Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Hype for the 2nd Anniversary
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The virtual reality game Agas was dominating box offices worldwide.
As the game with the highest user count, its occasional events were always massive in scale—including the one celebrating its launch anniversary.
And sure enough.
A full month in advance, anticipation for the 2nd anniversary was skyrocketing.
Of course, there were those who'd written it off after last year's disastrous event left them bitterly disappointed. But this time, the developer himself, Yong Hoseop, had publicly promised a fair and balanced affair.
The true creator of Agas.
His words carried immense weight, naturally.
Even those who'd turned away were starting to waver, reactions like "Fine, I'll bite one last time" popping up everywhere.
Then, out of nowhere, the trailer for the 2nd anniversary event went live.
"Everyone..."
The video, paired with the basic event details, racked up over ten million views in mere minutes, exploding across the net.
"...we invite you to Agas Land!"
With those tantalizing lines.
Rover Company headquarters.
"Video's uploaded!"
"Whoa, the views are climbing faster than last year..."
Excitement buzzed through the department.
The promo video from marketing had just gone live—and the response was beyond explosive.
'This is the bare minimum.'
But the event planning team leader, Son Kyungmin, stayed cool-headed.
He even cracked a relaxed smile, as if he'd seen it coming.
Endless days of brainstorming with the team during planning.
They'd rejected dozens of marketing drafts, squeezing every department for perfection. No way a video like that wouldn't deliver.
'Great start.'
It was a mega-project straight from developer Yong Hoseop's idea, fleshed out by the team.
All that was left: smooth execution.
Stepping in for the overburdened operations division, they had to nail this event without a hitch.
'Wonder what blew up so bad they dumped event lead on us.'
He knew ops had been pulling all-nighters lately, but handing off to planning? That was extreme.
'Heard the team leads all stormed Yong Hoseop's office... total chaos.'
What could it be?
Curiosity nagged at Kyungmin, but he shelved it.
Priority one: their 2nd anniversary event.
'Months of head-banging over this.'
They'd deliver results worthy of the hype.
Flawlessly, from start to finish.
"Team leader, who do you think'll top the ranks this time?"
One staffer tossed out a casual question.
The event was designed for fairness—level, items, skills be damned.
But RPG limits meant gaps between players were inevitable.
They'd added restrictions to minimize it, but top dogs would still pull ahead eventually.
The staffer was factoring that in.
But Kyungmin saw it differently.
"A few come to mind right away, but... who knows? I think some dark horses could shake things up this time."
"You mean because of those conditions?"
"Exactly."
Four keys to crushing this event:
Speed.
Accuracy.
Discernment.
Judgment.
Talent, items, skills—didn't matter.
Nail those four, and top ranks were in reach.
Even for lowbies.
"Can't make an RPG perfectly fair. So we threw in these wild cards. The ones who exploit them best? That's your winners."
"Still, won't high-rankers and top-rankers dominate?"
"Sure, some gaps are unbridgeable. But there'll always be exceptions. Because..."
Kyungmin's eyes gleamed oddly.
"...being strong doesn't guarantee jack here."
Neigh-hee-haw!
Meanwhile.
A player rode a carriage toward another city.
'Oppa, today's the day, right? Me and Haneul will be waiting in Jermi. You have to make it before the event starts. Got it?'
His moniker: Luke.
He'd promised his sister Mira and her friend Haneul they'd game together—and it lined up perfectly with event day. Straight shot to southern city Jermi.
To join them for the event.
'A promise is a promise.'
Lost in thoughts of the schedule ahead.
"Poko."
Poko caught his eye, rolling something nonstop beside him.
'Where to stash this guy during the event?'
Participating meant leaving Poko alone again.
'Not officially tamed or contracted.'
Taming.
Summoning.
Contract.
Lord-vassal bond.
Nothing like that.
Best he could claim: named it, raised affinity.
Unlocked the status window, but no pet skills like recall.
'Handled hiding solo in Horn Mountain fine.'
Luke pulled up Poko's status.
Level 10.
Mana stat 10.
New skill: Mana Absorption.
Gains from absorbing mana from German's vessel.
