Chapter 238
Chapter 238
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 237
Chapter Title: Pay-to-Win Knight
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[Sent 100,000 Diamonds to Geumnang (Eta)!]
Gifts... when it comes right down to it, nothing beats money.
“Gasp! 100,000 Diamonds!”
Geumnang jumped in surprise, but honestly, it wasn’t that huge an amount. One Diamond was worth 100 won, so just 10 million won. But to a lower civilization where the hourly wage was 1 won?
That’s 10 million hours.
‘If we assume their minimum wage is 10,000 won, that’s about 100 billion won...’
Of course, it was a rough estimate. The money they received in mana crystals wasn’t paid by the hour but per unit, and if their chakra realms improved, their hourly rate could multiply by several to dozens of times.
Even so, that number wasn’t going anywhere right now.
“Thank you, big bro! With this, I can feed my entire squad to their hearts’ content!”
Merlin grumbled at the sight of Geumnang overcome with emotion.
“No, my ultimate spell cost way more, but the reaction’s totally different ㅡ_ㅡ. And it’s a sustained ultimate spell that took a ton of effort.”
“Ah! Of course I’m grateful, big bro! It’s just that ultimate magic feels so unreal. It’s a realm you only see in legends, like with dragons...”
He bowed deeply without hesitation. For a group leader, it was a casual attitude, but when someone handed you a treasure worth 100 billion won or more with no strings attached, you had to know when to set aside your pride, no matter who they were. That’s what made someone a leader.
Someone who couldn’t humble themselves when necessary didn’t even deserve to run a small company.
“Anyway, you’ll get it once you try it. Your voltage is 5 Tor, right?”
“Yes, big bro. But is that even possible? There’s no outlet...”
“Just plug it in and see.”
I pondered as I listened to their conversation.
‘No, what kind of ultimate spell involves voltage?’
Whether I was curious or not, Geumnang said his goodbyes.
“Thank you, big bros! I’ll definitely repay this favor someday!”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“Keep it up.”
We waved him off. Of course, it was just polite words. Merlin and I had already achieved positions where we wouldn’t need help from a lower civilization’s Geumnang anytime soon.
Poof!
After Geumnang vanished along with Cheongik, who’d been looking increasingly strained as if forcing himself to hold out,
I cautiously asked.
“By any chance, have you reached the 10th class?”
Merlin’s abilities felt far too anomalous for a mere archmage.
‘Though calling an archmage “mere” doesn’t quite fit...’
Still, bypassing security made by Legion like it was a joke, then casting a sustained ultimate spell on the spot—complete with mana crystal enchantment—wasn’t something even an archmage could pull off.
“Oh, looks like there’s a misunderstanding.”
But Merlin just laughed.
“The ultimate spell I just used is one I personally crafted with care. It even has mana crystals, so it took three days.”
I paused at his words. Come to think of it, he’d referred to the ultimate spell he gifted Geumnang as “one that took a lot of effort,” which didn’t fit a spell cast on the spot.
As a player, I instantly grasped the situation.
“You... logged in and out, didn’t you.”
Merlin chuckled at my careful wording, mindful of forced login prevention.
“Pretty seamless, right?”
Just as he said—no one would notice he’d logged in and out right beside us. I thought my ventriloquism was advanced, but this was on another level entirely.
‘Come to think of it... the login/logout ability is truly broken when combined with magic.’
I’d benefited from login/logout through long meditations and such, but nothing beat the efficiency of magic.
“Hm. One sec.”
Then Merlin lightly waved his hand. An inexplicable ripple enveloped the surroundings.
“...What’s that?”
“Information blockade. It was already in effect, but I reinforced it a step further.”
“What, you’re not some operator... And why?”
“Why do you think? With all the stuff we’ve talked about that can’t leak, you think I’d chat in a place where conversations get scripted?”
“Leaking chats without permission is illegal.”
“Such a classic 34th Earth thing to say.”
Merlin smirked and continued.
“Anyway, to answer: not yet. My chakra realm has surpassed the limits of the Immeasurable Void Layer, letting me use 10th-class magic, and my mana rivals a demon king’s... but it’s still not quite there.”
It was humble talk, but I saw it differently.
‘...Practically emperor-tier. Depending on the situation, he could even take down an actual emperor.’
Even a 10th-class magic swordsman couldn’t spam 10th-class miracles endlessly. They’d need ample catalysts, preparation, and casting time, naturally.
But Merlin?
‘Log in, memorize the spell, log out. Done.’
No joke... Merlin could spam 10th-class spells.
“Oh. I know what that look means, but it’ll never happen.”
“Why not?”
“It takes about 16 years per use.”
“...”
“Not just resting—I have to craft the spell, build it up, burn cards...”
I nodded at Merlin’s shrug.
