Chapter 105
Chapter 105
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 105
Chapter Title: The Southern Ruins
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Southern Ruins.
The land abandoned by the kingdom.
Or the ownerless land, as it was also called.
But once upon a time, it had been known as the most fertile grain belt.
So why had it become an ownerless land?
Simple.
There was a good reason for it.
The first reason the kingdom had no choice but to abandon the grain belt was the prolonged drought.
Rain had failed to fall for so long that the fertile soil dried up, causing massive disruptions in food production.
And that wasn't all.
To make matters worse, a barrage of other natural disasters struck, turning the entire surrounding area into a wasteland in an instant.
As if it had been cursed.
Of course, the kingdom hadn't given up despite that.
They did everything they could to restore the land to its former glory.
But that effort was short-lived.
This time, mobs from other regions swarmed in, quickly putting an end to those attempts.
A farming belt that had fallen into ruin in a short span of time.
No, it was a land that could now rightfully be called the Ruins.
And so the kingdom had ultimately abandoned it.
There was simply no hope of revival.
That must have been when it started being called the abandoned land, the ownerless land.
The Ruins.
That forsaken territory had completely fallen into the hands of the mobs.
No one dared approach the surrounding areas anymore.
But in the past year, there were those who had driven out those mobs and begun staking their claim on the Southern Ruins.
The continent's adventurers. Agas players.
'Land that's too good to leave to the mobs.'
'Abandoned land? First come, first served, right?'
'No such thing as worthless land. Even if it's in ruins, it's different for us.'
Exactly.
Abandoned land on the continent. But things were different for players.
The monsters inhabiting the Southern Ruins.
The open dungeons scattered everywhere.
Even the strategic strongholds the mobs had once cultivated.
From a player's perspective, there were tons of beneficial elements left behind.
That's why guilds had started flooding in rapidly, and sure enough...
In the midst of it all, abandoned mines the mobs had been secretly developing were discovered, completely changing the value of the Southern Ruins.
And that wasn't all.
The land that had been ravaged by all sorts of disasters in the past.
The place everyone thought impossible to revive was gradually coming back to life through the players' efforts.
Farmers, gardeners, druids, earth spiritists, and various other specialists.
Using modern agricultural techniques and knowledge, they succeeded in reviving the land the kingdom had given up on.
Of course, it started small.
Natural disasters could strike again at any time.
And it was uncertain when they could reliably grow crops.
But even so, it was worth investing in.
The Southern Ruins had turned into a golden egg in an instant.
From then on, players in the south began eyeing it covetously.
'A chance to claim cities and castles and become a petty lord!'
'Taxes, tolls, dungeons, mines, grain—tons to gain!'
The competition heated up even more.
What had been clashes between small guilds grew into something larger.
A massive influx of players.
At the same time, not just small guilds but mid-sized ones joined the fray, intensifying the situation.
Territorial disputes reminiscent of the Warring States period.
From that point, the Southern Ruins became known as a guild warzone.
'And the one that put an end to that war was the mid-sized guild, Dokkaebi.'
Unmatched wealth.
Leadership that rallied people.
Backed by solid management and salesmanship.
And then they recruited rookies and named players en masse, securing military might overnight.
Guild Master Risiner.
He leveraged that force to swiftly claim cities and castles.
Resisting factions?
Overwhelmed by sheer power.
He just kept crushing them until they surrendered.
Just a few months ago, they had reigned as rulers of the Southern Ruins, but apparently, an alliance opposing Dokkaebi had recently formed.
'The alliance has successfully seized nearly half of Dokkaebi's territory. They're no longer just a resistance force...'
Internet article.
Yoo Seokwoo frowned as he read it.
No wonder the coachmen's reactions had been harsher than expected.
Dokkaebi. Anti-Dokkaebi.
The clash between the two forces had grown even fiercer.
And that was why the Southern Ruins were now neatly divided into Dokkaebi territory and Anti-Dokkaebi territory.
In other words, war was raging in real time.
'From Kaum to this... why does trouble always brew wherever I'm headed?'
What rotten luck.
Seokwoo grimaced and exhaled smoke.
He was currently out of the game, smoking in the break room.
He'd just resolved his questions via the Remus app, but the issue remained the carriage.
'There are carriages to the Southern Ruins, but...'
The kindly old man's face floated into his mind.
Back when heading to Jermi.
The player coachman who had demonstrated incredible speed(?) and lulled him to sleep in-game.
Of all things, the carriage to the Southern Ruins belonged to that player.
Jin Hyun. Known as the white-haired elder, he was an older player.
That's why he was out of the game now, pondering.
He couldn't find any other carriages heading to the Southern Ruins.
Wheeeeeew—
The ashtray overflowed with cigarette butts.
