A Head is Enough
"Ah. I almost fell for it." Tae-hyun snapped himself back to reality. Lately, Carbanog was the only one around he could truly rely on, which had led him to unconsciously place too much weight on the rabbit's opinions. It had sounded plausible at first, but the plan was riddled with holes. Most of all, the chances of actually reasoning with giant gorillas were abysmally low.
Even if he yelled, 'Give me the First Prince's head and I'll leave!' the gorillas would most likely just think, 'Oh? Our ingredients just came with a buy-one-get-one-free deal?'
Carbanog asks if there is any other way besides that.
'…I have to get him out of there somehow.' To think he was suddenly in a position where he had to rescue the First Prince from those monstrous beasts! It was absurd, but he had no choice.
'Wait, just how strong are those monsters to have captured the First Prince in the first place?' The First Prince's royal knights were powerful boss-level monsters easily exceeding level 500 or 600... and the First Prince himself was by no means weak. He was a powerhouse who had formed a direct covenant with the Hungry Chaos. A broken bloodline skill from the royal family of Erangse + cheat-tier heirlooms passed down through the dynasty + a covenant with the Hungry Chaos = an utterly broken NPC!
Tae-hyun himself had never seriously considered fighting the First Prince head-on. Just as one didn't fight a dragon in a 1v1 duel, the same logic applied to the prince. Yet, that very prince was currently bound and treated as a mere cooking ingredient. At this point, the Hungry Chaos should have bestowed some kind of power to help him escape, but seeing how he was completely helpless...
Carbanog states that there must be some secret to that rope.
The rope binding the First Prince was undoubtedly a highly overpowered item as well.
"What... what in the world is that?"
"Are they... trying to cook him?"
"No way. Surely not."
The guild members, who had noticed the scene a bit late, muttered in sheer shock. In all their lives, they had never seen a prince of the Erangs Kingdom about to be boiled alive in a giant pot. No matter how crazy this game was, this was a bit too much!
"It's probably just a threat, or they're just tormenting him. There's no way they'd actually cook him, right?"
"...But that gorilla over there is drooling while slathering some kind of sauce on him...?"
The gorilla was humming with excitement as it scooped green sauce from a massive jar and began brushing it all over the First Prince. The prince squirmed and muffled out desperate protests, but the gorilla paid him no mind.
'Aside from the rope, those gorillas must be incredibly strong.' Judging by the other monsters on this island, he couldn't rely solely on his evasion. He had to assume they possessed at least one skill capable of piercing through his evasion rate.
'There are so many of them. If a fight breaks out, I'm bound to take at least one hit... Ah, wait. I'm currently in the Idergo Incarnation state, so I can afford to take a few more hits.' It was a relief that his HP and MP had ballooned to absurd proportions.
'It would've been great if Idergo was the god of gorillas.'
Carbanog apologizes for only being the god of rabbits.
'Well, it's not like that's your fault...' Meanwhile, the members of the Black Rock Sect finished whispering among themselves. If even the First Prince had been captured, those gorilla monsters had to be terrifyingly powerful.
"We're backing off, right?"
"We have to. Even if it's Kim Tae-hyun, there's no way."
"What kind of nonsense are you all talking about?!"
"?!"
However, Hallus sharply rebuked the doubting guild members.
"He must have already formulated a plan. Stop spouting nonsense."
"No, but seriously, how can even Kim Tae-hyun break through that? We should retreat..."
"Besides, we don't even need to save the First Prince, do we? He's probably going to attack us anyway."
The guild members looked at Hallus as if he had lost his mind. How was any human supposed to clear this? If they charged in there, they would just end up tied up right next to the First Prince, sharing a cozy spot in the boiling pot!
"Just watch. Right now..."
Boom!
"Your Highness! We are here to rescue you!"
"You vile, filthy monsters! Remove His Highness from that pot this instant!"
