While Cain Sweats, Others Race

While Cain was busy with his training, Choi Sang-yun and Jeong Su-hyeok were exploring Sky Island.

"See? Forget the national team or whatever. Being a free agent is way more comfortable, don't you think?"

"I completely agree, senior."

It was the most peaceful and beautiful region among the recently discovered areas in Pandemonium Online! Just wandering around was a pleasure in itself.

"Ugh. These guys are like mosquitoes."

Aside from the occasional Garuda Warriors swooping down from the heavens, Sky Island was indeed peaceful.

Besides, the major guilds that would normally be fighting over territory here had all descended to the main continent to wage war like madmen...

For players who wanted to enjoy Pandemonium Online at a leisurely pace, Sky Island was currently the most popular destination.

"I heard Cain is training super hard lately. I'm actually curious about what he's doing."

"Isn't he just exaggerating?"

"Come on... he looked genuinely exhausted."

Whenever he stepped out of his capsule, Cain would whine and sob, crying, "Ugh, I'm dying here!" But Jeong Su-hyeok remained cold and analytical. That could easily be a deception!

"Anyway, did you find the NPC?"

"They're supposed to be around here. Let's talk to them one by one."

Players who didn't possess cheat-like skills like Tae-hyun had to do quests the old-fashioned way. They had to track down an NPC, ask them questions, and if they didn't answer, grind out whatever tedious chores the NPC demanded to raise their affinity before asking again...

"It would have been so much easier if senior Tae-hyun were here."

"True, but if we rely on Tae-hyun every single time, we'll get spoiled."

Honestly, having Tae-hyun around made things incredibly convenient. He never let an NPC play hard to get! He would break through their defenses using a combination of Threaten, bribery, and Speech, speeding up quest progression by several times.

The fact that Tae-hyun could easily clear high-level quests on his own despite being lower-leveled than others was largely thanks to his high-level Speech skills.

"Oh! We found him! Let's quickly learn some swordsmanship skills and then head over to learn magic skills!"

"You can take your time, senior."

The two of them were currently traveling around Sky Island to acquire useful skills. Skill grinding! Pandemonium Online was filled with NPCs who possessed powerful skills. Seeking out these NPCs to expand one's arsenal was a crucial part of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠progression.

"...Wait. Hold on a second."

"Yes? What's wrong?"

"That NPC's eyes... they look a bit strange."

"???"

Jeong Su-hyeok looked at Choi Sang-yun in confusion.

"He looks perfectly fine to me?"

"No. There's something off about him."

"In what way?"

"...He looks like someone from the Valley."

"......"

That's an insult!

"You shouldn't say things like that about someone you've just met."

"Fine, fine... I get it. I'll go talk to him."

Choi Sang-yun cleared his throat and approached Orangon.

"What is it? Have you come to place a bet on the race? You look like someone who knows how to have a good time."

"...Excuse me?"

Orangon, the Master of Swordsmanship, was a dashing swordsman who loved racing and money.

"Isn't he just a gambling addict...?"

"Shh. Quiet."

Choi Sang-yun finally realized why Orangon felt like someone from the Valley. He really is just a gambling addict!

"Ugh. Why is it always a race?"

"But it doesn't sound like a particularly difficult quest, does it? Let's give it a quick shot."

Both of them were high-ranking players. They had their own mounts and were confident in their driving skills. Though they didn't know what kind of race it was, they had no intention of losing.

"Sky Island Lake Arena, Sky Island Lake Arena... Ah, over there."

"I hope there aren't too many people."

"If there are too few, the match won't even start, right? We need a decent amount... Whoa."

"Waaaaaaah!"

"Go! Go! Go!"

"Shoot them down with arrows! Block them! Block them!!"

"Ah! How could you let them overtake you there?!"

A massive crowd had gathered! And they were all players. Choi Sang-yun and Jeong Su-hyeok were dumbfounded. Was this place always this popular?

"W-what is all this?"

Without them realizing, the Sky Island Race had become the hottest content on Sky Island. Its popularity was practically on par with the Colosseum!

The vast, winding map was filled with all sorts of bizarre obstacles, and players had to bring their own mounts to race through the course. Of course, it wasn't a competition of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pure driving skill alone.

Upon entering the arena, players were granted exclusive skills tailored to their respective classes. They were completely free to use these skills to sabotage opponents and secure victory! Naturally, while driving was important, mastery over these skills was equally essential.

"Didn't you see a really bizarre skill just now?"

"Let's pretend we didn't see it!"

Not only that, but there were also arena-exclusive items.

"He's playing this game purely on luck!!"

Boos rained down from the crowd, but player Boiled Egg ignored them and kept driving. Criticism is temporary, but records are forever!

With over hundreds of players watching the live stream, player Boiled Egg activated his Position Swap and instantly... fell to dead last.

"......"

"I was an idiot for actually expecting something," Choi Sang-yun muttered to himself. For a split second, he thought the guy was actually going to win!

"The reward items are great, and the popularity is insane..."

"It looks like players are even betting gold among themselves."

"Man, this isn't going to be easy."

Choi Sang-yun was worried. The arena granted skills based on class characteristics, but Sang-yun was a Swordsman. Swordsmen didn't seem particularly advantageous in this arena.

"I'm worried too."

"But I think you'll do better than me."

"??"

"You're an Archisus Mage. You might get a really good skill."

"...Is that really a good skill?!"

He had literally just witnessed someone drop from the middle of the pack to dead last using it!

"It's better than nothing! Looking at the race earlier, the Warrior skills are just activating a booster or knocking down opponents next to you."

