《Transmigrated as a Corporate Manager in a Game》


 Chapter 1: Possessed by a Curse

    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    <strong>Chapter 1: Possessed by a Curse</strong>


    ¡°By the way, doesn¡¯t our team leader seem a bit scary?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. He looks like a workaholic most of the time.¡±


    The terrace set up on thepany rooftop.


    As lunch began, employees gathered in small groups to chat.


    It was the usual office talk.


    Stock market talk, gossip, and discussions about superiors.


    One of the female employees spoke up.


    ¡°Has anyone ever seen the team leader doing anything other than work?¡±


    ¡°Nope, never. Total work addict. Sometimes it¡¯s like watching a horror movie, seeing him work. Thanks to him, we¡¯re all suffering too. I never knew working under a workaholic could be this exhausting. Ugh¡­¡±


    ¡°If he¡¯s that much of a workaholic, shouldn¡¯t he go to the hospital¡­?¡±


    A male employee shrugged as he replied.


    ¡°Well, at least he¡¯s good at his job.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­ Didn¡¯t Team Leader Shin save the head office¡¯s new business from failing recently?¡±


    ¡°So what? We¡¯re all just employees at the end of the day. He¡¯s just helping thepany.¡±


    ¡°Come on, but he gets promoted quickly. How old is Team Leader Shin this year? Early 30s?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I think he¡¯s still in his 20s. Wasn¡¯t he 29?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­ Having a team leader in their 20s is tough.¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah. With that face, 30s would be a stretch.¡±


    As they murmured among themselves, a sudden sound interrupted them.


    - Wee, Administrator!


    Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to the strange voice and lively music.


    It came from one employee¡¯s smartphone, with the word "KeepWorld" clearly disyed on the screen.


    ¡°Oh, Assistant Manager Kim, you y that too?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that? KeepWorld?¡±


    ¡°Huh? You don¡¯t know KeepWorld? It¡¯s a super popr game right now. It¡¯s famous because no one¡¯s been able to clear it yet, it¡¯s so difficult.¡±


    ¡°No one¡¯s cleared it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. But the AI is really well-made, and the content and illustrations are top-notch, so it¡¯s super popr.¡±


    ¡°Really? Should I try it?¡±


    As one employee showed interest, Assistant Manager Kim yed it off like it was no big deal.


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty easy, actually. It¡¯s just a collection-based mobile game. As long as you follow the basic rules, it¡¯s nothing special.¡±


    ¡°Really? Assistant Manager Kim, what''s your ranking¡­ Wow! 18,911th?! And yourpany rank is Master level too?¡±


    ¡°Haha, I¡¯ve put in some effort.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so jealous. I¡¯m still stuck in Silver¡­¡±


    For a while, the employees continued chatting about KeepWorld.


    Then suddenly.


    ¡°By the way, do you think Team Leader Shin ys games?¡±


    ¡°No way, what games would he y? Team Leader Shin probably doesn¡¯t know anything outside of work.¡±


    ¡°KeepWorld is a game about running apany, though. If Team Leader Shin yed, wouldn¡¯t he be able to clear it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ He seems to prefer running a realpany.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. He¡¯d probably handle another task instead of ying games.¡±


    The new employees all seemed certain that the Shin Seongjin would never y a game.


    Watching them, a female employee who had joined not long ago tilted her head.


    ¡®That¡¯s strange. I think I saw him ying a game¡­ Was it just my imagination?¡¯


    * * *


    ¡°Team Leader, aren¡¯t you going home?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a bit more to finish up. I¡¯ll wrap things up and leave, so you guys go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Team Leader. We¡¯ll head out first, then. Good luck!¡±


    Soon, the sound of busy footsteps gradually disappeared, and silence settled over the office.


    Confirming that everyone had left, Seongjin sank into his chair.


    ¡°¡­Even if I leave now, the traffic will be so bad, it¡¯ll be a pain to get home.¡±


    It would be easier on both his body and mind to wait a little before heading out.


    Sure, it meant going homete, but it was not like he had nothing to do in the meantime.


    ¡°¡­Guess I¡¯ll get started.¡±


    He leaned backfortably, turned on his smartphone, andunched KeepWorld.


    - Wee, Administrator!


    Cheerful music and a mechanical female voice flowed out of the speaker.


    ncing at the top of the screen, a smile formed on his lips.


    ¡°Today¡¯s thest day.¡±


    [Achievement Rate: 99.9%]


    Finally, the end of KeepWorld was within his grasp.


    Just one more achievement to clear, and he¡¯d finally see the ending.


    ¡®It really took long enough.¡¯


    He had been ying this game for seven whole years.


    The thought that it was finally ending made him feel a bit nostalgic.


    ¡®Honestly, I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever be able to clear it.¡¯


    No one had yet toplete KeepWorld¡¯s true ending.


    And for good reason ¨C KeepWorld was infamous for being more brutal than most Souls-like games.


    It adopted hardcore rules, and everything in the game was randomized, meaning there was no clear strategy to follow.


    Clearing the game required only one thing: effort.


    Only effort.


    - You will soon be transported to the office of the Joseon government. Please activate the Ethics Program.


    Seongjin lightly tapped the screen.


    Then, with a dim background, a loading bar appeared.


    He quickly muted the volume to focus on the game.


    [Update in progress: 24%]


    ¡°Hmm, taking a bit longer today.¡±


    This must¡¯ve been arge-scale update.


    After waiting for a while, he tapped the screen to move to the waiting room.


    Along the long hallway were thousands of istion rooms, convenience facilities, and small 2D characters bustling about.


    The scene resembled a massive corporation.


    [Update in progress: 51%]


    He tapped the air to shift the view to the highest part of thepany.


    From there, the entirepany¡¯s grand scale came into view.


    Even on the small smartphone screen, you could feel the enormity of the corporation.


    [Update in progress: 92%]


    ¡®I wonder what¡¯s going to change with this update. Hopefully, nothing annoying.¡¯


    As he killed time wandering around the waiting room, the update was soonpleted.


    [Update in progress: 100%]


    [The update isplete.]


    [You can now meet the Gate of Truth in the Rift of Time!]


    He pressed the confirm button immediately.


    A blue vortex appeared, along with a new menu.


    [Joseon Government (Confederation Union-Master)]


    - Company Rank: Challenger


    - Administrator: Page One


    [Creature Management]


    - Currently managing: 674 creatures.


    - Company Score: 994,987 (World Rank 1)


    [Staff Summoning and Management]


    - Current staff: 11,547.


    - Special grade (0), 1st grade (3), 2nd grade (12)¡­


    [(NEW) Rift of Time - Gate of Truth]


    ¡°Oh, finally¡­?¡±


    The moment he saw the words ¡®Gate of Truth,¡¯ Seongjin¡¯s eyes lit up.


    ording to his theory, he had to conquer the so-called Gate of Truth toplete all the achievements and clear the game.


    ¡®I wondered where it was or if it even existed¡­ Turns out it hadn¡¯t been updated yet.¡¯


    What a messed-up game.


    At that moment, a new notification popped up.


    [Would you like to subdue the Gate of Truth?]


    "Of course."


    With the ending in sight, there was no reason to hesitate.


    I immediately clicked confirm.


    Then, a rift in space-time opened.


    At the same time, I felt a chill, like my spine was freezing.


    "What the...? Did the heating turn off?"


    That couldn''t be.


    As I wondered, a creepy eyeball appeared from the rift.


    The eyeball rolled around and then looked at me¡ªor at least, that¡¯s how it felt.


    Something unsettling gripped my entire body, but I didn''t care.


    Instead, a sense of challenge sparked within me.


    "This has to be at least ss 3, right?"


    Well, considering it''s the final achievement that no one in the world has managed to conquer yet, it''d be disappointing if the level were too low...


    "Alright, let''s explore¡ª"


    Right at that moment...


    - Heh heh.


    I heard an unpleasantugh in my ear.


    At the same time, the eyeball that appeared from the rift vanished like a mirage.


    "What? What the...?"


    [Grade 4 employee ''Evangeline'' has died.]


    [Grade 6 employee ''Leveson'' has died.]


    [Grade 4 employee ''William'' has died...]


    [Grade 5 employee ''Albert''...]


    Out of nowhere, I began hearing the obituary notices of thepany''s employees ranked 4 and below.


    "What the hell is going on?"


    I hurriedly touched the screen, but the controls wouldn''t work, as if a bug had crashed the game.


    The game froze entirely.


    Panicking, I rebooted the game, but it waspletely unresponsive.


    "Damn it, what kind of bug is this...?"


    - Heh, heheh.


    Just then, I heard theugh again, like some strange, inhuman being was mocking me.


    That creepy sound made me lower the volume.


    ...


    The volume was already at 0%.


    It was then that I realized something was really wrong.


    ¡®...This isn''ting from the speaker, is it?¡¯


    So then, what is it?


    That question was never answered.


    ¡¸Come to me when you reach the end of the foolish truth.¡¹


    Because a ck energy started emerging from the phone screen.


    The ck energy, which shot out in an instant, wrapped around my entire body and disappeared.


    Immediately after, the phone¡ªnow without an owner¡ªfell to the floor.


    Thud.


    [Entity ¡®Administrator (Shin Seongjin)¡¯ confirmed.]


    [Starting synchronization.]


    [50%... 100%]


    [Sess.]


    * * *


    - Wee, Administrator. Please name thepany you will be managing from now on.


    A voice that sounded somewhat familiar brought me back to my senses.


    The musty smell.


    The cold floor.


    And the chilling winding from who knows where.


    With my consciousness suddenly returned, I scanned my surroundings.


    Aside from the long corridor, the ce was sealed off with steel walls on all sides.


    The only things I could make out were the vast space, reminiscent of a yground, and the strange stone monument standing in the middle.


    "...What the hell."


    Calm down.


    Think.


    Just a moment ago, I was ying KeepWorld.


    So why am I standing here now?


    The question didn¡¯tst long.


    [Wee, Administrator. Please name thepany you will be managing from now on.


    I heard the familiar voice again.


    I turned to the source of the sound.


    Projected in the sky was a familiar hologram.


    [Please provide the name of yourpany.]


    I stared at the hologram for a long time.


    A square blue window.


    It looked like something straight out of a video game, hanging there in midair.


    "...What is this."


    My breathing grewbored.


    My brain couldn¡¯tprehend the situation unfolding without any warning.


    "What... is happening right now...?"


    [Warning!]


    [A serious level of mental contamination has been detected in the user.]


    [The Foundation''s Star protects you.]


    In an instant, the chaos in my mind seemed to clear up.


    As if the tangled threads in my head were being unraveled, I felt a wave of calm wash over me.


    Perhaps it was that calm that helped me adapt to the situation so quickly.


    ''...''


    After regaining myposure, I closed my eyes and then opened them again.


    Then, I looked up.


    The hologram was still hanging in the air, just like before.


    ''...''


    As I stared at it, the hologram shrank and floated down in front of my eyes.


    Instinctively, I reached out toward the hologram that hade so close.


    Then.


    [Incorrect ess. Please use system permissions.]


    "System permissions?"


    The only things here were the monument a little distance away and me.


    Scratching the back of my head, I walked toward the monument that seemed vaguely familiar.


    [Congrattions, Administrator. We look forward to your sess.]


    A hologram I''d seen somewhere before.


    However, the contents disyed below it were unfamiliar.


    [Foundation''s Star ¨C User ¡®Shin Seongjin¡¯]


    [You can use the skills of the creatures you¡¯ve collected. (Current collection rate: 0%)]


    [You are the sole ¡®Administrator¡¯ recognized by the world. Your mind will never waver.]


    [You are an absolute sovereign, the guardian of the world. Your words carry authority.]


    [Your employees'' mental strength increases by 5%, resisting status effects.]


    [Thepany established by an absolute sovereign and the world''s guardian. Work efficiency improves based on thepany''s achievements. Current increase: 0%]

 Chapter 2: Damned Tutorial (1)

    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    <strong>Chapter 2: Damned Tutorial (1)</strong>


    "...This is."


    I touched the hologram with my hand for a closer look.


    [Administrator privileges verified. Please enter yourpany name.]


    I swallowed the involuntary chuckle and, as if entranced, typed something into the hologram.


    "Joseon Government."


    [Thispany name already exists. Please choose a unique name.]


    "Administrator Zone."


    [Thispany name is avable. Would you like to use it?]


    [Yes/No]


    I chose ''Yes'' from the options that appeared.


    A breeze, from who knows where, lightly brushed my face again.


    ...


    The cold air that passed by reawakened my consciousness.


    I looked down at my hands.


    Then, I clenched my fists.


    I could still feel the sensation.


    The vivid sensation of clenching my fist.


    If this were a dream, it wouldn''t feel so real.


    So, I was sure.


    ''This is not a dream.''


    I looked around once more.


    In the corner of my view, there was an icon resembling a mailbox with the number 1 on it.


    This time, I touched the mailbox-like icon.


    [You have 2 unread notifications.]


    .


    .


    .


    [The ''Foundation''s Star'' recognizes Shin Seongjin as an administrator.]


    [The ''Foundation''s Star'' has sessfully quelled your ''Confusion.'']


    "Foundation''s Star."


    I couldn''t forget it, even if I tried.


    The ''Foundation''s Star'' was a reward I earned after clearing 99% of all achievements.


    "Then, this ce is..."


    As if my anxiety became a reality, a grand BGM yed, and a video appeared out of thin air, followed by crude paper dolls acting like they were part of a roley on the screen.


    Monsters were hunting the paper-made humans and cities.


    [Trap and manage the creatures that have been released into the world.]


    Right after, massive mes erupted,pletely mismatching the crude graphics.


    [Restore the fragments of the distorted world. The world rests in your hands!]


    As the grand BGM concluded, the video faded away.


    Suddenly, my head started to ache.


    ''I didn¡¯t want to believe it, but...''


    One possibility was stabbing through my mind due to that presentation.


    ''Have I been possessed by the game KeepWorld?''


    It''s not a novel oric¡ªthis was being possessed in a game.


    And not just any game, but KeepWorld, a ce where hope and dreams don''t exist...


    [Administrator, gather points to restore ''Humanity.'' You cannot return home until all ''Humanity'' is restored.]


    Although the voice guidance tried to drive a nail into my confusion, my mind remained clear.


    It''s probably thanks to the Foundation''s Star.


    ¡®By the way, humanity...¡¯


    ''Humanity'' is a crucial concept in KeepWorld.


    While it literally means "the moral principles of humans," in KeepWorld, it refers to making the world a ce where people can live as humans should.


    ¡®But solving that problem isn¡¯t urgent right now, so I¡¯ll let it go... The Foundation''s Star¡¯s ability is quite useful.¡¯


    As I gazed into one corner of my view, information about the Foundation''s Star appeared.


    [Foundation''s Star - User ''Shin Seongjin'']


    [You can use the skills of creatures you have collected. (Current collection rate: 0%)]


    [You are the one and only ''Administrator'' recognized by the world. Your mind will never falter.]


    [You are an absolute monarch and the guardian of the world. Your words and actions carry authority.]


    I already knew all this.


    "Hoo."


    I took a deep breath.


    Then, I immediately pped my cheeks with both hands.


    This wasn¡¯t the time to focus on these things.


    ¡®If this really is the start of KeepWorld...¡¯


    A dry swallow passed down my throat.


    "It''sing..."


    I gazed up at the empty air, feeling that the inevitable had arrived.


    Perhaps the most important of all¡ªthe first tutorial.


    [We will now begin the first tutorial.]


    As soon as the mechanical voice finished speaking¡ª


    Swoosh!


    A massive vortex appeared from the monument and grewrger andrger.


    Eventually, several tabs appeared, including options for staff recruitment and material support.


    [The first tutorial is about material support and staff recruitment. The Administrator may use 100 points to hire ''staff'' and acquirepany management equipment.]


    I already knew all this.


    Without hesitation, I ced my hand on the monument.


    [Administrator privileges verified.]


    "...So, to use administrator privileges, you have to touch the monument?"


    The method for using administrator privileges resurfaced in my mind the moment I touched the monument, as if I had always known it.


    Because of this, I was able to exercise my administrator abilities without any sense of unease.


    "Material support."


    In response to my words, the hologram summoned the material support tab.


    [The first material support is free of charge. Would you like to proceed?]


    [Yes/No]


    This time, I selected my choice mentally instead of touching the screen.


    ¡®Yes.¡¯


    As soon as I selected my choice mentally, the screen transitioned, and a video yed.


    ¡®I don¡¯t need to speak or even touch the screen, huh.¡¯


    I barely had time to process this realization before focusing on the screen in front of me.


    In the video, a paper doll was pounding away at something.


    ng.


    ng.


    ng.


    How long had it been pounding?


    [You have acquired a Dull Iron Sword (F-).]


    The paper doll proudly raised the dull iron sword it had crafted.


    Then, the video ended.


    Ping.


    A blue vortex spat out the same dull iron sword crafted by the paper doll onto the ground.


    An information window appeared as I gazed at the sword on the ground.


    [Dull Iron Sword (Grade F-)]


    [The de is so dull that it feels like it will break after just a few swings.]


    It was junk.


    I hadn¡¯t expected great equipment, but it was better than nothing, so I sighed and picked up the sword.


    Then, I touched the monument again to use the administrator privileges.


    ¡®Staff recruitment.¡¯


    This time, hundreds of envelopes scattered into the air.


    At the same time, the haphazardly scattered envelopes began to flutter.


    Ssssshhh.


    Not long after, an envelope descended right before my eyes.


    The in brown envelope was so worn out that it was torn in several ces.


    [Grade 9 Employee ''Khan'' has be an employee. Please give him a warm wee and greeting.]


    [Grade 9 Employee ''Khan'' has entered thepany.]


    [The Foundation''s star has checked the skills.]


    [Sixth Sense (LV. 1), Basic Swordsmanship (LV. 1) applies to ''Manager.'']


    I was startled by the sudden notification and the unfamiliar energy coursing through my body.


    Then.


    "Ahh, ahh!"


    I turned my gaze towards the direction of the voice and saw a young man with brown hair copsed on the ground.


    I looked at Khan, who was lying t on the floor.


    A status window popped up.


    [Khan Aderhilt LV. 1/2 (Grade 9)]


    [Skills]


    - Sixth Sense (LV. 1)


    - Basic Swordsmanship (LV. 1)


    [Attributes]


    - Strength (9/19)


    - Agility (6/19)


    - Stamina (10/19)


    - Durability (8/19)


    - Mental Strength (8/19)


    The number before the sh represents the current stat, and the number after the sh is the growth limit.


    Considering that the average stat for a Grade 9 employee is around 8, Khan was the epitome of mediocrity.


    As I examined Khan''s status window, my eyes glinted.


    ¡®It seems the target for skill copying doesn''t necessarily have to be a creature.¡¯


    Though he was only a Grade 9, he had two skills that were useful enough to make him a valuable employee.


    ¡®If I manage him well, at least he won''t die an untimely death.¡¯


    The young man with brown hair who was gazing nkly around¡ªKhan.


    I tossed a dull-edged sword towards him.


    "Get yourself together. Take that."


    When I spoke and threw the sword, Khan was startled and hastily picked it up from the ground.


    "Y-yes?! Who are you, and where are we?"


    I remained silent at Khan¡¯s question.


    To be honest, both Khan and I were in the same boat.


    Though I had arrived a little earlier, it had only been about 20 minutes, so I didn''t have much information to give.


    But if there was no information, we could always gather it from now on, and fortunately¡ª


    The system started the next tutorial.


    [The second tutorial is Creature Containment.]


    This time, a vortexbeled "Dimensional Entry" appeared in front of us.


    [Thepany''s poweres from capturing creatures! Manager, please suppress and contain the creature rampaging beyond the dimension.]


    Even with the portal open in front of me, I didn''t move.


    No, to be exact, I couldn''t move.


    ¡®Not yet.¡¯


    This cursed game has difficulty spikes, even in the tutorial.


    Some people have an easy stage that clears itself without them doing anything, while others get a tutorial where a creature that can''t be subdued even with a swarm of Grade 7 employees appears.


    It''s a game of luck and frustration.


    That¡¯s why I had to watch the situation carefully.


    [Selecting a world.]


    Each time the voice echoed, my heart pounded harder.


    ¡®Please!¡¯


    I shouted inwardly, squeezing my eyes shut.


    Then, I slowly opened them.


    [If you do not enter within the time limit, you will be randomly assigned and automatically enter with the minimum required number of participants.]


    I nced at the portal in front of me after hearing the announcement.


    A number was disyed above the portal.


    It was the AI''s minimum and final guide.


    It showed the appropriate number of participants required to contain the creature.


    ¡®In the early stages when the number of employees is low, this is where fate is decided¡­¡¯


    The number disyed on the portal was 5.


    It meant that 5 participants were the minimum required to clear the mission.


    But the only people present were the two of us.


    Two rookies expected to do the work of five people.


    Of course, there was no time to think of a strategy.


    When the number of participants is insufficient, the portal forcibly transports all employees in thepany.


    ¡®Of course, right now, it''s just me and Khan, so only the two of us will be forcibly moved¡­¡¯


    Before I could even grasp the situation, a blue sh swept through the space I was in.


    When I opened my eyes again¡ª


    "Ahhhhh!"


    "Run! The kobolds are here!"


    I saw the outskirts of a vige aze, with people frantically fleeing in terror.


    [(Tutorial) Suppress the creature. Identify and contain the cause of the anomaly attacking the vige!]


    ¡°Damn it.¡±


    The reality I hoped was a dream unfolded before my eyes.


    "K-Kobolds!"


    "I don¡¯t want to die. Run!"


    Like the story''s opening scene, people rushed past us in a panic.


    "Eek!"


    "A monster!"


    However, none of them paid any attention to us.


    "Um, um, what is this..."


    Khan, who had been summoned with me, tried to ask the fleeing people, but they ignored him.


    - Tick-tock, tick-tock.


    I turned my gaze to the sound and saw an icon resembling a digital clock floating in the air.


    [04:59...]


    The digital clock disyed 5 minutes.


    I instantly knew what it meant.


    "...A timer."


    I shifted my gaze back to the vige.


    A heavily armed group of kobolds was ravaging the vige.


    On the ground, adventurers and koboldsy dead, tangled together.


    Some guards and adventurers were fighting desperately against the kobolds, but it didn¡¯t seem like they could hold out much longer.


    The kobolds outnumbered them by far.


    Frowning, I looked at the vige being burned by the kobolds.


    "This is the worst."

 Chapter 3: Damned Tutorial (2)

    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    <strong>Chapter 3: Damned Tutorial (2)</strong>


    Three types of stages involved traversing through dimensions.


    One was the biological type, where a single powerful creature would appear.


    The second was the object type, where the form would be that of a tool or an item.


    Lastly, there was the phenomenon type, where a virtual world would be realized in the form of a story.


    Among these, the most difficult stage was undoubtedly the phenomenon type.


    It differed from the biological type, where you just had to hunt down creatures, or the object type, where you only needed to find and contain an item.


    ¡®Of all things...¡¯


    A horde of hundreds of kobolds, and they seemed to be well-equipped with decent gear.


    Tick-tock, tick-tock.


    Of course, even as I grasped the situation, the time continued to flow in the sky.


    ¡®The timer in the air shows how long I have to clear the stage...¡¯


    Or it could be the time I needed to survive.


    Since the stages in KeepWorld were random, I couldn¡¯t know for sure.


    [(Kobold Attack) ¨C Identify and contain the cause of the anomaly!]


    Even looking at the quest window, it wasn¡¯t clear whether I had to subdue the creatures or identify and contain the anomaly''s cause.


    But I had reached the top of the world rankings.


    ¡®This game never presents an impossible goal from the start.¡¯


    No matter how impossible the stage seemed, a way out would always appear if I focused and looked closely.


    Screech!


    Of course, that''s only possible if I survive the current situation...


    [Kobold LV. 1]


    A small group of kobolds spotted me and began screeching from afar as they rushed toward me.


    Immediately, I lowered my gaze to check the equipment scattered on the ground.


    [Dulled Spear (F-)]


    [Dulled Longsword (F)]


    [Broken Wooden Shield (F-)]


    [Dulled Dagger (F-)]


    I chose the least damaged weapon among the scattered equipment.


    [Dulled Longsword (F)]


    ¨C A usable weapon among the dulled ones. It doesn¡¯t seem like it willst long.


    [Basic Swordsmanship (LV. 1)]


    As I grasped the sword, an odd sensation crept over my body.


    It was as if I suddenly knew how to wield the sword, like someone who had handled it before.


    I naturally gripped it.


    ¡®...This will do.¡¯


    After confirming the effects of the skill, I picked up another piece of equipment.


    [Broken Wooden Shield (F-)]


    ¨C A wooden shield that¡¯s so damaged it can barely protect you. It might barely cover your right hand.


    I wanted better protection, but the only shield that was still wearable was this broken one.


    It was unfortunate, but I had no choice.


    For now, I had to make do with this.


    ¡®Think.¡¯


    The hints must have already been given.


    ¡®Missions with timers fall into two categories.¡¯


    There¡¯s the wave type , where you survive for a set period, and the exploration type , where you have to find a trigger within the time limit.


    It¡¯s one of the two.


    ¡®Only a few kobolds have entered the field.¡¯


    If the game wasn¡¯t expecting a fight, there was no reason to limit the number of kobolds.


    So, this stage was definitely a wave-type mission .


    ¡®Which means, the timer above isn''t a death countdown but the time I need to endure to survive.¡¯


    I could ignore the hundreds of kobolds near the vige.


    Right now, I only needed to focus on the three kobolds entering the field.


    ¡®Three level 9 creatures.¡¯


    That was something two level 9 employees with skills could easily handle.


    After assessing the situation, I shouted so that Khan could hear me.


    ¡°See the time up there? We just need to survive until that runs out. So pick up the weapon I gave you¡­¡±


    However, sensing an odd silence, I turned toward where Khan had been.


    "..."


    A moment ago, Khan had been busily talking to nearby NPCs, but now he was gone.


    In his ce, there was only a notification hinting at his whereabouts.


    [Level 9 Employee ''Khan'' has entered a panic state.]


    I couldn¡¯t help but curse out loud when I saw the message.


    ¡°Damn it.¡±


    Khan was running away, following the NPCs in a panicked state.


    ¡°Huff, huff.¡±


    Panting heavily, Khan suddenly bounced off something invisible, as if he had hit an unseen barrier.


    He fell back onto the ground with a thud.


    Khan, startled, began iling his hands at the air.


    Meanwhile, the NPCs continued to pass through the invisible wall without issue.


    Of course.


    They were the background , and Khan and I were the actors on the stage.


    What would happen if an actor tried to leave the stage?


    ¡°W-What the hell is this?¡±


    Khan, seemingly losing his mind, muttered in confusion.


    [Level 9 Employee ''Khan'' has lost the will to fight.]


    Naturally, the sight was anything but pleasant.


    Annoyance surged within me.


    Some of us were facing the imminent danger head-on, trying to find a solution, while others were busy running away.


    I had encountered people like this before, whether in school, college, work, or even among gamers in the same game.


    Of course, I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s inherently bad to run.


    But in my opinion, there¡¯s a time and a ce for everything.


    Because of this, I called out to Khan, louder than usual, with a tone that could be considered harsh.


    ¡°Get your act together!¡±


    Khan, who had given up and slumped on the ground, flinched and looked up.


    [The employee''s mental strength significantly increases due to ''Foundation''s Star'', resisting the status effect.]


    [Level 9 Employee Khan resists the panic.]


    Normally, my voice wouldn¡¯t have reached him, but this time it did.


    Because now, I was the Manager.


    [You are the absolute ruler and the world''s guardian. Your words carry authority.]


    ¡°Pick up the weapon! And hold the line.¡±


    At mymand, Khan raised the sword I had given him.


    He stood up, with a much more resolute expression than before, looking at me.


    But soon, his face paled as he shouted something.


    I couldn¡¯t hear it, but he was probably saying he would join me soon.


    ¡°Alright. For now, I¡¯ll head over to your...¡±


    Just as I was about to say my next words, a shadow loomed over my face.


    [Sixth Sense has been activated.]


    ¡°...!¡±


    Instinctively, I raised my right arm, covering my face with the broken shield.


    Right after that¡ª


    Bang!


    A loud sound echoed as I rolled across the ground.


    The kobolds that had entered the "stage" had begun their assault.


    My right arm throbbed with pain.


    Ignoring the arm that felt like it was electrocuted, I assessed the situation.


    Wielding a hammer, one kobold was staring at me with a puzzled expression.


    ¡®When did it get this close...?¡¯


    If not for my sixth sense, I wouldn¡¯t have noticed in time, and I would have been hit.


    I nced at my shield and saw a crack where it had taken the impact.


    If I let another direct hitnd, I might not be able to use it anymore.


    Lucky or unlucky.


    The kobold that attacked me wasn¡¯t showing any signs of moving immediately.


    Then.


    ¡®What about the others?¡¯


    I turned to look around and saw one heading toward Khan, while the other was staring at me with a bright smile, like a child ying with a toy.


    Grit.


    ¡®Oh, so I look that ridiculous, do I?¡¯


    With all my might, I threw the longsword in my hand at the unguarded kobold who wasughing.


    Because of the distance, the kobold only blinked when the sword hit its face.


    That was all.


    But that was enough.


    Perhaps the kobold thought I threw my weapon in fear.


    Kekeke.


    Even the kobold with the hammer startedughing at me.


    But that kobold shouldn¡¯t have.


    Throwing away my weapon wasn¡¯t a penalty for me.


    I immediately raised my shield with my right arm and charged toward the kobold with the hammer.


    A kobold, at most, was about 140 cm tall.


    If I charged at full force, there was no reason I couldn''t knock it down.


    Thud.


    I mmed the shield into the kobold''s face.


    Kieek?!


    The kobold flopped down, dropping the hammer from its hand.


    I quickly mounted the fallen kobold and picked up a sword, any sword, from the ground.


    Immediately, I felt life returning to my body.


    I instinctively knew where and how to strike the kobold.


    [Low-Level Swordsmanship (LV. 1)]


    Following the vision in my mind, I thrust the dull-edged sword into the kobold''s neck.


    ¡®One down.¡¯


    The kobold let out a hideous screech as its neck was pierced.


    Keeyeeek!


    Blood sttered onto my face, but I felt nothing.


    Perhaps it was because I had just killed itsrade.


    The kobold, who had been observing the situation from afar, pulled out a finely sharpened dagger and started charging at me.


    Kieeeek!


    But.


    ¡°You''re already toote, you bastard!¡±


    I grabbed the fallen hammer with my left hand.


    And immediately blocked the kobold''s swinging dagger with the shield in my right hand.


    Crunch.


    But the shield, already at its limit, couldn¡¯t absorb all of the kobold''s attack and shattered.


    The de pierced through my arm and into my left chest.


    The fact that my right arm was too close to my heart was the problem.


    [Employee Rank 9 ¡®Shin Seongjin¡¯ has taken a critical hit.]


    [Employee Rank 9 ¡®Shin Seongjin¡¯ is suffering from bleeding. Health will decrease over time.]


    ¡°...!¡±


    The excruciating pain of the de digging into my flesh made me want to scream, but I couldn¡¯t.


    The Foundation''s Star did not allow its employees to scream.


    Instead, it granted me the mental fortitude to act even in the face of unbearable pain.


    ¡°Die!¡±


    With the hammer in my left hand, I immediately struck the kobold''s head.


    Kuek!


    The kobold, hit in the head, seemed to die instantly, lying motionless on the ground.


    ¡°Huff, huff.¡±


    I barely held onto my fading consciousness, gasping for breath.


    Ulp.


    I coughed up arge amount of blood.


    Right after, my vision started to blur.


    It seemed I had lost too much blood.


    I turned my gaze to look at Khan on the hill in the distance.


    Though it was blurry, it looked like Khan had also seeded in taking down a kobold, as he was panting heavily.


    ¡®Are they all down?¡¯


    Just as I thought that.


    [0:01]


    [0:00]


    The timer floating in the air hit zero.


    Then.


    Kieeeeeek!


    The kobolds, previously blocked by the invisible wall, suddenly poured onto the field.


    In the blink of an eye.


    A gray wave flooded the horizon.


    As the gray wave surged closer, my vision became even blurrier.


    ¡®Damn it!¡¯


    I spat up blood once more and bit my lip.


    ¡®Was I supposed to figure out the cause of this event before the time ran out?¡¯


    Honestly, I got too cocky. I admit it.


    The unfamiliar sensations in my body and the system messages.


    Without realizing it, I might have mistaken reality for a game.


    But it was toote for regrets.


    The price for my mistaken assumptions was far greater than I expected.


    ¡®What happens if I die here?¡¯


    That sudden thought caused my head to droop.


    I wanted to run away right then and there, but my body wouldn¡¯t listen.


    Perhaps I had lost my will to fight in the face of the overwhelming numbers.


    Or maybe, the Foundation''s Star didn¡¯t allow me to flee in disgrace.


    Of course, even if I tried to escape, there was nowhere to go.


    This was the stage.


    We were the actors.


    Running away would only mean hitting a wall and ending up even more miserable.


    As those thoughts crept into my mind.


    ¡°Onward, knights! Drive back these vile monsters!¡±


    A booming shout,pletely out of ce in such a hopeless situation.


    That bold shout came from beyond the hill.


    I lifted my head and looked in the direction of the voice.


    There, I saw heavily armored knights.


    ¡°Waaaaaah!¡±


    The knights charged down the hill at full speed.


    At the same time, a fanfare yed, and a hologram appeared in the sky.


    [Tutorial Clear!]


    [Rewards have been sent to your mailbox.]


    [Event: ¡®Kobold Invasion¡¯ will be recorded in thepany.]


    [Employee Rank 9 ¡®Shin Seongjin¡¯ has ovee the trial and grown!]


    [Employee Rank 9 ¡®Khan¡¯ has ovee the trial and grown!]


    [Tip: When an employee levels up, all stats increase by 1.]


    [You will be transported to the waiting room shortly.]


    I lost consciousness as the messages quickly scrolled by.

 Chapter 4: Damned Tutorial (3)

    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    <strong>Chapter 4: Damned Tutorial (3)</strong>


    When I came to my senses and opened my eyes, the view of the waiting room came into sight.


    I immediately checked my body.


    ¡°Hah, I thought I¡¯d be healed, but actually being healed feels weird.¡±


    The pain that had felt like my flesh was being gouged out just moments ago waspletely gone.


    There were no scars left on my body either.


    Well, it was to be expected.


    In the game, even if an employee was on the verge of death, as long as you cleared the stage, they would be back to normal as if nothing had happened.


    Of course, that didn¡¯t mean you were invincible.


    Once you entered a stage, there was no way to return to the waiting room through ordinary means.


    I closed my eyes, sweating coldly.


    Then, I recalled the fierce battle I had with the kobold.


    Memories of the pain that should have disappeared resurfaced in my mind.


    ¡®...One mistake is enough.¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t just close; it was incredibly close.


    It felt like I was about to board the ferry run by the Grim Reaper himself.


    The reason was that I had confused reality with the game.


    That was why I had been careless.


    I had subconsciously denied that this was reality.


    ¡®How foolish.¡¯


    If I had taken just one more wrong step¡­


    ¡®That would¡¯ve been my grave.¡¯


    After finishing my thoughts, I opened my eyes again.


    I clenched and unclenched my fist.


    The vivid sensation traveled up from my palm.


    This was my reality.


    ¡®Stay focused on the present, as always.¡¯


    This wasn¡¯t a game; it was reality.


    I doubt I¡¯d ever confuse the two again.


    After roughly checking my condition, I opened the mailbox and checked the logs.


    [You have unimed rewards. Please check them now.]


    This was the reward for clearing the stage.


    I pressed the notification to check my rewards.


    [You have sessfullypleted the stage ''Kobold Assault''. (+10 points)]


    [The Foundation''s Star absorbs knowledge about the creature. You have acquired the skill ¡®Beastman Language¡¯.]


    After reading the message, I frowned.


    ¡°10 points, huh...¡±


    Points were the in-game currency.


    They were used for training, contracts, recruiting employees, and purchasing equipment.


    They were also the score needed to survive.


    When I nced at the monument, a hologram that wasn¡¯t there before appeared above it.


    [Assigned Points: 30]


    [Owned Points: 10]


    [Time remaining until point submission: 90 hours 13 minutes]


    Of course, I knew what this meant.


    ¡°So, the real game begins now.¡±


    From the moment you started containing creatures, the headquarters'' point collection order was issued.


    The main content of this game was submitting points to the headquarters within the designated time.


    ¡®If you didn¡¯t submit the points on time, the game would end with a message saying thepany had copsed...¡¯


    In the game, it would simply end, but now, this was my reality.


    That meant I might die if I failed to submit the points to headquarters.


    ¡®This is where most newbies face their dilemma.¡¯


    Points were needed to grow thepany.


    But points were also needed to protect thepany.


    I swallowed dryly.


    The number of employees was only two.


    There was just one creature.


    The only silver lining was that thepany was still small.


    ¡®It¡¯s fine. This is still the tutorial. Collecting 30 points is easy.¡¯


    Once all the tutorials werepleted, I¡¯d receive a reward of 10 employee recruitment tickets and 100 points.


    With only thest tutorial remaining, points weren¡¯t the problem.


    What really made me frown was the message below that.


    ¡®The problem is this¡­¡¯


    [Beastman Language]


    - A creature that once brought a civilization to the brink of extinction. You understand thenguage of this creature.


    I¡¯ve invested over seven years into KeepWorld.


    I memorized almost all the skills by heart.


    ¡®For someone like me to see a skill I don¡¯t recognize...¡¯


    It meant that ¡®Beastman Language¡¯ was one of the kobold creature¡¯s skills.


    ¡®Understanding thenguage of this creature...¡¯


    This was useless.


    What good was it to understand a monster¡¯snguage?


    Even if I could understand them, there was nothing I could do.


    I was drained by the fact that the first skill the Foundation¡¯s Star absorbed from a creature was decoding the Beastmannguage.


    But then, something shed through my mind.


    ¡®...Now that I think about it, where¡¯s the creature?¡¯


    The creature I encountered in this tutorial was a situational-type creature called ¡®Kobold Assault¡¯.


    Since I cleared the stage, there should be a space within thepany where the creature was contained.


    I couldn¡¯t see it around here, which meant it wasn¡¯t in thisyer.


    In that case¡­


    I ced my hand on the monument and opened the vortexbeled ¡®Management.¡¯


    [Administrator Area (No Affiliation)]


    - Company Rank: Unranked


    - Administrator: Shin Seongjin


    [Creature Management]


    - Number of creatures currently managed: 1


    - Company score: 1 (Unable to calcte rank)


    [Employee Summoning and Management]


    - Number of current employees: 2


    - Grade 9 (2)


    A massive screen filled the air.


    But I scrolled down the screen without hesitation.


    [Relocate Containment Room]


    ¡®Found it.¡¯


    I opened the settings windowbeled ¡®Relocate Containment Room.¡¯


    Soon after, a massive screen popped up.


    Thepany¡¯s cross-section diagram was disyed on the screen.


    It was a structural configuration mode that only yers could use.


    [You can move the containment room by tapping and dragging.]


    Following the on-screen instructions, I touched the air.


    Before long, with a thud.


    A containment room appeared right in front of me.


    On the sign of the containment room, the words [Kobold Assault] were inscribed.


    I touched the sign to retrieve information about the creature.


    [Kobold Assault (0/5)]


    - A space where you can endlessly clear the ''Kobold Assault'' stage.


    - Non-escape entity.


    - Clearing generates 0 to 10 points.


    ¡®Oh, this is¡­¡¯


    A windfall.


    After reading the detailed description of the creature, my eyes lit up, which was rare.


    ¡®A creature I got from the tutorial is a non-escape entity and a farming-type creature that can help the employees grow.¡¯


    On top of that, ¡®Khan,¡¯ whom I picked first, was performing better than I expected.


    Considering he was a rank 9 employee with low mental strength, that is.


    A creature dungeon that can be farmed infinitely and a usable employee with skills.


    This was not a badbination for the start.


    No, it was actually a blessedbination,parable to a god-tier ount.


    Assuming I have the knowledge to run thispany moving forward.


    ¡®There are two ways to develop thepany with thisbination...¡¯


    One was the method used by the former number 1 ranked yer.


    Since they used it, it would be the fastest and most reliable route to grow thepany.


    ¡®The return is guaranteed.¡¯


    But...


    I immediately shook my head, dismissing the idea.


    ¡®I can¡¯t recklessly follow that person¡¯s method.¡¯


    In the first ce, the former number 1¡¯s method went beyond the realm of understanding.


    Following a strategy I couldn¡¯t evenprehend would be tantamount to suicide.


    ¡®It¡¯s not like I have multiple lives, so there¡¯s no point in experimenting.¡¯


    So, that n is dismissed.


    The other n is the one I devised myself.


    This method was how I surpassed the former number 1, who had stopped logging in at some point, and climbed to the top.


    A method that has never been disclosed to anyone.


    It didn¡¯t take me long to decide.


    For now, I just need to fully utilize the cards in my hand and walk down the solid pathid out for me.


    The other important thing is to uncover the secrets of this world and adapt to it...


    There are several ways to uncover the secrets of this world.


    The first is through conversations with other people.


    ¡°Do you understand a bit now?¡±


    I asked Khan, who had approached me unnoticed.


    But Khan¡¯s reaction was a little odd.


    ¡°¡­I somewhat understand.¡±


    His actions were visibly cautious.


    I tilted my head for a moment, then recalled the performance he had just shown and the characteristics of the Foundation''s Star.


    ¡®Right. It must¡¯ve been an extraordinary disy of action.¡¯


    Additionally, the trait of the Foundation''s Star¡¯s authority must have yed a part.


    ¡®How ironic. I was just an ordinary office worker, but now, killing a living creature doesn¡¯t even faze me.¡¯


    Just as I was about to lose myself in these thoughts, Khan¡¯s voice snapped me back to reality.


    ¡°However, I don¡¯t remember everything.¡±


    As I silently listened, Khan seemed to misunderstand something, continuing to stay in a submissive posture.


    But I didn¡¯t feel the need to correct his misunderstanding.


    ¡®It would be troublesome to set a precedent that wasn¡¯t intended.¡¯


    Even though it was just the two of us now, it was important not to be underestimated.


    It was crucial for me to give orders as I wished when running thepany in the future.


    And I had been curious about something.


    In the game, employees of certain ranks¡ª


    That is, employees ranked 7 or higher¡ªusually followed orders well from the beginning.


    On the other hand, lower-ranked employees often disobeyed the manager''s orders or acted rebelliously, not understanding why they needed to manage thepany.


    How was that possible?


    After thinking about it briefly, I concluded.


    Employees of a certain rank and above were summoned with a certain amount of information already unlocked.


    ¡®And the condition for unlocking this information was the employee¡¯s rank promotion.¡¯


    In contrast, the information given to lower-ranked employees was probably very limited.


    I suspected they might have been abducted while mentioning the world.


    And, as expected.


    ¡°One day, a goddess appeared to me and told me to follow the manager and save the world... She said the world would be safe if I protected this ce.¡±


    Khan knows information that I don¡¯t.


    ¡°This is all I know. I don¡¯t know why I was chosen. Or why kobolds, thought to be extinct, have suddenly appeared before me!¡±


    Khanmented over his situation, crying out in frustration.


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Sorry for going on so long. This ce just feels more like a prison than a hall for saving the world...¡±


    When he mentioned "prison," I closed my eyes tightly.


    His careless remark reminded me of the ount I had raised.


    ¡®He¡¯s not wrong¡­¡¯


    Managing creatures that could die at the mere flick of a yer¡¯s hand while quietly earning points for the headquarters¡ªwhat else could you call it but a prison?


    ¡°This is all I know. Can you now tell me more clearly what this ce is?¡±


    After spilling all the information he knew for free, Khan now requested information from me.


    I could tell him everything I knew.


    But revealing all the cards in my hand would not be wise.


    I slowly opened my eyes and looked at Khan.


    There was only one answer I could give him.


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon. Whether you like it or not.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean...?¡±


    Khan¡¯s eyes trembled slightly, dissatisfied with my answer.


    But it wasn¡¯t a joke.


    Soon, the final tutorial¡ªthe alpha and omega of this game¡ªwould begin.


    ¡°The only way for us to survive. And the protection of the world you heard about from your goddess. You¡¯ve already noticed, but that¡¯s not something we can control. It¡¯s from higher up.¡±


    I raised my index finger and pointed upward.


    ¡°The headquarters.¡±


    Strictly speaking, it would be the developers who made this game, but since the game was now a reality, I figured the "headquarters" must know something too.


    ¡°So just do your best to survive.¡±


    Sure enough, right after I finished speaking, a notification appeared in the air.


    [The third tutorial is character promotion.]


    [Would you like to proceed with the third tutorial immediately?]


    [Yes/No]


    Without a moment''s hesitation, I selected YES.


    Then, something massive fell toward where Khan and I stood.


    Boom!


    With a loud crash, smoke spread everywhere.


    Soon after, the smoke cleared, and a massive machine was revealed.


    [Promotion Device]


    No matter how you look at it, it looked like a modification chamber, but it was called a promotion device.


    Character promotion.


    A rank 9 employee must pass through this to be promoted to rank 8.


    If I remember correctly, the promotion device''s description said something like this:


    It awakens the forgotten memories of employees to help them grow.


    Other than that, I¡¯ll have to experience it for myself to know for sure.


    I quickly selected the employees.


    [Rank 9 employee ¡®Shin Seongjin¡¯ has met specific conditions for promotion.]


    [Rank 9 employee ¡®Khan¡¯ has met specific conditions for promotion.]

 Chapter 5: Damned Game

    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    <strong>Chapter 5: Damned Game</strong>


    With a loud noise, the machine door opened.


    Fsshhhh.


    Thick smoke billowed out.


    ¡°This is¡­?¡±


    ¡°This is something you must go through to survive.¡±


    Khan, startled, asked me, but I gave a brief reply and approached the promotion device without hesitation.


    After confirming that Khan was following well, I crossed the threshold and stepped into the promotion device.


    Bang.


    But for some reason, the door closed as soon as I entered.


    ''¡­¡­?''


    If you ask whether only one person could use the promotion device, the answer is no.


    You could designate multiple characters and proceed with the promotion ceremony in bulk.


    So how should I interpret what just happened?


    ''Is the inside of the promotion device another dimension?''


    If that were the case, it would make sense.


    Erasing Khan from my mind, I turned my gaze and looked around.


    Unlike the ferocious exterior, the interior was clean.


    No, more precisely, it was just a pure white space itself.


    [The promotion ceremony will nowmence.]


    A blue gauge appeared below the hologram.


    1%...


    [The forgotten memories of the employee are resurfacing.]


    22%...


    [Tip: asionally, an employee may die during the promotion process.]


    38%...


    A few more holograms shed before my eyes.


    When the gauge reached about 60%, pop.


    My vision suddenly darkened, and a new scene began to emerge.


    The next moment, a boy, whose face was unrecognizable, appeared copsed on the ground.


    His appearance was wretched.


    He must not have eaten in a long time, as his pale skin revealed his gaunt bones.


    The boy in the scene carefully lifted his head and scanned the surroundings.


    After confirming that no one was around, he pulled something out from his chest.


    It was a book.


    A book that made you feel uneasy just by looking at it.


    I couldn''t tell exactly what it was or what it did.


    Like the boy''s face, the book also had severe noise interference.


    The unpleasant feeling from the book made me shut my eyes tightly.


    After a moment, I opened them again and observed the boy.


    ''¡­¡­''


    Naturally.


    This isn''t my story.


    I was also an orphan, but I lived in the modern world.


    In contrast, the boy emerging now seemed to belong to a fantasy world.


    Whose past is this, then?


    There wasn¡¯t much time to think deeply.


    The boy pulled out a piece of bread from the book.


    Food came out of the book.


    I could clearly tell.


    ¡®It¡¯s a creature.¡¯


    That thing was a creature.


    I was momentarily shocked by the scene in front of me.


    The boy carefully ate the bread he pulled out of the book.


    And at that very moment, the screen disappeared.


    [The forgotten memory has been retrieved. Potential has grown by one stage.]


    [Shin Seongjin LV. 2/5 (Rank 8)]


    [Skill]


    - Foundation''s Star (LV. 1)


    [Stats]


    - Strength (8/29)


    - Agility (8/29)


    - Stamina (7/29)


    - Endurance (7/29)


    - Mental Strength (EX+/??)


    When the promotion waspleted, the employee''s growth limit increased.


    It might not seem like much of a change, but as it umted, it would lead to a significant transformation.


    Breaking through the growth limit meant that kind of thing.


    Fsshhhh.


    The firmly closed door opened.


    The promotion to rank 8 was smooth.


    But¡­


    ''Whose memory was that¡­?''


    I recalled the memory of the boy I had just seen.


    Then I reviewed the settings of the promotion device.


    - Retrieve forgotten memories.


    For now, the only interpretation I cane up with is that it makes you recall past actions.


    ¡®So, what did I just see?¡¯


    Of course, there wasn¡¯t much time to think.


    As I hesitated to step outside, the promotion device, as if having finished its task, expelled me.


    Whooosh.


    The fierce wind pushed me outside the door.


    ¡°You''re out.¡±


    Waiting for me outside was Khan, looking much more relieved than before.


    ¡®Has he been waiting here?¡¯


    Wondering if Khan''s promotion had been dyed due to the door closing, I checked the information window.


    [Khan Aderhilt LV. 2/5 (Rank 8)]


    [Skills]


    - Sixth Sense (LV. 1)


    - Low-level Swordsmanship (LV. 1)


    [Stats]


    - Strength (10/29)


    - Agility (7/29)


    - Stamina (11/29)


    - Endurance (9/29)


    - Mental Strength (9/29)


    It seemed like my worries were unfounded.


    ''It looks like the promotion ceremony provides each individual with their own space.''


    In that case, did Khan also see the same boy I saw?


    Being the type who couldn¡¯t hold back curiosity, I asked Khan directly.


    ¡°So, how was it?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I remembered everything.¡±


    Remembered everything.


    That wasn¡¯t the answer I was expecting.


    At the same time, if Khan had seen the same boy, he couldn¡¯t have given that answer.


    Khan had seen a different scene from mine.


    No, to be precise, he seemed to have recalled a memory.


    ¡°What did you remember?¡±


    ¡°I recalled the contents of the contract I made with the goddess.¡±


    Khan sped his hands together with an ecstatic expression, intecing his fingers like a believer offering a prayer to a deity.


    ¡°A contract with the goddess?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The goddess said the world is now heading toward destruction.¡±


    ¡°Destruction¡­¡±


    I vaguely remembered hearing something simr before.


    It was definitely part of the game¡¯s opening scene, where the world''s fatey in the yer''s hands.


    ¡°She said to prevent the destruction, one must be a hero and assist the true champion, the Administrator, in reconstructing humanity''s order.¡±


    ¡°A hero? Reconstruct humanity''s order?¡±


    I also recalled hearing something about restoring humanity from a game¡¯s opening.


    But that concept contradicts the idea of impending destruction.


    The term "humanity''s order" refers to the principles that ensure humanity''s long and prosperous future.


    ¡®That doesn¡¯t make sense, does it?¡¯


    It almost sounded as if humanity had already perished once.


    Was that just my imagination?


    Khan stood before me,pletely fine, still believing that his world existed.


    He must have lived in that world before making the contract with the goddess, and that''s where the logical inconsistency arises.


    The goddess was speaking as if the world had already perished, even though it hadn''t.


    As I tilted my head in confusion, Khan seemed to think he¡¯d misunderstood something and quickly added another point.


    ¡°To be precise, it seems only those who agreed to the contract with the goddess are involved. Apparently, I agreed to it.¡±


    Then, as if he suddenly realized something was off, Khan tilted his head in confusion too.


    ¡°Are you different, Administrator?¡±


    It was a casual question, but the word he used was something Khan should not have known.


    I couldn¡¯t help but frown in response.


    ¡°Administrator? Are you referring to me?¡±


    The reason I was reacting so aggressively was simple: I had never told Khan my name or shared any personal information with him.


    I answered his question with another, but Khan didn¡¯t seem too bothered.


    Instead, he looked more startled by my frown and quickly waved his hands in front of him.


    ¡°The goddess said that someone like me is unworthy of even being seen by an Administrator.¡±


    Well, he wasn¡¯t wrong.


    If this were a game, they wouldn''t even be able to glimpse my face.


    ¡°So why did you call me an Administrator?¡±


    ¡°I felt from the beginning that you weren¡¯t an ordinary person.¡±


    Khan said this, folding his fingers one by one as he began exining the reasons why I seemed extraordinary.


    ¡°The way you stayed calm and assessed the situation without panic. Your courage, standing firm even when monsters swarmed. And even beyond that, there was this strange pull. It felt like I was standing before an omnipotent being.¡±


    Calmness and courage.


    Those traits were given to me by the Foundation''s Star.


    In other words, my behavior must have been too unusual.


    After recalling what the goddess told him, Khan immediately matched my actions to those memories.


    He had all the evidence he needed to deduce that if there was an administrator, it had to be me.


    Even without all that, Khan said he felt some kind of pull toward me.


    Employees summoned to this ce instinctively seem to know who the Administrator is, so it was only a matter of time before my identity was revealed.


    In that case, hiding it had no merit.


    It would be better to reveal it openly and take control of the situation.


    At least, if I wanted to run thepany without any unnecessary trouble.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I am the Administrator here.¡±


    ¡°I knew it! You really are the Administrator! Just as I thought!¡±


    [Khan¡¯s loyalty increased by 10.]


    I¡¯m not sure why, but Khan was practically glowing with excitement.


    ¡°But still, I only got here about 20 minutes before you did. If you¡¯re expecting to gain some information or score points with ttery, forget it.¡±


    ¡°No, no. ording to the goddess, someone like me isn¡¯t even worth the Administrator¡¯s gaze. It¡¯s only natural that you¡¯ve been chosen.¡±


    [Khan¡¯s loyalty increased by 15.]


    At this point, he might as well be a fanatic.


    ¡®Did he get brainwashed during his promotion test or something?¡¯


    It was nice that there¡¯s no unnecessary trouble, but being worshipped like some kind of deity was a bit too much.


    I gave up trying to reason with Khan.


    I had already gathered all the information I could from him, and it was time to move on.


    ¡°Almighty Leune, please watch over us with your eternal light.¡±


    Leaving behind Khan, who had suddenly started chanting prayers, I approached the monument and opened the mailbox to check the log.


    [You have unimed rewards. Check them out now.]


    [You have sessfully cleared the tutorial (Ten consecutive employee recruitment tickets, 100 points).]


    Ten consecutive employee recruitment tickets.


    It¡¯s a standard reward for clearing the tutorial.


    ¡®It¡¯s about time toy the foundation.¡¯


    The creature I obtained was a phenomenon-type.


    It¡¯s a creature that can be farmed indefinitely.


    Instead of wasting points by upgrading the training grounds, I could manage the phenomenon-type creature and level up the employees¡ªa win-win situation.


    Some might worry that the new employees would be sacrificed in the process, but¡­


    It was not a problem.


    ¡®The maximum number of people allowed to participate in the Kobold Raid is five.¡¯


    That includes Khan and me, who had already experienced the Kobolds.


    Khan, despite it being the first stage, had managed to take down one Kobold on his own.


    ¡®Though his mental state was a mess.¡¯


    If he could just keep hisposure, he could probably take down three on his own.


    ¡®I can help him with that.¡¯


    Furthermore¡­


    [Employee¡¯s mental strength increases by 10%, granting resistance to status ailments.]


    [This is apany founded by the absolute ruler, the world¡¯s guardian.]


    [Employee efficiency improves based on thepany¡¯s achievements. (Current increase: 5%)]


    Now that I had reached Rank 8, the Foundation''s Star¡¯s abilities had also increased.


    This should be more than enough to unlock Khan¡¯s full potential.


    Khan possessed two skills, making him a capable employee.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m a hero! I can do this!¡±


    Hmm¡­ Maybe I¡¯ll revise that slightly.


    He¡¯s a bit off his rocker, but he¡¯s still somewhat useful, so it¡¯s worth a shot.


    I activated the Administrator¡¯s authority.


    ¡°I will recruit an employee.¡±


    Once again, thousands of envelopes appeared, scattered through the air.


    The documents fluttered wildly in all directions.


    In no time, a bundle of envelopesnded in my hand.


    They were the same old, worn envelopes as when I recruited Khan.


    ¡°Open all at once.¡±


    [Ninth-rank employee ¡®Yon¡¯ has joined thepany. A warm wee¡­]


    [Ninth-rank employee ¡®Sun¡¯ has joined thepany...]


    [Ninth-rank employee ¡®Jin¡¯ has¡­]


    As expected, they were all ninth-rank employees, but that¡¯s okay.


    With a farming dungeon and rtively capable employees, there was no issue in getting thepany up and running right away.


    [Ninth-rank employee ¡®V¡¯ has joined thepany¡­]


    [Ninth-rank employee ¡®Hyeok¡¯ has¡­]


    Whoosh.


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    As the pile of documents neared its end, thest one unexpectedly began to glow.


    [Eighth-rank employee ¡®Mari¡¯ has joined thepany. Please offer her a warm wee.]


    [Eighth-rank employee ¡®Mari¡¯ has entered thepany.]


    [The Foundation''s Star has confirmed her skills.]


    [Low-rank Archery (Level 4) has been applied to ¡®Administrator.¡¯]

 Chapter 6: Damned Administrator

    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    <strong>Chapter 6: Damned Administrator</strong>


    Ba-bam!


    [A regr workforce of 10 or more has been reached.]


    [Beginner Administrator (Achievement Unlocked)]


    - Work efficiency has increased. (More points can be earned.)


    "Ugh! My back!"


    "Oww... what is going on?"


    Ten men and women groaned, lying sprawled on the ground.


    It seemed they had been summoned just like Khan, tossed out without any care.


    The people on the ground began to pick themselves up, immediately murmuring in confusion.


    "Aren''t we supposed to be heroes saving the world? What kind of treatment is this?"


    "Even the gods can be so heartless. If I had known I''d be treated like this, I wouldn''t have signed the contract..."


    At a nce, there seemed to be nomonalities between them.


    Their ages, appearances, genders, even the clothes they wore and thenguages they spoke were all different.


    Aside from the fact that they were all human, there was not a single thing they had inmon.


    "Did you also make a contract with the god Leune?"


    "Leune? That minor god? No, I made a contract with the supreme god, Arius."


    "What? Are you mocking our god?"


    Suddenly, two men grabbed each other''s cors.


    "Stop it! Now''s not the time for us to be fighting amongst ourselves."


    The one who stopped the brewing fight was a green-haired girl.


    She pointed directly at Khan and me, who had been standing off to the side.


    "Let''s ask that person who¡¯s been calmly watching us."


    Following her finger, everyone''s eyes turned towards me.


    "They seem to have been here before us, so maybe they know something."


    Soon after, the murmuring began.


    "Now that you mention it..."


    "Why aren''t they shaken like the rest of us?"


    "...The atmosphere is different."


    It was as if they were sure I knew something.


    The green-haired girl¡¯s deduction was quite sharp.


    Even without any sixth sense, she seemed to be quick-witted.


    As she guessed, I did know quite a bit about this ce.


    ''I''ve spent seven years invested in KeepWorld¡ªof course, I know.¡¯


    However, my knowledge was limited to the system mechanics.


    I had no idea what the administrator was thinking or how any of this had to do with saving the world.


    Besides, just like with Khan, I had no intention of revealing all my cards right away.


    "I''m just like you. I was abducted. It¡¯s barely been two hours for me."


    If they wanted information from me, they''d have to prove that they could be an asset to mypany.


    "...Do you really know nothing else?"


    The green-haired girl asked again.


    I shrugged and tapped the stone pir next to me.


    A hologram appeared over the pir.


    [Points due: 30]


    [Points in possession: 110]


    [Time remaining until the points are due: 88 hours 22 minutes]


    "You see the time left until the points are due?"


    The girl silently nodded.


    "I do know that if we don''t deliver the points within this time, we all die."


    Of course, I wasn''t going to hide everything.


    There was no point in withholding information they¡¯d eventually find out.


    I also nned to reveal the information that required cooperation, but only a little at a time.


    "Don''t be ridiculous! There must be more to it than that! Tell us what else you know!"


    Some of the new employees, who had been quietly listening, started to move.


    "Come on, we¡¯re all in this together. If you know something, share it!"


    It seemed like they misunderstood, thinking I was hoarding information.


    ¡®...Well, I suppose they have reason to think that.''


    In a way, I was hoarding information.


    But sharing everything too soon wouldn¡¯t help; they wouldn¡¯t believe it, and if they did, it would only cause more panic.


    The more employees who panicked, the worse it would be for thepany.


    "All you need to do is earn points. Without dying."


    "...If that¡¯s true, then how do we earn these points?"


    "You earn them by isting and managing creatures."


    One of the men, who had been listening quietly, suddenly burst out angrily again.


    "So, you do know! Spill the rest of what you¡¯re hiding!"


    I scanned the group, taking in their postures and expressions.


    Their faces showed anxiety about the future and fear of the unknown, like they were on the verge of flipping into panic mode.


    ''Seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times,'' as the saying goes.


    It was not wrong.


    ''Rather than listening to my exnation, seeing with their own eyes will help them adapt faster.''


    Instead of wasting time arguing, the quickest solution was to use my administrator privileges to let them experience the [Kobold Raid].


    Indeed, once they gained a farming-type creature, running thepany more efficiently than grinding was out of the question.


    I ced my hand on the stone pir.


    The new employees flinched at my movement.


    [Checking the creatures registered in thepany.]


    [Currently, one creature can be managed.]


    I shed them a smile.


    "It wouldn¡¯t hurt to see it with your own eyes."


    [Would you like to manage the ¡®Kobold Raid¡¯?]


    "Confirm."


    [Please select employees.]


    A list of employee profiles appeared on the screen.


    [Drag and drop to add employees.]


    I already knew who would be the first to go.


    [Shin Seongjin, Khan, Sun, Jin, and V will enter the ¡®Kobold Raid.¡¯]


    "Let''s start with three at a time, shall we?"


    A blue vortex appeared in front of the selected employees.


    Above the vortex, it read 0/5.


    The employees, startled by the sudden portal, looked panicked.


    "Wha... What is this...?"


    "Hold on, what...?"


    None of them could finish their sentences.


    The blue light engulfed the room before they could get the words out.


    "Run!"


    "K-Kobolds!"


    When I opened my eyes again, the familiarndscape from the tutorial greeted me.


    [(Kobold Raid): Extermination operation begins.]


    Beep¡ª


    [04:48... 7.]


    The horizon was filled with kobolds.


    The vige was aze, and corpses of kobolds and adventurers were strewn across the ground.


    - Kieeek! (Kill the humans!)


    [Kobold LV.1 * 3]


    As before, the kobolds that spotted us started charging.


