Chapter 75
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Hidden Stage, Ruins Exploration - 2
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Shanghai was once the most prosperous city in China.
A massive city with a population of over 24 million, the most densely populated area in human history, filled with skyscrapers that pierced the sky... But now, it had transformed into a kingdom of Black Orcs.
It had failed to fend off the Third Wave and was ultimately eroded—otherworldized.
As a result, a geographically impossible change occurred, shifting the climate from warm and humid to a dry steppe. However, it was nothing like the Mongolian desert found on Earth.
It was a land of beasts where elephant-sized rats and buffalo-sized spiders appeared, a land of mystery where poisonous herbs grew like reed fields and lightning struck intermittently.
After the erosion, the Chinese government attempted to reclaim it several times but ultimately failed. Now, they had virtually given up, merely preparing for the moment the creatures pushed out of Shanghai...
Now, that strange region was ruled by the world boss monster, Stonox, the King of the Black Orcs.
Two cars were now heading towards that place.
Vrooom—
They were cars carrying agents from Division 59 of the Ministry of Public Security of the People's Republic of China. They belonged to a secret department unknown to the public, whose main mission was to interact with the Black Orc kingdom in Shanghai—in other words, diplomacy with monsters.
"Director, the Redwood Great Wall is visible ahead.”
At the driver's words, Wang Ping, the director of Division 59, who was in the passenger seat, looked up.
His eyes fell upon a 7-meter-high red wooden palisade surrounding the old city of Shanghai.
That was the border of the 'kingdom' built by the Black Orcs.
"Hmph— Everyone, stay on your guard. Beyond that wall, there's no law or compassion..." As their cars approached, a massive gate on one side of the palisade began to open slowly.
Rummble—
"Hoo... Alright, we are now entering the den of the black demons."
Thus, they entered the Orcs' territory, and after that...
"Hmm......."
They had been waiting for someone inside a hut for a full two hours.
No, though it was decorated like a hut, this was originally the first-floor lobby of a 60-story building that had housed a Starbucks. The new rulers, the Black Orcs, had transformed the human building into something resembling a nomad's hut.
"Ugh, I tried to bear it, but the stench in here is no joke..."
"Damn it, do Orcs go their whole lives without bathing?”
Just as different human races have their own unique scents, the smell of another species was particularly nauseating.
"Hey, you'd all better shut your mouths. Unless you want an axe planted in your skull."
Their leader, Wang Ping, said with a grin. But his words were not a joke; they were real.
Having visited beyond the Redwood Great Wall more than anyone else, he knew the Orcs well.
“They'll challenge you to a duel rather than just smashing your head in, but at your level, you're guaranteed to lose.”
Still, they were all B-rank or higher Players; it was unthinkable that they would lose a one-on-one fight against a regular monster, not even a boss.
However, they already knew that the Orcs guarding the south gate of the Redwood Great Wall were on par with B-rank warrior-class Players, and were monsters among whom A-rank or higher individuals were occasionally mixed in.
"So, if a fight breaks out, I'll pretend I don't know anything. Even if blood is shed, it'll be buried without a word. You know that our visit here must not become public knowledge, right?”
A Player belonging to a nation visiting the world of monsters was a matter that could stir up considerable controversy.
Thud— Thud—
Just then, as heavy footsteps approached them, they all fell silent without needing to be told.
Soon, dark figures emerged, parting the tent flaps that surrounded them.
A colossal figure of 2.6 meters, a muscular body thicker than any human could possess, black skin, massive tusks, and red eyes...
It was as if a demon from legend had been brought to life before their very eyes.
Gulp—
Despite being Players who had fought countless bloody battles against all sorts of horrific monsters, they felt their bodies instinctively shrink back in this moment.
Thunk—!
The Black Orc slammed a giant axe onto the floor as if tossing it.
An item of no ordinary material; merely setting it down caused the marble floor to crack.
The red eyes of the Black Orc—War Chief Smakt—turned to Wang Ping.
"Wang Ping......."
A gruff voice flowed from a massive chest, and just standing before him made their skulls vibrate.
"War Chief Smakt, it's been a while.”
"Yes. I have something to ask you.”
Straight to the point. Wang Ping knew this race was not one for small talk.
"Yes, please speak.”
"You humans consider encounters with our kind a game and receive quests, did you not?”
It was an unexpected question.
"Yes, that is correct.”
“Perhaps we are receiving something similar.”
“……Pardon?”
“A while ago, our shamans received a divination about the path we should take, and the King approved it."
Unable to comprehend the words, Wang Ping tilted his head.
Just then, the Black Orc named Smakt threw something onto the table.
Clang—
It was a key. Brass-colored, with geometric patterns carved with extreme precision...
Wang Ping picked up the key.
- You have acquired the 'Sub Key' of the Ancient Heritage.
