Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Netori or Die—Pick One, Lol
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Netori or die—pick one, lol GTFO ㅋ
A grotesque creature the size of a house, with green skin and a face like a wild boar.
It reeked of ominous energy just by looking at it, and the club it gripped went even further, spewing a black, sticky liquid.
A monster that no human could possibly stand against.
An ogre.
"Gr... uuuuh..."
Foam bubbled at its mouth, and soon it dropped the club from its hand.
Boom!!
The forest shook, and birds exploded into the sky in a flurry of wings.
The monster stood motionless.
All the ominous energy it had been emitting had vanished.
In its place, blood soaked the ground.
The front of the monster was relatively intact, but its back was a gruesome mess.
And from the back of the monster's head, a man casually strolled out, hopping lightly onto the crown of its skull.
He wore a black fur coat that clashed with the forest surroundings, and his matching black hair was splattered with what looked like the ogre's blood.
Sizzle...
The blood soon turned to smoke and scattered into the air.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Clue 9 Find the source of the filthy energy in Ogre Forest, home to the green root tribe (Complete) Hunt the corrupted Ogre Champion (Complete) (New) Uncover a new clue. Quest Complete. Experience gained. "Hmmm..."
The man let out a bored sigh, clearly unimpressed with the reward.
He kicked the ogre's head dismissively, and with that single motion, it burst open.
"It was pretty tough, but the experience was stingy, wasn't it?"
It seemed like he was talking to himself, but someone answered.
The sky itself.
"Your physical abilities spiked the reward multiplier, but its situational awareness was worse than a regular ogre. Losing its judgment due to corruption probably docked the payout. Sounds plausible, right?"
The man flying leisurely through the sky wore a pure white robe emblazoned with magical runes that screamed "mage" from a mile away, complete with glasses.
But the most striking feature was his white hair.
"You got a decent chunk of experience yourself?"
"Unlike Outsiders like you, I can't see miracle stats. You know that."
The man grinned at the mage's response.
"Fair enough. It was easy, though. Especially with your magic support."
"So, the clue? Don't forget that's your job, Geomil."
"Yeah, yeah."
Geomil closed his eyes casually.
A surge of sharp blue energy erupted from his body.
It was Ryunar.
Shimmering like tiny star dust, Ryunar flew past the corpse and seeped into the fallen club on the ground.
The club, which had been oozing tainted liquid, crumbled with a hiss and scattered.
Soon, a scene replayed in Geomil's mind, and almost simultaneously, an alarm rang out.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Fragment of ??? ?? found. Merit has increased. "Hmmm. As expected, another dud. Merit gain was too low."
"Is that so? Well, it did feel too weak."
Geomil frowned. Too weak?
'He's safely supporting from the rear, so no sense of crisis.'
But he kept it to himself.
The man before him had status and skills worth maintaining a friendship with—for multiple reasons.
"Damn. So what level of monster do I need for merit to skyrocket?"
"At least something with a name."
"Grunt mobs won't cut it, huh~"
The white mage shrugged at Geomil's grumbling.
"If you want big merit from nobodies, you'd need dragon-tier."
"That's telling me to drop dead."
Geomil chuckled wryly as he leaped down from the ogre's body.
Seven meters up, but for an Outsider, it was nothing.
He landed lightly and said,
"Even diamond mountains are best after a meal. Let's eat. I'm hungry."
"......"
The white mage opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it.
He glided down from the sky like silk, following behind Geomil.
Entering a private room at the city's largest, cleanest restaurant, Geomil shed his coat and slammed his feet on the table with a thud!.
The white mage said nothing.
'At first, he tried to correct my manners.'
Now he either gave up or didn't care.
For Geomil, who secretly enjoyed riling up this annoying yet capable mage, it was a shame.
Instead of anger, the man called White Tower Lord asked a question.
"Next destination?"
"Hm? Oh... uh."
Geomil trailed off.
Then pondered deeply.
"......?"
"Nah, wait... Haven't we been rushing too much lately?"
"What are you getting at?"
"How about a week off?"
"No time for that. Signs are popping up everywhere already."
Tsk. Geomil smacked his lips, then said as if it just occurred to him,
"Oh~ Speaking of signs, you know that Valley of the Gods? The one by Milf Village."
It was blatant topic-shifting, but the white mage let it slide.
"Of course I know it. Why ask when you know my magic?"
"Just making sure."
"If you're not mocking me, get to the point."
"Sheesh, conversation's for enjoyment. Anyway, a legit post on our community boards—someone said there's sword marks in that valley."
The white mage's face twitched.
