne of the First Trial, Symbol of Myeolsal, Reimed! Who is the New Monarch?] [A Great Storm Hits Raven¡ªWhat Changes Lie Ahead?] [The Identity of the New Ruler¡ªIs It Someone We All Know?] Although the headlines were sensational, the initial response fromizens was lukewarm. ¨C RekKaSirryot: ¡°Here we go again, clickbait.¡± ¨C DisbeliefMaxLevel: ¡°Falling monarch, new king? Pfft¡­ who even buys this stuff?¡± ¨C MyeolsalToeLicker1Billion: ¡°Kaiser? Yeah, right. LOL.¡± They had encountered such exaggerated headlines too many times before. But as always, sensational titles are irresistible. Whether out of curiosity or to see how ridiculous the story was this time, people clicked. And the moment they checked it¡ª ¨C RekKaSirryot: ¡°Whoa, it¡¯s real!?¡± ¨C DisbeliefMaxLevel: ¡°Rank 1 actually changed? Wait, Myeolsal got pushed down!?¡± ¨C YourPoopColorTube: ¡°What the¡­ is this for real?¡± ¨C RealFact: ¡°This is legit.¡± The God of Savior gallery erupted into chaos. Every refresh brought new posts, and every article and news piece racked up views. ¡°Hurry and publish the article!¡± ¡°This is gold. Just write something¡ªanything¡ªand put it out there!¡± In a situation where nothing could match the traffic frenzy, journalists eagerly churned out sensational content, and users consumed the news ravenously. ¨C GOSRanker: ¡°So, who¡¯s number one now?¡± ¨C UltimateFallenWarrior: ¡°Damn it, if you¡¯re gonna spread this, at least tell us who the new rank 1 is!¡± People naturally focused their curiosity on the culprit behind this upheaval. Who was the person capable of dethroning Myeolsal and taking the number one spot? Fortunately, that question was answered quickly. ¨C Hey, there¡¯s info! This is crazy for real. ¨C What is it? Who is it!? Tell me! A follow-up article was posted, and rumors spread from yers who had been in the western forest of Raven. ¨C The new rank 1 is Kaiser! ¨C And they¡¯re apparently S-Rank!? ¨C Their score is more than double Myeolsal¡¯s! The moment this information was revealed¡ª ¨C ?? ¨C ???? ¨C ??? Countless hooks were thrown into the water. And for good reason. ¨C Kaiser? You mean that Kaiser? ¨C Why is Kaiser suddenly making an appearance? ¨C Didn¡¯t that guy quit gaming? Kaiser. Who was he? Wasn¡¯t he once the overwhelming rank 1 yer known as a god? Since God of Savior was the sequel to DemRock, the name ¡°Kaiser¡± carried tremendous weight. ¨C Wait, who¡¯s Kaiser again? ¨C Sounds vaguely familiar¡­ is he famous? ¨C What¡¯s the big deal, nerds? Why are you all so noisy? However, DemRock was a failed game. While the names of DemRock rankers were well-known in its early days, many current yers had no idea who Kaiser was. It was a natural progression. In the 1 year and 6 months during which he did not appear, God of Savior had be a game enjoyed by a billion people. This was on apletely different level from DemRock, which was yed by at most tens of millions worldwide. Not to mention, the decline of DemRock, which had be a dead game struggling to hit even double-digit concurrent users¡­ ¨C Wow, these days people don¡¯t know Kaiser. ¨C The end times are upon us.¡± ¨C God of Savior users who don¡¯t know Kaiser¡­ this is like bean paste bread without the bean paste. ¨C Stop over-glorifying him, geez. ¨C Over-glorifying? You must¡¯ve never yed DemRock, huh? Caught you, you troll. ¨C Even if you didn¡¯t y DemRock, any early God of Savior yer would know who he is, tsk tsk.¡± ¨C Oh yeah, I vaguely remember people going nuts, asking why Kaiser wasn¡¯t ying back when all the old DemRock rankers were being re-examined. To yers who remembered Kaiser, theck of recognition felt uneptable, and the ensuing cognitive dissonance caused chaos in the forums. Nostalgic fans reminiscing about Kaiser shed with those dismissing the ¡°idolization¡± of him. Normally, the trolls would have won such arguments, but this time was different. ¨C Forget glorification, just look at the score. Isn¡¯t that enough of an answer? ¨C No need to argue. The rankings say it all. ¨C For real, it¡¯s overwhelming. RIP Myeolsal~. ¨C King, Emperor¡­ they¡¯re just humans before a god. ¨C I was the guy who bet my left nut that Kaiser would defeat Myeolsal in 10 seconds a year and a half ago. I kept my nut. Thank you. ¨C Myeolsal will remember this day. Rank 1, with a score of 1,471 and an S-rank record. It was an undeniable and clear achievement. No matter how much one argued, the simple statement ¡°Rank 1 is Kaiser¡± ended the conversation. As a result, people stopped discussing how amazing Kaiser was. Instead, they focused on something else. ¨C So, is this really the Kaiser we know? ¨C I mean¡­ I find it hard to believe. No news for so long, then suddenly this? ¨C But looking at the score, it¡¯s hard to believe it¡¯s anyone but Kaiser. ¨C Seriously, every time I see the score, I¡¯m baffled. 1,471 points? How does that even happen? Is that a real score? ¨C For real though; isn¡¯t Raven¡¯s Graduation Quest just hunting the Philbo? That¡¯s supposed to max out at around 700 points. ¨C 700 points? He doubled that, LOL. ¨C So it¡¯s possible to get an S-rank in Raven? I thought even A-rank was practically impossible no matter what you did. ¨C I really want to see Myeolsal¡¯s reaction to this. ¨C For real LOL, losing rank 1 by double the score? Myeolsal¡¯s fans must be going crazy. The ridiculousness of the score naturally drew attention. ¨C Which means¡­ no matter how you think about it, right? ¨C Wow¡­ I thought I¡¯d never see him again, but to witness this moment in my life.¡± ¨C Everyone, take off your clothes and scream! It was a moment people found hard to believe, an unprecedented event in God of Savior¡¯s history, and it was sending a clear message. ¨C Kaiser has returned! ¨C The god has returned! The undisputed number one of DemRock. The true owner of the glorious throne. Kaiser, who had be a forgotten hero of the past, was back. At that moment, the name ¡°Kaiser¡± was vividly etched into the minds of God of Savior yers. Bang! And it wasn¡¯t just the ordinary yers. ¡°Move quickly!!¡± ¡°How is it possible that no one knew Kaiser had reached rank 1 in Raven until now? There were dozens of users near the Spider¡¯s Web!¡± ¡°Catch him, no matter what! If another guild snatches him up, we¡¯re all doomed.¡± ¡°What the hell were you doing in Arde until now? Why are you only stirring up trouble now?¡± The news spread like wildfire, even reaching the leaders of guilds. From mid-sized guilds to the major ones that everyone knew by name¡­ countless guilds jumped into action. The top 10 guilds, with their cumbersome processes and mutual wariness, were likely hesitating, so the rest had to act swiftly. ¡®What kind of insane score is this¡­ is this the true skill of the former top ranker?¡¯ ¡®So it¡¯s possible to get an S-rank in Raven?¡¯ ¡®This is seriously crazy¡­¡¯ Kaiser was a catch worth pursuing. Not just any catch, but a once-in-a-lifetime prize capable of elevating a guild¡¯s status by at least one tier. ¡®But no matter how incredible Kaiser is, he¡¯s starting a year and a halfte. Overturning the established order is impossible.¡¯ ¡®Kaiser probably knows that too.¡¯ ¡®This is a deration. A statement that he¡¯s back, daring anyone to satisfy him.¡¯ ¡®If the top 10 guilds move, it¡¯ll be toote. We need to scout him first. If that fails, at least we need to leave a good impression!¡¯ For them, this was the only chance. Of course, not everything in life goes as nned. Kaiser could be the sweetest fruit they could imagine, but if things went wrong, he could be the deadliest poison. ¡®If it really doesn¡¯t work¡­ it might be better to destroy him than let someone else have him.¡¯ ¡®The guild that takes Kaiser will be the next top contender. If we can¡¯t im that symbolism, it¡¯s better to take it all down.¡¯ At that time, Kaiser¡¯s low level would be a critical factor. Prepared for anything that might happen, they moved with lightning speed, converging on a single ce as if prearranged. The City of Promise, Brion. The second city on the main continent, where the stage of Abtartel truly begins. ¡°We made it! We¡¯re first in line!¡± ¡°Damn, look at those rat-like bastards swarming in.¡± ¡°Hey, no cutting in line!¡± ¡°What? You wanna fight? Do you even know which guild we are, you insolent wretch?¡± The area in front of the warp point, which marked the beginning of the city, was crowded with scouts. The narrow warp point was packed with hundreds of users, drawing scowls from passing yers. ¡°What¡¯s with those people? Why are they all gathered here?¡± ¡°Ugh, how annoying¡­ it¡¯s probably some guild nonsense.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard? Kaiser came back. He hit rank 1 in Raven right after returning, and now everyone¡¯s scrambling to recruit him.¡± ¡°Kaiser? No way, that Kaiser?¡± ¡°Whoa¡­ I saw the rankings, but it was real?¡± As word naturally spread among the yers, more discussions arose. ¡°Damn guild people, they¡¯ve never had a shred of decency. Do I have to put up with noise pollution even in a game?¡± ¡°Ugh, I guess I¡¯ll just avoid this mess.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s watch. I wanna see who manages to recruit him.¡± ¡°I need to finish a quest¡­ but I can¡¯t miss this. Let¡¯s go.¡± Some grumbled and moved on, but many were curious to see who would emerge victorious in this fiercepetition. How long had it been since the ce had be so bustling for so many reasons? ¡°Kaiser!¡± ¡°Huh? Who are you?¡± ¡°Ah, sorry¡­ um, are you Kaiser? Could I¡­ uh, sorry!¡± Time passed, and instead of thinning out, the crowd only grewrger, bing an overwhelming sea of people. Even as they constantly approached strangers to ask, no one had managed to find Kaiser. At this point, they couldn¡¯t help but question. ¡°?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why hasn¡¯t he shown up?¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 61 Chapter 61 The moment Kaiser appeared through the warp had long passed¡ª30 minutes had gone by, yet there wasn¡¯t even a shadow of him. Still, they waited. He might not arrive immediately; sometimes, these things took a bit of time. No one here was impatient enough to give up just because they had to wait a little for someone as significant as Kaiser. But as one hour passed, then two, then three, they could no longer ignore the reality. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s ying us right now?¡± ¡°Ugh, feels like he¡¯s deliberately making us wait.¡± It became clear that Kaiser was intentionally stalling. Amon tactic used before an interview to mentally exhaust the scouts and assert dominance. Or, sometimes, to wait for the right timing to get what one wanted¡ªsomething scouts despised the most. And yet, it was something they had experienced all too often. High-profile yers always used this method to gain a favorable position right from the start. ¡°Argh! Forget it. Let¡¯s just camp out here. We¡¯ll rotate shifts and keep watch. What can he do? Not graduate forever?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see who breaks first. Gather everyone whose schedules are free¡ªor make them free¡ªand form at least five-man rotations. Eight-hour shifts.¡± ¡°Guildmaster, it seems like he¡¯s stalling on purpose. Yes, understood.¡± None of the scouts were willing to give up so easily over something so trivial. On the contrary, they seemed to be fired up, theirpetitive spirits aze. ¡®If I seal this deal, I¡¯ll get promoted right away.¡¯ ¡®My wife won¡¯t nag me for at least three months.¡¯ ¡®Hyeyeon¡¯s been asking for a Jeju Ind trip. I¡¯ll make it happen with this.¡¯ ¡®Please¡­ I¡¯ve got overdue loans.¡¯ As they clung to their own motivations, an intense battle of patience ensued, but even then, the top 10 guilds remained seated, immovable. Only somerge guilds, initially hesitant, began cautiously joining the scene. Among them was one of the few guilds capable of challenging the top 10¡ªthe Hero Guild. Inside the guild¡¯s office. ¡°¡­It seems like he¡¯s stalling. Yes.¡± Berge, a yer who consistently ranked within the top five of guild master poprity polls. Although his good looks often overshadowed it, he was a hero with power and influence that rivaled mostrge guilds. Through spies he had nted in advance, he was privy to all the information. ¡°Keep an eye on things for now. Contact me immediately if anything changes.¡± ¡°Yes, understood.¡± Berge ended themunication with a dispassionate expression. He looked utterly indifferent, as though the situation failed to stir any emotion in him. However, anyone who knew him would realize this wasn¡¯t the case. Tap. Tap. Tap. He lightly tapped his desk with his index finger¡ªa habit he had when he was deep in thought. After a moment of consideration, he made his first move. ¡°Did you call for me, Guildmaster?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Berge¡¯s warm smile seemed like a scene from a spring-themed photo shoot, but the expressions of the two men standing before him were stiff. They knew the truth. Their master¡¯s smile was often a harbinger of danger. ¡°Bastardsword, OmazingPdin¡­ Your names are always so unique.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Tap, tap¡­ The faint tapping sound filled the silent office. Though soft, to them it seemed to echo directly in their minds. The paper their guild master was looking at also weighed heavily on their thoughts. ¡®Did I make a mistake?¡¯ ¡®Could it be¡­ that incident? No, there¡¯s no way that got found out.¡¯ ¡®If it had, he wouldn¡¯t have summoned just the two of us.¡¯ Gulp. Bastardsword swallowed nervously. Berge opened his mouth just as Bastardsword was about to lose himself in his thoughts. ¡°How¡¯s the Raven elimination progressing?¡± ¡°¡­Of course, it¡¯s proceeding well.¡± Startled for a moment, both Bastardsword and OmazingPdin responded immediately. Berge nodded as he scrutinized them. Then, as his lips parted again, the two men tensed, cold sweat forming on their brows. ¡°You may leave now.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± It was such an unexpected remark that they froze, unable to process the situation. Unintentionally, they stared at the guild master as if pleading for rification. Berge didn¡¯t bother repeating himself; he merely smiled once more. Realizing the situation, Bastardsword quickly bowed. ¡°Ah, yes. We¡¯ll take our leave, Guildmaster.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°Right this way.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn A secretary guided the two out tactfully, leaving Berge alone in the office once again. Shortly after, the secretary returned, and Berge greeted him kindly. ¡°Good work. You had a lot on your te today, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Not at all, it¡¯s my duty.¡± ¡°Then, could you handle one more task before calling it a day?¡± ¡°What is it¡­?¡± Despite hisrge build, the secretary asked cautiously. Berge replied casually, as if it were no big deal. ¡°Remove those two from the guild. Also, make sure they¡¯re included in the Raven elimination case.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°Do I need to repeat myself?¡± ¡°No, sir. I¡¯ll pass the message along.¡± ¡°Thank you for your effort.¡± Berge smiled again as the secretary left. His expression turned cold once the room was empty. ¡°Fools always think they won¡¯t get caught.¡± The ones who believed that the visible world was all there was and ced blind faith in that limited perspective. He casually tossed the report onto his desk and turned his chair to face the window. The bright sky came into view. He enjoyed looking at the scenery outside from here because the clouds were so clear. ¡°Outside and inside, they¡¯re the same,¡± he muttered indifferently. A smile crept onto Berge¡¯s lips again. However, this smile was somehow different from his usual one. It wasn¡¯t the warm, spring-like smile but rather a faintly bitter and cold one. Behind him, the paper he had discarded was filled with an evaluation report on one individual. [Presumed to be Ijero.] [ss: Swordsmanship-based.] [Unconfirmed, but presumed to be a Weapon Master.] [No other information avable.] [Additional Notes:] [The individual presumed to be Kaiser had conflicts with AssassinBoy¡¯s party. Additionally, guild member Bastardsword was entangled with¡­ AssassinBoy¡­ Predicting guild image damage¡­ (truncated).] ¡°Kaiser¡­ Not exactly a name I wanted to hear,¡± he thought while gazing at the clouds beyond the window. He wondered how the man, who never acted as expected, would move. Though he couldn¡¯t be certain, he could make an educated guess. Whatever it was, it would undoubtedly cause a massive ripple, and it might even involve him in some way. ¡°That¡¯s probably just paranoia,¡± he reassured himself. Of course, it was an overblown worry. He was the leader of the Hero Guild, a force that aimed to rival the top ten guilds. Meanwhile, Kaiser was nothing more than a relic of past glory. Even though his first-ce ranking in Raven proved his skills were still sharp, there was no reason to be wary. ¡°Things won¡¯t be so easy for him in Brion.¡± Kaiser¡¯s glory would end in Raven. If he hadn¡¯t outgrown his old habits from DemRock, then his struggles in Brion were inevitable. ¡°There¡¯s no way you¡¯ll manage there.¡± Not just because of Brion¡¯s unique characteristics, but because of one undeniable fact. Berge himself was the current number one ranker in Brion. No matter how exceptional Kaiser might be, he couldn¡¯t surpass him in Brion. The fallen hero would soon be forgotten by the public. With that thought, Berge erased Kaiser from his mind. He had too many tasks at hand to waste energy on someone who was still in the lower levels. [Reckless PK¡­ A hero is needed.] [Endless distrust and broken faith¡­ Only the Hero Guild can resolve this.] [Countless cries for salvation directed at the Hero Guild¡­] [Hero Guild, proiming itself the savior!] The world was filled with trash, and just as many people needed him. Berge stood as the cornerstone of the fortress he had built over many years. * * * Meanwhile, Do-hyeon, who had suddenly be the center of the world¡¯s attention¡­ ¡°Li¡­za¡­¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ Dizzy¡­¡± While Elisa and Jihad were struggling to steady their dizzy minds and grasp the situation, Do-hyeon calmly observed his surroundings. It wasn¡¯t that users were immune to the nausea caused by spatial transfer. [You are afflicted with the status ailment ¡®Nausea¡¯ for 5 seconds.] [Hero Trait activates.] [Immune to mental contamination due to Hero Trait.] The sole w of spatial transfer¡ªnausea. Although it was ssified as mental contamination, the Hero Trait negated it entirely. It was an unexpected benefit. With the Hero Trait, Do-hyeon could utilize spatial transfer more effectively than anyone else. But that wasn¡¯t the important matter at the moment. ¡°Where am I?¡± The cool sensation of marble under his palm caught his attention as he touched the cracked floor. The damage wasn¡¯t limited to the floor¡ªwalls and ceilings all showed significant wear. The overall atmosphere exuded an air of decay. This ce, which had endured the passage of time, appeared to be a temple. ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem like the Grand Temple.¡± It didn¡¯t resemble Brion¡¯s iconic Grand Temple, which was said to exude divinity just from a nce. The overwhelming sanctity that inspired reverence and even a sudden surge of faith was unmistakable. In contrast, this ce could generously be called a temple, though in reality, it was more of a ruin. Its ambiance and decorations barely qualified it as a temple; otherwise, one wouldn¡¯t even recognize it as such. ¡°¡­Is this really Brion?¡± Although there were other temples in Brion, a dpidated one like this was improbable. The doubt was justified, but fortunately, it seemed he was indeed in Brion. [You have entered the second city of the main continent, ¡®City of Promise, Brion.¡¯] [The City of Promise, Brion, is also known as the Holy City and the Divine Sanctuary. With the help of the priests, connect with your deity.] [You can receive ss quests in Brion.] [Tip: If you want to lower your Karma value, seek the blessings of a high priest!] This weing message greeted Do-hyeon as he set foot in Brion for the first time. He had been genuinely worried about being sent somewhere bizarre by that crazy god, so this was a relief. He exhaled a quiet sigh of relief. ¡°Thatmotion¡­ So, today is the day,¡± a heavy bass voice resonated through the air. Though it seemed low and quiet, the voice rang out clearly, as if filling the entire space. It was hard to pinpoint the direction of the sound, but Do-hyeon quickly located its source. ¡°It¡¯s earlier than the prophesied day, but perhaps this too is destiny,¡± the voice said. He didn¡¯t have to search long¡ªthe owner of the voice was already approaching him. In contrast to the deep voice, the figure was a short man. Standing just over 160 centimeters with a small build and skin wrinkled with age, the figure was an old man wrapped in tattered robes. Though he appeared frail, the aura he exuded was anything but small. ¡°Master, be cautious. There¡¯s something unsettling about him,¡± said Jihad, sensitive to mana. ¡°Liza-Liza¡­¡± Elisa added weakly. ¡°¡­Yeah. He does seem that way,¡± Do-hyeon muttered in agreement. Even without their warnings, Do-hyeon could feel the tension in the atmosphere, the heavy air prickling against his skin. ¡°Is he an enemy?¡± No. There wasn¡¯t any clear hostility. Judging from the context, he seemed like an NPC, but the namete above his head, which read ¡°???¡±, put Do-hyeon on edge. He had never encountered anything like this during his time ying God of Savior. However, that sense of caution melted away the moment the old man came closer. With a smooth motion, the man respectfully bowed his head. ¡°This aura¡­ It¡¯s unmistakable. I¡¯ve been waiting for you, sessor of His will.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Do-hyeon uttered, caught off guard. ¡°My name is Gamillion Adran. As a member of the Adran family, who have served royalty since the beginning of time, I have awaited this moment,¡± the old man introduced himself. His calm gaze revealed unshakeableposure, yet beneath ity unmistakable emotions¡ªjoy, reverence, and tion. In response, Do-hyeon¡¯s eyes gradually widened. He saw the notification appear before him. [You have encountered the Hidden NPC ¡®Gamillion Adran.¡¯] [It will be recorded in the Adventure Book.] [The ss quest ¡®One Step Towards Truth¡¯ has begun. Listen to him speak of the erased history of humanity.] [One Step Towards Truth] ¨C Rank: ???, ss Quest ¨C Description: Kashiar, thest human and final adventurer. As the one inheriting his will, you must learn the ultimate truth. Hear the truth from the Hidden NPC ¡®Gamillion Adran.¡¯ ¨C Quest Sess: Unlocks the derivative quest ¡®Gamillion¡¯s Trial¡¯ and initiates the main storyline. ¨C Quest Failure: Deletes the ss quest and strips the ss. [You cannot decline this quest.] [Sess will unlock the Main Quest category.] ¡°A Hidden NPC? A Main Quest?¡± Even as he read the quest window, Do-hyeon couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing. Staring nkly at the screen, he muttered quietly to himself. ¡°This is insane¡­¡± It was the first discovery of a Main Quest in the history of God of Savior. Chapter 62 Chapter 62 God of Savior (GOS) lives up to its title as another world, boasting a vast universe. A world filled with numerous quests, hidden fields, and relics, all of which are recorded in the Adventure Book upon discovery. The beauty of GOS was something that reality could never fulfill. By their own ounts, once someone tastes this adventure, they suffer an intense dissatisfaction that reality¡¯s travels cannot soothe. These yers focused more on adventure than character progression, often referred to as ¡°casual gamers¡± rather than ¡°hardcore yers.¡± However, excelling in any field inevitably brings fame. Even in the field of adventure, reaching the top meant gaining poprity akin to that of a celebrity. Adventure King, Barion. He was a prime example of this phenomenon. Disying an unparalleled obsession with adventure, his fanatic dedication to exploration was unrivaled. A man more devoted to the world of Abtartel than anyone else. His near-maniacal pursuit of anything that could be recorded in the Adventure Book made the title ¡°Adventure King¡± well-deserved. That very obsession granted him the mostplete Adventure Book anyone had ever seen. Rumors circted that there was nothing in the discovered continents that Barion hadn¡¯t found. Yet, even Barion failed to uncover one thing. -The Main Quest. As a staple of RPG games, the main quest is directly tied to the world¡¯s lore, making it an indispensable feature. There was no way the yers of GOS wouldn¡¯t search for it. Many yers, including Barion, sought the main quest. -Everyone kept asking me about it. From the start of the open beta to now, 1 year and 6 monthster, I can say this with confidence. He spoke with conviction. -There is no main quest in GOS. Or perhaps it hasn¡¯t been unlocked yet. Regardless, at this moment, it¡¯s impossible to obtain the main quest. He dered there was no main quest. Whether it was locked or not, at least for now, the main quest did not exist, so there was no point in looking for it. His interview, delivered with a bitter expression, spread rapidly worldwide, and yers nodded in agreement. -If even the Adventure King couldn¡¯t find it, then it doesn¡¯t exist. -I¡¯ve never seen Barion so frustrated. He must have really searched everywhere and found nothing. -If Barion says so, it¡¯s believable. Barion¡¯s reputation as an unrelenting adventurer was well-known. -Is Barion a god? Just because he didn¡¯t find it doesn¡¯t mean it doesn¡¯t exist. -Exactly, lol. Who cares about Barion? This is an RPG, after all. How can there be no main quest? -Kids these days get swayed too easily by famous yers. Doubters existed, of course, but their voices were quickly drowned out. Barion¡¯s obsessive reputation was no ordinary one. -Have you ever seen Barion adventure? The guy¡¯s not normal. -For real. I¡¯ve never seen anyone swim through Elephant Dung Water barehanded just to find a single Adventure Book clue. -That¡¯s mild. He once caught bugs to tear them apart piece by piece, searching for a hidden recipe. -Oh, I saw that. I remember watching his stream when he suddenly vomited green liquid. -Damn it, I was eating.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om -Okay, okay, I believe you. Just stop talking, please. And really, there was no need to rely on Barion¡¯s word. Even the top 10 guilds had tried and failed to find any hint of the main quest. If the so-called best in GOS couldn¡¯t find it despite their efforts, what could ordinary yers say to argue against it? The conclusion that the main quest hadn¡¯t been unlocked yet became a widely epted truth in GOS. ¡®Yeah, that¡¯s true¡­.¡¯ Even beginners knew this basic fact, and because of it, Do-hyeon never entertained the idea of looking for the main quest. To be precise, he didn¡¯t have the time. At least not until he¡¯d progressed further in the Empire. He was too focused on leveling to try anything else. Yet¡­ [Job Quest ¡°One Step Closer to the Truth¡± has begun. Listen to the erased history of humanity from him.] ¡­ [This quest cannot be declined.] [Sessfullypleting this quest will unlock the main quest.] ¡®¡­Is this really showing up here?¡¯ So, the main quest was here all along? And it wasn¡¯t even like he¡¯d been searching for it¡ªhe¡¯d stumbled upon it while clearing a job quest. Even the job quest hade from discovering a new, hidden route by chance. ¡®Wow, so if I had followed the standard route, I would¡¯ve lost the main quest too?¡¯ Realizing this made his decision feel like a stroke of genius. Had he gone the safe, standard route, he might never have encountered the main quest for the entirety of GOS¡¯s lifespan. It was a near-miss situation, but he couldn¡¯t help feeling dumbfounded. ¡®Why is the main quest tied to a job quest?¡¯ No wonder yers couldn¡¯t find it, no matter how hard they tried. To uncover the hidden deity Kashiar, and then proceed along a non-standard job quest route, only to finally unlock the main quest¡­ And finding the hidden deity required the Eye of Truth, which could only be obtained by defeating the Ironblooded Dragon in the tutorial¡­ When he broke it down, it seemed like a series of improbable coincidences had to align perfectly. ¡®What was the developer thinking when they made this?¡¯ To be frank, Do-hyeon had only acquired this by sheer luck. It made him wonder if anyone else could ever uncover the main quest like this. No wonder a year and six months had passed without a single clue surfacing. ¡®All that suffering back then was worth it.¡¯ If he hadn¡¯t defeated that monster during the tutorial, he wouldn¡¯t have gained so many traits or reached the main quest. Thinking about it now filled him with pride and excitement. Wasn¡¯t he the only one progressing through the main quest in all of GOS? The very thought made his heart race. Feelings he hadn¡¯t experienced since DemRock¡¯s decline were resurfacing with every moment he spent ying GOS. So this was why everyone raved about it being a masterpiece. But now wasn¡¯t the time to indulge in excitement. He still had things to prepare for first. ¡°Sessor? Did I do something to make you ufortable?¡± ¡°Ah, no. I was just lost in thought for a moment.¡± ¡°I see. Then, may I share a story that you absolutely must know?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Please, have a seat here. The two of you may sit as well.¡± -Kiruk! Good. -Lizaliza! A tragedy that could not fill a page in history, torn apart and forgotten. ¡°This is the life story of Kashiar and the truth of a history now erased. I will tell you how humanity was in the past, how strong and fierce they were¡­¡± It was time to hear the forgotten truths of human history. * * * The story went back 1,456 years. As described in the exnation of the Final Adventurer when first selecting a god, humanity of the past was quite different from humanity now. Humans were a race blessed with all of Abtartel¡¯s gifts. Dwarves, talented in handling fire and iron. Elves, with unmatched harmony with nature and dexterity. Orcs, born with robust physiques and exceptional fertility¡­ Unlike other races that were born with only one or two areas of potential, humans were born with outstanding potential in every field. If that wasn¡¯t a blessing, what else could it be? ¡®That¡¯s the reason I can use the skills of all sses.¡¯ Despite their short lifespan, humans could build a stronger power than anyone else. Explosive potential made up for the drawback of a short life. Humans had even reached one of the five Thrones, the rulers of Abtartel, proving how powerful they had been. One of those rulers was the Archdragon, Lord of Magic¡ªa dragon, no less. But here arose a question. ¡®Then why are humans of today different from ancient humans?¡¯ Why had such powerful humans be weakerpared to other races? Why couldn¡¯t they show talent in all areas anymore? ¡°Humans were truly mighty, and the title of one of the five rulers was not undeserved. Given enough time, they seemed likely to rise even higher. Yes, if only they had been given more time.¡± Humanity had the potential to be the ultimate predator, but tragically, time was not on their side. Just as they had barely settled into their ce as one of the rulers, ¡°they¡± invaded. ¡°By ¡®they,¡¯ you mean¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve probably guessed by now. The despicable beings who now dominate andmand others, known as ¡®gods.¡¯¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The shocking statement caused Jihad to react even more dramatically than Do-hyeon. ¡®Gods? Gods are the masterminds?¡¯ ¡®Lizaliza!?¡¯ ¡®Whoa¡­ gods, as in the constetions shining in the night sky? So, the constetions are the enemies, Master?¡¯ ¡®Liza¡­!¡¯ Jihad¡¯s jaw dropped open repeatedly, clearly in shock, while Elisa mirrored his expression in agreement beside him. Then, seeing Do-hyeon¡¯s calm demeanor, they muttered in disbelief. ¡®Master isn¡¯t even surprised!? As expected of Sata¡­ No, I mean, amazing.¡¯ ¡®Be quiet so I can focus.