Ancient Heritage. He had no idea what this meant.
Then, Smakt added another word.
“Laputa. You know that a flying island has appeared in the small land across the sea, don't you?"
“Don't tell me……."
"That is the key to enter that place.”
And.......
- (!) A quest has arrived.
'Huh, a quest?’
[Hidden Quest]
- Path of the 'Follower' of Ancient Civilization...
You have come into contact with a hint to the Ancient Heritage through a special opportunity.
This special item will guide you to an old glory.
However, you must choose one of two paths: pledge loyalty to the 'Successor' of the Ancient Heritage to gain the 'Servant' authority, or murder the 'Successor' of the Ancient Heritage to seize the 'Right of Succession'.
* Would you like to accept the quest? (Y/N)
Contextually, this was clearly a quest related to Laputa, above Seoul.
‘Why here…… Ah, don't tell me!’
Smakt and the other Black Orcs were intelligent monsters, so in game terms, they could be considered 'NPCs'. In other words, Wang Ping interpreted this as the Black Orc giving him a quest.
"A few days ago, Dwarves—dwarfs as they are called—opened a 'gate' and appeared in our land.”
Dwarf. Wang Ping had heard the name of that race a few times.
‘According to reports from the intelligence department, small groups of Dwarves have appeared in Russia and Australia.’
Like this, monsters with intelligence comparable to humans were appearing one by one all over the world.
“When we killed them, that key dropped, and at that moment, the shamans received a 'divination'. That we would reclaim the <War Armaments> of our ancestor, which were stolen long ago by the builders of Laputa..."
In other words, with the appearance of Laputa, the Dwarf race began to appear, and the Black Orcs also started to move, having been given a 'goal'.
If this was a tangle of simultaneous, special phenomena...
‘……It means some kind of massive event is beginning.’
Wang Ping sensed that this series of events was part of one great current.
"Um, but Smakt…… why are you handing this over to us?”
"What we ask of you is very simple. We will strike Laputa together.”
Strike it together? What kind of absurd nonsense was this...?
Wang Ping tried to hide his surprise and looked at Smakt.
"......."
His red eyes showed no trace of movement.
'At least, it can't be a joke.’
This cruel race didn't know how to make jokes...
"Um…… We don't seem to have a reason for that......."
Laputa appeared on Korean soil. Therefore, it naturally belonged to Korea.
To strike it... meant war, plain and simple.
"Oh, is that so? Do you not want Laputa, that island?”
"......."
"There's no way you don't. If you say you don't, that's a bald-faced lie.”
For the first time, Smakt bared his teeth and smiled.
"Wang Ping, let's be honest. That giant island is a treasure you humans all desire, is it not?”
"Especially for your kingdom, which dreamed of being the world's best before its fall, it must be even more tantalizing..."
Wang Ping reluctantly nodded.
‘As expected, these Black Orcs are extremely cunning.’
It was known to the world that they were barbaric and ignorant, but that was a lie.
No, they certainly were at first. A warrior race that knew only battle and conquest...
But their inherently high intelligence allowed them to rapidly absorb human knowledge.
‘And through numerous battles with us, they have a very good grasp of our situation.’
As Smakt said, China was not in a state of collapse, but it had reached a dead end.
Immediately after the First Wave swept through California and shook the United States, China seized hegemony.
However, not many years later, the Second Wave occurred in Shanghai, shaking the entirety of China.
But losing Shanghai was just the beginning...
‘We waged an all-out war for three years to reclaim Shanghai. But it was a massive failure...'
As a result, China lost four S-rank Players, twenty-five A-rank Players, and 2,355 other Players. Furthermore, the Suzhou region was plundered, causing a rapid decline in national power.
In the meantime, several countries, including South Korea, rose rapidly.
Then, a short while ago, a Wave opened in Seoul.
‘At that time…… our government secretly rejoiced.’
If South Korea resisted the Wave, its neighboring countries would benefit from the fallout.
'……But South Korea perfectly defended against the Wave.’
And so, an unprecedented reward called 'Laputa' was bestowed upon that land.
‘Laputa, in other words, Magitech…… It's a crucial industry that will determine future hegemony.’
Until now, items 'dropped' in dungeons were the most important assets. But 'crafted items' of comparable value were gradually emerging.
This meant that field would become the core industry of the future, and South Korea would lead in all aspects—economy, defense, diplomacy—while China would walk the path of decline...
As Wang Ping thought this, Smakt's thick voice cut through his thoughts.
"The secret that you are dealing with us will be fiercely protected, so you don't have to worry.”
The secret organization within the Ministry of Public Security to which Wang Ping belonged, 'Dark Star', was aiming to seize political power. As one of their methods, they had formed a clandestine relationship with the Black Orcs, who were practically their greatest enemies.
And Smakt, knowing this, had made this semi-coercive proposal to Wang Ping.