    ¡®As expected, nothing''s changed.¡¯


    Phenomenon type.


    That''s why creatures known as ''farming type'' are considered generous.


    You already know what kind of creatures will appear and how to clear the stage.


    Of course.


    "Ugh, ugh! Wh-what are those things?!"


    "Monsters... they''re monsters!"


    "We weren''t told we''d meet such things! This contract is void, it''s void!"


    [Thanks to the ''Foundation Star'', the mental strength of the owned employees has greatly increased, and they resist status effects.]


    [9th-rank employees failed to resist panic.]


    [9th-rank employee ''V'' loses will to fight.]


    [9th-rank employee ''Sun'' loses will to fight.]


    [9th-rank employee ''Jin'' loses will to fight.]


    The screams of the 9th-rank employees as they fled in terror were also expected.


    [8th-rank employee ''Khan'' resists fear.]


    [8th-rank employee ''Khan'' sessfully resists fear.]


    At the unexpected message, I looked to my side.


    Khan had a determined expression on his face.


    "Well, well. You''re not scared this time, huh?"


    "Yes. I can''t possibly run when you''re standing your ground, Administrator."


    "You seemed like you were running for your life the first time though?"


    I joked, and Khan cleared his throat, remembering the first time he faced a creature.


    "Ahem, I¡¯d appreciate it if you could forget that."


    He gripped his sword firmly and approached the kobolds.


    "Still, that¡¯s pretty impressive."


    Oveing fear of a creature in just a few hours was quite rare.


    Employees below 8th rank usually took time to adjust to thepany.


    That was why I couldn''t help but find Khan¡¯s actionsmendable.


    ¡®He might be worth investing in a bit more.¡¯


    I looked around.


    I didn¡¯t have time to observe my surroundings when I first entered this stage.


    Now, I could confirm things.


    Where each weapon was ced.


    What weapons the kobolds were holding.


    ¡®Nothing seems to have changed.¡¯


    The weapon cements were the same.


    And the kobolds?


    While Khan was marking the kobolds, I observed the weapons they held.


    A hammer, a spear, and a dagger. It matched the configuration I saw in the tutorial.


    "Yep, no changes."


    As expected, these creatures were quite generous.


    "Shall we wrap this up?"


    After all, the next guests were waiting.


    I picked up a sword lying on the ground.


    [Lower-level Swordsmanship (LV. 1)]


    [Sixth Sense (LV. 1)]


    I kicked off the ground, closing the distance between me and the kobolds.


    Then, following the path I saw in my mind, I moved.


    At the end of that path was a kobold.


    It was the one with the hammer.


    It seemed too preupied with Khan to notice me.


    Squelch.


    The sword was dull, but it plunged into the kobold¡¯s heart without any resistance.


    I kicked the lifeless kobold off the de.


    There was no need to retrieve the sword.


    After all, weapons were lying all around.


    "I-I''m sorry! I missed one!"


    Khan shouted in a panic.


    I turned to see a dagger-wielding kobold charging at the panicked employees.


    In the tutorial, a kobold had simrly attacked Khan when he panicked.


    Judging by that, it seemed kobolds liked to target the weak.


    "If that¡¯s the case..."


    When dealing with kobolds, you could use panicked employees as bait.


    Of course, this was just a guess.


    I could confirm it when I brought the next set of employees.


    "Guess I should save them."


    I couldn¡¯t let those employees die.


    ''After all, I worked hard for those achievements.''


    I couldn¡¯t lose them so easily.


    "Khan! You handle the spear-wielding kobold. I''ll take care of the dagger one!"


    Leaving Khan to handle the spear kobold, I chased after the dagger-wielding one.


    With my level now at 2, my overall physical abilities had improved.


    Catching up to the fragile dagger-wielding kobold wasn¡¯t difficult.


    "Hee, heeek."


    "Save us, please save us."


    The kobold advanced menacingly, and the 9th-rank employees, trapped against a wall, were losing their minds.


    It wasn¡¯t a pleasant sight.


    I ended the situation by stabbing the kobold in the back of the head.


    [Stage Clear. (+12 points)]


    Just as I finished off the kobold, the clear message popped up, indicating that Khan had also dealt with his target.


    A blue light shed again.


    When I opened my eyes, of the three employees I had brought, two had fainted, and one was vomiting on the floor.


    It seemed their mental stats were quite low.


    Not that it mattered.


    This grueling pace wasn¡¯t going to stop.


    "Alright, next."


    I immediately activated the monument again.


    [Shin Seongjin, Khan, Wooser, Nero, and Mystic enter ¡®Kobold Assault¡¯.]


    * * *


    [Stage Clear. (+15 points)]


    "Urgh, uweeck."


    "This is insane. Absolutely insane."


    It wasn¡¯t much different from the first run.


    The 9th-rank employees panicked and ran, getting trapped against a wall.


    Khan and I dealt with the kobolds.


    Ah, the only difference was that I used them as bait this time.


    Thanks to that, the second run cleared faster than the first.


    I might use this strategy more often.


    "W-what on earth is going on here?"


    An older man asked me with a pale face.


    As I turned my gaze back, I noticed the remaining employees'' faces had turned pale.


    "No need to rush. There''s plenty of time. Now it''s your turn."


    [Shin Seongjin, Mari, Yon, and Hyeok are entering ''Kobold Raid.'']


    "Khan, you rest this time."


    Since there were only four people left, we had no choice but to leave Khan out.


    Swoosh.


    Once again, the blue sh engulfed us.


    [The Foundation''s Star has confirmed skills.]


    [No creatures detected. Basic Swordsmanship (LV. 1) and Sixth Sense (LV. 1) have been removed.]


    [Currently, the only avable skill is ''Basic Archery (LV. 4).'']


    The familiar energy drained away, leaving only a new sensation in my body.


    ¡®As expected, only the skills of the employees you bring with you are applied when entering a stage.¡¯


    Since I''d already noticed that the ''Beastfolk Language'' I''d previously acquired wasn''t applied, I had anticipated this.


    ¡®Too bad.¡¯


    It was true that the Sixth Sense and Basic Swordsmanship were useful, but for this time, it didn''t really matter.


    After all, this round could be cleared with the bow.


    "Alright, let''s see how LV. 4 performs."


    I lifted my gaze and looked ahead.


    Nothing had changed.


    The gray waves still filled the horizon.


    The burning vige and fleeing people.


    [Rank 9 employee ''Tommy'' has lost morale.]


    [Rank 9 employee ''Hyeok'' has lost morale.]


    The panicked employees¡­ huh?


    This time, it was a little different.


    Not all the employees had fallen into a panic.


    [Rank 9 employee ''Yon'' feels fear.]


    [Rank 8 employee ''Mari'' resists fear.]


    [Rank 8 employee ''Mari'' sessfully resisted fear.]


    "Ho-ho."


    Looking behind me, I saw a middle-aged man and a green-haired girl standing their ground.


    "So, those things are the creatures... In other words, we''re supposed to fight those monsters now. Without any weapons."


    Yon, trembling all over, asked me.


    "You''re right. But you''re mistaken about one thing. Anything at your feet can be a weapon, can''t it?"


    After answering Yon''s question, Mari exhaled roughly and asked,


    "Do we stand a chance? There are so many of them."


    Indeed, if the kobolds beyond the horizon rushed in, whether we had weapons or not, we''d be defeated.


    "Don''t worry. They can''te in here."


    The reason I was kindly answering their questions was simple.


    Despite being low-rank employees, they were gems who resisted fear.


    - Kieeeek! (Kill the humans!)


    [Kobold Lv. 1 * 3]


    "We only need to deal with the three in front of us. Easy, right?"


    I picked up the bow and arrows lying on the ground.


    [Basic Archery (LV. 4)]


    My body moved on its own.


    I could move like a veteran.


    I nocked an arrow and drew the bowstring.


    Swoosh.


    As the arrow flew, one kobold fell dead.


    "Now there are two left."

 Chapter 7: The Necessary Choice

    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    <strong>Chapter 7: The Necessary Choice</strong>


    Just one shot.


    That was the number of attacks it took to take down a kobold.


    "Well, of course."


    [Low-Level Archery (Lv. 4)]


    Even though it was low-level, Lv. 4 exuded skill beyond that of most professionals.


    Moreover, it was on the verge of advancing to the intermediate level.


    Considering that intermediate level was beyond human reach, it was fair to say that low-level Lv. 4 was the pinnacle of human ability.


    ¡°Wow. Who taught you archery?¡±


    I turned at the voice.


    Mari, with her green hair, was looking at me sparklingly.


    Watching me shoot the bow seemed to have left quite an impression on her.


    Well, it would have been impressive.


    To her eyes, I must have looked like aplete beginner who had never even held a bow.


    At least until the ability I had borrowed from Mari activated.


    I turned my attention to the only two employees who hadn¡¯t fled and called out internally.


    ¡®Status window.¡¯


    [Yon LV. 1/2 (Rank 9)]


    [Skills]


    - None


    [Stats]


    - Strength (6/19)


    - Agility (5/19)


    - Stamina (5/19)


    - Durability (4/19)


    - Mental Strength (14/19)


    [All stats have decreased due to fear.]


    First up, the middle-aged man.


    His mental strength was significantly higher than that of other Rank 9 employees, but aside from that, he was average.


    The fact that he hadn¡¯t fallen into panic and stayed in ce showed that he could grow into a valuable asset for thepany if properly nurtured.


    He looked a bit older, but that didn¡¯t matter.


    After all, stats improved regardless of age, whether you were old or young.


    Next was Mari.


    [Mari LV. 1/5 (Rank 8)]


    [Skills]


    - Low-Level Archery (Lv. 4)


    [Stats]


    - Strength (18/29)


    - Agility (18/29)


    - Stamina (12/29)


    - Durability (7/29)


    - Mental Strength (17/29)


    Her strength and agility, crucial for an archer, were solid, and she also possessed a skill.


    Furthermore, her mental strength stat, the most important in this game, was high.


    A gem of a talent.


    I was lost in thought for a moment before Mari asked,


    ¡°So, what do we do?¡±


    I shrugged my shoulders and nced at the kobolds.


    One kobold charged directly toward us, while the other was heading toward the panicked employees.


    ¡°We fight. That''s the protocol for containing these guys.¡±


    ng.


    Yon picked up a weapon from the ground.


    He approached me, trembling.


    ¡°If we kill all these things, will we be able to go back to where we were?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°In that case, we have no choice.¡±


    Yon stood in front of me, holding a dull longsword.


    It seemed he mistook me for an archer.


    ¡°I¡¯ll cover you.¡±


    Mari, who had somehow gathered a bow and arrows, stood beside me.


    Yon blocked from the front, and Mari finished from a distance.


    I hadn¡¯t expected them to adapt so quickly, but it was a very good decision.


    That is, if Mari didn¡¯t have the skill and I wasn¡¯t confident she could handle a kobold alone.


    ¡®She¡¯s trying to hide her cards.¡¯


    After three rounds and my actions thus far, Mari must have been convinced I had something up my sleeve.


    ¡®Sizing me up, huh?¡¯


    But she had no chance.


    She seemed to be pretty sharp, but unfortunately for her, I already knew she was quite skilled with a bow.


    ¡°Hold it.¡±


    I grabbed Mari¡¯s shoulder as she moved beside Yon to cover him.


    Then, I pointed to the kobold running toward the panicked employees.


    ¡°Take care of that kobold. We¡¯ll handle this one.¡±


    There was quite a distance between us and the kobold.


    She¡¯d have to focus.


    If Mari hid her skills now, those employees would be mercilessly ughtered by the kobold.


    Since I was tantly forcing her to choose, she had no option but to give her all and shoot the bow.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be better if you did it yourself?¡±


    ¡°No, you have to do it.¡±


    If she gave it her all, killing a kobold from this distance would be no problem for her.


    After all, the reason I, who had never learned archery, could handle a bow like a pro was because of her Low-Level Archery skill.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯sing!¡±


    At Yon¡¯s urgent cry, I turned my back on Mari.


    Then, I aimed at the kobold rushing toward Yon.


    Thwack.


    The arrow pierced the kobold¡¯s foot with precision.


    Screeeech!


    The kobold screamed and rolled on the ground.


    ¡°Kill it. If you don¡¯t, you¡¯ll die.¡±


    My voice came out cold and emotionless, surprising even me.


    It might have sounded harsh, but I had no choice.


    Yon¡¯s physical stats were below average for a Rank 9, and he didn¡¯t have any skills.


    For him to achieve the best result with minimal damage, he had to strike now, while the kobold was down.


    It was the first andst chance tond a critical blow.


    I wouldn¡¯t help him after this.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Arghhhh!¡±


    Yon seemed to steel himself as he let out a yell and gripped the sword in reverse.


    He raised it high.


    Ssshhh.


    The sword, with all his weight behind it, came down.


    Thud.


    The sword pierced the kobold¡¯s head.


    Screeeech!


    The kobold let out a short death cry.


    Then, it died.


    [Rank 9 employee ¡®Yon¡¯ has fulfilled certain conditions and can be promoted.]


    ¡®Good.¡¯


    I had sessfully promoted another one to the 8th rank.


    The requirement for bing an 8th-rank employee was to directly kill at least one living creature equivalent to a creature.


    It might seem like a simple promotion condition, but it was quite difficult to achieve.


    No matter how much I helped, killing a living being requires a significant amount of determination.


    Thud.


    Yon copsed to his knees.


    ¡°Ha, ha¡­.¡±


    [9th-rank employee Yon has fallen into a state of panic.]


    It was a natural reaction, and not something I needed to worry about.


    After all, once the stage ends, all wounds and abnormal conditions will be healed.


    Yon''s hands were trembling as he panicked.


    I shifted my gaze to Mari.


    At that very moment,


    Swoosh.


    Something flew from Mari¡¯s hand.


    Shortly after, a message appeared.


    [Stage clear. (+13 points)]


    Mari seemed to have seeded in her long-range sniping.


    ¡®At least they''ll eat when they''re spoon-fed.¡¯


    This was quite excellent.


    No, it was beyond my expectations.


    Most of the employees recruited early on in ranks 8 and 9 were practically useless¡ªhard to control and with obvious growth limits.


    asionally, raw talents would emerge from the lower ranks, but rather than relying on those odds, using paid recruitment to hire higher-rank employees would be more beneficial for running thepany.


    Now, this was thest of it.


    All the employees had now experienced a creature and had seen death¡¯s doorstep.


    ¡®It¡¯s time to throw down the gauntlet.¡¯


    A blue light enveloped us.


    Immediately after, the familiar scenery of the waiting room came into view.


    As I nced around, the employees waiting in the room stared nkly at us as we returned.


    They had witnessed life ending right before their eyes and had almost been killed themselves.


    Naturally, no one dared to open their mouth.


    They instinctively understood who had led them to that ce.


    I took a deep breath.


    ¡°Well, you should already know, having heard from the so-called goddess, who I am.¡±


    How well I spoke from this point on would decide thepany¡¯s future.


    [Your words carry an air of authority.]


    For thepany to run smoothly, two basic conditions must be met.


    First, the employees must follow my orders absolutely.


    ¡°And you should have a rough idea of what you need to do.¡±


    The employees¡¯ expressions darkened.


    Second, the employees must unite with one heart and mind.


    ¡°Isting creatures? Offering up points? Those are secondary goals. What you really need is survival.¡±


    That was the core of how this operation worked.


    And to achieve that core...


    ¡°Stay alive. Thepany will keep running even without people like you.¡±


    Someone had to be themon enemy.


    ¡°Understood? Take responsibility for your own life. If you fall behind, I will abandon you without hesitation.¡±


    They were just like me.


    Thrown into hell by these wretched bastards.


    So there was only one thing I could do.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be abandoned, if you don¡¯t want to die, follow my words.¡±


    Using this damnable knowledge, I would make sure not a single one of them got left behind.


    ¡°I am your Administrator.¡±


    I would take them all.


    To do that, I would need to be a bit more ruthless.


    ¡®Farming is farming. First, I¡¯ll promote all the employees to the 8th rank.¡¯


    And if I could catch some unique creatures along the way, that would be even better.


    * * *


    What do you need to take revenge on those wretched bastards?


    First, you need to survive.


    And to survive?


    You have to be stronger.


    To be stronger, you need a strong body and mind.


    That was not an easy thing.


    It requires endurance and pain.


    But ta-da!


    There was an easy way in thepany to gain a strong body and mind.


    That was¡­


    [Stage clear!]


    ¡°Hah, hah. Administrator, I can¡¯t do this anymore.¡±


    [8th-rank employee ''Khan'' has copsed from exhaustion.]


    Khan copsed onto the waiting room floor.


    ¡°Just a few moreps to make it a full 100, hang in there.¡±


    Khan crawled over to me on the floor.


    Then he clung to me with a tearful expression.


    ¡°Administrator, this is my limit. Fighting for two days straight¡­ Even though my body is fine, my mind is worn out.¡±


    At his words, I looked around.


    Employees were lying around the waiting room.


    Of course, they weren¡¯t lying around because they were hurt or exhausted.


    The reason was the endless cycle of stage farming.


    ¡®Has it already been two days?¡¯


    I tilted my head.


    Endless stage farming wasn¡¯t a bad thing.


    Repetition made the employees quickly get used tobat.


    As they continued to move, their stats would increase, and even if they got injured, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem.


    They would recover once they returned to the waiting room anyway.


    On top of that, asionally, abnormal creatures would drop items that helped employees grow.


    It was perfect in every way.


    There was no reason not to do it.


    And judging by the results, it had been a sessful farming session.


    All the employees had been promoted to the 8th rank in just two days.


    Of course, there were some minor side effects.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°The Kobolds. There are Kobolds over there, too.¡±


    Most of the employees couldn¡¯t handle the mental stress and had lost their grip a little.


    ¡®Even though it was a three-shift rotation, was it really that tough?¡¯


    Thinking that I had made them work for two straight days made me feel guilty.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s just finish onestp, then we¡¯ll call it a day.¡±


    But we had to make it to 100ps.


    There was an achievement at stake, and it wasn¡¯t in my nature to leave things unfinished, so I decided topromise at that point.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    At the mention of ending it, Khan and the other employees¡¯ eyes lit up.


    ¡°Yeah. Once this is done, I¡¯ll give you the rest of the day for personal maintenance.¡±


    Reluctantly, I granted them some rest time.


    I needed a break anyway.


    Plus, I might as well use the points I¡¯ve umted so far.


    I nced at the points window.


    [Points in Possession: 1,042]


    I had gathered over 1,000 points before I knew it.


    With this much, I could build training facilities and other buildings and still have leftover points.


    I earned 5 to 15 points perp.


    This was as generous as it gets.


    The only downside was that I hadn¡¯t encountered any anomalous entities.


    ¡®Tsk. I need to capture one if I want to get promoted to Level 7.¡¯


    It would be great if I could encounter one right away.


    But it didn¡¯t matter if it didn¡¯t happen now.


    It would just dy my promotion to Level 7 a little longer, that¡¯s all.


    Pushing aside my disappointment, I ced my hand on the stone tablet.


    ¡°I need to finish this quickly... Hmm. Alright, Khan, Mari. You two,e with me.¡±


    At the sound of their names, Khan and Mari flinched, shuddering.


    ¡°Hyaa!¡±


    Mari, in particr, was thrilled.


    She was so overwhelmed that she closed her eyes and copsed backward.


    Someone shouted "Demon!" but I couldn¡¯t hear the rest as we were engulfed in a blue sh.


    Fwoosh.


    [(Kobold Assault): Commencing extermination mission.]


    ¡°Since it¡¯s started, stop whining and get up.¡±


    As soon as mymand fell¡ª


    ¡°Hah, well, this is thest one, so let¡¯s do our best.¡±


    ¡°Administrator, really, really... is this truly thest one?¡±


    Khan and Mari stood up, gathering their weapons.


    I guess they had adapted to some degree.


    ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s finish this quickly and go rest.¡±


    A burning vige.


    Fleeing vigers.


    Beyond the curtain, waves of kobolds stretched out.


    And even a timer floating in midair.


    [04:49... 8]


    In a few moments, three kobolds would emerge onto the field.


    Nothing would change.


    As soon as the kobolds appeared, I would take out one of them with my bow...


    [Warning!]


    [Warning!]


    [Warning!]


    It had been a long time since I¡¯d heard that rm.


    Unknowingly, my lips trembled.


    [A powerful enemy has appeared!]


    With a chilling red message, something hurled the kobolds aside and forcibly entered the field.


    A massive figure easily over 3 meters tall.


    In its left hand was a club fitting its enormous size.


    It was a giant kobold.


    There was no other way to describe it.


    And then¡ª


    Kiyaaah!


    The howl it let out made my ears sting.


    [Kobold Warlord LV. 5]


    It was the anomalous entity I had been eagerly waiting for.

 Chapter 8: Anomalous Entity

    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    <strong>Chapter 8: Anomalous Entity</strong>


    Even when managing the same entity, asionally, a new version emerges.


    Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean apletely new entity shows up.


    Anomalous entity.


    It sounds grand, but it''s really just a mutation.


    For example, like now.


    A kobold with absurd muscles.


    "¡­But this one feels like it''s way too far gone, doesn¡¯t it?"


    Boom!


    A huge club smashed into the spot where I had been standing.


    Hissss.


    White smoke rose from the ground where the club had struck.


    "This way, you monster!"


    Mari fired arrows to divert the attention of the kobold warlord.


    Thwip. Thwip. Thwip.


    Three shots while running.


    Each arrow hit its mark with precision.


    However...


    Crack. Crack. Crack.


    The effect was minimal.


    Mari couldn¡¯t leave any noticeable wounds on the kobold warlord¡¯s skin with her dull arrows.


    "Raaaah!"


    As the warlord¡¯s gaze shifted away.


    Khan immediately swung a strike at the creature¡¯s neck.


    ng!


    When the de touched its neck, there was a sound like metal grinding.


    "Damn! That didn¡¯t work either?!"


    Khan looked stunned.


    The insane sight of sparks flying when skin meets sword.


    Only a slight scratch appeared on the kobold¡¯s neck, while Khan¡¯s weapon shattered.


    Neither Mari nor Khan were weak.


    In the span of 99 retries, both Mari and Khan had grown significantly.


    Mari had reached the level of intermediate archery, capable of hitting 100 out of 100 targets with her eyes closed.


    She could hit a target perfectly while doing a backflip if she wished.


    Khan, too, had reached level 3 of basic swordsmanship, a veteran''s level.


    With their increased skill levels, their power had risen enough that ordinary 9th-tier creatures were no match for them.


    In fact, their individual physical abilities had surpassed that of the kobold warlord.


    Despite this, they were struggling like this for one simple reason.


    ''Our gear sucks!''


    Honestly, this was an absurd case.


    No matter how anomalous the entity, it rarely mutated to this extent.


    At most, a creature¡¯s traits would change slightly.


    ¡®Now I see why there were three warnings.¡¯


    The number of warning messages depends on the gear and rank of the personnel challenging the stage.


    Put simply, the warning triggers when the system calctes that the personnel are at a serious disadvantage against the creature.


    The fact that we received three warnings said it all.


    But there was no such thing as an impossible stage.


    If you focus and look closely, there will always be a way.


    And indeed, there was.


    ¡°Take this!¡±


    Having picked up another weapon, Khan aimed for the warlord¡¯s feet this time and shed.


    ng!


    The result was the same.


    Khan¡¯s all-out strike left only a small scratch.


    Wham.


    The giant club smashed into the spot where Khan had stood.


    But Khan had already dodged using his sixth sense.


    Screeech!


    As Khan fled, the warlord seemed furious, wildly swinging its club in frustration.


    ¡­Well, I suppose it had reason to be mad.


    To it, we must seem like pesky rats, running away after testing it out.


    To calm it down, I fired a light shot toward its eye.


    Whoosh.


    The arrow hit one of its eyes dead-on.


    Screeeech!


    No matter its body''s toughness, there was no way to train the eyes.


    After four minutes, we finallynded a solid hit.


    Though it did drive the creature into an even more enraged frenzy.


    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!


    With each punch the kobold threw, the ground caved in.


    Taking a direct hit from one of those might cause serious injuries.


    ''Still, it¡¯s just a strong fool.''


    Khan had his sixth sense, and Mari had the evasive skills from her intermediate archery.


    And I had both.


    It would be hard to let that happen even if I wanted to get hit.


    Screeech!


    While keeping distance and evading the kobold, Mari shot me a nce.


    ¡°Administrator, how long do we have to keep running like this?!¡±


    I suppose she was frustrated, having run for over four minutes after realizing our gear couldn¡¯t deal any damage.


    I checked the time hovering in the air.


    [00:35]


    "Hmm, I think that''s enough. Time to fight back."


    Hearing the word "fight back," Mari''s eyes lit up momentarily, but she quickly realized something and lowered her head again.


    "But our weapons are too worn out to work."


    "The weapons will arrive soon."


    "¡­Weapons will arrive?"


    I slightly nodded to Mari¡¯s puzzled question, then shouted loud enough for Khan to hear.


    "Khan! That¡¯s enough. Retreat to the hill!"


    "Yes!"


    Khan stopped engaging the warlord and began running toward the hill where we were.


    There was no need to distract the warlord anymore.


    It was still a kobold at heart.


    Kobolds prioritize attacking cowardly opponents who lose their will to fight.


    I had confirmed earlier that the warlord retained this trait, so there was no problem.


    Screeech!


    As expected, the kobold warlord let out a fierce roar and charged toward Khan, chasing him as he ran toward us.


    I checked the time once more.


    [00:05]


    The kobold warlord reached us just in time.


    Its massive frame stirred the air around it.


    The warlord didn¡¯t stop there, lifting its club high.


    It was preparing an all-out strike.


    A shadow loomed over us.


    [00:02]


    Mari, sweating, nervously asked me.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Administrator. Are you sure we¡¯ll be okay?¡±


    Khan, standing next to her, scolded her sharply.


    "Hey! Do you still not trust the Administrator?!"


    "It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust him. But doesn¡¯t that thing look like it¡¯s putting an insane amount of strength into that club?!"


    Watching the two getting along again, I couldn''t help but smile.


    [00:00]


    To get to the point, the giant club didn¡¯t end up smashing our heads.


    Instead, we heard a valiant shout from beyond the hill.


    "Charge, knights! Drive out these disgusting monsters!"


    At the same time, a rain of arrows, numbering in the thousands, precisely struck the kobold warlord.


    ¡°Kee, keeeeeeek!¡±


    The kobold warlord staggered back, retreating under the relentless barrage of arrows.


    As the knights advanced onto the field, the barrier that had been holding the kobolds in ce also dissipated.


    The horizon was now swarming with grayish monsters, but it was fine.


    The only kobold we needed to clear the stage was that one.


    I turned to the old white-haired knight beside me and asked,


    "Excuse me, could I borrow your sword for a moment?"


    "Hm? Are you an adventurer?"


    The white-haired knight gave me a quick nce and then handed me his sword without hesitation.


    "To have survived a battlefield with equipment so worn it can¡¯t even be used... you''re quite something! Yes, go ahead! Rampage to your heart''s content!"


    [Knight''s Longsword (C-)]


    - A longsword forged by the master craftsmen of Camelot. The de is exceptionally sharp. If you¡¯re not careful, you might even cut your fingers on it.


    A C- rank weapon.


    That would do just fine.


    With the sword in hand, I charged straight at the kobold warlord.


    ¡°No way am I letting anyone else take the final blow.¡±


    Considering the five grueling minutes I had spent just to weaken it, I wasn¡¯t about to let someone else finish it off.


    [Basic Swordsmanship (LV. 3)]


    I could see a white line on the kobold warlord, now bristling with arrows.


    Following that line, I brought the sword down.


    Swish.


    The longsword slipped into the kobold warlord¡¯s neck with surprising ease.


    The warlord, who hadn¡¯t taken any damage from our attacks for five minutes, was now effortlessly sliced through.


    As I withdrew the sword, I was reminded again of the importance of proper equipment.


    [Stage Clear! (+15 Points)]


    [You will be transferred to the waiting room shortly.]


    The clear message popped up, and soon after, a blue sh guided us back to the waiting room.


    "Ugh, I¡¯m exhausted. I really can¡¯t go on anymore."


    Mari copsed onto the floor of the waiting room.


    Soon after, Khan also slumped down onto the ground.


    We might have finished the stage quickly, but encountering an anomalous creature was pure bad luck.


    ¡®And they¡¯ve just been waiting here?¡¯


    The other staff were also sprawled out, but no one moved to head back to the dormitory just yet.


    Feeling a strange sense of responsibility, I gathered everyone¡¯s attention.


    "Everyone, listen up. First, I want to thank you for following my unreasonable requests so well."


    I bowed my head toward the staff gathered in the waiting room.


    Seeing me, who had been acting so strictly until now, bowing my head, the staff exchanged puzzled looks with one another.


    ¡®Yeah, this must feel strange.¡¯


    But that was fine.


    A good Administrator should be able to understand the hard work of their staff.


    If there¡¯s a whip, there should also be a carrot.


    That was the ideal Administrator.


    "So, for the rest of the day, I¡¯m giving everyone free time. The dormitory is at the end of the hallway to the right, so feel free to head out."


    Yet, even with that, no one moved first, as they continued to exchange nces.


    With no other choice, I had Khan take charge of dispersing the staff.


    "Khan, dismiss them. Lead the staff to the dormitory."


    "Yes! Following orders!"


    It felt like they were following me even more loyally, but I figured that wasn¡¯t a bad thing and opened the Administrator settings.


    Immediately, I started constructing the necessary buildings for thepany.


    ¡®We¡¯ll need a cksmith and a training ground right away, won¡¯t we?¡¯


    The total cost for constructing [cksmith (LV. 1)] and [Training Ground (LV. 1)] came to 1,000 points.


    It was a cost I could manage.


    [Construction of the cksmith has begun. (Time remaining: 07:59)]


    [Construction of the Training Ground has begun. (Time remaining: 07:59)]


    [Points remaining: 57]


    It was a bit disappointing to see all those points vanish instantly, but having the cksmith and training groundpleted in just three days was certainly encouraging.


    ¡®Hmm, a Administrator who burns through all the points earned by their staff in less than a day...¡¯


    Well, considering the staff''s meals and the points I had to offer to HQ, I might have to do some solo grindingter, but...


    That wasn¡¯t something I needed to worry about right now.


    ¡®No, this is all an investment in thepany.¡¯


    Yeah. It was an investment.


    Right.


    I pushed the thought of points out of my head, doing my best to convince myself, and opened the mailbox.


    [You have unread messages. Would you like to check them?]


    [Yes/No]


    Dozens of messages popped up in front of me.


    [Anomalous Creature Secured (Achievement Unlocked)]


    - Work efficiency has increased. (Points earned will increase.)


    The first message was about achieving an aplishment and securing the anomalous creature.


    With the increased point acquisition, thepany¡¯s growth would elerate.


    ¡®Once the other staff have better weapons, they¡¯ll be able to take down the kobold warlord, too.¡¯


    The reason it took so long was because our weapon grades didn¡¯t match.


    It wasn¡¯t because the kobold was overly strong.


    Once the cksmith and training ground werepleted, handling two creatures at once would be a breeze.


    Opening the management tab, I saw that a new containment room had appeared next to [Kobold Raid], just as I had expected.


    Closing the screen, I checked the next message.


    [The anomalous creature ''Kobold Warlord'' has been recorded in thepany.]


    [The Foundation''s Star absorbs knowledge about the creature. ''Strong Body'' acquired.]


    My eyes widened at the message.


    ¡®Strong Body?!¡¯


    Strong Body was a skill that all closebat staff needed to learn, as it granted them skin as tough as steel.


    On top of that, I remembered that it also boosted overall physical stats.


    ¡®No wonder it was so damn tough...¡¯


    Looks like that kobold had the Strong Body skill.


    Thanks to that, I effortlessly acquired Strong Body for myself.


    ¡®It¡¯s not something you can normally get so easily¡­¡¯


    I had assumed it was trash because I kept copying useless beastfolknguages, but...


    This time, I actually gained something valuable from it.


    Getting Strong Body was definitely a nice surprise.


    But even better than that...


    [Rank 8 employee ''Shin Seongjin'' has met certain conditions and is eligible for promotion.]


    [Rank 8 employee ''Mari'' has met certain conditions...]


    [Rank 8 employee ''Khan''...]


    A massive promotion event for all Rank 8 employees.


    If anyone heard that there was a Rank 9 employee who made it to Rank 7 in just three days, they wouldn¡¯t believe it.


    A smile crept across my face.


    "As expected, if it¡¯s me, it¡¯s a god-tier game. If it¡¯s someone else, it¡¯s just luck-based trash."


    Let¡¯s start with promotions, shall we?

 Chapter 9: The Path Forward

    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    <strong>Chapter 9: The Path Forward</strong>


    [The promotion ceremony will now begin.]


    ¡®Alright, so what¡¯s the deal this time?¡¯


    There was no doubt that the boy in the video was connected to my possession.


    If not that, then at the very least, it had something to do with thispany¡¯s secret.


    I was certain of it.


    Otherwise, why would I be shown someone else¡¯s memory, especially of a child carrying around a creature?


    [A forgotten memory of an employee resurfaces.]


    ¡®Whatever it is, I need to gather more information here.¡¯


    [Tip: Sometimes employees die during promotion.]


    A familiar message passed by.


    ¨C Pop.


    My vision darkened for a moment, and soon a new scene unfolded before my eyes.


    It was the boy I had seen before.


    He was sitting alone, dressed in tattered clothes, poking something repeatedly while muttering to himself.


    ¡°98... 99. Just a bit more, and the book will grow. Then I won¡¯t have to starve anymore.¡±


    Seeing the boy¡¯s figure made my mood plummet instantly.


    [Your emotions are being synchronized.]


    Suddenly, feelings of hunger, fear, and even exhration surged through my body.


    ¡®Tsk. This gets synchronized too?¡¯


    I clicked my tongue inwardly.


    It wasn¡¯t a pleasant feeling.


    [Negative energy gathers. 35%]


    And for good reason¡ªthe boy in the video was stabbing a corpse.


    It was then.


    ¨C You crazy brat!


    Rough-looking men barged into the boy''s shack.


    The men, armed with knives and des, threatened the boy, but he didn¡¯t show any reaction.


    He just hurried to finish stabbing the corpse, as if it were something he had toplete.


    ¡°...100. Now I can respond to emotions. It¡¯s something useful to know.¡±


    The boy pulled out the book that I had seen earlier, the one exuding that foul aura.


    However, this time, there was no noiseing from it.


    I clicked my tongue at the sight of the grotesque book.


    ¡°Tsk.¡±


    The book gave off an eerie and horrifying atmosphere.


    Its cover seemed to be made of dead wood, with an eyeball embedded in the center.


    The eye moved constantly as if it were alive.


    It felt like death itself had taken the form of a book.


    The boy muttered something, and from the book, a ck substance sprang out and dissolved the corpse.


    In the spot where the body oncey, a dark stain remained.


    After finishing his task, the boy dusted himself off and stood up.


    ¡°Damn, this freak!¡±


    ¡°Monster kid!¡±


    ¡°Kill him!¡±


    Infuriated by the boy¡¯s desecration of the corpse, the thugs charged at him.


    But¡ª


    ¡°Ugh... Ugh.¡±


    Something sprang from the dark stain on the floor, subduing the thugs in an instant.


    [Omen LV. 99]


    It was a figure made of ck smoke.


    ¡°Heh... Hic.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    Touched by the ck smoke, the thugs went insane, stabbing themselves in the throat with their own weapons.


    It was still an unpleasant sensation.


    [Negative energy gathers. 70%]


    After killing all the thugs, the boy opened the book and pulled out some food.


    Then he brought over a chair and sat at a table.


    The boy was staring straight at me.


    ¡°You understand ¡®resonance¡¯ now, right?¡±


    A chill ran down my spine.


    Though the boy¡¯s face was distorted with noise, I could tell.


    [Your Sixth Sense is activated.]


    Everything the boy had said up until now was directed at me.


    With that chilling image of the boy as the final scene, the screen ended.


    And then.


    [Negative energy gathers. 100%]


    [The Omen awakens.]


    The ck smoke coalesced, forming the shape of a person.


    It was the same figure I had just seen on the screen.


    [Omen LV. 3]


    Ssssss¡ª


    [The Omen attempts to corrupt you mentally.]


    The ck smoke enveloped me.


    The unpleasant sensation I had felt earlier began to creep up again.


    ¡®So this is what a proper promotion process looks like, huh?¡¯


    Reawakening an employee¡¯s past memories.


    In my case, it wasn¡¯t even my memory...


    ¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t a pleasant experience.¡±


    Once was more than enough for this kind of nasty ordeal.


    With a simple flick of my hand, I shook off the spirit¡¯s aura.


    Crack.


    The hand I used to dispel the aura was covered in blood.


    ¡°I see. So, this is what they meant by ''you might die sometimes,'' huh?¡±


    It didn¡¯t particrly hurt.


    Perhaps it was the illusion that if I resisted, I might get hurt.


    In other words, a type of mental attack.


    There was no need to worry about it.


    ¡°I¡¯ve encountered over 100 illusion-types before. This is nothing.¡±


    I brushed away the darkness again.


    This time, the darkness receded.


    Sssss.


    The omen, seemingly flustered, tried to emit an even stronger aura, but...


    ¡°You should have chosen your opponent more carefully.¡±


    [Warning!]


    [A severe level of mental contamination has been detected in the user.]


    [The Foundation''s Star is protecting you.]


    Mental attacks don¡¯t work on me.


    ¡°Disappear, you ghostly bastard. I don¡¯t want to see you again.¡±


    As I grabbed the omen and swung, it dissolved into ck smoke and vanished.


    [You''ve recovered forgotten memories. Your potential has grown by one level.]


    [Thetent power of the Foundation''s Star is being unlocked.]


    I involuntarily widened my eyes at the unexpected message that appeared before me.


    ¡°Well, this is a surprise.¡±


    [Shin Seongjin LV. 5/10 (Rank 7)]


    [Skills]


    - Foundation''s Star (LV. 2)


    [Stats]


    - Strength (20/39)


    - Agility (19/39)


    - Stamina (16/39)


    - Durability (15/39)


    - Mental Power (EX+/??)


    A meaningful stat increase.


    However, I already knew that abilities improve across the board upon ranking up.


    What surprised me was somethingpletely different.


    The Foundation''s Star, which hadn¡¯t leveled up no matter what I did, had finally reached level 2.


    ¡®So, the system allows it to level up as you rank up.¡¯


    LV. 1 was the domain of experts.


    So, what was LV. 2?


    In terms of weapon skills, it corresponds to the level of a master.


    New traits emerged for magic or special abilities.


    The Foundation''s Star clearly belonged to thetter category.


    I hurriedly exited the advancement screen and examined my status window.


    Immediately, I clicked on Foundation''s Star to check its traits.


    [Your mental power increases by 10%.]


    [Your work efficiency improves ording to thepany''s achievements. (Current increase: 10%)]


    [You can use the skills of collected creatures. (Current collection rate: 2%)]


    * Beastfolk Language.


    - You gain the ability to understand thenguage of kobolds.


    * Strong Body.


    - Your body can withstand any irrationality. (Nullifies attacks below rank D-.)


    [Your mind will never waver.]


    These were the abilities I was already aware of.


    ¡°So, this is the new addition, huh...?¡±


    [Empathy (LV. 2)]


    - You can borrow a collected creature''s skill for 1 minute.


    - You can use two abilities simultaneously. (NEW)


    ¡°There is a new effect added, after all.¡±


    Since there were no immediate physical changes, it was likely an active-type ability.


    Of course, I couldn¡¯t test it immediately.


    ¡°Borrow a collected creature¡¯s skill for 1 minute...¡±


    This was useless in the waiting room, where all skills were already applied.


    But.


    ¡°At least I don¡¯t have to keep worrying about bringing employees with me anymore, huh?¡±


    This ability would only truly shine when I entered a stage.


    In the waiting room, I could use all the skills of employees and creatures.


    But once I entered a stage, my skills were limited to those of the employees I brought with me.


    It was a huge restriction.


    ¡®Right now, it¡¯s still the early stages, so no formidable creatures have appeared, but just in case.¡¯


    If a stage only allowed one person to enter, it would¡¯ve been a real problem.


    ¡°I thought I¡¯d have to find a solution someday... but I¡¯ve unexpectedly found one here.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t bad at all.


    When you gain an ability, you have to test it.


    I crossed the empty waiting room and stood in front of the monument.


    [Would you like to manage ¡®Kobold Raid¡¯?]


    ¡°Approve.¡±


    [You are entering ¡®Kobold Raid¡¯.]


    A blue portal formed in front of me.


    I immediately jumped in.


    Swoooosh.


    Entering a stage alone for the first time.


    [04:58]


    Maybe that was why I felt a little nervous.


    - Run!


    - K-Kobolds!


    I passed by the fleeing vigers and picked up a sword lying on the ground.


    If Khan had been with me, I would have instinctively recalled a skill the moment I gripped the weapon.


    And I would have instinctively known how to wield it.


    But now, I felt none of that.


    I swung the sword through the air to test it, but as expected... nothing.


    It feltpletely different from when I swung it using a low-level swordsmanship skill.


    "As I thought, without a skill, I''m just aplete amateur."


    Kieeeek!


    [Kobold (LV. 1) * 3]


    Well, even without a skill, I was confident I could overwhelm three kobolds, but...


    "No need to take the hard way."


    This time, instead of focusing on swordsmanship, I focused on the Foundation''s Star I possessed.


    Then, skills began to surface in my mind.


    [Resonance (LV1)]


    - Low-level Swordsmanship (LV. 3)


    - Sixth Sense (LV. 1)


    - Intermediate Archery (LV. 1)


    - Tough Body


    - Beastfolk Language


    The Foundation''s Star had responded.


    "Let''s start with low-level swordsmanship, shall we?"


    As I selected the skill to use, the knowledge of a swordsmanship master flowed into my mind.


    [Low-level Swordsmanship (LV. 3)]


    I adjusted the awkward grip I had on the sword.


    * * *


    [Stage Clear (+13 Points)]


    To conclude, it went as expected.


    Resonance onlysted for one minute, and I could freely switch between skills during that minute.


    ¡®Though it¡¯s terribly exhausting.¡¯


    Still, once mastered, it would be quite a versatile skill.


    "Hmm, I guess it¡¯s about time to head to the dormitory."


    It was also time to take a look around thepany.


    I had spent thest two days shuttling between the waiting room and the stage, but that couldn''t be helped.


    At the time, the education and growth of the employees were the top priority.


    ¡®If you don¡¯t establish control early on, the Administrator has to cater to the employees'' whims.¡¯


    Since it was a game with such a high level of freedom, every employee expressed their opinions.


    Naturally, if you cater to every employee¡¯s demands, there was no end to it.


    Apany with too many uncontroble employees was impossible to manage.


    "Well, I¡¯ve set things straight for now, so it should be fine for a while."


    Plus, I gave them the carrot of break time, so that should alleviate some of the discontent.


    ¡°I need to prepare for tomorrow.¡±


    I immediately opened the minimap to figure out the location of the dormitory.


    The dormitory was at the very end of the hallway.


    I crossed the hallway, passing through the istion room.


    Soon, I stood before a door at the end of the hall.


    ¡°This must be the dormitory.¡±


    The namete read "Dormitory."


    There was only one entrance.


    The dormitory''s design was exactly like it was in the game.


    [Dormitory (LV. 1)]


    I turned the handle to open the door.


    The firmly shut door slowly revealed a crack with a soft sound, followed by a thud as it opened inward.


    I stepped into the room.


    Immediately, I closed the door behind me.


    The interior was more neatly organized than I had expected.


    There was a small desk, a bed, a wardrobe, and storage spaces for personal belongings.


    It was a luxurious setup, better than most dormitories.


    ¡°For LV. 1, this is quite something.¡±


    With benefits this good, upgrading the dormitory level was unnecessary.


    Out of curiosity, I opened the mini-fridge, but...


    As expected.


    It was empty.


    ¡®Is it too greedy to expect food?¡¯


    Given that food was the main sink for points, it was a reasonable oue.


    ¡°Still, a disappointment is a disappointment. I should review my ns for the future.¡±


    I sat at the small desk and opened a notebook right away.


    Then I started jotting down notes on uing events.


    "The most urgent thing right now is¡­ two days from now. Or rather, in 40 hours, the headquarters visit event."


    It was not just about offering points.


    The visit from headquarters led to an evaluation of thepany.


    Receiving a good evaluation would elerate future growth.


    That¡¯s why I¡¯d been pushing my employees so hard.


    "It¡¯s fine. The timing is about right."


    I n to have the employees acquire skills in earnest as soon as the training grounds and forge arepleted tomorrow.


    ¡®About 40 hours left until the headquarters visit.¡¯


    I''m nearly ready to take advantage of all the support I can get from headquarters.


    I stood up and headed to the bathroom.


    Then, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror.


    ¡®...¡¯


    I hadn¡¯t actually checked my own face sinceing here.


    There hadn¡¯t been any particr sense of difort with my body, and I hadn''t had time to think about looking in a mirror.


    Maybe that was why.


    I was quite shocked.


    The face in the mirror wasn¡¯t the one I knew.


    ¡°¡­This, this is an unpleasant experience in its own way.¡±


    A sharp, crimson-eyed, stern-faced man stared back at me.

 Chapter 10: Preparation (1)

    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    <strong>Chapter 10: Preparation (1)</strong>


    I woke up from a damp bed.


    Tick. Tock.


    [06:13]


    I checked the time and found I¡¯d woken up earlier than expected.


    It seems yesterday¡¯s promotion ceremony and my reflection in the mirror had quite an effect on me.


    ''...I need information, after all.''


    Who was the owner of this body?


    What was the ultimate goal of the head office?


    Ultimately, I have no choice but toplete the promotion ceremony if I want to gather information.


    ''No, I shouldn¡¯t think about that now.''


    Instead of wasting time on unsolvable problems, it was wiser to consider how to grow stronger.


    I got out of bed and stretched lightly.


    Other than the fact that I hadn¡¯t slept much, I didn¡¯t feel particrly ufortable.


    Although it was cold, the water was running, and when I opened the closet, there was always a change of clothes avable.


    After getting ready to head out, I walked into the waiting room.


    The waiting room, which I reached after crossing the hallway, was empty.


    Well, it was early in the morning, and after all, it was just yesterday.


    We were given a full day of rest, so there was no reason for anyone to be in the waiting room.


    I approached the stone b and opened the administrator¡¯s privileges.


    Immediately, I opened the item shop.


    [Shop (LV. 1)]


    [Food]


    - Hard bread and water (1 point)


    - Soft bread and water (3 points)


    - Cream bread and milk (5 points)


    - Cheap sandwich (7 points)


    [Avable points: 70 points]


    Food can only be obtained by consuming points.


    ''...I currently have around 70 points?''


    I¡¯d worked hard over the past two days, so I was willing to treat myself to some cream bread.


    ''Including myself, there are 12 people in total. That¡¯s 60 points¡­''


    This would use up nearly all my points for one meal, but that was fine.


    There was magic that made idle employees voluntarily earn points.


    I bought the food without hesitation.


    [You have purchased cream bread and milk.]


    [Remaining points: 10 points]


    The bread and milk materialized in front of me.


    Exactly 12 of each.


    I sat down and ate one of them.


    The cream tasted especially sweet since I had only been eating in bread and water for the past three days after being ced here.


    "Ah! Is that cream bread?!"


    I turned my head at the familiar voice.


    There stood Mari, eyes shining.


    "Is this the food we¡¯re going to eat today?"


    "Yes. Come take one."


    "Yay!"


    Once given permission, Mari trotted over to me.


    Then, she plopped down next to me.


    "Thank you for the meal!"


    Mari took a bite of the cream bread and widened her eyes in surprise.


    [Mari¡¯s loyalty has increased by 10.]


    Seeing how much she enjoyed it, I thought it might be a good idea to build a cafeteria soon to improve employee welfare.


    While I was thinking that...


    [Training Grounds (LV. 1) have been unlocked.]


    [cksmith (LV. 1) has been unlocked.]


    The training grounds and cksmith were unlocked.


    I decided to check the cksmith first.


    [cksmith (LV. 1) - Inactive]


    - There is no cksmith assigned.


    To use the cksmith, we first need a cksmith.


    Since none of our staff had cksmithing skills, we couldn¡¯t operate the cksmith for now.


    But that was okay.


    ''We can just request it from the head office.''


    Even though this was our first inspection, all our employees were already above rank 8.


    Plus, we were managing two creatures.


    With this, we sdre bound to leave a good first impression.


    ''As long as nothing has changed system-wise.''


    Even if we couldn¡¯t recruit a cksmith, we could send a few employees to the head office to learn the skills.


    So...


    "Every employee¡¯s qualitative growth is important..."


    Mari, who was munching on her bread, mumbled at my words.


    "Hmm? What do you mean?"


    "Never mind. It¡¯s just something."


    I waved my hand at Mari, who tilted her head in confusion.


    ''It''s still too early to tell her about the head office.''


    Mari nced at me suspiciously but soon focused on eating her bread again.


    Next, I checked the training grounds.


    [Training Grounds (LV. 1)]


    - Injuries do not heal here.


    - Training in various skills is enhanced.


    In the waiting room, all kinds of injuries are healed.


    In contrast, in the training grounds, injuries don¡¯t heal.


    I remembered conducting various experiments with this feature in the past.


    But the key point wasn¡¯t that.


    ''The key is that training is enhanced.''


    Skills can be divided into those gained innately and those acquired through practice.


    Sixth sense and farsight fall under the former.


    Weapon skills and crafting techniques fall under thetter.


    ''All employees need to possess skills.''


    The training grounds offered better results than randomly swinging a sword or training recklessly.


    ''There¡¯s nothing better than the training grounds to grow stronger quickly.''


    The head office would be visiting in two days.


    Before then, it was best to develop thepany as much as possible.


    Of course, I would need to confirm that the training grounds work the way I think they do...


    "Administrator."


    Mari, who had already finished her bread, smacked her lips with a hint of regret.


    I thought she might ask for more bread, but that wasn¡¯t it.


    "That new creature over there, that¡¯s a kobold warlord, right? Do we need to manage it?"


    Mari pointed to a newly erected building beside the [Kobold Assault].


    Though she seemed carefree, she was surprisingly observant.


    She had already grasped the general workings of this ce.


    ''She¡¯s quick-witted.''


    To resolve Mari¡¯s curiosity, I decided to give her a bit of information.


    "No need. Our weapons don¡¯t work on kobold warlord anyway."


    The warrior¡¯s skill is a tough body.


    Weapons of D-rank or lower don¡¯t affect it at all.


    Mari had experienced it as well, so she knew exactly what I was talking about.


    "That¡¯s true."


    "So, until I get some good-grade weapons, I¡¯ll just leave it alone."


    "...Wait, is it okay to leave it like that?"


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t okay.


    An unattended creature will eventually escape.


    If a creature we can¡¯t handle manages to escape, it could cause significant damage to thepany.


    For biological creatures, if they were not managed, they usually escaped after two or three days.


    ¡®A day has passed already, so it¡¯ll try to escape in as early as two days.''


    Or in three days at thetest.


    However, I wasn¡¯t worried.


    "I¡¯ve already taken all the necessary precautions. Don¡¯t worry about it."


    If it escaped in two days, I¡¯ll just push the responsibility onto the employees sent from headquarters.


    Even if it escaped in three days, it would be fine.


    ¡®By that time, I¡¯ll have already secured weapons good enough for the Kobold Warrior.¡¯


    I didn¡¯t achieve world rank #1 for nothing.


    I stood up.


    Mari followed suit.


    "Huh? Administrator, where are you going?"


    "Ah, I¡¯m heading to the new training ground."


    Mari pointed to the cream buns lying on the floor and asked,


    "Then, what about these cream buns? Are you just going to leave them here?"


    Sure, if I leave them here, some of the employees might end up starving.


    But waiting around for the employees to show up would be the pinnacle of inefficiency.


    ¡®Hmm, isn¡¯t there any reliable employee¡­?¡¯


    An employee who wouldn¡¯t rebel against me and was trustworthy¡­


    ¡­


    There is.


    -Swish.


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    When I lifted my head, Mari was smiling brightly.


    I smiled back and patted her on the shoulder.


    "You can stand guard. One bun per employee, okay?"


    For a moment, Mari¡¯s gaze wavered.


    "Huh... what?! But, I also have my personal time, you know?"


    Of course, I didn¡¯t say there would be nopensation.


    "If you guard them well, I¡¯ll buy you an extra cream bun."


    I said that as I bought more cream buns.


    Mari immediately stood at attention when she saw the cream bun in my hand.


    "I will guard this ce! You can leave with peace of mind!"


    It felt a bit like leaving the fish to a cat, but she was smarter than she looked, so she would probably handle it well.


    Probably.


    I handed Mari the cream bun and milk and headed off.


    The training ground wasn¡¯t far from the waiting room.


    [Training Ground (LV. 1)]


    The training ground wasrger than I expected when I opened the door and entered.


    In one corner, there were practice swords and straw dolls for training.


    [All physical and mental growth will elerate.]


    I closed the message that popped up in front of me.


    ¡®Alright, what should I test first?¡¯


    Even though it said growth would elerate, I needed to experience it myself to see what kind of effect it would have.


    ¡®The limit for a 7th level was 39...¡¯


    In that case, checking the physical stats, which grow the fastest, made sense.


    I moved to the center of the training ground.


    Before getting serious, a light stretch was necessary.


    Not that I knew how to stretch properly, so I just gave my body a quick shake.


    Then I got down on the floor and started doing push-ups.


    "Neen... twenty."


    Even after doing 20, my body felt light.


    I rested for about 30 seconds and then went straight into the next set.


    "Twenty-nine... thirty."


    Despite increasing the number, it was still manageable.


    ¡®If this were my old body, my arms should be shaking by now¡­¡¯


    I didn¡¯t know what kind of physicalw was at work here.


    One thing was clear: here, anyone, regardless of age or gender, could be stronger.


    After doing push-ups, squats, and other bodyweight exercises for a few hours¡­


    Ding-


    [Strength +1]


    Finally, the message I was waiting for appeared.


    "It¡¯s definitely effective."


    I wiped the sweat off my forehead and sat down on the floor.


    ¡®Training in the waiting room didn¡¯t seem to do anything...¡¯


    But here, my physical abilities improved effectively.


    I think I have an idea why.


    ¡®In the waiting room, injuries heal quickly, don¡¯t they?¡¯


    Muscles grow through the process of tearing and healing.


    You can''t tear your muscles if you train in the waiting room.


    "Time to head out and let my body recover, I suppose."


    My body was exhausted, so it was time to go outside, recover, ande back for more training...


    Just as I was about to stand up with that thought in mind.


    [Khan''s loyalty has increased by 10.]


    [Yon''s loyalty has increased by 10.]


    [Hyeok''s loyalty has increased by 10¡­]


    [Tommy¡¯s loyalty¡­]


    The employees'' loyalty had increased.


    ¡®They must have finally returned to the waiting room.¡¯


    These messages were proof that everything had gone smoothly.


    ¡®All that effort of giving them hard bread paid off.¡¯


    Now that they¡¯ve tasted the cream, they¡¯ll never go back to that hard bread.


    [Sixth Sense has been activated.]


    As my skill activated, I sensed movement near the entrance to the training ground.


    At least five.


    No, maybe more.


    ¡®Well, well?¡¯


    They probably had nothing better to do and wandered toward the new building.


    But since I was training inside, it seemed they didn¡¯t dare enter.


    ¡®This is perfect.¡¯


    No need to go looking for the employees.


    I seized the moment and muttered to myself, making sure my voice reached the entrance.


    "Ah, this is a problem. If all the employees rest today, I won¡¯t have enough points..."


    I heard murmuring from outside.


    They took the bait.


    I deliberately paused and waited a bit.


    Then, after what seemed like the right amount of time, I muttered again.


    "Looks like we¡¯ll have to eat hard bread for a while longer."


    As soon as I finished speaking¡ª


    Bang!


    The door to the training ground flew open.


    It was Khan and the other employees.


    "Administrator! We¡­ We have nothing to do. Can you please give us some work?"


    Their expressions weren¡¯t exactly eager to work.


    It made it seem like they were being forced to ask.


    I tried to hide my smirk and waved my hand dismissively.


    "Oh? No, no. You guys should rest. I told you to rest."


    I¡¯m someone who sticks to my word.


    But if they insist on working¡­


    Well, I won¡¯t stop them.


    But I hope they understand one thing.


    "Administrator! It¡¯s just¡­ time is passing so slowly. Please, let us work."


    Khan and the others approached me and knelt down.


    Some even grabbed onto my pants.


    I reluctantly pretended to give in and encouraged them.


    "Ah¡­ well, you¡¯re right. There¡¯s not much to do. So, you really want to work?"


    "Yes!"


    I clearly told them to rest.


    But they¡¯re the ones voluntarily asking to work.

 Chapter 11: Preparation (2)

    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    <strong>Chapter 11: Preparation (2)</strong>


    [Stage Clear: 9 points]


    [Stage Clear: 6 points]


    [Stage Clear: 11 points]


    [Stage Clear: 7 points]


    ...


    [Points in possession: 311]


    Looking at the umting points, a smile naturally formed on my face.


    I only nced at the message briefly.


    Khan cautiously spoke up.


    "...Uh, can''t I go to work too?"


    I slightly turned my gaze to look at Khan.


    Khan was sitting in front of me with his eyes closed.


    I struck Khan''s head with the training wooden sword in my hand.


    Whack!


    "No."


    "Gah!"


    Khan rolled on the floor after getting hit on the head.


    "Hey, hey. Get back in position."


    With a sob, Khan returned to his spot and closed his eyes again.


    I hit him on the head once more.


    Whack!


    "Ow!"


    Once again, Khan rolled on the floor after getting struck.


    "Hey, didn''t I tell you to use your Sixth Sense?"


    What am I doing right now?


    I¡¯m raising the level of Khan¡¯s Sixth Sense.


    "But, it''s not like it happens just because I want it to..."


    "Back to position."


    As I called Khan back to his ce, I felt a gaze.


    When I turned my eyes, I saw Mari staring nkly in this direction from one corner of the training ground.


    "Who said it¡¯s okay to daydream with your eyes open?"


    "Eek!"


    Upon hearing my rebuke, Mari quickly closed her eyes.


    It seemed like she was about to enter meditation, but... before long, she hesitantly opened her eyes and asked me,


    "But... others are all working while we''re just training here... is this really okay?"


    All employees, except for Khan and Mari, participated in the [Kobold Raid].


    Khan and Mari also wanted to join, but that was out of the question.


    "This is your job."


    Khan and Mari had a more important task than just earning points.


    ¡®If you guys get stronger, thepany will also be stronger, so what else is this but work?¡¯


    The words came up to my throat but I held them back.


    Khan, who had been listening quietly, turned his head slightly.


    "But... what if we encounter another mutant likest time...?"


    I understand what Khan and Mari are worried about.


    Even for our elite team, it was a tough fight, so of course, the other employees would be concerned.


    However...


    "You don''t need to worry about that."


    I smirked.


    ''It¡¯s not an ordinary stage.''


    Even if there was a mutant, it was not a big problem as long as we knew the exact strategy.


    "I''ve already taught Yon everything about the mutant and the strategy."


    I had provided Yon with all the information about the [Kobold Raid] and trained him on the strategy.


    Thanks to his extensive experience, he quickly memorized the key points and precautions I emphasized.


    With Yon leading the employees, there was no need to worry.


    "Wow. Did Yon really memorize all that information?"


    Mari, who had been listening from a distance, muttered in amazement.


    "Yeah, unlike some others, he actually uses his brain."


    "Ugh..."


    [You sessfully defeated the mutant ''Kobold Warlord''. +17 points]


    Sure enough.


    It seemed that the employees had sessfully taken down the Kobold Warlord.


    ''They''re doing well.''


    Of course, I didn¡¯t favor Yon exclusively.


    I had also provided Mari and Khan the same information about the [Kobold Raid], but...


    They failed to memorize it.


    It wasn''t surprising in Khan''s case, but I was a bit surprised that Mari also struggled with memorization.


    ¡®Well, people aren¡¯t perfect, after all.¡¯


    Everyone contributes in their own way, and that¡¯s all that matters.


    So, we just needed to focus on our tasks.


    Whack!


    "Ouch!"


    Khan clutched his head and rolled on the floor.


    In nine hours, he¡¯s already rolled on the floor more than 300 times.


    "Not focused, are you?"


    This time, I pointed the wooden sword at Mari.


    Then, I smiled sweetly.


    "Mari, if you don¡¯t like meditating, how about switching with Khan?"


    "Eek!"


    Mari, now pale, closed her eyes and resumed her meditation.


    ¡®Not that I¡¯d let her switch even if she wanted to...¡¯


    The skill Mari needs to acquire is ¡®Focus,¡¯ which is a sub-skill of ¡®Immersion.¡¯


    It¡¯s an abstract skill that can, for example, enhance firing speed with overwhelming concentration or allow one to climb an otherwise impossible cliff.


    If a warrior needs a ¡®strong body,¡¯ an archer needs ¡®focus.¡¯


    ¡®Focus¡¯ is exactly what it sounds like ¡ª a skill that is gained through deep concentration and realization.


    That¡¯s why her training differs from Khan¡¯s.


    Whoosh¡ª


    While Khan was distracted, I swung the wooden sword down.


    Bang!


    A loud explosion-like sound echoed throughout the training ground.


    The sword didn¡¯t hit Khan¡¯s head but the floor of the training ground.


    ¡®Well, well?¡¯


    Khan had rolled to the side just as I brought down the sword.


    "You dodged?"


    "Yes..."


    Khan stared nkly at the floor, seemingly unable to believe it himself.


    I asked Khan how he felt.


    "How did it feel?"


    "I don''t know. My instincts moved before I could even think..."


    I nodded at Khan¡¯s words and opened my mailbox.


    I immediately checked the unidentified message.


    [The Star of the Foundation has checked your skill.]


    [Sixth Sense (LV. 2) has been applied to ''Administrator''.]


    [Focus (LV. 1) has been applied to ''Administrator''.]


    Sess.


    After 10 hours of training, the level finally went up.


    With a satisfied expression, I turned my attention to Mari.


    I swung my wooden sword with almost full strength.


    Even though the loud sound echoed through the training hall, Mari didn¡¯t budge an inch.


    She looked as peaceful as if she were in another world entirely.


    This was a technique made possible by having acquired the skill ¡®Focus.¡¯


    Holding the wooden sword, I now turned toward Mari.


    I shook her to wake her up.


    ¡°Wake up.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Mari opened her eyes.


    I showed her the wooden sword.


    ¡°Watch this carefully.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    After confirming that Mari was focusing on the sword, I swung it.


    [Focus (LV. 1) has been activated.]