¡¯ ¡®¡­Okay.¡¯ ¡®Liza¡­¡¯ Jihad mimicked zipping his lips shut, and Elisa followed suit. Do-hyeon let out a sigh at the sight. It wasn¡¯t that Do-hyeon wasn¡¯t surprised. ¡®So, this is what was mentioned in the ss description.¡¯ It was just that having seen a summarized exnation when changing sses, he could ept it more easily. Still, hearing it spoken aloud gave it a different weight. ¡°The great war, Ragnarok, only ended with the destruction of the divine realm. The gods, having lost their foothold, turned their gaze to Abtartel.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Suddenly, beings iming to be gods demanded allegiance. Who would follow them? Many races resisted, and ultimately, war broke out.¡± Hearing it directly conveyed a scale far beyond what text could describe. This wasn¡¯t just a war with humanity but a conflict between all of Abtartel and the gods, involving even the five rulers of the Thrones. Yet the gods were powerful. The war, which spanned hundreds of years, led to the extinction of many races and destroyed a third of the beautiful, vastnd of Abtartel. ¡°But the gods suffered significant losses too.¡± Six gods who had formed myths were killed, along with countless others. Even the five rulers, with their immense power, were forces the gods couldn¡¯t ignore. Although both sides suffered greatly in the thousand-year war that followed, the gods still held the upper hand. The five rulers, losing their strongholds and power, faced restrictions of space, while time worked in favor of the gods. At this rate, the fall of Abtartel seemed inevitable. ¡°They say heroes are born in times of chaos. It was then that a man appeared.¡± Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Ironically, it was a single human who turned the tide of this war. A man who was once royalty of a small kingdom. This young man, barely over thirty, entered the battlefield alone and ultimately achieved the feat of killing four Mythical Gods. ¡°The strongest man in the history of Abtartel, and the most unfortunate one.¡± The Sole God of War, the Battle God. Now he was known as the Final Adventurer, the Martial Emperor, Kashiar, who gathered all of humanity, scattered by war, into one ce. Because of him, the situation shifted, and the gods could no longer recklessly interfere with humanity. Instead, the gods found themselves at a disadvantage, having to face all five rulers. ¡®Wow¡­ was that guy really this amazing?¡¯ ¡®What an incredible person¡­ Master. It seems that personality and strength are inversely proportional.¡¯ ¡®? Why are you looking at me while saying that? Do you want to die?¡¯ ¡®Ah, no. It¡¯s a misunderstanding, Master.¡¯ ¡®R-Right, Liza, Liza!¡¯ Seeing Elisa urgently intervene to mediate, Do-hyeon let the matter slide with a sigh of admiration. The man had titles as grand as his feats, and since he had even opened the main quest, it was clear how extraordinary he was. He was on a level where even the average gods would pale inparison. ¡°So, what happened next?¡± -Liza! Unable to contain his curiosity, Do-hyeon urged for more. It wasn¡¯t because he found the strength of his profession exciting or anything like that. At that moment, Gamillion¡¯s expression, which had been smiling faintly, darkened. ¡°We seemed to be on the verge of driving them out¡­ until ¡®they¡¯ appeared.¡± Fate was cruel. One-third of Abtartel disappeared, and countless races and gods perished in an instant, leaving behind immense divine relics and demonic energy that consumed thend. A relentless darkness and an endless abyss. A new race, born from the mingled remnants of gods and races. ¡°The Abyss.¡± They appeared across Abtartel, devouring not only intact cities but even entire kingdoms. The terror of the ground suddenly sinking into darkness. Now, the inhabitants of Abtartel were forced to fight not only the gods but also the horrors of the Abyss. The true terror of the Abyssy in its ability to consume those who fell into it. ¡°Corrupted gods returned as part of the Abyss, and formerrades came back as monsters. It was a war of unspeakable cruelty where we had to kill those we once shared meals and dreams with.¡± At this rate, it was obvious that Abtartel would be destroyed. Even the gods didn¡¯t want that. For them, Abtartel was the most suitable ce to im as their domain. Eventually, they pondered and made a decision. The five rulers chose their path. -To sacrifice humanity. Gods, who grew stronger through faith, relied primarily on humanity¡¯s belief. Given the nature of such gods, it was inevitable to dominate humanity. In the end, the gods decided to settle for the position of rulers over humanity, and the five rulers epted their proposal. It was far better to sacrifice one race and opt for coexistence than to face total annihtion. ¡°This was something that even Lord Kashiar and humanity agreed to. Or rather, they had no choice. However, Lord Kashiar had no intention of epting it without a fight.¡± Though he was swiftly sealed away, unable to leave his confinement, Kashiar did not give up. He used hisst remaining strength to create a ¡®hope¡¯ that would one day save humanity. Just before being sealed, he managed to extract the vessel that formed his essence. Although it was shattered into fragments due to the power of the seal, it was sufficient. [Only thepleted ¡®Destiny¡¯ will be able to reach me.] The eternal seal would be undone on the day destiny was fulfilled. Leaving behind those words, Kashiar and humanity disappeared with a small glimmer of hope. Those who knew the truth of history vanished as well, and the humanity of today, having diluted his bloodline, lost its once-boundless potential. ¡°If there was any variable, it was the sudden appearance of beings from another world¡­ but they were clever. They decided to use them instead.¡± The otherworldly beings, or users, were corrupted by the Abyss before fully crossing over into Abtartel, destroying the vessel and creating a new one to serve as apostles. It was a strategy that capitalized on the immortality trait of the otherworldly beings, and it worked perfectly. The strong immortals became apostles of the gods, gaining fame, which in turn boosted the gods¡¯ authority and faith. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°N-Nothing.¡± At that point, Do-hyeon couldn¡¯t help but be startled. He had finally resolved one of his lingering questions. ¡®So that¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t choose Tyr.¡¯ The reason he had no choice but to select Kashiar. It was because his first choice, the Mythical God One-Armed Sword God Tyr, had been invalidated. Looking back now, it all made sense. Do-hyeon had retained the vessel of an adventurer rather than that of an apostle. In a way, he had already gained eligibility to reach this moment from the very beginning. ¡®Thinking of it that way, it¡¯s kind of amazing.¡¯ Was it coincidence or fate? It was funny to talk about such things in a game, but the circumstances were just that uncanny. As he pondered, Gamillion continued his story, which was now nearing its end. ¡°It was an agonizingly long wait. Every moment, we wanted to tear those detestable things apart, but we endured. Waiting only for the foretold moment when the sessor would arrive¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Gamillion¡¯s eyes gleamed as he stared into the void. It was as if he could vividly see his enemies before him, his raw hatred tearing through the air. Realizing Do-hyeon¡¯s presence, Gamillion calmed himself and concluded in a low voice. ¡°And thus, after an eternal span of 997 years, the sessor has finally appeared. Though it was originally prophesied to be a thousand years¡­ this, too, must be fate.¡± Ding- [You have learned the truth of Abtartel¡¯s lost history.] [It has been recorded in the Adventure Book.] [You have cleared the ss quest, ¡®One Step Toward the Truth.¡¯] Although the messages appeared, Do-hyeon focused on Gamillion¡¯s final words. ¡®A thousand years?¡¯ What could that possibly mean? ¡®He said 997 years have passed¡­ so does that mean the contents were meant to be revealed three yearster?¡¯ In other words, the main quest would have normally progressed three yearster. Do-hyeon had advanced it ahead of schedule. It might not have unfolded in this form, but regardless, it was undeniably monumental. ¡®It¡¯s been a year and six months since the gameunched¡­ Crazy, so this was a storyline that would¡¯ve been revealed after roughly five years?¡¯ Five years in real time is one thing, but five years in a game is monumental. Even Do-hyeon, a seasoned veteran in DemRock, had only been a user for three years. Five years is a point where yers don¡¯t just be veterans but nearly decay. Do-hyeon had forcibly elerated a storyline that was intended to be unveiled at that peak moment. While the consequences of this were uncertain, one thing was clear. [The Main Stream has been activated. A Main Quest category has been created.] [Rted quests for God of Savior will now appear.] [You have fulfilled the conditions to enter the Main Stream.] [Fragment of Destiny]N?v(el)B\\jnn -Grade: Main Stream ¨C Description: The God of War, Kashiar, who sacrificed himself to save Abtartel. Gather all the fragments of the vessel he left behind across the world andplete the destiny. ¨C Fragment of Destiny 1 / 10 ¨C Collecting all the Fragments of Destiny will unlock the main event. ¡®¡­¡­Sweet.¡¯ It was something that would set Do-hyeon on a path more extraordinary than any other. And that first step was about to unfold now. ¡°This actually works out well. When the promised millennium passes, ¡®they¡¯ will begin to move. That will mark the start of the war. So¡­¡­.¡± Gamillion took a step closer and knelt down on one knee. ¡°Before that, please carry on his will and be humanity¡¯s glimmer of hope, sessor¡­¡­ You alone can reach him.¡± In an instant, Do-hyeon became humanity¡¯s sole hope. Looking at Gamillion, who was bowing in reverence, Do-hyeon¡¯s expression turned solemn. Like a knight receiving an oracle before a war, Do-hyeon became strict, serious, andposed as he spoke firmly. ¡°Of course. I was born for this moment.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡­ Such heroic spirit, without a hint of deficiency, to carry on his will! Indeed, his judgment was wless!¡± [The effect of the title ¡®Max Favorability from the Start?¡¯ has activated. Favorability increases significantly.] [The favorability of the hidden NPC ¡®Gamillion Adran¡¯ has increased dramatically.] With such unwavering determination, Gamillion¡¯s favorability rose. Undoubtedly, Do-hyeon was more sincere than ever before. ¡®Of course, I was born to bask in this sweet opportunity. I alone shall savor this honey pot.¡¯ How could he not be sincere when he had this chance to enjoy such exclusive rewards? If a yer wasn¡¯t genuine in this, they couldn¡¯t call themselves a true gamer. Do-hyeon prided himself as a hardcore gamer who knew how to fully enjoy this sweetness. ¡°I entrust everything to you, sessor.¡± ¡°Yes. I also ce my trust in you. So, what should I do next?¡± Find some grand clue rted to the gods? Or maybe eliminate heretics? Or perhaps something else entirely? Whatever it was, it would surely be a colossal task befitting the title of ¡°promised sessor¡± and ¡°main quest.¡± As if confirming his prediction, Gamillion spoke with a serious expression. ¡°You must gather all the Fragments of Destiny. Only then can we achieve our long-held desire and stand against them. Above all, when the promised dayes¡­¡­ humanity as it is now, iplete and fragmented, will be in grave danger.¡± ¡°What is this promised day?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I cannot tell you yet. It¡¯s part of the agreement.¡± The constant mention of this ¡°promised day¡± piqued Do-hyeon¡¯s curiosity, but he didn¡¯t dwell on it too much. RPG games often restricted ess to crucial information like this. As long as he advanced in the main quest, he would eventually find out. ¡°The sooner, the better. Many are after the Fragments of Destiny, and the fact that they don¡¯t yet know of your presence is our chance.¡± ¡°Wise words. I¡¯ll set out immediately. Where should I go?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard they were sighted near Brion. But before that, there is something you must do first.¡± Something more urgent than retrieving the Fragments of Destiny? It had to be something extraordinary! Imagining the rewards he would naturally receive, Do-hyeon asked with anticipation, his heart swelling with excitement. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s something Lord Kashiar personally requested for the sessor.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Would you do it?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± A task personally requested by Kashiar himself. It couldn¡¯t possibly be trivial. Do-hyeon eagerly awaited Gamillion¡¯s next words, his eyes sparkling. Soon, Gamillion moved his wrinkled lips. ¡°Please eliminate monsters. About a thousand should suffice.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Excuse me?¡± ¡­¡­Did he hear that wrong? The answer didn¡¯te from Gamillion but from elsewhere. [Linked to the derived quest ¡®Gamillion¡¯s Trial.¡¯] [The derived quest ¡®Gamillion¡¯s Trial¡¯ is part of the main quest.] [Gamillion¡¯s Trial] ¨C Grade: Main Quest, Job Quest ¨C Description: Gamillion, tasked with assisting the sessor of the promised millennium, aims to test the sessor¡¯s qualifications in ordance with Kashiar¡¯sst wishes. Sessfully pass his trial and leave a deep impression. ¨C Defeat monsters near Brion [0 / 1,000] ¨C Quest Sess: Unlock the linked quest ¡®???¡¯, receive Gamillion¡¯s Ring. ¨C Quest Failure: Job quest deleted, job revoked. ¨C Time Limit: 60 hours [You cannot decline this quest.] [Upon quest sess, the main quest will progress.] ¡°¡­¡­.¡± As he inadvertently stared at Gamillion, thetter seemed to read his expression. Gamillion, looking a bit uneasy, cleared his throat before putting on a solemn face. ¡°He said, ¡®A half-baked fool who hasn¡¯t even taken baby steps cannot undertake great endeavors. If you are to seed me, you must grind first!¡¯¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°In other words, sweat it out a bit.¡± ¡®¡­¡­Yeah, that does sound like him.¡¯ Though their encounter had been brief, it matched the Kashiar that Do-hyeon had known. Defeat a thousand monsters within 60 hours. That was the first step of the sole main quest in ¡®God of Savior.¡¯ While the first step was a bit deting, it wasn¡¯t entirely unreasonable upon reflection. ¡®A thousand isn¡¯t exactly a trivial number.¡¯ It was just disappointing because he had expected something more borate than such a straightforward grind quest. But in reality, it wasn¡¯t low difficulty. If anything, it was a high-difficulty task. Ordinarily, defeating a thousand monsters would take at least a week. ¡®Brion¡­¡­ They mentioned orcs. Even though there are a lot of orcs, this is still absurd.¡¯ And to defeat them all within 60 hours? For a yer who had just arrived at Brion? Even forming a party and dedicating all ytime to orc hunting would make it barely achievable. Even with a maximum connection time of 10 hours a day,pleting this grind quest in six days was no guarantee. And failure meant losing the job. It was an infuriatingly insane quest, to say the least. But for Do-hyeon, it wasn¡¯t a problem. ¡®Well, that¡¯s generally true for most people.¡¯ What might be difficult for others was child¡¯s y for Do-hyeon. He himself wasn¡¯t sure how much stronger he¡¯d be from the recent rewards. While the numbers were significant and time-consuming, he knew that he wouldn¡¯t fail due to ack of time or strength, whether he soloed it or not. Swoosh. Do-hyeon¡¯s gaze shifted to the system window. The numerous rewards he had yet to check sparkled, tempting him. Good, this worked out nicely. ¡®I had plenty to examine anyway. I¡¯ll take my time and test things thoroughly.¡¯ These rewards mored for his attention, urging him to try them out, so he resolved to dive deep into them. ¡®Let¡¯s get started.¡¯ Chapter 64 Chapter 64 In God of Savior, there¡¯s a saying: ¡°Never been to Brion? Then you haven¡¯t truly experiencedbat.¡± Arde is merely a tutorial for beginners. Raven is a simple warm-up. Brion is where battles begin in earnest. It wasn¡¯t just an exaggerated boast. ¡°Talking nonsense? Have you even seen an orc? Even the regr mobs are 1.5 times the size of a Goblin Chief. And those things charge at you like wild stallions off their leash.¡± ¡°Damn it! How can you evenpare orcs to goblins?! They¡¯re on a whole different level!¡± Standing over 2 meters tall with a hulking, muscr build that made heavyweights seem cute inparison, orcs were terrifying just by existing. If goblins had sly faces, then orcs had fierce, menacing expressions that fit the term ¡°intimidating¡± perfectly. Now imagine those creatures wielding dual axes. Most people would wet themselves if they encountered one on a dark street. And when such naturally scary creatures charged at you with excitement, it felt like stepping into a horror movie. ¡°A-Aaaah!¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Hey, you idiot! Why aren¡¯t you holding the aggro already?¡± ¡°I-I can¡¯t! How am I supposed to stop that?¡± ¡°Get the aggro! Hold it!¡± ¡°You trolls, seriously!¡± ¡°How did these guys even clear their field boss? Got carried, I bet.¡± ¡°Probably teamed up with other parties to take it down. Dammit. Judging by that, their graduation rank is D. Definitely.¡± The tankers bore the brunt of that fear. Their position required them to take all the aggro at the frontlines, so it was inevitable. No matter how experienced they were, they were still only dealing with goblins before. Goblin Chiefs might be bigger, but they were still goblins¡ªthe quintessential punching bag of any fantasy world. So, when these tankers faced orcs for the first time, it wasn¡¯t easy to adapt. ¡®To exaggerate a bit, it must feel like standing in front of a raging bull barehanded.¡¯ And the bull wasn¡¯t alone. Already struggling to adjust, they couldn¡¯t rely on group efforts like when fighting field bosses. They had to shoulder the burden of aggro entirely on their own. As a result, four out of every ten tankers froze and fumbled their first time hunting orcs. Did the remaining six perform any better? ¡­Well, they were better than the panicked ones, but it wasn¡¯t always a smooth ride. ¡°Who tries to block a charge with their shield? Did you block charges when fighting a Mutant Warrior? You¡¯ve got to know when to deflect!¡± ¡°Damn, why even carry a shield if you¡¯re going to block everything with your body? Just wear armor and tank it, then!¡± ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know that? But what do you expect me to do when they¡¯re charging from all directions? If you¡¯re so good, why don¡¯t you be the tank, you damn boomer?¡± ¡°Boomer? You snot-nosed brat¡­¡± For those ustomed to regr, predictable attack patterns, the chaotic charge of the orcs was an entirely new experience. The differences between goblin and orc behavior were stark. The importance of aggro control was magnified. This wasn¡¯t just a problem for tankers. Close-range damage dealers often jumped in to help without proper aggro control and got killed. Long-range damage dealers lost formation when they failed to manage their DPS and attracted aggro. ¡°This is why we shouldn¡¯t ept fresh graduates.¡± ¡°Man, I¡¯m done with anyone below level 27. They¡¯re just dead weight. No more level 24s, period.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll only ept them if they¡¯ve got aggro-focused traits or special abilities.¡± ¡°That guy¡¯s hopeless. If he¡¯s this scared now¡­ he¡¯ll probably delete his character and switch sses soon.¡± This was why Brion had such disdain for beginners. And why Kang Do-hyeon didn¡¯t receive as many party invites here as in other regions. ¡°Hey, looking for a party¡­ Never mind.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your level? Oh, 24? Uh¡­ sorry, maybe next time.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s that gloomy guy? Why¡¯s he so short? Is he even human? Or a Guardian?¡± ¡°Just ignore him. He¡¯ll figure it out on his own.¡± Most people wouldn¡¯t even consider forming a party with him, distancing themselves instead. For them, a beginner melee damage dealer was nothing short of a walking disaster. ¨C ¡°Kiiek! Foolish humans!¡± ¨C ¡°Li-za-ri-za!¡± The gloomy ¡°short guy,¡± Jihad, fumed in frustration, but the others had already left. Elisa, perched on Jihad¡¯s shoulder, rubbed her face against him tofort him. She looked like a supportive aunt encouraging a sulking nephew with words like, ¡°Yes, yes, you¡¯re absolutely right.¡± Though Jihad didn¡¯t look pleased, Do-hyeon found the situation convenient. ¡®It works for me.¡¯ Thanks to theck of interference, he and his group had smoothly ventured deep into the Salt-Rock Forest. The disinterest people showed toward Do-hyeon and hispanions worked to their advantage. Once inside, Do-hyeon surveyed his surroundings. ¡®It really does smell bad here, just as the name suggests.¡¯ This ce had a faintyer of mist, and true to its name, therge rocks scattered around were stained with crimson blood. The foul stench of decay gave the area an atmosphere that suggested a massacre had taken ce. Even in such a gruesome ce, yers were busy hunting orcs. Well, not everyone was doing well. ¡°Hey, hey! It¡¯s charging! Move!¡± ¡°Okay¡­ Aaaah!¡± ¡°You idiot! I told you to dodge!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the aggro¡¯s under control! Take it down fast!¡± It seemed like this group of yers, fresh out of Raven, had formed a party and were struggling against a group of orcs. The tension rivaled that of a boss raid. Swick¡ªThud! Swoosh¡ªShlick! On the other hand, another group hunting nearby was a stark contrast. ¡°Nice! Clean kill.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s keep this pace. How many left?¡± ¡°About¡­ 30?¡± ¡°Damn, faster than me. I¡¯ve got 36 left.¡± Their movements were polished, their teamwork seamless. Even their equipment gleamed with quality, making their hunts look effortless. The gap between the groups hunting in the same field was enormous. ¡®They weren¡¯t kidding about job quests widening the gap.¡¯ Unlike Arde and Raven, which were rtively bnced, Brion was the point where job quests began. Indeed, it was natural for gods of simr ranks to gather together. Aside from a few Mortal Gods, the quest content for the professions of Mortal Gods and Heroic Gods generally differed significantly. ¡°Tch, why does it have to be a material collection quest?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit tough, but this is still more efficient. Mortal Gods have NPCs making them grind in temples, right? What¡¯s fun about that?¡± ¡°True.¡± From what he overheard, they also seemed to be a partyposed of Heroic Gods. Unless it was for mandatory dungeons or shared content, those two parties would rarely have a reason to interact. It was a scene typical of a city where stratification and exclusive groupings had begun. ¡®Well, in shared content, characteristics or items tend to matter more anyway.¡¯ In fact, depending on the boss¡¯s traits, even the perceived value of professions and attributes changed, which was one of this game¡¯s intriguing aspects. Though for Do-hyeon at the moment, it was irrelevant. After settling into a suitable spot, Do-hyeon stretched lightly. Swish¡ªshh. At that moment, two massive orcs from a distance locked eyes with Do-hyeon. Their menacing appearances, coupled with their scowls, made it easy to understand why newbies often fled at the sight of orcs. ¡°Look at the detail. You can even see the muscles twitch.¡± Of course, to Do-hyeon, they were merely adorable. In DemRock, orcs were the kind of creatures he had dealt with even during his novice days. While the sense of realism in virtual reality was different, to someone like Do-hyeon, who had even taken down zombie dragons, orcs were trivial. Shriek! Perhaps irritated by Do-hyeon¡¯s casual gaze, the orcs charged straight at him. Thud, thud, thud¡ª The sight of two orcs charging side by side was nothing short of destructive. There was a reason why yers nicknamed the orcs here ¡°Charging Orcs.¡± Blocking this was a fool¡¯s errand. One might manage to withstand a single charge, but enduring consecutive charges was near impossible. However¡­ ¡°This might be worth a try.¡± Do-hyeon stood firm, inviting the orcs toe at him. He intended to gauge his current specs in various ways. ¡®What¡¯s the worst that could happen? Die?¡¯ His vitality was robust, and his defense was well beyond level 24, so he figured he could hold out. Still, attempting to block such an obvious charge for the first time made him a bit nervous. Thud, thud, thud¡ª Shriek! Before he knew it, the orcs were right in front of him, and the ground shook under their heavy steps. Then, whispers reached his ears. ¡°Hey, what is that guy doing?¡± ¡°Is he seriously trying to block an orc charge? Is he insane¡­ without even holding a shield?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that tiny thing in his hand? ¡­A staff? No way, is he a staff-wielder? And why isn¡¯t that robed person behind him running away?¡± ¡°A staff? Seriously? Is he some kind of staff deity?¡± Do-hyeon¡¯s insane attempt made nearby yers stop hunting to watch. Their chatter was loud enough to reach Do-hyeon and his party. -Kirrik, master, can you hear them? -Liza-liza! Do-hyeon briefly considered smacking the grinning duo, but he held back. Taking the orcs¡¯ charge head-on came first. ¡®This is why I wanted to do this somewhere private¡­ Tsk.¡¯ With so many yers in Brion, it was impossible to find a secluded spot. Then again, it made sense. The Salt-Rock Forest was the mostmon hunting ground in the area. In hindsight, the Raven area was much more convenient. Its western forest became increasingly challenging as one ventured deeper, leaving the inner parts nearly deserted. Though he wasn¡¯t thrilled to have drawn attention, there wasn¡¯t much he could do about it now. ¡®Finally, time to use this.¡¯ Ignoring the noise, Do-hyeon lowered his stance and thrust his shoulder forward. It was a stance often seen among boys in schoolyard games or pride battles¡ªwhat they called the ¡°shoulder bump.¡± And Do-hyeon was boldly initiating a shoulder bump with an orc. ¡°Holy crap, he¡¯s trying to ram it.¡± ¡°He¡¯spletely lost it.¡± ¡°Man, I¡¯m not watching. It¡¯s going to be brutal.¡± The audacity of his move was so absurd that some yers gave up watching entirely. Just a few seconds of chaoster, the charging orcs closed the distance. Thud! Do-hyeon rammed his body forward at thest moment. Boom! The sound of impact echoed through the forest as Do-hyeon¡¯s shoulder collided with the orc¡¯s. It was a weighty sound that didn¡¯t seem like it coulde from living creatures. Even the yers who had looked away out of dread turned back in shock. ¡°!?¡± ¡°What the¡­?¡± Their eyes widened in disbelief. The prediction that someone would be sent flying like a ragdoll was urate. However, the one sent flying wasn¡¯t Do-hyeon¡ªit was the orc. Have you ever seen an orc get sent flying by a human¡¯s shoulder bump? ¡°Insane¡­¡± Maybe in a high-level zone, but for these yers, it was an unprecedented sight. Even more shocking was that this wasn¡¯t done by a tank or monk, but by a staff-wielder. Shriek! But it wasn¡¯t over. As if to avenge itsrade, the remaining orc lunged at Do-hyeon. With his awkward stance, there was no way he could withstand a second hit. Surely, this time, he¡¯d be sent flying. Bang! Another loud crash echoed. Shriek¡­? The orc¡¯s pupils trembled violently in disbelief. Do-hyeon stood still in the same posture, unaffected, as if mocking the orc¡¯s full-force charge. The orc, shaken by its shattered faith that it could at least knock him over, stumbled backward. Shriek¡­ shriek¡­ Do-hyeon swung his staff downward toward the retreating orc. That was when the staff¡¯s shape began to change. In an instant, it extended and sharpened, transforming into a sword just as it sliced through the orc¡¯s neck. sh! Thud! Piercing the fallen orc¡¯s heart, he ended its life. The first orc, which had been sent flying earlier, charged btedly, only to have Do-hyeon throw his sword. The sword turned into a dagger mid-air. Thud! And that was it. As the orc fell lifelessly, Do-hyeon extended his hand, summoning the dagger back to him. It returned to his hand as naturally as if it had always belonged there. The once noisy surroundings fell silent. ¡°¡­What did I just witness?¡± It was the firstment that broke the silence. The speaker voiced the sentiment shared by everyone who had been secretly watching. Not only the hunters but also the onlookers were too stunned to move. Meanwhile, Do-hyeon, the cause of themotion, slowly raised his head. Though his expression seemed dazed, his eyes burned with excitement. [Thousand Transformations morphs into the ¡®Bastard¡¯s Training Sword.¡¯] [The effect of Karuk¡¯s Red and Blue Leather Armor activates, resisting ¡®Knockback.¡¯] [¡­] [Thousand Transformations morphs into the ¡®Assassin¡¯s Dagger.¡¯] [¡®Bleeding¡¯ activates.] ¡®Wow. That was incredible.¡¯ Kashiar the Battle God, the only human feared even by the gods. At that moment, the authority once wielded by humanity¡¯s greatest emperor, Thousand Transformations, revealed its fangs once more. Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Before heading to the hunting ground, the first thing Do-hyeon checked was none other than Thousand Transformations. It was said to be the relic of Kashiar, who had ughtered even the Mythical Gods. However, its humble appearance seemed utterly unbncedpared to such a grandiose title. ¡®Well¡­ still, it¡¯s a relic. There must be something hidden in it.¡¯ Could such an old, worn-out staff truly be a divine relic? It didn¡¯t seem possible. Do-hyeon couldn¡¯t erase that thought from his mind. The moment he checked the information on Thousand Transformations, he was utterly shocked. He hadn¡¯t realized his eyes could widen this much. [Thousand Transformations] [Grade: Mythical ] [Description: A weapon imbued with the authority of Kashiar, the Martial Emperor. Renowned as the God of War and Combat, he was said to wield and create thousands of weapons.] [Usage Restriction: Sessor of Kashiar] [Physical Attack: 190~201] [Durability: 100/100] [Weapon Consumption: Can consume weapons. It can transform into consumed weapons and use their special options. If the same type of weapon is stored, the previously stored weapon will be ejected.] [Ego: Responds to its master¡¯s call. Those unqualified cannot use its special options.] [Due to the user¡¯s low level, its full authority cannot be used.] [The abilities are adjusted to the user¡¯s level.] [Transformed weapons have their attack power adjusted to the grade of Thousand Transformations.] ¡®¡­What?¡¯ Even after seeing it with his own eyes, it was hard to believe the name. ¡®There was a Mythical grade?¡¯ As far as Do-hyeon knew, there was no such grade as Mythical. Do-hyeon, who had yed DemRock for three years and experienced almost every type of content, had always thought the maximum grade was Legendary. It was the same in God of Savior. Even the top-ranking yers only wielded Legendary-grade weapons. There was never any mention of a Mythical grade. After all, since God of Savior borrowed its grade system from DemRock, this was to be expected. ¡®Is this a result of the newly added deity system? Or is it rted to the main quest?¡¯ It could be one of the two, or both. Whatever the case, that wasn¡¯t what mattered right now. ¡®This is insane.¡¯ What mattered now was that he had obtained God of Savior¡¯s only Mythical-grade weapon. In a game with 1 billion yers, he alone had it. Just imagining the uproar this would cause once it became known was mind-boggling. Not just the top 10 guilds¡ªevery yer would target Do-hyeon. Legendary-grade weapons already had astronomical value due to their rarity and abilities. A Mythical-grade weapon would be like a sacred sword. ¡®I knew it wouldn¡¯t be ordinary¡­ but to this extent?