The Silver Lining of a Volcanic Curse
The Curse of the Volcano? Sure, it'll be annoying, but is it really that dangerous? Tae-hyun didn't consider the Curse of the Volcano to be all that threatening. To him, a truly terrifying curse was something like the Plague Curse—something that spread just by touch. The Curse of the Volcano simply didn't seem that bad.
Carbanog states that your standards are incredibly warped. It insists that the Curse of the Volcano is a highly dangerous curse in its own right.
Well, compared to a plague curse, anything would look weak! Carbanog went on to explain the Curse of the Volcano. Simply put, it was a curse that would transform the entire continent into a volcanic wasteland.
A volcanic wasteland?
Carbanog explains that temperatures will soar, and rivers will run with molten lava instead of water...
Okay, that does sound a bit troublesome. Tae-hyun immediately understood the implications. It was easy to forget, but the climate in Pandemonium Online was a crucial factor. It directly affected various crafting skills! The kingdoms of the Central Continent generally enjoyed mild weather, meaning they suffered no penalties. But an island like Nodranche... was absolutely terrible.
Should I prepare in advance? The players in my territory are going to take a massive hit. Right about now, players with crafting classes were probably swearing up a storm.
Hmm. To minimize the damage... I should mobilize the priests to spam blessings as much as possible. Will the underground be any better? The vampires' territory is heavily shaded, so maybe they'll be fine. As Tae-hyun pondered, a sudden realization struck him. "Wait. If the continent heats up, wouldn't a demon like the Ice Duke, Furneus, be at a massive disadvantage?"
Carbanog admits that is technically true, but surely you aren't thinking...
"Wow! Living in the heat for a while doesn't sound so bad after all!" Tae-hyun cheered.
Carbanog is left utterly speechless.
Talk about positive thinking! Looking at a burning continent and thinking, Well, at least the demons won't have anything to eat, was a truly unique mindset.
"Tae-hyun, do you have any plans to lift the Curse of the Volcano?"
"Player Kim Tae-hyun! Are you going to take down the Red Dragon?"
The remaining players, startled by the sudden Legendary Quest, rushed over to find Tae-hyun. Anticipation sparkled in their eyes. After all, who was Tae-hyun? He was the undisputed expert of Legendary Quests! He would surely step up and break this Curse of the Volcano as well!
I want to see it! I want to see how Kim Tae-hyun tackles this quest!
I'm so curious!
However, Tae-hyun effortlessly shattered their expectations. "No. I'm going to do my own quest."
"..."
"..."
"Ah, I get it! You're pretending not to participate on the surface so other people won't try to sabotage you!"
"Aha! So that's what it is!"
"No, I'm literally just not—"
"You don't have to explain it to us!"
"We already know!"
The players winked knowingly, cheered him on, and quickly dispersed.
"..."
...
Carbanog is rendered speechless by their overwhelming expectations.
Tae-hyun and his companions were left utterly dumbfounded by the excessive expectations.
"Come to think of it, Yong-yong, Heuk-heuk. Have either of you ever met Nitinger?"
"I have only heard rumors, Master," Yong-yong replied.
"Same here," Heuk-heuk chimed in. "However, I understand he possesses an exceptionally noble character and is a dragon who serves as an exemplary role model to all."
"...???" Tae-hyun stared at Heuk-heuk in shock. Wait, does a dragon like that actually exist?
Carbanog advises you to think carefully. It points out that this area is Nitinger's territory, and asks what you think would happen if anyone dared to speak ill of him here.
Ah... Looking closely, Tae-hyun noticed Heuk-heuk frantically fluttering his wings and shooting him desperate looks. Master! Why would you ask something like that here of all places?!
Naturally, Yong-yong failed to catch on to the subtle cues and spoke with absolute confidence. "He is a fierce and powerful dragon, just like any other Red Dragon."
"Does he have any weaknesses?"
"Master. Dragons are the ultimate species. We have no such things as weaknesses."
"R-right." Tae-hyun was momentarily speechless. Heuk-heuk was also staring at Yong-yong with an expression of sheer disbelief. Your entire species got scammed by Akisus, and you're still claiming you have no weaknesses?
