A Hundred Times the Pressure!
The judges seriously debated whether they should change the test they had prepared right now, all because that damn host had run his mouth so weirdly. No... they had brought these after discussing them with other staff members of their respective gaming organizations before coming here...
"There is nothing to worry about." Ames, the former head coach of the Boston Tigers, spoke up with confidence.
"Oh? Why is that?"
"Think about it. It's anonymous anyway."
"!"
That was true. Come to think of it, the format involved everyone submitting a test and then drawing them randomly, making it difficult to know who submitted what. If it were a blatant mission directly related to one's own gaming organization, people might notice, but otherwise...
"Ah! I forgot to mention this. Due to high demand after the first test, starting from the second test, we will reveal which judge selected the mission!"
"..."
"..."
The judges glared at the host. This little bastard...! The people here were all big shots in the esports industry, and he was changing the rules like this without a single word of warning?
"Ugh."
"Grrr..."
"?"
Tae-hyun, who was participating via video feed from his lodging, looked puzzled. The judges were making some seriously pained groaning noises.
Ah. Come to think of it, I won't be getting a luck buff this time, will I? Since other people would be drawing the test instead of it being generated by the game...
I should just submit something with an easy mind.
"Since things have turned out this way, let's just take it easy."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Everyone just needs to not overdo it. There's no need to push ourselves just because our names will be revealed, is there?"
At Ames's words, everyone nodded with touched expressions. That was certainly true. They just had to present the ordinary missions they had prepared.
"I prepared an ordinary one too," Tae-hyun said over the video feed.
"..."
"..."
The judges glared at him. How obnoxious!
Still, we shouldn't curse at him.
We need to stay on Kim Tae-hyun's good side...
Considering the remaining schedule of the tournament, cooperating with Tae-hyun was essential. Though Tae-hyun didn't know it, a fierce struggle was currently taking place beneath the surface. As soon as the first test ended, recruiters had begun approaching the standout players left and right.
—Our gaming organization has a long history and tradition...
—We are on a completely different level compared to other teams. What? Are we in the First Division? We'll be promoted soon, very soon!
—How much is the weekly salary? Haha. Why do you need pay when you're doing what you love?
Normally, contacting players before the end of the tournament was forbidden, but rules were meant to be broken, weren't they? Not only the participating judges but also several other gaming organizations joined in to send love calls. They were staking their claims early, knowing it would be much harder once the players' market values skyrocketed later.
In such a fierce competition, the help of a judge like Tae-hyun, who had no personal greed, was like rain after a long drought. His voice carried immense weight, yet he had no selfish desires! To put it bluntly, if Tae-hyun told Player A, "Hmm, you look like you'd fit right in with the New York Lions," 99% of them would immediately decide, "Oh! I must go to the New York Lions!"
"Now, let's draw! Ah, it is the mission submitted by Mr. Ames!"
When Ames's name was drawn, the other judges let out sighs of relief. At least their own hadn't been picked first. They had been feeling pressured, worried their submissions would be compared to the first one...
Since it's Ames, he probably submitted something safe and standard.
Yes. This is actually for the best. It'll make it easier to choose the third and fourth ones.
"Oh... this is quite unexpected. He submitted this?"
"????"
The judges stared at Ames in bewilderment. Ames avoided their gazes, pretending not to notice.
"As you all know, there is a very hot quest right now. Players must find Kim Tae-hyun, who has gone missing at sea, and bring him to the King..."
"?"
Shocked by this ominous sign, the judges gasped. Surely not...
The watching players were also dumbfounded. Surely not...? No way, right??
"He has submitted this as the mission! The candidate players just need to participate in this quest!"
—Whoaaaaaaa!
While the judges and players were horrified, the spectators were absolutely thrilled. Wow! This is going to be so much fun!
—Ames! Ames! Ames!
—The Boston Tigers are the best!!
Ames waved his hand with a proud expression. The players gathered in the plaza cheered repeatedly. Of course, the other judges were on the verge of clutching the backs of their necks in frustration.
That... that man...!
They had been completely fooled. Even while telling everyone to keep it ordinary, he had written down a highly attention-grabbing mission for himself just in case his was drawn! And he had even told others to keep it simple!
Is it really okay to do this?!
Have we only been in this business for a day or two?
"!"
Everyone gnashed their teeth at Ames's shameless response. But Ames was right. This was war. They were the fools for trusting their rivals!
"We will comprehensively score the players participating in the quest. I look forward to seeing how each of you plans to find the person lost at sea!"
Tae-hyun, who hadn't really done anything this time, thought with a puzzled face, What a bizarre mission to submit.
"This is actually a bit of a problem."
"???"
"I can't use my cooking skill right now."
Tae-hyun spoke with a serious expression. One of the skills Tae-hyun had relied on when attempting this voyage was Cooking. A broken skill that allowed him to cook absolutely anything in the world, which was essential for a long-distance voyage like this!
...But because he was currently in Idergo's Incarnation state, he couldn't cook.
Idergo's Plague interferes with cooking!
The dish is contaminated!
What a piece of trash! Tae-hyun cursed Idergo. Why did he have to block cooking of all things! Blocking his swordsmanship skills was already inconvenient enough...!
However, the others didn't seem to fully grasp the situation yet.
"What's the big deal about your cooking skill being blocked?"
"We have food too, Kim Tae-hyun."
They looked like they couldn't understand why he was worrying so seriously! Tae-hyun shook his head.
They haven't tasted true hardship yet.