"Wang Ping, as you say, it's a game. A chance to seize an opportunity and become the winner.”
Wang Ping had a premonition.
An unavoidable war was about to break out...
***
Finding a hidden stage was the most valuable opportunity one could get while clearing a dungeon.
‘That's because most items of Legendary grade or higher appear in hidden stages.’
However, finding a hidden stage was incredibly difficult for a very simple reason.
The world beyond the Gate, the dungeon, was far more vast than one might think.
'A C-rank dungeon like this one is, on average, about the size of Jeju Island.’
Therefore, finding a 'hidden stage' within it was no different from finding a needle in a haystack.
‘But, like a puzzle, there are hints scattered everywhere.’
However, Lee Hyun-wook knew the mechanics of the 'puzzles' encountered inside dungeons very well.
He had his team members search the Orc corpses. The fact that the hidden quest appeared right after wiping them out could be interpreted as the quest 'trigger' activating at that very moment.
Soon.......
"Team Leader Lee, I found a peculiar item here!”
Lee Jeong-jun had found something. He approached Lee Hyun-wook and held it out.
"Hmm, it looks like some kind of watch, but what on earth is it used for?”
- You have acquired an Unknown Mechanical Device (Special).
[Item Information]
- Name: Unknown
- Effect: Unknown
A palm-sized circular metal frame held some kind of mechanical device.
At that moment, Lee Hyun-wook felt a sense of déjà vu.
‘This…… I've seen something exactly like this somewhere before.’
Having seen similar items a few times, Lee Hyun-wook instantly figured out how to use it.
He held it up towards the sun.
Whirr—
Like a prism, it refracted the sunlight, scattering it widely and casting a shadow on the ground.
- Congratulations! You have discovered a 'hint' for the hidden stage.
The shadow was a kind of map, which seemed to show the path to the hidden stage in considerable detail.
“Oh, how did you figure that out so quickly?”
The one who exclaimed in admiration was an unexpected person—Park Mu-han, the team leader of the Cheonghwa Guild's raid team.
After witnessing Lee Hyun-wook's skills, he had become surprisingly docile.
Then he expressed his wish for a joint raid. Simply put, he wanted to travel with them.
‘……This sudden change could mean he has an ulterior motive, so I need to be careful.’
And it was likely a scheme to observe his, Lee Hyun-wook's, abilities up close.
‘It's probably one of the things Yoo Hae-na ordered…… but in this situation, it actually works out well.’
While Lee Hyun-wook was searching for the 'hidden stage', it would be problematic if the Cheonghwa Guild cleared the dungeon. That's why Lee Hyun-wook readily accepted Park Mu-han's proposal for a joint raid.
'It's impossible to hide my full strength now anyway. I just need to hold back a few tricks.’
And so, the two guilds crossed the desert together.
Whoooosh—
Lee Hyun-wook kept only one Airdrop Device active and put the rest in the trailer.
Operating twelve of them at once was too much, even with the 'Aether Engine'.
Each Airdrop Device consumed 50 mana per second. That's why he could only keep them afloat for a few minutes. Using all twelve just now... was honestly to intimidate the Cheonghwa Guild's raid team.
‘Well, it seems that intention worked properly.’
How long had they been traveling...?
"There's something on top of that sand dune! It's some kind of triangular sculpture!”
On the map he had seen earlier, there was a triangular mark near the entrance to the ruins.
‘Which means the entrance to the ruins is nearby.’
Lee Hyun-wook immediately launched 'Hugin' to thoroughly scan the surroundings.
'……There's something beneath the sand.’
In the middle of the flat desert, he sensed a massive lump of metal.
‘A metal chunk of this size... I might have found it even without receiving the hidden quest.......'
Lee Hyun-wook had the Living Armor dig up the sand in that area.
And soon, they succeeded in excavating a circular iron door with a diameter of 4 meters.
- You have made contact with the hidden stage 'Gnome A3 Ruins North Gate'.
* To open this gate, 3 'marks' are required.
But entry was restricted.
Marks.......
"Team Leader Lee, there are three grooves here…… I think that item we got earlier will fit?"
Just as Lee Jeong-jun said, there were three circular grooves next to the door.
Lee Hyun-wook placed the mechanical device containing the map into one of the grooves.
Click—
It fit perfectly, and the circular iron door moved slightly counter-clockwise.
"But…… we need two more to open the door. Where are we supposed to find them?”
Right, to enter the hidden stage, they needed to find two more of these 'marks'.
Everyone looked troubled by this.
"Hmm, since the last one came from killing Orcs…… don't you think we'll have to fight again?"
"Haha…… this is going to be a tough journey. We might even have to kill the boss monster.”
But Lee Hyun-wook was thinking something completely different.
'Wait a minute this…… isn't this a place I've seen before? The A3 Ruins…….'