"Well, why am I even asking? It's not like I'm going to fight a dragon anyway, right?"
"Master, please don't say such ominous things..." Heuk-heuk whimpered.
Thump-thump-thump-thump!
Just as Tae-hyun's group was about to depart, a massive pack of rabbits suddenly bounded toward them.
The rabbits have returned after successfully executing your command!
"?" Tae-hyun blinked. Now that he thought about it, he had ordered the rabbits to search for any useful materials. He had completely forgotten about it, but they had actually found something?
Plop. The rabbits dropped the seeds they had been carrying in their mouths onto the ground.
Looking at them, Lee Da-bi tilted her head in confusion. "They just look like... ordinary grass seeds?"
"Huh?" Tae-hyun was puzzled by her reaction. Ah. Is that how it is?
Carbanog states that their true nature will not be visible to adventurers who lack faith.
An item that only revealed itself under specific conditions!
...What is this?
Type: Seed (Unique)
Description: Wild grass seeds once used by the ancient Karbanog Church. Their properties alter depending on the faith of the believer who cultivates them.
If it depended on the believer rather than the user... Wait, aren't I the only believer of the Karbanog Church? This was an item that only Tae-hyun could use!
Carbanog nods with a deeply pleased expression.
No, this is not the time to look pleased. What exactly is this?
Carbanog explains that this grass was used during ancient rituals. Because its properties shift based on the believer's traits, it was highly entertaining to cultivate in many ways.
My traits... my traits... A sudden wave of dread washed over Tae-hyun. Wait, is it going to grow into some bizarre, deadly poison?
Carbanog starts to say that is highly unlikely... but then pauses... and admits that, actually, it might just happen...
...Well, I should plant them anyway. Tae-hyun explained the item's nature to Lee Da-bi. She looked intrigued and smiled. "Knowing you, Tae-hyun, I'm sure it'll grow into something amazing."
Carbanog scoffs in amusement.
No statue for you, Tae-hyun threatened internally.
Carbanog panics and screams, pleading with you to reconsider!
There were plenty of places to plant these seeds. Tae-hyun scattered them near the fortress and along the roads. He would harvest them when he returned!
The players newly arriving in Nodranche felt something was off the moment they stepped off the ship. Their gamer instincts were screaming at them. Something... something is definitely weird here!
"Welcome, guys!"
"Welcome to your new home!"
But before they could even ponder what was wrong, the existing members of the pioneer expedition rushed over in a massive crowd to welcome them. They had even hung up banners, though heaven knew where they had managed to craft them!
"Quick! Join the expedition! Cain! Send the invite! Send it!"
"O-oh, right."
⊳ Status: Joined
"I-I joined."
"Great! Next!"
The veteran expedition players rushed the newcomers through the process like lightning. Their eyes burned with a sinister, desperate passion.
Only after forcing everyone to sign on the dotted line did the veteran players finally allow the newcomers to look around. It was then that the fresh recruits realized the source of their unease. Wait... there's almost nothing here?
"Uh, Cain?"
"Yes! If you need anything, just let me know!" Cain beamed, absolutely thrilled to be addressed with such polite respect. How long had it been since he was treated like an actual ranker?!
"I want to get my ship repaired at the harbor. Where is the shipyard?"
"We don't have one of those."
"...Cain. My class is a hunter, so I wanted to build affinity with the local hunter NPCs and go hunting. Where are they?"
"I don't think we have those either."
"...?!" The players were slowly starting to realize the grim reality. "T-then... what *do* we have?"
"Uh... oh, we have Orcs, Giants, Vampires, Goblins, and stuff like that!"
"!!!"
The players gasped in horror. Where on earth did they even find those races?! You couldn't gather a lineup like that even if you tried! Sure, they were rare, unique races and technically NPCs, but... We wanted normal, standard NPCs!
It was absurd, but the newcomers hadn't completely lost hope yet. Well, even without standard NPCs, we can make it work if we grind hard, right?There are plenty of players here even if there are no NPCs... and there must be tons of uncompleted quests.Besides, Cain might be a bit of a loudmouth, but he's a highly capable ranker. There must be a reason he's stationed here. If we stick with him, we'll definitely get something out of it.
