Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Life is Straight Ahead
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The promotion system that activates upon reaching a certain level or fulfilling specific conditions.
It's called promotion when you move beyond your basic class into more diverse fields and even more specialized abilities.
Kotaro is a prime example.
He had completed his first promotion from the basic Warrior class to Dual Swordsman, wielding twin blades.
In that way, the classes you can promote into are determined by the weapons, attributes, skills, and various other characteristics you mainly handle.
A wide array of choices.
The user simply selects one of those classes.
Truly infinite possibilities.
It was like the structure of a mind map, with roots branching out endlessly.
Users with basic classes keep promoting step by step to higher classes—first, second, third, and so on.
But there was one major issue.
The number of promotions possible.
Depending on which higher class you choose, promotions might continue indefinitely, or they might stop right there, locking you into that class permanently.
That explained the current situation.
Some users had reached third promotions, while others were stuck at first promotion as their final one.
And that likely applied to hidden class awakenings as well.
Even though he could awaken one latent ability through the Night King's aura right now, the next awakening might come in a completely different way.
'Who knows when the second awakening might even happen.'
Plus, the body part he chose this time might not be selectable next time.
That was why Seokwoo was agonizing so carefully over which body part to awaken.
'If the awakening ability turns out to be insanely powerful, I might regret not choosing other options later.'
His head was starting to hurt.
Back in the day, whenever problems like this arose, there was always a friend by his side, pondering together with him.
'...I wonder what that guy's up to now.'
A friend popped into his mind unbidden.
He was Seokwoo's one and only friend, close since childhood and even through their wild, stormy youth.
Maybe because it had been so long since they'd seen each other's faces.
With these worries cropping up, thoughts of that friend naturally surfaced.
'I still haven't properly revealed that I'm Luke...'
After switching back to Thief, he'd delayed telling not just his sister, but his friend as well.
But someday, there'd be a chance to come clean with the truth.
'Besides, I could skirt around the details of my current dilemma and bounce it off him.'
Seokwoo glanced down at his phone.
'Hmm, should I give him a call?'
Meanwhile.
There was another man deep in thought, just like Seokwoo.
This man's moniker was none other than Shark.
Not long ago, he'd obtained the bow of the first hunter hidden in some ruins, thanks to a clue from a hidden scenario's stone tablet.
Thanks to a ranker Hunter, Shark had barely broken through the encirclement of the top ten guilds and secured the bow.
But now, he was racking his brains over yet another problem.
'Return to the primordial land where all began and prove your worth! The descendant of our clan shall test you personally.'
The primordial land.
To unseal the bow, he had to go back there and prove his qualifications.
'No way it's the Starting... Nah, let's investigate every place related to "primordial" first.'
At first, he was skeptical.
'The primordial land where everything begins... That's gotta be the Starting Village...'
But the more he dug into info sites and continental history, the more his hunch solidified into fact.
In the end, after exhaustive research, Shark concluded: 'The primordial land is the Starting Village.'
'Rover Company, you damn bastards!'
Shark was dumbfounded.
How could they design a hidden scenario like this?
The Starting Village.
That was a place only users level 10 or below could enter!
That's why everyone teleports straight there after finishing the tutorial. And now they were telling a ranker like him to go back—with this bow of the first hunter, no less.
'I could store the bow in the warehouse and retrieve it in the village...'
But his level was the problem.
He couldn't just lower his level temporarily or hand some off whenever he wanted.
So, only one option remained.
Forcibly downgrade or reset his character's level to 1 to bring up the choice prompt for heading to the Starting Village.
'Like hell I will! How the hell did I raise this character this far!'
Of course, Shark rejected that outright.
It wasn't low-level anymore—it was a full-fledged ranker. Starting over from scratch?
All the time invested, the gear—way too much to lose.
'There has to be another way... Another way!'
That's why he'd been desperately searching for alternatives.
A way to enter the Starting Village without lowering his level.
Surely some secret method existed.
But as time dragged on, Shark sank deeper into despair.
Zero leads from his investigations.
The top ten guilds still doggedly pursuing him, even with fewer numbers.
And the bow of the first hunter, useless in his hands for now.
No matter how much time he spent, no solutions emerged.
And then, entering week three.
Finally, Shark let it all go.
'Damn it, my life. Nothing but dead ends.'
Nothing was going right.
Chased by the top ten guilds.
The hidden scenario item he'd snagged? Total dud.
At this rate, his full-time gamer career was toast.
'Fuck, what a mess. Fine, they want me to reroll from the start?'