    ¡°Whoa!¡±


    The wooden sword narrowly missed Mari.


    ¡°What are you doing, swinging that all of a sudden? That¡¯s dangerous!¡±


    Mari shouted, but in reality, it wasn¡¯t dangerous at all.


    Because...


    ¡®This is what focus does.¡¯


    I was using Focus while observing Mari.


    If it looked like she couldn¡¯t dodge, I was prepared to stop the sword immediately.


    ¡®It works perfectly.¡¯


    Mari had watched the sword all the way and dodged with minimal movement, just shifting her neck along the shortest path.


    It was apletely different evasionpared to Khan¡¯s instinctive dodging.


    ¡®This will do.¡¯


    Once I finish Mari and Khan¡¯s promotion ceremony tomorrow, the head office will surely see us as a perfectly polished S-rankpany.


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    A few minor idents along the way should be forgivable.


    ¡®I achieved more than I expected today.¡¯


    I returned the wooden sword to its ce.


    ¡°That¡¯s the end of today¡¯s training.¡±


    ¡°Ah! Administrator, you¡¯re ignoring me, aren¡¯t you?!¡±


    Mari growled and chased after me, but I didn¡¯t need to pay her any attention.


    ¡®It¡¯s about time to let the employees rest, isn¡¯t it?¡¯


    Just as I was about to leave with Mari and Khan...


    Bang! Bang!


    [Warning!]


    [A Kobold Warlord is rampaging.]


    [Durability: 60/100]


    ¡°Uh¡­ Administrator, was that the sounding from over there?¡±


    Bang! Bang!


    [Durability: 50/100]


    The istion room shook.


    Khan, Mari, and the rest of the employees stared at it tensely.


    But that was all.


    I, too, nced at the istion room but soon lost interest.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Everyone, head back to the dorms.¡±


    I dismissed the employees.


    There was no point in worrying; it wouldn¡¯t change anything.


    ¡°But... it¡¯s rampaging...¡±


    ¡°Exactly. If it escapes, we won¡¯t be able to stop it with our current strength.¡±


    Their concerns were natural.


    After all, they didn¡¯t understand how this game worked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get all worked up. That thing will need at least another day to break out.¡±


    ¡°Huh? But still...¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re really that uneasy, you can stare at it all day if you want.¡±


    When I just walked away, Mari and Khan also took their eyes off the istion room.


    ¡°You can all go rest now.¡±


    Even the employees who had been earning points were dismissed.


    ¡°Oh, by the way. Make sure you get some dinner.¡±


    [You purchase a cheap sandwich.]


    A sandwich appeared instantly.


    The day was far from over, but it was originally meant to be a rest day, so I nned to provide basic welfare at least.


    ¡®You get the best results when you alternate between the carrot and the stick.¡¯


    Someone reached for the sandwich.


    Most of the employees were near the [Kobold Raid], so it wasn¡¯t hard to figure out who it was.


    ¡°Mari.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°You know what to do, right?¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ªwhat do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Make sure everyone gets a fair share.¡±


    I grabbed a sandwich and headed straight for the dorms.


    I heard someone sniffle behind me, but... does it really matter?


    * * *


    The following day proceeded much like the previous one.


    Mari and Khan arrived early in the morning while I was training in the training hall.


    ¡°Administrator, what should we do today?¡±


    ¡°First off, your promotion, right?¡±


    Mari, Khan, and some of the other employees had qualified for a promotion to rank 7.


    So, I was going to promote all the qualified employees.


    ¡°Uh, we have to go in there?¡±


    Mari frowned as she looked at the promotion machine.


    I had to admit, it didn¡¯t look very inviting.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go first.¡±


    Khan stepped in, and Mari reluctantly followed.


    A momentter...


    Whoosh!


    The two of them emerged from the promotion machine.


    ¡°Ugh. I feel dizzy.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Mari and Khan copsed onto the floor as if they were exhausted.


    It was a far cry from their first promotion.


    I had a rough idea why they were so worn out.


    Could it be that they saw the omen?


    ¡°What did you see?¡±


    Khan was the first to respond.


    ¡°A horde of Kobolds. We fought against dozens of them.¡±


    Yeah, fighting off dozens of Kobolds would definitely be exhausting.


    The fact that they didn¡¯t pass out meant the training had paid off.


    I shifted my gaze to Mari.


    After hesitating for a moment, Mari spoke up.


    ¡°I saw... a dragon.¡±


    ¡°A dragon?¡±


    No way.


    Legendary and mythical creatures only appear at rank 3 and above.


    ''But Mari''s promotion ceremony is just for Rank 7?''


    It doesn''t add up.


    When I tilted my head at the mention of a dragon, Mari added further exnation.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t really fight it¡­ I just got caught up in the wind and spun around in the air. If it weren¡¯t for the new technique I learned, I might have lost consciousness¡­¡±


    She said this with a bright smile, but the words that came out of her mouth were nothing to be taken lightly.


    ''If she hadn¡¯t stayed focused, she might have lost consciousness?''


    This changes things.


    I might have to put the other employees'' promotions on hold for now.


    ''It seems I¡¯ll need to adjust the n a little¡­''


    I was lost in thought for a moment.


    ¡°So, are we doing the same training as yesterday?¡±


    Khan, having somewhat recovered, stood up and asked.


    ¡°Well, yeah.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be much help anymore.¡±


    He sounded confident, so I led Khan and Mari to the training area.


    Boom!


    The istion room shook again as we moved, but¡­


    [Durability 30/100]


    ¡°Wow, that one¡¯s really strong, huh.¡±


    We didn¡¯t pay it much attention.


    Once we arrived at the training area, I had Khan sit down in the same spot as yesterday.


    ¡°You''re struggling because you''re not training enough.¡±


    With that, I immediately swung the practice sword.


    Swish¡ª


    Khan, having be familiar with his sixth sense, easily dodged the sword.


    ¡°Like I said, this isn¡¯t helping anymore¡­¡±


    ¡°Sit back down.¡±


    I guess this is to be expected if he''s gotten used to the sixth sense.


    There¡¯s another way.


    [Sixth Sense (LV. 2) activated.]


    [Focus (LV. 1) activated.]


    ¡°Sit back down.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if this will help, but alright.¡±


    Khan reluctantly sat down again and closed his eyes.


    With my focus and sixth sense heightened, my senses became razor-sharp.


    Swish¡ª


    Wham!


    ¡°Ow!¡±


    Khan clutched his head and rolled on the ground.


    ¡°Now, you''ll have to keep taking hits until you''re used to it.¡±


    Watching nervously, Mari cautiously asked me,


    ¡°U-Um, what should I do?¡±


    Mari¡¯s training is simpler.


    ¡°You, stand on one leg, stretch your arms out, and meditate while keeping your bnce.¡±


    The goal is to stay focused even in situations where you¡¯re distracted.


    Even if I bother you, you must not lose concentration.


    If you do¡­


    ¡°Oh, look! Cream bread!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Where?¡±


    Wham!


    ¡°Ouch! You tricked me!¡±


    Mari clutched her head and red at me.


    ¡°I told you, don¡¯t lose focus.¡±


    I just shrugged my shoulders.


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]

 Chapter 12: Preparation (3)

    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    <strong>Chapter 12: Preparation (3)</strong>


    After instructing Khan and Mari to dops, I stepped out into the waiting room.


    I immediately touched the monument to check the time.


    [Allocated Points: 30]


    [Points Owned: 227]


    [Time Remaining Until Point Submission: 4 hours 59 minutes]


    "4 hours and 59 minutes¡­"


    I should be able to meet the deadline.


    Looking up, I noticed that the other employees were going about their day as usual.


    "Oh, Administrator, you''re here?"


    Yon approached me.


    Looking past him, I saw that the employees were already gathered in front of the [Kobold Raid].


    "Are you already getting ready?"


    "Yes, but without your approval, we can''t enter on our own."


    "Right, that''s true."


    I set the permissions for the [Kobold Raid].


    [8th-rank employee ¡®Yon¡¯ is requesting temporary management authority for the Kobold Raid.]


    ¡®ept.¡¯


    [Authority has been sessfully granted to 8th-rank employee ¡®Yon.¡¯]


    "I''ve approved it, so you should be able to open it with your authority."


    "Thank you."


    "Oh, wait a second."


    I stopped Yon as he was about to leave.


    "What''s up?"


    "Working hard is good, but take it a bit easy today. Make sure everyone is gathered by 4:50 PM."


    The current time is 12:01 PM.


    They need to gather by 4:50 PM to be ready for the headquarters employee who will being at 5 PM.


    ¡®It''ll also give us some time to talk about the headquarters.¡¯


    Of course, I could meet with the headquarters staff on my own.


    But.


    ¡®That would defeat the purpose.¡¯


    The reason I''m calling all the employees is to have them face our goal¡ªand the barrier¡ªin person.


    "Understood. I''ll make sure everyone is in the waiting room by 4:50 PM."


    With that, Yon moved to the quarantine area.


    I headed back to the training grounds.


    ¡®The person being dispatched from headquarters for points is one of four.¡¯


    One of them was set toe today, and they are all first-rank employees, known among gamers as executors.


    I recalled what I knew.


    ¡®Just in case, I¡¯ve grown as much as possible.¡¯


    For the fourth day, growing thepany to this point would allow me to handle most negotiations.


    However, there''s one person whose personality I just can''t figure out.


    I steadied my breath as I stood in front of the training grounds.


    ¡®The negotiators are Dahee, Berry, and Nice. Those three¡­¡¯


    The one I can''t figure out is ''Yoo.''


    Those are the four executors.


    Of course, I don''t know which one wille.


    ¡®Hopefully, it won''t be Yoo¡­¡¯


    Even among veterans, he''s notorious as a demon.


    Especially since right now, I need to request a cksmith and supplies.


    ¡®If it''s any of the other executors, they¡¯ll be open to negotiation.¡¯


    But if it''s ''Yoo,'' I know for sure he won''t negotiate.


    In fact, he might massacre the employees, iming we''ve insulted headquarters.


    It would be lucky if that doesn''t happen...


    "Hah, am I worrying for nothing?"


    Then again, the chance of Youing is just 25%.


    The chance of another executoring is 75%.


    There''s no need to worry about a future that hasn¡¯t happened yet.


    "The best I can do now is to grow thepany as much as possible in the remaining time."


    If only I had a cksmith, I could increase the number of creatures or improve the quality of the employees.


    "I can¡¯t really gamble on recruiting new employees either."


    Out of all the employees, getting one with cksmithing skills is nearly impossible.


    Expecting to get good weapons would also be foolish.


    ¡®Even if I get good weapons, the number of employees who can actually wield them is limited¡­¡¯


    There are only three employees, including myself, who can properly handle weapons.


    I sighed and opened the door to the training grounds.


    The first thing I saw was Khan and Mari lying on the floor.


    They were sprawled out, panting like corpses, and I couldn¡¯t help but be exasperated.


    At the same time, my earlier worries vanished.


    I approached Khan and Mari.


    "What are you two doing¡­?"


    "Oh, Administrator, you''re here?"


    Khan struggled to sit up and greeted me.


    Mari also tried to sit up but failed and slumped back down.


    "Ugh. It''s too much. Physically and mentally exhausted!"


    I smacked my forehead at the sight of the two lying down.


    "Who told you to rest like that?"


    "¡­We¡¯re at our limit. We can''t run anymore, how are we supposed to keep training?"


    In short, they were exhausted and had decided to take a break.


    ¡­¡­


    But did they really need to rest?


    I grabbed the cors of both of them.


    Then I dragged the two to the entrance of the training grounds.


    "Ad-Administrator?"


    Khan was briefly confused but quickly realized what I was doing thanks to his sixth sense.


    He kept quiet and didn¡¯t resist as I dragged him along.


    But Mari, who hadn¡¯t caught on, struggled the whole way.


    "Ah! Tyrant! You¡¯re at it again!"


    Hearing her mumbling, I kicked the two of them out of the training grounds.


    Once they were outside, both Khan and Mari spoke at the same time.


    "As expected, I feel refreshed."


    "¡­Ah."


    Khan scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, and Mari nced at me warily.


    "Alright,e back in. Training is about to start."


    "Yes¡­"


    "¡­¡­"


    The waiting room heals not only wounds but also fatigue.


    ¡®That was already proven during thest marathon.¡¯


    Back then, the employees had copsed like this as well.


    But that was because they were mentally exhausted.


    They hadn¡¯t copsed because they were physically worn out.


    Which raises one question.


    ¡®Khan and Mari should know that¡­¡¯


    It¡¯s not like they wouldn¡¯t be aware of this.


    On top of that.


    They imed they were exhausted, but Mari resisted a bit too strongly.


    Which means¡­


    I squinted at them and asked.


    "You two were just pretending to be tired, weren¡¯t you?"


    Their tight-lipped silence and attempts to avoid my gaze told me everything.


    This was uneptable.


    I patted both of them on the shoulder.


    ¡°As punishment, you''re running moreps. Start again.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather take a beating from a wooden sword¡­¡±


    Mari and Khan were frothing at the mouth from running for quite a while, but I had no intention of going easy on them.


    Of course, I wasn¡¯t just going to focus on training them either.


    The most important thing was for me to get stronger first.


    ¡°Hurry up. I¡¯ll run with you.¡±


    * * *


    How long had it been since we started training?


    At least several hours had passed.


    ¡®Status window.¡¯


    [Shin Seongjin LV. 5/10 (7th Rank)]


    [Skills]


    - Foundation''s Star (LV. 2)


    [Stats]


    - Strength (22/39)


    - Agility (20/39)


    - Stamina (17/39)


    - Endurance (16/39)


    - Mental Strength (EX+/??)


    In less than two days, my overall stats had increased by about 1¨C2 points.


    It was quite encouraging.


    I nced at Khan.


    Khan was swinging a practice wooden sword at a straw dummy.


    ¡®Status window.¡¯


    [Khan Aderhilt LV. 5/10 (7th Rank)]


    [Skills]


    - Sixth Sense (LV. 2)


    - Basic Swordsmanship (LV. 3)


    [Stats]


    - Strength (19/39)


    - Agility (15/39)


    - Stamina (17/39)


    - Endurance (22/39)


    - Mental Strength (18/39)


    ¡®He¡¯s growing fast.¡¯


    The cap for 7th Rank is 39.


    Even though it hadn¡¯t been long since we started training, he already had stats that exceeded 20.


    On average, 0¨C10 is a regr person.


    11¨C30 is the level of someone who trains hard¡ªthis is where regr knights or adventurers fall.


    Once someone reaches 31¨C50, they enter the realm of superhuman.


    This is the limit humans can reach, but judging by our current growth rate¡­


    Khan¡¯s stats were fairly well-rounded.


    The training I had him do to raise his Sixth Sense to LV. 2 seemed to be helping.


    Mari and I were doing reaction speed training together.


    ¡°One more.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    I threw the wooden sword.


    Mari¡¯s eyes locked onto it.


    She stared at the sword until the veryst moment, then barely tilted her head to dodge it with minimal movement.


    The key to this training was to read the attack path to the very end and dodge with the least amount of movement.


    ¡®Status window.¡¯


    [Mari LV. 5/10 (7th Rank)]


    [Skills]


    - Intermediate Archery (LV. 1)


    - Focus (LV. 1)


    [Stats]


    - Strength (19/39)


    - Agility (21/39)


    - Stamina (15/39)


    - Endurance (14/39)


    - Mental Strength (19/39)


    ¡®She really needs a bow.¡¯


    It was a bit unfortunate that her Strength stat wasgging behind her Agility, but¡­ it was still okay.


    She had enough strength to easily draw a basic bow.


    ¡®I need to get her a bow as soon as possible.¡¯


    We couldn¡¯t stick to basic training forever.


    ¡°Training ends here.¡±


    After checking our status, I announced the end of training.


    Mari and Khan copsed onto the ground at the same time.


    ¡°Resting here won¡¯t help. Get up and get ready to leave.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯m too tired.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll feel better once we leave.¡±


    Everything feels better once you pass through the gates.


    I led Mari and Khan out of the training grounds.


    I saw employees gathered around the stone monument.


    And above it, a timer was disyed.


    [Time remaining for point submission: 09 minutes]


    The timing was a bit tight, but it seemed like I¡¯d made it in time.


    Next, I checked the containment room.


    Seeing that all the staff were unharmed, it didn¡¯t seem like the Kobold Warlord had escaped, but¡­


    I still needed to check the remaining durability.


    [Durability 10/100]


    The durability was in a much more critical state than I had expected.


    I approached Yon and pointed to the containment room marked [Kobold Warlord].


    ¡°¡­How long has it been like that?¡±


    ¡°The rms have been going off every hour and a half since you entered the training grounds, sir.¡±


    Every hour and a half¡­


    That meant the escape was imminent.


    ¡°I see. Well, I¡¯ll deal with thatter. For now, everyone gather in front of me.¡±


    The employees all gathered in front of me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll inform you of precautions before the headquarters staff arrives.¡±


    Executors are all people who are either broken or missing a screw somewhere.


    There¡¯s no need to provoke them unnecessarily.


    ¡°The employeesing from the headquarters are at least 1st Rank. And I can¡¯t protect you.¡±


    The meaning of this was simple.


    Executors have the authority to purge any employees, except for the Administrator and the Sub-Master.


    ¡°You are stones. Do nothing. Just stand here and watch until it¡¯s over.¡±


    There was no need to risk losing valuable staff by stepping out of line.


    Also¡­


    ¡®It¡¯s better to take the hit early.¡¯


    I figured it was better for the staff to meet an Executor face-to-face so they could understand what I was saying.


    That¡¯s why I had them line up here instead of hiding in the dorms.


    If they weren¡¯t made aware of the danger now, they would make a fatal mistaketer.


    This was from my own experience.


    From when I was still a newbie.


    ¡°I¡¯ll say it again. No matter what happens, do not react.¡±


    I nced at the time.


    [Time remaining for point submission: 00:00.]


    0 seconds.


    It had already been more than enough time to enter thepany through the main gate, yet there was no sign of anyone.


    "¡­What is this?"


    It was the first time something like this had happened, and even I was momentarily taken aback.


    Bang!


    [Durability 0/100]


    The containment room door burst open, and Kobold Warlord charged out.


    Roarrr!


    The warlord''s furious roar was filled with rage.


    ''Damn it.''


    I had nned to time the containment failure with the arrival of the Executor, but I had failed.


    The Kobold Warlord had escaped from the containment room far too quickly.


    ''With no D-ss equipment right now, I can¡¯t contain the Kobold Warlord.''


    This meant my initial n¡ªdumping the warlord on the Executor and making the employees understand how dangerous the Executor was¡ªhad fallen apart.


    ¡®I''ll have to greet the head office employee on my own¡­¡¯


    The rest of the employees must be evacuated to the dormitory.


    "Everyone, get to the dormi¡ª"


    Run away.


    I didn¡¯t finish that sentence.


    Because there was no need.


    "Oh, sorry. Were you trying to contain it? I reached out before I realized."


    The Kobold Warlord''s head fell to the ground.


    Momentster, its massive body followed suit.


    "Oh, you weren¡¯t about to say containment failure or anything like that, right? Hmm?"


    Behind the Kobold Warlord¡¯s fallen body stood a young man with a smirk.


    White hair and narrow eyes.


    The intimidating pressure, like a snake ring at its prey, overwhelmed me.


    ''This damned guy.''


    It was ''Yoo.''


    "Hmm, since I caught it, I''ll clean it up for you. I have that much courtesy, right?"


    Yoo grabbed the Kobold Warlord and tossed it back into the containment roombeled [Kobold Warlord].


    Then, he approached me.


    "Hmm, judging by your presence and position, you''re the sub-master, right?"


    The person before me was a psychopath.


    I couldn¡¯t let my guard down.


    "Yeah."


    For a moment, Yoo''s eyes narrowed.


    That snake-like stare again.


    Of course, thanks to thepany¡¯s insignia, I could withstand it to some extent.


    "Are you perhaps thinking... that I can''t mess with a sub-master?"


    Yoo gave a meaningful grin.


    "Haha, I¡¯m just kidding. I wasn¡¯t expecting much since you''re just a four-day-oldpany, but this is beyond expectations!"


    Yoo looked around, inspecting the employees and creatures with admiration.


    "Wow, impressive. I think B-rank would be good."


    As expected, there was no dealing with this madman.


    There was no point in having a conversation.


    I immediately scanned the points and held them out.


    "Here¡¯s 30 points."


    "Ooh, you get it right away, huh? Fine. B-rank canceled. A-rank sounds better. I''ll be on my way, then."


    Yoo turned his back.


    The snake-like pressure vanished, and the tension in the office eased.


    And then¡ª


    "Hup."


    Someone made a mistake after the tension was gone.


    When I turned to look, Mari had both hands covering her mouth.


    "Hmm~? Was there a little rat here?"


    Yoo¡¯s gaze shifted toward Mari.


    ¡®That guy¡­ that¡¯s his execution line.¡¯


    Of course, there¡¯s no way that crazy guy would just leave.


    I wondered why he hadn¡¯t asserted dominance earlier.


    Though it wasn¡¯t confirmed, if Mari drew his attention now, she might die.


    Losing apetent employee early on would shake the foundation of thepany.


    In that case¡­


    I took a deep breath to steady myself.


    ¡®This isn¡¯t what I intended, but it might just work.¡¯


    They say crisis is an opportunity.


    Since things havee to this, I might as well ask for something that could boost thepany''s growth.


    "Wait. I have a request for headquarters."


    [Warning!]


    [Warning!]


    [Warning!]


    [Warning!]


    [Warning!]


    .


    .


    .


    Just mentioning the headquarters caused dozens of warning windows to pop up before my eyes.


    "What did you just say?"


    Yoo was suddenly right in front of me, ring.


    The murderous intent I¡¯d felt earlier was nothingpared to this¡ªit was now a pressure so strong I could barely endure it even with thepany¡¯s insignia.


    ¡®It¡¯s hard to breathe¡­¡¯


    This was the Executor.


    But I seeded in diverting his attention away from Mari.


    I forced a smile, curling up the corners of my mouth with effort.


    "It¡¯d be a shame if you left like this, don¡¯t you think? So¡­"


    Yoo¡¯s expression twisted, as if he already knew what I was about to say.


    "Could you send us a cksmith and some equipment?"


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]

 Chapter 13: Proof of Worth (1)

    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    <strong>Chapter 13: Proof of Worth (1)</strong>


    [Warning!]


    [The mental strength of the employee owned by the ''Foundation Star'' has greatly increased, resisting abnormal statuses.]


    The white snake slowly approached.


    [Resistance failed.]


    The pressure materialised, and it felt like it was ring at me.


    [Attempting to resist once more.]


    [Resistance sessful.]


    Fortunately, thanks to the Foundation Star, my movements weren¡¯t restricted.


    I looked straight at Yoo, who was approaching.


    "Oh? You can move through this pressure?"


    The corners of Yoo''s lips lifted slightly.


    "I usually don''t listen to insects, but you''re something special, huh?"


    In an instant, Yoo''s figure vanished.


    Swung¡ª


    Death approached.


    "..."


    "..."


    The executioner''s hand, poised for a strike, stopped right in front of me.


    Yoo squinted his eyes for a moment, then rxed his expression and startedughing.


    "Puhaha."


    Yoo withdrew his hand.


    The oppressive pressure that had been suffocating the surroundings disappeared.


    Yoo crossed his arms and once again scanned thepany.


    "Ha, you''re more troublesome than I thought. What to do with this..."


    Yoo trailed off as if lost in thought.


    A moment of silence followed.


    As if having sorted out his thoughts, Yoo squinted again and smiled.


    "Alright, I''ll let you go. cksmith."


    What did this crazy guy just say?


    He''s letting me go?


    ''Just like that?''


    No way.


    Yoo isn¡¯t the type to agree so easily without setting conditions.


    And as I expected.


    "However, separate from the cksmith, support from the headquarters will onlye after you¡¯ve ''proven'' thepany''s excellence."


    This unreadable madman mentioned ''proof.''


    Proof that can only be received after reaching at least a Gold-tierpany.


    And he was leaving that proof to apany whose rank he hadn¡¯t even checked.


    Of course, I had no authority to refuse this unreasonable demand.


    ''Even if I used all thepany''s resources, I wouldn¡¯t be able to beat him.''


    Knowing that Executors were unpredictable, I chose the best option avable.


    ¡®...It¡¯s tough, but it¡¯s not impossible.¡¯


    Whether it¡¯s biological, object-based, or phenomenon-based, whatever kind of creature this proof refers to, there will always be a way to handle it.


    Not all containment methods rely solely on force.


    Before Yoo could change his mind, I quickly seized the opportunity.


    "And the proof?"


    "I¡¯ll mark a creature¡¯s coordinates for you. If you can contain it, I¡¯ll forgive yourpany¡¯s rudeness."


    Given that he provided the coordinates, it means that headquarters has already gathered information on the creature.


    ¡®If I can just get that information, it¡¯ll be worth it.¡¯


    The reward for proving value is always significant, given how difficult the task is.


    "As for the deadline... Let¡¯s see, it¡¯ll be before my next visit."


    "That¡¯s a bit too tight."


    "I know it''s unreasonable. So, I''ll give you a bit more time."


    Snap¡ª


    With a flick of Yoo¡¯s fingers, the system updated.


    [Assigned Points: 500]


    [Proof of Value: 0/1]


    [Time Remaining: 179h 59m.]


    Extra time was good.


    But more importantly¡­


    "You already know the coordinates, so you must have some information about it, right?"


    Of course, he would.


    Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have thrown such a high-level proof to an unrankedpany without checking.


    "Ha, you''ve already thought that far ahead? Fine. I like your defiance. I¡¯ll send the information about the creature via message."


    [You have 1 unread message.]


    I immediately opened the inbox.


    As I read the message, I couldn¡¯t hide my expression.


    And for good reason.


    [Coordinates: 1447, 577. Type: Biological. Further details: Unknown. (Executor U)]


    ...What the hell?


    "See you next time."


    By the time I came to my senses, Yoo was already walking out through the front door.


    Yes, I think I need to correct myself.


    That guy is definitely insane.


    "What should we do now?"


    Khan approached.


    "What else can we do? We¡¯ll do our best."


    Right now, the best course of action is to raise thepany''s rank to at least Silver.


    [Administrator Zone (No Affiliation)]


    - Company Rank: Unranked


    - Administrator: Shin Seongjin


    [Deployment Conditions]


    - Possess 1,000 points.


    - Contain 3 creatures.


    - Construct Training Grounds and a cksmith¡¯s Forge.


    - Achieve at least 1 aplishment.


    Two of these conditions were alreadypleted.


    ¡®Earning points little by little shouldn¡¯t be a problem, but the creatures...¡¯


    Even though the deadline had been extended, it still felt quite tight.


    ¡®There are three ways to acquire more creatures.¡¯


    The first is to request them from headquarters.


    ¡®That takes too long, so it¡¯s out.¡¯


    The second is to ept a mission from headquarters.


    Proof falls into this category.


    ¡®The whole point of raising the rank is for this, so it¡¯s also out.¡¯


    Thest option is to enter a stage.


    ¡®That¡¯s the method I¡¯ll choose.¡¯


    Now that the cksmith issue is resolved.


    As soon as the weapon creation is finished, we¡¯ll head into a stage.


    Since the first creature was phenomenon-based, the next two stages will likely feature creatures rted to kobolds, which reduces the risk.


    With everything roughly nned out, it was time to act.


    Capturing creatures and gathering information about the proof were both critical tasks.


    Neither could be neglected.


    ¡®I can¡¯t personally go out to gather the information...¡¯


    I need someone.


    Someone level-headed, with social experience, who can faithfully carry out my orders.


    I know just the person.


    I immediately called for the right person for the job¡ªYon.


    "Yon, gather about three suitable people by tomorrow and bring them to me."


    "You mean...?"


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    "Yeah, as soon as the equipment is ready, we''ll proceed with your promotion ceremony."


    I wanted to dy the 7th-rank promotion for as long as possible, but time was running short.


    "And what will you do after the promotion?"


    "Reconnaissance. We have about 7 days and 12 hours left. The distance is considerable, so we''ll be pressed for time."


    Apany without a deployment has no functionality.


    In the unranked category, there''s no teleportation, employee enhancements, or anything of the sort.


    So, to gather information, we have to send employees out ourselves.


    Into that monster-filled world outside.


    ¡®This is whypanies usually can''t take proof-of-strength quests until they have teleportation abilities, which start at Gold rank¡­¡¯


    Still, with Yon here, I could rest easy.


    If it¡¯s Yon, he''ll remember everything I say.


    "Yon, you need to memorize everything I say from now on."


    "Yes, sir!"


    I reminded Yon about the rules and information regarding the outside world.


    And then, I re-emphasized the most important point.


    "Got it? Once again, never talk to anything you see outside."


    Sensing the serious tone in my voice, Yon hesitated for the first time.


    "...Administrator, may I ask a question?"


    If it had been yesterday, I would have scolded him and told him just to do his job.


    But today, I nodded and let him ask.


    "Go ahead."


    "Are there that many creatures like that outside?"


    By that, he meant the "Yoo" creature.


    Was the outside world filled with monsters like Yoo?


    I understood what Yon was concerned about.


    If he wasn¡¯t confident, perhaps I should assign someone like Khan or Mari to help.


    But no, that¡¯s impossible.


    "No, but there are plenty of craziesparable to him."


    Yon bowed his head low, realizing what I meant.


    "I see..."


    Most of the entities outside are more terrifying than mere creatures.


    So, if we fail and cause damage to thepany... minimizing that damage is a priority.


    This is practically a suicide mission disguised as a request.


    I clenched my fist.


    ¡®But I won''t let that happen.¡¯


    Even withoutpany functionality.


    Even with weak employees.


    There¡¯s a way to clear the proof-of-strength.


    ¡®I''ve only theorized it so far, but¡­¡¯


    I will seed.


    Rank is just a stepping stone.


    * * *


    "Yoo, you''re a bitte this time, aren''t you?"


    "Hmm, yeah? Something interesting came up."


    With a sly smile, Yoo replied, causing the young man to chuckle.


    "What? You seem to be in a good mood. Did you happen to destroy anotherpany?"


    "Well, something like that. Anyway, Nice, I need a favor."


    Surprised by You¡¯s request, the blonde-haired young man, Nice, raised an eyebrow.


    "You? Asking for a favor? That''s rare... So, what do you need?"


    Nice knew that Yoo was not someone who ever asked others for favors.


    "Don''t you have a new cksmith in your department? I need to send him out on a mission."


    Indeed, as Yoo mentioned, the new 7th-ranked employee was skilled in cksmithing.


    ''He has plenty of talent, but...''


    There were too many high-ranking, talented employees at the headquarters, making it hard for him to stand out.


    "Well, you don¡¯t usually ask for favors, so sure. But... does this have anything to do with why you''rete?"


    "Hmm. There''s apany I want to give an A... no, an S-rank."


    Berry reacted at the mention of an S-rank.


    "What?! You''re going to give an S-rank, just like that? You of all people?!"


    She circled around Yoo, surprised.


    "You, giving an S-rank... You must really like thatpany. Wow, lucky them. I¡¯m jealous. Especially since it¡¯s you giving it."


    Nice, too, joined Berry in circling around Yoo, but only until Yoo spoke again.


    "Well, it''s not final yet. The results are pending until theyplete the ''proof''."


    Nice repeated Yoo''s words in his head.


    "Proof...?"


    He nced up at Yoo¡¯s face.


    That ever-calm expression made it impossible to tell what he was thinking.


    ¡®He''s casually spouting nonsense again¡­¡¯


    Nice, as if something had malfunctioned within him, asked again.


    "Yoo, was there apany among the ones you visited today that was Gold-rank or higher?"


    "Nope. Everypany I visited today was unranked."


    "..."


    If Yoo meant that kind of "proof," only one creature fit the bill.


    The monster that believed in the sun god so much that it became the sun itself.


    Even Gold or tinum-rankedpanies formed alliances and massive raid parties to take it down.


    Twopanies had already fallen to that creature.


    So You was using that monster for the proof against a new, undeployedpany?


    No matter how Nice thought about it, this was overstepping his authority as an executor.


    Srrrng!


    Berry and Nice simultaneously drew their des.


    "That exceeds your authority. Cancel it immediately."


    The consequences of messing with such a creature would be dire.


    "Pff. To think you guys are also executors... Hey, do you think I sent that ''proof'' without any thought?"


    A massive white snake began to materialize.


    At the same time, Berry and Nice¡¯s bodies were pressed down.


    "The sub-master of thatpany withstood this. Want to try it too?"


    This was mere pressure.


    But even such simple pressure was enough to immobilize the two 1st-ranked employeespletely.


    ''They withstood this?''


    Nice could barely manage to open his mouth without avoiding the snake''s gaze.


    ¡®Were they lucky?¡¯


    Nice almost scoffed to himself.


    ''No way.''


    From the moment Yoo set his sights on them, their luck had likely run out.


    ¡®I guess I¡¯ll have to correct what I said earlier.¡¯


    The mere fact that they endured such pressure and still dared to challenge Yoo spoke volumes about thatpany''s potential.


    ¡®Which means¡­ all the more reason.¡¯


    Nice circted his energy throughout his body.


    Then, he exhaled.


    [Clear Reflection]


    "Haa!"


    Nice shattered Yoo¡¯s force and regained his freedom.


    Both Nice and Berry re-sheathed their swords simultaneously.


    Then, tidying their clothes, they asked Yoo.


    "So, what''s the name of thispany?"


    They were definitely going to check it out.


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]

 Chapter 14: Proof of Worth (2)

    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    <strong>Chapter 14: Proof of Worth (2)</strong>


    Even when faced with an imminent trial, nothing changed.


    Five employees, including Yon, had reached rank 7, and the only creature they could manage was the [Kobold Raid], so the day proceeded just like yesterday.


    The only difference was...


    [Sixth Sense (LV. 2)]


    [Focus (LV. 1)]


    "Aaaaargh!"


    I easily dodged the practice swording down at me from behind.


    Immediately after, Inded a punch squarely on the face of the employee who had overextended.


    "Guh!"


    The employee dropped the practice sword and rolled on the ground.


    "You drop your weapon just because you took one hit?"


    The only difference was that the employees who went on reconnaissance in ce of Mari and Khan were now undergoing training.


    The employee I punched was clutching his face as he struggled to speak.


    "The Administrator is too strong for us to even think about fighting back."


    "Then you need to figure out how to endure it. Are you just going to charge recklessly like that?"


    I looked down at the employees lying on the ground and scolded them loudly again.


    "Listen up. If you stop because it hurts, that¡¯s the end. Got it?!"


    After scolding the employees, a message popped up.


    [Employee ¡®Doran,¡¯ rank 7, has joined the staff. Please wee them warmly.]


    [The Foundation''s Star has confirmed a skill.]


    [cksmith (LV. 3) skill has been applied to ¡®Administrator.¡¯]


    ¡®She''s here.¡¯


    I closed the message in front of me.


    "Yon, get back on your feet and start endurance training again. I have to step out for a bit."


    "Understood, we''ll begin the run again."


    Leaving the employees behind, I exited the training area.


    I headed toward the waiting room along the corridor.


    Before long, I saw someone standing near thepany¡¯s main entrance.


    A beautiful woman with bronze skin.


    "I was worried since this is a newpany, but this is better than most small businesses. I like it."


    She smiled with satisfaction as she looked around thepany.


    I approached her, who was busy observing the interior of thepany.


    "You''re the cksmith from the headquarters, right?"


    "Yes, that''s me. rank 7 cksmith, Doran."


    She didn¡¯t seem intimidated, possibly because she had worked at the headquarters.


    "Judging by your demeanor, are you the sub-master?"


    "I¡¯m not the sub-master, I¡¯m the Administrator, but you can think whatever you want."


    "Okay~ So, where¡¯s the forge I¡¯ll be using?"


    Despite being in an unfamiliar ce, she was full of confidence.


    "The forge is over that way. But you seem pretty confident, don¡¯t you?"


    "Of course! I made quite a name for myself at headquarters, you know."


    Saying that she made a name for herself at headquarters, which churns out A-rank equipment like clockwork, didn¡¯t quite add up.


    But still, there was no lie in her statement.


    ¡®It probably means she was the most skilled among the rookies.¡¯


    Her cksmith skill level was 3, which meant she was as skilled as most masters.


    As we chatted, we arrived at the forge.


    [Forge (LV. 1)]


    When I opened the door and stepped inside, a musty smell assaulted my nose.


    On the worn-out workbenchy old tools, and the floor was covered in a mix of metal filings and dust.


    ¡®Why is this ce in such bad shape...?¡¯


    It seemed the low level of the forge was causing the issue.


    Though the interior was worse than I¡¯d expected, Doran¡¯s reaction was surprisingly positive.


    "Wow... Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect a decent forge in apany that¡¯s only four days old."


    "As you can see, the condition isn¡¯t great, but you can treat it as your personal workspace. After all, you''re the only employee with cksmithing skills, aside from me."


    Doran seemed pleased.


    "Wait, are you saying this is my personal workshop? Having my own workshop has always been my dream!"


    She was practically bouncing up and down like a child who just got their own room.


    ¡®Well, if she¡¯s happy, that¡¯s fine.¡¯


    Considering the facilities at the headquarters, it was strange that she¡¯d be thrilled with such a ce, but there was no need to make a fuss if she liked it.


    "So, sorry to ask right away, but do you think you can make three D- rank or higher pieces of equipment by tomorrow?"


    It felt a bit like a ckpany, giving her work before she even had time to settle in, but there was no other choice.


    We had tight deadlines.


    Doran hesitated for a moment before answering.


    "As long as I have enough points and time, I can even make D+ gear."


    Points and time¡ªthe two things thepanycked.


    ¡®Points can be gathered if we push the employees hard enough.¡¯


    Time, however, was a different issue.


    "Is it impossible for now?"


    "...To make D- rank or higher gear in one day, I¡¯d need at least one more cksmith at my level."


    That meant it could be done if we had even one more master-level cksmith.


    Currently, Doran is the only master-level cksmith in ourpany.


    But... if it¡¯s just a matter ofcking skilled workers, that¡¯s not a problem.


    "Then it won¡¯t be an issue. Let¡¯s start working right away."


    I walked toward the workbench, acting as if nothing was wrong, while Doran looked puzzled and even a bit incredulous.


    "Are you serious? I¡¯m a master, and you¡¯re going to support me? You don¡¯t exactly look like you¡¯ve handled a hammer before."


    I knew what she was concerned about.


    From her perspective, I probably looked like a novice who had never even touched a hammer.


    I chuckled and picked up the hammer lying on the workbench.


    Immediately, a flood of professional knowledge rushed into my mind.


    [cksmith (LV. 3)]


    "Whether I¡¯m helpful or not... you¡¯ll find out soon enough."


    I also received the cksmith (LV. 3) skill when Doran was transferred to ourpany.


    From the knowledge now filling my mind, I understood something.


    "If we melt down the existing equipment, we can make it faster, right?"


    Doran awkwardlyughed as she corrected her earlier judgment.


    "Haha... that¡¯s quite advanced information. I take back what I said earlier. It seems you¡¯re not aplete novice."


    Leaving the flustered Doran behind, I opened the equipment crafting tab.


    ¡®Time for a little money flex.¡¯


    [Current points: 1,125 points]


    A surprising amount of points had umted, especially for apany that hadn¡¯t even received its rank assignment yet.


    * * *


    ng¡ª


    ng¡ª


    The sound of hammering echoed from the forge.


    Every employee, except for Yon and a few others, suspiciously gathered near the entrance.


    "Mari, what are you doing here?"


    Khan, who had been overseeing the management of [Kobold Raid] with the staff, approached her with a puzzled look.


    Then,


    "Shh. Shhhh!"


    Mari gestured for him to be quiet, pressing her finger to her lips.


    Startled, Khan quickly covered his mouth and approached the forge with her.


    ng¡ª


    ng¡ª


    As Khan approached, Mari pointed toward the inside of the forge, as if telling him to look.


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    Khan''s gaze followed Mari¡¯s finger toward the inside of the forge.


    Inside, a man and a woman were taking turns striking a hammer.


    "...Is the administrator learning smithing techniques now?"


    Khan muttered to himself, but Mari shook her head.


    "No, I don''t think so. I''ve been watching the whole time. I don''t recall seeing them talk to each other."


    If what Mari said was true, it meant the administrator had known the smithing technique from the beginning.


    Khan was once again filled with admiration for his administrator.


    "First swordsmanship, then archery, and now smithing... Truly, the administrator! I''ve been at his side this whole time, but I still can''t fathom his depth. I, Khan, swear upon the name of Aderhilt to loyally serve him!"


    As Khan openly praised the administrator with the devotion of a true believer, the other staff members also chimed in with their own agreement.


    "And the administrator always leads the charge in battle."


    "Right, and he also takes care of us behind the scenes."


    It was as if they were each voicing their own hidden sentiments.


    The sudden praise seemed never-ending.


    "He speaks harshly, but in the end, he always looks out for us..."


    "But when we had to runps, I really thought I was going to die..."


    "Hey, you only did the three-shift rotation. The administrator went in continuously, you know?"


    Mari, watching the bizarre scene unfold, groaned.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    Of course, everything they were saying was rtable.


    Come to think of it, it was true.


    The "Shin Seongjin" they had seen until now had always volunteered for dangerous roles.


    Though he would make threats like "You''ll die" or "You could die," when the moment of danger came, he always took the lead.


    ¡®Just the other day, for instance.¡¯


    As she recalled the venomous gaze of a man who seemed capable of easily killing someone, a cold sweat ran down her back.


    ¡®He saved me from that monster-like guy.¡¯


    There was no need to think deeply.


    The administrator was a better person than she had thought.


    As she remembered the moment she almost faced death, her legs suddenly gave out.


    She leaned against the door to avoid copsing.


    But...


    The door she should have been leaning on wasn¡¯t there.


    "Huh? Huh?"


    Her view tilted toward the sky.


    As her center of gravity shifted backward, she iled her arms, trying to regain her bnce, but failed.


    ¡°Kyah!¡±


    In the end, she lost her bnce and fell backward with a thud.


    The first thing she saw after falling was Doran¡¯s tired face, looking drained.


    It was only natural that Doran looked tired, having worked through the night.


    Mari lifted her head toward the ceiling.


    Then, she saw the administrator''s face.


    Unlike the exhausted Doran, the administrator lookedpletely fine.


    She stared at his face for a moment.


    The administrator sighed as he looked down at her.


    "...What are you all doing here?"


    Upon closer inspection, his lips and eyebrows were twitching slightly.


    ''Uh-oh¡­''


    She had a bad feeling that they were about to be scolded, and her hunch quickly became reality.


    "I¡¯m pretty sure I gave you all tasks to do before I left... So why is everyone loafing around here?"


    Though he was smiling with his eyes, the wordsing out of his mouth were anything but pleasant.


    "You don¡¯t need to make excuses. I think I get it. So, all the staff members who were cking off here get 25 runs of [Kobold Raid] management and 100ps of the training ground. Take note of that."


    ¡°Eek!¡±


    That was essentially an order to work non-stop all day.


    Most of the staff, including Mari, looked crestfallen.


    "If you understand, go prepare to manage the creatures and get ready for training."


    At the administrator''s reprimand, the staff responded weakly.


    "Yes..."


    And so, the weary staff shuffled back to their positions.


    Khan and Mari also quietly stood up and joined the others, but...


    "Ah, wait. Khan and Mari, you two stay."


    It seemed they wouldn¡¯t be getting off that easily.


    The two of them flinched and turned their heads when their names were called.


    Mari, trying to feign ignorance, awkwardly smiled and pointed to herself.


    "Me, me?"


    "..."


    "Yes, you two."


    As they hesitantly stepped forward, the administrator sighed and rubbed his forehead, seemingly frustrated.


    "...I¡¯m not going to eat you. Juste over."


    "Yes, sir."


    When they lined up in front of him, Doran, who had been waiting behind them, brought something out.


    "Here, this is yours, Mari."


    The item the administrator handed over was a bow and arrows.


    The polished surface gleamed, and it was obvious at a nce that it wasn¡¯t ordinary.


    "It''s a posite bow'' made from various materials. With this, you can practice archery even during training."


    After receiving the bow and arrows, Mari, still stunned, asked in disbelief.


    "Uh... Is this really for me?"


    "Well, it''s not mine, is it?"


    She looked down at the bow in her hands.


    It was a high-quality bow, far better than anything she had ever touched before.


    "Khan, this is for you. It should be more useful than the longsword I gave you earlier."


    ncing to her side, Mari saw Khan holding a gleaming silver longsword with a look of overwhelming gratitude.


    "Thank you!"


    He was so emotional that tears and snot were streaming down his face.


    After handing the sword to Khan, the administrator nced around.


    "I don¡¯t see Yon''s party."


    In his hand were some pieces of armor that he hadn''t yet given out.


    The armor was simple, covering only the bare essentials.


    But...


    ''Wow...''


    Even Mari, who didn¡¯t know much about equipment, could tell.


    This was what the administrator and Doran had been meticulously crafting all this time.


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]

 Chapter 15: Proof of Worth (3)

    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    <strong>Chapter 15: Proof of Worth (3)</strong>


    Yon and the other employees were at the training ground.


    I handed them the armor.


    Yon, receiving the armor, asked cautiously.


    "Administrator... what is this?"


    "Your lifeline."


    I had put more effort into this than the weapons I gave to Marina Khan.


    On the outside, it looked like a sleeveless T-shirt.


    The design made you wonder if it could really protect their bodies properly, but...


    "Well, once you wear it, you''ll get a sense."


    "Do we just put this on?"


    "Yeah, it''s meant to be worn over your clothes."


    Yon and the employees immediately put on the armor I gave them.


    "...Got it."


    It looked strange worn over their clothes, but that''s how it was supposed to be.


    "Oh... this feels."


    "I can sense some unknown energy."


    Yon and the other employees, now d in armor, eximed in awe.


    ''Status window.''


    [Refined Triangr te Armor (D+) * 3]


    - Absorbs one fatal blow, but will be destroyed after.


    Creating three sets of D+ armor in apany that hadn¡¯t even been ranked yet was quite an achievement.


    But I wasn''t satisfied.


    ''They say human greed knows no bounds.''


    In an unrankedpany¡ªor even in a bronze or silver-tier one¡ªD+ was realistically the best armor I could provide to my employees.


    Considering the proof mission was one that usually started for gold-tierpanies.


    I wanted to give them B or B+ level armor, but...


    ''Is this really the best I can do for now?''


    I clicked my tongue inwardly.


    Even though I had done my best, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little regret.


    "You''ll be able to survive one fatal hit."


    The words, ¡®So don¡¯t give up,¡¯ were on the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed them down.


    Instead, I said:


    "Your mission is reconnaissance. Even if you run into someone outside, do not, under any circumstances, react."


    I reiterated the critical information they must not forget.


    "That''s all for the exnation. If there are no questions, gather at the main gate."


    "Yes!"


    After hearing their responses, I exited the training ground first.


    I then headed straight to the monument.


    ''An unrankedpany doesn''t have its own teleportation.''


    So, I had to input the coordinates provided by HQ myself.


    Woong-


    Out of the many interfaces in front of me, I selected ''Proof.''


    A massive minimap appeared in the air.


    [Teleport - Prove Yourselves! (Temporary)]


    - Party: Yon, V, Hyeok


    - Coordinates: 1447, 577


    - Type: Biological


    ''They¡¯ve already finished preparations.''


    This feature normally required apany to be at the gold tier to ess.


    I nced over at the main gate.


    Yon and the other two employees were gathered there.


    [7th rank Employees Yon, V, Hyeok have begun the proof mission.]


    The employees standing at the gate began to glow white.


    And then, they disappeared.


    They had started the proof.


    Once again, I turned my gaze to the minimap floating in the air.


    Three red dots had appeared on the minimap, where previously there had been nothing.


    Everything was ready now.


    ''...The only thing left is the cement test.''


    [Administrator''s Territory (Unranked)]


    [cement Conditions]


    - Possess 1,000 points.


    - Have 3 creatures in quarantine.


    - Construct training grounds and a smithy.


    - Achieve at least one aplishment.


    For that, I needed to capture creatures.


    The reason I was so fixated on thepany¡¯s rank was simple.


    As the rank increases, the Administrator unlocks more functions.


    ''And from Silver tier, I can use Recall.''


    [Recall]


    A one-time-use feature that allows the forced recall of an employee on a stage or external mission.


    Simply put, it¡¯s a function that forcibly calls an employee back to the waiting room in an emergency.


    ''There¡¯s no better insurance than this.''


    The waiting room''s features can restore everything as long as they don''t die.


    Recall was like an extra life.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t without drawbacks.


    Since it required you to recall an employee in danger immediately, you had to monitor their status constantly.


    ''Still, it''s better than not having it.''


    I swiped the minimap back to the initial screen.


    Just like in the tutorial, I tapped the swirling portalbeled "Dimensional Entry."


    [Administrator, please subdue the rampaging creatures beyond the dimension and quarantine them.]


    A blue vortex appeared in front of me.


    The number that floated up was 2.


    I could take only one person with me.


    ''....''


    I called out to the two employees who had been idly sitting in the waiting room for a while.


    "Khan, Mari."


    "Yes?"


    "Yes."


    Upon hearing their names, they quickly approached me.


    I pointed to the number disyed on the portal and asked,


    "Which one of you wants toe with me?"


    "I''ll go!"


    "I, I¡¯ll go too."


    Khan raised her hand energetically, while Mari awkwardly followed suit.


    Her expression clearly showed that she didn''t really want to go.


    ''Well, it was always going to be a rhetorical question anyway.''


    In stages like this, someone with detection skills was necessary with a very small team.


    Mari¡¯s skills were Focus and Intermediate Archery.


    While useful inbat, she was not suitable for this mission.


    On the other hand, Khan¡¯s skills were Basic Swordsmanship and Sixth Sense.


    Swordsmanship was versatile.


    And with her Sixth Sense, which was top-tier for detection...


    I smiled as I made the decision.


    "Khan, you¡¯lle with me."


    Mari reacted to this with a small cheer.


    "Yes! Awesome!"


    She pumped her fist in celebration.


    And then, awkwardly smiled.


    "¡­Or not. Haha."


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    I patted Mari on the shoulder.


    Since Mari was next in line after me and Khan, she would have to work hard.


    "Don¡¯t get too excited. You¡¯ll need to manage [Kobold Raid] and [Kobold Warlord] until we return."


    I immediately set the permissions for [Kobold Raid] and [Kobold Warlord].


    [Granting temporary management rights for Kobold Raid and Kobold Warlord to Employee Mari, Rank 7.]


    ¡®ept.¡¯


    [Management rights sessfully granted to Employee Mari, Rank 7.]


    "I¡¯ve just set the permissions. You¡¯ll need to collect at least 1,000 points, so work hard."


    "Wha-? Huh?!"


    Leaving the dumbfounded Mari behind, I entrusted myself to the swirling vortex that enveloped my whole body.


    As I jumped into the vortex first, Khan immediately followed behind me.


    * * *


    A blue sh engulfed my vision, causing me to close my eyes.


    Soon after, I felt the air change.


    ''¡­It''s quiet.''


    I opened my eyes.


    What I saw was a copsed temple and a forest.


    I slowly surveyed my surroundings.


    Massive stone pirsy scattered about.


    The light filtering through the rtively intact pirs illuminated the remains of a colossal metal statue.


    The sacred patterns engraved on the statue had rusted as though forgotten by time.


    [(Kobold Temple) ¨C Identify the cause of the strange phenomenon and iste it!]


    The ruined temple gave off an eerie atmosphere.


    Khan, examining the temple, quietly spoke.


    "This ce¡­ no, it can''t be¡­?"


    He seemed to recognize something, checking and rechecking the surroundings.


    "Khan, do you know something?"


    "¡­Yes. It appears this is the temple of the Goddess of Abundance, Leune."


    The Goddess of Abundance, Leune.


    I didn¡¯t know the details, but I vaguely remembered her.


    Since I usually skipped the game¡¯s story, she was likely one of the three major deities governing the world.


    However, I could tell something was off despite skipping the game''s story.


    "So this was originally Leune''s temple?"


    Khan nodded at my question.


    Which made it all the stranger.


    From what I remembered¡­


    "But why is it in the middle of a forest?"


    The temples of the three major deities were usually located in cities or viges.


    "¡­That¡¯s what¡¯s puzzling. This is indeed the temple of the Goddess Leune, but something is off."


    Something was strange.


    Even Khan felt that this temple was unusual.


    "¡­For now, let¡¯s gather some intel, or find anything suspicious. Let¡¯s split up and search."


    Khan and I immediately scattered.


    I activated my skill.


    [Sixth Sense (LV. 2)]


    ¡®This stage involves objects.¡¯


    The reason I coulde to this conclusion was simple.


    Since entering the stage, nothing had happened so far.


    Which meant¡­


    A creature that would trigger an event was lying dormant.


    ¡®The field for this stage is definitely this temple.¡¯


    I reached a pir and extended my hand toward the outside of the temple.


    As expected.


    A transparent barrier blocked my hand from extending further.


    "Administrator! I think I found something!"


    Khan¡¯s urgent voice caused me to move immediately.


    "Administrator, over here!"


    Khan was examining the ground.


    As I approached, I saw a massive door.


    A door leading underground.


    I clicked my tongue at the sight.


    ''Hiding it like this, good thing I brought Khan.''


    The door was covered in moss and branches stretching out from the forest.


    It would have been nearly impossible to find without a detection ability like Sixth Sense.


    "Khan, get ready."


    I raised the sword strapped to my waist.


    [Well-Forged Longsword (D)]


    - A well-sharpened longsword capable of channeling aura.


    Without a word, we simultaneously cut through the branches entwining the door.


    - Thud.


    Dust fell as the door opened.


    Beyond the door, stairs led underground.


    "We¡¯re going in."


    Thanks to the torches lit on both sides of the stairs, it wasn''t as dark as expected.


    After descending for a while, a long, straight passage came into view.


    "Administrator, look."


    Khan pointed to something at the end of the passage.


    At the end was a room, and beyond the open door, something resembling a book could be seen.


    Khan and I approached as quietly as possible.


    There were no signs of life.


    ¡­


    Khan and I exchanged silent nods before entering the room.


    We entered in one swift motion, but the room was empty.


    There were no traps either.


    "Is this it¡­?"


    I rxed and scanned the surroundings.


    Apart from a stone tablet in the center of the room, there was nothing.


    There was another door deeper inside, but it didn¡¯t seem to open.


    "¡­I can¡¯t read what¡¯s written here."


    As Khan said, the writing on the stone tablet was indecipherable, no matter how hard we looked.


    It was too crude to be called letters, more like meaningless scribbles.


    "It seems we¡¯ll need to solve the mystery of this room."


    Indeed, Sixth Sense was telling me that Khan''s approach was the right one.


    However¡­


    ¡®I feel like something should be here.¡¯


    My gamer¡¯s instincts screamed danger.


    ¡®Creatures of this type usuallye with traps¡­¡¯


    There was a sense of disconnect between viewing the scene on a screen and experiencing it in real life.


    "There¡¯s something about this tablet."


    Khan touched the stone tablet.


    At that moment, the ground began to shake, emitting a powerful resonance.


    "What the¡­"


    The intense tremors caused Khan to fall over.


    I had already crouched down, avoiding the same fate.


    When the quake ceased, a familiar hologram appeared above the stone tablet.


    [Warning!]


    [Kobold Tablet]


    [09:59]


    [Survive or decode the text.]


    At the same time.


    An ear-piercing shriek echoed from above.


    Keeeeeek!


    Kyaaaaak!


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]

 Chapter 16: Proof of Worth (4)

    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    Chapter 16: Proof of Worth (4)


    [Warning!]


    [09:59]


    [Survive or interpret the contents written in the book.]


    Kekekekekek!


    Kieeeek!


    It was a group of kobolds.


    I could tell without even looking.


    The strange cries unique to kobolds.


    The smell of rusty iron and the faint vibration felt just above us.


    "......Administrator, this is."


    Khan also seemed to have caught on to the current situation.


    I lightly nodded, affirming Khan''s thoughts.


    Considering the previous stage''s connection and the timer on the stone tablet, there was only one answer.


    ¡®Kobold Wave.¡¯


    There were about 9 minutes and 30 seconds left.


    ¡®I don''t know when those kobolds will find this ce, but......¡¯


    It wouldn''t take long for them to find us.


    ¡®We won¡¯t be able to avoid battle.¡¯


    One small relief was that the narrow passage would make it hard for them to capitalize on their numerical advantage.


    But there was a problem...


    My gaze naturally drifted towards the passage we hade through.


    It was shrouded in darkness.


    All the torches, except the ones in the stone tablet room, had gone out.


    ¡®Even with the geographic advantage......¡¯


    In this cramped room.


    In pitch darkness where you couldn¡¯t see an inch ahead.


    Holding off waves of kobolds would be virtually impossible.


    Sensing this with his instincts, Khan had a look of clear anxiety on his face.


    [7th-rank employee ¡®Khan¡¯ is nervous.]


    Khan gripped his weapon, keeping a sharp eye on the entrance.


    "Calm down. The situation hasn''t escted yet. Stayposed."


    I reassured the anxious Khan.


    [The mental fortitude of the employee under the influence of ¡®Foundation''s Star¡¯ has significantly increased, providing resistance to mental conditions.]


    There was no need to panic over a situation that hadn''t yet urred.


    [7th-rank employee ¡®Khan¡¯ has regained hisposure.]


    The training we had done wasn¡¯t in vain.


    Khan rather quickly regained his senses.


    ¡®The first victory condition is to survive for 10 minutes.¡¯


    The second is to interpret the stone tablet.


    ¡®Though it''s called interpretation......¡¯


    Essentially, it¡¯s a stage that can¡¯t be cleared without an employee skilled in archaeology.


    For a moment, I considered borrowing [Strong Body] through resonance to hold out, but I quickly shook my head.


    ¡®That¡¯s not the answer.¡¯


    The duration of resonance is 1 minute.


    Even if I gained a near-invincible body through [Strong Body] for 1 minute, the remaining time would be an issue.


    We¡¯d both eventually tire from the relentless kobold wave.


    However, it didn¡¯t mean that death was certain.


    ¡®What I thought was trash...¡¯


    I immediately approached the stone tablet.


    [Resonance (LV1)]


    - You can borrow a skill from a collected creature for 1 minute.


    [¡®Beastfolk Language¡¯ is activated for 1 minute.]


    - You can now understand thenguage of kobolds.


    ¡®Who would''ve thought it woulde back like this.¡¯


    No matter how impossible something seems, there''s always a solution if you look closely enough.


    [Interpretation begins.]


    [Interpretation 5%plete¡­¡­.]


    The strange drawings were gradually taking on a readable form.


    ¡®It¡¯s working!¡¯


    As the drawings began to morph into letters.


    Saaaaak!


    A sound of something slicing through the wind came from beyond the darkness.


    And the moment I noticed it.


    Pak!


    Something flew and embedded itself in the stone tablet.


    It was an arrow.


    ¡®¡­¡­They¡¯ve already found us?¡¯


    The kobolds were attacking faster than I had anticipated.


    The drawings still needed more time to take shape.


    "Khan! Block the entrance!"


    No matter how much of an order it was from the administrator, the fear of the darkness swallowing him whole was beyond imagination.


    However, Khan overcame his fear and stood alone to block the entrance.


    ¡°Yes, Administrator!¡±


    Standing inplete darkness, with arrows flying towards him.


    Facing that terror head-on without being able to see an inch ahead.


    It was not something that could be done without tremendous courage.


    ¡®He¡¯s really grown.¡¯


    I was briefly impressed by Khan¡¯s growth.


    Saaaak!


    Ting!


    Another arrow flew, and Khan deflected it.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright! Please focus on what you¡¯re doing, Administrator!¡±


    Deflecting arrows in total darkness, never knowing when the next woulde.


    Normally impossible, but...


    Khan¡¯s sixth sense pulled off this seemingly impossible feat.


    Kieeeek!


    Kieek!


    [Kobold LV. 1 * 2]


    Two more kobolds rushed in, but they were no match for Khan, a 7th-rank employee armed with a D-rank weapon.


    Swish-


    Khan easily shed the kobolds emerging from the darkness.


    Unfortunately, the dead kobolds¡¯ bodies soon disappeared.


    So much for the idea of building a barricade out of them.


    However.


    ¡®We can hold out.¡¯


    Seeing Khan¡¯s performance, I nced again at the stone tablet.


    [Interpretation 30%plete.]


    Even with his sixth sense, dealing with the relentless wave of green creatures was a whole different matter.


    ¡®Khan seems to be managing for now¡­¡­.¡¯


    If time continues to pass like this, we should be able to...


    [Sixth Sense LV. 2]


    Suddenly, I felt a chill down my spine.


    And then.


    Bang!


    The tightly closed door suddenly swung open.


    Kieeeek.


    A kobold burst through, aiming a crossbow at Khan¡¯s exposed back.


    [Basic Swordsmanship LV. 3]


    Following the white line, my body moved instinctively, faster than my rational mind.


    Following the white line, my body moved instinctively, faster than reason.


    sh-


    I simultaneously cut down a kobold and its crossbow.


    ¡°Kieeek!¡±


    ¡°Kwiek!¡±


    As soon as I took down the crossbow-wielding kobold, three more kobolds jumped out of the darkness.


    [Sixth Sense LV. 2]


    [Basic Swordsmanship LV. 3]


    sh. sh. sh.


    ¡®If even one spot is breached, it''ll all fall apart!¡¯


    There was no escape.


    Either I die here.


    Or I break out.


    I desperately cut down the kobolds leaping from the darkness.


    However.


    ¡°Urgh.¡±


    At the sudden groan, I turned my gaze.


    I saw Khan kneeling, clutching one knee with both arms.


    It seemed a kobold had shed his leg.


    [Decoding in Progress 49%]


    The rising percentage had never felt this heavy before.


    ¡®Hurry.¡¯


    Though a valuable employee was injured before my eyes, I couldn¡¯t leave the door.


    ¡®Leaving it would mean almost certain death.¡¯


    My Sixth Sense was warning me of that.


    That if I missed this chance, there wouldn¡¯t be another.


    ¡®But...¡¯


    ¡°Kieeeek.¡±


    More kobolds surged out of the darkness.


    Given their nature of targeting the weak, there was no way they¡¯d miss an opportunity like this.


    Thud. Thud.


    Two arrows flew and struck Khan''s body.


    ¡°Gahhhhh!¡±


    He screamed.


    But that was all it was¡ªjust a scream.


    Khan was still guarding the entrance of the room.


    ¡®Damn it!¡¯


    ...If I abandoned the advantageous fighting position in the narrow doorway, I could go save Khan.


    But then the kobolds would flood into the room, and it would be a hellish battle.


    On the other hand.


    [Decoding in Progress 67%]


    ¡®If I abandon Khan, I can survive for sure.¡¯


    ...But is it right to keep burdening an injured employee?