'How about it, young man? I'm going at top speed!'
'Ah, yes.'
'We'll be there in no time like this, heh heh heh!'
'Ah, yes.'
Memories flashed by.
Seokwoo's face paled as he shook his head.
No way.
He absolutely could not ride with Jin Hyun.
'And the distance is even longer this time.'
His gear might give out before they arrived.
'Yeah, it's not like he's the only coachman. If I wait long enough, one will show up!'
Right.
You bet.
Seokwoo stood with determined eyes.
'Tenacity wins!'
Neighhh!
The horses whinnied.
His body jolted along with it.
The road was so rough the carriage rocked side to side.
But his mind was utterly calm.
No, beyond calm—practically enlightened.
'......'
Luke blankly turned his head.
Through the window, the scenery outside came into view.
Even after all this time, it hadn't changed much.
"Heh heh, no matter how old I get, I never forget the face of a passenger I've carried once."
"......Ah, yes."
"You're the young man who rode with me to Jermi, right?"
"......Yes, that's me."
"Good! I'll get you to the Southern Ruins at top speed again this time!"
"......Ah, thank you."
Soulless responses.
Jin Hyun drove on excitedly, oblivious or not.
Of course.
Neighhh!
The speed hadn't picked up at all.
At the sight, Luke dropped his head and clenched his fists.
'Tenacity lost!'
Indeed.
No matter how long he waited or searched, no other Southern Ruins carriages appeared.
Even offering double pay, all coachmen refused to go there.
Jin Hyun's was the only one left.
In the end, Luke had no choice but to board, tears in his eyes.
'Well... it's just taking a bit longer.'
A bit that wasn't so little.
But he'd endure until then.
"Poko."
Oblivious to his feelings, Poko was gleefully playing with an hourglass beside him.
Event reward from Agas Land.
The heroic item, Daimus's Hourglass.
'What even is this thing for?'
Heroic grade item, yet...
Not only was its use and effect unknown, it couldn't even be used.
No one knew what it did or what happened if used.
'And this ring.'
Luke pulled out the ring he'd obtained before.
The item once held by the first hunter, German.
The Purified Night King's Ring.
Despite steadily absorbing Night King energy all this time, it was still unequippable.
How much more did it need?
And what power did it hold?
His curiosity was growing.
'What incredible ability is it holding back?'
It had originally contained a Blink effect.
'And this white fox mask too.'
Luke pulled out the mask next.
The fox-shaped mask given as a contribution reward by the composer.
As expected.
It was another Night King item he'd hunted down, but sadly, he couldn't accept its latent energy.
Because.
It had a separate special condition.
A second awakening, no less.
'Three things I can't use yet.'
Daimus's Hourglass, Purified Night King's Ring, White Fox Mask.
Their powers remained a mystery.
[Skilled Hunter's Hat]
[Skilled Hunter's Shirt]
[Skilled Hunter's Pants]
[Skilled Hunter's Boots]
[......]
[Skilled Hunter Set (Rare)]
'Time to switch up the armor soon.'
Skilled Hunter Set.
This was another reward from slaying Ten Emperors German.
+2 Agility.
Slight increase in critical hit chance.
+1 skill level to archery and dagger skills.
The set effects weren't bad, but it was gear for hunters ultimately.
Better sets flooded the auction house, including ones specialized for thieves.
There were also options to mix and match rare pieces by slot.
'Whether to go for a better set or piece it together... I'll decide later.'
And that wasn't all.
The poison he'd used up wiping out the revolutionaries.
He needed a way to restock it.
Until then, he couldn't fully utilize poison essence.
'Not many scrolls left from before either. Might need to head to the lawless zone sooner.'
It wasn't just about poison or scrolls.
The lawless zone where criminals roamed freely.
Items and common skills exclusive to it.
And the various secret contents only there.
Especially since Luke had traversed it for two years, knowing every nook and cranny.
'Things to check too.'
Lots to do.
However.
Slurp.
'But first, this.'
This took priority.
Del Marc's complete secret map.
The prime minister's legacy was hidden at the marked spot.
That's why he was heading straight to the Southern Ruins.
The marked point was deep inside them.
'Retrieve this first, then...'
Neighhh!
Then.
The carriage suddenly stopped.
The already snail-paced ride halted midway.
Luke scowled and stuck his head out.
To confront the coachman, Jin Hyun.
But even Jin Hyun looked flustered, staring straight ahead.
What was it?
Luke followed his gaze forward.
Several players were blocking the road out of nowhere.
'What the hell are these guys?'
An incomprehensible situation.
Then, the one who seemed to be their leader stepped forward and spoke.
"This pass is Anti-Dokkaebi territory. Pay the toll to pass."