Before Hallus could even finish his sentence, the First Prince's royal knights burst onto the scene like a flash of lightning from the opposite side. They had finally tracked down their prince.
"...See?? This is his plan!"
"...?!"
The Black Rock Sect members were utterly dumbfounded. How on earth did he orchestrate this? They had been standing right next to him the entire time!
"Wait, even if you wanted to pull this off, how is this even possible...?"
"We're moving in! It's now or never!"
Tae-hyun, who had been completely ignoring their useless chatter, barked out a sharp command. He felt it in his bones—this was the perfect opportunity!
The First Prince's royal knights versus the gorillas of the uncharted island. A chaotic clash between powerhouses, each easily comparable to a dungeon boss! The knights charged forward, activating a barrage of overpowered skills that tore up the very earth around them.
"Loyalty to the Erangs Royal Family! Sword of the Great Knight!! Galactraco Swordsmanship! Condensed Mana Heart, Heart Explosion, Radiance Before Death!"
'Whoa. I'm so glad I'm not the one fighting them.' For the first time in a while, goosebumps broke out over Tae-hyun's skin. Driven by absolute loyalty, the royal knights began burning through their own lifespans to activate high-risk, high-reward skills. Already high-level monsters, they were now boosted by multiple multipliers, radiating a murderous aura intense enough to slay a dragon. To think he was originally supposed to face that head-on!
— Rooaaar!
[A Golden Gorilla has activated [Skill]!]
[A Golden Gorilla has activated [Skill]!]
[The power of the Golden Gorillas resonates! Their strength is amplified further!]
[The mysterious energy flowing through the island makes them even stronger!]
[The Golden Gorillas have activated [Skill]!]
[Golden Gorilla...]
In response, the gorillas began unleashing their own broken skills. When the heavily buffed gorillas swung their massive arms, colossal shockwaves erupted, shattering the ground beneath them. Crash! Boom! Debris rained down in every direction, but the knights ignored it and charged forward, shielding their bodies with barriers and unleashing waves of aura. Clang! Clang!
"Die, you monstrous beasts!"
"How dare you touch His Highness!"
The gorillas possessed incredibly high defense, barely taking any noticeable damage despite the onslaught. Yet, the knights did not falter. For the First Prince!
"Aaaaargh!" Squeezing out every last drop of their mana, they unleashed even more powerful waves of aura upon the gorillas. It was a truly tragic and solemn spectacle—loyal knights falling one by one, desperately fighting to take down the giant beasts.
Meanwhile, Tae-hyun and his party were stealthily creeping up from behind.
"..."
"..."
"Don't breathe too loudly."
"I-I know."
Just a stone's throw away, the world was literally tearing itself apart. In all his time playing Pangaea Online, he had rarely encountered enemies this terrifying.
'Damn it.' Tae-hyun clicked his tongue as they drew closer. The First Prince wasn't just tied up on his own; the gorilla acting as the chef was holding onto him. While the others were locked in a fierce battle, this particular gorilla remained out of the fray, turning the prince this way and that as if contemplating how best to prep him.
[You have discovered the chieftain of the gorillas!]
[Their Cooking skill is exceptionally high!]
[...]
[You receive a bonus to inspecting the target's information!]
'What does a boss monster's Cooking skill have to do with anything...?'
[Umbaka, the chieftain of the Golden Gorillas, is a highly intelligent gorilla.]
[He is a gourmet who seeks to cook and consume everything he lays eyes on on this island. Take extreme care not to get caught in his grasp!]
'...Ah. That explains it.' It seemed they could never be friends despite both being chefs. After all, the giant ape would only view Tae-hyun as ingredients!
[Your understanding of the island has increased as you gather more information!]
Spreading the Faith
This island, located far from the Central Continent, is a wild land teeming with monsters completely different from anything seen before. How about building a temple and spreading your faith in this godless place? It may be difficult and grueling now, but it will surely bring rewarding results in the distant future!
