Chapter 191: The First Universe Quest (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 191: The First Universe Quest (1)
It was a strange feeling.
In his past life, Earth had been a pathetically weak planet—a discarded world forced to band together with other abandoned civilizations because no one else showed the slightest interest.
But now, almost every planet wanted to partner with them. He felt like Cinderella at the ball, swept up in a sudden, magical transformation.
‘Tukanta, Abradiano, Namgung Cheon.’
Most of the other names on the list were familiar to him as well. They were all individuals who had made names for themselves as the top players in the universe. As he scanned the list, Kang Jun-hyeok paused.
[Gu Bijan, the representative of Planet Oborojunak, has selected your planet.]
Gu Bijan.
He was a man who had been a hero in the truest sense of the word. He was also someone who, like Kang Jun-hyeok, had achieved a Perfect Clear on the 39th Floor to obtain an esper ability.
“Hmm.”
Kang Jun-hyeok fell into thought for a moment. He was genuinely interested in meeting Gu Bijan; he was curious about how the man had managed his own Perfect Clear.
‘A shame.’
However, the planet he would choose had been decided from the very beginning. Kang Jun-hyeok raised his finger.
[You have selected Planet Volanta. Representative: Tuvalt Shadowstar.]
“Let’s go meet them.”
Kang Jun-hyeok smiled quietly. A moment later, the world began to distort.
When his vision cleared, he found himself in a vast, medieval-style tavern. There were roughly two hundred people gathered inside.
“Wait, what?”
“Huh?”
[It is time for the exchange!]
[Players will be divided into Low, Mid, and High ranks.]
[You will be given one day. Share information and build rapport with your fellow players!]
The crowd was split into three groups. This area was reserved for the High-rank players—the top hundred powerhouses from each planet.
They stood face-to-face, a bizarre silence hanging in the air. Finally, someone cautiously raised a hand.
“……Hello?”
“……Nice to meet you.”
Beings from different planets exchanged awkward greetings.
* * *
Awkwardness, strangeness, and wonder.
Was this what it felt like to see an alien for the first time? Though they had encountered many alien-like beings inside the Tower, those were ultimately within the Tower’s confines. They had felt like nothing more than NPCs in a game.
But the beings they were facing now were not creations of the Tower. They were living, breathing creatures from the actual universe. It was only natural to feel a sense of trepidation alongside the wonder of the encounter.
Amidst that heavy atmosphere, a woman stepped forward. The Earth players caught their breath.
She had horns protruding from her head and pitch-black pupils. She wasn't human. The woman gently grasped her skirt and bowed, greeting them with the refined etiquette of a noble.
“Hello, players of Earth. I am Ariana Brian, a player from Planet Volanta.”
“N-nice to meet you,” Olivia stammered in response.
Ariana gave a soft smile. “Everyone seems flustered and awkward. Why don't we, as representatives, talk first to break the ice? What do you think?”
“That sounds good.”
At the affirmative response, Ariana smiled brightly and extended her hand. Olivia slowly reached out and took it.
Thanks to Ariana taking the lead, the icy atmosphere thawed slightly. Players from both planets began to converse cautiously, exchanging information. Ariana spoke casually.
“I’m a demon. Originally, we are beings that reside in Hell.”
“So... there really are demons.”
“Haven’t you seen them a few times in the Tower?”
“We have, but that was just the Tower.”
They hadn't imagined such beings actually existed in the real universe. Ariana toyed with one of the horns on her head.
“Demons are naturally enemies of the surface. We’re a race that usually can't coexist with humans.”
“But I see others here who aren't demons?”
“Our planet is a bit special.” Ariana gave a bitter smile. “The environment on Planet Volanta is incredibly harsh.”
The temperature fluctuated by over 100 degrees between day and night, and the plants were all predators looking to consume life. Earthquakes happened dozens of times a day, and violent storms were a common occurrence.
It was an extreme environment where life could barely survive. Because they had to do everything in their power just to stay alive, they had no energy to waste on petty squabbles between humans and demons. It was a very peculiar planet where different races worked together simply to endure.
“I take it your planet only has humans?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’ll give you a brief explanation. The ability of demons is Black Magic. We manipulate Demonic Energy to use our own unique spells.”
Ariana flicked her fingers. A dark energy rose up and swirled around her hand. Olivia gasped.
‘The system window for skill activation didn't appear.’
It meant this was a pure, personal ability.
“Does every demon have that?”
“There are differences in strength, but every demon can handle Black Magic to some degree.”
“I see….”
“Humans can’t use Black Magic, but they have magic. Most of the players here can probably use magic, right?”
Most of the hundred or so players from Volanta possessed special abilities that weren't Tower skills. Ariana asked with a curious look, “What about your planet?”
“Uh, well.”
Olivia found herself at a loss for words. It wasn't that there were no players with special abilities, but their numbers were extremely few. Seeing Olivia unable to answer, Ariana quickly changed the subject.
“Then, what is the level of your planet’s technology?”