¡¯ Even the armaments of Mythical Gods like Hercules or Odin were incredibly powerful, unattainable to most users. But even then, they only reached the Legendary grade. None had created a new grade like this. And even those weapons were rarely given to their Apostles. They could only be obtained after oveing extraordinary trials and near-impossible odds. ¡®Compared to that, how about me?¡¯ What about Do-hyeon? All he did was meet the god face-to-face and receive their approval. Though a single word could have cost him everything, the result was that a single word had granted him a Mythical-grade relic. ¡®Ah¡­ you¡¯re truly a divine being. This unworthy sessor dares to repent for doubting you¡­.¡¯ The faith that had been scraping the floor suddenly soared. A local thug? How could anyone insult such a magnanimous being who casually handed over such a precious relic? From this moment on, Kashiar was a revered sage andw to Do-hyeon. ¡®Of course. They bestowed upon me their authority¡ªit¡¯s only natural.¡¯ There might be hidden Mythical-grade items among the other Mythical Gods, but Do-hyeon was certain Thousand Transformations was unique. It was an armament containing the god¡¯s authority. The gods wouldn¡¯t transfer their powers to an Apostle unless they were sealed. While Thousand Transformations boasted the best performance and attack power among his current items, it wasn¡¯t yet at the level of its Mythical grade. In fact, it wasn¡¯t even worthy of being called Legendary. ¡®It¡¯s just about Heroic grade.¡¯ In truth, even its grade field disyed ¡°Heroic¡± in parentheses next to Mythical. It seemed to be the type of item where the seal lifted as the user¡¯s level rose. ¡®A kind of growth-type item, huh¡­.¡¯ Technically, it was a sealed item, but the concept was simr. In other words, Do-hyeon now had a weapon for life. ¡®At this level, it¡¯s top-tier even among Heroic-grade weapons.¡¯ Judging by its exceptional performance, it would be the same at the Heroic+ or Legendary grades. For Do-hyeon, there couldn¡¯t be a better scenario than this. Since the attack power depended on the grade of Thousand Transformations rather than the consumed items, its grade was the most important. ¡®The weapon consumption function being absorption-based is a bit unfortunate¡­.¡¯ If it worked like copy-and-paste, he could have swept through the auction house for items. That was a shame. Only one item per weapon type could be stored¡­ it seemed he would need a variety of weapons to use it properly. He smirked. But it didn¡¯t matter. ¡®I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t sell them just in case.¡¯ Do-hyeon still had numerous types of weapons left. These were weapons he had kept in his inventory to utilize the Weapon Master skill. They were now gleaming in his inventory. . . . . After feeding all his inventory weapons to Thousand Transformations anding to the hunting ground to test its performance, this was the result. Do-hyeon¡¯s expression, having confirmed the power of Thousand Transformations, was brimming with excitement. ¡®This is seriously insane.¡¯ The issue wasn¡¯t just that it could transform into multiple weapons. The true power of Thousand Transformationsy in its ability to transform at any time, under any circumstance. Whether during a swing, while grappling with an enemy, or even mid-air, the weapon could transform. ¡®This alone multiplies the ways I can execute mind games several times over.¡¯ As someone already superior in psychological tacticspared to others, thanks to his skills as Kaiser¡­ Adding Thousand Transformations to the mix? ¡®I have no doubts¡­¡¯ This was beyond confidence. He couldn¡¯t imagine losing. Dozens of scenarios for utilizing it shed through his mind. If this was the power of a sealed relic¡­ what would it be like once all the seals were lifted, and it truly reached its Mythical grade? Swish. Do-hyeon shivered and rubbed his goosebumped arm as he swallowed hard. Even though this alone was enough to prove the power of Thousand Transformations, the part that pleased Do-hyeon the most was something else. [Ego: Responds to its master¡¯s call. Those unqualified cannot use its special options.] The second special option attached to Thousand Transformations . This could be called the ultimate option that marked the climax of Thousand Transformations . Not only was it something that only Do-hyeon could properly wield, but the fact that it responded to its owner¡¯s summons made further exnation unnecessary. ¡®¡­I¡¯m sold.¡¯ It was convenient to retrieve the thrown Thousand Transformations , and if utilized well, it could be used for deception, not to mention surprise attacks. But above all, the best part was¡ª ¡®This is insanely cool, seriously.¡¯ It resonated with a man¡¯s heart, embodying the romanticism he had dreamed of since childhood. At this moment, Do-hyeon felt no envy toward Thor or Iron Man. Whoosh¡ª Thunk. Swish¡ª Thud. ¡°Ha!¡± Immersed in this romanticism, Do-hyeon repeatedly threw Thousand Transformations into the air and summoned it back. ¡°What is that? Is that even possible? It¡¯s like Thor¡¯s hammer or something¡­¡± ¡°Wait, didn¡¯t the weapon keep changing? Did I see that wrong?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah, you¡¯re right. Is that part of its options?¡± ¡°No way. It doesn¡¯t seem like a characteristic; maybe it¡¯s a unique ability?¡± ¡°What kind of unique ability does that?¡± ¡°If not, then what the heck is it?¡± Hearing the murmurs around him, Do-hyeon paused. When he nced around, the users who met his gaze quickly turned their heads. Though they pretended to be uninterested, their clustered bodies watching him betrayed their curiosity. ¡®¡­What is this, Animal Crossing or something?¡¯ For a moment, he thought of Charlie, as if their reactions reminded him of the past. With a faint smile, Do-hyeon gripped Thousand Transformations once more. ¡®I definitely stood out too much.¡¯ It was understandable. Even Do-hyeon would have been drawn to someone wielding such a spectacr weapon. ¡­From their perspective, though, it wasn¡¯t just about looking cool; everything they witnessed was an endless series of shocks. Regardless, that was Do-hyeon¡¯s interpretation of the situation. Having shown off enough tricks, he might usually have wrapped things up by now, but not today. ¡®I still have plenty to test.¡¯ So far, he had only confirmed the knockback option of Karuk¡¯s Upper Garb and Thousand Transformations. There were still many rewards, including the S-rank graduation bonus, that needed evaluation. And that wasn¡¯t all. He still had to y a thousand monsters. Retreating now was not an option for the busy Do-hyeon. Swish. Gripping Thousand Transformations tightly, Do-hyeon grinned. ¡®Let¡¯s start with a light hundred kills.¡¯ This marked the beginning of a massacre in the peaceful (?) Salt-Rock Forest. ¡ª How much time had passed since he began hunting in earnest? [Your level has increased.] [Your dagger proficiency has increased.] [Your dagger proficiency has reached LV7.] ¡­ [Your dual-axe proficiency has reached LV5.] ¡°Oh?¡± Do-hyeon paused as messages began appearing after a few hours. Around him, the ground was littered with orc corpses and drenched in blood. Just the visible orcs around him numbered over ten. A feat that others couldn¡¯t aplish even in a party, Do-hyeon had achieved alone. ¡°To think I¡¯ve already gained three levels.¡± Perhaps it was due to this. His experience gain was astounding. Considering how grueling it had been to gain thest three levels in Raven, the gap in difficulty between goblins and orcs was evident. At the rate Do-hyeon was cutting through the orcs like slicing tofu, his pace couldn¡¯t help but be swift. While Thousand Transformations was undeniably powerful, the core reason behind his overwhelming damage was the stat boost from his recent rewards. ¡ª [The First S-Rank] -Grade: Legendary -Description: A prestigious title awarded to the first person to achieve an S-rank in the First Trial. The god Abtartel trembles in awe of this great achievement. -Effect:n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om First Strike: Inflicts 18% additional damage on the first attack that hits. Tenacity: When HP drops below 4%, damage of all attacks increases by 14% for 180 seconds, ignores HP consumption, and bes immune to knockback and stun. ¡ª [Top Graduate] -Grade: Heroic -Description: A title granted to those who ranked first in the Trial of the Continent. -Effect: NPCs of the continent spread rumors about the bearer, making rted NPCs recognize them. All stats +5. ¡ª [Heir to Kashiar¡¯s Will] -Grade: Legendary -Description: A title bestowed upon the sessor of the Martial God Kashiar¡¯s will. The heir must gather the Fragments of Destiny. Collect the fragments. -Effect: -The Mark of Kashiar¡¯s Session manifests, recognizable by rted parties. -As each Fragment of Destiny is collected, abilities are unlocked. [First Effect: All stats +7] ¡ª Do-hyeon had obtained three titles this time. Among them, two were legendary, and the remaining one was heroic. Even a five-year-old could see how outstanding the effects were. However, what caught Do-hyeon¡¯s attention the most was the Heir to Kashiar¡¯s Will. ¡®Unlocking effects as fragments are collected, huh¡­¡¯ Even with just one unlocked effect, it was already quite useful. Still, it felt slightly underwhelming to bebeled as a legendary title; it was closer to heroic in its current state. ¡®A growth-type title.¡¯ Once all the fragments were collected, it would likely surpass most legendary titles. Though its initial performance was a bitcking, its potential to be the strongest in its ss was the hallmark of growth-type titles. ¡°Status window.¡± Thus, the evolved stats of Do-hyeon emerged. Chapter 66 Chapter 66 [yer: Kaiser] [Level: 27] [HP: 4,680 / 4,680] [MP: 1,150 / 1,150]N?v(el)B\\jnn [Stamina: 700 / 700] [ss: Final Adventurer ] [Titles (7)] ¨C Max Favorability from the Start? ¨C First yer ¡­¡­(Expand for More) [Stats] Remaining Points: 25 ¡°Wow¡­ Even I admit this doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± A whopping 144 Strength, over 100 Agility and Perception, thanks to investing just 10 points. His Stamina and Magic wereparable to those of a tank or mage of the same level. If people learned he still had 25 unused points, they wouldn¡¯t believe it. Even posting a screenshot would lead to usations of photo editing because the stats were so unbelievable. ¡®I¡¯m progressing exactly how I envisioned.¡¯ This confirmed that Do-hyeon was firmly walking the path he aimed for when he awakened his job¡ªthe path of an All-Master. Jack-of-all-trades builds either became unparalleled in versatility or ended up being mediocre at everything. Objectively speaking, Do-hyeon clearly belonged to the former. ¡®And this isn¡¯t even the end.¡¯ This was far from the limit. Achieving an S-rank in the graduation quest didn¡¯t just grant a title. Differentiated rewards were given based on the user¡¯s performance. Do-hyeon was now equipped with the S-rank reward. [ck Raven Spear] [Grade: Heroic] [Description: A spear containing the ck essence of the first city, Raven. It excels in mana sensitivity and draws out intrinsic power to enhance magic and strength.] [Level Requirement: 24] [No Usage Restrictions] [Physical Attack: 194~208] [Magic Attack: 190~200] [Durability: 100 / 100] [Special Option: +5% Magic Damage] [Special Option: Increased Pration. Upon piercing an enemy, attack power increases by 1% for 30 seconds (stackable up to 6 times).] [ck Raven Earring] [Grade: Heroic] [Description: An earring containing the ck essence of the first city, Raven. It excels in mana sensitivity and draws out intrinsic power to enhance magic and perception.] [Level Requirement: 24] [No Usage Restrictions] [Magic Resistance: 40] [Durability: 50 / 50] [Special Option: +4% Magic Casting Speed] [Special Option: +6% Power for Magic-Rted Skills] While both items being Heroic-grade was noteworthy, their true valuey elsewhere. -2-set effect: Upon piercing an enemy, reduce their movement speed by 4% (stackable up to 5 times). When magds, it drains mana proportional to the damage dealt. A rare set bonus activated with just two pieces, and its performance was astonishing. The movement speed reduction and mana drain were crucial not just for hunting but also for siege battles and PvP. ¡®Mana drain would especially shine in PvP.¡¯ While raid monsters had abundant mana, yers often struggled with mana shortages. In such cases, simplynding magic attacks to drain mana would be a significant advantage. Pierce an enemy to slow them down, then follow up with magic to deplete their mana¡­ ¡®Was this set made to infuriate opponents?¡¯ The design was clearly meant to drive opponents to frustration. Though it might seem trivial, those on the receiving end would be thoroughly annoyed. Normally, this configuration would be unusable unless one was a Magic Spearman, but this time was an exception. ¨C No Usage Restrictions. Both the spear and earring were unrestricted items, a rarity even in the entirety of God of Savior. And both were Heroic-grade. As expected of a graduation reward, the items were extravagant. ¡®A mage would get the most out of this.¡¯ A mage could somewhat offset their weakness in closebat while making the most of the set¡¯s options. Not that it mattered to Do-hyeon. His overpowering stats meant he could im to be a mage if he simply acquired a magic skill. Sizzle! Crackle! Had he been idle for too long? Do-hyeon reacted immediately to the orc¡¯s roaring charge from the left, fittingly living up to its nickname. He brought the spear to the Thousand Transformations. Light emanated from Thousand Transformations and engulfed the spear. [Thousand Transformations devours ¡®ck Raven Spear.¡¯ Sessful absorption.] [Thousand Transformations transforms into ¡®ck Raven Spear.¡¯] The newly formed spear, ck and sharp, cut a graceful arc as Do-hyeon stepped into a sweeping motion. Surprisingly, what seemed like a horizontal sh suddenly changed trajectory, shooting forward in a straight line. [The effect of ¡®First S-Rank¡¯ activates as this is the first attack.] [Deals an additional 18% damage.] [Pration increases.] [Upon piercing the enemy, attack power increases by 1% for 30 seconds.] [Set option activates, reducing the enemy¡¯s movement speed.] [You have defeated an Orc.] ¡°Nice grip.¡± And that was it. Swoosh¡­ The orc, its heart impaled, fell with a sound like deting air. Leaving the lifeless orc behind, Do-hyeon spun his spear again, severing the neck of another orc sneaking up from the opposite side. [The effect of ¡®First S-Rank¡¯ activates as this is the first attack.] [Deals an additional 18% damage.] [You have defeated an Orc.] Dispatching two orcs in an instant, Do-hyeon scanned his surroundings. Silhouettes faded into the mist. The remaining orcs, spooked by theirrades¡¯ deaths, began to retreat. Do-hyeon clicked his tongue. ¡°So they run away now, huh?¡± ¨C That¡¯s a natural instinct, Master. Even I¡¯d run if I were them. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from someone who once told me to keep moving despite getting shot in the knee.¡± ¨C ¡­Hey, that was a misunderstanding! It wasn¡¯t my knee; it was¡­ deeper. ¡°What nonsense. Anyway, these days, monstersck tenacity. Right, Elisa?¡± ¨C Liza? Leaving Elisa, who tilted her head with an innocent expression, behind, Do-hyeon sheathed Thousand Transformations at his waist. Despite his remarks, the situation was predictable. [The deathly aura intensifies, thickening the mist.] [The probability of orcs fleeing increases.] ¡®There it is. I wondered when this would show up.¡¯ Messages like these hadn¡¯t appeared in Raven but were all toomon in DemRock. In that hyper-realistic world, monsters fleeing or ambushing from behind was standard. It would be stranger if a game like God of Savior, with superior AI, didn¡¯t implement such a system. ¡®No wonder they say things get real in Brion.¡¯ Unbeknownst to Do-hyeon, such phenomena weren¡¯t typical even in Brion. Since most job quests began in the Salt-Rock Forest, many users converged there. If someone monopolized the area, it would hinder others from progressing. Thus, a system preventing excessive monopolization was implemented. In other words, triggering this system implied an extraordinary degree of mob hunting. ¡°Let¡¯s head further in.¡± ¨C ¡­Ignoring me again? You¡¯re all just gonna leave me here? ¨C Liza! Unaware of these nuances, Do-hyeon and his party chose the only avable option. To delve deeper. As the orcs fled inward, they had no choice but to follow. After several rounds of hunting the fleeing orcs¡­ ¡°Wow¡­ Who¡¯s that guy? He just waves his spear, and the orcs drop dead.¡± ¡°Damn, is he hacking?¡± ¡°God of Savior doesn¡¯t have hacks. But yeah, he¡¯s so strong it¡¯s suspicious.¡± ¡°By the way, what¡¯s with this death aura? Did a guild pass through here? Why is this happening?¡± ¡°Ugh, which guild¡¯s idiots caused this mess?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t see a thing. Let¡¯s just retreat.¡± Ignoring the noisy chatter of other users, Do-hyeon pressed forward at high speed. How far had he gone? The thickening mist and his deep incursion meant that only the silhouettes of orcs weed him now. ¨C Monsters near Brion defeated: [249 / 1,000] ¡°Whew.¡± Having exceeded his initial goal of 100 kills to reach 249, Do-hyeon finally halted. It wasn¡¯t just because he met his target. It was not a shallow rest to recover the health that had dropped to 150 while sitting for a moment. [Remaining y Time: 00:03:47] ¡®Has it alreadye to this?¡¯ Before he knew it, the remaining ytime had nearly run out. Well, a lot did happen today. He had achieved the Raven Graduation goal, obtained Elisa, reached first ce in the rankings, and evenpleted the main quest. Not only that, he also defeated 249 orcs. ¡®Crazy, really.¡¯ Acknowledging the spectacle that made his 10-hour investment worthwhile, Do-hyeon turned to look behind him. -Huh? -Liza? There, he locked eyes with Jihad, who had Elisa perched on his shoulder, tilting her head curiously. Their reactions were identical, as if to confirm their friendship. -Why, why are you looking at me like that, master? Did you hear something? ¡°? What are you talking about?¡± -Never mind. Do-hyeon furrowed his brows at the peculiar response, and Jihad averted his gaze, pretending to be uninterested. -Liza¡­ For some reason, Elisa¡¯s sigh seemed like a sigh of relief. Shaking his head, Do-hyeon spoke. ¡°It¡¯s time for me to leave now.¡± -Huh? Already? ¡°It¡¯s not exactly ¡®already.¡¯ It¡¯s been 10 hours.¡± -Oh¡­ Well, I suppose it has been quite a while. Jihad¡¯s expression was strange as he said that. It was hard to decipher the look on his face, making Do-hyeon feel equally unsettled. ¡®I thought he¡¯d be excited¡ªwhat kind of reaction is that?¡¯ Wasn¡¯t this the same guy who couldn¡¯t suppress his smile when Do-hyeon logged off yesterday? Had they grown a bit closer in just one day? [Loyalty: 30 / 100] Considering that loyalty had risen to 30, it might indeed be possible. That thought was interrupted by Jihad¡¯s subsequent question. -Then, what happens to Elisa? ¡°Huh?¡± -Will she, like me, be sent to another world, master? ¡°Another world?¡± Do-hyeon tilted his head before letting out a soft exmation. ¡®He must be talking about the Guardian Room.¡¯ When a yer logs off, their guardians are all sent to a ce called the Guardian Room. It¡¯s a highly reasonable system designed to prevent guardians from wandering alone, getting killed, or causing problems in the absence of their yers. Naturally, Elisa, being a guardian, would also be moved to the Guardian Room. ¡°Probably. Why?¡± -¡­Right. Never mind. That¡¯s why Do-hyeon found it even more puzzling. It wasn¡¯t a question he would have asked out of ignorance, so he must have some reason for seeming so sullen. ¡°Why? Do you not like it there? Your reaction suggests otherwise.¡± After all, hadn¡¯t his loyalty increased dramatically? As expected, Jihad shook his head. Instead, he replied with a slightly downcast face. -It¡¯s just¡­ we¡¯ve only just met, so it feels a little disappointing. -Liza¡­ Lizaliza! ¡°Oh.¡± Moved, Elisa¡¯s eyes sparkled as she affectionately rubbed her face against Jihad¡¯s cheek. ¡®That¡¯s right, they were meeting for the first time in 150 years.¡¯ Finally understanding Jihad¡¯s reaction, Do-hyeon chuckled. The guy, who had always seemed like an opportunist watching for a chance to stab him in the back, could actually feel regret at parting. ¡®It¡¯s hard to believe he forgot 150 years of this.¡¯ It made him wonder¡ªhad some external force interfered to make him forget? Curious, but knowing Jihad would only give an evasive answer, and this wasn¡¯t the right time, he shelved the thought. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be back soon. So, um, don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Jihad¡¯s ears perked up at Do-hyeon¡¯s awkwardly clumsy attempt at constion, unable to hide his difort with such sentimental words. -¡­How soon? ¡°About the same time I came back today?¡± -Understood, master. Did that help? Seeing Jihad¡¯s expression rx a little, it seemed so. Finding the atmosphere a bit too warm for his liking, Do-hyeon decided to change the subject. ¡°Then, shall we get moving?¡± -Huh? Leaving already? Didn¡¯t you say you weren¡¯t leaving just yet? Jihad¡¯s puzzled expression seemed to question this, but Do-hyeon replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. ¡°No, I mean, I¡¯ll leave after catching one more.¡± -¡­You¡¯re so relentless, master. -Liza¡­ Ignoring the reactions of his two guardians, Do-hyeon turned his head. After all, a true gamer knew how to make the most of even a fleeting moment. And right now, this was the best way to use his remaining time. ¡®I can¡¯t leave it at 249.¡¯ 249 was a bothersome number. 250 felt much cleaner. With less than two minutes remaining, his current specs made it more than possible to kill one more quickly. Just as Do-hyeon rose to his feet to move¡ª -Huh? What¡¯s that? -Liza? Jihad and Elisa tilted their heads in unison. -If you¡¯re not leaving, then¡­ where are you looking, master? The orcs are that way. -Lizaliza! ¡°¡­I know.¡± -If you know, then why¡­? ¡°Just hush and wait.¡± Instead of heading toward the orcs, Do-hyeon was staring nkly at the air. Even when they kindly pointed this out, his furrowed brow and dismissive tone made Jihad pout. -You¡¯re always like this with me. Jihad¡¯s faint grumbling reached his ears, but Do-hyeon didn¡¯t pay attention. To be precise, he didn¡¯t have the luxury to. ¡°What is that?¡± -? That? There¡¯s nothing there. -Liza? Following Do-hyeon¡¯s gaze, Jihad and Elisa saw nothing. All they could see were some rocks and the dense, annoying fog. But Do-hyeon saw it clearly. ¡®Why are those rocks red?¡¯ Two blood-soaked rocks. On one of them, something small emitted a crimson glow darker than blood. [Eye of Truth activates.] It was the first time the Eye of Truth had activated in Brion. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 The moment Eye of Truth activated, the first thing Do-hyeon did was check the remaining time. [Remaining y Time: 00:01:17] One minute and seventeen seconds. Not even enough time for a cup of instant noodles to cook, but it was sufficient to check the information about ¡°that.¡± Of course, this was assuming he moved quickly. ¡®Could it be the Fragment of Destiny?¡¯ Although he was currently focused on hunting orcs, the Fragment of Destiny took top priority. The Main Quest and the Main Stream. At a nce, the difference between the two seemed minor, but in reality, it was quite significant. If the Main Quest was like the leaves of a tree, the Main Stream yed the role of its main trunk. Even with this exnation, it was essentially a ¡°chicken or egg¡± type of question. Clearing the Main Quests would eventually lead to acquiring Fragments of Destiny, and umting those fragments would naturally clear the Main Stream. ¡®Is it really showing up already?¡¯ In that sense, the sudden appearance of the Fragment of Destiny was incredibly thrilling. With a heart full of anticipation, Do-hyeon quickened his pace. ¨C Master? No, it¡¯s happening again. What is it this time? ¨C LizaLiza? As Do-hyeon suddenly dashed toward a boulder, Jihad and Elisa voiced their confusion but followed along. Thus, the party arrived in front of the boulder. The boulder looked ordinary, one of the many scattered across this Salt-Rock Forest. It appeared unremarkable to the naked eye, but not to Do-hyeon. ¡®This spot is glowing red.¡¯ A faint crimson light seeped from one corner of the boulder, as though smeared with blood. Seeing it up close made it seem indistinguishable, suggesting that without the Eye of Truth, it would have gone entirely unnoticed. Swoosh. Instinctively, Do-hyeon ced his hand on it, but a strange sensation made him furrow his brows. ¡®Sticky.¡¯ It felt unusually dense. Like a mixture of something syrupy sweet, such as honey? It wasn¡¯t entirely reminiscent of blood, yet only the area illuminated by the Eye of Truth felt sticky. ¡®What could this be?¡¯ He had hoped it might be a Fragment of Destiny, but it didn¡¯t seem to be. The radiant and enchanting gleam that characterized it was nowhere to be seen. His next thought was that it might be some sort of herb finally appearing, but there wasn¡¯t even a trace of a nt, not to mention herbs. Ding! That¡¯s when the notification chimed. Already curious, Do-hyeon quickly checked the message, and his eyes widened. It waspletely unexpected. [You have discovered a hidden clue.] [It has been recorded in the Adventure Book.] [Quest item Ominous Aura has been discovered, and a quest has been created.] ¡ª [Ominous Aura] ¨C Grade: Rare ¨C Description: You have discovered an Ominous Aura in the Salt-Rock Forest of Brion. Something unsettling emanates from it. High Priest Gildetti of the Lair Grand Temple might know its true nature. Take the Ominous Aura to Gildetti. ¨C Quest Sess: Increase in Gildetti¡¯s favorability, unlocks linked quest Material Search. ¨C Quest Failure: Linked quests will not be avable. ¡ª ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± This was the first time Do-hyeon had discovered a Quest Item in God of Savior. Quests. A system familiar to any RPG yer and essential for character progression. As with most RPGs, yers in God of Savior could be considered ves to quests. Even low-grade quests made a noticeable difference, let alone ss-rted quests, whose importance was undeniable. Do-hyeon himself had followed the quest guide diligently beforeing to Brion. ¡®But the guide¡¯s quests aren¡¯t everything.¡¯ Even so, the quests in the guide were merely the tip of the iceberg. As an adventure-themed game, God of Savior boasted an expansive world, full of hidden content. Whether rted to the Adventure Book or Hidden Pieces¡­ The list was endless. Among them were Hidden Quests, unlocked only by meeting specific conditions. For example, when Do-hyeon, with Jihad¡¯s help, discovered the Warriors¡¯ Lair, a hidden field, he triggered a sudden quest. Such hidden quests weren¡¯t limited to sudden events. They could also be received from NPCs by meeting certain conditions, or from raids. And in rare cases, they could be obtained through items. ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought I¡¯d get a Quest Item¡­¡± That was exactly what the quest in front of Do-hyeon was about. Not only would it add to the Adventure Book, but it would also connect to a Hidden Quest¡ªa treasure of an item. Additionally, it was something that even Adventure King Barion would go crazy for. Understandably so. For someone ready to ovee any obstacle in pursuit of adventure, quest items were invaluable. ¡®Even in DemRock, I only got a handful of these. And now, I find one here?¡¯ Given his historically terrible luck, acquiring such a rare quest item was a once-in-a-blue-moon event for Do-hyeon. To think he managed this within just three days of starting¡­ Was this the power of the Eye of Truth? ¡®No, seriously, what are you, Eye of Truth? Is there a limit to your abilities?¡¯ From uncovering secret dungeons to exposing stealth, and now even finding quest items? Its performance was absolutely insane. At this rate, not being able to find herbs seemed almost unbnced inparison. ¡®Ah¡­ this is sweet.¡¯ So what if he couldn¡¯t locate herbs? With the Eye of Truth, he could discover every quest item and secret dungeon imaginable. ¡®Explorers would be dying of envy if they knew about this.¡¯ Not just envy¡ªthey might even try to kill him. It was a feature so absurdly overpowered that no one could argue otherwise. ¡®Although, not all quest items are necessarily good.¡¯ The value of quest itemsy in their rarity alone. Their difficulty or rewards varied greatly depending on the specific item. Their high rarity made them hard to find, yet the results could feel like a gamble. If obtained by chance, they were nice to have; otherwise, it wasn¡¯t worth pursuing them actively¡ªa sentiment shared by most yers regarding quest items. ¡®The Adventure King is the odd one.¡¯ Only someone as entric as him would be excited enough to pursue them. The quest item he had just obtained was rare grade, and most quest items were likely to be rare as well. The mostmon grades among Hidden Pieces were rare and rare+. ¡®Didn¡¯t someone in the Celestial Guild acquire a divine beast with a legendary-grade quest item?¡¯ If he could get something that high-tier, how amazing would it be?n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om But that was just Do-hyeon¡¯s greed talking. There would be plenty more opportunities in the future, and obtaining even a rare-grade quest item was already fortunate. ¡®Especially since it seems to have linked quests.¡¯ It was worth hoping the final grade might reach rare+ at least. Since there is a lot of text, I will trante and format it following your instructions, splitting each sentence onto a separate line with spaces in between. Here¡¯s the trantion: ¡ª For now, since there was no time, he thought he would have to visit the High Priest tomorrow to find out. [10 seconds remaining until connection ends.] [Connection will terminate shortly. Please move to a safe location.] ¡®I won¡¯t be able to finish off 250 monsters.¡¯ Getting the quest item was a hundred times better than defeating one more monster, but somehow, it felt like a blemish that left him unsettled. Having no choice but to leave his regret behind, Do-hyeon waved lightly. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m heading out. Elisa, take care. I¡¯ll be back tomorrow.¡± ¨C ¡­¡­? You were hunting orcs, and now suddenly? ¨C Liza! At that moment, Elisa jumped up onto Do-hyeon¡¯s shoulder, rubbing her face against him. It looked as if she was bidding him farewell. ¡®You really do act like a puppy sometimes.