    ¡®Get it together! You¡¯re on page one, the number one ranking. And you can¡¯t even properly save a single employee?¡¯


    Absolutely not.


    [Time Remaining: 07:32]


    It wasn¡¯t toote yet.


    After cutting down the charging kobold, I pped my left cheek.


    Then I bit my lower lip.


    Leaving the kobolds at the door behind, I sprinted toward Khan.


    ¡°Kieeek.¡±


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    A kobold raised its weapon toward Khan.


    Slice!


    I swung my sword and beheaded the kobold.


    [Decoding in Progress 85%]


    ¡®Just a bit more!¡¯


    I forcibly lifted Khan, who was limping.


    Then.


    ¡°Kwieeek.¡±


    I swung my sword widely, cutting down the kobold that had followed us.


    ¡°Stand. We''re moving to the corner.¡±


    Supporting Khan, I helped him move to the corner of the room.


    ¡°Huff, huff...¡±


    I ced the gasping Khan down in the corner.


    [Kobold LV. 1 * 7]


    I faced the kobold pack that had now filled the room.


    [Decoding in Progress 90%]


    One kobold rushed toward Khan.


    ¡°Kiek!¡±


    Smack!


    I immediately thrust out my right arm, knocking the careless kobold''s jaw.


    ¡°Your opponent is me.¡±


    ¡°Administrator...¡±


    I could feel Khan''s worried gaze.


    And for good reason.


    In the brief moment I punched the kobold, the room had be filled with them.


    Though the situation seemed hopeless,


    So what? Let¡¯s give it a shot.


    ¡°Come on.¡±


    Did they understand my words?


    Triggered by my taunt, the mass of kobolds rushed at me.


    [Decoding in Progress 95%]


    ¡°Kieeeek.¡±


    I stabbed the lead kobold.


    That was it.


    Another kobold following close behind shed my arm.


    [Decoding in Progress 96%]


    Smash!


    A kobold¡¯s club from right beside me rocked my head.


    ¡°Administrator!¡±


    I heard Khan¡¯s desperate scream, but even that was drowned out by the kobolds¡¯ howling.


    [Decoding in Progress 97%]


    ¡®If I had used Strong Body, I wouldn¡¯t even feel this pain.¡¯


    But I didn¡¯t.


    Instead, I clenched my fist and swung at the kobold in front of me.


    ¡°Kieeek.¡±


    [Decoding in Progress 98%]


    By now, I had long lost all sensation.


    Normally, the pain would have made it impossible to stay standing, but sheer willpower held me together.


    [Decoding in Progress 99%]


    ¡®If I give up on decoding, that¡¯s really the end.¡¯


    Knowing this,


    I endured all the pain with nothing but willpower.


    [Decoding Complete.]


    After what felt like an eternity, the unreadable image became a decipherable word.


    With great effort, I forced that word out of my mouth.


    ¡°Bi-O Quesar.¡±


    Kobolds, return.


    [Stage Clear. (+25 points)]


    [(Kobold Tablet) will be recorded in thepany¡¯s archive.]


    [The Foundation''s Star absorbs knowledge about the creature. You have acquired ¡®Summon Kobold.¡¯]


    [7th-rank employee ¡®Shin Seongjin¡¯ ovees the trial and grows!]


    [7th-rank employee ¡®Khan¡¯ ovees the trial and grows!]


    [All stats have increased by 1.]


    Along with a cheerful alert, a blue sh engulfed the space we were in.


    We were back in the waiting room when I opened my eyes again.


    I immediately sat up and examined my body.


    There wasn''t a single scratch left anywhere.


    Even the excruciating pain I had felt just moments ago had vanished.


    "Impressive performance."


    I shed a wry smile for a brief moment.


    [You have unimed rewards. Please check them now.]


    I nced around and found Khan.


    Khan was lying on the waiting room floor, catching his breath.


    Fortunately, the arrows that had pierced his body were gone, and the wounds on his leg had healed.


    After confirming Khan''s condition, I turned my attention to the mailbox.


    The number 9 appeared on the mailbox.


    It seemed too many to be rewards for just clearing a stage.


    ¡®¡­Don¡¯t tell me.¡¯


    Even though it was just the waiting room, a chilling sensation washed over me.


    I carefully opened the mailbox.


    [You now possess 3 or more creatures.]


    [cement Exam (Achievement Unlocked)]


    - Work efficiency increases. (Increased points acquisition.)


    It was a message about unlocking an achievement.


    The increase in points meant that thepany''s avable funds had grown.


    However, I quickly moved past that message.


    ¡®This isn''t important right now¡­¡¯


    [Summon Kobold]


    - Summon 1 kobold once per day.


    - Maximum summonable: 1 kobold.


    This was the skill I had just acquired.


    ¡®This is something I¡¯ll need to experiment withter.¡¯


    The fact that I could summon a kobold was promising.


    Moreover, with the beastmannguage skill I already had¡­


    ¡®I could potentially use the kobold to gather information.¡¯


    The possibilities were endless.


    ¡®This is a useful ability for once.¡¯


    The only downside was the limited number of summons.


    ¡®Maybe if I raise my affinity level, I can change that¡­¡¯


    Honestly, I still wasn¡¯t sure how to raise my affinity level.


    ¡®I have a lot to figure out once I have some breathing room.¡¯


    For now, I decided to focus on thepany¡¯s work.


    As I scrolled through the messages, I noticed something.


    [7th-level employee ¡®V¡¯ has fainted.]


    [7th-level employee ¡®Hyuk¡¯ has fainted.]


    [7th-level employee ¡®Yon¡¯ is injured¡­]


    The situation I had been dreading had arrived.


    ¡®They¡¯ve already encountered trouble¡­?¡¯


    The one saving grace was that no one had died yet.


    ¡®There¡¯s no time to becent.¡¯


    Just because I had survived didn¡¯t mean it was over.


    I immediately sought out the monument and activated the administrator authority.


    [Administrator Area (Unranked)]


    [cement Conditions]


    - 1,000 avable points.


    - 3 creatures in istion.


    - Training ground and forge construction.


    - Achieve at least 1 aplishment.


    [Would you like to proceed with the cement exam?]


    With the recent istion, thepany now had 3 creatures in its possession.


    On top of that, thanks to employees like Mari diligently managing the creatures, our points were nearing 1,500.


    All the conditions to proceed with the cement exam were met.


    ¡®The higher the rank, the more administrator privileges I get.¡¯


    The highest rank one can receive in a cement exam is Silver.


    Thepany''s rank is determined by the quality of its employees, the number of creatures, the evaluation from the headquarters, and the executor''s judgment.


    ¡®The [Recall] authority starts at Silver.¡¯


    [Recall]


    This function allows you to forcibly recall employees who are on a stage or external mission. It can be used only once.


    No matter what, I had to secure the Silver rank right away.


    I pressed the button in front of me.


    [The cement process begins.]


    A red whirlwind started swirling around the tablet.


    - Whoooosh.


    At the center of the vortex, letters began to carve themselves into the top of the tablet.


    [Administrator Domain (Unranked)]


    - Company rank: Unranked


    - Administrator: Shin Seongjin


    [Creature Management]


    - Current creatures under management: 3.


    - Company points: 12 (unable to measure)


    [Employee Summoning and Management]


    - Current employee count: 11.


    - 7th-rank (8), 8th-rank (3), 9th-rank (0)¡­


    [Company Evaluation]


    - S.


    [Executor¡¯s Evaluation]


    - S.


    Whooosh.


    The vortex subsided.


    And then.


    With a loud bang, a silver curtain appeared before my eyes.


    [Congrattions.]


    [You have been assigned to Silver.]


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]

 Chapter 17: Proving Worth (5)

    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    Chapter 17: Proving Worth (5)


    The sun hung high in the sky.


    ¡°¡­Are we supposed to face that?¡±


    V muttered as he leaned against a tree and looked down the cliff.


    Just watching from a distance sent two of the employees into panic.


    Yon, feeling cold sweat running down his back, spoke to V and Hyeok.


    ¡°¡­We¡¯re not here to fight. Our goal is to gather information. So, there¡¯s no need to be that tense.¡±


    He nced down the cliff.


    A strange boundary where the desert met thend.


    In the vast open space stood a man, and scattered around him were corpses reduced to ashes.


    It wasn¡¯t hard to figure out who had caused the carnage.


    The man walking alone among the ashes.


    He was burning.


    ¡®How can a person be so nonchnt¡­?¡¯


    That man must be the creature the administrator mentioned.


    ¡®Our top priority is survival.¡¯


    The second priority was to gather as much information as possible.


    The most important thing to achieve both was to avoid being noticed.


    Yon recalled what the administrator had told him.


    ¨C They won¡¯t care about you unless you make them aware of your presence. You can¡¯t even touch them, so no matter what happens, do not react. Got it?


    Do not react in any way.


    The administrator had repeatedly emphasized this.


    ¡°Under no circumstances should we react to him. Got it?¡±


    Yon had repeated the same warning so many times that V looked fed up.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already said that 20 times. We¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°¡­We should have enough information by now.¡±


    They had gathered information, holding their breath around the burning man until almost noon.


    Yon smiled in satisfaction, having filled an entire sheet of paper with data.


    At that moment¡ª


    Whoosh.


    ¡°There you are.¡±


    An eerie voice apanied the sensation that the mes around the man were ring even higher.


    Whoosh.


    The man¡¯s body disappeared along with the mes.


    Immediately after¡ª


    Whoosh!


    As the heat intensified, a terrifying aura apanied the sight of the burning man appearing right in front of them.


    ¡°ept the pain¡­¡±


    With the man¡¯s anguished howl, the surrounding mes surged once again.


    The fire burned even more fiercely than before, and the very air around them felt scorching.


    ¡°What?!¡±


    V gasped in shock and covered his mouth with both hands, but it was toote.


    The burning man turned to look at Yon¡¯s group, raising both arms.


    mes began to gather in his hands.


    And then¡ª


    As the mes in his hands took clearer form, the burning man¡¯s eyes shone with a terrifying light.


    ¡°Damn it! Everyone, run¡­¡±


    At the same time as Yon¡¯s frantic shout, mes shot from the burning man¡¯s hands.


    The mes cut through the air, speeding towards the group.


    ¡°Dodge!¡±


    ¡°Aagh!¡±


    Hyeok, unable to dodge in time, was hit by the fireball and thrown beyond the bushes.


    But the burning man didn¡¯t stop, releasing even more intense energy.


    ¡°ept the pain¡­¡±


    The burning man spread his arms again, as if preparing to embrace them.


    mes erupted from his entire body.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°V!¡±


    V was engulfed in the mes unleashed by the burning man.


    The fire spread in all directions.


    The forest began to burn.


    In an instant, two of them had been taken down.


    ¡°ept the pain¡­¡±


    Once more, the burning man spread his arms as even more intense heat gathered around his body.


    The gathered heat soon formed a massive sphere.


    It was a gigantic sun.


    Yon felt a sense of helplessness.


    A merciless sun that seemed as if it would incinerate everything on the ground shot toward them.


    Yon squeezed his eyes shut in the face of the oing death.


    ¡®¡­¡¯


    But no matter how long he waited, death didn¡¯te.


    In fact, he no longer even felt the searing heat that should have burned his entire body.


    ¡®Did I die instantly?¡¯


    Or perhaps this was the afterlife.


    Slowly, Yon opened his eyes.


    And then he blinked at the figure standing before him.


    ¡°You¡¯vee to your senses?¡±


    A familiar voice and presence.


    At the same time, a sense of calm washed over him.


    The man standing before him was someone Yon knew very well.


    ¡°¡­Administrator?¡±


    The person standing in front of Yon was Shin Seongjin.


    With his arms crossed, he silently waited for Yon to speak.


    ¡°¡­What about the others?¡±


    ¡°Look beside you.¡±


    At his words, Yon looked around and saw V and Hyeok, who had gone on the reconnaissance mission with him, lying unconscious.


    Yon fought to control his surging emotions.


    ¡®I failed to follow the administrator¡¯s rules fully¡­¡¯


    But he was alive.


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright. So, how was it?¡±


    The response was cold.


    But Yon knew.


    There was no need to say more.


    The rest would be unnecessary embellishments.


    What direction is the Administrator pursuing?


    ¡®Probably, he¡¯s prioritizing thepany''s operations above all else.¡¯


    That would be of greater help in protecting the world, after all.


    Yon''s joy and gratitude for surviving were set aside for the moment.


    The fact that they narrowly escaped death might have been for the purpose of obtaining information.


    However, even so, the Administrator wouldn¡¯t abandon them.


    Yon knew this deep down, which is why he wasn¡¯t discouraged by the Administrator¡¯s stern attitude.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll make my report.¡±


    Yon immediately sat up straight.


    * * *


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s all I saw.¡±


    After listening to Yon''s entire story, I fell silent.


    ¡®This is unexpected.¡¯


    It was nothing special.


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    Yon and the others arrived at the coordinates earlier than anticipated.


    As expected, there was a creature-like life form there.


    ¡°¡­So, you¡¯re saying there was a man engulfed in mes who was shooting fire everywhere?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±


    A man whose entire body was on fire.


    It was clearly a creature.


    And a biological one, at that.


    ¡®So far, no problem.¡¯


    It was as expected. The issuey in what came next.


    Yon said he saw a confrontation between the ming man and an unspecified group of people.


    Naturally, the threat extended to Yon and his group, so the oue was predictable, but¡­


    ¡°So, those people were quickly defeated by the creature?¡±


    ¡°Yes. As noon approached, the mes surrounding the burning man intensified, and he swiftly overpowered the 30 people who were confronting him. We were discovered shortly afterward.¡±


    ording to Yon''s description, this creature was at least a 7th-rank one.


    Perhaps even higher.


    Moreover, if 30 people were mobilized to deal with one creature, then the scale was different.


    I frowned at a possibility.


    ¡®¡­Was this an official hunt?¡¯


    Proof is a content avable to Gold-rankedpanies.


    However, there are asional instances where creatures grow if the proof fails.


    ¡°Damn. Yoo has passed on something troublesome.¡±


    In such cases, an official extermination order would be issued from the headquarters.


    Naturally, if anotherpany dealt with the creature, it would fail to be proven.


    In simple terms, it meant apetitor had emerged.


    I nced at the monument.


    The hologram was still floating there.


    [Assigned Points: 500]


    [Proof of Value: 0/1]


    [Time Remaining: 83 hours 59 minutes]


    About three and a half days remained.


    Originally, that would have been enough time, but¡­ the situation had changed.


    ¡°Everyone, prepare yourselves. The time may be tighter than expected.¡±


    I immediately called for the staff.


    Before long, Khan, who had recovered, cautiously approached and asked,


    ¡°Is it okay to set off right away without any preparation?¡±


    I knew what Khan was concerned about.


    He was worried about acting too rashly against an opponent that had easily overpowered dozens of people.


    I patted Khan¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Even if the creature¡¯s rank was high, it wasn¡¯t a problem.


    The creature was only at a Gold level.


    If it were truly a serious issue, the headquarters would have intervened directly.


    ¡®Or they would have issued a formal notice to the majorpanies through the enforcers.¡¯


    They wouldn¡¯t mess around with a formal notice, no matter how reckless Yoo might be.


    This meant it was still something a Gold-levelpany could handle.


    ¡®Of course, we¡¯ll only know for sure once we see it¡­¡¯


    It might turn out to be easier than expected.


    ¡°The real estimate can only be made once we see it, but we can handle it.¡±


    Hearing my confident tone, Khan nodded.


    ¡°Yes, understood. Shall I gather all the staff right away?¡±


    At his words, I shook my head.


    Realistically, the only staff capable of handling a 7th-rank creature would be Khan, Yon, and Mari.


    Bringing more people would only slow us down.


    I pointed out the members one by one with my finger.


    ¡°You, Yon, Mari, and I¡ªjust the four of us will go.¡±


    My finger finally pointed to Mari.


    She flinched and pointed to herself.


    ¡°Me too?¡±


    ¡°Of course. If we¡¯re bringing Yon, who just returned, why wouldn¡¯t youe? You¡¯ve been resting all this time.¡±


    In anypany, the most capable employees are the ones who get worked the hardest.


    Mari didn¡¯t seem too pleased, but what could she do?


    When a superior gives an order, you follow it.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ fine. I¡¯ll go.¡±


    I nced over and saw that Yon and Khan were already ready, waiting for Mari and me.


    ¡®Efficient as ever.¡¯


    Perhaps this is why Administrators tend to work their mostpetent employees even harder.


    ¡°Ugh, what¡¯s going on? Am I alive¡­?¡±


    ¡°Ugh, how long were we unconscious?¡±


    At the perfect timing, V and Hyeok regained consciousness.


    ¡°Great timing. I have a request for you two.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes¡­?¡±


    I patted their shoulders.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be stepping out for some external work, so take care of thepany while we¡¯re gone.¡±


    I handed over the management of [Kobold Raid] and [Kobold Warlord] to V and Hyeok, who had assisted Yon.


    They would quickly figure out what to do.


    ¡°Alright, shall we go then?¡±


    But first¡ª


    ¡°What about the armor?¡±


    Turning my head, I saw Doran with a weary face, holding a set of familiar-looking armor in her hands.


    In her hands was armor that seemed all too familiar.


    "Ugh... Do you even know how many days I''ve been working overtime?"


    She grumbled and handed over the armor she was holding.


    "I rushed it because you said it was urgent."


    [Refined Triangr te Armor (D+) * 4]


    - Absorbs a single fatal hit but will be destroyed afterward.


    "Oh, and this too."


    Doran took the bow and arrows strapped to her waist and handed them to me.


    [Refined Bow and Arrows (D)]


    - A bow and arrows imbued with the spirit of a master craftsman. Each shot is strong enough to pierce through even rock.


    "I''ve delivered everything you asked for. Now I''m really going to rest. Even if there''s more work, I''m taking a break. Four nights of staying up is just too much!"


    Mumbling like that, Doran staggered off toward the dormitory.


    Considering she hadn¡¯t slept a wink since transferring here, it was probably her fourth sleepless day by now.


    "Make sure to take one each."


    I handed out the triangr te armors, except for the bow and arrows, to the staff.


    Mari and Khan grabbed the armors with tense expressions.


    "...You guys seem nervous?"


    As I casually asked, both Mari and Khan nodded simultaneously.


    ¡®It¡¯s only natural to be nervous.¡¯


    Except for Yon, none of them had ever gone outside before.


    I looked up at the grand front gate.


    I hadn¡¯t really noticed it when viewing it on my mobile screen, but seeing it like this brought back memories.


    ¡®This gate didn¡¯t open without my permission, did it?¡¯


    It should be fine, right?


    It probably would be fine.


    As long as they followed the basic rules carefully...


    ¡®The real danger starts from Diamond tier anyway.¡¯


    So, for now, it should be okay.


    I slowly approached the gate.


    Swoosh¡ª


    Countless interfaces popped up in front of me.


    I selected "Proof" from them.


    Arge minimap then appeared in front of the gate.


    [Teleport - Prove Yourself! (Temporary)]


    - Party: Shin Seongjin, Khan, Mari, Yon


    - Coordinates: 1447, 577


    - Type: Biological


    When I opened the gate, the scenery before me was a vast green meadow.


    ¡®So this is how it¡¯s going to be, huh.¡¯


    [Warning!]


    - You are not Gold tier. You are under thepany¡¯s protection.


    An opaque barrier surrounding thepany premises was visible.


    "Eek!"


    Mari gasped, covering her mouth in shock.


    She had made eye contact with a creature beyond the transparent barrier.


    There were legless humans, giant spiders, and enormous flying birds.


    Each one of them was a creature roughly equivalent to rank 5.


    Thankfully, though, they hadn¡¯t noticed us at all.


    ¡®Those things are dangerous, yes...¡¯


    But what''s even more dangerous are the employees from otherpanies, or to be exact, those from PK-specializedpanies.


    ¡®If we run into them by mistake, we could be in real danger.¡¯


    I subtly turned my head to check on the staff.


    Mari and Khan were tense, their eyes glued to the creatures beyond the barrier.


    Yon was following behind me with his eyes closed.


    ¡®...I don¡¯t really need to tell them about this yet.¡¯


    To ease their tension, I called out to Yon.


    ¡°Yon, do you remember the rules I told you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the most important thing to be cautious about?¡±


    ¡°We must not make them aware of our presence.¡±


    ¡°Correct. As long as you follow the rules I gave, nothing will happen.¡±


    Probably.


    Swallowing myst words, I moved forward and ced my hand on the transparent barrier.


    Beep¡ª


    [Authorization granted by Executor Yoo.]


    The transparent barrier was soon lifted, and an arrow appeared above, pointing the way.


    Now that the barrier was down, it was like we were truly putting our lives on the line.


    ¡®The arrows only show the shortest route to the destination, right?¡¯


    Of course, it ignored any obstacles in the way, so it wasn¡¯t a very reliable function.


    I shrugged.


    ¡°Yon, take the lead.¡±


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]

 Chapter 18: Proof of Worth (6)

    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    Chapter 18: Proof of Worth (6)


    A day.


    That was the time it took to walk to the designated coordinates.


    "You got here pretty quickly."


    Even considering that Mari''s reins hade loose once on the way, it was still an impressive pace to reach the destination.


    It would have been impossible without Yon¡¯s thorough knowledge of the terrain.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t as if the walk had been entirely without gain.


    "I wanted to eat more chicken skewers..."


    Mari, who had been thinking about the chicken skewers from the vige they passed through, grumbled as she followed behind.


    [Would you like to convert your points?]


    ¡®Yes.¡¯


    [Converted 100 points]


    As the points were converted, the sound of jingling coins apanied a silver coinnding in my hand.


    I handed the coin to Mari.


    "Buy some on the way back."


    "Thank you!"


    With rewards in hand, the employees would surely work harder.


    Of course, that was just a side benefit.


    The most significant gain was this:


    [Would you like to use ¡®Recall¡¯?]


    I wasn¡¯t going to use it right away, but the fact that I could use certainpany functions even outside the office was a huge find.


    ¡®If pushes to shove, I can use this to escape.¡¯


    An exit strategy was secured.


    As long as I didn¡¯t die.


    And so, we continued walking for a while.


    "We¡¯re here."


    The party stopped in response to Yon¡¯s signal.


    "There should be a creature beyond this hill."


    In the direction Yon pointed, there was a steep incline, almost too high to be called a hill.


    ¡®...When am I going to climb that?¡¯


    I sighed as I looked at the slope.


    [Sixth Sense LV. 2]


    A chilling sensation washed over my body.


    I nced over to see Khan also reacting, his nerves on edge as he began to scan the surroundings.


    At that moment, a massive pir of fire shot up from beyond the hill.


    BOOOOOM!


    As the mes surged, the wind swept violently from behind.


    Though sudden, the most important thing in moments like this is the ability to grasp the situation.


    "Run!"


    I led the employees and charged up the hill.


    And then¡ª


    "Aaaaah!"


    "Water! Water magic, quickly!"


    "Over there! It''s on fire! Put it out!"


    Hell had broken loose.


    mes were everywhere, and people were screaming in panic.


    I frowned at the scene.


    "They¡¯ve already regrouped and started the hunt?"


    ording to Yon, there had already been a hunt the day before.


    But for them to have already assembled anotherrge-scale hunting party...


    ¡®Damn it. It¡¯s not just an ordinary hunt but a joint one.


    A dryugh escaped me.


    A joint hunt.


    It¡¯s exactly as it sounds.


    Instead of just onepany taking responsibility, all the nearbypanies join forces to capture the creature.


    ¡®That crazy bastard...¡¯


    The reason I was rushing and getting so worked up was clear.


    ¡®Am I just afraid anotherpany will steal the creature?¡¯


    No.


    It¡¯s not that simple.


    ¡®I can see about 20 rank 7 employees and 40 rank 8 employees at a nce.¡¯


    There were already more than 20 casualties.


    As for the creature, it was even worse.


    The sight of a man, burning more intensely than Yon had described, came into view.


    The creature affected its surroundings by moving, indicating that it had already reached rank 6.


    ¡®Just how much has it devoured?¡¯


    Creatures grow.


    Whatever the trigger, creatures grow as long as they have a reason to.


    "Pour more water on it! It¡¯s bound to tire! Keep iting!"


    The person who seemed to be themander was shouting from below the hill.


    At hismand, employees with water-rted skills began pouring water over the creature.


    But it was a pointless effort.


    Creatures aren¡¯t something you can defeat with sheer force alone.


    ¡®Even if you could defeat a creature with brute strength, not with this force.¡¯


    A rank 6 creature can¡¯t be subdued by rank 7 or 8 employees alone.


    ¡®But that doesn¡¯t mean there¡¯s no way.¡¯


    The difference in rank is overwhelming.


    However, the right strategy can offset that difference.


    What¡¯s needed now is to understand the creature¡¯s characteristics.


    "Embrace... the pain..."


    The creature opened its arms, epting all the water being poured on it.


    Ssssss.


    A massive cloud of steam billowed up, obscuring the creature.


    "Did we get it?!"


    Themander smiled triumphantly.


    But that smile didn¡¯tst long.


    Thud¡ª


    Crackle, crackle¡ª


    The sound of a campfire burning filled the air.


    "Embrace... the pain!"


    The creature roared.


    The beast roared.


    mes scattered everywhere, subduing the employees of the rivalpany.


    But this wasn¡¯t the time to sit back and watch.


    If I let him continue, there would be no way to stop him.


    ¡°Khan, Mari, Yon! You guys pull those idiots back! I''ll stop the creature.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    As soon as they heard my orders, the employees ran down the hill.


    I, on the other hand, sprinted in the opposite direction¡ªtoward the creature.


    ¡®A rank 6, huh? This is still manageable.¡¯


    I already knew how to handle this.


    Slowly, I closed my eyes.


    ¡ª It was a man engulfed in mes.


    It was a strange creature that kept repeating the words "Embrace the pain."


    ¡ª Was that all there was?


    ¡ª One more thing. Before it starts an attack, and before it defends itself, it always spreads its arms wide.


    When I first heard this story, I thought it was just an ordinary creature.


    I was unsure.


    Was it an anomalous entity or not?


    But after facing it directly, I was certain.


    ¡®The method to contain this thing is simple.¡¯


    Share the pain.


    It absorbs both my attacks and its own, diffusing its power by sharing the agony.


    ¡®Now, the question is how to approach it¡­¡¯


    I opened my eyes slowly and red at the man in mes.


    He was gathering fire in his hands, seemingly preparing to finish off the employee resisting with water magic in front of him.


    Quickly, I grabbed my bow and arrows from my back.


    [Refined Bow and Arrows (D)]


    ¡ª A bow and arrows imbued with the spirit of a master craftsman. Each shot has the power to pierce even stone.


    [Intermediate Archery LV. 1]


    [Concentration LV. 1]


    Shooting an arrow while running¡ªan absurd feat.


    But with Intermediate Archery, it was as easy as pie.


    Thwack!


    The arrow flew and pierced the ming man¡¯s head perfectly.


    But the arrow vanished in the mes momentster.


    Of course, that didn¡¯t mean it did no damage.


    ¡°Pain¡­¡±


    The man muttered something and then started ring at me.


    I had umted enough damage to draw its attention.


    An intense heat, along with fear, surged toward me, but I smiled inwardly.


    ¡®Sess.¡¯


    That was exactly what I was aiming for.


    The arrow was meant to divert its attention.


    ¡®The real attack starts now.¡¯


    But, admittedly, I was also afraid.


    I had charged in before the creature could grow stronger, but I wasn¡¯t fully prepared.


    ¡®If only I had more time to prepare...¡¯


    That thought briefly crossed my mind, but I quickly shook it off.


    ¡®No, now is the weakest time.¡¯


    The longer I waited, the stronger it would be.


    I couldn¡¯t be scared.


    ¡®If Ick willpower¡­¡¯


    [The Foundation''s Star watches over you.]


    Make up for it with mental strength.


    I knew what I needed to do to survive, so the dark thoughts eating away at me soon turned into determination.


    ¡°Embrace¡­ the pain¡­¡±


    I threw down my now-useless bow and arrows, raised my sword, and charged at the ming man.


    The man burning his surroundings stared wide-eyed at me as I rushed toward him.


    Then, he smiled.


    ¡°Embrace¡­¡±


    No, to be precise, there was no change in the expression on the ming man¡¯s face.


    It just felt like it.


    ¡°Embrace¡­¡±


    The man spread his arms wide, ready to greet me.


    [Sixth Sense LV. 2]


    I didn¡¯t leap straight into his arms.


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    Instead, I slowed down and rolled to the side.


    Whoosh¡ª


    An enormous wave of heat passed through the spot I had been rushing toward.


    If I hadn¡¯t dodged, I would¡¯ve turned into a roast before even getting close to him.


    ¡®Got it.¡¯


    He was guarding against anyone getting too close.


    ¡®Alright. Let¡¯s go with that n.¡¯


    If I couldn¡¯t do it alone, I¡¯d have to charge in with everyone.


    I called out to the employees with all my strength,


    ¡°When I give the signal, everyone charge at him together!¡±


    It was a barebonesmand, with no time for exnation.


    On the surface, it might have seemed like a suicide mission.


    Any sane person would probably not follow this order.


    But¡­


    ¡°Yes, understood.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re ready!¡±


    Thanks to everything we had done up until now, and because of the actions I¡¯d taken, the employees¡¯ trust in me was absolute.


    ¡®If it works, great. If not, it¡¯s a one-way ticket to the afterlife.¡¯


    Though, even in hell, if my employees were headed there, I would drag them back to work¡­


    [Empathy (LV. 1)]


    - You can borrow a creature''s skill for 1 minute.


    "Summon Kobold!"


    [A Kobold is summoned.]


    [Kobold LV. 1]


    Screeech.


    The Kobold appeared in front of me, swinging its weapon wildly.


    Originally, creatures can''t be controlled.


    But¡ª


    "Beastfolknguage."


    [You can understand Beastfolknguage for 1 minute.]


    "Bi kwa-shi. (Charge at him.)"


    The story changes if I can givemands.


    "What the hell is that now?"


    "It''s... it''s a creature!"


    They were startled by the sudden appearance of the Kobold, but soon realized it was moving under mymand and fell silent.


    Screeech!


    The Kobold, waving its weapon recklessly, charged at the burning man.


    Naturally, since the Kobold was closest to the burning man, the target shifted from me to the Kobold.


    "Embrace the pain!"


    mes shot from the man''s hands.


    Screeech!


    In an instant, the Kobold, having gotten close to him, perished.


    The Kobold burned, creating a cloud of smoke.


    The burning man, seemingly flustered, tried to swat away the smokeing toward him, but to no avail.


    ''Got him.''


    I had obscured his vision.


    Of course, I couldn''t end it there.


    It had to be all at once if I was going to strike.


    I couldn''t give him time to recover.


    "Now!"


    As soon as themand was given, the staff charged forward.


    I, too, adjusted my stance, ready to dash out.


    "Haaah!"


    "Raaah!"


    Khan and Yon closed the distance on the enemy.


    Then, mes erupted from the smoke, engulfing them.


    ''Does he notice when anyone gets too close?''


    I had expected that much.


    Khan and Yon, who had been wrapped in mes, burst out unharmed.


    [Refined Triangr te Armor (D+) has been destroyed! * 2]


    Even though they were right in front of him, they couldn''tnd a follow-up strike.


    ''Just as I thought! There''s a dy in his attacks.''


    I had noticed when there was no finishing blow after dodging his initial attack.


    If things go well, Khan or Yon might finish this without me needing to step in... not likely.


    "Embrace the pain!"


    The man screamed in fury.


    Suddenly, a fireball formed around him, as if he was about to explode, and mes began spreading in all directions.


    ''That''s enough experimenting.''


    If Khan and Yon got hit with their armor broken, there was no guarantee they''d survive.


    I immediately used my administrator authority to recall them.


    [Using Administrator Authority.]


    [Recalling 7th-rank employees Khan and Yon.]


    Just before the fireball struck them, they vanished, turning into spheres of light.


    ''There''s a 2-second dy before his next attack.''


    That was enough.


    I immediately moved.


    "Embrace the¡ª!"


    The man''s hand reached out toward me.


    Heat began to gather.


    And soon, a fireball formed.


    Just as the fireball was about to shoot toward me¡ª


    "Mari!"


    "Yes!"


    Mari''s arrow whizzed past me, striking the burning man in the arm.


    Thud!


    Fwoosh¡ª


    The arrow quickly burned away, but the man staggered back a step.


    Naturally, the mes he had been casting vanished.


    Considering whose intermediate archery this was, the result was obvious.


    ''That bought me 2 seconds.''


    2 seconds was more than enough to get right in his face.


    "Embrace the pain!"


    I had gotten within striking distance.


    The man let out a scream, just like before.


    mes shot up.


    Fwoosh!


    The mes engulfed me.


    The man smiled triumphantly.


    But¡ª


    ''The feeling is mutual.''


    [You have taken damage beyond your limit.]


    [Refined Triangr te Armor (D+) has been destroyed!]


    I had just one step left to reach him when the armor I was wearing shattered.


    [Basic Swordsmanship LV.3]


    I followed the visible sword path and shed.


    In terms of dealing damage, this act was meaningless.


    ''But this isn''t a fight¡ªit''s a containment procedure.''


    Just as I had heard, the burning man didn''t dodge my attack but spread his arms wide.


    Swish¡ª


    My sword pierced his burning abdomen.


    Without resistance, the de slid smoothly into him.


    With every inch, the overwhelming heat intensified, enveloping me.


    We shared the pain.


    "Aaaaagh!"


    mes engulfed me.


    Surrounded by scorching fire, the world seemed eerily silent, but the mes showed no signs of disappearing.


    My expression began to twist in agony.


    ¡®Hold on. Hold on. Hold on!¡¯


    You instinctively pull away when you touch something hot, but I had to endure.


    I could feel the pain vividly, as if every vein in my body was melting, but it was fine.


    I opened my eyes wide and clenched my teeth.


    ¡®If the pain bothers you...¡¯


    [Strong Body will be applied for 10 seconds.]


    You just need to be prepared.


    ¡®Let''s see who wins in the end.¡¯


    From now on, it was a battle of mental strength.


    ...


    How much time had passed?


    The searing heat that seemed tost an eternity suddenly cooled.


    ...We shared the pain.


    Ba-bam!


    [The ''Burning Man'' is now recorded in thepany.]


    [First Achievement Unlocked]


    - Work efficiency increases. (Points earned will increase)


    - Ba-bam!


    [Unbelievable Achievement Unlocked!]


    [Achievement: Unfair Deal (Completed)]


    - Earn 10 consecutive employee recruitment tickets.


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]

 Chapter 19: Competitor

    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    Chapter 19: Competitor


    When I came to my senses, everything was over.


    The intense heat that had been tormenting me just moments ago had vanished, like a phantom pain, and the man who had taken the form of mes had disappeared from the scene as well.


    After the fiery man disappeared, there was a brief silence.


    Then,


    "Wo!"


    "Did you see that? He killed that monster in one hit!"


    Hearing the cheers, I turned my head.


    The survivors were embracing one another.


    I watched them for a moment before being approached by Mari.


    ¡°Wow¡­ I knew you were amazing, Administrator, but to take down that fire guy in just one hit¡­¡±


    Mari came over.


    I nced briefly at the scorched marks on the ground before speaking.


    "Looks like it''s all wrapped up, so let''s head back."


    "...I didn''t end up doing anything in the end."


    This time, the creditrgely went to Yon and Khan.


    If they hadn¡¯t had the courage to reveal the creature''s traits...


    ¡®It would¡¯ve been tough.¡¯


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t that Mari didn¡¯t contribute anything.


    When the ming man shot fireballs at me...


    Without Mari''s innate sniping skills, honestly, I¡¯m not sure what would have happened to me.


    Watching her downcast expression, I wanted to encourage her, but I couldn¡¯t think of anypliments, so I lightly patted her on the shoulder.


    "That¡¯s actually a good thing."


    Just as we were about to get moving, a man approached us.


    ¡°Thank you for your help.¡±


    He bowed his head toward us.


    ¡°We almost got wiped out. No matter how I think about it, that wasn¡¯t a creature we could¡¯ve handled.¡±


    It was the man who had been next to themander and had used water magic.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m this kind of person.¡±


    He quickly pulled out something like a business card from his pocket and handed it to me.


    [Yeondan Society (Gold)]


    [Rank 7 Employee Mino]


    ¡°My name is Mino. I don¡¯t know how I can repay you¡­ If you have the time, please visit ourpany. I must repay you¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey! Everyone, stop!¡±


    Someone shouted as we exchanged business cards, drawing everyone¡¯s attention.


    We all turned to look at the source of the voice.


    ¡°Did you forget?! That creature belonged to our alliance!¡±


    It was a brown-haired man, fuming with anger, stomping toward us.


    ¡°What are we going to tell thepany?! How much did we invest in this, and now it''s...¡±


    Seeing the brown-haired man approach, the man who had introduced himself as Mino frowned.


    ¡°¡­He¡¯s themander of this alliance, Pishon. He¡¯s about to be promoted to tinum in [Glory], apany he got into without skill, relying only on his background¡­ Anyway, I wonder what trouble he¡¯s going to cause this time¡­¡±


    Pishon, as he was called, clutched his head in both hands, groaning, before pointing at us and shouting.


    ¡°Hey! You there! You look like the leader of this group! Who gave you permission to steal ourpany¡¯s creature?!¡±


    By the look of him, he was nning to shift the me onto us.


    I sneered at his words.


    There¡¯s no way I¡¯d let such cheap tricks work on me.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t steal it. We merely did what was necessary.¡±


    Necessary.


    At that word, Pishon¡¯s brows furrowed.


    ¡°Evidence. Bring evidence! You must have a contract, right?¡±


    The corners of his lips curled up as he spat out the word "contract."


    ¡®Sure, without a contract, if you touch someone else''s creature, you could face trial.¡¯


    I had already seen through his petty scheme.


    ¡°What are you talking about, to our saviors?!¡±


    Mino, seemingly realizing what Pishon was up to, hurried to stop him, but...


    ¡°Saviors? They¡¯re just thieves! Mino, after all we¡¯ve done for [Yeondan Society], who are you pointing fingers at?!¡±


    The fact that Mino was getting nothing but insults suggested that Pishon¡¯s background really wasn¡¯t ordinary.


    ¡®Hah, there¡¯s always one, isn¡¯t there? A guy like this.¡¯


    A guy who has no skills but is full of vanity and arrogance.


    It¡¯s hard to shut someone like him up.


    Until he gets what he wants, he¡¯ll keep causing trouble.


    In that case, if it¡¯s the contract he wants¡­ I¡¯ll have to present something equivalent.


    I opened the administrator privileges and immediately disyed a hologram.


    [Proof of Value. 1/1]


    [Company Name: Administrator Domain (Silver)]


    [Coordinates: 1447, 577]


    [Type: Biological. (NEW) ming Man.]


    [(Executor Yoo)]


    Headquarters.


    Moreover, it was a hologram stamped with the seal of Executor Yoo.


    You can''t just fake a seal from headquarters, especially from an Executor.


    In other words, this hologram represented the truth.


    "W-What."


    Upon seeing the mission document with the seal, the man blinked in disbelief and took two steps back.


    Then, as if a new thought crossed his mind, he began to raise his voice again.


    "I mean, yeah, I know there''s a mission. But there are ethics, you know? How could a bunch of nobodies take down a guy that even a whole group of our 7th-rank employees couldn''t leave a scratch on?"


    "Are you saying I intercepted a creature that had already been weakened?"


    "Exactly! Do you even know how many expeditions we sent? The creature was exhausted, and then you lot swooped in and stole it. How are you going topensate for that?"


    He seemed to think he hade up with the perfect excuse, as he smirked smugly.


    It looked like this was going to be more tiresome than expected.


    ''I¡¯ve run into a lunatic.''


    I sighed inwardly for a moment.


    "But, mister."


    Mari, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, stepped in.


    "Huh? Did you just call me mister?"


    "Yes."


    "¡­Not ''mister,'' but ''brother.''"


    "Anyway, mister. I get why you''re making excuses, but this isn¡¯t right."


    Mari clearly had no intention of changing the way she addressed him.


    The man with brown hair seemed to catch on to this and let out a sigh.


    "Ugh, fine. What is it then?"


    "You said your guys couldn''t even leave a scratch, right?"


    "..."


    "Then that means 100% of the credit belongs to our manager, doesn''t it?"


    Mari''s blunt words left the brown-haired man speechless.


    Then, flustered, he started rambling.


    "Well, I mean, that''s one thing, but¡­ oh? Ourpany''s employees were the ones who wore that monster of a creature down, and that''s why you were able to¡­."


    Realizing that this was going nowhere, I decided to intervene.


    "Enough. What do you want?"


    When I red at him, the brown-haired man rolled his eyes and whispered quietly.


    "Let''s just sign a contract."


    "¡­"


    "Then I''ll drop it."


    He said this while pulling out a sheet of paper.


    He had been empty-handed just a moment ago.


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    ''The fact that he could conjure a document like that¡­''


    As Mino had mentioned, he must indeed have the authority of a sub-master.


    I nced at the paper he handed me.


    The contents were a bit long, but in summary:


    [Contract]


    [Party A acknowledges the ownership of the creature, ''The Burning Man,'' to Party B for purposes of ''proof.'']


    [Party B must provide any items obtained from the creature to Party A for free, upon request.]


    [Both parties may nullify this contract through mutual agreement.]


    After reading the contract, I let out a dryugh.


    ''Is this guy seriously trying to pull off a ve contract?''


    Even at a nce, it was an unfair contract.


    ''Fine, if signing this is all it takes to settle things, that makes it easy for me.''


    I could get rid of this nuisance, and deal with a potentially troublesomepany at the same time.


    ''...By using this contract as leverage.''


    There''s no way Pishon could have guessed who he was handing that contract to.


    "Alright, I''ll sign."


    I said this as I signed the contract he handed over.


    Mino, who had been looking over the contract with me, panicked and tried to stop me.


    "You can''t! This is an unfair contract."


    Mino tried to intervene, but it was toote.


    "Kihaha! You fool!"


    Pishon snatched the contract from my hand and disappeared immediately.


    Right after, employees from [Glory] started turning into white light one by one.


    It seemed they had used [Recall].


    Once themotion subsided, silence fell.


    "Do you realize what you¡¯ve just done?! You¡¯ve willingly put on a ve cor! Ha¡­ I should have stopped you more forcefully¡­."


    Mino, standing beside me, began to rage.


    ''Well, that''s natural.''


    Witnessing your savior getting tricked right in front of your eyes would make anyone furious.


    Mino stomped his feet in frustration, then, as if making a decision, spoke up again.


    "Our [Yeondan Society] will help you. If you submit a request to headquarters, we can have this unfair contract canceled¡­."


    Of course, that help wasn''t necessary.


    I patted Mino on the shoulder.


    "Don''t worry about it. I just got rid of a nuisance. And for good. Forever."


    "Pardon...?"


    Of course, it was unnecessary help.


    Mino, seemingly unable to understand me, turned his gaze to Mari, who was casually standing beside me.


    Mari, bored by the situation, was even yawning.


    "Why on earth...?"


    Mino, watching our indifferent reactions, finally seemed to sense that something was off.


    He stood there, dumbfounded, his mouth opening and closing.


    ''I wonder how things turned out...''


    Basically, external activities are only allowed from [Gold] level and above.


    The reason is simple.


    From [Gold] level, you are no longer under the protection of the headquarters and can act freely.


    So, here''s a question.


    What happens if you mess with someone at [Silver] level, who, by the system''s rules, shouldn¡¯t have ess to such activities?


    ''What happens, you ask?''


    I smirked inwardly.


    ''They''ll blow up.''


    Of course, this is a truth known only to top-tier yers, so there¡¯s no way those guys would know.


    Unfortunately, ignorance is a crime.


    ''Enjoy the gift I''m giving you.''


    I silently wished farewell to thepany Pishon belonged to.


    * * *


    ¡°Hahahahaha! Did you see that? Did you?¡±


    ¡°Wow, as expected of Pishon, sir. No wonder you''re the sub-master.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. We were worried we wouldn¡¯t be able to recover our investment, but now you¡¯ve just added another vepany.¡±


    Dozens of employees followed Pishon as they walked down the corridor.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, whenever you''re on an external mission, always look for opportunities. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Of course, sir.¡±


    Pishon, feeling good, opened the lobby door.


    ¡°I¡¯m back! Come and see what...¡±


    He couldn¡¯t finish his sentence.


    For good reason.


    "Hmm... [Glory]. Pishon and 11 others. Alright, you¡¯re thest."


    A blond man was sitting on a pile of corpses¡ªemployees of thepany.


    Pishon¡¯s heart began to race.


    He knew very well who this blond man was.


    ¡°Huff. Huff.¡±


    Like someone suffering from hyperventtion, Pishon''s body trembled as he gasped for air.


    Overwhelmed by fear, it seemed like he could barely breathe, and he struggled to utter the name.


    ¡°N-Nice...¡±


    One of the Executors.


    Nice.


    A ss 1 employee, known as the "Knight King."


    And that man was sitting atop a pile of bodies made up of [Glory]¡¯s employees.


    This could only mean one thing.


    [Glory] had vited thews of [Headquarters].


    ¡°Huff. Huff.¡±


    Pishon could only breathe raggedly.


    The word ¡°why¡± didn¡¯t even cross his mind.


    As Nice approached, Pishon¡¯s entire body screamed in rm.


    His reason was paralyzed by fear.


    ¡°Destruction ofpany property, disobedience to headquarters orders, multiple reports from otherpanies, among other repeated vitions of headquarters regtions¡ª[Glory] is hereby suspended.¡±


    That meant only one thing.


    The execution was about to begin.


    ¡°Execution willmence.¡±


    With that final word, the man once called Pishon was cut in two.


    Nice flicked the blood off his sword.


    Then, he unfolded a piece of paper.


    [Administrator Area (Silver)]


    [Administrator: Shin Seongjin]


    [Assigned Points: 500]


    [Value Proven: 1/1]


    [Remaining Time: 51 hours 27 minutes]


    ¡°Did they do it knowingly or by ident...? We¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡±


    Leaving behind a lingering feeling of unease, Nice began the process of dismantling thepany once known as [Glory] under the pretext of "disposal."


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]

 Chapter 20: New Employee (1)

    [Trantor - Jjescus]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    w


    Chapter 20: New Employee (1)


    It was a day where I gained more than expected.


    Especially...


    - If you ever run into real trouble, please ask for help. [Yeondan Society] doesn''t abandon its benefactors.


    I was lucky to discover apany I might be able to trust and coborate with.


    ¡®Not bad.¡¯


    I pulled out a red pill from my pocket.


    - This is a irvoyance Pill. I can only offer this for now, but the next time we meet, I''ll bring an Awakening Pill from [Yeondan Society], and not just any pill, but a mid-grade one.


    Who would have guessed they were apany dealing with all kinds of potions?


    It seems like the main creatures under [Yeondan Society] are those with strong regenerative powers, like trolls.


    As I examined the red pill closely, a status window appeared.


    [irvoyance Pill (Low-grade)]


    - A pill made using various medicinal herbs and special blood. Swallow it, and you can see through objects for 3 minutes.


    Even though it''s low-grade, the duration was still 3 minutes.


    It could be incredibly useful depending on how it''s used¡ªlike seeing inside treasure chests or locating hidden enemies in a Vlding.


    ¡®It''d be good to maintain a good rtionship.¡¯


    It''s quite possible that they employ people with skills like [Healer] or [Alchemist].


    I might even be able to send employees over to learn skills in the future.


    ¡®Normally, I wouldn''t be able to deal with otherpanies before reaching [Gold] level, but¡­¡¯


    Since this wasn¡¯t an official transaction, but a one-sided favor, it was eptable.


    Plus, I had already incurred a debt, so it wasn¡¯t out of the question.


    I put the red pill back in my pocket.


    ¡°Mino seemed like a really nice person, didn¡¯t they, Manager?¡±


    Mari, who had been mingling with the staff of the otherpany, came over.


    Her face was radiant with a carefree smile, and I noticed her hands were full of snacks.


    I didn¡¯t intend to scold her for it.


    "I guess it was too much for them to thank me directly."


    After all, I had directly opposed the figurehead of this alliance, [Glory].


    Of course...


    [Foundation''s Star LV. 2]


    - An absolute monarch and guardian of the world. Your words and actions carry authority.


    The overwhelming pressure exuded by the Foundation''s Star probably yed a part too.


    ¡®It¡¯s unusual that Mino came to meet me in person despite all this.¡¯


    Because of that, it would¡¯ve been easier to approach Mari, who seemed sociable and approachable, and give her some food.


    ¡®In a way, it¡¯s a gain, I guess.¡¯


    The takeaway was this: only [Glory] was hostile toward us.


    Now that I had confirmed everything, there was no reason to linger here any longer.


    "Mari, it''s time to go back."


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    [Would you like to use the Recall function?]


    [Using Manager¡¯s authority.]


    [Recalling 7th-grade employee, Shin Seongjin, and Mari.]


    A white light began to envelop our bodies.


    ¡°Goodbye, everyone~¡±


    As my vision became more transparent, I saw Mari waving her hands and the staff waving back.


    Then darkness overtook my sight.


    Soon after, a familiar scene appeared in front of me: thepany¡¯s waiting room.


    ¡°Manager! Mari!¡±


    From a distance, Khan and Yon came running toward us in a hurry.


    ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°How did it go?¡±


    Khan and Yon anxiously inspected Mari and me, clearly worried about the creature we had faced.


    I opened the Manager¡¯s Authority window.


    I then moved the cellbeled [Burning Man] next to [Kobold Warrior].


    Boom!


    I silently pointed to the newly created cell.


    ¡°I never doubted you¡¯d seed, but¡­ this is truly...¡±


    Yon blinked in disbelief, holding back his words.


    Mari crossed her arms and chuckled.


    ¡°There was a huge battle after you both disappeared in a sh of light.¡±


    As Mari began telling her tale of the battle, Khan and Yon sat down, listening intently.


    I wasn¡¯t sure why Mari was so proud to recount my exploits, but since they seemed to enjoy it, I let it be.


    What mattered now wasn¡¯t interrupting the employees'' moment of bonding.


    ¡®¡­Now, let''s meet the new employees, shall we?¡¯


    In the mailbox, I noticed a reward from securing the Burning Man: [10 Consecutive Employee Recruitment Tickets].


    It was the perfect time to expand the staff.


    ¡®I¡¯ll need more personnel to manage all these creatures, and once facilities like a cafeteria or warehouse are added, we¡¯ll need more workers too.¡¯


    Originally, I was going to spend points to hire new staff, but since the reward was recruitment tickets, that changed things.


    ¡®What I need most urgently is probably a chef?¡¯


    Thepany''s welfare was something that had to be taken seriously.


    After all, satisfying the basic human need for food is one of the surest forms of employee welfare.


    ¡®It¡¯d be ideal if a chef came out of the 10 consecutive hires, but¡­¡¯


    It wouldn¡¯t be a big problem if none appeared.


    I could always request staff from the headquarters, interact with otherpanies, or, worst case, reassign existing employees, even if that woulde at the cost of opportunity.


    It would just take time.


    I nced over at Mari, still lost in her storytelling.


    ¡°And that¡¯s when the Manager¡­¡±


    [Khan''s loyalty has increased by 15.]


    [Yon''s loyalty has increased by 15.]


    "That¡¯s truly amazing¡­"


    ¡°Oooh."


    I saw Mari proudly talking about someone else''s story while Yon and Khan listened in admiration.


    I looked at them and spoke softly.


    "If you''re done resting, get back to work."


    "Ah, but Administrator, the highlight is just about to start!"


    Mari puffed her cheeks in disappointment, but what couldn''t be done, couldn''t be done.


    "¡­ Save it for next time."


    "Heeeng."


    After sending Mari and Khan to the training grounds, I let out a small sigh.


    Then, just as Yon was about to follow them, I stopped him.


    "Oh, right. Yon, you stay."


    "¡­Just me?"


    Yon tilted his head and pointed at himself, seemingly clueless as to why I called him.


    ''Yon is perfect for this kind of job.''


    From now on, we were going to recruit new staff.


    I needed someone to help the neers adjust to thepany.


    Mari was too unpredictable and hard to control, so she was out of the question.


    Thepany would be aplete mess if the new employees followed Mari''s example.


    ''I absolutely can''t let that happen.''


    Khan, on the other hand, was theplete opposite of Mari.


    ''He''s like a fanatic¡­''


    Khan would say "okay" to anything I wanted to do, without question.


    If the new employees followed Khan''s example and dismissed all opinions other than mine, thepany would lose its driving force for growth.


    ''If I make a mistake, everything will fall apart.''


    Of course, a group that follows my orders perfectly, like a cult, might help in the early stages.


    ''I''ve even seen gamers run things like a cult.''


    But those fanatical groups lose their power once we reach theter stages.


    If the sub-administrator makes a mistake, the wholepany crumbles.


    ''The ending is never good.''


    Moreover, fanatics never offer any suggestions.


    That was the issue I had to be most wary of.


    ''I can''t always make the best decisions.''


    Sometimes, breakthrough idease from a singlement from the employees.


    Their freedom shouldn''t be suppressed.


    ''So Khan isn''t the right choice either.''


    I needed someone with a bnce of Mari''s free spirit and Khan''s loyalty¡­


    Someone who had adapted to the current situation and could think quickly.


    That''s why I had singled out Yon.


    ''Yon won''t excessively praise me or forget his own goals.''


    I smiled and patted Yon on the shoulder.


    "New recruits will be joining soon. Your job will be to help them adjust here. Show them the rules, and if necessary, give them a bit of your authority, as well as V and Hyeok''s."


    Yon was dumbfounded at the mention of new recruits and asked again.


    "¡­New recruits?"


    "Yeah. We can''t keep managing all the creatures ourselves forever, can we?"


    "Understood. When are theying?"


    "Right now."


    "¡­I''ll get ready."


    [Trantor - Jjescus]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    w


    Yon understood instantly, as expected.


    He grasped my intention and got straight to work.


    I watched him run off to get V and Hyeok, then turned back to activate the recruitment pass.


    [Do you want to use the 10-time continuous employee recruitment pass?]


    "Use."


    Shwiiiiing.


    Hundreds of envelopes fluttered through the air.


    I reached out and grabbed one.


    It was a simple brown envelope.


    [Grade 9 employee ''Nemu'' has been hired. Please wee them warmly.]


    I had hoped it might be a skilled employee, but the fact that the Foundation''s Star didn''t react meant it was just an ordinary Grade 9 employee.


    "Ah!"


    I heard someone cry out.


    I didn''t even need to look to know it was the sound of a new recruit falling on their butt¡­


    ncing over, I saw that Yon was already talking to the new recruit with V and Hyeok by his side.


    ''He''s doing well.''


    I could leave that side to Yon now¡­


    "Next."


    I turned away from the new recruit and quickly looked at the next envelope.


    It was another ordinary brown envelope.


    [Grade 9 employee ''Kari'' has been hired. Please wee them warmly¡­]


    "Next."


    Third envelope.


    [Grade 9 employee¡­]


    Fourth, fifth, sixth¡­


    [Grade 9 employee¡­]


    [Grade 9 employee¡­]


    [Grade 9 employee¡­]


    .


    .


    .


    [Grade 9 employee¡­]


    The ninth envelope was also just an ordinary brown envelope.


    [Grade 9 employee¡­]


    ''This is Keepworld.''


    The infamous gacha game.


    I had briefly forgotten because it felt like reality rather than a game.


    "Think positive."


    Hiring 10 new employees meant thepany had grown that much.


    Production would increase ordingly, and while it was a bit disappointing, it wasn''t a loss at all.


    Putting aside my disappointment, I reached out to grab the next envelope in the air.


    Shwoooosh.


    The final envelope I grabbed was silver.


    [A 7th-grade employee, Beryl of the Oak Shield Mercenary Corps, has joined the staff. Please wee them with warm apuse and greetings.]


    A 7th-grade employee.


    And a named one at that.


    A "named" title can only be earned after making a name for oneself in a particr field.


    If I were topare it to a typical mobile game, it''s obviously not N-tier, and it''s even above R-tier¡ªit''s more like an SR-tier employee.


    [7th-grade employee, Beryl of the Oak Shield Mercenary Corps, is entering thepany.]


    Thud.


    It wasn''t the sound of someone falling on their butt.


    It was the sound of someonending firmly on the ground.


    I turned my gaze to see a giant man, at least 2 meters tall, stroking his long brown beard while surveying his surroundings.


    [The Foundation''s Star has checked the skill.]


    [Basic Shieldsmanship (LV. 4) has been applied to the "Administrator."]


    For once, I let out a rare exmation.


    ¡°Wow, it''s showing up here.¡±


    I gazed at the giant with bright eyes. Just like during the [Kobold] incident and the recent encounter with the [Burning Man], things wouldn''t have been so difficult if I had an employee capable of tanking.


    ¡®I could ask Doran to make a shield and have an employee train with it, but¡­¡¯


    Training an employee to acquire a skill on their own, rather than learning from an instructor like Marina Khan, takes a long time. It would probably take ages just to acquire the most basic skill, like Basic Shieldsmanship.


    ¡®¡­But now, all my problems are solved.¡¯


    [Beryl LV. 1/10 (7th-grade)]


    *Oak Shield Mercenary Corps.


    [Skills]


    - Basic Shieldsmanship (LV. 4)


    [Stats]


    - Strength (25/39)


    - Agility (11/39)


    - Endurance (12/39)


    - Durability (31/39)


    - Willpower (20/39)


    I nced at the status window.


    No matter how you looked at it, this was clearly a tank-type employee.


    And on top of that¡­


    ¡®Durability is 31?!¡¯


    When a stat exceeds 30, you''re entering the realm of superhumans.


    Beryl''s named trait was even more impressive, which is especially useful early on.


    [Oak Shield Mercenary Corps]


    - A former member of the once-renowned Oak Shield Mercenary Corps. When this mercenary participates in creature containment, the points earned increase.


    ¡®Mercenaries do help with early point farming.¡¯


    It was as if this person had been born to work in thepany.


    There was no reason not to put them to use.


    ¡°Who¡¯s the administrator here!¡±


    A sudden shout rang out.


    It was Beryl''s booming voice.


    Of course, I had anticipated this would happen, so I wasn''t particrly flustered.


    ¡®As expected of a mercenary, what a bold personality.¡¯


    I saw Yon and the others hesitating from afar.


    Well, it¡¯s only natural to be intimidated when someone 1.5 times your size is threatening you.


    I subtly smirked.


    ¡®So, a named one, huh¡­¡¯


    Indeed, they needed this kind of boldness.


    At the 7th grade, they would have a general idea of how things worked.


    And yet, the fact that Beryl could be so assertive meant they were trying to seize the upper hand.


    ¡®I like it.¡¯


    At the very least, they weren¡¯t the type to avoid a fight.


    I blinked slowly.


    I liked it.


    I really did.


    But still...


    "Hierarchy must be set straight."


    Here, I am thew.


    [Trantor - Jjescus]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    w

 Chapter 21: New Employee (2)

    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    w


    Chapter 21: New Employee (2)


    Yon blocked Beryl''s way, sweating nervously.


    "I understand you''re upset, but please calm down¡­."


    Beryl, seemingly enraged, shoved Yon aside.


    "Upset? Me? Ha! Get out of the way!"


    "Ugh!"


    Yon, surprised by Beryl''s unexpected strength, stumbled backward.


    Seeing Yon get pushed back so easily, Beryl snorted.


    "Calling these weaklings heroes..."


    Even though the Administrator had asked him to take care of the new recruits, this was clearly crossing the line.


    However, neither V, Hyeok, nor any other staff dared to challenge Beryl recklessly.


    It was only natural.


    The average stat of the others was around 15, while Beryl''s stats exceeded 20.


    Yon and the others were also 7th rank, like Beryl, but not all 7th ranks had the same abilities.


    They knew this instinctively.


    Of course, this one-sided violence was about to end.


    - Thud.


    Seongjin caught Yon just before he fell.


    "A-Administrator?!"


    Yon''s eyes widened in surprise.


    After helping Yon up, Seongjin stepped in front of Beryl.


    Beryl wore a puzzled expression, unable toprehend who would dare block their way now.


    "And who are you?"


    Despite the hostility in the tone, Seongjin smiled and answered Beryl¡¯s question.


    "I''m the person you were looking for."


    For a moment, the air grew heavy.


    Beryl instinctively lowered their head, overwhelmed by the sudden pressure.


    And they understood.


    The man standing before them was the Administrator of this ce.


    ''...What is this overwhelming presence?''


    The goddess had clearly said that those who gathered here were heroes.


    She had said that under the Administrator''smand, even Beryl could be a hero and save the world.


    Of course, Beryl, having lived through countless mercenary jobs, knew those were just sweet lies.


    Even so, there was one reason Beryl epted the contract.


    ''...This is really going to be profitable.''


    Creatures, corporations, world peace¡ªnone of that mattered to Beryl.


    The only thing that mattered was this:


    ''As long as I can get rid of that Administrator.''


    Once the Administrator was out of the way, the entirepany and all those so-called heroes would be absorbed into Beryl''s mercenary group.


    After that, Beryl would make even more money.


    ''More money!''


    It was possible.


    With that singr purpose driving them, Beryl moved.


    Swoosh¡ª


    Their fist clenched.


    Who was Beryl?


    ¡®I¡¯m Beryl of the Oak Shield Mercenary Group!¡¯


    Clenching their teeth, Beryl threw a punch.


    Beryl was one of the strongest even within their mercenary group.


    There weren¡¯t many who could withstand a punch from Beryl.


    If the punchnded, the fight would be over instantly.


    Beryl was confident in that.


    Swooooosh¡ª


    Smack!


    ...?


    Their head was ringing.


    ¡®...What?!¡¯


    It was Beryl who threw the punch, but somehow, their fist didn¡¯t reach Seongjin.


    Instead, Seongjin was nting a knee right into Beryl¡¯s face.


    Staggering back, Beryl clutched their face.


    ¡°Huh, I guess since your endurance is at a superhuman level, it didn¡¯t even make a dent.¡±


    The man in front of them murmured to himself.


    Panicking, Beryl rubbed their face.


    But the pain they had just felt was already gone.


    And the confusion didn¡¯t stop there.


    "Looks like the only way to make someone like you listen is to make them roll a bit, huh?"


    Seongjin snapped his fingers a few times in the air, and soon a blue portal appeared in front of them.


    The words [Kobold Raid] appeared on it, along with the numbers 1/5.


    Beryl instinctively sensed something.


    The man in front of them¡ªSeongjin¡ªhad done something.


    - Do not give unknown beings time.


    It was a lesson from their mercenary leader.


    Beryl knew that all too well and instinctively threw another punch.