"...Sword marks?"
"Someone stabbed it deep, you know? That place even full-power from Freymure couldn't scratch."
"Right. Even harder for an Outsider."
In truth, only two had ever scarred that valley.
And those two were legendary figures still spoken of today.
Even then, mere scratches. Sword marks?
'What kind of being...? A monster? The Demon King? No. Those would be even more suppressed by the valley's power than humans...'
Geomil grinned, having successfully changed the subject as the White Tower Lord pondered.
"Anyway, they're looking into who did it."
"Scouting target?"
"Yep. At least their attack power's gotta be insane."
"Geomil. Think you could do it?"
Geomil clicked his tongue.
"Teasing me?"
"Not at all. But you're one of the strongest Outsider swordsmen. Seemed possible."
"You sure know how to hype a guy. Well, full throttle might leave a scratch... Maybe doable now."
"Hmmm."
Geomil was hyper but never boasted or exaggerated his abilities.
'The rocks overlaid on the valley? Outsiders aren't idiots; they'd know if it was that.'
As the White Tower Lord sank into thought, Geomil rested his chin, bored.
He desperately craved a break.
At first, the special commission's rarity and the main quest's adventure hooked him.
But it'd stagnated for about a year now.
He needed fun.
Strength, status, honor—all good, but life should be enjoyable.
'Back then... being weak was more fun.'
Climbing to 4th among users took ruthless effort.
Every day felt alive.
Gaining comrades, pushing toward those above—thrilling.
Now? Machine-like.
Then fresh news. Someone scarred the unscarrable Valley of the Gods deeply.
Geomil was hooked.
"Hey. If that guy's an Outsider, what reward would he get?"
"Only he'd know."
"What about Almiraz who just scratched it? What'd he get?"
"Outsiders share rewards? Especially an Outsider Killer..."
Geomil tsked again and asked listlessly,
"Got any fun stories?"
"......Hm? What'd you say?"
Seconds later, the White Tower Lord replied, prompting Geomil's sigh and tongue-click.
"Still zoning out deep in thought."
Annoying how he kept perfect defensive magic up regardless.
Asking again, the White Tower Lord nodded.
"Vague rumor, but an Outsider got the Dragon Slayer title."
"Huh? Dragon Slayer?"
Geomil blinked.
Killed that insane lizard? Who?
"Uh... the Numbers guys?"
The users itching for dragons, barely missing 'Transcenders from Another World.'
But the white mage shook his head.
"They'd be blasting it everywhere. Drei? Legion? New name anyway. Rookie maybe."
"Nah, experienced newbie? Low-level grabbing a dragon how?"
Even top-tier Outsider Geomil tensed at a dragon—hatchling or not.
A newbie?
Probably a hatchling, but still huge.
"Happened near that Milf Village you mentioned."
"Oh, uh, really?"
Geomil's half-hearted reaction puzzled him.
Whistling to cover, he opened his system window.
"Checking community?"
"Yeah. No dragon kill posts? Searching..."
The Outsiders' communication hub and info exchange: the system community.
After browsing, Geomil scratched his head.
"Hmm... Nothing. Fake news?"
"Told you it's vague."
"Pfft. Another nobody hyping their feats. Anyway, back to earlier. What level for merit boom?"
Topic shift again.
Geomil clearly avoided Milf Village talk.
The White Tower Lord played along.
"Hmm. Famous Demon King or top direct subordinate... Yuna-level would be massive."
"Huh? Yuna what?"
"Not your concern. Demon Kings are impractical now anyway—too many issues. Their direct subs are realistic."
"Then the Monster Kings with subjugation quests everywhere?"
The white mage stroked his chin.
"The eight Monster Kings."
"Really eight? Thought five, six tops."
Even user quest info boards lacked details on Monster Kings' habitats or numbers—six was the confirmed max.
"Only I know among humans. For Outsiders... if 'that one' is a promising candidate, they might share details."
"I'm not promising?"
4th place, mind you. As Geomil spoke, the white mage replied flatly, no mockery.
"Their standards for 'promising' are higher than you think."
"Fuck..."
"Still, Geomil. Didn't you face one of the eight directly?"
"......Bad memories."
It stung for Geomil.
He was utterly outmatched.
"Yeah. Even someone like you got humiliated. And their leader's special."
"Prostia, right?"
"Yes. King of monsters, god of magic. Apex of dragons. He is..."
"......"
"Listening, Geomil?"
The white mage, excited for magic talk after ages, deflated at Geomil's lack of attention.
But soon puzzled.
Geomil looked shocked—a rarity for the battle-hardened powerhouse.