🎁 Reward: ?, ???
'Are you insane?!'
Carbanog exclaims that Akisus has absolutely no conscience.
The two deities and their apostle were thoroughly incensed. They were currently on the verge of becoming soup ingredients for a giant gorilla, and the system was giving them a quest to spread a religion?! Was it out of its mind?!
'To spread a faith, we'd have to bring people here, but is this place even habitable for humans?' If they brought a hundred people, at least ninety of them would die on the spot!
Though the quest was utterly ridiculous, the silver lining was that he had gained valuable information. This Primitive Island was so shrouded in mystery that not a single player had managed to uncover its secrets yet. Every piece of information gained here was incredibly precious.
Conqueror of the Wilds
You, who have set out to pioneer an uncharted land unknown to anyone, are a great king destined to leave your name in history. If you conquer this island and expand your territory, your name will be remembered forever...
🎁 Reward: ?, ???
'…Are you kidding me?!' Before he could even calm down, another quest popped up! Both quests were things he couldn't even dream of attempting right now.
'Well, at least this confirms it's a completely new region.' One of Pangaea Online's undiscovered territories! He had assumed there was nothing but endless ocean to the west of the Central Continent, but seeing this island, it wouldn't be surprising if there were more places like this. ...Actually, the thought of more places like this existing was rather horrifying.
'I originally planned to sweep up as many hidden dungeons and secrets on this island as possible, but looking at the situation, it might be better to just grab what we need and run.' If he blindly followed every single job quest Akisus threw at him, he would likely end up in an early grave. Tae-hyun decided to prioritize securing the First Prince's head first, and then seriously figure out a way to escape. He could always come back later anyway...
Carbanog asks if you are actually planning to come back.
'Do I look insane?'
While he quickly wrapped up his thoughts, Umbaka seemed to have finished contemplating his recipe. He grabbed the First Prince by the ankles, lifted him up, and began slamming him against the ground to tenderize the meat. Thud! Thud! Thud!
"Stop him!!!"
Tae-hyun yelled urgently. Breaking their stealth, Tae-hyun and his party rushed out. They had originally planned to sneak in, but the situation had deteriorated too rapidly. They had to save him somehow!
"Mmph! Mmmph!"
The First Prince's eyes widened with joy at the sight of a rescue party...
...Wait.
'?????'
The prince blinked in sheer confusion. Uh... they looked an awful lot like the Idergo Cult...?
"Save the First Prince!! Stealth classes, flank them! Get him out of there by any means necessary!"
"Watch out for area-of-effect skills!"
Even if they were the Idergo Cult, they seemed to be here to rescue him, which brought a wave of relief to the First Prince. After all, forming a contract with the Idergo Cult was infinitely better than being boiled alive by a giant ape.
"Plague Knights! Forward!"
"Grrr!"
With a shout, Tae-hyun lunged toward Umbaka. While the chieftain was caught off guard, he had to deal as much damage as possible and snatch the First Prince away!
Thud, thud, thud! Umbaka, who had been slamming the First Prince against the ground, flinched upon seeing Tae-hyun and immediately swung the prince like a shield.
'What a cowardly gorilla!' Tae-hyun was infuriated by the beast's underhanded tactics. Using a hostage? Are you even a gorilla?!
Carbanog asks if you actually need to keep the First Prince alive.
'...Oh. Right.' He only needed the prince's head, not a living, breathing First Prince. Realizing this, Tae-hyun instantly shifted his stance.
True Plague Touch
Tae-hyun unleashed his strongest single-target burst magic skill. It was a devastating spell that consumed the power of plague to deliver a single, lethal strike!
[The First Prince has sustained massive damage from True Plague Touch!]
[A Critical Hit has been dealt!!]
[Your Magic skill has increased!]
[The First Prince has fallen!!!]
The final blow! Tae-hyun had cleanly secured the kill, snitching the final breath of the First Prince right out of Umbaka's hands.