    ¡°Aaaah!¡±


    The punch flew fast, but just before it could reach Seongjin, a blue light engulfed Beryl.


    ¡°Gah!¡±


    The smell of something burning and the sound of screams echoed in their ears.


    ¡°Aaaah!¡±


    ¡°Run! Kobolds have appeared!¡±


    By the time Beryl regained their senses.


    [Subdue the creatures. Identify and iste the cause of the strange phenomenon overtaking the vige!]


    They were already there.


    Cackling noises filled the air.


    Beryl¡¯s eyes caught sight of hundreds of Kobolds.


    ¡°What the hell!¡±


    Cackling, three Kobolds began charging toward Beryl from the distance.


    ¡°What the hell is this?!¡±


    Though Beryl was shouting in panic, his body had already picked up a weapon from the ground.


    Screeech!


    "Damn it!"


    Beryl effortlessly sliced through the charging kobold with the rusty sword he had picked up from the floor.


    * * *


    "Ad-Administrator, are you okay?"


    Yon and other staff members rushed over to check on my condition.


    "Yeah, I''m fine. You guys okay?"


    I casually nced over, and Yon seemed rtively unscathed.


    "Yes, thanks to you, Administrator, we¡¯re fine."


    Of course, it was the waiting room, so no one got physically hurt, but who knows what was going on inside their heads.


    After all, the newbie had pretty much stood up to a senior.


    "It''s a relief you''re okay. So, do you think you can properly teach the new recruits?"


    Yon hesitated at my question.


    ¡®Seems like he¡¯s not okay after all.¡¯


    Well, I had no intention of letting Yon train Beryl anyway.


    ¡®The rookie doesn''t respect his seniors, a type of viin I¡¯ve dealt with many times before.¡¯


    Besides, mercenaries were usually a tough lot.


    If you didn''t break their spirits early, managing themter would be difficult.


    ¡®Breaking them with force is one way, but...¡¯


    I noticed something during that brief skirmish earlier.


    Maybe it was because my endurance had reached the level of a superhuman, but I didn¡¯t really feel like their attacks were effective.


    ¡®As expected of a tank.¡¯


    Plus, Beryl had decent strength stats as well.


    Though I didn''t expect Beryl to suddenly throw a punch, with my sixth sense, I easily dodged it.


    Even if a fight had broken out, I wouldn¡¯t have lost.


    But I also wouldn''t choose to fight.


    ¡®That would be a foolish move.¡¯


    True victory is achieved without expending unnecessary effort.


    And with administrator privileges, I could aplish more than that.


    ¡®Training while earning points¡ªhow great is that?¡¯


    I subtly nced down at the istion zone.


    [Kobold Raid (1/5)]


    The words on the disy made me smile.


    It wasn¡¯tplicated.


    It just meant there was only one person currently managing the kobold raid.


    Holding back theughter bubbling up inside, I patted Yon on the shoulder.


    "I¡¯ll personally take care of that big guy, so don¡¯t worry."


    "...Yes. Thank you."


    "Make sure you train the others properly. If anyone causes trouble, let me know."


    I sent Yon and the other staff members away.


    I couldn¡¯t keep them here forever, as they had new recruits to train.


    It was my way of taking special measures.


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    w


    [Grade 7 employee ¡®Beryl¡¯ has sessfully managed the Kobold Raid. (+23 points)]


    Apletion message appeared before me right about then.


    And just as the hologram shed up¡ª


    "Aaaaaaah!"


    Beryl reappeared, screaming at the top of his lungs.


    Well, whatever.


    My attention was solely focused on the points.


    ¡®Wow, this mercenary group is more effective than I thought.¡¯


    The maximum number of points you can earn from a Kobold Raid is 17.


    But Beryl had managed to bring in 23 points all on his own.


    Even excluding thepany¡¯s achievements, he had earned an extra 5 points.


    ¡®I was only going to run him through 30 rounds, but...¡¯


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel greedy when I saw how efficient Beryl was at point farming.


    ¡®First, 30 rounds as punishment for shoving Yon.¡¯


    Then 70 more rounds for creating an intimidating atmosphere.


    And finally, 100 rounds for disrespecting the administrator.


    Hmm, that should do it.


    [Do you wish to manage the ¡®Kobold Raid¡¯?]


    ¡°Approve.¡±


    [Beryl is entering the ¡®Kobold Raid¡¯.]


    ¡°Huh, huh?!¡±


    Beryl, who had just escaped moments ago, was sucked back into the blue portal.


    I nced at the stone tablet.


    [Assigned Points: 500]


    [Proof of Worth. 1/1]


    [Remaining Time: 49 hours, 55 minutes.]


    ¡°Perfect timing.¡±


    Thirty rounds?


    Not even close.


    If I keep him running right until the Executor¡¯s next visit, we could easily get through 200 rounds.


    [Grade 7 employee ¡®Beryl¡¯ has sessfully managed the Kobold Raid. (+23 points)]


    ¡°Argh! I¡¯m going to kill you, Administrator!¡±


    Having quickly finished off the creatures, Beryl approached me, panting heavily.


    I waved at him cheerfully.


    ¡°Wow~ As expected of a Grade 7 with high mental strength. You still look fine, huh?¡±


    [Beryl is entering the ¡®Kobold Raid¡¯.]


    It¡¯ll be interesting to see how long he can keep that mental toughness.


    ¡°Hup.¡±


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    I turned my head toward the direction of the noises and noticed the gathered employees.


    "Everyone, get back to your work."


    Startled, they quickly dispersed.


    Looking closer, I realized their faces had gone pale.


    I wondered if they were unwell, but then decided to stop worrying about it.


    Right now, the most important thing was watching the points Beryl was racking up.


    Well, actually, it''s the training¡ªright?


    [Beryl is entering the ¡®Kobold Raid¡¯.]


    Until the first 30 rounds, I couldn¡¯t shake Beryl¡¯s spirit.


    ¡°So, that¡¯s all you¡¯ve got? Just three kobolds? Hahaha.¡±


    ¡°Getting used to the Kobold Raid?¡±


    ¡°Hah! Do you think I¡¯ll break from just kobolds?!¡±


    But after 60ps.


    [Beryl was overwhelmed by the ''Kobold Raid''...]


    ¡°K-Kobolds. Ugh.¡±


    ¡°Have you thought about apologizing to Yon?¡±


    ¡°Why should I?!"


    100ps.


    [Beryl was... overrun by kobolds...]


    "Have youe to your senses yet?"


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°No answer, huh?¡±


    At 150ps.


    ¡°Alright, now do you feel like apologizing...?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°That doesn''t sound sincere.¡±


    Just the mere gesture of me raising my hand was enough to send him into a panic.


    The brave face he had shown at first had long since disappeared.


    ¡°Administrator, I was wrong. Please stop. Please...¡±


    Beryl was crawling on the floor, clinging to my leg and sobbing.


    I nced at the monument.


    [Points Allocated: 500]


    [Proof of Worth: 1/1]


    [Time Remaining: 7 minutes]


    Honestly, I wanted to push him a little further, but the time was getting tight.


    [Points Held: 3,950]


    ¡®...What a shame.¡¯


    Just from punishing Beryl alone, I had earned nearly 3,000 points over the past two days.


    At this point, it surpassed the weekly earnings of most gold-rankedpanies.


    ¡®I want to push it further...¡¯


    But unfortunately, the point-earning stops here.


    In just a few moments, the Executor would arrive, so all operations had to cease.


    I smacked my lips in regret.


    Of course, I didn¡¯t forget to check whether the discipline had been properly instilled.


    "Right? Now you''ll listen to Yon, won¡¯t you?"


    At the mention of Yon''s name, Beryl''s eyes and lips trembled slightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m far more...¡±


    What¡¯s needed in moments like this is making sure they understand rank.


    And the most effective way is to make them understand the authority thates with that rank.


    ¡°Oh, right! The Kobold Raid is under Yon''s jurisdiction. So even if it¡¯s not me, Yon could also throw you back in.¡±


    ¡°...He''s my senior. Of course, I¡¯ll follow his words.¡±


    Speak of the devil, and he appears.


    ¡°Administrator, I¡¯ve sent all the employees except a few back to the dormitory.¡±


    Yon, havingpleted the tasks I assigned, approached.


    At that moment, Beryl¡¯s body trembled violently.


    The effect was immediate.


    [Grade 7 employee ¡®Mari¡¯ sessfully managed the Kobold Warlord. (+21 points)]


    [Grade 7 employee ¡®Khan¡¯ sessfully managed the Kobold Tablets. (+12 points)]


    Mari and Khan alsopleted their tasks and returned to the waiting room.


    "Yay!"


    ¡°...Looks like it¡¯s time.¡±


    Everyone except Mari seemed tense, their bodies stiff.


    It was natural.


    ¡®It seems Yoo¡¯s previous performance had left asting impression.¡¯


    After witnessing such overwhelming power, it was only natural to feel intimidated.


    [Time Remaining: 00:01... 0]


    The time hade.


    Creeeaaak¡ª


    The front gate of thepany, straight ahead of the waiting room, opened.


    ¡°Well, well, it seems you''vee out to greet me in advance.¡±


    A blonde, dazzling man glowing with golden light appeared.


    It was the Knight King, Nice.


    Khan and Yon rxed when they realized it wasn¡¯t Yoo who had entered through the gate.


    But I couldn''t rx yet.


    ¡®...Now, it¡¯s time for the second deal.¡¯


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    w

 Chapter 22: Second Deal

    [Trantor - Night]


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    Chapter 22: Second Deal


    ¡°This is more than I expected.¡±


    Nice looked around the ce, assessing it as if he were appraising apany, just as Yoo had done.


    Then he stopped in front of me.


    [Sixth Sense LV. 2]


    ¡°You must be the sub-master of this ce¡­¡±


    Nice muttered something about me, his brow furrowing as he spoke.


    Then, in an instant, he hastily corrected himself.


    ¡°No, you''re the Administrator...¡±


    It was only for a fleeting moment, but I could feel it.


    Nice¡¯s demeanor had changed briefly.


    ¡®¡­Was Nice always this intimidating?¡¯


    It was so brief that I barely recognized it, but for a moment, I felt a cold chill freeze my entire body.


    I subtly touched my neck.


    It was still there.


    If it weren¡¯t for [Foundation''s Star], my legs might have given out, and I would have copsed.


    ¡®¡­An Executor is still an Executor.¡¯


    The only relief was that the chill that froze my entire body was fleeting, and it didn¡¯t seem like Nice intended to harm me.


    After a brief standoff, Nice spoke first.


    ¡°First, I¡¯ll give you the reward for the [Proof]. Even though it was a mission assigned by another Executor, it wasn¡¯t something a [Silver] rankpany could normally handle. I heard you wanted support for equipment and a cksmith.¡±


    Dozens of holograms appeared behind Nice.


    It was the trade window used for exchanging items between yers.


    ¡°The cksmith should already be here. As for the equipment support¡­ Is there something specific you want?¡±


    My initial thought was to request an EX+ rank weapon, but¡­


    ¡®Let¡¯s not overstep.¡¯


    It was true that the Executors had a high opinion of ourpany.


    But that was only inparison to low-rankpanies like [Silver] or [Gold]¡­


    ¡®It¡¯s not like ourpany is particrly special or anything.¡¯


    If we vited thews of [Headquarters], the judgment would be swift and ruthless.


    ¡®¡­It was a forced mission, plus the Proof even involved the Union.¡¯


    In terms of difficulty, it was at the upper end of [Gold] missions.


    No, it might have even reached the lower end of [tinum].


    Even the system recognized it as an absurd aplishment, so I was certain that the flexible Nice would be lenient with reasonable requests.


    ¡®The most I can probably ask for, as a [Silver] rank, is B- level equipment.¡¯


    B- gear was already beyond human standards.


    For example, a B- rank sword could slice through rock as if it were soft tofu.


    ¡®With just one B- rank piece of equipment, we¡¯d be able to handle [Gold] missions with ease.¡¯


    But simply receiving B- rank gear wouldn¡¯t mean much.


    No matter how sharp the sword is¡ªcapable of cutting through rocks and oceans¡ªit¡¯s nothing more than an artifact if no one can use it.


    ¡®¡­We don¡¯t have any employees capable of properly handling high-rank equipment yet.¡¯


    Even if I were given B- rank equipment or higher, no one would be able to wield it effectively.


    Nice seemed to understand this as he waited patiently for my choice.


    Of course, I could probably find a way to make use of high-rank equipment.


    But I decided against it.


    ¡®¡­It wouldn¡¯t be efficient.¡¯


    So, what¡¯s the best choice?


    The answer was simpler than I thought.


    After organizing my thoughts, I stated what I wanted.


    ¡°Growth-type equipment.¡±


    If the equipment could grow alongside its user, there wouldn¡¯t be any risk of hitting usage limits or it bing obsoleteter on.


    ¡°Growth-type equipment¡­?¡±


    Nice crossed his arms and looked at me, as if my answer was unexpected.


    ¡°F-, the lowest tier.¡±


    ¡°...Let me exin, in case you¡¯re not aware: even the lowest tier growth-type equipment isparable to an ordinary A-rank piece.¡±


    His response was sharp.


    Nice¡¯s reaction was understandable.


    Growth-type equipment was harder to obtain than A-rank equipment.


    And I had just boldly asked for one.


    Moreover, it came from apany that had just reached [Silver] rank.


    ¡°¡­Do you really want growth-type equipment?¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond to Nice¡¯s question, deliberately leaving it unanswered to show that I had no intention of backing down.


    Nice¡¯s expression grew even moreplex.


    ¡®This negotiation is in my favor.¡¯


    I never reveal my hand unless I have good reason to believe I can win.


    ¡®¡­Thews of Headquarters apply even to Executors.¡¯


    Under normal circumstances, I might have been beheaded on the spot for disrespecting Headquarters, but my head was still attached.


    That revealed an important fact.


    ¡®¡­At the very least, Nice is willing to have a conversation.¡¯


    From here on, I needed to use every card in my hand to tilt the negotiation in my favor.


    I slowly began to speak.


    ¡°Presenting a mission beyond the assigned [rank]. Failing to provide the necessary information that Headquarters should have supplied.¡±


    Strictly speaking, it was Yoo who caused this situation, but since it was the misdeeds of a colleague affiliated with Headquarters, shouldn¡¯t another Executor clean up the mess?


    ¡®Thews of Headquarters include provisions for damagepensation, so this argument will hold.¡¯


    I could see the veins on Nice¡¯s forehead bulging as he listened silently.


    Of course, I had no intention of stopping.


    After all, we were the victims here.


    ¡°Not to mention the exploitation of subcontractors and the use of verbal agreements¡­¡±


    He should have understood at this point, but I decided to ask Nice just in case.


    ¡°...Shall I continue?¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s enough.¡±


    I had won.


    Or so I thought, for a moment.


    Nice paused, as if he were considering something, and then spoke again.


    ¡°¡­However, I cannot recklessly consume the assets of Headquarters, not even for someone like you. Therefore, I¡¯ll need you to prove that I can trust you.¡±


    "..."


    That wasn¡¯t the answer I was hoping for.


    ¡®Do I have to do that again¡­?¡¯


    Honestly, if I had to prove myself again like this, even I would struggle to handle it.


    But of course, that worry was short-lived.


    "...About a week from now. A festival will be held by the Headquarters for three days."


    Nice gave an answer I hadn¡¯t expected at all.


    "If you participate in the martial arts tournament there and achieve a meaningful result¡­ I¡¯ll give you the growth-type equipment."


    Ding-


    [Assigned Points: 1,000]


    [Martial Arts Tournament: Achieve a result that satisfies the Knight King.]


    [Coordinates: Camelot (Undetectable)]


    [Time Remaining: 9 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes]


    ¡®A festival?!¡¯


    It was one of the events held by the Headquarters only during the preseason.


    Usually, only individuals selected by the Headquarters could enjoy the event.


    Among them, thepanies participating in the martial arts tournament were mostly [tinum] level, so the difficulty would be quite high.


    ¡®¡­But it''s doable.¡¯


    Despite its name, the martial arts tournament was not merely a contest of strength.


    ¡®It¡¯s about whichpany can iste the designated creature the fastest, as per thepany¡¯s orders.¡¯


    That was the true nature of the martial arts tournament held in Camelot.


    And when it came to creatures, I was confident I could win, even if I went up against a [Master]-levelpany right away.


    After all, I was ranked No. 1 in the KeepWorld.


    "...If you ept this, you won¡¯t receive anypensation for the proof. Instead, I¡¯ll rece it with a [9th-rank Staff Selection Recruitment Ticket]."


    On top of that, they were offering an alternative reward since they couldn¡¯t give me what they originally promised right now.


    ¡®¡­They¡¯re even giving me a guaranteed staff recruitment ticket?¡¯


    Negotiations were done.


    At first nce, it might seem like I wasn¡¯t getting the reward I was owed, but that wasn¡¯t the case at all.


    ¡®Honestly, even getting random C+ equipment would¡¯ve been more than enough for me¡­¡¯


    I¡¯d be participating in a festival open only to [Gold] members and above, and they were throwing in a recruitment ticket as well.


    With the rewards doubled like this, I had no reason to refuse.


    "I ept."


    [The 9th-rank Staff Selection Recruitment Ticket has been assigned to you.]


    "I was wondering why Yoo took a liking to you¡­ Turns out you¡¯re one of his kind."


    A cold sensation washed over me again.


    Thud-


    Nice mmed a greatsword into the ground, though I hadn¡¯t even noticed when he drew it.


    Then¡ª


    ¡°Gasp! A, an Executor!¡±


    [Trantor - Night]


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    w


    ¡°What the¡ª! Where did theye from?¡±


    The previously calm employees reacted in shock.


    "...I¡¯ll take my leave now."


    Nice said that one line and headed for the front door.


    Then Mari, looking bewildered, opened her mouth.


    ¡°He, he¡¯s just leaving?¡±


    As if she had no clue what had just happened.


    ...


    Suddenly, a chill ran through my body.


    ¡®What did Mari just say?¡¯


    ...Just leaving?


    If she had heard the conversation between Nice and me, there¡¯s no way she could say something like that.


    ¡®Come to think of it, whenever I yed the game, there were asional moments of buffering during Nice¡¯s interactions.¡¯


    It was as if time itself stopped during those moments of buffering.


    If I considered that those weren¡¯t just simplegs...


    It meant that the ce where we had been conversing wasn¡¯t thepany¡¯s waiting room, but Nice¡¯s own domain.


    ¡®Since when?¡¯


    Cold sweat ran down my back.


    In simple terms, it meant I could¡¯ve been executed without anyone knowing at any moment.


    ¡®Even though Nice is considered lenientpared to other Executors, the pressure is still no joke.¡¯


    I had solidified my goal.


    ¡®As I thought, I need to grow mypany to the point where even Executors can¡¯t pressure me.¡¯


    I nced at the points. The 500 points required for the recent payment had already been deducted.


    I awkwardly curled my lips into a smile as I watched Nice¡¯s retreating figure.


    "This is... everyone¡¯s got a temper."


    Mari seemed to notice the shakiness in my voice and rushed over.


    "Administrator, are you okay?! What was that all about?"


    Seeing Mari panic, Khan and Yon, who had been nearby, widened their eyes and looked at me as well.


    "Are you alright?"


    "Uh..."


    Honestly, I wasn¡¯t alright.


    I still had the lingering feeling of that cold sensation.


    I crossed my arms.


    After a moment, the chill that had seemed to freeze my entire body melted away like snow.


    "...We¡¯ve gotten through the second deal without any trouble, so let¡¯s get back to work."


    "Administrator, you don¡¯t look well. Shouldn¡¯t you take a break?"


    "...I am feeling a bit tired. Maybe I should rest for a bit?"


    I was surprised to see her so concerned about my health, but when I looked closely, I noticed Mari was trying her hardest to suppress her constantly rising grin.


    "...You just don¡¯t want to work, do you?"


    "Oh, you caught me?"


    "¡®You caught me¡¯ is not what I want to hear. As punishment, do tenps with the [Kobold Warlord] and then go to training."


    "If I do that, I¡¯ll have to train untilte tonight!"


    I had already assigned Mari and Khan a six-hour daily training course as a personal task.


    Usually, after they finished their training, it would be time for bed, but if they did tenps with the Kobold Warlord, they¡¯d probably have to pull an all-nighter.


    Well, not my problem...


    "Oh, and while you¡¯re at it, take Beryl with you. It¡¯ll be more efficient with him there."


    If I was sending Mari anyway, I figured it wouldn¡¯t hurt to attach a totem for earning points.


    "W-wait. I wasn¡¯t doing anything!"


    Beryl, who had been minding his own business, jumped in surprise, trying to prove his innocence, but this was less about his guilt and more about being dragged along as a 1+1 offer since Mari was going anyway.


    ¡®He¡¯s kind of pitiful, but¡­¡¯


    This was all because Beryl had the [Mercenary] trait, leading to this sort of mishap.


    ¡®But I can''t ignore efficiency.¡¯


    pping my hands, I turned their attention to me.


    "That''s it. The rest of you, get back to your tasks. Mari and Beryl, run Dungeon 10 ten more times. I can track how many times you run it, so don''t even think about cking off. Do it honestly."


    Mari and Beryl looked half out of their minds.


    "Ugh... I shouldn''t have said anything."


    "Hehe... Kobolds. I hate them."


    "If you keepining, I''ll add five more runs."


    "Eek!"


    "Fine! We''re going!"


    Mari and Beryl, startled, ran away from me.


    "...Well, now that I''ve sent the staff off, time to get back to my work."


    Normally, this would have been the end of today''s tasks.


    However, since Nice left me an unexpected reward, I had to handle some business before the day ended.


    "Now, what''s left is the restaurant and a chef, I suppose?"


    Building the [Restaurant (LV. 1)] would cost 1,000 points.


    You might wonder why expanding a staff convenience facility costs so many points, but this was more than just a simple convenience.


    ¡®The food made here alles with stat boosts.¡¯


    Just by regrly eating meals, physical abilities would improve.


    That''s why this was a must-build facility early on.


    Plus, a chef would be hired, so it was definitely worth the investment.


    [Construction of the restaurant has begun. (Time remaining untilpletion ¨C 07:59)]


    ¡®Next up, staff recruitment!¡¯


    [Would you like to use the Rank 9 Staff Recruitment Ticket?]


    As I mentally epted, a brown book appeared in my hands instead of the usual envelope.


    Shff¡ª


    When I opened the book, it contained various details.


    From [Melee] to [Ranged].


    From [Technician] to [Magician].


    Shff¡ª


    I quickly flipped through the pages since I already knew what I wanted.


    It didn¡¯t take long to find what I was looking for.


    "Found it."


    [Chef]


    A smile tugged at my lips, the frustration from earlier quickly fading.


    There had been some twists and turns, but I had built a near-perfect early game setup.


    "I didn''t expect to unlock the chef and restaurant tech this early, though..."


    As soon as I selected the pagebeled [Chef], the book began to tear apart.


    Right after that, the final piece of the early build fell into ce.


    [Rank 9 Staff ¡®Bilbo¡¯ has joined your team. Please give him a warm wee.]


    [Rank 9 Staff ¡®Bilbo¡¯ has entered thepany.]


    [The Foundation¡¯s Star has confirmed the skill.]


    [Basic Cooking (LV. 1) applies to ''Administrator''.]


    Thest puzzle piece was in ce.


    Even heavy spenders would envy this early game build.


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    w

 Chapter 23: Administrator, this isnt right.

    [Trantor - Night]


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    Chapter 23: Administrator, this isn''t right.


    "Ugh... Where am I?"


    A man who resembled a panda was holding his head and looking around.


    Since all the other staff except for Mari and Beryl had returned to the dormitory, it was easy to figure out who he was.


    "Bilbo."


    "Huh!"


    As soon as I called his name, the panda-like man jumped in surprise and turned his head.


    Despite his sluggish appearance, his movements were rather quick.


    Well, considering that he would be responsible for feeding dozens, if not hundreds, of people in the future... being slow wouldn''t do.


    With that in mind,


    ''He passes for now.''


    Bilbo, who showed a decent performance for a 9th-grade staff member, was epted.


    ''...Now, let''s see about his cooking skills.''


    With a [Low-Level Cooking LV. 1], it would be hard for his food to taste bad unless he deliberately tried to ruin it.


    He might have malicious intentions and mess up the cooking, but...


    ''There''s a way to prevent that from happening.''


    For now, there was only the Istion Department, but in the future, many departments would be created.


    Of course, I couldn¡¯t manage all of them myself.


    I needed capable staff who could be my hands and feet.


    This was preparation for the future.


    ''In a way, the cafeteria will be the first newly created department...¡¯


    It would take some time before I formally divided the departments, but it didn¡¯t hurt to be prepared in advance.


    Just as I was thinking that, Bilbo stood up.


    "How... how do you know my name? More importantly, where is this ce?"


    Where was this ce?


    I hadn¡¯t really given it much thought.


    Instead of answering his question, I decided to let Bilbo figure out what kind of ce this was on his own.


    "You remember the contract you made with the goddess, right?"


    "...That whole thing about saving the world¡ªare you saying it''s real?"


    Bilbo looked down at his hands nkly and then sighed deeply.


    "Did I really ept that ridiculous contract?... Me?"


    His confusion was understandable.


    He probably only remembered the contract the goddess had shoved in front of him, just like the other staff I''d recruited.


    Thud¡ª


    Bilbo plopped down on the ground and muttered sincerely.


    "...What¡¯s going to happen to me now?"


    What kind of ce was this?


    What would happen next?


    "You''ll understand better by seeing it for yourself."


    I headed towards the monument.


    I pressed [Kobold Raid], selecting both myself and Bilbo.


    Swoosh¡ª


    A blue portal appeared in front of us.


    Bilbo, who was staring at the portal in a daze, quickly realized something was wrong.


    He immediately turned and tried to run away... but since he¡¯d already been selected as an employee, there was nowhere to run.


    sh¡ª


    The blue light engulfed us.


    Momentster, a familiar burning smell filled the air.


    "Ahhh!"


    "Run!"


    As soon as I opened my eyes at the sound of familiar screams, a familiarndscape appeared before me.


    Thud¡ª


    Bilbo''s legs gave out, and he copsed to the ground.


    "Ugh, ugh..."


    [9th-grade staff member ''Bilbo'' has entered a state of panic.]


    I patted Bilbo on the shoulder as he sat on the ground.


    [You are an absolute ruler and the world''s guardian. Your words carry authority.]


    "It¡¯s okay. At least you¡¯re not alone."


    In the past, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to stop a 9th-grade staff member from panicking, but things were different now.


    As I grew stronger, so did the Foundation¡¯s Star.


    [Due to the ''Foundation''s Star'', the mental fortitude of your staff has greatly increased, making them more resistant to status ailments.]


    [9th-grade staff member ''Bilbo'' resists the panic.]


    The [Foundation''s Star] could cover it unless someone had abnormally low mental fortitude.


    However, preventing a mental breakdown was the limit of what I could do.


    Even with the [Foundation¡¯s Star], it couldn¡¯t create courage out of nothing.


    ¡®It¡¯s been a while...¡¯


    I picked up a weapon from the ground.


    Even though it was F-grade equipment, it was more than enough to deal with kobolds.


    "I miss this feeling."


    "G-gah!"


    Realizing what I was about to do after I picked up the weapon, Bilbo¡¯s face turned pale.


    He quickly waved his hands.


    "I-I can¡¯t fight. Something¡¯s wrong here."


    Why did I bring Bilbo, who had already been assigned as the cook?


    ¡®He won¡¯t be fighting anyway.¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t like I brought him along expecting him to fight.


    He had a right to know what kind of ce this was and what the other department members were doing.


    ¡®That way, he won¡¯t ck off.¡¯


    Of course, there were other small reasons as well¡­


    Anyway, before the day ended, I was supposed to take Bilbo around to see all the containment rooms.


    That was myst task for today, no matter what.


    * * *


    A building made of wood.


    Long wooden tables and chairs could be seen through the windows.


    "Wow, it looks like a dining hall."


    Mari was admiring the newly built cafeteria.


    ¡°Grooooaaaaan.¡±


    Unlike Mari, who seemed fine, next to her was Beryl, who looked like he was half-dead.


    It seemed that while Mari enjoyed the forced march, Beryl had struggled through the sleepless night.


    ¡°...It¡¯s a dining hall. Both of you,e inside.¡±


    I led Mari and Beryl, who were still gazing in awe, inside the building.


    Although the dining hall was only at level 1, it had everything.


    From spoons to chopsticks, all the essentials were there.


    When I grabbed a bowl and walked to the desk, a variety of foods wereid out in front of me.


    ¡°Wow! What¡­ What is all this?!¡±


    From potato sd to egg toast.


    Thevish breakfast menu was impressive enough to exin Mari¡¯s amazement.


    ¡®...They really went all out for the first day.¡¯


    Of course, this was all because of what had happened a few hours ago.


    After Bilbo had experienced all the containment rooms, he had copsed in exhaustion.


    A forced march that would have made any ordinary employee drop out early, yet Bilbo endured.


    At that time, as I looked down at Bilbo lying on the floor, I had mumbled to myself.


    ¡ª Hmm, containment is important, but¡­ I¡¯m also worried about the staff¡¯s meals. Isn¡¯t there anyone who knows how to cook?


    At my muttering, Bilbo quickly stood up and corrected his posture.


    ¡ª ¡­If I can cook, do I not have to go back there?


    ¡ª Of course. Taking care of the staff¡¯s meals is also an important job.


    ¡ª I-I will do it. Please let me. I promise you won¡¯t regret it.


    Although Bilbo was assigned to cooking from the beginning¡­


    ¡®If I hadn¡¯t put him through that forced march, he wouldn¡¯t have been so eager to work.¡¯


    I took a bite of the egg toast.


    The crispy yet soft texture of the bread lingered in my mouth.


    At the same time, the evenly spread egg on the toasted surface gave off a distinctive savory vor.


    [Egg Toast¡ï]


    [You have consumed a meal infused with the cook¡¯s care.]


    [Your stamina has increased by 0.01.]


    I was quietly marveling to myself when¡ª


    ¡°Mmmmmm!¡±


    I turned my gaze to the side.


    Mari¡¯s eyes were sparkling.


    ¡°What is this? What is this? It¡¯s delicious!¡±


    As Mari iled and made a fuss,


    Bilbo, who had approached unnoticed, offered her an apple with a satisfied smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m d my effort paid off, seeing youpliment the food like that.¡±


    Beryl, who had been staring nkly at the food, tilted his head at Mari¡¯s reaction, then hesitantly took a bite of the food in front of him.


    ¡°Whoa! I feel like energy is surging through my body¡­.¡±


    Beryl began devouring the food in his hands hurriedly.


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    w


    ¡®No, that¡¯s not just a feeling; it¡¯s real.¡¯


    I bit into the apple Bilbo had offered.


    [Your agility has increased by 0.001.]


    Here, any food consumed would be converted into stats.


    ¡®That¡¯s why the cafeteria needs to be upgraded early.¡¯


    Even though the increases were minimal, the umted stats from these meals couldn¡¯t be ignored.


    Of course, there was no stacking.


    ¡®Otherwise, the bnce would have been broken long ago.¡¯


    I took another bite of the egg toast.


    It tasted just as good, but no message about stat increases appeared this time.


    After finishing the meal, I stood up from my seat.


    This was already more than a satisfactory result.


    "Enjoy your meal."


    I dusted off my seat and headed towards the door.


    As I did, I heard Mari and Beryl¡¯s voices from behind.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Finally¡­ freedom¡­!¡±


    Leaving behind the all-night party, I opened the door to the dining hall.


    ¡°Uuugh¡­¡±


    And then, something came tumbling into the dining hall.


    It was the employees who had woken up.


    Khan stood up naturally and coughed.


    ¡°Ahem, ahem, there was a delicious smelling from a building I hadn¡¯t seen before, so I just¡­¡±


    Well, I hadn¡¯t told them anything, so there was no way they would have known.


    ¡°It¡¯s a dining hall. From now on, you can eat here.¡±


    ¡°¡­Dining hall?¡±


    I shrugged and stepped aside to let them in.


    ¡°Oh?! Mr. Khan, hello~¡±


    Then, I met eyes with Mari, who had been looking this way.


    When I nced over, I noticed a mountain of various fruits piled up in front of her.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    It¡¯s good if she can eat a lot.


    After all, everything would be converted into stats anyway.


    ¡®¡­But is that really possible?¡¯


    Wasn¡¯t there a saying that the stomach for meals and the stomach for desserts are different?


    ¡°Just don¡¯t overdo it.¡±


    Shaking my head, I stepped outside.


    Because all the employees had gathered in the dining hall, the outside was quieter than expected.


    ¡®Though there are only about 23 of them¡­¡¯


    I could feel that it wouldn¡¯t be long before we¡¯d need to expand the floors and divide up the ranks and departments.


    ¡°Six days until the festival.¡±


    For the next six days, I had only two things to do: expand thepany and assess my current condition.


    The most efficient option would be to enter a stage and increase the number of creatures I owned.


    However, I quickly shook my head.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the right time for a stage right now.¡±


    The employees had just woken up, and I couldn¡¯t proceed without key members like Khan and Mari.


    ¡®It would be manageable if Khan were here, at least.¡¯


    Khan had just started his meal, so he would naturallye to the training ground after finishing.


    ¡®I should use this time to review the new trait I acquired and assess my current state.¡¯


    With that in mind, I headed toward the training ground.


    [Training Ground LV. 1]


    An empty training ground, devoid of people. It was a perfect ce to test the newly acquired ability.


    ¡®I was curious about what kind of ability it would be.¡¯


    I opened the status window and examined the new ability.


    [Resonance (LV1)]


    * You can borrow the anomaly of a collected creature for one minute.


    * me Skin


    - You can envelop a target in mes.


    ¡°¡­me Skin, huh.¡±


    It was fitting for the creature, whose entire body had been made of fire.


    As I read the skill description, a question suddenly popped into my mind.


    ¡°¡­I can designate a target?¡±


    That meant it could be used as a long-range attack, as long as the target was within sight.


    ¡®But the guy didn¡¯t use that kind of ability, did he?¡¯


    The burning man I had faced merely had his entire body engulfed in mes.


    This made me question the [Resonance] ability.


    ¡®The Kobold Tablet granted [Summon Kobold]¡­ The Kobold Warchief gave [Strong Body]¡­¡¯


    And finally, the Kobold Raid provided [Beastfolk Language], which were abilities one could expect or that the individual creatures actually possessed.


    ¡®But [me Skin] is different¡­¡¯


    If taken literally, one would imagine the body being scorched by mes like the burning man.


    However, the target designation described in the skill¡¯s exnation was holding me back.


    Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I refocused.


    ¡°I¡¯ll know once I try it¡­¡±


    If the skill proved to be dangerous, I could simply stop using the ability and return to the waiting room to recover.


    ¡°¡­Hoo.¡±


    After taking a deep breath, I picked up a wooden sword.


    Then, I silently activated the ability I had in mind.


    [me Skin]


    The target was the wooden sword in my hand.


    Woosh.


    Sess.


    The mes enveloped the wooden sword precisely¡­


    ¡°...!¡±


    The fire climbed up the sword and wrapped around my right arm, as if it were craving something, swallowing my arm whole.


    Crack¡ª


    Startled by the intense heat climbing up my arm, I dropped the sword.


    [me Skin off]


    Holding my right arm with my left, I sank to my knees, gasping for air.


    ¡°Ha. Haha. So, that¡¯s how it is.¡±


    I looked at the wooden sword, now free of mes.


    Then, I turned my gaze to my right arm, scorched by the fire.


    [Trantor - Night]


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 Chapter 24: Scarlet Devil Mansion (1)

    [Trantor - Night]


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    Chapter 24: Scarlet Devil Mansion (1)


    His right arm was scorched red, and although the mes had died out, there was still an asional burning pain, as if it were ring up again.


    It was a first-degree burn.


    "...So, you''re telling me not to doubt it?"


    The description didn''t mention this skill, but it had an extremely highbustion rate.


    ''Of course, it''s fire-rted...''


    Given how quickly it spread, using it by applying it to a weapon was practically impossible.


    You could force it, but...


    ''At most, it would be good for lighting a torch or brightening up the way.''


    Still, the firepower was top-notch.


    ''Just from a brief contact, and I''ve already got a first-degree burn...''


    Considering the speed ofbustion, it could potentially incinerate an enemy in an instant.


    If I aim properly, it could be a very usable skill.


    The corners of my mouth lifted.


    ''...I like it.''


    Dangerous and tricky to use, but it''s just what I need right now...


    That''s my evaluation of it.


    The strongest in long-range firepowerbat.


    ''I happened to need a powerful skill, and here it is...''


    I had gained a fatal-level skill at just the right time.


    "...Looks like the test of my new skill is just about over."


    I stood up and headed to the waiting room.


    "I''m d I experimented in the training grounds."


    I could recover as soon as I returned to the waiting room.


    I would have probably been flustered by now if I had trusted only the description without testing the skill and used it in a stage.


    ''And the stage would have ended in failure.''


    So, this burn was no big deal.


    ''There are countless ways to use it.''


    With those thoughts, I opened the door and stepped outside.


    And just like that, the burn on my right arm disappeared, as if it had never been there.


    "Administrator, are you already done with your workout?"


    I turned my gaze towards the voice that suddenly called out to me.


    It was Khan.


    I asked Khan with a puzzled look.


    "...You''ve already finished eating?"


    Khan scratched the back of his head awkwardly and smiled.


    "Haha, well, there were so many people... It seems like we didn¡¯t prepare enough food. So, I decided to eatter."


    In short, he thought waiting would be a waste of time, so he came to train instead.


    ¡®What a diligent guy.¡¯


    Khan being diligent was admirable, but the question in my head didn¡¯t go away.


    ''...Did that much food really disappear that quickly?''


    Right after the dining hall waspleted, Bilbo and I had prepared about 40 servings for breakfast.


    Unless there were some serious gluttons in the mix, it shouldn''t have run out that fast... but I shrugged it off, figuring the staff were working hard and eating a lot.


    "So, there''s still some time until you can eat?"


    "Yes."


    No matter how I thought about it, preparing another meal would take a bit of time.


    [Cream Bun EA1]


    I immediately bought a bun and handed it to Khan.


    "Eat this for now. I have something to do right away."


    I was nning to go a littleter, but since my schedule was thrown off, I figured entering the stage now wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea.


    I had stayed up through the night, but thanks to [Foundation¡¯s Star], I didn¡¯t feel tired at all.


    ''And Khan can keep moving once he''s had a quick snack.''


    Although we looked like a hastily assembled party, just the two of us were already stronger than most [Gold] parties.


    As long as it wasn''t a "phenomenon-type" stage, anything from [Silver] would be manageable.


    "Thank you."


    After confirming Khan had taken the bun, I moved toward the monument.


    Then, I ced my hand on it and used my administrator authority.


    [Please select your staff.]


    ''Since it''s just reconnaissance, I''ll take it easy.''


    Of course, going into an unknown stage with just two people was normally considered a crazy move.


    ''...But we''ll be fine.''


    Khan''s sixth sense performed better than most detection-type abilities.


    And if the situation called for Mari''s ''focus'', I could just bring her in via [Synchronization].


    On top of that...


    ''...If things get bad, we can always use [Recall].''


    [Selecting a world...]


    I closed my eyes, and a blue vortex appeared when I opened them again.


    Above the vortex, the number 0/4 was disyed.


    "Oh."


    The theory was perfect.


    That is, until the number appeared above the blue vortex.


    ''Come to think of it, this is my first time entering this stage.''


    With all the stages rted to koboldspleted, a new stage was opening.


    If you didn¡¯t enter with the correct number of people, random employees from thepany would be summoned to fill in.


    As soon as I recalled that fact, a low mechanical sound echoed.


    [If you do not enter in time, random personnel will be automatically summoned to meet the minimum number of participants required for the mission.]


    Even with me and Khan entering, we were still short by two people.


    The system would probably abduct two employees shortly after we entered.


    Likely from those who had just started their meal.


    "...Poor things."


    I wished good luck to the two who would soon be abducted, and stepped through the portal.


    After a blue sh engulfed my vision, a huge mansion soon came into view.


    Right then, a quest window appeared.


    [Scarlet Devil Mansion - Identify and iste the cause of the strange phenomena!]


    Therge mansion visible beyond the grand archway exuded a spooky atmosphere, in stark contrast to its clean exterior.


    [Sixth Sense (LV. 2), Basic Swordsmanship (LV. 3) applied to ¡®Administrator¡¯.]


    As my Sixth Sense activated, the eerie air surrounding the ce seemed to intensify, almost as if it was just a trick of my mind.


    "...Hah."


    I scanned the area and let out a low sigh.


    ¡®It''s a phenomenon-type.¡¯


    Having a phenomenon-type show up at the very first stage of this series meant I was either incredibly unlucky or just in unfortunate.


    ¡®Well, let¡¯s look on the bright side.¡¯


    The phenomenon-type stage would lock in the themes for the next two stages, so as long as I endured this one, the rest would be manageable.


    Even so, a phenomenon-type was always troublesome, so I sighed again.


    "Sigh, this ce feels overwhelmingly ominous."


    Naturally, Khan would have sensed the same atmosphere I did.


    "Administrator, it seems more dangerous than we thought,"


    Khan said, gripping his weapon tightly and scanning the surroundings.


    And then, at that moment...


    [Basic Shieldmanship (LV. 4), Intermediate Archery (LV. 1), Concentration (LV. 1) applied to ¡®Administrator¡¯.]


    "Huh!"


    "Argh!"


    At the sound of familiar voices, Khan and I turned our heads simultaneously.


    "What, what is this?!"


    "Ah! My fruit!"


    There, we saw Beryl and Mari, who looked utterly despondent.


    "Ahhh! My precious break time!"


    "My fruit!"


    The two were sitting on the ground, as if in shock.


    "...This isn''t right. People should get to rest after working, shouldn¡¯t they?"


    "Ugh... It was finally time to eat watermelon."


    In front of the mansion, which was now enveloped in the night, the only thing breaking the silence was the despairing cries of Beryl and Mari.


    [Trantor - Night]


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    w


    I approached the two, who seemed oblivious to the situation.


    "¡­Come on, get up."


    Mari widened her eyes.


    "Huh? Administrator?"


    Her expression was as if she was wondering why I was there.


    Meanwhile, Beryl looked around in a panic before quickly straightening up.


    "¡­."


    Realizing that the area was temporarily safe, Beryl grabbed my pant leg, almost tearfully, despite hisrge frame.


    "Oh, Administrator, what did I do wrong this time...?"


    Looking at the dark circles under Beryl''s eyes, I realized he seemed to be severelycking rest.


    ''Oh¡­ right.''


    Come to think of it, Beryl and Mari had stayed up with me during the training and containment of the [Kobold Warlord].


    They didn¡¯t have skills like [Foundation Star], which helped with mental fatigue, so they were undoubtedly exhausted.


    So, while it would usually be the right call to send them back through reverse summoning...


    [Basic Shieldmanship (LV. 4), Intermediate Archery (LV. 1), Concentration (LV. 1) applied to ¡®Administrator¡¯.]


    ¡®I can¡¯t just pass up free skills.¡¯


    Even if I left them in a safe zone, I could use their skills¡ªConcentration, Intermediate Archery, and Basic Shieldmanship¡ªwithout needing to activate [Resonance].


    Having more skills was always advantageous for exploration.


    ¡®And Beryl has the [Mercenary] trait.¡¯


    On top of that, Beryl¡¯s [Mercenary] status would yield bonuses upon stage clearance, making it even harder to send him back.


    I patted their shoulders and smiled.


    "Once we find a safe zone, you can rest there. How about sticking with us until then?"


    I thought this was a very reasonable offer.


    "Oh, does that mean we don¡¯t have to work?"


    Beryl took the bait.


    "Yes, you can rest once we find the safe zone."


    "Wow, Administrator, you really do have a human heart."


    Beryl¡¯s eyes sparkled as he praised me.


    However, Mari didn¡¯t seem to share the same sentiment.


    Maybe it was because she knew I could use [Recall], but her expression looked anything but pleased.


    "Send us back."


    "No."


    "S. E. N. D. U. S. B. A. C. K."


    She expressed hostility like a dog growling at its owner.


    I had never seen Mari this angry before.


    ¡®... Well, considering she had to pull an all-nighter only to go straight back to work the next day, it¡¯s understandable she''d be upset.¡¯


    What was needed at a time like this was a proper reward.


    "...You''re right, I made a mistake. I''ll make sure Bilbo cooks you something delicious after we finish this."


    Something tasty.


    From what I had seen of Mari, she seemed to be a sucker for good food.


    And as expected.


    Mari rxed her expression and her eyes gleamed.


    "Oh! Then, how about those chicken skewers we hadst time?"


    "Sure. I''ll let Bilbo know, but you need to cooperate for now."


    "Okay~"


    I felt like I was training an animal or something, but that had to be just my imagination.


    After managing to appease them both, I returned to Khan.


    "Alright, let''s get going."


    Khan nced at me briefly, then looked awkwardly behind me and chuckled.


    "...Are those two going to be okay?"


    Following his gaze, I saw Beryl and Mari forming an alliance.


    "Rest! Rest! We will absolutely rest! As soon as we find a safe zone, we''re resting!"


    "Heehee, chicken skewers! I need to get back quickly so I can ask for chicken skewers!"


    ...Hmm.


    They did look a bit broken, but then again, every overworked employee is bound to have something a little broken, so it¡¯s no big deal.


    I waved it off like it was nothing.


    "At least they''re notpletely drained and devoid of motivation."


    "That''s true, but..."


    Khan agreed but kept ncing nervously behind him, swallowing hard.


    I left those employees behind and reached for the arch-shaped door.


    [Warning!]


    I squinted at the warning message.


    It was a warning that appears when there''s a significant gap in power between the staff and the creature.


    Normally, I would¡¯ve shrugged it off.


    ¡®¡­Mari, Khan, and Beryl together are stronger than most elite teams from a [Gold]-rankedpany, right?¡¯


    There shouldn¡¯t be any stage in a [Silver] rank that warrants a [Warning].


    Even if it was a ¡®Phenomenon Stage.¡¯


    "......"


    I grabbed the handle again.


    [Warning!]


    [This is the Witch''s Lair! Turn back immediately!]


    I felt a heavy sensation as I tried to pull the door open.


    It was as if an overwhelming pressure was crushing my entire body.


    [Grade 7 employee ¡®Khan¡¯ is resisting fear.]


    [Grade 7 employee ¡®Mari¡¯ is resisting fear.]


    [Grade 7 employee ¡®Beryl¡¯ is resisting fear.]


    Collective panic.


    The other staff members must have felt the same pressure I had, as they all stepped back from the archway.


    They gasped for breath and braced themselves.


    "Administrator, this is¡ª!"


    "...!"


    "Haaah..."


    But I didn¡¯t do the same.


    Instead, it felt like all the lingering questions I had were answered as I lightly pushed open the archway.


    Creak¡ª


    "Hah, I knew something felt off. This entire stage is just a rest area, isn¡¯t it?"


    I muttered to myself, leaving the startled employees behind.


    I walked along the long, gray path.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t expect toe across a hidden stage so soon.¡¯


    [Trantor - Night]


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 Chapter 25: Scarlet Devil Mansion (2)

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    Chapter 25: Scarlet Devil Mansion (2)


    Hidden stage.


    It literally meant a hidden stage.


    ''Usually, a formidable or strong enemy is lurking, but...''


    In Keepworld, the meaning changes slightly.


    ''You can think of it as an anomalous entity in its manifested form.''


    Of course, it would have been somewhat of a gamble for an ordinary yer.


    After all, it could indeed be a hidden stage where a powerful enemy lies in wait.


    ''But I''m not like that.''


    I was certain of this.


    ''No matter how anomalous the entity, it would only be at a [Silver] level.''


    There was no way a warning message would appear for our party, which could easily overwhelm even the [Gold] elite units.


    The fact that it did appear, however...


    ''It must be a secret shop.''


    Despite the oppressive atmosphere pressing down on my entire body, my steps felt incredibly light for this reason.


    Before I knew it, we had arrived at the mansion''s entrance.


    As I ced my hand on the door handle, the warning message reappeared and pushed us back.


    [Warning!]


    [This is the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Do not enter unprepared.]


    Looking up at the mansion, I saw that it was made of red bricks, and the moonlit roof emphasized that this was a special ce.


    I chewed over the name once again.


    ''Scarlet Devil Mansion.''


    A building imbued with magic.


    ''Good.''


    This was the final reason I was sure it was a secret shop.


    ''One warning should be enough... Why keep hiding things and showing warning messages?''


    I mustered all my strength and flung the giant door open.


    Creeeeak¡ª


    With a ghastly sound, the massive door opened, and beyond it, the inside of the mansion waspletely empty.


    It felt as if a ghost might appear at any moment.


    "Uh... are we really going in?"


    Mari nced at the mansion¡¯s interior and cautiously checked my expression.


    Since I believed there was neither danger nor anything scary here, I just shrugged and kept walking.


    Behind me, Khan and Beryl followed.


    "...Uh... at least say something!"


    Mari, who had been left behind, came running with a pale face and stuck to my back, asking,


    "...So, what do we do now?"


    What to do.


    If this were a normal stage, we would have spread out to gather information.


    Exploration is always a basic task for any stage.


    ''But not here.''


    A hidden stage has its own set of rules.


    Normally, I would be touching various parts of the screen to gather information, but now I just silently walked along the path.


    The reason Mari asked what we should do was because I hadn''t given any orders or instructions, and the other party members were also hesitant to act on their own.


    "Just do nothing and wait. The host will soon get impatient and show up."


    That was all I could tell the party.


    "...Show up?"


    Mari trembled at the mention of someone appearing and immediately grabbed onto my coat.


    "Yeah, so just wait."


    I didn¡¯t know the exact time, but from what I knew, this host would soon appear, unable to bear the boredom.


    ''There''s only one witch who loves gothic style.''


    A familiar sensation hit me as we walked endlessly through the seemingly infinite corridor for a while.


    [Sixth Sense LV. 2]


    ''Finally, here ites.''


    tter¡ª


    Although the mansion¡¯s appearance changes every time, its personality remains the same.


    tter¡ª


    "W-What is that?"


    "...?"


    The teapot on the table rattled.


    Sssss¡ª


    Then, right before our eyes, it started moving.


    "It, it moved! Right? I didn''t imagine it, did I?!"


    Mari freaked out, while Khan silently gripped his sword.


    Beryl stood motionless, not showing any reaction.


    tter¡ª


    The teapot floated into the air.


    It slowly moved in our direction and...


    Crash!


    It fell.


    "Yikes!"


    Mari covered her ears and crouched down.


    Khan quickly inspected the fallen teapot and then reported to me.


    "...It''s just an ordinary teapot."


    "An ordinary teapot? Are you sure? It''s not possessed or something?"


    Mari trembled.


    She seemed surprisingly vulnerable to scary things.


    Beryl, as usual, remained still and dazed.


    ''What an over-the-top entrance.''


    Just as I was thinking that, a loud noise startled us.


    Clunk!


    A drawer nearby flew open, and something white shot out, covering Mari.


    "Whoa!"


    "Aaah! It''s here!"


    What had jumped on Mari was a mysterious woman in a white coat.


    Khan quickly swung his sword but immediately halted as the woman raised her hand to stop him.


    Though Khan looked puzzled, he withdrew his sword after confirming Mari was unharmed.


    ''Khan stopped, and Beryl...?''


    Beryl was still silently standing behind me.


    ¡®Maybe it''s because his position is a tank...¡¯


    I couldn¡¯t see Beryl¡¯s expression, but perhaps because his position was a tank, he wasn¡¯t making any hasty moves.


    I took a deep breath and approached the woman who was harassing Mari.


    ¡°Ah, it tickles!¡±


    ¡°Heehee.¡±


    The woman continued to persistently bother Mari, as if she didn¡¯t even notice my approach.


    It didn¡¯t matter.


    This person always targeted the employee with the best reactions.


    ¡®I knew this, but seeing it firsthand is a bit¡­¡¯


    There are two ways to talk to this person in this state.


    One is to wait until she gets bored of ying with Mari.


    I immediately shook my head at the first option.


    ¡®It would take too long.¡¯


    The second option is to divert her attention somewhere else.


    For example¡­ calling out her name.


    ¡°Luci, why don¡¯t you stop and have a chat?¡±


    The woman who was tickling Mari stopped and turned her gaze towards me.


    Between her long white hair, a blue glow in her eyes glimmered.


    She stared at me for a long time, then staggered over.


    ¡°...How did you know?¡±


    It seemed like she was trying to set the mood, but it didn¡¯t work on me.


    My mental fortitude was at an EX level, and I had no intention of ying along with her in the first ce.


    ¡®If I get caught up in her pace, even 24 hours wouldn¡¯t be enough.¡¯


    What I wanted was a transaction, not to entertain her.


    ¡°Luci Restia, that¡¯s not what¡¯s important right now. You¡¯ve got customers. Aren¡¯t you going to do business?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    At the mention of business, the woman puffed out her cheeks.


    ¡°...Such a boring person has arrived. Well, fine. You three,e up to the second floor.¡±


    With those words, she disappeared like smoke.


    ¡°Sh-she disappeared?!¡±


    ¡°A-a ghost... Ugh.¡±


    It must have been some kind of skill, but Khan and Mari, who didn¡¯t know that, had turned pale.


    By the way, what did Luci just say?


    ¡®...Three?¡¯


    There were four of us.


    Mari, lying t on the floor catching her breath, Khan standing beside me, and Beryl, who was standing solidly behind me¡­


    ...


    ...Beryl?


    I turned to check on Beryl.


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    He was standing steadfastly behind me like an impregnable fortress.


    ...


    No, upon closer inspection, he wasn¡¯t standing guard but waspletely motionless.


    With a hunch, I reached out to touch his body...


    Thunk¡ª


    As expected.


    When he saw the teapot move, he must have fainted on the spot, still standing.


    ¡°...¡±


    There was no way we could carry this big guy up to the second floor.


    And with safety already confirmed, there was no need to bring Beryl along either.


    I decided to unsummon Beryl.


    [Recalling 7th-grade employee Beryl.]


    After confirming Beryl disappeared in a sh of white light, I helped Mari up from the floor.


    ¡°Time to get up.¡±


    As I helped her up, Mari murmured in a half-crying voice.


    ¡°...Could you please send me back too?¡±


    I had no problem sending her back, but I didn¡¯t bother to do so.


    If I wanted to ransack the secret shop thoroughly, I needed Mari¡¯s concentration.


    ¡°Mari, do you remember the promise I made you at the start?¡±


    ¡°...That you¡¯d give me grilled chicken skewers if I got through this?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll ask for triple the amount.¡±


    ¡°Triple...¡±


    The mention of chicken skewers made her hesitate before she clenched her fist with determination.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±


    With that, we headed up to the second floor.


    The second floor wasn¡¯t much different from the first.


    Gothic-style furniture and dozens of magic circles.


    It didn¡¯t take long to find the room where Luci had asked us to go.


    At the far end of the second floor, thergest room had a noticeable presence.


    Creak¡ª


    I opened the door to the innermost room.


    ¡°Right, it seems you already know, but I¡¯ll introduce myself anyway.¡±


    Long hair that reached down to her waist, blue glowing eyes that watched us closely.


    ¡°I¡¯m Luci. Luci Restia. The owner of this ce.¡±


    She extended both hands forward.


    Immediately, the magic artifacts that filled the room began to glow.


    Bam!


    [You have discovered Luci¡¯s Secret Shop.]


    [Achievement Unlocked: Luci''s Secret Shop]


    - An istion zone directly connected to the secret shop will be created. (However, entry is not allowed without Luci¡¯s permission.)


    Luci¡¯s Secret Shop.


    I¡¯ve been here a few times, but there¡¯s one thing I know for sure.


    ¡®This gives us one more advantage when dealing with otherpanies.¡¯


    None of the items Luci sells are useless to thepany.


    Of course, if you lose your mind and try to cause trouble or attempt to steal something...


    ¡®It would be a horrifying experience.¡¯


    Luci herself is a monster equivalent to a 3rd-ss being, just by her presence.


    Just as we can step into a secret shop, Lucy could visit ourpany anytime she wanted.


    So, it was wise not to provoke her unnecessarily and end up creating a monster¡ªbetter just to keep her as a trading partner.


    tter.


    Lucy, who was sitting on a chair, turned her gaze towards me.


    Then, the same hologram I had seen on my mobile device appeared in front of me.


    "Well, go ahead and pick something."


    [Secret Shop (Silver)]


    * High-Grade Healing Potion [1,500 points]


    - A potion that canpletely heal moderate to severe injuries. (It tastes like strawberry.)


    * Enhancement Potion [1,000 points]


    - A potion that temporarily increases the target''s abilities. (All stats +5)


    * Illusion Potion [2,000 points]


    - A potion that summons a duplicated yer character for a certain period. (Duration: 3 minutes)


    .....


    Although it was a Silver-level secret shop, the items on disy were not suitable for beginners at all.


    Furthermore, the prices were astronomical.


    You would have to spend all the points that a typical [Silver] levelpany earns in a week to afford even one item.


    ''Of course, the performance is good for the price.''


    These items could be used up to the [Diamond] level, so it wasn''t a waste... but still...


    ''This kind of trick only works on people who are entering the secret shop for the first time.''


    Since I already understood the essence of the secret shop, the current list didn''t excite me at all. I chuckled and activated my skill.


    [Focus LV. 1]


    ''Even though it''s just Level 1 Focus...''


    It was more than enough to loot the [Silver] level secret shop.


    "Oh?"


    Lucy rested her chin on her hand and looked at me with interest as I used my skill to uncover a hidden list.


    [Secret Shop (Silver-LV. 1)]


    * Silver Key ckhole [2,000 points]


    - A special key that can open any door, but inflicts significant mental damage each time it is used.


    * Talisman of Nightmare [2,500 points]


    - When used, it lowers the target''s stats and causes confusion, but it also inflicts severe mental damage on the user.


    Reading the item descriptions, I smirked.


    "As expected, they hid it here."


    Usually, people don''t rejoice when they discover the secret shop.


    ''In the first ce, gathering this many points is difficult.''


    Even if you did gather them, mostpanies would be desperate to invest in thepany instead... but not ours.


    "Alright, let''s blow some money."


    Thanks to my hard-working employees, I had more than enough points.


    [Points: 2,711]


    "I''ll buy the Talisman of Nightmare."


    "...Oh?"


    Lucy narrowed her eyes, clearly surprised that I chose to purchase the Talisman of Nightmare, despite the debuffs.


    ''Well, of course.''


    The reason such items are hidden deep within secret shops is usually for one of three reasons: the item''s performance is overwhelmingly high for its level, the debuffs are too severe to make it usable, or...


    ''...it falls into both categories.''


    The Talisman of Nightmare I chose belonged to thetter.


    Any other yer reading the description would have been horrified.


    ''A normal employee wouldn''t be able to use it.''


    Ah, but I''m an exception.


    [Your mind will never waver.]


    As long as I have the "Star of the Foundation," my mental strength is invulnerable.


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    w

 Chapter 26: Scarlet Devil Mansion (3)

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    Chapter 26: Scarlet Devil Mansion (3)


    "Kid, that talisman... you¡¯re not nning to use it yourself, are you?"


    Luci pointed directly at me.


    Naturally, I was nning to use it myself, so I answered affirmatively.


    "Of course, I have to use it."


    Upon hearing that, Luci, who was about to hand over the yellow talisman, retrieved it.


    She red at me and asked again.


    "I''m saying this because you recognized me and even found an item hidden in the secret shop. The penalty from this talisman is not as trivial as you think."


    I knew what Luci was worried about.


    I quietly closed my eyes.


    ¡®...A scapegoat. That¡¯s one way to go about it.¡¯


    There was a strategy known as "Scapegoat" that was popr among certain yers.


    It involved sacrificing an employee to use an item covered in penalties forcibly.


    ¡°You''ll suffer terrible nightmares that will erode your mind in real-time. So, it¡¯s best to avoid using it yourself. I actually kind of like you.¡±


    She was advising me like this.


    She was essentially telling me to turn an insubordinate employee into a cursed totem.


    To use a scapegoat.


    ¡®If I didn''t have the [Foundation''s Star]...¡¯


    No, if I didn¡¯t have [Foundation''s Star], I wouldn¡¯t have bought an item with penalties in the first ce.


    I shrugged off the ¡°what ifs¡± and smiled at Luci.


    ¡°Since when did merchants care about their customers? It¡¯s my business how I use it.¡±


    I bought the item.


    How I use it is now up to me.


    ¡®If I were going to use a scapegoat, I would have thought of my employees as mere tools from the start when I decided to grow thepany.¡¯


    Clearing my mind, I gave Luci a look.


    Enough nonsense, just hand it over already.


    Catching on to my intent, Luci sneered and handed me the talisman.


    "Hah, I did warn you, didn''t I?"


    After receiving the talisman, I shoved it into my pocket.


    "It¡¯s about time we head back."


    There wasn¡¯t much more I could do here anyway.


    I didn¡¯t manage to get a creature, but I did unlock the secret shop, so it wasn¡¯t a bad haul.


    "Just leaving? Don¡¯t you want to buy anything else?"


    Luci looked at us as if disappointed when I said we were leaving.


    I shrugged and pretended to empty my pockets.


    ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m out of points.¡±


    Hearing I had no more points, Luci narrowed her eyes.


    "...Just to confirm, what''s yourpany¡¯s rank?"


    "Silver."


    "Silver...?"


    Luci murmured in surprise, as if taken aback.


    "...No wonder the owner of this ce was so weak."


    Her voice was so quiet that I barely heard it.


    I frowned.


    "...What did you say?"


    At my question, Luci waved her hands frantically and changed the subject.


    ¡°Nothing. So, you¡¯re heading back?¡±


    It was unsettling, but I didn''t press further since we had to leave quickly anyway.


    ¡®I need to hurry back and gather more points.¡¯


    While the secret shop is still active, I had to get as many items as I could.


    ¡®You never know when Luci will change her mind and leave.¡¯


    Naturally, there was only one Luci NPC.


    If one yer monopolized her, other yers couldn¡¯t ess the secret shop, so Luci moved around periodically.


    In other words, she¡¯d leave once she lost interest.


    ¡°Since it seems like you''re heading back, I¡¯ll send you off.¡±


    Suddenly, Luci said this and approached us.


    I signaled Mari and Khan to gather near Luci.


    ''There''s no clear message when the secret shop closes.''


    In the game, you¡¯d return to the waiting room right after closing the secret shop, but this wasn¡¯t a game; it was reality.


    "Alright, everyone, grab my hand."


    Luci extended her hand.


    "Ugh, I''m scared of her."


    Maybe because of what she¡¯d been through, Mari hesitated before reaching out.


    After scanning the surroundings onest time, Khan eventually extended his hand.


    "Is there really nothing left to see here?"


    "Yeah."