'Leveled up 10, mana +10... and this Mana Absorption.'
Aka mana drain.
Siphons target or ambient mana, converting to your own—an absorption spell.
And Poko had learned it.
"What are you, really?"
"Poko?"
"You don't know?"
"Poko poko!"
"Right, Poko it is."
"Poko!"
Luke ignored the indignant Poko and opened his inventory.
Prime loot from the hidden dungeon.
Total assets nearing 40 gold.
Sell the Scroll of Enlightenment, and he'd snag diamonds—the next currency tier.
'Bone Fragment's description is vague as hell, no clue what it's for.'
But the Skilled Hunter set from the final chest? Solid win.
'First two options mirror the Ancient Hunter set, but this third one.'
Archery and dagger skills level up.
Rare-grade worthy—boosts skill levels directly.
'Puts Dagger Mastery at Lv. 3. +3% extra damage!'
Perfect timing for a gear swap.
'Just this ring left...'
Luke lifted the Purified Night King's Ring.
Night King's energy poured in post-dungeon.
But not enough—process stalled midway.
Result: unequippable, unsellable limbo.
'Damn, should've stuck with the Blink Ring...'
Trying to unlock its true power backfired.
'Eh, can top it off later.'
Still stung.
'Real issue's this.'
Luke closed inventory and opened quests.
[Gehrman's Demise]
Grade: Hidden
You've annihilated Ten Emperor Gehman, soul and all. First revenge as Night King's successor—but don't relax. Gehman tested you before vanishing, but other tombs hold his secret arts and treasures for heirs. His successors will carry his will by other means. Obsessed with training heirs and hunters even in death. Time to uproot every last sprout!
Conditions: Gehman Tombs Found 1/?, Gehman Treasures Stolen 1/?, Gehman Secret Manuals Stolen 0/?
Hidden scenario.
Spotted the Ten Emperors link early, wrote it off—but here it was, progressing as Night King's heir.
'No wonder he clung to life. Grooming successors.'
Gehrman's desperate begging made sense now.
'Tombs he spilled might be decoys—or desperate Hail Marys.'
Plenty in there useful to heirs.
Info could be smokescreen.
'Expected that much. Bigger headache: conditions...'
Three goals total.
Targets: question marks.
'No rewards listed.'
Hidden scenarios' real prize: main scenario keys.
This was likely one.
Luke wasn't banking hard on rewards, but the difficulty? Brutal.
'Got the Skilled Hunter set and more from the dungeon, but only counts one "treasure." So stuff like this ring qualifies.'
Luke scowled, closing the quest window.
...
The compass in hand.
Huge help finding the hidden dungeon—but needle stuck again.
Needs fresh "fuel" like a map to spin up.
'High-grade for a reason.'
Finicky activation.
Tracking Night King relics or Ten Emperors tombs via compass? Off the table for now.
First: hit the two Gehman-named sites when time allows.
Verify truth from fiction.
'His panic-plea didn't scream total BS. This scenario popping fits.'
Maybe half-truths, or those tombs weakest of the bunch.
Lots of angles.
'But first: 2nd anniversary event looks juicy. Chase those rewards.'
Rules not fully out, but trailer and buzz suggested no PvP frenzy.
Rover Company hammering "level irrelevant."
Decent participation and ranking prizes—Luke was in.
'Meeting Mira and Haneul anyway.'
Perfect.
'Hm.'
But why this suffocating vibe?
Luke stared silently out the window.
Same scenery as before.
'Is this carriage even moving?'
Speed had crawled suspiciously since earlier.
'Tch, already aboard. No choice.'
Low-level driver.
Or sluggish horse.
Luke shrugged it off, closing his eyes to wait.
One hour passed.
Two.
No arrival.
Jermi wasn't that far.
...
Three hours in.
Luke checked system time, then leaned toward the driver.
"Hey, old man, you racing turtles or what? When the hell we—"
"Heh heh, sorry 'bout that."
Yellow straw hat.
Peeking white hair.
Deep, weathered wrinkles.
Boarding too quick to notice before—now crystal clear.
"Ain't much for speed, see."
A white-haired geezer.
A player—and coachman to boot.