Meanwhile, Cain was busy reading a whisper from Tae-hyun.
Even though Tae-hyun replied with a flat "Is that really necessary?", Cain insisted on helping. He was highly conscious of the broadcast crew filming behind him. Although the staff had already struck gold with Cain's footage, they were still hungry for more. They wanted to milk this for all it was worth!
"Cough, cough... I just wanted to see Kim Tae-hyun on screen one last time before I die..." the PD wheezed dramatically.
"Oh my god, PD! Are you suffering from some terminal illness that flares up if Kim Tae-hyun doesn't appear on camera?!" a staff member cried out.
"Shh! If you say it like that, you'll put too much pressure on Player Cain! Don't speak so loudly."
"PD!!"
"...Alright, alright, I'll ask him, so please stop!" Cain groaned.
Fortunately, with the massive influx of new players rushing in like a high tide, it seemed perfectly fine for Cain to step away. ...Of course, that was only Cain's perspective. The newly joined players felt very differently.
"I'm heading out to clear a quest for a bit! Keep up the good work, everyone!" Cain waved cheerfully.
"???"
"What did Cain just say?"
"Honestly, I don't think we even need to call him 'Cain' with respect anymore."
"What did that bastard Cain just say?!"
"Hey! Get back here! Where do you think you're going by yourself?!"
"Cain, you jerk! Get back here right now!"
The respectful title of "Cain" hadn't even lasted a few hours.
"Ah, leaving Nodranche feels like heaven," Cain sighed in relief.
Their destination was the mountain where Yu Ji-soo had led the Tyrum Hunters! Having already gathered the other two materials, they only needed to obtain the horn of the corrupted unicorn. Tae-hyun's group had reunited after a long time, and the ones most excited were Cain and the PD filming behind him.
"Was Nodranche really that tough?" Choi Sang-yun asked.
"Don't even get me started! The weather was freezing, and a blizzard would blow in at the slightest provocation..."
"But since the Curse of the Volcano was triggered, won't Nodranche get a bit warmer?" Lee Da-bi pointed out.
"Oh, true."
"...??!" Cain froze. Wait, really...? Huh? Is Nodranche actually a decent piece of land? Did I actually receive a good territory?
"No. It's still a terrible piece of land, so don't get ahead of yourself," Tae-hyun cut him off coldly. This guy received a literal wasteland and is already trying to rationalize it as a win...!
"Sob... you could've at least pretended it was good... it could still get better..." Cain whimpered.
"Cain. You do realize they're filming behind us right now, right? This is all going to be broadcast," Choi Sang-yun warned.
At Sang-yun's words, Cain's posture instantly stiffened, and he adopted a solemn, serious expression. "...But the destiny of the land is something I shall carve out with my own hands, is it not?"
"No. You should have just gotten a good piece of land from the start," Tae-hyun retorted, glancing back.
The MC and the other cast members were staring at Tae-hyun with sparkling, expectant eyes. Their gazes were filled with pure anticipation!
"But a unicorn is a pretty dangerous monster. Are you guys really okay with tagging along?" Tae-hyun asked.
"It's perfectly fine! We don't mind dying at all!"
A few staff members getting logged out wouldn't hurt them. The broadcast was the absolute priority! At Tae-hyun's question, one of the cast members clapped his hands as if having a sudden epiphany.
"Ah! I see! You want to use us as human bombs! Please, feel free to use me! I'll do it!"
A human bomb experience! When else would they ever get an opportunity like this on a broadcast? If I get to experience being a bomb, I'll secure so much screen time!I have to secure my screen time!
As soon as one cast member volunteered, the others immediately raised their hands to compete.
"Me too! I want to do it too!"
"You can't leave me out—"
Carbanog is utterly horrified, declaring that the world has gone completely mad!
To think people would actively compete to become human bombs... What a terrifying and bizarre world this was!
"No. We have Cain, so we don't need any of you," Tae-hyun said flatly.
"Haha! See? I told you! I'm an indispensable player in this party—wait, what?" Cain cheered, but suddenly froze as a strange realization washed over him. Hold on... something about that sounded incredibly wrong?