World's First Max Level!
Sister!!! Max level!! You're the server first, no! Korea first, no! World first!!!
"Exactly max level, right?"
"N-no, it's not 'exactly max level'! Sister! Sister! You just hit server first max level! It might even be worldwide first?!"
Im Harin, pressing her chest right up against my left arm and making a huge fuss... was a bit overwhelming.
"What's the big deal? I just hit max level first."
"It's not 'what's the big deal'! Sister, sister! Hana sister! I told you earlier while we were eating burgers! The community's a total warzone right now!"
"No, what..."
"Alliance first max level or Demon King faction first! That's how heated it's been!!!"
I wondered if that was really something a high school girl would care about.
Anyway, to sum up that community fight...
"But I don't get it. Don't both sides have Legend of League players and Vtubers? So why if the Demon King side gets first max level..."
"Of course it's a win for the Legend of League roots! The community trashes Demon King players as casuals who grind hard but can't go pro—total amateur faction!"
"That's... how it works... yeah..."
"Anyway! Now they can't talk smack! You beat them to it, sister! And you're not even a streamer~ Just a regular player~ All that crap about hardcore casuals or focused Vtubers being the best? Total bullshit!"
"Harin, I'm saying this 'cause I'm worried about you, but you gotta cut back on the community..."
Im Harin huffed with a snort and poked my side boob.
"But sister. Sister. You'll teach me this too, right? Like the locations of those hidden NPCs in the dungeons!"
"This? Sure, if you don't know, I'll tell you."
"This is seriously OP. I thought I couldn't get any more XP from quests. How are there NPCs hidden like this?"
This was the secret—not-secret—to me hitting max level so fast.
Original-era Lost of Fantasy was a brutally savage game that really pushed exploration.
These days, NPCs stood right at dungeon starts, synced to entrances yelling "Take your quest, adventurer!" But back then, you had to scour every corner of the map to find them.
Obviously, no question mark on the minimap either. Unless you checked a guide site, you'd miss a ton of quests.
"Anyway, now that I'm max level, time to knock out those profession quests I ignored 'cause they were annoying, then get serious with indun grinding..."
"Sister... is this okay? Why are there so many whispers?"
"What, hitting max level first gets you whisper terrorism like this?"
Ding-! Diiing-! Ding!
The endless whisper barrage made normal gameplay impossible.
"Ugh, screw it. Not replying."
"Aww... hey, sister! At least do one interview? You're max level! World first!"
Im Harin pressed her chest against me again.
"I've always wanted to see this. It's so cool! Totally!"
"Not really into it."
"What?! Why, sister? This is an honor even pros get! And it wasn't just GameMeta or Playpeople—some newspaper wanted an interview too."
"Nah. Not penta-kill level, just max level..."
"What's a penta-kill?"
Im Harin lit up, not missing my slip.
"Something honorable~ Anyway, don't wanna strut over just max level."
And definitely didn't want to become gold trading fodder if interviewed.
"Tch... Are you humble or just not braggy? Can't tell."
"Just say I'm humble."
Im Harin finally gave up and peeled her chest off my arm.
Phew, thought my arm was gonna go numb from the weight.
"And it's not 'cause I'm humbly declining."
"Then why?"
Payback for earlier—I slammed my chest and body against Im Harin's arm.
This ain't bad. Girl bodies are soft like hugging a doll.
"What if I interview with Playpeople? Backlash would hit me too."
"Oh, yeah?"
"Check the auction house. Those herbs we farmed and sold last time? Now worth less than a third."
"Isn't that 'cause more level 55s are hitting Moonlight Spire Lower, so more farmers?"
"Now imagine max levelers popping up next. If they say what I told you—potions and elixirs are better at max level?"
Im Harin nodded with an "Ah-!"
"Yeah. Prices tank to a tenth, and what could they say?"
"Right? Blame the hoarders or grinders, say Playpeople posted bullshit videos stirring it up."
"So if you interview? Combo meal of hate?"
Im Harin nodded, then shoved her drink straw toward my mouth.
Wait, only one straw. How am I supposed to drink?
"Anyway, that's why no interview. Nothing epic to say."
"For real? But this reporter seems trustworthy?"
Im Harin pointed at my game screen.
"Who's that?"
"Huh? You don't know? Super famous lady! Been posting guides since Legend of League was North America only! Interviews all the pros! Total game nerd, knows the community inside out!"
"Oh...?"
"And she's hot, so whenever she interviews, ManaTong goes 'ahh...' like..."
"No, cut back on community!"
Im Harin giggled and met my eyes.
"But still, sister. Legend Gamer's big in Legend of League. No weird gold trading bait there?"
"... Interviews a lot of pros?"
"Yup, Handaegi's known for straight facts. Used to side with gamers on truck protests too."
Was that so? No one like her in my old world.
"Fine... maybe one interview."
"Ooh, classic Hana sister—!"
"Not classic. Once word spreads, no more whisper terror! That's why."
"Liar. You're actually excited—"
Couldn't stand her smug repeat, so I pinched her boob.
ManaTongDaepokbal.
She'd been a reporter since Legend of League's North America-only days, just as Im Harin said—pretty famous.
Known for serious pro gamer coverage, but unlike stuffy reporters, she got community vibes perfectly.
"Got it, got it...! No need to beg in GalLog with pizza or chicken gift cards."
Handaegi, with her iced coffee, grinned ear to ear.
"Ooh, Handaegi. Scored another? Don't burn up the phones like last time."
"Ugh, play nice. Gamers are great, but consider the company."
She threw an OK sign left-handed, half-ignoring the office jokes.
But this one's unexpected? Always ignores whispers—figured she'd ghost again.
Handaegi assumed Jeong Hana would blow off the interview.
Plan B: Hit GalLog, spam pleas with food gifts for one shot.
"O... mysterious? Hates doxxing? Fair. Totally fair."
Ten years in Legend of League reporting—Handaegi shrugged it off.
Jeong Hana was slow to reply, buried in 60 whispers per minute, as Handaegi figured.
"Yup yup, you're a total star now, star...!"
Handaegi hummed, firing off her Discord link.
"Hi hi! AwesomeKnightMan! Oh right. I prefer this nick over the gut-ripping one—feels friendlier. Cool with that?"
Handaegi bombarded with her signature bright tone and snorts as soon as Jeong Hana entered the Discord.
Ugh, shy? Shorter replies than expected! But she'll do the interview, right?
Handaegi cleared her throat, slurping her iced Americano.
"Straight to interview then! If okay... what's the secret to hitting max level fastest? You know you've shown wild stuff on streams already!"
Handaegi machine-gunned her words, chest puffed, awaiting reply.
Didn't take long.
"O..."
Handaegi smirked at Jeong Hana's "SAT's easy with just the textbook" vibe.
This one's got star potential?
Im Harin and Jeong Hana didn't know, but Handaegi was a 10-year monster at crafting "stars" in Legend of League.