    It seemed like he was trying to use his sixth sense to detect any hidden items, but in the secret shop, skills like "Focus" were more useful than the sixth sense.


    ¡®He¡¯s finally reached a point where he knows what to do even without me giving instructions.¡¯


    It was nice to see Khan improving, especially since Mari¡¯s awareness seemed to be fading more and more.


    That thought was brief, though.


    Everyone¡¯s hands gathered on the back of Luci''s hand.


    "Transfer."


    With that one short word, a sh of blue light enveloped us.


    ¡®Looks like you need Luci¡¯s permission to return to the waiting room, unlike in the game.¡¯


    After a moment of stillness, the blue light faded and we regained our vision.


    "Ah, Administrator, you¡¯ve returned safely."


    Noticing themotion, I opened my eyes and looked around.


    "We¡¯re safe!"


    "You¡¯re safe!"


    What filled my vision wasn¡¯t an empty waiting room but dozens of people.


    Yon and the employees.


    For a moment, countless questions shed through my mind.


    ''What are they doing here? What about creature management?''


    I didn¡¯t understand why the employees, instead of working, were gathered here cheering for us.


    ¡®...Is this some sort of protest?¡¯


    I wanted to ask what the hell was going on right now and if he wasn''t working, but seeing Yon¡¯s anxious expression, I kept my mouth shut for now.


    Once Yon confirmed that Khan, Mari, and I were rtively unscathed, he spoke in a low voice.


    "Mr. Beryl copsed while standing and returned, so I was worried that something had happened to the party where the Administrator was present."


    "Ah."


    Despite hisrge build, I suddenly remembered that Beryl was the first to get knocked out.


    ¡®I couldn¡¯t just leave him there, so I sent him back using [Recall]¡­.¡¯


    That was the root cause of this whole situation.


    ¡®¡­It was indeed something to be worried about.¡¯


    Considering that Beryl was far stronger than Yon or the other employees, it was only natural for them to be concerned when he returned unconscious.


    Moreover, since Beryl had copsed almost immediately, he hadn¡¯t been able to properly exin what had happened inside the stage.


    ¡®¡­Basically, sending Beryl back was the start of all this mess.¡¯


    Although it was a short time, the points we couldn¡¯t earn during that period weighed on my mind as a loss for thepany.


    But scolding the employees who were worried about us didn¡¯t feel right either.


    ¡®How could I reprimand them for being concerned?¡¯


    Pressing my fingers against my throbbing forehead, I gathered the employees together.


    "¡­Thank you all for your concern. There wasn¡¯t much trouble inside the stage, think of it as a quick trading trip."


    Yon tilted his head in confusion at the mention of such an unexpected word.


    "Trading¡­?"


    His gaze seemed to wonder what kind of trade would have caused Beryl to copse while standing.


    There was no particr way to exin this part, so I sighed lightly and continued speaking.


    [Trantor - Night]


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    w


    "Yes, there was someone selling items that could help thepany grow. I''ll be making as many trades as possible before we participate in the festival."


    "I see."


    "Of course, if any of you show promise, I¡¯ll be taking you along for the next trade."


    The reason I said this was simple.


    Whether or not you have trading experience with otherpanies would be important in the future.


    Your negotiation skills could influence discounts or other benefits even in a secret shop.


    ¡®Of course, none of us would ever be able to get the better of Luci¡­.¡¯


    Still, even a small experience like this would be beneficial for the growth of both the employees and thepany.


    "R-Really¡­?"


    The mention of going along made Yon and the other employees tremble.


    "¡­It¡¯s really just trading. Don¡¯t be scared."


    The preconceptions formed because of Beryl seemed to have stuck deep in the employees¡¯ minds.


    ¡®Ha, in any case, I need to take Beryl and make up for the losses.¡¯


    Speak of the devil.


    "¡­Administrator, have you returned?"


    Beryl appeared, scratching the back of his head.


    Letting out a small sigh, I looked at Beryl and forced a smile.


    ¡°You and I will be staying up all night tonight, won¡¯t we?¡±


    My eyes were smiling, but my mouth was not.


    Of course, Beryl knew exactly what that meant, and all he could do was look pitiful.


    ¡°I-I didn¡¯t get any sleep¡­¡±


    ¡°You slept plenty just a moment ago.¡±


    When I thought about it, the lost points weren¡¯t the only issue; there was also a disruption in training the employees.


    There was no way I could let Beryl off the hook.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start by taking down the Champion ten times.¡±


    I summoned a [Kobold Champion] through the nearby stone.


    ¡°N-No, please, not the Kobolds!¡±


    I could hear Beryl''s desperate plea, but unfortunately¡­


    Other than the [Burning Man], the only creatures in thepany were the Kobolds.


    * * *


    Scarlet Mansion.


    Literally tranted, it means the Great Mansion of Red Magic or the Building of the Red Witch.


    However, Luci neither used red magic nor was she a red witch.


    ¡°¡­I thought I was done for when you appeared during the quarantine.¡±


    In the office of the red mansion, a beautiful woman with pale skin was gazing at the moon outside the window.


    It was Luci.


    ¡°I had an unexpectedly interesting experience.¡±


    She wore a faint smile reminiscent of the ce where she had just been selling secret items.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make this my base for the time being. Although it¡¯s still at [Silver] rank, I have a feeling something interesting is going to happen soon.¡±


    After murmuring this, she stepped away from the window and stomped on the ground with all her might.


    Thud-


    The floor opened, revealing a crimson coffin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think so, too?¡±


    When Luci gestured, the coffin opened, and a figure resembling a person copsed out.


    ¡°For that reason, I think I¡¯ll take this ce for myself.¡±


    The person was not human, with pale skin, red eyes, and sharp fangs.


    [Vampire LV. 10]


    It was a vampire, something straight out of myth or fairy tales.


    ¡°Oh, right. I thought about what kind of item I should make for the [Silver], as it¡¯s my first time dealing with one.¡±


    ncing at the fallen vampire, Luci took an empty sk out from her clothes.


    A grin crept across her lips.


    ¡°But then I realized there was no need to think too hard.¡±


    The vampire slowly got up.


    ¡°There¡¯s a perfectly good material right in front of me that would make a great gift for the [Silver].¡±


    Luci chuckled.


    At that, the vampire let out a furious cry like an enraged wolf and lunged at her.


    Screeeech-


    A crimson liquid flowed out of the vampire.


    It was blood, soon forming the shape of a sharp spear.


    Luci, who was looking at the red de, tilted her head.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? I¡¯ve sealed all the magic¡­ Oh, I see. It¡¯s not magic, is it?¡±


    Screeeech!


    Despite the frightening charge from the grotesque creature, Luci leisurely hummed a tune, lifting a finger.


    Then¡ª


    Crack-


    A sharp spear rose from Luci¡¯s shadow and pierced the vampire.


    It happened in an instant.


    The red spear created by the vampire also reverted to ordinary blood droplets and scattered in all directions.


    ¡°Annoying.¡±


    Luci snapped her fingers.


    As if time had reversed, the blood droplets that had scattered began to float back up.


    Then¡ª


    Sssrrrk-


    The red liquid started to pour into the empty sk that Luci held.


    ¡°Magic immunity and ''madness'' infusion¡­ huh.¡±


    A potion that granted a nearly invincible body against magical effects but immediately turned the user into a lunatic.


    Normally, it would be considered useless.


    However, Luci shook the sk filled with the red liquid, nodding with satisfaction.


    ¡°Let¡¯s call it a Vampire Potion.¡±


    Then she recalled Seongjin, who had shown a confident smile despite the penalties from the Nightmare Talisman.


    She put the Vampire Potion into her bag.


    ¡°If that brat is still alive, I might consider this as a gift.¡±


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


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 Chapter 27: Scarlet Devil Mansion (4)

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    Chapter 27: Scarlet Devil Mansion (4)


    The use of Beryl wasn''t limited to just the [Mercenary] trait.


    ¡®Well, this is its original purpose, after all¡­¡¯


    A sturdy shield protecting the party from unknown threats¡ªthat was the role of the tank.


    ¡°Ugh! These annoying kobolds!¡±


    It was the fifth battle with the Kobold Warlord.


    As if squeezing out hisst bit of energy, Beryl let out a loud shout and charged toward the Warlord.


    Kieeeek-!


    Not to be outdone, the Kobold Warlord let out a roar.


    Swoosh-


    The first to move was the Warlord''s massive club.


    Bang!


    When the club hit the ground, it left a deep crater.


    Kyakkyakkyak!


    The Warlord raised the club again, readying another strike.


    No matter how skilled a 7th-rank employee might be, getting hit by that club directly would be devastating.


    "¡­A regr 7th-rank would think so."


    I mumbled to myself as I watched Beryl¡¯s back.


    Despite having witnessed the power of that club dozens of times, Beryl¡¯s movements remained unhindered.


    "A tank. What would happen if an employee whose endurance is at a superhuman level werebined with the [Nightmare Talisman], which lowers physical specs?"


    This time, I instructed Beryl not to dodge the club.


    - What did I do to deserve this¡­?


    - I''ll stop after this experiment is over. Unless you want to run five moreps¡­ What do you say? Want to give it a try?


    - ¡­I''ll do it.


    Though Beryl¡¯s voice trembled, I knew the truth.


    Beryl could endure the club¡¯s blow.


    Of course, that didn¡¯t mean it wouldn¡¯t hurt.


    ¡®Even an employee with superhuman endurance feels pain.¡¯


    Choosing to take a hit when you could dodge it is a fool''s errand.


    ¡®But I need to test the effect of the [Nightmare Talisman].¡¯


    I took a yellow talisman out of my pocket.


    [Nightmare Talisman]


    - When used, it lowers the enemy''s stats and induces confusion but also inflicts mental damage on the user.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see how effective this is.¡±


    I used the talisman on the Kobold Warlord.


    I felt a sharp headache for a moment, but it quickly passed.


    [The Foundation''s Star protect you.]


    ¡°The die is cast. Now to see what happens¡­¡±


    The question didn¡¯t linger for long.


    Swoooosh-


    A chilling roar echoed as a shadow loomed over Beryl¡¯s head.


    It was the Kobold Warlord¡¯s club.


    Staring at the iing blow, Beryl grinned as if resigned to his fate.


    At that moment¡ª


    "Come on! I¡¯ll take the hit and finally get some rest!"


    He steadied himself and raised his shield.


    Swoosh¡ª


    Bang!


    The shield collided with the club.


    Bymon logic, Beryl should have been knocked flying, shield and all, but¡­


    Kieeek?!


    It wasn¡¯t Beryl who was thrown back.


    The Kobold Warlord flew through the air as if hit by a shockwave and copsed.


    Boom!


    I immediately activated a spell.


    And I locked onto the Kobold Warlord¡¯s club.


    [me Skin]


    Fwoosh-


    Kieeeek!


    The Kobold Warlord dropped his club, startled by the sudden burst of mes.


    And soon after¡ª


    The club quickly turned to ash.


    I could have incinerated the Warlord on the spot, but I didn¡¯t for a simple reason.


    ¡®I need to make the most of this.¡¯


    The talisman''s cooldown was a day.


    It felt wasteful to defeat the weakened Kobold Warlord so easily.


    So, what could I do by sparing him?


    Simple.


    "Beryl, keep that shield raised."


    ¡°¡­Yes, sir.¡±


    Training Beryl¡¯s shield skills.


    And doing it safely and quickly.


    Kieeek!


    Enraged, the Kobold Warlord stood up and swung his fists wildly at Beryl.


    Kieeeek!


    But wild, uncoordinated attacks are the easiest to block.


    The Kobold Warlord¡¯s strikes were all met with Beryl¡¯s shield.


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Though the Warlord¡¯s massive frame made his attacks seem threatening, Beryl was surprisingly holding his own.


    ¡°Haha. What¡¯s with this guy? He¡¯s so weak now. I could do this all day!¡±


    Watching Beryl¡¯s rising confidence, I muttered.


    ¡°What? You can do this all day? Then let¡¯s make it an all-day thing.¡±


    "Eek!"


    It was half a joke, but Beryl¡¯s face went pale.


    ¡®Mid-tier skills are beyond the realm of regr humans¡­¡¯


    When Mari first reached the intermediate level with her archery, she became far stronger than before.


    The same was true for other skills.


    ¡®Beryl''s Shield Skill was definitely at LV. 4, right?¡¯


    That meant he could soon advance to Intermediate Shield Skill.


    ¡°Hmm! Hit me harder!¡±


    Beryl, who was taking the weakened Kobold Warlord''s punches,ughed heartily.


    ¡°With that level of strength, you won¡¯t be able to break through this oak shield!¡±


    Well, it was good to see he was motivated.


    ¡®...The party¡¯s stability significantly increased starting from Intermediate Shield Skill, right?¡¯


    Unlike archery or swordsmanship, Intermediate Shield Skill could create a barrier.


    The user''s endurance influenced the durability and duration of the barrier.


    ¡®If Beryl, who has reached the level of a superhuman, uses it...¡¯


    While the barrier was active, there would be no risk of injury for staff members at [Silver] or [Gold] rank.


    ¡®...There''s no need to rush.¡¯


    Even if he pushed himself too hard from the start, there was no guarantee the skill level would increase, and there was still plenty of time before the festival.


    ¡®Reaching the intermediate level can be achieved through training.¡¯


    So, there was no need to be impatient.


    After all, it wasn¡¯t me who was doing the hard work, but Beryl.


    Having organized my thoughts, I approached Beryl, who was still sparring with the Kobold Warlord.


    ¡°Your shield is down! Hold it up properly.¡±


    The training continued until the Kobold Warlord, exhausted, copsed on its own.


    [Trantor - Night]


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    * * *


    With a day left until the festival, Beryl reached Intermediate Shield Skill.


    [Intermediate Shield Skill LV. 1 has been applied to the ''Administrator.'']


    ¡°Waaaah! This awful ordeal is finally over!¡±


    Beryl sprawled out on the floor of the waiting room.


    It seemed holding a shield and blocking attacks had been tougher than expected.


    ¡°You did well.¡±


    Leaving Beryl lying on the floor behind me, I went to find Yon.


    ¡°You''ve arrived, Administrator?¡±


    Yon, knowing exactly what I hade to do, naturally apanied me.


    ¡®He¡¯s gotten used to this.¡¯


    He couldn¡¯t help it; for the past six days, all I had done was train Beryl in shield skills and knock on the door of the secret shop with Yon.


    ¡®Will we be able to enter today...?¡¯


    I stopped with Yon in front of the quarantine area marked [Luci¡¯s Secret Shop].


    Yon muttered as he looked at the quarantine area door.


    ¡°I hope we can go in today.¡±


    I nodded in agreement with his murmur.


    Although it was within thepany, this quarantine area was not a ce I could enter just because I wanted to.


    [Luci¡¯s Secret Shop]


    - Quarantine area directly connected to the secret shop. (Entry is not allowed without Luci''s permission.)


    ¡°...If we fail again today, there¡¯s no other way.¡±


    In reality, if we couldn¡¯t enter today, we wouldn¡¯t be able to try knocking on the door for at least three days.


    ¡°We have to prepare for the festival as well.¡±


    I grabbed the doorknob of the quarantine area.


    ...


    ¡®As expected, it doesn¡¯t budge.¡¯


    Well, it was understandable since Luci wasn¡¯t one to stay in one ce.


    ¡®It''s unfortunate, but we¡¯ll have to try the secret shop next time...¡¯


    Just as I was thinking that and let go of the doorknob,


    Creak¡ª


    The door opened, and Luci popped out.


    ¡°Oh, what? Were you trying toe in?¡±


    It was Luci.


    She came out of the quarantine area and wandered around thepany.


    ¡°This is perfect. I had something to give you. But wait a moment...¡±


    She said this while circling around me.


    Then, as if she was impressed, she murmured.


    ¡°...Wow. You really used the Nightmare Talisman.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know how she figured it out, but she had noticed that I had used the Nightmare Talisman.


    ¡°With this, I really can¡¯t not give you a present.¡±


    Luci hummed cheerfully as she took out a bottle of red liquid from her bag.


    ¡°A present.¡±


    As I red at the red bottle she handed me, a system message appeared.


    [Vampire Potion]


    - Grants the user immunity to magic for 5 minutes.


    - There is a 99% chance of falling into permanent madness upon consumption.


    Magic immunity was a highly valued option.


    ¡®It¡¯s useful against mages...¡¯


    However, the added penalty was severe enough to negate any advantage from using it.


    ¡®...There¡¯s no way I can let anyone else in the staff use this.¡¯


    Madness, as the name suggested, was a condition where one went insane.


    ¡®Of all the penalties, it had to be madness...¡¯


    I looked at the Vampire Potion with a weary expression, recalling what kind of ability "madness" was.


    ¡®Ordinary mental treatment doesn¡¯t work.¡¯


    Employees swallowed by ¡°madness¡± would go out of control, wreaking havoc as if possessed.


    Various spells and scrolls, and even the help of the headquarters, couldn¡¯t cure ¡°madness.¡±


    ¡®Unless one had a special ability or had broken through the limits of mental strength, everyone would be consumed by madness.¡¯


    It was easier to think of it as permanent mental damage.


    ¡®...¡¯


    Seeing her bring this as a present made it clear that Luci wasn¡¯t in her right mind either.


    ¡®It¡¯s true Luci wasn¡¯t sane...¡¯


    She was alwayspeting for the top two or three spots in the rankings of the craziest people in Keepworld.


    I squinted my eyes and stared at Luci.


    As if wondering what was wrong, Luci tilted her head with an innocent expression.


    ¡®She¡¯s giving this as if it''s a reward for my hard work, but...¡¯


    In reality, it was the opposite.


    Luci was asking me a question right now.


    You endured the Nightmare Talisman penalty?


    Then, let¡¯s see if you can withstand this as well.


    I would have never drunk from the poisoned chalice if I were still a yer. But...


    ''...Alright, let''s give it a try.''


    I smirked inwardly and epted the vampire potion Luci handed over.


    ''To me, mental penalties are no longer penalties.''


    It''s different when I, not the staff, use it myself.


    It was obvious this vampire potion would make me... no, thepany, even more prosperous.


    As I received the potion, Luci smiled mischievously and began exining it.


    "When you drink that potion, you won¡¯t take magic damage for about five minutes. Pretty cool, right?"


    Her tone sounded somewhat like a scammer, but this time, I didn''t mind getting fooled.


    ''After all, I got the item for free.''


    At that moment, a cold chill ran through my entire body.


    [Sixth Sense LV. 2]


    Instinct recognized the cause of this strange phenomenon before reason did.


    ''It''s already time?!''


    I turned to look at the main entrance.


    A golden knight was already entering through the now open door.


    I scanned the surroundings.


    It was like time had frozen; the staff stood still, as if in a trance.


    Except for one person.


    "What''s this? The Executor?"


    Luci waved as if she knew Nice.


    "What, what? Isn¡¯t it too early for collection day?"


    Nice hesitated briefly upon noticing Luci, but soonposed himself and walked toward me.


    "Nice, what brings you here?"


    Luci circled around Nice, asking questions, but he paid no attention to her.


    Internally, I admired how Nice handled the attention-seeker.


    ''...He really knows how to deal with someone like that.''


    But that admiration was short-lived.


    Nice let out a quiet sigh.


    "Haa. I don¡¯t know why Luci is here... but anyway, time is up."


    Time.


    It meant the festival was about to begin.


    "As you know, the Administrator¡¯s Zone is currently a [Silver]-rankpany, which means normally, you wouldn¡¯t be able to receive the coordinates for the festival."


    That made sense.


    Without coordinates, we wouldn''t be able to head to Camelot.


    ''I expected a guide to be sent...''


    But I hadn¡¯t thought he''de to greet us in person.


    "Don''t worry. That¡¯s why I¡¯vee myself. Only five people, including yourself, can go to the festival."


    Hearing the word "festival," Luci jumped out of her silence.


    "What?! It¡¯s festival time already? Take me with you! It¡¯s Camelot, right? It¡¯s Camelot this time, isn¡¯t it?"


    Luci¡¯s eyes sparkled as she squeezed between Nice and me... but Nice used an invisible force to push her far away.


    "I like festivals too!"


    Leaving behind Luci''s distant cries, I reflected on what Nice had said.


    ''So, excluding me, I can only bring four people, huh.''


    In truth, I wasn¡¯t nning on bringing too many people, and the number of avable spots was limited.


    ''At most, I''d take Khan, Mari, and Beryl...''


    The reason I excluded Yon was simple.


    ''Someone has to stay behind to protect thepany.''


    "Grade 7 staff: Khan, Mari, Beryl, and myself. That makes four."


    "Will four be enough?"


    "It¡¯s enough."


    "Then please sign the contract here, and write the names of the staff who will participate below."


    Nice handed over a piece of golden paper as he spoke.


    I filled out the participant list on the paper Nice gave me.


    "All done."


    I wrote down the names of Khan, Mari, Beryl, and myself, and handed the paper back to Nice.


    Nice read the names aloud as if to confirm them.


    "Khan, Mari, Beryl, Shin Seongjin... and finally Luci... is that correct?"


    "...What?"


    Startled, I looked to Nice¡¯s side and saw that Luci had sneaked in and written her name.


    "Whyyy? Take me with you."


    Even Nice seemed momentarily at a loss, ncing between Luci and me in surprise.


    [Trantor - Night]


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 Chapter 28: Festival (1)

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    Chapter 28: Festival (1)


    The golden contract left Nice¡¯s hand and began to shine in midair.


    The contract was sealed.


    Nice¡¯s face turned pale.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Nice quickly drew his sword to cut the contract, but the light from the contract enveloped the people listed in it even faster.


    sh!


    There was a brief sh of light, so bright that I had to close my eyes for a moment.


    Then, the flow of the air changed.


    As I cautiously opened my eyes, I saw that we were standing before a gigantic fortress.


    ¡°Whoa! Wh-what is this?¡±


    ¡°Again?! Ughhh! My precious rest time!¡±


    The employees who had been frozen in ce started moving again as we left Nice¡¯s domain.


    ¡°Mari~!¡±


    Luci pounced on Mari, who was startled.


    ¡°Gah! The same as before¡­!¡±


    ¡°As expected, the response is good. So soft and squishy.¡±


    Chaos was moments away from erupting.


    But before things could escte further.


    Swoosh¡ª


    Something sliced through the space, bringing the situation under control with ease.


    Crack¡ª


    The air split open.


    There was no other way to describe it.


    ¡°...It¡¯s our mistake, and we¡¯llpensate youter.¡±


    Nice emerged from the split air.


    He let out a low sigh and rubbed his forehead.


    ¡°...However, I¡¯ll make sure Luci won¡¯t be able to participate in the event.¡±


    In a way, that was a given.


    I nced at Luci.


    She was still pestering Mari.


    ¡®¡­Even though she looks like that, her very presence rivals that of a powerful third-tier entity.¡¯


    If Luci were to join our team, there was a chance the tournament could end one-sidedly.


    Nice was probably trying to prevent that from happening.


    However, what Nice didn¡¯t know was¡­


    ¡®The benefits we get just from Luci being with us under ourpany¡¯s name are already substantial¡­¡¯


    Normally, we couldn¡¯t ess the secret shop when Luci was absent.


    But now, since she¡¯s always with us, as long as she gives her permission, we could use the secret shop at any time.


    ¡®Her participation is restricted, but they didn¡¯t say we can¡¯t trade¡­¡¯


    If luck was on my side, I could even get buffs from Luci before the tournament.


    Of course, nothing was guaranteed.


    ¡®In the end, the key is how well I can win Luci over¡­¡¯


    The downside was that all these methods required Luci¡¯s permission.


    During the festival, I would just have to build up her affection gradually.


    ¡°And this is the location of the inn where you¡¯ll be staying during the festival.¡±


    The system message was updated after I took the paper Nice handed over.


    [Inn - Room 302, Knight''s Day. You are now the owner of this room for the duration of the festival.]


    ¡°The tournament will take ce on the second day at theke outside the fortress. Once again, wee to Camelot.¡±


    Nice looked as worn-out as an office worker forced to work overtime at thest minute.


    ¡®¡­Hang in there.¡¯


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel sympathy and silently cheered him on.


    ¡°I have some matters to attend to, so I¡¯ll be leaving now. I hope you enjoy the festival.¡±


    With those words, Nice sliced through the air once more.


    Before he disappeared, he nced at Luci one more time and let out a sigh.


    For a rule-abiding Executor to break the rules must have been exhausting for him.


    Of course, regardless of that¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s been so long since a festival~.¡±


    ¡°Admin, please help me¡­¡±


    The culprit of all this chaos seemedpletely carefree.


    Leaving Luci, who was still tormenting the employees with a bright smile, I decided to head into the city first.


    [Wee to Camelot.]


    Ba-bam.


    A system window popped up along with cheerful music weing me.


    The scene before me wasn¡¯t much different from what I had seen beyond the mobile screen.


    ¡®No, actually, it¡¯s a little different?¡¯


    The difference between pixels and reality was clear, but the core elements were well-represented in the pixted graphics, so I could easily tell where everything was.


    I barely had time to admire the cityscape when¡ª


    ¡°¡­So this is Camelot.¡±


    ¡°Ahhh! Admin, don¡¯t leave us behind!¡±


    The employees followed me into the city.


    And then.


    [Administrator Zone (Silver)]


    Above our heads, along with a silver trophy, the name of ourpany appeared.


    ¡®Even this is exactly like the game, huh.¡¯


    Apparently, thispany name was visible to other employees as well.


    ¡°Uh, Admin¡­ there¡¯s something weird above our heads¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­This ce is full of mysteries.¡±


    Looking to my side, I saw Khan and Beryl staring at thepany name above us in bewilderment.


    Since it wasn¡¯t something I needed to hide, and it was useful information for them to know, I spoke loudly enough for Beryl and Mari to hear.


    ¡°This ce is not only a festival but also a ce for exchanges. Think of it as a substitute for business cards.¡±


    There were also elements to establish a hierarchy to prevent minor fights, but I didn¡¯t bother mentioning that.


    In any case, there wouldn¡¯t be anypany ranked lower than us [Silver] here.


    ¡®No need to scare them unnecessarily.¡¯


    Besides, the festival onlysted three short days, so there was no time to dawdle.


    ¡®I need to get to work right away¡­ Winning Luci¡¯s favor and gathering intel on thepanies participating in the tournament.¡¯


    Raising Luci¡¯s favorability might be simpler than expected.


    ¡®She did mention it¡¯s been a while since she came to the festival.¡¯


    Judging by her current state, she seemed to be seeking fun, almost as if she had been starved of entertainment.


    ¡°Aaah~ Finally out of that dreary dimension. Now it actually feels like living. Don¡¯t you think so, Mari?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m not really sure¡­¡±


    From her yful attitude toward the staff and the curious way she looked around, it was clear.


    So, if I used the festival, raising Luci¡¯s favorability might go more smoothly than I thought.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t something that could be rushed.


    ¡®¡­Is Mari the right person for the job?¡¯


    While Luci did joke around with the other staff, she seemed to pick on Mari more frequently.


    This suggested that Luci felt morefortable with Mari.


    I called out to Mari, who was currently having her cheek pinched by Luci.


    ¡°Mari.¡±


    Hearing her name, Mari quickly shook off Luci and scurried over.


    ¡°Administrator, did you call for me?¡±


    Her wide, innocent eyes looked up at me, as if I were her savior¡­ but that gaze wouldn¡¯tst long.


    ¡°I¡¯m giving you some free time. Go enjoy the festival with Luci.¡±


    Go enjoy the festival with Luci.


    Her expression was a mix of happiness and despair.


    ¡°W-What?!¡±


    Mari pointed at herself in disbelief.


    ¡°M-Me?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Mari froze in ce, as if she had just seen Medusa.


    Before long, Luci, who hade closer without me noticing, burst intoughter, pping me on the back.


    ¡°Pfft! I like you more than I thought! Alright, Mari! Your Administrator gave the green light. Let¡¯s go have some fun. Oh, and don¡¯t worry about points while we¡¯re out. I¡¯ll cover everything.¡±


    Luci grabbed Mari and whisked her away.


    Mari looked back at me, teary-eyed, as if betrayed, while being dragged along.


    ¡°Administrator, you traitor!¡±


    I waved them off as they disappeared into the distance.


    With that, the urgent matter of raising Luci¡¯s favorability was somewhat taken care of.


    And¡­


    ¡®I¡¯d be worried about sending a mere 7th-rank Mari off alone, but¡­¡¯


    Luci was practically glued to Mari right now.


    Even if apany as strong as Diamond appeared, they wouldn¡¯t dare mess with Luci.


    ¡°Good. I sent the escort and the favorability target together, so that¡¯s one less thing to worry about. Let¡¯s get going too.¡±


    After sending off Mari and Luci, I gathered Khan and Beryl and naturally set off.


    The inn¡¯s location was marked on the map, but I didn¡¯t need to look.


    I already knew where it was, so there were no issues finding it.


    How long had we walked?


    [Day of the Knight]


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    We arrived at the inn that Nice had mentioned.


    From outside, I could hear the noise from inside.


    ¡°It¡¯s rather rowdy, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Khan pointed out how busy it was, unusual for an inn.


    I immediately exined.


    ¡°That¡¯s because the inn¡¯s first floor doubles as a tavern.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    Unlike Khan, Beryl, who was a former mercenary, seemed to get the feeling right away, his expression tense.


    Without hesitation, I opened the door and stepped inside.


    Creak.


    The noisy atmosphere inside fell silent for a moment.


    All eyes turned toward us.


    Then, people began to whisper among themselves as they watched.


    ¡®As expected, we¡¯re drawing attention.¡¯


    A quick nce around told me everything I needed to know about the crowd¡¯s affiliations.


    [Administrator Zone (Silver)]


    [Magleus (tinum)]


    [Peach Creek (Emerald)]


    [Duplicate Name (Diamond)]


    [Dan Medicine Association (tinum)]


    [Madari (Diamond)]


    Participation in the festival started at Gold.


    No matter how exceptional a top-tier Goldpany might be, in a festival filled with tinums and Diamonds, they had to bow their heads.


    But then, out of nowhere, a [Silver]pany appeared.


    ¡®We must seem pretty unusual.¡¯


    Looking more closely, it was mostly thepanies ranked Emerald and below that were openly gossiping.


    The Diamond-rankpanies, however, seemed to grasp why we were here and quietly observed.


    ¡®There¡¯s no benefit in causing trouble.¡¯


    That quick nce told me a lot.


    ¡®It seems like this martial arts tournament is quiterge.¡¯


    If there were no Goldpanies present at a festival that allowed Gold participation, it meant¡­


    ¡®This martial arts tournament won¡¯t be easy.¡¯


    I had gathered all the information I needed.


    We started to move, aiming to leave as quickly as possible.


    Then suddenly¡­


    ¡°Is that you, Seongjin?¡±


    I turned at the familiar voice.


    ¡°Ah, I had a feeling it was you! It¡¯s nice to see you again here.¡±


    [Yeondan Society (tinum)]


    There stood Mino with other members of Yeondan.


    * * *


    ¡°Ugh¡­ I¡¯ve never met anyone with more energy than me before.¡±


    Mari hugged a stuffed toy, her face showing exhaustion.


    Luci, meanwhile, continued to tease Mari while enjoying the festival.


    ¡°Still, isn¡¯t this better than being stuck at thepany all the time?¡±


    Fighting to protect the world by isting creatures.


    Luci¡¯s words rang true¡ªbelieving in that simple truth and fighting day after day was more exhausting than expected.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Once the festival is over, you¡¯ll be trapped in thepany again. So, Mari, you should enjoy yourself too.¡±


    Despite the hardships, Mari was able to endure because everyone around her, whether co-workers or supervisors, seemed to be good people.


    That kept her going.


    On top of that, she felt grateful to Luci, who was taking her around and showing her the festival.


    ¡°Shall we try to win that stuffed bear next?¡±


    Luci pointed at a stall with a sign that read [Hit the Target!].


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that look fun?¡±


    Before Mari could respond, she was being pulled along by Luci toward the stall.


    ¡°One round,¡±


    Luci said.


    The stall owner nced at Luci and Mari as they approached, then snorted, noticing the [Silver] badge above their heads.


    ¡°Tsk. 3,000 points.¡±


    Anyone could tell that 3,000 points for one round was a rip-off, but¡­


    ¡°Here,¡±


    Luci handed over the points without hesitation.


    ¡°I¡¯m not very good at these games, so why don¡¯t you give it a try, Mari?¡±


    She handed Mari the bow she had just received from the stall owner.


    ¡°Huh? M-me? Is it okay if I do it?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I think you¡¯ll be good at it.¡±


    The bow Luci pointed out clearly seemed to be rigged by the owner, but Mari,cking much worldly experience, didn¡¯t notice.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±


    Mari strung an arrow and began to focus.


    While they couldn¡¯t use their skills here, her natural reflexes were still sharp.


    ¡°Phew¡­¡±


    Mari concentrated hard, determined not to waste the 3,000 points Luci had spent.


    She drew the bowstring.


    Whoosh¡ª


    Around that time, Luci¡¯s shadow subtly moved without anyone noticing.


    Click¡ª


    The shadow quietly unlocked the mechanism holding the prize in ce.


    Thwip.


    The arrow flew swiftly, barely grazing the string holding the prize, and the target naturally dropped to the ground.


    ¡°What?!¡±


    The stall owner, shocked, began inspecting the bow.


    ¡°This¡­ This shouldn¡¯t have fallen¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you doing? You should give it to her since she won,¡±


    Luci said, smiling sweetly as she held out her hand toward the flustered owner.


    ¡°...Or are you running a scam where the prize can¡¯t fall no matter what?¡±


    ¡°Grrr... Damn it!¡±


    Grumbling, the owner reluctantly handed Mari the high-quality bow that had been on disy.


    Unaware that Luci had helped her, Mari beamed as she epted the bow.


    ¡°I-I actually won it!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re that happy?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Mari, clutching the faintly glowing bow, was overjoyed, and Luci, satisfied, watched her warmly as they left the stall together.


    Once they were a bit farther away¡­


    ¡°Hey! They took the Bow of Verdure? Are you just going to let them walk away?¡±


    The stall owner grumbled, calling over a group of burly men who had been sitting in the corner.


    ¡°Get it back. They¡¯re just [Silver] employees from thepany, so you guys should be able to handle them, right?¡±


    The two hulking figures stood up at his words and began gathering their gear.


    ¡°Haha! Don¡¯t worry, boss. We¡¯re employees of [Magleus], rank 6,¡±


    One of themughed.


    ¡°They probably don¡¯t even know who they¡¯ve messed with. Heh.¡±


    Above their heads, their affiliation floated in view: [Magleus (tinum)].


    The bald giant swung his massive axe as they headed out the door.


    ¡°The Bow of Verdure belongs to ourpany. Can¡¯t just let them walk off with it like that. Let¡¯s go teach them the consequences of messing with our stuff.¡±


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 Chapter 29: Festival (2)

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    Chapter 29: Festival (2)


    ¡°Hah? Who let these lowly [Silvers] roam around here?¡±


    I turned my head toward the unpleasantugh.


    ¡°Heh, you should¡¯ve just stuck to yourpany work. Watching you loitering around here is really ticking me off.¡±


    These were the hulking figures who had been eyeing Mari and Luci from the shop.


    They followed us outside, now openly picking a fight.


    A tense atmosphere drew a crowd of onlookers.


    ¡°What''s this, a fight?¡±


    ¡°Where? Who¡¯s fighting who?¡±


    ¡°Silver versus tinum.¡±


    Ignoring the surrounding noise, Mari instinctively looked up to confirm their affiliation.


    [Magleus (tinum)]


    The thugs provoking them were employees of the tinumpany.


    Although the Administrator hadn¡¯t exined thepany rankings, Mari could tell instinctively: this was apany ranked higher than her own.


    Mari squeezed her eyes shut.


    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t cause any trouble¡­¡¯


    Though she didn¡¯t know the exact reason the Administrator had sent her here, there was one thing she understood clearly.


    ¡®They trust me.¡¯


    Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have entrusted her with Luci, the owner of the secret shop.


    But contrary to Mari¡¯s cautious thoughts¡ª


    ¡°Oh, I thought I smelled garbage. Turns out it was the trash from the shop earlier.¡±


    Luci red coldly at the thugs.


    ¡°Vermin.¡±


    ¡°Sis!¡±


    Mari iled, trying to stop her, but it seemed Luci had already taken the bait.


    The thugs'' foreheads bulged with veins.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°How dare a [Silver] act so fearless?¡±


    Immediately, the hulking figures drew their weapons.


    They were clearly strong, just at a nce.


    Mari quickly scanned her surroundings with tensions high, but no one seemed interested in helping them.


    Without understanding Mari¡¯s growing panic¡ª


    ¡°Why should Ie to you? You shoulde to me,¡±


    Luci further provoked the thugs.


    ¡°You little brats!¡±


    ¡°You really think you¡¯ll get away with this?¡±


    The two thugs, now furious, began cracking their knuckles threateningly, advancing on Mari and Luci.


    It was clear from their smirking faces that they were relishing this.


    ¡®¡­¡¯


    It was obvious they had no intention of listening to anything Mari had to say.


    Realizing this, Mari reluctantly slung her bow over her shoulder and readied herself.


    ¡®I¡¯ll wait for an opening and then escape.¡¯


    Her physical abilities couldn''t be underestimated with no way to use her skills in this ce.


    Even if she could use her skills, there was no guarantee she could win.


    In such a situation, protecting Luci would be impossible.


    Mari quietly whispered to her.


    ¡°¡­Sis, when I give the signal, run. The Administrator will take care of this.¡±


    Even though she had unintentionally gotten into trouble with the tinumpany, Mari was confident that the Administrator could easily handle this situation.


    ¡®Even if they can¡¯t solve it¡­¡¯


    It wouldn¡¯t change the fact that being by the Administrator¡¯s side was the safest ce.


    The most important thing now was how to get out of this situation.


    Mari''s mind raced.


    ¡®When the bald one charges, I¡¯ll roll and kick his legs out¡­¡¯


    But all of Mari''s worries were for nothing.


    ¡°Hm~ Mari, don¡¯t you trust your sister?¡±


    With a light flick of Luci¡¯s hand¡ª


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    ¡°Gah.¡±


    Shadows materialized and pierced through the two thugs, ending the situation in an instant.


    The surrounding crowd erupted into noise.


    On the surface, it looked like employees from a [Silver]pany had just beaten up those from a [tinum]pany.


    Mari hurriedly grabbed Luci and shook her.


    ¡°Sis! You can¡¯t just go killing people like that!¡±


    Luci chuckled, seemingly finding Mari¡¯s flustered reaction adorable.


    ¡°Pfft. No, Mari. They¡¯re not dead.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    The shadows had clearly pierced their bodies.


    Mari was sure she hadn¡¯t seen it wrong.


    To clear up Mari¡¯s confusion, Luci used the shadows to stab her own arm.


    ¡°...!¡±


    "Look."


    Luci extended her arm.


    The arm that had been dripping blood just moments ago was now instantly healed, as if nothing had happened.


    Only then did Mari realize that the ce where the festival was being held had the same properties as a waiting room.


    "By the way, it feels like more flies are gathering. Should we head back?"


    Luci suggested returning, and Mari quickly nodded, not missing the opportunity.


    Mari missed the Administrator.


    * * *


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    ¡°...There are a total of 100 teams participating in our round. And ording to the information we¡¯ve obtained, there are no Gold-level teams this time.¡±


    A total of 100 teams.


    And considering that no Gold-levelpanies could participate in the festival...


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be tough this time.¡±


    The usual festivals, including the Gold-level ones, had at most 20 teams.


    But this time, there were 100 teams.


    And all 100 were at least tinum level.


    This could only mean one thing:


    ¡®They must''ve prepared thoroughly for this.¡¯


    Now that I think about it, it¡¯s clear how absurd the proposal from Nice was.


    I let out a chuckle at the sudden recollection of the contract.


    But only briefly, as Mino continued speaking.


    ¡°I agree with that assessment. Aside from Seongjin¡¯spany, all thepetitors are at least tinum-level.¡±


    I nced over at Mino.


    Until recently, the Yeondan to which Mino belonged was only Gold-level.


    But now they were boldly appearing in the festival, wearing tinum marks.


    Of course, I had some idea.


    ¡®The [Glory] who tried to scheme against me has fallen, and the Yeondan has likely taken their ce¡­¡¯


    By doing so, the Yeondan would monopolize all the merits umted by the alliance.


    Thepany¡¯s promotion was inevitable, but the timing was surprisingly fast.


    So, could it be...


    ¡°Special promotion target?¡±


    I muttered while resting my chin in thought.


    Mino responded immediately.


    ¡°Haha, that¡¯s right. We thought we weren¡¯t just ordinary Silver level, but indeed! As you suspected, we are a special promotion target. It seems the pills we produce have been helpful.¡±


    ¡°...And I assume you¡¯ve also monopolized the results.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t know what happened, but the previous alliance leader, [Glory], was dismissed, and we became the new alliance leaders. Thanks to that, we were able to take all the umted performance points and quickly rise to tinum.¡±


    At the time, [Glory] was on the verge of being promoted to tinum.


    Since the Yeondan had absorbed those points, they likely had nothing to worry about in terms of performance.


    The Yeondan had essentially benefited from my help.


    ¡®They say good deedse back to you¡­¡¯


    And now that small favor wasing around to help me.


    ¡°So, who should we be cautious of?¡±


    We returned to the main topic and continued the meeting.


    Mino quickly got back on track and began the briefing again.


    ¡°Oh, right. I should finish exining. Thepany to watch out for is here.¡±


    Mino ced a finger on the paper that listed thepany names.


    ¡°[Madari (Diamond)]. There¡¯s a rumor that they have a 4th-rank employee.¡±


    ¡°¡­4th rank.¡±


    The specs of a 4th-rank employee range from 51 to 69.


    They¡¯re beyond the level of a superhuman, the peak of what humans can achieve.


    At this level, they¡¯re usually considered equivalent to a knightmander.


    ¡®Did they really send a 4th-rank employee to a mere event?¡¯


    No matter how tempting the festival rewards were, sending such a high-level employee didn¡¯t seem cost-effective.


    ¡®A 4th-rank employee would be one of Madari''s elite... Are they out of their minds?¡¯


    If another Diamond-levelpany heard about this and sent their own 4th-rank employee, one of them would surely be eliminated from the festival.


    ¡®That¡¯s why there¡¯s an unspoken rule among the users not to send employees above 4th rank to these festivals¡­¡¯


    But [Madari (Diamond)] had broken that unspoken rule.


    Soon, otherpanies would use this as a pretext to put pressure on Madari...


    ¡®...Damn.¡¯


    But that wouldn¡¯t affect the uing festival.


    Even if there was external pressure, it wouldn¡¯te until after the festival ended.


    It was almost certain that a monstrous 4th-rank employee would be participating in the festival.


    If things went badly, we might have to face that monster in thepetition.


    I let out a quiet sigh.


    "¡­We¡¯ll need more information."


    Although it wasn¡¯t confirmed that the 4th-rank employee would participate, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to be cautious.


    Listening to my muttering, Mino made a face as if he had just remembered something and shared additional information.


    ¡°More information? In that case, it might be good to check out the parade at the za this evening. Most of thepanies will gather there, so it¡¯s sure to be useful.¡±


    A parade.


    Now that I think about it, this ce was thend of knights.


    It was Camelot.


    Nice always used to hide clues for the tournament during the parades.


    All thepanies that knew this would be gathering.


    It was the perfect ce to gather clues about the tournament and information on otherpetitors.


    "That''s a good idea."


    "I''m d I could be of help."


    Around that time, Luci and Mari barged into the room.


    "Administraaatoooor!"


    Mari slid across the floor as if she were gliding.


    She was on the verge of tears, but that wasn¡¯t what was important right now.


    ''¡­¡­?''


    Behind Mari was a bow I had never seen before.


    "Th-that!"


    Mino''s eyes widened as she pointed at the bow Mari was holding.


    "Mari, isn''t that the Bow of Verdure?"


    At Mino''s overreaction, I hurriedly examined the bow on Mari''s back.


    ''Status window!''


    [Bow of Verdure C+]


    - A bow made from the legendary tree Verdure, said to only grow in the dwellings of the elves.


    *Spirit Shot.


    - Once a day, it can fire a shot imbued with a spirit. (The deeper the story behind the spirit, the stronger the power it unleashes.)


    A C+ grade item that would be nearly impossible to obtain right now.


    Not to mention, it was a rare item with an active skill attached to it.


    "¡­Where did you get that?"


    It could¡¯ve been a gift from Luci, who ran the secret shop, but I shook my head.


    To my knowledge, the secret shop didn¡¯t sell normal items like that.


    That meant Luci and Mari must have found it while they were out and about.


    But how?


    No matter how grand the festival, there was no way Nice, even from headquarters, would sell such a high-grade item.


    Which meant anotherpany must have put it up as a prize¡­


    The thought sent a chill through my body.


    And judging by their reactions, it seemed like they had indeed gotten into some kind of trouble.


    "Um, well, you see¡­"


    Listening to Mari exin the situation was starting to give me a headache.


    ''¡­It¡¯s not that we caused the problem, but¡­''


    More likely, thepany called [Magleus (tinum)] had pulled a scam.


    ''Who in their right mind would put a C+, rare-grade weapon as a prize?''


    It was 100% a trap for suckers.


    I was almost certain of it.


    No one would break [Headquarters]w and scam people in an Executor¡¯s zone, but¡­ surprisingly, some idiots did exist.


    Of course, they probably rigged it so that no one could win first ce.


    There was no way Mari would have caught on to that, so¡­


    I nced over at Luci.


    She was avoiding my gaze, pretending not to notice as she whistled innocently.


    The fact she was dodging my gaze meant she knew they were tangled in something troublesome.


    I looked down again at the bow on Mari¡¯s back.


    ''Tsk. What a shame.''


    If we had reported them to the Executor when they were pulling the scam, we could¡¯ve gotten the bow without any issues.


    But now, they¡¯d already won the prize.


    Even if we reported it now, there was no evidence left to protect us.


    ''This is going to be annoying.''


    Since ourpany wasn¡¯t highly ranked, who knew what kind of trouble those [Magleus] guys would stir up?


    ''If only we had an alliance with a [tinum]-gradepany¡­''


    ¡­


    Wait.


    I looked over at Mino again.


    Hispany''s name shed above his head.


    [Yeondan Society (tinum)]


    Looks like punishing [Glory] back then was the right call after all.


    I patted Mino on the shoulder with a light smile.


    "I¡¯ll be counting on you."


    "¡­What?"


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    w

 Chapter 30: Festival (3)

    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    w


    Chapter 30: Festival (3)


    We didn''t sign a contract with [Yeondan Society].


    The reason was simple.


    ¡®Contracts are for [Gold] and above.¡¯


    What we needed wasn''t a contract, but their influence.


    ¡°...I see. I understand.¡±


    After exining the situation, Mino seemed to grasp my intent and nodded.


    ¡°In that case, let''s proceed as nned.¡±


    Normally, he would have had to go back to thepany for approval, but he approved the important matter right away, perhaps because he had taken a more senior position in the meantime.


    Well, there was nothing wrong with speed.


    In fact, I appreciated Mino''s quick decision-making.


    ¡°You¡¯re quick to understand, I like that.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Then, since we have other preparations to make, how about we part ways for today? Oh! I understand you¡¯re participating in the parade. To make sure there¡¯s no trouble on your way, I¡¯ll assign two 7th-grade employees to apany you.¡±


    He really caught on quickly.


    Ah, right.


    Now that I think about it¡­


    I mentioned a previous promise to Mino, who was about to leave.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you sayst time that you would make me some kind of Awakening Elixir?¡±


    He had promised to make a mid-tier Awakening Elixir, which is better than a Vision Elixir, for our next meeting.


    ¡®An Awakening Elixir is something that [Silver]-level people could never get their hands on.¡¯


    Now that I understood the scale of this tournament, I wanted to get it before it started, if possible.


    ¡®That way, I¡¯ll have more strategic options.¡¯


    Every item I could use would increase my range of choices.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I¡¯ll make sure it gets delivered when it¡¯s ready.¡±


    Mino smiled as he continued speaking.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to get it to you at least during the tournament.¡±


    During the tournament, huh¡­


    Not bad.


    I nodded in response to Mino¡¯s words.


    Then, Mino left the room, leaving behind the two employees.


    -nk.


    As soon as Mino left, Beryl, who had been standing awkwardly, mumbled in a low voice.


    ¡°...So, what do we do now?¡±


    What do we do? It''s obvious.


    I got up and gathered my gear.


    ¡°We go to the square.¡±


    We were going to watch the parade.


    ¡®Time to see what¡¯s reallying out.¡¯


    * * *


    The sun set, and the night deepened, adding to the excitement of the festival.


    ¡®¡­Seeing it like this, it really does feel like a festival.¡¯


    The familiar ces I had seen countless times on screen, and the recognizable graphic buildings, felt different when experienced in person.


    ¡°Wow, so many people now.¡±


    Among the bustling crowd, Mari clung tightly to me, either to avoid getting lost or to hide from Luci, who was right beside her.


    Since we were about to reach our destination, I pushed Mari away.


    ¡°Let go. You¡¯re in the way while I¡¯m trying to find a spot.¡±


    At that, Mari shivered and hid behind me.


    ¡°No way. If I leave your side, Luci will pick on me.¡±


    On the opposite side of where Mari hid stood Luci, smiling like a snake eyeing its prey.


    ¡®So it was thetter¡­¡¯


    Indeed, Luci never bothered Mari or the other employees when I was around.


    ¡®Or rather, she never gets within a certain distance from me.¡¯


    I wasn¡¯t sure what had happened between Luci and Mari when they were left alone, but it wasn¡¯t a major concern, so I gave up on pushing Mari away.


    Soon, we found a good spot on higher ground.


    The parade was about to begin, after all.


    [The parade will start soon!]


    ¡°Ohh, is it finally starting?¡±


    ¡°Waaah!¡±


    With the cheers of the crowd, knights bearing the banner of Camelot approached in the distance.


    Clomp. Clomp. Clomp. Clomp!


    In perfect alignment, the knights marched wlessly, befitting the name of a parade.


    ¡°...The first group is knights?¡±


    ¡°Any notable features?¡±


    As I watched the knights march by, murmurs reached my ears.


    [LordIce (Diamond)]


    [DuplicateName (Diamond)]


    [¡­¡­ (Diamond)]


    [¡­¡­ (tinum)]


    ¡­¡­


    As expected, all the [Diamond]-levelpanies were attending this parade.


    asionally, you could spot some [tinum] or [Emerald] sses, but they seemed to just be there to enjoy the parade.


    Clop. Clop. Clop. Clop.


    The first procession passed, and soon the second one followed.


    Though it was the same procession of knights as before, something felt different.


    ¡®...Aren¡¯t those guys Nice¡¯s closest aides?¡¯


    Among the ordinary knights were some strikingly prominent figures.


    [White Bear (3rd Rank)]


    [ck Iron Knight (3rd Rank)]


    They weren¡¯t ordinary knights, each armed with their own special weapons.


    I grimaced as I watched Nice''s closest aides pass by.


    ¡®¡­If they¡¯re being mobilized, this must be really serious.¡¯


    Even among 3rd Rank personnel, not all were the same.


    Nice¡¯s aides, who assist him in his duties as Executor, are strong enough to take down most 2nd Rank personnel.


    In other words, Nice¡¯s closest aides, who had pushed their growth to the limits, were true 3rd Rank elites.


    This meant that the creatures entering the tournament were at least between the 6th and 4th Ranks.


    Of course, the problems didn¡¯t end there.


    ¡°Insane.¡±


    ¡°What kind of tournament is this, anyway¡­?¡±


    Wails of despair were heard from all around the parade.


    It was because Nice himself had appeared in the final procession.


    ¡®As if my head wasn¡¯t already pounding¡­¡¯


    What is this now?


    For the tournament participants, Nice¡¯s appearance was like a bolt from the blue.


    ¡°...Even the Executor is being mobilized?¡±


    Usually, parades were conducted using floats that highlighted the characteristics of the creatures.


    This time, it was just a simple march.


    Still, it wasn¡¯t like I couldn¡¯t gather any information at all.


    ¡®¡­The difficulty seems to be roughly between the 2nd and 5th Ranks.¡¯


    I turned my gaze to the knights marching through the main gate.


    Their procession seemed to extend all the way beyond the walls of Camelot¡¯s stronghold.


    ¡®The battlefield is Camelot.¡¯


    Given the scale of the deployment, it had to be a manifestation-type creature.


    And considering the tournament¡¯s gathering ce was by ake, it was reasonable to assume that something might also be in theke.


    However, there was simply too little information to draw any further conclusions.


    ¡°Damn. What a waste of time! On top of that, I even had to see those [Silver]-ss trash faces. Nothing''s going right today.¡±


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    w


    The parade hadn¡¯t ended, but an irritable voice rang out from behind me.


    Turning around, I saw a man who looked like trouble.


    He was dressed like a third-rate thug, with trinkets and ornaments hanging all over his body.


    ¡°What, not going to lower your eyes?¡±


    The thug-like man tantly picked a fight, smirking with his colleagues from the samepany.


    [Madari (Diamond)]


    Upon seeing the thug-like man, an employee of [Yeondan Society] opened his eyes wide and whispered to me.


    ¡°That¡¯s him. The 4th Rank employee from Madari... It seems he really intends to participate in the tournament.¡±


    Unlike the nervous [Yeondan Society] employee, I sighed in relief, not taking it too seriously.


    ¡°¡­Is that so?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t the type to fall for such a third-rate provocation in the first ce.


    ¡®This ce is under the Executor¡¯s authority anyway.¡¯


    They couldn¡¯t act recklessly, and I had no need to stir up unnecessary trouble.


    ¡®In situations like this, it¡¯s best to ignore them.¡¯


    I calmly pulled back Khan and Beryl, who were ready to step forward.


    ¡°Cowards.¡±


    Seeing that I didn¡¯t react to his cheap provocation, the thug lost interest and began to walk away.


    The other employees from [Madari] followed him.


    Once they were gone and the tense atmosphere eased, the [Yeondan Society] employee wiped his sweat and let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°¡­Whew. I was worried there might be a conflict, but thankfully nothing happened.¡±


    ¡°You must have been offended, but thank you for holding back. We at [Yeondan Society] have no way to handle apany like [Madari]. Ahem, my apologies.¡±


    The [Yeondan Society] employees scratched their heads awkwardly and bowed their heads apologetically.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s fine. He wasn¡¯t anything special anyway.¡±


    The reason I thought this was simple.


    ¡®They probably just bought their way to that position.¡¯


    Looking at his muscles and posture, it was clear that the 4th Rank employee from [Madari] hadn¡¯t grown through proper training.


    ¡®His official rank may be 4th, but¡­¡¯


    In reality, he was probably at the level of a 5th Rank¡ªor at best, just barely able topete with 6th Rank.


    ¡®Lucky for me.¡¯


    Still, thanks to his gaudy equipment, he likely had the strength to match someone at the 6th Rank.


    For us, who had just reached the upper ranks of the 7th Rank, he was still a troublesome opponent.


    I didn¡¯t have much time to dwell on [Madari]¡¯s departure, though.


    Boom!


    Suddenly, a tremendous explosion echoed through the air.


    Boom!


    A massive roar echoed through the air.


    Beryl and Khan quickly ran to my side, taking defensive stances.


    It was partly due to the earlier confrontation, but they were also preparing for any potential situation.


    ¡°What, what¡¯s going on?!¡±


    ¡°Something exploded!¡±


    The people gathered in the za were confused as well, but being employees of a [Diamond]-levelpany, they quickly assessed the situation.


    Someone pointed toward Camelot''s fortress and shouted.


    ¡°Over there!¡±


    ¡°The fortress is on fire!¡±


    Just as the employee said, the massive fortress was aze.


    ¡°This can¡¯t be¡­¡±


    Khan stared at the burning fortress with a hollow expression.


    ¡®It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen a scene like this.¡¯


    Everyone was panicking, but I¡¯d experienced something like this before, so I knew.


    ¡®Is this where the show ends?¡¯


    This was all part of the parade.


    Ssshhk.


    Nice, who had exited the city, suddenly appeared, slicing through the air.


    The crowd''s attention shifted toward him.


    ¡°Everyone, calm down. You might be startled, but this is all part of the parade. The burning fortress is just an illusion, so there¡¯s no need to worry.¡±


    Nice swung his sword through the air.


    Immediately¡ª


    [The parade has ended.]


    The zing fortress returned to its original, untouched state as if it had never happened.


    ¡°I believe those with sharp observation skills may have already realized that this tournament is anything but ordinary.¡±


    No one dared to speak hastily.


    Everyone quietly waited for Nice to continue.


    ¡°The difficulty has far surpassed the standards set by [Headquarters], so we¡¯ve decided to present you all with a surprise gift.¡±


    With a snap of his fingers, dozens of colorful boxes appeared in midair.


    ¡°These 100 boxes contain various items ranging from S-grade to F-grade, which will assist you in the tournament. The selection will proceed fairly, starting frompanies with lower rankings¡­¡±


    I stared at the floating boxes, lost in thought.


    ¡®Items inside the boxes?¡¯


    ¡ªThis is a transparency elixir. It''s all I can give you right now, but...


    A sudden thought crossed my mind, and I pulled out the red elixir from my pocket.


    [Transparency Elixir (Low Quality)]


    ¡ªAn elixir made using various herbs and special blood. When consumed, it allows the user to see through objects for 3 minutes.


    Normally, this would be an impossible method to attempt in the game.


    ¡®But it¡¯s worth a try.¡¯


    There was no way thepany hadn¡¯t prepared countermeasures for this, but there was always a small chance of sess.


    And to seize that sess, you always had to reach for even the smallest possibility.


    ¡®In the first ce, a parade is just a cutscene, so yers can¡¯t issuemands¡­¡¯


    Obviously, during a cutscene, you can¡¯t move your character, use skills, or items.


    ¡°We¡¯d like to inform you thatpanies without a representative present in the za will have their turn postponed.¡±


    I had enough reasoning.


    I swallowed the elixir immediately.


    At the same time¡ª


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s call up the first representative.¡±


    I was already facing numerous boxes.


    ncing at them, I smirked.


    ¡®It works!¡¯


    I could see the contents of the boxes.


    ¡°Please make your selection.¡±


    [Knights¡¯ Equipment Set (A)]


    ¡ªA set that provides all the equipment of Camelot''s knights.


    [Command Authority (S)]


    ¡ªA right tomand the knights.


    [Camelot Map (F)]


    ¡ªA map containing information about Camelot.


    [Knights¡¯ Longsword (C-)]


    ¡ªA longsword forged by Camelot¡¯s master craftsman.


    [Knights¡¯ Armor (C+)]


    ¡ªArmor crafted by Camelot¡¯s master craftsman.


    There were countless other items, but I didn¡¯t bother looking any further.


    ¡®¡­Hiding it like this, huh?¡¯


    Without hesitation, I reached out and chose a box.


    It was a small, ashen box.


    [Camelot Map (F)]


    ¡ªA map containing information about Camelot.


    There were a few S-grade items, but for this event, nothing would be more valuable than this.


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    w

 Chapter 31: Camelot (1)

    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    w


    Chapter 31: Camelot (1)


    The creature that will appear in this tournament must be a phenomenon-type.


    I was sure of it.


    ¡®Otherwise, there would be no reason to mix illusions into the parade.¡¯


    Parades are usually conducted to match the characteristics and traits of the creature.


    In other words, therge-scale procession and illusions strongly suggest that the creature we will face is a phenomenon-type.


    Considering that the most critical element in isting creatures is information, there''s no item that surpasses a map that can provide geographic knowledge or relevant data.


    I tightly gripped the map.


    ¡®Well, I need to keep other possibilities in mind, too¡­¡¯


    It''s best not to assume this is just an ordinary phenomenon-type.


    Nice, noticing me holding the map, whispered quietly.


    "You''ve obtained a great item."


    With those words, a blue light filled my vision.


    My turn was over.


    "Administrator!"


    "Are you alright?"


    I heard the chattering voices of the staff.


    I had returned to the ce I was originally in.


    nced at the map I brought back and smiled slightly in admiration.


    "Looks like you picked something decent?"


    "Of course."


    After responding to Luci, who was pretending not to know, I immediately looked for the [Yeondan Society] staff.


    Since I had already used a irvoyance Potion, I decided to maximize its efficiency.


    "Go tell Mino to pick the ash-gray box at the very end."


    "Wh-what? What do you mean by that...?"


    "No time to exin. Mino will make the decision on his own."


    "Understood."


    After that, I held back my words.


    There was no need to exin the contents.


    Simply put,


    ¡®The item the [Yeondan Society] needs most right now is in that box.¡¯


    Whether they get it or not is entirely up to Mino''s ability.


    While gaining a reliable ally would be great...


    ¡®That doesn¡¯t mean I''ll spoon-feed them everything.¡¯


    How one utilizes the given information is a personal matter.


    Only those who can filter out false information and select useful data will be able to contribute in the upper ranks.


    Though that''s a story for muchter...


    There''s no harm in practicing early.


    I unfolded the map and examined its contents.


    [Map of Camelot (F)]


    - A map that records information about Camelot.


    ¡®As expected.¡¯


    The map not only contained geographical information about Camelot, but also details of the fortress''s interioryout, where things were hidden, and even personal information about the knights within the fortress.


    It made me wonder how this could possibly be ssified as F-rank...


    ¡®Well, usually, even with this information, it¡¯s unusable.¡¯


    Even if someone tried to steal items from the treasure vault based on the map, the creature is a phenomenon-type.


    With knights guarding the fortress, this information would be unusable.


    The same goes for the personal information of the knights.


    Even if you knew how strong each knight was, there would be no way to utilize it.


    ¡®That is... under normal circumstances.¡¯


    For an ordinary staff member holding this map, it would be worthless, but it''s a different story for someone like me, a former rank 1.


    ¡®At the very least, this is all useful stuff that can be exploited in the stage.¡¯


    I folded the map and put it in my pocket.


    Then, I reviewed the cards I held one by one as I quickened my pace.


    ¡®I''ve pretty much got everything I need.¡¯


    Friendly alliances, top-tier 7th-rank staff, and now a map that records all the information about the stage.


    Icked nothing when it came to subduing the phenomenon-type creature.


    ¡®Even if we encounter a powerful entity within the phenomenon¡­¡¯


    I can cover it with the Nightmare Amulet and the Vampire Potion.


    ¡®Let''s head back now.¡¯


    I needed to prepare for tomorrow''s tournament.


    * * *


    The next morning.


    As if to showcase the scale of the tournament, employees from countlesspanies gathered by theke.


    True to their veteran status, none of them appeared flustered.


    Except for onepany.


    "It was crowded yesterday, but it feels even more packed today."


    Mari, restless with excitement, cracked a joke in her usual yful tone.


