Chapter 49
Chapter 49
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Realization and Resolution
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Now I finally got a rough idea. Why the Strategy Guide kept distinguishing between NPCs and players.
Why there were these outrageous NPCs strutting around calling themselves streamers. Why there were so many NPCs imitating players.
It was because they were all real people.
【Sending you, Player, to the world where Arc is in use.】 The Strategy Guide's words came to mind.
It was a game of unknown origin, but since it helped with survival, I hadn't cared. No, I hadn't even given it a second thought.
But now, Yuseong felt like he had some understanding of this game called Arc.
'This isn't a game from our world. I've connected to a game being played in a parallel world.'
It seemed impossible, but after already visiting that world and returning, what wasn't possible?
The moment he realized that, he naturally understood that the relationship between players' attention and notoriety was the complete opposite of what he'd thought.
"The level of interest from players really does become notoriety, huh."
No, with popular streamers existing, it probably wasn't limited to players. It was more accurate to think that everyone in the other world was connected to notoriety.
'Reputation dropping means people's perception of me worsens.'
That didn't mean notoriety would drop, though. With the Strategy Guide's advice, he could be certain of that.
'Even holding malicious feelings counts as interest, I suppose.'
But would notoriety gained that way really help him? At least, it didn't seem like it would help with gameplay.
'Bad impressions, once formed, don't fade easily.'
He hadn't experienced it himself, but he'd read about it in some book. If that was true, then to raise notoriety after a bad impression set in, he'd have to keep doing bad things. That was the only way notoriety would go up reliably.
'Time to choose.'
That choice would change his actions from here on out.
Would he play it safe, honor the contract, and keep playing the game as he had been—even if it meant taking a hit to his notoriety? Or would he abandon smooth gameplay and reputation with players solely to chase notoriety, restarting the war?
'Strategy Guide, which is better?'
【I respect your choice, Player.】
The Strategy Guide, which had always given answers or admitted ignorance until now, left the decision to Yuseong this time.
After racking his brain until he had a mild headache, Yuseong finally made up his mind.
'Let's honor the contract.'
His eyes had wandered to that other world.
He had beheld a world that was beautiful, safe, and abundant. It would be abnormal not to feel greed.
But in his blindness to that beauty and growing accustomed to the recent sense of leisure, he had forgotten one thing.
The reason he had struggled so desperately in a world of nothing but despair.
Survival.
'If I go overboard just to raise notoriety quickly and things get messy, it'll be a headache.'
Arc had become essential to Yuseong's survival. Smooth gameplay was advantageous to his survival.
If infamy piled up and hindered gameplay, his survival rate would drop accordingly.
Of course, that didn't mean he was giving up on raising notoriety entirely.
'I'll raise notoriety some other way.'
The first thing that came to mind was streaming.
'Come to think of it, I promised to hunt with Naltorri and BomBom.'
Knowing they were real people made it feel strange.
'I never imagined we'd meet like this.'
Even in that godforsaken world, he might have harbored faint, ash-like hopes of encountering other survivors. But he had never once thought he'd meet someone from another world.
'That wouldn't be a thought; it'd be a delusion.'
But now, that delusion had become reality.
'How should I treat them?'
Until now, he'd dealt with them as tricky NPCs, but he couldn't keep that up.
'They're real people.'
Not electronically programmed NPCs, but people just like him. His heart raced a little.
Yuseong opened the friends list. He never imagined he'd be the one pulling it up first.
He sent a message to Naltorri and BomBom, saved at the top.
-Are we doing that hunt we promised before? Heading out now?-
It was his first time initiating contact with another human. He even double-checked to make sure it didn't sound weird.
'Now to wait.'
He felt a bit anxious not knowing when they'd reply. Was this the feeling of someone waiting for a response? He somewhat regretted his curt replies to other streamers in the past.
But Yuseong's anxiety didn't last long.
Barely any time after sending the message, both replied promptly.
* * *
"Hahaha, I never expected Yuseong to message me first about hunting."
Naltorri, whom they met in Verhill, seemed slightly excited.
It was only natural. Teaming up to stream with Yuseong, the top superstar among low-level players in Korea right now—it was a golden opportunity to boost viewers.
'Plus, it's just plain fun.'
Watching his strong personality and almost artistic skills made even Naltorri, who had to steer the stream, lose track of time.
No matter how you looked at it, there was only upside. How could he not be thrilled?
BomBom felt the same.
