A Bizarre Racing Culture

"Wait, what? He blocked us?"

"What a cowardly bastard."

The other rankers were utterly dumbfounded by Farel's sudden block. It was exasperating enough that he had cast aside his pride to cling to Kim Tae-hyun for a free ride, but now he was acting like this.

"I was just trying to ask how he's clearing the quest..."

"Forget it. Let's just move on our own."

Farel believed he was hiding information about his quest as much as possible, but secrets were rarely kept perfectly in this world. The other rankers already knew about the quest Farel had received. They had been putting their heads together to figure out how to clear it when they heard he was with Kim Tae-hyun, which was why they had reached out in the first place.

"But if he went as far as calling in Kim Tae-hyun, doesn't that mean the quest is basically cleared?"

"Even if it's Kim Tae-hyun, he won't be able to get ahead here. Everyone knows how weird this city is."

"True, that's fair."

The rankers had no idea. They didn't know that Tae-hyun was already meeting and conversing with one of the city's elders.

"But..."

Tae-hyun was puzzled. He stared at the spider mount Elder Shuraik was riding, but no matter how hard he looked, he couldn't see Elder Shuraik anywhere. What was going on?

"I am the elder."

"!"

Surprisingly, Elder Shuraik wasn't riding anything. The giant spider *was* Elder Shuraik.

"Wait... Isn't it cheating to run on your own feet without riding anything?"

'Aren't you surprised that the elder is a spider?' Farel thought, looking bewildered, but Elder Shuraik merely shook his head and replied.

"That is nothing but a stereotype. In a race, anything is possible. Starting a few seconds before everyone else, or waiting to attack and banish them."

'Isn't that just cheating?' Tae-hyun thought.

"Surely you understand what I mean? Since you employ a similar style of racing yourself."

"??"

Tae-hyun was flustered by Elder Shuraik suddenly acting so friendly. He hadn't particularly thought of himself as having such a "free-spirited" mindset.

"Uh... sure, let's go with that."

"Exactly! Anything goes in a race! The idea that we should only compete in raw speed is utterly ridiculous."

Indeed, Elder Shuraik's mindset aligned surprisingly well with Tae-hyun's. Once the conversation warmed up, Tae-hyun seized the opportunity to ask.

"By the way, Elder. Where did you get that magnificent armor?"

"Ah. This armor?"

Elder Shuraik clacked his spider fangs together in delight. As a giant spider from the Sky Island, Elder Shuraik had lived for a very long time. This mechanical engineering armor from the Ancient Empire was a family heirloom passed down through generations.

'Wait. He didn't make it himself?'

Tae-hyun was deeply disappointed. If the elder had crafted it himself, Tae-hyun might have been able to learn the technique. It seemed Elder Shuraik had nothing to do with the Engineering skill.

"Do you wish to have armor like this? If so, there is a way."

"But isn't that armor specifically for spiders? Humans wouldn't be able to wear it," Farel asked, looking puzzled ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠from the side.

"There is a way around that as well."

"Ah. Is there a separate set of armor that humans can wear?"

"No. I meant there is a way for you to turn into a spider."

Farel recoiled in disgust, taking a step back. The giant spider elder's words were rather terrifying.

Regardless, Tae-hyun pressed on. If it meant getting stronger, what was wrong with turning into a spider? Cain had already attached six arms to himself, and even Spider-X-Man transformed into a spider...

"What is this method?"

"If you become the lord, you will be able to enter the ruins of the Ancient Empire beneath this city. It is a dangerous place, but many treasures still remain there."

"......!!!"

The eyes of all three widened.

'The ruins of the Ancient Empire were underground all along!'

Among the countless dungeons in Pan-On, the ruins of the Ancient Empire held a very special status. It meant that items related to the Ancient Empire would drop as rewards. Whenever such a dungeon appeared, all sorts of players would swarm ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to it.

"This is a dungeon our ancestors have used since ancient times, you bastards! Get lost!"

"Ancestors my foot! I was born in this dungeon! This dungeon is my hometown!"

Even for ordinary dungeons, many people would try to occupy them to monopolize the rewards. When it came to the ruins of the Ancient Empire, the competition would become so fierce that even a massive coalition like the Guild Alliance would struggle to keep it all to themselves.

"S-See? What did I tell you! Didn't I say this was going to be huge!" Farel said excitedly. He had thought it was a decent quest, but he hadn't expected it to be this massive!

"We have to move faster than anyone else, occupy the dungeon, and block anyone else from entering, Player Kim Tae-hyun!"

"Huh? No. I don't plan on doing that."

"Pardon?"

"I don't really do dungeon monopolies."

Tae-hyun rarely occupied dungeons. Going in first and saying, "Hey, this is my dungeon, so beat it," didn't fit his personality.

"What do you mean...? You're literally famous for occupying dungeons!"

"I keep telling you, that's a misunderstanding..."

Tae-hyun clicked his tongue. Ever since he became famous, videos of his past exploits in Pan-On 1 kept getting uploaded.

Titles like The Demon of the Dungeon, The Tyrant of the Abyss, and so on. Putting Kim Tae-hyun's name in the title guaranteed tens of times more views, so it was only natural. In those videos, Tae-hyun was portrayed as some kind of monster who destroyed guilds before breakfast out of boredom and wiped out ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠dungeons before lunch just for fun.

"But those are things you actually did, aren't they?"

"Don't you start too."