¡¯ It reminded him of Ho-chi, the dog he had briefly taken care of in the past. Do-hyeon chuckled and stroked Elisa¡¯s head gently with his index finger as he replied. ¡°I¡¯m a little disappointed, but I got something better, so it¡¯s fine. Okay, I¡¯m logging ou¡ª¡± sh. As Do-hyeon disappeared, Jihad¡¯s expression turned nk as he stared at the empty spot. Jihad, who remained like that for a while, let out a sigh. ¨C Staring nkly at blood-soaked rocks, touching blood¡­ Seriously, my master is a strange man. Right, Elisa? ¨C Liza? Liza-Liza! ¨C What? He seems like a good master? Oh,e on, Elisa. Don¡¯t be fooled by his looks. Do you know how ruthless he is? ¨C Liza? Liza! ¨C Huh? It doesn¡¯t seem like I dislike him? Hmm¡­ After pausing and pondering for a moment, Jihad spoke nonchntly. ¨C ¡­Well, he¡¯s actually not bad to travel with. Kind-hearted me is just amodating him. You know how great my legion is, right? Feeling a bit awkward, Jihad brushed his nose and changed the subject, feigning bravado. As Jihad tried to act cool, Elisa tilted her head curiously. [Transferring to the Guardian Room.] ¨C Ah. ¨C Liza? The inevitable hade. Eliza¡¯s eyes grew wide as if she were confused about what was happening, while Jihad, already used to it after experiencing it once, reassured her. ¨C Guardians like us move to another world when our master is absent. But don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be transported to afortable ce. ¨C Liza¡­ ¨C I¡¯m a bit sad too, but¡­ well, he said he¡¯d be back soon. See you tomorrow, Elisa. ¨C Liza! After a light farewell gesture of touching hands, Jihad¡¯s vision blinked, and soon, the scenery changed. It was a world where countless realms coexisted. Clouds and earth intertwined, and ciers coexisted withva zones. This mysterious world had be familiar to him. ¨C It feels new yet strangelyfortable. Yesterday, he thought it was just because he was seeing the outside world for the first time after being confined, but today, the feeling was confirmed again. He didn¡¯t quite understand it, but hey, a good thing is a good thing. The fresh air and the sensation of a moderately cool breeze embracing his skin contributed to it. ¨C I slept all day yesterday, so maybe I¡¯ll look around today. This was what he liked most about this ce. No matter where he walked, there was always a new view, making it impossible to get bored. It made walking enjoyable. Just as he moved forward with anticipation¡ª ¨C Huh? Jihad¡¯s eyes gleamed with interest. ¨C Was that there before? Something new caught his eye, something he hadn¡¯t seen yesterday. It was a small, lonely cabin standing in the middle of a barren field. The worn-out wood showed signs of age, yet it was a sight Jihad was familiar with. ¨C ¡­It¡¯s my house? It was the house where Jihad had lived back when he was in the Raven. Seeing it after such a long time filled him with both delight and bewilderment. Why had something that wasn¡¯t there yesterday suddenly appeared? Curious, Jihad swallowed nervously and opened the door. Creak. The sound of old wood rubbing against itself echoed as he stepped inside, greeted by the interior that perfectly resembled the house he had lived in. A space justrge enough to live in,plete with utensils, a table, and chairs. There were three chairs in total, with a cushion ced on the solitary chair on the other side. That was Elisa¡¯s seat. The house, unchanged since the time Jihad had left it, looked as if time had stopped. ¨C ¡­Yeah, this is how it was. Was it because of the memories that came flooding back after seeing it for the first time in so long? Jihad¡¯s expression turned somewhat wistful. He thought about how it had probably waited for him for a hundred years up there. That thought made his chest feel heavy. Swish. It was then. Sensing a strange presence behind him, Jihad immediately reacted. ¨C Liza! ¨C Huh? Along with the familiar voice, a soft, fluffy sensation settled on his shoulder. When he turned his head, he saw Elisa smiling brightly. ¨C Elisa!? ¨C Liza! ¨C What? Why are you here?? ¨C Liza? Liza! ¨C You just woke up and found yourself here? How is that even possible? ¨C Liza! Jihad¡¯s eyes, wide with disbelief, soon became clear. He didn¡¯t know the reason, but it didn¡¯t matter. Why would the reason matter? ¨C Who cares. Elisa, want to go for a walk together for the first time in ages? ¨C Liza-Liza! What mattered was that he could relive the past memories again. Elisa hopped up onto Jihad¡¯s head. She had always loved perching on his head. Perhaps because of his protruding ears, she said it felt stable and provided a good ride. ¨C Still the same as ever. ¨C Liza! ¨C Alright, let¡¯s go. You¡¯re going to be amazed when you see this ce. It¡¯s incredible. ¨C Liza-Liza! ¨C Oh, you want to bring this along? Wow, you even kept this at home. No need to wear the ne here; it¡¯s just us. The frozen time in the cabin began to flow again. * * * At that same time. The God of Saviormunity, which had been rtively quiet for a while, erupted in chaos as if a fire had broken out. Chapter 68 Chapter 68 The greatest advantage of amunity is undoubtedlymunication. People would read numerous strategy posts and articles on the website and then head to themunity to exchange information and interact. As the game boasted a yer base of a billion people, servers were divided by countries, yet the sheer volume of activity was immense. ¨C Hey, any newstely? What are the top 10 guilds up to now? Although countless topics emerged, yers had recently started feeling a bit bored. ¨C They¡¯re busy breaking into the New Continent these days. ¨C Yeah¡­ Heard they¡¯repeting to see who breaks through first. Doesn¡¯t seem like there will be much news for now. It¡¯s been kind of dull with the top 10 guilds lying low.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¨C It was fun when they were fighting over who¡¯s better, haha. ¨C That¡¯s why the Hero Guild and yer are trending these days.¡± ¨C Isn¡¯t that lunatic pretty famous too? ¨C Ah¡­ don¡¯t even mention that guy. He¡¯s truly not normal. Most issues had run their course, and with even the top 10 guilds being quiet, topics of discussion were drying up. In reality, they were just killing time, stuck on themunity with nothing better to do. [The King¡¯s Return! Myeolsal yields the throne to the rightful owner, Kaiser?] [Kaiser, he has returned!] At that moment, news of Kaiser¡¯s return struck like a lifeline in the midst of a drought. ¨C Damn, Kaiser is back! ¨C Whoa, incredible. How does he reim the top spot immediately upon returning? ¨C Is this what ss is? Where are the people who called him washed up? Myeolsal doesn¡¯t step down? Lol, crushed with double the gap! ¨C Haha, I always believed in you, geezers!¡± The reaction was explosive, drawing the attention of countlessmunity members. [Kaiser, who is he?] [DemRock¡¯s former number one, the man called a god, Kaiser.] [A man who shot to fame and reimed the top spot in the Raven rankings!] Fans and journalists, seizing the moment, enthusiastically dug up information about Kaiser. Soon, discussions about him flooded countless tforms. Who was he? What had he done in the past? Why was he called a god¡­? Numerous summaries of his glorious achievements poured out. ¨C Wow, seeing it allid out like this, he really was legendary. ¨C The fact that all of this is true is insane. ¨C He was just a god. ¨C Thinking about it brings back memories. Makes me want to y DemRock again. ¨C Seriously? You want to y that brick game? ¨C It¡¯s just a figure of speech; it¡¯s not like we can y it now anyway, haha. People who remembered Kaiser fondly indulged in nostalgia, while those who hadn¡¯t experienced his era were in disbelief. ¨C Does this even make sense? Haha, what is he, some Korean superman? ¨C I heard about his dominant reign and all, but isn¡¯t this overblown? ¨C Isn¡¯t this just Koreans overhyping their own? Typical of them to worship old legends. ¨C Wow, kids these days don¡¯t know Kaiser? ¨C Is this why the older folksin about today¡¯s youth? I¡¯m 24, and I kinda get where they¡¯reing from, haha. ¨C Seriously, just because they didn¡¯t see it, they call it fake. Sigh. ¨C Come on, soloing 10-yer raids, tanking as a DPS, never losing a duel¡­ Sigh, it¡¯s hard to even list it all. How can anyone believe such nonsense? ¨C The fact that there¡¯s no news from Arde speaks for itself. Probably got lucky this time. ¨C But I did notice the record in Arde changed. BestShield? Who are they? Never heard of them, but their stats are insane. Skepticism arose naturally since much of the information sounded objectively and logically imusible. Doubts snowballed into controversies, spreading across themunity. [Here¡¯s a video of Kaiser during his DemRock days. Kids, watch this.] Unable to hold back, someone retrieved one of the few remaining videos. It was an old clip with degraded quality, seemingly recorded by someone else. However, it was enough to showcase his gamey, leavingizens stunned. ¨C Damn, is this control for real? ¨C Wow, look at him dodge everything. How does he not get hit once? ¨C What is happening here? ¨C Seriously, haha, how is this real? It¡¯s baffling even after watching it. ¨C Why is a DPS doing a one-on-one duel? Is that even possible? ¨C No, it¡¯s impossible. ¨C Then what is that? In the video, Kaiser was solo-killing a field boss over 5 meters tall, executing gamey so wless that the rumors about him didn¡¯t seem exaggerated. ¨C This is insane¡­ So this is why people revere Kaiser. ¨C I think I might be a fan.¡± ¨C I¡¯ve never been attracted to a guy before, but¡­ what is this feeling? Is it like first love? ¨C Uh, are you¡­ okay? That¡¯s kind of¡­ The video was more than enough to sway public sentiment. No, it didn¡¯t just sway them; itpletely overwhelmed them. ¨C More! Is there more? ¨C I¡¯m still thirsty! Show me more videos! Naturally, people began searching for Kaiser¡¯s clips, bringing his long-forgotten videos into the limelight. From footage of him taking on 10 PKers at once, to raid challenges, to siege battles alongside his party¡ªeach video stunned the audience. ¨C Wow¡­ this is insane. ¨C How does he do this? Even Myeolsal can¡¯t pull this off, right? ¨C Well, based on results alone, Myeolsal might be capable, but¡­ they¡¯re fundamentally different. Myeolsal¡¯s shy and violent, while this feels like watching a work of art. ¨C It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve willingly watched a 480p video for 20 minutes. Despite digging up over ten videos, it wasn¡¯t nearly enough to quench their thirst. Instead, the scarcity left people even more desperate, stirring frustration. Many of those intrigued were women. Since ¨C ¨C God of Savior- ¨C wasn¡¯t just a game, its yer base included a significant number of female users. ¨C Ugh, aren¡¯t there more videos? I want to fangirl, but there¡¯s nothing to work with. ¨C How old is Kaiser? His face is covered, so I can¡¯t tell. Does anyone know anything? ¨C Kaiser was famous for not posting videos even during his DemRock days. That¡¯s why all his clips are recorded by others. ¨C Don¡¯t you use NewTube? Even just uploading hunting videos would make everyone grateful. ¨C It was the same shock as seeing Myeolsal for the first time. I wonder if he still has that level of skill now.¡± ¨C Well, isn¡¯t that why he was ranked first in Raven? The insane skill that was almost artistic, coupled with the limited information avable about him, only served to further provoke their desire to know more. It wasn¡¯t strange, considering that stars in God of Savior had essentially taken over the status of celebrities. Those who had suddenly be fans craved what was poprly called ¡°fangirling¡± or ¡°fanboying.¡± And where there are fans, there are bound to be anti-fans as well. ¨C Isn¡¯t this edited? ¨C Honestly, how is that even possible? It looks like an edit. The video quality is so bad. ¨C I work in video editing, and at least to me, there¡¯s no sign of it being edited. The quality issues seem to just be about resolution¡­ Besides, how many videos are there? iming they¡¯re all edited is even more ridiculous. ¨C I don¡¯t know, man. How does that make any sense? Whatever it is, it¡¯s edited. ¨C Edited, lol. Look at them trying so hard to deny it, lol. ¨C Ah, sure. Why don¡¯t you just say that being ranked first in Raven was also edited? Even the anti-fans couldn¡¯t properly stir up trouble this time. Typically, they preferred incitement when engaging in their antics. After all, there¡¯s nothing faster or easier to stir controversy and dampen the mood. But even incitement required something to spark it¡­ There was too little known about Kaiser to run their mouths, while his achievements were undeniable. They bickered and argued among themselves, but one thing was clear. ¨C No matter how much you allin, all the top guilds are on fire trying to recruit Kaiser right now. ¨C I¡¯m at Brion, and I swear, the scouts are crowding the entrance. There are so many people that you can¡¯t even see ahead. ¨C It¡¯s not just about skill; there¡¯s symbolism. Of course, guilds would want to recruit him. A massive dark horse had appeared¡ªsomething never seen before. And his arrival was certain to have a tremendous impact on God of Savior in the future. ¨C Wow, I¡¯m at Brion too, and I¡¯ve already seen three marks of top 100 guilds. ¨C Top 100 guilds? Not top 10?¡± ¨C You don¡¯t know about the top 100 guilds? Are you a newbie? ¨C It¡¯s not officially defined like the top 10, but these are guilds too strong to be considered ordinary. It¡¯s just a term that caught on. ¨C Still, there¡¯s a somewhat systematic standard, so while there¡¯s debate about the lower ranks, the middle tier is generally recognized. ¨C Ah, thanks, Speedwagon!¡± That prediction turned out to be true. [Phoenix Guild Master Jennifer expresses interest in recruiting Kaiser, creating a buzz¡­] [Jenion Guild and Baekdusan Guild also make a move! Massive scout war unfolds! Who will recruit Kaiser?] [Even those referred to as the top 100 guilds are vying for him!] Even the top 100 guilds, known for being slow to act, had joined this massive recruitment war. ¨C But why aren¡¯t the top 10 guilds moving? Shouldn¡¯t they be interested in Kaiser? ¨C They¡¯re busy right now, and they probably don¡¯t have the resources. ¨C And even if they did, they¡¯re probably being cautious. If someone with Kaiser¡¯s symbolic value joins, it would disrupt the delicate bnce they¡¯ve established. That could lead to war. ¨C It¡¯s a game of chicken. They¡¯ll likely watch for now. ¨C Wow, this is so exciting. Which guild will manage to recruit Kaiser? The users¡¯ anticipation reached its peak. In less than half a day, this enormous bombshell had ignited a historic-scale scout war. Everyone was glued to the developments, unable to tear their eyes away. ¨C Breaking news: Kaiser seems to be taking his time deciding. ¨C Wow, even with the top 100 guilds moving, he¡¯s ying hard to get? ¨C Well, he¡¯s Kaiser. He has the right to take his time; what¡¯s the big deal? ¨C Top 100 guild or not, everyone¡¯s equal before a god. ¨C This is so thrilling. The news that Kaiser was making the guilds wait only heightened the excitement. God of Savior had been out for a year and six months now. All the potential stars had already risen to fame. Who would dare to make the top 100 guilds wait? No matter how great someone was in the past,ters typically followed a certain order. This was something only Kaiser could do, and it was an unparalleled, thrilling situation for the users. ¨C Still, it¡¯s kind of disappointing. If he¡¯s stalling, this won¡¯t wrap up overnight. ¨C Maybe he¡¯s holding out until the top 10 guilds make a move. ¨C That¡¯s possible, considering someone of Kaiser¡¯s caliber. ¨C If that happens, wouldn¡¯t it cause a war among the top 10 guilds? ¨C Amazing, that would be so fun. ¨C Grab some popcorn, quickly. It had been a while since anything this interesting had happened. Even this massive standoff, which couldst several days or even a month, was enough to excite them. ¨C Which guild will he join?¡± ¨C Not sure. But I¡¯m guessing about a week. ¨C Nah, it¡¯ll take over a month for the top 10 guilds to make a move. Kaiser should end up in at least a top 10 guild. ¨C But then he wouldn¡¯t be able to level up for a whole month. That¡¯s too much. ¨C What if he doesn¡¯t join any guild at all? Excited users debated and spected about the situation. ¨C No way, even Kaiser wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± ¨C Why not? He was a solo yer in DemRock until he officially joined a party. ¨C But that was different. The scale and timing were nothing like now. Back then, the gap was just a few months. ¨C If he refuses to join now, he¡¯ll be a public enemy. Everyone will turn against him. He¡¯d be insane to do that. ¨C Even the Empress ignored all scouting offers and didn¡¯t join a guild. ¨C That¡¯s not the same. It was early in the game, and it wasn¡¯t this intense. If he ignores them now, it¡¯s basically saying, ¡®Bring it on, world. I¡¯m Kaiser.¡¯ As they continued their excited chatter for dozens of minutes, countless spections were made, filling the time with anticipation. [Guys, I think I just saw Kaiser.] A post appeared online. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 A suddenly posted thread. The title alone was enough to draw immense attention in the current situation, but the content was even more shocking. [Guys, I think I just saw Kaiser.] [Author: FactOnlyPlz] -I¡¯m in the Salt-Rock Forest, and I think I saw Kaiser. Did we seed in recruiting him? They were saying he was biding his time, so why is he out hunting here? In less than a few minutes, the post had umted dozens ofments. Most of the reactions were simr. -There¡¯s no way you saw him when even the scouts can¡¯t find him, lol. -Ah, of course, I was wondering when the trolls would show up. -You shouldn¡¯t feed into nonsense like this, but man, it¡¯s hard to resist clicking this time. -There¡¯s no way he¡¯s in Salt-Rock Forest when he hasn¡¯t even entered Brion yet, lol. If you¡¯re going to troll, at least try harder. -Ugh, pathetic. Just go die already. Why even live like this? -Living up to your username? Guess not. Smh. The idea that Kaiser somehow snuck through the crowds at Brion¡¯s entrance to secretly go hunting in the field? It made no sense. The post¡¯s author faced a barrage of insults, includingments about their family, before retreating in disgrace, and people quickly forgot about them. Or, more urately, they tried to forget. -What the¡­? I¡¯m also in Salt-Rock Forest, and it really does look like Kaiser. -I haven¡¯t verified it yet, but¡­ honestly, if that¡¯s not Kaiser, then what else makes sense? -The timing lines up perfectly¡­ Wait, am I seeing things? No, that¡¯s not it. -Guys, don¡¯t jump straight to ming. Let¡¯s think about this seriously. There are more than a few eyewitnesses now. Untilments like these began popping up. When the opinions started leaning toward defending the possibility, the inte users were thrown into confusion. The sincerity in thements made it hard to dismiss outright. -Is Kaiser really out hunting right now? -Does that even make sense? -Probably just another fake. I mean, he¡¯s not a god. How would he sneak out unnoticed to hunt? The matter was decisively settled at that moment. [Guys, you¡¯re idiots. It¡¯s actually Kaiser.] [Author: FactOnlyPlz] -It¡¯s frustrating. If you don¡¯t believe me, juste to Salt-Rock Forest yourself. There¡¯s some lunatic solo-hunting orcs here like crazy. He keeps switching weapons, and when he shoulder-bashes an orc, they go flying. If that¡¯s not Kaiser, then what is it? I don¡¯t want to get sued for invasion of privacy, so I¡¯ve pixted it, but here¡¯s a short clip. (Photo attached) (A man ughtering orcs atop a mountain of orc corpses) P.S. To those who insulted my family, I¡¯ve saved all yourments. See you at the police station, scumbags. The author, presumed to have retreated in shame after being med, returned with evidence. A field covered in a mountain of orc corpses. And a lone man hunting amidst them. Faced with undeniable proof in the form of a photo,izens had no choice but to believe it. -¡­It¡¯s real? -No, seriously, why is Kaiser there? -But is that really Kaiser? The pixtion makes it hard to tell. -If not him, then who? What else makes sense? -Is it another fake, though? It¡¯s gotta be Photoshopped this time. -I dabble in this kind of stuff, and I¡¯ve zoomed in to max detail. It¡¯s clean. No editing. Even self-proimed experts did secondary checks and confirmed it was authentic. Why was someone who hadn¡¯t even entered Brion yet here? More importantly, how? -Is he some kind of Robin Hood? How does this even work? -At this point, maybe he¡¯s not even human. -Lol, guess he¡¯s actually a Hogwarts graduate. That¡¯s why he startedte¡ªacademicmitments. -Author, I¡¯m sorry. You really lived up to your username. Caught in a scene so absurd it felt magical, even theizens were confused. But one thing became clear. -This means he¡¯s not joining any guild, right? He just ignored all the invitations. -Wow¡­ Do we call this cool or just crazy? -Where are the people who said he¡¯d join to share guild contribution points? Come exin this. -Hello, that¡¯s me. I think this just proves that Kaiser is Kaiser. -Yeah, he¡¯s always hated guilds. Guess it¡¯s like they say¡ªlose your teeth, and you¡¯re still a tiger. Then someone raised a question. -So what does this mean? Were the scouts just sitting around waiting for Kaiser this whole time? -Well¡­ To this, everyone had the same answer. -They were just wasting their time. Netizens imagined the guild scouts, reduced to dogs staring up at chickens perched on the roof, and nodded in agreement. -Bring me more popcorn. Hurry. -Lol, so it was real. His next moves are gonna be wild. -We¡¯ll see when Brion kicks off. -But doesn¡¯t he have too many enemies now? Being #1 will be tough. The current leader¡¯s way ahead. -True, in Brion, Berge¡¯s dominance is practically a given. Good-looking and skilled¡ªit¡¯s infuriating.N?v(el)B\\jnn -Is that the issue? He just made thousands of enemies in one go. -One versus thousands¡­ My heart swells with pride. Everyone knew. Pride turned into fame, and fame became power¡ªguilds wouldn¡¯t stand idly by. The news reached Brion¡¯s scouts as well. ¡°What? Kaiser¡¯s hunting here?¡± ¡°How is that possible?¡± ¡°First, check this¡­!¡± ¡°What the hell!¡± ¡°Move! Head to the Salt-Rock Forest immediately! No, I¡¯ll go myself. You stay here and wait, dammit!¡± Presuming a long wait, they had been rtively calm until this bombshell dropped. As the news spread, they scrambled into action. They swarmed the Salt-Rock Forest, searching every corner. How long did they search? ¡°?¡± ¡°??¡± About an hourter, question marks floated over their heads. ¡°What the¡­ Why isn¡¯t he here?¡± ¡°We¡¯vebed the whole area. Could he be in a dungeon?¡± ¡°No¡­ There aren¡¯t any dungeons in Salt-Rock Forest. Hisst sighting was in the thick mist, but¡­¡± ¡°Then where is he? Why can¡¯t we find him?¡± A subordinate, hesitating under a senior scout¡¯s re, cautiously replied. ¡°He must have already left.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The senior scout, Bae Jin-chul, froze. Bae Jin-chul. A man with ties to the Baekdusan Guild¡¯s master and elevated to executive rank despite being a scout. Even in his agitated state, his mind worked quickly. ¡°So you¡¯re telling me that while we were guarding the entrance, he snuck out, hunted, and then left once word got out?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Hah.¡± Bae Jin-chul let out a hollowugh and ground his teeth. What could this mean? That Kaiser had no intention of joining a guild? That might be part of it, but if that were the only reason, there would be no point in going this far to mock them. It would have been more advantageous to choose a path of mutual benefit. Even if he couldn¡¯t maintain friendly rtions, there was no reason to create enemies unnecessarily. So, the remaining possibilities boiled down to two. Either he waspletely unaware of the situation, or this was a direct challenge to the guilds. The judgment was quick. It made no sense for him to be unaware of the situation. At the entrance alone, there were over a hundred people asking if he was Kaiser¡ªhow could he not know? Just opening the homepage would show nothing but discussions about him. There was no way he couldn¡¯t know. The idea that he had dodged everything by sheer coincidence was even more absurd. He was moving while keeping tabs on the situation in real time. Kaiser was expressing his intent with his actions. ¡°Alright, so this is what you¡¯re saying?¡± Don¡¯t dare try to possess me. I have no intention of joining your ranks¡ªnot even the slightest. If anything, I¡¯d rather do everything myself. What he initially thought was an invitation to impress Kaiser had turned out to be a bold challenge. ¡°Hah. Unbelievable. Even if he¡¯s fallen behind, a tiger is still a tiger, is that it?¡± Bae Jin-chul had heard of Kaiser reigning alone like a tiger in DemRock, but to see him pulling the same thing here? It was ridiculous. This was someone blinded by past glory, unable to grasp the current reality. ¡°Everyone hypes him up so much he thinks the world revolves around him.¡± To be fair, his achievements were impressive. He had dethroned Myeolsal and imed the #1 spot¡ªa remarkable feat. Even if it was in the past, it meant his skills hadn¡¯tpletely dulled. But so what? ¡°The world has changed. It¡¯s not the same as it was back then.¡± Past glory? An undefeated emperor who had everyone underfoot? That was just in DemRock¡ªa rtively small pond with only tens of millions of yers. This ce was a whole different world. And given that he was already a year and six months behind, it wasn¡¯t even worth discussing. Ssshhk. Grinding his teeth, Bae Jin-chul began walking. ¡°Team leader? Where are you going?¡± His subordinate followed, asking cautiously. Pausing for a moment, Bae Jin-chul smirked. ¡°I¡¯m going to remind a legend of the past.¡± The one-and-a-half-year gap. No matter how great he was, he couldn¡¯t ovee the solidified power structures that had been built in that time. Bae Jin-chul wasn¡¯t the only one with this thought. ¡°Ah¡­ so that¡¯s your stance. I understand you well, Kaiser.¡± From the Phoenix Guild: ¡°Hmph. No matter how great Kaiser is, this is arrogance.¡± ¡°Then again, maybe this is what makes him Kaiser. This is beyond expectations.¡± ¡°Heh, has there ever been a man like this before?¡± ¡°Hah. He¡¯s just a relic of the past. The leagues are different between where he was and here.¡± ¡°Still, he did reim the #1 spot immediately after his return. Honestly, seeing Myeolsal dethroned felt great. That guy was insufferable.¡± To Jenion Guild and Baekdusan Guild, And even among the top 100 guilds, reactions varied widely. ¡°What? Kaiser rejected every recruitment and just went straight for it?¡± ¡°Wow¡­ as expected of Kaiser. Every move he makes is on apletely different level. There¡¯s no predicting him.¡± ¡°Showing this level of confidence means he¡¯s still got it, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious to see how far he¡¯ll go.¡± Even other guilds andizens, upon hearing the news, began to focus on Kaiser. And so, thanks to a misunderstanding, Kaiser had unintentionally amassed a sea of enemies and an audience of spectators. * * * Meanwhile, unaware that he had be the center of attention, Do-hyeon¡­ [The ¡®Blue Goblin Warrior¡¯s Blue Leather Belt¡¯ you registered in the auction house has been sold.] [The ¡®Red Goblin Warrior¡¯s Leather Armor¡¯ you registered in the auction house has been sold.] ¡­ [The ¡®Blue Goblin Warrior¡¯s Blue Leather Pants¡¯ you registered in the auction house has been sold.] [All items you listed in the auction house have been sold.] [Please confirm the settled amount.] [Current amount: 16,471,640 won.] ¡°¡­Wow.¡± Do-hyeon savored the joy of his first earnings from God of Savior. An incredible 16 million won¡ªnot 1.6, but 16 million. A mere level 24 had earned 16 million won in a single day. The only word that came to Do-hyeon¡¯s mind was: ¡°¡­Insane.¡± Chapter 70 Chapter 70 During the peak days of DemRock, it was remarkable for renowned miners to earn about ten million won a month. Even Do-hyeon himself had never exceeded two million back then. ¡°To think I made that in a single day.¡± Is this why people call it a masterpiece of a game? He had often heard that the money generated by God of Savior couldn¡¯t be dismissed as mere ¡°game money.¡± And he had anticipated this kind of profit when obtaining an item. Nevertheless, experiencing it firsthand felt surreal. Did he really just make 16 million won? Simply by using the auction house once? [Deposited to the linked ount.] [Bnce: 16,894,670 won.] ¡°Ah.¡± Do-hyeon let out an exmation as he stared at the bnce disyed in his ount, making it feel real. ¡°Sixteen million won¡­ What could I do with this money?¡± It had taken him a year and six months to painstakingly save 4.5 million to buy a used gaming capsule. Now, with this amount, he could purchase a much better-performing capsule outright. And that wasn¡¯t all. With just a bit more added, he could even buy apact car. ¡°To think this is possible at such a low level.¡± Of course, he had used a shortcut with Jihad and had gotten lucky. The monsters he fought in a hidden field, whose information wasn¡¯t yet publicly avable, just so happened to drop Raven¡¯s near-graduation items. In hindsight, only one thought came to mind. ¡°Ah, I should¡¯ve farmed a bit more before leaving.¡± At the time, he thought it was enough, but now he regretted it. He should¡¯ve stayed for at least a month, farming to his heart¡¯s content. Or not? Since he had been forcibly warped out, it couldn¡¯t be helped. Suppressing the pangs of regret, Do-hyeon shook his head. It was already in the past, and there was no point inmenting over it. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll have plenty of opportunities to make money in the future. Let¡¯s see this as an investment.¡± Whatever the case, he had earned 16 million won in a single day at this stage. Considering the basic principle of RPGs¡ªthat equipment gets more expensive at higher levels¡ªthere would be even greater earning opportunities. Whether there¡¯d be another jackpot like this was uncertain, but he wasn¡¯t particrly worried. ¡°With the Eye of Truth, what¡¯s there to fear?¡± Do-hyeon had an extraordinary, scam-like trait to rely on. He couldn¡¯t suppress theughter bubbling up as he chuckled to himself. ¡°What¡¯s with that creepy smile?¡± ¡°Haha¡­ huh?¡± Hearing a familiar voice, he looked up. Standing at the slightly ajar door, looking down at him with disgusted eyes, was Hyun-ah. ¡°¡­¡± Caught off guard, Do-hyeon quickly adopted a serious expression as though nothing had happened. Hyun-ah, letting out an incredulousugh, was promptly ignored as Do-hyeon spoke nonchntly. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°¡­Nothing. Mom says toe eat.¡± ¡°Food?¡± ¡°Yeah. I was just going to leave you alone if you were ying your game, but you came out right on time. Did you n this? Anyway, I¡¯ve delivered the message. I¡¯m leaving.¡± Do-hyeon¡¯s eyes lit up as he suddenly snapped out of his daze. Jumping to his feet, he shouted. ¡°Hey, wait. Did you eat already?¡± ¡°No? I was just about to.¡± ¡°And Mom?¡± ¡°¡­Huh? Yeah, she hasn¡¯t either. Why?¡± Hyun-ah looked puzzled at Do-hyeon¡¯s sudden change in demeanor. Her gaze seemed to ask, ¡°What¡¯s he on about this time?¡± Truthfully, Hyun-ah felt uneasy. ¡°What¡¯s he gotten obsessed with now?¡± Normally quiet, he always wore that expression when fixated on something. And every time, he would act unpredictably, which left her feeling apprehensive. Though he¡¯d improved over the years, Hyun-ah still vividly remembered when he got fixated on a cop-and-robber scene from a TV in a supermarket as a kid, disappearing for two hours without a word. ¡°Even though he got scolded heavily and fixed that habit back then¡­¡± Some things about a person never change. Even as an adult, he asionally disyed sudden, unpredictable behavior. Sometimes it led to great oues, but other times, it didn¡¯t¡ªleaving Hyun-ah¡¯s mind racing. ¡°What could possibly catch his attention at the dining table? Cooking? A new recipe?¡± Memories of when he¡¯d dragged her to a store after watching a weird anime about food battles shed through her mind. Back then, he had cooked some unique dishes¡­ and they hadn¡¯t tasted bad. Still, who could say if it¡¯d turn out well this time? Hyun-ah had no desire to give up her mom¡¯s proven cooking for something experimental. ¡°Better to refuse upfront.¡± Just as Hyun-ah resolved to speak cynically, Do-hyeon spoke up first. ¡°Perfect. Get ready. We¡¯re eating out.¡± ¡°Whatever you¡¯re thinking, I¡¯m not interested¡­ Wait, what?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going out to eat. My treat.¡± Was it because he¡¯d said something so normal? Or because it was so unexpected? Hyun-ah stared nkly for a moment before recovering her senses and asking. ¡°¡­You? With what money?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got it, dummy. A lot.¡± ¡°Suddenly? Okay, so what¡¯s on the menu?¡± In response, Do-hyeon smirked and answered in the coolest voice possible. ¡°Your brother¡¯s treating you to beef.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Premium Korean beef.¡± ¡°What!?¡± Eyes wide, Hyun-ah covered her mouth and dashed out of the room. ¡°Mom! Mom! Don¡¯t serve the rice! Put it back, quick!¡± ¡°Why are you acting so weird all of a sudden? Oh my, look at you putting the dishes away. Why don¡¯t you clean up like that after meals more often?