“Sounds tough.”
“Tough? It’s boring to death... The requirements are so high I can’t even delegate it... Ugh. I set up an academy, but those duel idiots don’t know when they’ll be useful...”
I asked the grumbling Merlin,
“By the way, does Dark Star have emperor classes?”
“It did originally. Cosmic-level heroes and cards... but they weren’t implemented in the actual Dark Star worlds.”
[She] mimicked game worlds with near-omnipotent power, yet limits existed.
Unlike games where you could just tweak numbers for mid-tier or high-tier gods, real worlds had vastly different implementation difficulties. So in her worlds, not even mid-tier gods were possible, let alone high-tier, and corresponding classes or weapons were all locked.
“Hm. Speaking of which...”
I confessed that Revenge had an emperor class, and acquiring it required massive amounts of Nemesis stock.
Merlin’s face fell as he listened.
“Uh, hold on. You don’t mean...”
“Could you lend me some?”
“...”
Merlin blanked out for a moment before exploding.
“I can’t lend you any, you punk! Even if I’m loaded, 120 trillion won on 34th Earth is 400 billion Gerult! You kidding?”
“I’ll pay you back once I become emperor.”
“Getting the emperor class doesn’t make you a real emperor? It’s quasi-emperor!”
I sighed at his unyielding stance.
“Guess not, huh...”
“Of course not! You’re trouble waiting to happen.”
Merlin shook his head in disbelief, then let out a hollow laugh.
“Man, that money’s causing a stir for everyone. I’m even dipping into savings I never touched, prepping for an update.”
“Oh... because of the hype?”
“Yeah. Dark Star’s popularity is pitifully low. I need at least 48 times the current hype... Card games are everywhere in the greater universe; tough to break out.”
Merlin owned Dark Star completely as its creator—100% shares.
‘But shares aren’t everything.’
Hype for updates followed the formula of ownership times revenue, so even with 100%, Dark Star’s poor earnings capped its potential.
Merlin whined.
“Ugh... I hate running a company... Maybe I should just grind hard and emperor my way up with skill...”
“That’s absurd.”
If you could just grind to emperor class, they wouldn’t be so astronomically rare across countless planets and civilizations.
Lower transcendents were frog-in-a-well gods to lower civs, but emperor classes were cosmic powerhouses, no exaggeration.
“Still, the divinity and godhood are prepped. Just need to complete the sacredness... but my karma’s ridiculously short. Guess I could wander the universe, save countless civs, or invent something universe-shaking.”
“Uncannily specific.”
Seemed he had plans for emperor class.
Me? Vague as hell.
‘Honestly, I stumbled past the transcendent realm wall without fully grasping it.’
But then Merlin said something unexpected.
“Gotta be specific... or I’ll die.”
“Die?”
“[Her] creation is ramping up. If an emperor-tier monster pops out as time passes, you or I are toast.”
Fair point. I was solid among lower transcendents now... but a mid-tier one? Game over.
“But will that happen so soon?”
“Who knows. What’s clear is she massacred life across the entire greater universe, plundering massive [karma]. She has infinite chances... so an Untouchable or whatever emerging wouldn’t be weird.”
He glanced around the hunting ground. Countless players dotted the distance.
“This hunting ground is under control by [Jjeolbadeum Naegil Won]! Don’t touch the boss monster!”
“What? Who’s this punk yapping? Do you know who I am?”
“Who’re you?”
“I’m Tar kana Torbin Marten Orihalcon of the Thunder Hammer Clan...!”
“Whatever.”
“Gurk...? Y-You human scum dare...”
A newbie player challenged veterans and got logged out effortlessly.
“Um, you really give Diamonds for just one day’s work, right?”
“We’re not giving to everyone—just those who pass the test can join Allanga TV! Sing a line in turn! Or act if you prefer!”
“Aaah~ My rage~”
“Fail. Next!”
“P-Please, one more chance! I was nervous...”
Personal streamers testing newbies were visible too. The weather was mild, skies filled with all sorts of flying pets.
“...Peaceful.”
“Yeah, peaceful. But their world—and the universe’s fate—isn’t. [She]’s just playing... but that existence is an unprecedented calamity.”
I recalled the supercluster of countless stars draping like lush hair, forming a sleek nose bridge and slightly upturned eyes.
‘A whole different dimension.’
A cosmic being who created universes and transcendents on whims.
A monster on par with the greater universe’s creator.
“...You plan to oppose [Her]?”
“Impossible. Even those almighty highest gods can’t. But we can sort out this monster mess to some extent.”
Merlin turned from Revenge’s scenery to me, his expression gravely serious unlike before. I replied in a calm voice.
“Clear the game.”
“Exactly.”
He nodded.
“The remaining ten games... we have to clear them all.”