    Luci waved her hand as she watched Mari.


    "Mari, make sure you don¡¯t get hurt ande back safely."


    At the entrance to theke, Luci was blocked by an invisible barrier, as if Nice had already restricted ess in advance.


    This was as far as she could go with me.


    I shrugged my shoulders and made a suggestion naturally.


    "If you''re that worried, you could at least give me a buff, right?"


    As I teased her, Luci gave me a fed-up look and spoke.


    "¡­You know, you really are like a sly fox sometimes. Well, fine. I can''t give you a buff because it''s against the rules, but I¡¯ll give you this instead."


    Luci handed me a square piece of paper.


    I inspected the item closely, but couldn¡¯t gather any information from it.


    As I tilted my head in confusion, Luci quietly spoke.


    "It''s a secret shop ticket. Isn''t that what you were after?"


    Indeed, I had intended to raise her favorability to gain ess to the secret shop, but I didn''t expect her to give it to me so readily.


    It made it even harder to grasp her true intentions.


    "Just take it. You''re going to need it."


    Leaving behind Luci''s meaningful words, I took the ticket and headed toward theke.


    "I¡¯ll put this to good use."


    As I approached theke and waited for a moment, the water parted to the sides.


    And from within, Nice emerged.


    "Ahem. We will now begin the martial arts tournament."


    -Thud.


    Nice drove a golden sword into the ground and continued speaking.


    "There¡¯s no reason for this to happen, but¡­ if anyone hesitates to challenge or feels unconfident, you may withdraw now."


    Muttering this, Nice stared off into the empty space.


    [Warning!]


    [Employees who die here will not be revived.]


    [Would you like to forfeit the martial arts tournament?]


    It was a warning message I hadn¡¯t seen in quite some time.


    ¡®It feels a bit more real now.¡¯


    Beyond this point was a true battlefield.


    Strategies could be devised, but there would be no escape.


    The [Recall] ability, a Administrator¡¯s privilege, could no longer be used once I entered this ce.


    ''Once I go in, there are only two options.''


    To survive ande out with rewards,


    ''Or for everyone to be buried here, failing to conquer it.''


    Luci must have known this, which was why she gave me the secret shop ticket.


    ¡®I was nning to get it by raising her favorability anyway.¡¯


    But since she willingly handed it over, I was grateful enough.


    ¡®Well, even without Luci¡¯s help, I had a few more safeguards in ce¡­¡¯


    The more safetys, the better.


    I pressed the participation button on the screen before me.


    If the containment failed, this ce could turn into a grave, but¡­ I wasn¡¯t too worried.


    After all, I had never failed at containing an event creature, except once.


    [Approval granted for participation in the ¡®Administrator Zone (Silver)¡¯]


    After approval, I looked around and saw that the crowd had thinned out a bit since my arrival, perhaps because the riffraff had been filtered out.


    "Very well. Employees from participatingpanies, please follow me down to the bottom of theke."


    Leaving the sword behind, Nice started to retrace his steps back the way he came, and otherpany employees followed him.


    "We¡¯re going too."


    I also began to walk in step with them.


    Swooosh¡ª


    Looking at the walls formed by the vertically partedke water was a novel experience.


    When I reached out and touched the vertically flowing water with my finger, it sank into theke.


    A cold sensation touched my skin.


    ¡®This isn¡¯t an illusion.¡¯


    It was proof that this was real water, not a fake.


    ¡°Eek!¡±


    Mari, who had been following closely behind me, touched the oddly raised water wall and spoke with a slightly trembling voice.


    "¡­Th-this won¡¯t suddenly copse on us, will it?"


    Hearing that, I couldn¡¯t help but let out a chuckle.


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    w


    "Why are youughing, Administrator? I¡¯m serious here!"


    "No, it''s nothing."


    Leaving behind the indignant Mari, I looked up at the massive walls of water rising on either side.


    ''Are you wondering if this water might suddenly copse on us?''


    To put it bluntly, the chances of that were quite high.


    When it came to moving to the event creature''s location, teleportation methods varied depending on the game administrators¡¯ preferences.


    ¡®The administrators always did enjoy sudden surprises.¡¯


    After all, it was a game, so they had to grab the yers'' attention.


    The yers could enjoy the spectacle even if those involved didn¡¯t know.


    Thus, there would probably be another sudden urrence this time.


    "We will now begin the transfer."


    As we moved to the middle of theke, Nice murmured those words.


    "Transfer."


    The bodies of those gathered here began to glow blue.


    Simultaneously.


    "Ah, crap!"


    "Kyahhh!"


    The massive walls of water that had risen on both sides started to copse slowly.


    "Uh, uh, uh!"


    "Ad-Administrator!"


    Most people from the otherpanies, except for a few employees, fell into a collective panic.


    I immediately calmed the staff.


    [The mental strength of the employees owned by ''Foundation''s Star'' is greatly increased.]


    To prevent the panic from spreading, I took the initiative.


    "Calm down. Nothing''s going to happen anyway."


    The calming onlysted for a moment.


    Swooosh¡ª


    sh!


    The wave engulfed us, but when I came to my senses, we were somehow outside theke.


    It seemed like everyone had started from the same point, as people were getting up one by one from thekeshore.


    "Ugh..."


    "What... what was that? A wave definitely hit us..."


    Ignoring the murmurs, I turned my attention to the message in front of me.


    [(Camelot) - Identify and iste the cause of the anomaly!]


    It seemed we had properly entered the stage.


    "As expected, it''s a phenomenon type."


    The tricky part of a phenomenon type is that it''s impossible to know exactly what the creature is.


    We had no choice but to figure it out while exploring the world.


    Though it didn''t take too long this time...


    Boom!


    A deafening roar shook the ground.


    "Th-there!"


    A frantic voice shouted.


    An employee from the [Diamond]pany was pointing at something.


    "Everyone, look over there!"


    Following the direction of his finger, I saw something burning.


    I let out a dry chuckle and shook my head.


    "Hah, no wonder they didn¡¯t show their traits during the parade..."


    So this is where it all started.


    The majestic thing burning was Camelot''s fortress.


    Just as it had looked during the parade, the grand fortress of Camelot was now aze.


    We only stared at the burning fortress for a moment.


    "This isn¡¯t the time for that. Everyone, we don¡¯t know what happened, but we can be sure there¡¯s a creature in the fortress."


    An employee from the [Diamond]-levelpany was gathering people while shouting.


    "There¡¯s no need to gather information; we just need to go to the fortress, and it''s over."


    "Ooh."


    "He''s right."


    "This will be easy."


    Severalpanies, seemingly mesmerized by his words, started heading toward Camelot.


    I watched them as they got further away, lost in thought.


    ¡®He''s not wrong, but still¡­¡¯


    If it were that simple, Nice wouldn¡¯t have prepared support supplies or confirmed our participation again.


    I agreed that we needed to move quickly, but we couldn¡¯t dismiss the need for information.


    "Mari, Khan, Beryl."


    I called the three employees.


    They quickly gathered beside me.


    "Follow them."


    There was no point in staying here longer.


    The priority was to gather information using the map.


    Every second was precious.


    Just as we were about to follow the procession from behind¡ª


    Swoooong.


    [Warning!]


    A chill ran through my entire body, as if frozen.


    Bang!


    [Warning!]


    Something flew down andnded in the middle of the procession.


    "What the...!"


    "Cough, cough."


    "Something fell from above!"


    A huge crater had formed where something hadnded.


    Dust rose thickly in the air.


    Something emerged through the dust from the crater.


    [Warning!]


    No one present dared to speak.


    They just silently faced the monster emerging from the dust.


    "Hah? All the rats are gathered here, huh?"


    As the dust settled, the monster''s appearance was revealed.


    It was a girl with a petite figure.


    "My name is Mordred. No, here, I''ll just say..."


    Her red armor clinked, seeming ill-fitting for her small frame.


    Her sharp eyes were proof enough that she was already a knight.


    "I''ll just say I''m the dog here to catch you rats."


    Her glowing red eyes scanned the gathered employees.


    And then¡ª


    "rent, let''s finish this quickly."


    She summoned a massive greatsword,rger than her own body.


    [Warning!]


    [Warning!]


    [Warning!]


    [Warning!]


    [Warning!]


    [(Survive) - Mordred has started a rebellion. Subdue the rebellion or survive until the ¡õ¡õ main force returns.]


    [71:59...]


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    w

 Chapter 32: Camelot (2)

    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


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    Chapter 32: Camelot (2)


    There is only one situation where the stage issues a warning: when it judges that the fight is not feasible, given the equipment, number, and abilities of the staffpared to the creature.


    ¡®The majority of the staff gathered here are equivalent to rank 6 in skill.¡¯


    Even so, the fact that a level 5 warning was issued indicates just how powerful the monster in front of them truly is.


    "Shall we start hunting some rats?"


    Mordred walked out with a grim smile.


    The people shouted upon seeing her.


    "It''s a creature! Everyone, charge and subdue it!"


    "If we take that thing down, it''s over!"


    Dozens of staff rushed towards Mordred.


    "There¡¯s only one of them. Don¡¯t be scared!"


    They definitely had the advantage in numbers, and it was true that the creature hade into an environment that was favorable for them.


    If Mordred was the one behind this phenomenon, then subduing her would indeed end the incident.


    However, all of this was only true if...


    ¡®We could handle a rank 3 creature¡­¡¯


    Mordred effortlessly swung her greatsword with one hand.


    Swish.


    "Argh!"


    "Aaagh!"


    The vanguard, who had charged in valiantly, froze in an instant.


    Crack.


    The staff, frozen solid, looked like artworks trapped in crystal.


    ¡®Even though there are nearly 400 people gathered here¡­¡¯


    Winning was impossible.


    It had been a stage set for such an oue from the start.


    I nced at the timer in the air.


    [71:57...]


    ¡®Only a minute has passed...?¡¯


    I clicked my tongue and pulled back the staff who were preparing for battle next to me.


    "We¡¯re leaving this ce."


    Without even sparing a nce, I turned away, and Khan spoke up unexpectedly.


    "Wouldn''t it be better to fight together here?"


    Fighting together was indeed the orthodox method for subduing a creature and the most stable means to do so.


    ¡®It makes sense, but¡­¡¯


    Not for this stage.


    I turned my head to look at Mordred''s massacre.


    "We can¡¯t take that thing down right now."


    At Mordred''s second swing, not just the rank 6s, but even the rank 5 staff from [Diamond] were instantly turned to dust.


    It was a massacre that had taken ce in the blink of an eye.


    "..."


    Khan stared in shock at the scene that had unfolded in an instant.


    Without a word, I started walking again, and the staff followed me without any furtherint.


    ¡®A manifestation type is a stage.¡¯


    You''d be taken off the stage if you didn¡¯t follow the predetermined script.


    [(Survive) ¨C Mordred has started a rebellion. Survive or suppress the rebellion until the main force of ¡õ¡õ returns.]


    The script here was to avoid Mordred and survive.


    Whether it was subduing her or surviving, either would only be possible after some time had passed.


    ¡®¡­Are we thest ones?¡¯


    The more perceptive staff from otherpanies had already fled the scene.


    Fortunately, Khan quickly agreed, otherwise, if there had been any disagreement due to poor staff management, we could have ended up as one of the corpses scattered around.


    "Administrator, isn¡¯t there nowhere else to go even if we escape from here?"


    "¡­Mari¡¯s right. It seems we¡¯ve lost the opportunity to join forces with otherpanies."


    Khan and Mari''s doubts were reasonable, but they only knew part of the situation.


    "Indeed, as you¡¯re worried, there¡¯s no safe ce in any intact area."


    Beryl, who didn¡¯t seem to understand fully, awkwardly scratched the back of his head.


    "Well, wouldn¡¯t it be safe if we ran to the city of Camelot? We could get help there¡­"


    I shook my head at Beryl''s suggestion.


    "Mordred has started a rebellion. Don¡¯t you understand what that means?"


    No matter how powerful Mordred was as a knightmander, she couldn¡¯t start a rebellion alone.


    Even if she became a one-person army through a creature''s power, it was the same. She couldn¡¯t rule a nation alone.


    "There must be coborators. It¡¯s safer to assume that everyone inside the city of Camelot is an enemy."


    It was safe to assume that all the knights still living and breathing were on Mordred''s side.


    That meant each one of them was an enemy, equivalent to a rank 7 knight.


    ¡®This must be what Mari and Khan were worried about.¡¯


    If we loitered around here, Mordred would notice us.


    But if we entered Camelot, the rebels would find us.


    It was a catch-22.


    However...


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We can¡¯t go anywhere intact, but rtively ruined ces are safe.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a safe ce?¡±


    Mari tilted her head and questioned.


    I smiled and answered her doubt.


    ¡°They say the darkest ce is under themp. We¡¯re heading to the fortress.¡±


    No one would be there since the fortress had burned down.


    Considering the rebellion began there, it was reasonable to think no one would be there by now.


    ¡°B-but we still have to pass through the city to reach the fortress... Won¡¯t the rebels notice us?¡±


    ¡®Normally, yes.¡¯


    Mari¡¯s concern was valid.


    I promptly took a map from my chest.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say we¡¯d go above ground.¡±


    An underground passage led directly to the fortress without passing through the city of Camelot.


    Khan and Mari murmured in awe as they looked at the map in my hand.


    ¡°Indeed!¡±


    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s an option?¡±


    Ipared the map with the surrounding terrain.


    ¡°We should be almost there¡­¡±


    [Sixth Sense LV. 2]


    I brushed off the dust from the floor, which had an unusual feeling.


    Then, a wooden door revealed itself.


    Creak.


    As I lifted the wooden door, dust fell off, and stairs hidden inside appeared.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go in.¡±


    Now that I had confirmed the map¡¯s uracy, it was time for a treasure hunt.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The staff hesitated.


    The reason was simple.


    ¡°Administrator, it¡¯s too dark¡­¡±


    The passage was dark.


    The stairs near the entrance were illuminated by sunlight to some extent, but as we ventured deeper, there wasn¡¯t a single ray of light.


    There wasn¡¯t even amon torch, which suggested that it was indeed a secret passage known only to a select few.


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely a bit dark.¡±


    I picked up some thick branches scattered around and handed them to the staff.


    ¡°Hold on to these.¡±


    [Trantor - Night]


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    [Empathy (LV. 1) - Activated]


    - You can borrow a collected creature¡¯s skill for 1 minute.


    ¡°me Skin.¡±


    [Target: Branches.]


    Whoosh.


    The branches held by the staff burst into mes.


    ¡°Whoa.¡±


    ¡°Administrator, you can use magic too?¡±


    Mari curiously stared at the fire.


    I had never exined the abilities of [Foundation''s Star] to the staff, so they probably assumed it was just one of my powers.


    ¡°¡­Um, roughly? Let¡¯s just say that. Anyway, now that we¡¯ve resolved the darkness, shall we head in? It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if Mordred showed up at any moment. Let¡¯s keep our guard up.¡±


    As I pointed toward the passage, Beryl took the lead, and Mari and Khan descended the stairs.


    I grabbed some more branches and followed the staff down the steps.


    And then...


    ¡°Summon Kobold!¡±


    [A Kobold is summoned.]


    [Kobold LV. 1]


    Keeek.


    The Kobold appeared in front of the wooden door.


    [Beastfolknguage]


    ¡°Vi-ska, Vi-shouka (Close the door and cover it with dirt.)¡±


    I didn¡¯t forget to close the door and camouge it.


    Kerruk?


    As the Kobold shut the wooden door, the sunlight that had been seeping in slowly disappeared.


    Eventually...


    Thud.


    With that sound, only the faint light from the mes remained in the darkness.


    The light emitted by the mes wasn¡¯t very bright, but since the narrow passage was straight, there was no worry of getting lost.


    [Empathy (LV. 1) - Deactivated]


    [Remaining time (42s)]


    I quickly deactivated the skill and proceeded down the corridor.


    How long had it been?


    A light became visible at the end of the passage.


    Mari shouted excitedly as she saw the faint light seeping through.


    "Wow! It¡¯s the exit to the outside!"


    As we climbed the stairs and approached, a metal door came into view.


    Thunk.


    I opened the door and stepped outside.


    Emerging from the dust-filled space, I spotted a massive bookshelf.


    I already knew where we were, having seen the location on the map.


    ¡®¡­The library.¡¯


    The long bookshelf formed a wide corridor, lined with old books.


    Here and there, small braziers ornterns were ced, and luxurious wooden ornaments and ssical furniture decorated the space.


    The cebined tranquility and splendor, making it a special area even within the citadel.


    However,


    ¡°It won¡¯tst much longer than I thought.¡±


    Now, mes were fiercely spreading along the walls, and there was no telling how long this beautiful space could hold out.


    ¡°¡­Uh, Administrator, the ce is burning,¡±


    Mari eximed, iling her arms in panic, though I had anticipated this.


    I calmly issued orders to Mari, Khan, and Beryl.


    ¡°See the books on that shelf?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Gather them all up before they catch fire.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I said, get them all before the fire spreads to the books.¡±


    I had already known the fire wouldn¡¯t be extinguished.


    In fact, if I were nning to use this ce as a hideout, I would¡¯ve needed more time.


    But I hadn¡¯t dyed on purpose.


    Quite the opposite¡ªI had to hurry because of this.


    ¡®We can¡¯t loot the ce if we don¡¯t do it now.¡¯


    No matter how unreal this ce seemed, it was still Knight''s main base.


    None of the books here would be useless.


    While we were moving the books, Berylined¡­


    ¡°Ugh. We escaped from monsters only to move books in the middle of a fire!¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you go back out and have a round with Mordred?¡±


    I swiftly shut him down with a single remark, and I too began earnestly moving the books.


    ¡°This should be enough.¡±


    Though it was regrettable that the bookshelf had already caught fire, we managed to salvage about 50 books.


    ¡°Get back to the corridor.¡±


    The staff hurriedly descended the passage, escaping the toxic gas that had gradually spread.


    I pushed anything that could be used as a barrier out of the way near the entrance, then went down the passagest and shut the door.


    Thud.


    A magic circle was engraved on the iron door, preventing toxic gas or mes from seeping through.


    Immediately afterward, I built a makeshift bonfire and sat down.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s all have some reading time now.¡±


    Among the books we salvaged, some were about military strategy and weapons training.


    They might even help the staff enhance their skills.


    ¡°Mari, you read this one. Khan, you take this ''Lower Swordsmanship IV.''¡±


    Khan looked at me with a questioning expression.


    ¡°Is it alright for us to hide out like this?¡±


    It seemed he had misunderstood my earlier remark.


    I answered to clear up his confusion.


    ¡°No, we¡¯re going to catch Mordred.¡±


    If we didn¡¯t resolve the disaster Mordred had caused, there would be no way to proceed with containment.


    Failure to contain it would inevitably lead to death.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t understand,¡±


    Khan responded, still confused, and questioned me again.


    ¡°But you said we couldn¡¯t catch him¡­¡±


    ¡°I said we couldn¡¯t catch him right now. I didn¡¯t say we could never catch him.¡±


    There are stages like this asionally.


    The script is just a bit tricky.


    Once you understand what the phenomenon is aiming for, the solution isn¡¯t as difficult as it seems.


    ¡®The first scenario was just an escape.¡¯


    Everything after that was up to the actors.


    And more than anything else,


    ¡°Time is on our side. So there¡¯s no need to rush.¡±


    At least for this stage, time was on our side.


    [Trantor - Night]


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 Chapter 33: Camelot (3)

    [Trantor - Night]


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    Chapter 33: Camelot (3)


    "...Did they escape?"


    Just a moment ago, thekeside had been filled with the mor of weapons and magic, but now only silence lingered.


    "This makes the tenth time..."


    On the blood-stainedke, Mordred looked up at the sky with a vacant expression.


    "It''s already gotten thiste."


    The sky had turned gray.


    ording to her memory, it would soon start to rain.


    Mordred was not particrly fond of rain.


    That''s why she had intended to finish everything quickly from the start, but some quick-witted rats had managed to escape.


    Plop.


    Drops of rain began to fall one by one through the gaps in the dark clouds.


    Plop, plop.


    In the end, it started to rain.


    Not once had she been able to avoid these raindrops.


    When the rain ended, the king would inevitably appear.


    The ending was always the same, but today would be different.


    "Hunting them down one by one isn''t to my liking."


    She''d gather them in one ce and crush them all at once.


    "Right, rent?"


    Mordred slung the massive sword, [rent, the Demon Sword], which radiated a more ominous aura than before, over her shoulder and turned to walk away, hoping this nightmare would finally end this time.


    * * *


    It had been two days since they had shaken off Mordred and entered the fortress.


    [21:11...]


    Of course, it wasn''t as if nothing had been done during that time.


    The past two days had been spent reading books found in the fortress.


    [Acquired Low-Level Swordsmanship LV. 4.]


    [Acquired Focus LV. 2.]


    ''I told her to rest, but Mari ended up training anyway, didn''t she?''


    I had hoped her Intermediate Archery skill would improve, but it hadn''t.


    Instead, Mari had beenining of headaches for the past two days.


    - Administrator, someone keeps talking in my head.


    Thinking it might just be umted fatigue, I had simply told Mari to rest.


    Despite that, her Focus level had increased.


    ''It''s good that her level has risen, but...''


    I was worried she might be pushing herself too hard.


    ''I need to make sure she''s really resting next time.''


    I turned to Khan, who had approached silently.


    "How are the rebels? Still no movement?"


    "Yes, they''ve shown no activity since the rain started."


    I turned my gaze toward the window.


    Shhhhhhh!


    Heavy rain was pouring down, as if the sky itself was weeping.


    "How far did you test them?"


    "The [Danakhoe] employees even tried sniping, but there was no reaction at all."


    The fact that the knights had stopped moving was something I heard from thepany staff who joined uster.


    One of the employees from [Emerald], who had been listening quietly, spoke up.


    "Right? If those bastards hadn''t suddenly stopped, we might have died right there."


    Each knight was indeed a creature equivalent to rank 6.


    For mostpanies, escaping from even one knight would be a daunting task.


    The [Emerald] employee looked around as they chattered.


    "To think there would be a ce in the fortress that was still intact."


    The fire had died down due to the rain, and I had found this rtively intact space.


    "I''ve gathered all the representatives from eachpany."


    Mino, who had approached at some point, spoke.


    "We should get moving soon."


    "Oh, by the way, before we go, take this."


    Mino handed me a dark red pill.


    "This is the Awakening Elixir, as I promised earlier."


    [Summoning Pill (Awakening Elixir)]


    - Instantly heals all wounds and fatigue upon consumption, and increases all stats by 3.


    - The effect is permanent and cannot be used multiple times.


    The elixir indeed had quite formidable effects, befitting its name.


    I put the pill Mino handed me into my pocket.


    "I''ll use it well."


    Mino nodded once and continued walking.


    "Let''s go, then."


    Following Mino, we headed toward the assembly hall.


    Everypany that had survived was gathered here now.


    "Oh, our hero has arrived."


    "I never thought there would be such a ce in the fortress."


    Some of the employees from [tinum] recognized me and praised me.


    ''Well, I suppose it''s only natural.''


    After confirming that the knights had stopped, I had ordered the search for the otherpanies that had been scattered over the past two days.


    I then brought those with nowhere else to go to the fortress.


    "Ahem, our dear Seongjin has discovered a truly remarkable ce."


    A level-5 employee from [Diamond] cleared his throat as if he were the representative.


    "As I''m sure you''re all aware, this ce that Seongjin found appears to be a safe zone."


    A safe zone.


    I crossed my arms and leaned against the wall, as if I didn''t agree with the term.


    A safe zone is, by definition, a ce where creatures cannot approach¡ªa hidden element in situational stages.


    "...For those who have survived, you should know that outside right now..."


    Even though the knights had stopped, and our safety was assured, it might still seem strange to remain holed up in the safe zone.


    ''Even if the knights have stopped...''


    One significant threat was still roaming outside.


    ''Mordred was still on the move...''


    However, even Mordred hadn''te near the fortress.


    Whenever she got close, she would disappear as if by some ghostly instinct.


    That was why they considered this ce to be a safe zone.


    ¡®¡­This ce is a safe zone?¡¯


    Absolutely not.


    The stage was fairer than expected.


    It was fair to the yers, and even to the creatures.


    ¡®¡­As time passes, the one at a disadvantage is Mordred.¡¯


    Moreover, the rain had started falling, causing even the knights, who could be considered Mordred¡¯s subordinates, toe to a halt.


    A safe zone that overwhelmingly disadvantages Mordred, who has a time limit, while we gain the upper hand as time goes on?


    That''s ridiculous.


    [¡®¡­What Mordred is probably aiming for is an ambush.¡¯


    We could be wiped out in a sudden attack if we''re not prepared.


    The reason Mordred isn¡¯t attacking right now is either because there actually is a safe zone that still exists and it takes more time for it to be dissolved, or...


    ¡®¡­Not all the personnel have gathered here yet.¡¯


    Either way, we¡¯ve yed along with what Mordred wanted for now.


    ¡®It''s not like I''m nning to be taken down foolishly.¡¯


    I knew it was part of Mordred¡¯s n, but the reason I went along with it was simple.


    It wasn''t a trade-off where I was the one losing.


    I surveyed thepanies gathered here.


    [Administrator Zone (Silver)]


    [Magleus (tinum)]


    [PeachCreek (Emerald)]


    [DuplicateName (Diamond)]


    [Danakhoe (tinum)]


    [Madari (Diamond)]


    ...and dozens more.


    Counting just the number of personnel, there were about 61.


    Compared to nearly 400 at the start, hundreds had fallen in just two days, but if you think about it differently, the remaining 60 were the elite who had survived Mordred¡¯s pursuit.


    Mordred was definitely not a creature that could be captured alone.


    ¡®Even if only some of the top-tierpanies here lend a hand, we can achieve half the victory.¡¯


    The difficulty of subduing Mordred would change depending on whether I could persuade them.


    As I roughly organized my thoughts, the topic of the conversation had already shifted to discussing the subjugation of Mordred.


    "¡­Now, let''s proceed with the discussion. Please move to the right if you think we should ¡®defeat the creature,¡¯ or to the left if you think we should ¡®wait it out.¡¯"


    After a 5th-rank employee from a [Diamond]pany finished speaking, the crowd began to move.


    I observed the divided audience and let out a low hum.


    "Hmm¡­."


    The hardliners and moderates were split exactly in half.


    So far, so good.


    Even with just half, there were still around 30 people, so it could work out somehow.


    However, if there was a minor issue, it was that all the [Diamond]-rank majorpanies had turned to the moderates.


    ¡®¡­Even if it¡¯s not the otherpanies, [Diamond] must participate.¡¯


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    Even the employees of [tinum] or [Emerald]panies were at best 6th-rank.


    "The creature has weakened. We must strike now."


    The person who bravely advocated for the subjugation was an employee from apany that had previously lost colleagues to Mordred.


    "Hmm. And what makes you think that?"


    "The strength and speed it initially showed while chasing us are significantly diminished."


    "Couldn¡¯t it be an act?"


    "¡­That, that¡¯s¡­."


    It could be an act.


    That¡¯s a valid point.


    When subduing or containing a creature, one must always consider dozens of possible scenarios.


    Knowing this, even the employee who had boldly advocated for the subjugation was at a loss for words, clenching his fists and trembling.


    ¡®This is an opportunity.¡¯


    I didn¡¯t miss this chance and intervened.


    "May I say a word?"


    "¡­Yes, go ahead."


    "As you all know, I am just a 7th-rank employee, far below those who first confronted Mordred."


    The ones who initially charged at Mordred were all capable individuals of around 6th or 5th rank.


    "But they were all cut down one-sidedly."


    In hindsight, it was inevitable because Mordred was a 3rd-rank creature.


    "Yet I. Today, I exchanged blows with Mordred. It was just one strike, but I managed to endure."


    For a moment, the surrounding area buzzed with noise.


    It seemed unbelievable that someone as low as a 7th-rank employee could survive a sh with that monstrous Mordred.


    "But it¡¯s the truth."


    In fact, during today¡¯s expedition, I had encountered Mordred.


    While fleeing, I was eventually caught, and although it was just one exchange, I had crossed swords with her.


    "That statement is true. If it weren¡¯t for Seongjin, we wouldn¡¯t be here right now."


    The one who spoke was an employee from thepany that had joined the fortressst.


    "¡­Hmm, if that monster has truly weakened to that extent, then it seems possible."


    "¡­The rewards for subjugation and survival are different, after all."


    Some of the [Diamond]panies, appearing to be convinced, began to shift their positions.


    The momentum was good.


    ¡®Alright, if just a few moree over¡­¡¯


    We could raise our odds of sess to nearly 70%.


    As I briefly harbored hope, at that moment¡ª


    Bang!


    Something fell from the sky.


    It was a familiar sight.


    "Everyone¡¯s gathered in one ce, I see."


    Though it was less intense than when I first faced it, the sinister aura was still palpable.


    Those gathered here recognized the red glowing eyes shining through the smoke.


    "M-Mordred! Run!"


    "Damn it! Wasn''t this supposed to be a safe zone?"


    The employees of thepanies who had been moderates started to flee in a panic.


    And even faster than them¡ª


    Swish!


    Swish!


    Something shot out from within the smoke and began killing those who were trying to escape.


    "Urgh."


    "Aaagh!"


    Those trying to escape through the entrance were skewered in an instant.


    However, even amidst such a tragedy, there were still those who remained calm.


    ¡°Attack! That bastard is definitely weakened!¡±


    These were the hardliners who had already made up their minds to fight.


    One employee, who looked like a thug, bravely rushed toward Mordred.


    ng!


    ¡°Hah! What''s this? You really have gotten weaker!¡±


    He was a fourth-rank employee of [Madari].


    ¡°Hey! This guy''s really weakened! We can take him down!¡±


    The employee¡¯s feeling wasn¡¯t just a misconception.


    Mordred had indeed grown weaker.


    Moreover¡ª


    ¡®The effect is certainly noticeable.¡¯


    I grasped the talisman and red at Mordred.


    [Nightmare Talisman]


    - When used, it decreases the enemy¡¯s stats and causes confusion, but the user also suffers significant mental damage.


    I felt slightly dizzy, but...


    [Detected a severe level of mental contamination on the user.]


    [The Foundation''s Star protects you.]


    Soon, my mind cleared up again.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?!¡±


    ¡°Ack! It¡¯s Mordred!¡±


    As themotion arose, other employees who hadn¡¯t been present began to join in.


    ¡°Surround him! We can do this!¡±


    Numerous employees charged forward.


    Mordred dodged or blocked all their attacks but was gradually being pushed back.


    ¡°It seems doable¡­¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that all she¡¯s got? Push her!¡±


    It was still impressive how Mordred dodged or blocked the dozens of strikes, butpared to the first day when she effortlessly ughtered hundreds, it seemed manageable.


    ¡°If we keep this up, we can win!¡±


    Mino, who was watching the battle with me, shouted excitedly.


    Indeed, the situation was somewhat hopeful, but I couldn¡¯t shake a vague sense of unease.


    ¡®No matter how weakened, could she really be this weak?¡¯


    Something was wrong.


    It didn¡¯t take long for me to identify the source of that unease.


    ¡°Ha! Now, almost everyone¡¯s here.¡±


    Mordred, cornered, threw her weapon to the ground.


    Her tone and actions didn¡¯t fit someone who was backed into a corner at all.


    ¡°rent!¡±


    For a brief moment, Mordred¡¯s boldness made the employees hesitate.


    She grasped the greatsword that appeared in mid-air.


    [Warning!]


    A chill was felt.


    [Warning!]


    The battlefield, once filled with heat, suddenly became cold, as if faced with a snowstorm.


    [Warning!]


    ¡­The flow of the battle had changed.


    ¡°What are you doing?! Don¡¯t give her an opening!¡±


    Sensing the threat, the fourth-rank employee scolded the others and quickly rushed in.


    ¡°Die!¡±


    Mordred extended her hand and easily caught the edge of the employee¡¯s de.


    Then¡ª


    Crack.


    Ice began to form slowly from the sword, and in an instant, the fourth-rank employee was frozen in the same pose as when he had charged.


    At that moment, a possibility shed through my mind.


    ¡®¡­No way.¡¯


    We may have been mistaken all along.


    The misconception that there was only one creature in this stage.


    ¡®Phenomenon-type anomalous entity!¡¯


    The creature we had to face was not just Mordred.


    The sword she wielded¡ª


    rent was also a creature.


    [Trantor - Night]


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 Chapter 34 Camelot (4)

    [Trantor - Night]


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    Chapter 34: Camelot (4)


    The map not only showed the terrain features within the fortress city but also included information about various treasures, secret passages, and some details about the knights.


    [List of Round Table Knights]


    - Gawain


    - Tristan


    - Mordred


    ...


    [Treasure Vault]


    - Multicolored gemstones


    - Silver sword


    - The sword rent


    Naturally, there was information about Mordred and rent as well.


    ¡®This is serious...;¡¯


    I squinted my eyes as I observed the sword Mordred was holding.


    ¡®The cursed sword rent... no, its official name is the blessed sword rent.¡¯


    Originally, King Arthur used rent as a ceremonial sword when bestowing knighthood.


    ¡®Its rank is A-.¡¯


    Since Mordred, a former knight of the Round Table, was wielding it, there was plenty of room for its rank to rise to A+.


    ¡®Even just rent alone is already a 5th-rank creature.¡¯


    Though various debuffs had weakened Mordred, it didn''t mean that her skills had dulled or her experience had vanished.


    ¡®Fighting two of them at once is too much.¡¯


    Even when facing Mordred alone, my chances of victory were less than 70%.


    And now, I had to face Mordred equipped with rent.


    ¡®But I have no choice.¡¯


    Turning my back on her would mean the end.


    I shouted toward Mino,


    "Activate themand authority right now!"


    [Command Authority (S)]


    - The right tomand knights


    It was one of the few S-grade items from the box Nice had distributed.


    "Yes!"


    Mino immediately pulled out a namete from his chest.


    The namete glowed and soon disappeared.


    [The Knights of Camelot answer the call.]


    Translucent knights emerged from the ground.


    It would be a grave mistake to think that I could simplymand knights.


    [Camelot Knights (6th rank) * 15]


    ¡®Each knight is at least 6th rank, an elite force.¡¯


    This should buy us some time.


    The translucent knights surrounded Mordred.


    Mordred nced at the knights and then gritted her teeth.


    "Hah, ying tricks, are we?"


    Mordred''s physical specs must have fallen to the 7th rank.


    Even though she was wielding rent, she wouldn¡¯t be able to easily sweep away a horde of 6th-rank knights.


    ¡®Now¡¯s the time to regroup.¡¯


    I turned around to gather the staff.


    "This should keep Mordred upied..."


    "rent!"


    At the ear-splitting shout, I was startled and quickly looked back.


    Crack.


    Crack, crack, crack.


    I stood frozen, dumbstruck by the scene unfolding before me.


    "...I have no words for this."


    Ice shards rained around Mordred.


    The translucent knights surrounding her had already been pierced by frost.


    "You can¡¯t even get close!"


    Even the otherpany employees who had been watching for an opportunity couldn¡¯t approach Mordred after rent was unleashed.


    Frost rained down.


    Swoosh.


    Crack.


    "Aaaargh!"


    "Hi-Hieek!"


    With a simple swing of the sword, dozens of employees were frozen solid.


    Swoosh.


    Crack, crack, crack.


    "Aaaaagh!"


    "S-Spare me!"


    No one could escape the absolute cold.


    Each time rent was swung, the space around it froze.


    I nced at the time.


    [20:41...]


    This won¡¯t do.


    The attacks that lightly froze the surroundings were pure magic.


    I pulled out a red potion from my waist.


    [Vampire Potion]


    - Makes the user immune to magic for 5 minutes


    - 99% chance of permanent insanity after consumption


    I was the only one here capable of countering that attack.


    The duration was just 5 minutes. I had to find a breakthrough within that time.


    "Mari, Khan, Beryl, stand back."


    "Huh? What do you mean, Administrator?"


    "Just as I said. You can''t deal with that thing."


    I felt sorry for the staff, but ordinary employees could not handle the creature in front of us.


    Of course, even I...


    I downed the vampire potion in one gulp.


    [The power of the ancient vampire envelops your body.]


    [Your magic resistance is drastically increased for 5 minutes.]


    I threw the empty bottle toward Mordred.


    Crack.


    The bottle, unable to reach Mordred, froze mid-air.


    ¡°Ah? It seems there''s someone who wants to die.¡±


    She was baited.


    I immediately kicked off the ground and charged at Mordred.


    As I got closer, an icy chill enveloped my body.


    [You are in Mordred''s territory. Physical abilities reduced by 10%.]


    [The frost is dominating your body. Physical abilities reduced by 50%.]


    The moment I stepped into the area where the frost was pouring down, this was the oue.


    I managed to avoid beingpletely frozen, but I couldn''t escape the chill.


    ¡®No, I can¡¯t back down like this.¡¯


    I had to endure as much as I could.


    It was hard to take even a single step¡­


    ¡®If it doesn¡¯t work, I have to make it work!¡¯


    [Empathy (LV. 1)]


    - You can borrow a skill from a collected creature for 1 minute.


    [¡®me Skin¡¯ is activated for 1 minute.]


    [Target: Shin Seongjin]


    Whoosh.


    I engulfed my entire body in mes.


    [You are leaving Mordred''s territory.]


    [You burned away the frost that had consumed your body.]


    As I pushed through the frost, Mordred smiled at me.


    ¡°Oh? Seems like there¡¯s quite a persistent one here?¡±


    I tried to resist the frost with a vampire potion, but I only managed to avoid freezingpletely.


    The duration of me Skin would onlyst for a minute at most.


    ¡®What a monstrous opponent.¡¯


    The time I could endure in her territory was only a minute.


    [Focus LV. 2]


    [Sixth Sense LV. 2]


    [Beginner Swordsmanship LV. 4]


    I entrusted my body to my senses and swung my sword with all my might.


    A split-second decision, the quickest strike without any thought.


    ng.


    That strike was effortlessly deflected.


    ¡°...Hmm. This swordsmanship isn''t yours, is it?¡±


    Mordred continued as if appraising me.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a skill earned through rightful effort, is it?¡±


    Certainly, as she said, this wasn¡¯t a skill I had honed.


    It was merely a skill I had stolen.


    But.


    ¡®So what if it is!¡¯


    To win, to survive, I couldn¡¯t afford to be picky about means and methods.


    Following the shimmering line before my eyes, I thrust my sword.


    ng.


    Blocked again.


    Right now, I was relying entirely on Focus and Sixth Sense.


    In a time where one second felt like a minute, Mordred easily deflected all my attacks to the point of sighing.


    ¡®Think, think.¡¯


    [Grade 7 employee ¡®Shin Seongjin¡¯ can be promoted by meeting certain conditions.]


    As I continued to exchange blows, my body umted numerous superficial wounds.


    It was one-sided violence.


    Nothing more, nothing less.


    ¡®Think!¡¯


    My body keptunching attacks, but my mind was racing with thoughts.


    ¡®I knew there was no chance of winning. So think!¡¯


    I had known from the beginning.


    Being a Round Table Knight, I couldn''t match her in swordsmanship.


    She possessed the finesse that could easily devour overwhelming physical abilities.


    On top of that, she had weapons topensate for hercking physical abilities.


    [Resonance duration: 30 seconds remaining.]


    ¡®¡­Damn, time.¡¯


    The only reason I could barely trade blows with Mordred was because of me Skin.


    Once the mes covering my body diminished, all the debuffs would once again overwhelm me.


    ¡®Then I would never win.¡¯


    Time was running out.


    ¡®¡­Time?¡¯


    Struggling to fend off Mordred¡¯s sword, I nced into the air.


    There was still a timer hovering there.


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    w


    [20:40¡­¡­. ]


    This was a phenomenon-type stage.


    The basic rules wouldn''t change much, no matter how irregr the entity.


    ¡®¡­.¡¯


    I retraced my memories to when I first faced Mordred, recalling the message that had appeared.


    [(Survive) - Mordred has revolted. Suppress the rebellion or survive until the main forces of ¡õ¡õ return.]


    Suppress or survive.


    In other words, it wasn¡¯t necessary to defeat Mordred inbat.


    All I had to do was endure for time.


    ¡®The problem is¡­¡¯


    That there was still a long time left.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t that I had no way out.


    ¡®¡­Please let there be something valuable.¡¯


    I distanced myself appropriately and pulled out a square piece of paper from my pocket.


    It was a secret shop ticket that Luci had given me.


    Seeing the ticket I took out, Mordred grinned.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve been annoyed by this since a while ago. This definitely smells of Morroel. So, you¡¯re acquainted with Morroel?¡±


    Mordred lowered her stance.


    It was a posture for leaping.


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to tell me. Honestly, I didn¡¯t care much. Now, let¡¯s end this.¡±


    rent emitted a deadly blue light.


    She was seriously thinking of finishing it.


    Whoosh.


    A sound like air being torn apart echoed.


    A familiar sword descended before my eyes, like in slow motion.


    ¡®¡­The paper from the secret shop must be torn to activate it.¡¯


    No matter how fast a person is, they can¡¯t outrun the speed of sound.


    ¡®¡­Is this the end?¡¯


    If only I had realized this sooner¡ªno, if I hadn¡¯t thought of targeting Mordred in the first ce...


    Countless regrets shed through my mind.


    And at the same time¡ª


    Boom!


    "Argh!"


    The one who flew wasn¡¯t me.


    Mordred was struck by a sudden green sh and was sent flying.


    I turned my head in the direction the sh hade from.


    [Grade 7 Employee ¡®Mari¡¯ has fulfilled certain conditions and can now be promoted.]


    ¡°Administrator, are you alright?!¡±


    Mari stood holding a glowing green bow.


    It was the Bow of Verdure.


    Only then did I understand the nature of the green sh from earlier.


    ¡®Soul Shot!¡¯


    *Soul Shot:


    - Once per day, you can fire a single shot imbued with your soul. The deeper the soul''s history, the more powerful the strike.


    Thud.


    Having been hit by the sh, Mordred smashed into a rock and screamed.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Pulling out the arrow lodged in her shoulder, she shouted again, now directing her rage toward Mari.


    "Tristan!!!"


    At the terrifying cry, Mari flinched and shouted something into the air.


    "Eek, sir, my identity''s been exposed. What do we do?"


    Tristan.


    The soul that had possessed Mari was none other than the grieving Tristan of the Round Table''s 11th seat.


    Mordred''s gaze fixed on Mari.


    ¡®We''ve bought some time.¡¯


    I immediately grabbed the paper with both hands.


    Seeing my strange behavior, Mordred hesitated for a moment, then, making up her mind, picked up the spear that had been lying on the ground.


    ¡°First, I¡¯ll get rid of the annoying archer!¡±


    And then, she hurled the spear at Mari.


    Wham!


    Just like when she ughtered the employees, the spear shot toward Mari in an instant, straight as a meteor.


    Mordred smiled in satisfaction.


    And so did I.


    ¡®I was a bit arrogant, thinking I could handle this on my own.¡¯


    Swoosh.


    ¡°Ahhhh! I am Beryl, the Oak Shield!¡±


    Something massive rushed in front of Mari, holding arge shield.


    It was Beryl.


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    [Intermediate Shield Mastery LV. 1]


    A transparent barrier formed in front of Beryl.


    Clink!


    The sound of shattering ss echoed.


    And then¡ª


    Crash!


    The spear pierced through Beryl.


    [Grade 7 Employee ¡®Beryl¡¯ has fulfilled certain conditions and can now be promoted.]


    ¡°Cough.¡±


    However, it wasn¡¯t a fatal wound.


    Though the barrier and shield had been shattered, they diverted the spear¡¯s trajectory, and it ended up embedded in Beryl¡¯s shoulder.


    Mordred''s brow furrowed at the sight.


    ¡°Tch.¡±


    Beryl''s durability had reached superhuman levels.


    He would recover from that wound in just a day.


    Without the employees, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to buy any time against Mordred.


    I lifted the corner of my mouth in a grin.


    ¡°Our shield bearer is pretty sturdy, you know. But are you sure you should just stand there?¡±


    Immediately, I tore the paper.


    Time stopped.


    The world turned gray.


    ¡°...Wow. You closed the distance in that fleeting moment?¡±


    When I came to my senses, Mordred was right in front of me, frozen, holding his sword rent.


    ¡°So it¡¯se to this. Poor Mordred¡­¡±


    Luci, who had approached at some point, muttered this as she stroked Mordred¡¯s frozen head.


    ¡°And this is what you want, right?¡±


    Luci handed me a golden stopwatch, as if it was the most natural thing.


    It was an item sold by the game¡¯s developers for yers who had no time.


    [Golden Stopwatch]


    - Skips ahead 24 hours.


    The description was simple, but it was an absurdly overpowered item in a survival stage like this.


    Of course, the price was whatever Luci felt like charging.


    There was no set price.


    It was whatever she decided.


    I steadied my breath and asked for the price.


    ¡°¡­How much?¡±


    ¡°Free.¡±


    When I tilted my head in confusion, Luci nced at me with a mischievous grin.


    ¡°I¡¯m giving it to you as a special service. You weren¡¯t nning to kill Mordred anyway, were you? That¡¯s why I¡¯m giving it to you. Besides, if I exin more, it¡¯ll just be a waste of words. Just take it.¡±


    She casually tossed me the golden stopwatch.


    ¡°Well then, finish this up nicely like you¡¯ve been doing, Administrator. And if you could give that damned Arthur a good punch while you¡¯re at it, that¡¯d be even better.¡±


    As Luci left, the stopped time slowly began to flow again.


    ¡®What a ridiculous thing to throw at me...¡¯


    Despite Luci¡¯s absurd remark, I quickly regained myposure.


    And without any further hesitation, I pressed the stopwatch.


    [00:00]


    When time resumed, the torrential rain that had been pouring down stopped abruptly, as if it had never happened.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    Mordred, who had been charging at me as if to kill me, took slow steps backward, staring at the golden spear embedded in her chest.


    ¡°...My King.¡±


    [Thepany with the most outstanding performance in this stage is the Administrator Zone (Silver). Let¡¯s all give a round of apuse!]


    [Stage cleared. (+5,000 points)]


    Thud.


    Mordred copsed backward, coughing up a mouthful of blood.


    [rent is recorded in thepany¡¯s archives.]


    [The Foundation¡¯s Star absorbs knowledge of the creature. You have acquired ¡®Frostde¡¯.]


    [Grade 7 employee ¡®Shin Seongjin¡¯ ovees the trial and grows stronger!]


    [All stats increased by 5.]


    Ignoring the messages that popped up, I walked toward the fallen Mordred.


    In her chest was a golden holy spear I hadn¡¯t seen before.


    [Longinus (EX+)]


    - ess denied.


    At that moment¡ª


    ¡°Congrattions. You have survived the rebel¡¯s assault.¡±


    A man stepped out, tearing through the space.


    It was the host and executor of this tournament¡ªKnight King, Nice.


    ¡°Camelot will not forget your contributions.¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    I stopped Nice, who was about to dere the closing ceremony, and took out the summoning pill from my pocket.


    [Summoning Pill (Awakened)]


    - Upon consumption, instantly heals all wounds and fatigue, and increases all stats by 3.


    - This effect is permanent. Cannot be used more than once.


    This was a method I couldn¡¯t even attempt when it was a game.


    A method possible only because it had be reality.


    ¡®I hope this works¡­¡¯


    There was no risk in failure.


    ¡®The tournament has already ended, and Nice is here on the field.¡¯


    Without hesitation, I gave the summoning pill to the unconscious Mordred.


    ¡®I¡¯ve kept my promise.¡¯


    This was my way of istion.


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    w

 Chapter 35: Settle Down or Move Forward (1)

    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    w


    Chapter 35: Settle Down or Move Forward (1)


    I saved the creature.


    However, since I hadn¡¯t technically broken any rules, themotion quickly subsided.


    And the next day¡ª


    ¡°We will now proceed with the special promotion ceremony.¡±


    A rare promotion ceremony was held at Camelot.


    [The gold promotion ceremony for the Administrator Zone (silver) will begin shortly.]


    The number of creatures required for a gold promotion is 10.


    Including what I had, excluding the secret shop, I had about 5 creatures.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this...¡±


    As I made a slightly ufortable expression, Luci approached and lifted the corners of my mouth with her finger.


    "It seems you got a special promotion, including the proof fromst time. You''ll get more benefits from headquarters. Why don''t you smile a bit?"


    "Receiving benefits is nice, but..."


    Moving up to [Gold] would add more amenities and lift the restrictions on external activities we hadn¡¯t been able to do, allowing thepany to operate more freely.


    "It also means stepping out of [headquarters]'' shadow."


    While the promotion felt a bit burdensome, given that we hadn¡¯t fully solidified our foundation, there was no chance that [headquarters] would reverse their decision.


    ''It¡¯s more efficient to think about how to strengthen our foundation now.''


    As I briefly stared at the tform, Mari and Khan approached to see me off.


    "Have a safe trip."


    "As expected of our administrator! You even calcted this..."


    Though Khan looked less energetic than usual, he would probably ovee it.


    After leaving them behind, I looked to see if Beryl hade, but he wasn¡¯t there.


    ''...Seems like Beryl is still bedridden.''


    Though he¡¯s the biggest of us, hisints are world-ss.


    - With the auto-recovery, you should have recovered by now, so stop faking and get up already!


    - No, administrator, please listen! My shoulder, pierced by that monstrous woman, is still... Eek! Why is that monster here...?


    For the record, the person Beryl was startled by was Mordred, who was stretching next to me.


    "It feels refreshing to be out of that dreary space. So, this promotion or whatever¡ªcongrattions, I suppose."


    The red glow in her eyes pierced through me, sending a chill down my spine, but since she wasn¡¯t causing any trouble, I let it go.


    ¡°Mordred~¡±


    Luci hugged Mordred.


    At the same time, Mordred¡¯s face turned pale.


    "Ugh."


    The bravado she had shown was nowhere to be found, as she iled her arms like a lost rabbit in Luci''s embrace.


    But Luci, with her consistent smile, paid no mind.


    Just as Mordred was about to pass out, Luci let her go and turned to me.


    "Oh, I had one more request."


    She assumed a boxing stance and threw a punch into the air.


    "I''ll give you a free pass to the secret shop if you punch Nice in the face."


    ¡°...¡±


    A free pass to the secret shop was honestly quite tempting, but assaulting an Executor was a serious crime.


    Besides, the idea of punching a top-tier Level 1 like Nice was pure nonsense.


    I stifled augh.


    "No thanks. I''ll just go up."


    With cheers from the staff and those who really shouldn¡¯t be here, I climbed the tform.


    On it stood Nice, along with the knights, all with their swords drawn.


    After confirming my presence, Nice opened a document stamped with the headquarters'' seal.


    [Administrator Zone (Silver)] has demonstrated multiple performances unfit for its current grade. Therefore, we will proceed with the special promotion of [Administrator Zone (Silver)].


    Nice handed me the document.


    As I epted it¡ªjust like when I first took the cement exam¡ª


    Whoooooosh.


    A red whirlwind began to swirl around the silver emblem next to my affiliation name.


    At the same time, dozens of messages popped up in front of me.


    [Administrator Zone (Not Affiliated)]


    - Company Grade: Silver


    - Administrator: Shin Seongjin


    [Creature Management]


    - Currently managed creatures: 6


    - Company score: 51 (unmeasurable)


    [Employee Summoning and Management]


    - Current employee count: 21


    - Grade 7 (8), Grade 8 (3), Grade 9 (10)...


    [Company Evaluation]


    *S


    [Executor Evaluation]


    *S+


    [Some departments at headquarters are keeping an eye on you.]


    Shooo.


    The vortex gradually subsided.


    And then¡ª


    Bang!


    Fireworks exploded, and the silver curtain turned into a golden one.


    [Congrattions.]


    [You have been promoted to Administrator Zone (Gold).]


    Just for a moment, I reflected on the promotion.


    Knights brought something onto the stage under Nice''mand.


    ¡°Congrattions. And here¡¯s the growth-type equipment you requested.¡±


    Inside the box carried by the knights, there were not pieces of equipment but chunks of rock.


    These various stones were no ordinary rocks.


    I knew exactly what they were.


    ''...Spirit Stones.''


    These were even better than growth-type equipment.


    More precisely, they were one of the materials to make growth-type equipment, but the reason these were more valuable than thepleted item was clear.


    ''Looks like Nice is really intent on supporting me.''


    Though thepatibility with the finished item was hit or miss, the items I would craft from now on could be made specifically for me.


    The difference from that little personalization would only grow more significant in theter stages.


    ''And he seems to be taking some care as well.''


    Some of the eyes gathered on the stage seemed disappointed and lost interest upon realizing that what I had received was just some rocks.


    ''The Executor is still the Executor.''


    Too much attention brings envy and jealousy.


    If I had received something shy or obviously luxurious, unnecessary trouble might have awaited me upon returning to thepany after the festival.


    ¡®I¡¯m not ready to face otherpanies just yet.¡¯


    So, Nice¡¯ considerate care was something I appreciated.


    I took one of the spirit stones from the box and thanked Nice.


    ¡°Thanks for the consideration.¡±


    ¡°No, I should be the one thanking you.¡±


    Nice'' golden eyes briefly nced downward before returning to me.


    Then, with a satisfied smile, he extended his hand.


    ¡°Please take care of my people from now on.¡±


    I grasped Nice'' hand.


    ¡°Is this proof enough?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Ah, there¡¯s also the matter of refining the spirit stones. I¡¯ll send someone within two months who can handle the refining.¡±


    [Points Allocated: 1,000]


    [Martial Tournament: Achieve a meaningful result that the Knight King can ept.]


    [Time Remaining: 4 hours, 9 minutes]


    Though there was still time left, Nice took the points from me early.


    [You have surrendered points early (-1,000 points).]


    ¡°Plus, since you¡¯ve been running nonstop from [Unranked] to [Gold], you¡¯ll probably need time to consolidate your foundation. With my authority, I¡¯ll exclude you from delivery and proof for two months.¡±


    [Yourpany has been excluded from delivery obligations by the Executor. You are temporarily exempt from point deliveries.]


    ¡°Oh? You¡¯re even covering that?¡±


    It was wee news.


    Delivery was a monster that consumed points.


    It essentially ced a restriction on growth.


    ¡°Handling that is also part of the Executor¡¯s duty.¡±


    Nice was saying he would temporarily lift that restriction for me.


    Though he was smiling, it was clear how much of a big decision he had made.


    ''He¡¯s really taken a big step.''


    Apparently, saving Mordred had unknowingly given me extra credit.


    ''It¡¯s not just that; they seem to have decided to fully back me based on everything I¡¯ve done so far...''


    Well, a good thing is a good thing.


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    w


    * * *


    The days following my return to thepany were extremely busy.


    ¡®Including the new recruits, that makes 45 employees in total, huh¡­?¡¯


    Managing the influx of new employees and reinforcing the foundation I hadn''t had time to build.


    ¡®What I need most right now is the Command Department, Welfare Department... and an Education Department, maybe?¡¯


    Before increasing the number of new employees, it was necessary to subdivide the departments first.


    [It costs 1,000 points to establish one department.]


    [Would you like to establish the Command Department?]


    [Would you like to establish the Education Department?]


    [Would you like to establish the Welfare Department?]


    ¡°ept all.¡±


    [Departments are being created.]


    Threerge spaces appeared when I opened the minimap, above and below.


    Three new floors were added, including the basement.


    I clicked on the newly created Command Department on the top floor and assigned a manager.


    [7th-grade employee Hyung Seong-jin has been assigned as the manager of the Command Department.]


    [The Command Department has been activated.]


    - The probability of employees falling into panic is reduced.


    - Movements be more systematic.


    At first nce, it might seem like an inferior version of [Foundation¡¯s Star], but its function was entirely different.


    ¡®With this, I won¡¯t need to give orders constantly, and they¡¯ll move more systematically on their own.¡¯


    In the future, themand center staff would manage the rapidly increasing number of employees.


    ¡®For now, I have no choice but to act as the manager of all departments¡­¡¯


    However, when employees with the right skills for each department appeared, I would start delegating the manager roles, just like the Education and Welfare Departments I was setting up now.


    [Appointing Grade 7 Employee Yohn as the head of the Education Department.]


    [The Education Department has been activated.]


    - Employees receive bonus points when learning something.


    The Education Department, as its name suggests, would handle various types of training.


    For example, helping new hires adapt to thepany or acquiring training materials needed for their education.


    ¡°Next.¡±


    [Appointing Grade 7 Employee Doran as the head of the Welfare Department.]


    [The Welfare Department has been activated.]


    - Employee morale increases.


    The Welfare Department didn¡¯t seem like much at first.


    Its role was simply to ensure that employees werefortable and that their morale didn¡¯t drop.


    ¡®Though, the only members so far are Bilbo, the chef, and Doran...¡¯


    Filling the Welfare Department was not as easy as it seemed.


    Employees had to possess certain skills to be part of it, and even if they learned a skill, it took a long time to be a proper craftsman, making it the most demanding department to manage.


    ¡°Well, this should do for now.¡±


    For the time being, since other departments didn¡¯t consume many points, things should run smoothly.


    I had barely finished inspecting the new departments when¡ª


    ¡°Hey, all done?¡±


    Mordred, who had crawled out of the istion room, started circling around me.


    I clicked my tongue and asked Mordred.


    ¡°Why do you keeping out? You¡¯ve already been given everything you need.¡±


    Mordred shrugged and pointed toward the istion room in the corner of the hallway.


    ¡°So what? My main body is sitting quietly in there. Besides, I¡¯m not causing any trouble, am I?¡±


    The ¡°main body¡± she was referring to was the sword, rent, that Mordred had once wielded.


    ¡®Now that I think about it...¡¯


    She was right.


    Over the past few days, even though she had asionally slipped out of the istion room, she hadn¡¯t caused any incidents.


    At this point, the other staff had gotten used to her escaping and didn¡¯t even react anymore.


    Mordred, sensing my hesitation, continued awkwardly.


    ¡°...Besides, I¡¯m only sneaking out.¡±


    ¡°Sneaking out?¡±


    Who could possibly cause Mordred to run away?


    Luci briefly crossed my mind, but she hadn¡¯t visited thepany in thest few days, likely because of a sudden influx of work.


    ¡®...This monster ran away?¡¯


    Confused, I tilted my head, and Mordred pointed proudly at her istion room.


    And then¡ª


    Creak.


    The door to Mordred¡¯s istion room opened, and out came an unexpected figure.


    It was Khan.


    Khan, who had just emerged, looked momentarily bewildered, then quickly turned and disappeared toward the waiting room.


    Mordred, staring at Khan in disbelief, muttered.


    ¡°Khan, wasn¡¯t it...? For the past few days, he¡¯s been pestering me to teach him swordsmanship. Honestly, I¡¯m not the type to train someone else¡¯s soldier without permission...¡±


    She made a gesture as if covering her ears, annoyed by the noise.


    ¡°Moroell... or should I call her Luci here? Anyway, Luci¡¯s been gone for a while, and things were finally peaceful, but now I¡¯ve got a wannabe knight bothering me. Well, since Khan¡¯s gone, I¡¯ll head back.¡±


    Mordred grumbled as she made her way back to the istion room.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    I called out to her.


    ¡°...?¡±


    Mordred turned her head toward me, as if to ask, ¡®What now?¡¯


    ¡°How about a deal?¡±


    I suddenly remembered that Mordred was once a member of the Knights of the Round Table.


    In other words, there was no need to go elsewhere for training when Mordred herself could teach advanced swordsmanship.


    ¡°...What kind of deal?¡±


    ¡°You said you don¡¯t train without permission, so if you have my permission, you can teach him, right?¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Then teach him. I¡¯ll give you permission.¡±


    Mordred grinned with a mischievous smile.


    ¡°Really? My training is so harsh that even regr knights can¡¯t endure it, you know?¡±


    That didn¡¯t matter.


    After all, I wasn¡¯t the one who would be receiving the training.


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    [Trantor - Night]


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 Chapter 36: Settle Down or Move Forward (2)

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    Chapter 36: Settle Down or Move Forward (2)


    Mordred¡¯s isted room,pletely open on all sides.


    Creak.


    The door to the istion room opened, and Khan entered.


    He immediately knelt before the sword stuck in the middle of the room.


    ¡°I humbly ask you, please teach me the sword.¡±


    At his plea, the sword trembled.


    Soon, white light flickered, and Mordred materialized.


    She scratched the back of her head with aplicated expression.


    ¡°Ah, fine. Let¡¯s hear it. Why do you want to be stronger?¡±


    It was a question she had asked before.


    After the festival ended, when Khan first came to Mordred, he had simply demanded training, and Mordred had refused.


    Strength is like a drug¡ªonce you''re addicted, there¡¯s no turning back.


    A knight should never be like that.


    ¡°And by the way, if your answer is the same asst time, I won¡¯t teach you.¡±


    Aimless wandering stirs impulse.


    So she prodded him again.


    Khan bit his lower lip slightly before answering.


    ¡°I want to be of help.¡±


    ¡°Help?¡±


    ¡°When we were surrounded by kobolds, and even during the tournament, I was of no help at all.¡±


    Khan''s hands trembled as if consumed by self-reproach¡­ but in fact, it had been a stage where even challenging Mordred was sheer nonsense.


    ¡®The manager was a special case. Other than that¡­¡¯


    Whether it was Marinding a hit by borrowing Tristan¡¯s power, or Beryl protecting the team with his shield, it was impressive¡ªbut that was it.


    Aside from that fleeting moment, there was no way anyone could have stopped Mordred.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t Mordred¡¯s duty to boost Khan¡¯s self-esteem.


    Instead,


    ¡°Well,pared to the others who bravely stepped up, you did fail to stand out, like the other insects.¡±


    She could dig into his heart to solidify his resolve.


    ¡°So, you need strength?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, I want to learn the sword. I don¡¯t want to see myrades getting hurt again.¡±


    That answer was barely eptable.


    ¡®He¡¯s been avoiding it out of fear of the hassle¡­¡¯


    But a deal was a deal.


    Mordred¡¯s crimson eyes gleamed as she surveyed Khan¡¯s entire body.


    This time, she could sense that he hade with a clear purpose.


    Besides,


    ¡®It might be a little troublesome¡­ but¡­¡¯


    Mordred had recently concluded that staying trapped here was nothing but boring.


    She also figured that wandering around under the guise of education wouldn¡¯t be so bad.


    ¡°Well, since you seem somewhat prepared, I¡¯ll teach you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Mordred grinned down at Khan.


    ¡°Yes, we had an agreement. But my training will be quite harsh. You okay with that?¡±


    Since they were starting, there would be no half-measures.


    Whether he could keep up or not depended on him.


    Although, that concern seemed unfounded.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind!¡±


    Khan boldly raised his head and confidently met Mordred¡¯s gaze.


    His eyes were filled with determination.


