Chapter 97
Chapter 97
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 97
Chapter Title: Madmen Recognize Madmen
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Sizzle!
I boldly tore open the second envelope.
[Opening ‘Theme 2 Info Scroll’ (S-rank).]
My heart pounded.
With eager anticipation, I pulled out the black parchment.
It was inscribed with about the same amount of text as the previous Theme 1 Info Scroll.
But...
[This is an area where information cannot yet be confirmed.]
[Only partial information is revealed.]
It wasn’t as helpful as I’d hoped.
The old man clicked his tongue.
“Tsk tsk, the one who made this dungeon is a pervert no less than you. Selling this for 10,000 points without showing everything?”
“Yeah, tell me about it.”
I frowned too.
Some parts were obscured by hieroglyphs.
#1. The moment Theme 2 begins, team formation starts.
There are a total of 3 teams. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place from the previous theme each draft one teammate.
Each team can have up to 10 members.
That means anyone not selected once teams are full is eliminated.
>
#2. The drafted teammates must cooperate to find the ‘national treasure’ hidden in the Giant Castle.
The first team to find the ‘national treasure’ wins. Teams that don’t find it are eliminated.
>
#3. □□ appears after ■■■ □□□ ■ □□.
□□’s anger □□ is ‘□□ ■■□’, and the □□□ must ■■ their formations with various ‘□□’ to □□ it.
PS. Each ‘□□’ has a ‘□□ □□□’ that □□.
>
#4. □□ exists.
The □ can find the ■■□ watching them from afar.
If found, they can use the ‘□□’ ‘□□’ □□□.
>
#5 This ■■□□ □□ □□□ □.
One, through the discovered 심사위원, purchase with ‘Trial Points’.
Two, find the info scrolls hidden by 심사위원s throughout the area.
#1 and #2 were understandable enough.
But below that, it was a dizzying mess just to look at.
“Argh, these heartless bastards. How are we supposed to figure this out? Come to think of it, it’s pissing me off. These punks dared to screw over my disciple?”
The old man snapped irritably.
He seemed mad not because of me, but just out of curiosity about the content. Anyway.
“Still, the important parts are intact, so that’s good. And I think I get why they’re doing this.”
“Huh? You think you understand that?”
“Yeah, look here.”
I pointed to sections #4 and #5 on the parchment.
The old man’s eyes widened.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Hmm, you’re always teasing me about being a genius or not... Looks like you’re about my level, old timer.”
“Hah, who do you think you’re calling dim-witted...? Fine, let me see it.”
Whoosh!
The old man leaned his face right up to the parchment.
A pointless action since he couldn’t physically interact with it.
I smiled and held it up for him to see better.
“Hmm, hmm...? What’s there to see? It’s just a jumble of weird characters.”
“Compare it to the Theme 1 Info Scroll.”
I slid the two parchments side by side.
#4. Privileges exist.
Participants can find the examiners watching them from afar.
If found, they can use the ‘shop’ ‘early’.
>
#5 Ways to obtain this info scroll: two.
One, purchase with ‘Trial Points’ through the discovered examiner.
Two, find the info scrolls hidden by examiners throughout the area.
I said.
“See? The word count and spacing match exactly with #4 and #5 from the Theme 1 Info Scroll. Look closely—it’s the same content.”
“Huh?”
The old man blinked.
“Oh ho, it really is? Look at that?”
He stared at me with an amazed expression.
Then he shouted.
“Hey! You little rascal, as expected! You’re really coming into your own!”
“Huh? What is?”
“The Supreme Azure Craftsmanship Myriad Accomplishment Grand Method, of course. The technique that turns even the dullest into a genius. Hahaha, my disciple’s becoming a genius. How impressive.”
“......”
I shot a glance at the old man, who was grinning awkwardly.
He must feel embarrassed for missing it himself.
Honestly.
Isn’t this more about attention to detail than genius?
Anyway.
What I discovered was simple.
Sections #4 and #5 in the ‘Theme 1 Info Scroll’ and ‘Theme 2 Info Scroll’ are identical!
“They probably scattered Theme 2 Info Scrolls all over the place too. That’s why they censored the duplicate sections 4 and 5. Wouldn’t want someone gaining an edge just by finding a Theme 2 scroll.”
“Hmm, yeah... could be. Though I wonder why go to such lengths.”
“Anyway.”
I looked back at the parchment.
Now everything was clear except for #3.
I slowly pieced together the keywords.
“Hmm, Theme 2 is about teamwork. Top performers from Theme 1 draft teammates...”
“You’ve gotta make top 3 no matter what. Though 1st place is a given for you.”
The old man nodded contentedly.
“The drafted teammates cooperate to find this national treasure... That’s pretty clever, huh?”
The moment I read the Theme 2 info hints.
I instantly grasped the dungeon creator Delaila’s intent.
“What’s so clever about cooperation?”
“No, not that.”
“Then?”
“Look closely... Anyone who killed people in Theme 1 and acted selfishly, losing virtue, is set up to suffer in Theme 2.”
“......”
Theme 2 is about cooperation.
Survivors must band together to clear it.
What does that mean?
“Delaila’s saying character is a virtue of the strong. Those lacking it won’t pass her trials.”
Plus, unselected participants are eliminated.
Beyond screening out bad apples.
It also weeds out the incompetent who freeload.
“...Heh heh, this is fun. So much fun.”
