Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Conquering the Developer's Game (2)
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Bus. In other words, carrying.
It's the playstyle where a high-level, powerful player fights alongside a low-level, weaker player's character to help them grow.
Honestly speaking, it's not a particularly desirable phenomenon from the game operators' perspective.
After all, if carrying becomes commonplace, a significant portion of the game's content ends up becoming useless.
For example, suppose Player A challenges a dungeon recommended for level 10.
A matches their character's level to 10 but fails to clear the dungeon. They're still wearing gear from level 5.
Realizing their character's specs are lacking, A swaps to level 10 gear and clears the dungeon without much trouble this time.
Next, A challenges a level 20 recommended dungeon, gearing up maximally from the start. But they fail again. A is unskilled at using skills at the right moments.
Feeling their control is lacking, A repeatedly challenges the same dungeon, honing their skills until they finally succeed.
If specs are insufficient, upgrade gear or levels to boost them. If control is lacking, refine it. Repeating this process levels up both character and player. This cycle itself is the core content of an RPG.
But the moment carrying intervenes, that cycle shatters in an instant.
If a high-level character bulldozes ahead, slaughtering all enemies, the low-level character has no need to swap gear midway or improve their control.
They skip the entire process and just receive the "result" of massively inflated levels. Complaining there's nothing left to do in the game is par for the course.
This is still for free carrying. Paid carrying is several times more damaging. Games have even shut down entirely because of it.
Naturally, Ryu In-seo—obsessively fixated on the perfection of the game he created—wouldn't let such issues slide.
And so, the Contribution System was introduced.
Dealers earn more EXP and rewards the more damage they deal. Tanks get more for tanking enemy attacks. Supporters for healing and buffing.
It was a system to block the most common form of carrying: high-level players massacring upfront while low-levels spectate from behind.
Supporter-type characters fare a bit better.
Buff a high-level ally and get a share of EXP when they down enemies.
But Erin's chosen Dark Knight is fundamentally a pure dealer.
Even her strongest attack spell available at level 1 barely scratches the average level 30 monsters in Black Wind Forest—maybe 1-2% of their HP at best.
And the EXP from that is even less than steadily taking down appropriate-level monsters.
Thus, her plan to get carried by NPCs here should have been pointless.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Player 'Erin''s level has risen. Player 'Erin''s level has risen. Player 'Erin''s level has risen. However, it's said the ones who know best how to kill are doctors.
Ignoring every premise above, Ye-rin was leveling up without issue.
At a speed close to impossible for normal play—practically cheat-level.
The reason was simple.
"Prophet, your skill in delivering the killing blow to our foes is exquisite."
"You're the ones setting them up. I'm just finishing them off."
Finishing blows.
The player landing the final hit on a monster is guaranteed a fixed amount of EXP.
Normally, shaving 1-2% off a regular monster—not even a raid boss—yields negligible EXP. But if it's the finisher, that's different.
Rewards for finishers vary by monster, but for Black Wind Forest's main foe, the Donkey-Eared Monkey, it's about 20% of total EXP.
20% might sound low. But 100% from a level 1 monster vs. 20% from a level 30? The latter dwarfs it.
Of course, sniping finishers amid intense combat isn't easy. But for Donkey-Eared Monkeys specifically, it wasn't hard.
Their skill, Wild Tenacity, lets them survive a near-fatal blow at full HP down to 1 HP.
Even at full health, Aurelia's level 43 Warrior spear swing drops a monkey to near-death, leaving 1 HP.
Erin's job? Fire an attack spell half a beat later on the monkeys blocking Aurelia.
Simple in action, but not for just anyone.
It requires perfect grasp of the EXP distribution system, treating far-ahead NPCs like minions, and knowing which monsters and spots to exploit effectively.
Above all, this EXP farming was just part of Erin's plan.
【Entered『King Midas's Golden Warehouse』.】 "To think a place like this existed..."
The heart of Black Wind Forest.
When Erin said they had to go through the waterfall there, Aurelia and the soldiers were stunned. But upon discovering the hidden cave beyond, shock turned to awe. That awe became reverence upon seeing the mountain of gold deep inside.
Erin spoke.
"Don't touch the gold yet. If you claim it before defeating the guardian, the claimant turns to gold too. Brief contact during combat is fine—no need to cower."
The soldiers, mesmerized and reaching for the gold, flinched and pulled back.
Then, scanning around, they paled.
Human-shaped golden statues mingled among the gold piles like decorations.