¡± ¡°Got it, just get ready! Oppa¡¯s buying us beef! Premium Korean beef!¡± ¡°Huh? You¡¯re asking for beef? Stop joking around and tell him toe out quickly.¡± ¡°Wait, not asking for beef, he said he¡¯s treating us to it!¡± Hearing the mother-daughter exchange outside, Do-hyeon leisurely changed his clothes. Throwing on a coat and a cap, his face held a subtle smile. Indeed, beef was the ultimate truth. ¡°Wow, that was delicious. Told you, the beef here is amazing.¡± ¡°Mom hasn¡¯t eaten like this in a while either. Thank you, son. You didn¡¯t overdo it, right?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± When they returned home, the two women expressed their gratitude with smiles, while Do-hyeon responded with a cool, nonchnt expression. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration. What was 200,000 won? He still had over 16 million sitting in his ount¡ªit was barely a scratch. ¡°But where did you get the money? You just finished your military service, so you couldn¡¯t have earned much yet, right?¡± After filling her stomach, Hyun-ah suddenly asked, curiosity piqued. ¡°Been ying gamestely.¡± ¡°Games? God of Savior? You made money with that?¡± ¡°Yeah, something like that.¡± ¡°What the¡­? You¡¯ve only been ying for three days. How¡¯s that possible?¡± ¡°I got lucky and dropped a gear set to sell. The prices are definitely on another levelpared to DemRock.¡± ¡°Even so¡­ I¡¯m a decently high level myself, and this seems strange.¡± Although she hadn¡¯t maxed out her level, Hyun-ah was level 71¡ªa much higher level than Do-hyeon. Considering she wasn¡¯t making significant earnings herself, it was hard to ept.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om In fact, her gaming expenses outweighed her ie. ¡°You and I aren¡¯t the same. This used to be my job. I¡¯m a pro, you see.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that smug face? It¡¯s so annoying.¡± Hyun-ah scowled at Do-hyeon¡¯s self-satisfied look. But without anything to refute, she could only pout her lips. Although she didn¡¯t know her brother was once the overwhelming number one, it was true that he¡¯d immersed himself in gaming, even giving their parents allowances and buying gifts back when he was thriving. Of course, that was during DemRock¡¯s golden era. When the game declined, he¡¯d reverted to being on the receiving end of allowances. ¡°Still, I guess he does have talent. Howe I don¡¯t have any, though? We¡¯re siblings¡­¡± Not that it mattered much. From her perspective, getting treated to food was all that mattered. Gaming suited this gaming addict anyway. And these days, even though God of Savior was ssified as a game, it was treated as something beyond gaming, so having talent for it was almost like a blessing. ¡°My son must be gifted at gaming.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no joke.¡± ¡°Ugh. If I have kids, I¡¯m teaching them humility first.¡± ¡°Yeah, humility like mine is good to have.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with him?¡± Even their mother, Chae Mi-sook, who had lived through a generation that treated gaming like a disease, smiled warmly at the scene. Watching her two children bickering, she suddenly asked with a smile. ¡°So, can we look forward to more, son?¡± ¡°Of course. Just say the word, Mrs. Chae.¡± ¡°Really, your words¡­ From what I¡¯m hearing, things seem to be going well, but don¡¯t worry about taking care of us. Just save up your money properly. You¡¯ve spent recklessly before when you were earning well and ended up with nothing. Games can fall apart any time, so save while you can. Got it?¡± Her kind tone abruptly turned into a barrage of nagging. Caught in the crossfire, Do-hyeon and Hyun-ah exchanged nces. ¡°I¡¯m heading to my room. Thanks for the meal.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t leave me. You can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Good luck.¡± Despite Do-hyeon¡¯s pleading eyes, Hyun-ah escaped, leaving him alone to endure another ten minutes of nagging before he was finally freed. Once in his room, Do-hyeon let out a long sigh. ¡°Jeez, Mom sure worries a lot.¡± But he couldn¡¯t argue. Her words were all valid, especially since he really had spent recklessly when things were going well before crashing hard. Not that Do-hyeon waspletely careless; this time, he nned to manage things properly. Click. As if out of habit, he sat at his desk and turned on theputer. Since his DemRock days, it had be second nature to navigate to the game¡¯s homepage without thinking. ¡°Let¡¯s see, any news today¡­ huh?¡± Scrolling down the page absentmindedly, Do-hyeon froze in shock. ¡°The Return of the King! Learn about Kaiser¡­¡± ¡°Kaiser and His Remarkable Achievements.¡± ¡°Myeolsal VS Kaiser¡ªWho Would Win?¡± ¡°What¡­ what is all this?¡± The entire homepage was filled with posts about him. It was apletely different sight from what he had seen in the morning. Then, a memory shed in his mind. ¡°Oh, the graduation rankings.¡± He remembered breaking the ranking record upon graduating Raven earlier that day. Every user logged into God of Savior would have seen the notification, so this reaction was inevitable. ¡°I guess it was a ridiculous score, even by my standards.¡± After all, it was the first-ever S rank. Understanding the situation, he became curious about what people were saying. His scrolling turned into a satisfied smile. ¡°Kaiser oppa, I¡¯m a fan! (Wiggle wiggle)¡± ¡°Why¡¯d you take so long? I almost grew a neck waiting.¡± ¡°Where are all the people who called Kaiser washed up? Myeolsal is the trend? Nah, Kaiser snatched number one just like that!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just one city ranking. City rankings don¡¯t always equate to strength. Myeolsal is still ahead in achievements and skill.¡± Seeing that people still remembered and weed him brought a sense of pride. Of course, there were antiments and those who hadn¡¯t acknowledged him yet, but he didn¡¯t care. Not everyone would think the same way. ¡°This reminds me of my DemRock days.¡± Back then, too, he¡¯d risen to the topter than the other top-ranked yers. Naturally, there were existing fans who were ufortable with his presence, and Do-hyeon always had to prove himself. But in the end, he had proven himself and imed the number one spot. ¡°This time won¡¯t be any different.¡± Even if the gap now was far longer than the few months it had been back then¡­ So what? He had the skills and countless hidden pieces to bridge that gap. As he continued scrolling through posts without a care, something caught his eye. ¡°Hm?¡± A peculiar post title stood out. ¡°Top 100 Guilds? Tell them all to bring it on! Cr¡­ Bowing to Kaiser¡¯s overwhelming confidence.¡± [Author: SodaBomb] To be honest, I figured Kaiser would be a has-been after a year and six months of absence. Like pro gamers, people who return after a long break rarely perform like they used to. I thought maybe the pressure of high expectations was what kept him froming back¡­ but nope. The moment he came back and stole Raven¡¯s top spot, I got chills. But even then, I assumed he¡¯d naturally join a guild. If there¡¯s this much focus, rejecting them would turn them all into enemies, wouldn¡¯t it? And it¡¯s nearly impossible to make it without a guild these days¡­ But I was wrong. Guilds? Compromising due to circumstances? Not for our God Kaiser. Top 100 guilds? They¡¯re all beneath me. Why would I join any of them? He dismissed them without a second thought and carried on confidently! Isn¡¯t this what a real man looks like? ¡°What¡­ is this nonsense?¡± Not a single part of the lengthy post made sense to him. Top 100 guilds? Recruitment? Picking fights? What was all of this about? ¡°Oh.¡± Even in his confusion, a nagging sense of unease crept into Do-hyeon¡¯s mind. Something¡­ something was happening. Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Do-hyeon wasn¡¯t the type to start fights, even if he disliked guilds. In fact, since starting God of Savior, he hadn¡¯t initiated a single fight. ¡­So, was it just baseless nder for attention? -Kaiser is seriously insane lololol. -Wow, truly epic. -Isn¡¯t this just reckless? Why does this look cool to people? It seems so dumb. -First, you need to know Kaiser¡¯s backstory. Kaiser has shed with countless guilds and been betrayed many times. Of course, he crushed them every time¡­ Anyway, Kaiser utterly despises guilds. Despite that, his fans thought he¡¯d join one this time because of the circumstances. But our Kaiser bro refuses to surrender. He just says, ¡°Screw all that,¡± and acts ording to his own beliefs. If that¡¯s not epic, what is? -Wow¡­ I thought it was just bravado, but there¡¯s a deeper story. -??? Knowing this makes Kaiser oppa even cooler. What do I do? Looking at thements, that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just this post bringing up the topic. Every time he refreshed the page, more posts discussing the same subject appeared. These posts all marveled at and praised Kaiser¡¯s actions. ¡°What did I even do? All I did was hunt.¡± What the hell? Is this some kind of Truman Show? It felt like the world was conspiring to deceive him. But this was reality. Do-hyeon finally realized why there had been such a crowd at Brion¡¯s entrance. ¡°Ah¡­ So, they were all scouts trying to recruit me.¡± No wonder the ce was packed with people.N?v(el)B\\jnn He had thought, Wow, Brion really is something else, and dismissed it, oblivious to the true reason. But that wasn¡¯t the important issue now. ¡°¡­So, to sum it up, I¡¯ve been marked, right?¡± By all kinds of guilds, including the top 100. While they wouldn¡¯t do anything overt right away due to their image, interference was bound toe eventually. After all, he had dealt a massive blow to their pride. To Do-hyeon, this was an unfair turn of events, but the damage was already done, and no one would believe him. Even if someone did, dering it was a misunderstanding in such an atmosphere would make him look pathetic. Pathetic to the point of beingughable. ¡®That¡¯s not an option.¡¯ Do-hyeon, who had no intention of stooping to that level, had only one way to handle the situation. ¡®Screw it. Let¡¯s just roll with this.¡¯ He decided to stick with this unintentional narrative. Though it was unnned, in hindsight, it worked out for the better. Even though his days as the ¡°Edgelord¡± were long gone, Do-hyeon still harbored a lot of resentment toward guilds. Even if the scouts hade swarming, he would have refused them all. ¡®It was going to happen anyway.¡¯ Until the Raven incident, he hadn¡¯t been confident about handlingrge-scale raids, but things were different now. Having acquired numerous rewards, including Thousand Transformations, he had powered up significantly. With his current stats, there was no way he¡¯d lose. Unless he went to the Empire, there was no reason for him to back down now. ¡®This situation isn¡¯t bad either.¡¯ And objectively speaking, things weren¡¯t looking bad. His bold disregard had been positively received, earning him mostly praise. The number of people anticipating Do-hyeon¡¯s next move was increasing in real time. Previously, he would have just thought, ¡®Oh, is that so?¡¯ and moved on, but now it was different. ¡®Isn¡¯t this the perfect time to upload a video?¡¯ Do-hyeon had been considering starting a NewTube channel. If heunched it while so much attention was focused on him, what would happen? Even if a quarter of those people checked it out, it would still draw massive interest. While he might not retain all of them, a good portion would at least take a peek. ¡®The video¡­ This one should do.¡¯ Fortunately, Do-hyeon already had the perfect footage ready. It was a recording of his hunts in the Warriors¡¯ Lair, a hidden field, and the battle against the field boss, Elisa. ¡®Let¡¯s skip the Elisa part for now.¡¯ Since he was currently traveling with Elisa, revealing it would bring unnecessary attention, so he decided to leave that out. Instead, he focused on the remaining footage. The backdrop of the Warriors¡¯ Lair, the hidden field boss Karuk, and his impressivebat style using parries. ¡®The visuals are good, it¡¯s purely swordsmanship¡­ It¡¯s perfect.¡¯ There probably wasn¡¯t a more intriguing topic in Raven right now. Do-hyeon couldn¡¯t help but admire his own idea. ¡®Wow, how am I this good?¡¯ Although the material was excellent, he hadcked the confidence to make it work. The NewTube market was so oversaturated, and since Do-hyeon had no editing skills, he doubted his ability to draw an audience. But this situation had practically fallen into hisp. It felt as if someone had set the stage for him to start NewTube. ¡°Screw editing¡­ Let¡¯s just upload it as is.¡± That confidence was why Do-hyeon boldly decided to upload the raw footage. One way or another, he was guaranteed to attract some viewers. Spending time on editing would only dy the upload, so posting it raw was a hundred times better. Besides, the unpolished vibe could be appealing, and the runtime wasn¡¯t excessively long. Still, there was one hurdle to ovee first. [Please create a channel name.] ¡°Hmm. A channel name, huh.¡± Since this would be the name apanying him for the foreseeable future, he had to choose carefully. After some thought, Do-hyeon typed in a name and uploaded the video. [Uploading video.] [Uploadplete.] With the upload finished, Do-hyeon nonchntly turned off hisputer andy down on his bed. As the soft mattress embraced him, he let out a small wish. ¡®It¡¯d be nice to wake up and find 100,000 subscribers.¡¯ He chuckled at the thought. ¡®As if.¡¯ A hundred thousand in a single day? Anyone who knew even a little about NewTube wouldugh at such an absurd dream. Gaining 100,000 subscribers in a day was several times harder than getting a million views. Even with the current buzz, such a wish waspletely unrealistic. Do-hyeon was well aware of that. ¡®It¡¯d be a miracle if the views blow up.¡¯ Thinking so, Do-hyeon slowly closed his eyes. That was hisst memory before falling asleep. His steady breathing echoed through the room. While he slept peacefully, he had no idea. He couldn¡¯t have imagined what kind of impact his video was creating or how themunity was reacting as he slumbered. * * * Around the time Do-hyeon fell asleep, on NewTube. [*Raven, Hidden Field Hunting Footage*] A short, straightforward title. As soon as it was uploaded, viewers began clicking on the bait. -? What is this? -Is there a hidden field in Raven? With curiosity piqued, they clicked the video. About 20 minutester, they began leavingments. -Warrior¡¯s Lair? Crazy, it¡¯s actually a hidden field? -There was a hidden field in Raven? Wow¡­ If this spreads, it¡¯s going to cause amotion. -No, more than that, what¡¯s with the control? Why isn¡¯t he getting hit? The title, which seemed absurd at first, turned out to be real. It was surprising enough that Raven had a hidden field, but even more shocking was the incredible control disyed. Using his entire body as a weapon, he overwhelmed the warriors in a spectacr manner. He allowed no attacks and seamlessly integrated all of his own, creating a performance that was almost artistic. The highlight of it all was none other than the boss fight. -What kind of skill lets him deflect all the attacks? -Is that parrying? Wait, did he sessfully parry every single attack? -Wow¡­ Look at the boss¡¯s physical strength. It looks like he¡¯d die with one hit, yet he¡¯s not getting hit even once. -Did you see him lure the boss to the wall, bait its attack, then roll into a blind spot to evade? What kind of sense is that? He expertly used ¡°parrying,¡± notorious for its difficulty, to toy with the bosspletely. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that the entire 20-plus-minute runtime was a masterpiece. Naturally, viewers were curious. -My god¡­ Is this really a human¡¯s control? -Who in the world is this? The identity of the protagonist in this video, showcasing such unbelievable skill, was the question on everyone¡¯s mind. That curiosity was resolved the moment they checked the channel name. [Kaiser TV] Subscribers: 23 -¡­Kaiser TV? -Kaiser? Could it really be that Kaiser? -Holy crap, no way. Did Kaiser just upload a video? The channel name outright stated ¡°Kaiser,¡± leaving no room for doubt. There was no suspicion of impersonation. The skill level and the hidden field made it clear this was the real Kaiser. [Introduction: Hello, this is Kaiser. It¡¯s my first time on NewTube, so I¡¯m uploading this unedited. Please enjoy watching.] Even the greeting, polite yet subtly chic and indifferent, fit Kaiser perfectly. All the signs pointed to this being genuinely him. -Wow, this is insane. Why isn¡¯t this being shared right now? -Take me, Kaiser! -Everyone, please, you have to see this. Our Kaiser uploaded a video! The quality is insane, so please watch it. Here¡¯s the link http¡­ (cut off). Excited fans began spreading the video acrossmunities and tforms. -What? Kaiser started NewTube? -And it¡¯s even a hidden field? There¡¯s a hidden field in Raven? -What is this? What is going on? With the chatter about Kaiser reaching its peak, countless people clicked on the video. And they were stunned. -Holy sh*t! What the¡­ -Wow¡­ Wow¡­ Seriously, wow. I have no words. -This isn¡¯t human gamey. I can¡¯t help but admire the beauty of his movements. -This is the level it takes to face the top 100 guilds solo. -I was a bit skeptical, but I have to admit¡­ his control is insane. Parrying seems like a passive skill for him, lol. -But what¡¯s with his damage? The warriors just melt away. What kind of gear does he have? -Control, damage, mental fortitude¡ªthere¡¯s nothing hecks. He¡¯s seriously a monster. No wonder he was ranked number one. The godlike gamey, deserving of the title ¡°divine,¡± left viewers awestruck. People couldn¡¯t stop themselves from spreading the news. The video, disseminated like a chain reaction, garnered unprecedented attention in gaming history. -Is this the NewTube of a god? -Oh, you¡¯ve arrived. Wee to the temple of the god. Don¡¯t forget toment after worshiping. -I¡¯m watching from Australia. Is this thend of gods? -Already watched it five times¡­ Currently on my fifth diaper. Still have 20 left¡­ -Who¡¯s that robed guy next to him? Apanion? -It¡¯s an 18+ game, but that person looks way too small. Aren¡¯t they around 140 cm tall? A short girl, maybe? -Probably just a Guardian. They¡¯re just picking up items. He probably hired one because he couldn¡¯t be bothered to loot himself. -Who cares? Is the view count real? It was at 200k an hour ago, and now it¡¯s surpassed 500k. -The subscriber count keeps climbing, lol. His ss is insane. -How am I supposed to hold back, lol. In no time, the video surpassed a million views and 100,000 subscribers. And it didn¡¯t stop there¡ªthe numbers continued to skyrocket, and people¡¯s excitement showed no signs of cooling. Some even made promations. -How can there only be one video? -This is a crime! Only one video of this quality? -We need a fandom. Let¡¯s organize for efficient fandom activities! The most fervent fans banded together to create a fan cafe. They called it ¡°Kashin Cult.¡± The name stood for ¡°Kaiser Worship Cult,¡± essentially a fan club. Interestingly, this ¡°Kashin Cult¡± wasn¡¯t a newly formed group. -What? There¡¯s already a Kaiser fan cafe? -Was it from the DemRock days? Whatever, let¡¯s join it! -Whoa, awesome. There¡¯s so much Kaiser-rted content. Everyone,e here! Managed by someone named ¡°Zealot,¡± the cafe had been a smallmunity with only a couple dozen members. Fortunately, the manager generously epted all the neers. With Kaiser¡¯s sudden rise to fame, the Kashin Cult¡¯s membership skyrocketed to five digits in no time. As NewTube was flipped on its head and the Kashin Cult firmly established itself as Kaiser¡¯s official fan cafe for ¡°God of Savior¡±¡­ ¡°Hmnya, hmm¡­ Golden¡­¡± Do-hyeon murmured strange sleep talk as he drifted through dreand. Chapter 72 Chapter 72n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The next morning. ¡°Ugh¡­ Haa.¡± Kang Do-hyeon stretched as he woke up, basking in the morning sunlight. A quick nce at the clock showed it was 8:10 AM. Perhaps due to his recent discharge from the military, his body woke up like clockwork, even without setting an rm. ¡®Well, it¡¯s good to be disciplined.¡¯ A regr lifestyle was important for an efficient gaming life. This wasn¡¯t just a saying¡ªit was a proven fact. There were even scientific reasons behind it, and most famous God of Savior rankers were known to live regimented lives. ¡°Let¡¯s make today another productive day.¡± Having made a resolution to himself, Do-hyeon stepped into the living room. On the table, there was a pot of stew, presumably left by Chae Mi-sook before she went out. This time, it was a spicy tuna stew. Beside it, a te wrapped in stic held Vienna sausages and fried eggs. ¡°She didn¡¯t have to go to all this trouble¡­ It¡¯s unnecessary.¡± Before his discharge, breakfast didn¡¯t seem to matter much to her, but now she was taking care of him even more than before. The food was still warm, indicating she hadn¡¯t left long ago. Do-hyeon brought over some rice and sat down. After finishing two bowls with ease, he washed the dishes and nced around the living room. No sign of life. ¡®Where did she go? Did she leave?¡¯ Only after checking his phone did Do-hyeon realize it was Monday, and he nodded in understanding. It was natural that Hyun-ah, a college student, wasn¡¯t home at this hour. Since his discharge was on a Friday, he wasn¡¯t used to seeing her gone. ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll get to work too.¡± Not wanting to fall behind while everyone else was diligently going about their weekday routines, Do-hyeon quickly headed to his room. Though he wanted to dive straight into his capsule, he restrained himself. There was something to check first. ¡°Did the view count go up a bit?¡± He was curious about the performance of the NewTube video he had uploaded the previous day. Although it hadn¡¯t even been a full day yet, he couldn¡¯t hold back his curiosity. It wasn¡¯t for nothing that NewTubers constantly refreshed their stats. ¡®It¡¯s nerve-wracking when it¡¯s your own work.¡¯ The feeling was entirely different from simply appearing in someone else¡¯s video through an interview. Swallowing his nerves, Do-hyeon logged into NewTube and opened his channel. A in, unimpressive channel greeted him. The design was almost shabby. ¡°¡­??¡± Do-hyeon¡¯s face went nk as he looked at the channel. With a perplexed expression, he blinked several times before finally speaking. ¡°What the¡­ What¡¯s with the view count?¡± A staggering 3.4 million views. Considering only half a day had passed, this number was absurd. Each refresh brought newments, and the view count continued to rise. ¨C Ahh, this is my 12th time watching. I can¡¯t get enough of it. ¨C I¡¯m going crazy wanting to stan him, but there are no videos¡­ Please upload more. I¡¯m begging you. ¨C Lost souls¡­ Come to the Kashin Cult. ¨C I¡¯ll hold my breath until the next video is out. Hup! ¨C Someone, help! Someone¡¯s dying here! ¨C Holy sh*t¡­ This is the best y I¡¯ve ever seen. Is this a Korean? I¡¯m astonished. ¨C Kaiser, what are you doing instead of uploading more videos? ¨C But seriously, the subscriber count is insane lol. At this rate, you¡¯ll hit a million in no time. Reading thements, which included a mix of foreignnguages, Do-hyeon froze. ¡®A million?¡¯ Staring at thements in disbelief, Do-hyeon hastily checked his subscriber count. And there it was. [Subscribers: 794,000] ¡°Holy sh*t.¡± The subscriber count was genuinely racing toward one million. Wasn¡¯t it only nine hours ago when he had wished for just 100,000 subscribers? Was this truly something that had happened overnight? While he had expected an influx of viewers due to the current hype, this far exceeded his expectations. The situation was so oundish that he felt more bewildered than pleased. It didn¡¯t even feel real. ¡°¡­Could it be that hitting a million subscribers is easier than I thought?¡± That was how unbelievable it seemed. Of course, this was nonsense. Although the market had grownpared to before, one million subscribers still ced someone firmly in the realm of major content creators. It was simply that now there were evenrger creators towering above them. A one-million-subscriber NewTuber could still brag about their achievement anywhere. ¡°This feels surreal. And what¡¯s this Kashin Cult? A fan club?¡± Curious about the strange name mentioned in thements, he searched for it and found it was indeed a fan club. Moreover, it had over 40,000 members¡ªa respectable size. Knowing that it was a fan club dedicated to him felt strange. While Do-hyeon had been popr during his DemRock days, his fan clubs had practically disappeared after the game fell out of favor. Having a fan club again after so long stirred up mixed feelings. ¡®Did this exist before? Why am I only hearing about it now? Hmm. Well, maybe it was too small to notice back then.¡¯ Shrugging it off, Do-hyeon put down his phone. What had started as a misunderstanding had turned out to be a stroke of luck. The biggest hurdle, NewTube, had been cleared. Now, all eyes were on Do-hyeon¡¯s next moves. Even the boldestpetitors would feel pressured in this situation, but Do-hyeon was used to it. Meeting people¡¯s expectations was part of his daily life. ¡°Login.¡± Clearing his thoughts, Do-hyeony down in the capsule and closed his eyes. It was time to focus on his main upation. [Logging into God of Savior.] [Have a pleasant adventure.] When he opened his eyes, the now-familiar scenery of another world stretched out before him. [Wee to the Paradise of Adventure.] [The loyalty of Guardian ¡®Jihad ck¡¯ has increased.] ¡­¡­ [The loyalty of Guardian ¡®Jihad ck¡¯ has increased.] ¡°It¡¯s gone up again.¡± As soon as he logged in, Do-hyeon scanned through the system windows that greeted him. There wasn¡¯t much to see, except the message about Jihad¡¯s loyalty increasing. However, the rate of increase was striking. [Loyalty: 40 / 100] ¡®It went up by 10?¡¯ It had risen by a whole 10 points. While loyalty typically increased somewhat after visiting the Guardian Room, considering that it was only at 18 even after being severely beaten, this increase was abnormally high. Even the text under the loyalty bar had changed, as if acknowledging this. [Loyalty is high. You are maintaining a harmonious rtionship with the Guardian.] ¡°Heh.¡± Just a few days ago, this guy had been eagerly waiting for an opportunity to stab him in the back. Now, it was said they were maintaining a harmonious rtionship. The drastic change in such a short time felt strange. He wasn¡¯t sure if he should feel proud or bbergasted. As he scratched his head, Jihad and Elisa appeared out of nowhere and started talking to him. -You¡¯re here, master? -LizaLiza! The moment he turned his head, Elisa jumped into his arms, rubbing her face against him affectionately as if she were overjoyed. As he patted Elisa lightly, he felt something unusual around her neck. When he grabbed it, a long string with a small jewel embedded in a simple design came into view. ¡°Huh? A ne?¡± -Liza! LizaLiza! -Oh, that¡¯s Elisa¡¯s most treasured ne. -Liza! Elisa beamed brightly as if to confirm it. Do-hyeon found himself nodding unconsciously but then paused. ¡®Was that always there? What is this?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t remember clearly, but if it had been there from the beginning, he would have noticed it. And this wasn¡¯t the only strange thing. Yesterday, she had been so downcast when they parted, yet now, she was beaming with happiness as if she had just finished ying. ¡°What¡¯s with the cheerful mood? You were sulking yesterday.¡± -Hehe, something happened. The walking trail was amazing, wasn¡¯t it, Elisa? -Liza! ¡°What was it?¡± Do-hyeon frowned as the two of them giggled and exchanged nces, prompting Elisa to exin kindly. -LizaLiza! Liza¡­ Liza! ¡°¡­Trante for me.¡± -Ah, so¡­ Do-hyeon couldn¡¯t make sense of Elisa¡¯s words. -Liza¡­ In the end, Jihad exined, making Elisa pout briefly before her mood bounced back as she enthusiastically chimed in. After listening to their story, Do-hyeon nodded. ¡°So, the Guardian Rooms merged, and that leash¡­ no, that cherished ne of Elisa¡¯s came along with it?¡± -Exactly. -Liza! Jihad pped his hands in affirmation, looking visibly rxed. It made sense. Thanks to this, they had plenty of time to reconnect, so it was understandable. The increase in loyalty was a positive thing for Do-hyeon as well. But it still left questions. ¡®Hmm. Is that normal? Is it because Elisa came under Jihad¡¯smand?¡¯ It was the first time he had heard of Guardian Rooms merging. Although it was an unusual situation and curious, he didn¡¯t feel like delving into it further. Whether it was due to subordination or other reasons, the oue was good. He decided to look into itter if the opportunity arose. ¡°For now, let¡¯s go¡­¡± ¡°There they are! Over there!¡± ¡°A small figure in a robe and someone in ck attire¡­ Confirmed. Likely Kaiser. Everyone, request backup¡­!¡± Before he could finish his sentence, the area grew noisier, and Do-hyeon turned irritably toward themotion. It was a group of yers. They were pointing at him from all directions. ¡°What do we do, huh? Just hold them off for now?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got dibs! Move aside!¡± ¡°Just catch them! Everyone, out of the way!¡± The snippets of conversation he caught sounded quite threatening. While he was momentarily caught off guard, he wasn¡¯t clueless about what was going on, and he certainly wasn¡¯t someone to panic in such a situation. ¡®It¡¯s already started. They must have been lying in wait.¡¯ The way they closed in within minutes of him logging in made it clear. They likely intended to detain him to negotiate or try to crush him outright. Either way, to them, Do-hyeon was a golden goose. With him being the center of attention right now. If they seeded in negotiating and recruiting him into their guild, it would be a win. On the other hand, if they crushed the so-called ¡°Return of the God,¡± they would still gain notoriety and make a name for themselves. This wasn¡¯t just limited to guilds. ¡®Considering all the small fry trying to use this as a chance to gain fame¡­ this is going to be chaos.¡¯ There would likely be a truckload¡ªor more¡ªof PKers and fame-hungry yers. This was why he had always avoided attracting attention at lower levels. Excessive attention whencking power was a dangerous chalice. Four days into God of Savior, and this was his situation. It seemed that some fates were unavoidable. Recalling his countless experiences in DemRock, Do-hyeon gripped Thousand Transformations tightly. -Wh-What¡¯s going on, master? They¡¯re surrounding us! ¡°I know. Get ready.¡± -What do we do? ¡°We break through. Follow me closely.¡± -Liza? Taking a stance, Do-hyeon inhaled sharply and dashed forward. Not toward an escape route, but directly toward the group. The scouts flinched, startled by the unexpected move. ¡°Huh? Why is heing this way?¡± ¡°Block him! If we gather, what can he do?¡± ¡°Get in formation!¡± Despite their surprise, they weren¡¯t amateurs. They quickly assessed the situation and formed ranks. Step. Step. Step. Step. They spread out widely, cing shield-bearers at the front andyers of yers behind them. This human wall was imprable unless the level gap was extreme. Changing direction now would only result in being chased down quickly, leaving no options. ¡°Ha, let¡¯s see you break through this.¡± Even though they were just scouts, they had spent at least several months honing their skills in Brion. At least in Brion, they were fairly high-leveled yers. But Do-hyeon didn¡¯t hesitate. [Thousand Transformations changes into ¡®Silver-Iron Shield.¡¯] Whoosh-! ¡°Wha¡ª!?¡± Thousand Transformations morphed into a shield, which Do-hyeon hurled like a boomerang. The shield-bearer in the front row instinctively flinched, hurriedly raising his shield. Fortunately, his reaction was quick. He should be able to block it. The moment the two shields collided. Boom! ¡°Gah!?¡± Chapter 73 Chapter 73 The man who blocked the unexpected shock with his shield tumbled backward,nding on his rear. Not stopping there, he even pushed back the users in the row behind him. ¡°Hey, what the heck are you doing?!¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it¡­ What kind of shield damage is this? I thought I was blocking a boss attack!¡± The formation wavered like a set of dominoes copsing. Though they were veterans and quickly reorganized their ranks, the brief gap was enough. Swoosh-. Kang Do-hyeon, grabbing his returning shield, spun in a 360-degree motion and threw the shield once more. Therge shield flew through the air like a boomerang, giving no time for the opponents to lift their shields, forcing them to scatter to the sides. A path opened. tter-. Do-hyeon didn¡¯t bother picking up his shield and simply dashed forward. ¡°Stop him! Ugh!¡± ¡°Argh!?¡± ¡°What brute force is this¡­!¡± A few people tried to block him btedly, throwing themselves in his way, but they couldn¡¯t withstand Do-hyeon¡¯s charge and were either flung aside or knocked over. After breaking through in an instant, Do-hyeon extended his hand once again. Whoosh-. ¡°Ah?!¡± ¡°Goodness, that scared me!¡± The shield came flying back along the path he had carved out, forcing the scattered enemies to open up a path once again, like Moses parting the Red Sea. By the time they came to their senses, Do-hyeon was already far away. ¡°¡­He¡¯s fast.¡± ¡°Really fast.¡± The scouts, watching the scene with stunned expressions, were at a loss. ¡®What just happened? What did we even see?¡¯ ¡®Wait, wasn¡¯t he a recent Raven graduate? Does this make any sense?¡¯ ¡®What kind of damage¡­ What traits or deity did he pick, for crying out loud? And that weapon¡ªwhat is it? An S-rank reward?¡¯ ¡®Wow, this is nuts.¡¯ They had heard rumors about Kaiser. They had even prepared strategies and precautions, but those efforts had been utterly crushed. The overwhelming power was one thing, but the skill and ingenuity with which it was wielded were on a different level. Having been utterly outssed, they scratched their heads in frustration. ¡°¡­What do we even report about this?¡± ¡°Writing a report feels like a headache. Will anyone even believe it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care, damn it. I¡¯ll just write a statement of regret¡­.¡± Their grimacing faces reflected their unease about the foreseeable future. * * * [You have entered the City of Promise, Brion.] [Tip: If your Karma is too high, consider visiting the temple!] Whew. Do-hyeon let out a short breath upon entering Brion. Jihad and Elisa, who had hurriedly caught up with him, wiped the sweat off their foreheads and voiced theirints. ¨C That startled me. What were those guys, master?! Why did they suddenly pick a fight? ¨C Liza-Liza! The two, clueless about the situation, had every right to be baffled. From their perspective, they had been resting peacefully only to step into a world suddenly turned hostile. This time, Do-hyeon didn¡¯t ignore them and kindly exined. ¡°It¡¯s like this. I¡¯ve unintentionally be famous, so I¡¯ve gained a lot of enemies.¡± ¨C Enemies? You mean the Outsiders have marked you? ¡°Something like that.¡± ¨C ¡­So, does that mean this will keep happening? Ugh, I hate the sound of that. ¨C Liza¡­ Their understanding was quicker than expected. Imagining what the future might hold, Jihad and Elisa openly grimaced in distaste. Seeing them, Do-hyeon chuckled and casually remarked. ¡°I hate it too. I have no intention of dealing with this forever.¡± ¨C But you said they¡¯ve marked you. How will you stop it? ¡°Simple. I¡¯ll make sure they can¡¯t.¡± ¨C How? Jihad tilted his head in confusion, and Do-hyeon smirked. In DemRock, he had faced countless enemies like this. How many hyenas and wolves had he encountered on his way to the top rank? Just counting the ones who tried to stab him in the back could fill several trucks. The solution had always been the same. ¡°I¡¯ll grow stronger¡ªso strong that they won¡¯t even dare to meet my gaze.¡± ¨C Ah. Humans inherently respond to strength and weakness. It¡¯s not a bad thing; it¡¯s instinctive. Since the primitive era, when survival often depended on assessing one¡¯s opponent, such tendencies were essential. This principle applies to all creatures, not just humans. ¨C Understood. Jihad, whose instincts were sharper than most, understood immediately. As a Guardian whose traits even explicitly stated ¡°strong against the weak,¡± Jihad¡¯s reaction was expected. ¡®This is all because my current position is ambiguous.¡¯ Who would dare challenge someone like Myeolsal or Arther? Both had the status of being part of the top ten guilds and demonstrated overwhelming personal power. Meanwhile, what about Do-hyeon? ¡®They must find me tempting.¡¯ To them, Do-hyeon was like a golden goblin. The reward for taking him down would be immensepared to the risk. Once the top rank? Exceptional control skills? That was all fine and good, but for now, wasn¡¯t he just a newbie who had barely entered Brion? And taking down a newbie could potentially skyrocket their status? ¡®Oh, jackpot.¡¯ ¡®Worth a shot, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ It was a natural thought to have. So, the solution was to be stronger. If he regained his former position by bing stronger, they would naturally leave him alone. ¡®I have a reason to level up quickly now.¡¯ At the very least, he needed to reach the max level to stand on the same starting line. The one fortunate thing was that each city had level restrictions. This meant there wouldn¡¯t be scenarios where opponents dozens of levels higher ganged up on him, throwing bnce out the window. In that sense, Do-hyeon had confidence. ¡®Having faced regr users, I can see just how absurd my stats are right now.¡¯ Currently, Do-hyeon was only at level 27, but his stats were higher than the graduation level of 35. On top of that, he had Thousand Transformations and unique traits, so he wasn¡¯t afraid of anyoneing at him. ¡°Look over there¡­¡± ¡°No way, is that Kaiser? Wow, it¡¯s my first time seeing Kaiser.¡± ¡°Should I ask for an autograph?¡± ¡°Shh. Look at how the scouts are ring. Let¡¯s stay out of trouble and avoid them.¡± Thus, when he entered Brion and became the center of attention, Do-hyeon walked confidently. The more attention he drew, the less he cared. ¡°Tsk, if only we weren¡¯t inside the city¡­¡± ¡°What can we do? Fighting here means straight to jail.¡± ¡°But is it true that he broke through a group from the neighboring area in just 10 seconds?¡± ¡°Come on, that has to be an exaggeration. They probably made it up out of embarrassment.¡± As long as this was Brion, no one could so much as touch a hair on Do-hyeon. While God of Savior didn¡¯t intervene in field PKs, its rules changed dramatically in cities. Although there were some differences between cities, assault usually led to jail time. And murder? ¡®They say you¡¯d pretty much have to delete your character if you don¡¯t have connections.¡¯ That was why, despite being watched by hundreds of scouts and even more curious yers, no one approached Do-hyeon. Step, step. The users parted like the Red Sea, as if witnessing the miracle of Moses. And in the middle, Do-hyeon¡¯s party walked confidently, as if on a red carpet. Everyone¡¯s eyes were on them. Jihad let out his signature *kirrk-* noise in excitement, quickly covering his mouth. Still, he couldn¡¯t hide his twitching lips and was grinning widely. ¨C Ahem. This feels pretty good. ¨C Liza-Liza! ¡°Quietly follow me.¡± ¨C Tch, you¡¯re always picking on me¡­ By the way, where are we going? Wait, that¡¯s¡­ As they approached their destination, Jihad¡¯s expression hardened. Majestic¡ªthat was the only word to describe it. Its overwhelming holiness and sheer size naturally evoked awe. It was a temple. As befitting a city also known as the ¡°City of Divinity,¡± Brion housed numerous temples. But among all those temples, none couldpare to this one. ¡®Lair Grand Temple.¡¯ Brion¡¯sndmark and symbol, the Lair Grand Temple. Thergest temple in Brion and home to its strongest priests and holy knights.N?v(el)B\\jnn Even foreign monarchs couldn¡¯t treat it lightly. This was the Lair Grand Temple. ¡°What¡¯s this? They¡¯re going to the Grand Temple?¡± ¡°Why are they heading there?¡± ¡°What do you mean why? Who doesn¡¯t visit the Grand Temple in Brion? Maybe Kaiser¡¯s going for his ss quest.¡± ¡°Does Kaiser even need a god? He might really be jobless.¡± ¡°Yeah, sure. Keep talking nonsense.¡± As Do-hyeon headed toward the temple, murmurs filled the air. ¡°A ss quest¡­ What¡¯s Kaiser¡¯s ss?¡± ¡°I heard he¡¯s a swordsman.¡± ¡°He uses all kinds of weapons, though.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen the NewTube videos? He parries, so he¡¯s clearly a swordsman. Using all weapons is probably just a Weapon Master trait or something.¡± ¡°What? Kaiser has a NewTube channel? I need to check it out as soon as I log out.¡± ¡°Which god do you think he chose?¡± ¡°Obviously a Mythical God, right? Considering his actions, that would make sense.¡± ¡°Maybe. But he hasn¡¯t shown any unique abilities, so it¡¯s hard to tell.¡± Spections buzzed among the crowd. As Do-hyeon stood at the entrance of the Grand Temple, a guard approached him. ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to see the High Priest.¡± ¡°Do you have an appointment?¡± ¡°No.¡± The guard, speaking in a rigid tone, shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but without an appointment, you cannot meet the High Priest. If you have other business, I¡¯ll assist you.¡± His tone was so firm that it might have intimidated anyone, even if they did have an appointment. However, Do-hyeon remained unfazed. Calmly, he retrieved something from his inventory and discreetly showed it to the guard. ¡°I found this. I think I need to discuss it with the High Priest.¡± ¡°This is¡­?¡± ¡°If the High Priest still refuses to meet me after seeing this, I¡¯ll leave.¡± ¡°¡­Please wait a moment.¡± The rigid guard hurriedly went inside. A few minutes passed as they waited. By the time it would take to cook instant noodles, the guard returned. But he wasn¡¯t alone¡ªtwo priests apanied him, their expressions urgent. Upon spotting Do-hyeon, they immediately asked, ¡°Are you the one who brought ¡®that¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I see. Apologies for making you wait. The High Priest wishes to see you immediately. Please,e this way.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Then, one of the priests cautiously asked, ncing at Do-hyeon¡¯spanions. ¡°And these people?¡± ¡°They¡¯re with me.¡± ¡°Very well. This way, please¡­¡± The priests and the guard guided Do-hyeon inside, their movements discreet, avoiding attention. Creak. m. As they disappeared inside, the yers who had been holding their breath finally began to talk. Their faces were filled with confusion, as this was a scene they had never witnessed before. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Did the priests juste out to greet him?¡± ¡°He said he¡¯s meeting the High Priest. Do High Priests even meet regr yers?¡± ¡°They do meet a few¡­ I guess.¡± It was astonishing enough for the priests toe out, but the fact that Do-hyeon was meeting the High Priest so easily was even more shocking. Unless they were in priest or holy knight-rted professions, most yers couldn¡¯t meet the High Priest, even by the time they graduated from Brion. ¡°Who¡¯s met the High Priest in Brion?¡± ¡°Notable ones include Myeolsal, most of the top 10 guilds, Berge, and Arther. Jennifer from Phoenix and Baekdusan probably met him too.¡± Counting on his fingers, a yer folded them back down and added, ¡°¡­It¡¯s rare either way. I¡¯d guess maybe ten thousand yers have met the High Priest.¡± ¡°And if you exclude those in rted professions?¡± ¡°Probably¡­ less than a thousand officially.¡± ¡°Insane¡­¡± In a game with 1 billion yers, only about a thousand had met the High Priest. And Do-hyeon managed to do it shortly after arriving in Brion. Gulp. The sound of someone swallowing echoed. The anticipation in their gazes clearly conveyed their thoughts. ¡°Nothing he does is ordinary.¡± ¡°Does anyone else feel like Kaiser¡¯s about to pull off something huge again?¡± ¡°Will he dethrone Berge, just like he did Myeolsal?¡± ¡°Dethroning Berge might be a stretch¡­ but since it¡¯s Kaiser, it¡¯s exciting. I¡¯m subscribing and waiting. I hope he uploads a video about this.¡± The world awaited Kaiser¡¯s next move, wondering what spectacle he would deliver this time. Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Lair Grand Temple. The temple that worshipped the ancient god Lair and had produced the greatest high priests and holy knights in history. A ce even the most ambitious empire dared not touch¡ªrecognized as the temple of God. Though called a temple, it was essentially considered a power faction holding a significant position in Abtartel. True to its name, the interior was no joke. ¨C Wow¡­ Master, what is all this? Why is it so vast? ¨C Lisa¡­ As soon as Jihad and Elisa stepped in, they were awestruck, their jaws nearly dropping in amazement. The hallway was that overwhelming, leaving viewers stunned. It looked as if an exceptional craftsman with steadfast faith had poured all his effort into creating it, one detail at a time. Each decoration was akin to a piece of art. The walls and ceilings alike radiated a sense of sanctity, leaving even Do-hyeon marveling. ¡®It¡¯s truly impressive.¡¯ He had heard about it, but seeing it in person doubled the impact. The higher up the cities he visited, the richer the sights seemed to be. No wonder this went beyond a mere game and took over the world. ¡°This way. Please proceed with your conversation.¡± ¡°The High Priest is waiting for you inside.¡± After a few minutes of walking while sightseeing, they arrived at an entrance. The priests bowed their heads politely and stepped aside. The door before them was distinctly more ornate than any others. Creak. As they entered without hesitation, all eyes turned to them. The interior¡¯s sacred decor was so holy it exuded divine energy that couldn¡¯t even be felt outside. Yet, before they could bask in the sanctity, a heavy and chilling killing intent filled the air. ¡°Are you the one who brought ¡®that¡¯?¡± The cold voice belonged to a young knight. Standing behind a wrinkled old man with a long white beard, who appeared to be the High Priest, was a blonde man whose presence was anything but ordinary. His indifferent voice seemed mild, but his menacing expression left no doubt about his deadly aura. However, what drew Do-hyeon¡¯s attention more was something else. [Sir Zerdic] ¡®¡­Red?¡¯ The namete floating above the blonde man¡¯s head. Its color was red. ¡®An NPC with a colored name? Is it because he¡¯s a knight?¡¯ NPCs like merchants, alchemists, or regr residents usually didn¡¯t have colored nametes. Namete colors could be considered a measure ofbat strength. Thinking this through, it urred to Do-hyeon that this was his first proper encounter with a knight in *God of Savior*. ¡®A red color, huh¡­¡¯ The color indicated arge gap in level orbat power. With a red this intense, it meant the knight¡¯s level was far superior to Do-hyeon¡¯s. ¨C ¡­Master. ¨C Lisa¡­ Jihad, true to the Guardian¡¯s nature of sensing strengths and weaknesses, quickly picked up on the intensity and subtly signaled Do-hyeon. Recognizing the same reaction he had seen when encountering Gamillion, Do-hyeon nodded. ¡®So knights really are that strong.¡¯ When discussing the strongest in God of Savior, most would mention the top 10 guilds, including Myeolsal, or yers of equivalent status. But if asked who was truly the strongest? The answer would be the NPCs. Unlike the yers, who had been in the game for only a year and a half, the residents of Abtartel had spent long years building their power and forces. It was only natural they were strong¡ªno, they had to be. ¡®If NPCs were weaker than yers, the bnce would never hold.¡¯ yers were immortal beings, after all. If they decided to wreak havoc in a city, it would cause utter chaos. Without a force to control that, the game wouldn¡¯t be what it was today. As such, NPCs like knights, mages, and private militia were rtively stronger than the yers residing in the city. Among them, those called the Seven Strongest were said to be at a level beyond what yers could handle. ¡®They say they can even take down dragons¡­¡¯ The Seven Strongest were akin to Sword Masters in fantasy novels or top ten martial artists in wuxia stories. Without even reaching the Seven Strongest, a mere ¡®knight¡¯ boasted incredible prowess. The knights encountered in the tutorial were heavily downgraded by design. But ordinarily, knights could slice through orcs as if they were nothing. Renownedmanders of knight orders were said to be capable of ughtering raid bosses single-handedly. ¨C Master¡­ ¡®I know.¡¯ The smile on Do-hyeon¡¯s face vanished. It was a habit of his when he focused. While he didn¡¯t know how strong Brion¡¯s knights were, Do-hyeon was confident in his specs and was prepared to fight if necessary. As the tense atmosphere hung over them, a heavy voice broke the silence. ¡°Enough.¡± It came from a middle-aged man leaning against the wall behind the blonde knight. His namete read [Sir Taxinel], and it was also red. ¡°He¡¯s a guest. Show some respect.¡± ¡°¡­Apologies.¡± As if the murderous intent had been a lie, the blonde knight immediately withdrew it. What reced it was an expression of regret. ¡°¡­It wasn¡¯t my intention. I ask for your forgiveness.¡± Though his tone was a bit rough, his sincerity was evident. As Do-hyeon frowned slightly, the old man sitting at the head of the room chuckled kindly and apologized in his stead. ¡°Haha, my apologies. Sir Zerdic surely didn¡¯t mean any harm. It¡¯s just that what you¡¯ve brought is highly sensitive to him¡­ I hope you understand.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± While he didn¡¯t know what it was, Do-hyeon epted the apology, focusing instead on advancing the quest. Fortunately, they seemed to share the same goal as him and swiftly moved on to the main topic. ¡°We do not know who you are or what you do, only that you are a stranger to thesends.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t matter. What¡¯s important is that you¡¯ve brought this.¡± The old man pulled out a handkerchief and carefully picked up a small box containing ¡®it.¡¯ A substance resembling hardened ck liquid. Though seemingly harmless, it looked disturbingly ominous wrapped in the handkerchief. ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± Do-hyeon answered honestly. Pretending to know something about which he was clueless was a losing move in front of NPCs. Fortunately, the High Priest didn¡¯t seem to have expected an answer and continued without concern. ¡°Haha, I see. While I can¡¯t disclose much due to confidentiality, removing this is one of our temple¡¯s sacred duties.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± ¡°Where did you find this, by any chance?¡± Although it was a bit ufortable that they wouldn¡¯t reveal its identity, Do-hyeon didn¡¯t care much. He was used to encountering such secretive quests in DemRock.N?v(el)B\\jnn Considering there had been quest givers who didn¡¯t even reveal their identities, this was rtively tame. ¡°I found it in the Salt-Rock Forest. It was buried in a rock.¡± ¡°¡­In a rock, you say?¡± ¡°Yes, it was buried with blood, so it was likely hard to spot with the naked eye.¡± Even so, he didn¡¯t forget to subtly boast. A little emphasis that not just anyone could find it might make it more impactful. However, the effect of his boast exceeded expectations. ¡°¡­You found this, buried in a rock with blood? Are you perhaps a priest?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then did you use some special equipment¡­¡± ¡°I just happened to spot it while passing by.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± High Priest Gildetti chuckled in genuine amazement. ¡°Not a priest, nor using equipment, yet you found this¡­ I sense no divine power from you, so you must be truthful.¡± ¡°Could it be some kind of demonic energy¡­¡± ¡°Stop it. You know better than anyone. If that were the case, wouldn¡¯t the High Priest have noticed?¡± Taxinel¡¯s firm words made Zerdic step back. He was right. If Gildetti couldn¡¯t detect demonic energy, no priest or saint in the world could. After all, he had an unrivaled reputation for sensing demonic energy. But this made it all the more unbelievable. ¡°Don¡¯t be too harsh, Sir Taxinel. I understand the skepticism. In that case¡­ Are you perhaps an explorer?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not an explorer, but I do have some skills in that area.¡± ¡°Ah, as expected. Just a little, you say¡­ So humble, haha.¡± For some reason, Gildetti seemed convinced. As he looked at Do-hyeon, his gaze changed, as though he were observing a master of a particr field, leaving Do-hyeon puzzled. ¡°High-ranking priests often have to team up with renowned explorers and put great effort into finding something like this. Yet you im you found it so easily, calling it ¡®just a little.¡¯ Ha, such a jest.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°If our clerics heard this, they would feel utterly defeated.¡± ¡°¡­??¡± Do-hyeon clutched his head, struggling to make sense of the increasingly iprehensible conversation. ¡®Wait, so¡­¡¯ Let¡¯s piece this together. This ¡°ominous energy¡± quest item is something that¡¯s incredibly difficult to find, correct? So difficult that it requires abination of extraordinary divine power and search skills. ¡®And I just breezed through it with the Eye of Truth.¡¯ Now it all made sense. In short, the Eye of Truth was performing as absurdly as ever¡ªa crazy overpowered feature once again proving its broken nature. ¡®I thought it was nothing special because it was marked as rare¡­¡¯ Turns out, it was a major find. In cases like these, an item might start as rare-grade but eventually escte in value as the quest chain unfolds. ¡®At the very least, this should be Rare+¡­ Maybe even Hero-grade?¡¯ By the time the final quest in the chain rolled around, it would likely reach Hero-grade with high probability. He never expected a quest item he had no real hopes for to turn into such a jackpot. Do-hyeon¡¯s eyes glimmered with newfound excitement. He was eager to hear what came next, and Gildetti quickly delivered. ¡°How fortunate this is. We were running low on the materials needed to process this¡­ May I ask you for a small favor?¡± Before he could finish speaking, a cheerful notification chimed. [You have cleared the quest ¡®Ominous Energy.¡¯] [Gildetti¡¯s favorability has increased.] [Due to the title ¡®Max Favorability from the Start,¡¯ favorability increases even more.] [A linked quest, ¡®Material Search,¡¯ has been generated.] ¡ª [Material Search] Grade: Rare Description: The Lair Grand Temple is short on materials to process the ominous energy. Help Gildetti by gathering the required materials. Concentrated Orc Blood (0/5) 10-Year-Old Trafilka Root (0/1) Red Holy Herbs (0/3) Quest Sess Reward: Increase in Gildetti¡¯s favorability, Advanced Skill Draw Ticket, and the generation of the linked quest ¡®Processing Phase.¡¯ Quest Failure Penalty: Linked quests be unavable. ¡ª ¡®Great, as expected, there¡¯s another linked quest.¡¯ And this time, the reward was none other than an Advanced Skill Draw Ticket. Considering he got the quest for free, the reward was a godsend. Though it was a typical grindy fetch quest, which could be a downside. Normally, he might have grumbled about the tedious nature of it, but Do-hyeon was too excited to care. ¡®This is the perfect chance to see if I can finally find those herbs.¡¯ It was a great opportunity to confirm the full extent of the Eye of Truth¡¯s abilities. Even if not, it aligned perfectly with his main quest, which required hunting Orcs anyway¡ªa win-win situation. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll get the materials right away¡­¡± ¡°¡­Hold on.¡± Just as Do-hyeon was about to leave, eager to dive into the field, Gildetti¡¯s face shifted. Gone was the kind smile; his expression had grown serious. He seemed to have noticed something unusual, locking eyes with Do-hyeon with an intense gaze that grew sharper by the moment. It felt as if he was peering into his very soul. ¡°Why are you suddenly¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re not an ordinary person, are you? Even your search skills alone aren¡¯t normal¡­ To think such a remarkable individual would appear.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Gildetti straightened his back and spoke with a more solemn tone. ¡°And to think, you¡¯re a top graduate.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°They say the trials given by the gods to their apostles are challenging. If you were the one who passed the Raven Trial in the first city with top honors¡­ You can be trusted.¡± [The title ¡®Top Graduate¡¯ responds.] [You meet the hidden conditions.] [The linked quest ¡®Material Search¡¯ has transformed into ¡®¡­¡­.¡¯] ¡®¡­What?¡¯ Do-hyeon was stunned. Before he could process the situation, Gildetti continued. ¡°To understand, I must tell you this first. Aren¡¯t you curious about the true nature of the item you brought?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Caught off guard, Do-hyeon couldn¡¯t answer properly. Not that it mattered¡ªGildetti seemed intent on delivering a predetermined speech. ¡°The most ominous energy in Abtartel, the trace of terror, the worst and most fearsome entity, the dread of the underground¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We call it many names, but this is a remnant of it. We refer to it as¡­¡± Gildetti paused, not immediately continuing. Behind him, Zerdic clenched his fists tightly. After taking a deep breath, Gildetti finally spoke in a low voice. ¡°The Abyss.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± At the familiar term, Do-hyeon¡¯s eyes widened. It was the moment when the Abyss, a fearsome entity that had nearly brought destruction to Abtartel, was brought into the conversation. Chapter 75 Chapter 75 ¡®The Abyss¡­!¡¯ What exactly was the Abyss? Wasn¡¯t it the decisive force that led humanity to defeat in the war against the gods? A being so dangerous and feared that it was erased from history. Now that the original humanity had vanished, only a very small number of people in God of Savior truly understood the existence of the Abyss. Even among the yers, it was no different. ¡®Only something like the Ironblooded Dragon might know about it.¡¯ While it¡¯s possible to encounter the Abyss in the tutorial, that only applies to those who pursued the hidden piece. Ordinary yers didn¡¯t even know what the Ironblooded Dragon was. Even for those who knew its identity, it was much the same. ¡®They¡¯d probably just think, ¡°Oh, so there¡¯s something called the Abyss.¡± That¡¯s what I thought at first too.¡¯ Most people probably wouldn¡¯t know much about the Abyss. Even Kang Do-hyeon only learned of its existence after bing the sessor of Kashiar. And yet, here it was, appearing already¡ªjust a short while after he learned the truth of the world¡¯s lore. ¡®How can the timing be like this?¡¯n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om It was such impable timing that it almost seemed like someone had orchestrated it in advance. Before that, why did the name appear here of all ces? This was a temple. Not just any temple, but one located in the second city of the main continent. While it was a Grand Temple renowned even in the Empire, the mention of the Abyss was unexpected. What made it more startling was that the quest suddenly changed to this. ¡®The quest changed when the ¡°Top Graduate¡± title triggered a reaction. It seems to be a kind of hidden synergy quest¡­.¡¯ It appeared to be a synergy quest that triggered when a yer with the Top Graduate title obtained the quest item, Ominous Energy. Such quests weren¡¯t unheard of. They often came with tricky conditions, as if to mock the yers by daring them to obtain them. ¡®Hah, what a way to stumble upon this.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t decide if he should call this sheer luck or attribute it to the influence of the Eye of Truth. Whatever the case, it was a boon for Do-hyeon. Since it was a hidden piece, the rewards were likely amplified as well. For a moment, he wondered if Gamillion knew that traces of the Abyss existed in Brion, but he chose to focus on the present. ¡®They said it was our duty to deal with this trace, right?¡¯ That meant they were among the ¡®few¡¯ who knew about the Abyss. It was somewhat puzzling. ¡®If you think about it, the Abyss was created because the gods invaded. Wouldn¡¯t they know that much?¡¯ Then again, the current humanity blindly believed in and followed the gods. With the truth of human history erased, the Abyss would simply be portrayed as viins, while the gods took on the image of benevolent fathers. As a result, the power and influence of the gods only grew stronger. ¡°The Abyss, which has existed since the beginning of time, was so dangerous that even the omnipotent gods were wary of it. Their ability to corrupt was far from ordinary. Thus, thepassionate god, Lair, entrusted us with the duty of erasing their traces so that the innocentmbs would not be deceived.¡± As expected. Hearing Gildetti¡¯s words about the benevolent god and the primordial existence, Do-hyeon nodded along appropriately. Now that he knew the truth, the gods¡¯ brazen attitude left him speechless, but the Abyss was still a universal enemy. It wasn¡¯t an entirely false statement. ¡°And so¡­ hm.¡± Was it too obvious that he wasn¡¯t impressed? The High Priest¡¯s eyes glimmered strangely as he paused to observe Do-hyeon. ¡°Normally, one would be astonished¡­ Do you know about the Abyss?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ve heard a little.¡± ¡°¡­! An outsider knows of the Abyss?! How far has this spread already¡­!¡± Do-hyeon¡¯s candid response was met with an outburst from behind. It was the blond knight from earlier. Was this what it meant to have one¡¯s eyes flipped in rage? Zerdic¡¯s face turned red with excitement as he panted heavily, making Do-hyeon inwardly click his tongue. ¡®What a temper¡­.¡¯ Do-hyeon barely managed to hold back the urge to mutter something profane as he frowned, but before he could do so, someone intervened. ¡°Zerdic.¡± ¡°¡­I apologize.¡± Seeing how quickly he backed down, it didn¡¯t seem like his nature was entirely bad. Or was it? If anything, it made him seem more like he had a mental disorder. Didn¡¯t people with bipr disorder act like that? Even if he were just a merchant, Do-hyeon would avoid someone like that. The fact that Zerdic was marked with a red namete only made him more troubling. ¡°¡­I will excuse myself.¡± ¡°Yes, that would be best.¡± ¡°Yes, pardon me.¡± Perhaps he could sense Do-hyeon¡¯s sentiments because Zerdic voluntarily offered to leave. As he brushed past Do-hyeon on his way out, he muttered in a low voice. ¡°¡­Sorry for the unsightly disy.¡± ¡°?¡± Do-hyeon instinctively turned to look at Zerdic, his expression curious. It was unexpected. He hadn¡¯t thought Zerdic would apologize. Regardless, Zerdic briskly exited the room without waiting for a response. ¡°Tsk tsk, what a pitiful soul.¡± The High Priest clicked his tongue as he watched Zerdic leave, his expression full of regret. ¡°He¡¯s actually a bright young man. But whenever the Abyss is mentioned, he loses hisposure¡­ I hope you can understand.¡± ¡°There must be some kind of story behind it.¡± Thement slipped out without much thought, but by now, Do-hyeon was genuinely curious. What could possibly drive someone to react so strongly, as if their berserk button had been pushed, at the mere mention of the Abyss? ¡°I cannot speak lightly of his circumstances¡­ but he is a young man who lost much to the Abyss at a tender age. His life is driven by a single resolve¡ªto erase the Abyss from this world.¡± ¡°¡­Has the Abyss appeared here before?¡± ¡°The Abyss can manifest anytime, anywhere, using the bodies of the corrupted.