A hidden scenario.
For that, he'd abandon his current ranker status.
Could he really make that choice?
One wrong move, and he'd quit pro gaming altogether?
'Ahh, totally backed into a corner.'
Now, it all came down to his decision.
But doubts still lingered, as always.
That's why thoughts of his best friend—always there to cut through his dilemmas—naturally arose.
'Wonder what that guy's doing.'
Hell, the guy was sharper than him in these matters, despite Shark's brute-force style.
Maybe because they hadn't met in ages.
Today, he especially missed his friend's face.
Time to catch up, show his face.
And vent his frustrations properly.
'I can't spill all the details on my situation...'
If he heard the story, his friend would worry sick and try to help any way he could.
But dragging him into this mess with the top ten guilds? No way.
'Eh, I can just gloss over it.'
Shark stood up.
He launched the messenger app on his phone linked to the capsule.
'Alright, time to message...'
The moment he sent the message to his friend.
[Me: Hey, you alive?]
[Yoo Seokwoo: Whatcha up to?]
His friend's message arrived simultaneously, like they'd planned it.
"Hm."
"Hmmm."
"Ugh!"
"Hmmm!"
Inside a cafe in the city.
Two men sat facing each other at a table, their expressions gravely serious.
One had a regent haircut and a fierce look.
The other had semi-curly hair and sharp features.
"What're those guys?"
"Two dudes sitting in a cafe with that intense vibe. Scary—can't even walk past 'em."
"Hey, don't make eye contact. That big guy opposite looks jacked."
The air was chilling.
An oppressive aura no one dared approach.
People around averted their gazes, turning their heads away.
The cafe's second floor buzzed uneasily.
Finally, the semi-curly haired man—the late arrival—spoke up.
"You too?"
The regent-haired man, Shark.
No, Cha Dosik nodded in response.
"Figured it was you too."
"Yeah, got a big dilemma."
"Ahh, same here."
"Thought so."
"Yeah."
"Right, yeah."
"Damn right."
Best friends among best friends—maybe that's why.
Even after ages apart, they clicked instantly.
And with each nursing their own worries, perfect timing.
Seokwoo decided to hear Dosik's issue first.
"Y'know how you've always said that? Back in the day too. That in front of big gains, some losses are worth it."
"Yeah, I did."
"That's exactly my spot right now. Gotta ditch what I got now to chase an even bigger jackpot. But fuck, the future's uncertain."
"Ahh, I get that one."
"Knew you'd understand."
Dosik's face brightened a bit.
"Can't spill details yet 'cause of my situation, but someday I'll tell you too..."
"No sweat, I'm in a similar boat. Call it even."
"Phew, alright."
"Uncertain future, huh..."
Probably something tied to money or his job.
With dilemmas like this, rash advice could make things worse.
So Seokwoo chose his words carefully.
"You gotta pick strictly between just those two?"
"Well, pretty much...?"
"Hmmm, tough call."
It was hard.
A legitimately tricky problem.
But.
'Seeing him agonize this much, it's a real dead end. Only one answer then.'
Seokwoo had a good feel for how to respond.
All or nothing.
Forward or retreat.
Abandon what he had and aim higher?
Or settle for the status quo?
Ultimately, just those two paths.
Dosik had probably already half-decided deep down.
And knowing Dosik's personality, it'd be full speed ahead.
'He knows the answer but can't commit 'cause of the anxiety.'
Could even call it a foregone conclusion.
But here, he needed to ease the doubts and bolster that resolve.
"Hey, Dosik."
"Yeah."
"When have you ever lived agonizing over shit?"
"...What?"
"Keep it simple. When have you ever actually hesitated?"
"Urgh."
"Life is straight ahead. Isn't that your motto?"
"...!"
Life is straight ahead.
A phrase from their youth, always on his lips.
Dosik stared blankly at the table, eyes widening as it hit him.
'Yeah, fuck. I've always gone straight.'
What was he even hesitating for?
Showing weakness in front of his friend, of all people.
He, who always preached one-way streets.
"Kuh, what an idiot I am."
"Don't do shit that doesn't suit you. Just do what you always do, man."
"...Yeah, thanks."
"Psh, thanks my ass."
Only then could Dosik lift his head, face visibly relieved.
'Heh, solved another one.'
Seokwoo felt proud.
Helping his close friend clear his mind like that.
But he had no idea.
That his words had just turbocharged Dosik straight toward the cliff's edge.
'Should make him buy me a meal later.'
Seokwoo remained blissfully unaware to the end.