Usually, when Tae-hyun ended up occupying a dungeon, it was because the other party had provoked him first. He would try to enter a dungeon to gather materials, only for some guild members to block him saying, "This is our spot, scram." Naturally, his reflex would be to reply, "Sure, it's your graveyard then."

Since those guild bastards wouldn't just take it lying down, Tae-hyun had to fight back. And since he didn't have a combat class, he had to make the absolute most of the terrain. Back then, the easiest method was to lure them into a dungeon and hit-and-run, since setting traps and launching ambushes was much easier inside.

"Besides, if it's the ruins of the Ancient Empire, everyone from the players currently here to the ones who aren't will come rushing over. Trying to hold it down and occupy it is just too much work."

Tae-hyun quickly calculated the costs. He wasn't the leader of some giant guild; doing something like that simply wasn't cost-effective.

"So you're going to clear it quickly and get out?"

"Isn't that the best way?"

Clear the dungeon faster than anyone else, grab every single reward they could lay their hands on, and slip away. That was Tae-hyun's preferred method.

"Elder. Is there any way to enter the ruins of the Ancient Empire without becoming the lord?"

"How could you ask such a thing?" Elder Shuraik replied as if it were an absurd question.

"You lost the race, didn't you?"

"Well, yes, but..."

"You lost the race, didn't you?"

"...Urgh. That is true." Elder Shuraik reluctantly conceded.

In this city, no matter how unreasonable the demand, if you pushed the "You lost the race, didn't you!" card, there was a very high chance of success. Since they had won the race, the NPC had no choice but to do their best to help!

"...Hmph. Actually, this is a secret, but there is an elder who guards the entrance to the ruins of the Ancient Empire. It is the manor where that elder resides..."

"Ah. I know where that is."

"Have you already been inside? It is Elder Krasbi's manor."

"That elder is also a swift man, not far behind myself. Though, of course, I am faster."

"Of course. Isn't Elder Shuraik obviously the fastest in this city?"

It was a bit funny how his affinity shot up the moment he complimented the elder's speed, but now that he had information about the manor, Tae-hyun clenched his fist. It seemed he could enter the dungeon much faster than trying to become the lord of Sky Island.

"Indeed. I am undoubtedly the fastest here."

The elders of this city always desire to become faster. Use the know-how you gained through the Mecha Basilisk to make Elder Shuraik even faster and stronger! If you succeed...

'What kind ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of ridiculous quest is this?'

Tae-hyun was dumbfounded. Perhaps because his Engineering skill was so high, a quest had popped up asking him to install a booster on Elder Shuraik.

'To make him any faster than he already is, that's the only way. And if things go wrong, the elder is going to end up absolutely hating me.'

Engineering equipment was notorious for ruining relationships if it malfunctioned even once. He had managed to coax and soothe Nantione into using it well, but he had no idea if the same would work on Elder Shuraik.

"How do we get into that manor?"

"Hmm... Actually, even I have no way to help with that. It is a manor that permits entry to none but the lord."

"You lost the race, didn't you? Give me a solution."

"Urrrgh..."

Elder Shuraik groaned and began to rack his brain.

"Do you understand? Speed is of the essence. You must run as fast as possible to reach the end before the hallway stretches out."

If anyone other than the lord entered Elder Krasbi's manor, the hallway would stretch infinitely. If they dashed like madmen and reached the end before the hallway could extend, they might just be able to get inside.

Elder Shuraik spread his legs wide, lowered his body, and tensed his muscles. The moment they entered, he planned to sprint like crazy.

"Swift Spider, Magic Extra Legs, Gale Acceleration, Path of Dazzling Light, Wind of the Ancient Empire..."

'Oh.'

Tae-hyun was slightly impressed. Elder Shuraik hadn't given his all during their race earlier. As various cheat-like buff skills were cast, a sharp howling wind whipped up around Elder Shuraik. At this rate, they might actually break through!

"Let us go!"

Elder Shuraik shot forward like an explosion. The moment they entered the manor, he sprinted so fast his legs became a blur.

Thud!

"......"

"......"

Of course, just because they tried hard didn't mean the impossible suddenly became possible. Elder Shuraik failed to outrun the speed at which the hallway stretched and was kicked out.

"...Ahem."

Elder Shuraik seemed rather embarrassed, unable to look Tae-hyun in the eye.

"Did I not tell you it would be difficult unless you are the lord?"

"I didn't say anything."

Tae-hyun showed some consideration for the elder. Surely this much courtesy was warranted.

"Now that it has come to this, put aside these foolish thoughts and work toward becoming the lord. A man of your caliber will surely sit upon the lord's throne one day."

"But can't we just capture Elder Krasbi and threaten him?"

"......?!"

Elder Shuraik was utterly horrified by Tae-hyun's words. What kind of madman was this?

"What utter nonsense is that?! No matter the circumstances, capturing Elder Krasbi and threatening him... How could such a method ever... Wait, actually, would that work?"

Elder Shuraik trailed off, suddenly looking intrigued. Come to think of it, since they spared no means or methods, wasn't this a perfectly viable option? He had always found Elder Krasbi rather annoying anyway...

"Then let's go capture him!"

"No, wait. He is still a fellow elder..."

"We're not going to do anything bad to him. We're just going to have a race."

Of course, they would do it while keeping him as bound and restricted as possible... but a race was still a race, wasn't it!

Carbanog was slightly concerned. If Tae-hyun became the lord here, wouldn't a trend of dirty racing take over? A culture where players attacked and eliminated each other before the race even began...