    ¡°Well, I guess you''re notpletely hopeless. But, if you can¡¯t keep up, I¡¯ll abandon you right there and then. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Good. Follow me. You¡¯re not the only trainee, you know.¡±


    * * *


    A strangely quietpany.


    Two men stood, looking down at a bald man.


    ¡°Hmm, is that all you have to say?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m innocent! They looted our goods!¡±


    [Magleus (tinum)]


    The bald employee shouted in frustration, but all he received in return was indifference and disdain.


    A man with an impressive mustache kicked the bald man.


    ¡°Gah!¡±


    Then, as if he couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing, he asked again.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that you let a mere [Silver]-rankedpany steal [The Bow of Verdure] from you? Oh my. Do you think [Magleus] can make a fool out of us, [Warriors¡¯ Union (Diamond)]?¡±


    The mustached man, impably dressed, was unable to contain his rage as he continued to stomp on the bald man.


    ¡°Tell me again, do you think we¡¯re a joke? Are we a joke to you?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Though the bald man was a 6th-grade employee, a core member of the [tinum]-rankedpany, he couldn¡¯t dare stand up to the man kicking him.


    He could only hope that the mustached man¡¯s fury would subside, for his own sake and for thepany¡¯s.


    After all, the man kicking him was a 5th-grade employee from the [Warriors¡¯ Union (Diamond)], a rank higher than his own.


    ¡°Hngh¡­ I-I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°This is absurd. I knew we couldn¡¯t trust a [tinum]. What is the master even thinking¡­?¡±


    Unable to watch any longer, one of the employees stepped in to stop the mustached man.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Makarov. Even though it¡¯s rare, thatpany did beat one of our 4th-grade employees and get a special promotion. There must be something to them.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Who dares mention my name¡­?¡±


    Makarov, the 5th-grade employee from [Warriors¡¯ Union], was about to explode at whoever touched him, but when he recognized the person, he stopped.


    ¡°¡­Ah. It¡¯s Mitsu, a 4th-grade employee of [Madari]. If you say so, then maybe they aren¡¯t just ordinary guys.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see it myself. But¡­ I¡¯ve heard some things.¡±


    ¡°Being cautious, are we? Fine. But Mitsu, I think there¡¯s some misunderstanding here.¡±


    Makarov stroked his moustache with a displeased smile.


    ¡°Well, from what I heard, the only reason they managed to corner Mordred was due to a single strike from The Bow of Verdure .¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°In other words, the reason [Madari] failed is because those idiots over there lost The Bow of Verdure .¡±


    Mitsu had also heard that a rookie archer wielding the Bow of Verdure had managed to stop that Mordred.


    That''s why it felt even more unfortunate.


    "Hmm, unfortunate indeed. It was unexpected that the Bow of Verdure didn''t end up in our hands. But that''s all. From what I heard, they weren''t able to take down the creature in one blow. It''s the limit of a C+ grade weapon."


    "Yohoho. No, Mitsu-sama, I see it differently."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Despite [Silver] being the one who used it, the weapon still showed that much destructive power. It proves that it''s an unbelievably good item. So, all we need to do is get it back."


    How would they retrieve something that was already lost?


    The eyes of everyone present were now focused on Makarov.


    "Yohoho. It''s simple. We just need to make an unfair contract."


    Mitsu reacted to the phrase ''unfair contract.''


    "Oh? How? Is yourpany going to take the lead, or are you asking us to?"


    "Yohoho. No, no. How could I dare suggest [Madari] take the lead? We have just the right person to do it for us, don''t we? Yohohoho."


    As Makarov spoke, he stomped harder on the bald man''s head.


    "Well? You heard him, right? What are you waiting for? Go make that contract happen."


    Makarov whispered into the bald man''s ear, causing him to flinch.


    "M-Makarov sir... Even if we tried to press them with authority... The thing is, it''s not that simple. They have backing! If it weren''t for that, we would''ve taken it by force already! Believe me!"


    Makarov, seemingly intrigued by this, asked,


    "Yoho? Who''s backing them?"


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    "The [Yeondan Society]! Even though they''re also [tinum], they have the trust of headquarters, so we can''t recklessly touch them!"


    "Yohohohoho. I see. Yes, getting a contract from apany on the same tier would be tough. But? What of it?"


    "...What?"


    "Apany like that? Just crush them. If a contract isn''t easy to get, you can just bury them."


    The bald man''s face turned pale.


    Makarov was essentially telling him to ughter everyone at the [Yeondan Society] without breaking any of the [Headquarters]ws.


    To kill all their employees so that thepany couldn''t function anymore.


    The bald man, breathing heavily, asked again,


    "Y-You want us to attack thepany...?"


    Makarov''s expression immediately darkened.


    "Are you saying you won''t do it?"


    Without hesitation, Makarov shoved a contract in the bald man''s face.


    It was an unfair contract born from debt.


    "If you don''t... I''m looking forward to seeing what happens to [Magleus]. What do you think?"


    "I-I''ll do it."


    "Of course, you will. Oh, and don''t worry. Our [Warriors¡¯ Union (Diamond)] will help even a fool like [Magleus] seed."


    Makarov twisted his body, creepily extending his tongue.


    "There''s nothing more thrilling than crushing a budding sprout."


    Watching Makarov''s n unfold, Mitsu smirked as if he''d seen something ridiculous.


    "Ha, really impressive. Too bad for [Administrator Zone] and [Yeondan Society]. They''re unlucky to have crossed paths with that psycho."


    "Yohoho. I don''t know where to put such praise."


    "It wasn''t apliment. But your method is certainly revolutionary."


    "Yohoho. Exactly. If we seed, it''s a revolution! And if we fail, we lose nothing. It''s an innovative strategy."


    * * *


    It had been about a month since Khan and the other employees had begun their formal training.


    [Intermediate Swordsmanship LV. 1]


    [Sixth Sense LV. 3]


    [7th Grade Employee ''Khan'' can be promoted under certain conditions.]


    The results of their training exceeded expectations.


    "As expected from a former knight captain, it seems she''s teaching them well."


    At the training grounds, Khan and some of the employees were undergoing Mordred''s hellish training.


    - Hey! How do you n to endure if you can''t handle this? Is 3,000 overhead strikes too much? Is it hard? Answer me!


    - Gah! It¡¯s, it¡¯s hard!


    - Step forward if you find it hard. What? Are you going to quit being a knight if it''s tough?


    Despite a month having passed, Mordred''s intense training had no signs of easing, and it seemed she had fully adapted to this ce.


    "Now that we¡¯ve solidified our foundation, it''s about time to visit [Yeondan Society]."


    As I closed the door to the training grounds, Mari approached, having avoided Mordred¡¯s gaze.


    "Why the [Yeondan Society] all of a sudden?"


    "There''s something I need to discuss regarding a contract."


    Considering the trust that [Yeondan Society] had from headquarters, it was highly likely that they had valuable ingredients or special materials.


    More importantly...


    ''There''s a good chance they have an alchemist.''


    It would be quite profitable if I could learn some of their techniques.


    Having an alchemist around would be quite beneficial.


    ''I suppose it¡¯s about time we get one.''


    First, I needed to set up a meeting.


    ''It would be better if I didn''t go myself right away.''


    If I showed up unannounced, it might make Mino ufortable.


    In cases like this, it''s best to send a lower-ranked employee to give Mino a heads-up.


    And the perfect employee for this task was already decided.


    I handed Mari a letter.


    "Mari, could you go to V and Hyeok and ask them to take this letter to [Yeondan Society]?"


    The coordinates for [Yeondan Society] were on Mino''s business card, so it shouldn¡¯t be hard to find.


    "Ugh, why aren¡¯t we going ourselves? Are V and Hyeok going alone to [Yeondan Society]?"


    Mari pouted her cheeks in disappointment, but I wasn¡¯t going to be swayed by such an act.


    I forced the letter into her hands.


    "...You just want to eat something from outside, don¡¯t you?"


    "Ah... You found out?"


    "¡­."


    "Haha... I''ll be on my way then."


    When I folded my arms and stared at her, Mari quickly ran off, looking a bit embarrassed.


    "Well, that''s sorted..."


    A tensepany atmosphere wouldn¡¯tst long.


    Of course, too little tension would also be a problem... But Mari''s little diversions were still manageable.


    "Now, time to prepare for the promotion."


    I turned and headed toward the promotion device.


    [Trantor - Night]


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 Chapter 37: Settle Down or Move Forward (3)

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    Chapter 37: Settle Down or Move Forward (3)


    [Promotion Device]


    I checked to make sure I hadn¡¯t forgotten anything and stepped into the advancement device.


    It had been quite a while since Ist set foot in this building.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s see how they¡¯ll wee me this time...¡±


    Just stepping inside made cold sweat run down my back.


    ¡®It¡¯s strange to think it¡¯s just about showing me memories of the past.¡¯


    The materialized creatures were a problem, but the boy who spoke to me was even more unsettling.


    Thud.


    The door closed, and a blue gauge and message appeared before me.


    [The advancement ceremony will nowmence.]


    [Update... 22%]


    ¡°Better be prepared...¡±


    [Sensitivity LV. 1 has been activated.]


    [Sixth Sense LV. 3]


    With this much preparation, I could react if something ambushed me.


    I wished I could use the reinforced body as well, but I could only use one skill with sensitivity at a time.


    ¡°Is this the best I can do...?¡±


    Once I finished my rough preparations, I looked at the gauge.


    [...88%]


    The gauge was approaching 100% before I knew it.


    [100%]


    As the gauge filled up, my vision flickered rapidly.


    When I opened my eyes again, I was in an unfamiliar ce.


    No, it was somewhat familiar.


    ¡°This ce...¡±


    ¡°One of the few knight orders under Camelot.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Startled by the sudden voice, I whipped around.


    ¡°Hey, this is the first time we¡¯re meeting face to face, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Despite the faint static noise, I could tell who it was.


    The boy was smiling at me.


    I immediately put some distance between us and crouched low.


    Then, I nced at the message.


    [Sixth Sense LV. 3]


    [00:48...]


    Sensitivity was working properly.


    ¡®Even with the Sixth Sense, I didn¡¯t notice him?¡¯


    After taking a deep breath, I raised my sword, wary of the boy.


    ¡®If I can¡¯t sense him... it¡¯s better to switch tactics.¡¯


    [Intermediate Swordsmanship LV. 1 has been activated.]


    ¡°...Let me ask you one thing. Are you an enemy?¡±


    I didn¡¯t really expect an answer.


    I just wanted to see if the boy acknowledged me, so I threw the question out.


    He looked at me for a moment, then responded.


    ¡°...That¡¯s something you have to decide for yourself.¡±


    He was fully aware of me.


    Ignoring the warning signals echoing throughout my body, I kept my eyes on the boy.


    He then turned away from me and began walking down the long corridor.


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste your energy. It¡¯s not time for that yet.¡±


    Suddenly, the static on his face wavered.


    ¡°Follow me.¡±


    I sheathed my sword and silently followed the boy.


    Of course, I kept a certain distance since I didn¡¯t know what might happen.


    ¡®...The advancement device is supposed to observe the memories of the employee.¡¯


    If that¡¯s the case, the boy probably knew the original owner of this body.


    ¡®What kind of rtionship did he have with the owner...?¡¯


    It was unsettling to have a figure from memory talking to me, but I had no other choice, so I walked down the corridor behind him.


    After walking for what felt like forever, I suddenly encountered something.


    There was a massive door at the end of the corridor, which I initially thought would go on endlessly.


    ¡°Alright, go in.¡±


    The boy confidently opened the door, revealing a gigantic round table beyond.


    People were seated around the circr table, and all their gazes were directed at the boy.


    The most prominent of them, a blond man seated at the head of the table, spoke quietly, looking at the boy.


    ¡°So, the inevitable hase...¡±


    The boy shrugged at his words, then pulled out a spine-chilling book from thin air.


    ¡°The time to make a choice has arrived.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re too tired... So please, let it end.¡±


    The man¡¯s radiant golden eyes were losing their light.


    The man who had been conversing with the boy was someone I knew all too well.


    ¡®Nice...?¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t just Nice.


    ¡°...My king, I will do it.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Nice remained silent.


    That silence was as good as approval.


    Once tacit approval was given, the white-haired woman sitting next to Nice mmed the table violently.


    Bang.


    Then, she rose from her seat and grabbed Nice by the cor.


    ¡°Are you kidding me? You¡¯re giving up without even trying? And even sacrificing your child?¡±


    ¡°...Morroel.¡±


    I also knew the red-haired knight who offered to sacrifice himself and the white-haired woman scolding Nice.


    ¡®Mordred and Luci too...¡¯


    What on earth is going on?


    But I didn¡¯t have time to think any further.


    The tension at the round table had reached its peak, and I couldn¡¯t afford to let my guard down, unsure of what might happen next.


    Thud!


    Nice mmed his hand on the table.


    Then, he forcibly removed Luci¡¯s hand and red at her.


    ¡°Even now, people outside are dying! Because of a useless king! Or Morroel, do you have some groundbreaking solution to end this catastrophe?¡±


    ¡°...That, I...¡±


    ¡°I thought not. If you further interfere, I¡¯ll add treason to your charges.¡±


    It was a tone and demeanor unlike the Nice I had seen before.


    Even Luci seemed startled by Nice¡¯s unusual behavior, flinching a few times before turning her back to hurl curses.


    ¡°Fool. You¡¯ll be struck by divine punishment.¡±


    Despite Luci¡¯s harsh words, Nice merely nodded in resignation.


    ¡°If it¡¯s for the greater good, I¡¯ll do whatever it takes...¡±


    Luci turned and headed toward the door.


    Watching Luci walk away, Nice asked.


    ¡°...Morroel, where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to resolve this in a different way than you. So don¡¯t bother me. I¡¯ll find my own method.¡±


    Luci coldly brushed off Nice and stepped out the door.


    I moved aside, thinking we might bump into each other, but in the end, my action was meaningless.


    ¡°Vanished?¡±


    Luci never even made it to where I was.


    She simply disappeared.


    Quite literally.


    As Luci passed through the door, she evaporated in an instant.


    ¡°I see. This must be part of a memory¡­¡±


    I shifted over to a knight standing nearby, but no one seemed to notice my presence.


    ¡°...¡±


    To discern the boy¡¯s intentions in bringing me here, I focused on the conversations of the boy and the remaining knights seated at the round table.


    There was a brief silence after Luci left.


    However, the silence didn¡¯tst long.


    ¡°...If any other knights wish to leave, do so now. I¡­ won¡¯t stop you.¡±


    Creak.


    At Nice¡¯s words, the first to stand was the knight wielding a bow.


    ¡°...Tristan, are you leaving?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there is no longer anything here that aligns with my beliefs. I will seek another path. Thank you for everything.¡±


    The knight called Tristan ced his bow on the table and walked toward the door.


    Swoosh.


    Swoosh.


    One by one, other knights began to leave after Tristan.


    And then.


    ¡°Will none of you leave?¡±


    ¡°¡°No, Your Majesty.¡±¡±


    Only four knights remained at the round table.


    I could see Nice¡¯s hands trembling, unable to suppress his turmoil.


    But soon, regaining hisposure, the trembling stopped, and he red at the boy as he continued to speak.


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    ¡°Sorry to have kept you waiting.¡±


    ¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t that long.¡±


    ¡°There are only five of us now, not thirteen... but the contract remains unchanged, correct?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    The boy handed a sinister-looking book to Mordred.


    The eyes on the cover rolled around wildly, and then massive tentacles shot out, piercing Mordred.


    At the same time, Mordred spewed dark red blood.


    ¡°For the glory of Camelot...¡±


    Mordred¡¯s glowing red eyes dimmed to ck.


    The other knights winced and closed their eyes, but I watched the scene unfold vividly.


    Thud.


    The boy stabbed a sword, which he had somehow acquired, into Mordred¡¯s fallen body.


    [Warning!]


    [A severe mental contamination has been detected.]


    [The Foundation¡¯s Star protects you.]


    Though the gruesome sight nearly shook my mental state, the Foundation¡¯s Star shielded my mind.


    Whoosh.


    Mordred, impaled by the sword, gradually disintegrated into ck particles.


    She was then absorbed into the sword.


    ¡°As expected of a royal sword. It¡¯s only because it¡¯s rent that it could fully contain Mordred¡¯s soul...¡±


    The boy nodded, seemingly satisfied.


    Then he tossed the sword, rent, in front of Nice.


    ¡°That shouldst you another six months.¡±


    Nice looked at the fallen rent, then covered his eyes with his trembling hands.


    ¡°...What happens after six months?¡±


    ¡°The invasion will start again. Oh, but don¡¯t worry. If you kill Mordred, who¡¯s be a vengeful spirit, again, the barrier will hold. Of course, if you keep repeating that, the barrier¡¯s lifespan will shorten...¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Blood trickled from the corner of Nice¡¯s mouth.


    He must have bitten his lip too hard, causing it to burst.


    Leaving Nice and the knights behind, the boy approached me.


    ¡°This is all I can show you at this rank...¡±


    He mumbled something before snapping his fingers.


    Snap.


    With that, everything¡ªthe round table and all¡ªvanished like a mirage.


    The boy disappeared as well.


    I had returned to the promotion trial chamber.


    [You have recovered a forgotten memory. Your potential has grown by one step.]


    [Divine Star LV. 10/20 (Rank 6)]


    [Skills]


    - The Foundation¡¯s Star (LV. 3 UP!)


    [Stats]


    - Strength (29/49)


    - Agility (30/49)


    - Endurance (31/49)


    - Durability (35/49)


    - Mental Power (EX+/??)


    [Thetent abilities of the Foundation¡¯s Star have been enhanced.]


    *Empathy LV. 2


    - You can borrow a collected creature¡¯s skill for 5 minutes. (UP)


    - You can use two abilities simultaneously. (NEW)


    [Thetent abilities of the Foundation¡¯s Star have been unlocked.]


    [You have learned Lord (LV. 1).] (NEW)


    *Lord.


    - Summon a creature stored within the Foundation¡¯s Star.


    After briefly ncing through the iing messages, I stepped out of the Promotion Device.


    There was no room to continue pondering the newly acquired abilities.


    My mind was already too cluttered.


    "¡­Who are the ones Nice mentioned?"


    A Rank 1, and a ¡®Knight Executor¡¯ at that, Nice was a monster capable of dealing with most creatures single-handedly without even needing a strategy.


    Not only him, but his subordinates¡ªknights who could match a 3rd rank creature in strength¡ªwere also more than skilled enough to handle most creatures easily.


    "Sigh..."


    I took a deep breath and closed my eyes to sort out my thoughts.


    ''...The problem isn''t just that.''


    There were still countless mysteries left unsolved.


    For instance, whose memories did I encounter in the Promotion Device, and who was that boy?


    Why did the boy show me Camelot''s ancient memories?


    In this increasingly perplexing situation, only one thing remained clear.


    "...The Chairman."


    If the headquarters Chairman was involved, he must know the truth behind all of this.


    So, nothing had changed.


    ''I will expand thepany, increase my abilities¡­''


    As I recollected my goals, I opened my eyes wide.


    ''Survive.''


    I must survive and capture the Chairman''s attention.


    As I clenched my fists and reaffirmed my objective, suddenly¡ª


    "Administrator, sir!"


    "Something terrible has happened!"


    Yon and Mari rushed over in panic.


    Just as I was wondering what disaster could have urred, I calmed them down.


    "Calm down. Don¡¯t tell me Mordred has escaped?"


    If something serious enough to rm Yon and Mari had happened, the only thing that came to mind was Mordred¡¯s escape.


    "No!"


    But Mari quickly shook her head.


    Apparently, that wasn''t the case.


    I gave her a puzzled look, as the only creature we had currently isted that couldn¡¯t be stopped if it escaped was Mordred.


    So, I couldn''t think of anything else that warranted such a reaction.


    "Then what¡¯s the big issue?"


    "It''s¡­ it''s really bad! Extremely bad!"


    "...Yon, what¡¯s going on?"


    Instead of Mari, who was too flustered to speak properly, I turned to Yon for an answer.


    "¡­Rather than exining, it would be faster for you to see this for yourself."


    Yon said as he handed me a photograph.


    Since photography was a function that only came with the [tinum] ss, it wasn¡¯t something we had made.


    So, where did ite from¡­?


    I took the photo Yon gave me.


    "''Magleus''?"


    On the back of the photo was the name of apany I¡¯d never heard of.


    "¡­A tinum seal."


    Besides that, there were also coordinates of some unknown location and unfamiliar text.


    As my curiosity deepened, I turned the photo over to its front side.


    And then.


    "¡­What the hell."


    The moment I saw the photograph, I became paralyzed, like a broken robot, unable to move.


    "¡­."


    I rubbed my eyes and looked again.


    But the content of the photo remained unchanged.


    "¡­."


    They say that the brain freezes up when a person receives a sudden shock.


    That was exactly the case here.


    For the brief moment I stared at the photo, my brain refused to process what I was seeing.


    Which was understandable.


    It was a photo of V, Hyeok, and Mino¡ªalong with what looked like employees of the [Yeondan Society]¡ªall battered and tied to crosses.


    Panicked, I hurriedly examined the writing on the back of the photo again in more detail.


    - If you want to save your employees and alliedpanies, bring the Bow of Verdure ande alone to the given coordinates.


    This was a deration of war.


    Crack.


    I bit my lip, crumpling the photo in my fist.


    ''Hah, these bastards.''


    I¡¯ll teach them that they should pick their targets wisely before pulling such a stunt.


    ''You''re all dead.''


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 Chapter 38: Corporate War (1)

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    Chapter 38: Corporate War (1)


    "Ah!"


    Mari suddenly shouted as if she had remembered something.


    "Now that I think about it, this bow. The bald men from Magleus tried to take it. Could it be an act of revengemitted in a fit of anger?"


    Was it a crimemitted impulsively...?


    I chewed over the possibility Mari brought up but soon shook my head.


    "No, that''s not it."


    If that were the case, they should have attacked us directly, not ambushed the Yeondan.


    I frowned as I looked at the picture.


    ''Judging by the form, it looks like a corporate war...''


    Corporate War.


    It was one of the rules created by the headquarters when twopanies could not narrow down their differences ande to an agreement.


    In short, it was a simple logic: the stronger party wins.


    However, all of this only took effect when the ''headquarters'' gave their approval.


    ''...But corporate wars aren''t supposed to be carried out like this.''


    As I scrutinized the picture further, I saw it was a scene of one-sided violence.


    Even if Magleus and the Yeondan had agreed to a war, they shouldn''t have touched my employees, who were merely part of a delegation.


    ''Something smells fishy...''


    If I immediately reported this absurd situation to the headquarters, Magleus would face punishment without dy.


    But I didn''t report it directly to headquarters.


    ''There''s someone behind this, someone who doesn''t like seeing up-andingpanies grow.''


    The reason I thought this was simple.


    The Yeondan Society was a pharmaceuticalpany.


    Considering the fact that corporate wars usually happen when thepanies can''t decide who will manage the creatures captured by the alliance, and that they unnecessarily targeted my employees...


    ''Magleus is just a pawn.''


    The probability was high that there was a higher-tierpany backing Magleus.


    ''Even if I could somehow handle apany up to tinum, if it''s higher than that...''


    There was no answer for now if it was an Emerald or Diamond-tierpany.


    ''It''s even harder to make a decision when I don''t know who the opponent is.''


    .....


    .....?


    ''Ah.''


    If I don''t know who the opponent is, then I just have to drag them out onto the stage.


    ''...If they''re hiding behind someone, it''s because they have something to be afraid of.''


    If it turns out to be someone I can''t handle, I just need to appoint a proxy who can handle them for me.


    ''There''s still time left until the deadline they''ve given.''


    After pocketing the photo, I immediately headed to the front gate.


    Mari followed behind.


    "Administrator, where are you going?"


    I nced at Mari and then specified a location.


    It was the headquarters.


    "Oh, just heading to the headquarters for a bit."


    [Location not recognized.]


    I knew that location, which only a few Challenger-ss individuals were aware of.


    ''The world runs on connections, after all, whether it''s dys, blood ties, or school ties.''


    When I mentioned headquarters, Mari looked flustered.


    "H-h-headquarters?"


    "Yes. They''ve messed with our employees, so we have to make them pay the price."


    It was written that I shoulde alone, but anyone could see it was a trap.


    ''I need to show them that I won''t be taken lightly.''


    I pulled out a piece of paper from my pocket and wrote down a list.


    Then, I handed it to Yon.


    "Yon, things will get a bit busy when I return, so make sure you''re prepared."


    "Yes, understood."


    * * *


    After Seongjin left, Mari asked Yon,


    "What did the Administrator write down?"


    "Hmm, nothing much. Just a simple outline of what we need to do."


    "What we need to do?"


    When Mari tilted her head in confusion, Yon shared the list written on the paper.


    The contents were simple.


    1. Focus on maintaining the status quo.


    2. Stay in top condition.


    3. Don''t skip training.


    4. Have Mari find out more details about the bow from Mordred.


    There were four tasks in total.


    "Huh... I don''t get it. Isn¡¯t this just what we always do?"


    Except for the fourth task, the rest were things they usually did anyway.


    This wasn¡¯t so much a work directive as it was a message not to ck off in his absence.


    However, Yon''s perspective seemed to differ a bit.


    "I think it''s meant literally. He¡¯s telling us he won¡¯t just sit back and take this. By the way, Mari, haven''t you been skipping your training?"


    When Yon suddenly pointed this out, Mari scratched the back of her head with an awkward smile.


    "Hehehe. Training is important, but... in urgent situations like this, I think taking a short break is okay."


    Their conversationsted only briefly.


    As the saying goes, speak of the devil, and he shall appear.


    "Ha, I was wondering where you ran off to, and here you are, Archer."


    Mordred appeared, dragging a practice sword.


    She lightly swung the sword and pointed it at Mari.


    Then she asked Yon,


    "I came to catch this runaway rat. Can I take her?"


    Yon reluctantly nodded, inwardly wishing Mari good luck.


    "¡­Yes, as you wish."


    Mari, who had been pretending not to understand and whistling while looking around, froze at Mordred''s swift movements.


    Mordred erupted with anger.


    "Mari, you!"


    "Me...? But... my name isn''t Archer..."


    Mari awkwardlyughed and pointed to herself, to which Mordred smirked.


    "Who else but you could be the archer here?!"


    "Eek...!"


    "Right, I don¡¯t need to ask why you¡¯ve been cking, do I?"


    "I-I have to do an important task assigned by the Administrator!"


    "Important task? And what might that be?"


    "Uh, well¡­"


    As Mari fumbled and nced at the paper in Yon''s hand, Mordred reached out her hand to Yon.


    "Let me see that. And where is the Administrator?"


    "He left for headquarters, saying he had something to take care of."


    "Really?"


    At the word "left," Mordred''s lips twitched slightly.


    With the Administrator and Luci gone, there was practically no one left to control Mordred.


    Yon handed the paper over to Mordred. After reading the list, Mordred chuckled.


    "That Administrator left me with such a clever task, huh?"


    Seeing Mordred''s wicked smile, Mari shuddered, feeling a chill run down her spine.


    Fearing what was toe, Mari cautiously probed Mordred¡¯s intentions.


    "Hehe... I think I know what you¡¯re going to say."


    "Do you? That makes things easier. Call Trystan."


    There was never any real training nned for Mari in the first ce.


    Her mentor wasn¡¯t Mordred but Trystan.


    ¡®The Administrator isn¡¯t here today, nor is Lady Luci...''


    Mari recalled the first time Mordred and Trystan had met.


    From the moment theyid eyes on each other, they snarled like they had known each other forever.


    ¨C Archery is for cowards.


    "¡­That¡¯s not true. Besides, I¡¯ll be the one training Mari, so stay out of it."


    ¨C Traitor! So full of talk.


    "I was just looking for another path..."


    Because of their constant bickering, Mari could never properly focus on her training.


    She thought perhaps it would be best to separate them, but that wasn¡¯t easy.


    Sweating nervously, Mari opened her eyes and asked Mordred again.


    "¡­So, um, we¡¯re going to just continue training as usual, right?"


    The question was whether Mordred would supervise her training.


    "Of course. The Administrator wrote it down here, didn¡¯t he? Look."


    Mordred pointed to the fourth item on the paper, tapping it, and shoved it towards Mari.


    "Mordred. That¡¯s me. He wrote that I¡¯m to learn more about archery. Nothing¡¯s changed, so hurry and fetch Trystan."


    Mordred¡¯s red glowing eyes bore into Mari, as if to imply she had already been very patient.


    "Eek..."


    Mari shed a tear, as if she could already see the grueling ordeal ahead.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, at the nearly dpidatedpany headquarters:


    This was Magleus'' base.


    "Yohoho. What do you think, Baldy? How do you like my masterpiece?"


    "It''s perfect. As expected, Sir Makarov!"


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    w


    The gentleman known as Makarov swayed his body side to side andughed unpleasantly.


    "Yohohoho. I was lucky. The main course presented itself just as I was about to have dessert. Thanks to that, everything¡¯s falling into ce so easily."


    Baldy pped his hands in fawning admiration as Makarov boasted while sipping wine.


    "Your words are so true. But, why are you helping us with the Yeondan Society¡­ even though they¡¯re tinum, we could¡¯ve beaten them ourselves?"


    Makarov interrupted Baldy¡¯s sentence.


    "Yohoho. No, no, Baldy."


    He wagged his finger as he began to exin.


    "Even if they¡¯re just drug makers, tinum is still tinum. Without my intervention, the oue would¡¯ve been uncertain."


    Behind Makarov, five magic circles spread out.


    Even in a safe ce, he hadyered five defense spells for his own protection.


    Baldy watched Makarov¡¯s meticulousness and fell into deep thought.


    ''I must never be enemies with this monster... We must seed in this mission.''


    Baldy understood better than anyone else that Makarov, sitting right in front of him, was far more dangerous than Mitsu, the 4th-ss employee standing nearby.


    Of course, who would dare oppose a 5th-ss employee and a powerful figure from a Diamond-gradepany like Makarov?


    "Yohoho. The most dangerous thing is an uncontrolled variable, Baldy. Plus, in this mission, both the Warrior Union and Madari are involved, so failure is not an option. Do you understand?"


    Makarov¡¯s expression turned savage.


    He jabbed his finger into Baldy''s chest, yelling fiercely.


    "Magleus screwed up, so we had to step in ourselves! Got it?!"


    "S-sorry!"


    "Yohoho. Hmph. There¡¯s no point in getting angry¡ªit¡¯s only a loss for me. What¡¯s done is done, I¡¯ll let it pass. But¡­"


    Makarov and Mitsu both turned their gazes toward thepany¡¯s front door.


    Creak.


    A man with slicked-back ck hair entered.


    His face was unnaturally stoic, as if he had no emotions.


    He strode forward, eyes fixed on them.


    "¡­"


    In the silent hallway, the sound of his footsteps echoed.


    Tap. Tap.


    Everyone, including Makarov and Mitsu, instantly recognized who the man was.


    "Yohohoho. The fact that you know the coordinates of this ce means you must be the Administrator of the Administrator¡¯s Zone, correct?"


    The man slumped into the prepared chair and answered Makarov¡¯s question with a single word.


    "Yes."


    Arrogance!


    If arrogance could take human form, it would be that man standing before them¡ªexactly the kind of attitude Makarov loathed most.


    Creak.


    Makarov barely suppressed the urge to teach him some manners but held back, thinking of the bigger n.


    He forced a smile, though his temper was about to explode.


    "Yohohoho. Thank you foring all this way. I¡¯m this kind of person."


    Makarov handed over a business card from his pocket.


    It bore the prestigious diamond seal.


    "Yohohoho. I am Makarov, a 5th-ss employee from the Warrior¡¯s Union. I heard our subcontractor owes you a favor, so I¡¯m here on their behalf."


    However, the man paid no mind. His glowing red eyes focused intently on Makarov.


    "Stop pping that filthy tongue of yours and get to the point."


    "...What?"


    He dared to attend a sacred business card exchange ceremony without even taking out his card, showing no courtesy, and didn''t even introduce himself?


    ¡®Hohoho. Calm down, calm down. The truth is, I already know your name. And since you¡¯ve just barely made it to Gold status recently, you might not know how things work. Oh, indeed, you wouldn¡¯t.¡¯


    The man standing in front of him was Shin Seongjin, the CEO of apany that had recently risen to Gold status and the protagonist who made a big ssh at the festival.


    His rank was probably no more than a lowly 7th or 6th ss.


    ¡®Hohoho. He''s just a rookie, so why am I even getting worked up?¡¯


    He almost lost his patience, but who was he?


    Wasn''t he Makarov, the sales king who seeded in nearly every deal?


    Once again, Makarov summoned his superhuman patience and moved on to the main point.


    ¡°Yo. Hohoho... Yes, it seems we¡¯ve been rude to the esteemed CEO who traveled so far to meet us. There¡¯s nothing much to it. Just sign this contract, and we¡¯ll be done.¡±


    It was an unfair contract filled with trap uses.


    Of course, it would be impossible for an average person to notice all the traps hidden within.


    ¡®Hohoho. Well, even if you notice, it¡¯s toote.¡¯


    Now that he hade this far, they nned to force his hand even if he refused to sign.


    Even if that meant resorting to violence.


    ¡®Hohoho. After all, a contract only requires a signature.¡¯


    Makarov inwardly sneered at Seongjin as he examined the contract.


    But that sneer didn¡¯tst long.


    There¡¯s a saying that when faced with an unexpected situation, a person¡¯s mind goes nk. This was exactly that moment.


    Riiip.


    Seongjin suddenly tore up the contract.


    The very contract Makarov had painstakingly crafted.


    Not only that, but Seongjin started mocking him.


    ¡°Hey, sorry to say this, but I can hear the gears in your head turning from over here.¡±


    This went beyond a tolerable insult.


    A Goldpany, of all things, was mocking him?


    A Goldpany was acting superior to him, a figure of power from a Diamondpany?


    This was something that could never happen in Makarov''s world.


    Bang!


    Makarov mmed his hands on the desk and stood up.


    Then, he burst into maniacalughter.


    "Hohoho. I was trying to keep things civil! But in the end, your temper''s ruining everything! Boys!"


    "Yes!"


    Makarov¡¯s employees from Magleus gathered around Seongjin, brandishing weapons.


    Seongjin looked endlessly at peace despite the menacing atmosphere and threatening stares.


    ¡°Attack him! Force him to sign!¡±


    At Makarov¡¯smand, the Magleus employees rushed in.


    Amid the violent atmosphere, Seongjin casually sipped his coffee and muttered to himself.


    "Is this enough?"


    For a moment, Makarov thought Seongjin had lost his mind under the pressure, but that wasn¡¯t it.


    Someone answered Seongjin¡¯s question.


    "¡­Indeed, it is."


    The temperature around them suddenly dropped.


    Makarov felt a shiver as if he was freezing.


    "Hoho?!"


    His breath became visible in the cold air.


    ¡®No way. We¡¯re inside a building, so why is it this cold?¡¯


    Makarov didn¡¯t have time to dwell on it.


    The strange phenomenon wasn¡¯t over yet.


    Ssshhh.


    One by one, the employees surrounding Seongjin began to copse without warning.


    ¡°What the...!¡±


    As Makarov took in his surroundings, it didn¡¯t take long to figure out what had happened.


    ¡®That... that bastard!¡¯


    A white-haired man was now sitting next to Seongjin, lounging arrogantly.


    "Hmm, the coffee here isn¡¯t very good. The VIP treatment iscking."


    Seeing the man, Makarov and Mits'' faces turned pale.


    ¡°Ex...Executioner!¡±


    ¡°Yoo! Why the hell is that maniac here?!¡±


    They trembled like frogs caught in a snake¡¯s gaze.


    Ssss.


    Yu finished his coffee and let the cup fall to the floor.


    Crash.


    ¡°So, you were sneaking around behind HQ¡¯s back to pull this crap, huh¡­¡±


    Makarov and Mitsu stared at the broken cup on the floor, trembling.


    Y00 rose from his seat and looked at the two still standing.


    ¡°Does this mean I can assume you no longer take HQ seriously?¡±


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    w

 Chapter 39: Corporate War (2)

    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    w


    Chapter 39: Corporate War (2)


    10 minutes before sitting at the negotiation table.


    In the headquarters lobby.


    "Hmm¡­ How did you manage to get here?"


    An elderly man, who seemed to be the manager, checked my credentials and blocked my way.


    [Manager (Grade 3)]


    - Insufficient ess to view.


    ¡®As expected from the headquarters. Even the lobby manager is a Grade 3.¡¯


    The old man fiddled with and cleaned his monocle before speaking again.


    "It seems like you randomly pressed some coordinates and ended up here... This is an area you should not enter carelessly, especially if you haven''t been granted permission."


    Half of what he said was correct, but the other half was wrong.


    ¡®Could anyone just randomly press coordinates and end up at the headquarters?¡¯


    The answer was "no."


    Eachpany has its own unique identification number.


    While the entry approval is handled by the headquarters, it¡¯s the staff''s job to verify it.


    That''s why this old man was standing in my way.


    [Request ID 001 - Joseon Government (Challenger)]


    [Affiliation: Administrator Zone (Gold)]


    [Shin Seongjin (Grade 6)]


    Thepany requesting the coordinates and thepany that actually came here were different.


    ¡®It¡¯s not like I¡¯m impersonating anyone¡­¡¯


    There¡¯s no issue with me using my own ount¡¯s unique ID.


    Of course, proving that would be my job¡­


    But I didn¡¯t really need to prove it.


    ¡®They owe me anyway.¡¯


    I shrugged and stated my business.


    "I''m here to meet with the Executor."


    "...?"


    The old man started to hum, clearly confused.


    Gold... And a newpany is here to meet an Executor?


    Why?


    His expression was full of questions.


    Then, as if a possibility crossed his mind, he asked with a face full of suspicion.


    ¡°...Did you make an appointment?¡±


    His question carried a lot of implications, but I didn¡¯t really care.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t make an appointment, but¡­¡¯


    There were two people here who owed me, so it didn¡¯t really matter.


    ¡®They¡¯ll take care of it.¡¯


    I simply nodded to his question.


    The old man¡¯s expression turned serious, and he called over an employee to ask something.


    ¡°Hey, do we have any scheduled visits from a guild under the Joseon Government today?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. If you check the documents, you''ll see that there''s a visit scheduled for today.¡±


    The old man nced at the document handed to him by the employee, then his attitude changed.


    ¡°Ahem, my apologies. But can you tell me which Executor you''re referring to?¡±


    There were two Executors who owed me. One was Nice, and the other was Yoo.


    ¡®Which Executor¡­¡¯


    The truth is, the choice had already been made.


    ¡®There¡¯s this guy who goes nuts anytime the headquarters is involved. Though he¡¯s not exactly sane...¡¯


    When dealing with those who dare to defy the headquarters like this, he was the most reliable.


    With a slight smirk, I spoke his name.


    ¡°Yoo.¡±


    The old man flinched upon hearing the name, scribbled something, and asked again,


    "So you made an appointment with Mr. Yoo. Understood. I¡¯ll¡­"


    As the old man was about to turn and walk away, his footsteps halted.


    ¡°No need to tell me. I¡¯m already here.¡±


    A white-haired man snatched the document from the old man¡¯s hands, briefly scanned it, and handed it back.


    ¡°Well, I get the gist of the situation. So, why are you looking for me?¡±


    Despite treating the Grade 3 manager dismissively, no one dared to say anything to the man.


    It was natural.


    After all, he was the very person I hade to see.


    The Executor, Yoo.


    I felt a strange pressure but kept a smirk on my face.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a good lead for you. There¡¯s apany that thinks little of the headquarters.¡±


    Yoo''s lips curled in interest at the mention of the headquarters.


    ¡°Oh? Tell me more.¡±


    * * *


    ¡®Bringing him along was easy... but this is more chaotic than I expected.¡¯


    Crack.


    Just now, the neck of an employee, who seemed to be from Magleus, twisted in a strange way.


    Yoo had snapped it with one hand.


    ¡°There¡¯s too much trash to deal with. That one¡¯s from Madari... And the one next to him is with the Former Warrio¡¯s Union, huh?¡±


    Yoo pointed at Makarov and Mitsu.


    Then Mitsu screamed.


    ¡°...You already know all our affiliations, damn it!¡±


    Makarov, realizing the seriousness of the situation, urgently began summoning their staff.


    ¡°Damn it, damn it. Damn it! At the most, it¡¯s just one Executor. Push through! If he''s human, he¡¯ll tire out eventually, won¡¯t he?¡±


    If he''s human, he¡¯ll tire.


    That much is true.


    But only if their opponent wasn¡¯t an Executor.


    ¡®Well, how could anyone below a Master possibly know¡­¡¯


    Yoo faintly smiled as he looked at the surrounding staff.


    Then, he slowly opened his eyes.


    His light blue eyes red at Mitsu and Makarov.


    ¡°Hmph, right. It¡¯s just one. So what?¡±


    Click.


    As Yoo snapped his fingers, the staff around him copsed without a sound.


    ¡°What could trash possibly do?¡±


    There was no warning.


    They just dropped, like puppets with their strings cut.


    An iprehensible strength, an iprehensible situation.


    Fear spread like wildfire.


    ¡°He¡¯s insane! This is madness!¡±


    ¡°Run! Get out of here!¡±


    The surviving staff fell into a collective panic and started fleeing.


    However, it was already toote.


    ¡®They¡¯re already within Yoo¡¯s domain.¡¯


    The Executor¡¯s domain.


    Until the situation ends, there is no escaping that space.


    ¡°W-What the hell is this?!¡±


    ¡°Why, why are we returning to this monster?!¡±


    The panicked staff, who had tried to flee, found themselves returning to the space where Yoo stood, as if trapped in an infinite loop.


    ¡°Who said you were allowed to breathe in my presence?¡±


    Yoo drew a line in the air with his index finger.


    ¡°Aaagh!¡±


    ¡°P-Please spare me!¡±


    Then, dozens of des flew through the air, delivering a peaceful end to the staff.


    ¡®Each Executor has their own unique ability¡­¡¯


    Even Challenger-level 1st-ss employees or Grand Masters bowed down before the headquarters because of this.


    ¡®Even among 1st-ss employees, the difference in strength is enormous.¡¯


    Does this mean that Executors are invincible?


    Not exactly.


    ¡®¡­If the number one party from the Joseon government were involved, they could win.¡¯


    I knew this from his past experience of having once had a 1st-ss employee of Executor-level strength.


    ¡°U-Uaahhhh!¡±


    Mitsu, having faced unknown terror, charged in like a madman.


    He didn¡¯t carry his 4th-ss rank for nothing.


    Mitsu¡¯s movements were swift, like the wind.


    [Warning!]


    Of course, Mitsu didn¡¯t aim for the monstrous Yoo.


    His target was Seongjin, who was still only a 6th-ss employee.


    ¡®Fast!¡¯


    Seongjin couldn¡¯t react to Mitsu¡¯s speed¡­ but then again, he didn¡¯t really need to.


    ¡°Guh, gah!¡±


    Yoo grabbed Mitsu¡¯s head as he charged in.


    And then.


    Crash!


    He mmed Mitsu¡¯s head straight into the table.


    ¡°Hah? What¡¯s a slowpoke like you even trying to do?¡±


    I could see the veins bulging on Yoo¡¯s forehead.


    That meant he was very, very angry.


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    w


    Splurt.


    The end for Mitsu, the so-called 4th-ss employee, was pathetically anticlimactic.


    Thest one standing, Makarov, had lost his mind and startedughing.


    ¡°Yaho, yahohoho¡­ I never thought things would get this twisted. I admit it. I never imagined you¡¯d bring an Executor here.¡±


    Mumbling to himself, Makarov twisted his body in a bizarre manner as he continued tough, but then abruptly stopped and hardened his expression.


    ¡°Damn it, damn it! I was nning to hand over those useless Magleus bastards to HQ and let it pass quietly! This is all your fault!¡±


    Consumed by madness, Makarov roared as he pulled something out and pressed it.


    Click!


    ¡°Yahohohoho. It¡¯s the Buster Call!¡±


    Upon hearing that, both my and Yoo¡¯s faces stiffened.


    Buster Call.


    One of the forbidden functions designated by HQ, allowing the release of thepany¡¯s creatures at any desired location.


    Knowing that thepany¡¯s purpose was to contain the creatures and restore order to the world, one couldn¡¯t possibly misunderstand what this action meant.


    ¡®¡­This lunatic. He¡¯smitting treason just because he received one penalty?¡¯


    Magleus would take the fall for this entire incident.


    Even if an Executor came and gathered all the evidence, this fact wouldn¡¯t change.


    ¡®The root of the problem was always the unreported corporate war between Magleus and the Yeondan Society.¡¯


    The sly bastard Madari and the Warrior¡¯s Union, who had attempted to trap me in an unfair contract, wouldn¡¯t get away with this, but they¡¯d likely only face HQ¡¯s monitoring and a penalty.


    "No matter how big the impact of the penalty is... Did he really have to resort to ¡®elf-destruction?¡¯


    I couldn''t understand Makarov''s actions.


    By doing this, he had openly vited the regtions of the headquarters, and this wasn''t something that would just end with penalties or the ughter of a few employees.


    ¡®He''s trying to take down the entire country just because his business got gged.¡¯


    I was dumbfounded and asked Makarov.


    "...Do you even know what you''ve done?"


    "Yohohoho! Of course, I do! Of course, I do!"


    I asked just in case, but it was as expected.


    Makarov had definitely lost his grip on sanity.


    Despite my and Yoo''s reactions, he proudly boasted about what he had done.


    "I unleashed the most dangerous creature from ourpany in the Administrator''s Zone! Right in front of it! You... Krrgh!"


    Of course, he couldn''t finish his sentence.


    Yoo, having heard enough, split Makarov''s head and mouth apart.


    [Would you like to use Recall?]


    In a hurry, I used Recovery.


    [Using Administrator Authority.]


    From the Gold rank onward, coordinates in the world are fixed.


    This means that thepany, once revealed, can be attacked from outside.


    "What exactly did he unleash?"


    If it was a creature released by a Diamond-rankpany, it was definitely no ordinary monster.


    At this point, I had to worry not just about the damage to the employees but about thepany''s survival.


    [Beep! Error. Insufficient authority to ess this area.]


    An error here?


    Really?


    * * *


    Outside the Administrator''s Zone.


    A massive containment cell fell from the sky.


    Thud!


    The surrounding 6th-grade creatures, which had settled there, turned their attention to it.


    They began gathering around the suddenly fallen containment cell, as if to protect their territory, but...


    Rip.


    A giant w tore through the containment cell and sprang out.


    And...


    From the gap in the torn space, the terrifying roar of a monster echoed out.


    Roaaar!


    The creatures that had gathered to defend their territory immediately turned and fled.


    Whatever was tearing through the containment cell was not something a mere 6th-grade creature could contend with.


    Rip.


    A giant w finally burst through the wall of the containment cell.


    Through the widening gap, the creature began to slowly reveal itself.


    A massive body, measuring 15 meters.


    Ash-gray scales covering its entire form.


    Roaaar.


    From its enormous maw, fire spewed forth, melting the ground.


    The creature was a dragon, the kind only found in myths or legends.


    However, there were those who had been watching the dragon emerge from the beginning.


    "Wow. What''s going on here for a Buster Call to be dropped?"


    "Tsk tsk. Are you really impressed by a mere smander? Get rid of that ash-gray smander quickly, it''s blocking our way into thepany."


    It was a mischievous-looking man with yellow hair and a dignified woman with long, green hair.


    "Yes, yes. The Queen has ordered it, so I''ll get rid of it."


    The yellow-haired man drew a sword from his waist.


    And then...


    Swoosh!


    From an airship so tall that even the 15-meter dragon seemed small, the man leaped down.


    Thud!


    With a single swing of his sword, he cleaved the dragon¡¯s head in two.


    The dragon, which seemed unbeatable, was effortlessly subdued.


    As the dragon fell, a cloud of dust rose, but not a speck touched the area around the yellow-haired man.


    "Dealing with a 4th-grade creature is a bit tiring."


    The yellow-haired man seemed dissatisfied as he inspected his sword several times.


    "The reptiles thispany raises have quite the bad temper. Well, it¡¯s not so bad to teach them some manners as a guest."


    The woman, who had followed the man down from the airship, headed towards thepany gatebeled "Administrator Zone."


    "What are you waiting for? Open the door."


    "Haha. Of course, I should open it."


    The yellow-haired man ced his hand on the gate.


    [You do not have ess privileges!]


    [You do not have ess privileges!]


    [You do not have ess privileges!]


    Ignoring the warnings, the man forced the door open.


    "Now, let''s see the faces of those who dared impersonate thispany."


    Behind them, a white trophy gleamed.


    [Joseon Government (Challenger)]


    [Vampir (Grade 2)]


    [Johan (Grade 3)]


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


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 Chapter 40: Corporate War (3)

    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    w


    Chapter 40: Corporate War (3)


    Boom!


    As soon as the door opened, a powerful green whirlwind greeted them.


    "Johan."


    "Y-Yes."


    The man called Johan drew his sword again.


    A swift draw, so fast it could be called instantaneous, slicing through the concept of the whirlwind itself.


    "Whew, quite a rough wee, isn''t it...?"


    Even after cutting through the whirlwind, Johan couldn''t easily let down his guard.


    It was due to the massive presence felt across the lobby.


    "S-Sorry!"


    From the far end of the lobby, someone was running toward them in a flustered manner¡ªa cute girl with green hair.


    It was Mari.


    ¡®...Was she the one who unleashed that strike just now?¡¯


    Judging by her outward appearance and the atmosphere around her, she was definitely a 7th-rank employee.


    ¡®A 7th-rank employee capable of delivering a strike like that?¡¯


    Johan felt a chill run down his spine from the force of the blow.


    However, his doubts didn¡¯tst long.


    His gaze fell on the weapon the green-haired girl was holding as she ran toward him.


    The bow in her hand was radiating an ominous aura.


    Johan knew exactly what it was.


    ¡®...A rare-grade weapon!¡¯


    It was undoubtedly a rare-grade weapon.


    At first nce, it could be mistaken for C+ equipment, but its potential was something that couldn''t be ignored.


    Johan signaled with his eyes as if he''d caught a clue.


    "As I thought, there¡¯s something unusual going on here."


    Even Vampir, who had been indifferent until now, showed interest after seeing Mari''s bow.


    "¡­For once, it seems your intuition isn''t wrong."


    At that moment¡ª


    ¡°Ahh?! Where did he run off to after causing that mess?!¡±


    Suddenly, a piercing voice echoed, startling Mari.


    "Eek!"


    Frightened, Mari quickly dashed behind Johan and Vampir for cover.


    It would¡¯ve been natural to question who the unknown person rushing in was, but Mari seemed too scared to care about that right now.


    Of course, Mari wasn''t the only one too flustered to pay attention to the small details.


    "Heh, I didn¡¯t expect a 3rd-rank creature to be here..."


    "¡­It''s not an ordinary creature. We can''t let our guard down."


    "Geez, we don¡¯t have much time... Terrible timing."


    "If you have time to talk, you should focus on setting up a shield."


    Johan and Vampir raised their guard to the highest level as they sensed the presence approaching from the other side of the corridor.


    The overwhelming presence wasn¡¯t something an ordinary creature could emanate.


    Johan analyzed the situation, considering one possibility as he stared at the approaching figure.


    ¡°Is this a containment breach?¡±


    Vampir immediately shook her head at Johan¡¯s suggestion.


    ¡°If it were, this ce wouldn¡¯t be so peaceful. That¡¯s not the case.¡±


    ¡°Ha, you¡¯re right about that¡­ Then what could that thing be?¡±


    Situations always seemed to arise suddenly.


    Whether it was top-tierpany employees suddenly showing up or those employees encountering Mordred.


    ¡°Huh? Who the hell are you guys?¡±


    Mordred surveyed the situation with an amused expression.


    "¡­I don¡¯t know what''s going on here, but if you''re going to block my way, I''ll entertain you."


    A creature that couldmunicate.


    Moreover, it wasn¡¯t excessively violent.


    ¡®It¡¯s not a hostile entity if it¡¯s not initiating an attack¡­?¡¯


    While Johan calmly analyzed the situation, Vampir responded to Mordred¡¯s provocation.


    ¡°Hah, stepping in to contain anotherpany¡¯s mess goes against ourpany¡¯s regtions, but... fine. Consider this a bit of entertainment.¡±


    As Vampir began to gather ominous energy, Johan quickly intervened in rm.


    ¡°Your Majesty, please calm down. We didn¡¯te here to fight. Ourpany isn¡¯t in the best state right now; getting on the headquarters¡¯ bad side wouldn¡¯t do us any favors.¡±


    Johan wasn¡¯t the only one trying to stop this fight.


    ¡°M-Mordred, these people aren''t enemies! They might be guests! W-We should try talking first¡­!¡±


    ¡°P-Please calm down!¡±


    By now, themotion had attracted other employees, who were nervously sweating as they tried to hold Mordred back.


    ¡°Huh? Can¡¯t you see they¡¯re on edge?¡±


    Despite her words, Mordred didn¡¯t seem to be seriously trying to push away the employees.


    If she had been, they would have been gravely injured by now.


    ¡°...Fine. I¡¯ll listen to what you have to say.¡±


    Finally, Mordred backed down a bit, cing her rent sword on the ground, which she had summoned at some point.


    ¡°¡­What am I even witnessing?¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re probably seeing the same thing I am.¡±


    A bizarre scene of 8th and 7th rank employees tearing apart a creature.


    Witnessing this, Johan and Vampir regained theirposure and rxed their stances.


    At the same time, Johan was convinced that his hypothesis was correct.


    "Bingo. I don''t know how they managed to coexist... but this is definitely a specialpany."


    As the tension, which seemed like it could explode any moment, subsided, Mordred gestured with her chin and asked.


    "Hey, now that you seem willing to talk, I''ll ask."


    "..."


    "No response, huh? Well, I''ll get straight to the point¡ªwho are you? Why did you kidnap Mari?"


    Johan was the one who responded to Mordred''s question.


    "......We came here to speak with the manager of this ce. It seems there¡¯s been a misunderstanding. We don¡¯t even know who this ''Mari'' is, and we certainly haven¡¯t kidnapped anyone."


    At the mention of Mari''s name, a girl who had been hiding behind Vampir flinched and slowly crept forward, awkwardly raising her hand andughing nervously.


    "He... heh. That ''Mari'' is me."


    "..."


    "I¡¯m so confused, I don''t even know what to say."


    Johan remained silent, and Vampir let out a deep sigh, holding his head as if he was suffering from a headache.


    ¡°I-I apologize!¡±


    Mari, bowing her head at a 90-degree angle in apology, quickly dashed over to Mordred.


    Mordred pinched Mari¡¯s cheek.


    Squeeze.


    ¡°Ugh, you troublemaker.¡±


    ¡°Oww! That hurts!¡±


    Still pinching Mari¡¯s cheek, Mordred asked another question that had just urred to her.


    ¡°So, why are you looking for our manager?¡±


    Johan and Vampir exchanged a nce that seemed to say, ¡®You¡¯re asking that now?¡¯


    After a moment, Johan responded to Mordred''s question.


    "...That¡¯s difficult to exin."


    Though it wasn¡¯t the answer Mordred wanted, she let it slide since she wasn¡¯t an employee or the manager of thepany.


    Instead, she thought:


    ''It wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to watch over them until the manageres. I do owe them something...''


    After a calcted decision, Mordred decided to keep the two around.


    With no restrictions on rent now, she was confident she could protect thepany, no matter what they tried... though she wasn¡¯t nning to make the first move.


    ¡®They could be people the manager called, and I don¡¯t know the situation, so I shouldn¡¯t act rashly. For now... let¡¯s just observe the situation.¡¯


    Mordred only wanted to make sure they owed her something in return.


    After shrugging her shoulders, Mordred continued, as if gauging their reaction.


    ¡°Well then, how about waiting until the manager returns?¡±


    Yon responded to Mordred¡¯s suggestion.


    ¡°That might not be a bad idea. In fact, the manager would probably tell us to do the same.¡±


    Yon¡¯s reasoning was simpler than Mordred¡¯s.


    Unexpected visitors, employees suddenly involved in idents, and the manager¡¯s words about being busy when he returned.


    Yon began putting the puzzle pieces together in his head and arrived at his own interpretation.


    ''Maybe the manager said he¡¯d be busy because these guests wereing.''


    It could all be part of the manager¡¯s n.


    Considering the visitors'' unusual power, he figured he was at least half right, and because of that, he couldn''t just let them leave.


    Although Yon and the employees weed them warmly...


    ¡°Thank you, but...¡±


    Vampir and Johan didn¡¯t seem pleased.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time, so we need to head back soon.¡±


    Johan and Vampir had only squeezed out some time to briefly visit.


    With thepany short-staffed and work piling up, they couldn¡¯t afford to waste any more time.


    Johan, sensing that "today is not our day," persuaded Vampir.


    And since they couldn''t just leave empty-handed, Johan handed a business card to Mordred.


    ¡°This is our business card. If you give it to the manager, he might know who we are.¡±


    The business card symbolized many things, but simply put, it established a point of contact.


    Whether the manager¡¯s side initiated contact or the government made the first move...


    ¡°We¡¯ll be back to visit soon.¡±


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


    w


    Since there was no reason to stop them, Yon and the other employees responded with light nods.


    Johan and Vampir opened the door they had entered through and left once again.


    A brief silence followed.


    ¡°Hmmm... why did they evene here?¡±


    Mari propped her chin in her hand, looking at the main door.


    ¡°There are monsters crawling all over outside... I hope they got back safely?¡±


    Her tone was full of doubt and worry, but Mari wasn¡¯t really in a position to be worrying about anyone else.


    Behind Mari, something in the shape of a goblin appeared.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have time to worry about things like that...¡±


    Creak.


    Mari shuddered at the ominous voice and slowly turned her head.


    There, standing behind her, was Mordred, cracking his joints and ring down at her.


    ¡°Huh? Aaaah! A monster!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, monster?¡±


    Mordred red at Mari with cold, dead eyes.


    Mordred red at Mari with cold, lifeless eyes.


    Then, grabbing Mari by the cor, she began dragging her toward the training ground.


    ¡°No violence, please!¡±


    Mari, on the verge of tears, was dragged away, but no one could help her.


    After all, it was Mari who had caused this whole mess in the first ce.


    Yon looked back and forth between Mari being dragged away and the main gate, sighing with a face full of worry.


    ¡°How am I supposed to exin this to the Administrator¡­¡±


    Although some mysterious guests had guarded the main gate, the training ground¡­


    As he subtly turned his head, the sight of the training ground, with its walls partially copsed, came into view.


    Just as he sighed once again¡ª


    Bang!


    The main gate burst open.


    All the employees¡¯ eyes immediately shifted to the gate.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s going on here?¡±


    There stood Seongjin, breathing heavily.


    * * *


    ¡°That¡¯s roughly what happened.¡±


    Yon briefly exined the recent events.


    ¡°Hah, so that¡¯s how it went down?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I¡¯ve gathered.¡±


    I looked at the gaping hole in the training ground and held my head in my hands.


    ¡°... Does any of this make sense?¡±


    ¡°Mari¡¯s weapon must have been far beyond what we imagined.¡±


    It was definitely beyond imagination.


    A rare weapon.


    One that had a third-grade spirit attached to it, no less.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s leave that as it is for now¡­¡±


    Rubbing my aching head, I tried to organize the situation.


    ¡°You said those guests seemed unusual?¡±


    ¡°Yes, at first, I thought the Administrator had summoned them.¡±


    ¡°... Did you find out which organization they were from?¡±


    Yon pulled a piece of paper from his pocket.


    It was a business card.


    ¡°They left this card. Honestly, I can¡¯t make heads or tails of it.¡±


    I examined the card Yon handed me.


    [Joseon Government (Challenger)]


    [Vampir (rank 2)]


    [Johan (rank 3)]


    ¡®¡­ I think I get the gist of it.¡¯


    As expected, thepany from my old ount was still in operation.


    ¡®Well, that¡¯s not really a huge surprise.¡¯


    What surprised me wasn¡¯t that.


    ¡®They should be stretched thin, with all employees below rank 4 wiped out¡­¡¯


    Just before I reincarnated, every single employee in my ount had died suddenly.


    If that wasn¡¯t a bug, then the remaining rank 3 or higher employees would be scrambling to keep thepany afloat.


    I figured I¡¯d have more breathing room for a while.


    ¡®¡­ Well, I anticipated this problem when I used my main ount¡¯s unique code.¡¯


    The unique code was like a social security number.


    Eachpany is assigned a specific code that allows the headquarters to verify your identity.


    Since I had used such a personal number, I expected pursuers toe after me.


    The issue was that they came much faster than I¡¯d anticipated.


    ¡®I was nearly frozen with fear.¡¯


    Anyone would think that, seeing both Vampir specialized in grand magic battles and Johan, who specialized in physicalbat, acting at the same time.


    ''Still, at least I found out why my return ability got disabled¡­¡¯


    Vampir was a character I had raised for grand magic battles.


    The fact that my ¡®recall¡¯¡ªwhich interferes with mana to move between dimensions¡ªwas disabled could all be exined by Vampir¡¯s unique traits.


    ¡®Ugh, that mana detector¡­¡¯


    Of course, their visit wasn¡¯t all bad for me.


    In fact, the visit from the employees of the Joseon Government benefited me.


    I recalled the massive dragon corpse that had been lying in front of thepany.


    ¡°That monster corpse outside must be the work of the Vampir and Johan¡­¡±


    A creature from a diamond-rankpany was something we couldn¡¯t possibly handle with our current resources.


    They had taken care of such a creature as a courtesy during their visit.


    I slipped Johan and the Vampir¡¯s business card into my pocket.


    ¡°Sigh, let¡¯s deal with the pressing matters first.¡±


    ¡°What will you do about thepany that targeted our employee?¡±


    Now that I thought about it, I hadn¡¯t exined what I¡¯d been doing before returning to hear the situation.


    I was about to recount the series of events when I suddenly remembered Yoo.


    - Well, dealing with a buster call isn¡¯t my specialty. You¡¯ll have to handle that yourself. But I¡¯ll make sure the twopanies that broke the headquarters¡¯w are thoroughly punished.


    Well, knowing him, he would definitely see it through, so I didn¡¯t need to worry about Madari or the Warrior¡¯s Union making aeback.


    I chuckled at the thought of the disaster that would befall Madari and the Warrior¡¯s Union.


    ¡°¡­ I have a strong ally taking care of that side of things, so there¡¯s no need to worry.¡±


    Of course, my smile didn¡¯tst long.


    There was no time to dwell on other matters when thepany itself needed immediate attention¡­


    I turned to the damaged training ground and sighed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take care of this mess first¡­¡±


    Now that I had some breathing room, I could clean things up and exin everythingter without rushing.


    [Trantor - Night]


    [Proofreader - Gun]


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