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Hearing this, Do-hyeon recalled something. The Ironblooded Dragon from the tutorial had also been summoned by a necromancer who had contracted with the Abyss. However, what Gildetti was exining seemed slightly different. ¡°Abyssal beings can only exist within the Abyss by default. Thus, they scatter their traces everywhere and manifest through the bodies of those they corrupt. While this makes them somewhat easier to control¡­ the real problem lies with the contractors.¡± With a sigh, Gildetti continued. ¡°Sometimes, they appear¡ªthose who fall and make contracts with the Abyss.¡± ¡°Beings who abandon their humanity.¡± It was then that Taxinel, who had been silent all this time, added his thoughts. ¡°By offering parts of their bodies to the Abyss for symbiosis, they gain great power¡­ this phenomenon is often seen among high-ranking priests and sorcerers. Foolish creatures. In the end, they walk a predetermined path toward destruction. Because of such idiotic choices, Zerdic lost his family¡­ tsk.¡± Taxinel¡¯s voice grew more agitated until he cut himself off with a click of his tongue. But even that was enough. ¡®So his family was taken by one of these contractors.¡¯ It was amon story. A knight burning with vengeance after losing their family to an enemy. Yet, this was no ordinary tale, not when it came to Jihad and Elisa. ¡®Ah, so that¡¯s why his attitude was like that¡­ Damn it, now I feel sorry for him. Why do these characters have such backstories?¡¯ ¨C ¡®Elisa¡­ Elisa-lisa!¡¯ ¨C ¡®¡­So emotional, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Seeing someone sniffle and rub their nose like that made it all the more apparent. A guy who looked so conniving but had a surprisingly tender heart. As for Elisa¡­ well, given that she had lost her master for 150 years, it was understandable. Thinking about it that way, Jihad seemed to be in a simr situation. ¡®No, wait. That guy forgot about it and moved on.¡¯ While Do-hyeon was briefly lost in thought, Gildetti continued speaking. ¡°Still, he¡¯s an admirable child. He didn¡¯t copse under the weight of it and achieved the youngest knighthood in Brion at the age of 14. Now, at 19, he serves as the High Priest¡¯s personal knight. There¡¯s a reason Sir Lebed has chosen him as the next candidate for the Holy Knights¡¯ captaincy. Isn¡¯t that right, Sir Taxinel?¡± ¡°¡­Though he still has much to learn, his potential is undeniable.¡± Taxinel, while sounding reluctant, couldn¡¯tpletely hide the pride in his voice. Hearing this, Do-hyeon¡¯s perspective on Zerdic shifted as well. ¡®The youngest knight and a future Holy Knights captain¡­ So that¡¯s why his namete was red.¡¯ While his current strength was uncertain, it was clear that Zerdic was an NPC brimming with talent. Brion¡¯s Lair Holy Knights, affiliated with the Grand Temple, were renowned as one of the strongest knightly orders. This wasrgely due to the presence of their captain, Sir Lebed. ¡®Wasn¡¯t it said he split a tidal wave with a single sword strike? Themunity went crazy about it, I think.¡¯ Lebed had demonstrated his strength in a single event in front of yers, and his power was still discussed even a yearter. His name appeared frequently in NPC strongest character debates, even if he wasn¡¯t one of the Seven Strongest. He was definitely a powerhouseparable to them. To think that Zerdic was a potential sessor¡ªit showed his incredible promise. ¡°I¡¯ve digressed too much.¡± Gildetti¡¯s voice brought Do-hyeon out of his thoughts. The High Priest extended his hand toward Do-hyeon. ¡°The traces of the Abyss are always the highest priority. We will handle this here, but could you investigate if there are any corrupted monsters nearby?¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Monsters that are in advanced stages of corruption will visibly appear as mutants. However, those in the early stages won¡¯t show outward signs, so please collect their blood for analysis.¡± Ding. [Would you like to ept the linked quest, ¡°In Search of Abyssal Traces¡±?] [In Search of Abyssal Traces] ¨C Grade: Rare+ ¨C Description: Abyssal traces are highly dangerous and provocative. When low-intelligence monsters consume them, they are quickly corrupted, exhibiting extreme aggression, which in turn endangers citizens. Gildetti seeks to uncover why these traces have appeared. Investigate whether there are mutant monsters, and collect Orc blood. ¨C Condensed Orc Blood (0 / 50) ¨C Explore the Salt-Rock Forest (0 / 1) ¨C Quest Rewards: Increased favorability with Gildetti, Intermediate Skill Draw Ticket, and the generation of a linked quest, ¡°???¡± ¨C Quest Failure: Linked quest bes unavable. ¡®Oh¡­ an Intermediate Skill Draw Ticket!¡¯ The quest¡¯s grade had risen to Rare+, and the rewards were significantly upgraded. The reward had changed from a Low-grade Skill Draw Ticket to an Intermediate one! A smile crept onto Do-hyeon¡¯s lips. ¡®This feels good.¡¯ If he was already getting an Intermediate Skill Draw Ticket, the rewards for the final stages would surely be even greater. The quest¡¯s content also suited him. Since he was already working on a main quest requiring him to hunt a thousand monsters, this was a two-birds-with-one-stone situation. In that sense, collecting blood was less tedious than the materials he had to gather in previous quests. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll check it out and return soon.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± After exchanging farewells, Do-hyeon stepped outside, only to hear a cold voice. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°?¡± Turning around, he saw a familiar face. A handsome man with sleek blond hair, Zerdic, was leaning against the wall. ¡®What now?¡¯ Chapter 76 Chapter 76 When he said he¡¯d be outside, Do-hyeon wondered where exactly he went, only to find him waiting in the hallway. As soon as he came out, the other called out to him. ¡®Was he waiting for me?¡¯ That was the only exnation Do-hyeon coulde up with. Why would someone who always seemed eager to argue with him act this way? Though ufortable, he couldn¡¯t help but feel curious. Do-hyeon paused for a moment, locking eyes with Zerdic, who furrowed his brows in response. It was a minor change in expression, yet it looked like a scene from a photoshoot. ¡®¡­He is good-looking.¡¯ Though his face still had a youthful look, considering what Hyun-ah had said, he probably already had many women pining after him. ¡°¡­Are you heading to the Salt-Rock Forest?¡± A cold voice, ill-suited to such a refined face, slipped out from between his lips. Do-hyeon replied coolly. ¡°Yes.¡± He knew Zerdic¡¯s situation, but there was no reason to respond politely when the other was being so informal. Besides, Zerdic was only 19. At 23, Do-hyeon thought it should be the other way around. Of course, this was Do-hyeon¡¯s perspective as someone raised in Korea, where Confucian principles were strong. For Zerdic, as a knight, this might have seemed perfectly normal. Perhaps Zerdic hadn¡¯t expected such informality, as he hesitated briefly before nodding. ¡°¡­I see.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Silence fell between them,sting several seconds. ¡®What is this?¡¯ If he had nothing else to say, why not just leave? Why suddenly stop someone and then say nothing? Do-hyeon, already pressed for time with only ten hours of ytime left, was growing impatient. As he was about to turn and leave, Zerdic suddenly spoke. ¡°How do you know about the Abyss? Have you encountered a contractor before- or no, let me rephrase that.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°Have you met a contractor whose entire body was consumed by the Abyss? They would have a half-broken horn on their forehead.¡± ¡°No.¡± Do-hyeon responded immediately. The only Abyss-rted entity he¡¯d encountered was the Ironblooded Dragon. He had seen a summoner before, but that being wasn¡¯t quite human. Zerdic, meeting Do-hyeon¡¯s gaze, nodded slowly. ¡°¡­I see.¡± His cold tone sounded even lower for some reason. However, when he spoke again, his voice returned to its previous cynical tone. ¡°Got it. I wish you luck.¡± ¡°You too.¡± Without waiting for a reply, Zerdic turned and walked away. ¡®How anticlimactic.¡¯ Was this all he wanted to ask after waiting for so long? The thought made Do-hyeon chuckle, though he felt a twinge of unease in the back of his mind. But that moment passed quickly. Do-hyeon turned away from Zerdic¡¯s retreating figure and left the hallway. Zerdic was already gone from his thoughts. To be precise, there was no room for such distractions. ¡®I need to start hunting soon. Ah, wait. Will people crowd me again when I head out? That¡¯d be annoying.¡¯ Do-hyeon had too many eyes on him to worry about trivial matters like Zerdic. The moment he stepped outside, all attention would focus on him. He¡¯d drawn all eyes when entering the Grand Temple, so leaving for the field would surely attract a crowd eager to tail him. It was manageable when there were only a few, but if they kepting like a chain of sausages, it would be a problem. There¡¯d be no way to progress with his quests properly under such circumstances. ¡®Hmm¡­ What should I do? Isn¡¯t there a better way?¡¯ While he was still hesitating to leave the Grand Temple, deep in thought, a voice interrupted him. ¨C Master, why aren¡¯t you going out? ¡°Wait, I¡¯m trying to think.¡± ¨C Why? ¡°It¡¯s too much trouble dealing with everyone. If I avoid them, I¡¯ll look cowardly¡­ Ugh, it¡¯d be perfect if I could hunt unnoticed. If only I had an invisibility skill or something¡­ Huh?¡± Do-hyeon froze mid-sentence and whipped his head around. Jihad flinched in surprise at his sudden movement. ¨C W-What? Why are you suddenly staring like that? Jihad looked up at him nervously. Do-hyeon¡¯s eyes gleamed, but they weren¡¯t focused on Jihad himself- they were fixed on something Jihad was wearing. Do-hyeon finally spoke. ¡°You¡­ take that off for a second.¡± ¨C ¡­Huh? Do-hyeon¡¯s eyes were drawn to an enticing object. It was none other than the ck Goblin Shaman¡¯s robe draped over Jihad. He remembered the special options attached to the robe. The robe had two effects. One was a highly beneficial option that boosted magic-rted skills by 6%. But that wasn¡¯t what caught Do-hyeon¡¯s eye. ¡®It had a facial recognition-disruption option, right?¡¯ At the time, he had dismissed the effect and returned the robe to Jihad. Ironically, now it seemed like the perfect solution to his current problem. Hadn¡¯t Jihad proven its effectiveness by never once having his identity exposed while wearing it? The robe¡¯s design, which naturally obscured the wearer¡¯s identity, had yed a big role as well. ¡®With that¡­ I might be able to slip out unnoticed.¡¯ Once he began hunting in the field, he¡¯d inevitably draw attention, but that was a problem forter. For now, the robe would make the process much smoother. ¡°What are you doing? Hurry up and take it off.¡± ¨C ¡­What? Do-hyeon¡¯s words carried a specific intent, but Jihad¡¯s reaction was strange. As Do-hyeon approached him with firm strides, Jihad shrank back awkwardly and began stepping away. ¨C Ah, n-no, master. I respect your tastes, but¡­ I¡¯m not really into that kind of thing¡­ wouldn¡¯t all men dislike it? And besides, we¡¯re from different species¡­¡±+ ¡°No, what are you talking about? Stop saying weird things and just take it off already.¡± ¨C Ugh, ack! No, I can¡¯t!¡±+ Ignoring Jihad¡¯s nonsensical rambling, Do-hyeon attempted to snatch away his robe. For some reason, Jihad resisted desperately. ¨C This¡­ this sort of thing is uneptable in our genre! ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? Stop wasting time and hand it over already.¡± Even though they were at a high-ranking priest¡¯s quarters, where NPCs of significant status resided, it was impossible that no one would hear suchmotion. ¡°What¡¯s going on? And who are they, anyway?¡± ¡°Not sure¡­ looks like the High Priest invited them as esteemed guests.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we stop them? Even if they¡¯re guests, causing a ruckus in the temple is a bit¡­¡± The escting noise in the hallway began to attract more and more curious onlookers among the temple staff. Eventually, Elisa, unable to stand by any longer, stepped in to separate them. ¨C Liza! Liza-Liza! ¡°Mm?¡± Do-hyeon didn¡¯t understand Elisa¡¯s words and didn¡¯t respond, but fortunately, Jihad, who seemed to understand her better than human speech, calmed down. The moment Elisa finished speaking, Jihad stopped his frantic struggle. ¨C Ah, I¡­ I see now. Realizing his misunderstanding, Jihad nodded in acknowledgment. However, that didn¡¯t mean he was ready to relinquish the robe without a fight. ¨C They say taking back what you gave is the worst, master. ¡°Who¡¯s taking anything back? I just need it for a bit.¡± ¨C If you take it, you¡¯ll just keep wearing it because it¡¯s useful. What about me? You said it¡¯d be annoying if my identity was revealed. ¡°Hmm.¡± Jihad¡¯s rebuttal was unusually logical. While the robe could conceal Do-hyeon¡¯s identity, it would also expose Jihad as a never-before-seen ck goblin guardian. That would inevitably draw attention. Wearing the robe to avoid notice would end up defeating the purpose. ¡°Well, no choice then. Just stay in the Guardian Room for a while.¡± ¨C What? Master, are you abandoning me now? ¡°Abandoning? What are you talking about? You like it in there. Every time youe out, you look so refreshed.¡± ¨C Well, yeah, but going in alone is kind of¡­ Besides, you said I¡¯d grow slower in the Guardian Room. That was true. Do-hyeon hadn¡¯t sent Jihad to the Guardian Room and had even returned the robe to him because he prioritized his steady growth. ¡°If I unsummon him now, the resummon cooldown is 8 hours.¡± Canceling summoning every time he visited the city and summoning again afterward left no room to gain experience points. That¡¯s why most tamers preferred to keep their guardians with them, even in the city. They also exercised caution while hunting to avoid reverse summoning due to death. ¡°I don¡¯t get why they designed the system like this.¡± It was an obvious system designed to penalize yers. Still, it made sense. Without such restrictions, more yers would exploit guardians, summoning multiple ones carelessly. This system likely aimed to establish the unique identity of tamers and their guardians. ¡°Thanks to persistently keeping him around, Jihad is already level 8.¡± Beyond experience points, Jihad¡¯s auto-looting ability was truly remarkable.N?v(el)B\\jnn It was so good that Do-hyeon often felt Jihad justified his presence just with this feature. Ignoring such a handy ability would be a waste. ¡°Hmm¡­ what to do.¡± ¨C Master, think carefully. There¡¯s a saying, ¡®Don¡¯t lose big while chasing small gains.¡¯ ¡°How do you even know that?¡± ¨C Live over 150 years, and you learn things. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Should he just take the risk and rush to the hunting grounds? Or ept some losses and unsummon Jihad? As he weighed unsatisfying options, Do-hyeon¡¯s face grew increasingly contemtive. ¨C Liza! ¡°Huh? Elisa, what¡­ Oh? Oh, right, there¡¯s that!¡± ¨C Liza-Liza! ¨C Yeah, that¡¯ll do perfectly. Suddenly, the two guardians began enthusiastically agreeing with each other. Curious, Do-hyeon asked, ¡°What? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¨C Ah. No need for the robe, master. We¡¯ve found a better solution. ¡°How?¡± Just like that? Do-hyeon tilted his head in confusion at the sudden suggestion, but Jihad refused to exin. Seeing is believing. Instead of words, Jihad chose action, taking something from Elisa and holding it out to Do-hyeon. ¡°This is¡­ a leash?¡± The object was a ne. It was the same ne Elisa wore when the Guardian Room merged. She used it as a leash during walks, but why was she handing it over now? ¡°It¡¯s essential for walks, but¡­ it¡¯s not just a leash.¡± ¡°Then what is it?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see soon enough.¡± Upon receiving the ne, a message appeared. [You have acquired ¡®Elisa¡¯s Bracelet.¡¯] [Elisa¡¯s Bracelet] [Grade: Heroic] [Description: A bracelet frequently used by Guardian Elisa. Designed to protect the unusual Elisa from being coveted or kidnapped by others. Equipped with a ¡®Minor Invisibility¡¯ effect, it¡¯s ideal for concealing identities.] [Usage Restriction: Elisa, Elisa¡¯s Master] [Durability: 26/50] [Special Option: Enables the use of ¡®Minor Invisibility¡¯ while wearing the bracelet. The invisibility effect cancels upon contact with anything and is easily detected by abilities like irvoyance or detection. (Cooldown: 300 seconds)] [Special Option: Eliminates mana consumption for ¡®Minor Invisibility¡¯ use.] ¡°Whoa.¡± The options stunned Do-hyeon, causing him to exim aloud. The stats were absurd. While ¡®Minor Invisibility¡¯ wasn¡¯t extraordinary, its drawbacks were significant. Its invisibility effect was weakerpared to regr invisibility, and it was easily detectable. ¡°It¡¯s even caught by an explorer¡¯s basic search skill¡­¡± It was practically guaranteed to be exposed by any decent detection ability. Moreover, the skill had stricter cancetion triggers, making it awkward to use inbat. However, the bracelet¡¯s second option fullypensated for those ws. Chapter 77 Chapter 77 ¡®Eliminating mana consumption essentially means constant activation, doesn¡¯t it?¡¯ Unless it was detected or touched by something, it would remain active at all times. While it was tricky to use inbat, it was the perfect option for situations like this, where avoiding concentrated attention was critical. An item truly worth its heroic-grade status! ¡®Is it really okay for me to obtain something like this so easily?¡¯ This wasn¡¯t just a pumpkin rolling in on a vine; it was a whole treasure trove delivered right to his feet. Now, even by simply standing still, he was obtaining heroic-grade items for free. What would other yers think if they heard this news? If it were Do-hyeon hearing this, he would¡¯ve hurled messages full of curses at the developers for days on end. ¡®This is absurd.¡¯ It was such an incredible stroke of luck that it defiedmon sense. Even though he had umted plenty of heroic-grade equipment to the point where it didn¡¯t feel as special anymore, heroic-grade was still objectively a very high rank. Though it was a piece of auxiliary equipment and didn¡¯t have many effects, it was precisely because it was auxiliary equipment that it had even greater merit. ¡®Auxiliary equipment is tough to obtain through ordinary means.¡¯ There was a reason why auxiliary equipment was usually acquired after reaching a rtively high level. Its high level of difficulty to acquire and its performance made its price exorbitant. Wearing auxiliary equipment as a low-level yer was typically a privilege reserved for the exceptionally wealthy or ostentatious show-offs. ¡®Are there others who obtain things like this? Is this what happens when you raise a divine beast?¡¯ He had no idea because he hadn¡¯t raised a divine beast or even a Guardian before. Purple asionally mentioned that divine beasts sometimes brought hidden pieces or triggered rted quests, but¡­ ¡®Would this count as a hidden piece?¡¯ It was unclear if this fell into that category, but who cared? A good item was a good thing. And right now, he was more curious about something else. ¡°Why do you even have something like this?¡± ¨C Ah, as you can see, Elisa is a bit peculiar. I figured a lot of people might target her, so I was worried. One time, I turned a dead assassin into an undead, and he happened to have this item on him¡­ That¡¯s how the bracelet known as ¡®Elisa¡¯s Bracelet¡¯ came into existence. However, it was toorge for Elisa, so she had to wrap it around two or three times and wear it as a ne¡­ Come to think of it, no one ever mentioned Elisa before. It wasn¡¯t like she was hiding in someone¡¯s arms. She openly perched on shoulders or heads. ¡®So, this was why. I thought it was strange¡­ She¡¯s not exactly inconspicuous.¡¯n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Who would¡¯ve guessed that what seemed like a simple leash was actually a heroic-grade bracelet with incredible performance? ¨C Now that I think about it, this is really all I¡¯ve done for you¡­ ¨C LizaLiza! ¨C Thanks for saying that, Elisa. Whenever she went outside, she wore it, and since it was both her first andst gift, it became one of Elisa¡¯s cherished possessions. It seemed like every story about these guys had some emotional backstory. Well, they were reunited after 150 years, so it wasn¡¯t surprising. ¨C LizaLiza! ¨C She¡¯s grateful too, and she thinks you¡¯ll need it more than she does now. ¡°¡­Thanks, Elisa.¡± ¨C Liza! The way she ced her hand on her waist while responding looked like she was saying, ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± ¡®Things have been going smoothly since I got these guys.¡¯ Was this why Purple was so obsessed with divine beasts? asionally, divine beasts would fetch special items or hidden pieces, and now he could understand why they seemed so lovable. ¡®She¡¯s ridiculously adorable, honestly.¡¯ ¨C LizaLiza! Do-hyeon couldn¡¯t help but affectionately pat Elisa¡¯s head with his finger. Elisa, rubbing her head against his in delight, couldn¡¯t have looked more endearing. After spending a moment enjoying this, Do-hyeon finally tried on the bracelet. ¡®It¡¯s actually a relief that it¡¯s a bracelet.¡¯ If it had been a ne, it would¡¯ve ovepped with his Blood Pact Ne. It had looked big on Elisa, but it fit perfectly on Do-hyeon¡¯s wrist. [You have equipped Elisa¡¯s Bracelet.] [¡®Minor Invisibility¡¯ is now active.] ¨C Oh, master, you look semi-transparent now. ¨C Liza! Just as they said, Do-hyeon¡¯s body had be faint and blurry. This was only visible to Do-hyeon and his Guardians; to others, he would have vanished entirely. ¡°Oh? He must¡¯ve left already.¡± ¡°Hm, I was just about to say something if he caused any more trouble¡­¡± ¡°Well, since the High Priest brought him in as a guest, it¡¯s better this way. No issues arose, so that¡¯s fortunate.¡± ¡°But he left hispanion behind?¡± ¡°She looked young, so perhaps he left her behind out of concern?¡± Even when walking right past the priests, they couldn¡¯t see Do-hyeon. They were only gossiping about Jihad in his robe. The effect was undeniable. The same went for its other features. [MP: 1,150 / 1,150] ¡®Wow, it really doesn¡¯t decrease.¡¯ Confirming that the second effect worked perfectly, Do-hyeon grinned widely. All problems were now resolved. It was time to boldly step out onto the field. ¡°I¡¯m going now.¡± With those words, he confidently strode through the corridor and opened the door to the entrance. Creak¨C m. Do-hyeon had to immediately shut the door before it even fully opened. Murmur, murmur¨C. ¡®¡­Why are there so many people?¡¯ In that brief moment when the door had opened slightly. The crowd visible through the crack was farrger than he had expected. Thinking he might be mistaken, Do-hyeon opened the door just a little bit more. ¡®¡­Why does it feel like there are even more people?¡¯ Then, he began to seriously think. ¡®How am I supposed to get through this?¡¯ Getting invisibility was great. The option to use it even in the city was fantastic. However, the issuey in the performance of the Minor Invisibility skill. ¡®Can I even get through that crowd without making contact?¡¯ Even for Do-hyeon, it was nearly impossible to navigate through that sea of people without touching anyone. Just from the glimpse he got through the crack, there were hundreds¡­ no, perhaps even more. They were packed so tightly that physical contact seemed inevitable. He had already lost his invisibility earlier just from touching a single door. ¡®Don¡¯t those guys have anything better to do? Why are they loitering out there?¡¯ Seeing them made him realize just how famous he had be. With 790,000 subscribers, the numbers weren¡¯t just for show. If all of them were fans, that would be fortunate, but¡­ ¡®That¡¯s unlikely. Look at those sharp eyes. They¡¯re desperate to strip me of something.¡¯ ¨C Wow, amazing. Those people have the same look in their eyes as you when you¡¯re catching me. ¡®¡­.¡¯ ¨C Ow! Why did you hit me, master? After flicking Jihad¡¯s forehead, Do-hyeon began to reorganize his thoughts. ¡®I need toe up with some sort of strategy.¡¯ Either he needed to disperse the crowd somehow, or find a way to teleport out. It would be great if he could use Backstab, but damage-dealing skills were prohibited in the city. Even if that weren¡¯t the case, using Backstab would leave a mark, which would dispel his invisibility. That would make the whole point of using invisibility meaningless. -Keereuk, keereuk. ¡°Can you be quiet? Why are you making those noises? I told you to watch out for that sound.¡± -Oh¡­ sorry. But I can¡¯t help it, I¡¯m just feeling really good. ¡°You¡¯re feeling good?¡± Someone here was stressing out to death, and he¡¯s feeling good? As Do-hyeon furrowed his brow, Jihad quickly exined himself. -No, that¡¯s not what I meant. It¡¯s just¡­ it feels like themoners are looking up to me¡­ It¡¯s oddly addictive. ¡°¡­.¡± Ah, that¡¯s right. He did have that strong tendency of bullying the weak while fearing the strong. Being a Guardian with an extreme bully-the-weak instinct, it wasn¡¯t surprising that Jihad found joy in being the object of admiration. ¡®Come to think of it, he seemed happy earlier when we were making our way through the crowd.¡¯ This guy oncemanded an undead army and ruled a forest, so he might be enjoying this feeling again after a long time. Though, now, it was hard to imagine such a sly-looking creature had been a ruler. Even now, it seemedpletely unbnced. ¡®Wait, admiration?¡¯ At that moment, something crossed his mind. The word ¡°admiration,¡± Jihad¡¯s presence, and the fact that he was a Guardian all came together in a brilliant idea. ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t you say you liked the feeling of being admired?¡± -Huh? Yeah¡­ I guess? ¡°Then, how about enjoying it to the fullest?¡± -Huh? As Jihad tilted his head in confusion, Do-hyeon grinned and exined his n. When the exnation was over¡ª -Keereuk. This is amazing! ¡°Right?¡± A smirk spread across Jihad¡¯s face, making his already sly expression even slyer. Do-hyeon¡¯s face probably wasn¡¯t much different. Thus, the two partners, united for once, looked toward the door with determined eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± -Keereuk! And then, Do-hyeon disappeared. ¡ª Meanwhile, at that moment, Brion was in chaos. Murmur, murmur¡ª. ¡°Wow, look at that crowd¡­¡± ¡°It looks like a line for a concert. Why are there so many people gathered?¡± A massive crowd resembling a concert queue was gathered in front of the Lair Grand Temple. The sheer number of people was overwhelming, making it hard to breathe just by looking at it. Considering howrge Brion was, and how vast the Grand Temple itself was, it was a truly remarkable sight. A man passing by with his group clicked his tongue in exasperation. ¡°What, did they smear honey on something inside? Or is there some surprise event going on?¡± ¡°They say Kaiser entered the Grand Temple.¡± ¡°So what? If he¡¯s in Brion, he could go in. Does it really warrant this kind of turnout, even if it¡¯s Kaiser?¡± The man was genuinely confused. Kaiser? Sure, he knew the guy was the hottest dark horse and star right now. There had never been another yer who gained this much attention in such a short time. But even then, wasn¡¯t this a bit excessive? It was a fair question, but hispanion looked at him as if he were ignorant and eximed, ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard yet?¡± ¡°Are you serious? Of course, there¡¯s something special going on! Haven¡¯t you heard anything while being in Brion this whole time?¡± ¡°Why? What¡¯s the deal?¡± ¡°They say he¡¯s meeting the High Priest! Rumor has it that two priests even came out to escort him.¡± ¡°What? Didn¡¯t he just arrive in Brion?¡± ¡°Exactly! That¡¯s why everyone¡¯s so curious. It¡¯s obviously not an ordinary event.¡± If that was true, it was a big deal. Sure, Kaiser had fame, but that was mainly among yers. NPCs¡ªespecially someone as high-ranking as the High Priest¡ªwouldn¡¯t normally have any reason to pay attention to him. Yet, here he was, having barely set foot in Brion, and he was already meeting the High Priest? The same High Priest that most yers couldn¡¯t even see before graduating from Brion? ¡®I haven¡¯t met him yet either¡­¡¯ It smelled fishy. The scent of a hidden piece. ¡°So, can you me them for gathering? Sure, some are just curious, but honestly, some are probably envious too.¡± ¡°¡­True.¡± While many were waiting purely out of anticipation, there were bound to be those with less noble intentions. What kind of game was God of Savior, anyway? PK (yer killing) and looting were basic mechanics, and countless moral boundaries were often crossed in the game. The only reason people refrained in cities was because they didn¡¯t want to end up in jail. But if someone obtained something valuable right in front of their eyes, there were plenty who would try to take it, even out of sheer jealousy. ¡®That¡¯s why everyone joins guilds. It¡¯s also why the Hero Guild is so popr.¡¯ Without a protective guild, or with a weak one, you were just waiting to get robbed. This was why guilds monopolizing resources and wielding power often got a free pass. In a ce like this, guilds were essential. That¡¯s why most notable stars in the game joined prestigious guilds, and those guilds, in turn, grew stronger by recruiting them. A kind of positive feedback loop. ¡®But Kaiser doesn¡¯t have a guild, does he?¡¯ Chapter 78 Chapter 78 On the other hand, what about Kaiser? In the past, he was called a god, reimed the No. 1 rank in Raven. Although he was a controversial figure with much to talk about, in the end, he was always alone. A foolish man who rejected every guild¡¯s offer and chose to walk the thorny path by himself. No matter how amazing he was, levels existed for a reason. If enough people ganged up on him, could even he do anything about it? ¡°Of course not. He¡¯d lose.¡± ¡°Still, it¡¯s Kaiser¡­ Wouldn¡¯t he do something?¡± ¡°Kaiser is human, isn¡¯t he? Even at the graduation level, it would be tough. He¡¯s probably level 26 at best right now. What can he do if higher-level yers gang up on him?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Unfortunately, that was the reality. Reality was cold, and standing proudly after defeating countless enemies alone was something that only happened in movies. ¡°I like Kaiser too, but¡­ This time, he¡¯s being too reckless. It¡¯s not just about the guilds anymore. Sure, they might still hope to recruit him and maintain appearances, so they¡¯ll have some boundaries. But what about other yers?¡± ¡°Well¡­ true. There are so many malicious yers.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just malicious yers. Haven¡¯t you seen posts like, ¡®If I take down Kaiser, I¡¯ll be a star too¡¯ on themunity boards? He¡¯s surrounded by enemies on all sides¡­¡± At that moment, when they were enthusiastically discussing the matter. ¡°Kaiser! Kaiser has appeared!¡± ¡°Where? Where?¡± Themotion ahead made them stop talking and turn their heads. As they said, someone was emerging from the entrance. A figure with the height and build of a boy around ten years old. Wearing a deep ck robe that covered their entire face. ¨CKirrk. It was one of Kaiser¡¯s usualpanions. With that, people turned their gazes beyond the entrance. Since thepanion appeared, they assumed Kaiser would soon show himself too. But¡­ ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t he showing up?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on? Did thepanion juste out alone?¡± The strangeness didn¡¯t end there. Swiish. Suddenly, thepanion raised both hands, taking on an iprehensible posture. It looked like they were basking in sunlight, or savoring something. ¨CKirrk! Some vague noises could be heard, but they were too faint amidst the noisy crowd and quickly drowned out. After enjoying (?) the attention for a while, thepanion began to move confidently somewhere. ¡°Wait, that¡¯s not a field area.¡± ¡°Follow them! There¡¯s got to be something. It must be a hidden quest!¡± ¡°What about Kaiser?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not showing up. Are you going to just let them go? You stay here; I¡¯ll follow them.