They guessed what they really were.
At that moment, laughter echoed from the void.
Kukuku. Nosy wench, knowing too much for your own good. Had you fallen for it, I'd have made you part of my treasure!
The ominous line screaming "I'm the boss here" made the soldiers gaze solemnly at the ceiling.
"Spear of the Heavenly Army"
Aurelia, briefed by Erin beforehand, ignored the voice entirely and unleashed her ultimate on a golden statue in the left corner.
Kuhuk!!
The statue—a bearded middle-aged man—sprang to life, clutching its chest in agony from Aurelia's blow.
H-How did you know my true form...!
The true boss of this hidden dungeon: King Midas.
Meanwhile, a heavy golden suit of armor plummeted from the ceiling, shattering on impact as it lost cohesion.
Midas, distracted from maintaining the armor, decomposed without a proper fight.
The standard pattern: fight the golden guardian knight first, then get ambushed by the disguised king for phase 2.
But Erin knew this. Instead of falling for it, she skipped straight to the king. Time was precious.
No way could Midas, outmatched by Aurelia even head-on and ambushed besides, put up a fight. With Erin and the soldiers' support, the hidden boss fell anticlimactically.
Where Midas stood remained a pair of gauntlets. Where the golden knight had been, a single sword.
+++
⚔ RELIC ⚔ Golden King's Deception Gauntlet-form item. Touch an object while wearing and infuse mana to curse it with gold transformation. Originally Midas's innate power, but death altered it, adding restrictions. Perhaps more convenient for humans this way. Notes
The man craved gold. Believing its symbol of wealth would grant anything, he made a forbidden pact with a demon. When food, clothes—even his beloved daughter—turned to gold, he realized his folly. But what was done couldn't be undone. So the king deceived himself: this was what he truly desired. +++
⚔ RELIC ⚔ Phrygia's Golden Sword A sword of beautiful design. Grows more powerful the wealthier its wielder. Notes
The royal guard despaired at his lord's corruption. Unable to fully abandon lingering loyalty, he left his regrets and power in armor and sword, departing unburdened. +++
Pretty unusual flavor text for item descriptions.
No numerical stats like attack power or grade listed, as they'd normally have.
Of course, internal values existed—just not displayed. Players had few ways to check directly.
Test on monsters for damage comparison or consult an expert for estimates.
The intent: infer from the dropping enemy's strength and description text.
Confirming the descriptions and notes matched what she knew, Erin handed both to Aurelia.
"These and the treasure here are all yours and Arkeia's."
"O-oh."
"As expected of the gods' emissary. Your vessel is on another level from other outlanders."
The soldiers were genuinely impressed, but Aurelia looked troubled.
"Prophet, you revealed this place and the enemy's secrets. How can you take no reward?"
"I told you. I'm here to give you power."
Erin continued with detached poise.
"Use this wealth to strengthen Arkeia. Great calamity approaches soon. Prepare for it."
"...Understood. I'll inform the soldiers. If you ever need my aid, come anytime."
"That's enough."
Aurelia and the soldiers focused on recovering the treasure. Erin bid farewell and left.
Alone now, Erin checked her status window and smirked.
'No reward? Please. This level is the reward.'
After half a day invested, Erin's level was now 36.
Given Beyond Elysion's tight EXP tables—where even optimized parties rarely hit 10—this was bug-or-cheat suspicious.
But Erin stayed vigilant.
Her game knowledge was vast, but Beyond Elysion was now in thieves' hands.
Oppa said Nebula would block direct penalties to specific users, but indirect sabotage? Endless options.
Thus, seize as much as possible while they slacked.
Erin opened quest window and mail she'd closed during combat, claiming all level-up rewards.
Then pulled out one item.
Her level 10 reward: Pet Summon Scroll.
It looked like a plastic fortune cookie. Crunching it unleashed rainbow light—and the 'pet' emerged.
A body like a sideways rugby ball. Rabbit-like length, but triangular pointed ears sowed confusion.
A screen-face perfect for emotes.
Straight out of an SF mecha as the protagonist's sidekick—zero fit for a fantasy world.
Staring at the mismatched pet, Erin quipped.
"Always ranting about historical accuracy, now you can't even fake fantasy anymore. Happy with that?"
「I never added a pet like this! Those thieves snuck it in! ヽ(*｀Д´)ﾉ」
The black screen-face emoted furiously as the pet—or rather, her stepbrother—flailed.
A swift reunion after just a day apart in reality. Quick, but hardly touching.