In truth, once players reached ranker level, they rarely suffered from a lack of food or water. And to begin with, dying of hunger or thirst was extremely rare in Pan-On. Most players never experienced it unless they had a profession that involved drifting at sea!
But Tae-hyun was someone who had experienced everything, starting from the Hunger Dungeon all the way to the lands beyond the desert. Once it hit, they would realize.
"Right. It's not urgent yet. Save your food and go do some fishing in the sea."
"???"
The members of the Black Rock Sect didn't feel it at first. But it didn't take long for them to realize the meaning of his words.
Sailing causes hunger to deplete rapidly!
A penalty will be applied if you do not eat!
Health may decrease!
If you do not drink water...
...
...
"!!"
The further they sailed, the faster their hunger and thirst rose! The massive amount of food they had in their bags began to deplete rapidly. Only then did the guild members slowly begin to realize. This... was dangerous!
"Ge-get the fishing gear ready! Let's use magic to get water!"
Catching fish from the sea, using water magic to fill their cups... The guild members busily prepared everything they could.
This is bad. When is this plague status going to wear off?
Carbanog notes that catching fish is also tricky due to the plague status...
How nice would it have been if Idergo were the god of water or the god of fish! In contrast, Carbanog was the rabbit god.
Rumble!
—Master. A monster is approaching from a distance.
"!"
At the ship's words, Tae-hyun snapped out of his thoughts. They had to fight the monsters before they starved to death.
"Where is it coming..."
A massive sea serpent emerged from the water, its red scales twisting.
—Kieeeeeeeeeeeek!
The monster's screech was meant to strike terror into its prey!
"It's food! Don't let it get away!"
—...?
Taken aback by a reaction completely different from what it expected, the sea serpent hesitated. Huh?
—Ring of Plague! Plague of Sinking!
"Kim Tae-hyun! Stand back! We'll handle this!"
"We can do this!"
The guild members rushed forward frantically. It wasn't because they cared about Tae-hyun.
If Kim Tae-hyun kills it, it'll be contaminated!
Even if Kim Tae-hyun can eat it, we won't be able to!
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The Giant Red Sea Serpent uses a skill...
"Aaargh! Kim Tae-hyun! Don't help! There's no need to help!"
"We can kill it ourselves!!!"
Even as they were struck by the sea serpent and rolled across the deck, the guild members consistently shouted at Tae-hyun to stay away. Yong-yong and Heuk-heuk spoke up, looking dumbfounded.
—Are those adventurers a bit stupid?
—They seem to lack intelligence... Seeing them get beaten up like that while shouting 'I'm fine! I'm fine!' is honestly a bit absurd. Are they dropped on their heads?
The energy of Idergo's Plague has been completely exhausted!
You awaken from the incomplete Incarnation state!
"!"
The dreadful energy of the plague that had been enveloping Tae-hyun's body completely vanished.
It's finally over!
Tae-hyun immediately drew his sword and charged. Freedom! Although it was a pity he couldn't max out his magic skills, the joy of liberation was far greater.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Tae-hyun immediately threw bombs all around and used a skill to close the distance to the sea serpent.
—Archisus's First Strike!
And then came the burst of explosive damage!
CRITICAL HIT!
A dazzling flash of sword light flared as a barrage of continuous strikes landed.
—Kyiaaaaaaaaak!
Hit with a devastating attack by a human it hadn't expected, the sea serpent shrieked. The bombs exploding continuously around it even made its head spin!
—Ah! Brother! Brother!
"??"
Tae-hyun looked puzzled when the priest of Idergo called out to him from behind. Surely he wasn't trying to help?
"Don't help! It'll ruin the taste of the meat!"
Tae-hyun spoke shamelessly, even though he had been an Incarnation himself just moments ago!
—It's not that... Look over there!
Tae-hyun turned his gaze. A massive fleet was approaching from the opposite horizon.
"!!!"
They're here! Tae-hyun was pleased by the rescue, which came faster than expected. Since it was such a distant place where he had never been before, he thought he would have to travel far himself to meet the rescue team...
No. Wait.
Carbanog tells you to look closely at the flag!
Just as Tae-hyun suddenly realized something was off, Carbanog seemed to have realized it too. It was far too fast for players to arrive!
—The brothers of the Idergo Cult have come to rescue us!!
Along with the priest's joyful voice, the flags flown by the fleet on the horizon came into view. The emblem of the Idergo Cult!
"..."
"..."
The guild members, who had been drooling while beating up the sea serpent, froze. They, too, had grasped the situation.
"Kim... Kim Tae-hyun. What do we do?"
"Can we fight them?"
"Are you crazy?! We have to run! Lord Kim Tae-hyun, let's run!"
"Running looks like it'll be tough too..."
If they fought with their currently active ship and it sank, they would face a double penalty of drowning and losing their Holy stats. On the other hand, running away was also dangerous. The moment they fled, the enemies would surely give chase. It was too much of a gamble when they didn't even know the capabilities of the enemy fleet.
Tae-hyun felt a throbbing headache coming on. To think they would encounter the grand fleet of the Idergo Cult right when his Incarnation state had worn off...!
Of all times, you always meet the most annoying bastards in the most annoying situations.
If fighting wasn't an option, and running away wasn't viable either... there was only one thing left.
"From now on, you guys..."
"?"
"...are adventurers belonging to the Idergo Cult. Got it?"
"..."
"..."
The faces of the Black Rock Sect guild members were painted with sheer dumbfoundment.