Lee Hyun-wook finally understood the source of the 'déjà vu' he had been feeling.
‘This is a hidden stage I cleared in my past life. This is…… a theme-sharing hidden map.’
These 'hidden stage' maps were usually not connected to just a single dungeon.
It was common for multiple dungeons with similar themes to share a single hidden stage.
‘It's the same hidden stage I found in the dungeon where I got Hephaestus's Anvil.’
'Hephaestus's Hammer' drops in this dungeon. And later, Lee Hyun-wook would clear a dungeon where 'Hephaestus's Anvil' drops, and that was when he had discovered this 'hidden stage'. So, dungeons related to Hephaestus's items shared this hidden stage.
In other words, this was a dungeon Lee Hyun-wook had already cleared once before.
‘Such a coincidence…… This is great.’
He slowly examined the door.
A massive circular iron door, firmly locked with eight hinges.
He reached out to one of the hinges.
And—
'Shatter!’
Clang—!
The hinge crumbled, and the thick iron door shook.
At the same time, a line of red text appeared before everyone's eyes.
- Warning! Entering through improper means may result in 'punishment'!
"W-wait a minute! Is this okay? If you rashly ignore a system warning message……."
Park Mu-han, sensing that the system message was serious, tried to stop Lee Hyun-wook.
Clang—!
But Lee Hyun-wook ignored Park Mu-han's words and began to smash the hinges one by one.
Clang—!
Faced with such reckless behavior, Park Mu-han couldn't help but swallow his pride and slowly back away.
“Team Leader Lee! No matter how amazing you are, this is a truly dangerous act……."
Through countless raids, Park Mu-han knew from experience. Troublesome elements like these 'puzzles' didn't exist for no reason. Attempting the wrong method would bring down a punishment that couldn't be easily handled.
But whether he knew that or not, Lee Hyun-wook was recklessly tearing off the hinges...
Clang—!
Soon, the last hinge was torn off.
Then, as he raised both hands, the massive iron door shot up into the air.
Ru-m-m-ble—!
The door to the ruins opened—and a cold wind burst forth from the deep darkness.
Whoooosh—
- Caution! You have opened the ruins through improper means!
* Punishment (Swarm of Ancient Guardians) will be bestowed!
"Damn it, r-run!”
Park Mu-han shouted to his team members.
"Whoa—”
At that, all the Cheonghwa Guild members scattered in terror and hid behind the trailer. The fact that a top-tier B-rank Player, of all people, was panicking clearly meant that something unmanageable was about to happen.
"W-what? What's happening?”
Seeing their reaction, even the Hope Guild members faltered and backed away in confusion.
But, Lee Hyun-wook still stood tall before the entrance to the ruins.
'The punishment in this dungeon…… as befitting a Gnome dungeon, the founders of Magitech, is the appearance of machines.’
Scree-ee-ee-eech—!
Soon, strange screeches echoed from deep within the darkness,
Scree-ee-ee-eech—!
It was the sound of a massive number of something, crawling across the floor.
And soon, as they reached the sunlight, their true forms were revealed.
Scree-ee-ee-eech—!
They were scorpions made of steel—a swarm that must have numbered in the thousands.
‘And machines…… are metal.’
Lee Hyun-wook raised his left hand towards them.
"Shatter—!"
Po-po-po-po-po-pow—!
The things called 'punishment' began to burst apart as if melting the moment they emerged onto the surface.
The fragments scattered in all directions, piling up on the red sand like white seashells.
Po-po-po-po-po-pow—!
Hiding behind the trailer, Park Mu-han and the Cheonghwa Guild members stared blankly at the scene.
A few minutes passed like that...
"It's safe now. Let's go in.”
And just like that, the punishment ended, all too anticlimactically.
“Ah……."
Park Mu-han watched the scene with a dazed expression.
Meanwhile, Lee Hyun-wook, with his twelve Living Armors leading the way, entered the hole.
- You have entered the Gnome Ruins (A3).
As he did, he recalled his memories from his past life—when he had cleared this hidden stage.
‘After defeating the guardian protecting the center of the ruins, there are two doors.’
Here, the 'guardian' was a concept similar to the ruins' boss monster.
‘But back then, I could only open one of the doors.’
And beyond that door lay a 'Legendary grade' item.
‘That's why I was so curious about the other door I couldn't open. Could it be Mythic grade…….'
That's why he had left the dungeon open instead of closing it, trying all sorts of methods for months to open that door, but no matter what he did, he could never open it.
Lee Hyun-wook touched the 'Master Key of the Ancient Heritage' in his inner pocket.
'This is the key that can lead me there.’
If not, the hidden quest would never have activated.
At the thought of witnessing a secret he couldn't unlock even in his past life, Lee Hyun-wook felt his heart pound for the first time in a long while.