"...As expected of senior Tae-hyun's best friend."

"Why bring up Tae-hyun all of a sudden?" Choi Sang-yun tilted his head, completely oblivious to the insult.

"Anyway, we're both going to participate, but I still think you have a better shot than me."

"Alright. Let's give it a try!"

"......"

"......"

Wow, this was no joke! The players competing here had run this race dozens of times; they were absolute tryhard monsters. Even their mounts were specifically optimized for this track!

"We... we need to get a proper mount first."

"Lately, I've been worried that my brother got scammed."

"What kind of scam?"

Yu Ji-soo tilted her head. If it was her friend Kim Ye-ri's brother... that would be Cain! Could he even get scammed? Wasn't he just cooped up in the training facility all day?

"Should I ask our legal team to look into it?"

"Ah, no! It's not that serious."

Kim Ye-ri was startled. In the past, Yu Ji-soo had gone to great lengths to hide the fact that she was the granddaughter of the Yuseong Group's chairman, but lately, she was casually offering to wield her family's corporate power. It was great that she had become more outgoing, but it was also a little terrifying!

"Why do you think he got scammed?"

"He keeps saying he was selected as a candidate for the national team and has to train hard, but he's really not the type of person to do that."

"......"

Yu Ji-soo thought to herself, Isn't that a bit harsh, considering you're family?

"So I was wondering if he got tricked by some fraudster posing as a national team recruiter..."

"...Actually, I think he really ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was selected as a candidate...?"

From what Ji-soo had heard, Cain had indeed been selected.

"Really?! Why?!"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

True to her name, Kim Ye-ri's evaluation of her brother was incredibly sharp. Her immediate reaction was a bewildered "Why?!"

"Because... he's a player who deserves it...?"

"Seriously? I can't believe it. I thought it was absolutely impossible."

"Shouldn't you have a little faith in him? You're family."

"It's not just me. Our parents didn't believe him either."

"......"

Yu Ji-soo subtly changed the subject.

"That tower over there is where the NPC with the secret archery skill is."

"I see."

Ji-soo was currently helping her friend. There was nothing more helpful to a beginner than a high-ranking player personally guiding them. Furthermore, Kim Ye-ri had been influenced by Ji-soo to play an archer class, making this the perfect opportunity to assist her.

But I must never, under any circumstances, recommend the Tyrum Ranger class.

True friendship! True friendship meant steering your friends far away from any class associated with Tyrum.

"?"

Yu Ji-soo frowned in confusion. Normally, when players arrived at this remote mountain tower, a master archer NPC named Ancolas was supposed to appear and test the adventurer.

"Excuse me, is Master Ancolas not here?"

"Ancolas is currently busy embracing a new faith."

When a dignified-looking old knight stepped out to answer, Ji-soo immediately grew suspicious. Something was definitely off.

"I think this quest is bugged or something."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"The fact that the NPC who's supposed to be here is missing means he might have been captured, threatened, or even eliminated..."

"...Isn't that a bit of an overreaction?"

"No, it's not. You have to anticipate these things in advance."

Though Yu Ji-soo would deny it, she had undeniably been heavily influenced by Tae-hyun. Especially considering her first instinct in this situation was to draw her bow and arrow!

"What faith is he embracing?"

Ji-soo was prepared to attack depending on the answer. If it was Sadiq, Salabian, Idergo, or Paitos, she would loose her arrows immediately!

"He is embracing the God Archisus."

"......"

"......"

The tower keeper, Ancolas, is currently embracing a new faith due to a visit from a friend. Would you also like to...

"No..."

"Oh! Isn't that a good thing? If it's a class related to the Archisus Church?"

"...No, it's not!"

"!?"

Kim Ye-ri was taken aback by Ji-soo's sudden, dead-serious expression. Wait, what?!

"If angels are stationed at each church, will the situation on the continent improve a bit?"

- I wonder?

Ahdael tilted their head.

- Of course, the angels of each church are better than demons, but they aren't particularly benevolent. Except for me, you should assume they all have terrible personalities and are incredibly narrow-minded.

"...?"

"???"

Tae-hyun and Lee Da-bi stared in disbelief at the High Angel of Archisus, who was overestimating themselves to an absurd degree. Wait, if they had worse personalities and narrower minds than an angel of Archisus... could they even be called angels? Weren't they just demons at that point?

- What is it?

"Oh, it's nothing. I suppose the angels of each church will act in the interest of their own factions."

- They might even attack other churches...

"Hmm. That's true."

- They might even target the Archisus Church.

"......"

Tae-hyun's expression turned sour. Now that he thought about it, that seemed like the most likely scenario.

"But surely they wouldn't attack us after all the goodwill we've built up by helping the other churches, right?"

- Angels don't care about things like that. They'll probably just say, "Let's attack them anyway."

The angels residing in the heavenly realm had absolutely no interest in what Tae-hyun had accomplished on the continent. Archisus? Shouldn't we just smite them first? That was likely the extent of their reasoning!

- But you have nothing to worry about, my Avatar. That is precisely why I have descended—to prevent such a thing.

"Uh... didn't you say you came here to stop the Hungry Chaos?"

- Of course we must stop the Hungry Chaos, but first, we must prevent those other angelic bastards from daring to lay a finger on the temple of Lord Archisus!

Listening to Ahdael's words, Lee Se-yeon couldn't help but feel a creeping sense of dread. Would the heroes of the continent actually be able to unite and stop the Hungry Chaos? ...Or are we all just going to destroy ourselves fighting each other first?