"What's up?"
"Uh... Achievement board's blowing up."
"Why?"
"That Prostia you mentioned? There's a 'Defeat Prostia' quest."
"Absurd."
The gods.
Those even the White Tower Lord couldn't name lightly due to status...
'Beings at a 'stage' where even they can't touch lightly, capable of slaying gods... And they give that as an Outsider quest?'
No wonder Geomil was stunned.
Prostia-related quests only updated once Outsiders recognized it—meaning it had appeared somehow.
Not the true body, or the world wouldn't be this quiet. Illusionary form maybe.
But Geomil's next words hardened his face.
"And the 'defeat' quest... it's complete."
Long silence. The white mage tsked.
"......I hate jokes."
Geomil bristled at the sighing mage.
"Fuck! I'd show you if I could! Community's in chaos! Under 'Evade,' 'Endure' achievements—'Defeat' is done!! That's why it's huge: merit rankings updated!"
"Updated?"
Merit system: ranked by quests/achievements, not raw power.
Geomil was 4th in strength, barely top 10 in merit.
"Rankings shifted! Unknown guy's listed as 'Nameless' at 2nd. Gap to 1st—that psycho collector—is tiny!"
"......."
Merit rose via conditions and completions.
Sudden Nameless at 2nd, tied to Prostia mention while investigating.
"Prostia's dead?"
"Nah, 'kill' quest incomplete, so probably not..."
Nameless didn't mean no name worth sharing.
The Outsider-only system logged achievements regardless—unless unregistered.
So the Prostia-defeater just didn't use community.
"Doesn't add up. Why hide from rankings at that level?"
"Hell if I know!"
Community registration benefited Outsiders always.
No name, no perks. Yet...
'Something's brewing.'
Geomil awkwardly joked at the gravely pondering White Tower Lord, wondering if his shout caused it.
"Maybe Prostia's weak? All talk?"
"Geomil."
"Huh? Why so serious."
"How'd you fare against me?"
Blinking, Geomil pointed accusingly, vein bulging on his neck.
"...No fuck! Magic-obsessed bastard! Dragons are magic ancestors, sure—but calling monsters weak piss you off that much?!"
"Not that. Purely your thoughts."
"Huh? Well..."
Geomil thought, then spoke.
"Good fight... I think. You're hiding stuff, so not certain."
"That so? Say there were 6 billion of me. Outcome?"
"What bullshit..."
No contest.
The white mage nodded at his reaction.
"Prostia? I couldn't win no matter how many. He has no 'low tier'—I don't meet the threshold."
"...You?"
One of the tower lords, blending high divine power and magic, below threshold?
"You fought Askatilop's incarnation—one of the eight. Nearly died."
"Why bring that up?!"
"Even the full Askatilop body wouldn't last against Prostia. Records confirm."
"......"
Geomil shut up.
Now Prostia's strength came into focus.
Deeper community dive, awkward words.
"Uh, they say Prostia's descent was incomplete..."
"Even then, impossible for current humanity. But that's why merit's huge."
"......"
"No info from the Saintess? The gods moving?"
"Dunno? She shares with more than just me."
"Ask. Can't ignore this..."
The white mage's face hardened.
"Huh? Why?"
"...That Outsider earlier. No Dragon Slayer, right?"
"Yeah. Gotta kill for the title."
"And Prostia lives."
Silence hung over the table.
"......You're insane."
Insane.
A newbie blocked Prostia?
"To Milf Village. Top priority."
"No way... reason?"
"If an Outsider blocked Prostia... he's our hope."
"......"
Hope.
The secret only Geomil and White Tower Lord knew.
"Your filthy energy quest is crucial too. But my gut says don't miss this..."
"......That big a deal?"
"Absolutely. Think, Geomil. Early Outsider pulls mythic feat. Definitely a god's 'prospect'... or more. Imagine the info and perks."
"......"
Gods' prospect with intel? Contact value immense.
Special info mid-chat? Who knows.
"That guy's moving solo, off-grid, no community. Bugs me."
"Maybe no thoughts behind it?"
"Think so?"
Unlikely. Geomil clammed up.
But unbeknownst, closest to truth.
"Nah, sigh... Stagnation breaking feels good... Fine. Let's go. Was heading nearby anyway."
"Hm?"
"Next memory fragment's in Entiear Kingdom."
"That's why you hated Milf Village talk. Prynar Academy's in the capital."
"Fuck. Drop the annoying shit."
Geomil thumbed outside. Server entered with heaps of food.
"Eat first, then head out. Hungry."
"Sounds good."