The old man laughed like a child, delighted.
“This place is great. On a whole different level from the world I knew! So, whatever. What’s your plan?”
“Hmm, need to think about it.”
“Tsk, missing out on more of this fun... Summon time feels so short lately. Already 10 minutes? Aw!”
“I’ll call you again, old timer.”
With a whoosh!, the old man vanished, and silence returned.
I closed my eyes.
It was still night.
Plenty of time till dawn.
I needed to decide too.
How to handle this info.
And how to move forward.
* * *
Next morning.
“Ollena, James, Kapu.”
I called my companions with a serious expression.
“Yes, you called?”
“Hm, did you?”
“Mm, more exploring today? Hope we get some loot this time.”
After a week of camping, their hair was matted, skin dry and flaky as they shuffled over.
Still, after a week together, we felt more familiar.
I handed them the ‘Theme 1 Info Scroll’ I’d bought yesterday.
“Want to take a look at this?”
Yes.
I decided to share the info with them.
‘Theme 2 is about cooperation anyway.’
They might be rivals now.
But drawing lines too hard could bite me later.
Not sharing everything, though.
Just the Theme 1 info.
“Hun, what’s this?”
“What, what?”
The three foreigners huddled together to read the parchment.
Soon, their eyes widened like saucers.
“...What’s this?”
“Poison Fog? Examiners? Shop? Poison bonus?”
They looked at me in confusion.
“Picked it up during a night recon by one of my summons.”
I didn’t mention buying it from the shop.
A white lie.
Telling them I’d lied so far would just breed resentment.
“...How’d you get this? If it’s real, jackpot.”
“Poison fog spreads from the central area in a month? We have to survive there?”
“......”
Ollena shook her head.
James stared at me in shock.
Kapu closed his eyes, deep in thought.
I spoke to them.
“The Poison Fog will threaten us all.”
“......”
“The scroll doesn’t say to deal with it. Just survive by avoiding the monster.”
Kapu nodded at my words.
“It comes from the central region, so staying as far from center as possible is key to passing.”
“Then shouldn’t we move now?”
James cut in after glancing at Kapu.
“If this Poison Fog has intelligence, it’ll go for nearby prey first. Better keep maximum distance. Guess the trial favors those who snag info first.”
“I agree.”
I nodded.
“However.”
“......”
“I’m not running.”
“What?”
Ollena blinked in surprise.
“Then? You’re staying here?”
“No, it’s called a monster. So more like a manageable creature than a natural disaster.”
“...No way?”
“Yes, I plan to head to the center.”
“R-Really?”
“What? Why bother?”
“Hun, reconsider.”
They tried to dissuade me.
But my decision was made.
Reason for sharing? Simple.
I’m going central—run far away.
Survive and help me in the next theme.
“Please run and survive as best you can. Of course, if you choose to follow, I respect that. It’s your call.”
“......”
“But I recommend staying far away...”
“Mm, but leaving you behind...”
Ollena hesitated, but I shook my head.
“Truth is, I have some poison resistance. And confidence.”
“...Really?”
A brief silence.
Then James stepped up.
“Alright, I need to get out ASAP. You know? In these things, let people follow their choices.”
“...Me too. I’ll choose distance over center.”
Kapu agreed.
“Good. Kapu, let’s move quick.”
As they hurried to prepare, Ollena met my eyes.
A silent question: You sure?
I smiled and nodded.
“Survive and see you later.”
About 3 weeks until ‘Poison Fog’ appears.
Parted from my companions, I was alone again after just a week.
* * *
Weekend.
Gangnam-gu, underground pub.
“Uahaha! Bet he’s doing fine?”
Five hunters gathered in the VIP room.
Each radiating an aura impossible to ignore.
They were Seoul’s Five Stars.
The rising rankers who dominated Seoul in Korea.
“Ke ke, wonder what he’s up to? Theme 1? Theme 2?”
Jang Dae-woong slammed his beer down, but the Divine Archer shook his head.
“Berserker. Time there flows differently from reality. No one knows what he’s doing now. Only Delaila would.”
“Right, right. Keu, that was fun back then. You all remember? Haha.”
“Fun my ass.”
Baek Don grumbled, wolfing down massive amounts of food beside him.
“Don’t you remember how we suffered in Theme 1?”
“Yeah! We almost died because of the Berserker!”
Lee Seon-ah smiled sweetly as she chimed in, making Jang Dae-woong laugh even louder.
“Uahaha! How can a real man flee from a monster right in front of him!”
“......”
The Divine Archer sighed faintly.
That idiot Jang Dae-woong.
During the ‘Poison Fog’ release, he charged in to catch it himself. The other four here had to knock him out to escape.
A bit later, and no rankers.
They’d be holding his funeral instead.
“Crazy bastard, please... Cool it.”
“Kahaha, anyway, I’m pumped for my little bro. Bet he’ll fulfill the grudge I couldn’t. Unlike you cowards who ran.”
“...Crazy bastard.”
Nearby, Gi So-yul, sipping beer, glared.
“Huh?”
“Please spare us the creepy talk. Words become seeds.”
“Right! The King’s too smart for Berserker-level insanity.”
Lee Seon-ah laughed along.
“Who knows.”
Jang Dae-woong smiled meaningfully.
He thought.
‘My little bro’s a crazy bastard just like me.’
Madmen recognize madmen.
That was the Berserker’s creed.