“Oh, yes.”
Olivia hurriedly began to explain. Ariana struggled to keep her expression from hardening.
* * *
“Damn that Tuvalt.”
After finishing her conversation with Olivia, Ariana went out for a walk, grumbling to herself.
This was originally Tuvalt’s job. He was the representative, after all. But Tuvalt loathed tedious tasks. Consequently, she had to handle all the minor details. She was used to that part, so it was fine, but the information she had gathered was far from fine.
‘They’re too weak.’
The players from Earth were far too weak. There were almost no players who possessed special powers like magic or Aura. The highest floor reached by an Earth player was the 59th Floor by Trey Dice. Volanta had about twenty players at that level.
The gap was staggering.
It wasn't just her; the other players were feeling it too. The more they talked, the darker their expressions became.
‘I told him we should have picked a different planet.’
The first Universe Quest. They didn't know what the difficulty would be, but it wouldn't be easy. She had tried desperately to convince him that they didn't need to choose right now, but Tuvalt had stubbornly insisted.
‘No matter how strong Kang Jun-hyeok is, I don't think he can bridge a gap this wide.’
But what was done was done. They had to find a way. Ariana was wandering around to see if anyone stood out when Kim Ha-young, the Apostle of Yulsir, entered her field of vision.
He was sitting quietly, meditating. His appearance, looking as if he were detached from the world, piqued Ariana’s interest.
“Hello?”
Ariana approached and greeted him. Kim Ha-young didn't answer but quietly raised a hand to his lips. Ariana was momentarily flustered by the gesture telling her to be quiet.
‘What?’
After waiting silently for about a minute, Kim Ha-young smiled brightly.
“My apologies. According to the laws, in order to speak with a non-human female during the daylight hours, I must first observe one minute of silence.”
“Ah, uh. Okay.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you, demon. I am Kim Ha-young, an Apostle of Yulsir, the God of Law.”
“Wait, an Apostle?” Ariana’s eyes widened.
An Apostle of a God. A direct follower who carries out the deity's will. Only those with exceptional talent and faith among the believers were selected. To put it simply, no one on her planet had reached the position of an Apostle.
Furthermore, it was Yulsir, the God of Law. His strictness was well-known even on her planet. Ariana’s eyes sparkled.
“You... you must be strong.”
“I am striving to live up to Lord Yulsir’s expectations.”
“I look forward to working with you.”
“As do I.”
Next, Ariana met Yoo Jin-ha.
‘Oh?’
Ariana let out a soft exclamation of admiration. Yoo Jin-ha’s posture was incredibly clean. There wasn't a single opening. It looked as though it would be difficult to break through even if she attacked.
Yoo Jin-ha was strong. Stronger than Trey Dice. She could feel it instinctively.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ariana Brian. I look forward to your cooperation until the quest is over.”
Above all, Yoo Jin-ha had an incredibly relaxed attitude. It was something impossible unless one was confident in their own strength. Ariana greeted him with satisfaction.
“Likewise.”
‘She has horns. Her black pupils are pretty.’
Of course, Yoo Jin-ha’s internal thoughts were incredibly carefree. His acting skills were superb; except for someone like Kang Jun-hyeok, no one would be able to see through his facade. Ariana was no exception.
Ariana had found two useful players. But even so, the absolute disparity was unavoidable. By her judgment, the power gap between Volanta and Earth was threefold—and that was a conservative estimate.
‘No matter how I look at it, they’re a hindrance.’
The person she was about to meet now had to have the power to bridge that gap. Ariana caught her breath and moved forward.
In a corner of the tavern, no one else was present. As if they were afraid to approach, a wide space had been cleared around one particular table. And sitting in a chair at that table was one man.
Ariana smiled brightly and sat across from him.
“Hello?”
“Hello.”
“I’m Ariana Brian. What’s your name?”
The man answered leisurely. “Kang Jun-hyeok.”
* * *
Kang Jun-hyeok looked at the woman.
Ariana Brian. One of the top-tier players and the only person who could control and soothe Tuvalt. Tuvalt had only truly begun to spiral out of control after her death.
‘It’s been a long time.’
He was lost in sentiment. Meanwhile, Ariana was incredibly tense.
‘……The Perfect Player.’
The man who had achieved a Perfect Clear on every floor up to the 42nd. She couldn't even begin to comprehend how such a thing was possible. But one thing was certain.
Kang Jun-hyeok would be strong. Incomparably stronger than her. And he likely had an eccentric personality; achieving a Perfect Clear on every floor wasn't something a sane person could do.
‘……He might try to kill me out of nowhere.’
Dread and fear. Wariness. She was trying her best to hide it, but Kang Jun-hyeok saw it all. He gave a faint smile.
“You’re tense.”
“O-oh?”
“Don't be so scared. I’m not going to eat you.”
“Hahaha.”
Ariana let out a dry laugh. It was a comment that was hard to take as a joke. She struggled to exhale and compose her emotions before opening her mouth.