¡± The crowd split in half¡ªsome stayed behind, while others pursued thepanion.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om With perfect posture, thepanion nced back before walking like a model, which was somehow irritating, but the yers didn¡¯t give up. And soon enough, they saw it. Swoosh. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Wait, where did they go?¡± ¡°They just disappeared.¡± ¡°¡­Hold on. Did they log out?¡± The group watched as thepanion vanished in the middle of the town. Disappearing abruptly in a city? It could only mean one of two things. Either they warped away or logged out. Since the warp zone was far away, it was clearly thetter. ¡°What about Kaiser?¡± ¡°¡­He didn¡¯t show up. No sign of himing out either.¡± ¡°Oh,e on. Did they just log out?¡± ¡°Ugh, what a waste of time¡­¡± The yers who realized the truth made frustrated faces. They had waited for this moment, only for it to be aplete waste of time. Who could have predicted they¡¯d log out? ¡°Well¡­ considering how much attention was on them, it makes sense.¡± ¡°I thought Kaiser wouldn¡¯t log out, though.¡± ¡°You never know. Maybe he just went to eat. He¡¯s pretty indifferent to everything.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous, but why does it feel usible?¡± The yers who had been waiting in anticipation gave up and left. Some die-hards lingered, unwilling to let go of their hope, but even they left after an hour. And so, peace returned to Brion. Meanwhile, Do-hyeon¡­ [You have entered the Salt-Rock Forest.] [Tip: Excessive mob hunting will summon thick fog.] [¡®Minor Invisibility¡¯ effect is active.] ¡°Wow, I managed to sneak out like this.¡± He had sessfully escaped Brion and entered the Salt-Rock Forest. As Do-hyeon walked, a sh of light appeared behind him. [Leaving the field. Guardians ¡®Jihad ck¡¯ and ¡®Elisa¡¯ are returning to their master¡¯s side.] ¨CMaster, I¡¯m here. ¨CLiza! It was Jihad and Elisa, who had been hiding in his robe¡¯s pocket. Jihad, who seemed unusually cheerful, extended his hand into the air. p! This time, Do-hyeon met him with a high-five. It had been an excellent disy of teamwork. * * * The n was simple. Jihad would draw attention, and Do-hyeon, using stealth, would escape during themotion. Once Do-hyeon safely crossed into the field, the n would be a sess. What about Jihad and Elisa, then? It didn¡¯t matter. As guardians, Jihad and Elisa would automatically be summoned to Do-hyeon¡¯s side if they were separated by a field. [Leaving the field. Guardians ¡®Jihad ck¡¯ and ¡®Elisa¡¯ are returning to their master¡¯s side.] And the n worked perfectly. Thanks to that, Do-hyeon grinned as he entered the Salt-Rock Forest. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t experienced something simr with Elisa, I wouldn¡¯t have thought of this.¡± This was why experience was important. Because of that past experience, he had avoided bing a Pied Piper figure again. ¨CKirrk. That was so much fun, master. Let me know anytime you need me. ¨CLiza Liza! ¨CElisa, did you enjoy it too? ¨CLiza! Jihad and Elisa seemed to be in good spirits, making this a win-win strategy for everyone. The atmosphere lightened, but they couldn¡¯t let their guard down yet. ¡°There¡¯s still too many people here. Let¡¯s move deeper inside.¡± ¡°Okay, got it.¡± ¡°Liza!¡± The Salt-Rock Forest was vast, but it was also a popr hunting ground, so it was still crowded. It wouldn¡¯t thin out until the fog made visibility ufortable. He needed to go at least that far to feel at ease. And the impaired visibility could work to Do-hyeon¡¯s advantage if needed. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Roger!¡± ¡°Liza!¡± Do-hyeon led the way, maintaining his stealth, with Jihad following behind him. Not to be left out, Elisa ducked her head into Jihad¡¯s pocket. It looked like a childhood train game as they moved in a line, but to the eyes of other yers, it seemed different. ¡°Hey, look over there.¡± ¡°Huh? Why¡ªoh?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the robe guy who¡¯s always with Kaiser?¡± ¡°Yeah, it is. Why is he alone today?¡± To them, it appeared as though Jihad was strolling leisurely by himself. Thanks to NewTube videos, Jihad was somewhat famous now, so many recognized him. At the same time, everyone found it puzzling. ¡°If he¡¯s wandering around without Kaiser, I guess he¡¯s not a guardian. There was always debate about whether he was a guardian or just apanion.¡± ¡°True. But didn¡¯t I hear he logged out? Why is he here? Did he log back in?¡± ¡°Wait, does that mean Kaiser might have logged in too?¡± ¡°¡­Doesn¡¯t look like it. Seems like he logged in alone this time.¡± Looking around just in case, yers shook their heads. There was no sign of anyone who could be Kaiser. How much time had passed since the logout? He wouldn¡¯t have made it here this fast anyway. If he had, he would have been mobbed or followed relentlessly by yers before arriving. ¡°Wasn¡¯t he just a porter? Is he hunting now too?¡± ¡°Since when do yers in God of Savior have ¡®porter¡¯ as a profession? He¡¯s probably just filling that role. Wouldn¡¯t he need to level up to keep tagging along?¡± ¡°Hunting here alone? Even Kaiser¡¯s party porters have specs like that¡­?¡± ¡°¡­Now that you mention it, that does seem likely.¡± Back in the DemRock days, Kaiser¡¯s party was full of monsters. The party leader was ranked No. 1, with members ranked 3rd, 4th, and 5th. Their rankings alone were extraordinary, and each was a top yer in their field. If Kaiser had chosen someone as apanion, they likely weren¡¯t ordinary. ¡°Or maybe he¡¯s heading to meet up with a party he¡¯s already joined?¡± ¡°Curious¡­ Should we follow him?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it. This is a field area. If you follow him and annoy him, he could just kill you without a second thought.¡± ¡°True¡­ Plenty of people have died stalking stars recklessly.¡± Just as stalking was a crime in reality, it wasn¡¯t well-regarded in God of Savior either. In fact, it was often viewed worse than PK. Not only because it was disrespectful, but also because it disrupted hidden quests or pieces that others might be working on. It wasn¡¯t worth stalking someone who wasn¡¯t even Kaiser. ¡°Or maybe Kaiser¡¯s in stealth mode? What if he¡¯s actually with thatpanion, walking around together?¡± A yer hypothesized aloud. Hearing the suggestion, their party paused, some even expressing admiration. ¡°Oh¡­ That¡¯s usible¡ªwait, no, that¡¯s ridiculous. That level of nonsense means my dog could talk.¡± ¡°Pfft, exactly. Everyone knows Kaiser is a swordsman. How would a swordsman even use stealth?¡± The absurdity of the idea had made themugh. As they burst intoughter, the man who made thement blushed and tried to exin himself. ¡°You know, like with the Weapon Master trait, if you had gear with a stealth effect attached¡ª¡± ¡°Do you think the game¡¯s AI would be that dumb? Weapon Master only removes weapon restrictions. Where would you even find stealth effects on gear in this level range? They¡¯re all limited to other equipment slots.¡± ¡°Well, at higher levels, you might find some, but¡­ definitely not here.¡± ¡°Enough nonsense. Let¡¯s just focus on what we¡¯re doing.¡± ¡°¡­Fine.¡± Of course, his reasoning didn¡¯t hold water. The embarrassed man mped his mouth shut, and his party lost interest in Jihad entirely. The same went for most other yers. Thanks to that, Jihad managed to travel without major trouble, though he still attracted stares. But not everyone was the same. ¨CMaster, these stares feel unpleasant. ¡°Endure it.¡± While some were merely curious, others openly red with hostility. Although no one attacked outright, the sticky malice was far from pleasant, even for someone like Jihad, who enjoyed attention. From greedy eyes to predatory gazes itching for a fight. ¡°If Jihad draws this much attention, imagine the chaos if I weren¡¯t using stealth.¡± Do-hyeon smirked, picturing the obvious scene. Forgetpleting a quest; he¡¯d have been too busy fending off yers. And even that would have been a luxury. If they had followed or stalked him in an annoying way, it would¡¯ve been far worse. ¨CTsk. ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡± Even now, some had trailed behind briefly before giving up and leaving once they realized it was fruitless. As a result, no one was tailing them anymore. asionally, someone would nce their way, but that was the extent of it. With no one to worry about, Do-hyeon¡¯s party pressed on without hesitation. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± ¨CLiza! But Do-hyeon was unaware. Among those observing, there was one person whose gaze was particrly ominous. This person neither revealed hostility nor made their presence known. They simply stayed hidden behind a rock, watching Jihad intently. Rustle. After standing still for a while, they began to move covertly once Jihad disappeared from sight. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 79 Chapter 79 How far had they gone? [The fog thickens from here on.] [Tip: Beware of the orcs that charge through the fog.] ¡°This should do,¡± thought Do-hyeon, stopping his steps as he noticed the system message. True to the system¡¯s warning, thick fog surrounded the area. It wasn¡¯t as extreme as the time when he overhunted, but visibility was hazy enough to blur the surroundings slightly. ¡°Perfect.¡± This was the stage for the massacre he had nned. [Disabling ¡®Minor Invisibility¡¯.] As the previously semi-transparent Do-hyeon became fully visible, Jihad also came to a stop. ¨C You n to hunt here? ¡°Yeah, it feels like just the right ce.¡± ¨C There are still some humans around. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. This ce is far enough from the city, and the fog will obscure us.¡± Finding apletely deserted spot in the Salt-Rock Forest was nearly impossible. Without resorting to something like the fog caused by excessive hunting fromst time, there would always be people around. Still, with the fog this thick, other yers would likely focus on their challenging hunts without paying attention to him. ¡°How eerie. How could someone guess that so urately?¡± Do-hyeon shuddered as he recalled the recent spection of a user. It had been such an urate guess that it felt as though the user had seen everything in real-time. The precision was chilling. It had even made Do-hyeon briefly consider, ¡°Should I eliminate him before moving on?¡± Thankfully, hispanions dismissed the spection as nonsense. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a ridiculous ability anyway.¡± As they said, Elisa¡¯s bracelet was an item unimaginable at this stage of the game. Skills like Stealth, which are almost signature abilities of certain sses, rarely came as equipment options. Even when they did, such gear would almost always have usage restrictions. At least in this stage of the game, it was safe to assume none existed. Then again, this unique situation hinted that it wasn¡¯t entirely impossible. ¡°That¡¯s why sharp-witted rookies are so troublesome¡­.¡± Shaking his head in dismay, Do-hyeon pulled out Thousand Transformations. At that moment, Elisa leaped out of his robe pocket,nding on his shoulder. ¨C Liza! ¡°Hm? Are you joining this time?¡± ¨C Lizaliza! ¨C She says she¡¯ll show her skills, Master. For once, Jihad¡¯s trantion was unnecessary. Elisa, puffing out her chest and ring fiercely with her tiny eyes, resembled a little general ready for battle. ¡­Or perhaps more like a child pretending to be a general in a mock war. Still, he couldn¡¯t help but anticipate it.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Last time, I hunted solo to test Thousand Transformations.¡± Back then, he had been too busy testing all the rewards he had acquired, including Thousand Transformations, to evaluate Elisa¡¯s abilities properly. This was the perfect chance to gauge her capabilities. Swish¡ª Swish¡ª. Just then, vague silhouettes of massive figures emerged through the dense fog. ¡°Before the battle begins¡­.¡± Do-hyeon quickly essed the system menu. Soon, a notification appeared. [Recording started.] [Say ¡°Stop¡± or press the stop button to end recording.] It was the recording function. ¡°I¡¯ve got to get some content for NewTube.¡± Do-hyeon had now be an 800,000-subscriber NewTuber. He felt obligated to provide videos for the viewers waiting for him. Some might dismiss hunting videos as boring, but NewTube content often came from unnned moments. ¡°Something¡¯s bound to happen if I keep it on.¡± Who knew? He might encounter a mutant boss or even stumble upon a PK user using stealth, likest time. Smirking at the thought, Do-hyeon chuckled. ¡°As if that would happen.¡± Surely, there couldn¡¯t be such reckless maniacs in Brion. Right now, all he hoped for was toplete the quest sessfully. He swung Thousand Transformations in the air, and its form rapidly shifted. [Thousand Transformations transforms into ¡®ck Raven Spear¡¯.] [Using Striking increases physical attack power by 40.] ¡°Good grip.¡± Swish¡ª. An orc came charging at him just then. The typical strategy here was to dodge, but Do-hyeon boldly swung the spear instead. As the spear traced a wide arc, it cleanly severed the orc¡¯s neck. [The first attack deals an additional 18% damage.] [The set effect increases melee attack damage by 6.5%.] [¡­] [You have defeated an orc.] The orc¡¯s massive body continued forward a few more meters, propelled by its momentum, before copsing. ¡°Ah, satisfying¡­.¡± Clearing difficult content was fun, but nothing beat the thrill of overwhelming power in regr hunts. Charging? Why bother dodging? If they rushed at him with their necks exposed, all he needed to do was slice cleanly through. The added eleration from their charge only made the cuts smoother. ¡°Feels incredible.¡± The exhrating sensation brought a grin to his face. Just then, as Do-hyeon savored the moment, another orc used the opportunity to charge at him. And at that precise moment¡­ Pop¡ª. With a rather cute sound effect, a white substance shot out from beside him. It was a spider web. The web,unched in a straight line, spread into a small and hit the orc squarely in the eyes. Shriek! Blinded, the startled orc iled wildly. Instinctively, it tried to wipe the web from its eyes¡­ Stick¡ª. But instead, its hands became stuck to the web. Elisa¡¯s web was far stickier than the orc had anticipated. With enough force, it might be able to tear it off, but doing so would likely rip out its own eyeballs. Meanwhile, without its sight, fighting back was impossible. Then again, even if it lost its eyes, nothing would change, right? Swish! Swish! Caught in this unexpected dilemma, the orc froze, unable to act. And for some reason, it felt as though its body had be heavier, as if gravity itself had intensified. Blind, sluggish, and overwhelmed, even a fierce orc couldn¡¯t help but feel terror. Shriek¡ª! Bipedal creatures ce great importance on their vision. Losing their sense of direction simply because they can¡¯t see ahead happens frequently, as they heavily depend on their sight. That guy was no exception. Crash¨C Screech! His center of gravity wavered more and more until, before he could even reach Do-hyeon, he dove clumsily onto the ground. Even then, he instinctively swung his double-edged axe, but Do-hyeon wasn¡¯t someone who would be hit by such a blind attack. Whoosh. Easily dodging it, he thrust his spear into the fallen opponent without hesitation. Thud! [You have in an Orc.] [Spear Mastery has increased.] [Spear Mastery has reached LV3.] In an instant, he had taken down two. However, it wasn¡¯t entirely over yet. Screeech¨C! An Orc that had been watching from a distance, waiting for the right moment,unched a surprise charge. Its bloodshot eyes shone fiercely, as if enraged by the death of itsrades. The Orc brought its axe down with murderous intent, as if ready to split Do-hyeon¡¯s skull in half, but Elisa was quicker. Thwip¨C Slice! She rapidly shot out a web. But the Orc wasn¡¯t foolish enough to fall for the same tactic it had seen ensnare its ally. Blocking the web with the broad side of its double-edged axe, the Orc charged forward with even more ferocity. It was at that moment, just as the Orc closed the distance. Thud. Screech, Screeech!? Something snagged its calf, and the next thing it knew, its feet tangled, causing it to fall awkwardly. It was a faint spiderweb stretched between two rocks. Thwip¨C Thwip Thwip¨C. Elisa leaped down from Do-hyeon¡¯s shoulder and began circling the fallen Orc. Each time she moved, her spiderweb, gleaming elegantly like it had absorbed the moonlight, wrapped tightly around the Orc¡¯s hands, feet, legs, and even its eyes. In no time, the Orc waspletely bound, as if shackled. ¡°¨CLiza!¡± Elisa cried out as if shouting, ¡°Finish it!¡± At her call, Do-hyeon approached and stabbed the Orc in the nape of its neck with the Thousand Transformations, which had been transformed into the Assassin¡¯s Dagger. [It has been deemed the first strike, dealing 18% additional damage.] [Set effect increases close-range attack damage by 6.5%.] [Bleeding is activated.] ¡­ [You have in an Orc.] [You have acquired the quest material, ¡®Concentrated Orc Blood.¡¯] Not only had he easily subdued the Orc, but he also obtained the concentrated blood! After confirming that no more Orcs were nearby, Do-hyeon immediately looked for Elisa. ¡°Elisa! What was that just now? That was amazing!¡± At his words, Elisa puffed out her chest proudly and shrugged her shoulders as if she had been waiting for thepliment. ¨CLiza Liza! ¡°Elisa! You¡¯re more useful than I thought. Why didn¡¯t you do that when we fought each other?¡± ¨CLiza¡­ Liza Liza! ¨CShe said she couldn¡¯t even think straight whenever her master hit her. Besides, symbionts generally can¡¯t use their webs while bonded. ¡°Ah¡­ Hmm, sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to back then. Anyway, I see now. That must¡¯ve been a tough restriction. If there weren¡¯t penalties like that, it would¡¯ve been overpowered.¡± ¨CLiza! ¨CShe says it¡¯s fine. It was natural since you were enemies back then. With Jihad tranting effortlessly, Do-hyeon couldn¡¯t help but be amazed at Elisa¡¯s true capabilities. ¡®I thought her webs would be simr tost time¡­ but they¡¯re even better than I imagined.¡¯ Steel Spider Webs and Sky Spider Webs. It seemed the difference was more than just their names. Even the Steel Spider Webs were powerful, but the Sky Spider Webs were faster and stickier. They didn¡¯t cause direct damage, but their utility was limitless. ¡®They¡¯re perfect for a supporting role.¡¯ Blocking the enemy¡¯s vision during battle, tripping them like now, or restricting their movements made hunting much easier. If Elisa popped out of hiding to stage a surprise performance, the enemies would be utterly flustered. Elisa¡¯s small frame had be an unexpectedly potent weapon. ¡°As expected of Elisa. You¡¯re perfect from head to toe.¡± ¨CLiza! ¡°You¡¯re already doing more than enough just by being cute, but you¡¯re also incredibly capable as a Guardian¡­ No, as a Sacred Beast, Elisa.¡± ¨CLiza! It was this honesty in his admiration and theck of stinginess in his praise that kept Elisa glowing with joy. Her eyes sparkled brightly as she jumped around, as if asking for more. And as if to fulfill her wish, Do-hyeon showered her with even more praise. Watching the two, Jihad¡¯s expression turnedplicated. ¡®¡­What is this strange feeling?¡¯ He didn¡¯t mind Elisa being praised. It felt as satisfying as seeing one¡¯s pet or child being admired by others. However¡­ ¡®I¡¯m still her senior¡­ but it feels like I¡¯m doing nothing.¡¯ The problemy in Jihad¡¯s current role. He was Elisa¡¯s original master and had be Do-hyeon¡¯s Guardian first, but all he did now was pick up items and trante Elisa¡¯s words. Meanwhile, what about Elisa? She joinedter but was already making an impressive impact. And on top of that, she was adorable. ¡°¨CJihad? Oh, the pack mule?¡± ¡°¨CPfft, he calls himself a Necromancer, but his army? What army? He can¡¯t even summon Goblins properly!¡± ¡°¨CHe¡¯s just a looter. Born to pick up junk, so don¡¯t pay him much mind.¡± ¡°¨CElisa is a million times better than that useless guy! Oh, our cute Elisa. Stop hanging out with him ande to me.¡± Do-hyeon¡¯s voice echoed like a hallucination in Jihad¡¯s ears. It was just an illusion for now, but if things continued like this, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if it became reality. ¡®I-I can¡¯t let this happen. My position¡­!¡¯ This couldn¡¯t go on. He had to do something. Jihad needed to prove his abilities in a way even that irritating master couldn¡¯t deny. Forcing his trembling pupils to steady, Jihad clenched his fists tightly. Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Jihad, whose nerves were frayed, clenched his fists and drew upon his mana. ck energy slithered through his body like a serpent. The mana that began at his heart circted through his entire body, passed his shoulders, and surged through his arms to his fingertips. [Guardian ¡®Jihad ck¡¯ summons the undead.] The only skill Jihad possessed was activated. [Two Red Goblin Undead of the Forest are summoned.] [One Blue Goblin Undead of the Forest is summoned.] Groooar¡ª Grooooar¡ª. Apanied by an ominous ck aura, three undead goblins wed their way out of the ground. The grotesque sight, which appeared without warning, left Do-hyeon and Elisa speechless, interrupting their conversation. ¡°What¡¯s with the sudden theatrics?¡± -Ahem, nothing. I just felt like my mana has improved, so I tried a light summoning. ¡°¡­That¡¯s one thing, but what¡¯s with that look in your eyes?¡± -Me? What look? Jihad tilted his head with an innocent expression. However, his eyes betrayed an unmistakable sense of anticipation. It was the look of a child who hadpleted a task given by their parents and eagerly awaited praise. -I just summoned them to loosen up. Now I feel like summoning three doesn¡¯t even faze my heart. I wish I could summon more, though. When Do-hyeon didn¡¯t react, Jihad started sneaking nces at him, subtly trying to appeal. Although Jihad¡¯s intentions were painfully obvious to anyone watching, it seemed his efforts didn¡¯t reach Do-hyeon. ¡®What¡¯s gotten into him all of a sudden?¡¯ Whether Jihad summoned three or thirty, it didn¡¯t impress Do-hyeon much. As Do-hyeon shook his head, puzzled by Jihad¡¯s behavior, his gaze stopped on a message floating in the air. [Summoning undead using monsters from the previous city reduces mana consumption by 50%.] ¡®So it wasn¡¯t just bravado when he said it doesn¡¯t faze him.¡¯ While Jihad might exaggerate, the drastic improvement was undeniablepared to when Raven had been forcefully desummoned in mere seconds. The increase in mana capacity from leveling up was one factor, but the 50% reduction in mana consumption was the real game-changer. ¡®So this system is designed to encourage using undead from the previous city as materials?¡¯ Apparently, hunting monsters with an undead army in tow was the intended method. It made sense¡ªhunting orcs while leading an orc army was practically free farming. Do-hyeon hadn¡¯t noticed earlier because necromancers who controlled skeleton soldiers and Jihad¡¯s corpse maniption differed slightly, but now the direction was clear. ¡®Focusing on goblins with a few orcs mixed in seems like the optimal strategy.¡¯n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Having reached a conclusion, Do-hyeon spoke casually. ¡°Jihad, can you turn those into undead too?¡± -Oh, of course, Master! It¡¯s as easy as pie. Perhaps thrilled by the chance to prove his abilities, Jihad¡¯s expression brightened noticeably. In contrast, Do-hyeon remained indifferent, knowing that Jihad had already maxed out his undead count. ¡®But just in case.¡¯ If it worked, maybe one more could be added. Not that he¡¯d be disappointed if it didn¡¯t. Do-hyeon¡¯s expectations were only that high. Sss-. Groooar¡­ Yet, the ck mana¡¯s intensity seemed unusual. As Jihad stretched his hand toward the lifeless orc corpses, the ominous ck aura writhed and, momentster, the dead orcs¡¯ eyes snapped open. [Guardian ¡®Jihad ck¡¯ transforms the orcs into undead.] [The transformation is sessful.] [Undead List:] -Red Goblin Undead of the Forest ¡Á 2 -Blue Goblin Undead of the Forest ¡Á 1 -Orc Undead ¡Á 3 Groooar-. Ignoring their twisted, creaking bodies, the resurrected orcs stirred. With unsettling eyes, they turned to Jihad and knelt on one knee. Then, the two remaining undead followed a beatter. Thud, clunk. Groooar¡ª Groooar¡ª. With their massive size and the ck aura they exuded, the orcs had an imposing presence. Perhaps sensing the pecking order instinctively, Groooo¡­ the goblin undead, summoned earlier, hesitated and shuffled back. Naturally, the orcs moved to the front, while the goblins took position in the rear, forming a proper formation. Seeing his army take shape, Jihad gleefully raised his arms and let out a sinisterugh. -Keh-hel-hel. Yes, yes, I am your lord and master. ¡°¡­What the heck?¡± Meanwhile, Do-hyeon watched the scene with a dumbfounded expression. He couldn¡¯t help it. ¡®It actually worked?¡¯ He hadn¡¯t expected the transformation to seed. Let alone one, but three orcs were turned into undead. For a guardian below level 10 to control six undead was unheard of. ¡®¡­Do sacred beasts have different standards?¡¯ Could the undead count increase with each level? Or was it possible that different monsters had separate limits? Whatever the case, the ability was undoubtedly overpowered. Naturally, a question arose. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± -Keh-hel-hel¡­ Huh? What? ¡°I mean, with this kind of ability, why did you follow the Fok build? That¡¯s an X-tier build.¡± As everyone knew, necromancers had two tech trees. Commander Necromancer and Explosion Necromancer. While Commander Necromancers like Zeke dominated the meta due to their safety and reliability, the real reason was simpler. ¡®The Explosion build is trash.¡¯ It¡¯s a one-trick pony. Without its big explosion, it¡¯s nothing more than a dead-weight trash ss. The only advantage of the Explosion build is its exhrating single strike, requiring only undead fodder to detonate and no need for high-tier undead. Compared to Zeke, it was a cheaper build, earning it the nickname ¡°themoner ss.¡± ¡°If you can handle six summons at level 8, that means you¡¯ll have far more in thete game.¡± ¨C ¡­Right? ¡°No, are you brain-damaged? Is this some bizarre case of ¡®That Money Syndrome¡¯? Why didn¡¯t you go for the Zeke tree?¡± It made no sense to him. As the ruler of the forest, Jihad had an abundance of undead materials, and with that ability, he could have dominated even among the elite Zeke sses. A one-man army in the making! And yet, he had thrown it all away to take the Explosion build, known as the moner¡¯s tech tree.¡± Why? For what reason? ¨C Because explosions are for men. ¡°Huh?¡± Seeing Do-hyeon venting his frustration out of sheer iprehension, Jihad got excited and answered. ¨C Hearing the popping sound when using Corpse Explosion is just electrifying.¡±+ ¡°¡­What?¡± ¨C And each undead has a unique feel when it explodes. The sounds stick in your ears, you know? ¡°No, hold on. Are you saying that¡¯s the reason?¡± ¨C Of course! You just don¡¯t understand because you haven¡¯t used it. Corpse Explosion is fun, but the big explosion? Oh, man¡­ it¡¯s exhrating, like washing away all your pent-up frustration. It was the joy of my life! ¡°Oh, my god¡­¡± Unable to listen anymore, Do-hyeon covered his face with both hands. Who would have thought his guardian was a hopeless romantic? While Do-hyeon respected romantic notions to some extent, he couldn¡¯t fathom dedicating his life to them at this level. Some might wonder how ¡°life¡± even came into y in a mere game, but that perspective only applied to users. For Jihad, a resident of God of Savior, this world was reality and life itself. ¡®This is like someone destined to be a famous bad singer insisting on bing a rapper.¡¯ He was certain of it. If Jihad had gone with the Zeke tree during the secret dungeon, things wouldn¡¯t have been so easy. Perhaps the mysterious ¡°Bloodline Factor¡± or whatever would have activated, leading to failure. Jihad had chosen to discard his natural talent for the sake of romance. There had never been a fool quite like this¡­ ¡®¡­Wait a minute.¡¯ A sudden ominous thought crossed Do-hyeon¡¯s mind, and he raised his head. ¡°You¡¯re not seriously thinking of sticking with the Explosion build, are you?¡± -¡°Of course, Explo¡­¡± ¡°Nope. In this life, you¡¯re reborn. Your path is Zeke. You were born to be Zeke.¡± -¡°B-But explosions are art¡­¡± ¡°Stop. That¡¯s enough. Any more, and it¡¯s dangerous.¡± Do-hyeon quickly pressed a finger to Jihad¡¯s lips, letting out a sigh of relief. It was a close call. Jihad had almost uttered something perilous. ¡°You¡¯ve never tried Zeke before, have you?¡± -¡°Of course not. Explosions are for men!¡± ¡°Just try Zeke this once. If you don¡¯t like it, you can switch back. I won¡¯t stop you.¡± -¡°Hmm¡­ Well, in that case, fine¡­ Alright, Master.¡± Perhaps thepromise made it easier for Jihad to ept. Though he looked a little dissatisfied, Jihad didn¡¯t insist further and agreed. He was also a bit curious about how Zeke would feel and figured it wouldn¡¯t hurt to listen to his master this time. Groooar¡ª Groooar. Looking at the loyal undead, awaitingmands, Jihad gestured sharply. ¨C Bring me an orc. Groooar! With the orc undead at the lead, the undead rushed into the mist. Momentster, a perfectly intact orc was thrown before them. Thud¡ª Squeee!? The orc, who had been resting peacefully, nowy bbergasted, its face filled with bewilderment. It had been suddenly grabbed and thrown by undead, only to find itself face-to-face with a human and a goblin. It would be impossible not to be shocked. Groooar! Groooar! Before the orc could fully process the situation, the undead charged at it again. Squeee! Startled, the orc sprang to its feet. But it made no difference. Bam! The orc undead rammed it head-on, theirbined force too much for the orc to withstand, sending it tumbling back. Then the goblin undead followed, pummeling the fallen orc. ¡­It was nothing short of a beating. Thud! Bam! Whack¡ª. Squee, Squeeeek! The orc curled into a ball like a pill bug as the six undead mercilessly hammered away. If that wasn¡¯t a beating, what else could it be? At least, Do-hyeon couldn¡¯t think of another word for it. [You have defeated an orc.] [Guardian Jihad ck¡¯s level has increased.] Groooar¡ª! ¨C Keh-hel-hel! The undead roared triumphantly after swiftly taking down the orc, and Jihad burst intoughter at the sight. ¨C This isn¡¯t bad either, Master. I¡¯ve only used undead for chores or explosions, but seeing them like this is surprisingly satisfying. ¡°¡­I see.¡± Though Do-hyeon felt like a parent witnessing their child¡¯s misguided behavior, he couldn¡¯t deny it wasn¡¯t entirely bad. At least Jihad seemed to have a more positive outlook on the Zeke path. After all, it must be exciting to hunt again after only picking up scraps for so long. -¡°Now, my children. This time, bring me two!¡± The best part was that he didn¡¯t even have to go himself. The undead handled the hunting, making it incredibly convenient. Groooar¡ª! Despite Jihad¡¯s cocky tone, the loyal undead eagerly followed hismand, though reality quickly struck them down. Grooo¡­? -¡°¡­Huh?¡± The undead began to fade, their bodies turning to dust before vanishing entirely. Then, a message appeared. [All of Jihad ck¡¯s mana has been consumed.] [The undead summons have been canceled.] ¡­¡­. [The undead summons have been canceled.] ¨C Ah¡­ ¡°Hmm.¡± No matter how much he had grown, Jihad¡¯s chronic mana deficiency remained. He would need to stick to undead from the previous city or limit the number of orcs included. Still, wasn¡¯t this progresspared to before? Looking at Jihad¡¯s devastated expression, though, it seemed he didn¡¯t think so. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Do-hyeon finally spoke. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¨C Please, Master¡­ say nothing. I want to be alone. ¡°¡­Alright.¡± And he closed his mouth again. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!