"I didn't expect a reply this fast, though."
"I was already logged in. An chance to hunt with Yuseong? I'd drop everything for that."
BomBom replied excitedly too.
'Sending the first message means we've built some rapport, right?'
Being friends with someone like Yuseong was nothing but a plus anywhere you looked. That said, it wasn't just calculating thoughts.
'It's fun!'
She spent a lot of time with Naltorri, and it made sense—her tastes aligned closely with his.
"So, where are we headed?"
BomBom asked.
"Anywhere you two want. I've finished all my quests."
Yuseong replied.
Surprisingly, Yuseong conversed with them quite smoothly. He felt foolish for panicking earlier about how to act.
'Maybe treating them as NPCs was practice?'
Whatever the case, being able to talk without issues was what mattered.
"Then bandits it is?"
"In Verhill, the merchants on the brink of bankruptcy come first."
Naltorri and BomBom agreed. But their expressions weren't great.
"But the bandit camp right now... not ideal?"
"It's in the middle of a war."
Players flooded in to smash Hers Guild's monopoly on hunting grounds, outraged by their plummeting reputation.
Hers Guild, desperate to protect their turf, crushed anyone who challenged them mercilessly. Their battles raged in the bandit hunting grounds right now.
The current war was even fiercer than the one with Yuseong and Hers Guild. Naturally, heading to the bandit grounds now wasn't smart.
"Then let's go to a hunting spot I know."
"A spot Yuseong knows?"
"Didn't he mention finding a new one?"
Naltorri and BomBom perked up simultaneously.
The fight with Hers Guild had started because of that, hadn't it?
People speculated Yuseong had truly found a new bandit spot, based on his frequent visits to Eurud—the quest giver for the brink-of-bankruptcy merchants—and his actions against Hers Guild.
But no one was certain. No one had seen the new spot.
Now, Yuseong was offering to guide them there.
Naturally, Naltorri and BomBom—not to mention the chat—went wild.
[We get to see that rumored spot?]
[Jackpot!]
The viewers' excitement filled the chat.
"We're grateful, but you sure? You went to war with Hers Guild over it."
"I wasn't planning to guard it or anything. I'd already done what I needed there."
"Huh? Then why the fight with Hers..."
"Once others started entering the dungeon and sharing the kills, it'd delay my quest clears. So I wanted to finish and sell it. Plus, bonus period. I said we'd talk later, but they demanded it now. Said to pay real money later if I wanted to hunt. So I told them off."
"So if Hers had waited, you would've sold...?"
"Yes."
What was this? Hers Guild had lost so much in this war. And they still hadn't gotten the hunting spot Yuseong found.
They were barely holding onto their three current grounds.
But if they'd just waited a bit for Yuseong, they could've avoided losses and gotten what they wanted.
[Greed fucked them]
[Hers are trash, as expected!]
Viewers mocked Hers Guild's folly.
"How much did Hers offer, by the way?"
"1,000 gold."
"Whoa."
"No way."
Naltorri and BomBom let out involuntary exclamations. Not a shred of positivity in them.
Trying to buy a new bandit hunting ground for a measly 1,000 gold? There were limits to lowballing.
Of course, they didn't curse out loud for fear of getting on Hers Guild's bad side. Yuseong had crushed them solo, but they couldn't dream of that.
Viewers were different.
[There's a limit to no conscience]
[Thieves without the knives]
[They have knives. Straight-up bandits]
[They crashed so hard I felt a tiny bit sorry, but nah, not worth pitying. Pure trash]
[Trash? Apologize to trash!]
Hers-bashing flooded the chat.
"So no need to feel bad about it. Doesn't matter if others find the dungeon."
"Then we won't hold back."
"Thanks a ton."
After they picked up the quest from Eurud, Yuseong led them toward the slums.
"Ah, so it's in the slums after all."
People had guessed as much, since that's where Yuseong had vanished to.
The problem was, the slums weren't your average complicated place.
"Ugh..."
BomBom groaned at the stench and filth wafting through the slums. Naltorri grimaced too.
It didn't replicate the slums' stench at 100%, but what it did recreate was plenty horrific.
"This way."
Yuseong guided them into the house with the dungeon, then shoved aside the cupboard hiding the secret passage.
[Ooh, here it is]
>How'd he find this place?>
Viewers watched eagerly. Naltorri and BomBom were the same, heads swiveling nonstop as they followed Yuseong.
And so, the three entered the dungeon.